96 research outputs found
Impact of Thermal, High-Pressure, and Pulsed Electric Field Treatments on the Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic-Rich Apple Pomace Extracts
Apple pomace, a by-product of apple juice production, is typically discarded as waste. Recent approaches have focused on utilizing apple pomace by extracting beneficial bioactive compounds, such as antioxidant phenolic compounds (PCs). Before these PC-rich extracts can be used in food products, they must undergo food preservation and processing methods. However, the effects of these processes on the composition, stability, and properties of the PC remain insufficiently understood. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of a thermal treatment (TT), a high-pressure thermal treatment (HPTT), and a pulsed electric field treatment (PEF) on the composition and antioxidant activity of PC-rich apple pomace extracts (APEs). Major PCs, including phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin, as well as minor compounds, were identified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). As a stability indicative property, the antioxidant activity was analyzed by a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay (TEAC), electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent assay. The results showed that TT at 80 °C increased phloridzin content, likely due to the hydrolysis of bound forms, while higher temperatures and HPTT resulted in a substantial PC conversion. The PEF treatment also caused notable PC conversion, but generally, it had a milder effect compared to TT and HPTT. Hence, low temperatures with and without high pressure and PEF seem to be the most promising treatments for preserving the highest content of major PC in APE. Antioxidant activity varied among the analytical methods, with HPTT showing minor changes despite PC loss compared to the untreated APE. This suggests that other antioxidant compounds in the extracts may contribute to the overall antioxidant activity. This study demonstrates that apple pomace contains valuable PC, highlighting its potential as a health-promoting food additive and the impact of conventional preservation and processing methods on PC stability
Polyphenols from Lycium barbarum (Goji) Fruit European Cultivars at Different Maturation Steps: Extraction, HPLC-DAD Analyses, and Biological Evaluation
Goji berries are undoubtedly a source of potentially bioactive compounds but their phytochemical profile can vary depending on their geographical origin, cultivar, and/or industrial processing. A rapid and cheap extraction of the polyphenolic fraction from Lycium barbarum cultivars, applied after homogenization treatments, was combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses based on two different methods. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts, containing interesting secondary metabolites (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, sinapinic acid, rutin, and carvacrol), were also submitted to a wide biological screening. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents, the antioxidant capacity using three antioxidant assays, tyrosinase inhibition, and anti-Candida activity were evaluated in order to correlate the impact of the homogenization treatment, geographical origin, and cultivar type on the polyphenolic and flavonoid amount, and consequently the bioactivity. The rutin amount, considered as a quality marker for goji berries according to European Pharmacopeia, varied from ≈200 to ≈400 µg/g among the tested samples, showing important differences observed in relation to the influence of the evaluated parameters
Inhibition of <it>Listeria monocytogenes</it> ATCC 19115 on ham steak by tea bioactive compounds incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic films
Abstract Background The consumer demands for better quality and safety of food products have given rise to the development and implementation of edible films. The use of antimicrobial films can be a promising tool for controlling L. monocytogenes on ready to eat products. The aim of this study was to develop effective antimicrobial films incorporating bioactive compounds from green and black teas into chitosan, for controlling L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 on vacuum-packaged ham steak. The effectiveness of these antimicrobial films was evaluated at room temperature (20°C) for 10 days and at refrigerated temperature (4°C) for 8 weeks. Results The HPLC results clearly show that relative concentrations of catechins and caffeine in green tea ranked EGCG>EGC>CAF>ECG>EC>C while in black tea extracts ranked CAF>EGCG>ECG>EGC>EC>C. The chitosan-coated plastic films incorporating green tea and black tea extracts shows specific markers identified by FTIR. Incorporating natural extracts into chitosan showed that the growth of L monocytogenes ATCC 19115 was inhibited. The efficacy of antimicrobial effect of tea extracts incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic film was dose dependent. However, chitosan-coated films without addition of tea extracts did not inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. Chitosan-coated plastic films incorporating 4% Green tea extract was the most effective antimicrobial, reducing the initial counts from 3.2 to 2.65 log CFU/cm2 during room temperature storage and from 3.2 to 1–1.5 log CFU/cm2 during refrigerated storage. Conclusions Incorporation of tea extracts into the chitosan-coated films considerably enhanced their effectiveness against L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. 4% Green tea incorporated into chitosan-coated plastic film had a better antilisterial effect than 2% green tea or 2% and 4% black tea. Data from this study would provide new formulation options for developing antimicrobial packaging films using tea extracts to improve the microbiological safety and quality of ham steak during room and refrigerated storage.</p
