Evaluating the Incorporation of Myrtus communis L. Leaves Infusion in Alginate-Based Films and Spheres to Enhance the Oxidative Stability of Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Myrtus communis L. is a species of the Myrtaceae family that is found in the Mediterranean region, and it is traditionally recognized for its importance and different uses. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of M. communis L. leaf extract (MCLE), which was incorporated directly into alginate spheres and films, on preserving oil-in-water emulsions from oxidation. For this purpose, the solvent extraction (with ethanol at 40, 60, and 80%) of the antioxidant compounds was optimized (total phenolic compounds (TPCs) and total flavonoid content (TFC)) along with the scavenging activity. The best condition for the extraction corresponded with 60% ethanol (MCLE60), with a TPC of ~66.06 g GAE/L and a TFC of ~18.91 g QE/L, which was selected for use in the following assays. MCLE60 showed a considerable radical scavenging activity (24.85 mmol TE/L in FRAP, 28.75 mmol TE/L in DPPH, 30.61 mmol TE/L in ABTS, and 14.94 mmol TE/L in ORAC), which was probably due to its content in the phenolic compounds arbutin (122.08 mg/L), epicatechin (73.89 mg/L), sinapic acid (51.85 mg/L), and gallic acid (36.72 mg/L). The oil-in-water emulsions with the MCLE60 spheres showed the best oxidative stability (TBARS ~2.64 mg MDA/kg of emulsion, PV ~35.7 meq hydroperoxides/kg of emulsion) in comparison to the control. The film was also able to protect the emulsion from oxidation for more than a week at 30 °C (TBARS ~1.9 mg MDA/kg of emulsion). The alginate films with MCLE60 presented an important release of phenolic compounds in water and acetic food simulants, while in both ethanol simulants, the release of TPC remained more stable over time. Thus, this study highlights the potential uses of MCLE as a natural ingredient for emulsion oxidative preservation and the production of alginate delivery systems (spheres and films).

Drastic Microbial Count Reduction in Soy Milk Using Continuous Short-Wave Ultraviolet Treatments in a Tubular Annular Thin Film UV-C Reactor.

Vegetative cells of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli and spores of Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger were inoculated in soy milk at an initial concentration of ≈5 log CFU/mL. Inoculated and control (non-inoculated) soy milk samples were submitted to three types of treatments using a tubular annular thin film short-wave ultraviolet (UV-C) reactor with 1 mm of layer thickness. Treatments applied depended on the flow rate and the number of entries to the reactor, with UV-C doses ranging from 20 to 160 J/mL. The number of entries into the reactor tube (NET) was established as the most determining parameter for the efficiency of the UV-C treatments. Conidiospores of A. niger were reported as the most resistant, followed by B. subtilis spores, while vegetative cells were the most sensible to UV-C, with Listeria monocytogenes being more sensible than Escherichia coli. Treatments of just 80 J/mL were needed to achieve a 5 log CFU/mL reduction of L. monocytogenes while 160 J/mL was necessary to achieve a similar reduction for A. niger spores.

Antioxidant and Antiradical Activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Extracts Encapsulated in Calcium Alginate Spheres.

The interest in natural sources with high antioxidant powder has recently increased in several sectors. Ionic gelation methods could be used to protect bioactive substances to control the kinetics and release of these ingredients to the food matrix. This study dealt with the evaluation of the antioxidant capacity and scavenging activity of extracts of Hibiscus Sabdariffa L. (HSL) (with 50% ethanol) encapsulated in calcium alginate spheres as a new source for preserving food against oxidative damage. Their antioxidant activity was measured in different o/w emulsions in which HSL spheres reduced the formation of hydroperoxides (~80%) and thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substance products (~20%). The scavenging activity of HSL extracts was measured in different food simulants (water, water acidified with 3% acetic acid, ethanol at 50%, and pure ethanol), and corresponded to 0.20-0.43, 0.31-0.62, and 11.13-23.82 mmol Trolox/mL extract for Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, respectively. In general, the best antiradical activity was observed in the ethanolic and acidified mediums, in which the highest concentration of released polyphenols ranged from 0.068 to 0.079 mg GAE/mL. This work indicates the potential of alginate spheres for encapsulating antioxidant compounds as an innovative strategy for several industrial applications.

