Mushrooms are considered as a valuable food due to their unique taste, nutritional properties, and biological effects [1]. They are source of several classes of phytochemicals, including phenols, terpenoids, steroids, and polysaccharides that demonstrated a wide range of biological activities [2]. Obesity is a metabolic disorder, which results from excessive accumulation of body fat, associated with several comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, various types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus [3]. Several natural compounds possess the ability to reduce body weight and to prevent diet-induced obesity by inhibiting enzymes that interfere with the hydrolysis and absorption of dietary carbohydrates and lipids, such as alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase [4,5]. This study was planned to investigate the hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity of Leccinum duriusculum and Lanmaoa fragrans (=Boletus fragrans) from Calabria (southern Italy), two symbiotic edible mushrooms belonging to the Boletaceae family, growing the former in poplar tree forests, the latter in a mycorrhizal association with oaks. Both mushrooms were dried and exhaustively extracted by maceration with n-hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol. Extracts were investigated for their inhibitory activity against alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and lipase [6]. The best results against alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase were obtained with L. duriusculum methanol and dichloromethane extracts, respectively. The methanol extracts of both species exhibited the most promising results in inhibiting lipase (IC₅₀ of 35.02 and 22.40 microg/mL, for L. duriusculum and L. fragrans, respectively, vs IC₅₀ of 37.63 microg/mL for the positive control orlistat). These data provided evidence that both species are able to inhibit key enzymes that interfere with the hydrolysis and absorption of dietary carbohydrates and lipids, suggesting their potential use for the development of new potential agents for the management of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, further research is required to confirm these effects in vivo.

[1] Heleno, S.A.; Barros, L., Martins, A., et al. (2015). Nutritional value, bioactive compounds, antimicrobial activity and bioaccessibility studies with wild edible mushrooms. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 63, 799-806; [2] Sokovic, M.; Ciric, M.; Glamocija, J.; et al. (2017). The bioactive properties of mushrooms, in Ferreira, I. C. F. R., Morales, P., & Barros L. (eds.) Wild plants, mushrooms and nuts: functional food properties and applications, 1st ed. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons, 83-122. [3] Kitahara, C.M., Flint, A.J., de Gonzalez, et al. (2014). Association between class III obesity (BMI of 40-59 kg/m²) and mortality: a pooled analysis of 20 prospective studies. PLoS Med. 11, Article e1001673. [4] Yun J.W. (2010). Possible anti-obesity therapeutics from nature-a review. Phytochemistry, 71, 1625-1641. [5] Nair, S.S.; Kavrekar, V.; Mishra, A. (2013). In vitro studies on alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase inhibitory activities of selected plant extracts. Eur. J. Exp. Biol., 3, 128-132. [6] Tundis, R., Conidi, C., Loizzo, M.R., et al. (2021).

In the last decades, edible films based on whey proteins have become promising eco-friendly materials that can be used as carriers for some bioactive substances such as nutrients and antioxidant agents. Spirulina, one of the best-known cyanobacteria, is a rich source of nutritional compounds with beneficial health effects. Edible films from whey protein concentrates (WPC) were developed applying different treatments, such as water-bath heating for 30 minutes at 75^o C and ultrasound treatment for 15 minutes at 70^o C with the addition of a commercial spirulina powder. WPC-based edible films were prepared with the addition of spirulina in different concentrations (1; 2; 4; 6 and 8 % w/w). Other edible microalgae such as commercial chlorella and ulva have also been examined for the production of edible films. After production, the films were characterized according to their physicochemical properties (thickness, moisture content, solubility in water, degree of swelling), optical parameters (Fourier transform infrared spectrum), tensile properties, and antioxidant activity. Results showed that the ultrasound treatment increased the homogenous distribution of spirulina during the denaturation process and enabled its entrapment within the film matrix. Furthermore, the incorporation of other microalgae in WPC films needs further research as it was difficult to homogenously distribute them in the film matrix because of their poor solubility, and they were not further investigated.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most popular beverages, commonly consumed all over the world. Depending on the fermentation process, tea leaves can be categorized into three major groups: unfermented green tea, semifermented Oolong tea, and fully fermented black tea. The latter accounts for over 80% of worldwide production. The quality of tea products is determined by color, freshness, strength, and aroma. Phenolic and polyphenolic components contribute to the color and taste, whereas volatile components are directly related to the aroma. Unfortunately, food fraud is increasing globally. The widespread adulteration is the main concern for commercial functional tea extracts and tea-based nutraceuticals on the market. Especially for powdered extracts, the product quality of functional tea extracts varies highly on the market. The growing demand and interest in functional tea extracts are causing the proliferation of frauds that can seriously affect public health. Chicory, husk of pulses, and cereal starch are non-permitted materials typically employed as adulterants in tea extracts.

