Advances in Food, Bioproducts and Natural Byproducts for a Sustainable Future: From Conventional to Innovative Processes

The world population is expected to reach almost 10,000 million in 2050, which entails the need to focus on sustainability and its three pillars: the economy, the environment, and society. Within this context, it is necessary to use our resources efficiently; for instance, we will need to produce much more food using less land and while polluting less to optimize the production of biomass from diversified resources, along with its subsequent conversion, fractionation, and processing. To achieve this, new approaches and processes, with special emphasis from a biotechnological perspective, may need to be implemented to move towards a circular model that will confer environmental sustainability. Global projections of food losses constitute an abundant pool of complex carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and functional compounds. Hence, the deployment of food waste streams as raw materials will encompass the formulation of added-value products that will be ideally reintroduced in the food supply chain to close the loop. Therefore, the analysis and optimization of any food and bioproduct process, as well as the development of innovative and emerging food and by-product processing methods, are important as a necessity for the sustainable transition to a bioeconomy era. The valorization, bioprocessing, and biorefining of food-industry-based streams, the role of industrial microorganisms, the isolation of high-added-value compounds, applications of the resulting bio-based chemicals in food manufacturing, novel food formulations, economic policies for food waste management, along with sustainability or techno-economic assessment of processing methods constitute subject areas that need to be addressed. More specifically, bioprocess design to valorize food-industry waste and by-product streams should be initiated by characterizing the composition of the onset raw material with the aim of identifying the target end-products, whereas the generation of multiple high-added-value products is a prerequisite for cost-effective processes to establish economic sustainability. On top of that, the feasibility of innovative processes could be sustained by encompassing food applications, driven by the constantly emerging consumers’ demand for functional foods and beverages with enhanced nutritional value. Equally, a growing awareness for bio-based and natural food components is being developed, thereby imposing challenges on the substitution of chemically derived ingredients with their natural counterparts

A HPLC‐DAD method for identifying and estimating the content of fucoxanthin, β‐carotene and chlorophyll a in brown algal extracts

Seaweeds are photosynthetic organisms that have high contents of pigments. The coloration of each alga is defined by the content and combination of pigments synthesized, which varies among species and environmental conditions. The most abundant pigments in algae are chlorophylls and carotenoids, lipophilic molecules that can be used as natural colorants and have high acceptance by consumers. In this work, a simple and short hands-on time HPLC-DAD method for identifying and estimating the pigment content of algal extracts, specifically fucoxanthin, β-carotene and chlorophyll a was carried out. Using this optimized method, a pigment screening was performed on the ethanolic extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction from nine brown algal from the Atlantic coastline: Ascophyllum nodosum, Bifurcaria bifurcata, Fucus spiralis, Himanthalia elongata, Laminaria saccharina, Laminaria ochroleuca, Pelvetia canaliculata, Sargassum muticum and Undaria pinnatifida. HPLC results permitted to highlight L. saccharina and U. pinnatifida as promising sources of these three target pigments containing a total amount of 10.5 – 11.5 mg per gram of dry weight. Among them, the most abundant one was fucoxanthin, an added-value compound with a high potential to be commercially exploited by different industries, such as the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors.The research leading to these results was supported by MICINN sup- porting the Ramón y Cajal grant for M.A. Prieto (RYC-2017-22891), the FPU grant for A. Carreira-Casais (FPU2016/06135); and by Xunta de Galicia for supporting the post-doctoral grant of M. Fraga-Corral (ED481B-2019/096). The research leading to these results was sup- ported by the European Union through the “NextGenerationEU ”pro- gram supporting the “Margarita Salas ”grant awarded to P. Garcia- Perez. Authors are grateful to AlgaMar company ( www.algamar.com ) for the collaboration and algal material provision. This research was funded by the Ibero-American Program on Science and Technology (CYTED —AQUA-CIBUS, P317RT0003), the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 888003 UP4HEALTH Project (H2020-BBI-JTI-2019) that supports the work of C. Lourenço- Lopes. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio Based Industries Consor- tium. The project SYSTEMIC Knowledge hub on Nutrition and Food Se- curity, has received funding from national research funding parties in Belgium (FWO), France (INRA), Germany (BLE), Italy (MIPAAF), Latvia (IZM), Norway (RCN), Portugal (FCT), and Spain (AEI) in a joint ac- tion of JPI HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI launched in 2019 un- der the ERA-NET ERA-HDHL (n°696295). The authors would like to thank the EU and FCT for funding through the project PTDC/OCE- ETA/30240/2017- SilverBrain - From sea to brain: Green neuropro- tective extracts for nanoencapsulation and functional food production (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030240).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Influence of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Anticancer Activity of Manuka Honey

Manuka honey (MH) is a natural food with many beneficial properties to human health, thanks to its high variety of bioactive compounds; however, little is known about its bioaccessibility. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the polyphenol compounds, the antioxidant capacity and the anticancer activity of MH subjected to an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion in human HCT-116 colon cancer cells. Raw MH and digested MH (DMH) were assessed for total polyphenols and flavonoids by spectrophotometric and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) using different methods. Cell viability, intracellular ROS production, apoptosis, cell cycle and colony formation capacity were tested after treatment with MH or DMH. Results showed that total polyphenols, total flavonoids and TAC were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced after in vitro digestion. In addition, MH and DMH at 8, 16 and 24 mg/mL had similar effects in inducing intracellular ROS production and in inhibiting the colon formation ability; MH induced a more marked apoptosis compared to DMH, while cell cycle was blocked in S phase by MH and in Sub G1 phase by DMH. Our results increase knowledge of the effect of gastrointestinal digestion on the biological effect of honey against colorectal cancer

