Characterization of Andean Blueberry in Bioactive Compounds, Evaluation of Biological Properties, and In Vitro Bioaccessibility

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate Andean blueberries (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) from Ecuador as a potential functional ingredient for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The analysis of bioactive compounds by HPLC–DAD–MSn determined a high content of (poly)phenols, mainly anthocyanins, and the presence of the carotenoid lutein. Regarding its biological properties, Andean blueberry did not show toxicity by the zebrafish embryogenesis test, showing also a lack of the antinutrients lectins. Moreover, the results of in vitro and in vivo antioxidant capacity evaluation suggested its possibility to be used as natural antioxidant. This fruit also exhibited antimicrobial activity toward Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in low doses. Finally, in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion showed a partial bioaccessibility of (poly) phenols (~50% at the final step), showing high antioxidant capacity in the different GI phases. These results revealed Andean blueberry as an interesting candidate for being used as a functional ingredient and the development of further in vivo and clinical assays.

Andean Blueberry of the Genus Disterigma: A High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Approach for the Comprehensive Characterization of Phenolic Compounds

“…Moreover, whereas flavonoid structures are somehow consistent in different matrices, phenolic acids encompass a more comprehensive range of compounds, resulting in the need for several analytical standards for targeted analyses. In the case of V. floribundum, which is the most similar berry to D. alaternoides in terms of anthocyanin and flavonoid composition, no more than 7 phenolic acids have been reported so far by previous liquid chromatography coupled to MS analyses [19,35,36]. The reported phenolic acids comprised mainly hydroxycinnamic acids conjugated to quinic and shikimic acid, with the most abundant being chlorogenic acid.…”

Phenolic Compound Content and the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Wild Blueberries (Vaccinium stenophyllum Steud.) Fruits Extracts during Ripening

“…On the other hand, studies on Vaccinium floribundum Kunth. Fruits, showed an inhibition percentage of 43% on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 with an extract concentration of 10 mg of dry weight per mililiter [11]. In addition, studies on blueberries of the 'Elliott' variety showed a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of 450 mg of dry weight per milliliter on Salmonella enteritidis CMCC50041 [12].…”

A Novel Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method for the Analysis of Anthocyanins in Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)

“…Anthocyanins are chemical compounds of high interest because they can directly scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), modulate the synthesis or activity of some antioxidant enzymes or even have an influence on mitochondrial respiration to prevent ROS generation or a decisive effect on the cellular antioxidant system [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Additionally, anthocyanins have exhibited significant activities in the reduction of inflammation markers from illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity or neurodegenerative diseases [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ], which represents an important advance in preventing and treating these disorders. Furthermore, anthocyanins have proved an important relationship with pain mitigation [ 36 ].…”