Lupin as a Source of Bioactive Antioxidant Compounds for Food Products.

Four species of lupin (white lupin, yellow lupin, blue lupin and Andean lupin) are widely cropped thanks to the excellent nutritional composition of their seeds: high protein content (28-48 g/100 g); good lipid content (4.6-13.5 g/100 g, but up to 20.0 g/100 g in Andean lupin), especially unsaturated triacylglycerols; and richness in antioxidant compounds like carotenoids, tocols and phenolics. Particularly relevant is the amount of free phenolics, highly bioaccessible in the small intestine. However, the typical bitter and toxic alkaloids must be eliminated before lupin consumption, hindering its diffusion and affecting its nutritional value. This review summarises the results of recent research in lupin composition for the above-mentioned three classes of antioxidant compounds, both in non-debittered and debittered seeds. Additionally, the influence of technological processes to further increase their nutritional value as well as the effects of food manufacturing on antioxidant content were scrutinised. Lupin has been demonstrated to be an outstanding raw material source, superior to most crops and suitable for manufacturing foods with good antioxidant and nutritional properties. The bioaccessibility of lupin antioxidants after digestion of ready-to-eat products still emerges as a dearth in current research.

Composition, texture, sensorial quality, and biological activity after in vitro digestion of durum wheat pasta enriched with carrot waste extract encapsulates.

Aim of this research was to evaluate durum-wheat pasta enriched with encapsulated carrot waste extracts in oil, obtained by freeze drying (FDE) or spray drying techniques (SDE). Five pastas (control, enriched with 10% FDE, or 10% SDE, or 20% FDE, or 20% SDE) were evaluated for furosine, carotenoids, tocols, colour, in vitro bioactivities, cooking performance, texture and sensory quality. The encapsulates added to the enriched pastas α-carotene (0.58-1.24 mg/kg), ß-carotene (1.43-3.29 mg/kg), cis-ß-carotene (0.51-1.11 mg/kg) and total tocols (10.9-33.6 mg/kg). The carotenes were stable and the tocols diminished (-13%) during pasta manufacturing; both decreased (2-18% and 4-15%, respectively) during cooking, but they were still more abundant in the enriched pastas. Antioxidant, anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities after in vitro digestion of cooked pastas improved, while sensory acceptability of control and 10% enriched pastas were similar. The encapsulates addition significantly improved the nutritional and technological qualities of durum-wheat pasta.

Kinetics of Carotenoids Degradation during the Storage of Encapsulated Carrot Waste Extracts.

The encapsulates of carrot waste oil extract improved the antioxidant properties of durum wheat pasta. The aim of this research was to study the kinetics of carotenoids degradation in the freeze-dried (FDE) and spray-dried (SDE) encapsulates of carrot waste extract during storage at four different temperatures (+4, +21.3, +30, +37 °C) up to 413 days by HPLC. Carotenoids levels decreased as a function of time and temperature, following zero-order kinetics. At 4 °C carotenes were stable for at least 413 days, but their half-lives decreased with increasing temperatures: 8-12 months at 21 °C; 3-4 months at 30 °C; and 1.5-2 months at 37 °C. The freeze-drying technique was more effective against carotenes degradation. An initial lag-time with no or very limited carotenes degradation was observed: from one week at 37 °C up to 3 months (SDE) or more (FDE) at 21 °C. The activation energies (Ea) varied between 66.6 and 79.5 kJ/mol, and Ea values tended to be higher in FDE than in SDE.

Antioxidants of Amaranth, Quinoa and Buckwheat Wholemeals and Heat-Damage Development in Pseudocereal-Enriched Einkorn Water Biscuits.

