Innovative Technologies for Extraction and Microencapsulation of Bioactives from Plant-Based Food Waste and their Applications in Functional Food Development

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and concentration of phenolic compounds from jabuticaba sabará (Plinia peruviana (Poir.) Govaerts) peel by nanofiltration membrane

Jabuticaba peel, rich in antioxidants, offering health benefits. In this study, the extraction of phenolic compounds from jabuticaba peel using ultrasound-assisted (UA) and their subsequent concentration by nanofiltration (NF) employing a polyamide 200 Da membrane was evaluated. The UA extractions were conducted using the Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) 22 methodology, with independent variables extraction time (11.55 to 138 min) and temperature (16.87 to 53.3 °C), and fixed variables mass to ethanol solution concentration at pH 1.0 (1:25 g/mL), granulometry (1 mm), and ultrasonic power (52.8 W). The maximum concentrations obtained were 700.94 mg CE/100 g for anthocyanins, 945.21 mg QE/100 g for flavonoids, 133.19 mg GAE/g for phenols, and an antioxidant activity IC50 of 24.36 μg/mL. Key phenolic compounds identified included cyanidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and various acids like syringic and gallic. NF successfully concentrated these compounds, enhancing their yield by up to 45%. UA and NF integrate for sustainable extraction.

Unveiling the Chemistry of Citrus Peel: Insights into Nutraceutical Potential and Therapeutic Applications

The recent millennium has witnessed a notable shift in consumer focus towards natural products for addressing lifestyle-related disorders, driven by their safety and cost-effectiveness. Nutraceuticals and functional foods play an imperative role by meeting nutritional needs and offering medicinal benefits. With increased scientific knowledge and awareness, the significance of a healthy lifestyle, including diet, in reducing disease risk is widely acknowledged, facilitating access to a diverse and safer diet for longevity. Plant-based foods rich in phytochemicals are increasingly popular and effectively utilized in disease management. Agricultural waste from plant-based foods is being recognized as a valuable source of nutraceuticals for dietary interventions. Citrus peels, known for their diverse flavonoids, are emerging as a promising health-promoting ingredient. Globally, citrus production yields approximately 15 million tons of by-products annually, highlighting the substantial potential for utilizing citrus waste in phyto-therapeutic and nutraceutical applications. Citrus peels are a rich source of flavonoids, with concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 5.5 g/100 g dry weight, depending on the citrus variety. The most abundant flavonoids in citrus peel include hesperidin and naringin, as well as essential oils rich in monoterpenes like limonene. The peel extracts exhibit high antioxidant capacity, with DPPH radical scavenging activities ranging from 70 to 90%, comparable to synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT. Additionally, the flavonoids present in citrus peel have been found to have antioxidant properties, which can help reduce oxidative stress by 30% and cardiovascular disease by 25%. Potent anti-inflammatory effects have also been demonstrated, reducing inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and TNF-α by up to 40% in cell culture studies. These findings highlight the potential of citrus peel as a valuable source of nutraceuticals in diet-based therapies.

A Functional Bread Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905 Prevents Allergic Asthma in Mice

Background

The administration of probiotics has been shown to be beneficial in asthma. The administration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae UFMG A-905 prevented asthma development. Traditionally, probiotics are administered using dairy-based matrices, but other vehicles (e.g., fruit juices, biscuits, candies, and breads) can be used.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the effect of bread fermented with S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 in asthma prevention.

Methods

Three breads were produced: fermented with commercial yeast, fermented with S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905, and fermented with S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 with the addition of alginate microcapsules containing live S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905. Characterization of the microbial composition of the breads was performed. Male Balb/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. Breads were administered 10 d before the first sensitization and during sensitization and challenge protocol. Yeast fecal count, in vivo airway hyperresponsiveness, and airway and lung inflammation were assessed.

Results

In UFMG A-905 bread, there was an increase in yeast number and a decrease in total and lactic acid bacteria. Animals that received S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 fermented bread with microcapsules had a significant increase in yeast recovery from feces. S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905-fermented breads partially reduced airway inflammation, decreasing eosinophils and IL5 and IL13 concentrations. When adding microcapsules, the bread also diminished airway hyperresponsiveness and increased IL17A concentrations.

Conclusions

S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 was able to generate long-fermentation breads. Microcapsules were a safe and viable way to inoculate the live yeast into food. The administration of breads fermented with S. cerevisiae UFMG A-905 prevented asthma-like characteristics, being more pronounced when the breads contained microcapsules with live yeast.

Characterization and bioactivities of coffee husks extract encapsulated with polyvinylpyrrolidone

Coffee processing generates large amounts of residues of which a portion still has bioactive properties due to their richness in phenolic compounds. This study aimed to obtain a coffee husks extract (CHE) and to encapsulate it (ECHE) with polyvinylpyrrolidone using a one-step procedure of solid dispersion. The extraction and encapsulation yields were 9.1% and 92%, respectively. Thermal analyses revealed that the encapsulation increased the thermal stability of CHE and dynamic light scattering analyses showed a bimodal distribution of size with 81% of the ECHE particles measuring approximately 711 nm. Trigonelline and caffeine were the main alkaloids and quercetin the main phenolic compound in CHE, and the encapsulation tripled quercetin extraction. The total phenolics content and the antioxidant activity of ECHE, assayed with three different procedures, were higher than those of CHE. The antioxidant activity and the bioaccessibility of the phenolic compounds of ECHE were also higher than those of CHE following simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGID). Both CHE and ECHE were not toxic against Alliumcepa cells and showed similar capacities for inhibiting the pancreatic α-amylase in vitro. After SGID, however, ECHE became a 1.9-times stronger inhibitor of the α-amylase activity in vitro (IC50 = 8.5 mg/mL) when compared to CHE. Kinetic analysis revealed a non-competitive mechanism of inhibition and in silico docking simulation suggests that quercetin could be contributing significantly to the inhibitory action of both ECHE and CHE. In addition, ECHE (400 mg/kg) was able to delay by 50% the increases of blood glucose in vivo after oral administration of starch to rats. This finding shows that ECHE may be a candidate ingredient in dietary supplements used as an adjuvant for the treatment of diabetes.

Designing Nutrition for Health-Incorporating Dietary By-Products into Poultry Feeds to Create Functional Foods with Insights into Health Benefits, Risks, Bioactive Compounds, Food Component Functionality and Safety Regulations

This review delves into the concept of nutrition by design, exploring the relationship between poultry production, the utilization of dietary by-products to create functional foods, and their impact on human health. Functional foods are defined as products that extend beyond their basic nutritional value, offering potential benefits in disease prevention and management. Various methods, including extraction, fermentation, enrichment, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, are employed to obtain bioactive compounds for these functional foods. This review also examines the innovative approach of enhancing livestock diets to create functional foods through animal-based methods. Bioactive compounds found in these functional foods, such as essential fatty acids, antioxidants, carotenoids, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive peptides, are highlighted for their potential in promoting well-being and mitigating chronic diseases. Additionally, the review explores the functionality of food components within these products, emphasizing the critical roles of bioaccessibility, bioactivity, and bioavailability in promoting health. The importance of considering key aspects in the design of enhanced poultry diets for functional food production is thoroughly reviewed. The safety of these foods through the establishment of regulations and guidelines was reviewed. It is concluded that the integration of nutrition by design principles empowers individuals to make informed choices that can prioritize their health and well-being. By incorporating functional foods rich in bioactive compounds, consumers can proactively take steps to prevent and manage health issues, ultimately contributing to a healthier society and lifestyle.

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.

Novel Perspectives on Food-Based Natural Antimicrobials: A Review of Recent Findings Published since 2020

Various fruit and vegetable wastes, particularly peels, seeds, pulp, and unprocessed residues from the food industry, are abundant sources of antioxidants and essential antimicrobial agents. These valuable bioactive compounds recovered from the food industry have a great application in food, agriculture, medicine, and pharmacology. Food-derived natural antimicrobials offer advantages such as diminishing microbial loads and prolonging the shelf life of food products particularly prone to microbial spoilage. They not only enrich the foods with antioxidants but also help prevent microbial contamination, thereby prolonging their shelf life. Similarly, incorporating these natural antimicrobials into food packaging products extends the shelf life of meat products. Moreover, in agricultural practices, these natural antimicrobials act as eco-friendly pesticides, eliminating phytopathogenic microbes responsible for causing plant diseases. In medicine and pharmacology, they are being explored as potential therapeutic agents. This review article is based on current studies conducted in the last four years, evaluating the effectiveness of food-based natural antimicrobials in food, agriculture, medicine, and pharmacology.

Sustainable Nonfarm Approaches to Achieve Zero Hunger and Its Unveiled Reality

Millions of people worldwide are deprived of sufficient, safe, and nutritious food required for an everyday and healthy life. The hunger crisis is worsening over time, even though many attempts have been made to minimize it. Increasing world population and competition for natural resources, climate change, natural disasters, urbanization, poverty, and illiteracy are the main causes that need to be addressed to reduce the hunger crisis. Various nonfarm technologies are being used to eradicate hunger but their long-term impact on the environment should also be considered. The real sustainability of several novel technologies being implemented to deal with hunger is an issue to tackle. This paper discusses the potential applications of storage facilities, underutilized crops, waste valorization, food preservation, nutritionally enriched novel food products, and technological advancement in food processing to achieve zero hunger. An attempt has also been made to address the sustainability of various nonfarm technology utilized to minimize the global hunger crisis.

Anti-hardening effect and mechanism of silkworm sericin peptide in high protein nutrition bars during early storage

Hardening presents an inevitable challenge during the storage of high protein nutrition bars. Sericin peptide is the product of hydrolysis of sericin, a protein from the silkworm cocoon. Here in, the effects of sericin peptide addition on the hardening of high protein nutrition bars during 72 h of storage were investigated. The addition of sericin peptide to high protein nutrition bars reduced the hardening of the sample during the early storage, The main mechanism was to improve the mobility of water and small hydrophilic molecules, which slowed down the phase separation. As well, after sericin peptide addition, the ζ- potential, the content of secondary structure, and the surface hydrophobicity of the samples were also changed, which prevented the self-aggregation of proteins. These results indicate that SRP can be used as a promising anti-hardening ingredient in the food industry to improve the texture of food products.

Agro-Food Waste as an Ingredient in Functional Beverage Processing: Sources, Functionality, Market and Regulation

Waste generated from the agro-food industry represents a concerning environmental, social and economic issue. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines food waste as all food that decreases in quantity or quality to the extent that it is thrown out by food service providers and consumers. The FAO reports that 17% of worldwide food production may be wasted. Food waste may include fresh products, food close to the expiration date discarded by retailers and food products from household kitchens and eating establishments. However, food waste offers different possibilities to extract functional ingredients from different sources, such as dairy, cereals, fruits, vegetables, fibers, oils, dye and bioactive compounds. The optimization of agro-food waste as an ingredient will help in the development and innovation of food products to generate functional food and beverages to prevent and treat several diseases in consumers.

New insights of the application of water or ethanol-water plant extract rich in active compounds in food

Plants are recognized as natural sources of antioxidants (e.g., polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and other active compounds) that can be extracted by green solvents like water, ethanol, or their binary mixtures. Plant extracts are becoming more used as food additives in various food systems due to their antioxidant abilities. Their application in food increases the shelf life of products by preventing undesirable changes in nutritional and sensory properties, such as the formation off-flavors in lipid-rich food. This review summarizes the most recent literature about water or ethanol-water plant extracts used as flavors, colorings, and preservatives to fortify food and beverages. This study is performed with particular attention to describing the benefits of plant extract-fortified products such as meat, vegetable oils, biscuits, pastries, some beverages, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. Antioxidant-rich plant extracts can positively affect food safety by partially or fully replacing synthetic antioxidants, which have lately been linked to safety and health issues such as toxicological and carcinogenic consequences. On the other hand, the limitations and challenges of using the extract in food should be considered, like stability, level of purity, compatibility with matrix, price, sensory aspects like distinct taste, and others. In the future, continuous development and a tendency to use these natural extracts as food ingredients are expected, as indicated by the number of published works in this area, particularly in the past decade.

Trends and innovations in the formulation of plant-based foods

Globally, the production, distribution, sale and consumption of plant-based foods (PBFs) are on the increase due to heightened consumer awareness, a growing demand for clean label products, widespread efforts to promote and embrace sustainable practices, and ethical concerns over animal-derived counterparts. This has led to the exploration of several strategies by researchers and the food industry to develop alternative milk, cheese, meat, and egg products from various plant-based sources using technologies such as precision fermentation (PF), scaffolding, extrusion, and muscle fibre simulation. This work explores current alternative protein sources and PBFs, production trends, innovations in formulation, nutritional quality, as well as challenges restricting full utilization and other limitations. However, PBFs have several limitations which constrain their acceptance, including the beany flavour of legumes, concerns about genetically modified foods, cost, nutritional inadequacies associated micronutrient deficiencies, absence of safety regulations, and the addition of ingredients that are contrary to their intended health-promoting purpose. The review concludes that investing in the development of PBFs now, has the potential to facilitate a rapid shift to large scale consumption of sustainable and healthy diets in the near future.

Graphical Abstract

Review of Cocos nucifera L. testa-derived phytonutrients with special reference to phenolics and its potential for encapsulation

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) and its value-added products are rich in medium chain triglycerides, polyphenols and flavonoids with a significant anti-oxidant potential. However, coconut and its products are underutilized for the development of nutraceuticals. Coconut testa is a brown cover of the endosperm, which is characterized with the considerable amount of phytonutrients, especially phenolics and flavonoids. The nutrient rich coconut testa is generally diverted for the production of animal feed or abandoned. Around 10-15% of the coconut kernel is removed as testa while preparing coconut desiccated powder. The coconut testa from the virgin coconut oil (VCO) industry also remains underutilized. Nevertheless, biochemical characterization of coconut testa has revealed its enormous anti-oxidant and nutraceutical potential. On the other hand there are reports describing the suitable encapsulation techniques to develop nutraceuticals from the plant-derived bioactives. In this context this review explores the prospect of utilizing the coconut testa-derived phytonutrients in developing a nutraceutical product.

Nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties of african underutilized legumes

Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, utilization, and incorporation into mainstream agriculture in Africa are more convincing than ever. This work reviews some selected NULs of Africa (Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum), Mung bean, (Vigna radiata), Rice bean (Vigna Umbellata), and Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)), and their nutritional, and functional properties. Furthermore, we highlight the prospects and current challenges associated with the utilization of the NULs and discusses the strategies to facilitate their exploitation as not only sources of vital nutrients, but also their integration for the development of cheap and accessible functional foods.

Towards food circular economy: hydrothermal treatment of mixed vegetable and fruit wastes to obtain fermentable sugars and bioactive compounds

Due to processing activity, fruits and vegetables generate notable amounts of wastes at the processing, retail, and consumption level. Following the European goals for reducing food wastes and achieving a circular economy of resources, these biowastes should be valorized. In this work, hydrothermal hydrolysis at different conditions (temperatures, times, waste/water ratio, pH values) were tested to treat for first time; biowastes composed of mixed overripe fruits or vegetables to maximize the extraction of fermentable sugars that can be used as substrates in bioprocesses. Experimental data were fitted by a model based on irreversible first-order reactions, and kinetic constants were obtained. When hydrolysis of fruit wastes was carried out at 135 °C and pH 5 during 40 min, more than 40 g of reducing sugars per 100 g of waste (dry weight) could be obtained (represents an extraction of 97% of total carbohydrates). Concentrations of inhibitor compounds (HMF, furfural, acetic acid) in the hydrolysates were very low and, as example, a fermentation to obtain bioethanol was successfully carried out with an efficiency above 95%. Additionally, the production by hydrothermal treatment of bioactive compounds was investigated and the best results obtained were 92% DPPH inhibition and 12 mg GAE/g (dry weight) for antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds, respectively. These values are similar or even higher than those reported in literature using specific parts of fruits and vegetables.

Isolation of Cherry Seed Oil Using Conventional Techniques and Supercritical Fluid Extraction

This study aims to compare the suitability of three extraction techniques (cold pressing, Soxhlet and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)) to isolate oil from cherry seeds. Oils were examined in terms of extraction yield, fatty acids profile, tocopherols yield and antioxidant activity. Additionally, influence of SFE parameters was evaluated using one-factor-at-a-time design with pressure (200−350 bar), temperature (40−70 °C), flow rate (0.2−0.4 kg/h) and particle size (<800 µm and >800 µm). Oil yields ranged from 2.50% to 13.02%, whereas the highest yield was achieved with SFE. Samples were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, regardless of the applied extraction technique. The main fatty acids were linoleic (46.32−47.29%), oleic (40.89−41.65%), palmitic (6.56−8.00%) and stearic (2.21−2.30%) acid. Total tocopherols yield was between 16.63 mg/100 g oil and 60.61 mg/100 g oil, and highest yield was achieved with SFE. Among the tocopherols, γ-tocopherol was the most abundant, followed by α-, δ- and β-tocopherol. Antioxidant activity was determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) cation (ABTS) assays, and the results indicated that SFE extracts exhibited better or comparable antioxidant potential compared to traditional techniques. The comparison between modern and conventional extractions for oil recovery demonstrates pros and cons for the possibility of industrial application.

Quality Assessment of Waste from Olive Oil Production and Design of Biodegradable Packaging

The use of olive pomace from olive oil production is still insufficient. The lingering olive pomace is harmful to the environment. On the other hand, the world is increasingly polluted with plastic or by-products from the production of biodegradable products. Considering these two problems, the aim of this work was to develop a mixture and create biodegradable disposable tableware characterized by high antioxidant activity. The disposable tableware was made by mixing olive pomace with teff flour or/and sorghum groats and lecithin. Baking was carried out at the temperature of 180 °C. The best variant of the mixture for the preparation of disposable tableware was olive pomace, teff flour, sorghum groats and lecithin. These vessels were the toughest, with low water absorption and had a high antioxidant potential due to the high content of polyphenols and omega acids. Protecting the cups and bowls with beeswax had a positive effect on reducing water absorption.

The Existing Recovery Approaches of the Huangjiu Lees and the Future Prospects: A Mini Review

Huangjiu lees (HL) is a byproduct in Chinese Huangjiu production with various nutrient and biological functional components. Without efficient treatment, it could cause environmental issues and bioresource wasting. Existing dominant recovery approaches focus on large-scale disposal, but they ignore the application of high-value components. This study discusses the advantages and limitations of existing resourcing approaches, such as feed, food and biogas biological production, considering the efficiency and value of HL resourcing. The extraction of functional components as a suggestion for HL cascade utilization is pointed out. This study is expected to promote the application of HL resourcing.

Novel zero waste tactics for commercial vegetables – recent advances

Commercial vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and eggplant due to their surplus production, availability, and affordability. The valorisation of the massive wastage of commercial vegetables and providing a long-term solution has been challenging. The review addresses the implications of biowastes on the environment and fosters the recent investigations into valorising commercial vegetable waste to develop multiple value-added products. It discussed the outcomes of the multiple technologies, majorly on green chemistry extraction, while outlining other methods such as fermentation, enzymatic treatments, 3D printing foods, high-pressure homogenisation, microencapsulation, bio-absorption method, and pyrolysis for their respective vegetable wastes. Agri-residues can be a valuable source for formulating functional ingredients, natural additives, biodiesel, dyes, and animal feed. This comprehensive review proposes a strategy to upcycle low-cost biowaste to boost the economic and ecological benefits. The current review captures the interests and great collaborations between researchers, industrialists, policymakers, waste management bodies, and eco-activists.

The Disposition of Bioactive Compounds from Fruit Waste, Their Extraction, and Analysis Using Novel Technologies: A Review

Fruit waste contains several bioactive components such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, and numerous other phytochemicals, including pigments. Furthermore, new financial opportunities are created by using fruit ‘leftovers’ as a basis for bioactivities that may serve as new foods or food ingredients, strengthening the circular economy’s properties. From a technical standpoint, organic phenolic substances have become more appealing to industry, in addition to their application as nutritional supplements or functional meals. Several extraction methods for recovering phenolic compounds from fruit waste have already been published, most of which involve using different organic solvents. However, there is a growing demand for eco-friendly and sustainable techniques that result in phenolic-rich extracts with little ecological impact. Utilizing these new and advanced green extraction techniques will reduce the global crisis caused by fruit waste management. Using modern techniques, fruit residue is degraded to sub-zero scales, yielding bio-based commodities such as bioactive elements. This review highlights the most favorable and creative methods of separating bioactive materials from fruit residue. Extraction techniques based on environmentally friendly technologies such as bioreactors, enzyme-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and their combination are specifically covered.

