A smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical POCT method via Z-scheme CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 for simultaneously detecting co-contamination with microplastics in food and the environment.

As emerging contaminants, microplastics threaten food and environmental safety. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP, released from microplastics) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, adsorbed on microplastics) coexisted in food and the environment, harming human health, requesting a sensitive and simultaneous testing method to monitor. To address current sensitivity, simultaneousness, and on-site portability challenges during dual targets in complex matrixes, CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 nanoflower was designed to develop a smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical point-of-care test (PEC POCT). The carrier transfer mechanism in CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 was proven via density functional theory calculation. Under optimal conditions, the PEC POCT showed low detection limits of 0.126, and 0.132 pg/mL, wide linearity of 0.001-500, and 0.0005-50 ng/mL for DBP and BaP, respectively. The smartphone-assisted PEC POCT demonstrated satisfied recoveries (80.00%-119.63%) in real samples. Coherent results were recorded by comparing the PEC POCT to GC-MS (DBP) and HPLC (BaP). This novel method provides a practical platform for simultaneous POCT for food safety and environment monitoring.

Pressurized liquid extraction of glucosinolates from Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz by-products: Process optimization and biological activities of green extract.

The cultivation of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is rapidly increasing due to oil production resulting in a substantial volume of by-products, which still have an interesting composition in secondary metabolites, especially glucosinolates. Therefore, a green extraction procedure of glucosinolates by Pressurised Liquid Extraction was developed and optimized using a chemometric approach. Furthermore, the glucosinolates were purified by solid phase extraction, and a preliminary study on bioaccessibility and bioavailability study was carried out to evaluate the resistance of the glucosinolates to the digestive process. The application of pressurised liquid extraction to the recovery of glucosinolates from camelina sativa by-product, is a green, automatic, and rapid method, representing a valid alternative to conventional extraction method to obtain ingredients for food industries.

Tetraselmis chuii Edible Microalga as a New Source of Neuroprotective Compounds Obtained Using Fast Biosolvent Extraction.

Tetraselmis chuii is an EFSA-approved novel food and dietary supplement with increasing use in nutraceutical production worldwide. This study investigated the neuroprotective potential of bioactive compounds extracted from T. chuii using green biobased solvents (ethyl acetate, AcOEt, and cyclopentyl methyl ether, CPME) under pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Response surface optimization was used to study the effect of temperature and solvent composition on the neuroprotective properties of the PLE extracts, including anticholinergic activity, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) scavenging capacity, and anti-inflammatory activity. Optimized extraction conditions of 40 °C and 34.9% AcOEt in CPME resulted in extracts with high anticholinergic and ROS/RNS scavenging capacity, while operation at 180 °C and 54.1% AcOEt in CPME yielded extracts with potent anti-inflammatory properties using only 20 min. Chemical characterization revealed the presence of carotenoids (neoxanthin, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, α- and ß-carotene) known for their anti-cholinesterase, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory potential. The extracts also exhibited high levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with a favorable ω-3/ω-6 ratio (>7), contributing to their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, the extracts were found to be safe to use, as cytotoxicity assays showed no observed toxicity in HK-2 and THP-1 cell lines at or below a concentration of 40 µg mL-1. These results highlight the neuroprotective potential of Tetraselmis chuii extracts, making them valuable in the field of nutraceutical production and emphasize the interest of studying new green solvents as alternatives to conventional toxic solvents.

An ETFDH-driven metabolon supports OXPHOS efficiency in skeletal muscle by regulating coenzyme Q homeostasis.

Coenzyme Q (Q) is a key lipid electron transporter, but several aspects of its biosynthesis and redox homeostasis remain undefined. Various flavoproteins reduce ubiquinone (oxidized form of Q) to ubiquinol (QH2); however, in eukaryotes, only oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex III (CIII) oxidizes QH2 to Q. The mechanism of action of CIII is still debated. Herein, we show that the Q reductase electron-transfer flavoprotein dehydrogenase (ETFDH) is essential for CIII activity in skeletal muscle. We identify a complex (comprising ETFDH, CIII and the Q-biosynthesis regulator COQ2) that directs electrons from lipid substrates to the respiratory chain, thereby reducing electron leaks and reactive oxygen species production. This metabolon maintains total Q levels, minimizes QH2-reductive stress and improves OXPHOS efficiency. Muscle-specific Etfdh-/- mice develop myopathy due to CIII dysfunction, indicating that ETFDH is a required OXPHOS component and a potential therapeutic target for mitochondrial redox medicine.