Optimization of the drying process of autumn fruits rich in antioxidants: A study focusing on rosehip (: Rosa canina L.) and sea buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson) and their bioactive properties
Nowadays, it is very important to identify the traditional uses of different plants and to create the context in which new cultural or economic value is given to local resources. In this study, two wild fruits traditionally harvested in autumn in Romania were selected to investigate the effects of drying conditions on the chemical compositions and bioactivities exerted by the extracts and to select the best conditions in terms of air temperature and time of drying. The extracts obtained were assessed in terms of antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory activity, and their main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified. The data presented in this article represent a step forward in applying this process on an industrial-scale. This journal isThis work was supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministry
of Education and Research, CNCS – UEFISCDI, project number
PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2019-1245, within PNCDI III”. The authors are
grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT,
Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/
MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); the national funding by
FCT, P. I., through the institutional scientific employment
program-contract for L. Barros, Maria Inês Dias and C. Pereira’s
contracts; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme
through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P;
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the
Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of
Project Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Green tea increases the survival yield of Bifidobacteria in simulated gastrointestinal environment and during refrigerated conditions
Abstract Background The well–known prebiotics are carbohydrates but their effects may not always be beneficial, as they can also encourage the growth of non-probiotic bacteria such as Eubacterium biforme and Clostridium perfringens. Therefore, new alternatives such as non-carbohydrate sources to stimulate the growth of probiotics are needed. The aim of this work was to evaluate (I) the green tea polyphenols by HPLC-LC/MS and (II) the protective effect of green tea extract on viability and stability of B. infantis ATCC 15697 and B. breve ATCC 15700 microencapsulated in chitosan coated alginate microcapsules during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions and refrigerated storage. Results The major compound identified by HPLC-LC/MS in green tea was epigallocatechin gallate followed by caffeine and epigallocatechin. The survival yield of probiotic bacteria in microcapsules with 10% GT during storage at 4°C, demonstrated significantly (P B.infantis and B. breve with 5% and 10% GT showed a significantly (P Conclusions The results of this study suggest that green tea coencapsulated with B. infantis or B. breve exert a protective effect of bacteria during exposure to gastrointestinal conditions and refrigerated storage. For a health perspective, the results confirm the growing interest probiotic bacteria and the perceived benefit of increasing their numbers in the gastrointestinal tract by microencapsulation.</p
Bee Collected Pollen and Bee Bread: Bioactive Constituents and Health Benefits
Cornea-Cipcigan, Mihaiela/0000-0003-3313-2416; da Graca Ribeiro Campos, Maria/0000-0003-1012-6240; Topal, Erkan/0000-0002-1398-4390; Vodnar, Dan C./0000-0001-5407-8071Bee products were historically used as a therapheutic approach and in food consumption, while more recent data include important details that could validate them as food supplements due to their bioproperties, which support their future use as medicines. in this review data, data collected from bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) essays will be discussed and detailed for their nutritional and health protective properties as functional foods. Dietary antioxidants intake derived from BP and BB have been associated with the prevention and clinical treatment of multiple diseases. the beneficial effects of BP and BB on health result from the presence of multiple polyphenols which possess anti-inflammatory properties, phytosterols and fatty acids, which play anticancerogenic roles, as well as polysaccharides, which stimulate immunological activity. From the main bioactivity studies with BP and BB, in vitro studies and animal experiments, the stimulation of apoptosis and the inhibition of cell proliferation in multiple cell lines could be one of the major therapeutic adjuvant effects to be explored in reducing tumor growth. Tables summarizing the main data available in this field and information about other bio-effects of BP and BB, which support the conclusions, are provided. Additionally, a discussion about