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Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 15560

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gianpiero Pataro

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Guest Editor

Department of Industrial Engineering (DIIn), Università degli Studi di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
Interests: food processing; food engineering; food; food byproduct; microalgae; extraction; ultrasound; biorefinery; pulsed electric field; pulsed light; ohmic heating
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. M. Elvira López-Caballero

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Guest Editor

Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition, ICTAN-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
Interests: food quality; microorganisms; minimal processing technologies; edible coatings/films; functional fish products; valorization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Xanel Vecino

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Guest Editor

1. Chemical Engineering Department, School of Industrial Engineering (EEI), University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
2. Chemical Engineering Department, Escuela de Ingeniería de Barcelona Este (EEBE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)-BarcelonaTECH, 08930 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: bioactive ingredients; surface-active compounds; natural products; cosmetic formulations; green technology; waste valorization; fermentation; Lactobacillus species; probiotic and prebiotic properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A projected global population increase from 7.5 to 9.7 billion people by 2050 and the consequent increasing demand for natural functional products require that agri-food processing industries continue to expand in the coming decades. Accordingly, along the entire agri-food supply chain, larger amounts of waste and byproducts are expected to be generated.

These wastes and byproducts represent a major disposal problem for agri-food company, where they currently find only low-added value uses as animal feed or compost. However, in recent years, a lot of effort has been focused on the valorization of agri-food wastes/byproducts that represent a sustainable source of many valuable intracellular compounds (i.e., proteins, biopolymers, antioxidants, flavors, colorants, lipids, and fibers, among others), whose sustainable recovery might bring significant economic and environmental benefits.

Original research and review papers that help to elucidate the complex interaction between raw material properties, their changes after pretreatment, conventional and emerging extraction technologies and downstream processes, as well as how emerging technologies can be used to improve yield and quality of the final extracts and contribute to integrate sustainable biorefinery strategies in the development of valuable compounds from agro-food waste and byproducts, are welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Gianpiero Pataro
Dr. Elvira Lopez-Caballero
Dr. Xanel Vecino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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

process intensification and efficiency
food waste/byproduct management and valorization
emerging technologies
bioactive compounds
biorefinery

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Cutin Extraction Efficiency from Industrially Derived Tomato Processing Residues by High-Pressure Homogenization

by Elham Eslami, Francesco Donsì, Giovanna Ferrari and Gianpiero Pataro

Foods 2024, 13(9), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13091415 - 4 May 2024

Viewed by 403

Abstract

This study primarily aimed to enhance the extraction of cutin from industrial tomato peel residues. Initially, the conventional extraction process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Subsequently, high-pressure homogenization (HPH) was introduced to improve extraction efficiency and sustainability. The optimization process focused on determining the optimal conditions for conventional extraction via chemical hydrolysis, including temperature (100–130 °C), time (15–120 min), and NaOH concentration (1–3%). The optimized conditions, determined as 130 °C, 120 min, and 3% NaOH solution, yielded a maximum cutin extraction of 32.5%. Furthermore, the results indicated that applying HPH pre-treatment to tomato peels before alkaline hydrolysis significantly increased the cutin extraction yield, reaching 46.1%. This represents an approximately 42% increase compared to the conventional process. Importantly, HPH pre-treatment enabled cutin extraction under milder conditions using a 2% NaOH solution, reducing NaOH usage by 33%, while still achieving a substantial cutin yield of 45.6%. FT-IR analysis confirmed that cutin obtained via both conventional and HPH-assisted extraction exhibited similar chemical structures, indicating that the main chemical groups and structure of cutin remained unaltered by HPH treatment. Furthermore, cutin extracts from both conventional and HPH-assisted extraction demonstrated thermal stability up to approximately 200 °C, with less than 5% weight loss according to TGA analysis. These findings underscore the potential of HPH technology to significantly enhance cutin extraction yield from tomato peel residues while utilizing milder chemical hydrolysis conditions, thereby promoting a more sustainable and efficient cutin extraction process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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24 pages, 14107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Valorization of Industrial Cherry Pomace: A Novel Cascade Approach Using Pulsed Electric Fields and Ultrasound Assisted-Extraction

by Ervehe Rrucaj, Serena Carpentieri, Mariarosa Scognamiglio, Francesco Siano, Giovanna Ferrari and Gianpiero Pataro

