Obtaining Bixin- and Tocotrienol-Rich Extracts from Peruvian Annatto Seeds Using Supercritical CO2 Extraction: Experimental and Economic Evaluation.

Currently, Bixa orellana L. extracts are used as a color source in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries because they are important as a potential source of antioxidant activity. The extraction is carried out by conventional methods, using alkaline solutions or organic solvents. These extraction methods do not take advantage of the lipid fraction of annatto (Bixa orellana L.) seeds, and the process is not friendly to the environment. In this work, the objective was to obtain an extract rich in nutraceuticals (bixin and tocols) of high antioxidant power from Peruvian annatto seeds as a potential source for a functional food or additive in the industry using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Experiments related to extraction yield, bixin, tocotrienols, tocopherols, and antioxidant activity were carried out. The SFE was performed at 40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C, and 100, 150, and 250 bar with 0.256 kg/h carbon dioxide as the supercritical solvent (solvent-to-feed ratio of 10.2). Supercritical extraction at 60 °C and 250 bar presented the best results in terms of global extraction yield of 1.40 ± 0.01 g/100 g d.b., extract concentration of 0.564 ± 0.005 g bixin/g extract, 307.8 mg α-tocotrienol/g extract, 39.2 mg ß-tocotrienol/g extract, 2 mg γ-tocopherol/g extract, and IC50 of 989.96 µg extract/mL. Economical evaluation showed that 60 °C, 250 bar, and 45 min presented the lowest cost of manufacturing (2 × 2000 L, COM of USD 212.39/kg extract). This extract is a potential source for functional food production.

Applications and Market of Micro-Organism-Based and Plant-Based Inputs in Brazilian Agriculture.

The use of plant-based and micro-organism-based biological inputs is a sustainable agricultural practice. It promotes a suitable and better utilization of non-renewable resources in the environment. The benefits of using micro-organisms are associated with direct and indirect mechanisms, mainly related to improvements in the absorption and availability of nutrients, resulting in a consequent impact on plant growth. The main benefits of using biochemical pesticides are the promotion of sustainability and the management of resistance to pests and diseases. Although the use of micro-organisms and botanical metabolites is a promising agricultural alternative, they are still primarily concentrated in grain crops. There is a huge opportunity to expand the plant-based and micro-organism-based biological inputs used in agriculture due to the wide range of mechanisms of action of those products. At a global level, several terminologies have been adopted to characterize biological inputs, but many terms used conflict with Brazilian legislation. This review will clarify the classes of biological inputs existing in Brazil as well as present the application and evolution of the market for microbiological and plant-based inputs.

Polymeric Materials Obtained by Extrusion and Injection Molding from Lignocellulosic Agroindustrial Biomass.

This review presents the advances in polymeric materials achieved by extrusion and injection molding from lignocellulosic agroindustrial biomass. Biomass, which is derived from agricultural and industrial waste, is a renewable and abundant feedstock that contains mainly cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. To improve the properties and functions of polymeric materials, cellulose is subjected to a variety of modifications. The most common modifications are surface modification, grafting, chemical procedures, and molecule chemical grafting. Injection molding and extrusion technologies are crucial in shaping and manufacturing polymer composites, with precise control over the process and material selection. Furthermore, injection molding involves four phases: plasticization, injection, cooling, and ejection, with a focus on energy efficiency. Fundamental aspects of an injection molding machine, such as the motor, hopper, heating units, nozzle, and clamping unit, are discussed. Extrusion technology, commonly used as a preliminary step to injection molding, presents challenges regarding fiber reinforcement and stress accumulation, while lignin-based polymeric materials are challenging due to their hydrophobicity. The diverse applications of these biodegradable materials include automotive industries, construction, food packaging, and various consumer goods. Polymeric materials are positioned to offer even bigger contributions to sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in the future, as research and development continues.

Biomolecules in modern and sustainable agriculture.

