Development of New Approaches to the Evaluation of Biofortified Colored Wheat as a Safe Raw Material for Functional Food Products

The main objective was to evaluate the biological effects of color-grain varieties of soft spring wheat of  Tatar selection (Nadira – purple-grain, Khazine – yellow-grain) on living organisms using in vitro and in vivo models, including Drosophila melanogaster. The experiments demonstrated that addition of Nadir and Hazine extracts to the substrate for Drosophila larvae significantly increased viability. Thus, when Nadir extract was added at a concentration of 10%, the mean survival rates of females and males were, respectively, 60.5% and 59.5% compared to 40.25% and 39% in the control (p<0.0001). Similarly, when applying 10% Hazine extract, the levels of 55% and 55.75%, respectively, were recorded. DNA-comet assay revealed a 20–25% reduction in oxidative DNA damage with the extracts applied, which correlated with the high content of anthocyanins (Nadira) and carotenoids (Hazineh). PCR data confirmed a decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (Drosocin, Defensin) in the grain supplemented groups: Drosocin levels decreased from 2.36 to 0.13 (Hazine 5%), Defensin from 2.29 to 0.28 (p<0.05). The Drosophila fecundity was increased by 18–27% using 5% concentrations, and pupal stage mortality was reduced by 30–45% (p<0.01). The results obtained are consistent with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of bioflavonoids, which are known to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The study confirms the potential of using colored-grain wheat in the production of functional foods that meet the requirements of the Doctrine of Food Security of the Russian Federation. The development of varieties with increased content of anthocyanins and carotenoids, as well as optimization of processing technologies (e.g., the use of starter to preserve pigments) will extend the range of healthy products such as bread, pasta and cereals, contributing to the health of the population.

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