Papers by Afaf Kamal-Eldin

Physiological Research, 2011
The effects of inclusion of sesamin / episesamin in Baltic Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) diets... more The effects of inclusion of sesamin / episesamin in Baltic Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) diets based on vegetable oils were studied. The study was designed as a dose response study with two control diets, one diet based on fish oil (FO) and one diet based on a mixture of linseed and sunflower oil (6:4 by vol.) (MO). As experimental diets three different levels of inclusion of sesamin / episesamin (hereafter named sesamin) to the MO based diet and one diet based on sesame oil and linseed oil (SesO) (1:1 by vol.) were used. The dietary oils were mirrored in the fatty acid profile of the white muscle. Sesamin significantly decreased the levels of 18:3n-3 in the white muscle phospholipid (PL) fraction of all groups fed sesamin, no significant differences were found in the triacylglycerol fraction (TAG). Slightly increased levels of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) in PL and TAG were found in some of the sesamin fed groups. Sesamin significantly affected the expression of peroxisom...

European journal of clinical nutrition, Jan 19, 2018
Studies on the health effects of whole grains typically use self-reported intakes which are prone... more Studies on the health effects of whole grains typically use self-reported intakes which are prone to large measurement errors. Dietary biomarkers that can provide an objective measure of intake are needed. New alkylresorcinol (AR) metabolites (3,5-dihydroxycinnamic acid (DHCA), 2-(3,5-dihydroxybenzamido)acetic acid (DHBA-glycine) and 5-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl) pentanoic acid (DHPPTA)) in 24 h urine samples have been suggested as biomarkers for whole grain (WG) wheat and rye intake but remain to be evaluated in spot urine samples. The reproducibility of the new AR metabolites (DHCA, DHBA-glycine and DHPPTA) was investigated in 4 repeated samples over a period of 2 wk in spot urine from 40 Swedish men and women enroled in the SCAPIS-study, after adjustment of creatinine. Metabolite concentrations were correlated with total whole grain intake estimated during the same period. The medium-term reproducibility determined for DHCA, DHPPTA and DHBA-glycine varied from moderate to excellent (in...

Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences, 2015
High throughput GC-MS methods for quantification of alkylresorcinols (AR), biomarkers of whole gr... more High throughput GC-MS methods for quantification of alkylresorcinols (AR), biomarkers of whole grain wheat and rye intake, in plasma and adipose tissue and their metabolites in urine were developed and optimised. Alkylresorcinols in plasma (200μL) and adipose tissues (10-50mg) were extracted with diethyl ether, whereas main AR metabolites such as DHBA and DHPPA and newly identified metabolites in urine (50μL) were extracted with ethyl acetate after enzymatic deconjugation. All extracts were purified on OASIS-MAX solid phase extraction cartridges. Plasma and adipose tissue sample extracts were then derivatised with trifluoroacetic anhydride and reconstituted in undecane, whereas AR metabolites in urine samples were derivatised with BSTFA+TMCS (99:1, v/v, 100μL). Prepared samples were quantified by GC-MS (EI-SIM). Analysis of all compounds in the different matrices showed good selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, precision (<15% within and between batches), adequate recovery (75-10...

Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculturee, 2009
This article reviews developments related to the use of plant sterols and stanols as cholesterol-... more This article reviews developments related to the use of plant sterols and stanols as cholesterol-lowering ingredients in foods and nutraceuticals preparations. Plant sterols and stanols are extracted from the deodorizer distillates of vegetable oil refining and from tall oil, a by-product of paper pulping industry. Plant sterols/stanols inhibit cholesterol absorption possibly by competitively inhibiting its incorporation into the mixed micelles in the small intestine although other mechanisms can not be excluded. Daily consumption of 1-2 grams of plant sterols or stanols was shown to cause 10-20% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol). Combinations of plant sterols/stanols with certain lipid-lowering ingredients were shown to potentate their cholesterol-lowering effects and, in some cases, add triacylglycerol-lowering effects. In this article, patents based information is also discussed.

