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PubMed2003

Effect of high-oxygen atmospheres on blueberry phenolics, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity.

The influence of high oxygen concentrations on total phenolic, total anthocyanin, individual phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity (measured as oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC) in highbush blueberry fruit (Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Duke) was investigated. Freshly harvested blueberries were placed in jars ventilated continuously with air or with 40, 60, 80, or 100% O(2) at 5 degrees C for up to 35 days. Samples were taken initially and at 7-day intervals during storage. Whereas the quality parameters of titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and surface color were only slightly affected by the superatmospheric O(2) treatments, the antioxidant levels were markedly increased by 60-100% O(2) treatments as compared with 40% O(2) treatment or air control during 35 days of storage. Elevated O(2) between 60 and 100% also promoted increases of total phenolics and total anthocyanins as well as the individual phenolic compounds analyzed by HPLC. Fruit treated with O(2) concentrations of >/=60% also exhibited significantly less decay. Data obtained in this study suggest that high-oxygen treatments may improve the antioxidant capacity of blueberry fruit. Furthermore, antioxidant capacity may be correlated with total phenolic and anthocyanin contents in blueberries.

Anthocyanins↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of chemical and photochemical oxidation processes for degradation of phosmet on lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium).

Chemical and photochemical oxidation processes were evaluated for their ability to degrade residual phosmet on lowbush blueberries and for their role in the conversion of phosmet to phosmet oxon--a toxic metabolite of phosmet. Chemical processes included 1 ppm of aqueous ozone, 1% hydrogen peroxide, 100 ppm of chlorine, and UV, whereas photochemical processes included hydrogen peroxide/UV, chlorine/UV, and ozone/hydrogen peroxide/UV. Phosmet applied as Imidan 2.5EC under laboratory conditions resulted in a mean residual concentration of 44.4 ppm, which was significantly degraded (p < 0.05) by ozone and chlorine, yielding reductions of 57.7 and 46%, respectively. Interaction between phosmet (Imidan 2.5EC) and any chemical or photochemical treatment did not result in conversion to phosmet oxon. Residual analysis of commercially grown blueberries revealed mean phosmet (Imidan 70W) levels of 10.65 ppm and phosmet oxon levels of 12.49 ppm. Treatment of commercial blueberries resulted in significant reductions in phosmet regardless of treatment type; however, only UV, hydrogen peroxide/UV, and ozone treatments degraded phosmet (Imidan 70W) to less toxic metabolites and reduced phosmet oxon levels. Treatment-induced conversion of phosmet to phosmet oxon was noticeably influenced by variations between phosmet formulations. Acceleration of photochemical degradation by UV was not observed. Selective oxidation by ozone represents a significant postharvest process for degrading residual phosmet on lowbush blueberries.

Blueberry Plants↗

PubMed2002

The effect of wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) consumption on postprandial serum antioxidant status in human subjects.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether the consumption of wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), a concentrated source of non-nutritive antioxidant phytochemicals, would enhance postprandial serum antioxidant status in healthy human subjects. A single-blinded crossover study was performed in a group of eight middle-aged male subjects (38-54 years). Subjects consumed a high-fat meal and a control supplement followed 1 week later by the same high-fat meal supplemented with 100.0 g freeze-dried wild blueberry powder. Upon brachial vein catheterization, fasting and postprandial serum samples were taken sequentially and analysed for lipids and glucose and for serum antioxidant status. Serum antioxidant status was determined using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and the total antioxidant status (TAS) assay. The wild-blueberry treatment was associated with a significant treatment effect as determined by the ORAC assay (water-soluble fraction ORAC(perchloric acid (PCA)), P=0.04). Significant increases in serum antioxidant status above the controls were observed at 1 h (ORAC(PCA) (8.5 % greater), P=0.02; TAS (4.5 % greater), P=0.05), and 4 h (ORAC(total) (15.0 % greater), P=0.009; ORAC(acetone) (16.0 % greater), P=0.007) post-consumption of the high-fat meal. In conclusion, the consumption of wild blueberries, a food source with high in vitro antioxidant properties, is associated with a diet-induced increase in ex vivo serum antioxidant status. It has been suggested that increasing the antioxidant status of serum may result in the reduced risk of many chronic degenerative diseases.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Modulation of hippocampal plasticity and cognitive behavior by short-term blueberry supplementation in aged rats.

