Vaccinium myrtillus L. Fruits as a novel source of Phenolic compounds with health benefits and industrial applications – a review

Consumers’ demand for healthier foods with functional properties has had a clear influence on the food industry and in this sense, they have been attaching natural sources of bioactive ingredients into food products. Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry) is known to be a functional food, presenting its fruits in the form of a small dark blueberry. This coloration is due to its high content in anthocyanin, being also associated with bilberries’ beneficial health effects. In the bilberry industry, there is a very high annual loss of this fruit due to the less aesthetic shape or appearance, in which they cannot be considered suitable for sale and are therefore disposed of as biological waste. Therefore, it is of great importance to valorize this fruit and this review aimed to completely characterize the fruits of V. myrtillus in order to comprehend the relationship between their consumption and the beneficial effects regarding consumer’s health. Thus, this review provides a description of the nutritional and bioactive compounds present in bilberry fruits, followed by their beneficial health effects. An overview of the natural pigments present in these fruits was also explored, focusing particularly in the anthocyanins composition, which represents the most widely studied class of bioactive compounds of V. myrtillus fruits. Finally, industrial applications of these fruits and by-products, as an efficient approach to the production of value-added products with economical and environmental impact, were also discussed. In general, V. myrtillus is a rich source of micronutrients and phytochemical compounds, such as organic acids, sugars, vitamins, fibers and phenolic compounds (anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin compounds), with nutritional and functional properties, that justify the growing interest in these berries, not only for food applications, but also in the pharmaceutical industry.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and T.C.S.P. Pires grant (SFRH/BD/129551/2017). L. Barros would like to thank the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract. To the project AllNat for the contract of C. Caleja (Project AllNat POCI-01-0145- FEDER-030463). The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. The GIP-USAL is financially supported by the Spanish Government through the project AGL2015-64522- C2-2-R.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biochemical composition of different onion landraces from Greece

Onion (Allium cepa L.), an important vegetable crop, is widely cosumed not only for culinary but also for medicinal purposes due to its various biological properties, which are linked to the bioactive substances it contains.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for A.F. and L.B. Contractsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Extracts from Vaccinium myrtillus L. fruits as a source of natural colorants: chemical characterization and incorporation in yogurts

The food industry is always seeking innovative approaches to maintain consumers’ interest and increase their awareness towards the healthiness of diets. Therefore, much interest has been given to natural food additives, namely colourants. In this work, a bilberry extract was primarily characterized in terms of anthocyanin compounds by UPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, and its colouring capacity was further compared with a synthetic anthocyanin colourant (E163) in different yogurt formulations. The prepared samples were evaluated in different periods (0 and 7 days) for nutritional profile, individual fatty acids, soluble sugars and external colour to determine the effects of each additive. Overall, the major anthocyanin compounds in bilberry were malvidin glycoside and delphinidin glycoside derivatives. With regard to the prepared yogurts, all samples maintained the nutritional profile, individual fatty acids and soluble sugars, independent of storage time. Nonetheless, bilberry extracts showed lower colouring capacity when compared to that of E163, despite the higher stability of bilberry extract throughout the storage time, when compared to that of E163. Furthermore, another advantage of this natural extract is that it has potential bioactive properties that can be conferred to foods, due to their high content of bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and T. C.S.P. Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017) grant. National funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for M.I. Dias and L. Barros contracts, and through the individual scientific employment program-contract for J. Barreira contract. This work is funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds (FEEI) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-023289: DeCodE and project Mobilizador ValorNatural®. M. Carocho also thanks the project ValorNatural for his research contract. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. The GIP-USAL is financially supported by the Spanish Government through the project AGL2015- 64522-C2-2-R.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phenolic compounds profile, nutritional compounds and bioactive properties of Lycium barbarum L.: A comparative study with stems and fruits

The increasing awareness of the possible health benefits of berry fruits (Lycium barbarum L.) has led to a higher consumption of this type of food products. One of the many examples are the fruits from Lycium genus, traditionally used due to their beneficial properties and health benefits associated with liver, kidney, eyesight, immune system, circulation and longevity disorders. In the present study fruits and stems of Lycium barbarum L. (goji) were characterized in terms of nutritional profile, sugars, organic acids, fatty acids and tocopherols. Furthermore, a phenolic characterization of their hydromethanolic extracts was performed and correlated with bioactive properties such as antioxidant, hepatotoxic and antibacterial activities. Stems presented higher values of energy, MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), tocopherols and flavonols. Stems also showed greater antioxidant and antibacterial (against Gram-negative bacteria) activities. Otherwise, fruits revealed higher contents of sugars, PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and greater activity against Gram-positive bacteria. This is an innovative study that shows the high potential of goji stems and fruits as sources of bioactive compounds, which could be used in nutraceutical formulations, or incorporated into food products with functional properties. Furthermore, the use of stems could bring industrial sustainability as a valuable by-product, which has been scarcely reported.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013), T.C.S.P. Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017) grant and L. Barros contract. The GIP-USAL is financially supported by the Spanish Government through the project AGL2015-64522-C2-2-R. The authors are grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of bioactive purple-red colorants from red raspberry waste using heat/ultrasound-assisted extractions coupled with RSM

