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Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules

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A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 31258

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jessica Capraro

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Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Interests: food biochemistry; seed storage proteins; protein structural/functional characterization; functional proteins and peptides; food-derived compound bioactivity; in vitro bioactivity assays; cell cultures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Alessio Scarafoni

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Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Interests: food recycling; plant enzyme inhibitors; protein structure and function; recombinant proteins; seed germination; seed storage proteins
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Dr. Ederlan S. Ferreira

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Department of Bromatological Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
Interests: food science; food biochemistry; functional food; functional protein and peptides; bioactive peptides; seed-derived peptide bioactivity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, consumers demand for healthy and sustainable food products drives research and industry to develop innovative functional foods and nutraceutical molecules, with health‐promoting and anti-microbial effects. Meantime, agro-food industry produces high amounts of byproducts and wastes, that still include components with a potential added value. Their efficient management and valorisation have become a current challenge towards a sustainable development, and numerous Governments support researches on this issues to promote the circular economy phylosophy.

Within this context, food by‐products, especially those plant-derived, may be a cheap source of selected molecules, such as peptides, proteins, fibres, polysaccharides, fatty acids, phenolic compounds and others, that can be extracted and used as bioactive ingredients in innovative and sustainable products, related to food, feed and non‐food applications.

Bioactivities connected to the modulation of immune responses, the cardiovascular, age-related disease and tumor prevention, and anti-microbial agents are of great interest.

This Special Issue aims to expand the knowledge on the bioactive compounds from the food waste and byproducts, in order to contribute to exploit their potential.

We welcome the submission of original research manuscripts and reviews that explore the extraction/purification methods, the quali-quantitative characterization, bioavailability and bioactivities, and the mechanisms of action either in vitro and in vivo.

Dr. Jessica Capraro
Prof. Dr. Alessio Scarafoni
Prof. Dr. Ederlan S. Ferreira
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

bioactive compound
food by-products
sustainable ingredients
health benefit
nutraceutical
functional food

Related Special Issue

Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules (Volume II) in Biology

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1886 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Extracts from Cabbage Leaves: Preliminary Results towards a “Universal” Highly-Performant Antibacterial and Antifungal Natural Mixture

by Aldo Arrais, Fabio Testori, Roberta Calligari, Valentina Gianotti, Maddalena Roncoli, Alice Caramaschi, Valeria Todeschini, Nadia Massa and Elisa Bona

Biology 2022, 11(7), 1080; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology11071080 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3302

Abstract

As dramatically experienced in the recent world pandemic, viral, bacterial, fungal pathogens constitute very serious concerns in the global context of human health. Regarding this issue, the World Health Organization has promoted research studies that aim to develop new strategies using natural products. Although they are often competitive with synthetic pharmaceuticales in clinical performance, they lack their critical drawbacks, i.e., the environmental impact and the high economic costs of processing. In this paper, the isolation of a highly performant antibacterial and antifungal lipophilic natural mixture from leaves of savoy and white cabbages is proposed as successful preliminary results for the valorization of agricultural waste produced in cabbage cultivation. The fraction was chemically extracted from vegetables with diethyl ether and tested against two Candida species, as well as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus reference strains. All the different fractions (active and not active) were chemically characterized by vibrational FT-IR spectroscopy and GC-MS analyses. The extracts showed high growth-inhibition performance on pathogens, thus demonstrating strong application potential. We think that this work, despite being at a preliminary stage, is very promising, both from pharmaceutical and industrial points of view, and can be proposed as a proof of concept for the recovery of agricultural production wastes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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17 pages, 2365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Environmentally Friendly Approach for the Release of Essential Fatty Acids from Cereal By-Products Using Cellulose-Degrading Enzymes

by Vitalijs Radenkovs, Karina Juhnevica-Radenkova, Jorens Kviesis and Anda Valdovska

Biology 2022, 11(5), 721; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology11050721 - 08 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2046

