H*m$theFood

K.S. Jayachandran, Vijay Sethi and Surab,hi

Rai.

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class of

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ffi ,T e#*,*1d",liflrj*,,,,,, "9ry1t***'-,;*; n*uril6." ffi l[lXiJ!;f;j:,:."[ffieed =,,, ]T?l1,, rr:1,'il:ffi$,li###:ii"

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;;"*il ""#:'j:;';:#Xi,j:'1'""'=..'tlrr.-d1.e,r.v;abre tannindtE?f@.,.8'g1 ffi called tannins. fnir ffi l:^"^yi;.*or(iin,afid.*reii,*p*n1.,.-,__,,,11?, article reviews
compounds
occurrence of

the ffi naturattyoccurririgpkrtporyprreners__,,glates;rJffi;=if,i++qfi;d :::":: rannins,ffi dil;;;;;;;;ff;ffffi;:,fr;-" compound **

human heatth. rannins are

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" human health. ffi ::{:d;i;.,J,J.ffi,Tffi,li L:ffi,i",l,H

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oi",*" 9.,p. rffi il;;1" 3ilffflnill fi''ii:::l " acio' lfit is grt" ,jJ ii"n the * :fi,ff,"#;3:ff[*,::ff" :ontainino s, rffinipn+ 3llaoic .?tr[T: J,".J#"_ifr["1'fl""L ^.,^,1:.:,::Ylt other suitabte
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prstoins.and'erttiermbf,rrr*areer+rae. I".li1Y1l-4=*I=itu* amounts in

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Chemistry of ianni
The authors are faculty mem_ bers at lndia Agricultural Research lnstitute, New Dethi of secondary compounds tounA.-ffi plants. Tltey,ar6

with multiple structure units phenolic ranging from 500 to > 20,000.
.=r.irE+_}rei[,lk-+!tu++_

January 2005 I processed Food

Industry

most are delphinidin. phenolics (priway acid phenyl how is as follows: . . Gallic acid is derived from quinic r acid ' ,,+-. Ellagotannins are formed from neianyUr,etyClphenic esters by. the ,., oxidative coupiingof neighbouring' ' r
cleavage by hydrolysis. The common anthocyanidins produced cyanidin and Tannins belong to the class. AII phenolic compounds mary and.secondary) are in one or another, formed via the shikimic pathway, also known as the propanoid pathwa)A An example of several common tannins are {Ormed

food dye which is rich in tannins. Foods with certain polyphenols before fermentation olten have those polyphenols transformed into condensed tannins after fermentation. Soy beans, which are white in colour, have few tannins before fermentation. Perhaps aflerfermentation, the brown of the soy sauce indiCates that these tannins are transformed into condensed
tannins.

with numerous types of molecules. Tannins can form comPlexes with: 1. Carbohydrafes; Starch has the ability to form hydrophobic cavities that allow inclusion complexes with tannins and many lipophylic molecules. Only starch, among molecules that are bound by tannins has this embedding characteristic. Cellulose has a direct surface interaction with tannins. Tannin carbohydrate interaclions are increased by carbohydrates with low molecular weight, low solubitity and
conf ormational f lexibititY.

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TL

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Fruitiuiceslikeapplejuice,Tannins
are often added to juices, as a clarifuing agent, and, in some apple ciders, it is added to increase the

ghfiieaei{unitsattachedio*D-'mauthfeel'

(astringency)ofthe

,{
ol

... . glucose

cor6,"'"'':,-,.

'Fijtttrer-oxidative coupling,!-orms hydrolyzatilFtannin (HT) polymelq.

the

juices. Grapes and berry juices are "' ',':relafively highin tannins. Atcdhalic beverages like red wine

Protelns:The capacity ol tannins to bind proteins has long been recognized Thnnin protein interactions are : specific and depend on the structure of boththe protein and tannin.These interaction$ are frequently based on
hydrophobic and hydrogen'bonding. The tannin's phenolic grouP is an , excellent hydrogen doner that Iorm$ strong hydrogen bonds with protein's carbolry{ grouP. Forthis reasor}' ,, tannins have a greater:affinity towards proieins than aEy other melecule. 3. Be$erial celf mqrnbranes. , 4. Enzyms$ involved..in carbohydrate hnd protein d'igestion.