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2008
Gamma-tocopherol has unique properties that may be beneficial in sustaining optimal human health,... more Gamma-tocopherol has unique properties that may be beneficial in sustaining optimal human health, but hepatic vitamin E metabolism enhances gamma-tocopherol turnover. Our aim was to determine the extent to which dietary sesame lignans alter human alpha- and gamma-tocopherol metabolism and elimination as carboxyethyl hydroxychromanols (CEHCs). Healthy participants (n = 5 women and 5 men) in a randomized, crossover study (with 4-wk washout) consumed muffins prepared with either corn oil or unrefined sesame oil (sesamin, 94 mg; sesamolin, 42 mg), along with a capsule containing a 1:1 molar ratio of deuterium-labeled d(6)-alpha- and d(2)-gamma-tocopherol acetates ( approximately 50 mg each). Plasma and urine were collected up to 72 h; unlabeled and labeled tocopherol and CEHC concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sesame oil muffin consumption in men, but not in women, decreased (P < 0.05) areas under plasma d(2)-gamma-CEHC concentration-time curve...

The Journal of nutrition, 2003
Currently there is no biomarker to link consumption of whole grain cereals and their observed hea... more Currently there is no biomarker to link consumption of whole grain cereals and their observed health benefits. A candidate for a biomarker of whole grain wheat and rye intake is a class of phenolic lipids, the alkylresorcinols (AR). Studies to determine the uptake of AR in humans were carried out with a low fiber diet based on white wheat bread (AR free) and a high fiber diet based on rye bran-enriched bread (AR rich). For each diet, two meal frequencies were used: nibbling (7 small meals/d) and ordinary (3 large meals/d). Ten human ileostomy-operated subjects started with the AR-free diet for 2 wk, wk 1 on either nibbling or ordinary and wk 2 on the other meal frequency in a crossover design, followed by a 1-wk washout period, before the AR-rich diet performed as the AR-free diet. Food and ileostomy samples were analyzed for AR. Approximately 40% of AR were recovered in effluent from the small intestine, indicating that 60% of AR are taken up from or converted in the small intestin...

The Journal of nutrition, 2004
Alkylresorcinols (AR) are a class of amphiphilic phenolic lipids present in high amounts in wheat... more Alkylresorcinols (AR) are a class of amphiphilic phenolic lipids present in high amounts in wheat and rye bran. They have been reported to be both growth retarding and innocuous when fed to rats, and to have a broad range of bioactivities in vitro, suggested to be related to their ability to bind to proteins and modify membranes. This study was designed to test the effects of AR (purified from rye bran) on growth, tocopherol levels, and cholesterol levels in rats. Rats were fed 1 of 4 different levels of AR for 4 wk: 0 (control), 1, 2, and 4 g/kg diet. AR did not affect final body, liver, or lung weights. The AR diets increased the levels of gamma-tocopherol in liver and lungs (P < 0.05). To investigate whether AR could have increased gamma-tocopherol levels via inhibition of tocopherol-omega-hydroxylase, HepG2 cells were incubated with AR and the metabolism of gamma-tocopherol measured. AR significantly inhibited the conversion of gamma-tocopherol to its water-soluble hydroxychr...

The Journal of nutrition, 2004
Increased intestinal viscosity appears to be the major mode of action by which dietary oat beta-g... more Increased intestinal viscosity appears to be the major mode of action by which dietary oat beta-glucan increases the fecal excretion of bile acids and thereby lowers blood cholesterol concentrations. The objective of this experiment was to investigate whether there is a difference in effects on blood lipids between two yeast-leavened oat bran breads containing beta-glucan (6 g/d) of low or high average molecular weight (HMW) (217 or 797 kDa, respectively). The breads were fed to 22 volunteers (women, n = 11; men, n = 11) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. The participants ate one bread for 3 wk as part of their normal diet and switched breads after a 2-wk washout period. Blood samples were drawn from fasting subjects and analyzed for lipids, insulin, glucose, and alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. The two experimental oat breads did not differ in their effects on any of the variables measured. Compared to baseline, however, consumption of HMW bread increased serum insulin by...

