Up4Health

El proyecto Europeo Up4Health se basa en el aprovechamiento de biomasa generada en procesos que se llevan a cabo en la industria, por ejemplo en bodegas, almazaras, o plantas de procesamiento de frutos secos, de los que se obtienen ingredientes funcionales que pueden usarse en otras industrias de diversa índole, como pueden ser la alimentaria, nutracéutica o cosmética.

En Up4Health, además de aprovechar esta materia prima residual rica en compuestos bioactivos, se optimiza la cadena de valor de las industrias productivas del sector alimenticio persiguiendo el objetivo de “residuo cero”, lo que hace que además de ser un proyecto innovador, sea sostenible.

Los ingredientes funcionales de los que hablamos son los siguientes: agua de fruta natural rica en polifenoles, fibra dietética rica en polifenoles, extractos oleosos naturales de frutas y xilooligosacáridos prebióticos. Las aplicaciones en las que se podrán utilizar estos compuestos bioactivos van desde los alimentos funcionales, como productos cárnicos, barritas snack saludables, alimentos suaves para personas mayores, soluciones bebibles en forma de gel, aceite de oliva, bebidas naturales, yogurt, hasta los suplementos nutracéuticos e incluso los cosméticos.

En este proyecto, financiado por el programa H2020, colaboran nueve organizaciones de cinco países distintos  se realiza en colaboración con la empresa AMEREX, que aplicará diversos polifenoles extraídos de harina de fibra de oliva y uva en algunos productos de la industria alimentaria, con el objetivo de retrasar los procesos oxidativos y aumentar la vida útil del producto final.

(blog del proyecto aqui)

Jesús Simal, medalla de la Real Academia Galega de Ciencias

Una das Medallas de Investigación que a Real Academia Galega de Ciencias terá como destinatario o coordinador do grupo AA1,  Jesús Simal, en particular na sección de Química e Xeoloxía. A entrega das medallas será lugar o día 8 de octubre no Colexio de Fonseca (USC) 

Poderá seguirse a retransmisión da entrega de premios en directo a través de @RAGalegaCiencia en Twiter ou ben a través de este enlace

Enlaces de Prensa:

• Diario da Universidade de Vigo
• GCiencia
• El Faro de Vigo
• Atlántico Diario
• La Región
• Galicia Press
• Galicia Conficencial
• Vigo Hoy

Extraction, Properties, and Applications of Bioactive Compounds Obtained from Microalgae

 Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2020, 26, 1929-1950

DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200403172206

With the increase in the global population, getting new sources of food is essential. One of the solutions can be found in the oceans due to algae. Microalgae are aquatic photosynthetic organisms used mainly due to their variety of bioactive compounds. The consumption of microalgae has been carried out for centuries and is recommended by organizations, such as OMS and FAO, due to its nutritional value and its properties. Based on the existing literature, there is substantial evidence of the nutritional quality of the algae as well as their functional elements. However, much quantification is still necessary, as well as studying possible adverse effects. The present review describes the compounds of alimentary interest present in these algae as well as different extraction techniques assisted by different energetic mechanisms (such as heat, supercritical-fluid, microwave, ultrasound, enzymes, electric field, high hydrostatic pressure, among others). The most challenging and crucial issues are reducing microalgae growth cost and optimizing extraction techniques. This review aimed a better understanding of the uses of microalgae for new researches in nutrition. Since the use of microalgae is still a field in which there is much to discover, it is likely that more benefits will be found in its consumption.

Main bioactive phenolic compounds in marine algae and their mechanisms of action supporting potential health benefits

 Food Chemistry, 2020, 341, 128262

DOI:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128262

Given the growing tendency of consumers to choose products with natural ingredients, food industries have directed scientific research in this direction. In this regard, algae are an attractive option for the research, since they can synthesize a group of secondary metabolites, called phenolic compounds, associated with really promising properties and bioactivities. The objective of this work was to classify the major phenolic compounds, compare the effectiveness of the different extractive techniques used for their extraction, from traditional systems (like heat assisted extraction) to the most advance ones (such as ultrasound, microwave or supercritical fluid extraction); the available methods for identification and quantification; the stability of the enriched extract in phenolic compounds and the main bioactivities described for these secondary metabolites, to offer an overview of the situation to consider if it is possible and/or convenient an orientation of phenolic compounds from algae towards an industrial application.