Utilization of the pectin and pulp of the passion fruit from Caatinga as probiotic food carriers

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) by-products as a source of bioactive compounds for non-communicable disease prevention: extraction methods and mechanisms of action: a systematic review

Introduction

The review titled Passion fruit by-products as a source of bioactive compounds for non-communicable disease prevention: extraction methods and mechanisms provide valuable insights into the health benefits and industrial applications of passion fruit waste. Passion fruits are a tropical and subtropical vine species, which produces edible fruits. Many food product types can be made from passion fruits. However, during passion fruit processing, large amounts of waste are released in to the environment. This review focuses on extraction methods of bioactive compounds from passion fruit by-products such as leaves, peels, seeds, and bagasse.

Methods

This comprehensive review focuses on the bioactive compounds present in passion fruit by-products, emphasis on their mechanisms of action on non-communicable diseases. It also provides a detailed analysis of the extraction methods used to obtain these bioactive compounds, their potential industrial applications, and the factors that affect extraction efficiency.

Results

This review encourages further research and innovation in utilization of passion fruit waste as a source of bioactive compounds for non- communicable disease prevention and their mechanisms of action. This can advance the circular economy. It also highlights the importance of sustainable and green extraction methods, which have gained attention due to environmental concerns.

Discussion

Unlike previous reviews, this comprehensive article explores the potential health benefits of multiple passion fruit waste products. It also examines the possible applications of these extracts for industrial goods such as food additives, colorants, nutraceuticals, natural antioxidants, and antimicrobial agents. Overall, it contributes new information emphasizing the potential of passion fruit by-products as a source of bioactive, and the findings have implications for the scientific community and industry, promoting a deeper understanding of the health benefits and sustainable practices associated with passion fruit waste utilization.

Insights into the impact of modification methods on the structural characteristics and health functions of pectin: A comprehensive review

Pectin is a complex polysaccharide that is widely present in plant cells and has multiple physiological functions. However, most pectin exists in the form of protopectin, which has a large molecular weight and cannot be fully absorbed and utilized in the human gut to exert its effects. The significant differences in the structure of different sources of pectin also limited their application in the food and medical fields. In order to achieve greater development and utilization of pectin functions, this paper reviewed several commonly used methods for pectin modification from physical, chemical, and biological perspectives, and elaborated on the relationship between these modification methods and the structure and functional properties of pectin. At the same time, the functional characteristics of modified pectin and its application in medical health, such as regulating intestinal health, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and drug transport, were reviewed, so as to provide a theoretical basis for targeted modification of pectin and the development of new modified pectin products.

Overview of Dairy-based Products with Probiotics: Fermented or Non-fermented Milk Drink

Probiotic products have long been recognized for their health benefits. Additionally, milk has held a longstanding reputation as a dairy product that offers high-quality proteins and essential micronutrients. As awareness of the impact of food on health grows, interest in functional products such as probiotic dairy products is on the rise. Fermentation, a time-honored technique used to enhance nutritional value and food preservation, has been used for centuries to increase nutritional value and is one of the oldest food processing methods. Historically, fermented dairy products have been used as convenient vehicle for the consumption of probiotics. However, addressing the potential drawbacks of fermentation has recently led to increase in research on probiotic dairy drinks prepared without fermentation. These non-fermented dairy drinks have the advantage of maintaining the original flavors of milk drinks, containing potential health functional probiotics, and being an alternative dairy product that is helpful for probiotics intake. Currently, research on plant-based dairy products is rapidly increasing in the market. These developments might suggest the potential for novel forms of non-fermented dairy beverages with substantial prospects in the food market. This review aims to provide an overview of milk-based dairy beverages, both fermented and non-fermented, and discuss the potential of non-fermented dairy products. This exploration paves the way for innovative approaches to deliver probiotics and nutrition to consumers.

Intake and digestibility of two diets for nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus: Linnaeus, 1758) kept under human care

The study aimed to evaluate metabolic parameters, nutrient intake, and absorption of two diets formulated for Dasypus novemcinctus armadillos under human care. Were studied two diets: D1-a diet with dry dog food, ground beef, and boiled chicken egg with shells; D2-a diet with the same ingredients as D1, with added banana and papaya. Both are mixed in water. The parameters analyzed were body weight (BW), weight gain (WG), maintenance energy requirement (MER), Lee index, biometrics, body condition score, glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and cholesterol fractions for eight male armadillos. Dietary intake (DI) and efficiency, nutrient intake, metabolizable energy, and digestibility coefficient for the diets were evaluated in six male armadillos. The diet that included fruits showed higher BW, WG, MER, Lee index, and better glucose metabolism. Both diets promoted increases in WG and Lee Index, as well as improvements in glucose metabolism. The diet without fruit improved the lipid profile of the animals. D2 presented the highest DI, better dietary efficiency, and higher energy intake but also a lower crude fiber intake. However, it showed the best utilization of gross fiber and all other nutrients. In conclusion, the diets constituted an adequate nutritional option for captive armadillos and can be used in malnutrition and pathological processes recovery. Although both diets were adequate, the nonfruit diet was preferable due to the improved lipid profile.

