Phytochemical Characterization of Bilberries and Their Potential as a Functional Ingredient to Mitigate Ochratoxin A Toxicity in Cereal-Based Products
Denisia Pașca,
Massimo Frangiamone,
Luciano Mangiapelo,
Pilar Vila-Donat,
Oana Mîrza,
Ana-Maria Vlase,
Doina Miere,
Lorena Filip,
Jordi Mañes,
Felicia Loghin,
Lara Manyes
Affiliations
Denisia Pașca
Biotech AgriFood Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
Massimo Frangiamone
Biotech AgriFood Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
Luciano Mangiapelo
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Pilar Vila-Donat
Biotech AgriFood Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
Oana Mîrza
Department of Bromatology, Hygiene, Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ana-Maria Vlase
Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babes Street, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Doina Miere
Department of Bromatology, Hygiene, Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Lorena Filip
Department of Bromatology, Hygiene, Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Jordi Mañes
Biotech AgriFood Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
Felicia Loghin
Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Lara Manyes
Biotech AgriFood Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
Mycotoxin contamination of cereals and cereal-based products is a serious problem for food safety. Antioxidant-rich ingredients such as bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L., VM) may mitigate their harmful effects. Firstly, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and analytical phytochemical composition (hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, flavanols, flavonols, and anthocyanins) were assessed in lyophilized wild bilberries from Romania. Secondly, this study evaluated bilberries’ effects on reducing ochratoxin A (OTA) bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity. An in vitro digestion model was developed and applied to four different types of bread: Control, VM (2%), OTA (15.89 ± 0.13 mg/kg), and OTA (16.79 ± 0.55 mg/kg)-VM (2%). The results indicated that VM decreased OTA bioaccessibility by 15% at the intestinal level. OTA-VM digests showed improved Caco-2 cell viability in comparison to OTA digests across different exposure times. Regarding the alterations in Jurkat cell line cell cycle phases and apoptosis/necrosis, significant increases in cell death were observed using OTA digests (11%), while VM addition demonstrated a protective effect (1%). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis confirmed these findings, with OTA-VM digests showing significantly lower ROS levels compared to OTA digests, resulting in a 3.7-fold decrease. Thus, bilberries exhibit high potential as a functional ingredient, demonstrating protection in OTA mitigation effects.