Source: UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING submitted to
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY CHARACTERIZATION OF FOOD AND CROP PLANTS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1002900
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
WYO-500-14
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Apr 17, 2014
Project End Date
May 15, 2017
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Schantz, RH.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE DEPARTMENT 3434
LARAMIE,WY 82071-2000
Performing Department
Family And Consumer Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Antioxidants are naturally occurring and found in many foods. The body's metabolic processes form by-products known as free radicals, which are reactive forms of oxygen. Antioxidants are scavengers of these by-products and protect cells from damage by free radicals. The result of reducing these free radicals is an improved immune system. Antioxidants in general play an important role in disease prevention and health promotion. Several of the recognized antioxidants are the vitamins A, C, and E, and the mineral selenium. Food pigments also possess antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are a subcategory of phytochemicals (also referred to as phytonutrients). Phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds in plant foods--fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Phytochemicals include flavonoid compounds such as plant pigments, the carotenoids which include beta carotene, lycopene and xanthophyll, and the anthocyanin, which is a red to deep purple pigment.The fruit and vegetable intake in the US remains below recommended levels despite evidence of health benefits of regular consumption (Murphy et al., 2012). Highly pigmented plant foods are great contributors of antioxidants. Offering locally grown plant foods to consumers may provide for an economic incentive as well as health and wellness to our state's citizens.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70150102000100%
Knowledge Area
701 - Nutrient Composition of Food;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
2000 - Chemistry;
Goals / Objectives
Characterize the antioxidants and antioxidant capacity in legumes, wheat, barley, and fruits such as grapes and non-grape fruits such as chokecherries (all to be Wyoming grown).Characterize the antioxidants and their antioxidant capacity in pre-historic food.
Project Methods
The comparative level of antioxidants in plants/crops grown in Wyoming would consist of evaluating the antioxidant capacity in barley, wheat, legumes, grapes and non-grape fruit. In addition the pre-historic foods previously gathered, spring beauties, pine nuts, bistort, yampa, biscuitroot, and chokecherries would be evaluated for antioxidant capacity. Four antioxidants: Vitamins A, C, and E; and resveratrol would be characterized as well. The analysis and determination of the antioxidant capacity of the foods would be the first step of the research project. The second step would be to analyze each antioxidant separately in each individual food. Individualized extraction methodology for each antioxidant characterized will be used.

Progress 04/17/14 to 05/15/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The Extension Specialists and Educators for Plant Sciences and Food and Nutrition have used findings for the preparation Extension Bulletins for the gatherer's efforts. The wild, edible plants may be beneficial to gatherers' health in addition to the physical and mental enjoyment of the great outdoors. Enrolled students in Food and Nutrition courses have learned course content regarding antioxidants in plants. The nutritional and health benefits of plants were studied. Changes/Problems:The approach in analyzing the individual antioxidant content with HPLC standard methods was changed to use the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. The FRAP method is easy to learn and perform. It creates a baseline for antioxidant capacity. This change became necessary due to equipment break-down and the absence of the trained personnel to perform the individual antioxidant analyses. Also, with this approach change, the analysis was perfored per plant (or part of the plant used for food), not per antioxidant. This approach has proved to every efficient and logical during the pre-preparation stage for experiment planning. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Seminars in two College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Plant Science and Family and Consumer Sciences. Workshop/training sessions for students involved in the research and assisting in different steps of the FRAP method. This session included the theory of the method, as well as the steps taken beginning with preparing the plant for analysis, the chemical anlysis set-up and finally through the spectrophotometric interpretation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Seminar presentaions in the Plant Sciences department and the Family and Consumer Sciences department. Thesis publication. Journal article in preparation. Extension Bulletin in preparation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A screening of the Antioxidant Power of wild, edible plants was performed. Two of the wild edible plants, the chokecherry and the pine nut, were identified as pre-historic food by the Anthropology faculty. 1. Gathered the following wild, edible plants: Black Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana melanocarpa), Golden Currant (Ribes aureum), Whitestem Gooseberry (Ribes inerme), Juniper Fruit (Juniperus communis), Whitebark Pine Nuts (Pinus albicaulis), and Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis). There we no previously published data for the antioxidant content of Wyoming's wild, edible plants. 2. The antioxidant power was determined using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method for six wild, edible Wyoming plants: Chokecherries, currants, gooseberries, juniper fruit, pine nuts, and wild mint. This method is a chemical method in which the results are interpreted spectrophometrically. 3. Designed the experiment using Tukey's, with non-orthogonal differences. 4. Analyzed the experiment and computed the data. 5. The findings indicate the growing conditions affected their antioxidant power. Gathered plants were from three differrent locations: Mountain, field, and river-side. Stressed growing conditions on plants which were gathered at higher elevations resulted in greater antioxidant power than the plants grown river-side. 6. Findings, when compared to the recorded averages, were equal to or higher than the literature reported. Currants consistently maintained a higher antioxidant power than the literature reported. Chokecherry data indicated all locations performed equally for antioxidant power; there are no data to compare in literature reported. Currant data indicated the river-side location obtained the lowest antioxidant power; the mountain location obtained the highest antioxidant power; however, currants consistently obtained a significantly greater antioxidant power than the literature reported. Gooseberry data indicated the mountain location obtained the lowest antioxidant power; the field location obtained the highest antioxidant power; both were significantly different than the reported literature. Juniper fruit data indicated the field location obtained the lowest antioxidant power; however, was significantly lower than the literature reported. Juniper fruit data from the mountain location obtained the highest antioxidant power and was significantly higher than the literature reported. Pine nut data indiated the mountain location (the only location for this plant/tree) and gathered either from the tree or the ground indicate no difference in the antioxidant power and obtained a significantly greater antioxidant power than the reported literature. Wild mint data indicated the river-side location (the only location for this plant) and each gathering stage (young mint and the flowering stage) obtained no difference in antioxidant power; no significant differences existed with the literature reported. 7. Used the findings to promote gathering wild, edible plants through the tourism industry in this mountainous region.

