Mango Peels: Bioactive Riches

Exploring the potential of mango peels as functional ingredients reveals a treasure trove of bioactive compounds that can revolutionize the food and health industry. The antioxidant properties and high phenolic compound content in both mango peel and seed make them valuable resources. Noteworthy compounds like mangiferin, norathyriol, and resveratrol, found abundantly in mango peels, show promising results in preventing and combating a spectrum of cancers, including lung, colon, breast, brain, and spinal cord cancers.

Furthermore, the ripeness of mango peel plays a crucial role in determining its nutritional composition. Ripe peels boast higher levels of bound polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds compared to raw ones. The presence of triterpenes and triterpenoids in mango peels adds another layer of significance, as these plant compounds are recognized for their potential in combating not just cancer but also diabetes.

Beyond their medicinal properties, mango peels contribute significantly to digestive health and hunger regulation, thanks to their rich fiber content. The total dietary fiber in mango peel ranges from 40.6% to 72.5%, with primary neutral sugars such as galactose, glucose, and arabinose present in both insoluble and soluble dietary fibers.

To harness these bioactive compounds effectively, the extraction process plays a pivotal role. Incorporating pectinase enzymes into the maceration process emerges as a key technique. The addition of pectinases during fruit maceration breaks down the pectin in the peels, enhancing the release of bioactive compounds and improving overall extraction efficiency.

In conclusion, mango peels represent an untapped source of bioactive compounds with immense potential for various applications, from functional foods to pharmaceuticals. As research continues to unveil the myriad benefits hidden within mango peels, their integration into everyday products could pave the way for healthier and more sustainable consumption practices.
Mango Peels: Bioactive Riches

Chemical compound of norathyriol in mango

Mangos too have other chemical compound such as norathyriol, a metabolite of mangiferin, and also quercetin. Mangiferin has been reported to inhibit 𝛼-glucosidase.

𝛼-Glucosidases are one kind of the most important carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes. These enzymes play a crucial role in a broad range of metabolic pathways, which are closely related to some modern diseases, such as lysosomal storage diseases, HIV, and metastatic cancer.

Among them, 𝛼-glucosidase is in the brush-border surface membrane of small intestinal cells capable of catalyzing carbohydrate into glucose which is absorbed into the blood.

Mangiferin has been reported to possess antidiabetic activities. Norathyriol, a xanthone aglycone, has the same structure as mangiferin, except for a C-glucosyl bond. Both of norathyriol and mangiferin caused significant reduction in fasting blood glucose and the blood glucose levels at two hours after carbohydrate loading and it was interesting that mangiferin and norathyriol can make the decline of the blood glucose earlier than other groups ever including normal group in the starch tolerance test.

Research suggest that norathyriol and mangiferin could improve the glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity by up-regulation of the phosphorylation of AMPK. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a major role in regulating metabolism and has attracted significant attention as a therapeutic target for treating metabolic disorders.
Chemical compound of norathyriol in mango

Characteristics of strawberry wine

Wine can be produced from a variety of substrates (fruits) such as strawberry, cherries, apple, and pomegranate and the produced wine is popularly known as fruit wine.

Among all the fruit wines strawberry have a unique desirable flavor which makes it one of the most popular summer fruit. Sugar and acids provide sweetness and tartness, whereas volatiles compounds give the fruity characteristic aroma.

Seventy-eight volatile compounds were found in the strawberry wine, including 25 alcohols, 25 esters, five ketones, four aldehydes, nine terpenes, four acids, five phenols, and one styrene. During the fermentation, the composition of aroma compounds changed over time.

A typical wine contains sugars, acids, ethyl alcohol, higher alcohols or fusel oils, tannins, aldehydes, esters, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, anthocyanin, fatty acids, minor constituents like methanol, a number of flavouring compounds, etc.

Considering their relatively low odor threshold and diversity, esters are positive contributors to wine flavor, especially in young wine.

Wines made from more mature fruits had greater colour intensity and higher levels of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin content in carbonic macerated free run wines showed higher value compared to those skins fermented or pressed wines.
Characteristics of strawberry wine

What is tomato paste?

The fruit of an annual plant or short-lived perennial Lycopersicon esculentum of which some varieties grow to over 2.5 m high whilst others are low bushes.

Tomato paste is tomato puree that has been cooked to remove almost all moisture. Tomato paste is thus a concentrated source of flavor, color and thickening power. It is also an effective emulsion stabilizer.

It is obtained by removal of peel and seeds from tomatoes, followed by concentration of juice by evaporation under vacuum. Good quality tomato paste is a homogenous mass, with a high density, without foreign bodies with a red color, an agreeable taste and smell, close to those of fresh tomatoes.

