Comparison of Different Pretreatment Processes Envisaging the Potential Use of Food Waste as Microalgae Substrate.

A significant fraction of the food produced worldwide is currently lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, squandering natural and economic resources. Food waste valorization will be an important necessity in the coming years. This work investigates the ability of food waste to serve as a viable nutritional substrate for the heterotrophic growth of Chlorella vulgaris. The impact of different pretreatments on the elemental composition and microbial contamination of seven retail food waste mixtures was evaluated. Among the pretreatment methods applied to the food waste formulations, autoclaving was able to eliminate all microbial contamination and increase the availability of reducing sugars by 30%. Ohmic heating was also able to eliminate most of the contaminations in the food wastes in shorter time periods than autoclave. However, it has reduced the availability of reducing sugars, making it less preferable for microalgae heterotrophic cultivation. The direct utilization of food waste containing essential nutrients from fruits, vegetables, dairy and bakery products, and meat on the heterotrophic growth of microalgae allowed a biomass concentration of 2.2 × 108 cells·mL-1, being the culture able to consume more than 42% of the reducing sugars present in the substrate, thus demonstrating the economic and environmental potential of these wastes.

Exploration of Polyphenols Extracted from Cytisus Plants and Their Potential Applications: A Review.

The increasing world population means an increased demand for sustainable processes and products related to foods, particularly those with added health benefits. Plants can be an alternative source of nutritional and biofunctional ingredients. Cytisus plants are an underexploited bioresource, currently prevalent in the Mediterranean Basin and western Asia. This manuscript addresses the processing potential of Cytisus plants for the development of added-value products, including food formulations, food packaging, cosmetics, and therapeutic applications. Most research has reported that Cytisus spp. are a promising source of inexpensive bioactive polyphenol compounds. Cytisus flowers should be considered and exploited as raw materials for the development of new food ingredients (antioxidants, preservatives, additives, etc.), nutraceuticals, or even direct therapeutic agents (anticancer, antibacterial, etc.). In order to evaluate the socioeconomic effect of these underutilized plants, more research is needed to assess their valorization for therapeutic and dietary possibilities, as well as the economic impact.

Comparative study of e-cigarette aerosol and cigarette smoke effect on ex vivo embryonic chick lung explants.

Electronic cigarette usage has significantly expanded among young people and pregnant women in the last decade. Although there are already some data regarding the short- and long-term consequences of e-cigarettes on human health, their effect on embryo and lung development still needs to be fully disclosed. In this sense, this study describes, for the first time, the impact of electronic cigarette aerosol on early lung development. For this purpose, ex vivo chick (Gallus gallus) embryonic lungs were cultured in vitro for 48 h in e-cigarette aerosol exposed-medium or unexposed medium. Chick lung explants were also cultured in a cigarette smoke-exposed medium for comparison purposes. Lung explants were morphologically analyzed to assess the impact on lung growth. Additionally, TNF-α levels were determined in the supernatant as a marker of pro-inflammatory response. The results suggest that electronic cigarette aerosol impairs lung growth and promotes lung inflammation. However, its impact on early lung growth seems less detrimental than conventional cigarette smoke. This work provides significant data regarding the impact of e-cig aerosol, adding to the efforts to fully understand its effect on embryo development. The validation of these effects may eventually lead to new tobacco control recommendations for pregnant women.

Unveiling the techno-functional and bioactive properties of bee pollen as an added-value food ingredient.

Bee pollen is an imperative product for human use. Seven bee pollens were harvested from Morocco, and their chemical, biological and techno-functional properties were studied. All samples showed acceptable physicochemical and nutritional quality with a mean energy value of 239 kcal/100 g. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of major constituents like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and polyphenols. Moreover, pollens exhibited good techno-functional properties, like carbohydrate solubility (34.47-59.27 g/100 g), protein solubility (7.28-23.31 g/100 g), emulsifying stability (16.52-45.38 min), emulsifying activity (9.83-25.05 g/m3) water absorption capacity (1.06-2.19 g/g), oil absorption capacity (1.15-3.50 g/g) and water-oil absorption index (0.62-1.25). Bee pollen extracts revealed potent antioxidant capacity and digestive enzyme inhibitory activity associated with the presence of fifteen phenolic compounds belonging to flavons, flavonols, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, and stilbenes families. Present data indicate the possible application of bee pollen as a useful nutritional, bioactive and anti-foaming ingredient, replacing synthetic products in food industries.

