Reuse of Food Waste: The Chemical Composition and Health Properties of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) Cultivar Essential Oils

The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition, and hypolipidemic effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Sicilian Citrus maxima (pomelo) flavedo. Using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) we analysed the Eos of five cultivars of C. maxima, namely, ‘Chadock’, ‘Maxima’, ‘Pyriformis’, ‘Terracciani’, and ‘Todarii’, and their blends. The antioxidant activity was performed by using a multi-target approach using 2,2′-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. The α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase-inhibitory activities were also assessed. GC-MS analyses revealed D-limonene as the main monoterpene hydrocarbon in all cultivars, albeit with different percentages in the range of 21.72–71.13%. A good content of oxygenated monoterpenes was detected for all cultivars, especially for ‘Todarii’. The analysis of the principal components (PCA), and related clusters (HCA), was performed to find chemo-diversity among the analysed samples. EOs from ‘Chadock’ and ‘Maxima’ were statistically similar to each other, and they differed from P3 in the smaller amount of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, while the oils from ‘Terracciani’ and ‘Todarii’ were found to be chemically and statistically different. ‘Chadock’ EO was the most active to scavenge radicals (IC₅₀ values of 22.24 and 27.23 µg/mL in ABTS and DPPH tests, respectively). ‘Terracciani’ EO was the most active against both lipase and α-amylase, whereas the blends obtained by the combination (1:1 v/v) of C. maxima ‘Maxima’ + ‘Todarii’ were the most active against α-glucosidase. Generally, the blends did not exert a unique behaviour in potentiating or reducing the bioactivity of the pomelo EOs.     

Carotenoid Contents of Lycium barbarum: A Novel QAMS Analyses,Geographical Origins Discriminant Evaluation,and Storage Stability Assessment

Given the standard substances of zeaxanthin and its homologues obtained from Lycium barbarum L. (LB) are extremely scarce and unstable, a novel quantitative analysis of carotenoids by single marker method, named QAMS, was established. Four carotenoids including lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, and zeaxanthin dipalmitate were determined simultaneously by employing trans-β-apo-8′-carotenal, a carotenoid component which did not exist in LB, as standard reference. Meanwhile, β-carotene, another carotenoid constituent which existed in LB, was determined as contrast. The QAMS methods were fully verified and exhibited low standard method difference with the external standard method (ESM), evidenced by the contents of four carotenoids in 34 batches of LB samples determined using ESM and QAMS methods, respectively. HCA, PCA, and OPLS-DA analysis disclosed that LB samples could be clearly differentiated into two groups: one contained LB samples collected from Ningxia and Gansu; the other was from Qinghai, which was directly related to the different geographical location. Once exposed under high humidity (RH 75 ± 5%) at a high temperature (45 ± 5 °C) as compared with ambient temperature (25 ± 5 °C), from day 0 to day 28, zeaxanthin dipalmitate content was significantly decreased, and ultimately, all the decrease rates reached about 80%, regardless of the storage condition. Our results provide a good basis for improving the quality control of LB.     

Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils,and Their Combinations,Obtained from Flavedo By-Product of Seven Cultivars of Sicilian Citrus aurantium L.

In this work, seven Citrus aurantium essential oils (EOs) derived from flavedo of cultivars ‘Canaliculata’, ‘Consolei’, ‘Crispifolia’, ‘Fasciata’, ‘Foetifera’, ‘Listata’, and ‘Bizzaria’ were investigated. EOs were also combined in 1:1 (v/v) ratio to identify possible synergism or antagonism of actions. GC-MS analysis was done to investigate Eos’ phytochemical profiles. The antioxidant activity was studied by using a multi-target approach based on FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene bleaching tests. A great difference was observed in EOs’ phytochemical profiles. d-limonene (33.35–89.17%) was the main monoterpene hydrocarbon, and α-Pinene, β-myrcene, and β-linalool were identified in almost all samples. Among EOs, only C3 showed high quantitative and qualitative variability in its chemical composition. The chemical diversity of EOs was also demonstrated by PCA and HCA statistical analysis. Samples C2, C4, C5, C6, and C7 were statistically similar to each other, while C1 and C3 were characterized as having a different amount of other compounds and oxygenated monoterpenes, respectively, with respect to the other EOs mentioned. The global antioxidant score (GAS) revealed that among the tested EOs, C. aurantium ‘Fasciata’ EO had the highest antioxidant potential, with a GAS value of −0.47, whereas among combinations, the EO obtained by mixing ‘Canaliculata’ + ‘Bizzaria’ was the most active. Comparison by theoretical and real data on inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) and FRAP values did not reveal any significant effect of synergism or antagonism of actions to be valid in all biological applied tests. These findings, considered together, represent an important starting point to understand which compounds are responsible for the activities and their future possible industrial application.     

