Antiglycation mechanisms of oilseed meal extracts with emphasis on sinapine-rich canola meal

Authors: KATUWAL, NIRAT - South Dakota State University; Brownstein, Korey; KARKI, BISHNU - South Dakota State University

Submitted to: LWT - Food Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2026
Publication Date: 3/11/2026
Citation: Katuwal, N., Brownstein, K.J., Karki, B. 2026. Antiglycation mechanisms of oilseed meal extracts with emphasis on sinapine-rich canola meal. LWT - Food Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2026.119255.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2026.119255

Interpretive Summary: Canola meal is the byproduct from the processing of canola seeds into oil. Canola meal has a good amino acid balance and is used as a livestock feed especially with cattle. In search of ways of increasing market value of canola seeds for the farmers in the U.S., USDA ARS scientists in Peoria, Illinois, discovered that an extract from canola seed meal can help block advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), chemicals formed through reactions between proteins and sugars that have been linked to chronic diseases in humans. These diseases cost the United States $4.5 trillion every year. The scientists report that hexane extracts from canola seed meals blocked AGE formation. The active compounds responsible for this effect are bioactive molecules found in canola meals. These are important findings because they offer a new use for canola meal, which could be developed into functional food or nutraceutical products. This can create new market opportunities for canola farmers and processors, while contributing to public health efforts to reduce the burden of chronic disease.

Technical Abstract: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) contribute to the progression of multiple chronic diseases, creating a need for effective and sustainable antiglycation agents. This study evaluated the antiglycation potential of crude methanolic extracts of hexane-extracted canola meal (HECM), cold-pressed soybean meal (CPSM), and their composite mixtures using response surface methodology. Among all samples, the HECM extract exhibited the strongest antiglycation bioactivity, significantly outperforming CPSM and the composite mixtures. LC-MS and HPLC analyses identified sinapine as the predominant bioactive compound in HECM, with sinapic acid (SA) and 3,6-disinapoyl sucrose (DSS) as minor constituents. Although the synthetic inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) showed greater AGE inhibition on a mass basis, sinapine, SA and DSS displayed superior antiglycation activities on molar basis. SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that HECM extract and sinipine effectively preserved the native structure of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and reduced glycation-induced protein aggregation compared with AG. Mechanistic assays revealed that dicarbonyl trapping, metal chelation, and inhibition of fructosamine formation contribute to the observed bioactivity. Molecular dynamics simulations (100 ns) suggested favorable sinapine-BSA binding (delta G bind = -30.11 kcal/mol), supporting the experimental findings. Overall, canola meal represents a promising source of potent antiglycation agents for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and residue-valorization.