Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death among adults in Spain and represent around 26% of general mortality in our country, according to data from the Spanish Society of Cardiology. And something similar happens in the United States, where heart conditions are the leading cause of death for both sexes in most racial and ethnic groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A new study led by scientists at the University of Florida has revealed that the key to improving cardiovascular health may be hidden in orange peels, as it has revealed that an extract of them can effectively inhibit the production of harmful chemicals. The results have been published in the journal Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Functional foods to prevent heart disease
Recent research has shown that some intestinal bacteria contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases. When they feed on certain nutrients during digestion, these bacteria produce trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), and TMAO levels may help predict future cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic.
University Associate Professor of Food Sciences Yu Wang and her team investigated the potential of orange peel extracts, rich in beneficial phytochemicals, to reduce the production of TMAO and trimethylamine (TMA). The scientists tested two types of extracts: a polar fraction and a non-polar fraction.
To get the polar fractions, the scientists used polar and nonpolar solvents to extract the orange peel, Wang said. “If you imagine your salad dressing, anything in the water or vinegar part is the polar fraction; anything in the “Oil other than water is the non-polar fraction,” Wang explained. “The solvents we used were not exactly like water and oil, but they have similar polarity.”
“These findings suggest that orange peels, often discarded as waste in the citrus industry, can be reused in valuable health-promoting ingredients, such as dietary supplements, or food ingredients.”
The results of the study showed that the extract of the non-polar fraction of orange peel effectively inhibited the production of harmful chemicals. The researchers also identified a compound called feruloylputrescine in the extract of the polar fraction of orange peel that also significantly inhibits the enzyme responsible for TMA production. “This is a novel finding that highlights the previously unrecognized health potential of feruloylputrescine in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” Wang said.
This finding is significant because in the United States, national orange juice production produces 5 million tons of orange peels each year. In fact, almost 95% of Florida oranges are used to make juice and about half of the peels go to livestock feed while the rest is wasted. However, the Food and Drug Administration considers natural orange peel extracts safe for human consumption, and so Wang hopes to put the peels to better use.
“These findings suggest that orange peels, often discarded as waste in the citrus industry, can be reused in valuable health-promoting ingredients, such as dietary supplements, or food ingredients,” said Wang, a faculty member at the Center of Education and Research on Citrus Fruits of UF/IFAS. “Our research paves the way to develop functional foods enriched with these bioactive compounds, providing new therapeutic strategies to protect heart health,” concludes the researcher.