Publications

  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Antioxidant Power of Wild Edible Wyoming Plants. Foist, L. University of Wyoming, ProQuest number 12376


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The Extension Specialists and Educators for Plant Sciences and Food and Nutrition have used findings for drafting Extension Bulletins regarding the nutritional and health benefits of gathering wild plants. Changes/Problems:The approach changed to use the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. This method is easy to learn and perform and creates a baseline for antioxidant capacity. This change became necessary due to equipment break-down and the absence of the trained personnel to perform the individual antioxidant analyses. Also, with this approach change, the analysis is performed per plant (or part of the plant used for food), not per antioxidant. This approach has proved to be very efficient and logical during the pre-preparation stage. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Seminar; formal course content; and annual reporting. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through thesis draft to committee members. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Work has begun to characterize the antioxidant capacity of indigenous prehistoric foodstuff: biscuitroot, yampah, spring beauty, and bistort. 2. Analysis of indigenous prehistoric foodstuff. 3. Manuscript preparation and submission for the wild edible plants research results. 4. Begin selection, assembling, and analysis of crop plants.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1.Antioxidant power was determined using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method for six wild edible Wyoming plants; chokecherries, currants, gooseberries, juniper fruit, pine nuts, wild mint. 2.The findings indicate the growing conditions affected their antioxidant power. Stressed growing conditions at higher elevations resulted in greater antioxidant power than the plants grown near the streams. These findings, when compared to the recorded averages, were equal or higher than reported. 3.Master's thesis in preparation.

Publications


    Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Plant Science professionals, Food and Nutrition professionals, Experiment Station personnel, the Extension Educators and the community of consumers of the state's wild edible plants. Changes/Problems:Changes from the proposal are: 1. The use of Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method for analyses. 2. The specific wild edible foods which would be considered pre-historic foodstuff. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1. Conduct training sessions for the FRAP method for any additional students. 2. Present preliminary findings through seminar in the department. 3. Write report which includes the findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1. One seminar presentation was given in the Plant Science department at the University of Wyoming. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Assemble legumes grown in Wyoming. 2. Analyze using the FRAP method. 3. Prepare manuscript to present the findings for the previous section of the project for wild edible plants data.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Gathered the following Wyoming wild edible plants: Black Chokecherries ( Prunus virginiana melanocarpa), Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis), Whitebark Pine Nuts (Pinus albicaulis), Whitestem Gooseberries (Ribes inerme), Juniper Fruit (Juniperus communis), Golden Currents (Ribes aureum). 2. The antioxidant capacity was determined through the Ferric Reducing/Antioxidant Power (FRAP) method. 3. The data was analyzed and compared topublished data. The location of plant 'stands' (mountain, field, and by a river) and the time of season (prior to prime ripeness and during prime ripeness) for harvest made a difference.

    Publications


      Progress 04/17/14 to 09/30/14

      Outputs
      Target Audience: Networking with personnel who will provide samples--Extension, Experiment Station personnel, and private citizens. Laboratory training of graduate students in analysis techniques of antioxidant capacity. Changes/Problems: The laboratory equipment (HPLC) for analyses of vitamin A has been down for several months, but have received approval to have it repaired. Similar equipment at another lab on campus is also in need of repair--the supervising faculty of that lab has left the university. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The networking throughout the state and region. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Analyze samples.

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? Training of graduate students and PI in some of the laboratory analyses for antioxidant capacity has begun. Sample collection from various target audiences has started.

      Publications