Deep Eutectic Solvents as a Green Tool for the Extraction of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Avocado Peels.

Avocado peels are the main agro-industrial residue generated during the avocado processing, being a rich source of bioactive compounds like phenolic compounds. The growing demand for more sustainable processes requires the development of new and effective methods for extracting bioactive compounds from industrial waste. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a new sustainable alternative to toxic organic solvents due to their non-toxicity and biocompatibility. In this study, five selected DESs were applied for the extraction of bioactive phenolic compounds from avocado peels. The extraction efficiency was evaluated by measuring the total phenolics and flavonoids content. The best extraction results were obtained with choline chloride-acetic acid and -lactic acid (92.03 ± 2.11 mg GAE/g DAP in TPC and 186.01 ± 3.27 mg RE/g DAP); however, all tested DESs show better extraction efficiency than ethanol. All the obtained NADES extracts have high antioxidant activity (FRAP: 72.5-121.1 mg TE/g; TAC: 90.0-126.1 mg AAE/g). The synthesized DESs and avocado peels DES extracts had activity against all tested bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida), and the extracts prepared with choline chloride-acetic acid and -lactic acid have the highest antibacterial activity against all microorganisms. These results, coupled with the non-toxic, biodegradable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly characteristics of DESs, provide strong evidence that DESs represent an effective alternative to organic solvents for the recovery of phenolic bioactive compounds from agro-industrial wastes.

Exploring the Palynological, Chemical, and Bioactive Properties of Non-Studied Bee Pollen and Honey from Morocco.

Bee products are known for their beneficial properties widely used in complementary medicine. This study aims to unveil the physicochemical, nutritional value, and phenolic profile of bee pollen and honey collected from Boulemane-Morocco, and to evaluate their antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activity. The results indicate that Citrus aurantium pollen grains were the majority pollen in both samples. Bee pollen was richer in proteins than honey while the inverse was observed for carbohydrate content. Potassium and calcium were the predominant minerals in the studied samples. Seven similar phenolic compounds were found in honey and bee pollen. Three phenolic compounds were identified only in honey (catechin, caffeic acid, vanillic acid) and six phenolic compounds were identified only in bee pollen (hesperidin, cinnamic acid, apigenin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol). Naringin is the predominant phenolic in honey while hesperidin is predominant in bee pollen. The results of bioactivities revealed that bee pollen exhibited stronger antioxidant activity and effective α-amylase and α-glycosidase inhibitory action. These bee products show interesting nutritional and bioactive capabilities due to their chemical constituents. These features may allow these bee products to be used in food formulation, as functional and bioactive ingredients, as well as the potential for the nutraceutical sector.

Valorization of Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) Grain Extracts for the Development of Alginate-Based Active Films.

This research work investigates the development of alginate-based films incorporating phenolic compounds extracted from Amaranthus cruentus grain using different solvents. Alginate, glycerol, and amaranth grain phenolic compounds at various concentrations were used to produce the films. An experimental Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) was used to evaluate the effect of these variables on different film's properties, i.e., water vapor permeability, hydrophobicity, moisture content, solubility, thermal, mechanical, and optical properties. This study demonstrated that high phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity were obtained from amaranth grain using ethanol as the extraction solvent. Alginate films incorporating amaranth phenolic compounds were successfully manufactured, and this study can be used to tailor the formulation of alginate films containing amaranth phenolic compounds, depending on their final food application. For example, less flexible but more resistant and water-soluble films can be produced by increasing the alginate concentration, which was confirmed by a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. This study showed that active alginate films with amaranth phenolic compounds can be tailored to be used as food packaging material with potential antioxidant activity.

