Don't Miss out on our CONFERENCE

06/28/2018

JULY 16, 2018 FROM 3.30 -5.00 PM

Mc Cormick Place – S403AB

“New insights using photon emission to image lipid oxidation patterns in food matrices”

Existing techniques presently used for oxidation measurements remain either inaccurate and misleading or ill-adapted to different oxidation conditions. The method reported here addresses all of the above challenges. Plants, like almost all living organisms, spontaneously emit photons of visible light (autoluminescence). Such light is very faint and it mainly emanates from oxidized lipids. The visualization of such a weak light is possible only by using particular, yet fairly accessible pieces of imaging equipment, providing excellent sensitivity that is based on liquid N2-cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. This technique is called luminescence. Thus, here we will present that through a multidisciplinary approach, initially based on techniques used in astronomy, then in plant science, chemistry and biology, was necessary to advance our understanding in lipid oxidation.

Here, we used the knowledge and innovative methods gained via the above multidisciplinary approach to investigate lipid oxidation in food matrices. We intend to show through case studies that just like in plants, oxidation of food matrices abundant in fats can be imaged and mapped by luminescence. Indeed the audience will be provided examples of cases studies that this innovative, highly sensitive, non-invasive method we rapidly imaged lipid oxidation in aged oil in water emulsions.

This method was then used as a screening tool of a research program on plant antioxidants and addressed certain questions concerning plant compounds with high chelating and antioxidative capacities, capable of synergistical effects, and their modes of action and roles in planta and in food matrix. Here, we report on data that resulted from an investigation of a great number of extracts and extract combinations originating from different parts of edible plants and from an array of taxonomically and geographically distant species. We undertook different research phases that ranged from studies in vitro, through studies in food matrix (mayonnaise), extract/activity characterization phase, to understanding mechanisms of action. Our first focus concerned in vitro studies that screened numerous extracts/plant products obtained through various technologies, for their chelating and anti-reactive oxygen species (ROS) and -free radical activities. Selected extract candidates and extract combinations with demonstrated synergistical effects were then tested within mayonnaise. Subsequently, characterization of extracts of interest, and the identification of compounds conferring antioxidative and chelating activity were identified.

Finally, our research concerns the understanding of fundamental mechanisms according to which plant compounds may inhibit off-taste in fat-abundant food matrices provoked by oxidation, even at fairly low concentrations. We propose why in lipid dispersions such as mayonnaise the ability of reactants to move from a lipid particle to others is an important, yet often ignored, determinant of lipid oxidation and its inhibition by antioxidants. Three putative inter-particle transfer mechanisms will be suggested. Several proprietary extracts and extract combinations originating from different parts of edible plants and from taxonomically distant species that displayed antioxidative and notably chelating activities will be presented.

 

Speakers:
Dr. Simona BIRTIC, Senior Scientist, Naturex
Dr. Mickaël LAGUERRE, Senior Scientist, Naturex

 
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