In vivo neuroprotective capacity of a Dunaliella salina extract - comprehensive transcriptomics and metabolomics study.

In this study, an exhaustive chemical characterization of a Dunaliella salina (DS) microalga extract obtained using supercritical fluids has been performed, and its neuroprotective capacity has been evaluated in vivo using an Alzheimer's disease (AD) transgenic model of Caenorhabditis elegans (strain CL4176). More than 350 compounds were annotated in the studied DS extract, with triacylglycerols, free fatty acids (FAs), carotenoids, apocarotenoids and glycerol being the most abundant. DS extract significantly protects C. elegans in a dose-dependent manner against Aß-peptide paralysis toxicity, after 32 h, 53% of treated worms at 50 µg/mL were not paralyzed. This concentration was selected to further evaluate the transcriptomics and metabolomics changes after 26 h by using advanced analytical methodologies. The RNA-Seq data showed an alteration of 150 genes, mainly related to the stress and detoxification responses, and the retinol and lipid metabolism. The comprehensive metabolomics and lipidomics analyses allowed the identification of 793 intracellular metabolites, of which 69 were significantly altered compared to non-treated control animals. Among them, different unsaturated FAs, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, nucleosides, dipeptides and modified amino acids that have been previously reported as beneficial during AD progression, were assigned. These compounds could explain the neuroprotective capacity observed, thus, providing with new evidences of the protection mechanisms of this promising extract.

Capillary electromigration methods for food analysis and Foodomics: Advances and applications in the period March 2021 to March 2023.

This work presents a revision of the main applications of capillary electromigration (CE) methods in food analysis and Foodomics. Papers that were published during the period March 2021 to March 2023 are included. The work shows the multiple CE methods that have been developed and applied to analyze different types of molecules in foods and beverages. Namely, CE methods have been applied to analyze amino acids, biogenic amines, heterocyclic amines, peptides, proteins, phenols, polyphenols, pigments, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, DNAs, contaminants, toxins, pesticides, additives, residues, small organic and inorganic compounds, and other minor compounds. In addition, new CE procedures to perform chiral separation and for evaluating the effects of food processing as well as the last developments of microchip CE and new applications in Foodomics will be also discussed. The new procedures of CE to investigate food quality and safety, nutritional value, storage, and bioactivity are also included in the present review work.

An eco-friendly extraction method to obtain pectin from passion fruit rinds (Passiflora edulis sp.) using subcritical water and pressurized natural deep eutectic solvents.

This work evaluated the efficiency of Subcritical Water Extraction (SWE) and Pressurized Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (P-NaDESs) under different temperatures (100, 120, 140 and 160 °C) in obtaining pectin from Passion Fruit Rinds (PFR) and its residual biomass (PFR - UAPLE), and compare the results with those of Conventional Extraction (CE). The highest pectin yields, 19.1 and 27.6 %, were achieved using P-NaDES (Citric Acid:Glucose:Water) at 120 °C for PFR and its PFR-UAPLE, respectively. Regarding the Degree of Esterification (DE), pectin obtained with SWE and CE had DE below 50 %, while with P-NaDES (Citric Acid: Glucose:Water), DE was above 50 %. Higher Molecular Weights (MW) (98 and 81 kDa) were obtained with SWE and P-NaDES from PFR compared to PFR-UAPLE and CE. Galacturonic acid was the most abundant (74 to 78 %) monosaccharide obtained by SWE. In terms of morphology, water extraction provided pectin with more uniform textures, whereas extraction with acidified mixtures led to more heterogeneous surfaces. Overall, comparing SWE and P-NaDES, the obtained pectins differed in terms of monomeric composition, MW and DE. These results indicate that pectins obtained by both methods can have different applications depending on their structural characteristics.

A Comprehensive Study on the Chemical Characterization and Neuroprotective Evaluation of Pracaxi Nuts Extracts Obtained by a Sustainable Approach.