Effect of Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH) and Conventional Thermal Pasteurization on the Volatile Composition of Tiger Nut Beverage.

Tiger nut beverages are non-alcoholic products that are characterized by their pale color and soft flavor. Conventional heat treatments are widely used in the food industry, although heated products are often damaging to their overall quality. Ultra-high pressure homogenization UHPH) is an emerging technology that extends the shelf-life of foods while maintaining most of their fresh characteristics. The present work deals with the comparison of the effect of conventional thermal homogenization-pasteurization (H-P, 18 + 4 MPa at 65 °C, 80 °C for 15 s.) and UHPH (at 200 and 300 MPa, and inlet temperature of 40 °C), on the volatile composition of tiger nut beverage. Headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used for detecting volatile compounds of beverages, which were then identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 37 different volatile substances were identified in tiger nut beverages, which were primarily grouped into the aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes and terpenes chemical families. Stabilizing treatments increased the total amount of volatile compounds (H-P > UHPH > R-P). H-P was the treatment that produced the most changes in the volatile composition of RP, while treatment at 200 MPa had a minor impact. At the end of their storage, these products were also characterized by the same chemical families. This study evidenced the UHPH technology as an alternative processing of tiger nut beverages production that minimally modifies their volatile composition.

Effect of Ultra-High-Pressure Homogenization Processing on the Microbiological, Physicochemical, and Sensory Characteristics of Fish Broth.

The effect of ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH) treatments at 300 MPa at inlet temperatures (Ti) between 45 and 75 °C on the microbiological, physical, and sensorial characteristics of fish broth was evaluated. Before the application of UHPH treatments, different fish broth formulations were tested, selecting the formula with the best organoleptic and nutritional characteristics and the lowest cost, containing 45% monkfish heads and rock fish in the same proportion. The microbiological shelf-life of fish broth during cold storage at 4 and 8 °C was extended by a minimum of 20 days by applying UHPH treatments at inlet temperatures (Ti) between 45 and 65 °C. Fish broth UHPH-treated at Ti = 75 °C was microbiologically sterile during storage at 4 °C, 8 °C, and room temperature. Fish broth UHPH-treated was physically stable, significantly reducing the particle size. Color showed higher luminosity and lower yellowness as the inlet temperature increased. In fish broth UHPH-treated at Ti = 75 °C, selected for its microbiological stability, no differences were observed in the nutritional composition, antioxidant activity, and sensorial perception compared to untreated fish broth. Hence, UHPH treatments showed to be an alternative to preserving fish broth with an improved microbiological shelf-life and good sensorial characteristics.

Antibacterial and Antiproliferative Activities of Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract and Its Effect on Oil-in-Water Food Emulsion Stability.

The present study aims to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds of Azadirachta indica leaf extract using HPLC-MS and to evaluate the antioxidant, antibacterial (against different Gram-positive and negative bacteria) and in vitro anti-proliferative activities of this extract (against breast, human liver and cervix adenocarcinoma-derived cells). The application of this extract as a natural antioxidant for food preservation was also tested on oil-in-water food emulsions for the first time in the present work in order to determine the use of Azadirachta indica leaves as a natural additive to preserve the food against lipid oxidation and rancidity. The results obtained revealed that 50%-aqueous ethanol leaf extract showed the best extraction yield (25.14%), which was characterized by a high content in phenolic compounds and strong antioxidant activity. Moreover, this leaf extract inhibited the growth of the bacterial strains tested (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi and Micrococcus luteus) and showed better anti-proliferative activity against breast and cervix adenocarcinoma-derived cells than human liver cancer cells after 48 h of treatment. Additionally, Azadirachta indica leaf extract showed almost similar effects as gallic acid solutions (0.25% and 0.5%) in preserving the oxidation of oil-in-water food emulsions and prevented the formation of secondary oxidation products (malondialdehyde) as well. The results obtained suggested that extracts of Azadirachta indica leaves are a potential source of antioxidant and antibacterial compounds and pointed to the potential of these natural extracts as therapeutic agents.

Phenolic Profile, EPR Determination, and Antiproliferative Activity against Human Cancer Cell Lines of Anthyllis vulneraria Extracts.