During aging, reductions in hippocampal neurogenesis are associated with memory decline indicating a causal relationship. Indeed, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a major activator of the extracellular receptor kinase pathway that is central in learning and memory processes, is also a key modulator of hippocampal neurogenesis. Previously, we showed that age-related declines in spatial memory tasks can be improved by antioxidant-rich diets containing blueberries. In this study, to begin to understand the mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of blueberries, we assessed changes in hippocampal plasticity parameters such as hippocampal neurogenesis, extracellular receptor kinase activation, and IGF-1 and IGF-1R levels in blueberry-supplemented aged animals. Our results show that all these parameters of hippocampal neuronal plasticity are increased in supplemented animals and aspects such as proliferation, extracellular receptor kinase activation and IGF-1 and IGF-1R levels correlate with improvements in spatial memory. Therefore, cognitive improvements afforded by polyphenolic-rich fruits such as blueberries appear, in part, to be mediated by their effects on hippocampal plasticity.

Aging↗

PubMed2004

Blueberry supplemented diet: effects on object recognition memory and nuclear factor-kappa B levels in aged rats.

It has been reported that an antioxidant-rich, blueberry-supplemented rat diet may retard brain aging in the rat. The present study determined whether such supplementation could prevent impaired object recognition memory and elevated levels of the oxidative stress-responsive protein, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in aged Fischer-344 rats. Twelve aged rats had been fed a 2% blueberry supplemented diet for 4 months prior to testing. Eleven aged rats and twelve young rats had been fed a control diet. The rats were tested for object recognition memory on the visual paired comparison task. With a 1-h delay between training and testing, aged control diet rats performed no better than chance. Young rats and aged blueberry diet rats performed similarly and significantly better than the aged control diet group. Levels of NF-kappaB in five brain regions of the above subjects were determined by western blotting assays. In four regions, aged control diet rats had significantly higher average NF-kappaB levels than young animals on the control diet. In four regions, aged blueberry diet rats had significantly lower levels of NF-kappaB than aged control diet rats. Normalized NF-kappaB levels (averaged across regions and in several individual regions) correlated negatively and significantly with the object memory scores.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Blueberry flavonoids inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 human prostate cancer cells.

Regulation of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the major mediators of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, is crucial to regulate ECM proteolysis, which is important in metastasis. This study examined the effects of 3 flavonoid-enriched fractions (a crude fraction, an anthocyanin-enriched fraction, and a proanthocyanidin-enriched fraction), which were prepared from lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), on MMP activity in DU145 human prostate cancer cells in vitro. Using gelatin gel electrophoresis, MMP activity was evaluated from cells after 24-hr exposure to blueberry fractions. All fractions elicited an ability to decrease the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Of the fractions tested, the proanthocyanidin-enriched fraction was found to be the most effective at inhibiting MMP activity in these cells. No induction of either necrotic or apoptotic cell death was noted in these cells in response to treatment with the blueberry fractions. These findings indicate that flavonoids from blueberry possess the ability to effectively decrease MMP activity, which may decrease overall ECM degradation. This ability may be important in controlling tumor metastasis formation.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2004

Phenology and infestation patterns of plum curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on four highbush blueberry cultivars.

The plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst), is a well known pest in apple and peach orchards, but it also is capable of having an economic impact in highbush blueberries. Host phenology and plum curculio oviposition patterns were determined on four highbush blueberry cultivars differing in fruit maturation period. Numbers of oviposition scars were higher on early- ('Weymouth') and mid-season ('Duke' and 'Bluecrop') blueberries than on late-season 'Elliott' in 2001, 2002, and 2003. In 2002, eggs were first present on the three earliest cultivars 21 d before those on 'Elliott', whereas eggs were found on 'Elliott' >40 d after the last sample with eggs for the other three cultivars. The pattern of host phenology and infestation levels suggested that plum curculio oviposition synchronizes well with the availability of suitable fruit for oviposition on early and mid-season cultivars compared with a late-season cultivar of highbush blueberries. The implications of a transition to use of reduced-risk insecticides are discussed in relation to plum curculio management.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Comparative effectiveness of different insecticides for organic management of blueberry maggot (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Laboratory and field assays using insecticides for organic pest management were conducted on the blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran. Topical exposure of flies to spinosad (Entrust), pyrethrum (PyGanic 1.4 EC), azadirachtin (Aza-Direct), and phosmet (Imidan 70-W) resulted in significantly higher mortality compared with the water control after 2 and 24 h. After 24 h, there were no significant differences in fly mortality among treatments of Entrust, PyGanic, or Imidan, whereas fly mortality to Aza-Direct was significantly lower. Another laboratory assay evaluated mortality of flies after residual exposure to these insecticides on leaves, after 24 and 48 h. In this assay, there were no significant differences in fly mortality after 48 h among treatments of PyGanic, Aza-Direct, and the water control, whereas significantly higher fly mortality resulted from exposure to Entrust and Imidan. A repellency assay found no measurable effects of Aza-Direct. Large-scale field trials found no treatment effect for number of adults of the blueberry maggot captured in sticky traps; however, there were significantly lower levels of fruit-infesting larvae in treated plots compared with the untreated control. Spinosad bait (GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait), Entrust, and PyGanic were not different from imidacloprid (Provado 1.6 F). However, there was a significantly higher infestation in the plot treated with azadirachtin (Agroneem) compared with Provado. Overall, the insecticides evaluated in these trials showed good ability to control blueberry maggot, suggesting that they can be incorporated in a blueberry maggot management program under organic standards.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Blueberry extract enhances survival of intraocular hippocampal transplants.

Transplantation of neural tissue has been explored as a potential therapy to replace dead or dying cells in the brain, such as after brain injury or neurodegenerative disease. However, survival of transplanted tissue is poor, especially when the transplant recipient is of advanced age. Recent studies have demonstrated improvement of neuronal deficits in aged animals given a diet supplemented with blueberry extract. The present study focuses on the survival of fetal hippocampal transplants to young (4 months) or middle-aged (16 months) animals with or without dietary supplementation with blueberry extract. Results indicate that fetal hippocampus transplanted to middle-aged host animals exhibits poor survival characterized by reduced growth and compromised tissue organization. However, when middle-aged animals were maintained on a diet supplemented with 2% blueberry extract, hippocampal graft growth was significantly improved and cellular organization of grafts was comparable to that seen in tissue grafted to young host animals. Thus, the data suggest that factor(s) in blueberries may have significant effects on development and organization of this important brain region.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1998

Fetomaternal haemorrhage and prenatal intracranial bleeding: two more causes of blueberry muffin baby.

UNLABELLED: Blueberry muffin lesions are associated with prenatal infections, severe and chronic anemia and neoplastic infiltrative diseases. In the first two instances they represent postnatal re-expression of cutaneous haematopoiesis, in the latter they are cutaneous localizations of a neoplastic disease. Chronic prenatal anaemia leading to blueberry muffin lesions in the neonate has been reported in association with severe haemolytic anaemia such as congenital spherocytosis, Rhesus haemolytic disease and ABO incompatibility, or in anaemia caused by twin-to-twin transfusion. We present two more causes of prenatal anaemia leading to blueberry muffin lesions: chronic fetomaternal haemorrhage and severe intracranial bleeding. CONCLUSION: In any blueberry muffin baby with profound anaemia, chronic fetomaternal haemorrhage and severe internal bleeding should be included in the differential diagnosis. Skin biopsy must be performed to rule out neoplastic infiltrative diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Determination of carbendazim in blueberries by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

A fluorescent reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the analysis of carbendazim in blueberries. Recoveries of fortified blueberries at 27 and 810 ng/g were more than adequate with good precision. Forty commercial blueberry samples were analyzed and the amount of carbendazim ranged from none detected (detection limit of 15 ng/g) to 155 ng/g. Confirmation of carbendazim in the blueberry samples was made by enzyme immunoassay and UV photodiode array.

Benzimidazoles↗

PubMed2005

Wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) consumption affects the composition and structure of glycosaminoglycans in Sprague-Dawley rat aorta.

