Utilization of red and yellow Coffea arabica var. Caturra pulp: macronutrient analysis, carotenoid extraction, and encapsulation for dairy product enrichment

This study aimed to investigate the macronutrient and carotenoid content of red and yellow Coffea arabica var. Caturra pulp, a by-product of coffee processing in Colombia. The study employed ultra-sound-assisted extraction (UAE) to extract carotenoids, and a 23 factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of pulp color, biomass-solvent ratio, and solvent mixture composition on carotenoid content and extraction yield. The condition that provided the highest carotenoid extraction was further encapsulated by spray drying and added to a dairy product. The results showed that coffee pulp has significant dietary fiber content and high levels of carotenoids, with yellow pulp having a higher content than red pulp. Lutein isomers and lutein esters were the most abundant carotenoids found in both red and yellow coffee pulp. The highest carotenoid extraction was achieved using a 1:40 (g/mL) biomass:solvent ratio and a 20:80% v/v Ethanol:Ethyl Acetate solvent mixture for the yellow pulp. The carotenoid extract also demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency (46.57 ± 4.03%) and was found to be stable when added to a fermented milk product. This study presents an alternative solution for utilizing coffee by-products in Colombia, which could positively impact the families of over half a million Colombian coffee producers.

Efficiency of Recovery of the Bioactive Principles of Plants by Comparison between Solid-Liquid Extraction in Mixture and Single-Vegetable Matrices via Maceration and RSLDE

The term "officinal" derives from the Latin and includes all medicinal, aromatic and perfume plant species, which have long been a subject of interest for multiple purposes: health, food, pharmacological, cosmetic and so on. In this work, a study on six different species of medicinal plants, particularly characterized by digestive, choleretic and diuretic properties, was carried out: rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis), laurel (Laurus nobilis), gentian (Gentiana lutea), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and rhubarb (Rheum palmatum). The roots and aerial parts of plants were separately extracted with two different techniques-maceration and rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction (RSLDE)-and the quali/quantitative analysis of active ingredients have been determined by applying dry residue, Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH assays. Data obtained have provided useful answers regarding the efficiency of the extraction carried out on a mixture or on single plants, allowing us to evaluate the best choice according to the cases and the final uses.

Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Properties of Phlorotannins from Ascophyllum nodosum Seaweed Extracts

Seaweeds have gained considerable attention in recent years due to their potential health benefits and high contents of bioactive compounds. This review focuses on the exploration of seaweed's health-promoting properties, with particular emphasis on phlorotannins, a class of bioactive compounds known for their antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. Various novel and ecofriendly extraction methods, including solid-liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and microwave-assisted extraction are examined for their effectiveness in isolating phlorotannins. The chemical structure and isolation of phlorotannins are discussed, along with methods for their characterization, such as spectrophotometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and chromatography. Special attention is given to the antioxidant activity of phlorotannins. The inhibitory capacities of polyphenols, specifically phlorotannins from Ascophyllum nodosum against digestive enzymes, such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase, are explored. The results suggest that polyphenols from Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed hold significant potential as enzyme inhibitors, although the inhibitory activity may vary depending on the extraction conditions and the specific enzyme involved. In conclusion, seaweed exhibits great potential as a functional food ingredient for promoting health and preventing chronic diseases. Overall, this review aims to condense a comprehensive collection of high-yield, low-cost, and ecofriendly extraction methods for obtaining phlorotannins with remarkable antioxidant and antidiabetic capacities.

