Plant-Based Functional Foods and Phytochemicals

From Traditional Knowledge to Present Innovation

Megh R. Goyal, Arijit Nath, Hafiz Ansar Rasul Suleria, Megh R. Goyal, Arijit Nath, Hafiz Ansar Rasul Suleria

• Publisher: Apple Academic Press
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000090031
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Medicina alternativa e complementare

Plant-Based Functional Foods and Phytochemicals: From Traditional Knowledge to Present Innovation covers the importance of the therapeutic health benefits of phytochemicals derived from plants. It discusses the isolation of potential bioactive molecules from plant sources along with their value to human health. It focuses on physical characteristics, uniqueness, uses, distribution, traditional and nutritional importance, bioactivities, and future trends of different plant-based foods and food products. Functional foods, beyond providing basic nutrition, may offer a potentially positive effect on health and cures for various disease conditions, such as metabolic disorders (including diabetes), cancer, and chronic inflammatory reactions. The volume looks at these natural products and their bioactive compounds that are increasingly utilized in preventive and therapeutic medications and in the production of pharmaceutical supplements and as food additives to increase functionality. It also describes the concept of extraction of bioactive molecules from plant sources, both conventional and modern extraction techniques, available sources, biochemistry, structural composition, and potential biological activities.

 

 

 

 

PREFACE 1

 

 

We introduce this new book volume under book series Innovations in Plant Science for Better Health: From Soil to Fork. This book mainly covers the current scenario of research and case studies; the importance of phytochemi-cals from plant-based on foods in therapeutics, under four main parts: Part I: Plant-Based Functional Foods; Part II: Role of Phytochemicals in Traditional Ethnomedicines; Part III: Biological Activities of Plant-Based Phytochemicals; and Part IV: Plant-Based Phytochemicals: Extraction, Isolation, and Healthcare.

This book mainly covers the isolation of potentially bioactive molecules from plant sources for their importance and health perspectives. The incorporation of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and bioactives in the daily diet is a beneficial endeavor to prevent the progression of chronic disorders. This book focuses on physical characteristics, uniqueness, uses, distribution, traditional importance, nutritional importance, bioactivities, and future trends of different plant-based foods and food products. Functional foods, beyond providing basic nutrition, may offer a potentially positive effect on health and cure various disease conditions such as metabolic disorders, cancer, and chronic inflammatory reactions. Natural products and their bioactive compounds are increasingly utilized in preventive and therapeutic medication. Bioactive compounds have been utilized for the production of pharmaceutical supplements and more recently as food additives to increase the functionality of foods. The book also describes the extraction of bioactive molecules from plant sources, both conventional and modern extraction techniques, available sources, biochemistry, structural composition, and potential biological activities. Advanced extraction techniques such as enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, pressurized liquid extraction, and supercritical extraction techniques are described in this book.

This book volume sheds light on the potential of both plant-based natural products for human health for different technological aspects, and it contributes to the ocean of knowledge on food science and nutrition. We hope that this compendium will be useful for students and researchers as well as for persons working in the food, nutraceuticals, and herbal industries.

The contributions of the cooperating authors to this book volume have been most valuable in the compilation. Their names are mentioned in each chapter and in the list of contributors. We appreciate you all for having patience with our editorial skills. This book would not have been written without the valuable cooperation of these investigators, many of whom are renowned scientists who have worked in the field of food science, biochemistry, and nutrition throughout their professional careers. We proudly welcome coeditor Arijit Nath to the editorial community on plant science for better health, and he brings his international experience.

The goal of this book volume is to guide the world science community on how bioactive compounds can alleviate us from various conditions and diseases.

We will like to thanks to editorial and production staff, and Ashish Kumar, Publisher, and President at Apple Academic Press, Inc., for making every effort to publish this book when all are concerned with health issues.

We express our admiration to our families and colleagues for their understanding and collaboration during the preparation of this book volume.

 

—Megh R. Goyal, PhD
—Hafiz Ansar Rasul Suleria, PhD
Editors

 

 

 

 

PREFACE 2

 

 

Plants and their parts, among all habitats around the world, are able to satisfy the demands of all types of gastronomy. In addition to the use of plant-based foods in low-income communities (unaware about healthy diet and health benefits), these foods have also received a significant position in the low-calorific diet chart of vegan people in high-income communities. Intentionally, the community prefers to turn towards plant-based functional foods, because they are nutritious, low-calorific, and have a potential for detoxification.

