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The chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and functional properties of mixtures of baru by-products, named baru food ingredients (BFI), were investigated and applied in a plant-based burger formulation. BFI were prepared from wasted baru by-products - partially defatted baru nut cake and baru pulp plus peel. A plant-based burger was developed and its chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, cooking and texture parameters were determined. BFI 1 (50% partially defatted baru nut cake + 50% baru pulp plus peel) had the highest content of carbohydrate (31.9%), and dietary fibre (28.3%). BFI 2 (75% partially defatted baru nut cake + 25% baru pulp plus peel) and BFI 3 (90% partially defatted baru nut cake + 10% baru pulp plus peel) showed high concentration of protein and dietary fibre, and BFI 3 had the highest protein content (29.5%). All BFI showed high concentration of total phenolics (402-443 mg GAE/100 g). Replacing textured pea protein of control burger (PPB) with 35% of BFI 3 in the formulation of baru protein burger (BPB) resulted in a low-fat product (2.9%), with protein content (19.2%) comparable to the PPB (15.9%) and the commercial burger (mixed plant proteins - 16.3%). The BPB also showed a higher concentration of dietary fibre (4.9%) and phenolic compounds (128 mg GAE/100 g) than the control burger. BPB's cooking yield was the highest among the tested burgers. BPB had a softer texture when compared to other burgers. Baru food ingredients can be used as nutritive ingredients of health-promoting foods, especially in plant-based products, such as burger and meat analogues, or in hybrid meat products. BPB showed a healthy and nutritious profile., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Heliotropium elongatum is used to treat inflammation, cough, and flu. This study aimed to characterize the phytochemical profile and determine the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant and cytogenotoxic activity of the ethanolic extract (EE), and fractions of H. elongatum leaves. In the phytochemical profile analysis, organic acids, reducing sugars, flavonoids, saponins, anthraquinones, steroids/triterpenes, and depsides/depsidones were detected in the EE and/or fractions (hexanic/FH, chloroformic/FC, ethyl acetate/FAE, and hydromethanolic/FHM). The highest TPC and highest antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS) was detected in FHM. In FH, 16 compounds were identified by GC-MS, and ursolic acid was isolated by 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR. HPLC-DAD from EE, FAE, and FHM demonstrated characteristic wavelengths for flavonoids, flavonols, flavones, and anthraquinones. ESI-IT/MS n analysis of EE, FC, FAE, and FHM revealed alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. In Allium cepa assay there was no significant cytotoxic effect initiated by EE (62.5 to 1,000 µg/ml), FHM (1,000 µg/ml), and FAE (62.5 µg/ml). Genotoxicity was evidenced only with EE at 500 and 1,000 µg/ml, and FHM (62.5 to 1,000 µg/ml) as evidenced by presence of micronuclei (MN) and nuclear buds (NB). Our results identified compounds of medicinal interest with antioxidant activity; however observed cytogenotoxic changes indicated the need for caution when using these compounds for therapeutic purposes.

Growing concerns on free radicals are the oxidative processes associated with physiological damage. The consumption of functional foods and use of plants with antioxidant capacity are widespread. Given the importance of determining antioxidant capacity in relation to the therapeutic effect, this study was aimed at evaluating cinnamon extract ( Cinnamomum sp.) in commercial samples by spectrophotometric and voltammetric methods and assessing the vascular activity of some samples. The spectrophotometric methods performed were DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrihydrazine), ABTS (2,21-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and Folin-Ciocalteu radical sequestration assays. For the electrochemical experiments, a three-electrode system was used, consisting of carbon paste electrode, platinum wire, and Ag/AgCl/KCl sat , representing the working, auxiliary, and reference electrodes, respectively. The electroanalytical methods used were differential pulse, square wave, and cyclic voltammetries. The extracts were prepared in hydroalcoholic solution. A calibration curve with gallic acid was calculated to quantify their equivalent amounts in the analyzed extract. The correlation between the electrochemical approach and the total phenols calculated by the ABTS, DPPH, and Folin-Ciocalteu methods was 0.63, 0.7, and 0.73, respectively, with 1 being an ideal directly proportional correlation. The correlation between spectrophotometric methods was 0.83. A biosensor was developed in a carbon paste electrode using the enzyme laccase, obtained by the fungus Marasmiellus colocasiae . It was observed that the antioxidant profile of the cinnamon samples had an analytical sign improvement of up to 4 times when compared with the electrode without the modification. The samples were analyzed by mass spectrometer, and the main chemical markers found were coumarin, cinnamaldehyde, and eugenol. Pharmacological trials showed that these samples also induce a significant vasorelaxant effect associated to antioxidant potential on vascular injury induced by oxidative stress. Thus, cinnamon showed a high antioxidant capacity, in agreement with the results obtained in other studies, emphasizing its importance as a functional food., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Emily K. G. Moreno et al.)

