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Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes

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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2023) | Viewed by 24292

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Prof. Dr. Michaela Schmitz

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Guest Editor

Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-Efficient Engineering (TREE), Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Interests: bioactive components; product safety; nutritional value; secondary compounds and indicator for diseases; stress prevention by bioactive compounds; innovative application models for secondary compounds; sustainability

Dr. Thomas Havelt

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Guest Editor

Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-Efficient Engineering (TREE), Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany
Interests: instrumental analytical chemistry; bioactive compounds; food contact materials; sustainable innovative applications and resources; valorisation of waste materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Trade and consumers alike require products with high nutritional and health values, preferably combined with high product safety. Sustainable production to achieve this criteria requires modern and innovative technologies. In the mid-1990s, researchers published the first epidemiological studies indicating that the consumption of secondary plant metabolites, particularly polyphenols, and thus the intake of fruits and vegetables was inversely correlated with the prevention of degenerative human diseases. The protective effect of products from plants (e.g., fruit and vegetable consumption) maybe be partly attributed to the antioxidative properties of bioactive compounds such as phenols, carotenes, terpenoids, or ascorbic acid. The synthesis of some of these bioactive compounds depends on several exogenous and endogenous factors, such as temperature, the quality of light, growing conditions, and variety of plants. These factors—especially light or heat—can influence the activity of specific enzymes involved in the synthesis of the bioactive compounds. In addition, bioactive compounds could not only be used as factors to enhance the nutritional value of the product, but could also be used in an isolated form as additives for several other products, such as biodegradable packaging for food or other coatings. This Special Issue on “Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes” aims to curate novel advances in the development of safe and high-quality food products on the basis of variety and amount of bioactive ingredient contained within them and the innovative application of these secondary metabolites as additives for further products with high sustainability value.

Topics of interest to this special include but are not limited to:

The development of new technologies by managing the content and spectrum of bioactive compounds to enhance product quality and nutritional value.
Secondary compounds as stress defense mechanisms.
The development of possible areas of application for bioactive components for developing sustainable innovative inventions.

Prof. Dr. Michaela Schmitz
Dr. Thomas Havelt
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. Processes 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 2400 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

bioactive components
nutritional value
oxidative stress and prevention
packaging
antioxidative potential
antioxidants

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibacterial Activities of Oral Care Products Containing Natural Plant Extracts from the Thai Highlands against Staphylococcus aureus: Evaluation and Satisfaction Studies

by Saranya Chaiwaree, Kannika Srilai, Kantaporn Kheawfu and Patcharin Thammasit

Processes 2023, 11(9), 2768; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092768 - 16 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1181

Abstract

In this research, we aimed to assess antibacterial activity and develop oral care products from three natural plant extracts from the Thai highlands. The plants, including Camellia sinensis var. assamica, Zanthozylum limonella Alston, and Acorus calamus L., were extracted using two traditional extraction techniques: maceration and hydrodistillation methods. The extracts were characterized by percentage yield, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, which play a role in oral health and disease, was investigated. C. sinensis var. assamica extract had the highest content of phenolic acid (38.15 ± 4.12 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoids (44.91 ± 2.76 mg QE/g extract). Interestingly, a combination of C. sinensis with Z. limonella and A. calamus provides a greater inhibitory effect against S. aureus. Furthermore, oral care products were prepared as a natural product mixture in two preparations: (i) oral ulcers gel and (ii) oral spray. Apart from antibacterial efficiency, volunteer satisfaction after the usage of oral care products containing traditional plant extracts was investigated via organoleptic evaluation. The findings of the volunteer surveys indicated positive feedback for both oral care products with high satisfaction levels. Hence, these oral care products could potentially be natural antimicrobial agents and can be further developed and applied for oral applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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24 pages, 6735 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Optimization of Spray-Drying Conditions of Microencapsulated Habanero Pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) Extracts and Physicochemical Characterization of the Microcapsules

by Kevin Alejandro Avilés-Betanzos, Juan Valerio Cauich-Rodríguez, Manuel Octavio Ramírez-Sucre and Ingrid Mayanin Rodríguez-Buenfil

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1238; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041238 - 17 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1775

