The Lamiaceae family, which includes several well-known aromatic plants, is scientifically relevant due to its essential oils (EOs). In this work, four EOs from Mediterranean species, namely L., L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study assessed the chemical profiles and bioactivities of the infusions, decoctions and hydroethanolic extracts of tarragon, basil and French lavender. The extracts were chemically characterised (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) and their bioactivities were evaluated in vitro. All extracts revealed antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study evaluated the nutritional profile and fiber content of innovative formulations of wheat-based biscuits enriched with chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar. The antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were also investigated to understand the potential health advantages of the incorporation of these new ingredients. The novel biscuits demonstrated significant improvements in protein and mineral content, with increases of 50% and 100% in chia biscuits, and up to 20% and 40% in carob biscuits, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this work, a comparison between the extracts of dehydrated yerba mate () and bio-waste of yerba mate leaves from the Brazilian industry was made. The incorporation of the functional extract as a preservative/functional ingredient in a pastry product (pancakes) was tested. The individual profile of phenolic compounds was determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, and the bioactive potential was assessed using in vitro assays for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlants are rich in bioactive phytochemicals that often display medicinal properties. These can play an important role in the production of health-promoting food additives and the replacement of artificial ones. In this sense, this study aimed to characterise the polyphenolic profile and bioactive properties of the decoctions, infusions and hydroethanolic extracts of three plants: lemon balm ( L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe seafood industry is often left out of the food waste discussion, but this sector is no exception, as it generates large amounts of various by-products. This study aimed to explore the potential of the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique to obtain high-quality oil from fish by-products. The independent variables, which were time (1-30 min), microwave power (50-1000 W), and solid/liquid ratio (70-120 g/L) were combined in a 20-run experimental design coupled with the response surface methodology (RSM) for process optimization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFforests of the Andean Patagonian region are home to numerous wild edible mushroom (WEM) species with interesting organoleptic characteristics, although many of them have unknown nutritional and nutraceutical profiles. The proximal composition, fatty and organic acids, soluble sugars, phenolic compounds, ergosterol, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of 17 WEMs were analyzed. Carbohydrates, the most abundant macronutrients, varied between 49.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral scientific studies have been proving the bioactive effects of many aromatic and medicinal plants associated with the presence of a high number of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic compounds. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial capacities of these molecules have aroused high interest in some industrial sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. This work aimed to determine the phenolic profiles of the infusions and hydroethanolic extracts of five plants (, , , , and ) that have been employed in many traditional preparations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMedicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) have been described as a source of phenolic compounds with potential as antioxidant, antiproliferative and antimicrobial agents. MAP from the Lamiaceae family (Origanum vulgare L., Thymus vulgaris L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPineapple is a tropical fruit consumed fresh or processed into various food products. However, the peel and crown of this fruit are not industrially exploited, thus generating tons of by-products that represent an economic and environmental concern. In order to promote the upcycling of these by-products, this work aimed to characterize the phenolic profile of its hydroethanolic extracts obtained from pineapple peel and crown leaves and to evaluate their bioactivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe efficiency of the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique on recovering nutritional and bioactive oils from salmon (Salmo salar) side streams was evaluated and compared to Soxhlet extraction. The response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with a central composite rotatable design was used to optimize time, microwave power, and solid/liquid ratio of the MAE process in terms of oil yield. The optimal MAE conditions were 14.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDehydration of the edible seaweed Chondrus crispus was performed by freeze-drying, conventional oven-drying and emerging microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG). In this work, the drying kinetics and modelling, estimating specific energy consumption and environmental impact of distinct processes were tested. Color and microstructural features of the dried macroalgae were also evaluated, as well as their nutritive characterization, chemical profile and bioactive potential (antioxidant and antimicrobial activities).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEdible flowers are becoming very popular, as consumers are seeking healthier and more attractive food products that can improve their diet aesthetics and diversify their dietary sources of micronutrients. The great variety of flowers that can be eaten is also associated with high variability in chemical composition, especially in bioactive compounds content that may significantly contribute to human health. The advanced analytical techniques allowed us to reveal the chemical composition of edible flowers and identify new compounds and effects that were not known until recently.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
August 2021
Flowers of the genus are classified as edible; however, their inclusion in the human diet is not yet a common practice. Its attractive colours have stirred great interest by the food industry. In this sense, rose (BP) and orange (BO) flowers were nutritionally studied, followed by an in-depth chemical study profile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKefir, a traditional fermented food, has numerous health benefits due to its unique chemical composition, which is reflected in its excellent nutritional value. Physicochemical and microbial composition of kefir obtained from fermented milk are influenced by the type of the milk, grain to milk ratio, time and temperature of fermentation, and storage conditions. It is crucial that kefir characteristics are maintained during storage since continuous metabolic activities of residual kefir microbiota may occur.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe attractive colour characteristics of the flowers of the species have been arousing great interest in the food industry, which is looking for potential natural sources of colouring ingredients. In this sense, the present work focused on the chemical and bioactive characterization of pink and orange flowers of . The phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS; in addition, different bioactivities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity) were also analysed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral plants have been used for medicinal applications and have been traditionally consumed as decoctions and infusions. Although some herbs are used alone as a beverage, they are often blended in mixtures to maximize their effects. Herein, the nutritional characterization of six infusions from herbal blends was evaluated using the official methods of analysis (AOAC international).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrently, there is a clear tendency to incorporate natural ingredients into food and pharmaceutical formulations. Besides being well-accepted by consumers, these ingredients have less adverse side effects than their artificial counterparts. The pomegranate processing industry produces large quantities of by-products that are discarded as bio-residues, despite containing bioactive compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConsumers' demand for healthier foods with functional properties has had a clear influence on the food industry and in this sense, they have been attaching natural sources of bioactive ingredients into food products. Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry) is known to be a functional food, presenting its fruits in the form of a small dark blueberry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReplacing artificial additives by natural compounds is a current trend in the food industry. In addition to their preserving effect, naturally obtained ingredients often exhibit important levels of bioactivities. Generally, plant species represent better sources of natural ingredients, since their compounds are less prone to causing unpleasant taste or odour.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKiwis are an example of fruits with excellent bioactive properties worldwide appreciated and consumed generating tons of waste. Thus, the objective of this work was to compare two varieties of kiwi: Actinidia deliciosa cv. "Hayward" (green) and Actinidia spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn order to characterize and study the bioactivities of individual plant species and to determine how these characteristics are modified when preparing blends, five different plant species were selected: Erica australis L., Genista tridentata L., Melissa officinalis L.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferent external factors influence the chemical characteristics of natural products, varying according to the geographic origin. The present study determined the nutritional and chemical composition of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. dried calyces (Guinea-Bissauan origin), as well as the phenolic composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity of its infusion and hydroethanolic extracts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this work was to optimize the conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds (PC) from male chestnut flowers using heat-assisted extraction in developing extracts rich in PC for potential industrial application as a natural ingredient. The study conditions of time (t), temperature (T), solvent (S, water-ethanol mixtures) and solid-to-liquid ratio (S/L) were optimized. The responses used were obtained from the quantification of the fourteen major individual PC identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS (seven hydrolysable tannins and seven flavonoids).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn extract from Arbutus unedo fruits, rich in anthocyanins, was studied as a natural colorant with bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic). The aqueous stability of the extract was monitored using the anthocyanins' content as response (determined by HPLC-DAD) in function of time, temperature and pH. Aided by mechanistic/phenomenological models, the conditions that favours the stabilization of the extract were provided, highlighting the suitability of the colorant for pastry/bakery products.
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