Rose Hips,a Valuable Source of Antioxidants to Improve Gingerbread Characteristics

The present study analyzes the complex of bioactive compounds from rose hips pulp powder (RHP) obtained after separating the seeds from Rosa canina L. in order to obtain the oil. The extract prepared from RHP was characterized in terms of the total content of polyphenols, flavonoids, cinnamic acids, flavonols, carotenoids, but also the content of individual polyphenols and carotenoids, antioxidant activity, and CIELab color parameters. The effects of some salts, potentially present in foods, and pH variations were examined to predict possible interactions that could occur when adding rosehip pulp as a food component. The results turned out to be a high content of polyphenols, carotenoids and antioxidant activity. The main phenolic components are procyanidin B1, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, gallic acid, salicylic acid, and catechin. The carotenoid complex includes all-trans-β-carotene, all-trans-lycopene, zeaxanthin, α-cryptoxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, rubixanthin, cis-β-carotene, cis-γ-carotene and cis-lycopene. The addition of CaCl₂ and NaCl to the RHP extract reduced the antioxidant activity and the strong acidic environment (pH to 2.5) decreased the antioxidant activity by 29%. The addition of rose hip powder to gingerbread has improved its general characteristics, and increased its antioxidant activity and microbiological stability, the effects of 4% RHP being the most important.     

β-Carotene: Preventive Role for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity: A Review

Carotenoids are vital antioxidants for plants and animals. They protect cells from oxidative events and act against the inflammatory process and carcinogenesis. Among the most abundant carotenoids in human and foods is β-carotene. This carotenoid has the highest level of provitamin A activity, as it splits into two molecules of retinol through the actions of the cytosolic enzymes: β-carotene-15,15′-monooxygenase (β-carotene-15,15′-oxygenase 1) and β-carotene-9′,10′-dioxygenase (β-carotene-9′,10′-oxygenase 2). The literature supports the idea that β-carotene acts against type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Due to the many processes involved in β-carotene biosynthesis and metabolic function, little is known about such components, since many mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, our study concisely described the relationships between the consumption of carotenoids, with emphasis on β-carotene, and obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus and its associated parameters in order to understand the preventive role of carotenoids better and encourage their consumption.     

Quality of Oil Pressed from Hemp Seed Varieties: ‘Earlina 8FC’, ‘Secuieni Jubileu’ and ‘Finola’

In the last decade, the demand for edible niche oils has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the seeds hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties: ‘Finola’ (FIN-314)’, ‘Earlina 8FC’, and ‘Secuieni Jubileu’, and cold and hot pressed oils were prepared from each seed. The seeds were examined for moisture content, granulometric distribution, bulk density, and fat content. Seeds were pressed without and with preconditioning (60 °C), and oil yield and pressing time were recorded. The oil was filtered through cellulose membranes. Oil–water content, oil color, fatty acid profile, and sterol content were studied. From the study conducted, there are significant differences in the parameters of oil recovery and its quality compared to ‘Finola’ seed oil, which is widely reported in the literature. ‘Finola’ oil yield was the lowest, with an average of 79% compared to ‘Earlina’ (82%) and ‘S. Jubileu’ (84%). All oil samples contained a comparable amount of sterols, with campesterol (0.32 mg/g), β-sitosterol (1.3 mg/g) and Δ5-avenasterol (0.15 mg/g) predominating. From the organoleptic evaluation, it was evident that both varieties hemp oils and marc (‘Earlina’ and ‘S. Jubileu’) were not bitter like the “Finola” oil and marc. More detailed studies in this direction have to be undertaken.     

