Encapsulation and stability of a phenolic-rich extract from mango peel within water-in-oil-in-water emulsions

Innovative Strategies for Upcycling Agricultural Residues and Their Various Pharmaceutical Applications

This review investigates innovative strategies for upcycling agricultural residues into valuable pharmaceutical compounds. The improper disposal of agricultural residues contributes to significant environmental issues, including increased greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem degradation. Upcycling offers a sustainable solution, transforming these residues into high-value bioproducts (antioxidants, antitumor agents, antidiabetic compounds, anti-inflammatory agents, and antiviral drugs). Nanotechnology and microbial biotechnology have a crucial role in enhancing bioavailability and targeted delivery of bioactive compounds. Advanced techniques like enzymatic hydrolysis, green solvents, microwave processing, pyrolysis, ultrasonic processing, acid and alkaline hydrolysis, ozonolysis, and organosolv processes are explored for their effectiveness in breaking down agricultural waste and extracting valuable compounds. Despite the promising potential, challenges such as variability in residue composition, scalability, and high costs persist. The review emphasizes the need for future research on cost-effective extraction techniques and robust regulatory frameworks to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of bioproducts. The upcycling of agricultural residues represents a viable path towards sustainable waste management and production of pharmaceutical compounds, contributing to environmental conservation and public health improvements. This review provides an analysis of the current literature and identifies knowledge gaps, offering recommendations for future studies to optimize the use of agricultural residues in the drug industry.

Characterization of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Prepared with Triblock Copolymer Poloxamer 407 and Low-Molecular-Mass Surfactant Mixtures as Carriers of Grape Pomace Waste Polyphenols

BACKGROUND

Natural antioxidants, such as grape pomace polyphenols, can be extracted by a surfactant-based green technology and incorporated into various emulsions. Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the physical stability and rheological characteristics of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with poloxamer 407 (P407) and its mixtures with the low-molecular-mass surfactants Brij S20 (BS20) and Tween 60 (T60). Also, the influence of polyphenolic grape pomace extracts on the physical stability and rheological characteristics of the emulsions was examined.

METHODS

Grape pomace polyphenols were extracted by aqueous solutions of P407 and BS20/P407 and T60/P407 mixtures. Two different types of oil-in-water emulsions were examined: emulsions prepared with pure surfactants and emulsions prepared with surfactant-based polyphenol extracts of grape pomace. Both types contained 20% sunflower oil. Characterization of the emulsions comprised droplet size evaluation, rheology characteristics and creaming stability.

RESULTS

All the emulsions showed shear-thinning flow, while the rheological characteristics and creaming instability depended on the proportion of P407 in the emulsifier mixtures. Incorporation of grape pomace extracts had no effect on the investigated properties of the emulsions.

CONCLUSION

The presence of extracted polyphenols in emulsifier mixtures had no significant effects on the emulsions' physico-chemical characteristics and stability. Therefore, the investigated emulsions can be considered suitable carriers for polyphenol-rich extracts.

Improving fried burger quality and modulating acrylamide formation by active coating containing Rosa canina L. extract nanoemulsions

During the frying of foods, undesirable reactions such as protein denaturation, acrylamide formation, and so on occur in the product, which has confirmed carcinogenic effects. The use of antioxidants has been proposed as an effective solution to reduce the formation of these compounds during the process. The current study aimed to assess the impact of an edible coating holding within chia seed gum (CSG) and Rosa canina L. extract (RCE) nanoemulsions on the physicochemical properties, oil uptake, acrylamide formation, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) content, and sensory characteristics of beef-turkey burgers. The RCE-loaded nanoemulsions were prepared using the ultrasonic homogenization method, and different concentrations (i.e., 10%, 20%, and 40% w/w) were added to the CSG solutions; these active coatings were used to cover the burgers. CSG-based coatings, especially coatings containing the highest concentration of nanoemulsions (40%), caused a significant decrease in the oil uptake and moisture retention, acrylamide content, and HMF content of fried burgers. The texture of coated burgers was softer than that of uncoated samples; they also had a higher color brightness and a lower browning index. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that RCE concentration less than 40% should be used in CSG coatings because it will cause minor cracks, which is an obvious possibility of failure of coating performance. Coating significantly (4-10 times) increased the antioxidant activity of burgers compared to the control. In conclusion, it is suggested to use the active coating produced in this study to improve fried burger quality and modulate acrylamide formation.

