Radical Scavenging Activity of Olive Oil Phenolic Antioxidants in Oil or Water Phase during the Oxidation of O/W Emulsions: An Oxidomics Approach

Oil-in-Water Emulsions Made of Pistachio Oil: Physical and Chemical Properties and Stability

Pistachio nuts are valued for their sensory qualities, nutritional benefits, and health-promoting properties. Pistachio oil has also gained interest for its bioactive compounds, though these are sensitive to processing and environmental stresses. While pistachio-based products are commercially available, little research has addressed the emulsifying properties of crude pistachio oil or its impact on the stability and bioactive profile of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. This study evaluated the emulsion-forming abilities of two commercial pistachio oils (PO1, PO2), their physical and oxidative stability during emulsification, and the effects of emulsifier concentration over short-term storage (7 days, 4 °C). O/W emulsions were prepared using 20% (w/w) oil and Tween 20 (0.5% and 1% w/w) in phosphate buffer and homogenized under high pressure. The emulsions were analyzed for particle size, fatty acid profile, antioxidants, and oxidative state. The results revealed differences in fatty acid composition, oxidative stability, and bioactive content between the oils and their emulsions. PO1 showed higher levels of bioactives compared to PO2. Emulsification increased the peroxide value of the oil phase, confirming its pro-oxidant effects. The results of this study demonstrate the potential of pistachio oil to create stable O/W emulsions rich in bioactives, offering new opportunities for healthy emulsified food products.

Research Updates and Advances on Flavonoids Derived from Dandelion and Their Antioxidant Activities

As a common medicinal and edible plant, dandelion plays a crucial and significant role in the fields of traditional Chinese medicines, functional foods, healthcare products, daily chemicals, and feed additives, which are closely related to its rich chemical constituents and remarkable biological activities. Modern studies have demonstrated that dandelion contains all kinds of bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, phenolic acids, coumarins, lignans, polysaccharides, phytosterols, terpenes, glycoproteins, oligosaccharides, alkaloids, etc. Meanwhile, dandelion has been proven to possess antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antivirus, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic properties, as well as the ability to regulate hormone levels and protect some visceral organs. Among them, flavonoids derived from dandelion and their antioxidant activities have received considerable attention. This study reviews dandelion flavonoids and their in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities by consulting and organizing relevant domestic and international works of literature to provide a scientific and theoretical basis for further research, development, and utilization of dandelion.

Characterization, Sensory and Oxidative Stability Analysis of Vegetable Mayonnaise Formulated with Olive Leaf Vinegar as an Active Ingredient

Development of novel food products represents a basic meeting point for health and business requirements. Mayonnaise sauce is well-suited to be a healthy and tasty dressing. In this study, mayonnaise was formulated by using unconventional ingredients, such as olive leaf vinegar (OLV), soybean/high oleic sunflower oil blend, and soymilk (as an egg substitute). An 18% alcoholic vinegar was used as the control sample. OLV is a rich source of bioactive substances, especially polyphenols and represents a possible way to enhance the olive oil by-product valorisation. For this new typology of vinegar an high level of phenolic compounds (7.2 mg/mL GAE), especially oleuropein (6.0 mg/mL oleuropein equivalent) was found. OLV mayonnaise had 57% fat, composed of 11%, 64%, and 23% saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, while linolenic acid was up to 1.7%. The phenol and oleuropein contents were 68 and 52 mg/100 g, respectively. Sensory panellists expressed a moderate overall acceptability for both samples but attested more distinctive and positive sensations for the colour, odour, and taste attributes of OLV mayonnaise. Finally, oxidative stability and shelf life were better in OLV mayonnaise than in the control. Specifically, the peroxide value remained low (around 4.5 meqO₂/kg) after 12 months of storage at room and low (4 °C) temperatures.

The Tower of Babel of Pharma-Food Study on Extra Virgin Olive Oil Polyphenols

Much research has been conducted to reveal the functional properties of extra virgin olive oil polyphenols on human health once EVOO is consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet, as in the Mediterranean lifestyle. Despite the huge variety of research conducted, only one effect of EVOO polyphenols has been formally approved by EFSA as a health claim. This is probably because EFSA’s scientific opinion is entrusted to scientific expertise about food and medical sciences, which adopt very different investigative methods and experimental languages, generating a gap in the scientific communication that is essential for the enhancement of the potentially useful effects of EVOO polyphenols on health. Through the model of the Tower of Babel, we propose a challenge for science communication, capable of disrupting the barriers between different scientific areas and building bridges through transparent data analysis from the different investigative methodologies at each stage of health benefits assessment. The goal of this work is the strategic, distinctive, and cost-effective integration of interdisciplinary experiences and technologies into a highly harmonious workflow, organized to build a factual understanding that translates, because of trade, into health benefits for buyers, promoting EVOOs as having certified health benefits, not just as condiments.

Review on the Regulation of Plant Polyphenols on the Stability of Polyunsaturated-Fatty-Acid-Enriched Emulsions: Partitioning Kinetic and Interfacial Engineering

The plant polyphenols are normally presented as natural functional antioxidants, which also possess the potential ability to improve the physicochemical stability of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-enriched emulsions by interface engineering. This review discussed the potential effects of polyphenols on the stability of PUFA-enriched emulsions from the perspective of the molecular thermodynamic antioxidative analysis, the kinetic of interfacial partitioning, and the covalent and non-covalent interactions with emulsifiers. Recently, research studies have proven that the interfacial structure of emulsions can be concurrently optimized via promoting interfacial partitioning of polyphenols and further increasing interfacial thickness and strength. Moreover, the applied limitations of polyphenols in PUFA-enriched emulsions were summarized, and then some valuable and constructive viewpoints were put forward in this review to provide guidance for the use of polyphenols in constructing PUFA-enriched emulsions.

Loss in the Intrinsic Quality and the Antioxidant Activity of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Oil during an Industrial Refining Process

Minor compounds in vegetable oils are of health interest due to their powerful biological antioxidant properties. In order to extend the shelf life of sunflower oil, it is generally subjected to a refining process that can affect these desirable compounds. The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of this chemical/physical refining process on selected minor components of sunflower oil in order to establish the nutritional quality and health properties of the oil. The oxidative stability, contents of fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols, reducing capacity, β-carotene, chlorophyll, and squalene were studied during six refining steps. Quantitative data showed the evolution of oil quality according to its degree of refinement. The results showed a significant decrease for all of the minor compounds analyzed, with losses in carotenoids of 98.6%, 8.5% in tocopherols, 19.5% in phytosterols and 45.0% in squalene. The highest reductions were recorded for the compounds that alter the most the visual aspects of the oil (waxes, carotenoids and chlorophylls) whereas reduction was limited for the compounds with no impact on the organoleptic quality. The losses in the compounds of health interest should be minimized by improving the refining processes and/or having a greater content of those molecules in crude oil by breeding new performing varieties.

Functionalization of a Vegan Mayonnaise with High Value Ingredient Derived from the Agro-Industrial Sector

This work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effect determined by the addition of phenolic extract on the oxidative stability and quality of vegan mayonnaise. Two different antioxidant extracts containing 100 mg L⁻¹ of hydroxytyrosol and obtained by olive mill wastewater were used in the preparation. After preliminary studies, already evaluated in other works, on hydrophilic and lipophilic food matrices, the results of this study could contribute to understanding the effects of the enrichment on emulsified food systems with phenolic extracts. The functionalized mayonnaise samples were monitored up to 45 days of storage at 10 °C in comparison with a control sample for microbiological, physicochemical, antioxidant, sensory properties and for oxidative stability. The results achieved through this work showed the efficacy of the use of phenolic extract as ingredients for its positive effect on chemical properties of mayonnaise. The adding extracts lead to the increase of oxidative stability with an induction period higher (about 24 h) than the control sample (about 12 h).

Plant-Origin Stabilizer as an Alternative of Natural Additive to Polymers Used in Packaging Materials

Over the past 25 years, cannabis plants have gained major popularity in the research community. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and stabilization efficiency of cannabidiol (CBD) extract in two different polymers: polylactide (PLA) and ethylene-norbornene copolymer (Topas) that are used in packaging materials more often. The research technology included weathering in a special chamber, surface free energy and color change measurements, surface morphology and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, thermogravimetry, and determination of the oxidation induction time or temperature (OIT) values, based on which the effectiveness of the cannabidiol extract could be estimated. Obtained results showed that the addition of CBD to polymer mixtures significantly increased their resistance to oxidation, and it can be used as a natural stabilizer for polymeric products. Moreover, samples with cannabidiol changed their coloration as a result of weathering. Therefore, this natural additive can also be considered as a colorimetric indicator of aging that informs about the changes in polymeric materials during their lifetime. On the other hand, surface properties of samples with cannabidiol content did not alter much compared to pure Topas and PLA.