Development of cassava starch-based films incorporated with phenolic compounds produced by an Amazonian fungus.

Drug-release systems have attracted attention over the last few years since they can be used as a substitute for traditional methods of drug delivery. These have the advantage of being directly administered at the treatment site and can maintain the drug at adequate levels for a longer period, thus increasing their efficacy. Starch-based films are interesting candidates for use as matrices for drug release, especially due to starch's non-toxic properties and its biocompatibility. Endophytic fungi are an important source of bioactive molecules, including secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. In the present study, cassava starch-based films were developed to act as release systems of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. The Amazonian endophytic fungus Aspergillus niger MgF2 was cultivated in liquid media, and the fungal extract was obtained by liquid-liquid partition with ethyl acetate. The starch-based films incorporated with the fungal extract were characterized in regards to their physicochemical properties. The release kinetics of the extract from the film and its antioxidant and cytotoxic properties were also evaluated. The films incorporated with the extract presented maximum release after 25 min at 37 °C and pH 6.8. In addition, it was observed that the antioxidant compounds of the fungal extract maintain their activity after being released from the film, and were non-toxic. Therefore, considering the promising physicochemical properties of the extract-incorporated films, and their considerable antioxidant capacity, the films demonstrate great biotechnological potential with diverse applications in the pharmacological and cosmetic industries.

Supercritical fluid extraction of astaxanthin-rich extracts from Haematococcus pluvialis: Economic assessment.

The study evaluated the techno-economic feasibility of an industrial SFE plant to produce astaxanthin-rich extracts in Chile based on previously published data. A kinetic study comparing two solvent flow rates (3.62 and 7.24 g/min) at a scale production of 2 × 10 L showed the FER period as the more economically feasible with a cost of manufacturing (COM) of US$ 656.31/kg at 7.24 g/min. The study also demonstrated that the extraction times used at a laboratory scale were not industrially feasible due to the flowrate limits of industrial pumps. After adjusting extraction time to real industrial conditions, the results demonstrated that a 5-fold scale increase (2 × 10 L to 2 × 50 L) decreased the COM by 30 % and the process was profitable at all production scales. Finally, the sensitivity study demonstrated that it is possible to reduce the selling price by 25 % at 2 × 50 L scale.

Starch as a Matrix for Incorporation and Release of Bioactive Compounds: Fundamentals and Applications.

Due to its abundance in nature and low cost, starch is one of the most relevant raw materials for replacing synthetic polymers in a number of applications. It is generally regarded as non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable and, therefore, a safe option for biomedical, food, and packaging applications. In this review, we focused on studies that report the use of starch as a matrix for stabilization, incorporation, or release of bioactive compounds, and explore a wide range of applications of starch-based materials. One of the key application areas for bioactive compounds incorporated in starch matrices is the pharmaceutical industry, especially in orally disintegrating films. The packaging industry has also shown great interest in using starch films, especially those with antioxidant activity. Regarding food technology, starch can be used as a stabilizer in nanoemulsions, thus allowing the incorporation of bioactive compounds in a variety of food types. Starch also presents potential in the cosmetic industry as a delivery system. However, there are still several types of industry that could benefit from the incorporation of starch matrices with bioactive compounds, which are described in this review. In addition, the use of microbial bioactive compounds in starch matrices represents an almost unexplored field still to be investigated.

Extraction of bioactive compounds from defatted passion fruit bagasse (Passiflora edulis sp.) applying pressurized liquids assisted by ultrasound.

Passion fruit bagasse is a rich source of phenolic compounds, including piceatannol, a stilbene to which several biological activities are conferred. This work reports the application of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) assisted by ultrasound (US) to intensify the extraction of phenolic compounds from defatted passion fruit bagasse (DPFB). PLE at different temperatures (65-75 °C) without and with different US powers (240-640 W) was performed to investigate the mechanism of the assisted process. The extracts were evaluated in terms of global, total phenolic (TP), piceatannol and total reducing sugar yields. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined by FRAP and ORAC assays. PLE assisted by US increased the yields, resulting in 60% more TP and piceatannol. The observed yields suggest that the main mechanism driving PLE assisted by US from DPFB was the rise in temperature caused by the ultrasonic waves. Pearson coefficient revealed a strong correlation between antioxidant capacity and total phenolics and piceatannol yield. The three-line spline model was adequately fitted to the experimental curves, showing three extraction periods in which the recovery of TP and piceatannol was higher than 70% at the end of the falling extraction rate period. PLE assisted or not by US showed to be clean, efficient and green alternatives for the recovery of phenolic compounds. The findings of this work indicate that PLE assisted by US has a great potential to improve the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural products.

Evaluation of freeze-dried milk-blackberry pulp mixture: Influence of adjuvants over the physical properties of the powder, anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity.

The blackberry fruit (Rubus spp.) presents an attractive color ranging from purple red to blue, due to the high content of bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins. Bioactive compounds have antioxidant properties, acting as free radical scavengers and are also frequently linked to the prevention of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Due to native-form anthocyanins instability against environmental stress, bioactive compounds are not always as effective in improving human health as they could be. Therefore, the production of powders using adjuvants is a promising approach for encapsulating anthocyanins-rich pastes, in order to improve their stability and application. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of adjuvants on the physical properties of the powder, and on anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of the pastes and freeze-dried milk-blackberry pulp mixtures. The pastes formulated were of milk-blackberry pulp (25%:75%, (weight/weight (w/w)) and of milk-blackberry pulp-adjuvant (25%:70%:5%, (w/w/w)), and the adjuvants employed were maltodextrins 10DE and 20DE and Capsul®. The addition of maltodextrin 20DE and Capsul® resulted in pastes with high anthocyanins content (451.6 ±â€¯80.0 µg/g and 453.1 ±â€¯26.0 µg/g, respectively), similar to the paste without adjuvants (568.6 ±â€¯3.4 µg/g). Also, maltodextrin 20DE and Capsul® showed a high protection capacity of the anthocyanins present on the powders (around 96% of anthocyanins retention). When no adjuvants were used, the anthocyanins retention was very low (40.1%). The freeze-drying process maintained the antioxidant capacity of the bioactive compounds and the powders obtained showed good quality with low moisture content and hygroscopicity.