Browsing by Author "Garcia-Oliveira, Paula"
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- Algal nutraceuticals: a perspective on metabolic diversity, current food applications, and prospects in the field of metabolomicsPublication . Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Cassani, Lucia; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Xiao, Jianbo; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Lucini, LuigiThe current consumers’ demand for food naturalness is urging the search for new functional foods of natural origin with enhanced health-promoting properties. In this sense, algae constitute an underexplored biological source of nutraceuticals that can be used to fortify food products. Both marine macroalgae (or seaweeds) and microalgae exhibit a myriad of chemical constituents with associated features as a result of their primary and secondary metabolism. Thus, primary metabolites, especially polysaccharides and phycobiliproteins, present interesting properties to improve the rheological and nutritional properties of food matrices, whereas secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols and xanthophylls, may provide interesting bioactivities, including antioxidant or cytotoxic effects. Due to the interest in algae as a source of nutraceuticals by the food and related industries, novel strategies should be undertaken to add value to their derived functional components. As a result, metabolomics is considered a high throughput technology to get insight into the full metabolic profile of biological samples, and it opens a wide perspective in the study of algae metabolism, whose knowledge is still little explored. This review focuses on algae metabolism and its applications in the food industry, paying attention to the promising metabolomic approaches to be developed aiming at the functional characterization of these organisms.
- Analytical metabolomics and applications in health, environmental and food sciencePublication . Fraga-Corral, Maria; Carpena Rodríguez, María; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Pereira, Antia Gonzalez; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Simal-Gandara, JesusMetabolomics is a young field of knowledge that arises linked to other omics such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. This discipline seeks to understand the performance of metabolites, identifying, quantifying them, and thus understanding its mechanism of action. This new branch of omics science shows high potential, due to its noninvasive character and its close relation with phenotype. Several techniques have been developed to study the metabolome of biological samples, fundamentally nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) and vibrational spectrometry (VS) or a combination of several techniques. These techniques are focused to separate, detect, characterize, and quantify metabolites, as well as elucidate their structures and their function on the metabolic pathways they are involved. However, due to the complexity of the metabolome, in most cases it is necessary to apply several of these techniques to understand completely the whole scenery. This review is aimed to offer a summary of the current knowledge of these analytical techniques for metabolomics and their application to different fields as environmental, food or health sciences. Each technique shows different advantages and drawbacks depending on their technical characteristics and limitations, some factors, such as the aim of the study or the nature of the biological sample will condition the choice. Regarding their applications, NMR has been employed specially to identify new compounds and elucidate structures. The use of MS has gained popularity because of its versatility, easiness to be coupled to separation techniques and its high sensitivity. Whereas VS is widely employed for in situ studies, due to its nondestructive character. Metabolomics applications in different science fields are growing each year, due to advances in analytical techniques and combination with other omics that allow to increase the comprehension of metabolic processes. Further development of analytical tools is necessary to continue exploiting all the possibilities of metabolomics.
- Applications of by-products from the olive oil processing: Revalorization strategies based on target molecules and green extraction technologiesPublication . Otero, Paz; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Carpena Rodríguez, María; Barral Martínez, Marta; Chamorro Rivo, Franklin Noel; Echave Álvarez, Javier; García-Pérez, Pascual; Cao, Hui; Xiao, Jianbo; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.During the last decades, olive oil consumption has experienced a continuous increase due to its unique organoleptic properties and its related beneficial properties. Consequently, waste and by-products derived from the olive production have also increased causing environmental problems and economic losses. However, the low-cost and huge availability of these by-products is an opportunity for their valorization and the obtaining of high added-value compounds such as tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol (HT), oleocanthal, oleuropein (OLE), ligstroside, squalene, fatty acids, etc. The development of innovative extraction and characterization technologies is a key factor for the olive sector. In addition, a deeper knowledge about the biological properties of the compounds present in the recovered products and their mechanism of action is crucial to allow their reintegration in the food chain and their potential uses in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Scope and approach: This review encompasses all these aspects showing the advances achieved to date in the olive oil by-products valorization focusing on their biological properties, including cardioprotective, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects. Key findings and conclusions: The by-products derived from the Olea europaea L. processing industry are secondary but valuable products, from which different biologically active molecules can be recovered by green extraction technologies (PLE, SFE, etc.) and reused for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes following the circular economy policies. One of the main advantages on recovering valuable molecules from olive by-products is their incorporation to functional foods. A direct effect was proved between the use of olive by-products in human consumption and the heath claims. In this context, different food industries have used the phenolic fraction of olive by-products, holding mostly HT and OLE, as food additives and as preserving agents due to their antioxidant properties.