Foods 2024, 13(7), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071043 - 28 Mar 2024

Viewed by 556

Abstract

In this study, a two-stage cascade extraction process utilizing pulsed electric fields (PEF) (3 kV/cm, 10 kJ/kg) for initial extraction, followed by ultrasound (US) (200 W, 20 min)-assisted extraction (UAE) in a 50% (v/v) ethanol-water mixture (T = 50 °C, t = 60 min), was designed for the efficient release of valuable intracellular compounds from industrial cherry pomace. The extracted compounds were evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid content (FC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and antioxidant activity (FRAP), and were compared with conventional solid-liquid extraction (SLE). Results showed that the highest release of bioactive compounds occurred in the first stage, which was attributed to the impact of PEF pre-treatment, resulting in significant increases in TPC (79%), FC (79%), TAC (83%), and FRAP values (80%) of the total content observed in the post-cascade PEF-UAE process. The integration of UAE into the cascade process further augmented the extraction efficiency, yielding 21%, 49%, 56%, and 26% increases for TPC, FC, TAC, and FRAP, respectively, as compared to extracts obtained through a second-stage conventional SLE. HPLC analysis identified neochlorogenic acid, 4-p-coumaroylquinic, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside as the predominant phenolic compounds in both untreated and cascade-treated cherry pomace extracts, and no degradation of the specific compounds occurred upon PEF and US application. SEM analysis revealed microstructural changes in cherry pomace induced by PEF and UAE treatments, enhancing the porosity and facilitating the extraction process. The study suggests the efficiency of the proposed cascade PEF-UAE extraction approach for phenolic compounds from industrial cherry pomace with potential applications to other plant-based biomasses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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17 pages, 1099 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Different Pretreatment Processes Envisaging the Potential Use of Food Waste as Microalgae Substrate

by Fabiana Marques, Francisco Pereira, Luís Machado, Joana T. Martins, Ricardo N. Pereira, Monya M. Costa, Zlatina Genisheva, Hugo Pereira, António A. Vicente, José A. Teixeira and Pedro Geada

Foods 2024, 13(7), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071018 - 26 Mar 2024

Viewed by 643

Abstract

A significant fraction of the food produced worldwide is currently lost or wasted throughout the supply chain, squandering natural and economic resources. Food waste valorization will be an important necessity in the coming years. This work investigates the ability of food waste to serve as a viable nutritional substrate for the heterotrophic growth of Chlorella vulgaris. The impact of different pretreatments on the elemental composition and microbial contamination of seven retail food waste mixtures was evaluated. Among the pretreatment methods applied to the food waste formulations, autoclaving was able to eliminate all microbial contamination and increase the availability of reducing sugars by 30%. Ohmic heating was also able to eliminate most of the contaminations in the food wastes in shorter time periods than autoclave. However, it has reduced the availability of reducing sugars, making it less preferable for microalgae heterotrophic cultivation. The direct utilization of food waste containing essential nutrients from fruits, vegetables, dairy and bakery products, and meat on the heterotrophic growth of microalgae allowed a biomass concentration of 2.2 × 10⁸ cells·mL⁻¹, being the culture able to consume more than 42% of the reducing sugars present in the substrate, thus demonstrating the economic and environmental potential of these wastes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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15 pages, 4165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metabolic and Bioprocess Engineering of Clostridium tyrobutyricum for Butyl Butyrate Production on Xylose and Shrimp Shell Waste

by Hao Wang, Yingli Chen, Zhihan Yang, Haijun Deng, Yiran Liu, Ping Wei, Zhengming Zhu and Ling Jiang

Foods 2024, 13(7), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071009 - 26 Mar 2024