Food colorants are increasingly used in the industry to preserve, improve or change the color of a wide range of food products. While the quite controversial artificial colorants are widely used in this sector, the natural counterparts have been less selected in part due to the limited availability of options, higher costs, and stability issues [1]. Within this additive class, anthocyanins are naturally occurring pigments that can be found in different plant matrices, including berries such as red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.). These water-soluble compounds show attractive colors ranging from red to purple and present health-promoting effects [2,3]. Therefore, this work aimed to develop a novel anthocyanin-rich food colorant from red raspberry waste through the optimization of a sustainable extraction methodology and to characterize this ingredient for its functionality. Heat (HAE)- and ultrasound (UAE)-assisted extraction methods were implemented to recover the anthocyanins from red raspberry waste. Processing time, ethanol concentration, and temperature or ultrasonic power were the independent variables analyzed in central composite designs coupled with response surface methodology for processes optimization. The extraction yield and levels of anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-sophoroside and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside) were monitored gravimetrically and by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, respectively, and used as response criteria. The constructed polynomial models were fitted to the experimental data, statistically validated, and used to determine the optimal processing conditions. Overall, HAE originated slightly higher response values (61% extract weight and 8.7 mg anthocyanins/g extract) but needed 76 min processing at 38 °C, with 21% ethanol, while the UAE process required 16 min sonication at 466 W, using 38% ethanol, to obtain 58% extract weight and 8.3 mg anthocyanins/g extract. The predictive models were experimentally validated and the purple-red extracts obtained under optimal condition showed antioxidant activity through lipid peroxidation and oxidative hemolysis inhibition, and antibacterial effects against food-related bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis [4]. These results highlighted the potential of the developed red raspberry extracts as natural food colorants with bioactive/preserving effects. In future studies, it will be interesting to investigate the stability of the developed anthocyanin-rich extracts when exposed to different adverse factors and in real food matrices.To the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). M. Añibarro-Ortega thanks FCT for his PhD grant (2020.06297.BD). National funding by FCT, P.I., through the individual and institutional scientific employment program-contract for the J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018) and L. Barros contracts, respectively. This research was funded by FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme through the Project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P, and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479: ValorNatural® and Project GreenHealth - Norte-01-0145- FEDER-000042. The authors thank Ponto Agrícola Unipessoal, Lda for the plant material.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of new bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) based snacks: Nutritional, chemical and bioactive features

The sustainable exploitation of fruit and cereal processing is being conducted to produce novel food products with promising nutritional properties and high content in added value compounds. Herein, three bilberry fruit-based snacks supplemented with edible petals and fruits were characterized for their nutritional properties and chemical composition. The phenolic profile, antioxidant, antibacterial and hepatotoxic properties were analyzed. Protein (3–4 g/100 g dw) and carbohydrates (94.3–94.8 g/100 g dw) represented the major macronutrients. The combination of bilberry fruits with edible petals, calendula and rose, improved the nutritional and phytochemical input in organic acids and tocopherols content, respectively. Also, the supplementation with apple and goji fruits provided higher content in phenolic acids and anthocyanins (up to a 9-fold higher concentration, 199.7 µg/g of extract), also resulting in a higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The results obtained can contribute for the development of novel sustainable and healthier snacks for the food industry.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment programcontract for M.I. Dias, R.C. Calhelha and L. Barros contracts; individual PhD fellowship for Tânia Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017); to the European Structural and Investment Funds (FEEI) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of project Mobilizador ValorNatural®; and to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E and TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P. The GIP-USAL is financially supported by the Spanish Government through the project AGL2015-64522-C2-2-R.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactive potential of aromatic and medicinal plants traditionally used as condiments

Aromatic and medicinal plants are highly appreciated and used worldwide as condiments, tinctures, and preservatives. Due to their nutritional value and chemical composition, related to beneficial properties to health, their inclusion in the human diet has gained increasing expression[1]. Certain mixtures of plants have greater potential when compared to isolated plants, due to synergistic effects, and these properties make them of great interest in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. They have been consumed directly in prepared dishes, but also by incorporation into foods, making them bioactive and functional[2]. In the present study, two mixtures of aromatic plants used to season meat (Petroselinum crispum L., Salvia officinalis L., Thymus mastichina L., and Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and salads (Allium schoenoprasum L., P. crispum, Origanum vulgare L., and T. mastichina) were characterized in terms of phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS), organic acids (UFLC-PDA), and tocopherols (HPLC-fluorescence). The antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferation capacities were also evaluated to validate their bioactive properties. Twenty-four phenolic compounds were identified, with concentrations of 101.2±0.6 mg/g and 52.1±0.8 mg/g of total phenolics in meat and salad seasoning mixtures, respectively, being apigenin-O-malonyl-pentoside-hexoside the most abundant compound in both extracts. Oxalic, citric, and malic acids were detected in both samples, as well as the four isoforms of tocopherols, namely, α, β, γ, and δ. In terms of bioactive properties, the meat blend extract revealed the best results for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. For the antioxidant activity, both extracts showed good results in the TBARS test, while in the OxHLIA assay, the mixture for meat stood out. On the other hand, the salad seasoning mixture had the best anti-proliferation property. In conclusion, these aromatic and medicinal plant mixtures demonstrated valuable bioactive properties, conferred by their chemical composition and cumulative and synergistic effects observed in the mixtures, which corroborates the importance of their inclusion in the Human diet.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for C. Pereira, M.I. Dias, R.C. Calhelha, and L. Barros contracts and A.K. Molina PhD grant (2020.06231.BD). To ERDF through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project GreenHealth - Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reproductive tract development and puberty in two lines of Nellore heifers selected for postweaning weight

