Effect of ultrasound-assisted cold plasma pretreatment to obtain sea asparagus extract and its application in Italian salami

Coupling of cold atmospheric plasma treatment with ultrasound-assisted extraction for enhanced recovery of bioactive compounds from cornelian cherry pomace

Cornelian cherry pomace is produced during the production of juice from this traditional superfood. Due to its high nutritive value, the by-product can be utilized as a source of bioactive compounds. The present study aimed to develop a sustainable methodology for the recovery of bioactive compounds based on the combination of atmospheric cold plasma (CAP) with ultrasound assisted extraction. The pomace was treated with cold plasma under different conditions. Cyclodextrin was used as green extraction enhancer due to its capacity to develop inclusion complexes with bioactive compounds. CAP pretreatment before extraction appeared to enhance the recovery of the target compounds. GC-MS analysis and in vitro digestion analysis conducted in order to evaluate the composition and the protentional bioavailability of the bioactive compounds. CHEMICALS COMPOUNDS: β-cyclodextrin (PubChem CID: 444041), DPPH free radical (PubChem CID: 2735032), Trolox (PubChem CID: 40634), sodium carbonate (PubChem CID: 10340), gallic acid (PubChem CID: 370) potassium chloride (PubChem CID: 4873), sodium acetate (PubChem CID: 517045), loganic acid (PubChem CID: 89640), pyridine (PubChem CID: 1049, BSTFA(PubChem CID: 94358), potassium chloride (PubChem CID: 4873), ammonium carbonate (PubChem CID: 517111), calcium chloride dehydrate (PubChem CID: 24844), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (PubChem CID: 516951), magnesium chloride hexahydrate (PubChem CID: 24644), sodium hydrogen carbonate (PubChem CID: 516892), sodium chloride (PubChem CID: 5234).

A review on mechanisms and impacts of cold plasma treatment as a non-thermal technology on food pigments

Food characteristics like appearance and color, which are delicate parameters during food processing, are important determinants of product acceptance because of the growing trend toward more diverse and healthier diets worldwide, as well as the increase in population and its effects on food consumption. Cold plasma (CP), as a novel technology, has marked a new trend in agriculture and food processing due to the various advantages of meeting both the physicochemical and nutritional characteristics of food products with minimal changes in physical, chemical, nutritional, and sensorial properties. CP processing has a positive impact on food quality, including the preservation of natural food pigments. This article describes the influence of CP on natural food pigments and color changes in vegetables and fruits. Attributes of natural pigments, such as carotenoids, chlorophyll, anthocyanin, betalain, and myoglobin, are presented. In addition, the characteristics and mechanisms of CP processes were studied, and the effect of CP on mentioned pigments was investigated in recent literature, showing that the use of CP technology led to better preservation of pigments, improving their preservation and extraction yield. While certain modest and undesirable changes in color are documented, overall, the exposure of most food items to CP resulted in minor loss and even beneficial influence on color. More study is needed since not all elements of CP treatment are currently understood. The negative and positive effects of CP on natural food pigments in various products are discussed in this review.

In-package cold plasma treatment to extend the shelf life of food

Conventional food preservation methods such as heat treatment, irradiation, chemical treatment, refrigeration, and coating have various disadvantages, like loss of food quality, nutrition, and cost-effectiveness. Accordingly, cold plasma is one of the new technologies for food processing and has played an important role in preventing food spoilage. Specifically, in-package cold plasma has become a modern trend to decontaminate, process, and package food simultaneously. This strategy has proven successful in processing various fresh food ingredients, including spinach, fruits, vegetables, and meat. In particular, cold plasma treatment within the package reduces the risk of post-processing contamination. Cryoplasm decontamination within packaging has been reported to reduce significantly the microbial load of many foods' spoilage-causing pathogens. However, studies are needed to focus more on the effects of in-package treatments on endogenous enzyme activity, pest control, and removal of toxic pesticide residues. In this review, we comprehensively evaluated the efficacy of in-package low-temperature plasma treatment to extend the shelf life of various foods. The mechanisms by which cold plasma interacts with food were investigated, emphasizing its effects on pathogen reduction, spoilage mitigation, and surface modification. The review also critically assessed the effects of the treatments on food quality, regulatory considerations, and their potential as viable technologies to improve food safety and packaging life. In-package cold plasma treatment could revolutionize food storage when combined with other sophisticated technologies such as nanotechnology.

