Sustainable Applications of Nanopropolis to Combat Foodborne Illnesses.

Propolis has numerous biological properties and technological potential, but its low solubility in water makes its use quite difficult. With the advent of nanotechnology, better formulations with propolis, such as nanopropolis, can be achieved to improve its properties. Nanopropolis is a natural nanomaterial with several applications, including in the maintenance of food quality. Food safety is a global public health concern since food matrices are highly susceptible to contamination of various natures, leading to food loss and transmission of harmful foodborne illness. Due to their smaller size, propolis nanoparticles are more readily absorbed by the body and have higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than common propolis. This review aims to understand whether using propolis with nanotechnology can help preserve food and prevent foodborne illness. Nanotechnology applied to propolis formulations proved to be effective against pathogenic microorganisms of industrial interest, making it possible to solve problems of outbreaks that can occur through food.

Microbial Lipid Based Biorefinery Concepts: A Review of Status and Prospects.

The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material for the production of lipids has gained increasing attention, especially in recent years when the use of food in the production of biofuels has become a current technology. Thus, the competition for raw materials for both uses has brought the need to create technological alternatives to reduce this competition that could generate a reduction in the volume of food offered and a consequent commercial increase in the value of food. Furthermore, the use of microbial oils has been studied in many industrial branches, from the generation of renewable energy to the obtainment of several value-added products in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Thus, this review provides an overview of the feasibility and challenges observed in the production of microbial lipids through the use of lignocellulosic biomass in a biorefinery. Topics covered include biorefining technology, the microbial oil market, oily microorganisms, mechanisms involved in lipid-producing microbial metabolism, strain development, processes, lignocellulosic lipids, technical drawbacks, and lipid recovery.