Tomato paste lends a deeper, rounded tomato flavor and color to many slow-simmered paste sauces as well as to Italian soups and stews.

A rule of thumbs for formulating with tomato paste is as follows:
Tomato paste/water 1:1 ratio ≈ puree
Tomato paste/water 1:2 ratio ≈ sauce
Tomato paste/water 1:3 ratio ≈ juice
What is tomato paste?

Canning of raspberries

Raspberries are an important commercial fruit crop, widely grown in all temperate regions of the world. The raspberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus. Red and black raspberries are canned by the same methods.

Raspberries should be picked when they are ripe but firm. The raspberries are then conveyed to the factory in crates of the shallow boxes to prevent bruising or crushing of the fruit.

Raspberries, like most berries, require considerable hand labor in preparing for canning. Berries are washed and sorted to remove the deformed and overripe berries unfit for canning. Raspberries are size graded using slat riddled.

The berries are placed in cans as they are washed, the filled can inverted to drain off the excess water, and the cans generally placed on a belt or some other type of filled can conveyor to carry them to the syruper.

The berries are canned in heavy syrup (50°-55° Brix) for dessert purpose, or in water for use in pies. If syrup is used, it should be added at a temperatue of at least 93 ° C. Some canners believe that the use of syrup that is too hot causes shrinkage of the berries.

Cans are exhausted until a center temperature of 18 °C is reached. This requires approximately 5-6 min at 100 °C.
Canning of raspberries

Pollen-food syndrome

Patents allergic to certain airborne pollens can display adverse reactions on the ingestion of plant-derived foods as a result of IgE-cross –reactive structures shared by pollen and food allergen sources.

This clinical entity is known as the pollen-food syndrome. Pollen-food syndrome or oral allergy syndrome is a term describing associations between inhalant pollen allergies and allergic manifestations on ingestion of particular fruits, vegetables and spices.

It results from a primary sensitization to labile pollen allergens such as Bet v 1 or profilin, and the resulting phenotype is mainly mild, consisting of local oropharyngeal reactions.

Sensitization to the pollen occurs through the respiratory system. Patients with pollen-food syndrome generally tolerate cooked forms of the fruit or vegetable to which they are allergic, and allergists often recommended that they cook reactive fruits and vegetables before ingesting them.

Symptoms of pollen-food syndrome are coffined almost exclusively to the oropharynx and include itchy mouth, scratchy throat or swelling of the lips, mouth, uvula, tongue, and throat tightness.

Itchy ears are sometimes reported. Rarely, other target organs are involved.
Pollen-food syndrome

The health benefits of mulberry

Mulberry fruit has many health benefits. The primary medicinal function of mulberry is its ability to release heat from the body.  Mulberry has traditionally been used to release heat and toxins from the skin and lymphatic system.

Specific ways that mulberry is used to release heat include clearing heat from lungs and clearing the liver for the sake of relieving sore red eyes, bleeding and the vomiting of blood.

The fruit is good for digestive tract illness. It can stimulate digestion and assimilation of nutrients in the small intestine.

Mulberry fruit has the function of nourishing blood. If the person who has anemia, pallor, dizziness, insomnia, and heart-palpitations regularly takes mulberry juice, they will experience good effects.

Compounding with other herbs can nourish blood, blacken hair, and help grow hair. Those experience premature aging, such as graying hair and impotence, can take mulberry often.

Mulberry is full of vitamin A and B family and is effective in regulating fat, while boosting metabolism, which is perfect for weight control.

Scientists have pinpointed a number of biologically active compounds in the extract of mulberry leaves, that is effective in suppressing the progression of atherosclerosis, the built up of cholesterol-rich plaque in the arteries.

The fruits are rich in anthocyanins and hence hold great potential for using for health benefits and as natural food colorants.  One once of ripe mulberry fruit contains nearly 60 mg of anthocyanins.

This plant pigment is noted for its powerful antioxidant property and are being investigated for anti-neopastic, radiation-protective, vasotonic, vaso- protective, anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and hepatoprotective properties.
The health benefits of mulberry

Concord grapes

The Concord grapes is a robust grape cultivated from ancestral native species or a derivatives of a wild Vitis labrusca grape that could withstand the harsh New England weather. Concord grapes were first developed near Concord, Massachusetts by Ephraim Wales Bull in 1849.

It grew from a seed planted in 1843, which bore fruit in 1849. Prior to the appearance of the Concord, grape growing in Eastern American had limited success.

The only sugars are found in Concord grapes are glucose, fructose and sucrose, and the major nonvolatile acids found were tartaric and malic.

