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Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 53462

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marchetti Nicola

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Guest Editor

Food Chemistry Lab, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Interests: food analysis, LC–MS/MS; natural bioactive compounds; gastrointestinal bioaccessibility; enzyme-assisted extraction; high added-value molecules from agrifood wastes and byproducts; bioactive peptides

Dr. Giuseppina Paola Parpinello

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena, FC, Italy
Interests: sensory evaluation of food (wine, fruit juices, sweeteners); analytical techniques useful in food characterization: spectrophotometric (UV-Vis), spectroscopy methods (FT-NIR, FT-IR), chromatographic methods (HPLC, IC, MECK), electronic nose; statistical analysis; correlation between analytical techniques and sensory evaluation; polyphenolic compounds, natural antioxidants, bioactive compounds in food, beverages and wine; nutraceutical and technological exploitation of food grade tannins; food waste recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to present this Special Issue of Molecules, entitled “Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable Byproducts and Wastes and Their Re-use”. It is well known that processing residues generated by the agrifood industry might contain a plethora of bioactive substances and other either small or large molecules, such as proteins, amino acids, pectins, carotenoids, and oils, which are part of human nutrition and can be used as additives in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, nowadays, many different methodologies can be successfully developed and applied for their extraction and purification from post-processed agrifood matrices.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect original research articles and reviews on this topic, ranging from method development and optimization to the investigation and exploitation of functional properties of those bioactive compounds extracted from fruit and vegetable industry byproducts and wastes.

In this view, the composition and structural properties of the extracts are examined by means of complementary analytical methods (HPLC, LC–MS, CE, NMR, FT-IR, etc.) to assess their molecular characteristics for potential industrial applications. Also, bioactivity has to be investigated and demonstrated for humans.

The valorization of characterized bioactive substances or other molecules throughout their utilization in established production processes as well as their incorporation into new food products (i.e., fortification, enrichment, novel food, etc.) will be also a matter of interest, together with the evaluation of bioaccessibility and bioavailability of these compounds in extracts or in new complex matrices.

This Special Issue should be of great interest for several disciplines and different research fields, such as fruit and vegetable transformation processes, analytical chemistry, natural product chemistry, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical technology and other researchers interested in environmental strategies for the effective and profitable valorization of these substances.

Prof. Dr. Marchetti Nicola
Prof. Dr. Giuseppina Parpinello
Guest Editors

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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

agrifood byproducts/waste valorization
bioactive compound analysis
fruits and vegetables
natural products
chromatography
spectroscopy
extraction
bioaccessibility
bioavailability

Published Papers (14 papers)

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18 pages, 2961 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Novel Gluten-Free Bread with an Extract from Flaxseed By-Product: The Relationship between Water Replacement Level and Nutritional Value, Antioxidant Properties, and Sensory Quality

by Urszula Krupa-Kozak, Natalia Bączek, Vanessa D. Capriles and Łukasz Łopusiewicz

Molecules 2022, 27(9), 2690; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27092690 - 21 Apr 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2560

Abstract

The food industry generates a great amount of food waste and by-products, which in many cases are not fully valorized. Press cakes, deriving from oilseeds extraction, represent interesting co-products due to their nutritional value, high biopolymers content, and the presence of bioactive phytochemicals. Gluten-free breads (GFBs) are products that have disadvantages such as unsatisfactory texture, low nutritional value, and short shelf life, so natural additives containing proteins and hydrocolloids are in demand to increase GFBs value. In this study, extract from flaxseed by-product (FOCE—Flaxseed Oil Cake Extract) was used to replace water (25–100%) in GFBs formulations and their nutritional value, antioxidant properties, and sensory features were investigated. The results showed that GFBs with FOCE had an elevated nutritional and nutraceutical profile (up to 60% more proteins, significantly increased K, Mg, and P levels). Moreover, the addition of FOCE improved the technological parameters (increased specific volume, number of cells and height/width ratio, reduced density, average size, and perimeter of cells), antioxidant potential, and overall sensory quality of GFBs. This study showed an encouraging way of using a by-product that, due to its high content of proteins, polysaccharides, minerals, and antioxidants, can add value to GFBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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15 pages, 16093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Plant-Based Byproducts as Green Fining Agents for Precision Winemaking

by Andrea Versari, Arianna Ricci, Annacarla Brioni, Cristian Galaz Torres, Carolina Alejandra Pavez Moreno, Javiera Concha García and Giuseppina Paola Parpinello

Molecules 2022, 27(5), 1671; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27051671 - 03 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1990