Phenolic Composition and Biological Properties of Rhus microphylla and Myrtillocactus geometrizans Fruit Extracts.

Plants from arid zones of Mexico are an interesting source of phytochemicals that exhibit a large number of biological properties. In this context, Rhus microphylla (Rm) and Myrtillocactus geometrizans (Mg) fruits have been used as folk remedies and to make traditional foods, respectively; however, studies on their composition and bioactivity are limited. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the yields, phenolic composition, and bioactive properties (scavenging and reducing capacities, antiproliferative, and antifungal) of aqueous and hydroalcohol extracts of Rm and Mg fruits obtained by conventional agitation and ohmic heating (OH). The results showed that the Rm fruit extracts had the highest total phenolic content (TPC) values and the strongest scavenging and reducing capacities compared to those of Mg fruits, being characterized by the presence of gallic acid, while the composition of the Mg extracts varied with respect to the extraction conditions used. Regarding antifungal activity in vitro against two phytopathogenic fungi, Rhizopus stolonifer and Fusarium oxysporum, the hydroalcohol extracts obtained by conventional agitation of both plants (RmH-C and MgH-C) showed the best inhibitory effect, respectively. Interestingly, none of the extracts under study presented cytotoxicity against the noncancerous ARPE-19 cell line, while three extracts of Rm fruit exhibited a moderate antiproliferative activity against HeLa (cancerous) cell line. These findings reveal for the first time the potential of Rm and Mg fruits as a new source of bioactive compounds for future industrial applications.

Protective Effect of Honey and Propolis against Gentamicin-Induced Oxidative Stress and Hepatorenal Damages.

Bee products are a promising source of phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant activity. The present study was designed to explore the protective effect of honey, propolis, and their combination on gentamicin-induced oxidative stress and hepatorenal dysfunction. This study was conducted on male Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injections of gentamicin (120 mg/kg BW/day, i.p.) or normal saline (1 ml/kg BW/day, i.p.) for 10 consecutive days. Honey (2 g/kg BW), propolis (100 mg/kg BW), or their combination were given daily by gavage to normal and gentamicin groups. Honey and propolis samples were evaluated for their phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity. The in vitro investigations showed that the evaluated samples especially propolis extract have high antioxidant power associated with the presence of several phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and stilbenes, while honey contains only hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids. It was also shown that simultaneous treatment with honey or propolis extract alone or in association prevented changes caused by gentamicin administration and improved hepatic and renal functions. Changes caused by gentamicin administration, observed by in vivo experiments, include significant elevation of uric acid, urea, creatinine, and hepatic enzyme levels (ALT, AST, and ALP) and kidney biochemical changes (an increase of urea, uric acid, and creatinine and a decrease of albumin and total protein) as well as remarkable changes of renal and liver oxidative stress markers (CAT, GPx, and GSH) and elevation of MDA levels. Overall, it can be concluded that honey and propolis might be useful in the management of liver and renal diseases induced by xenobiotics.

Advances in Extraction Methods to Recover Added-Value Compounds from Seaweeds: Sustainability and Functionality.

Seaweeds are a renewable natural source of valuable macro and micronutrients that have attracted the attention of the scientists in the last years. Their medicinal properties were already recognized in the ancient traditional Chinese medicine, but only recently there has been a considerable increase in the study of these organisms in attempts to demonstrate their health benefits. The extraction process and conditions to be used for the obtention of value-added compounds from seaweeds depends mainly on the desired final product. Thermochemical conversion of seaweeds, using high temperatures and solvents (including water), to obtain high-value products with more potential applications continues to be an industrial practice, frequently with adverse impact on the environment and products' functionality. However more recently, alternative methods and approaches have been suggested, searching not only to improve the process performance, but also to be less harmful for the environment. A biorefinery approach display a valuable idea of solving economic and environmental drawbacks, enabling less residues production close to the much recommended zero waste system. The aim of this work is to report about the new developed methods of seaweeds extractions and the potential application of the components extracted.