A viable approach to improve the nutritional quality of cereal-based foods is their enrichment with pseudocereals. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat, and the heat damage of water biscuits (WB) produced from either wholemeal or refined flour of einkorn and enriched with 50% buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa wholemeal. Buckwheat had the highest tocols content (86.2 mg/kg), and einkorn the most carotenoids (5.6 mg/kg). Conjugated phenolics concentration was highest in buckwheat (230.2 mg/kg) and quinoa (218.6 mg/kg), while bound phenolics content was greatest in einkorn (712.5 mg/kg) and bread wheat (675.7 mg/kg). The all-wholemeal WB had greater heat damage than those containing refined flour (furosine: 251.5 vs. 235.8 mg/100 g protein; glucosylisomaltol: 1.0 vs. 0.6 mg/kg DM; hydroxymethylfurfural: 4.3 vs. 2.8 mg/kg DM; furfural: 8.6 vs. 4.8 mg/kg DM). The 100% bread wheat and einkorn wholemeal WB showed greater heat damage than the WB with pseudocereals (furfural, 9.2 vs. 5.1 mg/kg; glucosylisomaltol 1.1 vs. 0.7 mg/kg). Despite a superior lysine loss, the amino-acid profile of the pseudocereals-enriched WB remained more balanced compared to that of the wheats WB.

Antioxidant Properties of Gluten-Free Pasta Enriched with Vegetable By-Products.

The only therapy for coeliac disease patients is to completely avoid foods containing gluten, a protein complex common in several small-grain cereals. However, many alternative gluten-free foods available on the market present nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the composition and the antioxidant properties of gluten-free pasta enriched with 10% or 15% of tomato waste or linseed meal, two food industry by-products. The traits analysed were protein, lipid, ash and fibre content, heat damage, tocols, carotenoids and phenolics composition (by HPLC), antioxidant capacity, and pasta fracturability. The enriched pastas contained more fibre and lipids than the control, while the protein and ash values were similar. The addition of tomato and linseed waste improved tocols concentration but had no effect on carotenoids content. The free soluble polyphenols increase was similar for both by-products and proportional to the enrichment percentage, while the bound insoluble polyphenols were higher in linseed-enriched pastas. The samples with linseed meal showed the greatest antioxidant capacity and, at 10% addition, the highest fracturability value. In conclusion, the addition of tomato and linseed by-products significantly increases the presence of bioactive compounds (particularly polyphenols), improving the nutritional value of gluten-free pasta.

Modification of the Nutritional Quality and Oxidative Stability of Lupin (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) and Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) Oil Blends.

Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) oil is rich in monounsaturated (54.2%) and polyunsaturated (28.5%) fatty acids but has a ω-3:ω-6 ratio (1:9.2) above the recommended values for human health. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) oil presents a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content (linolenic 47.2% and linoleic 34.7%), along a ω-3:ω-6 ratio (1:0.74) good for human consumption. The objective of this research was to study the physico-chemical properties and oxidative stability of tarwi and sacha inchi oil blends (1:4, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1 and 4:1 w:w) with suitable ω-3:ω-6 ratios. All blends showed ω-3:ω-6 ratios between 1:0.8 and 1:1.9, acceptable from a nutritional point of view, and high total tocopherols' content (1834-688 mg/kg), thanks to sacha inchi. The oxidative stability index (OSI) of the mixtures by the Rancimat method at 120 °C ranged from 0.46 to 8.80 h. The shelf-life of 1:1 tarwi/sacha inchi oil blend was 1.26 years; its entropy (-17.43 J/mol), enthalpy (107.04 kJ/mol), activation energy (110.24 kJ/mol) and Gibbs energy (113.76 kJ/mol) suggest low oxidation reaction rates and good stability. Hence, balanced blends of tarwi/sacha inchi oils can achieve optimal nutritional properties and enhanced shelf-life.

Chemical Composition, Tocopherol and Carotenoid Content of Seeds from Different Andean Lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) Ecotypes.

Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) seeds are appreciated for their high protein and lipid contents and have potential applications as ingredients in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Nevertheless, the information about the seed composition (especially in lipophilic antioxidants) of ecotypes from distinct cropping areas is currently limited. Thus, the aim of the present research was to assess the morphological characteristics, chemical composition, tocopherol and carotenoid contents of the seeds of 33 Andean lupin ecotypes from different Peruvian regions, along with three L. albus, one L. angustifolius and one L. luteus controls. Significant differences were noted among the Andean ecotypes for all analyzed features. The protein, lipid and ash contents were 32.0-46.9, 13.6-18.6 and 2.7-4.4 g/100 g dry matter (DM), respectively. The seeds were rich in tocopherols (172.1-249.8 mg/kg DM; γ-tocopherol was 98% of total tocols) and low in carotenoids (0.69-2.89 mg/kg DM). Debittering increased the tocopherol content (227.0-378.2 mg/kg DM), probably because of the soluble components loss, although the carotenoid concentration remained unchanged. The Andean lupins had higher protein, lipid and tocopherol contents than L. albus and L. angustifolius; the L. luteus values were within the L. mutabilis range. These results suggest that L. mutabilis harbors nutritional characteristics that are well suited to modern food trends.

