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Effect of plant biostimulants on nutritional and chemical profiles of almond and hazelnut

Publication . Pascoalino, Liege; Reis, Filipa S.; Barros, Lillian; Rodrigues, M.A.; Correia, Carlos M.; Vieira, Admilson L.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Barreira, João C.M.

The increasing interest in natural foods with functional effects demands progressively higher production levels. Nonetheless, there is an orientation towards practicing more sustainable agriculture, free from environmentally harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Plant biostimulants, a class of bio-based agriculture products designed to improve crop development, represent a feasible alternative to chemical fertilizers, or, at least, an effective way of reducing the employed quantities. Herein, different types of plant biostimulants compatible with organic farming (Phytoalgae, Foliar B, Amino Acids, Soil B, Fitoalgas Green® and Sprint Plus®) were tested in two of the most important nut products worldwide: almonds and hazelnuts, which were tested for nutritional parameters, fatty acids profiles and tocopherols contents. Overall, the most notorious effects in almond samples were obtained with phytoalgae (seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum extracts), particularly reflected in the upraising around 10% of -tocopherol and -tocopherol contents. Likewise, hazelnuts treated with NPK + phytoalgae were also characterized by an increase of almost 18% in tocopherols levels, while treatment with NPK alone induced 15.1% higher percentage of linoleic acid.

2021Journal article

Open access

Foliar application of biostimulants improves nutritional and bioactive quality of walnuts

Publication . Pascoalino, Liege; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Pinela, José; Rodrigues, M.A.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Barros, Lillian; Barreira, João C.M.; Reis, Filipa S.

Owing to their health benefits, walnuts are attracting interest as a good option for nutritious meals, thereby promoting their production. Furthermore, the adoption of ecologically and environmentally friendly agriculture strengthens biostimulant use as a sustainable complement to traditional fertilizers. This study evaluated the effects of different foliarapplied biostimulants in walnut tree orchards, in northeastern Portugal, on walnuts' chemical composition and bioactivity. RESULTS: Walnut samples were rich in fat (particularly the polyunsaturated linoleic acid), dietary fiber and protein. Sucrose was the most prevalent soluble sugar, followed by glucose and fructose. Studied samples also showed an antioxidant activity comparable (or superior) to that of Trolox. Some plant biostimulants (e.g. Sprint Plus®) had a positive impact on the nutritional composition of walnuts, more specifically by boosting tocopherol levels, besides improving the bioactivity of walnut extracts against specific bacteria. CONCLUSION: Overall, this research demonstrated that important quality traits of walnuts can be improved using sustainable agricultural bioproducts and practices.

2024Journal article

Open access

Combined action of dietary-based approaches and therapeutic agents on cholesterol metabolism and main related diseases

Publication . Baptista, Eugénia; Pereira, Cláudia S.G.P.; García, Pablo A.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Barreira, João C.M.

Dyslipidaemia is among the major causes of severe diseases and, despite being wellestablished, the hypocholesterolaemic therapies still face significant concerns about potential side effects (such as myopathy, myalgia, liver injury digestive problems, or mental fuzziness in some people taking statins), interaction with other drugs or specific foods. Accordingly, this review describes the latest developments in the most effective therapies to control and regulate dyslipidaemia. Scope and approach: Herein, the metabolic dynamics of cholesterol and their integration with the current therapies: statins, bile acid sequestrants, fibrates, niacin, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL), or anti-inflammatory and immunemodulating therapies), were compared focusing their effectiveness, patients’ adhesion and typical side-effects. Likewise, the interaction of these therapies with recommended dietary habits, focusing functional foods and nutraceuticals uptake were also considered. Key findings and conclusions: Since none of the current therapeutic alternatives represent an ideal solution (mainly due to side-effects or patients’ tolerance), the potential adjuvant action of selected diets (and other healthy habits) was proposed as a way to improve the cholesterol-lowering effectiveness, while reducing the adverse effects caused by dose-increase or continuous uptake of alternating therapeutic agents. In general, the relevance of well-adapted diets must be acknowledged and their potential effects must be exhorted among patients, who need to be aware of the associated multifactorial advantages.

2025Journal article

Restricted access

Closing the loop: exploring apple pomace as a source of bioactive compounds in the framework of circular economy

Publication . Pascoalino, Liege; Barros, Lillian; Barreira, João C.M.; Oliveira, Beatriz; Reis, Filipa S.

Apple pomace (AP), the common designation of bio-residues generated during apple processing, holds a vast potential for alternative added-value solutions, particularly by applying new sustainable technologies in the food sector. This review provides an overview of the scientific validation of AP as a suitable source of starting materials for different competitive applications, compatible with circular economy guidelines and contributing to raising awareness about the impact and advantages of reincorporating bio-residues into the supply chain. The losses of the apple production chain, strategies to recover bio-residues, main nutritional and bioactive components, and innovative and eco-friendly technologies used for their extraction and subsequent use are thoroughly characterized. Additionally, a general perspective on the AP's bioavailability compounds will be presented, focusing on the association among nutrients in food and their physiological use.

2025Journal article

Open access

Investigating bioactive compounds in apple pomace: Potential to develop high added-value products from an industrial surplus

Publication . Pascoalino, Liege; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Pereira, Carla; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Oliveira, Beatriz; Barreira, João C.M.; Reis, Filipa S.

This study investigates bioactive compounds in apple pomace (AP) obtained from Malus domestica varieties Granny Smith and Cripps Pink, emphasizing its potential for developing high-added-value products from industrial surplus. Regarding its chemical characterization, AP stood out for its high concentration of dietary fibers (7.1g/100g fw), polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and oleic acids), α-tocopherol (0.64 mg/100g fw), and phenolic compounds. Regarding these last, the profile obtained by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS allowed the identification of 23 phenolic compounds, with higher concentrations of quercetin and flavonoids in pomace than whole apples. Moreover, concerning evaluating AP bioactivity through in vitro methods, the analyzed AP samples, with seeds and stems (APSS) and without (APA), exhibited enhanced antioxidant activity, particularly in the OxHLIA test, preserving erythrocyte integrity. Additionally, the pomace demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 5 mg/mL. Finally, no cytotoxic or anti-inflammatory effects were observed, as GI50 values exceeded 400 μg/mL (maximum tested concentration). These findings highlight apple pomace as a rich source of bioactive compounds, promoting its valorization in food safety and preservation while encouraging sustainable practices utilizing industrial bio-residues.

2025Journal article

Restricted access