The Amazonian Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze nuts contain a lipidic fraction with health-promoting effects, but little is known about the bioactivity of other constituents. In this study, the lipidic fraction obtained using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 was chemically characterized by using lipidomics techniques. The SFE-CO2 residue, named as pracaxi cake, was re-extracted by pressurized liquid extraction following a biorefinery approach. Using a response surface methodology and based on the extraction yield and different in vitro assays, two optimum conditions were obtained: 80% and 12.5% of ethanol at 180 °C. Under these conditions, extraction yield and different in vitro measurements related to neuroprotection were assessed. Chemical characterization of these extracts suggested the presence of triterpenoid saponins and spermidine phenolamides, which were not previously reported in pracaxi nuts. These results suggest that pracaxi oil extraction by-products are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with neuroprotective potential.

Omics approaches to investigate the neuroprotective capacity of a Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) extract in a Caenorhabditis elegans Alzheimer's model.

Citrus sinensis by-products are a promising source of neuroprotective molecules. In this study, a pressurized liquid extract of Citrus by-products (PLE100) has been extensively characterized, and its neuroprotective capacity tested in the Caenorhabditis elegans strain CL4176, a validated in vivo model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). More than 450 compounds have been annotated in the extract, being triacylglycerols (TGs), stigmastanes, fatty acids (FAs) and carbohydrates the most abundant. The results demonstrate that worms PLE100-treated are significantly protected in a dose-dependent manner against the Aß-peptide paralysis toxicity. The RNA-Seq data showed an alteration of 294 genes mainly related to the stress response defense along with genes involved in the lipid transport and metabolism. Moreover, the comprehensive metabolomics study allowed the identification of 818 intracellular metabolites, of which 54 were significantly altered (mainly lipids). The integration of these and previous results provides with new evidences of the protection mechanisms of this promising extract.

A smartphone-powered photoelectrochemical POCT via Z-scheme Cu2O/Cu3SnS4 for dibutyl phthalate in the environmental and food.

As a major hazardous additive released from microplastics and nanoplastics, identifying dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in complex matrices attracts a growing concern in environmental monitoring and food safety. For the first time, Cu2O/Cu3SnS4 nanoflower is prepared and serves as the photoactive material which can be constructed as a smartphone-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) point-of-care test (POCT). Effectively matching energy levels between Cu2O and Cu3SnS4 accelerated the transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, significantly improving the intelligent PEC POCT performance. The novel Cu2O/Cu3SnS4 has proven to be the Z-scheme heterojunction by density functional theory calculation. A competitive immunoassay has been realized on a Cu2O/Cu3SnS4 modified electrode, dramatically decreasing the photocurrent signal and enhancing POCT sensitivity. The smartphone has been used to record and transfer PEC results. Under optimal conditions, the PEC POCT exhibited a satisfying linear range (0.04-400 ng/mL) and a low detection limit of 7.94 pg/mL in real samples, together with excellent stability, repeatability, reproducibility and selectivity. The PEC POCT system provides good performance and practicability in determining DBP in water and edible oil samples. This proposal provides a practical strategy for the intelligent POCT for environment monitoring and food safety.

Applicability and Limitations of a Capillary-LC Column-Switching System Using Hybrid Graphene-Based Stationary Phases.

Graphene oxide sheets fixed over silica particles (SiGO) and their modification functionalized with C18 and endcapped (SiGO-C18ec) have been reported as sorbents for extraction and analytical columns in LC. In this study, a SiGO column was selected as the extraction column and a SiGO-C18ec as the analytical column to study the applicability and limitations of a column-switching system composed exclusively of columns packed with graphene-based sorbents. Pyriproxyfen and abamectin B1a were selected as the analytes, and orange-flavored carbonated soft drinks as the matrix. The proposed system could be successfully applied to the pyriproxyfen analysis in a concentration range between 0.5 to 25 µg/mL presenting a linearity of R2 = 0.9931 and an intra-day and inter-day accuracy of 82.2-111.4% (RSD < 13.3%) and 95.5-99.8% (RSD < 12.7%), respectively. Furthermore, the matrix composition affected the area observed for the pyriproxyfen: the higher the concentration of orange juice in the soft drink, the higher the pyriproxyfen the signal observed. Additionally, the SiGO extraction column presented a life use of 120 injections for this matrix. In contrast, the proposed system could not apply to the analysis of abamectin B1a, and the SiGO-C18ec analytical column presented significant tailing compared to a similar approach with a C18 analytical column.