The Concord grape variety is chiefly used for the manufacture of grape juice. Approximately 96% of the juice made in New York state is prepared from Concord Grapes. Natural acidity, color and aroma of fresh grape berries provide quality in single strength Concord grape juice. Acidity above 0.85% results in juice that is too tart.

Hot pressing of the grapes is important to extract anthocyanin pigments, flavor components, amino acids, organic acids, sugars, minerals, tannins, and other ingredients.
Concord grapes 

Sources of pectin

Pectin is a complex carbohydrate component found in the middle lamella of plant cells. Pectins are polyuronides and consist of mixture of pectic substances like protopectin, pectin, pectinic acid and calcium pectate. Pectins with a high molecular weight and a high proportion of methyl ester groups have the best jelly ability.

The pectin content of fruits is variable and depends not only on the type of fruit but also on its maturity or ripeness. Under certain conditions, in presence of sugar and acid, it forms jelly like mass. If jellies or jams are made at home, it is best to add commercial pectin to ensure that there is sufficient pectin to form a gel.

The levels of pectin vary for the different plant tissues; apple pomace, sugar beet pulp., and sunflower heads are major sources of this fiber, ranging in pectin concentration from 15 to 25 g/100 g.

Purified pectin is made from apple cores and skin (apple pomade) and from the white inner skin (albedo) of citrus fruits. It is available in either liquid or granular form. The granular products have a longer shelf life than the liquids.

Pectin also has been manufactured from citrus peel for more than 50 years. All citrus contains pectin and the richest sources are limes, lemons, oranges and grapefruit in decreasing importance.

The soft, white spongy layer called albedo, just under the colored portion of the peel is the principle source of pectin.

Low-methyl pectin can be obtained by demethylating pectin with enzymes, acid or alkali until it is 20-40 % esterified.

Since these pectins gel with divalent ions and need no sugar, they can be used commercially for the production of low-calorie jams, jellies, or desserts.
Sources of pectin

Anthocyanins in cherries

The red pigments in fruits are basically flavonoids, occurring as water soluble glycosides, mainly formed from glucose, rhamnnose, arabinose, galactose and xylose, either as mono or disaccharides.

Sweet cherries are one of the most popular spring-summer fruit species and mainly consumed as a fresh table fruit. It is known that sweet cherry have a various antioxidants and one of its major phenolic antioxidant is anthocyanins. In fact, anthocyanins show one of the strongest antioxidant activities among phenolic compounds.

Anthocyanins are responsible for the red, blue and purple color of some flower and fruits and have been described as potent antioxidants.

Anthocyanin accumulation in the skin and flesh of red cherries begin several weeks before harvest. The ripening in process is characterized by color changes, from green to red which are due to accumulation and prolife of anthocyanins. Red color intensity in sweet cherry is used as an indicator of quality and ripening of fresh sweet cherry.

The anthocyanin content of cherries is compared to that of other plants foods evidence has suggested health –promoting effects related to their anthocyanin content.

A study has demonstrated a positive linear relationship between the level of anthocyanins in cherries and the degree of protection from oxidative stress in neuronal cells (J. Agric Food Chem 199;47: 840-4).

The amount of anthocyanins varies widely between types of fruits. Even though level of anthocyanin in tart cherries have been found to exceed those in sweet cherries and other fruits sweet cherries, particularly Jerte Valley cherries, have been reported to present melatonin precursors – molecules with potent antioxidant activity – which may contribute to an increase in the potential biologic properties of these cherries.
Anthocyanins in cherries

Antioxidants content in fruits

Fruits, berries and vegetables contain various phytochemicals with different bioactivities such as antioxidants activity.

Fruits and berries are good sources of antioxidants, including, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, tocopherols, flavonoids and phenolic acids.

The main antioxidants in fruits are vitamin C or ascorbic acid, which is colorless and the carotenoid and flavonoids families of antioxidants that provide fruits with their orange, yellow, pink, red and purple colors. 

Red, blue, and purple fruits (such as apple, blackberry, blueberry, blood orange, cranberry, grape, nectarine, peach, plum, prune, pomegranate, raspberry, and strawberry) are good sources of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds. They are positively correlated with antioxidant capacity of the fruit.

Strawberries

These anthocyanins inhibit cholesterol synthesis theses fruits provide protection against heart disease. 

Orange-flesh fruits (such as apricot, cantaloupe, mango, nectarine, orange, papaya, peach, persimmon and pineapple) and some red flesh fruits (such as tomato, watermelon and pink grapefruit) are good sources of carotenoids.

Carotenoids are known to enhance immune function. Persons with high blood levels of carotenoids have a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

The vitamin E content of fruits is generally low, but seeds and nuts have high vitamin E content.