Effect of antioxidant-rich propolis and bee pollen extracts against D-glucose induced type 2 diabetes in rats.

The present study was designed to investigate the preventive effect of propolis, bee pollen and their combination on Type 2 diabetes induced by D-glucose in rats. The study was carried out by feeding daily two concentrations (100 and 200 mg/Kg BW) of propolis or bee pollen (or their combination to normal (non-diabetic) and diabetic rats for a period of 16 weeks. In vivo biochemical changes associated to diabetes are induced by drinking a solution containing 10% of D-glucose (diabetic rats). The in vitro antioxidant activity was also evaluated and the chemical composition of propolis and bee pollen extracts was determined by UHPLC-DAD. Phytochemical composition of propolis and bee pollen revealed the presence of several natural antioxidants, such as hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, flavonoids, flavan-3-ols and stilbens. The major antioxidant compound present in propolis was Naringin (290.19 ± 0.2 mg/Kg) and in bee pollen was apigenin (162.85 ± 17.7 mg/Kg). These results have been related with a high antioxidant activity, more intense in propolis extract. In rats, the administration of D-glucose had induced hyperglycemia (13.2 ± 0.82 mmol/L), increased plasmatic insulin levels (25.10 ± 2.12 U/L) and HOMA-IR index (14.72 ± 0.85) accompanied with dyslipidemia, elevation of hepatic enzyme levels, and a change in both serum renal biomarkers and plasmatic calcium. The co-administration of propolis and bee pollen extracts alone or in combination restored these biochemical parameters and attenuated the deleterious effects of D-glucose on liver and kidney functions. Furthermore, these effects were better attenuated in the combined therapy-prevented diabetic rats. Hence, it is possible to conclude that propolis and bee pollen can be used as a preventive natural product against diabetes induced dyslipidemia and hepato-renal damage.

Green and Sustainable Valorization of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Pinus By-Products.

In Europe, pine forests are one of the most extended forests formations, making pine residues and by-products an important source of compounds with high industrial interest as well as for bioenergy production. Moreover, the valorization of lumber industry residues is desirable from a circular economy perspective. Different extraction methods and solvents have been used, resulting in extracts with different constituents and consequently with different bioactivities. Recently, emerging and green technologies as ultrasounds, microwaves, supercritical fluids, pressurized liquids, and electric fields have appeared as promising tools for bioactive compounds extraction in alignment with the Green Chemistry principles. Pine extracts have attracted the researchers' attention because of the positive bioproperties, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-neurodegenerative, antitumoral, cardioprotective, etc., and potential industrial applications as functional foods, food additives as preservatives, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Phenolic compounds are responsible for many of these bioactivities. However, there is not much information in the literature about the individual phenolic compounds of extracts from the pine species. The present review is about the reutilization of residues and by-products from the pine species, using ecofriendly technologies to obtain added-value bioactive compounds for industrial applications.

Unravelling the Biological Potential of Pinus pinaster Bark Extracts.

Natural compounds from agro-food by-products have fostered interest in food industries. The aim of this study was to unravel potential uses for Pinus pinaster bark extracts (PBE). As functional features of this type of extracts are usually attributed to phenolic compounds, the extraction process was studied. Different PBEs were achieved, with high content in phenolic compounds, using different water/ethanol combinations as a solvent. These PBEs were chemically characterized, and their bioactivity and in vitro cell viability were evaluated. Extracts obtained with hydroethanolic solvents had higher content in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. All the PBEs presented high antioxidant, antibacterial and antihyperglycemic activities. Moreover, PBEs have low cytotoxicity and a selective activity against cancer cells as these were negatively affected. These features may allow the extracts to be used in food formulation and processing (as preservatives, antioxidants or bioactive ingredients), but they showed also potential for the pharmaceutical or nutraceutical sectors.

