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- Ananas comosus L. bio-waste as a potential source of phenolic compounds with food applicationPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Barros, Lillian; Caleja, CristinaPineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) is one of the much-appreciated fruit and consumed worldwide not only for its nutritional properties, but also for being recognized for its beneficial characteristics with action on consumer health. However, a large percentage of this fruit is represented by the crown leaves and peel that are not consumed and, industrially, are not exploited. In addition, the fruit pulp processing industries generate tons of various waste, which has aroused great economic and environmental concern, since disposal solutions are quite limited. In this sense, the present study aimed to characterize the phenolic profile of the peel and the crown leaves as well as to evaluate its bioactive potential, aiming in the application of the most promising extract in a pastry product as a natural ingredient with potential application in the food industry. The phenolic compounds of both matrices were extracted using a heat-assisted hydroethanolic extraction, and subsequently identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode detector and mass spectrometry detector (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Twenty-five phenolic compounds were identified in both extracts, comprising phenolic acids and flavonoids. The main compounds detected were caffeic acid derivatives and glycoside flavones, such as apigenin 6,8-C-diglucoside. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested by two in vitro tests: the lipid peroxidation inhibition assay (TBARS) and the oxidative hemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The antiproliferative activity of both extracts was evaluated in tumor (MCF-7, NCI-H460, AGS and CaCo-2) and non-tumor (VERO) cell lines using the sulforhodamine B method. Finally, the antimicrobial activity was evaluated, testing the potential of both extracts against a panel of six bacteria and six fungi. The results revealed that both extracts showed an excellent performance in terms of bioactive assays and demonstrated that none of the extracts showed toxicity up to the maximum concentration tested (GI50 > 400 μg/mL), proving its application potential as a natural ingredient. Despite the excellent results, the peel extract stood out, presenting an antioxidant and antimicrobial potential superior to that presented by the crown leaves extract, having therefore been selected for being incorporated in a typical Portuguese pastry product, called “súplicas". The effects of incorporating the natural ingredient on the chemical and proximate composition of the "súplicas" were evaluated over different shelf life (0, 3 and 7 days after incorporation) and compared with the traditionally produced product. The proximate composition (ash, fats, proteins, carbohydrates contents and energy value) was determined through official methodologies of food analysis (AOAC), while the individual chemical composition was obtained by quantifying the fatty acid content through Gas Chromatography coupled to a Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and the sugar content by HPLC coupled to a refraction index. Also, the variation in colour parameters (L*, a* and b*) was evaluated in all samples of all times. The results showed that the extract did not cause changes in proximate composition, sugar and fatty acid content and in colour parameters. In turn, the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of the “súplicas” revealed that the incorporation of the extract increased the antioxidant potential of the food product compared to the traditional recipe. Thus, this study confirms the potential application of this pineapple bio-waste as a source of bioactive compounds, aiming at reusing a low-cost natural resource and directly contributing in the environmental and economic impact.
- Ananas comosus L. bio-waste as a source of bioactive compounds with health benefitsPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Caleja, Cristina; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pinela, José; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Barros, LillianPineapple ( Ananas comosus L.) is a fruit appreciated and consumed worldwide not only because it is recognized for nutritional properties, but also for the beneficial characteristics that help in the development of the organism [1]. Although only the pulp is consumed, several studies have been exploring different parts of the fruit, as they have high amounts of bioactive compounds of interest. Thus, and since the food industry annually produces tons of waste that are not properly used [2], this work aimed at the characterization of the pineapple peel and crown in order to enhance this bio-waste and a circular bioeconomy. Heat-assisted hydroethanolic extraction was used to recover compounds subsequently identified and quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Twenty phenolic compounds were identified in both peel and crown extracts, among them, phenolic acids and flavonoids. The main detected compounds were caffeic acid derivatives, namely caffeine putrescine and flavones such as apigenin 6,8- C -diglucoside. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested and proved through two in vitro tests: the lipid peroxidation inhibition test (TBARS) and the oxidative hemolysis inhibition test (OxHLIA). The antiproliferative activity of both extracts was evaluated in tumor and non-tumor cell lines using the sulforhodamine B method, and the anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages by the ability to inhibit NO production. The results showed that both extracts had an excellent performance in the cell-based tests of antioxidant activity, highlighting the lower EC 50 values and consequently greater activity for the bark extract. The same trend was seen in the tests of anti-tumor activity, with none of the extracts showing toxicity up to the maximum concentration tested (GI 50 > 400 μg/mL). This study confirms the potential application of pineapple bio-residues, especially the peel, in the food industry as a source of compounds with bioactive properties, contributing to the valorization of this bio-waste.