Enhanced Recovery of Natural Antioxidants from Grape Waste Using Natural Eutectic Solvents-Based Microwave-Assisted Extraction

The evaluation of sustainable solvents as alternatives to more harmful conventional solvents combined with intensification techniques to recover phenolic compounds from agri-food waste is in the spotlight. The wine industry generates large amounts of waste as a consequence of grape processing operations, which can be revalued by solvent extraction of valuable antioxidants for food and fine chemical applications. Therefore, the present study focuses on the use of natural eutectic solvents (NAESs) with benign environmental, health, and safety profiles, for valorization of grape waste in the context of a circular economy. Herein, up to 15 NAESs consisting of combinations of three hydrogen bond acceptors (choline chloride, L-proline, and betaine) and four hydrogen bond donors (1,2-propanediol, glycerol, and 1,2- and 1,3-butanediol) were evaluated for antioxidant recovery. After an initial screening of the performance of NAESs by conventional extraction, the process was intensified by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The extracts were analyzed by UV/VIS spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Promising results were obtained with the solvent betaine, 1,2-butanediol [1:4], using MAE at 100 °C for 3 min. Overall, the proposed NAESs-based MAE method was successfully applied to recover target compounds from grape waste, with great prospects for the antioxidants market and sustainable development for the winery sector.

Wild Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) Leaves and Roots Chemical Composition and Phenols Extraction

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) is an herbaceous plant that grows all over the world and is widely used as an edible and medicinal plant. Overall research results reveal that the chemical content and antioxidant activity of aerial parts and roots of stinging nettle depends on the growing region, soil, meteorological conditions (especially sunshine), collecting time, etc. The chemical composition of stinging nettle growing in Lithuania and the solid-liquid extraction efficiency of leaves and roots using different solvents were analysed. Additionally, we determined leaves phenols extraction efficiency using 96% methanol at different extraction conditions. Research results showed that a higher amount of crude fats, non-nitrogen extractives, and total carotenoids were in leaves, but the amount of crude proteins and ash did not differ significantly compared with roots. A higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were detected in roots instead of leaves while saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were in leaves. The extraction results showed that the most effective solvent for total phenols and flavonoids in leaves was 96% methanol, for total phenols in roots was 50% methanol and 50% ethanol for total flavonoids in roots. The most effective temperature for the Urtica dioica L. leaves phenols extraction was 70 °C, while time does not have a significant influence. The present study's findings suggested that concentrated and binary solvents had different effects on the phenol's extraction efficiency from different stinging nettle parts and extraction temperature performed a key role instead of extraction time.

Separation and Purification of Astragalus membranaceus Polysaccharides by Deep Eutectic Solvents-Based Aqueous Two-Phase System

(1) Background: Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) have been widely used in the separation and purification of bioactive substances in recent years. (2) Methods: In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs)-based ATPSs were employed for the extraction and separation of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides (AMP). The optimal DES (choline chloride:urea = 1:1) was first screened to extract AMP, and the effect of DES concentration, solid-liquid ratio, pH, extraction temperature, and extraction time on the extraction yield of AMP were investigated. (3) Results: The maximum extraction yield was 141.11 mg/g under the optimum conditions. AMP was then preliminarily purified by ATPS, to further realize the recycling and reuse of DES. The effect of type of salts, salt concentration, and extraction temperature on extraction efficiency was investigated. The extraction efficiency was 97.85% for AMP under the optimum ATPS conditions. Finally, the obtained AMP was studied by molecular weight determination, infrared spectroscopy analysis, and monosaccharide composition analysis. (4) Conclusions: This ATPS extraction based on DESs is simple, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and has high extraction efficiency, which provides new ideas for the extraction of plant polysaccharides and other bioactive compounds.

Development and Validation of Benzophenone Derivatives in Packaged Cereal-Based Foods by Solid-Liquid Extraction and Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We established and validated a sensitive multi-residue analytical method for identifying benzophenone (BP) and nine BP derivatives (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone [BP-1], 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxydroxybenzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone, 2,2′-dihydroxy 4-methoxy benzophenone, 2-hydroxybenzophenone [2-OHBP], 4-hydroxybenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone [4-MBP], methyl-2-benzoylbenzoate, and 4-benzoylbiphenyl). Solid−liquid extraction pretreatment and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC−MS/MS) were employed in an analysis of 85 packaged cereal-based food samples (25 pastry, 50 rice, and 10 noodle samples). The method had satisfactory linearity (R2 ≥ 0.995), low limits of detection (pastry: 0.02−4.2 ng/g; rice and noodle: 0.02−2 ng/g), and favorable precision, with within-run and between-run coefficient of variation ranges of 1−29% and 1−28%, respectively. BP and 4-MBP were detected in 100% of the pastry samples, and BP-1 and 2-OHBP were found in 76% and 56% of the pastry samples, respectively. BP and 2-OHBP were found in 92% and 38% of the rice samples, respectively. BP was found in 50% of the noodle samples. BP contributed the most to the total level of BPs in pastries, with significantly higher mean ± standard deviation (range) levels for pastries (26.8 ± 32.6 [1.8−115.4] ng/g) than rice (1.2 ± 2.0 [0.4−13.4] ng/g) and noodles (0.7 ± 0.7 [0.4−1.9] ng/g); p < 0.0001). The trace levels of 4-MBP identified in the samples demonstrate the need for the development of analytical methods with high sensitivity and specificity; the proposed method satisfies this need.

Optimization of Extraction Conditions to Improve Chlorogenic Acid Content and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Forced Witloof Chicory Roots

Chlorogenic acids are major phenolic constituents in many herbal medicines and exhibit various bioactivities that explain the growing interest in extracting chlorogenic acids from biomass. In this context, the present study aims to maximize 3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA) and 3,5-O-di-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-diCQA) contents from forced witloof chicory roots and to analyze the extraction kinetic modelling. First, the solid–liquid ratio, ethanol concentration, extraction time and temperature were studied. The extraction conditions were optimized to maximize the extraction of these compounds. The maximum yields reached 5 ± 0.11 and 5.97 ± 0.30 mg/g dry matter (DM) for 3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid and 3,5-O-di-caffeoylquinic acid, respectively, in less than 6 min at 70 °C. Extraction with water as a solvent was assessed with the aim of proposing a second greener and less-expensive solvent. This extraction is very fast from 90 °C, with a maximum of 6.22 ± 0.18 mg/g_DM of 3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid, and instantaneous for 3,5-O-di-caffeoylquinic acid with a maximum of 6.44 ± 0.59 mg/g_DM. In the second step, response surface methodology was employed to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction of antioxidants. The higher antioxidant activities were found at temperatures from 40 °C and at percentages of ethanol in the range of 35–70%.

Pigment Composition of Nine Brown Algae from the Iberian Northwestern Coastline: Influence of the Extraction Solvent

Brown algae are ubiquitously distributed in the NW coastline of the Iberian Peninsula, where they stand as an underexploited resource. In this study, five solvents were applied to the extraction of pigments from nine brown algae, followed by their determination and quantification by HPLC-DAD. A total of 13 compounds were detected: Six were identified as chlorophylls, six were classified as xanthophylls, and one compound was reported as a carotene. Fucoxanthin was reported in all extracts, which is the most prominent pigment of these algae. Among them, L. saccharina and U. pinnatifida present the highest concentration of fucoxanthin (4.5-4.7 mg∙g-1 dry weight). Ethanol and acetone were revealed as the most efficient solvents for the extraction of pigments, showing a maximal value of 11.9 mg of total pigments per gram of dry alga obtained from the ethanolic extracts of H. elongata, followed by the acetonic extracts of L. ochroleuca. Indeed, ethanol was also revealed as the most efficient solvent according to its high extraction yield along all species evaluated. Our results supply insights into the pigment composition of brown algae, opening new perspectives on their commercial exploitation by food, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical industries.