the research gaps will be presented to help further experiments that complete the tree main World Health Organization (WHO) Directives of Efficiency, Safety and Quality Control for these products.National Research, Development and Innovations Programme for 2015-2020-PNII; UEFISCDI [PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0473, 8 PCCDI]; National Research Development Projects by the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation [(PFE)-37/2018-2020]This work was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovations Programme for 2015-2020-PNII, developed with the support of UEFISCDI (Project No.PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0473; 8 PCCDI, and the publication was supported by funds from the National Research Development Projects to finance excellence (PFE)-37/2018-2020 granted by the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation
Thermal Processing for the Release of Phenolic Compounds from Wheat and Oat Bran
The aim of the present paper was to identify the major polyphenolic compounds and investigate the antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antimicrobial activities of industrially-derived cereal byproducts—wheat bran (WB) and oat bran (OB)—before (fresh) and after thermal processing (TP) (10 min, 80 °C), coupled with ultrasound-asssited extraction. The results showed that the thermal process improved the total phenolic content of WB by +22.49%, and of OB with +25.84%. After the TP, the phenolic concentration showed a significant relative percentage increase in the case of WB (ferulic acid +39.18%, vanillic acid +95.68%, apigenin–glucoside +71.96%, p-coumaric acid +71.91) and of OB (avenanthramide 2c +52.17%, dihydroxybenzoic acids +38.55%). The best antioxidant capacity was registered by OBTP followed by WBTP. The strongest antimicrobial inhibition was attributed to the WBTP sample. Both thermally processed matrices had strong antimutagenic activity toward S. typhimurium TA100. This thermal processing was tested on bran based on its practical application within the food industry, considering the design of different cereal byproducts derived from functional foods and nutraceuticals
Liquid Phase and Microwave-Assisted Extractions for Multicomponent Phenolic Pattern Determination of Five Romanian <i>Galium</i> Species Coupled with Bioassays
Background: Galium is a plant rich in iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, anthraquinones, and small amounts of essential oils and vitamin C. Recent works showed the antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antioxidant activity of this plant genus. Methods: For the determination of the multicomponent phenolic pattern, liquid phase microextraction procedures were applied, combined with HPLC-PDA instrument configuration in five Galium species aerial parts (G. verum, G. album, G. rivale, G. pseudoaristatum, and G. purpureum). Dispersive Liquid–Liquid MicroExtraction (DLLME) with NaCl and NAtural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) medium and Ultrasound-Assisted (UA)-DLLME with β-cyclodextrin medium were optimized. Results: The optimal DLLME conditions were found to be: 10 mg of the sample, 10% NaCl, 15% NADES or 1% β-cyclodextrin as extraction solvent—400 μL of ethyl acetate as dispersive solvent—300 μL of ethanol, vortex time—30 s, extraction time—1 min, centrifugation at 12000× g for 5 min. Conclusions: These results were compared with microwave-assisted extraction procedures. G. purpureum and G. verum extracts showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content, respectively. The most potent extract in terms of antioxidant capacity was obtained from G. purpureum, whereas the extract obtained from G. album exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect against tyrosinase
Klebsiella pneumoniae—A Useful Pathogenic Strain for Biotechnological Purposes: Diols Biosynthesis under Controlled and Uncontrolled pH Levels
Despite being a well-known human pathogen, Klebsiella pneumoniae plays a significant role in the biotechnology field, being considered as a microbial cell factory in terms of valuable chemical biosynthesis. In this work, Klebsiella pneumoniae DSMZ 2026 was investigated for its potential to biosynthesize 1,3-propanediol (PDO) and 2,3-butanediol (BDO) during batch fermentation under controlled and uncontrolled pH levels. The bacterial strain was cultivated at a bioreactor level, and it was inoculated in 2 L of specific mineral broth containing 50 g/L of glycerol as the main carbon source. The process was conducted under anaerobic conditions at 37 °C and 180 RPM (rotations per minute) for 24 h. The effect of pH oscillation on the biosynthesis of PDO and BDO was investigated. Samples were taken every 3 h and specific tests were performed: pH measurement, main substrate consumption, PDO and BDO production. The cell morphology was analyzed on both solid and liquid media. After 24 h of cultivation, the maximum concentrations of PDO and BDO were 28.63 ± 2.20 g/L and 18.10 ± 1.10 g/L when the pH value was maintained at 7. Decreased concentrations of PDO and BDO were achieved (11.08 ± 0.14 g/L and 7.35 ± 0.00 g/L, respectively) when the pH level was not maintained at constant values. Moreover, it was identified the presence of other metabolites (lactic, citric, and succinic acids) in the cultivation media at the beginning of the process, after 12 h and 24 h of cultivation
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