Journal of Nutrition, 2013
Two phenolic acids, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) and 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-propanoic acid (... more Two phenolic acids, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) and 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-propanoic acid (DHPPA), are the major metabolites of cereal alkylresorcinols (ARs). Like their precursors, AR metabolites have been suggested as biomarkers for intake of whole-grain wheat and rye and as such could aid the understanding of diet-disease associations. This study estimated and compared pharmacokinetic parameters of ARs and their metabolites in rats and investigated differences in metabolite formation after ingestion of different AR homologs. Rats were i.v. infused for 30 min with 2, 12, or 23 mmol/kg DHBA or DHPPA or orally given the same amounts of the AR homologs, C17:0 and C25:0. Repeated plasma samples, obtained from rats for 6 h (i.v.) or 36 h (oral), were simultaneously analyzed for ARs and their metabolites by GC-mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by population-based compartmental modeling and noncompartmental calculation. A 1-compartment model best described C25:0 pharmacokinetics, whereas C17:0 and AR metabolites best fitted 2-compartment models. Combined models for simultaneous prediction of AR and metabolite concentration were more complex, with less reliable estimates of pharmacokinetic parameters. Although the AUC of C17:0 was lower than that of C25:0 (P < 0.05), the total amount and composition of AR metabolites did not differ between rats given C17:0 or C25:0. The elimination half-life of ARs and their metabolites increased with length of the side chain (P-trend < 0.001) and ranged from 1.2 h (DHBA) to 8.8 h (C25:0). The formation of AR metabolites was slower than their elimination, indicating that the rate of AR metabolism and not excretion of DHBA and DHPPA determines their plasma concentrations in rats.

British Journal of Nutrition, 2003
Alkylresorcinols (AR) are amphiphilic 1,3-dihydroxy-5-alkyl phenolic lipids. AR in food are only ... more Alkylresorcinols (AR) are amphiphilic 1,3-dihydroxy-5-alkyl phenolic lipids. AR in food are only found in the outer layers of wheat and rye grains, and in whole grains are present at concentrations of 500–1000 μg/g. In wheat and rye, there are five main homologues, differing in the length of the odd-numbered alkyl chain (from seventeen to twenty-five C atoms long). Because AR may be bioactive, and might serve as biomarkers for these cereals, their absorption was investigated in model experiments with pigs and rats. Pigs with a cannula in the terminal ileum were fed four diets containing rye fractions with different levels of AR and the ileal effluents were analysed. The ileal recovery of AR was found to vary between 21 and 40 %, with no major difference between different chain-length homologues. The absorption of AR by rats was investigated by feeding14C-labelled heneicosylresorcinol (C21:0). Of the total activity, about 34% was recovered in the urine, showing that the labelled AR w...

British Journal of Nutrition, 2004
Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is an important dietary lignan that is found at very high ... more Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is an important dietary lignan that is found at very high levels in flaxseed (1–4%, w/w). Flaxseed lignans have received much research interest in recent years because of reported phyto-oestrogenic, anticarcinogenic, and anti-atherogenic effects. Previously, flaxseed feeding has been shown to decrease vitamin E concentrations in rats despite the antioxidant potential of SDGin vitro. Sesamin, a sesame lignan, on the other hand has been shown to increase vitamin E concentrations in rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary SDG and its oligomers on vitamin E and cholesterol concentrations in rats. SDG was extracted from defatted flaxseed flour with a dioxane–ethanol mixture and purified by silica column chromatography. The major oligomers with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaric acid, containing a high ratio of SDG top−coumaric and ferulic acid glucosides, were purified from the extracts by reversed-phase liquid chromatog...