Encapsulation of Black Rice Bran Extract in a Stable Nanoemulsion: Effects of Thermal Treatment, Storage Conditions, and In Vitro Digestion

This study aimed to improve the dispersibility of phenolic compounds from black rice bran through the encapsulation process within nanoemulsion. The study focused on assessing the stability of the nanoemulsions, which were prepared using a combination of surfactants with distinct hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values and sunflower oil under different thermal treatments and storage conditions. The study revealed a significant correlation between the mixed surfactant HLB value and the nanoemulsions properties, including average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and ζ-potential. Specifically, an increase in the HLB value was associated with a decrease in the initial average particle size. The encapsulated polyphenols exhibited remarkable stability over a storage period of up to 30 days at different temperatures with no significant changes observed in particle size or PDI. The study also investigated the impact of different ionic strengths (0.2, 0.5, and 1.00 mol L-1 NaCl) on the physical stability and antioxidant black rice bran extract nanoemulsion, and the results revealed that adding NaCl influenced the particle size and surface charge of the nanoemulsions. Total phenolic content and DPPH results demonstrated a significant impact of salt concentration on antioxidant properties, with varying trends observed among the HLB formulations. Furthermore, the behavior of the encapsulated extracts during digestion was examined, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated.

Enhancement of the bioavailability of phenolic compounds from fruit and vegetable waste by liposomal nanocarriers

Fruits and vegetables are one of the most consumed and processed commodities globally and comprise abundant phenolic compounds, one of the main nutraceuticals in the food industry. Comparably elevated rates of these compounds are found in waste (peel, seeds, leaf, stem, etc.) in the food processing industry. They are being investigated for their potential use in functional foods. However, phenolic compounds' low bioavailability limits their application, which can be approached by loading the phenolic compounds into an encapsulation system such as liposomal carriers. This review aims to elucidate the recent trend in extracting phenolic compounds from the waste stream and the means to load them in stable liposomes. Furthermore, the application of these liposomes with only natural extracts in food matrices is also presented. Many studies have indicated that liposomes can be a proper candidate for encapsulating and delivering phenolic compounds and as a means to increase their bioavailability.

Double Emulsion-Mediated Delivery of Polyphenol Mixture Alleviates Atopic Dermatitis

Although the polyphenols have been studied to alleviate inflammation, there are still challenges to delivering the polyphenols with stabilized formulation due to their low water solubility and susceptibility to oxidation. Herein, the transdermal delivery system of polyphenol mixture (PM), including quercetin (Q), phloretin (P), and ellagic acid (E), is developed using double emulsion for applying to atopic dermatitis (AD). Through the in vitro anti-degranulation assay, the optimal molar ratio of each polyphenol (Q:P:E = 5:1:1) is obtained, and the PM shows at most a 43.6% reduction of degranulation of immune cells, which is the primary factor of AD. Moreover, the water-in-oil-in-water double emulsion (W/O/W) enhances the PM's stability and has a higher anti-degranulation effect than the oil-in-water emulsion (O/W). In the in vivo 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced mice AD model, PM reduces more AD symptoms than every single polyphenol. The PM-encapsulated W/O/W (PM_W/O/W) shows the most effectiveness in AD by decreasing dermatitis score, i.e., skin/ear thickness, mast cells, and serum IgE level. Finally, this suggests that the findings on the optimal ratio of PM and double emulsion-based delivery would be beneficial in treating AD and can be applied to other allergic diseases.