Sprouted and Freeze-Dried Wheat and Oat Seeds - Phytochemical Profile and in Vitro Biological Activities.

This research was carried out to study phytochemical profile, in vitro antioxidant capacity, reducing power, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory activities and simulated gastrointestinal digestion of 7-day old cereal sprouts: spelt wheat 'Nirvana' (WSSpe), wheat 'Simonida' (WSSim), oat 'Golozrni' (OSG) and oat 'Jadar' (OSJ). OSG expressed significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids content (TFC), antioxidant capacities (DPPH and ABTS assays) and reducing power (EC50DPPH  = 2.12 mg/ml; EC50ABTS  = 0.87 mg/ml; EC0.5RP  = 12.24 mg/ml) as well as anti-hyperglycemic activity (EC50AHgA  = 0.96 mg/ml). WSSpe had the highest content of chlorophyll (131.23 mg/100 g) and carotenoids (22.84 mg/100 g). WSSim possessed the most potent anti-inflammatory activity (2.71 mg/ml), though not significantly different from OSG (2.77 mg/ml). The in vitro simulation of gastro-intestinal digestion showed higher release of phenolic compounds in intestinal than in gastric fluid.

Influence of water biscuit processing and kernel puffing on the phenolic acid content and the antioxidant activity of einkorn and bread wheat.

The whole meal flour of wheat is rich in phenolic acids, which provide a relevant antioxidant activity to food products. Aim of this research was to assess the influence of processing on phenolic acid content and antioxidant activity of whole meal flour water biscuits and puffed kernels of einkorn and bread wheat. To this end, the evolution of syringaldehyde, ferulic, vanillic, syringic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, and caffeic acids was studied during manufacturing. Overall, from flour to water biscuit, the total soluble conjugated phenolic acids increased slightly in einkorn, while the insoluble bound phenolic acids decreased in all the accessions as a consequence of losses during the mixing step. In the puffed kernels, instead, the total soluble conjugated phenolic acids increased markedly, while the bound phenolics did not show any clear change, evidencing their high thermal stability. The antioxidant activity, measured by FRAP and ABTS, increased during processing and was highest under the most drastic puffing conditions.

Nutritional properties of einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum L.).

The hulled wheat einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum), a staple food of early farmers for many thousand years, today is cropped only in small areas of the Mediterranean region and continental Europe. Increasing attention to the nutritional quality of foods has fostered renewed interest in this low-impact crop. The reappraisal of einkorn quality evidenced that this ancient wheat has some dietary advantages over polyploid wheats. Einkorn wholemeal is poor in dietary fibre but rich in proteins, lipids (mostly unsaturated fatty acids), fructans and trace elements (including zinc and iron). The good concentration of several antioxidant compounds (carotenoids, tocols, conjugated polyphenols, alkylresorcinols and phytosterols) and low ß-amylase and lipoxygenase activities (which limit antioxidant degradation during food processing) contribute to the excellent nutritional properties of its flour, superior to those of other wheats. Conversely, einkorn has relatively low bound polyphenol content and high polyphenol oxidase activity. In spite of eliciting weaker toxic reactions than other Triticum species, einkorn is not suitable for coeliacs. Current trends towards the consumption of functional foods suggest that this cereal may still play a significant role in human consumption, especially in the development of new or special foods with superior nutritional quality.

Sustainable Recovery of Polyphenols and Carotenoids from Horned Melon Peel via Cloud Point Extraction.

