Concentrating anti-UTI phytochemicals from cranberry in a functional food matrix

描述(由申请人提供)：这项第一阶段SBIR提案重新提交(根据评审小组的建议进行了修订)的总体目标是证明美国蔓越莓中天然存在的具有生物活性的植物化学物质，特别是与预防人类尿路感染(UTI)明显相关的抗感染A型原花青素，可以有效和自然地集中在紧凑、无糖的功能食品基质中。用来创造这种基质的工艺和创新技术--Nudasorb技术--实现了从蔓越莓汁的其他无关或高热量成分(包括糖、果胶和通常存在的大量水)中快速、简化地一步分离出对健康有益的活性类黄酮类化合物(生物类黄酮)。生物类黄酮，包括抗感染的原花青素，被有效地浓缩并固定(吸附)到富含蛋白质的健康食物基质中的颗粒中，使得每天剂量的蔓越莓汁的抗感染益处可以在紧凑、方便、高度便携的服务大小中消费。对于那些希望主动采取措施自然预防/治疗尿路感染，但由于卡路里含量、味道或体积/缺乏便携性而无法或不愿饮用必要的小红莓汁的消费者来说，这项创新非常有利。该项目将优化纽崔素基质中生物类黄酮的浓缩程序，并验证这种功能性成分中只保留了关键的保健植物化学物质，而排除了果汁中其他天然但非有利的成分。由于纽崔索布技术不需要加热或喷雾干燥来浓缩生物类黄酮，因此植物化学物质在此过程中不会被降解，但会保持其完整性和生物活性。我们的项目将对基质上吸附的生物类黄酮进行鉴定和分类，并将使用标准化的抗粘附素生物测定来确认保留的天然植物化学物质的生物活性。这些步骤将向希望主动使用饮食干预措施保护自己免受尿路感染或口腔细菌感染(如导致龋齿的细菌感染)的消费者展示该产品成分的实用性。最后，将对蔓越莓营养成分的感官特性进行严格的评估和优化，作为开发功能食品原型的前奏。 与公共健康相关：该项目的成果将是交付和验证预焙的富含蛋白质的蔓越莓营养成分，该成分在浓缩基质中以独特的方式富含具有良好特性的天然蔓越莓成分。蔓越莓营养素将是一种有价值和高效的成分，有科学证据支持，它将被证明对尿路和口腔中的细菌感染有效。小红莓营养棒可被整合到各种功能性零食类食品中，如营养棒，并将为依赖小红莓果汁的消费者提供一种方便、便携和低血糖指数的替代方案，以提供主动的饮食预防，防止慢性、反复感染。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of this Phase 1 SBIR proposal resubmission (revised according the recommendations of the review panel) is to demonstrate that the biologically-active phytochemicals naturally present in the American cranberry, in particular, the anti-infective A-type proanthocyanidins that are clearly linked to prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in humans, can be efficiently and naturally concentrated in a compact, sugar-free functional food matrix. The process and innovation used to create this matrix, Nutrasorb technology, enables a rapid and streamlined one-step separation of the active health-beneficial flavonoids in cranberry (bioflavonoids) from other extraneous or high caloric components of cranberry juice, including sugars, pectins, and the large volumes of water typically present. The bioflavonoids, including the anti-infective proanthocyanidins, are effectively concentrated and immobilized (sorbed) to particles in a healthful protein-rich food matrix, allowing the anti-infective benefits from a daily dose of cranberry juice to be consumed in a compact, convenient, highly-portable serving size. The innovation is highly advantageous for consumers who wish to proactively take steps to prevent/treat UTIs naturally, but are unable or unwilling to drink the requisite cranberry juice due to prohibitive caloric content, taste, or volume/lack of portability. This project will optimize the procedures for concentrating bioflavonoids in the Nutrasorb matrix, and verify that only the crucial health-protective phytochemicals are retained in this functional ingredient, while other natural, but non-advantageous components of the juice are excluded. Because the Nutrasorb technology does not require heating or spray-drying to concentrate the bioflavonoids, the phytochemicals are not degraded in the process, but retain their integrity and biological activity. Our project will identify and categorize the sorbed bioflavonoids on the matrix, and will confirm the bioactivity of the retained natural phytochemicals using standardized anti-adhesin bioassays. These steps will demonstrate the utility of the product ingredient for consumers who desire to proactively use dietary interventions to protect themselves against urinary tract infections, or oral bacterial infections such as those causing dental caries. Finally, the sensory characteristics of the cranberry Nutrasorb ingredient will be critically evaluated and optimized as a prelude to development of functional food prototypes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Outcomes of this project will be delivery and validation of a preroasted, protein rich cranberry Nutrasorb ingredient that is uniquely enriched with well-characterized, natural cranberry components in a concentrated matrix. Cranberry Nutrasorb will be a valuable and highly efficacious ingredient, backed by scientific evidence, which will have demonstrated efficacy against bacterial infections in the urinary tract, as well as in the oral cavity. Cranberry Nutrasorb can be incorporated into a variety of functional snack-type foods such as nutrition bars, and will offer a convenient, portable, and low glycemic index alternative for consumers who now rely on cranberry juices to deliver proactive dietary prevention against chronic, recurrent infections.