The aim of this work was to develop an efficient untargeted high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorescence detection (HPLC-UV-FLD) method in combination with chemometrics to address the characterization, classification, and authentication of tea samples, together with possible adulterants such as chicory extracts. A reversed-phase chromatographic separation was optimised, using a C₁₈ column, and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase components. The proposed methodology was applied to 87 tea samples, differing in variety and production region, and 12 chicory samples. In any case, the sample treatment consisted of sample infusion with hot? water and filtration, and the obtained HPLC-UV-FLD fingerprints were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) chemometric methods. Perfect discrimination was achieved between different tea varieties and chicory demonstrating that untargeted HPLC-UV-FLD fingerprints can be proposed as good sample chemical descriptors to assess tea authentication and to prevent frauds dealing with adulteration with chicory.

The control of the composition of food products with Protected Designation of Origin, such as wines and sparkling wines, is essential to prevent fraudulent practices and adulterations. A wide range of compounds can be used as tentative biomarkers for characterization and authentication purposes, making elemental composition one of the most successful sources of information, especially for dealing with geographical origin and varietal issues. Currently, Inductively Coupled Plasma with Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) are the techniques of choice to carry out multi-elemental analysis of these kinds of beverages in a rapid and simple way.

In our study, samples from the different processing stages in the elaboration of sparkling wine (cava) —including must, base wine, and sparkling wine— of Pinot Noir and Xarel·lo grape varieties have been analyzed by ICP techniques to determine the elemental composition. The resulting data has been used to classify these products according to oenological practices and product qualities. For this purpose, Principal Components Analysis, box plot diagrams and bar charts have been used. Different markers and sample patterns have been found to deal with changes resulting from the different steps of the production process for cava wines.

Numerous epidemiological and pharmacological studies have revealed that a diet rich in Brassica vegetables may play an important role in protection against many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, dementia, age-related macular degeneration, immune dysfunction, obesity and some cancers. Brassica vegetables are classified as functional foods. Although horticultural Brassicaceae plants are excellent sources of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and fibre, the majority of the research has concentrated on the content of secondary metabolites, e.g. glucosinolates, polyphenols and others. Young shoots of vegetable are a completely new group of food products, which is currently developing intensively. This study were undertaken to broaden knowledge on health-promoting properties of raw 21-day young shoots of white and red headed cabbages, particularly in terms of the following indicators: dry matter, vitamin C, polyphenols, chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Young shoots of red headed cabbage were generally characterized by a higher content of the discussed compounds, and thus - higher antioxidant activity, compared to young shoots of white cabbage.

Food operators have been known as one of the sources of foodborne diseases in many food establishments. The illness usually occurs due to poor personal hygiene, which contaminates food during food preparation. The increasing number of online food businesses during the pandemic Covid-19 might cause a rising number of foodborne outbreaks. This is due to the lack of information and training about food safety among home-based food handlers. Thus, this study aims to assess the level of food safety knowledge, and practice of home-based food handlers in Hulu Selangor, Malaysia. This study also determined the correlation between food safety knowledge, and practice among home-based food handlers with their sociodemographic characteristics. Data were collected among 100 home-based food handlers around Hulu Selangor, Malaysia using a non-experimental quantitative method. The questionnaires were distributed via social media such as Facebook, and WhatsApp. Results have shown that the level of home-based food handlers’ knowledge was high with a mean percentage score (SD) of 97.50% (10.02). On the other hand, the level of food handlers’ practice was also high with a mean percentage score (SD) of 96.05% (7.92). The study found that knowledge was significantly correlated with experience, typhoid injection and attending a food safety course (p<0.05). Whereas practice was significantly correlated with education level, income and age (p<0.05). This study also found that there was a significant relationship between level of knowledge and practice among the home-based food handlers (p<0.05). Due to the increased number of home-based food handlers, it is critical to ensure that foods served to customers are safe and clean. Consequently, this will lead to a reduced number of foodborne illnesses. The study therefore showed the level of knowledge and practice in food safety among home-based food handlers and the data can be used to decrease the incidence of foodborne illness due to mishandling at home.​

