Methanolic extract was obtained from Melipona beecheii honey and quantitative analysis of components like total amount of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and flavonols were estimated. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were fractionated by reverse phase HPLC and assessed for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities by in vitro methods. Total phenol content was estimated as 63.22 mg of Gallic acid equivalents/100 g of honey. Total flavonoids and flavonols were found to be 3.61 and 3.16 mg of Catechin or Naringenin equivalents/100 g of honey, respectively. The flavonoids fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, with IC 50 values of 0.33, 0.92 and 0.36 mg/mL for radical scavenging activity, chelating effects and reducing power, respectively. Inhibition of albumin denaturation, membrane stabilization and proteinase inhibition assays indicated that flavonoids extract showed anti-inflammatory activity. Phenolic compounds like phenolic acids and flavonoids present in the M. beecheii honey could be partially responsible for their antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities.

The leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni has nutrients and phytochemicals, which make it an adequate source for the extraction and production of functional food ingredients. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest therapeutic and pharmacological applications for stevia and their extracts because they are not toxic and exhibit several biological activities. This review presents the biological activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and their relationship to antidiabetic, anticariogenic, antioxidant, hypotensive, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities. Consumption and adverse effects were also reviewed.

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In this study a new wheat bread was designed whose sugars were replaced with S. rebaudiana Bertoni aqueous extract. The impact of the S. rebaudiana Bertoni aqueous extract on nutritional and sensory quality, its ability to reduce sugar intake and its antioxidant properties were investigated. Functional bread with 50 % of sugars replaced with S. rebaudiana extract was compared with traditional wheat bread. The extract demonstrated alpha amylase (IC 50 = 198.40 μg/mL) glucosidase (596.77 μg/mL) inhibition. The radical scavenging activity exhibited an IC 50 value of 335.94 mg/mL. In comparison with the control, the bread with stevia extract was softer and had lower microbial growth during the shelf-life study. The sensory test showed that the substitution of 50 % stevia extract was more acceptable when comparing with all quality characteristics. Regarding the nutritional contribution, the content of dietary fiber and digestible carbohydrates in the bread with stevia extract was higher and lower respectively, so caloric intake was significantly reduced. The results showed that the biological properties of S. rebaudiana extract were retained after the bread making process and that the proposed bread is suitable as functional food in human nutrition.

The acceptability and marketability of hard‐to‐cook (HTC) bean has reduced. Protein isolates from HTC bean were hydrolyzed with one of two sequential enzymatic systems: Alcalase‐Flavourzyme or pepsin‐pancreatin. These hydrolysates were fractionated into five peptide fractions (>10, 5–10, 3–5, 1–3; and <1 kDa) using an ultrafiltration membrane system. Fraction angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory (IC50) and antioxidant activities (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity [TEAC]) were measured: the <1 kDa fractions exhibited the highest values for both activities. These fractions were further purified by gel chromatography in a Sephadex C‐50 column (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden), producing 11 peptide fractions (F0‐F10) from each <1 kDa fraction. The highest IC50 value (2.7 µg protein/mL) was observed in F6 from the Alcalase‐Flavourzyme hydrolysate, and the highest TEAC value (6,922.0 mM/mg sample) was observed in F10 from the pepsin‐pancreatin hydrolysate. HTC bean protein hydrolysates and their fractions are promising natural ACE inhibitors and antioxidants, and potential ingredients in functional food systems. PRACTICAL APLICATIONS Biofunctional peptides have the potential to be applied in the formulation of health‐enhancing nutraceuticals with well‐defined pharmaceutical effects. Peptide products that have angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effect are currently on the market and some of them are at the stage of being tested because of the strict requirements in order to demonstrate the efficacy of these bioactive peptides prior to their widespread utilization as physiologically beneficial functional foods/food ingredients. Many peptides and protein hydrolysates can lower the pace of lipid autoxidation process. They also play a role of the heavy metal acceptors and scavenge‐free radicals. Protein hydrolysates can potentially be applied as additives to many of food products although their darkening and low fat solubility make it impossible to apply them as the antioxidative additives to fats and oils. Hard‐to‐cook bean protein hydrolysates and their peptide fractions are promising natural ACE inhibitors and antioxidants, and potential ingredients in functional food systems.