FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ACS News Service Weekly PressPac: June 23, 2021
Milk protein could help boost blueberriesâ€� healthfulnessÂ
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Pairing blueberry pie with a scoop of ice cream is a nice summer treat. Aside from being tasty, this combination might also help people take up more of the “superfruit’s� nutrients, such as anthocyanins. Researchers reporting in ACS’�Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that α-casein, a protein found in cow’s milk, helped rats absorb more blueberry anthocyanins and their byproducts, boosting accessibility to these good-for-you nutrients.
In studies, anthocyanins have been shown to have antioxidant properties, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing some cancers. However, only small amounts of these nutrients are absorbed from blueberries during digestion, despite their abundance in the fruit. Previous researchers have reported that consuming foods with ingredients such as citrus pectin, capcasin, capsicate and some proteins improve the uptake of anthocyanins. For instance, Bin Li and colleagues found that α-casein and β-casein proteins from cow’s milk protected blueberry anthocyanins in simulated digestion experiments. Now, this team wanted to see whether α-casein could help increase the absorption of blueberry anthocyanins in vivo.
The researchers fed rats purified blueberry anthocyanin extracts, adding α-casein to the solution given to one group of rats. During the next 24 hours, anthocyanin and metabolite concentrations were 1.5 to 10.1 times higher in the α-casein group than in the control rats. When examining α-casein’s molecular structure, the researchers observed that its amino acids allowed it to interact with and encapsulate the anthocyanin molecules, improving their stability in the intestines and allowing for better transport into the bloodstream. While the α-casein protein used in these experiments was derived and purified from milk, the results may not be the same for whole milk because its fats and sugars could impact absorption, the researchers explain. They say their next step is to conduct similar tests with human subjects.
The authors acknowledge funding from the  and the Project of “Double Hundred� for Major Scientific and Technological Achievements Transforming of Shenyang City.
###
The American Chemical Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø (ACS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community and champion scientific integrity, and its vision is a world built on science. The Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACSâ€� main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Registered journalists can subscribe to the to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.
Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.
Media Contact
ACS Newsroom
newsroom@acs.org
###
La sociedad American Chemical Öйú365betÖÐÎĹÙÍø (ACS) es una organización sin fines de lucro fundada en 1876 y aprobada por el Congreso de los Estados Unidos. La ACS se ha comprometido a mejorar la vida de todas las personas mediante la transformación del poder de la quÃmica. Su misión es promover el conocimiento cientÃfico, empoderar a la comunidad global y defender la integridad cientÃfica, y su visión es un mundo construido basándose en la ciencia. La Sociedad es lÃder mundial en la promoción de la excelencia en la educación cientÃfica y en el acceso a información e investigación relacionadas con la quÃmica a través de sus múltiples soluciones de investigación, publicaciones revisadas por expertos, conferencias cientÃficas, libros electrónicos y noticias semanales periódicas de Chemical & Engineering News. Las revistas de la ACS se encuentran entre las más citadas, las más fiables y las más leÃdas en la literatura cientÃfica; sin embargo, la propia ACS no realiza investigación quÃmica. Como lÃder en soluciones de información cientÃfica, su división CAS se asocia con innovadores internacionales para acelerar los avances mediante la preservación, la conexión y el análisis de los conocimientos cientÃficos del mundo. Las sedes principales de la ACS se encuentran en Washington, D.C., y Columbus, Ohio.
Los periodistas registrados pueden suscribirse al en EurekAlert! para acceder a comunicados de prensa públicos y retenidos. Para consultas de los medios, comunÃquese con newsroom@acs.org.
Nota: ACS no realiza investigaciones, pero publica y divulga estudios cientÃficos revisados por expertos.â€�
;void(0);){kind=link}