Viewed by 660

Abstract

Microbial conversion of agri-food waste to valuable compounds offers a sustainable route to develop the bioeconomy and contribute to sustainable biorefinery. Clostridium tyrobutyricum displays a series of native traits suitable for high productivity conversion of agri-food waste, which make it a promising host for the production of various compounds, such as the short-chain fatty acids and their derivative esters products. In this study, a butanol synthetic pathway was constructed in C. tyrobutyricum, and then efficient butyl butyrate production through in situ esterification was achieved by the supplementation of lipase into the fermentation. The butyryl-CoA/acyl-CoA transferase (cat1) was overexpressed to balance the ratio between precursors butyrate and butanol. Then, a suitable fermentation medium for butyl butyrate production was obtained with xylose as the sole carbon source and shrimp shell waste as the sole nitrogen source. Ultimately, 5.9 g/L of butyl butyrate with a selectivity of 100%, and a productivity of 0.03 g/L·h was achieved under xylose and shrimp shell waste with batch fermentation in a 5 L bioreactor. Transcriptome analyses exhibited an increase in the expression of genes related to the xylose metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and amino acid metabolism and transport, which reveal the mechanism for the synergistic utilization of xylose and shrimp shell waste. This study presents a novel approach for utilizing xylose and shrimp shell waste to produce butyl butyrate by using an anaerobic fermentative platform based on C. tyrobutyricum. This innovative fermentation medium could save the cost of nitrogen sources (~97%) and open up possibilities for converting agri-food waste into other high-value products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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21 pages, 3069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Olive Pomace Oil Structuring for the Development of Healthy Puff Pastry Laminating Fats: The Effect of Chilling Storage on the Quality of Baked Products

by María Dolores Álvarez, Arancha Saiz, Beatriz Herranz and Susana Cofrades

Foods 2024, 13(4), 603; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040603 - 16 Feb 2024

Viewed by 761

Abstract

Developing puff pastry (PP) laminating fats (LFs) with sustainable structured olive pomace oil (OPO) could contribute to its increased valorization. This study evaluated the physicochemical stability of four OPO-based LFs or margarines and the performance of their baked PP counterparts during two months of chilling storage at 4 °C. LF samples, developed at the laboratory scale, contained 41% (LF1 and LF2) OPO and 31% (LF3 and LF4) OPO together with 10% cocoa butter when using two static initial crystallization conditions (room temperature for LF1 and LF3, freezer for LF2 and LF4) before storage. During the storage period, the proximate composition, thermal and dynamic rheological properties, firmness and spreadability, oil-binding capacity, color, and lipid oxidation of the four LF samples were examined, along with the baking performance and textural properties of the PP counterparts. The initial cooling rate had minimal significance. Cocoa butter negatively influenced post-crystallization processes occurring in OPO-based LF3 and LF4, resulting in increased hardness and reduced performance after 18 days of storage, attributed, at least partially, to a high amount of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (POP), mainly from cocoa butter. Conversely, OPO-based LF1 and LF2 maintained their quality and were stable for two months without apparent granular crystal formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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12 pages, 1402 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Waste from Campus Dining Hall as a Potential Feedstock for 2,3-Butanediol Production via Non-Sterilized Fermentation

by Alicia Caldwell, Xueqian Su, Qing Jin, Phyllicia Hemphill, Doaa Jaha, Sonecia Nard, Venkataswarup Tiriveedhi, Haibo Huang and Joshua OHair

Foods 2024, 13(3), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030452 - 31 Jan 2024