Abstract

The Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) is recognized worldwide for its unique organoleptic characteristics, as well as for its capsaicin content; however, other bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds with bioactive properties (mainly antioxidant capacity), have been extracted (ultrasound) and identified in this fruit. Moreover, the extracts obtained by ultrasound present a high sensitivity to environmental conditions, making spray drying a viable option to avoid the degradation of bioactive compounds while maintaining their properties after microencapsulation. Response surface methodology (RSM) has been used to optimize spray-drying conditions such as the inlet temperature (IT) and maltodextrin:extract (M:E) ratio. Thus, the objective of this work was to establish the optimal spray-drying conditions (IT and M:E) of a Habanero pepper extract with a final characterization of the spray-dried product. Results showed that the optimal spray-drying conditions included an IT = 148 °C with an M:E = 0.8:1 w/w, where the antioxidant capacity (38.84 ± 0.22% inhibition), total polyphenol content (6.64 ± 0.08 mg Gallic acid equivalent/100 g powder), and several individual polyphenols, such as Protocatechuic acid (26.97 mg/100 g powder), Coumaric acid (2.68 mg/100 g powder), Rutin (18.01 mg/100 g powder), Diosmetin (1.74 mg/100 g powder), and Naringenin (0.98 mg/100 g powder), were evaluated. The microcapsules showed a spherical shape with concavities and moisture less than 5%, and the inclusion of bioactive compounds was confirmed using UPLC and FTIR. The final dried product has the potential to be used as an ingredient for functional food development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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16 pages, 1887 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Different Explants of Artemisia ludoviciana under Photoperiod and Darkness Conditions and Their Influence on Achillin Production

by Mariana Sánchez-Ramos, Samantha Berman-Bahena, Laura Alvarez, Jessica Nayelli Sánchez-Carranza, Antonio Bernabé-Antonio, Angélica Román-Guerrero, Silvia Marquina-Bahena and Francisco Cruz-Sosa

Processes 2022, 10(8), 1439; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10081439 - 23 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2066

Abstract

Species of the genus Artemisia mainly biosynthesize sesquiterpene lactones. Achillin is a guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia ludoviciana; it has shown antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, achillin exhibits a significant chemosensitizing effect on hepatocellular carcinoma cells resistant to paclitaxel (PTX). The objective of this study was to establish a callus culture from different explants under conditions of light and total darkness to produce achillin. To obtain in vitro cultures, explants of leaves, nodes, internodes, and roots were used, and they were cultured in MS medium with 0.1 mg/L of kinetin (KIN) or benzyl amino purine (BAP) and/or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridine carboxylic acid (PIC) at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L. Of all treatments, internodes with BAP (0.1 mg/L) and PIC (1.0 mg/L) grown under photoperiod showed the best friable callus induction, however, GC-MS analysis showed higher achillin content (1703.05 µg/mL) in leaf calluses with PIC (1.0) and KIN (0.1) under photoperiod, and in node plantlets (1880.01 µg/mL) with PIC (0.1) and BAP (0.1). From 12.34 g of dry leaves of Artemisia ludoviciana, 257 mg of achillin were isolated and purified, which was used as a reference in the quantification of achillin in the in vitro culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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19 pages, 3798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cryoconcentration by Centrifugation–Filtration: A Simultaneous, Efficient and Innovative Method to Increase Thermosensitive Bioactive Compounds of Aqueous Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) Extract

by José Miguel Bastías-Montes, Carla Vidal-San-Martín, Yanara Tamarit-Pino, Ociel Muñoz-Fariña, Olga García-Figueroa, Roberto Quevedo-León, Zhao-Jun Wei, Xingang Lv and Carlos L. Cespedes-Acuña

Processes 2022, 10(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10010025 - 23 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3212

Abstract

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) is a Chilean berry rich in antioxidants, which are mostly found in the pulp and skin of the fruit. The objective was to evaluate the cryoconcentration process by centrifugation–filtration as a simultaneous, efficient, and innovative method to increase the content of thermosensitive bioactive compounds of aqueous maqui extract. Cryoconcentration separated the concentrated solute from the aqueous maqui extract with an efficiency of more than 95%; it increased the content of total polyphenols and total anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity by 280%, 573%, and 226%, respectively. Although the concentrates obtained by evaporation at 50, 70, and 80 °C increased the content of bioactive compounds, they did so in a lower percentage than the cryoconcentrate. Furthermore, cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside was degraded at 70 and 80 °C. In conclusion, cryoconcentration by centrifugation–filtration as a simultaneous process efficiently separates the solutes from the frozen matrix of aqueous maqui extract, and it maintains and increases the contents of polyphenols and anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity. This method is recommended for concentrating natural berry extracts with thermosensitive compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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15 pages, 7585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Drying Techniques on the Physical, Functional, and Rheological Attributes of Isolated Sunflower Protein and Its Hydrolysate

by Mokhtar Dabbour, Rokkaya Sami, Benjamin K. Mintah, Ronghai He, Hafida Wahia, Ebtihal Khojah, Anka Trajkovska Petkoska and Mohammad Fikry

Processes 2022, 10(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10010013 - 22 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2678

Abstract

The influence of freeze and convection (at 40 and 50 °C) drying on the physical, functional, and rheological attributes of sunflower protein (SP) and its hydrolysate (SPH) was investigated. Compared with convectively-dried samples, the lightness, turbidity, bulk density, and particle size values of the freeze-dried SP and SPH were substantially higher, but the browning index was lower (p < 0.05). Additionally, freeze-dried samples exhibited good solubility and foaming characteristics, whereas lower emulsion properties with the most pH values were observed. Furthermore, SPHs possessed higher solubility as well as foamability over SPs under varying pH values (2.0–10.0), whilst reduction in the emulsion activity index was clearly observed (p < 0.05). Convectively-dried powders exhibited greater viscosity and consistency coefficient; and significantly lower flow behavior index of dispersions, relative to the respective freeze-dried preparations, indicating that dehydration methods influenced the flow behavior of the investigated samples. From a molecular weight analysis, convectively-dried samples at various temperatures were characterized with high proportion of small-sized particles at ≤1 kDa fractions over the respective powders obtained by freeze drying. The observations made, thus, would benefit food processors and manufacturers in electing better dehydration technique based on the desired traits of SP and SPH powders for successful application in food product formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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16 pages, 5213 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Wound Healing Potential of Novel Hydrogel Based on Ocimum basilicum and Trifolium pratense Extracts

by Ina Andreea Antonescu (Mintaș), Angela Antonescu, Florina Miere (Groza), Luminița Fritea, Alin Cristian Teușdea, Laura Vicaș, Simona Ioana Vicaș, Ilarie Brihan, Maria Domuța, Mihaela Zdrinca, Marcel Zdrinca and Simona Cavalu

Processes 2021, 9(11), 2096; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9112096 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3676

Abstract

Plants are an inexhaustible source of compounds with different medicinal properties, suitable as alternative options for the prevention and treatment of various pathologies. They are safe, effective and economical. In this paper, a combined extract made of Ocimum basilicum and Trifolium pratense extracts (EOT) was used for the first time to demonstrate its healing effect on dermal pathologies. To evaluate the wound healing effect of EOT, a novel gel formulation was prepared and subsequently tested in vitro (using the scratch test assay) and in vivo (on an animal model). The in vitro tests demonstrated the complete recovery of the dermal fibroblast monolayer when treated with EOT in a concentration of 50 µg/mL. In vivo results using a hydrogel formulation based on EOT demonstrated improved wound contraction time and complete healing after 13 days of treatment. Moreover, a clinical case of Psoriasis vulgaris was presented, in which one week of treatment led to the significant improvement of the patient’s health. In conclusion, the topical use of the novel gel formulation containing EOT is a successful therapeutic alternative in the treatment of dermal diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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23 pages, 3902 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Central Composite Design, Kinetic Model, Thermodynamics, and Chemical Composition of Pomelo (Citrus Maxima (Burm.) Merr.) Essential Oil Extraction by Steam Distillation

by Tan Phat Dao, Thanh Viet Nguyen, Thi Yen Nhi Tran, Xuan Tien Le, Ton Nu Thuy An, Nguyen Huu Thuan Anh and Long Giang Bach

