Edible flowers as functional raw materials: A review on anti-aging properties

 Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2020, 106, 30-47

DOI:10.1016/j.tifs.2020.09.023

Background

Diet is a major determinant of aging and lifespan. Development and utilization of food resources with potential anti-aging activity have attracted increasing attention from researchers. Because of their peculiar flavour, aroma and colour, as well as enriched nutrients and phytochemicals, edible flowers have emerged as a new trend for human nutrition. More importantly, a growing body of evidence suggests flowers have potential effects against aging. However, these properties have yet to be systematically understood.

Scope and approach

In this review, we used comprehensive literature retrieval to summarize the major aspects of edible flowers’ anti-aging properties, including effects, active components, and applications. Relevant research articles published in English with no restrictions on publication date have been considered.

Key findings and conclusions

This review found evidence that edible flowers are promising raw materials for prevention or amelioration of skin aging, immunosenescence, neurodegeneration, and even extension of lifespan. Active ingredients in these flowers, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, polysaccharides, etc. may function through the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and regulation of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IIS) pathway. In addition to their use in traditional food and medicine, some flower extracts or main components have been developed for health care food or skin care products. These findings suggest that despite the partial restriction of harvest, storage and safety, edible flowers are worthy of further investigation to promote healthy aging.

Macroalgae as a Source of Valuable Antimicrobial Compounds: Extraction and Applications

 Antibiotics 2020, 9(10), 642

 DOI:10.3390/antibiotics9100642

In the last few decades, attention on new natural antimicrobial compounds has arisen due to a change in consumer preferences and the increase in the number of resistant microorganisms. Macroalgae play a special role in the pursuit of new active molecules as they have been traditionally consumed and are known for their chemical and nutritional composition and their biological properties, including antimicrobial activity. Among the bioactive molecules of algae, proteins and peptides, polysaccharides, polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids and pigments can be highlighted. However, for the complete obtaining and incorporation of these molecules, it is essential to achieve easy, profitable and sustainable recovery of these compounds. For this purpose, novel liquid–liquid and solid–liquid extraction techniques have been studied, such as supercritical, ultrasound, microwave, enzymatic, high pressure, accelerated solvent and intensity pulsed electric fields extraction techniques. Moreover, different applications have been proposed for these compounds, such as preservatives in the food or cosmetic industries, as antibiotics in the pharmaceutical industry, as antibiofilm, antifouling, coating in active packaging, prebiotics or in nanoparticles. This review presents the main antimicrobial potential of macroalgae, their specific bioactive compounds and novel green extraction technologies to efficiently extract them, with emphasis on the antibacterial and antifungal data and their applications.

Use of Spectroscopic Techniques to Monitor Changes in Food Quality during Application of Natural Preservatives: A Review

 Antioxidants 2020, 9(9), 882

DOI:10.3390/antiox9090882

Consumer demand for food of high quality has driven research for alternative methods of food preservation on the one hand, and the development of new and rapid quality assessment techniques on the other hand. Recently, there has been a growing need and interest in healthier food products, which has led to an increased interest in natural preservatives, such as essential oils, plant extracts, and edible films and coatings. Several studies have shown the potential of using biopreservation, natural antimicrobials, and antioxidant agents in place of other processing and preservation techniques (e.g., thermal and non-thermal treatments, freezing, or synthetic chemicals). Changes in food quality induced by the application of natural preservatives have been commonly evaluated using a range of traditional methods, including microbiology, sensory, and physicochemical measurements. Several spectroscopic techniques have been proposed as promising alternatives to the traditional time-consuming and destructive methods. This review will provide an overview of recent studies and highlight the potential of spectroscopic techniques to evaluate quality changes in food products following the application of natural preservatives.

Valorization of by-products from olive oil industry and added-value applications for innovative functional foods

 Food Research International, 2020, 137, 109683

DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109683

Background

In the last years, the consumption of olive oil has experienced a sharp rise due to its organoleptic and healthy properties and with this the wastes and by-products derived from the olive production and the olive oil industry have also increased causing important environmental and economic issues. However, the high content in bioactive compounds of these wastes and by-products makes that its recovery is both a great challenge and an excellent opportunity for the olive oil sector.

Aim of the review

This review encompasses the more outstanding aspects related to the advances achieved until date in the olive oil by-products valorisation and added-value applications for innovative functional foods.

