Bitter taste, phytonutrients, and the consumer: a review

Abstract

Dietary phytonutrients found in vegetables and fruit appear to lower the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Studies on the mechanisms of chemoprotection have focused on the biological activity of plant-based phenols and polyphenols, flavonoids, isoflavones, terpenes, and glucosinolates. Enhancing the phytonutrient content of plant foods through selective breeding or genetic improvement is a potent dietary option for disease prevention. However, most, if not all, of these bioactive compounds are bitter, acrid, or astringent and therefore aversive to the consumer. Some have long been viewed as plant-based toxins. As a result, the food industry routinely removes these compounds from plant foods through selective breeding and a variety of debittering processes. This poses a dilemma for the designers of functional foods because increasing the content of bitter phytonutrients for health may be wholly incompatible with consumer acceptance. Studies on phytonutrients and health ought to take sensory factors and food preferences into account.

Berries and anthocyanins: promising functional food ingredients with postprandial glycaemia-lowering effects

“…However, there may be significant technical challenges for the food and drink industry in formulating products with the desired characteristics in terms of physical and chemical stability (114) , bioavailability (107) and palatability (115) . Anthocyanin contents vary among species and cultivars, and are subject to genetic, agricultural and environmental factors as well as storage and processing conditions (116)(117)(118) . Processing and cooking (freezing, cutting, slicing, heating, etc.)…”

Phytochemicals in animal health: diet selection and trade-offs between costs and benefits

“…In addition, 89 % of the species used to treat symptoms of malaria among the Hausa people in Nigeria are also used in their diets (82) . Dietary habits in human subjects play a crucial role at ensuring proper and regular consumption of preventive chemicals such as antioxidants (83)(84)(85) . Mammalian herbivores selecting certain PSC or arrays of PSC in their diets may incur in low to nil costs when toxicity of the PSC at moderate doses is inherently low or nil and when PSC provide additional benefits such as those described for condensed tannins on protein nutrition.…”

Physico-chemical characterization and bioactive compounds of blackberry fruits (Rubus sp.) grown in Brazil

“…The protective effect evidenced in laboratory and epidemiological studies has been associated with a variety of nutrient and non-nutrient constituents, being many of them characterized by their antioxidant properties (PIETTA, 2000). Among the compounds with high antioxidant capacity are ascorbic acid, tocopherols, β-carotene and phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids (DREWNOWSKI; GOMEZ-CARNERO, 2000).…”

“…The protective effect evidenced in laboratory and epidemiological studies has been associated with a variety of nutrient and non-nutrient constituents, being many of them characterized by their antioxidant properties (PIETTA, 2000). Among the compounds with high antioxidant capacity are ascorbic acid, tocopherols, β-carotene and phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids (DREWNOWSKI; GOMEZ-CARNERO, 2000).Anthocyanins, the glycoside form of the anthocyanidins, belong to a class of flavonoids which present water-soluble pigments responsible for the orange, red and blue colors of many fruits, vegetables, leaves, flowers and roots. Anthocyanidins vary with different hydroxyl or methoxyl substitutions in their basic structure, flavylium (2-phenylbenzopyrillium).…”