Ultrasound-Assisted Encapsulation of Phytochemicals for Food Applications: A Review

The use of phytochemicals as natural food additives is a topic of interest for both academic and food industry communities. However, many of these substances are sensitive to environmental conditions. For this reason, encapsulation is usually performed prior to incorporation into food products. In this sense, ultrasound-assisted encapsulation is an emerging technique that has been gaining attention in this field, bringing important advantages for the production of functional food products. This review article covered applications published in the last five years (from 2019 to 2023) on the use of ultrasound to encapsulate phytochemicals for further incorporation into food. The ultrasound mechanisms for encapsulation, its parameters, such as reactor configuration, frequency, and power, and the use of ultrasound technology, along with conventional encapsulation techniques, were all discussed. Additionally, the main challenges of existing methods and future possibilities were discussed. In general, ultrasound-assisted encapsulation has been considered a great tool for the production of smaller capsules with a lower polydispersity index. Encapsulated materials also present a higher bioavailability. However, there is still room for further developments regarding process scale-up for industrial applications. Future studies should also focus on incorporating produced capsules in model food products to further assess their stability and sensory properties.

Encapsulation Properties of Mentha piperita Leaf Extracts Prepared Using an Ultrasound-Assisted Double Emulsion Method

Double emulsions (W₁/O/W₂) have long been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries to encapsulate hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs and bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effect of different types of emulsifiers (plant- vs. animal-based proteins) on the encapsulation properties of Mentha piperita leaf extract (MLE) prepared using the double emulsion method. Using response surface methodology, the effect of ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions (amplitude 20-50%; time 10-30 min; ethanol concentration 70-90%) on the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (percent inhibition) of the MLE was studied. MLE under optimized conditions (ethanol concentration 76%; amplitude 39%; time 30 min) had a TPC of 62.83 mg GA equivalents/g and an antioxidant activity of 23.49%. The optimized MLE was encapsulated using soy, pea, and whey protein isolates in two emulsifying conditions: 4065× g/min and 4065× g/30 s. The droplet size, optical images, rheology, and encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of the different encapsulated MLEs were compared. The W₁/O/W₂ produced at 4065× g/min exhibited a smaller droplet size and higher EE% and viscosity than that prepared at 4065× g/30 s. The higher EE% of soy and pea protein isolates indicated their potential as an effective alternative for bioactive compound encapsulation.

Starches in the encapsulation of plant active ingredients: state of the art and research trends

As a natural polymer, starches and their derivatives have received widespread attention in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, particularly for their use as a coating material. In this sense, as an encapsulating agent, starches stand out, considering the number of compounds that they can trap. Additionally, they provide a nutritional contribution and may improve acceptance by patients. As such, this type of material may serve as an alternative to overcome gaps such as loss of activity of the active principles, low assimilation, or deterioration under environmental and physiological conditions. In this paper, we aim to present the state of the art and research trends on the use of starch as a wall material for the encapsulation of active principles of plant origin. It was found that the most-encapsulated active principles are essential oils and polyphenols; native or modified starches are typically used, either as the sole wall material or in combination with other polymers; and the most widely used methodology is spray drying. The reviewed studies indicate the potential of starches for their use in active ingredient encapsulation processes, improving their viability and expanding their range of applications in different industries, as well as showing a clearly increasing publication trend over the last 10 years.

Graphical abstract

Dietary-Polysaccharide-Modified Fish-Oil-Based Double Emulsion as a Functional Colloidal Formulation for Oral Drug Delivery