Comparative Assessment of Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Kernel Oil from Eight Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Cultivars

New plant oils as a potential natural source of nutraceutical compounds are still being sought. The main components of eight cultivars (‘Koral’, ‘Lucyna’, ‘Montmorency’, ‘Naumburger’, ‘Wanda’, ‘Wigor’, ‘Wołyńska’, and ‘Wróble’) of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) grown in Poland, including crude fat, protein, and oil content, were evaluated. The extracted oils were analysed for chemical and biological activity. The oils had an average peroxide value of 1.49 mEq O₂/kg, acid value of 1.20 mg KOH/g, a saponification value of 184 mg of KOH/g, and iodine value of 120 g I₂/100 g of oil. The sour cherry oil contained linoleic (39.1–46.2%) and oleic (25.4–41.0%) acids as the major components with smaller concentrations of α-eleostearic acid (8.00–15.62%), palmitic acid (5.45–7.41%), and stearic acid (2.49–3.17%). The content of sterols and squalene varied significantly in all the studied cultivars and ranged between 336–973 mg/100 g and 66–102 mg/100 g of oil. The contents of total tocochromanols, polyphenols, and carotenoids were 119–164, 19.6–29.5, and 0.56–1.61 mg/100 g oil, respectively. The cultivar providing the highest amounts of oil and characterised by the highest content of PUFA (including linoleic acid), plant sterols, α-and β-tocopherol, as well as the highest total polyphenol and total carotenoids content was been found to be ‘Naumburger’. The antioxidant capacity of sour cherry kernel oils, measured using the DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ methods, ranged from 57.7 to 63.5 and from 38.2 to 43.2 mg trolox/100 g oil, respectively. The results of the present study provide important information about potential possibilities of application of Prunus cerasus kernel oils in cosmetic products and pharmaceuticals offering health benefits.     

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Carotenoids from Carrot Pomace and Their Optimization through Response Surface Methodology

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was used to extract carotenoids from the carrot pomace. To investigate the effect of independent variables on the UAE, the response surface methodology (RSM) with central-composite design (CCD) was employed. The study was conducted with three independent variables including extraction time (min), temperature (°C), and ethanol concentration (%). The results showed that the optimal conditions for UAE were achieved with an extraction time of 17 min, temperature of 32 °C, and ethanol concentration of 51% of total carotenoids (31.82 ± 0.55); extraction time of 16 min, temperature of 29 °C, and ethanol concentration of 59% for a combination of β-carotene (14.89 ± 0.40), lutein (5.77 ± 0.19), and lycopene (2.65 ± 0.12). The non-significant (p > 0.05) correlation under optimal extraction conditions between predicted and experimental values suggested that UAE is the more productive process than conventional techniques for the extraction of carotenoids from the carrot pomace.     

The Phenolics and Antioxidant Properties of Black and Purple versus White Eggplant Cultivars

The total phenolic content, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, antioxidant capacity and α-amylase inhibitory activity of black (Aydin Siyahi), purple (Kadife Kemer) and white (Trabzon Kadife) eggplants grown in Turkey were subjected to a comparative investigation. The black cultivar exhibited the highest total phenolic (17,193 and 6552 mg gallic acid equivalent/kg fw), flavonoid (3019 and 1160 quercetin equivalent/kg fw) and anthocyanin (1686 and 6167 g delphinidin-3-O-glucoside equivalent/kg fw) contents in crude extracts of the peel and pulp. The majority of the caffeic acid was identified in the ester (2830 mg/kg fw) and ester-bound (2594 mg/kg fw) forms in the peel of ‘Kadife Kemer’ and in the glycoside form (611.9 mg/kg fw) in ‘Aydin Siyahi’, as well as in the pulp of these two eggplants. ‘Kadife Kemer’ (purple eggplant) contained the majority of the chlorogenic acid in free form (27.55 mg/kg fw), compared to ‘Aydin Siyahi’ in the ester (7.82 mg/kg fw), glycoside (294.1 mg/kg dw) and ester-bound (2.41 mg/kg fw) forms. The eggplant cultivars (peel and pulp, mg/kg fw) exhibited a relatively high delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside concentration in the peel of ‘Aydin Siyahi’ (avg. 1162), followed by ‘Kadife Kemer’ (avg. 336.6), and ‘Trabzon Kadife’ (avg. 215.1). The crude phenolic extracts of the eggplants exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity values (peel and pulp, µmoL Trolox equivalent/kg fw) of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, 8156 and 2335) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC, 37,887 and 17,648). The overall results indicate that black and purple eggplants are the cultivars with greater potential benefits in terms of their phenolics and antioxidant values than the white eggplant.     

Ethnobotanical Uses,Phytochemistry, Toxicology,and Pharmacological Properties of Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. against Infectious Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Medicinal plants have considerable potential as antimicrobial agents due to the presence of secondary metabolites. This comprehensive overview aims to summarize the classification, morphology, and ethnobotanical uses of Euphorbia neriifolia L. and its derived phytochemicals with the recent updates on the pharmacological properties against emerging infectious diseases, mainly focusing on bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. The data were collected from electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Semantic Scholar, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink by utilizing several keywords like ‘Euphorbia neriifolia’, ‘phytoconstituents’, ‘traditional uses’, ‘ethnopharmacological uses’, ‘infectious diseases’, ‘molecular mechanisms’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘bacterial infection’, ‘viral infection’, etc. The results related to the antimicrobial actions of these plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals were carefully reviewed and summarized. Euphol, monohydroxy triterpene, nerifoliol, taraxerol, β-amyrin, glut-5-(10)-en-1-one, neriifolione, and cycloartenol are the leading secondary metabolites reported in phytochemical investigations. These chemicals have been shown to possess a wide spectrum of biological functions. Different extracts of E. neriifolia exerted antimicrobial activities against various pathogens to different extents. Moreover, major phytoconstituents present in this plant, such as quercetin, rutin, friedelin, taraxerol, epitaraxerol, taraxeryl acetate, 3β-friedelanol, 3β-acetoxy friedelane, 3β-simiarenol, afzelin, 24-methylene cycloarenol, ingenol triacetate, and β-amyrin, showed significant antimicrobial activities against various pathogens that are responsible for emerging infectious diseases. This plant and the phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids, monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and alkaloids, have been found to have significant antimicrobial properties. The current evidence suggests that they might be used as leads in the development of more effective drugs to treat emerging infectious diseases, including the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).     

Experimental Design and Optimization of Recovering Bioactive Compounds from Chlorella vulgaris through Conventional Extraction

Microalgae contain an abundance of valuable bioactive compounds such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, and phenolics and, consequently, present great commercial interest. The aim of this work is the study and optimization of recovering the aforementioned components from the microalgae species Chlorella vulgaris through conventional extraction in a laboratory-scale apparatus using a “green” mixture of ethanol/water 90/10 v/v. The effect of three operational conditions—namely, temperature (30–60 °C), duration (6–24 h) and solvent-to-biomass ratio (20–90 mL_solv/g_biom), was examined regarding the extracts’ yield (gravimetrically), antioxidant activity, phenolic, chlorophyll, and carotenoid contents (spectrophotometric assays), as well as concentration in key carotenoids, i.e., astaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene (reversed-phase–high-performance liquid chromatography (RP–HPLC)). For this purpose, a face-centered central composite design (FC-CCD) was employed. Data analysis resulted in the optimal extraction conditions of 30 °C, for 24 h with 37 mL_solv/g_biom and validation of the predicted models led to 15.39% w/w yield, 52.58 mg_extr/mg_DPPH (IC50) antioxidant activity, total phenolic, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content of 18.23, 53.47 and 9.92 mg/g_extr, respectively, and the total sum of key carotenoids equal to 4.12 mg/g_extr. The experimental data and predicted results were considered comparable, and consequently, the corresponding regression models were sufficiently reliable for prediction.     

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Anthocyanins from Malus ‘Royalty’ Fruits: Optimization,Separation, and Antitumor Activity

Red Malus ‘Royalty’ fruits are rich in anthocyanins. This study aimed to obtain the optimal parameters for the extraction and separation of anthocyanins from Malus ‘Royalty’ fruits and to evaluate the inhibitory effect of the enriched anthocyanin fraction on gastric cancer cells. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction was used for the extraction of the anthocyanins of Malus ‘Royalty’ fruit, and the extraction results showed that the optimum parameters were an extraction temperature of 20 °C, a solid–liquid ratio of 1:6 (g/mL), ethanol and formic acid contents of 70% and 0.4%, respectively, an extraction time of 40 min, and an ultrasonic power of 300 W. The optimum extraction parameters to achieve the highest anthocyanin yield by a single-factor experiment coupled with response surface methodology were identified. The separation results showed that the AB-8 macroporous resin was a better purifying material, with 60% ethanol as an adsorbent, and the adsorption–desorption equilibrium times were 6 h and 1 h, respectively. Cyanidin-3-galactoside was the main body composition separation of anthocyanins by a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector. The antitumor activity results showed that the anthocyanins of Malus ‘Royalty’ fruits have a significant inhibitory effect on the gastric cancer cell line BGC-803. The in vitro cell viability test of CCK-8 showed that the inhibitory effect on tumor cells was more significant with the increased anthocyanin concentration, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 105.5 μg/mL. The cell morphology was observed by an inverted microscope, and it was found that the backbone of BGC-803 treated with a high concentration of anthocyanins was disintegrated and the nucleoplasm was concentrated. The mechanism of apoptosis was analyzed by Western blotting, and the results showed that with increasing anthocyanin concentration in the medium, the expression levels of the proapoptotic proteins Bax and Bak increased, and the expression levels of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL decreased, which coordinated the regulation of cell apoptosis. This research suggests that the enriched anthocyanin fraction from Malus ‘Royalty’ fruits have potential antitumor and adjuvant therapeutic effects on gastric cancer.     

Effect of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Carotenoids from Papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. Sweet Mary) Using Vegetable Oils

By-products from fruits and are of great interest for their potential use in the food industry due to their high content of bioactive compounds. Herein, we examined the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid and carotenoid esters from papaya pulp and peel using soybean oil and sunflower oil as alternative green solvents. Response surface methodology (RSM) was established to optimize the UAE process. Three independent variables, ultrasonic amplitude (20–60%), time (10–60 min), and co-solvent percentage (ethanol) (5–20%, v/v), were applied. The highest total carotenoid content in the UAE extracts was obtained from papaya pulp extracts (58.7 ± 1.6 and 56.0 ± 1.5 μg carotenoids/g oil) using soybean oil and sunflower oil, respectively (60% amplitude/ 10 min/ 20% ethanol). On the other hand, the highest carotenoid content (52.0 ± 0.9 μg carotenoids/g oil) was obtained from papaya peel using soybean oil applying the UAE process (20% amplitude/ 77 min/ 20% ethanol); a minor content of 39.3 ± 0.5 μg carotenoids/g oil was obtained from papaya peel using sunflower oil at 60% amplitude/ 60 min/ 5% ethanol. Lycopene was the most abundant carotenoid among all individual carotenoids observed in papaya oil extracts, obtaining the highest yields of this carotenoid when papaya pulp and peel were extracted using soybean oil (94% and 81%, respectively) and sunflower oil (95% and 82%, respectively). Great extraction of xanthophyll esters was detected using 20% of ethanol in the vegetable oil extraction solvent (v/v). High correlations (>0.85) was obtained between total carotenoid content and color determination in the UAE oil extracts. UAE vegetable oil extracts enriched with carotenoids from papaya by-products could be useful to formulate new food ingredients based on emulsions with interesting potential health benefits.     

