Uses of ionic liquids to obtain bioactive compounds: insights from the main international regulations for technological applications.

Ionic liquids (IL) are innovative alternative solvents to recover bioactive compounds from plant-based sources to replace toxic volatile organic solvents (VOS). ILs are tailored-made solvents with chemical and thermal stabilities, nonvolatile and noninflammable. Although ILs are versatile, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions, the European Commission (EC) has no current regulation to approve extracts obtained with ILs to be applied in foods. Herein, this paper aims to assess the overview of ILs, regulamentation, applications, and its toxic effects, to be used as solvents for extract different bioactive compounds. Studies have suggested novel applications for ILs, such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and others, to obtain bioactive compounds, for instance phenolic compounds, lignans, alkaloids, carotenoids, polysaccharides, using modern approaches as ultrasound and microwave-assisted extraction. New IL methods increase the efficiency of recovering target compounds and decrease the extraction time and VOS consumption regarding the traditional techniques. Furthermore, to promote the large-scale use of IL in foods, it is essential to investigate individually the toxicity of each IL used in the extraction processes, aiming to obtain a GRAS stamp, due to the currently lack of regulamentation.

Technological Prospection of Oil Nanoparticles: Primary Characteristics and Profiles.

The search for technological applications for oils has been growing largely due to their potential nutritional and economic applications. Encapsulation makes it possible to reduce the disadvantages of oils, such as physical instability or thermodynamics, or to improve their technological properties, enabling their use in various industrial areas. Nanoencapsulated oils have the potential to improve oil bioavailability and achieve controlled release and are able to target bioactive compounds with greater precision than microencapsulated oils. The present study aims to evaluate the primary characteristics and profiles of the technological prospection of oil nanoparticles. This technology foresight study investigates the patenting activity and the academic literature to map out the technological progress and difficulties in the area of nanoencapsulation. Exponential growth in patent filing was noted with a peak in 2017, with China filing the highest number of patents. Regarding the area of application, the food industry was most common followed by the pharmaceutical industry. The most commonly used terms in patent documents on the subject were nanoemulsion and nanoparticle. The most commonly used oil, technique, wall materials and emulsifiers were soybean oil, emulsification, chitosan and lecithin, and Span 80, Tween 80 and Tween 40, respectively. The obtained articles were typically patent documents. The main depositor was Jiangnan University, and most inventors filed the same number of patent documents. Nanoencapsulation of oils has many known advantages that have been widely published in the literature and used by industry. There is a trend in the growth of patent document deposits and related scientific publications, indicating that many innovations have been made, highlighting the importance of oil nanoencapsulation.

Photoprotection of vitamins in skimmed milk by an aqueous soluble lycopene-gum Arabic microcapsule.

Riboflavin (Rf)-mediated photosensitized degradation of vitamins A and D3 in skimmed milk under illumination with a white fluorescence lamp was studied by using the HPLC technique. The photosensitized degradation of both vitamins followed first-order kinetics, and the temperature effect on the observed photodegradation rate constant allowed the determination of the activation energy Ea as being 4 and 16 kcal/mol for vitamins A and D3, respectively. The addition of lycopene microencapsulated by spray-drying with a gum arabic-sucrose (8:2) mixture (MIC) produced a reduction of ca. 45% in the photosensitized degradation rate of both vitamins. Front-face fluorescence experiments showed the same photoprotection factor in the degradation of Rf itself, indicating that the photodegradation mechanism involved Rf-mediated reactive species, such as the excited triplet state of Rf, 3Rf*, and/or singlet molecular oxygen, 1O2. The interaction of both 3Rf* and 1O2 with MIC was evaluated in aqueous solutions by using laser-induced time-resolved absorption or emission spectroscopy, and the contribution of an inner-filter effect in the presence of MIC in skimmed milk was evaluated by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The main operating mechanism of photoprotection is due to the deactivation of 3Rf* by the proteic component of gum arabic; thus, gum arabic based microcapsules could be used to improve the photostability of milk during its storage and/or processing under light.

Prevalence and factors associated with vitamin A deficiency in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 546 schoolchildren, aged between 7 and 14 years, of both genders, enrolled in public elementary schools. Blood was collected for measurement of serum retinol. The retinol concentration in the samples was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were collected on anthropometrics, dietary, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Polytomous logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of interest. RESULTS: Approximately 27.5% of the students had retinol values<30 µg/dL. The multivariate analysis showed, after the appropriate adjustments, a positive and statistically significant association of moderate/severe VAD (OR=2.19; 95% CI 1.17 to 4.10) and marginal VAD (OR=2.34; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.73) with age<10 years. There was also association of VAD moderate/severe (OR=2.01; 95% CI 1.01 to 5.05) and borderline VAD (OR=2.14; 95% CI: 1.08 to 4.21) with the anthropometric status of underweight. Lower intake of retinol was detected among those with severe VAD. CONCLUSION: VAD is a health concern among children and adolescents. Lower weight and younger schoolchildren had greater vulnerability to VAD.

Prevalence and factors associated with vitamin A deficiency in children and adolescents / Prevalência e fatores associados à deficiência de vitamina A em crianças e adolescentes

Objective: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in children and adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 546 schoolchildren, aged between 7 and 14 years, of both genders, enrolled in public elementary schools. Blood was collected for measurement of serum retinol. The retinol concentration in the samples was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were collected on anthropometrics, dietary, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Polytomous logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of interest. Results: Approximately 27.5% of the students had retinol values < 30 μg/dL. The multivariate analysis showed, after the appropriate adjustments, a positive and statistically significant association of moderate/severe VAD (OR = 2.19; 95% CI 1.17 to 4.10) and marginal VAD (OR = 2.34; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.73) with age < 10 years. There was also association of VAD moderate/severe (OR = 2.01; 95% CI 1.01 to 5.05) and borderline VAD (OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.08 to 4.21) with the anthropometric status of underweight. Lower intake of retinol was detected among those with severe VAD. Conclusion: VAD is a health concern among children and adolescents. Lower weight and younger schoolchildren had greater vulnerability to VAD. .

Objetivo: Identificar prevalência e fatores associados à deficiência de vitamina A (DVA) entre crianças e adolescentes. Métodos: Estudo transversal envolvendo 546 escolares, com idade entre 7 e 14 anos, de ambos os sexos, matriculadas na rede pública do ensino fundamental. O sangue foi coletado para dosagem dos níveis séricos de retinol. A concentração de retinol das amostras foi determinada pelo método da cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE). Coletaram-se dados antropométricos, alimentares, demográficos e socioeconômicos. Utilizou-se da regressão logística politômica para avaliar as associações de interesse. Resultados: Aproximadamente 27,5% dos estudantes apresentaram valores de retinol < 30 μg/dL. Em análise multivariada, verificou-se, após devidos ajustes, associação positiva e estatisticamente significante da DVA moderada/grave (OR = 2,19; IC 95%: 1,17-4, 10) e da DVA marginal (OR = 2,34; IC 95%: 1,47-3,73) com a idade < 10 anos. Verificou-se, igualmente, associação da DVA moderada/grave (OR = 2,01; IC 95%: 1,01-5,05) e DVA marginal (OR = 2,14; IC 95%: 1,08-4,21) com o estado antropométrico magreza. Menor consumo de retinol foi detectado entre aqueles com DVA grave. Conclusão: A deficiência de vitamina A configura-se como um problema de saúde preocupante entre os escolares e adolescentes. Constatou-se maior vulnerabilidade dos escolares de baixo peso e mais jovens à DVA. .