Oral delivery is the most convenient drug administration route. However, oral delivery of peptides is extremely challenging due to the physical and chemical barriers within the gastrointestinal tract. Polysaccharides are often utilized as polymeric biomaterials in drug delivery. Among these, dietary polysaccharides extracted from okra, yam, and spirulina have been reported to stimulate innate immunity with well-known nutritional benefits. In this study, we developed a dietary-polysaccharide-modified fish-oil-based emulsion for oral co-delivery of a hydrophilic PD-L1 blocking peptide and the hydrophobic small molecule simvastatin. The optimal emulsion was nano-sized and exhibited a negative surface charge, high drug encapsulation efficiency of over 97%, low viscosity, and sustained drug release manner. The formulation could significantly increase the uptake of peptides by intestinal Caco-2 cells, which demonstrated the great potential of the formulation for promoting the oral absorption of peptides. Additionally, these dietary polysaccharides could promote dendritic cell maturation and cytokine expression in macrophages, demonstrating that these nutraceutical polysaccharides had dual roles of functioning as promising colloidal delivery systems and as potential immune modulators or adjuvants. Thus, this food-based colloidal delivery system shows promise for the oral delivery of peptide drugs and lays a great platform for future applications in immunotherapy.

Novel Approaches in the Valorization of Agricultural Wastes and Their Applications

Worldwide, a huge amount of agricultural food wastes and byproducts containing valuable bioactive compounds are generated, especially throughout the entire supply chain. Minimizing food wastes and byproducts is the first option to avoid environmental problems, and to help the economy and the society. Although many countries implement policies to reduce food wastes and byproducts, and different management methods are available to utilize agricultural food wastes, they are still produced annually. Nanotechnological and biotechnological approaches are recently used as novel and green applications to valorize agricultural food wastes and improve their stability and applicability. In this Review, these approaches are covered in detail with given examples. Another valorization way of consumable food waste is using it for functional food production. This Review focuses on specific examples of functional foods with food waste as an ingredient. In addition, the problems and limitations of waste management and valorization methods are investigated, considering future perspectives.

Enhancement of the Stability of Encapsulated Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Peel Extract by Double Emulsion with Carboxymethyl Cellulose

Pomegranate peel enriched with high value of bioactive phenolics with valuable health benefits. However, after extraction of the phenolic compounds, diverse factors can affect their stability. Therefore, we, herein, aimed to prepare W1/O/W2 double nanoemulsions loaded with phenolic-rich extract from pomegranate peel in the W1 phase. Double emulsions were fabricate during a two-step emulsification technique. Furthermore, the influence of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in the outer aqueous phase was also investigated. We found that W1/O/W2 emulsions containing phenolic-rich extract showed good physical stability, especially in the particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and creaming index. Intriguingly, high encapsulation rates of pomegranate polyphenols >95% were achieved; however, emulsion with CMC had the best encapsulation stability during storage. Thus, our study provides helpful information about the double nanoemulsions delivery system for polyphenols generated from pomegranate peel, which may lead to the development of innovative polyphenol-enriched functional foods.

Production of mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA)-loaded emulsions as chemical barriers to control sunscald in fruits and vegetables

BACKGROUND

Sunscald is a physiological disorder that occurs in many horticultural products when exposed to excessive solar radiation and high temperatures. Traditionally, sunscald is controlled using physical barriers that reflect radiation, however this practice is not always efficient. A possible alternative would be the use of chemical barriers, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which protect aquatic organisms against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Thus, this study aimed to develop a lipid-based emulsion containing MAAs for using in the preharvest of horticultural products.

RESULTS

Emulsions were developed using 10% (w/v) of corn oil (CO) and soybean oil (SO), carnauba wax (CW), and beeswax (BW) as lipid bases (LBs). The emulsion containing CW and ammonium hydroxide was the most stable, resembling commercial wax. Therefore, this formulation was used as the basis for the incorporation of the commercial product Helioguard™ 365, a source of MAA, in concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2%, and 4% (v/v). The MAA incorporation resulted in little modifications in the stability of the emulsion, providing an increase in the absorbance with peaks in the UV-B ranging from 280 to 300 nm.

CONCLUSION

The lipid-base emulsion containing MAAs could be used as a chemical barrier to control sunscald in horticultural products. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stability and release mechanisms of double emulsions loaded with bioactive compounds; a critical review

Double emulsions (DEs), known as emulsions of emulsions, are dispersion systems in which the droplets of one dispersed liquid are further dispersed in another liquid, producing double-layered liquid droplets. These systems are widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to their ability to co-encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactive compounds. However, they are sensitive and unstable and their controlled release is challenging. In this study, first, the stability of DEs and their release mechanisms are reviewed. Then, the factors affecting their stability, and the release of bioactive compounds are studied. Finally, modeling of the release in DEs is discussed. This information can be useful to optimize the formulation of DEs in order to utilize them in different industries.

Effect of black chokeberry pomace extract incorporation on the physical and oxidative stability of water-in-oil-in-water emulsion

BACKGROUND

Despite the obvious benefits of double emulsions in reducing fat content by replacing it with the water phase, their physical and oxidative stability remains a major concern. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of black chokeberry extract to inhibit lipid oxidation during storage at 4 °C for 60 days when different amounts of the extract were added to the inner water phase of the double emulsion. In the first step, the physical stability of the emulsions was evaluated.

RESULTS

Higher amount of the extract caused the formation of double emulsions with smaller droplets and higher viscosity. Throughout the whole storage period, the double emulsions showed good physical stability and high encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the extract (>95%) in the inner water phase. The positive effect of the extract on the oxidative stability of the double emulsions was shown by measuring changes in peroxide values and conjugated dienes and through the Oxipres and Rancimat tests during the convenient and accelerated storage of emulsions for 60 days.

CONCLUSION

The higher amount of extract suppressed lipid oxidation to a higher extent given the significant amount of polyphenolics in the extract. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent Innovations in Emulsion Science and Technology for Food Applications

Emulsion technology has been used for decades in the food industry to create a diverse range of products, including homogenized milk, creams, dips, dressings, sauces, desserts, and toppings. Recently, however, there have been important advances in emulsion science that are leading to new approaches to improving food quality and functionality. This article provides an overview of a number of these advanced emulsion technologies, including Pickering emulsions, high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs), nanoemulsions, and multiple emulsions. Pickering emulsions are stabilized by particle-based emulsifiers, which may be synthetic or natural, rather than conventional molecular emulsifiers. HIPEs are emulsions where the concentration of the disperse phase exceeds the close packing limit (usually >74%), which leads to novel textural properties and high resistance to gravitational separation. Nanoemulsions contain very small droplets (typically d < 200 nm), which leads to useful functional attributes, such as high optical clarity, resistance to gravitational separation and aggregation, rapid digestion, and high bioavailability. Multiple emulsions contain droplets that have smaller immiscible droplets inside them, which can be used for reduced-calorie, encapsulation, and delivery purposes. This new generation of advanced emulsions may lead to food and beverage products with improved quality, health, and sustainability.

Stabilization of water-in-oil emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii extract by ultrasonication: Fabrication, characterization, and storage stability

This study investigated the effect of ultrasonic treatments on the properties and stability of the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii (PJ) extract. The study used different ultrasound powers (0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 W) at two storage degrees (4 and 25 °C) for 28 days. The findings showed that the emulsifying properties were improved to different extents after ultrasonic treatments. The treatment at 600 W showed optimum particle size, polydispersity index, emulsifying property, viscosity properties, and release of total phenolic content than the other powers. However, the ultrasonic power of 400 W gave positive effects on creaming index and antioxidant release compared to 600 W. The emulsion stored at 4 °C presented higher stability than that stored at 25 °C during the 28 days of storage. Microscopically, the increase in sonication power up to 600 W reduced particle size and decreased flocculation, thus resulted in stable emulsions, which is desirable for its applications in food systems.

The Nutritional Potential of the Native Australian Green Plum (Buchanania obovata) Compared to Other Anacardiaceae Fruit and Nuts

The native Australian green plum (Buchanania obovata) is a small fruit that grows in the northern parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The fruit belongs to the family Anacardiaceae, which includes the other agriculturally important fruit mangoes, pistachios and cashew nuts. The green plum is a favored species of fruit for the Aboriginal communities and an important bush food in the Northern Territory. To date, only minimal scientific studies have been performed on the green plum as a food. This review is about plant foods in the family Anacardiaceae and the key nutritional compounds that occur in these fruit and nuts. It looks at the more traditional nutrient profiles, some key health metabolites, allergens and anti-nutrients that occur, and the role these foods play in the health of populations. This provides a guide for future studies of the green plum to show what nutritional and anti-nutritional properties and compounds should be analyzed and if there are areas where future studies should focus. This review includes an update on studies and analysis of the green plum and how its nutritional properties give it potential as a food for diet diversification in Australia.