It has been documented that increased intake of polyphenols may provide protection against coronary heart disease and stroke. Blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) are one of the richest sources of antioxidants among fruits and vegetables. Phenolic compounds from berry extracts inhibit human low density lipoprotein and liposome oxidation. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteoglycans (PGs) are structural components of aortas with great structural diversity. Their interaction with compounds such as enzymes, cytokines, growth factors, proteins and lipoproteins and their subsequent role in degenerative diseases has been documented. We investigated the effects of a diet rich in blueberries on the content and structure of GAGs. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a control (C) or a blueberry (B) diet for 13 weeks. Aortic tissue GAGs were isolated with papain digestion, alkaline borohydride treatment and anion-exchange chromatography. Cellulose acetate electrophoresis and treatment of the fractions with specific lyases revealed the presence of three GAG populations, i.e. hyaluronan (HA), heparan sulfate (HS) and galactosaminoglycans (GalAGs). Disaccharide composition was determined by high-performance capillary electrophoresis following enzymatic degradation. A 13% higher amount of total GAGs in aortas of B-fed rats was attributed to a higher content of GalAGs (67%). Determination of the sulfated disaccharides showed an overall lower concentration of oversulfated disaccharides in both HS and GalAG populations in the aortas of the B group. Our results demonstrate for the first time that a diet rich in blueberries results in structural alterations in rat aortic tissue GAGs. These changes may affect cellular signal transduction pathways and could have major consequences for the biological function of GAG molecules within the vascular environment.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Absorption of anthocyanins from blueberry extracts by caco-2 human intestinal cell monolayers.

Recent studies have shown that dietary polyphenols may contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Anthocyanins from different plant sources including blueberries have been shown to possess potential anticancer activities. One of the key factors needed to correctly relate the in vitro study results to human disease outcomes is information about bioavailability. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the absorption of blueberry anthocyanin extracts using Caco-2 human intestinal cell monolayers and investigate the effects of different aglycones, sugar moieties, and chemical structure on bioavailability of different types of anthocyanins. The results of this study showed that anthocyanins from blueberries could be transported through the Caco-2 cell monolayers although the transport/absorption efficiency was relatively low compared to other aglycone polyphenols. The transport efficiency of anthocyanins averaged approximately 3-4% [less than 1% in delphinidin glucoside (Dp-glc)]. No significant difference in transport/absorption efficiency was observed among three blueberry cultivars. The observed trends among different anthocyanins generally agreed well with some published in vivo results. Dp-glc showed the lowest transport/absorption efficiency, and malvidin glucoside (Mv-glc) showed the highest transport/absorption efficiency. Our result indicates that more free hydroxyl groups and less OCH(3) groups can decrease the bioavailability of anthocyanins. In addition, cyanindin glucoside (Cy-glc) showed significantly higher transport efficiency than cyanidin galactoside (Cy-gal), and peonidin glucoside (Pn-glc) showed significantly higher transport efficiency than peonidin galactoside (Pn-gal), indicating that glucose-based anthocyanins have higher bioavailability than galactose-based anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins↗

PubMed2000

Effects of blueberry and cranberry juice consumption on the plasma antioxidant capacity of healthy female volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether consumption of 500 ml of blueberry juice or cranberry juice by healthy female subjects increased plasma phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. DESIGN: Latin square arrangement to eliminate ordering effects. After an overnight fast, nine volunteers consumed 500 ml of blueberry juice, cranberry juice or a sucrose solution (control); each volunteer participated on three occasions one week apart, consuming one of the beverages each time. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture at intervals up to four hours after consumption of the juices. Urine samples were also obtained four hours after consuming the juice. RESULTS: Consumption of cranberry juice resulted in a significant increase in the ability of plasma to reduce potassium nitrosodisulphonate and Fe(III)-2,4, 6-Tri(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine, these measures of antioxidant capacity attaining a maximum after 60-120 min. This corresponded to a 30% increase in vitamin C and a small but significant increase in total phenols in plasma. Consumption of blueberry juice had no such effects. CONCLUSION: The increase in plasma antioxidant capacity following consumption of cranberry juice could mainly be accounted for by an increase in vitamin C rather than phenolics. This also accounted for the lack of an effect of the phenolic-rich but vitamin C-low blueberry juice. SPONSORSHIP: Funded by the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department and the Danish Government.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Integrated pest management of Rhagoletis mendax (Diptera: Tephritidae) in lowbush blueberry using vegetative field management.

