Integrated evaluation of the stability and functional properties of natural pigments of foods

• Grant number: 05/59552-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2007 - August 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Zerlotti Mercadante
• Grantee: Adriana Zerlotti Mercadante
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Inar Castro Erger ; Lusânia Maria Greggi Antunes ; Maria Aparecida Azevedo Pereira da Silva ; Maria de Lourdes Pires Bianchi ; Neura Bragagnolo ; Ursula Maria Lanfer Marquez ; Walkiria Hanada Viotto
• Associated scholarship(s): 09/15692-0 - Evaluation of citotoxicity, genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity and gene expression of Tp53 and Ephx2 in rats treated with Caryocar villosum, BP.DR; 08/06793-4 - Antigenotoxic activity of compounds in the diet and its effect in the expression of genes in response to oxidative stress, BP.DR; 07/57702-6 - valuation of beta-carotene microencapsulated antimutagenic activity in cells of rats treated with antitumor doxorubicin using micronucleus test and comet assay, BP.MS

Abstract

Carotenoids and anthocyanins are substances that besides their colorant properties, show important biological functions and actions, being considered human health promoters. However, due to their structural variability, low stability and high possibility of interactions, either in food or biological systems, their potential applications are limited. Although chlorophyll is the most abundant pigment in nature, is the least studied in relation to the metabolic point of view, and only recently, this pigment has been associated to important biological functions, such as antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. These beneficial effects, demonstrated both in vitro and in cell cultures, seem to indicate that they can also occur in vivo in the absence of light, both in the gastrointestinal tract and at systemic level, since its absorption into the blood stream has already been proposed by some researchers. The purpose of this project is to expand our current understanding of the pigments by further investigation on characterization and identification of pigments and their degradation metabolites, to evaluate the stability of the pigments, either isolated or in mixtures and to look for ways to improve their stability. A better knowledge concerning the source of volatile or non-volatile products, formed during processing and storage, may be relevant to the production of processed juices and/or foods with high sensorial quality, related to aroma and color of the final product. In the same way, studies on interaction and investigations regarding the intestinal absorption, antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of pigments are include in the scope of this project. The obtained information will constitute new knowledge and will be applied directly or indirectly to solve problems related to the stability of pigments, development of new products and products with optimized functional characteristics, as well as to explore the characteristics of these pigments as health-promoter compounds. The multidisciplinary team, already formed through the multi-user project approved by FAPESP, constituted by main research members from the Faculty of Food Engineering - UNICAMP and from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences - USP - São Paulo, was expanded by new members from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto - USP. In addition, another professor from the National University of Santiago del Estero (UNSE) from Argentina, with papers already published in collaboration with the coordinator of this project, and a further researcher from the State University of Londrina (UEL) will join the team. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DECKER, ERIC A.; ALAMED, JEAN; CASTRO, INAR A.. Interaction Between Polar Components and the Degree of Unsaturation of Fatty Acids on the Oxidative Stability of Emulsions. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN OIL CHEMISTS SOCIETY, v. 87, n. 7, p. 771-780, JUL 2010. (05/59552-6)

ALMEIDA, MARA RIBEIRO; CASTANIA DARIN, JOANA D'ARC; HERNANDES, LIVIA CRISTINA; AISSA, ALEXANDRE FERRO; CHISTE, RENAN CAMPOS; MERCADANTE, ADRIANA ZERLOTTI; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA LOURDES. Antigenotoxic Effects of Piquia (Caryocar villosum) in Multiple Rat Organs. PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION, v. 67, n. 2, p. 171-177, JUN 2012. (05/59552-6, 09/15692-0)

AISSA, ALEXANDRE FERRO; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA LOURDES; RIBEIRO, JULIANA CARVALHO; HERNANDES, LIVIA CRISTINA; DE FARIA, ADELIA FERREIRA; MERCADANTE, ADRIANA ZERLOTTI; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA. Comparative study of beta-carotene and microencapsulated beta-carotene: Evaluation of their genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects. Food and Chemical Toxicology, v. 50, n. 5, p. 1418-1424, MAY 2012. (05/59552-6, 07/57702-6)

MERCADANTE, A. Z.; CAPITANI, C. D.; DECKER, E. A.; CASTRO, I. A.. Effect of natural pigments on the oxidative stability of sausages stored under refrigeration. MEAT SCIENCE, v. 84, n. 4, p. 718-726, APR 2010. (05/59552-6)

ALMEIDA, MARA RIBEIRO; AISSA, ALEXANDRE FERRO; URSULA HERMOGENES GOMES, TARSILA DAYSY; CASTANIA DARIN, JOANA D'ARC; CHISTE, RENAN CAMPOS; MERCADANTE, ADRIANA ZERLOTTI; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA LOURDES. In Vivo Genotoxicity and Oxidative Stress Evaluation of an Ethanolic Extract from Piquia (Caryocar villosum) Pulp. JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL FOOD, v. 16, n. 3, p. 268-271, MAR 2013. (05/59552-6, 09/15692-0)

SERPELONI, JULIANA MARA; DE SYLLOS COLUS, ILCE MARA; DE OLIVEIRA, FABIOLA SINGARETTI; AISSA, ALEXANDRE FERRO; MERCADANTE, ADRIANA ZERLOTTI; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA LOURDES; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA. Diet carotenoid lutein modulates the expression of genes related to oxygen transporters and decreases DNA damage and oxidative stress in mice. Food and Chemical Toxicology, v. 70, p. 205-213, AUG 2014. (10/05096-8, 05/59552-6, 08/06793-4)

SERPELONI, JULIANA MARA; BATISTA, BRUNO LEMOS; FRIEDMANN ANGELI, JOSE PEDRO; MAZZARON BARCELOS, GUSTAVO RAFAEL; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA DE LOURDES; BARBOSA, JR., FERNANDO; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA. Antigenotoxic Properties of Chlorophyll b Against Cisplatin-Induced DNA Damage and its Relationship with Distribution of Platinum and Magnesium In Vivo. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH-PART A-CURRENT ISSUES, v. 76, n. 6, p. 345-353, MAR 1 2013. (05/59552-6, 08/06793-4, 10/05096-8)

DOMINGOS, L. D.; XAVIER, A. A. O.; MERCADANTE, A. Z.; PETENATE, A. J.; JORGE, R. A.; VIOTTO, W. H.. Oxidative stability of yogurt with added lutein dye. JOURNAL OF DAIRY SCIENCE, v. 97, n. 2, p. 616-623, FEB 2014. (05/59552-6)

SERPELONI, JULIANA MARA; GROTTO, DENISE; AISSA, ALEXANDRE FERRO; MERCADANTE, ADRIANA ZERLOTTI; PIRES BIANCHI, MARIA DE LOURDES; GREGGI ANTUNES, LUSANIA MARIA. An evaluation, using the comet assay and the micronucleus test, of the antigenotoxic effects of chlorophyll b in mice. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS, v. 725, n. 1-2, p. 50-56, OCT 9 2011. (10/05096-8, 05/59552-6, 08/06793-4)