Bioactive compounds, including some fatty acids (FAs), can induce beneficial effects on body fat-content and metabolism. In this work, we have used C. elegans as a model to examine the effects of several FAs on body fat accumulation. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids induced a reduction of fat content in C. elegans, with linoleic, gamma-linolenic and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acids being the most effective ones. These three FAs are sequential metabolites especially in omega-6 PUFA synthesis pathway and the effects seem to be primarily due to dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, and independent of its transformation into omega-3 or arachidonic acid. Gene expression analyses suggest that peroxisomal beta oxidation is the main mechanism involved in the observed effect. These results point out the importance of further analysis of the activity of these omega-6 FAs, due to their potential application in obesity and related diseases.

Background: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA) have been investigated for their beneficial effects on obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. In the current research, the goal was to evaluate metabolomic changes following the dietary supplementation of these two lipids, alone or combined in healthy overweight/obese sedentary women following an energy-restricted diet. For this purpose, an untargeted metabolomics approach was conducted on urine samples using liquid chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-TOF-MS). Methods: This is a short-term double blind placebo-controlled study with a parallel nutritional design that lasted 10 weeks. Participants were assigned to one of the 4 experimental groups [Control, EPA (1.3 g/d), alpha-LA (0.3 g/d) and EPA+alpha-LA (1.3 g/d + 0.3 g/d)]. All intervention groups followed an energy-restricted diet of 30% less than total energy expenditure. Clinically relevant biochemical measurements were analyzed. Urine samples (24 h) were collected at baseline and after 10 weeks. Untargeted metabolomic analysis on urine samples was carried out, and principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were performed for the pattern recognition and characteristic metabolites identification. Results: Urine samples were scattered in the PCA scores plots in response to the supplementation with alpha-LA. Totally, 28 putative discriminant metabolites in positive ionization, and 6 in negative ionization were identified among groups clearly differentiated according to the a-LA administration. Remarkably is the presence of an ascorbate intermediate metabolite (one of the isomers of trihydroxy-dioxohexanoate, or dihydroxy-oxohexanedionate) in the groups supplemented with aLA. This fact might be associated with antioxidant properties of both alpha-LA and ascorbic acid. Correlations between phenotypical parameters and putative metabolites of provided additional information on whether there is a direct or inverse relationship between them. Especially interesting are the negative correlation between ascorbate intermediate metabolite and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the positive one between superoxide dismutase (SOD) and aLA supplementation. Conclusions: This metabolomic approach supports that the beneficial effects of alpha-LA administration on body weight reduction may be partly explained by the antioxidant properties of this organosulfur carboxylic acid mediated by isomers of trihydroxy-dioxohexanoate, or dihydroxy-oxohexanedionate.

Obesity and type 2-diabetes are becoming a worldwide health problem, remarking the importance of alternative therapies to tackle their progression. Here, we hypothesized that supplementation of diet with 6 % w/w of a freeze-dried strawberry-blueberry (5:1) powder (FDSB) could exert beneficial metabolic effects in Wistar rats. FDSB-supplemented animals experienced significantly reduced body weight gain, food efficiency and visceral adiposity accumulation in two independent experiments. FDSB supplementation also contributed to lower area under the curve after an intraperitoneal GTT and reduced serum insulin levels and insulin resistance index (IR-HOMA) in HFS diet-fed animals, together with reduced plasma MCP-1 inflammation marker concentrations. Gene expression analysis in retroperitoneal adipocytes from experiment 1 and 3T3-L1 cells showed that FDSB inhibited adipogenesis and lipogenesis through down-regulation of Pparg, Cebpa, Lep, Fasn, Scd-1 and Lpl gene expression. Untargeted metabolomics identified the cis isomer ofresveratrol-3-glucoside-sulphate as a metabolite differentially increased in FDSB-treated serum samples, which corresponds to a strawberry metabolite that could be considered a serum biomarker of FDSB-intake. Our results suggest that FDSB powder might be useful for treatment/prevention of obesity-related diseases.