Economic control of Rhagoletis mendax was achieved by applying insecticidal sprays to commercial lowbush blueberry vegetative fields, in a biennial production system, rather than to the fruiting fields, when the threshold was exceeded. The viability of this integrated pest management of R. mendax for lowbush blueberries was demonstrated over a 9-yr interval in New Brunswick where three sites were monitored for 2 yr, eight sites for 4 yr, and one site for 9 yr. Control of R. mendax in lowbush blueberry fields was achieved in 2 yr when the fields were isolated, and in 3 yr when there were adjacent lowbush blueberry fields.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2003

The influence of pruning on wasp inhabitants of galls induced by Hemadas nubilipennis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on lowbush blueberry.

The efficacy of pruning methods for managing blueberry stem galls caused by the chalcid wasp, Hemadas nubilipennis (Ashmead), was studied in five commercial lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) fields in Nova Scotia, Canada, between October 1999 and May 2000. Blueberry fields were mowed in the fall, and burning treatments were subsequently applied either in the fall or the spring. Three treatments were compared: mowing only, mowing plus fall burning, and mowing plus spring burning. Galls collected from the mow plus spring-burn treatment had the least wasp emergence of the three treatments, while the total number of galls was not affected by treatment. Wasp mortality, not gall destruction, is why wasp emergence is reduced in burn treatments. More galls were located and, for the burn treatments, higher wasp emergence was seen from galls found within the leaf litter than those above it. Five co-inhabitants emerged from blueberry stem galls in this study. Three, Eurytoma solenozopheriae (Ashmead), Sycophila vacciniicola (Balduf), and Orymus vacciniicola (Ashmead) are commonly found associates. The other two, Eupelmus vesicularis (Ritzius) and Pteromalus spp., are new records for Nova Scotia. O. vacciniicola is likely an inquiline because it is the largest wasp emerging from galls, and there was a positive relationship between its emergence and that of H. nubilipennis. Larger gall size improved H. nubilipennis emergence from mow and spring-burn galls. After a field has been mowed in the fall, we recommend a spring burn to reduce gall populations and the threat of product contamination.

Agriculture↗

PubMedDate not supplied

MR cholangiopancreatography before and after oral blueberry juice administration.

Blueberry juice was used in 37 patients who underwent MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) examination. Quantitative and qualitative comparison between pre- and post-blueberry juice oral administration was made. Common bile duct and main pancreatic duct depiction improved statistically significantly (p < 0.05) after blueberry juice administration. Blueberry juice may be used routinely in MRCP studies as a natural, safe, and inexpensive negative contrast agent with high efficacy.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2000

Comparison of anthocyanin distribution in different blueberry sources by capillary zone electrophoresis.

Capillary zone electrophoretic separation of blueberry anthocyanins was studied using a Na-borate buffer containing trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetra acetic acid monohydrate (CyDTA) as the carrier buffer. The separation conditions were precisely examined using an aqueous extract of bilberry (wild type blueberry) as the separation sample which is rich in this type and amount of anthocyanins. Each separated peak was identified by comparing the mobility with that of anthocyanin standards after normalization against the mobility of malvidin 3-o-glucoside (Mv 3-Glc) added as an internal standard. As salt concentrations of the running buffer increased, the peak resolution was markedly improved over the whole range of separation, especially, among the fast moving components (petunidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside and malvidin 3-galactoside). Inversely, the peak separation both between petunidin 3-glucoside and peonidin 3-glucoside, and between delphinidin 3-glucoside and petunidin 3-galactoside, respectively, were decreased. The anthocyanins were, however, successfully separated by decreasing the buffer pH. Good separation of anthocyanins was finally achieved by 30 mM Na-borate (pH 8.78) containing 7.5 mM CyDTA within 10 min. Under this separation condition, anthocyanins from different blueberry sources were analyzed. The results revealed that different blueberry sources had their own patterns of anthocyanin distribution and amounts in the extracts, thus the present method is suitable for the quality control of anthocyanin-containing food materials.

Anthocyanins↗