Potentially Synbiotic Yellow Mombin Beverages: Stability during Refrigerated Storage, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Sensory Properties

This study aimed to develop potentially synbiotic yellow mombin (Spondias mombin L.) beverages added with fructooligosaccharides and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NRRL B-4496. Six formulations of yellow mombin beverages were prepared to measure the influence of fermentation and pH, which was adjustment to 4.5 for stability and quality parameters. Formulations were evaluated for probiotic survival, pH, titratable acidity, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant activity for 28 days at 4 °C. Additionally, the proximate composition, color, sensory aspects, and survival to simulated gastrointestinal conditions were studied. At 21 days of storage, the viability of L. plantarum was 9 CFU/mL for the fermented symbiotic (SYNf) and non-fermented symbiotic with adjusted pH (SYNa) formulations. In addition, the fermented synbiotic with an adjusted pH beverage (SYNfA) showed a count of 8.2 log CFU/mL at 28 days. The formulations showed a high TPC (234-431 mg GAE/L), antioxidant activity (48-75 µM trolox), and a potential use as low-calorie beverages. The SYNf formulation showed an acceptability index higher than 70% and a high purchase intent. The SYNf and SYNa formulations maintained suitable probiotic counts after exposure to the simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Therefore, it was possible to develop a new potentially synbiotic yellow mombin beverage with a high sensory acceptance, supplying the market with a new functional food alternative.

Passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) pulp: A review on bioactive properties, health benefits and technological potential

The Passiflora genus (Passifloraceae family) extends worldwide, but it is mainly found in the Americas. The present review aimed to select the main reports published over the last 5 years involving the chemical composition, health benefits, and products obtained from the pulps of Passifora spp. The pulps of at least 10 species of Passiflora have been studied presenting different classes of organic compounds, especially phenolic acids, and polyphenols. The main bioactivity properties include antioxidant and in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition. These reports highlight the potential of Passiflora for the development of a variety of products, especially fermented and non-fermented beverages, as well as foods to attend a demand for non-dairy products. In general, these products are prominent source of probiotic bacteria resistant to in vitro gastrointestinal simulation, representing an alternative for intestinal microbiota regulation. Therefore, sensory analysis is encouraging herein, as well as in vivo tests to enable the development of high value pharmaceuticals and food products. The patents confirm the great interest in research and products development in different food technology areas, as well as in biotechnology, pharmacy, and materials engineering.

Agri-Food Surplus, Waste and Loss as Sustainable Biobased Ingredients: A Review

Ensuring a sustainable supply of food for the world’s fast growing population is a major challenge in today’s economy, as modern lifestyle and increasing consumer concern with maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet is an important challenge for the agricultural sector worldwide. This market niche for healthier products, especially fruits and vegetables, has increased their production, consequently resulting in increased amounts of agri-food surplus, waste, and loss (SWL) generated during crop production, transportation, storage, and processing. Although many of these materials are not utilized, negatively affecting the environmental, economic, and social segments, they are a rich source of valuable compounds that could be used for different purposes, thus preventing the losses of natural resources and boosting a circular economy. This review aimed to give insights on the efficient management of agri-food SWL, considering conventional and emerging recovery and reuse techniques. Particularly, we explored and summarized the chemical composition of three worldwide cultivated and consumed vegetables (carrots, broccoli and lettuce) and evaluate the potential of their residues as a sustainable alternative for extracting value-added ingredients for the development of new biodynamic products.

Utilization of fruit and vegetable waste to produce value-added products: Conventional utilization and emerging opportunities-A review

Fruit and vegetables are one of the most consumed commodities globally, accounting for more than 42% of total food wastage. These vegetal foods can be consumed raw, processed, or taken as an addition to other food items. The continuous rise in population, in addition to technological advancements, has led to an imbalance in demand supply, resulting in increased food wastage globally. Although source reduction and recycling have shown promising results, more evaluations concerning economics and environmental impacts need to be given importance. The need of the hour lies in finding a possible method towards effective utilization for fruit and vegetable waste to generate value-added products which are more eco-friendly, cheaper, and sustainable. Thus, this article attempts to focus on the conventional and emerging opportunities of fruit and vegetable waste to generate value-added products. Conventional utilization, namely briquetting, waste to energy conversion, enzymatic degradation, and adsorption, as well as emerging opportunities in the areas of nutraceuticals, packaging, flavoring agents, and waste induced nanoparticles, have been emphasized. Additionally, recommendations and future perspectives towards better utilization of vegetal waste have been given importance. This review aims to narrow down the path towards evaluating the most techno-economic and efficient waste management technique for fruits and vegetable valorization, which can be promoted in the long term.

Application of propidium monoazide coupled with quantitative PCR to evaluate cell viability of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis in a non-dairy probiotic beverage

Purpose

In this study, a PMA-qPCR assay was developed for the enumeration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 viable cells in a non-dairy probiotic beverage.

Methods

Probiotic viability was monitored in three formulations of probiotic passion fruit juice microencapsulated by spray drying, during 30 days of storage at 4 °C. Viable cells were quantified using qPCR and PMA-qPCR assays targeting tuf gene and by plate counting method.

Results

The limit of detection for all samples was 103 genome copies, corresponding to 21.3 pg of DNA. Higher CFU values were obtained for B. lactis BB-12 enumeration by qPCR, when compared to those obtained by PMA-qPCR and plate count, for all probiotic juice microcapsules. Similar quantification values were obtained by PMA-qPCR and plate counting for all samples and remained above 8 log CFU/g during the storage period.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that the PMA-qPCR technique is a promising approach for B. lactis BB-12 viable cell enumeration in complex matrices such as passion fruit juice microcapsules. This PMA-qPCR assay allowed the achievement of reliable results faster than with the traditional plate counting method.

Lactic Fermented Fruit or Vegetable Juices: Past, Present and Future

Numerous traditional low-alcohol fermented beverages produced from fruit or vegetables are described around the world. Fruit and vegetables and lactic fermented products both present nutritional benefits, which give reasons for the recent expansion of non-dairy lactic fermented juices on the market. In addition, fruit and vegetable juices are new carriers for probiotic bacteria. Specific phenotypic traits of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are required so that LAB can effectively grow in fruit or vegetable juices, increase their safety and improve their sensory and nutritional quality. From the diversity of microbiota of spontaneous fermentations, autochthonous starters can be selected, and their higher performance than allochthonous LAB was demonstrated. Achieving long-term storage and constant high quality of these beverages requires additional processing steps, such as heat treatment. Alternatives to conventional treatments are investigated as they can better preserve nutritional properties, extract bioactive compounds and promote the growth and metabolism of LAB. Specific processing approaches were shown to increase probiotic viability of fruit and vegetable juices. More knowledge on the metabolic activity of lactic acid bacterium consortium in fruit or vegetable juices has become a bottleneck for the understanding and the prediction of changes in bioactive compounds for functional beverages development. Hopefully, the recent developments of metabolomics and methods to describe enzymatic machinery can result in the reconstruction of fermentative pathways.

Viability of Lactobacillus plantarum on Fresh-Cut Chitosan and Alginate-Coated Apple and Melon Pieces

There is an increasing trend toward foods with probiotics; the awareness of healthy diet and wellbeing is the leading cause of this increase. As a result, food producers and stakeholders require new probiotic products. The increased incidence of lactose intolerance and the new lifestyles (vegan and vegetarian styles) have led to a renewed interest in non-dairy probiotic carriers. The use of biopolymeric matrices to develop active food packaging carrying probiotics has been studied and proposed as an alternative method to design new solutions. The main topic of this paper was the design of fresh-cut fruits (apples and melons) as carriers for a promising Lactobacillus plantarum; fruit pieces were coated with either alginate or chitosan. Apple (Granny Smith) and melon pieces (Cucumis melo, var. Cantalupensis) were preliminary treated with an anti-browning solution (citric and ascorbic acids). Then, fruit pieces were dipped in a solution containing L. plantarum c19 (9 log cfu/ml) and coated with alginate or chitosan. Samples without probiotic and/or coatings were used as controls. All samples were stored at 4°C for 14 days under air or modified atmosphere (65% N2, 30% CO2, and 5% O2); the following analyses were done: pH, color, O2, and CO2 in the head space, microbiology (mesophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and molds). The most important results can be summarized as follows: (a) Alginate coating showed better performances than chitosan-coating, as it did not affect the viability of L. plantarum. (b) The inoculation of probiotics in the controls negatively affected the color, but the coating was able to counteract this effect. This paper supports the combination of edible coatings and probiotic as a promising way to design new fruit-based functional foods; further investigations are required to study the effect of this combination on the sensory scores.