Ultrasonic Processing of Food Waste to Generate Value-Added Products

Ultrasonic processing has a great potential to transform waste from the food and agriculture industry into value-added products. In this review article, we discuss the use of ultrasound for the valorisation of food and agricultural waste. Ultrasonic processing is considered a green technology as compared to the conventional chemical extraction/processing methods. The influence of ultrasound pre-treatment on the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), particle size, and cell wall content of food waste is first discussed. The use of ultrasonic processing to produce/extract bioactives such as oil, polyphenolic, polysaccharides, fatty acids, organic acids, protein, lipids, and enzymes is highlighted. Moreover, ultrasonic processing in bioenergy production from food waste such as green methane, hydrogen, biodiesel, and ethanol through anaerobic digestion is also reviewed. The conversion of waste oils into biofuels with the use of ultrasound is presented. The latest developments and future prospective on the use of ultrasound in developing energy-efficient methods to convert food and agricultural waste into value-added products are summarised.

Fruit Juice Industry Wastes as a Source of Bioactives

Food processing sustainability, as well as waste minimization, are key concerns for the modern food industry. A significant amount of waste is generated by the fruit juice industry each year. In addition to the economic losses caused by the removal of these wastes, its impact on the environment is undeniable. Therefore, researchers have focused on recovering the bioactive components from fruit juice processing, in which a great number of phytochemicals still exist in the agro-industrial wastes, to help minimize the waste burden as well as provide new sources of bioactive compounds, which are believed to be protective agents against certain diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Although these wastes contain non-negligible amounts of bioactive compounds, information on the utilization of these byproducts in functional ingredient/food production and their impact on the sensory quality of food products is still scarce. In this regard, this review summarizes the most recent literature on bioactive compounds present in the wastes of apple, citrus fruits, berries, stoned fruits, melons, and tropical fruit juices, together with their extraction techniques and valorization approaches. Besides, on the one hand, examples of different current food applications with the use of these wastes are provided. On the other hand, the challenges with respect to economic, sensory, and safety issues are also discussed.

Anthocyanins in Chronic Diseases: The Power of Purple

Anthocyanins are mainly purple-coloured phenolic compounds of plant origin that as secondary metabolites are important in plant survival. Understanding their health benefits in humans requires sourcing these unstable compounds in sufficient quantities at a reasonable cost, which has led to improved methods of extraction. Dark-coloured fruits, cereals and vegetables are current sources of these compounds. The range of potential sustainable sources is much larger and includes non-commercialised native plants from around the world and agri-waste containing anthocyanins. In the last 5 years, there have been significant advances in developing the therapeutic potential of anthocyanins in chronic human diseases. Anthocyanins exert their beneficial effects through improvements in gut microbiota, oxidative stress and inflammation, and modulation of neuropeptides such as insulin-like growth factor-1. Their health benefits in humans include reduced cognitive decline; protection of organs such as the liver, as well as the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys; improvements in bone health and obesity; and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. This review summarises some of the sources of anthocyanins and their mechanisms and benefits in the treatment of chronic human diseases.

Effect of Response Surface Methodology-Optimized Ultrasound-Assisted Pretreatment Extraction on the Composition of Essential Oil Released From Tribute citrus Peels

The traditional hydrodistillation (HD) and ultrasound-assisted pretreatment extraction (UAPE) methods were proposed to obtain essential oil (EO) from Tribute citrus (TC) peels. The Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the HD and UAPE procedures. Moreover, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose) were applied to identify the discrepancy of the extraction methods. The yield of EO extracted by UAPE (114.02 mg/g) was significantly higher than that by HD (85.67 mg/g) (p < 0.01) undergoing 40 min short time-consuming UPAE. A total of 28 compounds were extracted from the TC peels as terpenes were the predominant components. d-Limonene was the most vital compound in the T. citrus essential oil (TCEO), accounting for 86.38% of the total volatile concentration in HD and 86.75% in UAPE, respectively, followed by α-pinene, sabinene, γ-myrcene, and β-phellandrene. The chart of radar and graphic of the principal component analysis by E-nose displayed no significance, which was similar to the GC-MS results. This study demonstrated that UAPE is an efficient and short time-consuming method for TCEO extraction, which provides a promising method for the separation of EO from aromatic plant materials.