When there is an argument related with a genetically modified crop, traditional plant-based foods do not lose their position in main and side dishes. Such foods are considered as heritage items of culture and society. The contribution of plants or their parts (especially stem, pseudo-stem, seed, bark, leaves, fruits) as a source of natural remedies is noteworthy. For example, spices offer unique medicinal values for reducing risks and severities of several diseases. In addition to the preparation of functional foods, plants are also used to prepare several refreshment drinks and alcoholic beverages. For example, grapes, cereals, citrus, lavender, mint, tea, etc., have been used to prepare beverages.

The presence of phytochemicals in plants with exclusive chemical structure and phytochemical activities is responsible for many health benefits. Phytochemicals in the crude matrix have not only been implemented in primary health care, but their isolation and formulation for specific targets have boosted advanced pharmaceutical formulations. Research studies on pharmacology and bioinformatics have corroborated that plant-based bioactive compounds and herbal drugs are ‘safe’ and do not offer significant adverse side-effects. All beneficial outcomes enhance the utilization and consumption of plant-based foods, beverages, and medicines from their primitive status.

Production, export, and import of plant-based foods, beverages, and medicines provide developing perspectives in the economic sector. In a similar platform, the emergence of biochemical engineering is a boon for the development of new processes and equipment that offer revolutionary upgradation for the production of several plant-based foods, therapeutics, and biomolecules. As time progresses, shrewd revolt with new ideas and confidence offers a new arena in the process intensification and provides a rebellion for the manufacturing process of plant-based foods and extraction of phytochemicals.

As plant-based foods and phytochemicals have drawn attention from the field to “ready to eat food” items, there is therefore an urgent need to provide in-depth knowledge related to processing of different phytochemicals, plant-based foods, and beverages along with their health benefits to a wide range of research communities, industrial sectors, and medical practitioners. Our expectation of this book volume is to interest researchers with pharmacology, food, chemical, and clinical backgrounds and promote interdisciplinary research. Furthermore, this book volume provides an opportunity to meet the present scenario of business related to herbal medicines and phytochemicals.

I express thanks to Prof. Megh R. Goyal, Senior Editor-in-Chief, for providing me the opportunity to join his team. In my budding stage of professional life, his constant encouragement and availability to complete this task has helped me to meet various aspects of academic, professional, and management skills, and help to bring about an exceptional book in plant science and human health. This book preparation offers a new shape in my academic and research career.

My special thanks to my parents and beloved sister for their inspiration and motivation. I am thankful to Almighty Supreme God, who always put me in His palm. I cannot forget to acknowledge Dr. Lawrence Abello, S. J. (renowned professor, inventor, and a devout companion of St. Mother Teresa) for his blessings and encouragement. If this book fulfills the expectations of cooperating authors and readers, then I can consider it a great tribute to Almighty Supreme God, Prof. Megh R. Goyal, my parents, Dr. Lawrence Abello, S. J.

 

—Arijit Nath, PhD
Co-Editor

PART I

Plant-Based Functional Foods

CHAPTER 1

SOYBEAN-BASED FUNCTIONAL FOODS THROUGH MICROBIAL FERMENTATION: PROCESSING AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

ARIJIT NATH, TITAS GHOSH, ABINIT SAHA, KLÁRA PÁSZTORNÉ HUSZÁR, SZILVIA BÁNVÖLGYI, RENÁTA GERENCSÉRNÉ BERTA, ILDIKÓ GALAMBOS, EDIT MÁRKI, GYULA VATAI, ANDRAS KORIS, and ARPITA DAS

ABSTRACT

Leguminous soybean (Glycine max) has a high concentration of edible protein and their bioavailability, in addition to inorganic minerals, vitamin C, vitamin K, and isoflavones. Soybean is popular for its functional ingredients and meat-like texture and flavor, despite a much lower energy density than the meat. Traditional non-fermented food products made from soybean are: soymilk, tofu, okara, soy flour, and yuba, whereas the common soybean-based fermented foods include tempeh, natto, soy sauce, miso, douchi, kinema, cheonggukjang, doenjang, kanjang, gochujang, and soy yogurt. Various bacteria, fungus, yeast, and mold are used to prepare soybean-based fermented products. Numerous research studies have confirmed that soybean-based fermented foods and peptides offer anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-angiotensin converting enzyme, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activities. This chapter focuses on technologies for preparation of soybean-based foods through microbial fermentation process. Biological activities of soybean-based foods (produced by microbial fermentation) have also been described.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Leguminous soybean (Glycine max) is cultivated around the world due to its unique nutritional and therapeutic values and economic importance [24, 25]. According to Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations [108], remarkable producers of soybean are The United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentin...