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Scientific research on developing and characterizing eco-friendly metal nanoparticles (NPs) is an active area experiencing currently a systematic and continuous growth. A variety of physical, chemical and more recently biological methods can be used for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Among them, reports supporting the potential use of algae in the NPs green synthesis, contribute with only a minor proportion, although seaweed was demonstrated to perform as a successful reducing and stabilizing agent. Thus, the first part of the present review depicts the up-to-date information on the use of algae extracts for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles, including a deep discussion of the certain advantages as well as some limitations of this synthesis route. In the second part, the available characterization techniques to unravel their inherent properties such as specific size, shape, composition, morphology and dispersibility are comprehensively described, to finally focus on the factors affecting their applications, bioactivity, potential toxic impact on living organisms and incorporation into food matrices or food packaging, as well as future prospects. The present article identifies the key knowledge gap in a systematic way highlighting the critical next steps in the green synthesis of metal NPs mediated by algae.

Determining the UV absorbances at 234 nm and 280 nm enables a quick determination of the oxidation progress in lipid membranes. Nevertheless, experimental spectral results indicate a significant overlapping of bands arising from different oxidation products. The calculation of theoretical electronic spectra of the plausible oxidation products can provide strong support for spectral interpretation. The goal of this work was to set up a UV-based method to assess the peroxidation products of lecithin liposomes. UV spectra of liposomes exposed to H2O2 and CuSO4 were recorded and peak-fitted to determine the overlapping bands contributing to the experimental features. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations were used to optimize the molecular structures and assess the theoretical UV spectra of all possible oxidation products. Two oxidation routes were considered; one of them regarding the formation of conjugated dienes and the other related to the formation of hydroxy fatty acids. The integrated experimental and theoretical analysis of the UV spectra showed the presence of conjugated dienes M and N in the experimental spectra, occurring at λmax ≅ 240 nm and fitting well in the band at λmax ≅ 237 obtained after deconvolution. In turn, compounds A, D, H and I, arising from the hydroxy fatty acid pathway, were those leading to the experimental bands at λmax ≅ 225, 232 and 244 nm, respectively. The integrative computational and experimental approach conducted in this work provides a better understanding of lipid peroxidation processes.

Aims This study evaluated whether by-products from industrial processing of acerola (Malpighia glabra L.; AB) and guava (Psidium guajava L.; GB) fruit may stimulate the growth and metabolism of probiotic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and induce changes in human colonic microbiota. Methods and results The ability of non-digested and digested AB or GB to stimulate the growth ad metabolism of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05, Lactobacillus casei L-26 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 was evaluated. Changes in populations of distinct bacterial groups of human colonic microbiota induced by digested AB and GB were evaluated using an in vitro colonic fermentation system. Non-digested and digested AB and GB favoured probiotic growth. No difference among counts of probiotics in media with glucose, fructooligosaccharides and non-digested and digested AB and GB was found during a 48-h cultivation. Cultivation of probiotics in media with non-digested and digested AB and GB resulted in decreased pH, increased organic acid production and sugar consumption over time. Digested AB and GB caused overall beneficial changes in abundance of Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus-Enterococcus, Eubacterium rectall-Clostridium coccoides and Bacteroides-Provotella populations, besides to decrease the pH and increase the short-chain fatty acid production during a 24-h in vitro colonic fermentation. Conclusion AB and GB could be novel prebiotic ingredients because they can stimulate the growth and metabolism of probiotics and induce overall beneficial changes in human colonic microbiota. Significance and impact of the study AB and GB stimulated the growth and metabolism of probiotics, in addition to induce beneficial alterations in human colonic microbiota composition and increase short-chain fatty acid production. These results characterize AB and GB as potential prebiotic ingredients and fruit processing by-products as sources of added-value compounds.

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a biomaterial widely used in the field of regenerative medicine. The purpose of this work was to analyze the structure and biomolecular characteristics of PRF through nine centrifugation parameters (CP) for its preparation, using a pool of blood samples of five volunteers.The PRF obtained was analyzed by morphological and histological characteristics, as well as electronic and atomic force microscopy and growth factors determinations.A longer time of centrifugation showed taller clots and denser mesh fibrin in comparison with a short time (p0.05). The protocols with higher speed of centrifugation showed higher levels of PDGF-BB and VEGF. Higher levels of TGFβ1 were found in protocols with a shorter centrifuge time. The mean platelet count (916.05 ± 23.73 cells x 103 cells x cm3) and its roughness (Ra) (616.5 ± 45.2 nm) did not show significant differences between different CP (p0.05). A significant correlation between fibrin density and levels of PDGF (r = 0.57) and VEGF (r = 0.52) was found. Additionally, the size of the clot had a significant correlation (r = -0.47) with TGFβ1 levels.Different centrifugation parameters to obtain PRF have been reported. These results indicate that changes in the conditions to obtain PRF have a significant impact on their fibrin structure, cellular distribution, and biomolecular content, which can be decisive for its choice in the different clinical applications to be used. It is necessary to use a standardized centrifuge and protocol to guarantee high-quality PRF and clinical outcomes with less variability.

The carotenoid and carotenoid ester profile in astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb., var. Rojo Brillante) was composed by 13 free xanthophylls, 8 hydrocarbon carotenes and 17 carotenoid esters. The stability and biaoccessibility of these carotenoids was determined by an adaptation of the INFOGEST protocol. Results showed that the stability of persimmon carotenoids ranged from 61 to 74%, depending on the digestion phase, being (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin and (all-E)-antheraxanthin 3-O-palmitate the most stable carotenoids. At the final step of the digestion (oral + gastric + duodenal phase), only traces of (all-E)-antheraxanthin, (all-E)-lutein and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin were found in control samples due to the low efficiency of carotenoid micellization, which was affected by the high pectin content naturally present in persimmon tissues. Processing increased the overall carotenoid bioaccessibility to 54% in pressurized samples and to 25% in thermal treated ones. This effect depended on the processing technology as well as on the chemical structure of the carotenoid, being (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin laurate the most bioaccessible carotenoids in pressurized samples and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin laurate and (all-E)-antheraxanthin the most bioaccessible ones in pasteurized ones., The authors would like to express gratitude for the funding received from Spanish MINECO (project INIA RTA2015-00044-C02-02) of Spanish Government and by the international project FUNFOODEMERTEC funded by Tecnologico de Monterrey (ITESM, Mexico). Author Andrea Gómez-Maqueo thanks CONACyT, Mexico, for her doctoral scholarship, no. 692751.

