Fruits, Spices and Honey Phenolic Compounds: A Comprehensive Review on Their Origin, Methods of Extraction and Beneficial Health Properties.

Numerous health benefits have been attributed in the last decades to the regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, along with honey, in a balanced diet. In this context, the aim of the present review was to provide the literature with the most relevant studies focusing on the determination protocols of these polyphenols and other reducing agents in selected fruits (orange, lemon, grapefruit, prunus, apricot, peach, plum, sweet cherry), spices (oregano, cinnamon, clove, saffron, turmeric) and honey of different botanical origin (nectar or honeydew). In addition, the content and the extraction methods of these compounds, along with their metabolic pathway, have been critically evaluated and discussed.

Promotion of lactose isomerization to fructose and lactulose in one batch by immobilized enzymes on bacterial cellulose membranes.

The production of the sugars fructose and lactulose from lactose using the enzymes β-galactosidase and glucose isomerase immobilized on bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes has been investigated. Lactose is hydrolyzed by β-galactosidase at 30 °C to glucose and galactose at a high conversion rate, while at the same temperature, glucose isomerase is not effective in converting the produced glucose to fructose. The rate of the isomerization reaction of glucose to fructose at 70 °C has been studied.

Effect of storage on physicochemical attributes of ice cream enriched with microencapsulated anthocyanins from black carrot.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of storage on quality attributes of microencapsulated black carrot anthocyanins-enriched ice cream. Purposely, black carrot anthocyanins were obtained using ethanolic extraction. Later on, extracts were acidified and microencapsulated with gum arabic and maltodextrin (1:1).

Thymol@activated Carbon Nanohybrid for Low-Density Polyethylene-Based Active Packaging Films for Pork Fillets' Shelf-Life Extension.

Τhe replacement of food packaging additives and preservatives with bio-based antioxidant/antibacterial compounds has been a common practice in recent years following the trend of bioeconomy and nanotechnology. Such bio-additives are often enclosed in nanocarriers for a controlled release process. Following this trend in this work, a thymol (TO)-rich activated carbon (AC) nanohybrid was prepared and characterized physicochemically with various techniques.

Development and Evaluation of a Novel-Thymol@Natural-Zeolite/Low-Density-Polyethylene Active Packaging Film: Applications for Pork Fillets Preservation.

Sustainability, the circular economy, and the "greenhouse" effect have led the food packaging industry to use naturally available bio-compounds. The integration of such compounds in packaging films increases food safety and extends food shelf-life. The development of an active/antioxidant packaging film based on the widely commercially used low-density polyethylene, natural zeolite, and Thymol, a natural extract from thyme oil, is presented in this work.

Machine Learning Algorithms Applied to Semi-Quantitative Data of the Volatilome of Citrus and Other Nectar Honeys with the Use of HS-SPME/GC-MS Analysis, Lead to a New Index of Geographical Origin Authentication.

The scope of the current study was to monitor if semi-quantitative data of volatile compounds (volatilome) of citrus honey (ch) produced in different countries could potentially lead to a new index of citrus honey authentication using specific ratios of the identified volatile compounds in combination with machine learning algorithms. In this context, the semi-quantitative data of the volatilome of 38 citrus honey samples from Egypt, Morocco, Greece, and Spain (determined by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS)) was subjected to supervised and unsupervised chemometrics. Results showed that honey samples could be classified according to the geographical origin based on specific volatile compounds.

Herbicide Use in the Era of Farm to Fork: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Future Implications.

Climate change mitigation is a major concern of the European Union (EU). In 2019, the EU presented the European Green Deal (EGD), a new environmental strategy that aimed to neutralize climate change by 2050. Within its policy areas, the EGD included the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy that aims to reduce pesticide use by 50%, by 2030.

Development, Characterization, and Evaluation as Food Active Packaging of Low-Density-Polyethylene-Based Films Incorporated with Rich in Thymol Halloysite Nanohybrid for Fresh "Scaloppini" Type Pork Meat Fillets Preservation.

A new era is rising in food packaging and preservation, with a consequent focus on transition to "greener" and environmentally friendly techniques. The environmental problems that are emerging nowadays impose use of natural materials for food packaging applications, replacement of chemical preservatives with natural organic extractions, such as essential oils, and targeting of new achievements, such as further extension of food shelf-life. According to this new philosophy, most of the used materials for food packaging should be recyclable, natural or bio-based, and/or edible.

