228 OLIVE OILS AND HEALTH BETA CELLS (See PANCREAS / Endocrine pancreas) Beta-amyloid Beta-amyloid peptides are produced through enzymatic cleavage of a larger protein known as amyloid precursor protein (which appears to be involved in neuron-to-neuron communication). These small protein fragments (peptides) are the main component of the amyloid plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Beta-amyloid can aggregate into flexible, soluble structures that may take different forms and are toxic to nerve cells. However, beta-amyloid has also been found to play a role in conditions other than Alzheimer’s disease, and in various functions such as neural communication, pro-inflammatory activity, protection against oxidative stress, and regulation of cholesterol transport. BIFIDOBACTERIUM (See MICROBIOTA) “BIG DATA” - large data sets- (See TECHNOLOGY) BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS (See MINOR COMPOUNDS) BIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES The health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption appear to be linked to the presence of a wide range of compounds known as bioactive substances, phytonutrients, or phytochemicals. These are classified into four major groups, each belonging to a different chemical family: nitrogen-containing, sulphur-containing, terpenoid, and phenolic compounds. Although present in very small amounts, they influence cellular activity and physiological mechanisms, with potential health benefits. Bioactive substances are thought to exert a protective effect against various diseases, including cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. (Related to olive oil, see also “Minor compounds”) BIOAVAILABILITY The relationship between the proportion and the rate at which a drug, nutrient, or active substance is absorbed and enters the bloodstream, depending on the method of administration or ingestion. In the field of nutrition, bioavailability refers to the fraction of a nutrient that is absorbed after digestion and used by the body in physiological processes. If a nutrient were absorbed entirely and passed fully into the bloodstream, its bioavailability would be 100%. “BIODIVERSITY 2030” STRATEGY (See POLICIES AND STRATEGIES) BIOHYDROGENATION (See LIPIDS / Concepts / Trans fatty acids) BIOLOGICAL DRUGS Medicines can be classified as either chemically synthesised or biological. Chemical drugs are very small molecules with well-defined and reproducible structures and cha-
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