Ohmic heating polyphenolic extracts from vine pruning residue with enhanced biological activity.

Vine Pruning residue was submitted to conventional heating and ohmic heating (OH) for the extraction of bioactive compounds and analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), polyphenolic profile, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity and anticancer activity. The OH extracts were obtained using Low electric field (496.0 V/cm) or Intermediate electric field - IEF (840.0 V/cm). The tests were performed using 45% (v/v) ethanol-water extraction solution at 80 °C at different extraction times (20-90 min). The extract that stood out among the others concerning anticancer potential was the one obtained by OH when used, IEF, where the TPC was significantly higher than in the other extracts which correlated with higher antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activity on different tumor cell lines (HepG2, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and Caco2). Vine pruning OH extracts obtained using green solvents by an eco-friendly procedure were revealed as a source of compounds with relevant antioxidant and anticancer activity.

Validation of a LLME/GC-MS Methodology for Quantification of Volatile Compounds in Fermented Beverages.

Knowledge of composition of beverages volatile fraction is essential for understanding their sensory attributes. Analysis of volatile compounds predominantly resorts to gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Often a previous concentration step is required to quantify compounds found at low concentrations. This work presents a liquid-liquid microextraction method combined with GC-MS (LLME/GC-MS) for the analysis of compounds in fermented beverages and spirits. The method was validated for a set of compounds typically found in fermented beverages comprising alcohols, esters, volatile phenols, and monoterpenic alcohols. The key requirements for validity were observed, namely linearity, sensitivity in the studied range, accuracy, and precision within the required parameters. Robustness of the method was also evaluated with satisfactory results. Thus, the proposed LLME/GC-MS method may be a useful tool for the analysis of several fermented beverages, which is easily implementable in a laboratory equipped with a GC-MS.

Ellagic acid production using polyphenols from orange peel waste by submerged fermentation

Background: Biotechnological processes are part of modern industry as well as stricter environmental requirements. The need to reduce production costs and pollution demands for alternatives that involve the integral use of agro-industrial waste to produce bioactive compounds. The citrus industry generates large amounts of wastes due to the destruction of the fruits by microorganisms and insects together with the large amounts of orange waste generated during the production of juice and for sale fresh. The aim of this study was used orange wastes rich in polyphenolic compounds can be used as source carbon of Aspergillus fumigatus MUM 1603 to generate high added value compounds, for example, ellagic acid and other molecules of polyphenolic origin through submerged fermentation system. Results: The orange peel waste had a high concentration of polyphenols, 28% being condensed, 27% ellagitannins, 25% flavonoids and 20% gallotannins. The major polyphenolic compounds were catechin, EA and quercetin. The conditions, using an experimental design of central compounds, that allow the production of the maximum concentration of EA (18.68 mg/g) were found to be: temperature 30°C, inoculum 2 × 107 (spores/g) and orange peel polyphenols 6.2 (g/L). Conclusion: The submerged fermentation process is an effective methodology for the biotransformation of molecules present in orange waste to obtain high value-added as ellagic acid that can be used as powerful antioxidants, antibacterial and other applications.

In vitro gastrointestinal evaluation of a juçara-based smoothie: effect of processing on phenolic compounds bioaccessibility.

In the present work, the bioaccessibility of the main phenolic compounds of a juçara, banana and strawberry homogenized smoothie (control), subjected to pasteurization and sonication, was evaluated. The smoothie was also evaluated in terms of its main chemical and physical characteristics. Pasteurized smoothie showed higher apparent viscosity, as well as higher initial shear stress when compared to the control and sonicated samples. The increase in the apparent viscosity of the pasteurized smoothie was associated with the smaller particle size of this sample (68 µm). These characteristics conferred to the pasteurized smoothie higher physical stability than the control and sonicated smoothies. Phenolic compounds bioaccessibility was higher in the pasteurized and sonicated smoothies than in the control sample, which confirmed the positive effect of the treatments for the preservation of these compounds after gastrointestinal digestion. Compared to the sonication process, the pasteurization provided higher total phenolic compounds bioaccessibility (47%), as well as of ferulic (16%) and ellagic (80%) acids. Antioxidant capacity was higher in gastric digest for all the samples evaluated by ABTS assay. These results confirm the importance of processing on the physical stability and phenolic compounds bioaccessibility of the juçara-based smoothie, standing out the thermally treated product.