Fruits, nuts, and vegetables in the daily diet have been strongly associated with reduced risk for some forms of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other chronic disease. This is attributed, in part, to their content of antioxidant phytochemicals.

A study at the Harvard School of Public Health done in 1995 on 48,000 men for 4 years reported that men who ate 10 or more servings of tomato products per week had up to 34% less chance to develop prostate cancer.

They showed that lycopene intake from tomato based products is related to a low risk of prostate cancer.

Food processing of fruits and berries into juices and jams, and drying of fruits generally result in lower amounts of antioxidants compounds.

For example, losses of anthocyanins in juices and purees of strawberries, strawberry and blackcurrant syrups, cranberry juice, raspberry juice and wine.
Antioxidants content in fruits

Important minerals in fruits

Fresh fruits are a good source of minerals many of which are considered to play an important role in human health.

All fruits contain important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Minerals often present in microquantities are manganese, ferum, copper, and molybdenum.

Potassium is them most abundant mineral in fruits followed by calcium and magnesium.

The following fruits are important contributors to the supply of indicated minerals in the U.S diet:
 Potassium: banana, blueberry, peach, orange, apple, dried fruits such as apricot and prune.

Phosphorus: banana, orange, peach, fig, raisin, walnut, almond

Calcium: tangerine, grapefruit, orange, walnut, almond

Iron: strawberry, banana, apple, orange, avocado, berries, lemon, cherry, fig and grape

Minerals are basic components in secondary metabolic pathways that produce valuable phytochemicals for normal human health.

They serve as an important function in supporting, controlling, and preserving health. Minerals help to make enzyme functioning possible, regulates metabolism, and adjust hormone secretion.
Important minerals in fruits

Mineral rich guava

Guava fruits is either eaten fresh or consumed in processed foods. It is very nutritious that is rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, vitamin A and several minerals important for human health.

Guava is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium.

A large numbers of minerals are essential for human body and have a wide variety of roles in the human body. Bones and teeth are mainly made up of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Minerals like zinc are activators of certain enzymes.

Calcium, associated worth cell wall structure, is important in fruit softening. Guava is a slightly acid forming food, with a calcium (23mg/100 g) – phosphorus (42 mg/100 g) ration of 0.55 and is in this regard similar like soya milk, which is ration 0.51. Calcium also plays a vital role in blood clot formation, muscle contraction, cell membrane permeability, signal transduction and activation of enzymes.

Guava are the major dietary source of potassium, the most abundant mineral in fruits. Many studies show that people who eat potassium-rich fruits have lower rates of heart related disease and high blood pressure. It helps maintain normal fluid balance in the body.

While for magnesium, it is essential for strengthening bones, making new cells, activating B vitamins, relaxing nerves and muscles, clotting blood, and building DNA and protein.

Guava is very good source of iron. Iron is an important constituent of blood. It is a component of heme pigments and of some enzymes.

Zinc is the second most important of the essential trace elements for humans, it is a constituent of some enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase.
Mineral rich guava

Sugars

In United States, the natural sugars of milk, fruits, vegetables, and grains account for about half of the sugar intake, the other half consists of concentrated sugars that have been refined and added to foods for a variety of purposes.

Sugars, important in nutrition, consist of monosaccharides, having the general formula C6H12O6, and disaccharides, having the general formula C12H22O11.

Although the monosaccharides consists of 3-carbon sugars (trioses), 4-carbon sugars (tetroses), 5-carbon sugars (pentoses), and 6-carbon sugars (hexoses), only the latter are important in human nutrition as sources of energy.

Three monosaccharides are important in nutrition: glucose, fructose and galactose. All three monosaccharides have the same number and kinds of atoms but in different arrangements.

Glucose, a 6-carbon sugar, is one of the simplest carbohydrates found in foods. While many foods contain traces of glucose, it is found in significant amounts only in fruits, such as grapes.

Most cells depend on glucose for their fuel to some extent and the cells of the brain and the rest of the nervous system depend almost exclusively on glucose for their energy.

Fructose, also a 6-carbon sugar, is found in ripened fruits and honey, both of these sugars can be utilizes by body as a source of energy. It is the sweetest of the natural sugars.

Other source of fructose include soft drinks, ready to eat cereals and other products sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.

Lactose, the 12-carbon sugar present in milk, is broken down in the intestine to glucose and lactose (6-carbon sugar), both of which can be used as sources of energy.

Maltose, another disaccharide, produced form starch in the malting of grains is much less effective sweetener than sucrose.

The used of added sugars had risen steadily over the past several decades, both in the United States and around the world, with soft drinks and sugared fruit drinks accounting for most of the increase.
Sugars