Abstract

Consumers are increasingly looking for foods, including wine, that are free of animal-derived proteins. This study seeks to evaluate patatin, a new, plant-based and allergen-free fining agent, by comparing it with the fining agents polyvinipolypyrrolidone, bovine serum albumin, and methylcellulose. Specifically, its effects on the phenolic profile of enological tannins were analyzed with four spectrophotometric assays: OD 280 nm, Folin–Ciocâlteu, Adams–Harbertson, and methylcellulose. In addition, changes in the polyphenol composition of Sangiovese red wine were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC with adsorption trials, and the solid–liquid interaction in a wine solution was modeled by both Langmuir and Freundlich equations. Our findings highlight the occurrence of systematic proportional error between the selected spectrophotometric assays. As a result, direct comparisons of protein precipitation assays can be made only among results obtained with the same spectrophotometric method. However, it is clear that patatin has an impact on the phenolic profile of Sangiovese red wine: it removes simple phenolics (gallic acid, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, syringic acid, fertaric acid, coutaric acid, and rutin) as well as both oligomeric and polymeric tannins to different extents. In concentrations of less than 1 g/L, the patatin isotherm showed a linear relation between the equilibrium concentration and the quantity absorbed, obeying the Freundlich model reasonably well (K_F 1.46; 1/n 1.07; R² 0.996 with 1/n > 1). Thus, the adsorption process is strongly dependent on the fining dosage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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16 pages, 2067 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Carotenoids from Carrot Pomace and Their Optimization through Response Surface Methodology

by Muhammad Umair, Saqib Jabbar, Mustapha M. Nasiru, Zhaoxin Lu, Jianhao Zhang, Muhammad Abid, Mian Anjum Murtaza, Marek Kieliszek and Liqing Zhao

Molecules 2021, 26(22), 6763; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26226763 - 09 Nov 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3681

Abstract

Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was used to extract carotenoids from the carrot pomace. To investigate the effect of independent variables on the UAE, the response surface methodology (RSM) with central-composite design (CCD) was employed. The study was conducted with three independent variables including extraction time (min), temperature (°C), and ethanol concentration (%). The results showed that the optimal conditions for UAE were achieved with an extraction time of 17 min, temperature of 32 °C, and ethanol concentration of 51% of total carotenoids (31.82 ± 0.55); extraction time of 16 min, temperature of 29 °C, and ethanol concentration of 59% for a combination of β-carotene (14.89 ± 0.40), lutein (5.77 ± 0.19), and lycopene (2.65 ± 0.12). The non-significant (p > 0.05) correlation under optimal extraction conditions between predicted and experimental values suggested that UAE is the more productive process than conventional techniques for the extraction of carotenoids from the carrot pomace. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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13 pages, 1513 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extraction and Stabilization of Betalains from Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) Wastes Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

by Omar A. Hernández-Aguirre, Claudia Muro, Evelyn Hernández-Acosta, Yolanda Alvarado and María del Carmen Díaz-Nava

Molecules 2021, 26(21), 6342; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26216342 - 20 Oct 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3155

Abstract

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) using magnesium chloride hexahydrate [MgCl₂·6H₂O] and urea [U] proportions (1:1) and (2:1), were prepared for their use as extracting and stabilizer agents for red and violet betalains from beetroot (Beta vulgaris) waste. The synthetized DES [MgCl₂·6H₂O] [U] showed similar properties to eutectic mixtures, such as, liquid phase, low melting points and conductivity, thermal stability, and variable viscosity. In turn, betalain DES extracts (2:1) exhibited compatibility in the extraction and recovery of betalains from beetroot wastes, showing a betalain content comparable to that of betalain extracts. Betalain stability was determined by degradation tests; the exposure conditions were visible light (12 h), molecular oxygen from atmospheric air and environmental temperature (20–27 °C) for 40 days. The kinetic curves of the betalain degradation of water samples depicted a first-order model, indicating the alteration of a violet colouration of betalains from beetroot waste for 5–7 days. However, betalains from DES extracts were kept under visible light for 150 days, and for 340 days in storage (amber vessels), achieving a stability of 75% in comparison with initial beet extracts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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15 pages, 2360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Setup of an Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction to Obtain High Phenolic Recovery in Crataegus monogyna Leaves

by Beatriz Martín-García, María del Carmen Razola-Díaz, Ana María Gómez-Caravaca, Guillermo Benítez and Vito Verardo

Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4536; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26154536 - 27 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1815

