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Research Project
Valorisation of steroidal compounds from Solanaceae crop by-products into novel nutraceutical ingredients
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Red tomato vs. yellow tomato: which is healthier? A comparative study of nutritional and antioxidant traits of tomato farmer’s varieties
Publication . Añibarro-Ortega, Mikel; Pinela, José; Barros, Lillian; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.
The health benefits of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are unquestionable. It is a key component of the Mediterranean diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants able to protect against degenerative diseases associated to oxidative stress and inflammation.1 Today, there is a large number of tomato cultivars and varieties with a wide range of morphological and sensorial characteristics. In Trás-os-Montes, Northeastern Portugal, local populations still prefer to consume tomato farmer’s varieties for their distinctive taste and health-promoting effects, as they are grown using extensive farming techniques.2 Therefore, this study was carried out to characterize the nutritional composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of two tomato farmer’s varieties known as 'round' and 'yellow', which are shown in Figure 1. The analyzed components included proximate constituents (protein, fat, and ash, which were determined by official methods of food analysis, and carbohydrates were calculated by difference), free sugars (quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with refractive index detection), fatty acids (analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection), lipophilic antioxidants (carotenoids and tocopherols, determined by a spectrophotometric method and HPLC-fluorescence detection, respectively), and hydrophilic antioxidants (vitamin C was quantified by redox titration with 2,6-dichloroindophenol and phenolic compounds were characterized by HPLC with photodiode-array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). In addition, tomato methanolic extracts were screened in vitro for their reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching inhibition capacity, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation inhibition capacity. The 'yellow' tomato variety revealed an interesting nutritional composition, characterized by higher levels of fructose, glucose, α-linolenic acid, and tocopherols. In turn, the so-called 'round' tomato contained higher amounts of lycopene, β-carotene, and phenolic compounds and proved to be the most powerful in antioxidant activity.2,3 A cis p-coumaric acid derivative was identified as the most abundant phenolic compound in both fruit, while quercetin pentosylrutinoside was the major flavonoid.3 Overall, both tomato farmer’s varieties proved to be rich in nutrients and health-promoting compounds.
Association of enzymatic and optimized ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction of flavonoid glycosides from dried Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Sea Buckthorn) berries
Publication . Nicolescu, Alexandru; Babotă, Mihai; Aranda Cañada, Eduardo; Dias, Maria Inês; Añibarro-Ortega, Mikel; Cornea-Cipcigan, Mihaiela; Tanase, Corneliu; Radu Sisea, Cristian; Mocan, Andrei; Barros, Lillian; Crişan, Gianina
The main purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of associating an optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) protocol with enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) in aqueous media, using the dried berries of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) as plant material. A specialized software was used for the determination of potential optimal extraction parameters, leading to the development of four optimized extracts with different characteristics (UAE ± EAE). For these extracts, buffered or non-buffered solutions have been used, with the aim to determine the influence of adjustable pH on extractability. As enzymatic solution, a pectinase, cellulase, and hemicellulase mix (2:1:1) has been applied, acting as pre-treatment for the optimized protocol. The highest extractive yields have been identified for non-buffered extracts, and the E-UAE combination obtained extracts with the highest overall in vitro antioxidant activity. The HPLC-MSn analysis demonstrated a rich composition in different types of isorhamnetin-O-glycosides, as well as some quercetin-O-glycosides, showing a high recovery of specific flavonol-type polyphenolic species. Moreover, we have tentatively identified two flavanols (i.e., catechin and epigallocatechin) and one flavone derivative (i.e., luteolin).
Diversidade nutricional de acessos de tomate de mesa das regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal
Publication . Pereira, Alexis; Añibarro-Ortega, Mikel; Rocha, Filomena; Lopes, V. Rolim; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Barata, Ana Maria; Barros, Lillian; Pinela, José
O tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) é uma das culturas hortícolas mais importantes em
todo o mundo e desempenha um papel fundamental na dieta mediterrânica. Ao longo dos
anos, o cultivo de tomate em sistemas agrícolas extensivos, como hortas e quintais, levou
ao surgimento de várias variedades tradicionais com características morfológicas e
sensoriais distintas. Estas variedades representam um valioso reservatório de diversidade
genética que deve ser preservado. No entanto, há uma escassez de dados na literatura que
relacionem as características morfológicas do tomate com diferenças na sua composição.
O objetivo deste estudo foi caraterizar a diversidade nutricional de acessos de tomate de
mesa originários das regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal, atualmente conservados no
Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal. Para isso, foram selecionados vários acessos
de tomate conhecidos localmente como "comum," "coração-de-boi," "pequenino,"
"rasteiro" e "miúdo". Estes acessos foram regenerados em campos experimentais, sob as
mesmas condições edafoclimáticas, para obter frutos maduros para análise e reposição de
sementes. Os frutos foram analisados quanto à sua composição centesimal, incluindo os
teores de humidade, proteína, gordura, cinzas e hidratos de carbono, utilizando métodos
analíticos oficiais para alimentos. Os perfis individuais de açúcares livres, ácidos
orgânicos, ácidos gordos e tocoferóis foram caraterizados por meio de diferentes técnicas
cromatográficas. Os carotenoides licopeno e β-caroteno foram quantificados utilizando
um método espetrofotométrico. Os resultados destas análises contribuíram para uma
compreensão abrangente sobre as características nutricionais dos acessos de tomate de
mesa selecionados e com origem nas regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal
Nutritional and chemical characteristics of Portuguese table tomato genotypes
Publication . Pereira, Alexis; Añibarro-Ortega, Mikel; Rocha, Filomena; Lopes, V. Rolim; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Barata, Ana Maria; Barros, Lillian; Pinela, José
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one the most important horticultural crops worldwide and a key component of the Mediterranean diet. Over the years, tomato selection and cultivation in small farming systems, such as homegardens, has resulted in the emergence of several varieties with distinct morphological and sensory characteristics. These varieties represent a valuable genetic diversity reservoir with breeding potential that must be conserved. Currently, it is important to determine whether these differences are associated with variations in composition, but existing data are still scarce. Therefore, this study was carried out to characterize the nutritional and chemical diversity of table tomato genotypes originating in the north and center regions of Portugal. To this end, tomato accessions (locally known as “comum”, “coração-de-boi”, “pequenino”, “rasteiro”, and “miúdo”) were selected from the Portuguese Genebank collection. These were regenerated to get ripe fruits for seed replenishment and for analysis. The ripe fruits were analyzed for their proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrates) using official food analytical procedures. Additionally, individual profiles of free sugars, organic acids, fatty acids, and tocopherols were characterized by different chromatographic techniques, while the carotenoids lycopene and β-carotene were quantified by a spectrophotometric method. The results of these analyses provided a comprehensive understanding of the nutritional and chemical composition of the studied tomato accessions. This information can be utilized in future research endeavors and be useful to help consumers looking to make informed decisions about their preferences and dietary choices.
Diversidade nutricional de acessos de tomate de mesa das regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal
Publication . Pereira, Alexis; Añibarro-Ortega, Mikel; Rocha, Filomena; Lopes, V. Rolim; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Barata, Ana Maria; Barros, Lillian; Pinela, José
O tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) é uma das culturas hortícolas mais importantes em todo o mundo e desempenha um papel fundamental na dieta mediterrânica. Ao longo dos anos, o cultivo de tomate em sistemas agrícolas extensivos, como hortas e quintais, levou ao surgimento de várias variedades tradicionais com características morfológicas e sensoriais distintas. Estas variedades representam um valioso reservatório de diversidade genética que deve ser preservado. No entanto, há uma escassez de dados na literatura que relacionem as características morfológicas do tomate com diferenças na sua composição. O objetivo deste estudo foi caraterizar a diversidade nutricional de acessos de tomate de mesa originários das regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal, atualmente conservados no Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal. Para isso, foram selecionados vários acessos de tomate conhecidos localmente como "comum," "coração-de-boi," "pequenino," "rasteiro" e "miúdo". Estes acessos foram regenerados em campos experimentais, sob as mesmas condições edafoclimáticas, para obter frutos maduros para análise e reposição de sementes. Os frutos foram analisados quanto à sua composição centesimal, incluindo os teores de humidade, proteína, gordura, cinzas e hidratos de carbono, utilizando métodos analíticos oficiais para alimentos. Os perfis individuais de açúcares livres, ácidos orgânicos, ácidos gordos e tocoferóis foram caraterizados por meio de diferentes técnicas cromatográficas. Os carotenoides licopeno e β-caroteno foram quantificados utilizando um método espetrofotométrico. Os resultados destas análises contribuíram para uma compreensão abrangente sobre as características nutricionais dos acessos de tomate de mesa selecionados e com origem nas regiões Centro e Norte de Portugal.
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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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Funding Award Number
2020.06297.BD