Viewed by 910

Abstract

Food waste is a major issue that is increasingly affecting our environment. More than one-third of food is wasted, resulting in over $400 billion in losses to the U.S. economy. While composting and other small recycling practices are encouraged from person-to-person, it is not enough to balance the net loss of 80 million tons per year. Currently, one of the most promising routes for reducing food waste is through microbial fermentation, which can convert the waste into valuable bioproducts. Among the compounds produced from fermentation, 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has gained interest recently due to its molecular structure as a building block for many other derivatives used in perfumes, synthetic rubber, fumigants, antifreeze agents, fuel additives, and pharmaceuticals. Waste feedstocks, such as food waste, are a potential source of renewable energy due to their lack of cost and availability. Food waste also possesses microbial requirements for growth such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and more. However, food waste is highly inconsistent and the variability in composition may hinder its ability to be a stable source for bioproducts such as 2,3-BDO. This current study focuses specifically on post-consumer food waste and how 2,3-BDO can be produced through a non-model organism, Bacillus licheniformis YNP5-TSU during non-sterile fermentation. From the dining hall at Tennessee State University, 13 food waste samples were collected over a 6-month period and the compositional analysis was performed. On average, these samples consisted of fat (19.7%), protein (18.7%), ash (4.8%), fiber (3.4%), starch (27.1%), and soluble sugars (20.9%) on a dry basis with an average moisture content of 34.7%. Food waste samples were also assessed for their potential production of 2,3-BDO during non-sterile thermophilic fermentation, resulting in a max titer of 12.12 g/L and a 33% g/g yield of 2,3-BDO/carbohydrates. These findings are promising and can lead to the better understanding of food waste as a defined feedstock for 2,3-BDO and other fermentation end-products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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18 pages, 2684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Strategy Using High Hydrostatic Pressure, Temperature and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Development of Fibre-Rich Ingredients from Oat and Wheat By-Products

by Iván Jesús Jiménez-Pulido, Daniel Rico, Daniel De Luis and Ana Belén Martín-Diana

Foods 2024, 13(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13030378 - 24 Jan 2024

Viewed by 977

Abstract

Wheat bran (WB) and oat hull (OH) are two interesting undervalued cereal processing sources rich in total dietary fibre (TDF) and other associated bioactive compounds, such as β-glucans and polyphenols. The aim of this study was to optimise a combination chemical (enzymes) and physical (high hydrostatic pressure-temperature) strategies to increase the bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds naturally bound to the bran and hull outer layers. WB and OH were hydrolysed using food-grade enzymes (UltraFloXL and Viscoferm, for WB and OH, respectively) in combination with HPP at different temperatures (40, 50, 60 and 70 °C) and hydrolysis either before or after HPP. Proximal composition, phytic acid, β-glucans, total phenolics (TPs) and total antioxidant activity (TAC) were evaluated to select the processing conditions for optimal nutritional and bioactive properties of the final ingredients. The application of the hydrolysis step after the HPP treatment resulted in lower phytic acid levels in both matrices (WB and OH). On the other hand, the release of β-glucan was more effective at the highest temperature (70 °C) used during pressurisation. After the treatment, the TP content ranged from 756.47 to 1395.27 µmol GAE 100 g⁻¹ in WB, and OH showed values from 566.91 to 930.45 µmol GAE 100 g⁻¹. An interaction effect between the temperature and hydrolysis timing (applied before or after HPP) was observed in the case of OH. Hydrolysis applied before HPP was more efficient in releasing OH TPs at lower HPP temperatures (40–50 °C); meanwhile, at higher HPP temperatures (60–70 °C), hydrolysis yielded higher TP values when applied after HPP. This effect was not observed in WB, where the hydrolysis was more effective before HPP. The TP results were significantly correlated with the TAC values. The results showed that the application of optimal process conditions (hydrolysis before HPP at 60 or 70 °C for WB; hydrolysis after HPP at 70 °C for OH) can increase the biological value of the final ingredients obtained. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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13 pages, 1758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Optimization of Operating Conditions in the Cross-Flow Microfiltration of Grape Marc Extract by Response Surface Methodology

by Karla Pérez, Alfredo Cassano and René Ruby-Figueroa

Foods 2024, 13(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010020 - 20 Dec 2023

Viewed by 714

Abstract

The recovery of valuable compounds like phenolic compounds and sugars from grape marc extracts implies different steps, including clarification. In this study, a response surface methodology (RSM) was used as a statistical tool to study the effects of operating conditions such as transmembrane pressure (TMP), temperature and feed flow rate on the performance of a microfiltration (MF) monotubular ceramic membrane with a pore size of 0.14 μm in the clarification of grape marc extract from the Carménère variety, as well to optimize the process conditions by implementing the Box–Behnken statistical design. The desirability function approach was applied to analyze the regression model equations in order to maximize the permeate flux and concentration of malvidin-3-O-glucoside, glucose and fructose in the clarified extract. The optimal operating conditions were found to be 1 bar, 29.01 °C and 5.64 L/min. Under these conditions, the permeate flux and concentration of malvidin-3-O-glucoside, glucose and fructose resulted in 65.78 L/m²h, 43.73 mg/L, 305.89 mg/L, and 274.85 mg/L, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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13 pages, 1709 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Atomization of Cocoa Honey Using Whey Protein Isolate to Produce a Dry Formulation with Improved Shelf Life for Industrial Application

by Christiano Pedro Guirlanda, Izabela Dutra Alvim and Jacqueline Aparecida Takahashi

Foods 2023, 12(23), 4269; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234269 - 26 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1032

Abstract

Cocoa honey, a by-product obtained during the processing of cocoa, is a juice rich in pectin, organic acids, minerals and phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. Fresh cocoa honey is quickly fermented due to its high content of reducing sugars, such as fructose and glucose, which limits its shelf life. Currently, cocoa honey is only commercialized in frozen form, as logistical challenges prevent the wide distribution or export of this by-product for applications in the market of sweets, jellies, beverages, confectionery, and nutraceutical foods among others. Spray-drying technology is a viable prospect for the large-scale stabilization of products such as cocoa honey, with less heat exposure compared to other conventional drying methods. This work aimed to evaluate the efficacy of drying adjuvants for a rapid removal of the water present in cocoa honey via atomization, since this process minimizes the effects of glass transition temperature (Tg) related to materials with high sugar contents. Physical parameters such as the moisture content, hygroscopicity, particle size, and yield of the products obtained were determined. Cocoa honey presented 85.3 ± 0.20 g/100 g of moisture. The formulations successfully decreased moisture content, which was lower than 11.72 ± 0.08 g/100 g in the formulations. Water activity ranged between 0.1464 ± 0.0043 and 0.1562 ± 0.029, with no significant difference between the formulations. The hygroscopicity of cocoa honey powders ranged from 29.29 to 29.87 g of water/100 g of cocoa honey. The combination of 20% maltodextrin and 1% whey protein isolate (WPI) led to the best yield, resulting in a free-flowing powder as the final product. On the other hand, the formulation composed of maltodextrin and whey protein isolate in the ratio of 29:1, respectively, led to the most stable product, with less loss of phenolic compounds during the drying process (6.04%). Regarding particle diameter, 90% of the accumulated distribution did not exceed 57 μm. The greatest dispersion of particles occurs in the Ma20W10 formulation with a span of 2.72, inferring greater variation in size between small (7.01 ± 0.06 μm), medium (18.25 ± 0.37 μm), and large (56.65 ± 1.17 μm) particles. The use of whey protein isolate as an adjuvant proved to be an efficient drying process in the production of cocoa honey powder, and was also advantageous for enriching the nutritional content of the final product due to its protein origin. Furthermore, the combination of spray-drying technology and the use of whey protein isolate as adjuvant led to a free-flowing cocoa honey powder with an adequate particle size and benefits in terms of shelf-life extension, providing new opportunities for the commercialization of cocoa honey as an ingredient for the food industry, with benefits for the circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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21 pages, 1380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hair Growth Promotion and Anti-Hair Loss Effects of By-Products Arabica Coffee Pulp Extracts Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction

by Anurak Muangsanguan, Pichchapa Linsaenkart, Tanakarn Chaitep, Jiraporn Sangta, Sarana Rose Sommano, Korawan Sringarm, Chaiwat Arjin, Pornchai Rachtanapun, Kittisak Jantanasakulwong, Yuthana Phimolsiripol, Juan M. Castagnini and Warintorn Ruksiriwanich

Foods 2023, 12(22), 4116; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12224116 - 13 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2293

Abstract

Coffee has been a common ingredient in many traditional hair loss remedies, but limited scientific evidence supports its use, particularly in coffee pulp. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is caused by androgens, inflammation, and oxidative stress. In the present study, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was used under various conditions to obtain six coffee pulp extracts. The SFE-4 extract, using 50% (v/v) ethanol as a co-solvent at conditions of 100 °C and 500 bars for 30 min, exhibited the highest phenolic, flavonoid, and caffeine contents. Additionally, the SFE-4 extract increased the migration and cell proliferation of HFDPCs (human hair follicle dermal papilla cells), which control hair cycle regulation, and had scavenging effects on ABTS and DPPH radicals. Additionally, the SFE-4 extract showed potassium ion channel opener activity in HFDPCs, as well as a stimulation effect on the enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) (28.53 ± 1.08% of control), which may be related to the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene upregulation. In human prostate cancer cells (DU-145) and HFDPC cells, the SFE-4 extract significantly decreased the expression of SRD5A1, SRD5A2, and SRD5A3, an essential pathway involved in AGA. Hair growth factor genes in the Wnt/-catenin (CTNNB1) and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH, SMO, and GLI1) pathways could be significantly activated by the SFE-4 extract. These results imply that employing SFE in coffee pulp extraction could help AGA treatment by preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth pathways. This would help small coffee producers gain economic empowerment and ensure the long-term sustainability of agricultural waste utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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14 pages, 1109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yield Enhancement of Valuable Lipid Compounds from Squid (Doryteuthis gahi) Waste by Ethanol/Acetone Extraction

by Santiago P. Aubourg, Alicia Rodríguez, Marcos Trigo and Isabel Medina

Foods 2023, 12(14), 2649; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142649 - 9 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1120

Abstract

The study focused on the extraction of valuable lipid compounds from squid (Doryteuthis gahi) waste by a low-toxicity solvent mixture (ethanol/acetone, 50:50, v/v). The effect of the waste weight/solvent volume (WW/SV, g·mL⁻¹) ratio and the number of extractions (NoE) on the total lipid (TL), phospholipid (PL), and tocopherol yields and on the fatty acid (FA) profile (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid contents; polyunsaturated FAs/saturated FAs and ω3/ω6 ratios) was investigated. As a result, an increased NoE led to an increased (p < 0.05) TL yield but a decreased (p < 0.05) proportion of PLs in the lipid extract. Additionally, a lower (p < 0.05) polyunsaturated FA/saturated FA ratio was detected by increasing the NoE. Some differences (p < 0.05) could be outlined as a result of increasing the WW/SV ratio; however, a definite trend for this extraction condition could not be concluded for any of the lipid parameters measured. Yield results were compared to those obtained by the conventional chloroform/methanol procedure. In order to attain an increased yield, the NoE required would depend on the polarity degree of the lipid molecule concerned. All ethanol/acetone extracting conditions tested led to remarkable yields for lipid compounds (PLs, α-tocopherol, ω3 FAs) and FA ratios with healthy, nutritional, and preserving properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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18 pages, 3977 KiB

Open AccessArticle

LDPE and PLA Active Food Packaging Incorporated with Lemon by-Products Extract: Preparation, Characterization and Effectiveness to Delay Lipid Oxidation in Almonds and Beef Meat

by Mariana A. Andrade, Cássia H. Barbosa, Sandra Mariño-Cortegoso, Letricia Barbosa-Pereira, Raquel Sendón, Giovanna G. Buonocore, Mariamelia Stanzione, Anabela Coelho, Cristina Belo Correia, Margarida Saraiva, Ana Rodríguez-Bernaldo de Quirós, Fernanda Vilarinho, Khaoula Khwaldia, Ana Sanches Silva and Fernando Ramos

Foods 2023, 12(13), 2450; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132450 - 22 Jun 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1675

Abstract

Low-density polyethylene-based packaging with 4% lemon extract (LDPE/4LE) and two polylactic-based (PLA) packaging materials with 4% and 6% lemon extract (PLA/PEG/4LE and PLA/6LE) were produced. O₂ and water permeability tests were performed, the total and individual phenolic compounds content were measured, and the films’ antioxidant activities were determined. The films’ ability to delay lipid oxidation was tested in two model foods: almonds, packaged with LDPE/4LE, PLA/4LE and PLA/6LE for a maximum period of 60 days at 40 °C (accelerated assay); and beef meat, packaged with the PLA/6LE for a maximum period of 11 days at 4 °C. The LE improved the WVP in all of the active films by 33%, 20% and 60% for the LDPE/4LE, PLA/4LE and PLA/6LE films, respectively. At the end of 10 days, the migration of phenolic compounds through the PLA films was measured to be 142.27 and 114.9 μg/dm² for the PLA/4LE and PLA/6LE films, respectively, and was significantly higher than phenolic compounds migration measured for the LDPE/4LE (15.97 μg/dm²). Naringenin, apigenin, ferulic acid, eriocitrin, hesperidin and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were the main identified compounds in the PLA, but only 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, naringenin and p-coumaric acid were identified in the LDPE films. Regarding the films’ ability to delay lipid oxidation, LDPE/4LE presented the best results, showing a capacity to delay lipid oxidation in almonds for 30 days. When applied to raw beef meat, the PLA/6LE packaging was able to significantly inhibit lipid oxidation for 6 days, and successfully inhibited total microorganisms’ growth until the 8th day of storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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15 pages, 1483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of a Biosurfactant Extract Obtained from a Corn Kernel Fermented Stream on the Sensory Colour Properties of Apple and Orange Juices

by Benita Pérez-Cid, Susana Río Segade, Xanel Vecino, Ana Belén Moldes and José Manuel Cruz

Foods 2023, 12(10), 1959; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12101959 - 11 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1153

Abstract

In this work, we assessed the effect of a biosurfactant extract, which possesses preservative properties, on the sensory properties, regarding colour, of two fruit juices: pasteurized apple juice and natural orange juice. This biosurfactant extract was obtained from corn steep liquor, a secondary stream of the corn wet-milling industry. The biosurfactant extract is composed of natural polymers and biocompounds released during the spontaneous fermentation of corn kernels during the steeping process of corn. The reason for this study is based on the importance of colour as a visual attribute that can determine the consumer’s preferences; it is important to study the effect of the biosurfactant extract under evaluation before including it in juice matrices. For this, a surface response factorial design was employed and the effects of the biosurfactant extract concentration (0–1 g/L), the storage time (1–7 days), and the conservation temperature (4–36 °C) on the CIELAB colour parameters (L*, a*, b*) of the juice matrices were evaluated, as well as the total colour differences (ΔE*) regarding the control juices and the saturation index (

C_{ab}^{*}

). Moreover, the CIELAB coordinates of each conducted treatment were converted into RGB values to obtain visual colour differences that can be appreciated by testers or consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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Relationship between Physicochemical, Techno-Functional and Health-Promoting Properties of Fiber-Rich Fruit and Vegetable By-Products and Their Enhancement by Emerging Technologies

by Alina Manthei, Gloria López-Gámez, Olga Martín-Belloso, Pedro Elez-Martínez and Robert Soliva-Fortuny

Foods 2023, 12(20), 3720; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203720 - 10 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1632

Abstract

The preparation and processing of fruits and vegetables produce high amounts of underutilized fractions, such as pomace and peel, which present a risk to the environment but constitute a valuable source of dietary fiber (DF) and bioactive compounds. The utilization of these fiber-rich products as functional food ingredients demands the application of treatments to improve their techno-functional properties, such as oil and water binding, and health-related properties, such as fermentability, adsorption, and retardation capacities of glucose, cholesterol, and bile acids. The enhancement of health-promoting properties is strongly connected with certain structural and techno-functional characteristics, such as the soluble DF content, presence of hydrophobic groups, and viscosity. Novel physical, environmentally friendly technologies, such as ultrasound (US), high-pressure processing (HPP), extrusion, and microwave, have been found to have higher potential than chemical and comminution techniques in causing desirable structural alterations of the DF network that lead to the improvement of techno-functionality and health promotion. The application of enzymes was related to higher soluble DF content, which might be associated with improved DF properties. Combined physical and enzymatic treatments can aid solubilization and modifications, but their benefit needs to be evaluated for each DF source and the desired outcome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series in “Food Waste and Byproduct Valorization”)

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