Processes 2021, 9(11), 2075; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9112075 - 19 Nov 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3316

Abstract

Pomelo peel-derived essential oils have been gaining popularity due to greater demand for stress relief therapy or hair care therapy. In this study, we first performed optimization of parameters in the pomelo essential oil extraction process on a pilot scale to gain better insights for application in larger scale production. Then extraction kinetics, activation energy, thermodynamics, and essential oil quality during the extraction process were investigated during the steam distillation process. Three experimental conditions including material mass, steam flow rate, and extraction time were taken into consideration in response surface methodology (RSM) optimization. The optimal conditions were found as follows: sample weight of 422 g for one distillation batch, steam flow rate of 2.16 mL/min and extraction time of 106 min with the coefficient of determination R² of 0.9812. The nonlinear kinetics demonstrated the compatibility of the kinetic model with simultaneous washing and unhindered diffusion with a washing rate constant of 0.1515 min⁻¹ and a diffusion rate constant of 0.0236 min⁻¹. The activation energy of the washing and diffusion process was 167.43 kJ.mol⁻¹ and 96.25 kJ.mol⁻¹, respectively. The thermodynamic value obtained at the ΔG° value was −35.02 kJ.mol⁻¹. The quality of pomelo peel essential oil obtained by steam distillation was characterized by its high limonene content (96.996%), determined by GC-MS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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20 pages, 4271 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Evaluation of Practical Applicability and Synergistic Effects of Bio-Based Food Packaging Materials Combined with Plant-Based Stabilisers

by Thomas Havelt, Sarah Brettschneider and Michaela Schmitz

Processes 2021, 9(10), 1838; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9101838 - 15 Oct 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1951

Abstract

Different analyses and feasibility studies have been conducted on the plant extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), European horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana), and snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) to evaluate bio-based alternatives to common petrol-based stabilisers. For this purpose, in this study, plant extracts were incorporated into poly-lactic acid films (PLA) at different concentrations. The films’ UV absorbance and migration into packed food was analysed via photometric assays (ABTS radical cation scavenging capacity assay, β-carotene assay) and GC–MS analysis. Furthermore, the synergistic antioxidant effects of various combinations of extracts and isolated active compounds were determined. This way, antioxidant effects can be increased, allowing for a highly effective use of resources. All extracts were successfully incorporated into PLA films and showed notable photoabsorbing effects, while no migration risk was observed. Depending on extract combinations, high synergistic effects of up to 726% can be utilised to improve the effectiveness of bio-based extracts. This applies particularly to tomato paste and Aesculus hippocastanum extracts, which overall show high synergistic and antioxidant effects in combination with each other and with isolated active compounds. The study shows that it is possible to create safe bio-based antioxidant films which show even improved properties when using highlighted target combinations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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Review

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14 pages, 4341 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Culturing Important Plants for Sweet Secondary Products under Consideration of Environmentally Friendly Aspects

by Matthias Preusche, Andreas Ulbrich and Margot Schulz

Processes 2022, 10(4), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10040703 - 05 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2832

Abstract

Some sweet tasting plant secondary metabolites are non-caloric or low nutritive compounds that have traditional use in food formulations. This mini-review focuses on conventional and advanced cultivation regimes of plants that accumulate sweet tasting or sweet taste modulating secondary metabolites of potential economic importance, in particular mogrosides (Siraitia grosvenorii), phyllodulcin (Hydrangea macrophylla), glycyrrhizin (Glycyrrhiza glabra), steviol glycosides (Stevia grosvenorii), and rubusoside (Rubus suavissimus). Consequential obstacles during the cultivation of Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars outside their natural habitat in a protected cultivation environment are addressed. Culturing at non-habitat locations facilitates short transportation routes of plant material for processing, which can be a key to an economically and environmentally compatible usage. The biosynthetic pathways, as far as known, are shortly mentioned. The proved or hypothetical degradation pathways of the compounds to minimalize environmental contamination are another focal point. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Significance and Applicability of Bioactive Compounds from Plants for Innovative Technologies and Processes)

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