Characterization and Differentiation of Fresh Orange Juice Variety Based on Conventional Physicochemical Parameters, Flavonoids, and Volatile Compounds Using Chemometrics.

The present study focused on the possibility of differentiating fresh-unprocessed orange juice according to botanical origin (variety), based on the use of conventional physico-chemical parameters, flavonoids, and volatile compounds, in combination with chemometrics. For this purpose, oranges from seven different varieties were collected during the harvest years of 2013−2014 and 2014−2015 from central and southern Greece. The physico-chemical parameters that were determined included: electrical conductivity, acidity, pH, and total soluble solids.

Effect of Cellulose-Chitosan Hybrid-Based Encapsulation on the Viability and Stability of Probiotics under Simulated Gastric Transit and in Kefir.

Encapsulation comprises a promising potential for the targeted delivery of entrapped sensitive agents into the food system. A unique combination of cellulose/chitosan (Cl-Ch)-based hybrid wall material was employed to encapsulate by emulsion technique. The developed beads were further subjected to morphological and in vitro studies.

Effect of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Rich Pomegranate Peel Based Edible Coatings on Quality and Functional Properties of Chicken Nuggets.

The current study evaluated the effect of pomegranate peel-based edible coating on chicken nuggets in order to develop a functional and safe product, high in nutritional value. For this purpose, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and total phenolic content (TPC) assays were performed to check the potential antioxidant activity of chicken nuggets; microbial control, including total aerobic count and coliforms population, was performed for quality and safety purposes; and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and peroxide value (POV) were performed to determine the oxidative stability of chicken nuggets. Different treatments were applied at different storage periods (0th, 7th, 14th and 21st day).

The Honey Bee : An Insect at the Interface between Human and Ecosystem Health.

The concept of ecosystem services is widely understood as the services and benefits thatecosystems provide to humans, and they have been categorised into provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services. This article aims to provide an updated overview of the benefits that the honey bee provides to humans as well as ecosystems. We revised the role of honey bees as pollinators in natural ecosystems to preserve and restore the local biodiversity of wild plants; in agro-ecosystems, this species is widely used to enhance crop yield and quality, meeting the increasing food demand.

Consolidated bioprocessing of lactose into lactic acid and ethanol using non-engineered cell factories.

The aim of this study is the consolidated bioprocessing of lactose into lactic acid and ethanol using non-engineered Cell Factories (CFs). Therefore, two different types of composite biocatalysts (CF1-CF2) based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae with immobilized microorganism or enzyme on starch gel (SG) were prepared for 5% w/v lactose fermentation. In CF1, S.

Development of Antibacterial Biocomposites Based on Poly(lactic acid) with Spice Essential Oil () for Food Applications.

Among the main biodegradable food packaging materials, poly-lactic acid (PLA) is a commercially successful polymer used notably in the food packaging industry. In this study, active PLA films containing different percentage of anise essential oil (AE) (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.

Geographical origin discrimination of "Ntopia" olive oil cultivar from Ionian islands using volatile compounds analysis and computational statistics.

Unlabelled: The aim of the present study was to characterize the aroma profile of olive oil of the "Ntopia" (local) cultivar from the Ionian islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Leukada, and Kerkyra) (Greece), and investigate whether specific volatile compounds could be considered as indicators of olive oil geographical origin, using computational statistics. In this context, 137 olive oil samples were subjected to headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using the internal standard method. Computational statistics on the semi-quantitative data of olive oil samples, as rapid machine learning algorithms, showed that specific volatile compounds could be used as indicators of geographical origin of olive oil of the "Ntopia" cultivar, among the four main Ionian islands.

Optimization and Development of Ready to Eat Chocolate Coated Roasted Flaked Rice as Instant Breakfast Food.

The present study aimed to optimize and develop ready-to-eat rice-based functional breakfast food using response surface methodology. The levels of ingredients viz. skim milk powder, guar gum, and ferrous sulfate were pre-optimized and remained constant, whereas jaggery and dark chocolate were taken as independent variables.

Effect of Frying and Roasting Processes on the Oxidative Stability of Sunflower Seeds () under Normal and Accelerated Storage Conditions.