β-Carotene Inhibits Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-10 and Invasion in Helicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Epithelial Cells

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), key molecules of cancer invasion and metastasis, degrade the extracellular matrix and cell–cell adhesion molecules. MMP-10 plays a crucial role in Helicobacter pylori-induced cell-invasion. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, which activates activator protein-1 (AP-1), is known to mediate MMP expression. Infection with H. pylori, a Gram-negative bacterium, is associated with gastric cancer development. A toxic factor induced by H. pylori infection is reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activate MAPK signaling in gastric epithelial cells. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) mediates the expression of antioxidant enzymes including catalase. β-Carotene, a red-orange pigment, exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We aimed to investigate whether β-carotene inhibits H. pylori-induced MMP expression and cell invasion in gastric epithelial AGS (gastric adenocarcinoma) cells. We found that H. pylori induced MMP-10 expression and increased cell invasion via the activation of MAPKs and AP-1 in gastric epithelial cells. Specific inhibitors of MAPKs suppressed H. pylori-induced MMP-10 expression, suggesting that H. pylori induces MMP-10 expression through MAPKs. β-Carotene inhibited the H. pylori-induced activation of MAPKs and AP-1, expression of MMP-10, and cell invasion. Additionally, it promoted the expression of PPAR-γ and catalase, which reduced ROS levels in H. pylori-infected cells. In conclusion, β-carotene exerts an inhibitory effect on MAPK-mediated MMP-10 expression and cell invasion by increasing PPAR-γ-mediated catalase expression and reducing ROS levels in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells.     

Chemotaxonomic Identification of Key Taste and Nutritional Components in ‘Shushanggan Apricot’ Fruits by Widely Targeted Metabolomics

The chemotypic and the content variation in taste substances and nutrients in ‘Shushanggan apricot’ fruits were detected by UPLC-MS/MS. A total of 592 compounds were identified, of which sucrose contributed mainly to the sweet taste and malic acid and citric acid were important organic acids affecting sweet–sour taste. γ-linolenic acid, α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid were the dominant free fatty acids, and neochlorogenic acid and chlorogenic acid were the predominant phenolic acids. Fruit taste was positively correlated with sucrose and negatively correlated with malic acid and citric acid. The differential metabolites were significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of amino acids and 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism pathways, regulating the sugar and organic acid biosynthesis. Taste and nutrient differences could be revealed by variations in composition and abundance of carbohydrates, organic acids and amino acids. The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive chemical characterization of taste and nutrient compounds in ‘Shushanggan apricot’ fruits.     

Are Organic Certified Carrots Richer in Health-Promoting Phenolics and Carotenoids than the Conventionally Grown Ones?

The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of polyphenols and carotenoids by means of HPLC/UV-Vis in certified organic and non-organic carrots (Daucus carota L.) of two cultivars (Flacoro and Nantejska). The analyzed carrot root samples contained, on average, 4.29 ± 0.83 mg/100g f.w. of carotenoids (mainly β-carotene) and 9.09 ± 2.97 mg/100g f.w. of polyphenols, including 4.44 ± 1.42 mg/100g f.w. of phenolic acids and 4.65 ± 1.96 mg/100g f.w. of flavonoids. Significant effects of the production system on the carotenoids (total) and β-carotene concentration were found, with higher concentrations of these compounds generally identified in conventionally cultivated roots (4.67 ± 0.88 mg/100g f.w.) vs. organically grown ones (4.08 ± 0.74 mg/100g f.w.). There was a noticeable inter-sample (inter-farm) variation in the concentration of polyphenols in carrot roots. Despite a general trend towards higher concentrations of these compounds in the organic carrots (9.33 ± 3.17 mg/100g f.w.) vs. conventional carrots (8.64 ± 2.58 mg/100g f.w.), and in those of Nantejska (9.60 ± 2.87 mg/100g f.w.) vs. Flacoro (8.46 ± 3.02 mg/100g f.w.) cultivar, no consistent, statistically significant impact of the production system and/or cultivar on the level of these bioactive compounds was identified. More efforts should be encouraged to ensure that organic crops reaching the market consistently contain the expected high levels of health-promoting bioactive compounds, which could be brought through their shelf-life and all processing steps, in order to meet consumers’ expectations and provide the expected health benefits.     