Electric field-based technologies for valorization of bioresources.

This review provides an overview of recent research on electrotechnologies applied to the valorization of bioresources. Following a comprehensive summary of the current status of the application of well-known electric-based processing technologies, such as pulsed electric fields (PEF) and high voltage electrical discharges (HVED), the application of moderate electric fields (MEF) as an extraction or valorization technology will be considered in detail. MEF, known by its improved energy efficiency and claimed electroporation effects (allowing enhanced extraction yields), may also originate high heating rates - ohmic heating (OH) effect - allowing thermal stabilization of waste stream for other added-value applications. MEF is a simple technology that mostly makes use of green solvents (mainly water) and that can be used on functionalization of compounds of biological origin broadening their application range. The substantial increase of MEF-based plants installed in industries worldwide suggests its straightforward application for waste recovery.

Vinegar production from fruit concentrates: effect on volatile composition and antioxidant activity.

Vinegar stands as a highly appreciated fermented food product due to several functional properties and multiple applications. This work focuses on vinegar production from fruit wines derived from fruit concentrates, to attain a food product with nutritional added value. Four fruit vinegars (orange, mango, cherry and banana), were produced and characterized, with total acidities of 5.3 ± 0.3% for orange, 5.6 ± 0.2% for mango, 4.9 ± 0.4% for cherry and 5.4 ± 0.4% for banana. Acetification showed impact on aroma volatiles, mainly related to oxidative reactions. Minor volatiles associated with varietal aroma were identified, monoterpenic alcohols in orange vinegar, esters in banana vinegar, C13-norisoprenoids in cherry vinegar and lactones in mango vinegar, indicating fruit vinegars differentiated sensory quality. Total antioxidant activity analysis by FRAP, revealed fruit vinegars potential to preserve and deliver fruit functional properties. Antioxidant activity of fruit vinegars, expressed as equivalents of Fe2SO4, was of 11.0 ± 1.67 mmol L-1 for orange, 4.8 ± 0.5 mmol L-1 for mango, 18.6 ± 2.33 mmol L-1 for cherry and 3.7 ± 0.3 mmol L-1 for banana. Therefore, fruit vinegars presented antioxidant activity close to the reported for the corresponding fruit, and between 8 and 40 folds higher than the one found in commercial cider vinegar, demonstrating the high functional potential of these novel vinegar products.

Effect of Vertical Shoot-Positioned, Scott-Henry, Geneva Double-Curtain, Arch-Cane, and Parral Training Systems on the Volatile Composition of Albariño Wines.

Viticultural practices influence both grape and wine quality. The influence of training systems on volatile composition was investigated for Albariño wine from Rías Baixas AOC in Northwest Spain. The odoriferous contribution of the compounds to the wine aroma was also studied. Volatile compounds belonging to ten groups (alcohols, C6-compounds, ethyl esters, acetates, terpenols, C13-norisoprenoids, volatile phenols, volatile fatty acids, lactones and carbonyl compounds) were determined in Albariño wines from different training systems, Vertical Shoot-Positioned (VSP), Scott-Henry (SH), Geneva Double-Curtain (GDC), Arch-Cane (AC), and Parral (P) during 2010 and 2011 vintages. Wines from GDC showed the highest total volatile composition with the highest concentrations of alcohols, ethyl esters, fatty acids, and lactones families. However, the highest levels of terpenes and C13-norisoprenoids were quantified in the SH system. A fruitier aroma was observed in Albariño wines from GDC when odor activity values were calculated.