Using natural plant extracts as food additives is a promising approach for improving food products' quality, nutritional value, and safety, offering advantages for both consumers and the environment. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop a sustainable method for extracting polyphenols and carotenoids from horned melon peel using the cloud point extraction (CPE) technique, intending to utilize it as a natural food additive. CPE is novel promising extraction method for separation and pre-concentration of different compounds while being simple, inexpensive, and low-toxic. Three parameters within the CPE approach, i.e., pH, equilibrium temperature, and equilibrium time, were investigated as independent variables through the implementation of Box-Behnken design and statistical analyses. The optimized conditions for the maximum recovery of both polyphenols and carotenoids, reaching 236.14 mg GAE/100 g and 13.80 mg ß carotene/100 g, respectively, were a pH value of 7.32, an equilibrium temperature of 55 °C, and an equilibrium time of 43.03 min. The obtained bioactives' recovery values under the optimized conditions corresponded to the predicted ones, indicating the suitability of the employed RSM model. These results highlight the effectiveness of CPE in extracting bioactive compounds with varying polarities from agricultural by-products, underscoring its potential for enhancing the value of food waste and advancing sustainable practices in food processing. According to microbiological food safety parameters, the optimal CPE extract is suitable for food applications, while its storage under refrigerated and dark conditions is particularly beneficial. The CPE extract's enhanced stability under these conditions makes it a more viable option for long-term storage, preserving both safety and quality.

Breadmaking Performance of Elite Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. subsp. monococcum) Lines: Evaluation of Flour, Dough and Bread Characteristics.

Einkorn flour, rich in proteins, carotenoids, and other antioxidants, generally has poor breadmaking value. In this research, the composition and technological characteristics of the flours and breads of two elite einkorns (Monlis and ID331) and a bread wheat (Blasco), cropped in four different environments, were evaluated. The einkorns confirmed better flour composition than bread wheat for proteins (on average, 16.5 vs. 10.5 g/100 g), soluble pentosans (1.03 vs. 0.85 g/100 g), and yellow pigment (10.0 vs. 1.0 mg/kg). Technologically, they had better SDS sedimentation values (89 vs. 66 mL), lower farinographic water absorption (52.6 vs. 58.8%), and a similar development time, stability, and degree of softening. Viscoelasticity tests showed lower storage and loss moduli and more prevalent elastic behaviour for Blasco, while rheofermentographic tests showed an anticipated development time (120.8 vs. 175.0 min), higher maximum height (73.0 vs. 63.0 mm), and superior retention coefficient (99.1 vs. 88.7%), but a lower CO2 total (1152 vs. 1713 mL) for einkorn doughs. Einkorn breads were bigger than the control (736 vs. 671 cm3); crumb pores percentage was similar, but medium-size pores were scarcer. Finally, a 52-h shelf-life trial demonstrated that einkorn bread had a softer texture, maintained for a longer time, and a slower retrogradation than the control. Therefore, choice of appropriate varieties and process optimisation allows the production of excellent einkorn breads with a superior nutritional value and longer shelf life.

Wheat germ: not only a by-product.

The wheat germ (embryonic axis and scutellum) represents about 2.5-3.8% of total seed weight and is an important by-product of the flour milling industry. The germ contains about 10-15% lipids, 26-35% proteins, 17% sugars, 1.5-4.5% fibre and 4% minerals, as well as significant quantities of bioactive compounds such as tocopherols [300-740 mg/kg dry matter (DM)], phytosterols (24-50 mg/kg), policosanols (10 mg/kg), carotenoids (4-38 mg/kg), thiamin (15-23 mg/kg) and riboflavin (6-10 mg/kg). Oil recovery is achieved by mechanical pressing or solvent extraction, which retrieve about 50% or 90% lipids, respectively; innovative approaches, such as supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, are also proposed. The oil is rich in triglycerides (57% of total lipids), mainly linoleic (18:2), palmitic (16:0) and oleic (18:1) acids, but relevant amounts of sterols, mono- and diglycerides, phospho- and glycolipids are present. The lypophilic antioxidants tocopherols and carotenoids are also abundant. The main by-product of oil extraction is defatted germ meal, which has high protein content (30-32%), is rich in albumin (34.5% of total protein) and globulin (15.6%), and thus presents a well-balanced amino acid profile. Its principal mineral constituents are potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc and manganese, in decreasing order. Total flavonoid content is about 0.35 g rutin equivalent/100 g DM. The wheat germ is therefore a unique source of concentrated nutrients, highly valued as food supplement. While the oil is widely appreciated for its pharmaceutical and nutritional value, the defatted germ meal is a promising source of high-quality vegetable proteins. Better nutrient separation from the kernel and improved fractioning techniques could also provide high-purity molecules with positive health benefits.