Conclusion

Taking into account the information reported in this manuscript, the development of a multiproduct biorefinery in cascade using eco-friendly technologies interchangable seems a suitable stratety to obtaining high added value compounds from olive oil by-products with applications in the field of innovative functional foods. In addition, this would allow an integral valorization of these residues enhancing the profitability of the olive oil industry. On the other hand, the biocompounds fom olive oil by-products have been described by their interesting bioactivities with beneficial properties for the consumers’ health; therefore, their incorporation into the formulation of functional foods opens new possibilities in the field of innovative foods.

Future perspective

Despite the studies descibed in the literature, more research on the healthy properties of the recovered compounds and their interactions with food components is key to allow their reintegration in the food chain and therefore, the removal of the olive oil by-products.

Non-invasive biomonitoring of organic pollutants using feather samples in feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica)

 Environmental Pollution, 2020, 267, 115672

DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115672

A large portion of organic pollutants (OPs) represent a potential hazard to humans and living beings due to their toxic properties. For several years, birds have been used as biomonitor species of environmental pollution. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pyrethroids (PYRs) were assessed in body feather samples of 71 feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica) collected from Asturias and Galicia (NW Spain). The percentage of detection for all chemical groups were above 90% in studied birds. The general pattern was dominated by PAHs (mean value ± standard deviation (SD) 32 ± 15 ng/g) followed by OCPs (3.8 ± 1.1 ng/g), PYRs (3.4 ± 3.8 ng/g), PCBs (1.6 ± 1.0 ng/g), OPPs (1.3 ± 0.70 ng/g) and PBDEs (0.80 ± 0.30 ng/g). Significant differences were observed between age, location and gender suggesting different sources of exposure and accumulation pathways.

Value-Added Compound Recovery from Invasive Forest for Biofunctional Applications: Eucalyptus Species as a Case Study

 Molecules 2020, 25(18), 4227

From ancient times, the medicinal properties of the different Eucalyptus species are well known. In fact, plants from this family have been used in folk medicine as antiseptics, and to treat different ailments of the upper respiratory tract such as sinus congestion, common cold, or influenza. Moreover, other biological activities were described for Eucalyptus species such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In the last few decades, numerous investigations revealed that the compounds responsible for these properties are secondary metabolites that belonging to the group of phenolic compounds and are present in different parts of the plants such as leaves, bark, wood, fruits, and stumps. The increasing demand for natural compounds that can substitute synthetic antioxidants and the increase in resistance to traditional antibiotics have boosted the intense search for renewable natural sources containing substances with such bioactivities, as well as greener extraction technologies and avant-garde analytical methods for the identification of the target molecules. The literature data used in this paper were collected via Scopus (2001–2020) using the following search terms: Eucalyptus, extraction methods, phenolic compounds, and biological activities. This review collects the main studies related to the recovery of value-added compounds from different Eucalyptus species, as well as their biofunctional applications.

Biological Evaluation, DFT Calculations and Molecular Docking Studies on the Antidepressant and Cytotoxicity Activities of Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham. Compounds

 Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(9), 232

https://doi.org/10.3390/ph13090232

Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham. is commonly used in folk medicine against various disorders. The present study investigated the antidepressant and cytotoxicity activity of methanol extract of C. pectinata (MECP) along with quantitative phytochemical analysis by GC-MS method. Here, the GC-MS study of MECP presented 41 compounds, among which most were fatty acids, esters, terpenoids and oximes. The antidepressant activity was assessed by the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) models. In contrast, MECP (200 and 400 mg/kg) exhibited a significant and dose-dependent manner reduction in immobility comparable with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) and phenelzine (20 mg/kg). MECP showed a weak toxicity level in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay (ED50: 358.65 µg/mL) comparable to the standard drug vincristine sulfate (ED50: 2.39 µg/mL). Three compounds from the GC-MS study were subjected to density functional theory (DFT) calculations, where only cyclopentadecanone oxime showed positive and negative active binding sites. Cyclopentadecanone oxime also showed a good binding interaction in suppressing depression disorders by blocking monoamine oxidase and serotonin receptors with better pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties. Overall, the MECP exhibited a significant antidepressant activity with moderate toxicity, which required further advance studies to identify the mechanism.

Special Issue about the “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture”

 

For the past few years, the increasing world population has given place to an increase in the demand for food products.

A large number of variables (agronomic, climatic, political, economic, etc.) can influence on agricultural production. All these features give rise to a large database that can be used to develop tools aimed at improving the management practices, production, harvesting, processing, conservation, selling and subsequent waste treatment that could solve the future challenges related to the climate variation, proliferation of diseases, crops improve and supply.

These tools, from the simplest (regression) to the most complex (neural networks, vector support machines, among others) allow to expand the existing knowledge to the entire agricultural process (from cradle to cradle).

The aim of this Special Issue about the “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture” is to collect the most recent research using any kind of AI model related (but not limited) to: machine learning, remote sensing, machine vision, modelling, prediction, optimization, decision support, food authenticity, big data, blockchain, etc.

You are welcome to send research articles, reviews, communications and concept papers. Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com

Keywords

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine learning
• Deep learning
• Image Analysis/Processing
• Computer Vision
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Big Data/Cloud Computing
• Remote Sensing
• Modelling/Prediction/Optimization
• Decision support

Jesús Simal, Académico de Número en la Real Academia de Farmacia de Galicia

 

El coordinador del grupo AA1, Jesús Simal Gándara, entrará a formar parte de la Real Academia de Farmacia de Galicia, RAFG, como miembro numerario. Centrará su discurso en la sostenibilidad del sistema de producción y consumo de alimentos -La ceremonia, pendiente del Covid-19.

Special Issue on “The Application of Artificial Intelligent in Hydrology”

Over the last few decades, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced a high increase in a wide variety of research fields. This kind of models are characterized as powerful tools to obtain information which would otherwise be very complicated or impossible to get. AI models, together with the large amount of hydrologycal data currently available, provide the ideal conditions to create tools aimed at managing water supply, predicting flood and drought, monitoring water quality, optimizing irrigation schemes, managing dams, determining carbonate saturation, evaluating the sedimentation process, and modeling the contaminant transport, among others. All the AI models, from the simplest to the most complex, such as random forest or neural networks, therefore allow expanding the existing knowledge about the complex water system.

The aim of this Special Issue on “The Application of Artificial Intelligent in Hydrology” is to present the state-of-the-art related (but not limited) to the study of movements, distribution, and management of water in nature.

We invite authors to submit research articles, reviews, communications, and concept papers that demonstrate the high potential of artificial intelligence in the hydrological field.

Keywords

• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Big data/Cloud computing
• Monitoring/Modelling/Prediction/Optimization
• Flow prediction
• Water quality
• Water supply
• Management
• Risk assessment
• Multidisciplinary research

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com.

Management of Wine Aroma Compounds: Principal Basis and Future Perspectives

Book Chapter in: 

Winemaking - Stabilization, Aging Chemistry and Biochemistry

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.92973

Wine’s aroma is defined by volatile and non-volatile compounds that contribute to its make-up. The complex variety of volatile compounds, coming from grapes, interact with other non-volatile substances of the wine as precursors of wine’s aroma, known as primary aromas, which give the aroma of the young wine. The volatile compounds present in the skin and in the grape juice change according to the grape variety. Most of wine volatile compounds responsible for aroma are linked to sugars and they initially form odorless glycosides. Through the process of hydrolysis, they are reverted into an aromatic form. Chemical reactions among these compounds occur during the fermentation and in the first months of a wine’s existence, triggering fast and multiple modifications in wine’s aroma at this point. As wine ages and matures, changes and development in aroma will continue to take place but at a slower and more gradual pace. The study of the compounds responsible for aroma and flavor, as well as their correlation with the wine quality, is ongoing. Improving the knowledge of wine aromatic compounds could increase the risk of its potential adulteration; however, consumers prefer wine for its natural origin, so this scenario is unlikely in the future.

Metabolites from Macroalgae and Its Applications in the Cosmetic Industry: A Circular Economy Approach

 Resources 2020, 9(9), 101

DOI:10.3390/resources9090101

Marine macroalgae are a suitable source of ingredients due to their huge diversity, availability and nutritional and chemical composition. Their high content in proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins, but also in secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds, terpenoids or pigments, make them great candidates for industrial applications. The cosmetic industry is one of the biggest in the world and the search for new ingredients is constantly growing as the consumer trend now is going back to those traditional cosmetics with a more natural composition. Moreover, the concept of a circular economy is also gaining importance due to the unsustainable situation of the natural resources. Although macroalgae are already used in cosmetics, especially as thickening and gelling agents, they possess an unexplored potential, not only as excipients and additives but also as a source of new active ingredients. In this context, macroalgae are considered in many cases as resources still underexploited and they could even be obtained from the waste of other industrial sectors and be used for recovering active molecules. Therefore, the aim of this review is to compile information about the different macroalgae metabolites and their possible applications in the cosmetic industry, which could employ circular economy models. 

Wine Aging Technology: Fundamental Role of Wood Barrels

 Foods 2020, 9(9), 1160

DOI:10.3390/foods9091160

The aging of wines is a process used to preserve wine but also to enhance its properties. It is a process of great interest, mainly because of the additional properties it adds to wines and because of its economic implications. Historically, barrels have been employed for centuries for preserving and aging wine due to their resistance and relative impermeability. In general terms, the wine aging process can be divided into two phases: oxidative and reductive aging. Oxidative aging traditionally takes place in barrels while reductive phase occurs in the bottle. During both processes, oxygen plays a fundamental role as well as other factors, for instance: temperature, light, bottle position, microbial growth or storage time. Likewise, during the aging process, a series of chemical reactions take place influencing the composition and organoleptic profile of wine. At this point, oxidative aging in barrels is a fundamental step. Barrels are directly involved in the produced changes on wine’s composition due to the transference of oxygen and phenolic and aromatic compounds from wood to wine. This way, barrels act as an active vessel capable of releasing compounds that affect and improve wine’s characteristics. Regarding, the importance of barrels during aging process, some attention must be given to the species most used in cooperage. These species are conventionally oak species, either French or American. However, other non-conventional species are currently being studied as possible wood sources for the production of wines, such as chestnut robinia or other oak species. In the last decades, new approaches have been developed for barrel aging to find new alternatives more suitable, affordable and feasible to sanitize the process, such as other materials different from wood or the use of wood chips, which is regulated since 2006 by the EU. However, even though some of them have shown promising data, barrels are currently the most used technology for the oxidative stage of table wines aging. 

Scientific Approaches on Extraction, Purification and Stability for the Commercialization of Fucoxanthin Recovered from Brown Algae

 Foods 2020, 9(8), 1113

DOI:10.3390/foods9081113

The scientific community has corroborated the numerous beneficial activities of fucoxanthin, such as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer or neuroprotective effects, among others. These properties have attracted the attention of nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmacological industries, giving rise to various possible applications. Fucoxanthin may be chemically produced, but the extraction from natural sources is considered more cost-effective, efficient and eco-friendly. Thus, identifying suitable sources of this compound and giving a general overview of efficient extraction, quantification, purification and stabilization studies is of great importance for the future production and commercialization of fucoxanthin. The scientific research showed that most of the studies are performed using conventional techniques, but non-conventional techniques begin to gain popularity in the recovery of this compound. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and spectroscopy techniques have been employed in the quantification and identification of fucoxanthin. The further purification of extracts has been mainly accomplished using purification columns. Finally, the stability of fucoxanthin has been assessed as a free molecule, in an emulsion, or encapsulated to identify the variables that might affect its further industrial application.

Effect of polyphenols on HER2-positive breast cancer and related miRNAs: Epigenomic regulation

 Food Research International, 2020, 137, 109623

DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109623

HER2-positive breast cancer is one of the most aggressive subtypes accounting for nearly 30% of diagnosed cases. It is associated with reduced disease-free survival, tumor invasiveness, and a poor overall prognosis. Unfortunately, numerous patients develop resistance to conventional therapies; therefore, many ongoing clinical trials are testing new possible treatments. Polyphenols are the main bioactive components of the Mediterranean diet with multiple beneficial properties playing a key role in cancer prevention through epigenetic regulation. Aberrant variations in microRNAs levels regulating oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes expression may lead to tumor development. Evidence has shown that dietary polyphenols modulate HER2-positive breast cancer-associated microRNAs, resulting in a reduction of tumor growth and metastatic potential, and chemosensitivity restoration without displaying toxicity-derived adverse effects. These beneficial properties make polyphenols a potential therapeutic approach for HER2-positive breast cancer patients in the clinical setting, alone or in combination with conventional therapies.

Application of Novel Techniques for Monitoring Quality Changes in Meat and Fish Products during Traditional Processing Processes: Reconciling Novelty and Tradition

 Processes 2020, 8(8), 988

DOI:10.3390/pr8080988

In this review, we summarize the most recent advances in monitoring changes induced in fish and other seafood, and meat and meat products, following the application of traditional processing processes by means of conventional and emerging advanced techniques. Selected examples from the literature covering relevant applications of spectroscopic methods (i.e., visible and near infrared (VIS/NIR), mid-infrared (MIR), Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and fluorescence) will be used to illustrate the topics covered in this review. Although a general reluctance toward using and adopting new technologies in traditional production sectors causes a relatively low interest in spectroscopic techniques, the recently published studies have pointed out that these techniques could be a powerful tool for the non-destructive monitoring and process optimization during the production of muscle food products.

Gas Chromatographic Fingerprinting Coupled to Chemometrics for Food Authentication

 Food Reviews International, 2020, 36, 384-427

DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2019.1649691

Fingerprinting has become a powerful device in food authentication activities. Food products can be verified based on their chemical composition, geographical origin, specified botanical sources or possible adulterations by fingerprinting gas chromatographic chemical analysis and a subsequent multivariate data analysis. Although fingerprinting approaches have already been used successfully in many research projects, feasibility and employment in routine daily tests and food composition monitoring are not still widespread. Within this review, food fingerprinting studies in gas chromatographic methods for different food product categories were selected by a systematic search method. The studies were examined for chemometrics techniques, identification of effective variables, method validation and quality assurance parameters. In this way, the research activities could be considered as an effective starting point to establish fingerprinting techniques for food authentication in wide industrial scale in the future.

Bioactive Compounds and Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Foods 2020, 9(8), 1014

DOI:10.3390/foods9081014

Background: 

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is responsible for a large part of many health benefits associated to Mediterranean diet as it is a fundamental ingredient of this diet. The peculiarities of this golden, highly valued product are in part due to the requirements that must be met to achieve this title, namely, it has to be obtained using exclusively mechanical procedures, its free acidity cannot be greater than 0.8%, it must not show sensory defects, and it has to possess a fruity taste. 

Methods: 

All these characteristics are key factors to EVOO quality, thus the chemical composition of these many health-promoting compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids (which are also the major compounds, especially oleic acid), as well as minor components such as tocopherols or phenolic compounds (which behave as natural antioxidants) must be preserved. 

Results: 

Due to the presence of all these compounds, the daily consumption of EVOO entails health benefits such as cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor properties or acting as regulator of the intestinal microbiota, among others. 

Conclusions: 

Taking all together, conserving EVOO chemical composition is essential to preserve its properties, so it is worth to control certain factors during storage like exposure to light, temperature, oxygen presence or the chosen packaging material, to maintain its quality and extend its shelf-life until its consumption.

Influence of tetraconazole on the proteome profile of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Lalvin T73™ strain

Journal of Proteomics, 2020, 227, 103915 

DOI:10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103915

This work aimed to evaluate the modifications on the proteome profile of Saccharomyces cerevisiae T73™ strain as a consequence of its adaptive response to the presence of tetraconazole molecules in the fermentation medium. Pasteurised grape juices were separately supplemented with tetraconazole or a commercial formulation containing 12.5% w/v of tetraconazole at two concentration levels. In addition, experiments without fungicides were developed for comparative purposes.

Proteome profiles of yeasts cultured in the presence or absence of fungicide molecules were different. Independently of the fungicide treatment applied, the highest variations concerning the control sample were observed for those proteins involved in metabolic processes, especially in the metabolism of nitrogen compounds. Tetraconazole molecules altered the abundance of several enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of amino acids, purines, and ergosterol. Moreover, differences in the abundance of several enzymes of the TCA cycle were found. Changes observed were different between the active substance and the commercial formulation.

Significance

The presence of fungicide residues in grape juice has direct implications on the development of the aromatic profile of the wine. These alterations could be related to changes in the secondary metabolism of yeasts. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the response of yeasts to fungicide residues remains quite unexplored. Through this exhaustive proteomic study, alterations in the amino acids biosynthesis pathways due to the presence of the tetraconazole molecules were observed. Amino acids are precursors of some important higher alcohols and ethyl acetates (such as methionol, 2-phenylethanol, isoamyl alcohol or 2-phenylacetate). Besides, the effect of tetraconazole on the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway could be related to a higher production of medium-chain fatty acids and their corresponding ethyl acetates.

Potential Health Benefit of Garlic Based on Human Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview

 Antioxidants 2020, 9(7), 619 

DOI: 10.3390/antiox9070619

Garlic is a polyphenolic and organosulfur enriched nutraceutical spice consumed since ancient times. Garlic and its secondary metabolites have shown excellent health-promoting and disease-preventing effects on many human common diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, blood pressure, and diabetes, through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties, as demonstrated in several in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview on the consumption of garlic, garlic preparation, garlic extract, and garlic extract-derived bioactive constituents on oxidative stress, inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, skin, bone, and other common diseases. Among the 83 human interventional trials considered, the consumption of garlic has been reported to modulate multiple biomarkers of different diseases; in addition, its combination with drugs or other food matrices has been shown to be safe and to prolong their therapeutic effects. The rapid metabolism and poor bioavailability that have limited the therapeutic use of garlic in the last years are also discussed.