Sustainable Extractions for Maximizing Content of Antioxidant Phytochemicals from Black and Red Currants

Sustainable extraction techniques (ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and pressurized-liquid extraction (PLE)) were applied and compared with conventional solvent extraction to evaluate their efficiency in maximizing the bioactive compound content and antioxidant activity of black and red currants. The influence of ethanol concentrations (30%, 50%, 70%) were studied in all extraction methods, while different temperatures (30, 50, 70 °C/80, 100, 120 °C) were evaluated in UAE and PLE, respectively. Generally, higher total phenolics were determined in black currant extracts (1.93–3.41 g GAE/100 g) than in red currant extracts (1.27–2.63 g GAE/100 g). The results showed that MAE was the most efficient for the extraction of bioactives from black currants, with 3.41 g GAE/100 g and 0.7934 g CE/100 g, while PLE provided the highest TP and TF for black currant samples (2.63 g GAE/100 g and 0.77 g CE/100 g). Extracts obtained by MAE (10 min, 600 W, 30% ethanol) and PLE (50% ethanol, 10 min, 120 °C) had the highest antioxidant activity, as determined by various in vitro assays (DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS). In conclusion, sustainable extraction techniques can be considered an efficient tool to maximize the content of bioactive antioxidants from black and red currants.

Polymers Sorption Properties towards Photosynthetic Pigments and Fungicides

In the present work, extraction with a solvent (cold acetone) was used to extract the assimilation pigments from spinach leaves. Then, the sorption capacity of selected plastics granules (polyvinyl chloride—PVC, polypropylene—PP, polyethylene—PE of different densities) was tested for the selective isolation of chlorophylls. Quantification of chlorophylls by HPLC (Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C18 column, the mobile phase: Acetonitrile/methanol/ethyl acetate 6:2:2, v/v) was based on chlorophyll-a content as the most common chlorophyll. The performed experiments prove that PVC containing electronegative chlorine exhibits favorable interactions toward chlorophyll by creating stable molecular complexes. The Fourier Transform Raman Spectroscopy (FT-Raman) and the molecular modeling were used to elucidate the structure of the created complexes. The optimal extraction requirements, the mass of sorbent, water-acetone ratio, time, and the composition of the elution solvent were all established. The optimized extraction conditions ensured a maximum extraction yield of chlorophylls of 98%. The chlorophyll-rich sorbent was re-extracted by acetone, leading to the recovery of 91% of chlorophylls in one step, adding the possibility of its re-use. The proposed effective and ecological method of obtaining the green dye from plants is cheap, simple, and efficient, avoiding organic solvents, utilizing the most widely used synthetic polymers in the world, being products difficult for utilization. The possibility to remove chosen fungicides cyprodinil, chlorothalonil, and thiabendazone from plant extract by PVC was also examined. The described method proposes a new application of synthetic polymers, which meets the criteria of sustainable green chemistry, simultaneously reaching the growing demand for pure natural compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

A Glimpse into the Extraction Methods of Active Compounds from Plants

Naturally active compounds are usually contained inside plants and materials thereof. Thus, the extraction of the active compounds from plants needs appropriate extraction methods. The commonly employed extraction methods are mostly based on solid-liquid extraction. Frequently used conventional extraction methods such as maceration, heat-assisted extraction, Soxhlet extraction, and hydrodistillation are often criticized for large solvent consumption and long extraction times. Therefore, many advanced extraction methods incorporating various technologies such as ultrasound, microwaves, high pressure, high voltage, enzyme hydrolysis, innovative solvent systems, adsorption, and mechanical forces have been studied. These advanced extraction methods are often better than conventional methods in terms of higher yields, higher selectivity, lower solvent consumption, shorter processing time, better energy efficiency, and potential to avoid organic solvents. They are usually designed to be greener, more sustainable, and environment friendly. In this review, we have critically described recently developed extraction methods pertaining to obtaining active compounds from plants and materials thereof. Main factors that affect the extraction performances are tuned, and extraction methods are chosen in line with the properties of targeted active compounds or the objectives of extraction. The review also highlights the advancements in extraction procedures by using combinations of extraction methods to obtain high overall yields or high purity extracts.

Unique Anion-exchange Properties of 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine Resulting in High Selectivity for Rhodium(III) over Palladium(II) and Platinum(IV) in a Concentrated Hydrochloric Acid Solution

The effective recovery of Rh(III) from mixtures also containing Pd(II) and Pt(IV) is one of the most difficult tasks in platinum group metal refining. Adding 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) to 7 and 10 M HCl aqueous solutions containing Rh(III), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) chlorido species affords the effective separation of Rh(III) from Pd(II) and Pt(IV) through a process where Rh(III) becomes sequestered into solid phases composed of DAB. The stoichiometry and inner coordination sphere of the metal in Rh-DAB complexes were determined by estimating the Rh(III), H⁺, and Cl^- concentrations in the solid phase and X-ray absorption fine structure measurements to clarify the mechanism of DAB selectivity for Rh(III). These results indicate that the Rh-DAB reaction in a concentrated HCl solution occurs in two steps: (1) the precipitation of DAB trihydrochloride salts, where DAB's amino groups are protonated and (2) anion exchange of the trihydrochloride salts for chloride ions with [RhCl₆]^3-, which is the predominant species in a concentrated HCl solution. By contrast, ion-pair complexes with [PdCl₄]^2- and [PtCl₆]^2- were not observed in DAB phases. The significantly lower affinity of the DAB trihydro cation for [PtCl₆]^2- and [PdCl₄]^2- than for [RhCl₆]^3- in 7 and 10 M HCl solutions accounts for the effective separation of Rh(III) from Pd(II) and Pt(IV).

Rapid determination of capsaicinoids by colorimetric method

Capsaicinoids, the pungent component of chili peppers, are generally analyzed by precise analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), but these are not practical for the mass analyses of samples. To analyze mass samples rapidly, a colorimetric method was suggested. In this work, pigments and capsaicinoids were efficiently separated from chili pepper extract by sequential solid–liquid extraction and liquid–liquid extraction in test tubes followed by a colorimetric analysis on the capsaicinoids by a selective chromogenic reaction with Gibbs reagent (2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide). In the comparison of the capsaicinoid content by the colorimetric method and HPLC using acetone extracts of fresh pepper and dry red pepper as samples, R² was 0.9973 and 0.9816, respectively, which shows a high linear correlation. In addition, a minimum of 1 μg/mL capsaicinoids can be detected and it was therefore determined that the method can efficiently analyze a great quantity of samples in a short time.

Development and validation of HPLC method for vicenin-1 isolated from fenugreek seeds in rat plasma: application to pharmacokinetic, tissue distribution and excretion studies

CONTEXT

Vicenin-1, a flavonol glycoside, has potent platelet aggregation inhibition, antioxidant, radioprotectants and anti-inflammatory activities.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a rapid, simple, precise and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for determination of vicenin-1 in rat plasma, and to investigate the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion after a single 60 mg/kg oral dose in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Vicenin-1 was extracted by solid-liquid extraction through Tulsicon^® ADS-400 (0.40-1.2 mm). Chromatographic separation was achieved by HPLC with a C₁₈ column with a mobile phase composed of water and acetonitrile (75:25 v/v) and a flow rate of 1 mL/min along with UV detection at 210 nm.

RESULTS

Good linearity of calibration curve was found between 10.5 and 100.5 μg/mL (R²=0.995) for plasma and tissue, whereas 2.5-500 μg/mL (R²=0.999) for the urine and stool samples. The extraction recoveries were 98.51-99.58% for vicenin-1 in plasma, whereas intra-day and inter-day precision were validated by relative standard deviation (%RSD), that came in the ranges of 1.16-1.79% and 1.28-1.73%, respectively. The pharmacokinetics results showed C_max (7.039 μg/mL) and T_max (2 h) after oral administration of vicenin-1. Tissue distribution study showed that the highest concentration of vicenin-1 was achieved in the liver followed by the lung. Approximately 24.2% of its administered dose was excreted via urinary excretion route.

CONCLUSION

The first-pass metabolism, poor solubility and presence of reducing sugar moiety in vicenin-1 may decrease its bioavailability. The developed method is sensitive, specific and was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion studies of vicenin-1 in rats.