Effect of Debittering with Different Solvents and Ultrasound on Carotenoids, Tocopherols, and Phenolics of Lupinus albus Seeds.

Lupin seeds represent a rich nutritional source of bioactive compounds, including antioxidant molecules such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and phenolics. However, before consumption, the lupin seeds must be debittered in order to remove their bitter and toxic alkaloids. This study analyzed the impact on the bioactive compounds of Lupinus albus seeds of a recent time- and water-saving debittering method, which employs alternative washing solutions (0.5% or 1% of either NaCl or citric acid), with or without the assistance of ultrasound. The results were compared with those of two control methods using water or a NaCl solution. The sonication, when it was significant, led to a large loss of bioactive compounds, which was most likely due to its extraction capability. The seeds that were debittered without ultrasound presented high concentrations of tocopherols (172.8-241.3 mg/kg DM), carotenoids (10.9-25.1 mg/kg DM), and soluble-free (106.9-361.1 mg/kg DM), soluble-conjugated (93.9-118.9 mg/kg DM), and insoluble-bound (59.2-156.7 mg/kg DM) phenolics. The soluble-free fraction showed the greatest loss after a prolonged treatment. Overall, debittering with citric acid or NaCl preserved the highest concentration of antioxidant compounds by shortening the treatment time, thus preventing extensive leaching.

Impact of low-frequency ultrasound technology on physical, chemical and technological properties of cereals and pseudocereals.

Cereals (CE) and pseudocereals (PSCE) play a pivotal role in nourishing the human population. Low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) modifies the structure of CE and PSCE macromolecules such as starch and proteins, often improving their technological, functional and bioactive properties. Hence, it is employed for enhancing the traditional processes utilized for the preparation of CE- and PSCE-based foods as well as for the upcycling of their by-products. We report recent advances in LFUS treatments for hydration, germination, extraction of bioactive compounds from by-products, and fortification of CEs and PSCE, including kinetic modelling and underlying action mechanisms. Meta-analyses of LFUS influence on compounds extraction and starch gelatinization are also presented. LFUS enhances hydration rate and time lag phase of CE and PSCE, essential for germination, extraction, fermentation and cooking. The germination is improved by increasing hydration, releasing promoters and eliminating inhibitors. Furthermore, LFUS boosts the extraction of phenolic compounds, polysaccharides and other food components; modifies starch structure, affecting pasting properties; causes partial denaturation of proteins, improving their interfacial properties and their peptides availability. Overall, LFUS has an outstanding potential to improve transformation processes and functionalities of CE and PSCE.

Effect of Tomato Pomace Addition on Chemical, Technological, Nutritional, and Sensorial Properties of Cream Crackers.

The aim of this research was to determine the influence of tomato pomace (TP) addition on the chemical, nutritional, and technological characteristics of cream crackers made from wheat flour and 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% TP. The TP-enriched cream crackers showed progressively increasing ash (from 0.69 of the control to 1.22 g/100 g dry matter of the 10% TP sample), fat (from 11.39 to 13.04 g/100 g), protein (from 13.53 to 15.60 g/100 g), total dietary fibre (from 4.08 to 7.80), carotenoids (from 0.55 to 8.56 mg/kg), tocols (from 57.59 to 71.63 mg/kg), free phenolic acids (from 100.08 to 277.37 mg/kg), free flavonoids (from 0.0 to 45.28 mg/kg), bound flavonoids (from 0.0 to 27.71 mg/kg), and fatty acids contents, antioxidant activity and dough viscosity. The colour coordinates increased via augmenting the amounts of TP. Thickness, volume, and specific volume decreased gradually with increasing TP; the enrichment reduced cracker hardness from 65.42 N (control) to 26.28 N (crackers with 10% TP), while the snapping force rose. Cream crackers with 8% TP showed the best sensory quality. Tomato pomace addition improves the nutritional quality of foods; furthermore, its recycling will help to solve the problems linked to the disposal of this industry waste.

Quality and Sensory Profile of Durum Wheat Pasta Enriched with Carrot Waste Encapsulates.