The Effect of Plasma-Activated Water Combined with Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) on the Physicochemical Properties of Frankfurter Sausage during Storage

This study investigated the impact of plasma-activated water (PAW) and rosemary extract on the bacterial inactivation and quality attributes of Frankfurter sausages during a 6-day storage period. The antibacterial activity, total phenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the rosemary extract were evaluated. The TPC of the rosemary extract was 89.45 mg gallic acid/g dry weight, while the TFC was 102.3 mg QE/g dry weight. Even at low concentrations, the rosemary extract effectively inhibited the growth of all the tested pathogens using the Well Diffusion Agar method (WDA). The sausages were treated with different concentrations of PAW and rosemary extract and stored for 1 and 6 days. Sample B (100% rosemary extract + PAW treatment) showed the greatest reduction in microbial load and was selected for further analysis. Throughout the storage period, Sample B exhibited no significant changes in pH, moisture content, textural parameters, or sensory evaluation compared to the control group. However, the hardness and color parameters (L*, a*) of Sample B decreased, while the TBARS value increased after 6 days of storage. The combination of PAW and rosemary extract, particularly Sample B, effectively inhibited bacterial growth in the Frankfurter sausages without compromising most quality attributes. Some changes in hardness, color, and lipid oxidation were observed over the extended storage period.

Cold Plasma-Assisted Extraction of Phytochemicals: A Review

In recent years, there has been growing interest in bioactive plant compounds for their beneficial effects on health and for their potential in reducing the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The extraction techniques conventionally used to obtain these phytocompounds, however, due to the use of toxic solvents and high temperatures, tend to be supplanted by innovative and unconventional techniques, in line with the demand for environmental and economic sustainability of new chemical processes. Among non-thermal technologies, cold plasma (CP), which has been successfully used for some years in the food industry as a treatment to improve food shelf life, seems to be one of the most promising solutions in green extraction processes. CP is characterized by its low environmental impact, low cost, and better extraction yield of phytochemicals, saving time, energy, and solvents compared with other classical extraction processes. In light of these considerations, this review aims to provide an overview of the potential and critical issues related to the use of CP in the extraction of phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols and essential oils. To review the current knowledge status and future insights of CP in this sector, a bibliometric study, providing quantitative information on the research activity based on the available published scientific literature, was carried out by the VOSviewer software (v. 1.6.18). Scientometric analysis has seen an increase in scientific studies over the past two years, underlining the growing interest of the scientific community in this natural substance extraction technique. The literature studies analyzed have shown that, in general, the use of CP was able to increase the yield of essential oil and polyphenols. Furthermore, the composition of the phytoextract obtained with CP would appear to be influenced by process parameters such as intensity (power and voltage), treatment time, and the working gas used. In general, the studies analyzed showed that the best yields in terms of total polyphenols and the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the phytoextracts were obtained using mild process conditions and nitrogen as the working gas. The use of CP as a non-conventional extraction technique is very recent, and further studies are needed to better understand the optimal process conditions to be adopted, and above all, in-depth studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms of plasma-plant matrix interaction to verify the possibility of any side reactions that could generate, in a highly oxidative environment, potentially hazardous substances, which would limit the exploitation of this technique at the industrial level.

Current and Potential Applications of Atmospheric Cold Plasma in the Food Industry

The cost-effectiveness and high efficiency of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) incentivise researchers to explore its potentials within the food industry. Presently, the destructive nature of this nonthermal technology can be utilised to inactivate foodborne pathogens, enzymatic ripening, food allergens, and pesticides. However, by adjusting its parameters, ACP can also be employed in other novel applications including food modification, drying pre-treatment, nutrient extraction, active packaging, and food waste processing. Relevant studies were conducted to investigate the impacts of ACP and posit that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) play the principal roles in achieving the set objectives. In this review article, operations of ACP to achieve desired results are discussed. Moreover, the recent progress of ACP in food processing and safety within the past decade is summarised while current challenges as well as its future outlook are proposed.

Effect of ultrasound-assisted cold plasma pretreatment on cell wall polysaccharides distribution and extraction of phenolic compounds from hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.)

Hyssopus officinalis L (Hyssop) is a good source of phenolic compounds. However, conventional methods for extraction of these compounds typically take a long time and have relatively low recovery rates. This study focused on cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) pretreatment and investigated its effects on the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of phenolic compounds from hyssop. Hyssop was treated at dielectric barrier discharge plasma with air and nitrogen gases for 5, 10, and 15 min. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to evaluate present active species in the plasma. The water contact angle changes, cell wall polysaccharides distribution, and structural variations of the treated samples were determined after treatment. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents (TPC) of the extracts were also evaluated. The results showed that CAP treatment reduced the contact angle making surface more hydrophilic. Compared with hyssop, overall no significant changes in the basic structure of all treated samples or the formation of new functional groups were recognized. In addition, CAP pretreatment before UAE increased the antioxidant activity of extracts according to the FRAP assay than the un-pretreated sample and conventional solvent extraction method. Also, TPC increased in samples treated with nitrogen plasma.

Bioactive Extracts from Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods Biorefinery as a Source of Ingredients for High-Value Industries

Salt-tolerant plants, also known as halophytes, could provide a novel source of feedstock for biorefineries. After harvesting fresh shoots for food, the lignified fraction of Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods could be used to produce bioactive botanical extracts for high-value industries such as nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and biopharmaceuticals. The residual fraction after extraction can be further used for bioenergy or lignocellulose-derived platform chemicals. This work analysed S. ramosissima from different sources and growth stages. After pre-processing and extractions, the obtained fractions were analysed for their contents of fatty acids, pigments, and total phenolics. Extracts were also evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant properties and inhibitory effect towards enzymes related to diabetes, hyperpigmentation, obesity, and neurogenerative diseases. The ethanol extract from the fibre residue and the water extract from completely lignified plants showed the highest concentration of phenolic compounds along with the highest antioxidant potential and enzyme-inhibitory properties. Hence, they should be further explored in the context of biorefinery.

Effect of Cold-Plasma-Treated Phosphate Solution to Substitute Partial Nitrite on the Color, Texture, and Flavor of Smoked Sausage

There are several alternative technologies to nitrite use in meat products, including cold plasma. In this study, a cold-plasma-treated phosphate solution was added to smoked sausage, as a new ingredient. Subsequently, the color, texture, and flavor of the samples were analyzed. The results showed that, compared with nitrite (0.075 g/kg nitrite added to sausage), the addition of 30~90% nitrite and cold-plasma-treated phosphate solution had no significant effect on the a* value or the relative content of oxygenated myoglobin (p > 0.05). The amount of residual nitrite in the smoked sausage prepared with the addition of 30~70% nitrite and cold-plasma-treated phosphate solution was significantly lower than that of the nitrite-treated group. The addition of nitrite combined with cold-plasma-treated phosphate solution had no significant effects on the texture (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience) or the sensory evaluation of the smoked sausage. A total of 69 volatile compounds were detected, and 20 of them had VIP (Variable Importance Plot) scores higher than one. In conclusion, cold plasma treatment represents a potential technology to partially substitute nitrite. This study provides new methods for the application of this nitrite substitute.

Overview of the Polyphenols in Salicornia: From Recovery to Health-Promoting Effect

Nowadays, there has been considerable attention paid toward the recovery of waste plant matrices as possible sources of functional compounds with healthy properties. In this regard, we focus our attention on Salicornia, a halophyte plant that grows abundantly on the coasts of the Mediterranean area. Salicornia is used not only as a seasoned vegetable but also in traditional medicine for its beneficial effects in protecting against diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer. In numerous research studies, Salicornia consumption has been highly suggested due to its high level of bioactive molecules, among which, polyphenols are prevalent. The antioxidant and antiradical activity of polyphenols makes Salicornia a functional food candidate with potential beneficial activities for human health. Therefore, this review provides specific and compiled information for optimizing and developing new extraction processes for the recovery of bioactive compounds from Salicornia; focusing particular attention on polyphenols and their health benefits.

Halophytes as source of bioactive phenolic compounds and their potential applications

Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that inhabit environments in which they are exposed to extreme stress, wherefore they exhibit conserved and divergent metabolic responses different from those of conventional plants. Thus, the synthesis and accumulation of metabolites, especially of those oxidative stress-related such as phenolic compounds, should be investigated. The potential of halophytes as a source of phenolics and their prospective industrial applications are evaluated based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the phenolic compounds of more than forty halophytes and their biological activities. Additionally, an overview of the analytical methodologies adopted for phenolics determination in halophytes is provided. Finally, the prospective uses and beneficial effects of the phenolic preparations from these plants are discussed. Halophytes are complex matrices, exhibiting a wide variety of phenolics in their composition, wherefore the results can be greatly affected depending on the organ plant under analysis and the extraction methodology, especially the extraction solvent used. High-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) or mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), are the most used technique. Halophytes biosynthesize phenolics in concentrations that justify the remarkable antioxidant and antimicrobial activities shown, making them ideal sources of bioactive molecules to be employed in a multitude of sectors.