Recent innovations of ultrasound green technology in herbal phytochemistry: A review

Recent advances in the implementation of ultrasound technology for the extraction of essential oils from terrestrial plant materials: A comprehensive review

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) is an innovative process for recovering valuable substances and compounds from plants and various biomaterials. This technology holds promise for resource recovery while maintaining the quality of the extracted products. The review comprehensively discusses UAE's mechanism, applications, advantages, and limitations, focusing on extracting essential oils (EOs) from diverse terrestrial plant materials. These oils exhibit preservation, flavor enhancement, antimicrobial action, antioxidant effects, and anti-inflammatory benefits due to the diverse range of specific compounds in their composition. Conventional extraction techniques have been traditionally employed, and their limitations have prompted the introduction of novel extraction methods. Therefore, the review emphasizes that the use of UAE, alone or in combination with other cutting-edge technologies, can enhance the extraction of EOs. By promoting resource recovery, reduced energy consumption, and minimal solvent use, UAE paves the way for a more sustainable approach to harnessing the valuable properties of EOs. With its diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and other industries, further research into UAE and its synergies with other cutting-edge technologies is required to unlock its full potential in sustainable resource recovery and product quality preservation.

Examining the relationship between international digital trade, green technology innovation and environmental sustainability in top emerging economics

Ensuring preserving a sustainable environment is a crucial concern for individuals worldwide. In previous research, CO2 emissions have been used to measure environmental deterioration. However, in this study, we have expanded the scope to include carbon emissions and several other gases. This comprehensive measure is referred to as the ecological footprint (EFP). More significant international digital trade (IDT) has the potential to achieve several positive results, including reducing EFP (economic frictions and barriers), stimulating economic growth, and minimizing trade risk and volatility. These benefits can be realized by implementing structural reforms in significant production and development sectors. Green technology innovation (GTI) has the potential to make substantial progress in ecological quality and energy efficiency. Nevertheless, previous studies still need to adequately prioritize examining rising economies in terms of international trade diversification and GTI. This study examined the effects of IDT, GTI, and renewable energy consumption (REC) on EFP in BRICST countries. The study utilized data from the period between 1995 and 2022. The cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) model demonstrates that EFP negatively correlates with trade diversification, REC, and GTI in the long and short term. These countries have demonstrated a significant presence of eco-friendly products in their trade portfolios, and their manufacturing processes are shifting towards GTI. The objective is to enhance the REC sources and minimize EFP from consumption. Conversely, the increasing economic growth within this economic group has a compounding impact on the environment's decline since it amplifies the carbon emissions from increased consumption. To reduce the EFP level, the paper suggests increasing investment in GTI, promoting worldwide digital trade, and embracing renewable energy sources.

Influence of ultrasound pretreatment on drying characteristics of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) slices during convective hot air drying

BACKGROUND

Convective hot air drying of cocoyam is risk-free and inexpensive to a significant level. However, hot air drying causes negative changes to the color, texture, flavor and nutritional content of cocoyam as a result of the prolonged drying. Recently, the innovative technology of ultrasound pretreatment has been applied in food processing to reduce the processing time, conserve energy and preserve the quality of the food product. Thus, there is need to investigate the effect of ultrasound pretreatment with distilled water (UDW) and ultrasound with osmotic dehydration (UOD) for different ultrasonic times (10-30 min) on the drying kinetics of cocoyam slices during convective hot air drying. Ultrasound pretreatment was applied at a frequency of 20 kHz and an output power of 600 W for UDW and UOD. The ultrasound-pretreated samples were further dried in a convective hot-air drying oven at 70 °C.

RESULTS

UDW and UOD samples, respectively, had a 25% and 46% reduction in drying time compared to untreated samples. The UOD samples had the lowest activation energy (10.697 × 10 3 kJ), as well as the highest moisture diffusivity (3.782  × 10-10  m2  s-1 ) and mass transfer coefficient (2.006  × 10-8  m s-1 ), among the untreated and UDW samples. Wang and Singh, Page and Peleg models were found to be the most fitted models with respect to the drying characteristics of cocoyam for untreated, UDW and UOD samples, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound pretreatment technology is a potential non-thermal process that can be incorporated as a pretreatment method in the convective drying of cocoyam to reduce processing time, conserve energy and enhance cocoyam product shelf life. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Studying financial development with low-carbon architecture development and green technological innovation: sustaining SDG-9

In order to accomplish Sustainable Growth Goal 9, this research analyzes in detail how green technological innovation, low-carbon architectural improvement, and more significant financial growth all work together to reach the goal. This research meticulously integrates secondary data from reputable sources to examine the relationship between economic growth, technological innovation in the built environment, and environmental sustainability from 1994 to 2019. For economic insights, the World Bank's World Development Indicators is a go-to resource, while Yale University's Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a go-to for environmental metrics. Our research is based on this synthesis of multi-dimensional data, which enables an in-depth investigation of the interplay between financial development, sustainable architecture, and technical progress toward SDG-9. This research employs quantitative and qualitative methodologies to shed light on the intricate interaction between these elements, making it useful for policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders dedicated to directing sustainable development paths.

Creating a greener future: the crucial role of green innovation and supply chain management in corporate sustainability

One of the most pressing concerns today is how to improve green innovation and supply chain management for company sustainability. It has been discovered that inefficient supply chain management is a major barrier limiting eco-friendly innovation. The supply chain management process is crucial to a company's long-term viability, yet previous research barely scratched the surface of its significance. This article uses a resource-based view to investigate how integrating green innovation and organizational agility into the supply chain management process contributes to the long-term success of businesses. This study used a cross-sectional approach. Structured equation modeling was used to examine data collected through convenience sampling from 475 employees of Chinese multinational manufacturing enterprises. Green innovation helps smooth over the bumps on the road between supply chain management and sustainable business results. Green innovation and business sustainable performance also benefit from organizational agility, which was not shown to moderate this relationship. The study teaches that in today's knowledge-based economy, firms that invest in novel technologies and adopt greener strategies are better able to address sensitive issues like supply chain management and organizational agility and achieve long-term success. This research aims to provide light on the complex interconnections between supply chain management, green innovation, and the sustainable performance of businesses. The theoretical framework for the present research was validated by the occurrence of a positive association between these variables.