Abstract

The main intention of the present work was to investigate the ability of cellulose-degrading enzymes (C-DE) to release fatty acids (FAs) from complex matrices of cereal by-products during enzymatic hydrolysis (EH). For this purpose, three types of cereal bran (CB), i.e., wheat, rye, and oat, were used as lignocellulose substrates for three commercially available hydrolytic enzymes, i.e., Viscozyme L, Viscoferm, and Celluclast 1.5 L. The yield and composition of FAs after EH were assessed and compared with those obtained after either conventional Soxhlet extraction or after alkaline-assisted hydrolysis (A-AH) with 10% KOH in 80% MeOH and subsequent liquid–liquid extraction. The experimental results demonstrated that up to 6.3% and 43.7% higher total FA yield can be achieved by EH of rye bran using Celluclast 1.5 L than by A-AH and Soxhlet extraction, respectively. However, the application of Viscoferm for EH of wheat bran ensured up to 7.7% and 13.4% higher total FA yield than A-AH and Soxhlet extraction, respectively. The concentration of essential linolenic acid (C18:3) in lipids extracted after EH of rye bran with Celluclast 1.5 L was up to 24.4% and 57.0% higher than in lipids recovered by A-AH and Soxhlet extraction, respectively. In turn, the highest content of linolenic acid in wheat bran lipids was observed after EH with Viscoferm and Viscozyme L, ensuring 17.0% and 13.6% higher yield than after A-AH, respectively. SEM analysis confirmed substantial degradation of the CB matrix promoted by the ability of C-DE to act specifically on glycosidic bonds in cellulose and on xylosidic bonds in arabinoxylans, arabinans, and other arabinose-containing hemicelluloses. Structural alterations in cell integrity greatly contributed to the release of bound FAs and their better transfer into the extraction solvent. It has been shown that the proposed process of EH can be used for the efficient release of FAs from the CB matrix more sustainably and with a safer profile, thereby conveying greener production of FAs for certain purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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17 pages, 617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Cytotoxic, and Antimicrobial Activities of Cardoon Blades at Different Growth Stages

by Filipa Mandim, Spyridon A. Petropoulos, José Pinela, Maria Inês Dias, Marina Kostic, Marina Soković, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Celestino Santos-Buelga and Lillian Barros

Biology 2022, 11(5), 699; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology11050699 - 02 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2015

Abstract

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus var. altilis) blades were collected at sixteen sampling dates (B1–B16) to study the influence of the phenological growth stage on the phenolic composition and biological properties. Twenty phenolic compounds were identified, among which trans 3,4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and luteolin-O-hexoside (39.6, 42.6, and 101.0 mg/g extract, respectively) were the main compounds. Immature blades (B3) had a higher content of phenolic compounds (178 mg/g extract) and a greater ability to inhibit the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (IC₅₀ of 1.61 µg/mL). Samples at more advanced growth stages revealed a greater capacity to inhibit oxidative hemolysis (B8, IC₅₀ of 25 and 47.4 µg/mL for Δt of 60 and 120 min, respectively) and higher cytotoxic (B8–B13, GI₅₀ between 7.1 and 17 µg/mL), anti-inflammatory (B13, IC₅₀ of 10 µg/mL), and antibacterial activities. In turn, the antifungal activity varied depending on the tested fungi. All these results suggest that maturity influences the phenolic composition and bioactive properties of cardoon blades, which reveal great potential for the development of bioactive ingredients for food and pharmaceutical applications, among others. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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17 pages, 3475 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recovery from Food Waste—Biscuit Doughs Enriched with Pomegranate Peel Powder as a Model of Fortified Aliment

by Domenico Nuzzo, Pasquale Picone, Jesus Lozano Sanchez, Isabel Borras-Linares, Alessandro Guiducci, Emanuela Muscolino, Daniela Giacomazza, Tiziana Sanfilippo, Rossella Guggino, Donatella Bulone, Clelia Dispenza, Pier Luigi San Biagio and Romano Lapasin

Biology 2022, 11(3), 416; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology11030416 - 09 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2760

Abstract

The aim of the present work is the characterization of biscuit doughs enriched with pomegranate peel powder (PPP) at 3 (PPP3) and 5 (PPP5) wt% in the prospect of developing a fortified aliment as a support of the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract. The total phenolic content of the powder was preliminarily evaluated. Then, the main compounds present in the PPP were identified by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis, being mainly hydrolysable tannins. The PPP was then treated at 180 °C for 20 min to mimic the baking treatment, and its water-soluble fraction (PPPwsf) was then added in the Caco-2 cell culture as a model of the intestinal epithelial barrier to verify its dose-dependent toxicity, ability in counteracting the oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory action. Rheological experiments were performed to predict the macroscopic behavior of the PPP-added doughs during lamination and biscuit baking. SEM investigations gave their contribution to the microscopic comprehension of the dough structure. Finally, a consumer panel composed by thirty volunteers was enrolled to express its opinion on the sensory agreeableness of the biscuits prepared with two different concentrations of PPP compared with the reference dough. The discussion is focused on the biological effects of the main components found in the PPP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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12 pages, 3205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calcined Oyster Shell Powder as a Natural Preservative for Maintaining Quality of White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

by Wen-Chien Lu, Chien-Shan Chiu, Chang-Wei Hsieh, Yung-Jia Chan, Zeng-Chin Liang, Chiun-C. Roger Wang, Amanda Tresiliana Mulio, Dung Huynh Thi Le and Po-Hsien Li

Biology 2022, 11(2), 334; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology11020334 - 20 Feb 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3050

Abstract

Oyster shell waste has led to many problems, including displeasing odors, pollution of the seaside, and harm to the environment. Using calcined oyster shells as a natural preservative might solve the problem of oyster shell waste. We studied the use of calcined oyster shell powder (COSP) as a natural preservative for improving shrimp shelf-life over 12 days under refrigerated conditions. As compared with the control, COSP treatment effectively retarded pH change, reduced the formation of total volatile basic nitrogen, and inhibited bacterial growth during refrigerated storage. In addition, shrimp muscle lipid oxidation measured by peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) was decreased during storage. The quality was preserved up to 12 days with 2.0–4.0% COSP treatment as compared with only 6 days for un-treated shrimp. The development of preservatives for aquatic products is expected to delay growth of and spoilage by microorganisms in the refrigerated state, thus providing more barrier protection for aquatic food safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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20 pages, 2573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional and Bioactive Characterization of Sicana odorifera Naudim Vell. Seeds By-Products and Its Potential Hepatoprotective Properties in Swiss Albino Mice

by Silvia Caballero, Laura Mereles, Alberto Burgos-Edwards, Nelson Alvarenga, Eva Coronel, Rocío Villalba and Olga Heinichen

Biology 2021, 10(12), 1351; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology10121351 - 19 Dec 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4005

Abstract

The “Kurugua” (Sicana odorifera) is a native fruit that demonstrates attractive nutritional, coloring, flavoring, and antioxidant properties. The main by-products from the processing and consumption of kurugua fruit are epicarp and seeds. In this work, the properties of the seeds of S. odorifera were evaluated. The nutritional composition of the fruit seeds was determined through AOAC official methods and UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS profiling. The antioxidant activities were determined using in vitro methods, and the acute toxicity and hepatoprotective properties were investigated in Swiss albino mice. Quercetin derivatives and cucurbitacins were the main phytochemicals in the seeds’ methanolic extract and demonstrated some biological activities. GC-MS analysis revealed the essential fatty acids linolenic and linoleic as the main compounds present in seeds oil. The methanolic extract significantly reduced the serum levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) in mice with induced hepatotoxicity (GPT p < 0.05; GOT p < 0.001) at the minor concentration tested (100 mg/kg EMSo). The results suggest that the S. odorifera seeds as by-products show potential use as a source of phytochemicals and in the production of oils with application in food supplements and nutraceuticals. Their integral use could contribute to waste reduction from kurugua fruits processing within the food safety and environmental sustainability framework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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21 pages, 1847 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Steam Explosion (STEX) of Citrus × Poncirus Hybrids with Exceptional Tolerance to Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus (CLas) as Useful Sources of Volatiles and Other Commercial Products

by Christina Dorado, Kim D. Bowman, Randall G. Cameron, John A. Manthey, Jinhe Bai and Kyle L. Ferguson

Biology 2021, 10(12), 1285; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology10121285 - 07 Dec 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2335

Abstract

Florida citrus production has declined 75% due to Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease caused by the pathogenic bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). Methods to combat CLas are costly and only partially effective. The cross-compatible species Poncirus trifoliata and some of its hybrids are known to be highly tolerant to CLas, and thus can potentially serve as an alternative feedstock for many citrus products. To further investigate the commercial potential of citrus hybrids, three citrus hybrids, US-802, US-897, and US-942, were studied for their potential as feedstocks for citrus co-products using steam explosion (STEX) followed by water extraction. Up to 93% of sugars were recovered. US-897 and US-942 have similar volatile profiles to that of the commercial citrus fruit types and as much as 85% of these volatiles could be recovered. Approximately 80% of the pectic hydrocolloids present in all three hybrids could be obtained in water washes of STEX material. Of the phenolics identified, the flavanone glycosides, i.e., naringin, neohesperidin, and poncirin were the most abundant quantitatively in these hybrids. The ability to extract a large percentage of these compounds, along with their inherent values, make US-802, US-897, and US-942 potentially viable feedstock sources for citrus co-products in the current HLB-blighted environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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15 pages, 1654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Syrah Grape Skin Residues Has Potential as Source of Antioxidant and Anti-Microbial Bioactive Compounds

by Roberta Barreto de Andrade, Bruna Aparecida Souza Machado, Gabriele de Abreu Barreto, Renata Quartieri Nascimento, Luiz Claudio Corrêa, Ingrid Lessa Leal, Pedro Paulo Lordelo Guimarães Tavares, Ederlan de Souza Ferreira and Marcelo Andrés Umsza-Guez

Biology 2021, 10(12), 1262; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology10121262 - 03 Dec 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2906

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the effects of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) under different time-temperature conditions on the content of bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Syrah grape skin residue. The application of UAE showed a positive effect on the extraction of total flavonoids, and a negative effect on total polyphenols. The temperature of 40 °C and 60 °C without the UAE caused an increase of 260% and 287% of the total polyphenols, respectively. Nineteen individually bioactive compounds were quantified. The anthocyanin concentration (malvidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside 118.8–324.5 mg/100 g) showed high variation, to a lesser extent for phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavonols, procyanidins and stilbenes due to the UAE process. The Syrah grape skin residue has a high concentration of total phenolic compounds of 196–733.7 mg·GAE/100 g and a total flavonoid content of 9.8–40.0 mg·QE/100 g. The results of free radical scavenging activity (16.0–48.7 mg/100 mL, as EC₅₀) and its inhibition of microbial growth (0.16 mg/mL, as EC₅₀ for S. aureus, and 0.04 mg/mL, as EC₅₀ for E. coli) by grape skin extract (UAE 40:20) indicate high antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It was concluded that the use of ultrasound needs further analysis for its application in this context, as it has shown deleterious effects on some compounds of interest. Syrah grape skin residue has potential as a source of bioactive antioxidants, antimicrobial activity and for use as a functional food ingredient. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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16 pages, 3785 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extraction of Aloesin from Aloe vera Rind Using Alternative Green Solvents: Process Optimization and Biological Activity Assessment

by Mikel Añibarro-Ortega, José Pinela, Ana Ćirić, Elsa Lopes, Adriana K. Molina, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Marina Soković, Olga Ferreira, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira and Lillian Barros

Biology 2021, 10(10), 951; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology10100951 - 23 Sep 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4009

Abstract

Aloesin is an aromatic chromone with increasing applications in the cosmetic and health food industries. To optimize its extraction from the Aloe vera leaf rind, the independent variables time (10–210 min), temperature (25–95 °C) and organic solvent composition (0–100%, w/w) were combined in a central composite design coupled with response surface methodology. The solvents consisted of binary mixtures of water with ethanol, propylene glycol, or glycerol. The aloesin levels quantified in each extract were used as response for optimization. The theoretical models were fitted to the experimental data, statistically validated, and used to obtain the optimal extraction conditions. Then, a dose–response analysis of the solid/liquid ratio (S/L) was performed under the optimal conditions determined for each alcohol–water system and revealed that a linear improvement in extraction efficiency can be achieved by increasing the S/L ratio by up to 40 g/L. This analysis also allowed to experimentally validate the predictive models. Furthermore, the aloesin-rich extracts revealed antioxidant activity through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation inhibition, antimicrobial effects against bacterial and fungal strains, and no toxicity for PLP2 cells. Overall, this study provided optimal extraction conditions for the recovery of aloesin from Aloe vera rind through an eco-friendly extraction process and highlighted its bioactive potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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14 pages, 532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functionality of Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum) By-Products and In Vivo Anti-Diabetes Effect in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

by Po-Hsien Li, Yung-Jia Chan, Ya-Wen Hou, Wen-Chien Lu, Wen-Hui Chen, Jie-Yun Tseng and Amanda Tresiliana Mulio

Biology 2021, 10(2), 160; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biology10020160 - 17 Feb 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3152

Abstract

Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) is a species of cereal grain native to Taiwan. It is rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants and therefore reputed to relieve constipation, suppress inflammation, and lower blood glucose. The aim of this study was to investigate the composition and physicochemical properties of dietary fibre from djulis hull. Meanwhile, determination of the in vivo antidiabetic effect on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after consuming the djulis hull powder. Djulis hull contained dietary fibre 75.21 ± 0.17% dry weight, and insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) reached 71.54 ± 0.27% dry weight. The IDF postponed the adsorption of glucose and reduced the activity of α-amylase. Postprandial blood glucose levels in patients with T2DM showed three different tendencies. First, the area under the glucose curve was significantly lower after ingesting 10 or 5 g djulis hull powder, which then postponed the adsorption of glucose, but the area under the glucose curve was similar with the two doses. After consuming 10 g djulis hull before 75 g glucose 30 and 60 min after the meal, patients with T2DM had blood glucose values that were significantly lower at the same postprandial times than those of patients who did not consume djulis hull. In short, patients who consumed djulis hull prior to glucose administration had decreased blood glucose level compared with those who did not. Djulis hull may have benefits for patients with T2DM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food By-Products as Sustainable Sources of Health-Promoting and Anti-microbial Bioactive Molecules)

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