Design of experiments (DoE) to model phenolic compounds recovery from grape pomace using ultrasounds.

Grape processing by-products (particularly grape pomace) are known to contain high amounts of phenolic compounds. To improve the extraction of phenols from this by-product, it is necessary to develop a method and set and model optimal conditions for their extraction. By applying the design of experiments (DoE) approach, optimal experimental factors of Ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) were determined to obtain grape pomace extracts with a satisfactory yield of phenols anthocyanins, as well as extracts with high antioxidant capacity using reagents approved in the food industry. Initial method optimization covered two experimental factors: solvent concentration and the weight ratio of the sample and solvent using fixed USAE conditions from literature. For the final method optimization, the three investigated experimental factors were: pH value, the temperature of extraction, and extraction time. The optimal experimental conditions for the development of the method were 55% ethanol, sample/solvent ratio 1:40, pH 4.5, T 55 °C, and 30 min. Depending on the primary goal of the extraction process (the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, content of individual phenols, or content of individual anthocyanins), these parameters can easily be modified to obtain the desired recovery. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05317-9.

Vacuum-Assisted Osmotic Dehydration of Autumn Olive Berries: Modeling of Mass Transfer Kinetics and Quality Assessment.

Autumn olive fruits were osmo-dehydrated in sucrose solution at 70 °C under vacuum and atmospheric pressure. The mass transfer kinetics data were applied to the models of Azuara, Crank, Page, and Peleg. The Peleg model was the best-fitted model to predict the water loss and solid gain of both treatments. The vacuum application decreased the effective diffusivities from 2.19 × 10-10 to 1.55 × 10-10 m2·s-1 for water loss and from 0.72 × 10-10 to 0.62 × 10-10 m2·s-1 for sugar gain. During the osmotic dehydration processes, the water activity decreased and stabilized after 5 h, while the bulk densities increased from 1.04 × 103 to 1.26 × 103 kg/m3. Titratable acidity gradually reduced from 1.14 to 0.31% in the atmospheric pressure system and from 1.14 to 0.51% in the vacuum system. pH increased significantly in both systems. Good retention of lycopene was observed even after 10 h of treatments. For the color parameters, the lightness decreased and stabilized after 30 min. In comparison, the redness and yellowness increased in the first 30 min and gradually decreased towards the initial levels in the fresh fruit.

Optimization and Encapsulation of Phenolic Compounds Extracted from Maize Waste by Freeze-Drying, Spray-Drying, and Microwave-Drying Using Maltodextrin.

Cornsilk is maize waste containing phenolic compounds. In this study, freeze-drying, spray-drying, and microwave-drying techniques were evaluated for the encapsulation of cornsilk's phenolic compounds using maltodextrin as wall material. The results of antioxidant properties showed that freeze-drying was more efficient than microwave-drying and spray-drying techniques. The highest recovery of phenolic compounds was obtained with freeze-drying. The microstructure, DSC, and FTIR data showed that the encapsulation process was effective, and freeze-drying was the best drying technique. The physical properties of the microparticles greatly changed with the drying techniques. This study revealed that the phenolic compounds of the cornsilk extract can be successfully encapsulated and valorized.

Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration of Autumn Olive Berries Using Response Surface Methodology.

Autumn olive fruits are a rich source of nutrients and functional compounds, making them functional foods against many diseases and cancers. To increase the consumption, its processing, and its transformation into new products would help spread them to the consumer's table. In this study, after giving an overview of the physicochemical characteristics and the antioxidant activity, the objective was to optimize the osmotic dehydration (OD) of the berries. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of dehydration factors: syrup concentration (30-70%), temperature (20-70 °C), and fruit-to-syrup ratio (1:10-2:10) on the water loss (WL), sugar gain (SG), weight reduction (WR), density (ρ), water activity (aw), and total color change (ΔE) of fruits after 10 h of OD. Results obtained by employing Box-Behnken design (three variables, three levels), and significant terms of regression equations indicated that the syrup concentration and temperature variation are the most affecting factors on the previously mentioned independent variables (WL SG, WR, ρ, aw, and ΔE). Fruits to syrup ratio appeared to have a significant effect only on WL. Under the optimum conditions found (70%, 70 °C, 1.8:10), the predicted values were 59.21%. 19.21%, 32.34%, 1.22 g/cm3, 0.850, and 3.65 for WL, SG, WR, ρ, aw, and ΔE, respectively.

