Green Extraction of Carotenoids from Fruit and Vegetable Byproducts: A Review.

Carotenoids are characterized by a wide range of health-promoting properties. For example, they support the immune system and wound healing process and protect against UV radiation's harmful effects. Therefore, they are used in the food industry and cosmetics, animal feed, and pharmaceuticals. The main sources of carotenoids are the edible and non-edible parts of fruit and vegetables. Therefore, the extraction of bioactive substances from the by-products of vegetable and fruit processing can greatly reduce food waste. This article describes the latest methods for the extraction of carotenoids from fruit and vegetable byproducts, such as solvent-free extraction-which avoids the costs and risks associated with the use of petrochemical solvents, reduces the impact on the external environment, and additionally increases the purity of the extract-or green extraction using ultrasound and microwaves, which enables a significant improvement in process efficiency and reduction in extraction time. Another method is supercritical extraction with CO2, an ideal supercritical fluid that is non-toxic, inexpensive, readily available, and easily removable from the product, with a high penetration capacity.

Beta-Glucan as Wall Material in Encapsulation of Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) Extract.

The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of using ß-glucan as wall material to microencapsulate the elderberry extract. Firstly, the extract was obtained by the water-acetone extraction method to extract mainly anthocyanins from ground dried fruits. The extract was mixed with wall materials: maltodextrin-ß-glucan mixture and the control sample as a widely used combination of maltodextrin and arabic gum (92.5:7.5). In the examined samples the content of ß-glucan was 0.5, 1, 2 and 3%. Properties of encapsulated extracts of final powders were measured using particle size and morphology, encapsulation efficiency, color measurement, total anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content (TAC and TAAC) methods. Our results indicated that the ß-glucan wall material samples had higher process quality compared to control samples. Addition of ß-glucan insignificantly decreases encapsulation efficiency. Among powders with ß-glucan content, the powder with 1% ß-glucan content was characterized by the smallest (24 µm) particle size. The sample with 2% ß-glucan content had the highest water solubility and polydispersity index. Due to the encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, and water solubility index, the optimum condition of microencapsulation process for elderberry extract was for samples with 0.5% ß-glucan as wall material content. To conclude, due to high molecular weight of ß-glucan the higher than 0.5% ratio of ß-glucan is not recommended for spray-drying method. However, small quantity of health-beneficial ß-glucan could act as potential encapsulation agent in clean label products to replace Arabic gum.

Microencapsulation of sea buckthorn oil with ß-glucan from barley as coating material.

Due to large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, polyphenols and tocopherols, sea buckthorn oil is enjoying growing popularity among consumers. To meet their expectations food producers are more and more willing to add it to products such as yogurts, juices and bread. Unfortunately due to high content of compounds sensitive to the process to which food products are subjected, the oil addition is limited. The solution may be adding oil in the form of capsules. Microencapsulation is a developing technology which depends on enclosing active material in special wall material. The process makes it possible to protect the core material against the influence of external factors such as: sun rays, oxygen or microorganisms. As the research has shown the process of oil microencapsulation does not contribute to the degradation of lipids. In turn product maintains durability and stability for longer. For example lipid oxidation after one week storage in microcapsules with 3% beta-glucan in the coating material was 5.50mEq/kg fat. The oxidation was about five times lower than during conventional storage oil in the fridge (31.78mEq/kg fat). In addition, the process makes it possible to increase the intake of soluble dietary fiber fraction thanks to the possibility of using beta-glucan as a wall material for the microcapsules prepared.

Use of guar gum, gum arabic, pectin, beta-glucan and inulin for microencapsulation of anthocyanins from chokeberry.

The aim of this study was to use micro-encapsulation technology to create microcapsules containing anthocyanins from chokeberry with guar gum, gum arabic, pectin, ß-glucan and inulin as wall material. Aqueous extracts from chokeberry fruit were enclosed and spray dried using maltodextrin as a coating material with the addition of guar gum, gum arabic, pectin, beta-glucan, and inulin respectively. Physical properties of microcapsules were tested. The preparations also determined the total content of anthocyanins and vitamin C on the day of preparation and after 7 days of storage. In the executed research, the highest moisture content for gum arabic capsules was observed. The most different parameters of color were observed for capsules with beta-glucan. The biggest particles were observed for gum arabic and the smallest for guar gum. The differences were also noticed in chemical assays. The highest content of anthocyanins on the day of drying and after 7 days of storage was noticed for beta-glucan samples whereas the lowest content was observed for gum arabic samples. In case of vitamin C content, the sample, which stood out particularly, was pectin sample. The main conclusion is that the micro-encapsulation is an effective method to maintain the stability of sensitive compounds such as anthocyanins, but also ascorbic acid.

Profiles and concentrations of heterocyclic aromatic amines formed in beef during various heat treatments depend on the time of ripening and muscle type.

Heterocyclic Aromatic Amine (HAA) profiles and concentrations depended on several factors. The largest changes in the HAA profile were observed in meat ripened (chill stored) for 5-10 days. Amines whos concentration varied most prominently included: Phe-P 1, harmane, AαC, IQ, IQx, PhIP, MeAαC, and MeIQx. HAA concentrations were strongly correlated with concentrations of the above compounds. Time of storage significantly affected the HAA profile and concentration. The profile changed dynamically for storage times up to 10 days. For longer times the profile stabilized, only the HAA content increased. A novel, highly precise and accurate HAA analytical method was developed for this study. Results may help to optimize meat processing technology from the point of view of reducing concentration of HAA formed during heat treatment, including the most carcinogenic; IQ, IQx, MeIQx and PhIP amines.