This review presents scientific findings which indicate biomolecules are excellent candidates for the development of biopesticides. Efforts are being done to find routes to increase their concentrations in the cultivation media because this concentration facilitates applications, storage, and transportation. Some of these routes are co-fermentation and ultrasound-assisted fermentation. Ultrasonication increases metabolite production and growth rates by improvement of cell permeability and nutrient uptake rates through cell membranes. For example, 24% increase in the enzymatic activity of cellulases produced by Trichoderma reesei in solid-state fermentation was achieved with ultrasonication. Also, chitinase and ß-1,3-glucanase productions were stimulated by ultrasound in Beauveria bassiana cultivation, presenting positive results. The common parameters evaluated in the production of biomolecules by ultrasound-assisted fermentation are the duty cycle, time of application, power, energetic density, and how long the sonication is maintained in the fermentation media. Many successful cases are reported and discussed, which include the final formulation of bioproducts for agricultural applications. In this trend, nanotechnology is a promising tool for the development of nanoformulations. Nanoemulsification, green synthesis, biosynthesis, or biogenic synthesis are technologies used to produce such nanoformulations, allowing the controlled release of control agents, as well as the delivery of biomolecules to specific targets.

Combined ultrasonic/subcritical water hydrolysis pretreatments for agricultural biomass.

In response to the intensification of eco-friendly routes as a strategy to access compounds of interest, extraction based on hydrothermal technologies is an efficient method to obtain high yields of compounds present in lignocellulosic materials. Accordingly, this study investigated the effects of the combination of ultrasonic pretreatments (energy density, 1.23 × 103-37.6 × 103 J/cm3; reaction time, 15 and 60 min) and subcritical water hydrolysis (SWH) (temperature, 220°C; flow rate, 10-30 mL/min; and reaction time, 0.5-15 min) on sugar yield profile from residual biomass of rice, soybean, and pecan. A characterization of the sugars present in the hydrolyzed solutions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a physicochemical evaluation of biomasses by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was performed. The highest yield reported were 23.8/100 g biomass, 14.4/100 g biomass, and 6.0/100 g biomass for pecan shell, rice shell, and soybean straw, respectively. Cellobiose, glucose, xylose, and arabinose were quantified by the HPLC, as well as inhibitors and organic acids. FT-IR indicated the compositions of the fresh and pretreated samples. Appropriately, the combined application of ultrasonic and SWH methods supported the valorization and optimization of high potential materials generated in agricultural processing.

Encapsulation of Bioactive Compounds for Food and Agricultural Applications.

This review presents an updated scenario of findings and evolutions of encapsulation of bioactive compounds for food and agricultural applications. Many polymers have been reported as encapsulated agents, such as sodium alginate, gum Arabic, chitosan, cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose, pectin, Shellac, xanthan gum, zein, pullulan, maltodextrin, whey protein, galactomannan, modified starch, polycaprolactone, and sodium caseinate. The main encapsulation methods investigated in the study include both physical and chemical ones, such as freeze-drying, spray-drying, extrusion, coacervation, complexation, and supercritical anti-solvent drying. Consequently, in the food area, bioactive peptides, vitamins, essential oils, caffeine, plant extracts, fatty acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, and terpenes are the main compounds encapsulated. In the agricultural area, essential oils, lipids, phytotoxins, medicines, vaccines, hemoglobin, and microbial metabolites are the main compounds encapsulated. Most scientific investigations have one or more objectives, such as to improve the stability of formulated systems, increase the release time, retain and protect active properties, reduce lipid oxidation, maintain organoleptic properties, and present bioactivities even in extreme thermal, radiation, and pH conditions. Considering the increasing worldwide interest for biomolecules in modern and sustainable agriculture, encapsulation can be efficient for the formulation of biofungicides, biopesticides, bioherbicides, and biofertilizers. With this review, it is inferred that the current scenario indicates evolutions in the production methods by increasing the scales and the techno-economic feasibilities. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for most of the encapsulation methods is going beyond TRL 6, in which the knowledge gathered allows for having a functional prototype or a representative model of the encapsulation technologies presented in this review.

Low-Frequency Ultrasound Coupled with High-Pressure Technologies: Impact of Hybridized Techniques on the Recovery of Phytochemical Compounds.

The coupling of innovative technologies has emerged as a smart alternative for the process intensification of bioactive compound extraction from plant matrices. In this regard, the development of hybridized techniques based on the low-frequency and high-power ultrasound and high-pressure technologies, such as supercritical fluid extraction, pressurized liquids extraction, and gas-expanded liquids extraction, can enhance the recovery yields of phytochemicals due to their different action mechanisms. Therefore, this paper reviewed and discussed the current scenario in this field where ultrasound-related technologies are coupled with high-pressure techniques. The main findings, gaps, challenges, advances in knowledge, innovations, and future perspectives were highlighted.

Antioxidant compounds extracted from Diaporthe schini using supercritical CO2 plus cosolvent.

Endophytic fungi have been highlight in the production of secondary metabolites with different bioactive properties, such as in the production of the antioxidant compounds. Therefore, the objective of this work was the extraction of the antioxidant compounds from the biomass of Diaporthe schini using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) without and with ethanol as cosolvent. The biomass was produced by submerged fermentation and the parameters evaluated in the extraction process were: pressure (150-250 bar), temperature (40-60 ºC) and cosolvent [biomass: cosolvent ratio, 1:0, 1:0.75 and 1:1.5 (w/v)]. Extraction yield, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of the extracts were determined. The highest extraction yield (3.24 wt.%) and the best antioxidant activity against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (96.62%) were obtained at 40 ºC, 250 bar and biomass:cosolvent ratio of 1:1.5 (w/v). The chemical compounds 1,4-diaza-2,5-dioxo-3-isobutyl bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane and benzeneethanol identified in GC/MS could be responsible for the antioxidant activity found in this study.

Importance of Lupinus albescens in agricultural and food-related areas: A review.

The purpose of this review is to assist readers in understanding the importance of Lupinus albescens to nature, farmers, and scientists. L. albescens is mostly found in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and in "Campanha, Litoral and Missões" regions of State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Therefore, this review presents information and discussion on this plant that can encourage novel studies in a near future for exploring evermore the biological and physicochemical properties of L. albescens. The plant presents adaptive characteristics of soils with low content of nutrients, being an important plant for the recovering of degraded areas. In the last few years, there was an increase in scientific interest for exploring its chemical composition and biological activities. All plant matrices (i.e., roots, leaves, seeds, and stalks) are rich in antioxidant and antifungal compounds, especially stigmasterol. For example, the extracts obtained from the roots are reported with more than 50 wt% stigmasterol and 25 wt% ergosterol. Furthermore, the extracts present remarkable fungicide effects, especially against Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium verticillioides.

Partial characterization of inulinases obtained by submerged and solid-state fermentation using agroindustrial residues as substrates: a comparative study.

Inulinase belongs to an important class of enzymes as it can be used to produce high-fructose syrups by enzymatic hydrolysis of inulin and fructooligosaccharides, which has been used as functional food. This work aimed to carry out a partial characterization of the crude enzymatic extract of two different inulinases, obtained by solid-state fermentation (SSF) and submerged fermentation (SmF), using agroindustrial residues as substrates. The crude enzymatic extract obtained by SmF showed an optimal pH and temperature for hydrolytic activity of 4.5 and 55 degrees Celsius, respectively; and that obtained by SSF conducted to optimal pH and temperature of 5.0 and 55 degrees Celsius, respectively. Both enzymes presented high thermostability, with a D value of 230.4 h and 123.1 h for SmF and SSF, respectively. The inulinase produced by SmF showed highest stability at pH 4.4, while inulinase obtained by SSF was more stable at pH 4.8. The results showed that inulinase obtained by SmF is less susceptible to pH effect and the inulinase obtained by SSF is more resistant to higher temperatures.