Utilization of Eggshell Membrane and Olive Leaf Extract for the Preparation of Functional Materials.

Eggshell membrane (ESM) is a natural proteinaceous by-product of the food industry, especially in the pasteurized egg industry, resulting in the availability of much discarded egg waste. In the literature, eggshell (ES) and ESM usage for their adsorbent properties to remove various organic and inorganic hazardous chemicals, especially from wastewater, has gained interest. In addition, agricultural (olive leaf) and food industry (eggshell and eggshell membrane) waste can together be valorized to produce value-added functional products. This study's objective was to evaluate the eggshell membrane's loading capacity for bioactive compounds obtained from olive leaf extract (OLE) in order to prepare functional biomaterial. In this study, waste eggshell membranes were used to adsorb the phenolic compounds from olive leaf extract to design functional biomaterials. Using the foam separation method, both separation of the eggshell membrane and adsorption of bioactive compounds to the eggshell membrane were achieved simultaneously. The characterization studies showed that OLE was successfully adsorbed to the eggshell membrane. Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial studies showed that prepared OLE-loaded membranes were functional materials with bioactive properties. In conclusion, ESM was determined as a promising protein in the production of functional antioxidative and antimicrobial food or dietary supplement after the adsorption of bioactive olive leaf polyphenols.

Innovations and technology disruptions in the food sector within the COVID-19 pandemic and post-lockdown era.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global lockdown that has abruptly shut down core businesses and caused a worldwide recession. The forecast for a smooth transition for the agri-food and drink industry is, at best, alarming. Given that COVID-19 shutdown multiple core services (such as aviation, food services, supply chains, and export and import markets), there is an enormous deficiency in critical information to inform priority decision making for companies where this uncertainly is likely to impact negatively upon recovery. Scope and approach: The current article investigates potential innovations within the era of the COVID-19 crisis after framing them within the four issues of the food sector (food safety, bioactive food compounds, food security, and sustainability) that are directly affected by the pandemic. The prospect of foreseen innovations to disrupt the food sector during lockdown periods and the post-COVID-19 era is also discussed. Key findings and conclusions: Internet and Communication Technologies, blockchain in the food supply chain and other Industry 4.0 applications, as well as approaches that redefine the way we consume food (e.g., lab-grown meat, plant-based alternatives of meat, and valorization of a vast range of bioresources), are the innovations with the highest potential in the new era. There is also an equally pressing need to exploit social marketing to understand attitudes, perceptions, and barriers that influence the behavior change of consumers and the agri-food industry. Subsequently, this change will contribute to adapting to new norms forged by the COVID-19 pandemic, where there is a significant gap in knowledge for decision making.

Food Ingredients and Active Compounds against the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Comprehensive Review.

As media reports have noted, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated market mainstreaming of immune-boosting food bioactives, supplements, and nutraceuticals. However, most studies reporting on the potential of bioactives against COVID-19 transmission have been uploaded as preprints with little opportunity to revise content for benefit and impact. The current review discusses current best evidence and information underpinning the role of food ingredients and bioactive compounds in supporting immune functions in humans and animals, specifically in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 disease. Up to now, some evidence from randomized population and clinical trials has suggested that vitamin D levels may be linked to COVID-19 transmission and severity. Numerous theoretical studies have pointed to polyphenols and particularly flavonoids as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 infection. There is also inconclusive evidence to support the future use of ß-glucan to address COVID-19 due in part to variability in immune response arising from heterogeneity in polysaccharide branch and chain length for different sources and the absence of a standardized extraction method. To confirm the promising outcomes and hypotheses for bioactive compounds, more randomized and controlled clinical studies are needed. The results of such studies would have a profound effect on the prospects of food supplements and nutraceuticals as potential prophylaxis against COVID-19 and serve to help consumers to protect themselves during the post-lockdown recovery era.