[Background]: Prickly pears are potential candidates for the development of low‐cost functional foods because they grow with low water requirements in arid regions of the world. They are sources of betalains and phenolic compounds, which have been reported to contribute to human health. The study of the biological activity of different varieties and of their isolated bioactive constitutes is fundamental in the design of functional foods. In this context, our objective is the assessment of the ability of Spanish and Mexican prickly‐pear cultivars to inhibit enzymes related to type 2 diabetes and the inflammatory response, and the contribution of their bioactive compounds to their nutra‐pharmaceutical potential., [Results]: Prickly pear peels presented the highest antioxidant activity due to their high isorhamnetin glycoside content. Isorhamnetin glycosides showed significantly higher antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activity than aglycone, particularly isorhamnetin glucosyl‐rhamnosyl‐pentoside (IG2), which also reported antihyperglycemic activity. Morada, Vigor, and Sanguinos whole fruits exhibited moderate α‐amylase inhibition and higher α‐glucosidase inhibition, which is ideal for lowering glucose absorption in hyperglycemia management. Sanguinos peels presented the highest anti‐inflammatory activity because of their high indicaxanthin content and isorhamnetin glycoside profile., [Conclusions]: In the design of prickly pear functional foods, technological processing should prioritize the retention or concentration of these bioactive compounds to preserve (or increase) their natural antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti‐inflammatory activity. Peels of red and orange varieties should be further evaluated for antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory purposes while whole fruits of red and purple varieties could be considered possible candidates for hyperglycemia management., This work was supported by Projects RTA2015‐00044‐C02‐02 (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness), P2013/ABI‐2728 (Regional Government of Madrid, Spain) and FunFoodEmertec (Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico). We thank Dr Serna‐Saldivar from Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico) for the provision of flavonoid standards. Author Andrea Gómez‐Maqueo also thanks CONACyT (Mexico) for her doctoral scholarship.

Citrus pectin hydrolysates (Citrus paradisi [Mafc.]) from “Foster,” “Red Shambar,” “Tangelo Orlando,” and “Citrumelo Swingle” cultivars were obtained by partial chemical hydrolysis and their properties as culture media (sole carbon/nutrient source) and encapsulating agents of Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114 were evaluated. The concentration of neutral sugars was maximal after 2‐hour hydrolysis. All hydrolysates were rich in glucose >xylose >galactose >galacturonic acid >mannose >arabinose. “Citrumelo Swingle” cultivar was the one with the highest concentration of xylose. After 24 hr of fermentation with L. plantarum CIDCA 83114, bacterial viability increased from 6.76 ± 0.14 to almost 9 log CFU/mL, and lactic acid concentration, from 2.63 ± 0.41 to 7.82 ± 0.15 mmol/L in all hydrolysates. Afterwards, bacteria were entrapped in pectate‐calcium beads by ionotropic gelation. Bacterial viability did not significantly decrease after freeze‐drying and storage the beads at 4 °C for 45 days. Fil: la Cava, Enzo Luciano Marcelo. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Naturales y Agrimensura. Laboratorio de Tecnología Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Sgroppo, Sonia Cecilia. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Naturales y Agrimensura. Laboratorio de Tecnología Química; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in High Pressure Processing on Foods., High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is a commercial processing technology which can enhance the health potential of foods by improving the bioaccessibility of their bioactive compounds. Our aim was to study the bioaccessibility and digestive stability of phenolic compounds and betalains in prickly pear fruits (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill. var. Pelota and Sanguinos) treated with HHP (100, 350, and 600 MPa; come-up time and 5 min). The effects of HHP on pulps (edible fraction) and peels (sources of potential healthy ingredients) were assessed. In pulps, betanin bioaccessibility increased (+47% to +64%) when treated at 350 MPa/5 min. In HHP-treated pulps, increases in the bioaccessibility of piscidic acid (+67% to +176%) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid glycoside (+126% to 136%) were also observed. Isorhamnetin glycosides in peels treated at 600 MPa/CUT had higher bioaccessibility (+17% to +126%) than their controls. The effects of HHP on the bioaccessibility of health-promoting compounds are not exclusively governed by extractability increases of antioxidants in the food matrix (direct effects). In this work we found evidence that indirect effects (effects on the food matrix) could also play a role in the increased bioaccessibility of antioxidants in fruits treated with HHP., This research was funded by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, projects RTA2015–00044-C02–02 and PID2020–118300RB-C21, and also by Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico, FunFoodEmertec.

A door-to-door survey was organised in Cuenca, Ecuador, to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 infection and adherence of the population to COVID-19 preventive measures. A total of 2457 persons participated in the study, 584 (23.7%) reported having experienced at least one flu-like symptom since the onset of the pandemic. The maximum SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Cuenca was 13.2% (CI: 12–14.6%) (IgM or IgG positive). Considering PCR confirmed infections, the prevalence was 11% (CI: 10–12.4%). There was no significant difference in seroprevalence between rural and urban areas. Participants aged 35–49 years old, living with a COVID-19 positive person, at least six people in a household, physical contact with someone outside the household, a contact with a person outside the home with flu-like symptoms, using public transport, and not having enough resources for living, significantly increased the odds for SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Overall, there was good adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. Having known someone who tested positive for COVID-19, having a primary or secondary level of education, and having enough resources for living, significantly increased the odds for higher adherence. In conclusion, despite good overall adherence of the population of Cuenca with COVID-19 preventive measures, our study suggests high ongoing COVID-19 transmission in Cuenca, particularly in certain parishes. Prevention should not only focus on behavioural change, but on intensified testing strategies in demographical risk groups.

Gynoecium development is dependent on gene regulation and hormonal pathway interactions. The phytohormones auxin and cytokinin are involved in many developmental programs, where cytokinin is normally important for cell division and meristem activity, while auxin induces cell differentiation and organ initiation in the shoot. The MADS-box transcription factor AGAMOUS (AG) is important for the development of the reproductive structures of the flower. Here, we focus on the relationship between AG and cytokinin in Arabidopsis thaliana, and use the weak ag-12 and the strong ag-1 allele. We found that cytokinin induces carpeloid features in an AG-dependent manner and the expression of the transcription factors CRC, SHP2, and SPT that are involved in carpel development. AG is important for gynoecium development, and contributes to regulating, or else directly regulates CRC, SHP2, and SPT. All four genes respond to either reduced or induced cytokinin signaling and have the potential to be regulated by cytokinin via the type-B ARR proteins. We generated a model of a gene regulatory network, where cytokinin signaling is mainly upstream and in parallel with AG activity.

Currently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) constitute an interesting field of study in medicine, catalysis, optics, among others. For this reason, it has been necessary to develop new methodologies that allow a more efficient production of AgNPs with better antimicrobial and biological properties. In this research growth time effects Anamorphous Bjerkandera sp. R1 and the silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentration over AgNPs synthesis were studied. Through the protocol used in this work, it was found that the action of the capping proteins on the surface of the mycelium played a determining role in the reduction of the Ag+ ion to Ag0 nanoparticles producing a particle size that oscillated between 10 and 100 nm. The progress of the reaction was monitored using visible UV–Vis spectroscopy and the synthesized AgNPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR) spectroscopy. The best synthetic properties were found at 1 mM of AgNO3 concentration, growth time of 8 days, and reaction time of 144 h. Nanometals obtention from microorganisms could be considered as a new method of synthesis, due to reducing abilities of metal ions through its enzymatic system and represents low-cost synthesis that reduces the generation of harmful toxic wastes.

Encapsulation involves the incorporation of food ingredients, enzymes, cells, drugs, or other materials in small capsules. This process consists of surrounding tiny particles with a coating layer conformed of a homogeneous or heterogeneous matrix, to produce small capsules. Therefore, it is a useful tool to fortify foods with bioactive molecules and/or living cells that improve their intact delivery to the target organ, mostly the intestinal tract. Encapsulation goals are to protect, stabilize, and slow down the release of food ingredients. Materials used for designing the protective shell of encapsulates must be food-grade, biodegradable, and able to form a barrier between the internal phase and the external one. Various techniques are employed to form the capsules such as drying, extrusion, emulsification, fluidized bed coating, molecular inclusion, or liposome entrapment. This chapter focuses on reviewing the available spray-drying technique protocols for the specific purpose of encapsulating natural carotenoids.

Adding phlorotannins (a group of potent antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds derived from seaweed) to food products is certainly an interesting strategy to diversify the highly demanded functional foods by health-conscious consumers. However, many technological processes (from extraction to food processing and storage) may affect the phlorotannins stability and thus, their biological activity. Therefore, encapsulation of phlorotannins through electrospraying may serve as a solution to overcome the potential problems arising from chemical instability, as this innovative technology does not involve high temperature. In this context, we describe here two important protocols that allow obtaining a high recovery of phlorotannins from Ascophyllum nodosum with maximized antioxidant activity (through an optimized microwave-assisted extraction procedure) and also, the stabilization of phlorotannins extract-containing inulin microcapsules (through an encapsulation methodology based on electrospraying) that ensures the maintenance of the phlorotannins’ active molecular form up to the consumption time and their safe arrival to the gut. Physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal characterization of the developed electrosprayed microcapsules is also presented.

Immobilization has emerged as a suitable approach to ensure the stability of enzymes, simplifying their removal once the reaction has been completed and enabling their reutilization. Entrapment is an immobilization method consisting in the occlusion of a given enzyme in synthetic or natural polymeric networks that act as permeable membranes for substrates and products, retaining the enzyme inside (encapsulated enzyme). In this chapter, a protocol for the entrapment of frutctosyltransferase in calcium alginate beads both in batch and in continuous processes is described. The physicochemical characterization of the enzyme–alginate beads (scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, determination of water content) and the determination of the enzymatic activity of the entrapped enzyme are also described.

Carotenoids are health promoting compounds which bioavailability depends on their release from the intracellular compartments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the application of different levels of pressure, time and temperature in High Hydrostatic Pressure-Assisted Extraction (HHPAE) processes, and the use of soybean and sunflower oils on the extraction yield of carotenoids present in papaya pulp and peel. . Papaya (pulp and peel) as source of carotenoids and soybean and sunflower oils as eco-friendly solvents were used. The effects of temperature, pressure and time (20–40 °C, 300–500 MPa and 2–8 min) on the carotenoid extraction yield were studied applying a central composite experimental design. Carotenoids and esters in papaya were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) and by spectrophotometric methods. The main carotenoids found in carotenoid-rich oils were (all-E)-lycopene, (13Z)-lycopene isomer, β-carotene, (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin and xanthophyll esters as (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin caprate, (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin laurate and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin myristate. The optimal extraction condition was obtained at 400 MPa, 40.5 °C for 5 min, with the highest (all-E)-lycopene extraction yield (99.1%) from papaya pulp using soybean oil. The highest (all-E)-β-carotene (14.0%) and (all-E)-β-cryptoxanthin (19.3%) extraction yields were obtained from peel extracts at 500 MPa, 35 °C for 2 min using soybean oil and 400 MPa, 27.5 °C for 5 min using sunflower oil, respectively. The results showed that carotenoid extraction yields in papaya pulp and peel extracts were higher applying mild pressures (300–400 MPa). Low xanthophyll and xanthophyll esters extraction efficiency (0.8–3.1%) was observed due to the low polarity of the vegetable oils., This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain), through project number RTA2015-00044-C02-02 and the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (FunFoodEmertec). Author Sara Lara-Abia received financial support from Tecnológico de Monterrey (México) (Research Chair Funds CAT-200) and CONACYT-SEP (Research Project 101700 and Doctoral Scholarship no. 895077).

Current in vitro methodologies neglect or subestimate the contribution of betalains to antioxidant capacity in foods because they do not reflect their in vivo biological mechanisms. In this study, we assessed the sensibility of the lipoxygenase-fluorescein (LOX-FL) method towards betalains, phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid from Opuntia spp. fruits; and (ii) the antioxidant capacity of peel and pulp extracts from Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill (var. Fresa, Colorada and Blanco) and Opuntia stricta var. Dillenii; by comparing the LOX-FL method to traditional antioxidant methods (ORAC and TEAC). The spectrophotometric monitoring of the LOX-FL reaction avoided interference caused by betalain pigments. Indicaxanthin and betanin showed high antiperoxidative and radical scavenging mechanisms in the LOX-FL assay. O. stricta var. Dillenii tissues the highest antioxidant capacity which correlated with betanin content. ORAC and TEAC antioxidant methods were less sensible towards betalain antioxidant activity. To our knowledge, this is the first time the LOX-FL antioxidant method has been used on betalains and betalain-rich foods., Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature., We thank the funding from Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain), projects INIA RTA2015-00044-C02-02 and PID2020-118300RB-C21. We thank Gloria Lobo (ICIA) for the recollection and provision of prickly pear fruits (RTA2015-00044-C02-01). Andrea Gómez-Maqueo thanks CONACyT (Mexico) for her doctoral scholarship 692751.

Encapsulation is one of the strategies to protect lactic acid bacteria from technological and physiological adverse environments. This chapter provides experimental conditions to produce iron-pectin microcapsules by ionic gelation, as matrices to encapsulate Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114. Low degree of methylation pectins (from citrus) and FeSO4 can be used to generate the beads, and the obtained beads can be physicochemically, structurally, and thermically characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling, texture and thermogravimetric assays, as well as porosimetry, X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), particle size, ζ potential, and Mossbauer and infrared spectroscopy. The experimental details have been provided.

Probiotic microorganisms have a striking impact on human life. The advantages associated with these microorganisms are related to therapeutic effects, such as the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, allergic reactions, and antibacterial, antimutagenic, and anticarcinogenic activity. Within this range of microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria have been used for centuries to ferment various products, which can be consumed daily and which are linked to the gastrointestinal health. The market opportunities and the resulting demands have dictated the development of a long-term protection system for probiotic bacteria. In this context, a protocol that allows the encapsulation of bacteria with and/or without fructo-oligosaccharides as prebiotic ingredient is described. The encapsulation is based on the layer-by-layer method, which consists of depositing several layers of polyelectrolyte with different and alternating surface charges on a substrate, i.e., the bacteria surface.