Encapsulation Preserves Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities of Cactus Acid Fruit Bioactive Compounds under Simulated Digestion Conditions

Cactus acid fruit (Xoconostle) has been studied due its content of bioactive compounds. Traditional Mexican medicine attributes hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcerogenic and immunostimulant properties among others. The bioactive compounds contained in xoconostle have shown their ability to inhibit digestive enzymes such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Unfortunately, polyphenols and antioxidants in general are molecules susceptible to degradation due to storage conditions, (temperature, oxygen and light) or the gastrointestinal tract, which limits its activity and compromises its potential beneficial effect on health. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the stability, antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of encapsulated extract of xoconostle within double emulsions (water-in-oil-in-water) during storage conditions and simulated digestion. Total phenols, flavonoids, betalains, antioxidant activity, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition were measured before and after the preparation of double emulsions and during the simulation of digestion. The ED40% (treatment with 40% of xoconostle extract) treatment showed the highest percentage of inhibition of α-glucosidase in all phases of digestion. The inhibitory activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase related to antidiabetic activity was higher in microencapsulated extracts than the non-encapsulated extracts. These results confirm the viability of encapsulation systems based on double emulsions to encapsulate and protect natural antidiabetic compounds.

Formulation and Preparation of Water-In-Oil-In-Water Emulsions Loaded with a Phenolic-Rich Inner Aqueous Phase by Application of High Energy Emulsification Methods

Currently, industry is requesting proven techniques that allow the use of encapsulated polyphenols, rather than free molecules, to improve their stability and bioavailability. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied in this work to determine the optimal composition and operating conditions for preparation of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions loaded with phenolic rich inner aqueous phase from olive mill wastewater. A rotor-stator mixer, an ultrasonic homogenizer and a microfluidizer processor were tested in this study as high-energy emulsification methods. Optimum results were obtained by means of microfluidizer with 148 MPa and seven cycles input levels yielding droplets of 105.3 ± 3.2 nm in average size and 0.233 ± 0.020 of polydispersity index. ζ-potential, chemical and physical stability of the optimal W/O/W emulsion were also evaluated after storage. No droplet size growth or changes in stability and ζ-potential were observed. Furthermore, a satisfactory level of phenolics retention (68.6%) and antioxidant activity (89.5%) after 35 days of storage at room temperature makes it suitable for application in the food industry.

Ultrasound-assisted development of stable grapefruit peel polyphenolic nano-emulsion: Optimization and application in improving oxidative stability of mustard oil

Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) peel (GP) is rich in flavonoids and phenolics which have several proven pharmacological effects. However, their chemical instability towards oxygen, light and heat limits its applications in food industries. In the present study, we evaluated the feasibility of fabricating grapefruit-peel-phenolic (GPP) nano-emulsion in mustard oil using ultrasonication. Response surface methodology (RSM) optimization revealed that sonication time of 9.5 min at 30% amplitude and 0.52% Span-80 produced the stable GPP nano-emulsion with a droplet size of 29.73 ± 1.62 nm. Results indicate that both ultrasonication and Span-80 can assist the fabrication of a stabilized nano-emulsion. This study is one of its kind where nano-encapsulation of GPP into W/O emulsion was done to stabilize the active compound inside mustard oil and then the nano-emulsion was used to extend oxidative stability of mustard oil. Findings provide a basic guideline to formulate stable nano-emulsions for their use in active food packaging, oils, and pharmaceuticals.