Extraction of Functional Compounds from Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) by Deep Eutectic Solvents at Different Properties

In this study, it was aimed to examine the capacity of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with different contents to extract bioactive compounds from tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) plant. For this reason, the total phenolic-flavonoid content, total proanthocyanidin content and antioxidant/antimicrobial activities of the prepared DES extracts were investigated, as well as the individual phenolic and individual amino acid profiles. According to the results, DES10 had the highest efficiency in terms of its capacity to extract individual phenolics (approximately 59 mg/100 g) and individual amino acids (approximately 2500 mg/kg), and also gave a higher yield compared to ethanol (approximately 44 mg/100 g for individual phenolics and about 19810 mg/kg for individual amino acids) and methanol (approximately 58 mg/100 g for individual phenolics and approximately 21430 mg/kg for individual amino acids). However, the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity values of DES extracts were determined between 59.09-77.50 mg GAE/100 g, 28.68-45.55 mg GAE/100 g and 42.96-146.86 mg TE/100 g, respectively. Therefore, it can be recommended to use these green solvents, which are known as environmentally friendly, as an alternative to organic solvents in the process of preparing extracts of this important medicinal plant in different areas.

Advancing higher education and its implication towards sustainable development: Moderate role of green innovation in BRI economies

Environmental deterioration is one of the major problems the globe is facing in the modern period. On the other hand, several groups around the world have endeavored to launch efforts to protect the planet, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, the proposed objectives' primary duty is to strike a balance between development and environmental concerns. This study looked at 65 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) economies to see how factors, including the economic complexity index, urbanization, ICT, higher education, and green innovation, affected carbon emissions in the presence of sustainable development. Annual time series data from 2000 to 2020 have been used in the analysis. This study employs the CC-EMG to determine the durability of the association between the variables. AMG and quantile GMM regression estimations were used to test the robustness and reproducibility of the results. The results reveal that higher education and green innovation help lower carbon emissions, whereas the economic complexity index and urbanization are beneficial for increasing economic activity and advancing information and communication technologies. The economic complexity index, ICT, and higher education are all negatively impacted by green innovation. Important policy implications of the computed coefficients for the selected and other developing markets in planning a suitable path forward to a sustainable environment are also provided.

Does higher education promote sustainable development? Role of green technology and financial performance

How do digitalizing businesses help them achieve sustainable growth? This research examines the mediating function of green technology innovation in answering this question by defining sustainable development performance in terms of corporations' financial and environmental success. The educational system in China is examined to see how much of an impact it has on eco-innovation, as well as the relationship between green technology and innovation. The IFE test was utilized to determine whether or not the associations between variables such as GDP per capita, urbanization, green technology, higher education, and carbon dioxide emissions will continue to exist between 2004 and 2020 in China. The data for this analysis came from 30 of China's provinces. The findings of both the short-term and long-term CS-ARDL estimations demonstrated a positive link between eco-innovation and GDP per capita, green technology, higher education, and CO2 emissions. On the other hand, a negative correlation was found between urbanization and eco-innovation. The next topic covered in the research was how the effects of green technology might be seen in areas such as GDP per capita, higher education, and carbon dioxide emissions. The findings might provide valuable knowledge that developing economies can use to construct a feasible, sustainable path.

Bioactive Potential of Aqueous Phenolic Extracts of Spices for Their Use in the Food Industry-A Systematic Review

The interest on the use of natural sources in the food industry has promoted the study of plants' phenolic compounds as potential additives. However, the literature has been focusing on essential oils, with very few studies published regarding aqueous extracts, their phenolic composition, and bioactivity. A systematic review was conducted on different databases following PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the relevance of the phenolic content of different aromatic spices (oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, clove, and pepper), as related to their bioactivity and potential application as food additives. Although different extraction methods have been applied in the literature, the use of green approaches using ethanol and deep eutectic solvents has increased, leading to the development of products more apt for human consumption. The studied plants present an interesting phenolic profile, ranging from phenolic acids to flavonoids, establishing a correlation between their phenolic content and bioactivity. In this sense, results have proven to be very promising, presenting those extracts as having similar if not higher bioactivity than synthetic additives already in use, with associated health concerns. Nevertheless, the study of spices' phenolic extracts is somehow limited to in vitro studies. Therefore, research in food matrices is needed for more understanding of factors interfering with their preservation activity.

An Ultrasonic RF Acquisition System for Plant Stems Based on Labview Double Layer Multiple Triggering

Ultrasound is widely used in medical and engineering inspections due to its non-destructive and easy-to-use characteristics. However, the complex internal structure of plant stems presents challenges for ultrasound testing. The density and thickness differences in various types of stems can cause different attenuation of ultrasonic signal propagation and the formation of different echo locations. To detect structural changes in plant stems, it is crucial to acquire complete ultrasonic echo RF signals. However, there is currently no dedicated ultrasonic RF detection equipment for plant stems, and some ultrasonic acquisition equipment has limited memory capacity that cannot store a complete echo signal. To address this problem, this paper proposes a double-layer multiple-timing trigger method, which can store multiple trigger sampling memories to meet the sampling needs of different plant stems with different ultrasonic echo locations. The method was tested in experiments and found to be effective in acquiring complete ultrasonic RF echo signals for plant stems. This approach has practical significance for the ultrasonic detection of plant stems.

Nanotechnology Formulations Designed with Herbal Extracts and Their Therapeutic Applications - A Review

Because of the increasing demand for natural products, the development of nanoformulations containing natural active ingredients requires in-depth knowledge of the substances used, methods of obtaining, and stability profiles to ensure product quality, efficacy, and safety. Considering this, the bibliography of the last five years presented in databases (PubMed and Science Direct) was discussed in this work, discussing the study with medicinal plants to obtain active metabolites with therapeutic properties, as well as the different nano-systems responsible for carrying these molecules. Due to the wealth of biodiversity found in the world, many species are submitted to the extraction process for several purposes. However, identifying, classifying, and quantifying the constituents of herbal matrices are crucial steps to verify their therapeutic potential. In addition, knowing the techniques of production and elaboration of nanotechnology products allows the optimization of the incorporation of herbal extracts as an innovation target. For studies to be successful, it is necessary to exhaust experimental results that guarantee the efficacy, safety, and quality of natural nanosystems, with the objective of obtaining reliable answers in nanotechnology therapy.

The Recent Development of Acoustic Sensors as Effective Chemical Detecting Tools for Biological Cells and Their Bioactivities

One of the most significant developed technologies is the use of acoustic waves to determine the chemical structures of biological tissues and their bioactivities. In addition, the use of new acoustic techniques for in vivo visualizing and imaging of animal and plant cellular chemical compositions could significantly help pave the way toward advanced analytical technologies. For instance, acoustic wave sensors (AWSs) based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) were used to identify the aromas of fermenting tea such as linalool, geraniol, and trans-2-hexenal. Therefore, this review focuses on the use of advanced acoustic technologies for tracking the composition changes in plant and animal tissues. In addition, a few key configurations of the AWS sensors and their different wave pattern applications in biomedical and microfluidic media progress are discussed.

Isomerization and Stabilization of Amygdalin from Peach Kernels

In this study, isomerization conditions, cytotoxic activity, and stabilization of amygdalin from peach kernels were analyzed. Temperatures greater than 40 °C and pHs above 9.0 resulted in a quickly increasing isomer ratio (L-amygdalin/D-amygdalin). At acidic pHs, isomerization was significantly inhibited, even at high temperature. Ethanol inhibited isomerization; the isomer rate decreased with the ethanol concentration increasing. The growth-inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells of D-amygdalin was diminished as the isomer ratio increased, indicating that isomerization reduces the pharmacological activity of D-amygdalin. Extracting amygdalin from peach kernels by ultrasonic power at 432 W and 40 °C in 80% ethanol resulted in a 1.76% yield of amygdalin with a 0.04 isomer ratio. Hydrogel beads prepared by 2% sodium alginate successfully encapsulated the amygdalin, and its encapsulation efficiency and drug loading rate reached 85.93% and 19.21%, respectively. The thermal stability of amygdalin encapsulated in hydrogel beads was significantly improved and reached a slow-release effect in in vitro digestion. This study provides guidance for the processing and storage of amygdalin.

Ultrasound application for the decontamination of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seeds: Influence on fungal inhibition and seed quality

Seed decay is a major problem caused by pathogens that adversely affect seed yield and quality in agricultural production. Herein, the effect of 28 KHz ultrasound treatment for 20, 40 and 60 min and 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution for 20 min was assessed for the decontamination of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seeds. In addition, seed germination indices, seedling growth traits, total phenolic content and the activity of defense-related enzymes, viz. peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde were measured in the treated seeds. An isolate of Fusarium solani was obtained from roselle seeds and identified as the causal agent of roselle seed rot based on morphological and molecular characteristics. After six days of seed storage, the microbial infection caused the highest seed rot in the control seeds on the average of 56.67%, whereas ultrasound treatment for 60 min could remarkably reduce the seed decay by 3.33%. At the end of seed storage, the fungal load showed the highest (7.72 Log CFU ml-1) and lowest (6.99 Log CFU ml-1) rates in the control and ultrasound treatment for 60 min, respectively. Total phenolic content was significantly increased in ultrasound treatment for 60 min compared to control and sodium hypochlorite treatments. Moreover, the activity of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase was noticeably improved in ultrasound treatment for 60 min. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment did not show any adverse effects on seed germination indices and seedling growth traits of the roselle plants. Overall, ultrasound treatment for 60 min could effectively decrease roselle seed decay and the fungal load without changing seed and seedling quality.

Exploring the Power of Thermosonication: A Comprehensive Review of Its Applications and Impact in the Food Industry

Thermosonication (TS) has been identified as a smart remedy for the shortcomings of heat treatment, which typically requires prolonged exposure to high temperatures. This technique combines moderate heat treatment with acoustic energy to eliminate harmful microorganisms and enzymes in food products. Unlike conventional heat treatment, thermosonication utilizes short holding times, allowing for the preservation of food products’ phytochemical compounds and sensory characteristics. The benefits and challenges of this emerging technology, such as equipment cost, limited availability of data, inconsistent results, high energy consumption, and scale-up challenges, have been assessed, and the design process for using ultrasound in combination with mild thermal treatment has been discussed. TS has proven to be a promising technique for eliminating microorganisms and enzymes without compromising the nutritional or sensory quality of food products. Utilizing natural antimicrobial agents such as ascorbic acid, Nisin, and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) in combination with thermosonication is a promising approach to enhancing the safety and shelf life of food products. Further research is required to enhance the utilization of natural antimicrobial agents and to acquire a more comprehensive comprehension of their impact on the safety and quality of food products.