Towards the Optimization of Microwave-Assisted Extraction and the Assessment of Chemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Wine Lees Extracts

Wine lees, a sub-exploited byproduct of vinification, is considered a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as (poly)phenols, anthocyanins and tannins. Thus, the effective and rapid recovery of these biomolecules and the assessment of the bioactive properties of wine lees extracts is of utmost importance. Towards this direction, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) factors (i.e., extraction time, microwave power and solvent/material ratio) were optimized using experimental design models in order to maximize the (poly)phenolic yield of the extracts. After optimizing the MAE process, the total phenolic content (TPC) as well as the antiradical, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the extracts were evaluated. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to investigate the chemical profile of wine lees extracts. Red varieties exhibited higher biological activity than white varieties. The geographical origin and fermentation stage were also considered as critical factors. The white variety Moschofilero presented the highest antioxidant, antiradical and antimicrobial activity, while Merlot and Agiorgitiko samples showed noteworthy activities among red varieties. Moreover, IR spectra confirmed the presence of sugars, amino acids, organic acids and aromatic compounds. Thus, an efficient, rapid and eco-friendly process was proposed for further valorization of wine lees extracts.

Omics Technologies to Enhance Plant Based Functional Foods: An Overview

Functional foods are natural products of plants that have health benefits beyond necessary nutrition. Functional foods are abundant in fruits, vegetables, spices, beverages and some are found in cereals, millets, pulses and oilseeds. Efforts to identify functional foods in our diet and their beneficial aspects are limited to few crops. Advances in sequencing and availability of different omics technologies have given opportunity to utilize these tools to enhance the functional components of the foods, thus ensuring the nutritional security. Integrated omics approaches including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics coupled with artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches can be used to improve the crops. This review provides insights into omics studies that are carried out to find the active components and crop improvement by enhancing the functional compounds in different plants including cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, beverages and medicinal plants. There is a need to characterize functional foods that are being used in traditional medicines, as well as utilization of this knowledge to improve the staple foods in order to tackle malnutrition and hunger more effectively.

Bio Discarded from Waste to Resource

The modern linear agricultural production system allows the production of large quantities of food for an ever-growing population. However, it leads to large quantities of agricultural waste either being disposed of or treated for the purpose of reintroduction into the production chain with a new use. Various approaches in food waste management were explored to achieve social benefits and applications. The extraction of natural bioactive molecules (such as fibers and antioxidants) through innovative technologies represents a means of obtaining value-added products and an excellent measure to reduce the environmental impact. Cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries can use natural bioactive molecules as supplements and the food industry as feed and food additives. The bioactivities of phytochemicals contained in biowaste, their potential economic impact, and analytical procedures that allow their recovery are summarized in this study. Our results showed that although the recovery of bioactive molecules represents a sustainable means of achieving both waste reduction and resource utilization, further research is needed to optimize the valuable process for industrial-scale recovery.

Microencapsulated and Lyophilized Propolis Co-Product Extract as Antioxidant Synthetic Replacer on Traditional Brazilian Starch Biscuit

The residue from commercial propolis extraction may have significant antioxidant power in food technology. However, among the challenges for using the propolis co-product as an inhibitor of lipid oxidation (LO) in baked goods is maintaining its bioactive compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the propolis co-product extracts’ capability to reduce LO in starch biscuit formulated with canola oil and stored for 45 days at 25 °C. Two co-product extracts were prepared: microencapsulated propolis co-product (MECP) (with maltodextrin) and lyophilized propolis co-product (LFCP), which were subjected to analysis of their total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (AA). Relevant antioxidant activity was observed using the methods of analysis employed. The spray-drying microencapsulation process showed an efficiency of 63%. The LO in the biscuits was determined by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) test and fatty acid composition by gas chromatography analysis. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoelaidic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids were found in biscuits at constant concentrations throughout the storage period. In addition, there was a reduction in malondialdehyde values with the addition of both propolis co-product extracts. Therefore, the propolis co-product extracts could be utilized as a natural antioxidant to reduce lipid oxidation in fatty starch biscuit.

