Food + Science

Natures MedicinesGenetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Molecular GastronomyThe Science Behind Cooking

Jude E. Mathews, Ph.D.

Nutraceutical, Phytochemical, Antioxidant

The word Nutraceutical refers to foods or parts of foods, (nutrient) that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of disease.Phytochemical is a term that means plant chemical. The word comes from the Greek root “phyto” meaning plant. Phytochemical refers to a chemical substance obtained from plants that is biologically active but not nutritive.An Antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules.

A Dietary Antioxidant is a substance in foods that significantly decreases the adverse effects of reactive species, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, on normal physiological function in humans.

The Healing Power Of Food (Antioxidants)

• Back in 400 B.C., the Greek physician Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Today, good nutrition is more important than ever. At least four of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. (heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes) are directly related to way we eat.

• Recent research has shown a significant relationship between antioxidants and disease (mainly cancer) prevention.

The Power of Antioxidants

• Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer.

• In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electronically charged or “radicalized” it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease including cancer.

• Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radical molecules and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.

• Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer.

COmmon Reactive Species

hydroxyl radicals ( .OH) superoxide anions (O2

-) singlet oxygen (1O2) hydrogen peroxides (H2O2) organic peroxides (R-OOH) nitric oxideperoxynitrite

Lycopene

Lycopene is a carotenoid present in human serum and skin as well as the liver, adrenal glands, lungs, prostate and colon. Lycopene has been found to possess antioxidant and antiproliferative properties in animal and laboratory studies, although activity in humans remains controversial.

Lycopene has shown excellent results in vitro but results in vivo are still being studied.

Lycopene

There is a shortage of supportive evidence for the “antioxidant hypothesis” as lycopene’s major in vivo mechanism of action. It is belived that the metabolic products of lycopene, the lycopenoids, may be responsible for some of lycopene’s reported bioactivity.

It is hypothesized that lycopenoid compounds are produced by an initial cleavage by carotenoid monooxygenase (CMO) II in a manner similar to how retinoids (retinal, retinol, and retinoic acid) are produced from the initial cleavage of β-carotene by CMO I.

Blueberries

This recent study was designed to investigate the chemopreventive activity of blueberry extract in triple-negative breast cancer. Blueberry extract was found to reduce cell proliferation in HCC38, HCC1937, and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells with no effect on noncancerous MCF-10A breast cells.

Ref: Cancer Research, April 2010

Acai Acai is a Brazilian palm berry and has been reported as the new superfood?

Food scientists report in a 2008 study that the berry has proven its ability to be absorbed in the human body when consumed as a juice or pulp.

The body can only absorb so much at a time, similiar to vitamin C.

In in vitro studies, scientists have shown that acai extracts can trigger cancer cell death and lower inflamation.

ACAI: The Antioxident Leader

• Fruit Total ORAC

• Freeze Dried Acai Fruit 1027*• Cranberry 94• Blueberry (low bush) 92• Plums (black) 73• Plums 62• Blueberry (cultivated) 62• Blackberry 53• Raspberry 48• Apple, Red Delicious (with peel) 43• Strawberry 36

*ORAC results are expressed in mMole Trolox equivalent (TE) per Liter(ORAC) is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities in biological samples in vitro.

BroccoliCurrent chemotherapies do not work against cancer stem cells, which is why cancer recurs and spreads. Researchers believe that eliminating the cancer stem cells is key to controlling cancer.

The NIH-funded study tested sulforaphane, a natural compound from broccoli and broccoli sprouts, in both mice and cell cultures. Researchers found sulforaphane targeted and killed the cancer stem cells and prevented new tumors from growing.

Clinical Cancer Research, Vol. 16, No. 9; May 1, 2010

This research suggests a potential new treatment that could be combined with other compounds to target breast cancer stem cells.

Definition of GMO

GMOs - Genetically modified organisms

GMO - an organism that expresses traits that result from the introduction of foreign DNA

Major Players in GMO FieldMajor Players in GMO Field

MonsantoMonsanto BASFBASF CalgeneCalgene AstraZenecaAstraZeneca AdventisAdventis

Example of GMO’sExample of GMO’s

Golden rice – rice that contains beta-carotene (Vitamin A), which is not found in regular rice.

Bt corn – corn that contains a chemical normally found in a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) that is toxic to insects but not to humans.

Herbicide resistant plants.

Example of GMOExample of GMO

Flavor Savor Tomato (Calgene)Flavor Savor Tomato (Calgene)• Keeps fresh longer than traditional Keeps fresh longer than traditional

tomatoes, first sold in US market in 1994. tomatoes, first sold in US market in 1994. Taken off market two years later because of Taken off market two years later because of poor quality.poor quality.

FlavrSavr TM

Six Primary Areas of Six Primary Areas of GMOGMO

Insect ResistantInsect ResistantHerbicide ResistantHerbicide ResistantViruses ResistanceViruses ResistanceDelayed Fruit RipeningDelayed Fruit RipeningAltered Oil ContentAltered Oil ContentPollen ControlPollen Control

What Are Genetically Modified What Are Genetically Modified Foods?Foods?

Arctic fish DNA &

Strawberry =

• Involves the insertion of DNA from one organism into another OR modification of an organism’s DNA in order to achieve a desired trait.

A strawberry resistant to frost

Modifying Modifying GenesGenes

Foreign DNA

Also called recombinant DNA technology, Also called recombinant DNA technology, molecular cloning, and genetic engineering.molecular cloning, and genetic engineering.

Restriction enzymes are used to “cut” Restriction enzymes are used to “cut” DNA segments from one genome.DNA segments from one genome.

DNA ligases are used to “paste” them DNA ligases are used to “paste” them into another genome.into another genome.

How are genes transferred?How are genes transferred?

•A particle gun is used to shoot small A particle gun is used to shoot small bits of metal coated with the gene bits of metal coated with the gene into the plant. Gold is metal of into the plant. Gold is metal of choice.choice.

Benefits of GM Benefits of GM FoodsFoods

Easing World HungerEasing World Hunger Reduced Use of Pesticides and Reduced Use of Pesticides and

HerbicidesHerbicides Improved Crop QualityImproved Crop Quality Improved Nutritional QualityImproved Nutritional Quality Reduce Strain on Nonrenewable Reduce Strain on Nonrenewable

ResourcesResources

Possible Risks of GM FoodsPossible Risks of GM Foods

Insects May Develop Insects May Develop Resistance to Pesticide Resistance to Pesticide Producing CropsProducing Crops

Herbicide Tolerant Crops may Herbicide Tolerant Crops may Cross-Pollinate Weeds, Cross-Pollinate Weeds, Resulting in Super WeedsResulting in Super Weeds

Certain Gene Products May Certain Gene Products May be Allergens and Could Cause be Allergens and Could Cause Harm to HumansHarm to Humans

Example of GMO Product on the Market Today

RoundUp Ready Corn

Before After

Future of GMO’s Edible Vaccines

•Works like any vaccine • A transgenic plant with a pathogen protein gene is developed• Potato, banana, and tomato are targets• Humans eat the plant • The body produces antibodies against pathogen protein• Humans are “immunized” against the pathogen• Examples:DiarrheaHepatitis BMeasles

Creating a Creating a BalanceBalance

So are GM foods a So are GM foods a good or bad thing?good or bad thing?

It depends on each It depends on each individual case.individual case.

Consumers, the Consumers, the government and government and scientists should scientists should be responsible for be responsible for weighing the weighing the benefits against benefits against the costs.the costs.

Leaders in Molecular Gastronomy

Chef Wylie Dufresne, WD~50 NY, NY Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea, Chicago, IL

Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck, Bray UK Adrià, who has been called “the Salvador Dali of the kitchen,”

has won global acclaim as one of the most creative and inventive culinary geniuses in the world.

Ferrán Adriá of El Bulli, Roses, Spain

Caviar?

Apple Caviar

Grapefruit Caviar

Caviar - Procedure

Juice mixed with Sodium Alginate

Disolve Calcium Chloride in distilled water

Place small drops of juice solution into CaCl solution, wait one minute then remove and rinse

NaCl vs CaCl

EMULSIONS

Mayonnaise is an emulsion, which is a mixture of two liquids that normally can't be combined.

The two liquids would quickly separate again if an emulsifier were not added. Eggs and gelatin are among the foods that contain emulsifiers.

Mayonnaise is made by combining lemon juice or vinegar with egg yolks. Eggs (containing the emulsifier lecithin) bind the ingredients together and prevent separation.

Mayonnaise without an emulsifier

Lecithin's binding power (along with that of other emulsifiers) comes from its molecular structure, one part is hydrophobic, making it soluble in oils or fats, while another part is hydrophilic, soluble in water. In essence, lecithin reduces the surface tension of oil and water molecules, which allows them to mix together more easily.

Lecithin and How it Works

EMULSIONS

Emulsions are used in many different ways:•by pharmacists, as a vehicle for medication•in photography, to coat plates, film and paper•in explosives, paints, coatings, make-up and detergents•in food, including baked goods and confectionery products

Chemically, emulsions are colloids, heterogeneous mixtures composed of tiny particles suspended in another immiscible (unmixable) material.

What does adding water to scrambled eggs do?

What is the Role of Salt in Taste?

Salt is used in every cuisine around the world

It is widely believed that salt intensifies the desirable flavors in food

Taste test using Urea and sucrose sloutions, tasting with and without salt