Ultrasonic washing as an abiotic elicitor to increase the phenolic content in fruits and vegetables: A review

Ultrasonic washing has been widely applied to the postharvest storage of fruits and vegetables as a residue-free physical washing technology, which plays an important role in improving shelf-life, safety, and nutritional value. Phenolics are a large group of phytochemicals widespread in fruits and vegetables, and they have been considered potential protective factors against some diseases because of potent antioxidative properties. Previous studies have shown that ultrasonic washing can increase the phenolic content of fruits and vegetables immediately or during storage through the induction of plant stress responses, which is of great significance for improving the functional and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. However, the mechanisms of ultrasound as an elicitor to improve the phenolic content remain controversial. Therefore, this review summarizes the applications of ultrasonic washing to increase the phenolic content in fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, the corresponding physiological stress response mechanisms of the phenolic accumulation in terms of immediate stress responses (i.e., higher extractability of phenolics) and late stress responses (i.e., metabolism of phenolics) are expounded. Moreover, a hypothetical model is proposed to explain phenolic biosynthesis triggered by signaling molecules produced under ultrasound stress, including primary signal (i.e., extracellular adenosine triphosphate) and secondary signals (e.g., reactive oxygen species, Ca²⁺ , NO, jasmonates, and ethylene). Additionally, the techno-economic feasibility of ultrasonic washing technology is also discussed. Further, challenges and trends for further development of ultrasonic washing as an abiotic elicitor applied to the postharvest storage of fruits and vegetables are presented.

Identification of volatile compounds and metabolic pathway during ultrasound-assisted kombucha fermentation by HS-SPME-GC/MS combined with metabolomic analysis

The current work combines headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) with multivariate analysis fusion metabonomics for examining metabolite profile changes. The correlation with metabolic pathways during the fermentation of kombucha tea were comprehensively explored. For optimizing the fermentation process, ultrasound-assisted factors were explored. A total of 132 metabolites released by fermented kombucha were detected by HS-SPME-GC/MS. We employed the principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to present the relationship between aroma components and fermentation time, of which the first two principal components respectively accounted for 60.3% and 6.5% of the total variance. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that during the fermentation of kombucha tea, there were significant differences in the phenotypes of metabolites in the samples, and 25 characteristic metabolites were selected as biomarkers. Leaf alcohol was first proposed as the characteristic volatile in the fermentation process of kombucha. Furthermore, we addressed the generation pathways of characteristic volatiles, their formation mechanisms, and the transformational correlation among them. Our findings provide a roadmap for future kombucha fermentation processing to enhance kombucha flavor and aroma.

Effect of Microwave and Ultrasound during the Killing Stage of the Curing Process of Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia, Andrews) Pods

The curing process (CP) of Vanilla planifolia pods, which is a long and tedious process, is necessary to obtain the natural vanilla extract. This research evaluated the application of microwave (M) and ultrasound (U) during the "killing" stage of the CP and its effect on vanillin content and β-glucosidase activity. The pods were immersed in a container with water or with moistened samples for the M treatments. In U treatments, the pods were immersed in an ultrasonic bath. After this stage, the samples were subjected to an additional U treatment. The results show that the application of these technologies significantly improves vanillin yield (p < 0.05) and the curing time is reduced to 20 days. U treatments subjected to additional sonication at 38 °C obtain more than double the yield of vanillin regarding control. The effect of M and U on cell structure damage increases with additional sonication, but at 15 min, β-glucosidase inactivation decreases the final yield. Disposition of samples in M also affects the final vanillin content. There is no significant correlation between β-glucosidase and vanillin in the different treatments. The application of M and U with the appropriate parameters reduces the CP time without affecting the compounds of interest.

Probing the impact of sustainable emerging sonication and DBD plasma technologies on the quality of wheat sprouts juice

Sonication and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma are sustainable emerging food processing technologies. The study investigates the impact of sonication, DBD-plasma, and thermal treatment (TT) on wheat sprout juice. The obtained results indicated a significant (p < 0.05) increase in chlorophyll, total phenolics, flavonoids, DPPH assay, and ORAC assay after DBD-plasma (40 V) and sonication (30 mins) treatment as compared to TT and untreated samples. Both emerging technologies significantly (p < 0.05) reduce the polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities, but the TT sample had the highest reduction. Moreover, the synergistic application of both technologies significantly reduced the E. coli/Coliform, aerobics, yeast and mold up to the 2 log reduction, but the TT sample had a complete reduction. DBD-plasma and sonication processing significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the particle size, reducing apparent viscosity (η) and consistency index (K); while increasing the flow behavior (n), leading to higher stability of wheat sprout juice. To assess the impact of emerging techniques on nutrient concentration, we used surface-enhance Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as an emerging method. Silver-coated gold nano-substrates were used to compare the nutritional concentration of wheat sprout juice treated with sonication, DBD-plasma, and TT-treated samples. Results showed sharp peaks for samples treated with DBD-plasma followed by sonication, untreated, and TT. The obtained results, improved quality of wheat sprout juice, and lower microbial and enzymatic loads were confirmed, showing the suitability of these sustainable processing techniques for food processing and further research.

Individual and interactive effect of ultrasound pre-treatment on drying kinetics and biochemical qualities of food: A critical review

One of the earliest and most prevalent processing methods to increase the shelf-life of foods is drying. In recent years, there has been an increased demand to improve product quality while lowering processing times, expenses, and energy usage in the drying process. Pre-treatments are therefore effectively used before drying to enhance heat and mass transfer, increase drying efficiency, and lessen degradation of final product quality. When food is dried, changes are expected in its taste, color, texture, and physical, chemical, and microbial properties. This has led to the need for research and development into the creation of new and effective pre-treatment technologies including high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultraviolet irradiation, and ultrasound. Sound waves that have a frequency >20 kHz, which is above the upper limit of the audible frequency range, are referred to as "ultrasound". Ultrasonication (US) is a non-thermal technology, that has mechanical, cavitational, and sponge effects on food materials. Ultrasound pre-treatment enhances the drying characteristics by producing microchannels in the food tissue, facilitating internal moisture diffusion in the finished product, and lowering the barrier to water migration. The goal of ultrasound pre-treatment is to save processing time, conserve energy, and enhance the quality, safety, and shelf-life of food products. This study presents a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of ultrasound, its mechanism, and how the individual effects of ultrasonic pre-treatment and the interactive effects of ultrasound-assisted technologies affect the drying kinetics, bioactive components, color, textural, and sensory qualities of food. The difficulties that can arise when using ultrasound technology as a drying pretreatment approach, such as inadequate management of heat, the employment of ultrasound at a limited frequency, and the generation of free radicals, have also been explained.

Bio-Guided Optimization of Cystoseira abies-marina Cosmeceuticals Extraction by Advanced Technologies

Cystoseira abies-marina (reclassified as Gongolaria abies-marina) is a brown seaweed species rich in meroterpenoids, presenting interesting antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, there is still a lot to uncover regarding the bioactive potential of this species, as evidenced by the lack of records of antiaging activities from Cystoseira abies-marina, making this macroalga an excellent candidate for studies of its cosmeceutical potential. Ultrasound-(UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) are advanced sustainable technologies that are very efficient in enhancing bioactive compound extraction. Applying these extraction techniques to a new biological matrix often calls for optimizing the parameters toward the best extraction yield. Since Cystoseira abies-marina is a new matrix for both UAE and MAE techniques, the present work proposes the optimization of the extraction process, using a novel approach: instead of only focusing on increasing the yield, the goal of this work is to determine the parameters for UAE and MAE that lead to extracts with better antiaging activities. For this bio-guided approach, several Cystoseira abies-marina extracts were prepared by UAE and MAE under varying conditions of solvent, time, and algae/solvent ratios. Their antiaging activities were then determined, and all the results combined to unveil the conditions yielding extracts with higher cosmeceutical potential. Using statistical tools, it was found that, for UAE, the best conditions were ethyl acetate, 15 min, and a ratio of 1:4, which led to an extract with high yield, and causing the strong inhibition of tyrosinase and elastase. In turn, ethanol, 10 min, and a ratio of 1:4 were the best conditions for MAE, leading to the extract with the best antioxidant activity. The results show that the proposed bio-guided approach was effective in obtaining extracts with high cosmeceutical potential, unveiling the possibility of modulating an extract's activity by changing the extraction method.

Electrolyzed-Reduced Water: Review I. Molecular Hydrogen Is the Exclusive Agent Responsible for the Therapeutic Effects

Numerous benefits have been attributed to alkaline-electrolyzed-reduced water (ERW). Sometimes these claims are associated with easily debunked concepts. The observed benefits have been conjectured to be due to the intrinsic properties of ERW (e.g., negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), alkaline pH, H₂ gas), as well enigmatic characteristics (e.g., altered water structure, microclusters, free electrons, active hydrogen, mineral hydrides). The associated pseudoscientific marketing has contributed to the reluctance of mainstream science to accept ERW as having biological effects. Finally, through many in vitro and in vivo studies, each one of these propositions was examined and refuted one-by-one until it was conclusively demonstrated that H₂ was the exclusive agent responsible for both the negative ORP and the observed therapeutic effects of ERW. This article briefly apprised the history of ERW and comprehensively reviewed the sequential research demonstrating the importance of H₂. We illustrated that the effects of ERW could be readily explained by the known biological effects of H₂ and by utilizing conventional chemistry without requiring any metaphysical conjecture (e.g., microclustering, free electrons, etc.) or reliance on implausible notions (e.g., alkaline water neutralizes acidic waste). The H₂ concentration of ERW should be measured to ensure it is comparable to those used in clinical studies.

Ultrasonic washing as an abiotic elicitor to induce the accumulation of phenolics of fresh-cut red cabbages: Effects on storage quality and microbial safety

Ultrasonic washing has been proved to be an abiotic elicitor to induce the accumulation of phenolics in some fruit and vegetables. However, the feasibility of ultrasonic washing on the accumulation of phenolics in fresh-cut red cabbages has not yet been reported. Therefore, the effects of ultrasonic washing on the phenolics and related phenolic metabolism enzymes of fresh-cut red cabbages, as well as quality and microbial safety during cold storage, were investigated. Firstly, the single-factor tests were used to optimize the ultrasonic processing parameters, including frequency mode, frequency amplitude, power density, frequency cycle time, and ultrasonic washing. Then the activities of the enzymes related to phenolic metabolisms after optimal ultrasound treatment were investigated, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD). Additionally, the quality and microbial safety of fresh-cut red cabbages stored at 4°C under the optimal ultrasound treatment were evaluated. The results showed that the content of soluble phenolics (SPs) in fresh-cut red cabbages increased significantly during storage under the optimal conditions (28 ± 2 kHz, 60 W/L, 400 ms, and 20 min) compared with the control (P < 0.05). The PAL activity was activated and the PPO and POD activities were inhibited after ultrasonic washing, which contributed to the increase in the content of SPs. Meanwhile, the storage quality and microbial safety of fresh-cut red cabbages were improved. Ultrasonic washing reduced the weight loss and respiration rate and improved the color and texture characteristics. Additionally, the fresh-cut red cabbages after ultrasonic washing showed more retention of ascorbic acid (AA), total soluble proteins (TSPs), total soluble sugars (TSSs), and total soluble solids (SSs) compared with the control. Finally, ultrasonic washing effectively inhibited the growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts, which is beneficial to the extension of the shelf-life of fresh-cut red cabbages. Therefore, ultrasonic washing can be used as a tool to increase the content of SPs in fresh-cut red cabbages while retaining quality attributes and microbial safety.

Potential bioactivity of Phoenix dactylifera fruits, leaves, and seeds against prostate and pancreatic cancer cells

The use of functional foods' phytochemicals in the chemoprevention of different cancer diseases has become one of the hot scientific areas in the clinical nutrition field. For instance, the Khalas palm cultivar (KPC; Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the natural sustainable resources that have high bioactivity and functionality. This study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative activity and mode of action of KPC's different parts on prostate (Pc3) and pancreatic (panc1) cancer cells at a molecular level. In the methods, KPC's leaves, seeds, and fruits' chemical composition and phytochemical analysis were analyzed. Also, the cytotoxic effects of each extract were assessed against pc3 and panc1 cell lines. Besides, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle analysis, and gene expression of both Cap3 and Cap9 were studied. The obtained results indicated that KPC leaves extract exhibited the highest significant (P < 0.01) anti-proliferation activity against the utilized cancer cell lines compared to fruits and seeds extracts. Also, there were significant (P < 0.05) differences in the phenolic contents, flavonoid of compounds, and antioxidant power of the leaves when compared to the seeds and fruits. Additionally, the highest cytotoxic effect (lowest IC₅₀) was recorded with leave extract than seeds and fruits. Meanwhile, the seeds extract induced (P < 0.05) the apoptosis and arrested cells in the G2/M phase as well as up-regulated the gene expression of the apoptotic-related genes (Casp3 and Casp9) compared to the control group. In conclusion, this study showed that the presence of bioactive components in the KPC different parts extracts have the significant ability to induce the apoptotic pathway that could down-regulate the proliferation of prostate (pc3) and pancreatic (panc1) cancer cells. The pathway mechanism of action was induced by the phytol molecule presented in its leaves extract.

Energy efficient drying technologies for sweet potatoes: Operating and drying mechanism, quality-related attributes

Sweet potatoes (SPs) are a versatile tuberous crop used as subsistence and cash crop in raw and processed forms. The major issue with SPs is post-harvest losses, which result in noticeable quality decline because of inappropriate handling, storage, delayed transit, and sales, as well as microbiological and enzymatic activity. Drying is an excellent strategy for managing short postharvest storage life, preserving nutrients, and maximizing long-term benefits. However, several parameters must be considered before drying SPs, such as relative humidity, temperature, drying duration, size, and shape. The current review looks at the factors influencing SPs' moisture loss, drying kinetics, diverse drying methods, pretreatments, operating conditions, and their efficacy in improving the drying process, functional, and nutritional qualities. An optimal drying process is required to preserve SPs to obtain concentrated nutrients and improve energy efficiency to be ecofriendly. Drying sweet potatoes using traditional methods such as sun or open-air drying was found to be a slow process that could result in a lower quality. Various advanced drying techniques, like vacuum, infrared, freeze drying, and pretreatments such as ultrasound and osmotic dehydration, have been developed and are successfully used globally. The best-fit thin-layer models (Hii, Page, two-term, logarithmic) utilized for drying SPs and appropriate modeling methods for optimizing drying procedures are also discussed.

Insights into flavor and key influencing factors of Maillard reaction products: A recent update

During food processing, especially heating, the flavor and color of food change to a great extent due to Maillard reaction (MR). MR is a natural process for improving the flavor in various model systems and food products. Maillard reaction Products (MRPs) serve as ideal materials for the production of diverse flavors, which ultimately improve the flavor or reduce the odor of raw materials. Due to the complexity of the reaction, MR is affected by various factors, such as protein source, hydrolysis conditions, polypeptide molecular weight, temperature, and pH. In the recent years, much emphasis is given on conditional MR that could be used in producing of flavor-enhancing peptides and other compounds to increase the consumer preference and acceptability of processed foods. Recent reviews have highlighted the effects of MR on the functional and biological properties, without elaborating the flavor compounds obtained by the MR. In this review, we have mainly introduced the Maillard reaction-derived flavors (MF), the main substances producing MF, and detection methods. Subsequently, the main factors influencing MF, from the selection of materials (sugar sources, protein sources, enzymatic hydrolysis methods, molecular weights of peptides) to the reaction conditions (temperature, pH), are also described. In addition, the existing adverse effects of MR on the biological properties of protein are also pointed out.

Evaluation of Proanthocyanidins from Kiwi Leaves (Actinidia chinensis) against Caco-2 Cells Oxidative Stress through Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are considered to be effective natural byproduct and bioactive antioxidants. However, few studies have focused on their mode of action pathways. In this study, reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress indices, real-time PCR, Western blotting, confocal microscopy, and molecular docking were used to investigate the protective effect of purified kiwi leaves PAs (PKLPs) on Caco-2 cells’ oxidative stress mechanisms. The results confirmed that pre-treatment with PKLPs significantly reduced H2O2-induced oxidative damage, accompanied by declining ROS levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in the Caco-2 cells. The PKLPs upregulated the expression of antioxidative enzymes (GSH-px, CAT, T-SOD) and the relative mRNA (Nrf, HO-1, SOD-1, CAT) of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) signaling pathway. The protein-expressing level of the Nrf2 and its relative protein (NQO-1, HO-1, SOD-1) were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the PKLPs pre-treatment group compared to the model group. In conclusion, the novelty of this study is that it explains how PKLPs’ efficacy on the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, in protecting vital cells from oxidative stress, could be used for cleaner production.

Emerging Technologies for Detecting the Chemical Composition of Plant and Animal Tissues and Their Bioactivities: An Editorial

Integrating physical and chemical technologies for the characterization and modification of plants and animal tissues has been used for several decades to improve their detection potency and quality [...].

Impacts of Gum Arabic and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with Salicylic Acid on Peach Fruit (Prunus persica) Shelf Life

Peaches are grown in many Egyptian orchards for local and global fresh market sales. The interior fruit tissue breakdown (IFTB), often resulting in decayed peaches, is a severe problem during marketing. Therefore, to minimize FTB of peaches, in this study, gum arabic (GA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were mixed with different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) (0, 1, and 2 mM) and were applied as edible coating to extend the shelf life of peach fruits. Mature peaches were selected and harvested when peaches reached total soluble solid content (SSC: 8.5%) and fruit firmness of about 47 N. Fruits were coated and stored at room temperature (26 ± 1 °C and air humidity 51 ± 1%) for 10 days during two seasons: 2020 and 2021. Fruit coated with GA/PVP-SA 2 mM showed a significant (p < 0.05) inhibition in degrading enzyme activities (CWDEs), such as lipoxygenase (LOX), cellulase (CEL), and pectinase (PT), compared to uncoated and coated fruits during the shelf-life period. Hence, cell wall compartments were maintained. Consequently, there was a reduction in browning symptoms in fruits by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities. Thus, the fruit skin browning index showed almost no symptoms. The lipid peroxidation process and ionic permeability declined as well. The result suggests that, by applying GA/PVP-SA 2 mM as an edible coating, fruit tissue breakdown can be minimized, and the shelf life of peach can be extended up to 10 days without symptoms of tissue breakdown.

Optimization of Platinum Nanoparticles (PtNPs) Synthesis by Acid Phosphatase Mediated Eco-Benign Combined with Photocatalytic and Bioactivity Assessments

Noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) are viable alternative green sources compared to the chemical available methods in several approach like Food, medical, biotechnology, and textile industries. The biological synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), as a strong photocatalytic agent, has proved as more effective and safer method. In this study, PtNPs were synthesized at four different temperatures (25 °C, 50 °C, 70 °C, and 100 °C). PtNPs synthesized at 100 °C were smaller and exhibited spherical morphology with a high degree of dispersion. A series of physicochemical characterizations were applied to investigate the synthesis, particle size, crystalline nature, and surface morphology of PtNPs. The biosynthesized PtNPs were tested for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiations. The results showed that PtNPs exhibited remarkable photocatalytic activity by degrading 98% of MB only in 40 min. The acid phosphatase mediated PtNPs showed strong bacterial inhibition efficiency against S. aureus and E. coli. Furthermore, it showed high antioxidant activity (88%) against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH). In conclusion, this study provided an overview of the applications of PtNPs in food chemistry, biotechnology, and textile industries for the deterioration of the natural and synthetic dyes and its potential application in the suppression of pathogenic microbes of the biological systems. Thus, it could be used as a novel approach in the food microbiology, biomedical and environmental applications.

Microalgae Bioactive Carbohydrates as a Novel Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Source of Prebiotics: Emerging Health Functionality and Recent Technologies for Extraction and Detection

There is a global interest in the novel consumption, nutritional trends, and the market of new prebiotic sources and their potential functional impacts. Commercially available nutritional supplements based on microalgae that are approved to be edible by FDA, like Arthrospira platensis (Cyanobacteria) and Chlorella vulgaris (Chlorophyta) become widely attractive. Microalgae are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that have high bioactivity. Recently, scientists are studying the microalgae polysaccharides (PS) or their derivatives (as dietary fibers) for their potential action as a novel prebiotic source for functional foods. Besides, the microalgae prebiotic polysaccharides are used for medication due to their antioxidant, anticancer, and antihypertensive bioactivities. This review provides an overview of microalgae prebiotics and other macromolecules’ health benefits. The phytochemistry of various species as alternative future sources of novel polysaccharides were mentioned. The application as well as the production constraints and multidisciplinary approaches for evaluating microalgae phytochemistry were discussed. Additionally, the association between this potential of combining techniques like spectroscopic, chromatographic, and electrochemical analyses for microalgae sensation and analysis novelty compared to the chemical methods was emphasized.

Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Image-Based Diagnosis of Nutrient Deficiencies in Plants Grown in Aquaponics

In the aquaponic system, plant nutrients bioavailable from fish excreta are not sufficient for optimal plant growth. Accurate and timely monitoring of the plant’s nutrient status grown in aquaponics is a challenge in order to maintain the balance and sustainability of the system. This study aimed to integrate color imaging and deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) to diagnose the nutrient status of lettuce grown in aquaponics. Our approach consists of multi-stage procedures, including plant object detection and classification of nutrient deficiency. The robustness and diagnostic capability of proposed approaches were evaluated using a total number of 3000 lettuce images that were classified into four nutritional classes—namely, full nutrition (FN), nitrogen deficiency (N), phosphorous deficiency (P), and potassium deficiency (K). The performance of the DCNNs was compared with traditional machine learning (ML) algorithms (i.e., Simple thresholding, K-means, support vector machine; SVM, k-nearest neighbor; KNN, and decision Tree; DT). The results demonstrated that the deep proposed segmentation model obtained an accuracy of 99.1%. Also, the deep proposed classification model achieved the highest accuracy of 96.5%. These results indicate that deep learning models, combined with color imaging, provide a promising approach to timely monitor nutrient status of the plants grown in aquaponics, which allows for taking preventive measures and mitigating economic and production losses. These approaches can be integrated into embedded devices to control nutrient cycles in aquaponics.

Mechanical damage and thermal effect induced by ultrasonic treatment in olive leaf tissue. Impact on polyphenols recovery

The influence of ultrasound treatment (US) on cellular damage of olive leaf tissue was studied. Mechanical damage and thermal effect of US were characterized. The level of tissue damage was defined by the diffusivity disintegration index Z_D based on the diffusivity of solutes extracted from olive leaves differently treated. The Arrhenius form using the temperature dependences of the thermal treatment time within the temperature interval 20-90 °C was observed for the thermal process. The corresponding activation energy ΔUT was estimated as 57 kJ/mol. The temperature dependences of electrical conductivity were measured for extracts of intact and maximally treated olive leaves. Then the diffusivity disintegration index Z_D and total phenolic compounds recovery for three studied US powers were calculated (100, 200, and 400 W). The results evidenced that the mechanically stimulated damage in olive leaf tissue can occur even at a low US power of 100 W if treatment time is long enough (t = 3.5 h). The US treatment noticeably accelerated the diffusion process mechanically in addition to its thermal effect. Trials in aqueous solution revealed the dependence of polyphenols extraction on damage level with respect to the US power applied.

Optimization of Commercial Microwave Assisted-Extraction Conditions for Recovery of Phenolics from Lemon-Scented Tee Tree (Leptospermum petersonii) and Comparison with Other Extraction Techniques

The lemon-scented tea tree (LSTT) is an Australian native herb and is a rich source of essential oil and phenolics. The ETHOS X extraction system is known as a commercial microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) system for extracting bioactive compounds from plant materials. This study investigated the influence of soaking time, radiation time, microwave power, and sample to solvent ratio on the extraction efficiency of polyphenols and antioxidant properties from lemon-scented tea tree leaves and optimized the extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM). The effectiveness of ETHOS X was further compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and shaking water bath (SWB) techniques. The results revealed that soaking time did not significantly affect the recovery of phenolics from the leaves (p > 0.05). Thus, soaking is not required for the ETHOS X extraction of polyphenols from LSTT leaves. RSM was successfully applied to explore the impact of ETHOS X extraction conditions and optimize the extraction conditions. Radiation time significantly affects the recovery yield of phenolics (p < 0.05) positively, whereas irradiation power and sample to solvent ratio adversely influenced the extraction yields of phenolics. The optimal ETHOS X extraction conditions were: radiation time of 60 min, irradiation power of 600 W, and sample to solvent ratio of 2 g/100 mL. Under these conditions, 119.21 ± 7.09 mg of phenolic, 85.31 ± 4.55 mg of flavonoids, and 137.51 ± 12.52 mg of proanthocyanidins can be extracted from a gram of dried LSTT leaves. In comparison with UAE and SWB, ETHOS X is not more effective for the extraction of phenolics than UAE and SWB. However, this technique can save half of the solvent volume compared to UAE and SWB techniques.

The Antioxidant Phytochemical Schisandrin A Promotes Neural Cell Proliferation and Differentiation after Ischemic Brain Injury

Schisandrin A (SCH) is a natural bioactive phytonutrient that belongs to the lignan derivatives found in Schisandra chinensis fruit. This study aims to investigate the impact of SCH on promoting neural progenitor cell (NPC) regeneration for avoiding stroke ischemic injury. The promoting effect of SCH on NPCs was evaluated by photothrombotic model, immunofluorescence, cell line culture of NPCs, and Western blot assay. The results showed that neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin (Tuj1) was positive with Map2 positive nerve fibers in the ischemic area after using SCH. In addition, Nestin and SOX2 positive NPCs were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the penumbra and core. Further analysis identified that SCH can regulate the expression level of cell division control protein 42 (Cdc42). In conclusion, our findings suggest that SCH enhanced NPCs proliferation and differentiation possible by Cdc42 to regulated cytoskeletal rearrangement and polarization of cells, which provides new hope for the late recovery of stroke.

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on eliminating cyanogenic glycosides and hydrogen cyanide in cassava

Traditional soaking method takes days to remove cassava cyanide. Ten minutes of ultrasonic pretreatment (UPT) was found to be a new effective method to eliminate both cyanogenic glycosides and hydrogen cyanide in cassava. Here, the parameters of UPT were optimized and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. 40.36% and 24.95% of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogenic glycosides in cassava juice were eliminated under 10 min of UPT (45℃, 81 W). UPT before boiling enhanced the total cyanide elimination to 41.94%. The degradation patterns of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogenic glycosides were different. Ultrasound directly eliminated hydrogen cyanide and indirectly degraded cyanogenic glycosides through promoting enzymatic hydrolysis. The β-glucosidase activity was increased by 17.99% induced by ultrasound. This was supported by the movement of hydrophobic residual and the rearrangement of the secondary structure of the molecular as found in fluorescence, CD, FTIR, DSC and TG analysis. This study revealed that UPT acted as a fast and simple technical way in improving cassava safety.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Optimization of Proanthocyanidins from Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis) Leaves and Evaluation of Its Antioxidant Activity

Using ultrasound (US) in proanthocyanidin (PA) extraction has become one of the important emerging technologies. It could be the next generation for studying the US mechnophore impact on the bioactive compound’s functionality. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the potential of US treatment on PAs extracted from kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) leaves, and to provide a comprehensive chemical composition and bioactivity relationship of the purified kiwifruit leaves PAs (PKLPs). Several methods like single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) for the four affected factors on US extraction efficiency were constructed. HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, cytotoxicity analysis, and antioxidant activity were also demonstrated. In the results, the modeling of PA affected factors showed that 40% US-amplitude, 30 mL/g dry weight (DW) solvent to solid ration (S/S), and 70 °C for 15 min were the optimum conditions for the extraction of PAs. Furthermore, PKLPs exhibited significant radical scavenging and cellular antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study’s novelty comes from the broad prospects of using US in PKLP green extraction that could play an important role in maximizing this phytochemical functionality in drug discovery and food science fields.

Physicochemical impact of bioactive terpenes on the microalgae biomass structural characteristics

This study aimed to evaluate the functionality of bioactive terpenes on Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis; AP) and Chlorella (Chlorella vulgaris; CV) biomasses. The two microalgae species were treated with 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.1% of thymol (THY), trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), menthol (MEN), and vanillin (VAN). Raman micro-spectroscopy (RMS) was correlated with other physicochemical methods to confirm their functional mechanisms. In results, THY (0.1%) decreased (P < 0.05) RMS intensity at 1196 cm-1 that represents the protein's secondary amines wavenumber. Also, VAN (0.1%) decreased significantly A. platensis α-helix to 16.60 ± 0.52% compared to the control with 19.83 ± 0.32%. While, 0.1% TC increased (P < 0.05) the viscosity to 2.52 ± 0.61 Pa.s. This work demonstrated that terpenes could differently affect the physicochemical structure of microalgae biomass. The RMS's uniqueness comes from its ability to evaluate the functionality of terpenes during microalgae cultivation. Besides, chemometrics led to focus on the most important variances.