Recovery and Stabilization of Anthocyanins and Phenolic Antioxidants of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) with Hydrophilic Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have got huge interest as new green and sustainable solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from plants in recent decades. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hydrophilic DES for the extraction of anthocyanin and polyphenol antioxidants from Roselle. A natural hydrophilic DES constituted of sodium acetate (hydrogen bond acceptor) and formic acid (hydrogen bond donor) designed to evaluate the total phenolic compound (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), total anthocyanin (TACN), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values of Roselle. Distilled water, 70% ethanol, and 80% methanol used as conventional solvents for comparison. The results indicated that the DES prepared in molarity ratio (SAFAm) was the most efficient. Subsequently, this prominent DES selected for the optimization and the optimum extraction conditions were 1:3.6 molarity ratio, 0% additional water, and 10 mL solvent. TPC, TFC, TACN, FRAP, and DPPH radical scavenging at the optimum point were 233.26 mg GAE/g, 10.14 mg ECE/g, 10.62 mg D3S/g, 493.45 mmol ISE/g, and 343.41 mmol TE/g, respectively. The stability tests showed that anthocyanins were more stable in SAFAm. These findings revealed that SAFAm is an effective green solvent for the extraction of polyphenols from various plants.

Safety of foods, food supply chain and environment within the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a new era in the world while we still figure out the consequences in different aspects of our daily life. The food supply chain and the food industry do not comprise an exception. SCOPE AND APPROACH: This review summarizes the possible transmission ways of COVID-19 through the foods, food supply chain, surfaces, and environment before exploring the development of corresponding detection tools of SARS-CoV-2. For the time being, the possibility of transmission through the food sector is considered negligible, and tracing of SARS-CoV-2 in working environments is not considered as a priority by public authorities. However, the adverse effects on the environment, food systems, and people along the food supply chain are already evident. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: As long as we move from farm to fork, more safety measures are needed since more people (and subsequently more potential sources of infection) are involved in the process. The need for developing respective bioanalytical protocols for food and environmental safety applications to adapt in the post-lockdown period is also highlighted.

Extraction of Carotenoids from Tomato Pomace via Water-Induced Hydrocolloidal Complexation.

Agro-industrial waste is a largely untapped natural resource of bioactive compounds including carotenoids and pectin. However, conventional solvent extraction involves the excessive use of organic solvents, costly equipment, and tedious operation. These limitations of conventional extraction methods could be prospectively overcome by the carotenoid-pectin hydrocolloidal complexation. The complexation of lycopene and pectin was efficiently promoted in an aqueous environment, resulting in the colloidal complexes that can be subsequently recovered by sedimentation or centrifugation. In this study, the potential of carotenoid-pectin complexation on tomato pomace containing carotenoids and pectin was evaluated. Tomato pomace is a rich source of lycopene, ß-carotene as well as pectin, making it suitable as the raw material for the carotenoid extraction. The extraction of carotenoid and pectin from tomato pomace was optimized using response surface methodology. The maximum recovery was 9.43 mg carotenoid fractions/100 g tomato pomace, while the purity of carotenoid-rich fractions was 92%. The antioxidant capacity of carotenoids extracted from the complexation method was found to be higher than that from the solvent extraction method. Moreover, extraction yield and antioxidant capacity of carotenoid obtained from the carotenoid-pectin complexation were comparable to that from solvent extraction. The carotenoid-pectin complexation is a promising green approach to valorize agro by-products for the extraction of valuable carotenoids.