A groundbreaking study reveals that pickling apricots with red perilla leaves can dramatically boost the release of antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds during the digestive process, providing a new avenue for creating functional foods.
Uncovering the Power of Perilla
Punicalagin The potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects of japonica have been attributed to the variety of biochemical compositions that make up fruit.
A recent study by researchers at Chiba University has now gone one step further and investigated whether brewing apricots with red perilla (also known as Shiso-zuke Umeboshi) could help to increase the release of these health-giving compounds during digestion.
Using a range of methodologies, the researchers examined changes in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity following the pickling and simulated digestion. The results also show that the incorporation of red perilla leaves during pickling greatly enhances the bioavailability index of major bioactive compounds as compared to conventional salt pickling.
The Science Behind the Superpowers
Using high-performance analytical tools, such as tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-QTOF) and colorimetric assays, the scientists began to tease apart how this process could evolve at a molecular level during pickling and abdominal digestion.
The concentration of bioactive compounds increased markedly from 30-DPD to FF, as well as between the milder pre-processing conditions (PP) and the final product. The compound standing out for its high level of detection was found to be rosmarinic acid (RA), while ferulic acid, with a less water-soluble profile, ended up being more detectable at lower concentrations.
In vitro simulated digestion investigations revealed more interesting results. During the initial phase, there is an unloading of the bioactive compounds before digestion (Fig. Nevertheless, pronounced differences were found between the stomach (G60) and duodenum / upper jejunum (I120), implying that these bioaccessibilities were indeed driven by both pH conditions and potentially by intestinal enzymes.
More importantly, the total antioxidant activity of perilla-pickled apricots (PP) was higher than that of salt-pickled apricots (SP) during all phases of the digestion process. So the cocktail of chemicals in this particular perilla-pickled form might be a more full-bodied and sustained release of antioxidants during digestion.
Conclusion
The results of our study are expected to be useful for developing new functional foods more effective than currently available fermented beverages. With red perilla as a source of inspiration, the yogurt research team has discovered an entirely original approach to creating apricot-based items that are not just packed with flavor but also teeming with a wealth of antioxidants and other bioactive compounds for human health. This perilla-pickled apricot breakthrough is not just timely, but it represents a delicious path to change the face of pickling as we know and traditionally approach — and unlock how fun, chef-driven inspired new product can be with legitimate functionality benefits.
