PurpleTrack: the fate of anthocyanins from Brazilian native fruits in models of gastrointestinal tract simulation and its relation with anti-obesity effects

Abstract

Brazilian biodiversity is a valuable and unexplored source of new foods, extracts and compounds able to improve people's quality of life and health. It presents high productive potential of economic, social, and ecological value. Despite this exceptional biodiversity, hundreds of native fruits remain unknown and ignored by researchers, farmers, consumers, traders, and industries. At the same time, overweight and Obesity are a growing global problem that generates serious socioeconomic damage to public health systems. The recent pandemic COVID-19 brought a new concern about Obesity since it is identified both as a risk factor for the disease and as a serious consequence of prolonged confinement. The decade for action in nutrition UN 2016 - 2025 supports that there is a causal relationship between sustainable food systems and the promotion of healthy diets, reinforcing the importance of investments in projects that integrate nutrition, foods, and Agriculture, while strengthening the production and local processing of foods. In this sense, the fruits of Brazilian biodiversity emerge as strategic foods, which can be rich opportunities for innovation, developing markets while generating jobs and income, and contribute significantly to the advance of Science. It is demonstrated scientifically that the purple-coloured compounds called anthocyanins, exert anti-obesity activity through at least six biological activities: inhibition of lipid absorption; increased energy expenditure; stimulation of lipolytic metabolism; increased satiety; antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity; and prebiotic effect. Therefore, in this project, it is proposed to link the valorisation of native fruits for facing the Obesity epidemic in Brazil, and intends to establish the basis for the future exploitation of these fruits as raw materials for new food and pharmaceutical products. (AU)