AbstractThe objective was to evaluate reproductive tract development (ovary and uterus) and onset of puberty in two lines of Nellore heifers (Bos indicus) selected for postweaning weight. A total of 123 heifers, including 46 from the control Nellore line (NeC) and 77 from the selection Nellore line (NeS) were used. Every 18 to 21 days from 12 to 24 months of age, average ovarian area (OVA), endometrial thickness (ETh), and diameter of the largest follicle in each ovary were evaluated (using transrectal ultrasonography), and body weight, hip height, and body condition score were measured. There were no differences between NeS and NeC heifers for ETh or OVA (P < 0.05). Genetic selection for higher postweaning weight had no negative influence on the onset of puberty, with 52% and 48% of NeC and NeS heifers, respectively, pubertal at 24 months of age (P = 0.49). Heifers that reached puberty at the end of the study were heavier (NeC, 296.9 vs. 276.7 kg; NeS, 343.5 vs. 327.9 kg; P < 0.01) and younger (NeC, 23.4 vs. 24.2 mo; NeS, 22.7 vs. 24.0 months; P < 0.01) than those that did not. Furthermore, heifers that were heavier at weaning reached puberty earlier. Pubertal heifers had a greater OVA (4.15 vs. 3.14 cm2; P < 0.01) and ETh (12.15 vs. 9.93 mm; P < 0.01) than nonpubertal heifers. Taken together, OVA and ETh had positive effects (P < 0.01) on the onset of puberty and were suitable indicator traits of heifer sexual precocity in pasture management systems. However, selection for weight did not alter ovarian or endometrial development, or manifestation of puberty at 24 months of age. Among the growth traits studied, weaning weight and weight at puberty had significant positive effects on manifestation of first estrus

Edible flowers as sources of phenolic compounds with bioactive potential

The edible flowers are widely used, but there is still a lot to be done in relation to its bioactive potential and its correlation with the presence of phenolic compounds. The aim of this study was determined the individual phenolic profile in the hydromethanolic extracts and infusion preparations of four different flower samples (Dahlia mignon, Rosa damascena ‘Alexandria’ and R. gallica ‘Francesa’ draft in R. canina, Calendula officinalis L., and Centaurea cyanus L.) and their bioactive potential (antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antibacterial capacity). All the studied flowers presented different profiles regarding their phenolic composition and revealed biological potential. The bioactive potential of the studied flowers was moderate, the hydromethanolic extracts of rose petals showed the best results for antioxidant and antibacterial assays, while the antiproliferative properties were only present in some of the tested cell lines, for the hydromethanolic extracts, in which dahlia and rose showed the best results. These results demonstrate that edible flowers can be used as a source of phenolic compounds with bioactive potential, which can be applied in the food sector, as foods and as sources natural ingredients.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013), T.C.S.P. Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017) grant, L. Barros contract and to the Interreg España-Portugal for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. The authors are also grateful to Prof. Carlos Aguiar (CIMO) for systematic identification of the studied species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Differences in the phenolic composition and nutraceutical properties of freeze dried and oven-dried wild and domesticated samples of Sanguisorba minor Scop

Recent studies have dealt about the phenolic compounds and the nutraceutical properties of Sanguisorba minor Scop and about the possibility of their domestication to standardise the plant production. However, it is also known that the storage conditions can affect the bioactive compounds present in plants. Thus, wild (W) and domesticated (F1, F2, F3) S. minor samples were exposed to different drying methods (oven-drying at 60 °C until constant weight named OD or freeze-drying until constant weight named FD) and studied for their content in phenolic compounds, antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties. In general, OD samples showed the highest nutraceutical properties and the highest content in phenolic compounds. The most abundant phenolic compounds in both drying methods were kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and caffeoyl ester, with some differences between wild and domesticated samples. Wild samples showed higher antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity than domesticated ones, except for the OD F3 and FD F2 samples that reported cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. This study provides important information to choose the most adequate methodology to retain phenolic compounds and nutraceutical properties of S. minor species. Further researches are necessary to standardise the domestication of the studied wild species and verify the highest efficiency of the OD method.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2020). L. Barros and C. Calhelha also thank the national funding by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for their contracts, and Sandrina A. Heleno thanks to the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the individual scientific employment program-contract. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P and to European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Norte-01- 0145-FEDER-000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio