3rd International Conference on Food Chemistry & Nutrition May 16-18, 2018 Montreal, Canada

Habtu Shumoy (32) is 4th year PhD student in Food Science and Nutrition at Gent University, Belgium. Since his PhD start in July 2014, he has Published 7 research papers in reputable international journals. During his PhD study, he tutored 4 successfully completed MSc thesis students in Gent University. He has presented part of his PhD in two international conferences named as ‘the European nutrition conference’ and ‘The First Food Chemistry Conference’, held in Berlin (2015) and Amsterdam (2016). He had worked for 3 years as a lecturer in the food science and postharvest technology department at Mekelle University, Ethiopia.

This study investigated the effect of sourdough and storage time on the digestibility of starch and the estimated glycemic index (eGI) of gluten free tef breads. The volume and texture of fresh breads containing 0-30% sourdough ranged from 1.8 to 1.9 mL/g and 7.7-10.5 N, respectively. The rapidly digestible starch (RDS), slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) of fresh breads containing 0-30% sourdough were in the range of 49-58, 16-29 and 20-26 g/100 g DM starch, respectively. Following storage of the breads, the RDS content decreased while SDS and RS increased. The eGI of all the breads stored for 0-5 days ranged from 57 to 89 and 39 to 86 based on model of Goni, Garcia-Alonso, & Saura-Calixto (1997) and Granfeldt, Bjorck, Drews, & Tovar (1992), respectively. Addition of sourdough did not affect the eGI of tef breads. Duration of tef bread storage have significant effect on GI indicating that consumption of aged tef bread could be beneficial in terms of attaining lower GI if the safety and organoleptic properties of tef bread is not compromised.

I received my Ph.D. degree in veterinary Medicine from Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Rep. of Korea. Since 2004, I have worked as professor in the Dept. of Parasitology at Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan Rep. of Korea. My interests and specialties include parasitology, immune regulation, immunology, molecular biology, and allergy.

In a previous study, our research group demonstrated that sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) extracts ameliorated allergic airway inflammation via CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T (regulatory T) cell activation and recruitment to the lung. Here, we aimed to determine which components of sea cucumber contribute to the amelioration of airway inflammation. We used n-hexane fractionation to separate sea cucumber into three phases (n-hexane, alcohol, and solid) and evaluated the ability of each phase to elevate Il10 expression in splenocytes and ameliorate symptoms in mice with ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma. Splenocytes treated with the n-hexane phase showed a significant increase in Il10 expression. In the n-hexane phase, 47 fatty acids were identified. Individual fatty acids that comprised at least 5% of the total fatty acids were 16:0, 16:1n-7, 18:0, 18:1n-7, 20:4n-6, and 20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid). After administering the n-hexane phase to mice with ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma, their asthma symptoms were ameliorated. Several immunomodulatory effects were observed in the n-hexane phase-pretreated group, compared with a vehicle control group. First, eosinophil infiltration and goblet cell hyperplasia were significantly reduced around the airways. Second, the concentrations of Th2-related cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) and Th17-related cytokines (IL-17) were significantly decreased in the spleen and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Finally, the concentrations of TGF-β and IL-10, which are associated with regulatory T cells, were significantly increased in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and splenocyte culture medium. In conclusion, a fatty acid-rich fraction (n-hexane phase) of sea cucumber extract ameliorated allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model.

In a previous study, our research group demonstrated that sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) extracts ameliorated allergic airway inflammation via CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T (regulatory T) cell activation and recruitment to the lung. Here, we aimed to determine which components of sea cucumber contribute to the amelioration of airway inflammation. We used n-hexane fractionation to separate sea cucumber into three phases (n-hexane, alcohol, and solid) and evaluated the ability of each phase to elevate Il10 expression in splenocytes and ameliorate symptoms in mice with ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma. Splenocytes treated with the n-hexane phase showed a significant increase in Il10 expression. In the n-hexane phase, 47 fatty acids were identified. Individual fatty acids that comprised at least 5% of the total fatty acids were 16:0, 16:1n-7, 18:0, 18:1n-7, 20:4n-6, and 20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid). After administering the n-hexane phase to mice with ovalbumin/alum-induced asthma, their asthma symptoms were ameliorated. Several immunomodulatory effects were observed in the n-hexane phase-pretreated group, compared with a vehicle control group. First, eosinophil infiltration and goblet cell hyperplasia were significantly reduced around the airways. Second, the concentrations of Th2-related cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13) and Th17-related cytokines (IL-17) were significantly decreased in the spleen and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Finally, the concentrations of TGF-β and IL-10, which are associated with regulatory T cells, were significantly increased in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and splenocyte culture medium. In conclusion, a fatty acid-rich fraction (n-hexane phase) of sea cucumber extract ameliorated allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model.

Siyul Byeon has a B.S degree abtained from the Yeungnam university, Gyeongsan, Korea. Her interest is focused on gastric organ inflammation and prevention.

Gastric ulcer with multifactorial etiologies including excessive drinking is a major digestive disorder, affecting about 10% of world population. In the present study, we investigated the gastroprotective effect of Dioscorea batatas Decne (commonly called Chinese yam) flesh or peel against acidified ethanol-induced acute gastric damage in mice. Macroscopic and histological examinations showed that the oral administration of ethanol extracts of yam flesh or peel significantly improved ethanol-induced pathological parameter in the stomach. In addition, oral supplementation of yam extracts decreased biomarkers of oxidative stress, including plasma 8-hydroxy-2-guanosine and gastric malondialdehyde, while increased reduced form of glutathione, and activated antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase. Furthermore, yam extract-treated stomach highly expressed heme oxygenase-1, quinone oxidoreductase 1, and prostaglandin E2. Moreover, the expressions of inflammatory factors, such as cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, were downregulated. In conclusion, these findings suggest that of yam flesh or peel extract can ameliorate ethanol-induced acute gastric damage possibly through activation of antioxidative mechanism and suppression of inflammatory response.

Janice Nullan Averilla studied BS Chemistry in the University of the Philippines Los Baños and moved to South Korea for her Master’s and Doctor’s degree in Food Biomaterials. Her recent projects involve the development of methodologies that focus on biotransformation of agricultural materials to produce bioavailable food products.

Disease prevention emerges as a powerful approach towards a healthy society. Thus, food products that not only reduce hunger but promote overall health are continuously developed. Resveratrol is relatively abundant in grape peel and known to positively contribute to human health. To improve the bioavailability of resveratrol that occurs mainly in its glycosidic form, our group employed heat and enzyme treatment for grape peel. The extract contains greater amount of resveratrol, and thereby is expected to possess more potent bioactivity. We examined its DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity and its tendency to induce nuclear factor (erythroid-derived-2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activity, which increases expression of genes involved in antioxidant response such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and glutathione reductase (GR). We also evaluated its ability to reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hydrogen peroxide-challenged human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and its effect on reduced glutathione level by 2’,7’–dichlorofluorescin diacetate (H2DCFDA) assay and monochlorobimane assay, respectively. Moreover, we verified whether the reduction of intracellular ROS is stimulated by the action of Nrf2 and HO-1 by applying their respective inhibitors, brusatol and tin protoporphyrin-IX. In conclusion, resveratrol-enriched grape peel extract showed increased cytoprotective property and can potentially be useful in future anti-cancer or anti-aging related studies.

Chan Ho Jang is a Ph.D. student from School of Food Science and Biotechnology in Kyungpook National University, South Korea. His research interests focus on cancer prevention by phytochemicals, particularly in investigating the underlying mechanisms of the colon cancer prevention.

Background: Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds that exist in fruits and vegetables. The flavonoids are known for having potent anti-cancer effects, such as the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Cancer patients taking anti-cancer drugs have been found to consume food-derived flavonoids in order to enhance their anti-cancer activities, but combinatorial effects of phytochemicals and anti-cancer drugs remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined if luteolin, one of the food-derived flavonoids commonly consumed, shows the synergistic anti-cancer effects in HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells in presence of oxaliplatin, one of the chemotherapeutic agents used to treat colorectal cancer. Methods: HCT116 p53+/+ cell line and its derivative HCT116 p53-/- cells were used to investigate if luteolin inhibits cell proliferation and activates nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) signaling pathway using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and ARE-luciferase assays, respectively. Colony formation assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis were performed to determine whether combinatorial treatment of luteolin and oxaliplatin has synergistic effects on the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis using HCT116 p53+/+ and p53-/- cells or not. Findings: Luteolin inhibited cell proliferation and also activated Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway of both HCT116 p53+/+ and p53-/- cells at high concentrations. A high-dose of luteolin inhibited colony formation and induced apoptosis in HCT116 p53+/+ cells more strongly than in HCT116 p53-/- cells as well as oxaliplatin-treated cells. Interestingly, cell cycle arrest by oxaliplatin was attenuated by the high dose of luteolin in HCT116 p53+/+ cells, but not in HCT116 p53-/- cells. Conclusions: The induction of cell cycle arrest by oxaliplatin was attenuated by the high dose of luteolin in HCT116 p53+/+ cells, suggesting that some food-derived flavonoids like luteolin might interfere with anti-cancer activity of chemotherapeutic agents in a p53-dependent manner.