- Exploration of pineapple bio-waste as a low-cost material for natural ingredients with health benefits for application in the food industryPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Pereira, Eliana; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pinela, José; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Caleja, Cristina; Barros, LillianPineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) is one of the most consumed tropical fruits worldwide and appreciated not only for its nutritional properties, but also for its beneficial effects on the human body.1 However, only the pulp of this fruit is consumed, thus generating annually tons of waste and, consequently, an inefficiency in the use of natural resources and economic losses for the agri-food sector.2 Thus, this study aimed to characterize the pineapple peel and crown and to extract bioactive compounds, aiming to apply the most promising extract in a pastry product as a natural ingredient to validate its potential for application in the food industry. A heat-assisted hydroethanolic extraction was performed to recover phenolic compounds subsequently identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Twenty phenolic compounds were identified in both peel and crown extracts, among them, phenolic acids and flavonoids. The main detected compounds were caffeic acid derivatives, namely caffeine putrescine and flavones such as apigenin 6,8-C-diglucoside. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested through two in vitro tests: the lipid peroxidation inhibition assay (TBARS) and the oxidative haemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The antiproliferative activity of both extracts was evaluated in tumour and non-tumour cell lines using the sulforhodamine B method, and the anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages by the ability to inhibit NO production. The analyses showed that both extracts had an excellent performance in the cell-based antioxidant activity assays, highlighting the lower IC50 values and consequently greater activity for the peel extract. The same trend was seen in the tests of antiproliferative activity, with none of the extracts showing toxicity up to the maximum concentration tested (GI50 > 400 μg/mL). Although both extracts have bioactivity, the peel extract showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activity superior to that of the crown extract, so it was selected for incorporation in a typical Portuguese pastry product, the so-called “súplicas”. The effect of incorporating the natural ingredient on the chemical and nutritional composition as well as on the bioactive properties of the developed pastry product was evaluated over 7 days and compared with the product traditionally made. This study confirms the potential application of pineapple bio-waste, especially the peel, in the food industry as a source of compounds with bioactive properties, contributing to the valorisation of this low-cost natural resource.
- Intercropping Systems: An Opportunity for Environment Conservation within Nut ProductionPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Gonçalves, Alexandre; Pinto, Luís; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Carocho, Márcio; Caleja, Cristina; Barros, LillianGlobal population growth and intensive agriculture have both contributed negatively to the environment. As a result, there is increasing interest in the use of sustainable alternatives is increasing to promote better use of natural resources and create an equilibrium between agriculture and the environment. Intercropping, the simultaneous cultivation of multiple crops, aims to optimize land use economically while enhancing biodiversity through plant–microorganism interactions, thereby boosting crop productivity. This practice has particularly benefited nut production by combining the nutrient-sequestering capacity of trees with continuous annual crop production, improving soil nutrient and water utilization. Intercropping systems not only enhance nut yield and quality but also offer economic advantages to farmers. This review synthesized the existing literature with the aim of highlighting not only the positive aspects that intercropping brings to the production of nuts, but also the challenges and limitations faced in different regions when it comes to agricultural production.
- Pineapple by-products as a source of bioactive compounds with potential for industrial food applicationPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Pereira, Eliana; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pinela, José; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Carocho, Márcio; Stojković, Dejan; Soković, Marina; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Caleja, Cristina; Barros, LillianPineapple is a tropical fruit consumed fresh or processed into various food products. However, the peel and crown of this fruit are not industrially exploited, thus generating tons of by-products that represent an economic and environmental concern. In order to promote the upcycling of these by-products, this work aimed to characterize the phenolic profile of its hydroethanolic extracts obtained from pineapple peel and crown leaves and to evaluate their in vitro bioactivity. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis allowed the identification of 25 phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids and flavonoids. The antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activity assays highlighted the peel extract as the most promising and, therefore, it was incorporated into a traditional Portuguese pastry cake as a functional ingredient. The nutritional parameters of the developed food were not affected by the incorporation of the extract, but it promoted the antioxidant activity during its shelf-life. Overall, pineapple peel and crown appeared as promising by-products to be exploited by the food industry, which can be achieved through a circular economy approach.
- Pineapple peel as a source of bioactive compounds with health benefits and potential application in the food industryPublication . Moreira, Bruna; Pereira, Eliana; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pinela, José; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Carocho, Márcio; Stojković, Dejan; Soković, Marina; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Caleja, Cristina; Barros, LillianAnanas comosus [L.] Merr popularly known as pineapple is one of the world's most consumed tropical fruits after bananas and citrus [1]. The fruity and exotic flavour of this fruit is one of the most appreciated characteristics and the bioactive properties with beneficial impact on health have aroused interest [2]. However, since only the pulp of this fruit is consumed, tons of by-products is produced annually, generating economic losses for the agri-food sector and negative impact on the environment [3]. In this perspective, the present work aimed to characterize the phenolic profile of the pineapple peel, as well as to evaluate its bioactive properties in order to evaluate its potential application as a natural ingredient in the food industry. The extract was obtained through heat-assisted hydroethanolic (EtOH/H2O - 80:20, v/v) extraction. The phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Thirteen phenolic compounds were identified in the pineapple peel extract and classified as a phenolic acids and flavonoids. Flavan-3-ols, such as (epi)gallocatechin, and the flavone apigenin-6,8-C-diglucoside were the major compounds. The antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated through two in vitro assays: the lipid peroxidation inhibition assay (TBARS) and the oxidative haemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The cytotoxic activity was evaluated in tumour (MCF-7, NCI-H460, AGS and CaCo-2) and non-tumour (VERO) cell lines using the sulforhodamine B method, and the anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages by the ability to inhibit NO production. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against six strains of bacteria, including three Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes) and three Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Enterobacter cloacae). The antifungal activity of the extracts was tested against a panel of six fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Trichoderma viride). The results showed that the extract has a good of antioxidant activity performance, highlighted by the lower IC50 values and consequently greater activity. The same trend was observed for the cytotoxic activity, and the absence of toxicity for the non-tumour cell line was confirmed up to the maximum concentration tested (GI50 > 400 μg/mL). Finally, the extract also showed excellent antibacterial and antifungal activity against the strains tested. This research confirmed the potential application of this pineapple peel as a source of bioactive compounds, which can be used by the food industry as a natural ingredient, thus contributing to a positive economic and environmental impact.