The main solid by-product of the blueberry juice processing is peel, representing up to 20% of the initial fruit weight. Blueberries are considered as a particularly interesting fruit for their well-known antioxidant and antimicrobial properties [1]. It is expected that blueberry peel retains some of the compounds with such interesting properties. However, its excessive accumulation causes a seasonal management and environmental problem. These by-products could be reused, reducing the environmental impact of the industrial activity and obtaining, in parallel, an economical profit.

The main objective of this work was to perform a deep characterization of the blueberry peel residues, and their derived extracts. To obtain extracts rich in bioactive compounds and ready to use in other sectors, environmentally friendly procedures, namely matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and Medium-scale Ambient Temperature Systems (MSATs) [2], were employed. Physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of the raw material (blueberry), as well as the total polyphenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity and sugars content of the corresponding by-products and derived extracts were assessed, obtaining high values. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to quantify individual phenolic compounds. Results revealed that anthocyanins were the most abundant polyphenolic group of compounds in the blueberry peel extracts reaching concentrations up to 6899 µg g^-1dw, followed by flavonols, especially quercetin and its derivatives (quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside). Other non-flavonoids, such as hydroxycinnamic acids including caffeic and chlorogenic, were also found at high concentration levels (1226 µg g^-1dw) in the obtained extracts.

The ultimate goal of this work is investigating the utility of food processing wastes as raw materials to obtain extracts with added value to be used in new products with beneficial health properties.

References:

[1] E. Gato, A. Rosalowska, M. Martínez-Guitián, M. Lores, G. Bou, A. Pérez, Anti-adhesive activity of a Vaccinium corymbosum polyphenolic extract targeting intestinal colonization by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 132 (2020) 110885.

[2] M. Lores, M. Pajaro, M. Alvarez-Casas, J. Dominguez, C. Garcia-Jares, Use of Ethyl Lactate to extract bioactive compounds from Cytisus scoparius: Comparison of pressurized liquid extraction and medium scale ambient temperature systems, Talanta, 140 (2015) 134-142

Acknowledgements: This research was funded by project ED431 2020/06 (Galician Competitive Research Groups Xunta de Galicia). Several of the authors belong to the National Network for the Innovation in miniaturized sample preparation techniques, RED2018-102522-T (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Spain). This study is based upon work from the Sample Preparation Study Group and Network, supported by the Division of Analytical Chemistry of the European Chemical Society. All these programmes are co-funded by FEDER (EU).

The INFOGEST digestion method was adapted for the evaluation of sterol bioaccessibility in a plant sterol (PS)-enriched beverage [1]. Recent modifications of the method such as the addition of gastric lipase and cholesterol esterase, showed that the presence of sterols in the digestion reagents has an important role on sterol bioaccessibility [2]. However, the specific sterol contribution from these extracts is unknown. Therefore, in the present study, the sterol content of the extracts used in the INFOGEST 2.0 digestion method (rabbit gastric extract – RGE –, porcine pancreatin and bovine bile) is determined by GC-FID. Results show that cholesterol content of the extracts is as follows: bovine bile > porcine pancreatin > RGE (4.07±0.18, 1.41±0.07 and 0.57±0.05 mg/g extract, respectively). Considering the amount of each extract added to the digestion, the greatest cholesterol contributor is porcine pancreatin followed by bovine bile and RGE (1.72±0.08, 1.00±0.04, and 0.046±0.004 mg, respectively). However, cholesterol in bile is found in pre-formed micelles that increase its solubility, and, therefore, it would compete for sterol micellarization against sterol provided by the digested foods. This fact has been observed in previous studies in which the cholesterol content of the blanks of digestion is inversely correlated with PS bioaccessibility [2]. On the other hand, bovine bile contains stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and sitostanol (0.14±0.01, 0.93±0.07 and 0.18±0.01 mg/g extract, respectively), while porcine pancreatin contains campesterol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and sitostanol (0.103±0.004, 0.25±0.02, 2.17±0.42 and 0.32±0.01 mg/g extract, respectively). Nevertheless, these PS present in the extracts appear in negligible amounts in the digestion blank, reflecting their low solubility vs. cholesterol. In conclusion, in order to optimize the INFOGEST 2.0 gastrointestinal method for the evaluation of sterol bioaccessibility, the characterization of the sterol content in the digestion reagents provides valuable information since it may condition their solubility.

References: [1]. Blanco-Morales et al. Food Funct, 2018, 9, 2080-2089; [2]. López-García et al. 2021, Book of abstracts “Virtual International Conference on Food Digestion”, pp 44 (https://www.cost-infogest.eu/content/download/4051/35805/file/V-ICFD%20Book%20of%20Abstracts.pdf)

Acknowledgements: Authors thank the financial support from project PID2019-104167RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain). Mussa Makran holds an FPU19/00156 grant from the Ministry of Universities (Spain). Gabriel López-García holds a junior doctor researcher contract within the aforementioned project (CPI-17-025).

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were extracted from orange peels using an alkaline/H₂O₂ bleaching pre-treatment followed by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. Extracted CNCs were added as reinforcing agent into films based on chitosan/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose blend (CS/HPMC) enriched with lauroyl arginate ethyl (LAE) to produce bio nanocomposite active films. The size and morphology of CNCs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the effect of CNCs (10% w/w of biopolymer) and LAE (5% w/w of biopolymer) on microstructural, optical, mechanical, water barrier, and antimicrobial properties of the CS/HPMC films were analyzed. CNCs displayed needle-like shapes morphology with an average length of 500 nm, an average width of 40 nm. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated structural integrity and compatibility between CS/HPMC/CNCs and incorporated LAE. The successful incorporation of CNCs and LAE was confirmed by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy mainly due to the formation of hydrogen linkages between film matrix and incorporated CNCs and LAE. This nanocomposite active film showed improvement in UV-Vis light barrier properties (p<0.05). The addition of CNCs to CS/HPMC caused a reduction in water vapor permeability, while tensile strength was improved due to the homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles within the polymer matrix. On contrary, LAE incorporation into CS/HPMC improved the elasticity and also caused antimicrobial activity against S. enterica subsp. Thyphimurium and L. monocytogenes. Overall, nanocomposite films based on CS/HPMC/CNCs enriched with LAE could represent a suitable green approach for a partial replacement of synthetic plastics for packaging foods sensitive to microbiological decay and spread of foodborne pathogens.

Winery wastes are rich in polyphenols with great added value to be used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and agri-food products. Polyphenols display a wide range of positive health effects, thus helping in the prevention or treatment of some diseases because of their great antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antineoplastic properties.

This work aims at characterizing the polyphenols recovered from various wastes generated during the wine production processes using chromatographic techniques. Phenolic acids, flavonoids and related compounds have been extracted from different types of oenological residues, such as lees of malolactic fermentation and husks, by liquid extraction using aqueous or hydro-organic solvents. The resulting extracts have been further analyzed by liquid chromatography with UV/vis and mass spectrometric (MS) detection. The chromatographic separation has been carried out in reversed-phase mode on a core-shell C18 column using 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as the components of the mobile phase. Chromatograms have been acquired with UV detection at 250, 280, 325 and 370 nm while MS detection, with both low- and high-resolution analyzers, has been performed using different acquisition modes including Full Scan, Data-Dependent Acquisition (DDA) and Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM).

The most abundant polyphenols in the extracts have been identified as follows: caftaric acid with a concentration of 20 mg L^-1, and trans-coutaric acid, cis-coutaric acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid with concentrations of 5 mg L^-1 or less. Other minor polyphenols such as gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, ethyl gallate, ferulic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, astilbin and resveratrol have been also found.