Anti-Depressant Properties of Crocin Molecules in Saffron

This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordSaffron is a valued herb, obtained from the stigmas of the C. sativus Linn (Iridaceae), with therapeutic effects. It has been described in pharmacopoeias to be variously acting, including as an anti-depressant, anti-carcinogen, and stimulant agent. The therapeutic effects of saffron are harbored in its bioactive molecules, notably crocins, the subject of this paper. Crocins have been demonstrated to act as a monoamine oxidase type A and B inhibitor. Furthermore, saffron petal extracts have experimentally been shown to impact contractile response in electrical field stimulation. Other research suggests that saffron also inhibits the reuptake of monoamines, exhibits N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonism, and improves brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling. A host of experimental studies found saffron/crocin to be similarly effective as fluoxetine and imipramine in the treatment of depression disorders. Saffron and crocins propose a natural solution to combat depressive disorders. However, some hurdles, such as stability and delivery, need to be overcome.USDA/NIFA1890 Capacity Building ProgramAgricultural Research Station, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State UniversityNational Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA

Valorization of kiwi agricultural waste and industry by-products by recovering bioactive compounds and applications as food additives: a circular economy model

Currently, agricultural production generates large amounts of organic waste, both from the maintenance of farms and crops (agricultural wastes) and from the industrialization of the product (food industry waste). In the case of Actinidia cultivation, agricultural waste groups together leaves, flowers, stems and roots while food industry by-products are represented by discarded fruits, skin and seeds. All these matrices are now underexploited and so, they can be revalued as a natural source of ingredients to be applied in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries. Kiwifruit composition (phenolic compounds, volatile compounds, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, etc.) is an outstanding basis, especially for its high content in vitamin C and phenolic compounds. These compounds possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial activities, among other beneficial properties for health, but stand out for their digestive enhancement and prebiotic role. Although the biological properties of kiwi fruit have been analyzed, few studies show the high content of compounds with biological functions present in these by-products. Therefore, agricultural and food industry wastes derived from processing kiwi are regarded as useful matrices for the development of innovative applications in the food (pectins, softeners, milk coagulants, and colorants), cosmetic (ecological pigments) and pharmaceutical industry (fortified, functional, nutraceutical, or prebiotic foods). This strategy will provide economic and environmental benefits, turning this industry into a sustainable and environmentally friendly production system, promoting a circular and sustainable economy.The research leading to these results was supported by MICINN supporting the Ramón y Cajal grant for M.A. Prieto (RYC-2017-22891); by Xunta de Galicia for supporting the program EXCELENCIA-ED431F 2020/12, the post-doctoral grant of M. Fraga-Corral (ED481B-2019/096), the pre-doctoral grant of M. Carpena (ED481A 2021/313), the program BENEFICIOS DO CONSUMO DAS ESPECIES TINTORERA-(CO-0019-2021) that supports the work of F. Chamorro and by the program Grupos de Referencia Competitiva (GRUPO AA1-GRC 2018) that supports the work of J. Echave. Authors are grateful to Ibero-American Program on Science and Technology (CYTED—AQUA-CIBUS, P317RT0003), to the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 888003 UP4HEALTH Project (H2020-BBI-JTI-2019). The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio Based Industries Consortium. The project SYSTEMIC Knowledge hub on Nutrition and Food Security, has received funding from national research funding parties in Belgium (FWO), France (INRA), Germany (BLE), Italy (MIPAAF), Latvia (IZM), Norway (RCN), Portugal (FCT), and Spain (AEI) in a joint action of JPI HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI launched in 2019 under the ERA-NET ERA-HDHL (n° 696295). Funding for open access charge: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

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

Functional implications of bound phenolic compounds and phenolics-food interaction: A review

Sizeable scientific evidence indicates the health benefits related to phenolic compounds and dietary fiber. Various phenolic compounds-rich foods or ingredients are also rich in dietary fiber, and these two health components may interrelate via noncovalent (reversible) and covalent (mostly irreversible) interactions. Notwithstanding, these interactions are responsible for the carrier effect ascribed to fiber toward the digestive systemand canmodulate the bioaccessibility of phenolics, thus shaping health-promoting effects in vivo. On this basis, the present review focuses on the nature, occurrence, and implications of the interactions between phenolics and food components. Covalent and noncovalent interactions are presented, their occurrence discussed, and the effect of food processing introduced. Once reaching the large intestine, fiber-bound phenolics undergo an intense transformation by the microbial community therein, encompassing reactions such as deglycosylation, dehydroxylation, ¿- and ß-oxidation, dehydrogenation, demethylation, decarboxylation, C-ring fission, and cleavage to lower molecular weight phenolics. Comparatively less information is still available on the consequences on gut microbiota. So far, the very most of the information on the ability of bound phenolics tomodulate gut microbiota relates to in vitro models and single strains in culture medium.Despite offering promising information, such models provide limited information about the effect on gut microbes, and future research is deemed in this field.This work was partially supported by PTDC/SAU-NUT/30448/2017 with funding from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) through national funds. Perez-Gregorio acknowledges her FCT research contract (SFRH/BPD/85293/2012) and LAQV-REQUIMTE as the host institution. Open Access Funding provided by Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore within the CRUI-CARE Agreement