Studies on the Health Benefecial Potency of Processed Spices

Manjunatha, H. (2005) Studies on the Health Benefecial Potency of Processed Spices. PhD thesis, University of Mysore.

Preview

PDF manjunatha.pdf Download (1MB)

Abstract

Spices are a group of esoteric food adjuncts, which have been in use as flavour enhancers for thousands of years. In addition to their organoleptic properties, few spices are also known to possess several medicinal properties and are effectively used in the indigenous systems of medicine. In the past three decades, it has been experimentally documented that several common spices can also exert health beneficial physiological effects. These physiological effects of spices in most instances have been attributed to the main spice active principles present in them. Among these physiological influences spices are documented to exhibit, their hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties have farreaching health implication. The active principles of the spices - turmeric (Curcuma longa) and red pepper (Capsicum frutescens) have been evidenced in several animal studies to exert hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties. It is recently evidenced that heat processing of spices – turmeric and red pepper results in a significant loss of their active principles. Hence, it is desirable to understand the nature of altered compounds formed from spice active principles during heat processing of parent spices, and also to ascertain the extent to which these spices retain their health beneficial potency in spite of significant chemical alteration of active principles. Especially the hypolipidemic potency and the antioxidant potency exerted by turmeric and red pepper by virtue of their respective active compounds – curcumin and capsaicin need to be evaluated in heat-processed spices. Spice principles – curcumin and capsaicin have been understood to exert the health beneficial hypocholesterolemic influence in experimental animal models. The antioxidant potential of curcumin and capsaicin has been experimentally documented in in vitro systems and in a few in vivo studies. Since spices are generally used in combination (as in spice mixes / curry powders), it would be interesting to know if these two spice principles have any additive or synergic action, with regard to hypolipidemic and antioxidant influences.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Spices turmeric red pepper antioxidant efficacy Hypolipidemic dietary curcumin capsaicin health benefits
Subjects:	600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 30 Spices/Condiments
Divisions:	Dept. of Biochemistry
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	03 Dec 2007 06:28
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 09:31
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/1527

Actions (login required)

View Item