Contribution of Phenolics and Free Amino Acids on the Antioxidant Profile of Commercial Lemon Verbena Infusions.

Lemon verbena infusions are widely appreciated due to their agreeable lemony flavor and medicinal properties. In this study, the antioxidant potential, phenolic profile, and free amino acid profile of lemon verbena infusions from different commercial brands were studied. Characterization by UHPLC-QTOF-HRMS allowed the identification of 34 phenolics. The free amino acid profile (by RP-HPLC-FLD) was assessed for the first time, allowing the quantification of 16 amino acids. Furthermore, the infusions showed high antioxidant activity by different assays (ferric reducing antioxidant power, DPPH• scavenging, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays), which in turn were significantly correlated with total phenolics and total flavonoid contents. Notwithstanding, phenylalanine seemed to have also an impact on the antioxidant activity of the infusions, with significant correlations found. Finally, significant differences were found in all the evaluated parameters for one of the four commercial brands herein studied, which was possibly related to the different geographical origins of this sample. Overall, these lemon verbena infusions proved to be rich in a huge variety of bioactive compounds that can provide therapeutic potential.

Online Extraction Followed by LC-MS/MS Analysis of Lipids in Natural Samples: A Proof-of-Concept Profiling Lecithin in Seeds.

Sample preparation is usually a complex and time-consuming procedure, which can directly affect the quality of the analysis. Recent efforts have been made to establish analytical methods involving minimal sample preparation, automatized and performed online with the analytical techniques. Online Extraction coupled with Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (OLE-LC-MS) allows a fully connected extraction, separation, and analysis system. In this work, the lecithin profile was investigated in commercial sunflower, almonds, peanuts, and pistachio seeds to demonstrate that the concept of extraction, followed by the online analysis of the extract, could be applied to analyze this class of analytes in such complex solid matrices without a prior off-line solvent extraction step. The extraction phase gradient method was optimized. Two different analytical columns were explored, one being a conventional C18 (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm SPP) and the other a novel self-packed SIGO-C18ec (100 × 0.5, 5 µm FPP), which resulted in better separation. The analysis repeatability was investigated, and suggestions to improve it were pointed out. A characteristic ion with a m/z of 184, related to lysophosphatidylcholine structure, was used to identify the lecithin compounds. The temperature effect on the chromatograms was also explored. In short, it was found that the OLE-LC-MS approach is suitable for the analysis of lecithin compounds in seeds, being a promising alternative for lipidomics approaches in the near future.

Bacterial Carotenoids: Extraction, Characterization, and Applications.

Natural carotenoids are secondary metabolites that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. These types of compounds are highly demanded by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and food industries, leading to the search for new natural sources of carotenoids. In recent years, the production of carotenoids from bacteria has become of great interest for industrial applications. In addition to carotenoids with C40-skeletons, some bacteria have the ability to synthesize characteristic carotenoids with C30-skeletons. In this regard, a great variety of methodologies for the extraction and identification of bacterial carotenoids has been reported and this is the first review that condenses most of this information. To understand the diversity of carotenoids from bacteria, we present their biosynthetic origin in order to focus on the methodologies employed in their extraction and characterization. Special emphasis has been made on high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) for the analysis and identification of bacterial carotenoids. We end up this review showing their potential commercial use. This review is proposed as a guide for the identification of these metabolites, which are frequently reported in new bacteria strains.

Metabolomic Characterization of the Antiproliferative Activity of Bioactive Compounds from Fruit By-Products Against Colon Cancer Cells.

This methodological work demonstrates the potential of metabolomic approaches based on liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI(+/-)-HRMS) to investigate the antiproliferative capacity of underexplored biomasses (e.g., Passiflora mollissima seeds and Physalys peruviana calyx), by evaluating the molecular changes induced at the metabolite expression levels on HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This protocol describes in detail the optimal conditions to obtain bioactive extracts by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), the experimental procedure to grow and treat HT-29 human colon cancer cells and CCD-18Co normal human colon fibroblasts with the target extracts, the metabolites extraction from the cytosolic fraction, and subsequent metabolomic fingerprinting. After treatment for 48 and 72 h, the viability of HT-29 colon cancer cells is markedly affected, and metabolites can be extracted for investigation. Following the proposed metabolomic data analysis and interpretation workflow, altered cellular redox homeostasis, as well as inactivation or dysfunction on other metabolic pathways, constitutes valuable biological information to understand the mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effect.

A Prunus avium L. Infusion Inhibits Sugar Uptake and Counteracts Oxidative Stress-Induced Stimulation of Glucose Uptake by Intestinal Epithelial (Caco-2) Cells.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is among the most valued fruits due to its organoleptic properties and nutritional worth. Cherry stems are rich in bioactive compounds, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Innumerable studies have indicated that some bioactive compounds can modulate sugar absorption in the small intestine. In this study, the phenolic profile of a cherry stem infusion was investigated, as well as its capacity to modulate intestinal glucose and fructose transport in Caco-2 cells. Long-term (24 h) exposure to cherry stem infusion (25%, v/v) significantly reduced glucose (3H-DG) and fructose (14C-FRU) apical uptake, reduced the apical-to-basolateral Papp to 3H-DG, and decreased mRNA expression levels of the sugar transporters SGLT1, GLUT2 and GLUT5. Oxidative stress (induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide) caused an increase in 3H-DG uptake, which was abolished by the cherry stem infusion. These findings suggest that cherry stem infusion can reduce the intestinal absorption of both glucose and fructose by decreasing the gene expression of their membrane transporters. Moreover, this infusion also appears to be able to counteract the stimulatory effect of oxidative stress upon glucose intestinal uptake. Therefore, it can be a potentially useful compound for controlling hyperglycemia, especially in the presence of increased intestinal oxidative stress levels.

Synergic effect of natural deep eutectic solvent and high-intensity ultrasound on obtaining a ready-to-use genipin extract: Crosslinking and anti-neurodegenerative properties.

In this paper, genipin, an important natural crosslinker and anti-neurodegenerative compound, was extracted from unripe Genipa americana L., combining high-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs). The extraction process conditions were evaluated step-by-step to reach the best genipin recovery. The obtained ready-to-use genipin-NADES extract was examined regarding its crosslinking properties and anti-neurodegenerative capacity. For the condictions tested, the highest genipin recovery was obtained using 40 % water and 60 % betaine:lactic acid NADES in molar ratio 1:3 (n/n) as the solvent, a solvent:feed ratio of 19 (w/w), and HIUS acoustic power of 14 ± 1 W. The HIUS-assisted extraction using NADES as solvent showed to be a promising and efficient green extraction technique to obtain genipin. The ready-to-use genipin-NADES extract presented crosslinking capacity and anticholinergic activity. These results indicate that genipin-NADES extract can be directly applied in hydrogels for drug delivery, films, tissue engineering, and others. Moreover, it can be used in food, supplements, and medicine to enhance their neuroprotective effect.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Native Brazilian Fruits of the Arecaceae Family and Its Potential Applications for Health Promotion.

The fruits from the Arecaceae family, although being rich in bioactive compounds with potential benefits to health, have been underexplored. Studies on their composition, bioactive compounds, and effects of their consumption on health are also scarce. This review presents the composition of macro- and micronutrients, and bioactive compounds of fruits of the Arecaceae family such as bacaba, patawa, juçara, açaí, buriti, buritirana, and butiá. The potential use and reported effects of its consumption on health are also presented. The knowledge of these underutilized fruits is important to encourage production, commercialization, processing, and consumption. It can also stimulate their full use and improve the economy and social condition of the population where these fruits are found. Furthermore, it may help in future research on the composition, health effects, and new product development. Arecaceae fruits presented in this review are currently used as raw materials for producing beverages, candies, jams, popsicles, ice creams, energy drinks, and edible oils. The reported studies show that they are rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids, anthocyanins, tocopherols, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids. Moreover, the consumption of these compounds has been associated with anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antiobesity, and cardioprotective effects. These fruits have potential to be used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Despite their potential, some of them, such as buritirana and butiá, have been little explored and limited research has been conducted on their composition, biological effects, and applications. Therefore, more detailed investigations on the composition and mechanism of action based on in vitro and/or in vivo studies are needed for fruits from the Arecaceae family.