Pulsed electric field assisted extraction of natural food pigments and colorings from plant matrices

Enhancing catechins, antioxidant and sirtuin 1 enzyme stimulation activities in green tea extract through pulse electric field-assisted water extraction: Optimization by response surface methodology approach

Green tea is an economic resource in Thailand because it is derived from smallholder agriculture and has expanded into food production. The purpose of this study is to optimize the parameters of pulsed electric field (PEF) assisted green tea extraction to produce a natural health product. A central composite design was involved to determine the effect of independent variables, including the intensity of electric field (I; 3-5 kV/cm), number of pulses (Np; 1000 to 3000 pulses) and green tea-to-water ratio (GT/W; 0.05-0.15 g/mL) on catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), total phenolic compound, antioxidant and sirtuin 1 enzyme stimulating activities. The results indicated that the Np had the most significant impact (p < 0.05) on the content of catechin and its derivatives and sirtuin 1 enzyme stimulating activity. The observations revealed that the I had a greater impact on antioxidant activities compared to the Np. The optimal conditions for PEF using the response surface method were determined to be I of 5 kV/cm, Np of 3000 pulses, GT/W of 0.14 g/mL and specific energy of 27 kJ/kg. Under the optimized conditions, the content of C, EC, ECG, EGC and EGCG were 7.34 ± 0.33, 11.26 ± 0.25, 3.75 ± 0.13, 7.53 ± 0.77 and 37.78 ± 0.58 mg/g extract, respectively. Furthermore, it was observed that green tea extract exhibited the ability to modulate the deacetylation activity of the sirtuin 1 enzyme, with a value of 22.63 ± 0.17 FIR. The results emphasized that the PEF led to achieving better responses compared to without pre-treatment using the PEF. Therefore, innovative technologies as PEF can be utilized for green tea extraction to produce natural ingredients, which can contribute to improved accessibility to healthcare. Additionally, the implementation of innovation techniques, such as PEF, in the extraction industry can enhance productivity growth and economic development.

Green Methods to Recover Bioactive Compounds from Food Industry Waste: A Sustainable Practice from the Perspective of the Circular Economy

The worrying and constant increase in the quantities of food and beverage industry by-products and wastes is one of the main factors contributing to global environmental pollution. Since this is a direct consequence of continuous population growth, it is imperative to reduce waste production and keep it under control. Re-purposing agro-industrial wastes, giving them new life and new directions of use, is a good first step in this direction, and, in global food production, vegetables and fruits account for a significant percentage. In this paper, brewery waste, cocoa bean shells, banana and citrus peels and pineapple wastes are examined. These are sources of bioactive molecules such as polyphenols, whose regular intake in the human diet is related to the prevention of various diseases linked to oxidative stress. In order to recover such bioactive compounds using more sustainable methods than conventional extraction, innovative solutions have been evaluated in the past decades. Of particular interest is the use of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and compressed solvents, associated with green techniques such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and pulsed-electric-field-assisted extraction (PEF). These novel techniques are gaining importance because, in most cases, they allow for optimizing the extraction yield, quality, costs and time.

Seaweed-derived phenolic compounds as diverse bioactive molecules: A review on identification, application, extraction and purification strategies

Seaweed, a diverse group of marine macroalgae, has emerged as a rich source of bioactive compounds with numerous health-promoting properties. Among these, phenolic compounds have garnered significant attention for their diverse therapeutic applications. This review examines the methodologies employed in the extraction and purification of phenolic compounds from seaweed, emphasizing their importance in unlocking the full potential of these oceanic treasures. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the structural diversity and biological activities of seaweed-derived phenolics, elucidating their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Furthermore, it explores the impact of extraction techniques, including conventional methods and modern green technologies, on the yield and quality of phenolic extracts. The purification strategies for isolating specific phenolic compounds are also discussed, shedding light on the challenges and advancements in this field. Additionally, the review highlights the potential applications of seaweed-derived phenolics in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods, underscoring the economic value of these compounds. Finally, future perspectives and research directions are proposed to encourage continued exploration of seaweed phenolics, fostering a deeper understanding of their therapeutic potential and promoting sustainable practices in the extraction and purification processes. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers interested in harnessing the untapped potential of phenolic compounds from seaweed for the betterment of human health and environmental sustainability.

Applying innovative technological interventions in the preservation and packaging of fresh seafood products to minimize spoilage - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Seafood, being highly perishable, faces rapid deterioration in freshness, posing spoilage risks and potential health concerns without proper preservation. To combat this, various innovative preservation and packaging technologies have emerged. This review delves into these cutting-edge interventions designed to minimize spoilage and effectively prolong the shelf life of fresh seafood products. Techniques like High-Pressure Processing (HPP), Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), bio-preservation, and active and vacuum packaging have demonstrated the capability to extend the shelf life of seafood products by up to 50%. However, the efficacy of these technologies relies on factors such as the specific type of seafood product and the storage temperature. Hence, careful consideration of these factors is essential in choosing an appropriate preservation and packaging technology.

