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  • Application of encapsulated tomato by-product extract as a colorant in mascarpone
    Publication . Molina, Adriana K.; Leichtweis, Maria Gabriela; Machado, Manuela; Silva, Sara; Pintado, Manuela; Barreira, João C.M.; Dias, Maria Inês; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, Lillian; Pereira, Carla
    Agricultural by-products, often underutilized, represent a significant opportunity to obtain sustainable value-added products to develop new functional foods. In this context, the (typically discarded) aerial parts of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme), were studied as new sources of natural bioactive compounds, focusing the extraction and encapsulation (using spray drying with maltodextrin as the encapsulant) of chlorophylls. The encapsulated natural colorant was subsequently incorporated into mascarpone cheese to assess its stability and effect on nutritional and antioxidant properties. The obtained extracts were mainly characterized by high concentrations of bioactive compounds, particularly quercetin-3-O-deoxyhexoside (14.4 ± 0.3 mg/g). The colorant imparted a greener hue to the mascarpone (a* –6.0 ± 0.05 vs. –1.7 ± 0.05 in control, p < 0.001) and maintained antioxidant activity (OxHLIA EC₅₀ = 1440 ± 72 to 1166 ± 66 μg/mL, p = 0.030) without altering the nutritional profile (p > 0.05). Moreover, no cytotoxicity was observed, and the fatty acid composition remained unchanged. Accordingly, the studied encapsulated colorant might be used as a functional ingredient in other dairy products, imparting an attractive color while preserving nutritional integrity. In conclusion, the incorporation of TAPC is an effective strategy to enrich dairy products with natural pigments and bioactive compounds without compromising quality. Future research is needed to explore its application in other food matrices and assess long-term storage effects.
  • Bioactive and Phenolic Profiles in Pinus pinaster Bark: A Comparative Study of Microwave and Ultrasound Extraction Methods
    Publication . Barros, Diana; Alonso-Esteban, José Ignacio; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pereira, Carla; Vaz, Josiana A.; Pereira-Pinto, Ricardo; Fernandes, Élia; Pires, Preciosa; Santos, Joana; Barros, Lillian; Vaz-Velho, Manuela
    This study conducted a comprehensive comparison of two green extraction methods, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), for recovering bioactive phenolic compounds from Pinus pinaster bark. The goal was to valorize timber industry waste and enhance the value of by-products through the development of eco-friendly processes to extract phenolic compounds from Pinus pinaster Aiton subsp. atlantica in northwest Portugal. MAE achieved significantly higher extraction yields than UAE (11.13 vs. 3.47 g extract/100 g bark) and superior total phenolic content (833 vs. 514 mg GAE/g). MAE extracts also exhibited enhanced antioxidant activity in most assays tested (DPPH, ABTS, ORAC, and OxHLIA), while both extracts effectively inhibited lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and showed activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Phenolic profile analysis revealed that MAE recovered a substantially higher amount of total phenolic compounds (230.0 mg/g) compared to UAE (86.95 mg/g), with procyanidins identified as the predominant compounds. The greater recovery of this complex procyanidin mixture by MAE is strongly associated with the enhanced bioactivities observed. Overall, this study confirms MAE as a highly efficient and sustainable technology for transforming pine bark waste into valuable antioxidant and antimicrobial extracts with potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.