Percorrer por autor "Garcia-Perez, Pascual"
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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.
- Application of fermentation for the valorization of residues from Cactaceae familyPublication . Carpena Rodríguez, María; Cassani, Lucia; Gomez-Zavaglia, Andrea; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Seyyedi-Mansour, Sepidar; Cao, Hui; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.Cactaceae family is well-known for their adaptations to drought and arid environments. This family, formed by four subfamilies (Cactoideae, Opuntioideae, Pereskioideae, and Maihuenioideae) are known for being leafless stem succulent plants with numerous spines, and their commercial fruits, distinguished by their bright colors and their skin covered with bracts. Some of these species have been traditionally used in the food industry (e.g., pitaya, cactus, or prickly pear) or as pharmaceuticals to treat specific diseases due to their active properties. The processing of these fruits leads to different residues, namely pomace, skin, spines, and residues from cladodes; besides from others such as fruits, roots, flowers, mucilage, and seeds. In general, Cactaceae species produce large amounts of mucilage and fiber, although they can be also considered as a source of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonols and their glycosides), alkaloids (phenethylamines derived betalains), and triterpe-noids. Therefore, considering their high content in fiber and fermentable carbohydrates, together with other target bioactive compounds, fermentation is a potential valorization strategy for certain applications such as enzymes and bioactive compounds production or aroma enhancement. This review will comprise the latest in-formation about Cactaceae family, its potential residues, and its potential as a substrate for fermentation to obtain active molecules with application in the food industry.
- Benefits and drawbacks of ultrasound-assisted extraction for the recovery of bioactive compounds from marine algaePublication . Carreira Casais, Anxo; Otero, Paz; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; García-Oliveira, Paula; González Pereira, Antía; Carpena Rodríguez, María; Soria-Lopez, Anton; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.The increase in life expectancy has led to the appearance of chronic diseases and interest in healthy aging, in turn promoting a growing interest in bioactive compounds (BCs) and functional ingredients. There are certain foods or products rich in functional ingredients, and algae are one of them. Algae consumption has been nominal in Europe until now. However, in recent years, it has grown significantly, partly due to globalization and the adoption of new food trends. With the aim of obtaining BCs from foods, multiple methods have been proposed, ranging from conventional ones, such as maceration or Soxhlet extraction, to more innovative methods, e.g., ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). UAE constitutes a novel method, belonging to so-called green chemistry, that enables the extraction of BCs requiring lower amounts of solvent and energy costs, preserving the integrity of such molecules. In recent years, this method has been often used for the extraction of different BCs from a wide range of algae, especially polysaccharides, such as carrageenans and alginate; pigments, including fucoxanthin, chlorophylls, or -carotene; and phenolic compounds, among others. In this way, the application of UAE to marine algae is an efficient and sustainable strategy to pursue their deep characterization as a new source of BCs, especially suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.
- 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 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.
- A HPLC‐DAD method for identifying and estimating the content of fucoxanthin, β‐carotene and chlorophyll a in brown algal extractsPublication . Lourenço-Lopes, Catarina; Fraga-Corral, Maria; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Carreira-Casais, Anxo; Silva, Aurora; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.Seaweeds are photosynthetic organisms that have high contents of pigments. The coloration of each alga is defined by the content and combination of pigments synthesized, which varies among species and environmental condi- tions. The most abundant pigments in algae are chlorophylls and carotenoids, lipophilic molecules that can be used as natural colorants and have high acceptance by consumers. In this work, a simple and short hands-on time HPLC-DAD method for identifying and estimating the pigment content of algal extracts, specifically fucoxanthin, 𝛽-carotene and chlorophyll a was carried out. Using this optimized method, a pigment screening was performed on the ethanolic extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction from nine brown algal from the Atlantic coastline: Ascophyllum nodosum, Bifurcaria bifurcata, Fucus spiralis, Himanthalia elongata, Laminaria saccharina, Laminaria ochroleuca, Pelvetia canaliculata, Sargassum muticum and Undaria pinnatifida . HPLC results permitted to highlight L. saccharina and U. pinnatifida as promising sources of these three target pigments containing a total amount of 10.5 –11.5 mg per gram of dry weight. Among them, the most abundant one was fucoxanthin, an added-value compound with a high potential to be commercially exploited by different industries, such as the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors.
- Seaweed protein hydrolysates and bioactive peptides: extraction, purification, and applicationsPublication . Echave Álvarez, Javier; Fraga-Corral, Maria; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Popović-Djordjević, Jelena; Avdović, Edina H.; Radulović, Milanka; Xiao, Jianbo; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Simal-Gandara, JesusSeaweeds are industrially exploited for obtaining pigments, polysaccharides, or phenolic compounds with application in diverse fields. Nevertheless, their rich composition in fiber, minerals, and proteins, has pointed them as a useful source of these components. Seaweed proteins are nutritionally valuable and include several specific enzymes, glycoproteins, cell wall-attached proteins, phycobiliproteins, lectins, or peptides. Extraction of seaweed proteins requires the application of disruptive methods due to the heterogeneous cell wall composition of each macroalgae group. Hence, non-protein molecules like phenolics or polysaccharides may also be co-extracted, affecting the extraction yield. Therefore, depending on the macroalgae and target protein characteristics, the sample pretreatment, extraction and purification techniques must be carefully chosen. Traditional methods like solid–liquid or enzyme-assisted extraction (SLE or EAE) have proven successful. However, alternative techniques as ultrasound- or microwave-assisted extraction (UAE or MAE) can be more efficient. To obtain protein hydrolysates, these proteins are subjected to hydrolyzation reactions, whether with proteases or physical or chemical treatments that disrupt the proteins native folding. These hydrolysates and derived peptides are accounted for bioactive properties, like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, or antihypertensive activities, which can be applied to different sectors. In this work, current methods and challenges for protein extraction and purification from seaweeds are addressed, focusing on their potential industrial applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
- Sulfur-containing compounds from plantsPublication . Castro, Vera; Carpena Rodríguez, María; Fraga-Corral, Maria; Lopez-Soria, A.; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Barral Martínez, Marta; Perez-Gregorio, R.; Cao, Hui; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.Sulfur (S) is an essential nutrient assimilated through the diet and incorporated into organic structures such as amino acids, coenzymes, and other bioactive compounds. Plants’ ability to regulate stress resistance via secondary metabolism has extended the interest in S-containing compounds, driven by their additional properties as bioactive molecules. Among plant families that produce S-compounds, the Brassicaceae, which includes broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, and the Liliaceae family, which includes garlic and onion, stand out. In recent years, the research has been focused on S-containing amino acids (mainly methionine and cysteine) and glucosinolates (GSLs) and their hydrolysis products like isothiocyanates but also in other S-containing compounds such as phytoalexins or cysteine sulfoxides. GSLs are becoming more popular because of their specific biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or antimicrobial, among others. Accordingly, a diet rich in vegetables containing S-containing compounds has been associated with a lower risk of developing cancer, neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular diseases, several skin disorders, and obesity. Hence, S-metabolites can therefore be used as therapeutic and preventative components in functional foods and nutraceuticals, as well as cosmeceutical products. This chapter aims to revise the most important features related to sulfur metabolism and S-containing compounds from plant sources, with emphasis on their involvement in secondary metabolism, natural sources, structural classification, biological functions, and applications in human nutrition and health.
- The use of camellias as potential antioxidant agentsPublication . Pereira, Antia Gonzalez; Jarboui, Amira; Garcia-Perez, Pascual; Taofiq, Oludemi; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, LillianThe genus Camellia presents a wide geographic distribution in which three species can be highlighted: Camellia japonica for ornamental purposes, Camellia oleifera for essential oil production, and Camellia sinensis for tea production. Among them, C. japonica is characterized by its associated high socioeconomic impact in Galicia (NW Spain) due to its abundance in gardens, since, to date, its use continues to be almost exclusively ornamental. However, different chemical characterizations carried out on Camellia genus have indicated a similar composition among different species, so it would be expected that C. japonica could be used for additional purposes [1]. These applications will be determined by the chemical composition of the part used, which in turn will be influenced by the variety of camellia and environmental factors (growing area, climate, soil). One of the parts of greatest interest are the flowers since it has been shown that the petals of C. japonica have a high content of phenolic compounds that make them potential sources of bioactive compounds for medicinal and cosmetic use [2]. In this work, a standard extraction (maceration) was carried out using a methanol: water mixture (60:40) as solvent to evaluate the bioactivity of the flowers of different varieties of C. japonica. Among the 8 varieties analyzed, two of them (Elegans variegated and Grandiflora Superba) were characterized by having a high antioxidant capacity, as observed in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of 136.5 and 86.8 μg/mL respectively. Overall, it can be concluded that camellias are a potential source of antioxidants with application in food and nutraceutical industries.
- Untargeted metabolomics and in vitro functional analysis unravel the intraspecific bioactive potential of flowers from underexplored Camellia japonica cultivars facing their industrial applicationPublication . Pereira, Antia Gonzalez; Cassani, Lucia; Oludemi, Taofiq; Chamorro, Franklin; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, Lillian; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Lucini, Luigi; Garcia-Perez, PascualThe Camellia genus comprises a vast array of underexplored medicinal plants that merit a systematic valorization to exploit their potential as natural sources of phytochemicals with associated health-promoting properties. In this work, flower extracts from eight poorly characterized Camellia japonica L. cultivars were subjected to polyphenol profiling through untargeted metabolomics combined with in vitro functional analysis. Anthocyanins, mostly represented by cyanidin 3-O-glycosides, flavones, and flavonols, were found as the major constituents of C. japonica flowers, together with hydroxycinnamic acids, tyrosols, alkylphenols, and stilbenes, which were detected for the first time in this species. The application of multivariate statistics revealed a flower colordependent fingerprint of C. japonica cultivars, featuring anthocyanins and other flavonoids as metabolite markers associated with color-flowered cultivars with respect to white-flowered ones. The accumulation of anthocyanins, especially reported in ‘Eugenia de Montijo’ flowers, was highly correlated with the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties of the derived extracts, including AGS, Caco-2, and MCF7 cancer cell lines. Moreover, the flavones accumulation reported in ‘Carolyn Tuttle’ extracts was also associated with high rates of free-radical scavenging activity, as well as a potent cytotoxicity against the Caco-2 cell line. In general, C. japonica anthocyanin-enriched flower extracts were revealed as promising candidates for the industrial production of polyphenols with associated biological activities of high interest for critical sectors in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.