Sustainable Valorization of Industrial Cherry Pomace: A Novel Cascade Approach Using Pulsed Electric Fields and Ultrasound Assisted-Extraction

In this study, a two-stage cascade extraction process utilizing pulsed electric fields (PEF) (3 kV/cm, 10 kJ/kg) for initial extraction, followed by ultrasound (US) (200 W, 20 min)-assisted extraction (UAE) in a 50% (v/v) ethanol-water mixture (T = 50 °C, t = 60 min), was designed for the efficient release of valuable intracellular compounds from industrial cherry pomace. The extracted compounds were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (FC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity (FRAP), and were compared with conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE). Results showed that the highest release of bioactive compounds occurred in the first stage, which was attributed to the impact of PEF pre-treatment, resulting in significant increases in TPC (79%), FC (79%), TAC (83%), and FRAP values (80%) of the total content observed in the post-cascade PEF-UAE process. The integration of UAE into the cascade process further augmented the extraction efficiency, yielding 21%, 49%, 56%, and 26% increases for TPC, FC, TAC, and FRAP, respectively, as compared to extracts obtained through a second-stage conventional SLE. HPLC analysis identified neochlorogenic acid, 4-p-coumaroylquinic, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside as the predominant phenolic compounds in both untreated and cascade-treated cherry pomace extracts, and no degradation of the specific compounds occurred upon PEF and US application. SEM analysis revealed microstructural changes in cherry pomace induced by PEF and UAE treatments, enhancing the porosity and facilitating the extraction process. The study suggests the efficiency of the proposed cascade PEF-UAE extraction approach for phenolic compounds from industrial cherry pomace with potential applications to other plant-based biomasses.

Pulsed electric field technology as a promising pre-treatment for enhancing orange agro-industrial waste biorefinery

In the processing of orange juice, 50-70% of the fresh fruit weight is converted into organic waste. Orange processing waste (OPW) primarily consists of peels, seeds, and pulp. Improper disposal of this residue can lead to greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution, and the wastage of natural resources. To address this ecological issues, recent research has focused on developing innovative process designs to maximize the valorization of OPW through biorefinery strategies. However, the current challenge in implementing these methods for industrial waste management is their significant energy consumption. In response to these challenges, recent studies have explored the potential of employing pulsed electric field (PEF) technology as a pre-treatment to improve energy efficiency in biorefinery processes. This non-thermal and emerging technology can enhance the mass transfer of intracellular components via electroporation of cell walls, thereby resulting in shorter processing times, lower energy inputs, greater retention of thermosensitive components, and higher extraction yields. In this regard, this review offers a comprehensive discussion on the innovative biorefinery strategies to the valorization of OPW, with a specific focus on recent studies assessing the technical feasibility of methodologies for the extraction of phytochemical compounds, dehydration processes, and bioconversion methods. Recent studies that discussed the potential of PEF technology to reduce energy demand by increasing the mass transfer of biological tissues were emphasized.

A review of natural plant extracts in beverages: Extraction process, nutritional function, and safety evaluation

The demand for foods and beverages with therapeutic and functional features has increased as a result of rising consumer awareness of health and wellness. In natural, plants are abundant, widespread, and inexpensive, in addition to being rich in bioactive components that are beneficial to health. The bioactive substances contained in plants include polyphenols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, aromatics, aliphatics, terpenoids, etc., which have rich active functions and application potential for plant-based beverages. In this review, various existing extraction processes and their advantages and disadvantages are introduced. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, intestinal flora regulation, metabolism regulation, and nerve protection effects of plant beverages are described. The biotoxicity and sensory properties of plant-based beverages are also summarized. With the diversification of the food industry and commerce, plant-based beverages may become a promising new category of health functional foods in our daily lives.

Effect of HHP and UHPH High-Pressure Techniques on the Extraction and Stability of Grape and Other Fruit Anthocyanins

The use of high-pressure technologies is a hot topic in food science because of the potential for a gentle process in which spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms can be eliminated; these technologies also have effects on the extraction, preservation, and modification of some constituents. Whole grapes or bunches can be processed by High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP), which causes poration of the skin cell walls and rapid diffusion of the anthocyanins into the pulp and seeds in a short treatment time (2-10 min), improving maceration. Grape juice with colloidal skin particles of less than 500 µm processed by Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH) is nano-fragmented with high anthocyanin release. Anthocyanins can be rapidly extracted from skins using HHP and cell fragments using UHPH, releasing them and facilitating their diffusion into the liquid quickly. HHP and UHPH techniques are gentle and protective of sensitive molecules such as phenols, terpenes, and vitamins. Both techniques are non-thermal technologies with mild temperatures and residence times. Moreover, UHPH produces an intense inactivation of oxidative enzymes (PPOs), thus preserving the antioxidant activity of grape juices. Both technologies can be applied to juices or concentrates; in addition, HHP can be applied to grapes or bunches. This review provides detailed information on the main features of these novel techniques, their current status in anthocyanin extraction, and their effects on stability and process sustainability.

Transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals the effect of flavonoids on flower color variation in Dendrobium nobile Lindl

Introduction

Dendrobium nobile L. is a rare orchid plant with high medicinal and ornamentalvalue, and extremely few genetic species resources are remaining in nature. In the normal purple flower population, a type of population material with a white flower variation phenotype has been discovered, and through pigment component determination, flavonoids were preliminarily found to be the main reason for the variation.

Methods

This study mainly explored the different genes and metabolites at different flowering stages and analysed the flower color variation mechanism through transcriptome- and flavonoid-targeted metabolomics. The experimental materials consisted of two different flower color phenotypes, purple flower (PF) and white flower (WF), observed during three different periods.

Results and discussion

The results identified 1382, 2421 and 989 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the white flower variety compared with the purple flower variety at S1 (bud stage), S2 (chromogenic stage) and S3 (flowering stage), respectively. Among these, 27 genes enriched in the ko00941, ko00942, ko00943 and ko00944 pathways were screened as potential functional genes affecting flavonoid synthesis and flower color. Further analysis revealed that 15 genes are potential functional genes that lead to flavonoid changes and flower color variations. The metabolomics results at S3 found 129 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), which included 8 anthocyanin metabolites, all of which (with the exception of delphinidin-3-o-(2'''-o-malonyl) sophoroside-5-o-glucoside) were found at lower amounts in the WF variety compared with the PF variety, indicating that a decrease in the anthocyanin content was the main reason for the inability to form purple flowers. Therefore, the changes in 19 flavone and 62 flavonol metabolites were considered the main reasons for the formation of white flowers. In this study, valuable materials responsible for flower color variation in D. nobile were identified and further analyzed the main pathways and potential genes affecting changes in flavonoids and the flower color. This study provides a material basis and theoretical support for the hybridization and molecular-assisted breeding of D. nobile.

Threshold Microsecond Pulsed Electric Field Exposures for Change in Spinach Quality

Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) are often used to pretreat foods to enhance subsequent processes, such as drying, where maintaining food product quality is important for consumer satisfaction. This study aims to establish a threshold PEF exposure to determine the doses at which electroporation is viable for use on spinach leaves, wherein integrity is maintained postexposure. Three numbers of consecutive pulses (1, 5, 50) and two pulse durations (10 and 100 μs) have been examined herein at a constant pulse repetition of 10 Hz and 1.4 kV/cm field strength. The data indicate that pore formation in itself is not a cause for loss of spinach leaf food quality, i.e., significant changes in color and water content. Rather, cell death, or the rupture of the cell membrane from a high-intensity treatment, is necessary to significantly alter the exterior integrity of the plant tissue. PEF exposures thus can be used on leafy greens up until the point of inactivation before consumers would see any alterations, making reversible electroporation a viable treatment for consumer-intended products. These results open up future opportunities to use emerging technologies based on PEF exposures and provide useful information in setting parameters to avoid food quality diminishment.

Valorization of coffee pulp as bioactive food ingredient by sustainable extraction methodologies

Coffee pulp is an underutilized by-product of coffee industrial production rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, caffeine, and dietary fiber. The widely known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective health-promoting properties attributed to mentioned compounds enhance the use of coffee pulp as a bioactive food ingredient. Furthermore, the application of green sustainable extraction techniques pursuing highly efficient and selective extraction processes promotes this by-product exploitation in food science. Hence, this review gathers the available information relative to the impact of the extraction processes on the bioactive compound's recovery from coffee pulp, providing an overview of the most recent advances. An in-depth comparison workout between conventional and alternative extraction methods was performed to identify the most suitable techniques for coffee pulp valorization as functional ingredient until date. A critical discussion focused on advantages and drawbacks of the extraction methods applied to coffee pulp was included together a prospective of emerging extraction techniques.

Evaluation of Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted Extraction on the Microstructure and Recovery of Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds from Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)

Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a sustainable innovative technology that allows for the recovery of nutrients and bioactive compounds from vegetable matrices. A. bisporus was chosen for its nutritional value and the effect of PEF pretreatment was evaluated using different conditions of electric field (2–3 kV/cm), specific energy (50–200 kJ/kg) and extraction time (0–6 h) to obtain the best conditions for nutrient and bioactive compound extraction. Spectrophotometric methods were used to evaluate the different compounds, along with an analysis of mineral content by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the surface was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the results were compared with those obtained by conventional extraction (under constant shaking without PEF pretreatment). After evaluating the extractions, the best extraction conditions were 2.5 kV/cm, 50 kJ/kg and 6 h which showed that PEF extraction increased the recovery of total phenolic compounds in 96.86%, carbohydrates in 105.28%, proteins in 11.29%, and minerals such as P, Mg, Fe and Se. These results indicate that PEF pretreatment is a promising sustainable technology to improve the extraction of compounds and minerals from mushrooms showing microporation on the surface, positioning them as a source of compounds of great nutritional interest.