In the last decade, the use of natural antimicrobial agents such as polyphenolic extracts (PE) for postharvest applications have been gaining attention. However, this technology presents a major challenge in the coming years. The possibilities of production on a commercial scale, practical applications and their technical and economic feasibility compared to conventional agrochemicals must be clearly demonstrated. The objective of this review is to demonstrate the success and challenges of the investigation of PE extracts from Mexican crops as antimicrobial agents, against phytopathogens and food-borne microorganisms in postharvest processes. Mainly, it focuses on extracts obtained from crops such as: Habanero chili pepper (Capsicum chinense Jack), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam), Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), Allspice (Pimienta dioica). Additionally, the interaction of the main phytochemicals presents (i.e., capsaicin, sulforaphane, eugenol) in the extracts obtained was analyzed using quantic chemistry. In-depth knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of these substances against pathogens under in vitro and mainly in vivo conditions, and knowledge of plant systems will allow better results to be obtained. The toxicity evaluation of extracts and their effect on organoleptic properties of the fruit must be determined. Besides, the use of coating and encapsulation techniques as emerging methods for improving the effectiveness of extracts must be considered also. The integral approach for improving the efficiency of treatments and cost effectiveness control programs of preharvest, harvest, and post-harvest processes must be developed. Finally, the successful implementation on commercialization of these technologies will depend of cost-benefit of processes. The infrastructure, raw material availability, local needs and technical facilities, among other factors are indispensable conditions for this. Furthermore, the cost and energy sustainability, applying strategies related with circular economy will enhance the efficiency of the plant residues utilization and to develop technological and marketing approaches.

Neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases have become highly significant in Western societies. Unfortunately, these diseases currently lack a cure, and existing treatments merely manage the symptoms. Thus, it is imperative to explore new alternatives for either preventing these disorders or treating them effectively. One promising avenue for prevention lies in the development of neuroprotective and antioxidant functional foods. To this end, a study focused on ten species from the Lamiaceae Family, which have gained attention due to their well-known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer properties, among others. The interest in their pharmacological applications has grown significantly in recent years. In order to uncover the biological potential of these species, the study involved performing decoctions and evaluating both the total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity.
The results revealed that TPC values ranged from 59.97±6.18 (Ocimum basilicum L. var minimum) to 373.98±15.98 (Salvia officinalis L.) mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/gram of dry extract (dw). Additionally, the IC₅₀ values for DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ scavenging activities varied between 21.51 (Origanum vulgare L.) and 129.91 μg/mL (O. basilicum var minimum), and from 14.79 (O. vulgare) to 44.53 μg/mL (O. basilicum), respectively. The observed strong antiradical activity holds great promise for the future development of functional foods aimed at combating the oxidative stress implicated in these diseases and promoting overall brain health. By harnessing the potential of these Lamiaceae Family species, we may pave the way for innovative approaches to tackle neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions.

Acknowledgments: This work was supported by projects REQUIMTE/LAQV—UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, and LA/P/0008/2020 financed by FCT/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES), through national funds. Clara Grosso (CEECIND/03436/2020) thanks FCT for funding.

Morinda citrifolia L., commonly known as noni fruit, are frequently processed into wellness drinks, puree, wine, powder, and nutraceuticals, while their seeds are used for vegetable oil production, both suitable as food additives. Among these products, Noni juice gained popularity for its nutraceuticals and high therapeutic values worldwide. Recently, Noni juice was established as a novel food in the European Union. However, in Sri Lanka, insufficient scientific research was conducted in the past to assess its toxicity, leading to misconceptions among the population due to its rancid flavor. Most people were not aware of its therapeutic benefits, and the primary cultivation of noni was for export purposes. This study aimed to assess the cytotoxic effects of hydro-methanolic extracts from fresh noni fruits, dried noni fruits, pasteurized noni fruit juice, and dried noni seeds on normal (BHK) and cancer (Hep2) cells. The extraction process involved 80% methanol extraction, followed by filtration, and the extracts were evaluated using the MTT colorimetric assay. The IC50 values of the extracts were determined for each cell type. The LC50 values for fresh noni fruits in BHK cells were 0.9759 mg/ml and in Hep2 cells were 0.674 mg/ml. For dried noni fruits, the values were 1.0409 mg/ml (BHK) and 0.9537 mg/ml (Hep2), while pasteurized noni fruit juice showed values of 1.1824 mg/ml (BHK) and 0.9716 mg/ml (Hep2). Dried noni seeds exhibited LC50 values of 1.6822 mg/ml (BHK) and 1.08 mg/ml (Hep2). The results revealed that the hydro-methanolic extract of noni fruits displayed dose-dependent toxicity towards cancer cells, while normal cells were less affected. Interestingly, the cytotoxic effect was reduced with fruit processing, and dried seeds exhibited lower toxicity compared to the different fruit forms. These findings suggest that noni fruit extracts possess potential cytotoxicity against cancer cells and that processing conditions can modulate this effect. Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific bioactive compounds responsible for the observed effects and their underlying mechanisms.