Consumer knowledge about pasta quality differs around the world. Modern consumers are more sophisticated compared to past times, due to the availability of information on pasta types and quality. Therefore, this study investigated the nutritional, physical, textural, and morphological quality of durum wheat pasta enriched with carrot waste encapsulates (10 and 20% freeze-dried encapsulate (FDE) and 10 and 20% spray-dried encapsulate (SDE)), as well as determining consumer preferences for this type of product. Replacement of semolina with FDE and SDE contributed to changes in the pasta nutritional quality, which was reflected in the increased protein, fat, and ash content. Additionally, changes in cooking quality, color, and texture were within satisfactory limits. The uncooked pasta enriched with 10 and 20% SDE was characterized by a lighter yellow intensity with color saturation, as well as an imperceptible waxy appearance compared to the control and enriched pasta with 10 and 20% FDE. After cooking, the yellow color was more intense in all the enriched pasta samples which can be linked to the raw cereal which was significantly greater in the control in comparison to the FDE and SDE containing samples. Overall, carrot waste can be a promising material for the food industry to produce high-quality pasta.

Heat damage of water biscuits from einkorn, durum and bread wheat flours.

To limit heat damage and improve the nutritional properties of bakery products, furosine, glucosylisomaltol, hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, sugars, α-amylase, ß-amylase and colour were assessed during the production of water biscuits from three einkorn, three bread and one durum wheat flours. Heat damage indices, colour and aw development during baking (from 25 to 75min duration) of water biscuits from one bread wheat were also studied. Furosine was more abundant in durum (86.0±6.29mg/100g protein) and bread wheat (42.5±6.93) than in einkorn (15.7±3.92) water biscuits, while GLI was detected only in durum (10.0±2.02mg/kgDM) and bread wheat (5.2±1.52) products; hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural were always absent. The limited heat damage of Triticum monococcum products was probably due to the moderate ß-amylase activity of einkorn, and hence to the low maltose content of its mixes. The colour was correlated to heat damage, as einkorn water biscuits were lighter than those from other wheats.

Characterization and antimicrobial activity of microencapsulated citral with dextrin by spray drying.

Aim of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and physical characteristics of citral microencapsulated with dextrin (Dx) by spray drying. The encapsulation was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM), maximizing yield and efficiency, considering as independent variables the citral:Dx ratio (1:5 and 1:20) and the inlet air temperature (120 and 200 °C). Yield and efficiency under optimal conditions were 71.9% and 99.9%, respectively. Antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus of the citral microparticles obtained under optimal conditions and of free citral was evaluated using the disk diffusion methodology. Both compounds showed a broad spectrum inhibitory effect, being Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus the most sensitive microorganisms. The inhibition ratio varied between 55 and 75%, and the antibacterial activity was maintained after microencapsulation. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of free citral were above 0.8 mg/mL. The optimal citral microparticles showed acceptable physicochemical characteristics and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Polymer and emulsifier used in microencapsulation protected the functional activity of citral, thus suggesting that these microparticles could be used in the design of antimicrobial food systems to extend the shelf life of perishable foods.

Sterilization of food packaging by UV-C irradiation: Is Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404 the best target microorganism for industrial bio-validations?

In food industries UV-C irradiation is used to achieve decontamination of some packaging devices, such as plastic caps or laminated foils, and of those smooth surfaces that can be directly irradiated. Since its effectiveness can be checked by microbial validation tests, some ascospore-forming molds (Aspergillus hiratsukae, Talaromyces bacillisporus, Aspergillus montevidensis, and Chaetomium globosum) were compared with one of the target microorganisms actually used in industrial bio-validations (Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404) to find the species most resistant to UV-C. Tests were carried out with an UV-C lamp (irradiance = 127 µW/cm2; emission peak = 253.7 nm) by inoculating HDPE caps with one or more layers of spores. Inactivation kinetics of each strain were studied and both the corresponding 1D-values and the number of Logarithmic Count Reductions (LCR) achieved were calculated. Our results showed the important role played by the type of inoculum (one or more layers) and by the differences in cell structure (thickness, presence of protective solutes, pigmentation, etc.) of the strains tested. With a single-layer inoculum, Chaetomium globosum showed the highest resistance to UV-C irradiation (1D-value = 100 s). With a multi-layer inoculum, Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404 was the most resistant fungus (1D-value = 188 s), even if it reached a number of logarithmic reductions that was higher than those of some ascospore-forming mycetes (Aspergillus montevidensis, Talaromyces bacillisporus) tested.