Valorisation of Schinus molle fruit as a source of volatile compounds in foods as flavours and fragrances

Development of intelligent and active potato starch films based on purple corn cob extract and molle essential oil

The present study aims to develop of an active and "intelligent" film that uses potato starch as a polymeric matrix, anthocyanins from purple corn cob as a natural dye, and molle essential oil as an antibacterial compound. The color of anthocyanin solutions is pH-dependent, and the developed films shows a visual color change from red to brown after immersion in solutions with pH values ranging from 2 to 12. SEM and FTIR analyses suggested that anthocyanins have favorable dispersibility and good compatibility with the starch-glycerol matrix. The study found that both anthocyanins and molle essential oil significantly enhanced the ultraviolet-visible light barrier performance; moreover, tensile strength, elongation at break, and elastic modulus reached values of 3.21 MPa, 62.16 %, and 12.87 MPa, respectively. The biodegradation rate in vegetal compost also accelerated during the three-week period, achieving a weight loss of 95 %. Moreover, the film presented an inhibition halo for Escherichia coli, indicating its antibacterial activity. The results suggest that the developed film has the potential to be used as food-packaging material.

Chemical and cytotoxicity profiles of 11 pink pepper (Schinus spp.) samples via non-targeted hyphenated high-performance thin-layer chromatography

INTRODUCTION

Pink pepper is a worldwide used spice that corresponds to the berries of two species, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi or S. molle L. (Anacardiaceae). Toxic and allergic reactions by ingestion or contact with these plants were reported, and classical in vitro studies have highlighted the cytotoxic properties of apolar extracts from the fruits.

OBJECTIVES

Perform a non-targeted screening of 11 pink pepper samples for the detection and identification of individual cytotoxic substances.

METHODS

After reversed-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC) separation of the extracts and multi-imaging (UV/Vis/FLD), cytotoxic compounds were detected by bioluminescence reduction from luciferase reporter cells (HEK 293 T-CMV-ELuc) applied directly on the adsorbent surface, followed by elution of detected cytotoxic substance into atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (APCI-HRMS).

RESULTS

Separations for mid-polar and non-polar fruit extracts demonstrated the selectivity of the method to different substance classes. One cytotoxic substance zone was tentatively assigned as moronic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid acid.

CONCLUSION

The developed non-targeted hyphenated RP-HPTLC-UV/Vis/FLD-bioluminescent cytotoxicity bioassay-FIA-APCI-HRMS method was successfully demonstrated for cytotoxicity screening (bioprofiling) and respective cytotoxin assignment.

Oxidative stability of chicken burgers using organic coffee husk extract

The antioxidant capacity of organic coffee husk extract (Coffee arabica L.) added to chicken burgers was evaluated. Two formulations were prepared: with addition of the extract (100 and 200 ppm CAE/kg), in addition to control formulations without the addition of antioxidant, and with the addition of synthetic antioxidant. The products were characterized by physical and chemical analysis and analyzed for oxidative stability during 45 days of storage under freezing. The addition of extract in the proportion of 200 ppm CAE/kg of hamburger revealed efficacy against lipid oxidation equivalent to treatment with a synthetic antioxidant. As for protein oxidation, there was no pro or antioxidant influence in the treatments. The addition of organic coffee husk extract to chicken hamburgers is thus indicated, being considered as a potential natural additive. In addition, the use of coffee husks helps to minimize the lager amounts of agro-industrial by-products generated by the coffee industry.

Yeasts from fermented Brazilian fruits as biotechnological tools for increasing phenolics bioaccessibility and improving the volatile profile in derived pulps

Caatinga Biome fruits have been scarcely explored as a source of biotechnological yeasts. This study isolated yeasts from naturally fermented Caatinga fruits and evaluated Hanseniaspora opuntiae125,Issatchenkia terricola 129, and Hanseniaspora opuntiae 148 on fermentation of soursop and umbu-cajá pulps. All strains were able to ferment the pulps (72 h), increasing (p < 0.05) acetic acid, phenolics concentration and bioaccessibility, and maintaining counts above 7 log CFU/mL after fermentation and/or in vitro digestion. H. opuntiae 125 showed the highest counts (8.43-8.76 log CFU/mL; p < 0.05) in pulps and, higher organic acids production, increased survival to digestion, and higher bioaccessibility of various phenolics (p < 0.05) in the umbu-cajá pulp.I. terricola129 andH. opuntiae 148 showed higher metabolic activity, concentration and bioaccessibility of specific phenolics in umbu-cajá and soursop pulps, respectively (p < 0.05). Volatiles varied (p < 0.05) with the yeast strain. Generally, the yeast biotechnological performance for pulp fermentation was better on its fruit source.

Analysis of the Chemical, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Pink Pepper (Schinus molle L.)

Here, we compared the chemical properties and antioxidant effects of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and pink pepper (Schinus molle L.). Additionally, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of pink pepper were measured to determine nutraceutical potential. Pink peppers from Brazil (PPB), India (PPI), and Sri Lanka (PPS) had higher Hunter a* (redness) values and lower L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) values than black pepper from Vietnam (BPV). Fructose and glucose were detected in PPB, PPI, and PPS, but not in BPV. PPB, PPI, and PPS had greater 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical scavenging stabilities and higher total phenolic contents than BPV. BPV had higher levels of piperine than the pink peppers. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, epicatechin, and p-coumaric acid were detected only in the three pink peppers. PPB significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species production with increased Nrf2 translocation from cytosol to nucleus and heme oxygenase-1 expression. PPB and PPS significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced nitrite production and nitric oxide synthase expression by suppressing phosphorylation of p38 without affecting cell viability. Additionally, PPB and PPS significantly suppressed ultraviolet B-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression by affecting the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 without cell cytotoxicity. These results suggest that pink pepper is a potential nutraceutical against oxidative and inflammatory stress.