Chemical preservatives are remarkably used for fresh food preservation. The use of food preservatives has augmented enormously in modern food technology but they have adverse effects on human health. Food additives are in high demand to inhibit the contamination of fresh and raw vegetables. The aim of the present study was to probe the effectiveness of food preservatives on microbial contaminants in fresh vegetables and to study the toxic effect of the same on mammalian cells using in-vitro cytotoxicity assays. In this study, cauliflower, mushroom, potato, capsicum, and carrots were used for isolation of the contaminants against which citric acid and acetic acid were tested as the preservatives. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of these food additives was found for different isolates taken from the above-mentioned vegetables. Three main contaminants were isolated for the present study and two of them were identified to be Salmonella enterica and Enterobacter tabaci. The MIC of Citric acid on these isolates was found to be 1%, 1% and >15% respectively, and the MIC of acetic acid was found to be 0.6%, 0.6%, and 0.8% respectively whereas, the cumulative effect of both the additives showed the MIC of 0.6%. The cytotoxicity of these chemical preservatives was also guesstimated by employing two human cell lines that are INT 407 (human epithelial cells) and blood peripheral cells. The IC50 values were calculated employing GraphPad Prism software. The goodness of fit and ANOVA analysis revealed a significant correlation between the concentration of preservatives under study and cellular response. Moreover, non-significant changes in morphological patterns, cell growth patterns, and other cellular properties were scored among the cells under analysis. However, few cellular abnormalities at higher concentrations of acetic acid were recorded with INT 407. In this study, the preservation potential, as well as the anti-cancer potential of both citric acid and acetic acid, was analyzed using Human fibro-sarcoma cells. The IC50 values were estimated using GraphPad prism (V.7.0). It can be said that the present study thus endeavors to lay a preliminary platform for understanding the spectrum of applications of food preservatives and their effect on the gut cells through in-vitro mode.

Honey is a natural substance to which antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, among others, have been attributed. These beneficial effects are attributed especially to its content of bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic compounds, whose content varies greatly depending on the variety, origin, agronomic conditions, harvest season, and climate. Despite some researchers have analysed the content of bioactive compounds in Spanish honeys, there are no previous studies on the content of those compounds in honeys from Sierra Nevada. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterise 21 honeys from Sierra Nevada (Granada). The characterization of phenolic compounds was performed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS). The mass accuracy and true isotopic pattern in both MS and MS/MS spectra provided by QTOF-MS made possible the tentative identification of different compounds in the studied honeys. Six analytical standards were employed for estimating the amount of phenolic compounds present in the honeys. Sixty-four phenolic compounds were characterized, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and derivatives, among others. Among them, 4 compounds were tentatively identified for the first time in honey: kaempferol-rhamnose, tectoridin and divanillin isomers. Flavonoids represented more than 86.8 % of the bioactive compounds quantified in the honeys. The most abundant compounds were pinobanksin (16.88±3.15 µg/g), genistein/baicalein (13.27±4.91 µg/g), pinocembrin (12.33±2.92 µg/g), chrysin (12.23±2.13 µg/g) and carnosol (9.52±2.90 µg/g). Due to their interesting composition, more studies are necessary to determine if the extreme environmental conditions from Sierra Nevada, such as UV radiation, extreme temperature, or altitude (hypoxia) pose abiotic stress for the plants located there fostering the concentration in phenolic compounds.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease of global concern, causing death due to triggered oxidative and inflammatory complications. Alpha-glucosidase has become a popular drug target for managing diabetes. This study, therefore, investigated the potential of Curcuma longa (Tumeric) rhizome methanolic extract (MECL) to inhibit Alpha-glucosidase and screened its phytochemical library through molecular biology docking for potential new drug candidates. Quantitative phytochemical analysis of MECL showed that the plant extract was abundant with phenols (790.32 ± 129.20 mg/100g), alkaloids (494.99 ± 1.27 mg/100g), flavonoids (171.08 ± 0.04 mg/100g) and terpenoids (131.99 ± 6.59 mg/100g). Moreover, in vitro inhibitory studies showed a dose-dependent increase in the inhibition of alpha-glucosidase by MECL, and the maximum inhibition (37.01%) was observed at 30 µg/ml, possibly a better inhibition with increased concentration. Further scrutiny was performed using molecular docking to screen for Turmeric phytochemicals (retrieved from PubChem) with alpha-glucosidase (PDB ID: 3W37) inhibitory potentials. Based on their binding affinity, the Top three compounds [Guaiacol (-7.422), Eriodictyol (-5.266,) and p-Tolyl-MethylCarbinol (-3.939)] were analyzed for their intermolecular interactions in the binding pocket of alpha-glucosidase and ADMET properties; and compared to the standard drug, Acarbose (-9.522). Interestingly strong and weak interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, pi-pi stacking, and charged and hydrophobic interactions, were observed with Guaiacol in the binding pocket of alpha-glucosidase. Although Acarbose had a better docking score, Guaiacol showed better ADMET (including Physiochemical, drug-likeness, and pharmacokinetic) properties. Future studies could evaluate those potential anti-diabetes drug candidates against other targets and analyze them through in vivo experiments.

In 2022, 5 varieties of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) were planted to estimate grain production as an alternative source of nutritional compounds due to its fat, carbohydrate and protein content. Futura 75, Futura 83, Felina 32, Earlina 8 FC and Henola are included in the EU common catalogue of varieties of plant species and they were chosen due to its good field adaptation and productivity. Once the crop was fully developed, the seed was collected by variety, and within a representative sampling of 10 m2 the harvested seed was manually and mechanically cleaned to eliminate other plant material. The aim of this study was to characterise the chemical profile of different varieties of hemp seeds for food use. The fat content of the seeds was determined and the fatty acid profile was measured by gas chromatography. The fat content of the hemp seeds studied ranged between 23 and 31% of total composition. Earlina 8 FC was significantly (p < 0.05) the fattest. The varieties studied showed a high percentage of unsaturated fats (87% of total fatty acids). In addition, polyunsaturated acids were the main group, especially in Earlina 8 FC and Felina 32, being linoleic acid the most abundant. Thus, hemp seeds can be a valuable vegetable source of healthy fatty acids. The production of food products with a majority hemp seed base could be considered as “high polyunsaturated fat” according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 116/2010 of 9 February 2010.

Gluten Free (GF) diet is poor in fibre mainly due to the low intake of whole grains and the low fibre content of GF products that are usually based on starches and/or refined flours. The incorporation of alternative flours rich in fibre in the formulation of baked goods could improve their technological quality and consumer’s health. In this sense, the addition of novel flours from the grinding of endocarp-seed (ES) and exocarp-mesocarp (EM) of Neltuma affinis fruit, in the design and formulation of GF bread was studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of ES, EM and water hydration (WH) on the alveolar structure, pH and colour of GF bread. A Box–Behnken experimental design (three factors: ES; EM; WH and three levels: -1; 0; +1), was applied. The results showed that EM and ES had a negative effect on the pH. The alveolar structure of crumb was significantly affected by WH, showing a greater alveolar size with the higher levels of WH, and a greater cell density and homogeneity with the lower levels. The three factors studied presented a significant and positive effect on coordinate a*; however, the interaction ES-EM had an antagonistic effect on this parameter. It can be concluded that the three factors studied showed an effect on technological parameters of GF bread. The inclusion of flours N. affinis flours could be a useful tool to improve the nutritional profile of LG bread and give added value to this species.

The aim of the study was to assess the stability of fat isolated from chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) during its storage using chromatographic and thermal techniques.

Fat was extracted from CPC using the Folch method, and the fat fraction was analyzed for the fatty acid (FA) composition by gas chromatography (GC) and for the oxidative stability by pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC). The isolated fat was stored in freezing and cooling conditions, as well as at room temperature with and without access to light. The GC analysis of the stored fat was repeated 28 days after extraction, and PDSC tests were done also 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after extraction.

The FA profile of CPC fat was dominated by unsaturated fatty acids (~85%), with the highest content of oleic (~37%) and linoleic (~44%). The studies showed only slight changes in the FA composition of the CPC fat after storage. Moreover, despite the high content of unsaturated FAs, also, the oxidation induction time in the PDSC tests changed only slightly, which proved the stability of the CPC fat during 28 days of storage under various conditions.

Food packaging has become an essential tool in food manufacturing since it protects them against contamination, preserving their nutritional and sensory properties, and extending the product's shelf life. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most attractive bio-based and biodegradable polymers used for food packaging. However, its use has been limited because of the poor barrier properties. Various strategies have been adopted to improve the properties of biopolymers, such as the creation of multilayer systems.

In the present study, layers of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and chitosan (Ch) were applied on PLA film to enhance the barrier properties and antimicrobial activity. Packages composed by functionalized PLA were made to store a cured semi-skimmed cheese at refrigerated conditions. Shelf-life parameters were monitored through the performance of physicochemical (moisture, pH, acidity, texture profile analysis, and colour determination) and microbiological analyses (total mesophilic and total mould/yeast). The tests were carried out in parallel with unpackaged cheese samples (control) and cheese samples packaged in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film.

Unpackaged cheese samples presented the worst values in terms of moisture, colour and hardness from the first week, while the PLA multilayer film functionalized with Ch-CNC presented physicochemical properties similar to LDPE and better results in microbiological tests. Therefore, this active packaging can be used to improve the shelf-life of cheese.

Acknowledgments: A. Lestido-Cardama is grateful for her grant “Margarita Salas grants for the training of young doctors” (Ministry of Universities, Spain). A. I. Bourbon acknowledges funding by FCT, through the individual scientific employment program contract (2020.03447.CEECIND).