Abstract

Hawthorn leaves are a rich source of phenolic compounds that possess beneficial activities for human health. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) is an extraction technique frequently used for the isolation of phenolic compounds in plants. Thus, in this study, a Box–Behnken design was used to optimize UAE conditions such as the percentage of acetone, the extraction time and solvent-to-solid ratio (v/w) in order to obtain the maximum content of total compounds by Folin–Ciocalteu and the maximum in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays in Crataegus monogyna leaves. The optimum conditions to obtain the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were 50% acetone, 55 min and 1/1000 (w/v). A total of 30 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in C. monogyna leaf extract obtained at these optimum UAE conditions. HPLC-MS allows the identification and quantification of 19 phenolic compounds and NP-HPLC-FLD analyses showed the presence of 11 proanthocyanidins. According to the results, the most concentrated phenolic compounds in C. monogyna leaf extract obtained at optimum UAE conditions were phenolic acid derivatives such as protocatechuic acid-glucoside, dihydroxy benzoic acid pentoside and chlorogenic acid, flavones such as 2″-O-rhamnosyl-C-hexosyl-apigenin, flavonols such as hyperoside and isoquercetin and proanthocyanidins such as monomer and dimer. As a result, the optimized UAE conditions could be used to obtain an extract of C. monogyna leaves enriched with phenolic compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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14 pages, 953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Kabuli and Apulian black Chickpea Milling By-Products as Innovative Ingredients to Provide High Levels of Dietary Fibre and Bioactive Compounds in Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta

by Michela Costantini, Carmine Summo, Michele Faccia, Francesco Caponio and Antonella Pasqualone

Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4442; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26154442 - 23 Jul 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2668

Abstract

Gluten-free (GF) products, including pasta, are often characterised by nutritional deficiencies, such as scarce dietary fibre and excess of calories. Chickpea flour is increasingly being used by the food industries. Hulls, rich in dietary fibre and bioactive compounds, are discarded after milling. The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality features of short-cut GF fresh pasta added of hull (8% w/w) derived from kabuli (KH) or Apulian black (ABH) chickpeas, in comparison with control GF pasta prepared without hull. The enriched pasta, which could be labelled as “high fibre”, was characterised by a higher level of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity than the control. ABH-enriched pasta showed the highest anthocyanins (33.37 ± 1.20 and 20.59 ± 0.11 mg/kg of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on dry matter in raw and cooked pasta, respectively). Hull addition increased colour intensity and structural quality of GF pasta: ABH-enriched pasta had the lowest cooking loss and the highest water absorption capacity; KH-enriched pasta showed the highest firmness. No significant differences in sensory liking were found among the samples, except for “aftertaste”. Chickpea hull can be used as an innovative ingredient to produce potentially functional GF pasta, meeting the dietary needs of consumers without affecting quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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14 pages, 1756 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Apple Pomace

by Itziar Egüés, Fabio Hernandez-Ramos, Iván Rivilla and Jalel Labidi

Molecules 2021, 26(13), 3783; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26133783 - 22 Jun 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2321

Abstract

In the present work, the optimization of the extraction of antioxidant compounds from apple pomace using ultrasound technology as an environmentally friendly and intensification process was developed. Different sonication powers, extraction temperatures and extraction times were studied and their influence on extraction yield and characteristics of the extracted samples (total phenolic compounds, flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity) are presented. The elaborated experimental design and the analysis of Pareto and response surface diagrams allowed us to determine the optimal extraction conditions. The conditions that allow the maximum extraction of phenolic compounds were found at 20 min, 90 °C and 50% ultrasound amplitude. Nevertheless, at these conditions, the antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH decreased in the extracted samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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18 pages, 2738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds from Citrus Pomaces and Orange Pomace Biscuits

by Adriana Maite Fernández-Fernández, Eduardo Dellacassa, Tiziana Nardin, Roberto Larcher, Adriana Gámbaro, Alejandra Medrano-Fernandez and María Dolores del Castillo

Molecules 2021, 26(12), 3480; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26123480 - 08 Jun 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5380

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to provide novel information on the chemical composition and in vitro bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds from raw citrus pomaces (mandarin varieties Clemenule and Ortanique and orange varieties Navel and Valencia). The effects of the baking process on their bioaccessibility was also assessed. Samples of pomaces and biscuits containing them as an ingredient were digested, mimicking the human enzymatic oral gastrointestinal digestion process, and the composition of the digests were analyzed. UHPLC-MS/MS results of the citrus pomaces flavonoid composition showed nobiletin, hesperidin/neohesperidin, tangeretin, heptamethoxyflavone, tetramethylscutellarein, and naringin/narirutin. The analysis of the digests indicated the bioaccessibility of compounds possessing antioxidant [6.6–11.0 mg GAE/g digest, 65.5–97.1 µmol Trolox Equivalents (TE)/g digest, and 135.5–214.8 µmol TE/g digest for total phenol content (TPC), ABTS, and ORAC-FL methods, respectively; significant reduction (p < 0.05) in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formation under tert-butyl hydroperoxide (1 mM)-induced conditions in IEC-6 and CCD-18Co cells when pre-treated with concentrations 5–25 µg/mL of the digests], anti-inflammatory [significant reduction (p < 0.05) in nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages], and antidiabetic (IC₅₀ 3.97–11.42 mg/mL and 58.04–105.68 mg/mL for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition capacities) properties in the citrus pomaces under study. In addition, orange pomace biscuits with the nutrition claims “no-added sugars” and “source of fiber”, as well as those with good sensory quality (6.9–6.7, scale 1–9) and potential health promoting properties, were obtained. In conclusion, the results supported the feasibility of citrus pomace as a natural sustainable source of health-promoting compounds such as flavonoids. Unfractionated orange pomace may be employed as a functional food ingredient for reducing the risk of pathophysiological processes linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, and carbohydrate metabolism, such as diabetes, among others. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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12 pages, 1595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pomegranate By-Products as Natural Preservative to Prolong the Shelf Life of Breaded Cod Stick

by Olimpia Panza, Amalia Conte and Matteo Alessandro Del Nobile

Molecules 2021, 26(8), 2385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26082385 - 20 Apr 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

This work evaluated the efficacy of pomegranate byproducts, specifically peel powder, as valid preservatives for food quality. Ready-to-cook cod sticks breaded with pomegranate peel powder were prepared. Shelf-life tests were conducted on breaded cod sticks during refrigerated storage (17 days) at 4 °C, monitoring the pH, microbiological and sensory quality. In addition, the nutritional quality of both the breaded and control samples was assessed. The results highlighted that active samples showed higher phenol and flavonoid content and higher antioxidant activity compared to the control fish, suggesting that pomegranate peel powder was responsible for a significant increase in cod stick nutritional quality. Furthermore, the cod stick active breading led to a delay in microbial growth without affecting the sensory properties; rather, it helped slow down the sensory attribute decline during the refrigerated storage. The data suggest that using pomegranate byproducts in breaded cod stick was effective in prolonging its shelf life, as well as improving its nutritional quality. Therefore, pomegranate peel powder can be considered as a potential resource as natural food preservative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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12 pages, 902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recovery of Anthocyanins and Monosaccharides from Grape Marc Extract by Nanofiltration Membranes

by Paul Muñoz, Karla Pérez, Alfredo Cassano and René Ruby-Figueroa

Molecules 2021, 26(7), 2003; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26072003 - 01 Apr 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2545

Abstract

Wastewaters and by-products generated in the winemaking process are important and inexpensive sources of value-added compounds that can be potentially reused for the development of new products of commercial interest (i.e., functional foods). This research was undertaken in order to evaluate the potential of nanofiltration (NF) membranes in the recovery of anthocyanins and monosaccharides from a clarified Carménère grape marc obtained through a combination of ultrasound-assisted extraction and microfiltration. Three different flat-sheet nanofiltration (NF) membranes, covering the range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) from 150 to 800 Da, were evaluated for their productivity as well as for their rejection towards anthocyanins (malvidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin 3-(acetyl)-glucoside, and malvidin 3-(coumaroyl)-glucoside) and sugars (glucose and fructose) in selected operating conditions. The selected membranes showed differences in their performance in terms of permeate flux and rejection of target compounds. The NFX membrane, with the lowest MWCO (150–300 Da), showed a lower flux decay in comparison to the other investigated membranes. All the membranes showed rejection higher than 99.42% for the quantified anthocyanins. Regarding sugars rejection, the NFX membrane showed the highest rejection for glucose and fructose (100 and 92.60%, respectively), whereas the NFW membrane (MWCO 300–500 Da) was the one with the lowest rejection for these compounds (80.57 and 71.62%, respectively). As a general trend, the tested membranes did not show a preferential rejection of anthocyanins over sugars. Therefore, all tested membranes were suitable for concentration purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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16 pages, 2295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Extract from Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) By-Products as a Potential Oenological Tannin: Preliminary Characterization and Comparison with Existing Commercial Products

by Valentina Canuti, Lorenzo Cecchi, Mohamad Khatib, Lorenzo Guerrini, Nadia Mulinacci and Bruno Zanoni

Molecules 2020, 25(19), 4460; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25194460 - 28 Sep 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4144

Abstract

Oenotannins are nowadays widely used as co-adjuvant in the winemaking process. The increasing cultivation and consumption of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) leads to high amounts of by-products, mainly peels. Aim of this study was to propose a dried tannin-rich extract from pomegranate by-products as a new oenotannin. A decoction was prepared from mesocarp of the Wonderful pomegranate variety only using hot water as extracting solvent. The dried decoction was physical-chemically characterized and compared to 7 existing commercial oenotannins from different botanical origin (grape seed, oak, gallnut), according to UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Colorimetric analysis (CIELab), gelatin index, reactivity to proteins, HPLC-DAD, DPPH, and Total Polyphenols content by both Folin-Ciocalteu and the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) methods. Data showed the lowest antiradical (AR) and total polyphenolic content (TPC) for the pomegranate tannin but also the highest AR/TPC ratio suggesting a good radical scavenging potential of this new tannin. Pomegranate tannin showed high reactivity with proteins, a unique chromatographic profile, and a low color impact. The new pomegranate tannin showed an interesting potential for oenological applications in particular for reducing the use of sulfites during vinification and for the white wine stabilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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Review

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18 pages, 1697 KiB

Open AccessReview

Valorization and Application of Fruit and Vegetable Wastes and By-Products for Food Packaging Materials

by Banu Bayram, Gulay Ozkan, Tina Kostka, Esra Capanoglu and Tuba Esatbeyoglu

Molecules 2021, 26(13), 4031; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26134031 - 01 Jul 2021

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 8953

Abstract

The important roles of food packaging are food protection and preservation during processing, transportation, and storage. Food can be altered biologically, chemically, and physically if the packaging is unsuitable or mechanically damaged. Furthermore, packaging is an important marketing and communication tool to consumers. Due to the worldwide problem of environmental pollution by microplastics and the large amounts of unused food wastes and by-products from the food industry, it is important to find more environmentally friendly alternatives. Edible and functional food packaging may be a suitable alternative to reduce food waste and avoid the use of non-degradable plastics. In the present review, the production and assessment of edible food packaging from food waste as well as fruit and vegetable by-products and their applications are demonstrated. Innovative food packaging made of biopolymers and biocomposites, as well as active packaging, intelligent packaging, edible films, and coatings are covered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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25 pages, 3580 KiB

Open AccessReview

Valorization of Bio-Residues from the Processing of Main Portuguese Fruit Crops: From Discarded Waste to Health Promoting Compounds

by Liege A. Pascoalino, Filipa S. Reis, Miguel A. Prieto, João C. M. Barreira, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira and Lillian Barros

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2624; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092624 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4172

Abstract

Food processing generates a large amount of bio-residues, which have become the focus of different studies aimed at valorizing this low-cost source of bioactive compounds. High fruit consumption is associated with beneficial health effects and, therefore, bio-waste and its constituents arouse therapeutic interest. The present work focuses on the main Portuguese fruit crops and revises (i) the chemical constituents of apple, orange, and pear pomace as potential sources of functional/bioactive compounds; (ii) the bioactive evidence and potential therapeutic use of bio-waste generated in the processing of the main Portuguese fruit crops; and (iii) potential applications in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The current evidence of the effect of these bio-residues as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agents is also summarized. Conclusions of the revised data are that these bio-wastes hold great potential to be employed in specific nutritional and pharmaceutical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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16 pages, 2556 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Methanol Mitigation during Manufacturing of Fruit Spirits with Special Consideration of Novel Coffee Cherry Spirits

by Patrik Blumenthal, Marc C. Steger, Daniel Einfalt, Jörg Rieke-Zapp, Andrès Quintanilla Bellucci, Katharina Sommerfeld, Steffen Schwarz and Dirk W. Lachenmeier

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2585; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092585 - 28 Apr 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5627

Abstract

Methanol is a natural ingredient with major occurrence in fruit spirits, such as apple, pear, plum or cherry spirits, but also in spirits made from coffee pulp. The compound is formed during fermentation and the following mash storage by enzymatic hydrolysis of naturally present pectins. Methanol is toxic above certain threshold levels and legal limits have been set in most jurisdictions. Therefore, the methanol content needs to be mitigated and its level must be controlled. This article will review the several factors that influence the methanol content including the pH value of the mash, the addition of various yeast and enzyme preparations, fermentation temperature, mash storage, and most importantly the raw material quality and hygiene. From all these mitigation possibilities, lowering the pH value and the use of cultured yeasts when mashing fruit substances is already common as best practice today. Also a controlled yeast fermentation at acidic pH facilitates not only reduced methanol formation, but ultimately also leads to quality benefits of the distillate. Special care has to be observed in the case of spirits made from coffee by-products which are prone to spoilage with very high methanol contents reported in past studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemicals from Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Wastes and Their Re-use)

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