In this chapter, a method for evaluating the ability of freeze-dried prebiotic matrices (e.g., fructo and galacto-oligosaccharides, FOS and GOS, respectively) to stabilize vitamin C is described. Sucrose, a well-known protective compound, can be used as a control. Storage conditions can also be investigated by equilibrating samples in atmospheres of saturated salts within 11% and 85% relative humidities.

Dehydration of lactic acid bacteria for technological purposes conducts to multilevel damage of bacterial cells. The goal of this work was to determine at which molecular level fructose-oligosaccharides (FOS) and sucrose protect Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CIDCA 333 during the vacuum-drying process. To achieve this aim, the cultivability and metabolic activity of vacuum-dried bacteria were firstly determined (plate counting and absorbance kinetics). Then, the membrane integrity and fluidity were assessed using propidium iodide and Laurdan probes (general polarization -GP-), respectively. Finally, bacterial structural alterations were determined using high throughput methods (fluorescence confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy coupled to Multivariate Curve Resolution analysis -MCR-). The vacuum-drying process directly affected the microorganism's cultivability and membrane integrity. Non-dehydrated cells and sugar protected bacteria (both with FOS or sucrose) presented high GP values typical from the gel state, as well as phospholipids microdomains laterally organized along the cytoplasmic membrane. On the contrary, bacteria dehydrated without protectants presented low GP values and greater water penetration, associated with membrane destabilization. Raman spectroscopy of vacuum-dried cells revealed DNA conformational changes, B-DNA conformations being associated to non-dehydrated or sugar protected bacteria, and A-DNA conformations being higher in bacteria vacuum-dried without protectants. These results support the role of FOS and sucrose as protective compounds, not only acting at the membrane organizational level but also preventing conformational alterations of intracellular structures, like DNA.

Diets rich in phenolic compounds have been associated to reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and its derived disorders. Fruits are healthy components of the human diet because of their vitamin, mineral, fiber and phenolic profile. However, they have a short shelf-life which is limited by microbiological growth and enzymatic activity. Innovative preservation methods such as high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, microwave, cold plasma and ultraviolet light have become popular for the processing of fruits because they can preserve nutritional quality. In this review, the phenolic profile and health potential of 38 Mesoamerican fruits were assessed. Phenolic compounds were classified based on their contribution to the diet as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannin, lignins and stilbenoids. Due to this composition, fruits showed a wide range of bioactivities which included anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity activities, among others. Phenolic content in fruits submitted to innovative food processing technologies depended on parameters such as enzymatic activity, antioxidant capacity, microstructure integrity and cell viability. Innovative technologies could increase phenolic content while assuring microbiological safety by (i) promoting the release of bound phenolic compounds during processing and (ii) inducing the synthesis of phenolic compounds by activation of phenylpropanoid pathway during storage.

Okara oil is a by-product remaining from defatting okara, the solid residue generated after extracting the aqueous fraction of grounded soybeans in the elaboration of soy beverages. The goal of this work was to encapsulate the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114 into W/O emulsions composed of a block-copolymer constituted of pluronic® and acrylic acid (PPP12) and okara oil, prepared in microfluidic devices. For comparative purposes, alginate was also included as a second dispersed phase. Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114 was suspended in PPP12 or alginate giving rise to dispersed phases with different compositions, named I, II, III and IV. Controls were prepared by suspending microorganisms in water as dispersed phase. 6-carboxyfluorescein was added as bacterial marker in all the emulsions. The presence of green dyed bacteria in the dispersed phases, inside the droplets of the emulsions and the absence of fluorescence outside them, confirmed the complete encapsulation of bacteria in the dispersed phases. After being prepared, emulsions were freeze-dried. The exposure to gastric conditions did not lead to significant differences among the emulsions containing polymers. However, in all cases bacterial counts were significantly lower than those of the control. After exposing emulsions to the simulated intestinal environment, bacterial counts in assays I, II and III (emulsions composed of only one dispersed phase or of two dispersed phases with bacteria resuspended in the PPP12 one) were significantly greater than those of the control (p < 0.05) and no detectable microorganisms were observed for assay IV (emulsions composed of two dispersed phases with bacteria resuspended in the alginate one). In particular, bacterial cultivability in emulsions corresponding to assay I (only PPP12 as dispersed phase) exposed to the intestinal environment was 8.22 ± 0.02 log CFU/mL (2 log CFU higher than the values obtained after gastric digestion). These results support the role of PPP12 as an adequate co-polymer to protect probiotics from the gastric environment, enabling their release in the gut, with great potential for food or nutraceutical applications. Fil: Quintana, Gabriel Sebastian. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Alves, Patricia. Universidad de Coimbra. Facultad de Ciencias e Tecnología. Department of Chemistry; Portugal Fil: Nuno Simões, Pedro. Universidad de Coimbra. Facultad de Ciencias e Tecnología. Department of Chemistry; Portugal Fil: Rúa, María Luisa. Universidad de Vigo. Facultad de Ciencias de Ourense; España Fil: Fuciños, Clara. Universidad de Vigo. Facultad de Ciencias de Ourense; España Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

The highly demanding conditions of industrial processes may lower the stability and affect the activity of enzymes used as biocatalysts. Enzyme immobilization emerged as an approach to promote stabilization and easy removal of enzymes for their reusability. The aim of this review is to go through the principal immobilization strategies addressed to achieve optimal industrial processes with special care on those reported for two types of enzymes: β-galactosidases and fructosyltransferases. The main methods used to immobilize these two enzymes are adsorption, entrapment, covalent coupling and cross-linking or aggregation (no support is used), all of them having pros and cons. Regarding the support, it should be cost-effective, assure the reusability and an easy recovery of the enzyme, increasing its stability and durability. The discussion provided showed that the type of enzyme, its origin, its purity, together with the type of immobilization method and the support will affect the performance during the enzymatic synthesis. Enzymes’ immobilization involves interdisciplinary knowledge including enzymology, nanotechnology, molecular dynamics, cellular physiology and process design. The increasing availability of facilities has opened a variety of possibilities to define strategies to optimize the activity and re-usability of β-galactosidases and fructosyltransferases, but there is still great place for innovative developments., Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos

Phospholipids are building blocks of biological membranes having a key role in cellular functionality. The presence of unsaturated fatty acids in their conformation makes them prompt to oxidation reactions, leading to dysfunctions of living cells or to instability of lipid containing food products. The aim of this review is to gather together the latest advances on the understanding on lipids' peroxidation, using liposomes as model systems, including the main available analytical methods to monitor peroxidation reactions, with special emphasis on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies. Lipid peroxidation is the most widely studied free radical chain reaction, which occurs in three steps: initiation, propagation and termination, making difficult to determine peroxidation products. Using liposomes as model membrane systems provides a useful tool to investigate the effects of free radicals. Different analytical methods enable the determination of peroxidation primary or secondary products. In particular, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies allow the simultaneous determination of peroxidation products in a non-destructive and easy-to-use manner. A quick monitoring of both reagents and products provides a reliable method for the quality control of industrial products or even for diagnostics, thus underlying the strong potential of vibrational spectroscopic based techniques.

The physical and chemical properties of pectin extracts obtained from different white and pink/red varieties of grapefruit [Citrus paradisi(Macf.)], using both conventional heating (CHE) and thermosonication (TS), were investigated. The content of galacturonic acid (GalA), degree of esterification (%DM), color and antioxidant capacity were analyzed. Fourier‐Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) associated with multivariate analysis enabled a structural comparison among the pectin extracts, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) completed a full landscape of the investigated extracts. Pectin extracts obtained by CHE showed mostly higher GalA than those obtained by TS. All the extracts had a high antioxidant capacity, as determined by 2,2 diphenyl 1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) and 2,2′‐Azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS*+) assays, and a high correlation with the GalA content. The main differences observed in the FTIR spectra occurred in the 1200 to 900 cm−1region (differences in GalA). The glass transition temperatures (Tgs) of all extracts were above 85 °C, making them interesting as stabilizing agents for the food industry. A wide database for the characterization of pectin extracts from grapefruits was obtained. The relationship between the extraction method and the source of pectins, with the physicochemical and antioxidant properties provided great support for their application in the food industry.

Fil: Cassani, Lucia Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingenieria; Argentina. Ministerio de Ciencia. Tecnologia e Innovacion Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina

Strawberry juices enriched with inulin and oligofructose were treated using non-thermal processing techniques [ultrasound (7.5 min, 40 kHz, 180 W) combined or not with antimicrobials vanillin (1.25 mg/mL) or geraniol (0.225 µL/mL)] and stored for two weeks at 5 °C. The impact of the non-thermal processing and storage conditions on the release of health-related compounds (phenolic compounds, flavonoids and ascorbic acid), and on the total antioxidant capacity (determined by DDPH and TEAC assays) after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was investigated. After gastric digestion, the release of most of bioactive compounds decreased in comparison with non-processed juices. Conversely, exposing the treated juices to simulated intestinal conditions enhanced the release of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and the total antioxidant capacity (determined by the TEAC assay). Storage conditions led to slight changes in bioactive compounds? content. In conclusion, fiber-enriched strawberry juices preserved with non-thermal processing are an important source of nutritionally relevant compounds. Fil: Cassani, Lucía Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Ingeniería Química. Grupo de Investigación en Ingeniería en Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Moreira, María del Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Ingeniería Química. Grupo de Investigación en Ingeniería en Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

The aim of this work was to evaluate the suitability of incorporating Fe3O4 (magnetite, M) NPs into water kefir (wKef) beverages. Magnetite NPs were synthesized and coated with pectins (cM), and incorporated into wKef beverages obtained by fermentation of a muscovado sugar solution with wKef grains. FeSO4, usually employed as fortifier, was used as a control. Four different beverages were analyzed: wKef, wKef-cM, wKef-M, wKef-FeSO4, indicating wKef beverages fortified with cM, M or FeSO4, respectively. Their stability was assessed by determining the viability of total lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, and the composition of saccharides along storage at 4 °C for up to 30 days. The toxicity of M and cM was evaluated in an in vivo model of Artemia salina. The absorption of iron was quantified by determining ferritin values on intestinal Caco-2/TC7 cells, and its internalization mechanisms, by employing inhibitors of endocytic pathways and quantifying ferritin. M and cM were non-toxic on Artemia salina up to 500 µg/mL, a toxicity even lower than that of FeSO4, which showed a LD50 of 304.08 µg/mL. After 30 days of storage, no significant decrease on yeasts viability was observed, and bacteria viability was above 6 log CFU/mL for the four beverages. In turn, sucrose decreased to undetectable values, concomitantly to an increase in the concentrations of glucose and fructose. Both wKef-M and wKef-cM led to a significant increase in the ferritin values (up to 2 folds) with regard to the basal state. The internalization of M NPs occurred via clathrins and caveolin pathways, whereas that of cM, by macropinocytosis. Safely incorporating M and cM NPs into wKef beverages appear as an innovative strategy for providing bioavailable iron aiming to ameliorate the nutritional status of populations at risk of iron deficiency (e.g., vegans).

Fil: Cassani, Lucia Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingenieria. Departamento de Ingenieria Quimica. Grupo de Investigacion en Ingenieria En Alimentos; Argentina. Ministerio de Ciencia. Tecnologia e Innovacion Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina

The search for new insecticides to control dengue fever, chikungunya, and Zika vectors has gained relevance in the past decades. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the larvicidal action of essential oils (EOs) from Thymus vulgaris , Salvia officinalis , Lippia origanoides , Eucalyptus globulus , Cymbopogon nardus , Cymbopogon martinii , Lippia alba , Pelargonium graveolens, Turnera diffusa , and Swinglea glutinosa on Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti. The EOs were extracted by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The chemical components of the EOs were identified by linear retention indices and mass spectra. Lethal concentrations (LC 50 and LC 95 ) were determined by probit analysis using larvae of Ae. aegypti between the third and the fourth instars. All EOs achieved larvicidal activity at LC 50 values lower than 115 mg/L. The lowest LC 50 value (45.73 mg/L) corresponded to T. vulgaris EO, whereas C. martinii EO showed the highest LC 50 (LC 50 = 114.65 mg/L). Some EO mixtures showed lower LC 50 than oils used individually, such as the mixtures of L. origanoides + S. glutinosa (LC 50 = 38.40 mg/L), T. diffusa + S. glutinosa (LC 50 = 63.71 mg/L), and L. alba + S. glutinosa (LC 50 = 48.87 mg/L). The main compounds of the EOs with highest larvicidal activity were thymol (42%) and p-cymene (26.4%).

Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CIDCA 333 was encapsulated by layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. Copolymers of pluronic and poly(acrylic acid), were synthesized and characterized, and chitosan was selected as cationic polyelectrolyte. The efficiency of encapsulation was evaluated by plate counting the microorganisms before and after coating, after freeze-drying with sucrose, and after exposure to simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Coated microorganisms with 2/3 layers were also protected against simulated gastro-intestinal conditions, while cultivability of uncoated bacteria significantly dropped. Confocal microscopy allowed determining the integrity and permeability of the coated and uncoated microorganisms. Coated bacteria were non-toxic to eukaryotic cells, by the MTT assay, and showed no significant decrease of cultivability before and after freeze-drying and after 60 days of storage at 4 °C. Considering the GRAS status of the used polymers, the results obtained revealed a potential delivery system of sensitive lactic acid bacteria strains in food products, ensuring their safe arrival to the gut. Fil: Quintana, Gabriel Sebastian. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Simões, M.G.. Universidad de Coimbra; Portugal Fil: Hugo, Ayelen Amelia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Alves, P.. Universidad de Coimbra; Portugal Fil: Ferreira, P.. Universidad de Coimbra; Portugal Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Simões, P.N.. Universidad de Coimbra; Portugal Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

Lucuma is a starchy orange-yellow fruit native to the Andean region. It is widely consumed in Latin America and has been recently adapted to the agronomical characteristics of the south region of Spain. However, its carotenoid profile has never been reported. The aim of this study was to characterize the carotenoid and carotenoid ester composition of lucuma pulps (var. Molina and Beltran) and assess their bioaccessibility with an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion according to the INFOGEST® methodology. The carotenoid profile in lucuma pulps revealed a high qualitative diversity composed of 33 compounds, corresponding to 9 free xanthophylls, 9 hydrocarbon carotenes and 15 xanthophyll esters. (13Z)-violaxanthin, (all-E)-violaxanthin and (all-E)-antheraxanthin were the most abundant carotenoids in lucuma fruits and were naturally present as xanthophyll esters: (all-E)-antheraxanthin 3-O-palmitate, (all-E)-violaxanthin laurate and (all-E)-violaxanthin palmitate. Carotenoids were stable during in vitro digestion; however, their release from the food matrix was limited which contributed to their low bioaccessibility., The authors would like to express gratitude for the funding received from Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (project INIA RTA2015-00044-C02-02) of Spanish Government. We thank the Institute for Mediterranean and Subtropical Horticulture “La Mayora” (IHSM-UMA-CSIC) in Malaga (Spain) for the lucuma fruits. Author Andrea Gómez-Maqueo thanks CONACyT, Mexico, for her doctoral scholarship, no. 692751. Author Elisa Bandino thanks ERASMUS + for her master’s scholarship KA1 no. 103.

Although prickly pear fruits have become an important part of the Canary diet, their native varieties are yet to be characterized in terms of betalains and phenolic compounds. To exert potential health benefits, these antioxidants must be released from the food matrix and be stable in the gastrointestinal tract. Our aim was to characterize the betalain and phenolic profile of four prickly pear varieties from the Canary Islands (Spain) and determine their digestive stability and bioaccessibility via in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Digestive studies were performed considering the (i) importance of the edible fraction (pulps) and (ii) potential of fruit peels as by-products to obtain healthy ingredients. Betalains and phenolic profiles were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS and HPLC-DAD-MS/QTOF. Pulps in Colorada and Fresa varieties presented high indicaxanthin and betanin content, respectively. Despite low pH in the gastric phase, betalains were stable to reach the intestinal phase, although indicaxanthin presented a higher bioaccessibility. Blanco Buenavista peels contained a distinct flavonoid profile including a new isorhamnetin-hexosyl-rhamnoside. Phenolic compounds were abundant and highly bioaccessible in fruit peels. These findings suggest that prickly pear pulps are rich in bioaccessible betalains; and that their peels could be proposed as potential by-products to obtain sustainable healthy ingredients., This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project number RTA2015-00044-C02-02. Author Andrea Gómez-Maqueo thanks CONACyT (Mexico) for her doctoral scholarship no. 692751.

This study evaluated the protective effects of coproducts from agroindustrial processing of the tropical fruits acerola (Malpighia glabra L., ACE), cashew (Anacardium occidentale L., CAS), and guava (Psidium guayaba L., GUA) on the probiotics Lactobacillus paracasei L-10, Lactobacillus casei L-26, and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-05 during freeze-drying and storage. The occurrence of damage to membrane integrity, membrane potential, and efflux activity of Lactobacillus cells after freeze-drying was evaluated by flow cytometry, and viable counts were measured immediately after freeze-drying and during 90 days of storage under refrigerated or room temperature conditions. Probiotic strains freeze-dried without substrate had the overall highest count reductions (0.5 &plusmn, 0.1 to 2.9 &plusmn, 0.3 log cycles) after freeze-drying. Probiotics freeze-dried with fruit processing coproducts had small cell subpopulations with damaged efflux activity and membrane potential. Average counts of probiotics freeze-dried with ACE, CAS, or GUA after 90 days of storage under refrigerated or room temperature were in the range of 4.2 &plusmn, 0.1 to 5.3 &plusmn, 0.2 and 2.6 &plusmn, 0.3 to 4.9 &plusmn, 0.2 log CFU/g, respectively, which were higher than those observed for strains freeze-dried without substrate. The greatest protective effects on freeze-dried probiotics were overall presented by ACE. These results revealed that ACE, CAS, and GUA can exert protective effects and increase the stability of probiotic lactobacilli during freeze-drying and storage, in addition to supporting a possible added-value destination for these agroindustrial coproducts as vehicles for probiotics and for the development of novel functional foods.

Okara is a highly perishable by-product remaining after filtration of the smashed soybeans seeds in the production of soymilk. Due to its nutritional value, different approaches have been developed to use it as functional ingredient. Fermentation of okara appears as an interesting strategy to preclude spoilage, providing a more stable matrix to be incorporated in the formulation of functional foods. Okara has antioxidant compounds but the effect of fermentation, and their bioaccessibility still need to be investigated. To achieve this aim, the phenolic compounds (as determined by TPC and TFC assays) and the antioxidant properties (as determined by ABTS·+, DPPH·, O ·−2 assays) of okara and okara fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum CIDCA 83114 were assessed both before and after exposure to simulated gastro-intestinal conditions. Before digestion, okara showed higher values of TPC and TFC than the fermented counterpart. Although a decrease of TPC and TFC was observed after exposing okara to gastric conditions, no significant differences between okara and fermented okara were detected. No further decrease of TPC were observed in intestinal conditions. Okara showed higher antioxidant activity than fermented okara. There was a considerable decrease in the antioxidant activity for both samples when exposed to gastric and intestinal conditions. A good correlation between TFC and antioxidant activities was detected, suggesting that flavonoids play an important role as antioxidants. As a whole, this work provides a solid support for the stability of phytochemicals along the digestive process of both okara and fermented okara. Fil: Quintana, Gabriel Sebastian. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Spínola, Vítor. Universidade da Madeira. Campus da Penteada. Centro de Química da Madeira; Portugal Fil: Martins, Gonçalo N.. Universidade da Madeira. Campus da Penteada. Centro de Química da Madeira; Portugal Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Castilho, Paula Cristina. Universidade da Madeira. Campus da Penteada. Centro de Química da Madeira; Portugal

The relevance of an appropriate nutrition requires innovation in the design of food ingredients. The goal of this work was to obtain a powdered extract of quinoa by using spray-drying. To this aim, quinoa flour was suspended in water to obtain a soluble fraction mainly composed of proteins, starch, fiber, lipids, antioxidants and minerals. The spray-drying conditions of this quinoa soluble fraction were set-up in terms of inlet temperatures (150, 160, 170 and 180 °C) and feed flow (4.5, 7.5, 10.5 mL/min). The obtained powders were characterized by determining the proximate composition, antioxidant activity, microstructure, fatty acids' profile, and starch and proteins' structures. A correlation among the drying parameters and the chemical and functional attributes of the powders was addressed using principal component analysis. From a technological viewpoint the use of moderate feed flows (7.5 mL/min) and high inlet temperatures (180 °C) was the best combination to obtain high powder yields (85% d.b.), low aw (0.047 ± 0.005) and high solids content (0.956 ± 0.005). The drying temperature positively affected the structure of starch, improving swelling and favoring moderate agglomeration which increases the encapsulation properties of quinoa. These results support the use of spray-drying as a suitable method to obtain powdered extracts of quinoa without affecting the nutritional value, thus supporting their use as functional ingredients in the formulation of ready-to-eat foods., Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos

Grape must market has been rising and there is an increasing interest to use it as a natural replacement for traditional sugars. Food or beverages with prebiotic compounds, including fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), emerge as an alternative for the new health style trend. The aim of this work was to investigate whether the combination of grape must with sucrose was a suitable raw material for the synthesis of FOS. This way, a prebiotic syrup containing fructose and FOS, potentially useful for the formulation of foods and beverages, could be obtained. The main process consisted of three stages, namely conditioning of grape must (oxidation of the initial glucose concentration, stage 1), synthesis of FOS [incorporation of 20, 30 and 55% (w/w) sucrose, and 3.5% v/v Viscozyme L − 4.2 U/mg-, stage 2], and conditioning of the final product (oxidation of the glucose generated during the synthesis, stage 3). At stage 1, glucose concentration decreased from 222.8 mg/mL to 47.2 mg/mL, representing a decay of about 80% regarding the initial concentration of glucose. At stage 2, incorporating 20% (w/w) sucrose was not enough to impulse FOS synthesis. In turn, although 30 and 55% (w/w) sucrose produced very similar concentrations of total FOS (DP3 + DP4), 55% (w/w) sucrose led to higher glucose generation and less DP4 formation. Hence, 30% (w/w) sucrose was the condition selected for the synthesis and further conditioning of the obtained product (stage 3). In these conditions, the final product consisted of more than 30% of short chain FOS (19% and 13% of DP3 and DP4, respectively), 55% fructose and less than 11% of glucose and sucrose. Considering that fructose has approximately double sweetening power than glucose, the obtained syrup has a bigger sweetening power in comparison with the original grape must, also providing the prebiotic benefits of FOS. Fil: Ureta, María Micaela. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Romano, Nelson Gastón. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Kakisu, Emiliano Javier. Universidad Nacional de Lanús; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

Arsenic transport in alluvial aquifers is usually constrained due to arsenic adsorption on iron oxides. In karstic aquifers, however, arsenic contamination may spread to further extensions mainly due to favorable hydrogeochemical conditions. In this study, we i) determined the spatial and temporal behavior of arsenic in water in an alluvial-karstic geological setting using field and literature data, ii) established whether a contaminated aquifer exists using field and literature piezometric data and geophysical analysis, iii) studied the local geology and associated arsenic contaminated water sources to specific aquifers, iv) revealed and modeled subsoil stratigraphy, and v) established the extent of arsenic exposure to the population. We found arsenic contamination (up to 91.51 mg/l) in surface and shallow groundwater (15 m), where water flows from west to east through a shallow aquifer, paleochannels and a qanat within an alluvial-karst transition that favors the spreading and transport of arsenic along 8 km as well as the increase of arsenic exposure to the population (up to 3.6 mgAs/kghair). Results from this study contribute to understanding arsenic transport in semi-arid, mining-metallurgical, and urban environments, where the presence of karst could favor arsenic transport to remote places and exacerbate arsenic exposure and impact in the future.

A commercial drinkable yogurt with and without 4% of added trehalose (as cell protectant) was spray-dried obtaining a powder with low water activity (aw). Total bacterial count in the powder was between 8.48–8.90 log cfu/g. The dried yogurt was stored: (i) at 38 °C and aw = 0.33; (ii) at 38 °C in hermetically sealed flasks (aw = 0.21/0.22); (iii) in a cyclic temperature chamber (10–20 °C) in hermetically sealed flasks (aw = 0.21/0.22). Whole milk was then fermented by adding an inoculum of spray-dried yogurt after storage under these different conditions. The kinetics of acidification showed the presence of a lag time which was strongly dependent on storage conditions. The data was fitted with a logistic type equation from which the lag time was calculated. To evaluate structural differences among samples, Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR) were recorded. Partial Least Squares (PLS) models enabled a good correlation between lag time of fermentation and FTIR spectra. The lag time for yogurt powder stored at aw about 0.21/0.22 and cyclic temperature 10–20 °C remained approximately constant over the 12 weeks of storage, while all the other conditions resulted in a dramatic increase. The addition of trehalose had a small influence on lag time and, therefore, as a protectant of lactobacilli. Fil: Bater, Caterina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentina Fil: Santos, Mauricio Ismael. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbrán"; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Galmarini, Mara Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Chirife, Jorge. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentina

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are bacterial products associated to cell wall or secreted to the liquidmedia that form the framework of microbial mats. These EPS contain functional groups as carboxyl, amino, hydroxyl,phosphate and sulfhydryl, able to interact with cations. Thus, EPS may be considered natural detoxifyingcompounds of metal polluted waters and wastewaters. In this work Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier TransformInfrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in combination with multivariate analysis (Principal ComponentAnalysis-PCA-) were used to study the interaction of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) and Pseudomonas veronii 2E cells,including bound EPS and cell wall, and its different soluble EPS fractions, previously characterized as Cd(II) ligandsof moderate strength. Amino groups present in exopolysaccharide fraction were responsible for Zn(II)and Cu(II) complexation, while carboxylates chelated Cd(II). In lipopolysaccharide fraction, phosphoryl and carboxylsites were involved in Cd(II) and Cu(II) binding, while Zn(II) interacted with amino groups. Similar resultswere obtained from cells.These studies confirmed that FTIR-PCA is a rapid analytical tool to provide valuable information regarding thefunctional groups in biomolecules related to metal interaction. Moreover, a discrimination and identification offunctional groups present in both EPS and cells that interacted with Cd(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) was demonstrated. Fil: Ferreira, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto de Ciencias. Área de Química; Argentina Fil: Gerbino, Oscar Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Cavallero, Gustavo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina Fil: Casabuono, Adriana Cristina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina Fil: Couto, Alicia Susana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Ramírez, Silvana Andrea María. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto de Ciencias. Área de Química; Argentina Fil: Vullo, Diana Lia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto de Ciencias. Área de Química; Argentina

Prickly pears are relevant sources of bioactive compounds with potential biological activities. However, to become bioaccessible, these compounds must be released from the food matrix. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) may contribute to bioaccessibility by promoting the liberation of bioactive constituents from their intracellular compartments. Our aim was to address key features involved in the high hydrostatic pressurization (18–34°C) of prickly pear fruits to promote bioactive extractability. We studied the effects of the come‐up time (CUT) and holding time (HT; 5 min) at low (60, 100, and 150 MPa) and high pressures (400, 500, and 600 MPa) in whole‐pressurized and sliced‐pressurized fruits. The best overall treatment was found by submitting whole prickly pears to 500 MPa during the CUT. In this treatment, 104.0, 150.8, and 100.5% retention of betalains, phenolics, and ascorbic acid were observed in peels; and 130.7, 121.4, and 128.4% retention were observed in pulps., This work was supported by FunFoodEmertec (Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico) and project RTA2015‐00044‐C02‐02 (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). Author Andrea Gómez‐Maqueo thanks CONACyT, Mexico, for her doctoral scholarship (692751).

Eukaryotic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) interact with plasma membrane of bacteria, fungi and eukaryotic parasites. Noteworthy, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis (CIDCA 133) and L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (CIDCA 331) show different susceptibility to human beta-defensins (β-sheet peptides). In the present work we extended the study to α-helical peptides from anuran amphibian (Aurein 1.2, Citropin 1.1 and Maculatin 1.1). We studied the effect on whole bacteria and liposomes formulated with bacterial lipids through growth kinetics, flow cytometry, leakage of liposome content and studies of peptide insertion in lipid monolayers. Growth of strain CIDCA 331 was dramatically inhibited in the presence of all three peptides and minimal inhibitory concentrations were lower than those for strain CIDCA 133. Flow cytometry revealed that AMPs lead to the permeabilization of bacteria. In addition, CIDCA 331-derived liposomes showed high susceptibility, leading to content leakage and structural disruption. Accordingly, peptide insertion in lipid monolayers demonstrated spontaneous interaction of AMPs with CIDCA 331 lipids. In contrast, lipids monolayers from strain CIDCA 133 were less susceptible. Summarizing we demonstrate that the high resistance of the probiotic strain CIDCA 133 to AMPs extends to α helix peptides Aurein, Citropin and Maculatin. This behavior could be ascribed in part to differences in membrane composition. These findings, along with the previously demonstrated resistance to β defensins from human origin, suggest that strain CIDCA 133 is well adapted to host innate immune effectors from both mammals and amphibians thus indicating conserved mechanisms of interaction with key components of the innate immune system. Fil: Szymanowski, Felipe. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Balatti, Galo Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Ambroggio, Ernesto Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Hugo, Ayelen Amelia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Martini, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología. Instituto de la Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; Argentina Fil: Fidelio, Gerardo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Pickholz, Mónica Andrea. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Farmacología. Instituto de la Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; Argentina Fil: Perez, Pablo Fernando. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica. Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina

Fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides (FOS and GOS) are non-digestible oligosaccharides with prebiotic properties that can be incorporated into a wide number of products. This review details the general outlines for the production of FOS and GOS, both by enzymatic synthesis using disaccharides or other substrates, and by hydrolysis of polysaccharides. Special emphasis is laid on technological aspects, raw materials, properties, and applications., Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos

Hfq is a bacterial protein that regulates gene expression at the post-transcriptional level in Gram-negative bacteria. We have previously shown that Escherichia coli Hfq protein, and more precisely its C-terminal region (CTR), self-assembles into an amyloid-like structure in vitro. In the present work, we present evidence that Hfq unambiguously forms amyloid structures also in vivo. Taking into account the role of this protein in bacterial adaptation and virulence, our work opens possibilities to target Hfq amyloid self-assembly and cell location, with potential to block bacterial adaptation and treat infections. Fil: Partouche, David. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Synchrotron SOLEIL; Francia. Université Paris-Saclay; Francia Fil: Militello, Valeria. Università degli Studi di Palermo; Italia Fil: Gomez Zavaglia, Andrea. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; Argentina Fil: Wien, Frank. Synchrotron SOLEIL; Francia Fil: Sandt, Christophe. Synchrotron SOLEIL; Francia Fil: Arluison, Veronique. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7; Francia. Université Paris-Saclay; Francia

Cowpea protein isolates extracted at pH 8.0 (I8) and pH 10.0 (I10) were hydrolysed by alcalase to obtain limited (I8LH and I10LH) and extensive (I8HH and I10HH) hydrolysates. Hydrolysis degree was 2.3% for I8LH, 4.6% for I10LH, 25.8% for I8HH and 24.1% for I10HH. The effect of hydrolysis was assessed by using solubility-pH profile assay, exclusion chromatography, gel electrophoresis, infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy and surface hydrophobicity. Subsequently, ABTS.+, ORAC and HORAC methods were applied to measure antioxidant activity in all samples. Electrophoresis, chromatography and surface hydrophobicity showed different profiles for I8LH and I10LH, presumably, due to the initial extraction pH of protein isolates. Limited hydrolysis increased antioxidant activity in both I8LH and I10LH with values higher than 70% for ABTS.+, 60% for ORAC and 45% for HORAC when compared to their respective isolates. Concerning extensive hydrolysis, I8HH and I10HH yielded similar effects when considering physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties. Both I8HH and I10HH showed increments above 80% for ABTS.+, 80% for ORAC and 70% for HORAC in comparison to their respective isolates. These results indicate that limited and extensive alcalase hydrolysis of both isolates increases antioxidant activity regardless of the pH for initial protein extraction. Finally, peptides with a molecular weight between 1.8 and 6.5 kDa (I8HH and I10HH from FPLC soluble fractions) exhibited the highest ORAC activity. Thus, cowpea alcalase hydrolysates emerge as viable ingredients to formulate foods with antioxidant properties.

Cactus berry (Myrtillocactus geometrizans) is a scarcely studied Mexican wild fruit. These fruits could contribute to reduce the risk of degenerative chronic diseases due to their bioactive profile. The aim of this work was to study the betalains and phenolic profile in cactus berry, their in vitro biological activities and gastrointestinal digestive stability and bioaccessibility. 43 metabolites were identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF (8 betaxanthins, 8 betacyanins, 13 flavonoids, 6 phenolic acids). Phyllocactin and Isorhamnetin rhamnosyl-rutinoside (IG2) were the most abundant metabolites (5876 and 396 µg/g dw) which were also bioaccessible (16 and 21%, respectively). Pulps showed higher (p ≤ 0.05) antioxidant activity by the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (27 mM Trolox equivalents). The anti-hyperglycemic activity was highest (p ≤ 0.05) in peel and pulp tissues (85% α-glucosidase and 8% α-amylase inhibition). An 83% inhibition of hyaluronidase showed high anti-inflammatory activity. Cactus berry fruit should be considered a promising fruit candidate for a sustainable healthy diet., This work was supported by Projects RTA2015-00044-C02-02 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Author Montiel-Sanchez thanks CONACyT (México) for her predoctoral scholarship no. 276568.