Carotenoids in Milk and the Potential for Dairy Based Functional Foods

Carotenoids are a family of over 1100 known natural pigments synthesized by plants, algae, fungi and bacteria. Dietary intake of carotenoids is necessary for mammals as they cannot be synthesized in the body. In cows, the nature of the diet consumed strongly influences the composition of milk produced and this includes carotenoid concentration and profile. Fresh forage is the richest source of carotenoids for cows. The main carotenoids identified in forages are lutein, β-carotene, zeaxanthin and epilutein. Manipulating cow feed via carotenoid supplementation increases the carotenoid content of bovine milk. In humans, carotenoids have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and provitamin A activity. Lutein is a major carotenoid in human milk and the brain tissue of adults and infants. Lutein and zeaxanthin are linked to improved eye health and cognitive function. Traditionally for humans, fruit and vegetables have been the main source of carotenoid intake. Functional foods present an opportunity to incorporate these naturally occurring compounds into milk products for added health benefits, widening the range of dietary sources of carotenoids. We offer an overview of the literature to date on carotenoid-fortified dairy products and infant formula. This review will describe and summarize the key mechanisms by which the carotenoid profile of bovine milk can be manipulated. We present findings on the origin and role of carotenoids in bovine and human milk, outline factors that impact the carotenoid content of milk, evaluate carotenoid-fortified milk products and discuss the associated challenges, such as bioaccessibility and stability.

Food Waste Biorefinery: Pathway towards Circular Bioeconomy

Food waste biorefineries for the production of biofuels, platform chemicals and other bio-based materials can significantly reduce a huge environmental burden and provide sustainable resources for the production of chemicals and materials. This will significantly contribute to the transition of the linear based economy to a more circular economy. A variety of chemicals, biofuels and materials can be produced from food waste by the integrated biorefinery approach. This enhances the bioeconomy and helps toward the design of more green, ecofriendly, and sustainable methods of material productions that contribute to sustainable development goals. The waste biorefinery is a tool to achieve a value-added product that can provide a better utilization of materials and resources while minimizing and/or eliminating environmental impacts. Recently, food waste biorefineries have gained momentum for the production of biofuels, chemicals, and bio-based materials due to the shifting of regulations and policies towards sustainable development. This review attempts to explore the state of the art of food waste biorefinery and the products associated with it.

Anthocyanins Recovered from Agri-Food By-Products Using Innovative Processes: Trends, Challenges, and Perspectives for Their Application in Food Systems

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring phytochemicals that have attracted growing interest from consumers and the food industry due to their multiple biological properties and technological applications. Nevertheless, conventional extraction techniques based on thermal technologies can compromise both the recovery and stability of anthocyanins, reducing their global yield and/or limiting their application in food systems. The current review provides an overview of the main innovative processes (e.g., pulsed electric field, microwave, and ultrasound) used to recover anthocyanins from agri-food waste/by-products and the mechanisms involved in anthocyanin extraction and their impacts on the stability of these compounds. Moreover, trends and perspectives of anthocyanins' applications in food systems, such as antioxidants, natural colorants, preservatives, and active and smart packaging components, are addressed. Challenges behind anthocyanin implementation in food systems are displayed and potential solutions to overcome these drawbacks are proposed.

Amelioration of the stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids and bioactive enriched vegetable oil: blending, encapsulation, and its application

Lipid oxidation in vegetable oils is the primary concern for food technologists. Modification of oils like hydrogenation, fractionation, inter-esterification, and blending are followed to improve nutritional quality. Blending non-conventional/conventional vegetable oils to obtain a synergistic oil mixture is commonly practiced in the food industry to enhance the nutritional characteristics and stability of oil at an affordable price. Microencapsulation of these oils provides a functional barrier of core and coating material from the adverse environmental conditions, thereby enhancing the oxidative stability, thermo-stability, shelf-life, and biological activity of oils. Microencapsulation of oils has been conducted and commercialized by employing different conventional methods including emulsification, spray-drying, freeze-drying, coacervation, and melt-extrusion compared with new, improved methods like microwave drying, spray chilling, and co-extrusion. The microencapsulated oil emulsion can be either dried to easy-to-handle solids/microcapsules, converted into soft solids, or enclosed in a gel-like matrix, increasing the shelf-life of the liquid oil. The omega-rich microcapsules have a wide application in confectionery, dairy, ice-cream, and pharmaceutical industries. This review summarizes recent developments in blending and microencapsulation technologies in improving the stability and nutritional value of edible oils.