2.

I I *

':=**df|avan-+-0fji[]pog , o Even palqiye smokett'or second hand smokels5ecome rich'swners aui<j6ffe&1, in the abser+ee of of tat+$1s Tobacc6lqa.ves hav6''"1..they foiffi.ar$gcyanidin artd _ i]iftmepa.n-thocyanidlnwhich, in _.!eenmea*uledtocont6tul30,000' 7o-lp0ppmtahnins tUrh, poivifttlze,& form PAs ' . o contain tannins uost tegumes coniain (Hadam, irt;i 1989) ii*inr, ' Most
:...=..,,,.,.-,.eat
,,.,.:.=

F-'@ryt{tgcyaniOin'(fulprecursors -..(!uetoskinlandbeer(duetohops) are le[]6ei6y.a+-idins (flavon;$4diol ocatain tannis. ' . , -,

,t
!

vffi*eJg9 or.srrfdierqax
do not irfrertele with plant

orrhe'fiii6lq,, metabolism.

dt*eqsolouredr6+l+s' white dqured legumeq however, coniain few if

*rly

after ceii''breat Oown

anO

* *
th

canfttq.gcr

l
h

efects lWate#n

frifugpJabol'c --'i+.;.+ an et al,1 W4)

anff'fu1h

i:1.l+ny

tannin6;,.-.

'tt''t',

S&Fi,Sum an imiib.r.,tantcereal.,

consumed in Africa is one of the

close evaluation of the impact o{ tannin$ reveals'lhat they are,tascinat'':,--A

Tannins in Our Daily

Life '
': I , :-"] Ins.

.
.=.1T::l:":containtanninson

ing but dqlgerous ifiolecules.They

Occurrence
becomes ansotutety necessary to anatyse und ,rr*a the overall effecf of tannins on human health (Giugliano, Tannins are widety distributed in the plant kingdorn.They are cornmon both in Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Wthin Angiosperms, lannins are more commoR in Dicotyledons than in Monocotyledons. Examples of families of Dicolyledons rich in tannins are:

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h"

Leguminosae:

=l
Anacardiaceael Combretaceae: Rhizophoraceae:
:,.

Acacia sg. {Wattle); Sesbaru? sP., Lofrrs sp. {trefoil), Anabrychis sp.

(Sainfoin).
Scinopsis balansae (quebracho)

%
annins hive a maiOr

Myrobalan Mangrove Eticalyptas sp., Mrfus sp. (Myrtle)' Canaigre

Myrtaceae: Polinaceae:

W ',,,r\

'===
'?+,o

lr

impart on nutrition because of

ru iffii,

their'*llility to fo*m comBlaxes

Proceseed Food Xndustry I lanuary 2005

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have been said to act as a double edged sword with both negative and positive effects on health.

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NEGATIVE EFFECTS Tannins as anti nutritional factors: Tannins are often considered
to be nutritionally undesirable. Tannins form complexes with protein's starches and digestive enzymes to cause a reduction in nutritional values of.focds. Proteins bound to tannins become resistant to proteases and hence decrease protein digestibility (Hulse ef a/., 1 980). Tannins have been reported to inhibit the enzymatic aetivities of

cellulose (Griffiths, 1 977), pectinase (Yaper ef al.,1972), amytase (Davis ef al., 1979),lipases (Tamir ef. a/., 1969), proteolytic enzymes (Griffiths ef a/., 1980) and 13, galactosidase (Go.ldstiain et al., 1965). One mole of tannin is reported to bind 12 moles of protein

