Production of HPMC-films for lactase administration.

The present work aimed to develop and characterize HPMC-films (HFs) based on hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) with the addition of lactase for later application in the reduction of lactose in whole milk. The HFs were produced by the casting technique, with the addition of 1, 3, 5 and 7 g of lactase per 100 g of filmogenic solution. All the formulations presented a high capacity of film formation, but the thickness and time of disintegration increased according to the added lactase concentration. Regardless of the formulation developed, HFs in whole milk, a reduction in the lactose content (~ 80%) occurred, classifying the product as zero lactose. Thus, the HPMC-films with the addition of lactase can be considered as a good alternative for solubilization in foods which have a high concentration of lactose.

Simultaneous Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Olea europaea L. Leaves and Healthy Seed Oils Using Pressurized Propane.

Olive leaves (OL) are products of olive cultivation with a high commercial value because they contain valuable bioactive compounds. Chia and sesame seeds have a high functional value because of their attractive nutritional properties. When combined in the extraction process, the two products constitute a product of high quality. The use of pressurized propane in vegetable oil extraction is advantageous because it provides solvent-free oil. This study aimed to combine two high-quality products to obtain oils with a unique combination of attractive nutritional properties and high levels of bioactive compounds. The mass percentage yields of the OL extracts with chia and sesame oils were 23.4% and 24.8%, respectively. The fatty acid profiles of the pure oils and their respective OL-enriched oils were similar. There was an aggregation of the 35% and 32% (v/v) bioactive OL compounds in chia and sesame oils, respectively. OL oils exhibited superior antioxidant capacities. The induction times of the OL extracts with the sesame and chia oils increased by 73% and 4.4%, respectively. Incorporating OL active compounds in healthy edible vegetable oils using propane as a solvent promotes the reduction of lipid oxidation, improves the lipid profiles and health indices of the oils, and forms a product with attractive nutritional characteristics.

Simultaneous extraction of sunflower oil and active compounds from olive leaves using pressurized propane.

Sunflower is grown in different parts of the world and oil from the grain has many uses, including cosmetics and food. Olive leaves are rich in active compounds with potential for industrial use. The simultaneous extraction of raw materials is an economical and sustainable way of using the same extraction process to obtain products with high added value. The aim of this work was to promote the incorporation of bioactive compounds from olive leaves in sunflower oil by two extraction techniques: pressurized propane (PRO) and Soxhlet (SOX) and to evaluate the increase in oxidative stability and antioxidant activity of oils. The techniques used were useful in producing sunflower oil incorporating olive leaf extract (SFO + OLE); 4.3% 1-octacosanol and 5.8% 1-triacontanol were incorporated, and ß-sitosterol increased by at least 90%. Also, SFO + OLE showed an increase in the induction time of 2.7 and 3.7 h compared to SFO for the PRO and SOX methods, respectively. The profile of fatty acids was maintained, with the majority in all samples being oleic and linoleic acids. Consequently, with this procedure is possible to produce SFO + OLE with better antioxidant activity and better nutritional characteristics using PRO and SOX. The scaled-up of the simultaneous extraction process via pressurized propane is economically viable according to the process simulation and economic evaluation.