An Optimization Procedure for Preparing Aqueous CAR/HP-CD Aggregate Dispersions

β-Carotene is a very important molecule for human health. It finds a large application in the food industry, especially for the development of functional foods and dietary supplements. However, β-carotene is an unstable compound and is sensitive to light, temperature, and oxygen. To overcome those limitations, various delivery systems were developed. The inclusion of β-carotene by cyclodextrin aggregates is attractive due to non-toxicity, low hygroscopicity, stability, and the inexpensiveness of cyclodextrins. In this study, β-carotene/2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin aggregates were prepared based on the procedure of the addition of β-carotene in an organic solvent to the hot water dispersion of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and the following instant evaporation of the organic solvent. The best conditions for the aggregate preparation were found to be as follows: 25% concentration of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in water, 65 °C temperature, and acetone for β-carotene dissolution. The efficiency of entrapping was equal to 88%. The procedure is attractive due to the short time of the aggregate preparation.     

Novel Methods to Manipulate Autolysis in Sparkling Wine: Effects on Yeast

Sparkling wine made by the traditional method (Méthode Traditionelle) develops a distinct and desirable flavour and aroma profile attributed to proteolytic processes during prolonged ageing on lees. Microwave, ultrasound and addition of β-glucanase enzymes were applied to accelerate the disruption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and added to the tirage solution for secondary fermentation in traditional sparkling winemaking. Scanning electron microscopy and flow cytometry analyses were used to observe and describe yeast whole-cell anatomy, and cell integrity and structure via propidium iodide (PI) permeability after 6-, 12- and 18-months post-tirage. Treatments applied produced features on lees that were distinct from that of the untreated control yeast. Whilst control yeast displayed budding cells (growth features) with smooth, cavitated and flat external cell appearances; microwave treated yeast cells exhibited modifications like ‘doughnut’ shapes immediately after treatment (time 0). Similar ‘doughnut’-shaped and ‘pitted/porous’ cell features were observed on progressively older lees from the control. Flow cytometry was used to discriminate yeast populations; features consistent with cell disruption were observed in the microwave, ultrasound and enzyme treatments, as evidenced by up to 4-fold increase in PI signal in the microwave treatment. Forward and side scatter signals reflected changes in size and structure of yeast cells, in all treatments applied. When flow cytometry was interpreted alongside the scanning electron microscopy images, bimodal populations of yeast cells with low and high PI intensities were revealed and distinctive ‘doughnut’-shaped cell features observed in association with the microwave treatment only at tirage, that were not observed until 12 months wine ageing in older lees from the control. This work offers both a rapid approach to visualise alterations to yeast cell surfaces and a better understanding of the mechanisms of yeast lysis. Microwave, ultrasound or β-glucanase enzymes are tools that could potentially initiate the release of yeast cell compounds into wine. Further investigation into the impact of such treatments on the flavour and aroma profiles of the wines through sensory evaluation is warranted.     

Extract from the Marine Seaweed Padina pavonica Protects Mitochondrial Biomembranes from Damage by Amyloidogenic Peptides

The identification of compounds which protect the double-membrane of mitochondrial organelles from disruption by toxic confomers of amyloid proteins may offer a therapeutic strategy to combat human neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we exploited an extract from the marine brown seaweed Padina pavonica (PPE) as a vital source of natural bioactive compounds to protect mitochondrial membranes against insult by oligomeric aggregates of the amyloidogenic proteins amyloid-β (Aβ), α-synuclein (α-syn) and tau, which are currently considered to be major targets for drug discovery in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). We show that PPE manifested a significant inhibitory effect against swelling of isolated mitochondria exposed to the amyloid oligomers, and attenuated the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Using cardiolipin-enriched synthetic lipid membranes, we also show that dye leakage from fluorophore-loaded vesicles and formation of channel-like pores in planar bilayer membranes are largely prevented by incubating the oligomeric aggregates with PPE. Lastly, we demonstrate that PPE curtails the ability of Aβ42 and α-syn monomers to self-assemble into larger β-aggregate structures, as well as potently disrupts their respective amyloid fibrils. In conclusion, the mito-protective and anti-aggregator biological activities of Padina pavonica extract may be of therapeutic value in neurodegenerative proteinopathies, such as AD and PD.