Studies on the Effects of Fermentation on the Phenolic Profile and Biological Activity of Three Cultivars of Kale
Magdalena Michalak-Tomczyk,
Anna Rymuszka,
Wirginia Kukula-Koch,
Dominik Szwajgier,
Ewa Baranowska-Wójcik,
Jacek Jachuła,
Agnieszka Welman-Styk,
Kinga Kędzierska
Affiliations
Magdalena Michalak-Tomczyk
Department of Animal Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1I Street, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Anna Rymuszka
Department of Animal Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1I Street, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Wirginia Kukula-Koch
Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plants Garden, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Dominik Szwajgier
Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Human Nutrition, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8 Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Ewa Baranowska-Wójcik
Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Human Nutrition, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Skromna 8 Street, 20-704 Lublin, Poland
Jacek Jachuła
Department of Botany, Mycology and Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19 Street, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
Agnieszka Welman-Styk
Department of Animal Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1I Street, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Kinga Kędzierska
Department of Animal Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1I Street, 20-708 Lublin, Poland
Fermentation is used not only to preserve food but also to enhance its beneficial effects on human health and achieve functional foods. This study aimed to investigate how different treatments (spontaneous fermentation or fermentation with the use of starter culture) affect phenolic content, antioxidant potential, and cholinesterase inhibitory activity in different kale cultivars: ‘Halbhoner Grüner Krauser’, ‘Scarlet’, and ‘Nero di Toscana’. Chosen samples were further tested for their protective potential against the Caco-2 cell line. HPLC-MS analysis revealed that the fermentation affected the composition of polyphenolic compounds, leading to an increase in the content of rutin, kaempferol, sinapinic, and protocatechuic acids. In general, kale cultivars demonstrated various antioxidant activities, and fermentation led to an increase in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Fermentation boosted anti-cholinesterase activity most profoundly in ‘Nero di Toscana’. Extracts of spontaneously fermented ‘Scarlet’ (SS) and ‘Nero di Toscana’ (NTS) showed cytoprotective properties, as revealed by the malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) assays. Additionally, strong anti-inflammatory activity of NTS was shown by decreased release of cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. Collectively, the conducted studies suggest fermented kale cultivars as a potential source for functional foods.