- Aquaculture as a circular bio-economy model with Galicia as a study case: How to transform waste into revalorized by-productsPublication . Fraga-Corral, Maria; Ronza, P.; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; González Pereira, Antía; Losada, A.P.; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Quiroga, M.I.; Simal-Gandara, JesusBackground: World-wide aquaculture represents a very important sector capable of supplying huge amounts of animal protein. However its relevance has proportionally augmented its waste generation. In Europe, the geographical constitution of Galicia has prompted the instauration of many aquaculture-based systems along its coasts. Indeed aquaculture means a very relevant industry in Galicia, together with animal farming, agriculture and biotechnology. Scope and approach: Over the last decade Europe legislation encourages the proper management of wastes (mostly reutilization and reducing strategies) and the sustainable use of natural resources. The application of circular bio-economy (reuse of wastes) represents a feasible model to protect human and animal health and the environment. To achieve a more efficient production system that complies with European regulations, aquaculture wastes and sub-products need to be re-utilised to increase their throughput. This approach will positively impact on their economical yield while reducing their generation and thus protecting health and environment. Key findings and conclusions: Different applications have been considered for re-using aquaculture wastes and sub-products. One of the most efficient approaches is the establishment of models that allow the metabolic waste reduction, as the integrated multi-trophic aquaculture. For derived aquaculture sub-products, the most efficient process is recovering important biomolecules such as proteins (collagen, gelatine), polysaccharides (chitosan), lipids (omega 3) or pigments (astaxanthin or beta-carotene). Biomolecules can further be applied for human and animal consumption, food industry, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals. Due to the importance of this productive system in Galicia it is critical its update to include aquaculture into circular bio-economy.
- Challenges for future food systems: from the Green Revolution to food supply chains with a special focus on sustainabilityPublication . Soria-Lopez, Anton; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Carpena, Maria; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Otero, Paz; Fraga-Corral, Maria; Cao, Hui; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Simal-Gandara, JesusFinding a food system to feed the growing worldwide population remains a challenge, especially in the current era, where natural resources are being dramatically depleted. From a historical point of view, the Green Revolution, together with biofortification and sustainable intensification, was established as a possible solution to counter hunger and malnutrition during the second half of the 20th century. As a solution, to overcome the limitations attributed to the Green Revolution, food supply chains were developed. The current food system, based on the long food supply chain (LFSC), is characterized by globalization, promoting several advantages for both producers and consumers. However, LFSC has been demonstrated to be unable to feed the global population and, furthermore, it generates negative ecological, environmental, logistical, and nutritional pressures. Thus, novel efficient food systems are required to respond to current environmental and consumers' demands, as is the case of short food supply chain (SFSC). As a recently emerging food system, the evaluation of SFSC sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social assessment is yet to be determined. This review is focused on the evolution of food supply systems, starting from the Green Revolution to food supply chains, providing a significant perspective on sustainability.