British Journal of Nutrition, 2005
Alkylresorcinols, phenolic lipids present in high amounts in whole-grain wheat and rye but not pr... more Alkylresorcinols, phenolic lipids present in high amounts in whole-grain wheat and rye but not present in appreciable amounts in other foods, are candidates as biomarkers of whole-grain intake from these cereals. We estimated the intake of alkylresorcinols in Sweden and the UK using two different methods: food supply data (FSD); food consumption data (FCD; based on individual and household survey data). The average per capita intake of alkylresorcinols in Sweden was 17·5 mg/d v(FSD) and 22·9 (sd 16·6) mg/d (FCD), while in the UK it was 11·9 mg/d (FSD) and 11·8 (sd 18·62) mg/d (FCD). Ninety-six per cent of all Swedes consumed some alkylresorcinols, compared with 50 % of British people surveyed. Both women and men over the age of 40 years had a higher alkylresorcinol intake than younger people. The average results from the two methods were similar, but the FCD data provided more detail about the range of alkylresorcinol intake, and indicate that because the intake of alkylresorcinols ...

Sesamin Increases Alpha-Linolenic Acid Conversion to Docosahexaenoic Acid in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) Hepatocytes: Role of Altered Gene Expression
Lipids, 2008
In vitro cultivated Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), hepatocytes were incubated without or with ... more In vitro cultivated Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), hepatocytes were incubated without or with a mixture of sesamin and episesamin in order to test for possible effects on lipid metabolism. Sesamin/episesamin exposure (0.05 mM, final concentration) led to increased elongation and desaturation of (14)C 18:3n-3 to docosahexaenoic acid ((14)C 22:6n-3, DHA, P &amp;amp;lt; 0.01) and down regulated gene expression of Delta6 and Delta5 desaturases compared to control treatment. Sesamin/episesamin further increased the hepatocytes capacity for fatty acid beta-oxidation of (14)C 18:3n-3 (P &amp;amp;lt; 0.01) to the (14)C acid soluble products, acetate, malate and oxaloacetate, in agreement with an increased gene expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I. Also the gene expression of cluster of differentiation 36 was upregulated and the expression of scavenger receptor type B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma were downregulated. The amount of triacylglycerols secreted by the cells tended to be lower in the sesamin/episesamin incubated hepatocytes than the control cells. This study shows that sesamin has favourable effects on lipid metabolism leading to increased level of DHA, which may be of interest for aquaculture use.

A study on the influence of fucosterol on thermal polymerisation of purified high oleic sunflower triacylglycerols
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 1999
ABSTRACT Δ5-Avenasterol, an ethylidene side-chain phytosterol, was described as an antipolymerisa... more ABSTRACT Δ5-Avenasterol, an ethylidene side-chain phytosterol, was described as an antipolymerisation agent for thermooxidised oils. This paper investigates the potential of its commercially available geometrical isomer, fucosterol, as an antipolymerisation agent for high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO). Purified triacylglycerols were prepared from HOSO and incubated in an oven, at 180°C, with or without fucosterol, sitosterol and stigmasterol. Analysis of polymers and dimers (by high-performance size exclusion chromatography) showed that fucosterol did not affect the rate of polymerisation of purified HOSO triacylglycerols in our model. Comparison with α-tocopherol, showed that this tocol inhibited the polymerisation of the oil while fucosterol did not.© 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of extraction pH on acrylamide content in fresh and stored rye crisp bread
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2008
... Extraction and analysis of AA 2.3. Statistics 3. Results and discussion 3.1. Neutral and alka... more ... Extraction and analysis of AA 2.3. Statistics 3. Results and discussion 3.1. Neutral and alkaline extraction 3.2. Levels of AA in stored samples 4. Conclusions Acknowledgements References. 1. Introduction. ... 3. Results and discussion. 3.1. Neutral and alkaline extraction. ...

Identification of cereal alkylresorcinol metabolites in human urine—potential biomarkers of wholegrain wheat and rye intake
Journal of Chromatography B, 2004
Alkylresorcinols, phenolic lipids present in high amounts in wholegrain wheat and rye, are of int... more Alkylresorcinols, phenolic lipids present in high amounts in wholegrain wheat and rye, are of interest as potential biomarkers of the intake of these cereals. Alkylresorcinols are known to be absorbed by humans and animals, but little is known about their metabolism or resulting metabolites. A preliminary human study was carried out to identify alkylresorcinol metabolites in human urine. Urine samples, collected before and after a wheat-bran based meal, were deconjugated with beta-glucuronidase/sulphatase and then extracted with ethyl acetate. Extracts were separated by thin-layer chromatography, and fractions containing alkylresorcinols and possible metabolites were identified by retention on the plate compared to standard compounds, and staining with fast blue B. These fractions were further analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Deconjugated human urine after the wheat-bran based meal contained two alkylresorcinol metabolites, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-propanoic acid, as well as smaller amounts of unchanged alkylresorcinols, confirming the hypothesis that alkylresorcinols are metabolised in humans via beta-oxidation of their alkyl chain.
Journal of Cereal Science, 2008
Cereal alkylresorcinols (AR), a group of phenolic lipids mainly found in the outer parts of wheat... more Cereal alkylresorcinols (AR), a group of phenolic lipids mainly found in the outer parts of wheat and rye kernels, are currently being studied for the possibility to use them as biomarkers for the intake of whole grain wheat and rye foods. In this work, AR were localised in grains by using light microscopy and gas chromatographic analysis of hand-dissected botanical and pearling fractions. GC-analysis of hand-dissected fractions showed that more than 99% of the total AR content was located in an intermediate layer of the caryopsis, including the hyaline layer, testa and inner pericarp. Microscopic examination showed that the outer cuticle of testa/inner cuticle of pericarp was the exact location, and that no AR were found in the endosperm or in the germ, suggesting that AR could be used as a selective marker of testa.

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008
Ten different barley varieties grown in one location were studied for their content of tocols, fo... more Ten different barley varieties grown in one location were studied for their content of tocols, folate, plant sterols, alkylresorcinols, and phenolic acids, as well as dietary fiber components (arabinoxylan and-glucan). The samples included hulled and hull-less barley types and types with normal, highamylose, and waxy starch. The aim was to study the composition of raw materials, and therefore the hulls were not removed from the hulled barleys. A large variation was observed in the contents of all phytochemicals and dietary fibers. Two varieties from the INRA Clermont Ferrand barley program in France (CFL93-149 and CFL98-398) had high content of tocopherols and alkylresorcinols, whereas the variety Dicktoo was highest in dietary fiber content and phenolics. Positive correlations were found between 1000 kernel weight, alkylresorcinols, and tocols, as well as between dietary fiber content and phenolic compounds. The results demonstrate that the levels of phytochemicals in barley can likely be affected by breeding and that the contents of single phytochemicals may easily be adjusted by a right selection of a genotype.
Effect of α- and γ-tocopherols on thermal polymerization of purified high-oleic sunflower triacylglycerols
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 1998
The antipolymerization effects of α- and γ-tocopherols were compared in model systems composed of... more The antipolymerization effects of α- and γ-tocopherols were compared in model systems composed of purified high-oleic sunflower triacylglycerols at 180°C. γ-Tocopherol was much more effective as an antipolymerization inhibitor than α-tocopherol, partly due to lower oxidizability/disappearance. Purified triacylglycerols of sunflower, rapeseed, and high-oleic sunflower oils were less stable than their nonpurified forms containing tocopherols. Results confirmed that tocopherols per se

Analysis of free amino acids in cereal products
Food Chemistry, 2007
Free amino acids were extracted from cereal products using 50% ethanol to prevent solubilization ... more Free amino acids were extracted from cereal products using 50% ethanol to prevent solubilization of polysaccharides and other viscous polymers and to avoid starch gelatinization. The extracts were analyzed by GC after ion-exchange solid phase extraction and chloroformate derivatization using Ez-Faast technology (Phenomenex). Free amino acids in cereal products could be analyzed within 1h of extraction and determination, with good separation between peaks and repeatable retention times. Relative correction factor for each amino acid was established. The matrix did not affect the results and the method was repeatable for most of the amino acids (coefficient of variation was in the order of 10%). Different fractions and products of wheat, rye, oats and barely were analyzed. The bran contained more free amino acids than did the other analysed fractions of cereals. Fermentation seemed to consume free asparagine and aspartic acid and to use or release other amino acids.
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Papers by Afaf Kamal-Eldin