Citrus fruit is preferred in the choice of consumers. Kumquat (F. margarita) is an unconventional citrus of increasing consumer interest because of its exotic flavor, and its functional potential that offers health benefits to consumers. It is a fruit traditionally consumed by whole fruit (peel and pulp), giving this fruit a distinctive flavor. For this reason, this study analyzed physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics of kumquat (peel+pulp). The physicochemical analysis was performed according to the Adolfo Lutz Institute. Analysis of moisture, ashes, macronutrients and total dietary fiber was according to AOAC. Minerals were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Vitamins C and E, carotenoids and flavonoids were analyzed by HPLC. Phenolic compounds (Folin-Ciocalteu) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) were determined by spectrophotometry. The kumquat had low pH, soluble solids content and low caloric value. It was a source of dietary fiber, minerals (K, Ca, P, Mg) and carotenoids, the most expressive was α-carotene (661.81 μg.100 g^-1). The ascorbic acid concentration was 2326.24 μg.100 g^-1. α-tocopherol (569.00 μg.100 g^-1) was the most expressive component of vitamin E. There was a presence of apigenin and eriodictyol. The fruit (peel+pulp) has a high concentration of total phenolic compounds (98.55 ± 1.93 mg GAE.100 g^-1) and good antioxidant capacity (62%) was found. Kumquat is a good source of fiber and vitamin A and, due to its antioxidant capacity and the presence of other essential and beneficial nutrients for a diet, consumption of kumquat can be suggested to complement the diet. This fruit is a viable food alternative and its consumption should be encouraged, contributing as a source of income, sovereignty and food security.

Spanish-style green olives are one of the main trade preparations in the international market. Nowadays, there is an increasing trend to use plastic packaging due to reduced weight, lower costs, flexibility and convenience. The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging of Spanish-style green olives in multilaminated pouches on the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of olives. Green pitted olives of cv. Conservolea and Halkidiki were packaged in high barrier multilaminated pouches (113 μm thickness; O₂ permeability < 1.5 mL/m²/24 h) under modified atmospheres (30% CO₂ / 70% N₂) and stored at room temperature for 12 months. Microbiological [lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeasts, enterobacteria] and physicochemical changes (pH, acidity, salt content, texture and color) were monitored during storage together with sensory evaluation. No enterobacteria could be detected in both olive varieties. The initial microbiota consisted of LAB (5.9-6.3 log CFU/g) and yeasts (4.8-5.3 log CFU/g). Yeasts started to decline and could not be detected after 60 days. In the end, LAB dominated in populations exceeding 5.4 and 6.1 log CFU/g for cv. Halkidiki and Conservolea, respectively. pH values increased gradually from 3.51 to 4.19, the mean acidity was ca. 0.2% and the salt content fluctuated between 3.0-3.6%. Color parameters L* (luminance), a* (greenness) and b* did not change during storage in both varieties. Texture analysis showed a decrease in olive hardness from 15-20 N to 8 N. Sensory analysis revealed that cv. Halkidiki olives were crisper and with increased fibrousness compared to cv. Conservolea. The survival of LAB combined with the probiotic potential of this microbial group creates new possibilities for the use of non-thermally preserved olives as a functional food.

Acknowledgement: This research has been co-financed by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH – CREATE – INNOVATE (project code: T1EDK-04110)

The XXI century has brought along many changes in how consumers look at food and perceive their diets. There is an increasing awareness towards what goes into manufacturing these foods, with an important concern being drawn towards food additives. While it is known that additives are needed to preserve or change attributes of food, it is also widely understood that consumers prefer natural additives to synthetic ones, and thus, the industry is looking for alternatives from plant sources. Here, the extraction of 5 different plants (oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), salvia (Salvia officinalis L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)), was optimized from three extraction types, namely decoction, infusion and cold hydroethanolic (80:20) ultrasound extraction, carried out through Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using Design Expert, pending the analysis of phenolic compounds through HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. The variables used for RSM were temperature, time of extraction and watts (ultrasound). The extraction with the highest phenolic content for each plant was then selected and screened for its antibacterial and antifungal activity, relying on the microdilution method against foodborne pathogens, before using these extracts as natural food additives in yogurts and muffins. The bacterial species used were Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Enterobacter cloacae, while the fungi species were Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium funiculosum, Trichoderma viride and Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium. Two synthetic and widely used preservatives were also screened against these contaminants, namely sodium benzoate (E211), and potassium metabisulfite (E224), while also confirming the sensitivity of the microbes with known antibiotics. Overall, the plant extracts showed a high inhibition of fungi, with all extracts showing lower minimum inhibition concentrations than both the synthetic preservatives, except for P. verrucosum, where potassium metabisulfite showed the same inhibition capacity. Regarding the antibacterial activity, the most sensitive bacteria to the extracts was S. aureus, where all showed the same activity as potassium metabisulfite. Lemon balm was the best extract of all, showing the same inhibition as sodium benzoate against B. cereus and E. cloacae. Overall, this work proves that plant extracts, obtained though “green” and cheap technologies can be alternatives to synthetic food additives, due to showing the same, or, in some cases, better antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, a mixture of these extracts can result in synergistic effects and improve the antimicrobial activities. The next step in the determination of the efficacy of these extracts is their incorporation in yogurts and muffins, which is ongoing.

Acknowledgments

Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). S. Heleno and M. Carocho thank FCT for their individual research program-contract (CEECIND/00831/2018; CEECIND/03040/2017), while L. Barros thanks FCT for her institutional scientific employment program-contract.

Despite the fact that cholesterol is not related to inflammation and the onset of chronic diseases, the focus of scientists and practitioners is still on cholesterol and medical ways to control it (statins). Over the past few years a new school of thought is getting stronger: it's not cholesterol but inflammation that causes chronic diseases. Therefore, the key to reducing the incidence of chronic diseases is to control the activities of Platelet Activating Factor (PAF) and other inflammatory mediators via diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices. Polar lipids present in foods can play a key role via their anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. In this paper, we present our latest data on polar lipids of dairy and marine origin against inflammation and strategies for designing novel nutraceuticals and functional foods against chronic diseases.

Spirulina platensis, the most popular microalgae species known for its high protein content and bioactive compounds such as phycocyanin and allophycocyanin have been studied for cheese fortification. Incorporation of Spirulina in dairy products poses major sensorial challenges due to its characteristic odor and its insolubility in food formulation thus limiting consumer acceptance. The main objective was the production of a novel spread cheese fortified with Spirulina so powdered Spirulina was added at different concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1%), and the effect on physicochemical, and sensory characteristics was assessed. Cheese samples were examined for pH, fat (Gerber-Van Gulik method), salt (Volhard method), protein (Kjeldahl), and moisture content by drying to constant weight at 102±1°C. Cheeses were, also, assessed organoleptically by five experienced panelists. Generally, the addition of spirulina slightly increased the protein content and affected the color of the cheeses. The cheeses were considered all acceptable for consumption by the panelists, however, the cheeses with 0.25 and 0.5 % spirulina were preferred due to the less intense characteristic odor and taste of spirulina. In conclusion, it is possible to produce an acceptable spread cheese with the addition of spirulina without significant changes in the cheese production line.

Greece is ranked third among olive oil-producing countries, after Spain and Italy, with the region of Peloponnese representing one of the most important olive oil producing regions. However, very little information is available regarding the profile of the two major olive cultivars (cv. Koroneiki and cv. Mastoides) cultivated in the southern part of Peloponnese. Hence, the first aim of this work is to evaluate and compare the qualitative and chemical parameters of Koroneiki and Mastoides olive oils obtained from the southern region of Peloponnese and secondly to report and evaluate to what extent olive oils of cv. Koroneiki meet the requirements of the amended EU regulation in order to be classified as “Kalamata Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)” certified olive oils. Analysis of variance and principal component analysis of the 112 analyzed olive oil samples showed substantial compositional differences in the fatty acid and sterolic profile between Koroneiki and Mastoides cultivars demonstrating that those chemical parameters could be a potential indicator for olive oil discrimination in terms of their botanical origin. As far as Kalamata PDO status is concerned, the detailed analysis of the examined Koroneiki olive oil samples revealed some fluctuations from the relevant established EU regulatory limits. Results showed low concentrations of total sterols, with 66.7% of the examined samples being below the regulated set limits for Kalamata PDO status; high concentrations of campesterol, with a total of 21.7%, exceeding the legal maximum limit of 4.0%; and a slight tendency of high total erythrodiol content. As this work is the first systematic attempt focusing on the evaluation of the chemical characteristics of the two dominant olive cultivars of southern Peloponnese, further in depth research, with a higher number of samples, more examined parameters and a higher number of crop years, is under way.

Mango (Mangifera indica) is a rich source of antioxidants like phenolic acids and flavonoids. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) enzyme oxidises mono and/or diphenols, thus the antioxidant potential diminished. For cost-effective and sustainable preservation of this sub-tropical climacteric fruit, microwave convective dehydration is a prospective choice. Drying operation deactivates PPO and POD. Microwave convective drying was done at 100-300 watt of power level, the temperature range of 40-80°C, total soluble solid content of 20-30°B and puree load of 0.4-0.6 g/cm² to investigate the effect of process parameters on total phenolic content (TPC) of the final product. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimise the TPC value. Further, artificial neural network (ANN) with the back propagation-feed forward modelling approach was adopted for the experimental results obtained, teaching-learning based optimisation (TLBO) was then employed to acquire the optimised drying condition for the sample with maximum TPC value. The optimised process condition obtained from both the method was virtually compatible. From RSM analysis the maximum TPC value of 13.36 mg GAE/100g was observed at 170.27-watt power level, 57.84°C oven temperature, 0.60 g/cm² of puree load and 29.05°B of total soluble solid content. Whereas, from ANN-TLBO technique 14.29 mg GAE/100g of TPC was attained for the combination of drying parameters as follows: 175.08 watt, 57.15°C, 0.60 g/cm² and 29.25°B. The ANN-TLBO approach predicted better optimised result (TPC value) in comparison to the RSM method.