- Characterization of in vitro antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties of plant species from Rosaceae familyPublication . Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Barral Martínez, Marta; Jarboui, Amira; Oludemi, Taofiq; García-Pérez, Pascual; Pinela, José; Mandim, Filipa; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, LillianSince ancient times, humans have employed different plant species to prepare traditional remedies and treat diseases, due to the health-promoting effects associated with these plants. Among them, several species belonging to the Rosaceae family, namely Agrimonia eupatoria L., Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. and Rosa canina L., which have been used in different preparations, like infusions, decoctions or tinctures, to treat diverse illnesses and diseases [1]. Nowadays, the search for natural derived ingredients has prompted the study of these traditional plants. The present work aimed to evaluate the biological properties of the above-mentioned Rosaceae species, in order to promote their applications in different sectors. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by different in vitro assays: 2,2-diphenylpycrilhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay for inhibition of lipid peroxidation, OxHLIA assay for inhibition of oxidative hemolysis, and reducing power determination. Antitumor activity was tested against four tumor cell lines: MCF-7, CaCo, AGS and NCI-H460. Finally, anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by the inhibition of inflammation on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Considering the results, all plant extracts showed antioxidant effects in the tested assays, especially F. ulmaria. All tested extracts also displayed relevant antitumor effects against the four tested tumor cell lines, mostly F. ulmaria, which exhibited the lowest growth inhibition 50 values (GI50) ranging from 34 to 86 μg/mL of extract, presenting a noteworthy cytotoxic effect. Finally, R. canina showed significant anti-inflammatory effects, with effective concentration 50 values (EC50) of 20 μg/mL of extract. Therefore, the studied plants may be considered as promising natural sources of bioactive compounds with multifunctional biological properties for the development of several biobased applications.
- Characterization of Phenolic Compounds of Arnica montana Conventional ExtractsPublication . Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Chamorro, Franklin; Donn, Pauline; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Seyyedi-Mansour, Sepidar; Silva, Aurora; Echave Álvarez, Javier; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Cassani, Lucia; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.Arnica montana L. (Asteraceae family) is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine, and several reports have characterized this plant’s bioactivities, especially its phenolic compounds. These compounds are well known for their numerous beneficial biological properties. Consequently, industry stakeholders from the feed, food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors are seeking extracts rich in phenolic compounds, which could be interesting for the development of bio-based applications. The objective of the present study was to characterize the phenolic profile of this species to lay the groundwork for further optimization studies to obtain the highest amount of phenolic compounds. Therefore, A. montana was extracted with an ethanol/water ratio of 80:20 (v/v) at room temperature for 1 h, and phenolic compounds were identified and quantified through UPLC (HPLC Dionex Ultimate 3000) with a mass detector (TSQ Quantis). In the extract, phenolics belonging to different groups were identified, namely eriodictyol-O-glucuronide (flavanone), hispidulin and luteolin (flavones), kaempferol and 6-methoxykaempferol, (flavonols), p-coumaric, feruloylquinic, caffeoylquinic, and dicaffeoylquinic isomers (hydroxycinnamic acids). However, only four of them could be quantified: kaempferol and the three hydroxycinnamic acids. The total phenolic content (mg/g of dry sample) was estimated to be 27.34 mg/g, with the most prevalent compounds being the dicaffeoylquinic acids (accounting for 79.5% of the total phenolics). It has been demonstrated that dicaffeoylquinic acids present anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, which have been linked to several beneficial effects. Thus, obtaining phenolic-rich extracts of A. montana may allow us to exploit this plant’s significant biological properties, and it could be a new ingredient for developing new applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and/or pharmaceutical industries.
- Essential oils and their application on active packaging systems: a reviewPublication . Carpena Rodríguez, María; Núñez Estévez, Bernabé; Soria-Lopez, Anton; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.The food industry is continuously evolving through the application of innovative tools and ingredients towards more effective, safe, natural and ecofriendly solutions to satisfy the demands of the costumers. In this context, natural sources (i.e., leaves, seeds, peels or unused pulp) can entail a valuable source of compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), with recognized antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that can be used as natural additives in packaging applications. The current trend is the incorporation of EOs into diverse kinds of biodegradable materials, such as edible films, thus developing active packaging systems with improved preservation properties that can offer benefits to both the food and packaging industry by reducing food waste and improving the management of packaging waste. EOs may be added into the packaging material as free or encapsulated molecules, where, especially this last option, has been revealed as very promising. The addition of these lipophilic compounds provides to the end-product various bioactivities of interest, which can eventually extend the shelf-life of the product by preventing food spoilage. Pairing biodegradable packaging with EOs extracted from natural agro-industrial by-products can lead to a more sustainable food industry. Recent knowledge and advances on this issue will be reviewed in the present work.
- Evaluation of the potential of medicinal plant extracts for the development of new bakery productsPublication . Barral Martínez, Marta; Cassani, Lucia; Carpena Rodríguez, María; Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Silva, Aurora; Barroso, Fátima; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, LillianMedicinal plants have been traditionally used throughout time as therapeutic treatments. These plants possess different compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of industrial interest. In particular, the plants Achillea millefolium L., Arnica montana L., Calendula of icinalis L., Chamaemelum nobile L. All. and Taraxacum of icinale F.H. Wigg. belonging to the Asteraceae family, have shown relevant applications including food preparation, dyes, cosmetics, and traditional remedies, although their consumption is currently decreasing [1]. However, the extracts of this type of plants are mostly applied by the food industry as preservatives, due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that prevent food spoilage and microbial growth, preserving the organoleptic characteristics of various products, such as meat, dairy products, or bakery products [2]. The aim of this study was to develop new ingredients derived from these plants, which may be of interest to the food industry, more specifically in bakery. For this, a study of their main bioactivities of interest such as antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity was carried out. The results obtained for antioxidant activity, through the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay, indicated that the extracts of A. millefolium showed exceptional activity, with an EC50 value of 0.013 mg/mL whereas the extracts of A. montana, C. nobile and C. of icinalis showed similar EC50 values (0.2, 0.2 and 0.25 mg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, A. montana extract showed the highest antibacterial and antifungal effects, with minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations ranging from 0.25-0.5 mg/mL and 0.5-1 mg/mL, respectively. Overall, this study provides scientific evidence for the evaluation of the potential of medicinal plant extracts for the development of new bakery products.
- From tradition to health: chemical and bioactive characterization of five traditional plantsPublication . Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Carreira-Casais, Anxo; Pereira, Eliana; Dias, Maria Inês; Pereira, Carla; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Stojković, Dejan; Soković, Marina; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Caleja, Cristina; Barros, LillianSeveral scientific studies have been proving the bioactive effects of many aromatic and medicinal plants associated with the presence of a high number of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic compounds. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial capacities of these molecules have aroused high interest in some industrial sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. This work aimed to determine the phenolic profiles of the infusions and hydroethanolic extracts of five plants (Carpobrotus edulis, Genista tridentata, Verbascum sinuatum, Cytisus multiflorus, and Calluna vulgaris) that have been employed in many traditional preparations. In addition, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumoral activity of each different preparation was evaluated using in vitro assays. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS profile revealed the presence of eighty phenolic compounds, belonging to seven different families of compounds. Regarding antioxidant properties, the hydroethanolic extract of C. edulis showed a potent effect in the TBARS assay (IC50 = 1.20 µg/mL), while G. tridentata hydroethanolic extract achieved better results in the OxHLIA test (IC50 = 76 µg/mL). For cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory results, V. sinuatum infusions stood out significantly, with GI50 = 59.1–92.1 µg/mL and IC50 = 121.1 µg/mL, respectively. Finally, C. edulis hydroethanolic extract displayed the most relevant antibacterial activity, showing MBC values of 0.25–1 mg/mL, while G. tridentata hydroethanolic extract exerted the greatest antifungal effects (MFC of 0.5–1 mg/mL). The results of this study deepen the knowledge of the phenolic profiles and also provide evidence on the bioactive properties of the species selected, which could be considered highly valuable options for research and application in several sectors, namely food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.