Background: The use of natural plant antioxidants has been an alternative approach to synthetic antioxidants for food applications. This study investigated the antioxidant properties of the leaves of Curcuma longa L. against the oxidation of soybean oil using leaf extracts obtained from seven different types of organic solvents and compared to the action of efficient synthetic antioxidants which are widely used and low cost but with toxicity risk. The application of natural alternatives from sources still little studied is a proposal and the extraction of compounds with high antioxidant capacity may vary according to the type of solvent, its mixture, its polarity and other factors that burden or harm the health of the consumer., Methods: The leaf extracts were sanitized, dried, and obtained for solvent selection. The quantification of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and antioxidants was performed by using different combinations and proportions of solvents: water (100%), ethanol (100%), methanol (100%), ethanol/water (70%:30%), methanol/water (70%:30%), methanol/acetic acid (99.5%:0.5%), and acetone/water/acetic acid (70%:28:2%). The solvent selected was the one that extracted the highest content of phenolic and antioxidant compounds (using the free radical DPPH scavenging method and FRAP assay). It used an accelerated storage test and experimental design to assess oxidative stability (using peroxide index (PI), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), dienes (DC) and triple conjugates (TC) and statistical analysis)., Results: The ethanol/water solvent was efficient in the extraction of TPC (2422 mg GAE 100 g-1). The mixture of solvents extracted an average of 23.65% more TPC when compared to the single solvents. Regarding the antioxidant capacity, the ethanol/water solvent showed 1847 mg TE 100 g-1 using the DPPH and 217 μmol of FeSO4 100 g-1 using the FRAP assays. In addition, the oxidation of soybean oil was delayed by the accelerated storage test showing equivalent results to BHT at 0.02% for the values of PI, TBARS and DC/TC., Conclusions: The E/W extract showed the highest yield in the extraction of phenolic compounds and is a safe solvent for food. The addition of Curcuma longa L. leaf extract to soybean oil caused reductions in PI, TBARS, CD and CT values. The leaf extract of C. longa L. is considered to be a good alternative to synthetic antioxidants against the oxidative degradation of soybean oil.

Previous studies have assessed the properties of aqueous extracts, using byproducts such as jaboticaba peel. We have assessed potential antioxidant effects of jaboticaba extract (Plinia jaboticaba) (JAE = 50 g/L) in vitro and in vivo. Healthy Wistar rats received ad libitum JAE for either 15 or 49 days in vivo. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, gallic acid, rutin, myricetin, and quercetin were identified as the main polyphenols in JAE. Lipid peroxidation values in the serum and colon were similar throughout the groups. In addition, JAE did not disturb the antioxidant systems. JAE also altered gut microbiota, increasing since Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae counts. Bacterial metabolites were higher in the colon content of rats fed with JAE than in the control group. Given these results, under healthy conditions, JAE dietary supplementation could perform in vivo modulation of gut microbiota, without disturbing the antioxidant system. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Jaboticaba (Plinia jaboticaba) peel is a rich and often-wasted source of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols. Previous studies have shown that physiological benefits of this berry. The jaboticaba peel could contribute to antioxidant defense systems; it may also have an effect over gut microbiota related to polyphenols contents. Aqueous extraction may be a practical way of employing the bioactive compounds of jaboticaba peel; these compounds can be consumed daily and safely, and thus have attracted particular attention. This work showed positive impacts of jaboticaba peel treatments on microbiota and antioxidant defense systems, and could guide future clinical studies., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This study evaluated the physicochemical characterization of Curcuma longa L. leaves with respect to proximate composition, mineral content, the presence of antinutritional factors, content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity, and color measurements of leaves in natura and leaves subjected to microwave drying, oven drying, and freeze-drying methods. The proximate composition showed appreciable levels of protein (39.5 g.100 g -1 ), carbohydrates (44.74 g.100 g -1 ), total fiber (34.47 g.100 g -1 ), soluble fiber (22.65 g.100 g -1 ), insoluble fiber (11.81 g.100 g -1 ), ash (13.81 g.100 g -1 ), and low lipid contents (2.47 g.100 g -1 ). No cyanogenic compounds were detected in both samples. Freeze-drying stood out as the method that led to the greatest reductions of the bioactive compounds (33.12-73.86%, dry basis) and antioxidant capacity when compared to the leaves in natura. Microwave drying was the preservation method that produced dry leaves with higher content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. Therefore, microwave drying produced dehydrated Curcuma longa L. leaves with the highest bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)