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Biomolecules
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Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version
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Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 24161

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carmen Ancìn-Azpilicueta

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Guest Editor
Department of Science, Universidad Pública de Navarra, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Interests: antioxidants; biogenic amines; aminoacids; stem; phenolic compounds; analytical chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Irene Esparza Catalán

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Guest Editor
Department of Science, Universidad Pública de Navarra, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Interests: phenolic compounds; analytical chemistry; chromatography; antioxidant activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nerea Jiménez-Moreno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science, Universidad Pública de Navarra, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Interests: antioxidant activity; phenolic compounds; plant extracts; wine volatiles; chromatography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The worldwide agriculture and food sectors have important challenges to face in the XXI century. Among these, there is the need to ensure food safety standards and the proper management of food and forest waste. The waste and leftovers from food are occupying an ever-growing amount of space at the dumps and food waste disposal sites. Between 5 per cent and 50 per cent of the raw material that enters the food industry installations ends up as waste in dump sites or is given over for use as animal feed. It is becoming ever-more important to find solutions for this agricultural food sector that would give a value to these byproducts through identifying and extracting biomolecules. In this way, an attempt would be made to reduce, recycle or reuse waste material in order to find new uses for these discarded products and at the same time to reduce the release of greenhouse gases caused by the biowaste which has been deposited at waste disposal sites and garbage dumps.

Waste from fruit and vegetables arising from the agricultural food industry is to be found in very large quantities, and this can cause high environmental contamination, as this kind of waste has a high quantity of humidity as well as a heavy microbial load. Nevertheless, both its structural parts (stalks, leaves, shells, seeds, roots, and pulp) as well as the resulting waste after the extraction of its juices are all rich in different valuable compounds as antioxidants, oils, dietary fibers, fatty acids, isoprenoids, lipids, proteins, saponins, and phytoestrogens. Such bioactive compounds can be used as pharmaceutical excipients, food additives, or be included in pharmaceutical formulae or food elements in order to obtain nutraceutical products and functional foods, respectively. In this way, as well as serving as a response to the growing consumer demand for quality products free from noxious additives, it could also serve to face up to another of the challenges which the agricultural-food industry currently faces , that is to say, through waste management through valuation of byproducts. Moreover, current technology allows this vegetable residue to become raw material for the extraction of biomolecules, which can subsequently be used for different ends.

The aim of this Special Issue on “Biomolecules from Plant Residues” is to publish research work related to the exploitation of vegetable waste for the obtainment of biomoleculars aimed for pharmaceutical use as well as for use in the food industry and in cosmetics.

Dr. Carmen Ancìn-Azpilicueta
Dr. Irene Esparza Catalán
Dr. Nerea Jiménez-Moreno
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. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • biomolecules
  • nutraceuticals
  • vegetable waste
  • valorization
  • food processing
  • forest waste

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 1612 KiB  
Article
Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Populus Salicaceae Bark
by Elsa Autor, Alfonso Cornejo, Fernando Bimbela, Maitane Maisterra, Luis M. Gandía and Víctor Martínez-Merino
Biomolecules 2022, 12(4), 539; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12040539 - 2 Apr 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2836
Abstract
Lignocellulosic residues have the potential for obtaining high value-added products that could be better valorized if biorefinery strategies are adopted. The debarking of short-rotation crops yields important amounts of residues that are currently underexploited as low-grade fuel and could be a renewable source [...] Read more.
Lignocellulosic residues have the potential for obtaining high value-added products that could be better valorized if biorefinery strategies are adopted. The debarking of short-rotation crops yields important amounts of residues that are currently underexploited as low-grade fuel and could be a renewable source of phenolic compounds and other important phytochemicals. The isolation of these compounds can be carried out by different methods, but for attaining an integral valorization of barks, a preliminary extraction step for phytochemicals should be included. Using optimized extraction methods based on Soxhlet extraction can be effective for the isolation of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. In this study, poplar bark (Populus Salicaceae) was used to obtain a series of extracts using five different solvents in a sequential extraction of 24 h each in a Soxhlet extractor. Selected solvents were put in contact with the bark sample raffinate following an increasing order of polarity: n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. The oily residues of the extracts obtained after each extraction were further subjected to flash chromatography, and the fractions obtained were characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant activity (AOA) of the samples was evaluated in their reaction with the free radical 2,2-Diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH method). Polar solvents allowed for higher individual extraction yields, with overall extraction yields at around 23% (dry, ash-free basis). Different compounds were identified, including hydrolyzable tannins, phenolic monomers such as catechol and vanillin, pentoses and hexoses, and other organic compounds such as long-chain alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, among others. An excellent correlation was found between TPC and antioxidant activity for the samples analyzed. The fractions obtained using methanol showed the highest phenolic content (608 μg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/mg) and the greatest antioxidant activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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17 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
Cellulose Nanofiber-Based Aerogels from Wheat Straw: Influence of Surface Load and Lignin Content on Their Properties and Dye Removal Capacity
by Ramón Morcillo-Martín, Eduardo Espinosa, Laura Rabasco-Vílchez, Laura M. Sanchez, Jorge de Haro and Alejandro Rodríguez
Biomolecules 2022, 12(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12020232 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4439
Abstract
Water pollution is one of the most serious problems worldwide. Nanocellulose-based aerogels usually show excellent adsorption capacities due to their high aspect ratio, specific surface area and surface charge, making them ideal for water purification. In this work, (ligno)cellulose nanofibers (LCNFs/CNFs) from wheat [...] Read more.
Water pollution is one of the most serious problems worldwide. Nanocellulose-based aerogels usually show excellent adsorption capacities due to their high aspect ratio, specific surface area and surface charge, making them ideal for water purification. In this work, (ligno)cellulose nanofibers (LCNFs/CNFs) from wheat straw residues were obtained using two types of pre-treatments: mechanical (Mec) and TEMPO-mediated oxidization (TO), to obtain different consistency (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) bioaerogels, and their adsorption capacities as dye removers were further studied. The materials were characterized in terms of density, porosity and mechanical properties. An inversely proportional relationship was observed between the consistencies of the aerogels and their achieved densities. Despite the increase in density, all samples showed porosities above 99%. In terms of mechanical properties, the best results were obtained for the 0.8% consistency LCNF and CNF-Mec aerogels, reaching 67.87 kPa and 64.6 kPa for tensile strength and Young’s modulus, respectively. In contrast, the adsorption capacity of the aerogels was better for TEMPO-oxidized aerogels, reaching removal rates of almost 100% for the CNF-TO5 samples. Furthermore, the residual lignin content in LCNF-Mec aerogels showed a great improvement in the removal capacity, reaching rates higher than 80%, further improving the cost efficiency of the samples due to the reduction in chemical treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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22 pages, 2200 KiB  
Article
Chemical Characterization of Sambucus nigra L. Flowers Aqueous Extract and Its Biological Implications
by Pedro Ferreira-Santos, Helder Badim, Ângelo C. Salvador, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Sónia A. O. Santos, Sílvia M. Rocha, Ana M. Sousa, Maria Olívia Pereira, Cristina Pereira Wilson, Cristina M. R. Rocha, José António Teixeira and Cláudia M. Botelho
Biomolecules 2021, 11(8), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081222 - 17 Aug 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3675
Abstract
The main goal of this study was to chemically characterize an aqueous S. nigra flower extract and validate it as a bioactive agent. The elderflower aqueous extraction was performed at different temperatures (50, 70 and 90 °C). The extract obtained at 90 °C [...] Read more.
The main goal of this study was to chemically characterize an aqueous S. nigra flower extract and validate it as a bioactive agent. The elderflower aqueous extraction was performed at different temperatures (50, 70 and 90 °C). The extract obtained at 90 °C exhibited the highest phenolic content and antiradical activity. Therefore, this extract was analyzed by GC-MS and HPLC-MS, which allowed the identification of 46 compounds, being quercetin and chlorogenic acid derivatives representative of 86% of the total of phenolic compounds identified in hydrophilic fraction of the aqueous extract. Naringenin (27.2%) was the major compound present in the lipophilic fraction. The antiproliferative effects of the S. nigra extract were evaluated using the colon cancer cell lines RKO, HCT-116, Caco-2 and the extract’s antigenotoxic potential was evaluated by the Comet assay in RKO cells. The RKO cells were the most susceptible to S. nigra flower extract (IC50 = 1250 µg mL−1). Moreover, the extract showed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis. These results show that S. nigra-based extracts can be an important dietary source of bioactive phenolic compounds that contribute to health-span improving life quality, demonstrating their potential as nutraceutical, functional foods and/or cosmetic components for therapeutic purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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13 pages, 729 KiB  
Article
Phenolic Composition of Grape Stems from Different Spanish Varieties and Vintages
by Irene Esparza, José Antonio Moler, Maite Arteta, Nerea Jiménez-Moreno and Carmen Ancín-Azpilicueta
Biomolecules 2021, 11(8), 1221; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081221 - 16 Aug 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2342
Abstract
Grape stems are a by-product from the wine industry that has been underused to date despite having great potential for the agro-food and cosmetic industries. The aim of the present work was to characterize grape stem extracts obtained from different grape varieties from [...] Read more.
Grape stems are a by-product from the wine industry that has been underused to date despite having great potential for the agro-food and cosmetic industries. The aim of the present work was to characterize grape stem extracts obtained from different grape varieties from two vintages (2016 and 2018). Both spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods were used for sample characterization. The results showed that there exist significant differences in antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TF) among grape stems from different varieties in each vintage and from different vintage for the same variety. Catechin was the most abundant phenolic compound in all extracts from both vintages. In general, Mazuelo presented higher concentration values of the different phenolic compounds than Garnacha and Tempranillo. It was observed than extreme temperatures and accumulated precipitations, which were higher in the 2016 vintage, had an impact on the polyphenol synthesis. Therefore, grape stems from the 2018 vintage presented higher TPC and TF values than their counterparts from the 2016 vintage. In addition, the statistical analysis revealed that the influence of environmental factor such as light, temperature and precipitations have different impact on the synthesis of polyphenols depending on the family of the specific compound. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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22 pages, 1840 KiB  
Article
Phenolic-Rich Extracts from Avocado Fruit Residues as Functional Food Ingredients with Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Properties
by Gustavo R. Velderrain-Rodríguez, Javier Quero, Jesús Osada, Olga Martín-Belloso and María Jesús Rodríguez-Yoldi
Biomolecules 2021, 11(7), 977; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11070977 - 2 Jul 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4115
Abstract
In this study, the total phenolic compounds content and profile, the nutritional value, the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of avocado peel, seed coat, and seed extracts were characterized. Additionally, an in-silico analysis was performed to identify the phenolic compounds with the highest intestinal [...] Read more.
In this study, the total phenolic compounds content and profile, the nutritional value, the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of avocado peel, seed coat, and seed extracts were characterized. Additionally, an in-silico analysis was performed to identify the phenolic compounds with the highest intestinal absorption and Caco-2 permeability. The avocado peel extract possessed the highest content of phenolic compounds (309.95 ± 25.33 mMol GA/100 g of extract) and the lowest effective concentration (EC50) against DPPH and ABTS radicals (72.64 ± 10.70 and 181.68 ± 18.47, respectively). On the other hand, the peel and seed coat extracts had the lowest energy densities (226.06 ± 0.06 kcal/100 g and 219.62 ± 0.49 kcal/100 g, respectively). Regarding the antiproliferative activity, the avocado peel extract (180 ± 40 µg/mL) showed the lowest inhibitory concentration (IC50), followed by the seed (200 ± 21 µg/mL) and seed coat (340 ± 32 µg/mL) extracts. The IC50 of the extracts induced apoptosis in Caco-2 cells at the early and late stages. According to the in-silico analysis, these results could be related to the higher Caco-2 permeability to hydroxysalidroside, salidroside, sakuranetin, and luteolin. Therefore, this study provides new insights regarding the potential use of these extracts as functional ingredients with antioxidant and antiproliferative properties and as medicinal agents in diseases related to oxidative stress such as cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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Review

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46 pages, 3992 KiB  
Review
Wood Waste from Fruit Trees: Biomolecules and Their Applications in Agri-Food Industry
by Maria Jose Aliaño-González, Julien Gabaston, Victor Ortiz-Somovilla and Emma Cantos-Villar
Biomolecules 2022, 12(2), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12020238 - 1 Feb 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5420
Abstract
In the European Union (EU), a total of 11,301,345 hectares are dedicated to the cultivation of fruit trees, mainly olive orchards, grapevines, nut trees (almond, walnut, chestnut, hazelnut, and pistachio), apple and pear trees, stone fruit trees (peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, and plum), [...] Read more.
In the European Union (EU), a total of 11,301,345 hectares are dedicated to the cultivation of fruit trees, mainly olive orchards, grapevines, nut trees (almond, walnut, chestnut, hazelnut, and pistachio), apple and pear trees, stone fruit trees (peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, and plum), and citrus fruit trees (orange, clementine, satsuma, mandarin, lemon, grapefruit, and pomelo). Pruning these trees, together with plantation removal to a lesser extent, produces a huge amount of wood waste. A theoretical calculation of the wood waste in the European Union estimates approximately 2 and 25 million tons from wood plantation removal and pruning, respectively, per year. This wood waste is usually destroyed by in-field burning or crushing into the soil, which result in no direct economic benefits. However, wood from tree pruning, which is enriched in high added-value molecules, offers a wide spectrum of possibilities for its valorization. This review focuses on the contribution of wood waste to both sustainability and the circular economy, considering its use not only as biomass but also as a potential source of bioactive compounds. The main bioactive compounds found in wood are polyphenols, terpenes, polysaccharides, organic compounds, fatty acids, and alkaloids. Polyphenols are the most ubiquitous compounds in wood. Large amounts of hydroxytyrosol (up to 25 g/kg dw), resveratrol (up to 66 g/kg dw), protocatechuic acid (up to 16.4 g/kg), and proanthocyanins (8.5 g/kg dw) have been found in the wood from olive trees, grapevines, almond trees and plum trees, respectively. The bioactivity of these compounds has been demonstrated at lower concentrations, mainly in vitro studies. Bioactive compounds present antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, biostimulant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anticarcinogenic properties, among others. Therefore, wood extracts might have several applications in agriculture, medicine, and the food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics industries. For example, olive tree wood extract reduced thrombin-induced platelet aggregation in vitro; grapevine tree wood extract acts a preservative in wine, replacing SO2; chestnut tree wood extract has antifungal properties on postharvest pathogens in vitro; and stone tree wood extracts are used for aging both wines and brandies. Moreover, the use of wood waste contributes to the move towards both a more sustainable development and a circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules from Plant Residues, 2nd Version)
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