molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Sustainable Bioactive and Functional Molecules from Agri-Food Waste: A Tour to Applications—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 3094

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, Braga, Spain
Interests: green chemistry; bioactive molecules; cytotoxicity; isolation and characterization; innovative extraction methods; added-value products; pharmacology; food science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, agri-food waste is a social, economic, and ethical concern. The valorization of agri-food waste is important due to the scarcity of resources, and is desirable from a circular economy perspective. Furthermore, the industry is increasingly focused on finding new sources of bio-based molecules, allowing for the replacement of synthetic products, for example, antioxidants, colorants, and preservatives. These bio-based molecules can be an important dietary source of bioactive compounds that contribute to improvements to health and quality of life, demonstrating their potential as nutraceuticals, functional foods, and/or pharmaceutical components for therapeutic purposes.

This Special Issue deals with different aspects of this theme:

  • The nutritional value of food and agri-food by-products;
  • The application of green sustainable technologies for the extraction and purification of bioactive compounds from food and agri-food waste, e.g., ohmic heating, microwaves, supercritical fluids, ultrasound, pulsed electric field, enzyme-assisted extraction, etc.;
  • Analytical methods for the identification and quantification of biomolecules;
  • The biological characterization of obtained extracts or isolated molecules, such as antioxidants, antimicrobial, anticancer, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and molecules with other activities;
  • Functional properties of bio-based molecules recovered from agri-food by-products, such as antioxidant, colorant, and preservative properties;
  • The development of high added-value products from agri-food by-products for industrial applications.

We cordially invite submissions of original articles and reviews that describe research in these areas.

Dr. Pedro Ferreira-Santos
Guest Editor

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. Molecules 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 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

  • green chemistry
  • bioactive molecules
  • isolation and characterization
  • innovative extraction methods
  • added-value products
  • functional foods
  • nutraceuticals
  • health applications

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

11 pages, 1268 KiB  
Article
Unlocking the Potential of Citrus medica L.: Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Profile across Peel, Pulp, and Seeds
by Ana Rita Soares Mateus, João David Teixeira, Sílvia Cruz Barros, Carina Almeida, Sónia Silva and Ana Sanches-Silva
Molecules 2024, 29(15), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29153533 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 378
Abstract
Citrus medica L. is a traditional citrus fruit that is rich in bioactive compounds and has the potential to be used as a natural source of food additives. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and characterize the phenolic compounds present in [...] Read more.
Citrus medica L. is a traditional citrus fruit that is rich in bioactive compounds and has the potential to be used as a natural source of food additives. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and characterize the phenolic compounds present in the peels (including flavedo and albedo), pulp, and seeds of citron. The results showed that, compared to the other parts, the pulp had a substantially higher Antioxidant Activity Coefficient (AAC) of 168.2. The albedo and the seeds had significantly lower AAC values, while the green and yellow flavedo showed noteworthy results. O-coumaric acid was the predominant phenolic acid in all of the citron fractions; it was found in the highest concentration in albedo (37.54 µg/g FW). Flavanones and flavanols were the primary flavonoids in the pulp, peel, and seeds, with total flavonoid concentration ranging from ~9 µg/g FW in seeds to 508 µg/g FW in the pulp. This research offers significant insights into the antioxidant properties of this ancient fruit, emphasizing its potential applications as a natural source of antioxidants to be used in different applications. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
Chemical and Bioactive Evaluation of Essential Oils from Edible and Aromatic Mediterranean Lamiaceae Plants
by Rafael M. Spréa, Cristina Caleja, Tiane C. Finimundy, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Tânia C. S. P. Pires, Joana S. Amaral, Miguel A. Prieto, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Eliana Pereira and Lillian Barros
Molecules 2024, 29(12), 2827; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29122827 - 13 Jun 2024
Viewed by 653
Abstract
The Lamiaceae family, which includes several well-known aromatic plants, is scientifically relevant due to its essential oils (EOs). In this work, four EOs from Mediterranean species, namely Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., and Thymus vulgaris L., were evaluated for [...] Read more.
The Lamiaceae family, which includes several well-known aromatic plants, is scientifically relevant due to its essential oils (EOs). In this work, four EOs from Mediterranean species, namely Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., and Thymus vulgaris L., were evaluated for their volatile profiles and the biological activity in vitro to assess their potential use in the food and cosmetic sector. GC/MS analysis revealed dominant compounds, such as carvacrol, thymol, and eucalyptol. Regarding biological action, the samples exhibited antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities, with O. vulgare and T. officinalis standing out. T. vulgaris showed the lowest EC50 in the reducing power assay, and O. vulgare had the lowest EC50 in the DPPH assay. Most EOs also displayed excellent anti-inflammatory responses and antifungal properties, with O. vulgare and T. vulgaris also demonstrating antibacterial activity. All EOs from Mediterranean species showed cytotoxicity against tumoral cell lines. Overall, the selected EOs stood out for their interesting bioactivities, with the obtained results underscoring their potential as natural preservatives and bioactive agents in various industrial applications, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