Metabolomics is used to assess the compliance and bioavailability of food components, as well as to evaluate the metabolic changes associated with food consumption. This study aimed to analyze the effect of consuming ready-to-eat meals containing a cocoa extract, within an energy restricted diet on urinary metabolomic changes. Fifty middle-aged volunteers [30.6 (2.3) kg m(-2)] participated in a 4-week randomised, parallel and double-blind study. Half consumed meals supplemented with 1.4 g of cocoa extract (645 mg polyphenols) while the remaining subjects received meals without cocoa supplementation. Ready-to-eat meals were included within a 15% energy restricted diet. Urine samples (24 h) were collected at baseline and after 4 weeks and were analyzed by high-performance-liquid chromatography-time-of-flight-mass-spectrometry (HPLC-TOF-MS) in negative and positive ionization modes followed by multivariate analysis. The relationship between urinary metabolites was evaluated by the Spearman correlation test. Interestingly, the principal component analysis discriminated among the baseline group, control group at the endpoint and cocoa group at the endpoint (p < 0.01), although in the positive ionization mode the baseline and control groups were not well distinguished. Metabolites were related to theobromine metabolism (3-methylxanthine and 3-methyluric acid), food processing (L-beta-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine), flavonoids (2,5,7,3', 4'-pentahydroxyflavanone-5-O-glucoside and 7,4'-dimethoxy-6-C-methylflavanone), catecholamine (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol-sulphate) and endogenous metabolism (uridine monophosphate). These metabolites were present in higher (p < 0.001) amounts in the cocoa group. 3-Methylxanthine and L-beta-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine were confirmed with standards. Interestingly, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol-sulphate was positively correlated with 3-methylxanthine (rho = 0.552; p < 0.001) and 7,4'-dimethoxy-6-C-methylflavanone (rho = 447; p = 0.002). In conclusion, the metabolomic approach supported the compliance of the volunteers with the intervention and suggested the bioavailability of cocoa compounds within the meals.

Faecal non-targeted metabolomics deciphers metabolic end-products resulting from the interactions among food, host genetics, and gut microbiota. Faeces from Wistar rats fed a high-fat sucrose (HFS) diet supplemented with trans-resveratrol and quercetin (separately or combined) were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Metabolomics in faeces are categorised into four clusters based on the type of treatment. Tentative identification of significantly differing metabolites highlighted the presence of carbohydrate derivatives or conjugates (3-phenylpropyl glucosinolate and dTDP-D-mycaminose) in the quercetin group. The trans-resveratrol group was differentiated by compounds related to nucleotides (uridine monophosphate and 2,4-dioxotetrahydropyrimidine D-ribonucleotide). Marked associations between bacterial species (Clostridium genus) and the amount of some metabolites were identified. Moreover, trans-resveratrol and resveratrol-derived microbial metabolites (dihydroresveratrol and lunularin) were also identified. Accordingly, this study confirms the usefulness of omics-based techniques to discriminate individuals depending on the physiological effect of food constituents and represents an interesting tool to assess the impact of future personalized therapies.

eta-Carotene is a carotenoid usually applied in the food industry as a precursor of vitamin A or as a colourant. beta-Carotene is a labile compound easily degraded by light, heat and oxygen. Casein micelles were used as nanostructures to encapsulate, stabilise and protect beta-carotene from degradation during processing in the food industry. Self-assembly method was applied to re-assemble nanomicelles containing beta-carotene. The protective effect of the nanostructures against degradation during the most common industrial treatments (sterilisation, pasteurisation, high hydrostatic pressure and baking) was proven. Casein micelles protected beta-carotene from degradation during heat stabilisation, high pressure processing and the processes most commonly used in the food industry including baking. This opens new possibilities for introducing thermolabile ingredients in bakery products.

The objective of this work was to obtain and stabilize natural vitamins from red pepper by-products. The method of obtainment was supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, studying different parameters that affect the yield. The highest extraction yield was found at 60 degrees C, 24 MPa extraction, with no modifier added and 0.2-0.5 mm particle size. The recovered extract was a red-coloured oil. The extract was subsequently microencapsulated by spray-drying using gum arabic as wall material to avoid the degradation of vitamin over the storage time. The thermal stability of microcapsules was analysed by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), while size, shape and morphology of microcapsules were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microcapsules containing pepper extract were particles of spherical shape with dents on the surface, the average size of these particles was 5.46 mu m. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.