In the current work, the leaf and flower extracts of Anthyllis vulneraria were evaluated for their chemical characterization using HPLC-MS and for their radical scavenging capacity toward methoxy radicals produced by a Fenton-type reaction using an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy assay. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of these extracts against several human-derived cancer cells (breast: MCF-7; cervical: HeLa; hepatocellular: HepG2) was also evaluated. The results showed that the Anthyllis vulneraria leaf extract was characterized by 17 different phenolic compounds, among which phenolic acids were the most abundant, while its flower extract exhibited higher contents of flavonoids. Furthermore, Anthyllis vulneraria extracts demonstrated a potent radical scavenging activity against methoxy radicals. Both extracts also significantly reduced the viability of the different cancer cell lines. The results of the current study suggested that Anthyllis vulneraria extracts are a promising source of antioxidant compounds with health benefits and pointed to their potential use for treating cancer and developing novel therapeutic agents.

Brewing By-Products as a Source of Natural Antioxidants for Food Preservation.

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) and brewer's spent hops (BSH) are the major solid by-products of the brewing industry. The present work evaluated their potential as an alternative source of natural antioxidants. The efficacy of different solvents (MilliQ water, 0.75% NaOH, 50% MeOH, 50% MeOH + 0.3% HCl and 50% Acetone) for extracting polyphenols of these by-products was firstly evaluated, with NaOH showing the best results. The extraction conditions were optimized using the response surface methodology, and were determined to be 1.45% NaOH and 80 °C. BSG extracts showed the highest total polyphenol content (24.84-38.83 µmol GAE/g), whereas the BSH showed the lowest value (24.84 ± 1.55 µmol GAE/g). In general, BSG extracts presented significantly higher antioxidant capacity (ABTS, ORAC). Ferulic acid was the main polyphenol in all BSG extracts (156.55-290.88 mg/100 g), whereas in BSH, this compound was not detected. The addition of 10% BSG extract in o/w emulsions (stored 14 days) showed a reduction in the formation of primary oxidation products of 97%. In the emulsions covered with polylactic acid active films (1% BSG), this reduction corresponded to 35%. Hence, this study demonstrates the potential of these by-products as natural antioxidant sources for protecting food systems against oxidation.

White wine processing by UHPH without SO2. Elimination of microbial populations and effect in oxidative enzymes, colloidal stability and sensory quality.

The use of UHPH sterilization in the absence of SO2 has been used to eliminate wild microorganisms and inactivate oxidative enzymes. A white must of the Muscat of Alexandria grape variety was continuously processed by UHPH at 300 MPa (inlet temperature: 23-25 °C). The initial microbial load of the settled must was 4-log CFU/mL for both yeast and moulds, and slightly lower for bacteria. After UHPH processing, no microorganisms were detected in 1 mL. UHPH musts remain without fermentative activity for more than 60 days. Concentrations of the thermal markers indicated the absence of thermal damage in the UHPH-treated musts, since 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was not detected. In addition, the must treated by UHPH keeps terpene concentrations similar to those of the untreated controls. A strong inactivation of the oxidative enzymes was observed, with no browning at room temperature for more than 3 days. The antioxidant value of the UHPH-treated must was 156% higher than the control.

Evaluation of Continuous UVC Treatments and its Combination with UHPH on Spores of Bacillus subtilis in Whole and Skim Milk.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different UVC treatments, alone or in combination with ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) on Bacillus subtilis spores in milk. Spores of B. subtilis (CECT4002) were inoculated in whole and skim milk to an initial concentration about 6 log CFU/mL. Milk was subjected to different ultraviolet radiation treatments at 254 nm (UVC) using a concentric tubular reactor in a dose ranging from 10 to 160 J/mL. Different number of passes were used to adjust the final dose received by the matrix. In general, increasing the number of passes (defined as number of entries to the tunnel-NET) increased the inactivation of spores of B. subtilis. The best lethality results (above 4 Log CFU/mL) were obtained by applying doses from 100 J/mL with several NET. When the same doses were achieved with a single pass lethality in most cases did not exceed 1 log CFU/mL. Increasing the NET also increased the likelihood for the spores to remain longer in the effective distance from the UVC source, estimated as 0.02 mm for whole milk and 0.06 mm for skim milk. Combination of UHPH and UVC did not clearly increase the efficiency of a single UVC treatment, and a lower lethality was even observed in some cases. UHPH treatments increased the turbidity and absorption coefficient (254 nm) of both whole and skim milk.