20 pages, 13093 KiB  
Article
In Vivo, In Vitro and In Silico Anticancer Activity of Ilama Leaves: An Edible and Medicinal Plant in Mexico
by Jesica Ramírez-Santos, Fernando Calzada, Rosa María Ordoñez-Razo, Jessica Elena Mendieta-Wejebe, José Antonio Velázquez-Domínguez, Raúl Argüello-García, Claudia Velázquez and Elizabeth Barbosa
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29091956 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 783
Abstract
Ilama leaves are an important source of secondary metabolites with promising anticancer properties. Cancer is a disease that affects a great number of people worldwide. This work aimed to investigate the in vivo, in vitro and in silico anticancer properties of three acyclic [...] Read more.
Ilama leaves are an important source of secondary metabolites with promising anticancer properties. Cancer is a disease that affects a great number of people worldwide. This work aimed to investigate the in vivo, in vitro and in silico anticancer properties of three acyclic terpenoids (geranylgeraniol, phytol and farnesyl acetate) isolated from petroleum ether extract of ilama leaves. Their cytotoxic activity against U-937 cells was assessed using flow cytometry to determine the type of cell death and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Also, a morphological analysis of the lymph nodes and a molecular docking study using three proteins related with cancer as targets, namely, Bcl-2, Mcl-1 and VEGFR-2, were performed. The flow cytometry and histomorphological analysis revealed that geranylgeraniol, phytol and farnesyl acetate induced the death of U-937 cells by late apoptosis and necrosis. Geranylgeraniol and phytol induced a significant increase in ROS production. The molecular docking studies showed that geranylgeraniol had more affinity for Bcl-2 and VEGFR-2. In the case of farnesyl acetate, it showed the best affinity for Mcl-1. This study provides information that supports the anticancer potential of geranylgeraniol, phytol and farnesyl acetate as compounds for the treatment of cancer, particularly with the potential to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 2134 KiB  
Review
Bioactive Compounds from Organic Waste
by Benito Parra-Pacheco, Byanka A. Cruz-Moreno, Humberto Aguirre-Becerra, Juan Fernando García-Trejo and Ana Angélica Feregrino-Pérez
Molecules 2024, 29(10), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29102243 - 10 May 2024
Viewed by 790
Abstract
The reuse and reincorporation of waste are the principles of circular economies. Compost, biofuels, animal feed, dyes, and bioactive compounds can be obtained from the revaluation of organic waste. Research on this subject is scarce and limited to specific sectors, such as agriculture [...] Read more.
The reuse and reincorporation of waste are the principles of circular economies. Compost, biofuels, animal feed, dyes, and bioactive compounds can be obtained from the revaluation of organic waste. Research on this subject is scarce and limited to specific sectors, such as agriculture and agroindustry, leaving aside others that generate large quantities of organic waste, such as floriculture. The remains of these sectors have a low decomposition rate compared to other organic wastes. They are a source of bioactive compounds (e.g., essential oils, pigments, phenols) that can be reincorporated into the production chain of various industries. This review describes the composition of waste from agroindustry, agriculture, and floriculture, analyzing their potential revalorization as a source of bioactive compounds and an alternative supply source. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop