Food Wastes as Valuable Sources of Bioactive Molecules

Food industry produces worldwide millions of tons of plant‐derived wastes which can be exploited as sources of high‐value components: proteins, fibres, polysaccharides, flavour compounds or different phytochemicals. These bioactive compounds can be valorised as functional ingredients in food, pharmaceutical, health care, cosmetic and other products. Using the recovered bioactive molecules as functional ingredients represents a sustainable alternative of food wastes exploitation as inexpensive source of valuable compounds, while developing innovative food and non‐food products with health‐promoting benefits and at the same time contributing to an efficient waste reduction management. This chapter gives an overview of the main classes of bioactive compounds recovered from food wastes and their potential applications as functional chemicals, without being exhaustive

Tomato Waste as a Source of Biologically Active Compounds

Large amounts of wastes are generated annually by the vegetable processing industry, their efficient management and valorization representing a priority research area. Recent research suggested the possibility of reusing tomato pomace as a cheap source of many bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants, soluble dietary fibers and vitamins. The high initial moisture of fresh tomato pomace and the presence of considerable levels of nutrients make this waste susceptible to microbial degradation. Therefore, the fresh pomace of three tomato varieties were preserved by two different methods and then analyzed regarding the total phenolics content, flavonoids, lycopene and antioxidant activity. The results showed that all samples contained considerable amounts of phenolic compounds and exhibit good antioxidant properties. A higher lycopene content was obtained for dehydrated samples, other similar studies explaining that heat processing can breakdown the cellular walls and the chromoplast membranes, leading to a better release. The obtained results highlight the potential of reusing tomato processing waste as source of bioactive compounds and encourages the implementation of a sustainable valorization plan

Antioxidant and Antitumor Activity of a Bioactive Polyphenolic Fraction Isolated from the Brewing Process

There is increasing interest in identifying natural bioactive compounds that can improve mitochondrial functionality and regulate apoptosis. The brewery industry generates wastewater that could yield a natural extract containing bioactive phenolic compounds. Polyphenols act as antioxidants and have been documented to protect the human body from degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases or cancer. The main aims of our research were to determine the phenolic profile of a crude extract obtained (at pilot scale) from a brewery waste stream and to evaluate the biochemical activity of this extract on the mitochondrial function of a cancer cell line (SH-SY5Y). This work is a basic translational pilot study. The total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, which revealed that 2.30% of the extract consisted of phenolic compounds. The polyphenols, identified and quantified by reverse-phase-high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/MS), were mainly flavonoids. After cell culture, the tumoral cells treated with the polyphenolic extract showed enhanced mitochondrial oxidative function, which is likely related to a decrease in oxidative stress and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis. This type of brewery waste stream, properly treated, may be a promising source of natural antioxidants to replace the synthetic antioxidants currently used in the food industry

Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds from Flowers and Fruits of Black Elder (Sambucus Nigra L.)

Historically Sambucus nigra L., known as black elder, has been used medicinally by many indigenous cultures for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory actions. Elder medicinal potential comes from its antioxidant activity, a property shared by numerous phytochemicals. The purpose of this research was to run a comparative study on the content of bioactive compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamin C) and antioxidant capacity of berries and flowers of wild Sambucus nigra L. species. Total content of polyphenols, flavonoids, respectively antioxidant activity was determined by the spectrophotometric methods, while the quantification of vitamin C was carried out titrimetrically. The obtained results confirmed that both elder flowers and fruits can serve as a good source of bioactive compounds in human diet, having, at the same time, a potential use in the development of many innovative nutritional supplement formulations

Comparative Evaluation of Biofunctional Compounds Content from Different Herbal Infusions

Tea is the most important non-alcoholic beverage in the world being appreciated for its stimulant properties and health benefits. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the content in caffeine, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant activity of five different herbal infusion samples in oder to compare the amount of these bioactive compounds from traditional Romanian medicinal plants and Chinese tea plants. Green tea, black tea, linden (lime tea), mint, and St. John's wort were chosen as materials for the preparation of infusion and laboratory analyses. The caffeine was extracted with dichloromethane and then was quantified by measuring the absorbance of the extract at 260 nm. The quantification of total phenolic compounds was achieved by Folin-Ciocalteu method, while the flavonoid content was determined using a chromogenic system of NaNO2-(Al(NO3)3-NaOH based on spectrophotometric method. The antioxidant capacity of each tea sample was assessed by evaluating their radical scavenging  activity on DPPH radical. The largest content in antioxidant compounds was found in green, but also in the mint infusion sample, while black tea has registered the highest caffeine content. Following the results obtained it can be stated that all the analysed samples contain remarkable amounts of biologically active compounds essential for the human body healt

Evaluation of Biofunctional Compounds Content from Brewed Coffee

Coffee, one of the most popular beverages worldwide, is an infusion of ground, roasted coffee beans. Today, coffee is considered a functional food, especially due to its high content of compounds that exert antioxidant and other beneficial biological properties. The annual consumption exceeds 5 billion kilograms of coffee, which corresponds to 500 billion cups. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the content in total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, caffeine as well as the antioxidant activity of three brewed coffee samples in order to assess the amount of these bioactive compounds in a cup of coffee. The quantification of total phenolic compounds was achieved by Folin-Ciocalteu method, while the flavonoids content was determined using a chromogenic system of NaNO2–Al(NO3)3–NaOH based spectrophotometric method. The caffeine was extracted from brewed coffee samples with dichlormethane and then was quantified by measuring the absorbance of the extract at 260 nm. The antioxidant capacity of each coffee sample was assessed by evaluating their radical scavenging activity on DPPH radical. Even though Arabica coffee variety is appreciated for its fine aroma profile, Robusta variety has proved to be richer in phenolic compounds, flavonoids and caffeine. The larger amount of compounds with antioxidant properties found in Robusta brewed coffee was also confirmed by the obtained antioxidant capacity values

Characterization of Three Lamiaceae Plants from Local Market

Since ancient times plants have constituted a very important raw material for many human activities. The increasing interest in the powerful biological activity of plants emphasized the importance of determining phenolics’ and flavonoids’ content in medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative evaluation of three selected herbs (lemon balm, mint and sage), commercially available in Cluj-Napoca’s market, regarding their content in total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity. The amount of total phenolic compounds from the investigated medicinal plant was quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, while for determination of the total flavonoids, colorimetric assay with aluminum chloride was performed. Antioxidant activity of selected herbs was determined with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reagent. The total phenolic content was between 2583.93 and 3662.26 mg GAE/100g, while the flavonoids concentration ranged between 1207.12 and 1423.4 mg QE/100g dry plant. It was found that the lemon balm and mint extracts showed the strongest antioxidant capacity, while sage is less active, these results being positively correlated with the concentration of phenolic compounds