The effect of different cooking processes such as frying and roasting on the oxidative stability of sunflower seeds was evaluated under accelerated oxidation and normal storage conditions. The fatty acid composition by GC-MS showed a higher amount of linoleic acid in fried samples due to the replacement of the seed moisture by the frying oil. On the other hand, roasted samples presented a higher oleic acid content.

Shelf life evaluation of fresh chicken burgers based on the combination of chitosan dip and vacuum packaging under refrigerated storage.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined effect of chitosan dip (1% w/v) and vacuum packaging on the shelf life of fresh chicken burgers packaged in LDPE/PA/LDPE bags and stored at 4 ± 1 C for up to 12 days. Furthermore, the possible correlation among microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory indices was investigated. Burger treatments included: aerobic packaging (AP, control), vacuum packaging (VP), chitosan dipping (CHI), and vacuum packaging plus chitosan dipping (VP + CHI).

Development and Characterization of a Nutritionally Rich Spray-Dried Honey Powder.

In the present study, the spray-dried honey powder enriched with aonla ( Gaertn) and basil () extract was developed using drying aids-gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), and whey protein concentrate (WPC), and then characterized based on particle size distribution, colour, glass transition temperature (Tg), X-ray diffraction, and antioxidant and rheological properties. Results showed the highest Tg (86.13 °C) for WPC based honey powder, which, in turn, resulted in least stickiness as compared to GA and MD based honey powders with Tg 74.

Advances of Spectrometric Techniques in Food Analysis and Food Authentication Implemented with Chemometrics.

Given the continuous consumer demand for products of high quality and specific origin, there is a great tendency for the application of multiple instrumental techniques for the complete characterization of foodstuffs or related natural products. Spectrometric techniques usually offer a full and rapid screenshot of products' composition and properties by the determination of specific bio-molecules such as sugars, minerals, polyphenols, volatile compounds, amino acids, organic acids, etc. The present special issue aimed firstly to enhance the advances of the application of spectrometric techniques such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Raman spectroscopy, or any other spectrometric technique, in the analysis of foodstuffs such as meat, milk, cheese, potatoes, vegetables, fruits/fruit juices, honey, olive oil, chocolate, and other natural products.

The Honey Volatile Code: A Collective Study and Extended Version.

Background: The present study comprises the second part of a new theory related to honey authentication based on the implementation of the honey code and the use of chemometrics.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-one honey samples of seven different botanical origins (chestnut, citrus, clover, eucalyptus, fir, pine, and thyme) and from five different countries (Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain) were subjected to analysis of mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in combination with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME).

Results: Results showed that 94 volatile compounds were identified and then semi-quantified.

Characterization of prickly pear juice by means of shelf life, sensory notes, physicochemical parameters and bio-functional properties.

Abstract: The objective of the present work was to characterize prickly pear juice prepared from prickly pear fruits of the wild cultivar in terms of shelf life (air and vacuum packaging), sensory stability (odour, taste, and appearance) physicochemical parameters (acidity, vitamin C, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, specific weight, total sugar content, and colour coordinates , *, ) and bio-functional properties [in vitro antioxidant activity (AA%) and total phenolic content (TPC)]. For this purpose fruits were collected during August 2017 from 3 different geographical zones in Peloponnese. The shelf life of prickly juice was extended by 5 days in vacuum compared to air packaging, whereas it was found to be a rich source of phytochemicals and a natural antioxidant agent (AA of 67.

Two-Way Characterization of Beekeepers' Honey According to Botanical Origin on the Basis of Mineral Content Analysis Using ICP-OES Implemented with Multiple Chemometric Tools.

Asfaka, fir, flower, forest flowers and orange blossom honeys harvested in the wider area of Hellas by professional beekeepers, were subjected to mineral content analysis using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The main purpose of this study was to characterize the mineral profile and content of toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium, and investigate whether specific minerals could assist accurately in the botanical origin discrimination with implementation of chemometrics. Twenty-five minerals were identified (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) and quantified.

Valorization of Prickly Pear Juice Geographical Origin Based on Mineral and Volatile Compound Contents Using LDA.

In the present work the mineral content and volatile profile of prickly pear juice prepared from wild cultivars was investigated. Fruits used in the study originated from three areas of the Peloponnese Peninsula. Twenty-five macro- and micro-minerals (K, Na, P, Ca, Mg, Al, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).