Nanodispersions of beta-carotene: effects on antioxidant enzymes and cytotoxic properties

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid precursor of vitamin A, known for its biological activities. Due to its high hydrophobicity, nanonization processes, i.e. the transformation into nanoparticles, can improve its water affinity, and therefore the activity in aqueous systems. The objective of this study was to produce beta-carotene nanoparticles by the solid dispersion method and to evaluate their effects on the activity of glutathione-S-transferase and acetylcholinesterase enzymes using Drosophila melanogaster (DM) homogenate, the superoxide dismutase- and catalase-like activities under in vitro conditions, and their cytotoxic properties against tumor and non-tumor cells. The formed nanometric beta-carotene particles resulted in stable colloids, readily dispersed in water, able to modulate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and presenting high potential to control the cholinergic system. Beta-carotene nanoparticles, at concentrations much lower than the pure pristine beta-carotene, presented in vitro mimetic activity to superoxide dismutase and altered glutathione-S-transferase activity in DM tissue. The content of hydrogen peroxide was neither affected by the nanoparticles (in aqueous solution) nor by pristine beta-carotene (in DMSO). In the cytotoxic assays, beta-carotene nanoparticles dispersed in water showed activity against four different tumor cell lines. Overall, beta-carotene nanoparticles presented significant bioactivity in aqueous medium surpassing their high hydrophobicity constraint.The authors thank CNPq, CAPES and Fundação Araucária for the support. The authors are also grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support to CIMO (strategic project UID/AGR/00690/2013) and R. Calhelha contract, and to the project POCI-01-0145- FEDER-006984 – Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM funded by the FEDER through COMPETE2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) – and by national funds through FCT. This work was also 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®.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidants extraction from Pinhão (Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze) coats and application to zein films

Seeds from Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze are consumed after cooking and their coats discarded. Both coats and the cooking water present phenolic compounds, which may be used to improve mechanical properties and provide antioxidant characteristics to films. The objective of this work was to obtain and pinhão coat extracts and to apply these polyphenolic-rich extracts in zein films. Phenolic compounds composition, extraction yield and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP) of the extracts were determined. The most abundant molecules present in the hydroethanolic extract were (+)-catechin and an (epi)catechin dimer, whereas protocatechuic acid were predominant in the both cooking water and ethanolic extracts. Glass transition temperature of zein was not found in the extract-loaded films. Morphological changes were also caused by the presence of the extracts yielding smoother surfaces. The extracts added to zein films led to a three-fold increase in tensile strength (from 5.80 MPa to 17.65 MPa) and two-fold increase in the elongation at break (from 1.60% to 3.18%).Authors thank to CNPq (Chamada Universal– MCTI/CNPq Nº 14/ 2014, Processo 447768/2014-0), CAPES (Master's scholarship) and Fundação Araucária (Programa Universal/Pesquisa Básica e Aplicada 24/2012, protocolo 7334133700514041013) for the finantial support. Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 – Associated Laboratory LSRELCM funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Systematic study on the extraction of antioxidants from pinhão (araucaria angustifolia (bertol.) Kuntze) coat

Food by-products containing bioactive substances have attracted attention due to the possibility of adding values to residues of the food industry. In this work, the extraction of phenolic compounds from pinhão seed coats (Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze) using a central composite rotatable design was applied to obtain prediction models for the extract volume yield, total phenolic content, total phenolic acids and total flavonoids. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were implemented showing an evident poor effect of the temperature on phenolic compounds extraction, which is in accordance with the prediction model obtained by the experimental design for total phenolic acids. Volume yield presented a high positive correlation with extraction temperature, followed by solvent composition. Scanning electron microscopy showed that higher temperatures and lower ethanol percentages resulted in highly defibrillated pinhão coats that retained more extract after the extraction process, leading to lower volume yield percentages.Authors thank the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the master scholarship and the ‘Centro Multiusuário de Caracterização de Materiais (CMCM) of UTFPR-Campus Curitiba’ for the SEM analysis. 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) and L. Barros contract. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E. Also to POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006984 (LA LSRE-LCM), funded by FEDER, through POCICOMPETE2020 and FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Spray-dried Spirulina platensis as an effective ingredient to improve yogurt formulations: testing different encapsulating solutions

The consumption of foods functionalized with spirulina might have positive health effects. However, spirulinabased food products are usually associated with unpleasant flavor and odor, and can present non-homogeneous appearance, impairing consumers’ acceptance. Moreover, it is important to assure bioactivity maintenance. To develop a novel food ingredient, spirulina was chemically characterized, and spray-dried using two encapsulating materials: i) maltodextrin and ii) maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid. Thereafter, free and encapsulated spirulina were evaluated for their bioactive properties. Microencapsulated spirulina presented higher thermal stability than the base materials, while showing better anti-inflammatory activity without exerting cytotoxicity. Free and encapsulated spirulina were further added to yogurts to validate their suitability as functionalizing agents. Yogurts added with encapsulated spirulina presented a more homogeneous appearance, and the best solution was spirulina encapsulated in maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid, considering the nutritional profile, attractive color, and improved antioxidant activity throughout storage time.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019); L. Barros, J.C.M. Barreira, R. C. Calhelha, I.P. Fernandes and A. Fernandes thank the national funding by FCT , P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for their contracts; and C. Pereira also thanks for her contract, though the celebration of program-contract foreseen in No. 4, 5 and 6 of article 23º of Decree-Law No. 57/2016, of 29th August, amended by Law No. 57/2017, of 19th July. Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM - UID/EQU/50020/2019 - funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC), and Project NORTE- 01-0145-FEDER-000006, funded by NORTE 2020, under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement through ERDF.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze extract as a source of phenolic compounds in TPS/PBAT active films

There is growing interest in the development of biodegradable packaging materials containing natural antioxidant extracts. In this sense, the use of extracts obtained from agro-industrial byproducts has proved to be a sustainable alternative. In this study, Pinhão extract, a byproduct of Pinhão (Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze) seed consumption, was characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn, demonstrating the presence of eight phenolic compounds, (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin being the most abundant molecules. TPS/PBAT films containing Pinhão extract were produced by blown extrusion and their properties (tensile properties, thermal characteristics and microstructure) were evaluated in order to determine the effect of the presence of extracts. Results suggested that the interaction between the phenolic compounds of the extract and the polymeric matrix caused the reduction in the crystallinity degree, and an increase in the starch glass transition temperature. The presence of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze extract significantly (p < 0.05) affected the color and opacity of the film. Regarding water vapor permeation, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was detected. However, the water solubility and the contact angle with water (polar solvent) and diiodomethane (non-polar solvent) significantly changed due to the extract addition. Moreover, the Pinhão extract conferred significant antioxidant capacity to the TPS/PBAT films as determined by DPPH, suggesting that this material can be applied as an active packaging material.The authors thank CNPq (Chamada Universal – MCTI/CNPq no. 14/2014, Processo 447768/2014-0), CAPES (Master’s scholarship) and Fundação Araucária (Programa Universal/ Pesquisa Básica e Aplicada 24/2012, protocolo 7334133700514041013) for the financial support and they also thank Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM – UID/EQU/50020/2019 – funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019) and to the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros contracts. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio