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Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional...
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Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional Compounds from Plant Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2024 | Viewed by 7690

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Katya Carbone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CREA Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, Via di Fioranello 52, 00134 Rome, Italy
Interests: natural products; bioactive food components; phytotherapy; antioxidants; natural products chemistry; green chemistry; biomaterials; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In food and feed production, the use of plant extracts is a strategy of growing interest to replace the use of chemical and synthetic additives or ingredients as well as to meet consumer demand for innovative, high-quality, healthy, clean-labeled, and sustainable products. Other industries, such as cosmetics, phytotherapy, phytoiatric, etc., are also increasingly employing botanical extracts in response to the increased awareness regarding sustainability and well-being among the public and consumers.

At the same time, there is an urgent need to identify green encapsulation systems that can improve the solubility of lipophilic plant active ingredients, as well as the temporal stability of botanical extracts, without altering their chemical composition, to be able to successfully use them industrially.

In this context, industries are actively seeking new plant sources and environmentally friendly extraction methods for the recovery and encapsulation of these active compounds, aiming for the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection. As a result, innovative and unconventional extractive and encapsulation techniques are being developed in recent years to overcome the standard nonecological methodologies based on chemicals and solvents, which are no longer applicable.

Recently, unconventional and innovative extraction techniques using ultrasounds, microwaves, high pressures, supercritical fluids, natural deep eutectic solvents, pulsed electric fields, etc., have been developed to recover bioactive compounds from plants and their byproducts to achieve acceptable results in terms of both the yield and environmental sustainability of the applied process. In addition, the possibility of adopting a solvent-free green chemistry approach to encapsulate bioactives in micro- and/or nano-forms is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers worldwide.

In light of these considerations, this Special Issue will cover the most up-to-date knowledge on the green extraction/encapsulation of plant food products and byproducts in terms of innovative processes, methods, alternative solvents, and product safety, contributing to increasing the overall knowledge of plant-based phytochemicals, their biological activities, and innovative as well as sustainable processes.

Dr. Katya Carbone
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. 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

  • green chemistry
  • encapsulation techniques
  • green extraction techniques
  • natural molecules
  • functional properties
  • plant food systems

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4594 KiB  
Article
Structural Characteristics and Multiple Bioactivities of Volvariella volvacea Polysaccharide Extracts: The Role of Extractive Solvents
by Jun Wang, Changyu Zhao, Ping Li, Lei Wang and Songnan Li
Foods 2023, 12(23), 4357; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234357 - 02 Dec 2023
Viewed by 934
Abstract
The chemical structures and functional properties of plant-based polysaccharides are critically influenced by extractive solvents, but their roles are not clear. In this study, the structural characteristics and multiple bioactivities of Volvariella volvacea polysaccharides (VVPs) subjected to water (VVP-W), alkalis (sodium hydroxide, VVP-A), [...] Read more.
The chemical structures and functional properties of plant-based polysaccharides are critically influenced by extractive solvents, but their roles are not clear. In this study, the structural characteristics and multiple bioactivities of Volvariella volvacea polysaccharides (VVPs) subjected to water (VVP-W), alkalis (sodium hydroxide, VVP-A), and acids (citric acid, VVP-C) as extractive solvents are investigated systematically. Of the above three polysaccharides, VVP-W exhibited the highest molecular weights, apparent viscosity, and viscoelastic properties. Functional analyses revealed that VVP-C had an excellent water-holding capacity, foaming properties, and emulsifying capacity, while VVP-A exhibited a promising oil-holding capacity. Moreover, VVP-C displayed strong inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which could be attributed to its content of total phenolics, proteins, and molecular weights. These findings have important implications for selecting the appropriate extraction techniques to obtain functional polysaccharides with targeted bioactive properties as food additives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional Compounds from Plant Foods)
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21 pages, 14025 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Consequences of High-Voltage Pulsed Electric Field and TGase Cross-Linking on the Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Pleurotus eryngii Protein
by Jiaxin Li, Yan Feng, Qianying Cheng, Jingyu Liu, Shaojun Yun, Yanfen Cheng, Feier Cheng, Jinling Cao and Cuiping Feng
Foods 2023, 12(3), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030647 - 02 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1448
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-voltage pulsed electric fields (HPEF) and transglutaminase (TGase) cross-clinking on the physicochemical and rheological properties of Pleurotus eryngii protein (PEP). The results showed that HPEF increased α-helixes and β-turns but decreased β-folds. A HPEF at [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-voltage pulsed electric fields (HPEF) and transglutaminase (TGase) cross-clinking on the physicochemical and rheological properties of Pleurotus eryngii protein (PEP). The results showed that HPEF increased α-helixes and β-turns but decreased β-folds. A HPEF at 1500 V/cm maximized the free sulfhydryl content and solubility of PEP. TGase formed high-molecular-weight polymers in PEP. TGase at 0.25% maximized the free sulfhydryl groups, particle size, and solubility; shifted the maximum absorption wavelength from 343 nm to 339 nm and 341 nm; increased α-helixes and β-turns and decreased β-folds; and showed better rheological properties. Compared with TGase cross-linking, HPEF-1500 V/cm and 1% TGase significantly reduced the free sulfhydryl groups, particle size, and solubility, produced more uniform network structures, and improved the rheological properties. These results suggest that HPEF can increase the cross-linking of TGase and improve rheological properties of TGase-cross-linked PEP by affecting the physicochemical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional Compounds from Plant Foods)
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Review

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35 pages, 13987 KiB  
Review
Cold Plasma-Assisted Extraction of Phytochemicals: A Review
by Mahshid Heydari, Katya Carbone, Fabio Gervasi, Ehsan Parandi, Milad Rouhi, Omid Rostami, Reza Abedi-Firoozjah, Azin Kolahdouz-Nasiri, Farhad Garavand and Reza Mohammadi
Foods 2023, 12(17), 3181; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12173181 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2674
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing interest in bioactive plant compounds for their beneficial effects on health and for their potential in reducing the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The extraction techniques conventionally used [...] Read more.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in bioactive plant compounds for their beneficial effects on health and for their potential in reducing the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The extraction techniques conventionally used to obtain these phytocompounds, however, due to the use of toxic solvents and high temperatures, tend to be supplanted by innovative and unconventional techniques, in line with the demand for environmental and economic sustainability of new chemical processes. Among non-thermal technologies, cold plasma (CP), which has been successfully used for some years in the food industry as a treatment to improve food shelf life, seems to be one of the most promising solutions in green extraction processes. CP is characterized by its low environmental impact, low cost, and better extraction yield of phytochemicals, saving time, energy, and solvents compared with other classical extraction processes. In light of these considerations, this review aims to provide an overview of the potential and critical issues related to the use of CP in the extraction of phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols and essential oils. To review the current knowledge status and future insights of CP in this sector, a bibliometric study, providing quantitative information on the research activity based on the available published scientific literature, was carried out by the VOSviewer software (v. 1.6.18). Scientometric analysis has seen an increase in scientific studies over the past two years, underlining the growing interest of the scientific community in this natural substance extraction technique. The literature studies analyzed have shown that, in general, the use of CP was able to increase the yield of essential oil and polyphenols. Furthermore, the composition of the phytoextract obtained with CP would appear to be influenced by process parameters such as intensity (power and voltage), treatment time, and the working gas used. In general, the studies analyzed showed that the best yields in terms of total polyphenols and the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the phytoextracts were obtained using mild process conditions and nitrogen as the working gas. The use of CP as a non-conventional extraction technique is very recent, and further studies are needed to better understand the optimal process conditions to be adopted, and above all, in-depth studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms of plasma–plant matrix interaction to verify the possibility of any side reactions that could generate, in a highly oxidative environment, potentially hazardous substances, which would limit the exploitation of this technique at the industrial level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional Compounds from Plant Foods)
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17 pages, 1247 KiB  
Review
Trends in Bioactive Multilayer Films: Perspectives in the Use of Polysaccharides, Proteins, and Carbohydrates with Natural Additives for Application in Food Packaging
by Luisa Bataglin Avila, Carlos Schnorr, Luis F. O. Silva, Marcilio Machado Morais, Caroline Costa Moraes, Gabriela Silveira da Rosa, Guilherme L. Dotto, Éder C. Lima and Mu. Naushad
Foods 2023, 12(8), 1692; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081692 - 19 Apr 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1983
Abstract
The harmful effects on the environment caused by the indiscriminate use of synthetic plastics and the inadequate management of post-consumer waste have given rise to efforts to redirect this consumption to bio-based economic models. In this sense, using biopolymers to produce materials is [...] Read more.
The harmful effects on the environment caused by the indiscriminate use of synthetic plastics and the inadequate management of post-consumer waste have given rise to efforts to redirect this consumption to bio-based economic models. In this sense, using biopolymers to produce materials is a reality for food packaging companies searching for technologies that allow these materials to compete with those from synthetic sources. This review paper focused on the recent trends in multilayer films with the perspective of using biopolymers and natural additives for application in food packaging. Firstly, the recent developments in the area were presented concisely. Then, the main biopolymers used (gelatin, chitosan, zein, polylactic acid) and main methods for multilayer film preparation were discussed, including the layer-by-layer, casting, compression, extrusion, and electrospinning methods. Furthermore, we highlighted the bioactive compounds and how they are inserted in the multilayer systems to form active biopolymeric food packaging. Furthermore, the advantages and drawbacks of multilayer packaging development are also discussed. Finally, the main trends and challenges in using multilayer systems are presented. Therefore, this review aims to bring updated information in an innovative approach to current research on food packaging materials, focusing on sustainable resources such as biopolymers and natural additives. In addition, it proposes viable production routes for improving the market competitiveness of biopolymer materials against synthetic materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Unconventional Processes for the Recovery and Enhancement of Functional Compounds from Plant Foods)
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