today have been listed in Calegory-t of food undesirable (Graham, 2000). carcinogens by the Occupational Safetyand Health Administraiion ' POSITIVE EFFECTS (OSHA). Betal nuts containing 11-26/" Ta n n in s as anticarcl noga*:Z?c tannins can cause cheek and oesophinhibitory effeet of gleen tea on carrer ageal cancers. formation has been well dtieu*g*:ed. Ranadive et at. (1979) studied the lndividuals consuming green tea more carcinogenicity of paan ingredients. frequently or in larger qriintffiri*.?*a:e Betal nut, betal leaf, [ime, catechu been.*lrown to have a lower risk of tobacco and concluded that betal nut, gastric cancer. Sim ilarfi *n:lnre+= particularly the tannin containing , cofflatioa exists between consum!fraction, and its combination with lime tion of diets rich in fiufts'andfqg:=== and tobacco were potent carcinogens. et#les and risk of developing cancer The staple food in combination with a (Kono ef af., 1988).The canoerfighting herbattea can cau3e st6inacE,ian'.. -.,r.: propsrry"gf tannins have triple actioR... cers. This carcinogenecity of tannins They btock th6 fo'rr etif,Ede+qgflg:,,,.. may be due'to iriiation'ehddellulat :.=. 8lflS..b.qoetJhe g f*;..bqost.the body,s bodV's natural detOffi'

"

and,

(chung etal.,1998).
Moreover, tannins are known to affect the utilization of vitamins and minerals.'Tannins reduce the bioavailability of vit*rnin:A, vitamin B,z and iron (Salunkhe et. al., 1989).The major dietary effectof tannins is the efficiency with which the digestedand. absorbed nutrients lvere cohverted into new body substances (Builer ef ,,,. al.,1992).

coceretnogens,orl5forttbt6iS:'*.: i,lt7=-::.,,;ir.,.:.\*fl!11lin C and vitamin E inducing cancers in the presence beta

: Othef.eaitifOgen.i...,:

:::,:.j.+':.'=-,::::,;i,ttttlt.:=i:.it;,

of

1998).ln
with,300
6 months

Migratnesandfannrhs..Many
reseersh
,:,

,Cqqipl tfial Of Og fef#itE

.atg

rr

""nf6iri:dffit*g-**umnr
signilicant per
et a\.,1

that in the migraine the neuro-transmit-

t*f,gerobfiin is,lit ult

that low levels of utilizable serotonin

maya@OUfi*{#a'
=srn*.t, bc.fi.m6et'

ix$tlffiirt6-,.=:.=.i+++=

migraine. Although, proline absorption

Tannins as carcinogens.. lt was

reported by Stoltz in 1982 that tannins act as both mutagens and carcionogens. Tannins and lannic acid

*@a*

up study in Finland

tannin's complexing ability with flavonoids tryptophan {a precursor to serotonin),

of intake

arealsr

(1ee4)

Tannins have irnportant implications in the food industry too. Tlnnnic acid, ellagic acid, gailic acfd, methyl gallate are used as antioxidants. Fropyl gallate is a, cErtified fdod additive. Tannic acid,eould be added .to fqod BroducL:to extend: ,.:.'.'1;,, ., ,,''.-tfi*ir.shg,lf,.jife.,

the body in the production of serotonin,

flr,et*itry; result of this binding diets high in utilizable levels of serotonin and number and severity of migraines
Fa od ae eepta bl W,Tannind

glucopolysaccharide* resultg

in.

salivd

reastt6iib wnicrr maxa

iffi

ine Senzo-(a)-pyrene, aflatoxin B, 2;r:uraofluorene etc. (Chung et a\.,1998). antimutagenic potential of tannins -a.. be due to their antioxidant ;'"!perty in protecting cellular compo-Et"ts frorn oxidative damage. For arie'rrple, quercetin and rutin have lreen demonstrated to scavenge siceroxide anions (Robak ef a/.,

--e

's8).
Tanni n s and cardiovascul ar

400 substances in red wine apparently raised the levelof high density lipoproteins (HDL or'good' cholesterol) in the blood while decreasing the low density lipoproteins (LDL, or'bad' cholesterol) and thereby prevent heart attack and strokes. HDL is known to lower the risk of arterieosclerosis and heart diseases by clearing'bad' cholesterol from arterial walls and helping it eliminate from the body (Wellens,
2000).

dsaases.'Tanninsviatheirantioxidant

:rBperty prevent the oxidation of The Chacolate Paradax: Sciendrdesterol, a precursorto the forma- ' tists studying the chemical compo-

fti',

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llr.
h
ht

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nents of chocolate are finding the better same kind of nutrients in chocglate as a"rdiorescular health. There is an in red wine and tea-iannins. Epidemiofiuerse association,between flavonoid . logical reports have revealed that men rtake and,slroke (Keli etar,J996). 'who eat candy live a little longerthan Consumption tif,black tea for lour men wfto abstain from sweets. A single r.eeks was shown in a study to eandy bar of milk chocolate contains 'rncrease therceistance of low density mor+lhan 300 mg of pclyphenois mcg?teins (t-Oljiooxidation ', -.., about the s&rl1e amount in an entire rlshikawd'ef,a1,, 1997). The cons:mp- day worth (five servings) of fruits and lien of red wine illiEnolics extract vegetables. Though, it is too early to OeenE io increasethe,antioxidant'=.say for certain that there is a chocolate paradox, it is time to think about capacity of the plasma (Carbonneau al.,'lQ.and increEdC.tlp resisiancii,:,:.... chocolatea,s a source ofssential'"',,. jii{r*rients (Seragini ,qt of LDL to oxkJation oj(da!i,"C.n (Seragini et nutrients and ho$ust not just eating eating pleasure t3]=CommerC-i&f,grape juice i6'htep- (Siff*lffenberger e\a!.,1999).,

nc,r' of

artfterosclerotic plaque in

blood

Tannins present in varying concentrations in food have profound effects on human health. A fine balancing act is reguired to ensure the right dose of right kind of tannins to promote optimal health.
allowed for use at 400 ppm in frozen dessert, 150 ppm in non-alcoholic beverages, 130 ppm in hard candies, ''100 ppm in baked foods and baking mixes. Tannic aci.d could be added to . food product to extend their shelf-life. Moreover, in the lndian per$pective the wide-variety of indigenous fruits and vegetables rich in tannins opens up ,ftew vislas f6'r.lheir mark*li[tg. as health{oods by the industry.

ressels and in this way promote

har,,.

et

a/., aJ.,
of

Conclusion
Tannins present in varying concenin food have'profound effects or,rhuman tiealth. On theone hand, if ingested in large quantities,.they may be involved in carcinogenesis, '""antinutritionql activi$r and other,,. adyerse effeEts and on llre other hand, the ifltake of a small quanllly may be,.. beneficial by its anticarcinogenic, ':: ntimicrotiial and antigrutageniities an6,leducing,-lthe risk of,. cardiovasculardiseases;Thus, a figs balan*.ing act isie,quired t6+nsure th* 'r:,rightdoEe of nght indof tanf..rinsto .:

Tannti*el antimifubiats:rniA.,. :Ie1l6'$ft.!q!-lP-i[g]|r6t*Urqt'on ''""':.:L,-'&i+tiry]icroliaiaetivityof takninsfrave L*!{Day e/ Tfre frenEh*, leen' ,g1 documented.Tannin toxicity
'1:r=,,,.= cardiologist, S. Renaud fiist described to microorganisms may be due to their a p4q{oxical situdhn in France, actiqn on the rnembranes of microorganibnrs, complexation with e*uymes r r.tfu&unte " fat but relatively bd or substrates (Scalbert, 1991) and
:

.: trations

lh.
lr,E

t
-1

fri[#'+

t
\ l L* \

or@yartery-#b1,., and Lorgeril(1992)

e relalively lryh

low

ifuAplexatici#.1-ujth metaf&nswhich,:.":,,..

intake

can, in turn, affeet the activig of metalloenzlmes like peroxidase. trf,itimicrobial-.

'

.,q

promote optimal health. t}*astrainte,''qg space'@. not alioyt. us

to pubtish the Beferences. Any reader

u*

J,
,t*
:ili;
.?i -.q

intereii.ted in it

:.-for its wpy.l

fipy contastthe Edibr

1.,

Froceseed Focd fndustnl I January 2005

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