Valorization of byproducts from tropical fruits: Extraction methodologies, applications, environmental, and economic assessment: A review (Part 1: General overview of the byproducts, traditional biorefinery practices, and possible applications)

Tropical fruits represent one of the most important crops in the world. The continuously growing global market for the main tropical fruits is currently estimated at 84 million tons, of which approximately half is lost or wasted throughout the whole processing chain. Developing novel processes for the conversion of these byproducts into value-added products could provide a viable way to manage this waste problem, aiming at the same time to create a sustainable economic growth within a bio-economy perspective. Given the ever-increasing concern about sustainability, complete valorization through a bio-refinery approach, that is, zero waste concept, as well as the use of green techniques is therefore of utmost importance. This paper aims to report the status on the valorization of tropical fruit byproducts within a bio-refinery frame, via the application of traditional methodologies, and with specific attention to the extraction of phenolics and carotenoids as bioactive compounds. The different types of byproducts, and their content of bioactives is reviewed, with a special emphasis on the lesser-known tropical fruits. Moreover, the bioactivity of the different types of extracts and their possible application as a resource for different sectors (food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sciences) is discussed. Consequently, this review presents the concepts of tropical fruit biorefineries, and the potential applications of the isolated fractions.

Designing multiple bioactives loaded emulsions for the formulations for diets of elderly

In this study, a stable double emulsion loaded with essential bioactives for the elderly was prepared using a two-step mechanical emulsification process.

Nanoemulsions and acidified milk gels as a strategy for improving stability and antioxidant activity of yarrow phenolic compounds after gastrointestinal digestion

The aim of this study was to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of yarrow phenolic compounds upon an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Therefore, two types of caseins-based delivery systems, sodium caseinate stabilized nanoemulsions (NEs) and glucono delta-lactone acidified milk gels (MGs), were formulated containing an ultrasound-assisted yarrow extract (YE) at two concentrations (1 and 2.5 mg/mL). Formulations with 1 mg/mL of YE were chosen based on their higher encapsulation efficiency to perform the in vitro digestion experiments. After digestion, YE-loaded NEs only partially protected phenolic compounds from degradation; meanwhile the phenolic composition of YE including in MGs after digestion was quite similar to undigested YE. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of MGs after digestion was higher than NEs digested samples, which confirms the higher protection of YE phenolic compound by the milk gels systems. This research demonstrated the potential use of acidified MGs as carriers to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of yarrow phenolic compounds. Therefore, these matrices could be employed to develop new dairy products enriched with phenolic compounds.

In vitro digestibility and release of a mango peel extract encapsulated within water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) emulsions containing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose

Mango peel is a rich source of phenolic compounds (PC), which can be used in food fortification. The use of water-in-oil-in-water (W₁/O/W₂) emulsions represents a potential strategy to encapsulate, protect and incorporate PC from mango peel into food products. Moreover, even though non-digestible biopolymers are usually incorporated into emulsions to enhance stability, little is known about the effect on the digestibility and release of PC. In this study, a mango peel extract (MPE) was encapsulated using W₁/O/W₂ emulsions containing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC; 0, 0.5, 1.0% w/w) in W₂, and their colloidal stability, lipid digestibility kinetics (free fatty acid release), and release (in terms of antioxidant activity) under in vitro digestion conditions were evaluated. The presence of CMC in emulsions caused flocculation of droplets, which remained unchanged during the gastric phase, suggesting that bridging flocculation occurred. Moreover, a slower lipid digestion rate was observed in emulsions containing CMC, with k-values ranging between 0.21 and 0.25 min^-1, compared to emulsions without CMC (around 0.14 min^-1). However, although CMC may slow down the lipolysis reaction during the first 40 min due to physical or steric hindrance, at the end of the intestinal phase, emulsions with or without CMC had a similar final FFA release. Moreover, MPE release was triggered under gastric conditions, probably by osmotic imbalance, showing a constant antioxidant activity value during the intestinal phase only in emulsions containing CMC. This study provides relevant insights to design double emulsions as delivery systems of water-soluble bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity, such as PC.