COVID-19 pandemic strengthened food trends to consume healthier food products. Creams are a good option to produce healthy and tasty foods. Quinoa is an ingredient with a high potential in creams due to its nutritional and techno-functional properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the addition of organic quinoa flour (at 3 concentrations: 0, 3, and 6%) in organic pumpkin creams on their physicochemical properties during the storage time. These organic creams were elaborated according to the industrial procedures. pH, water activity (Aw), and color (CIELAB) parameters were evaluated during storage time (0, 30, and 60 days). Quinoa flour addition increased the pH. Aw was not affected by quinoa addition. Lightness (L*) increased with the increase in quinoa concentration, on the contrary, redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) decreased. All the physicochemical parameters evaluated (pH, Aw, and color coordinates) were stable during the storage time. The addition of quinoa flour to organic pumpkin creams is an interesting option to develop healthy new food products.

SOL NEW FOOD. AGCOOP_D/2018/014. Ayudas para la cooperación en el marco del programa de Desarrollo Rural de la Comunidad Valenciana 2014-2020 CAMACCyDR (53 % UE- Feader, 8,86 % MAPA, and 38,14 % CAMACCyDR)

The production of olive oil is paramount for the Mediterranean agro-industrial sector but this activity generates a great amount of residues. Their adequate valorization could make this sector more sustainable and economically stronger. Among them, the exhausted olive pomace (EOP) is the main residue generated after the extraction of the residual oil contained in the olive pomace. Due to its carbohydrate and extractive content, EOP is an interesting bioresource for the production of bioenergy and high added-value products, such as phenolic compounds, in a biorefinery context.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the EOP phenolic content. In this way, ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) was performed using sequential extraction with water and 70% acetone as solvents. Moreover, it was compared with an optimized extraction using water at 85 ºC under agitation. All these experiments were carried out with a 10% solid load. The extracts thus obtained were lyophilized and characterized in terms of the total phenolic content (TPC) by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and their antioxidant activity was determined by two different in-vitro tests (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging). The phenolic extracts were tentatively identified by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE).

Results showed that EOP presents a significant amount of phenolic compounds, in all tested conditions. However, UAE extraction with 70% acetone revealed to be more effective than with water, with total phenolic content of 95.7 versus 74.4 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. The water extract obtained at 85 ºC showed a TPC of 66.1 mg GAE/g extract. Antioxidant activities of the extracts revealed to be in accordance with the TPC.

The analysis by CZE showed that hydroxytyrosol was the major compound found in all the extracts, which is considered a powerful antioxidant compound. Therefore, EOP is a promising source of antioxidants, in particular of hydroxytyrosol.

The unabsorbed cholesterol, along with that of bile secretions and flaked colon cells, can be metabolized by the colonic microbiota. The generated metabolites have been proposed as promoters of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, the cytotoxicity (by means of MTT assay) of the main commercially available cholesterol-derived metabolites (coprostanol, cholestanol, coprostanone and cholestenone) on human colon cancer (Caco-2) and non-tumor (CCD-18Co) cells was evaluated at different concentrations (9.4-300 µM) and incubation times (24-72 h). In general, the metabolites that most reduced cell viability were coprostanone, values ranging 54-85 % in Caco-2 and 20-81 % in CCD-18Co, and cholestenone (7-91 % in Caco-2 and 10-81 % in CCD-18Co). These two metabolites (coprostanone and cholestenone) are, in turn, the most hydrophobic, thus reflecting a possible relationship between hydrophobicity and cytotoxicity. On the other hand, cholestenone (IC₅₀ at 72 h: 5.1 ± 1 µg / mL) should be considered cytotoxic since it showed an IC₅₀ close to the one considered toxic (< 4 µg / mL). Furthermore, CCD-18Co cells (non-tumor cells) were more vulnerable to the cytotoxic effect of cholesterol metabolites. Possible compensatory responses, attenuating the reduction in cell viability caused by cholesterol metabolites, were observed, however these reactions could favour inflammation and cellular proliferation, likely contributing to the development of CRC. In conclusion, cholesterol metabolites, mainly the most hydrophobic, could act as promoters of CRC through their cytotoxic activity.

Acknowledgement: This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (PID2019-104167RB-I00 project).