Suchergebnisse

In this work, enzymatically active polysaccharide-based hydrogels and aerogels have been developed. To this end, a thermostable β-galactosidase (TmLac) enzyme from Thermotoga maritima embedded in nanoflowers' format was used to evaluate the capacity of the hydrogel matrices to preserve the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme and the reusability of the hydrogels formed. Commercial agar, unpurified agar and agarose were compared as supporting materials. Although the developed hydrogel capsules can be used at high temperature (75 °C) and reused for the digestion of lactose to a greater extent than the free nanoflowers, loaded hydrogel capsules behaved differently depending on the type of polysaccharide used. Commercial agar was the most promising one since these hydrogel capsules could be reused, maintaining the structural integrity and reaching higher enzymatic activity (after seven cycles at 75 °C) than the free TmLac-Ca2+ nanoflowers. To facilitate handling and storage, aerogels were developed by freeze-drying the hydrogel capsules. Aerogels of agarose and unpurified agar underwent structural changes during freeze-drying that adversely affected their subsequent use, losing their integrity after being rehydrated. However, commercial agar aerogels were successfully developed and reused thanks to the existing interactions with TmLac-Ca2+ nanoflowers (confirmed by FTIR), which resulted in better capsule integrity and enzyme protection. The hydrolytic activity of enzymatically active aerogels based on commercial agar was in the same range of the free TmLac and TmLac-Ca2+ nanoflowers, being significantly higher to their counterparts in the hydrated form (hydrogels based on commercial agar). ; This research was supported by grants from Spain's 'Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación' (AGL2016-75245-R), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, Grant PCI2018-092886) and cofunded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2). MJF was supported by a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC2014-15842) from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia; Industria y Competitividad. ; Peer reviewed

Watermelon is the second largest fruit crop worldwide, with great potential to valorise its rind waste. An experimental design was used to model how extraction parameters (temperature, pH, and time) impact on the efficiency of the process, purity, esterification degree, monosaccharide composition and molar mass of watermelon rind pectin (WRP), with an insight on changes in their structural properties (linearity, branching degree and extraction severity). The models for all responses were accurately fitted (R2 > 90%, lack of fit p ≥ 0.05) and experimentally validated. At optimum yield conditions, WRP yield (13.4%), purity (540 µg/g galacturonic acid) and molar mass (106.1 kDa) were comparable to traditional pectin sources but showed a higher branching degree with longer galactan side chains and a higher protein interaction. Harsher conditions (pH 1) generated purer homogalacturonan fractions with average molar masses (80 kDa) at the expense of yield, while mild extraction conditions (pH ≥ 2) produced highly branched entangled pectin structures. This study underlines novel compositional features in WRP and the possibility of producing novel customized pectin ingredients with a wider potential application scope depending on the targeted structure. ; This research was funded by the grant RTI-2018-094268-B-C22 (MCI/AEI/FEDER, EU). Mendez D. A. is supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Minciencias) of the Colombian Government (783-2017). M. J. Fabra and A. Martinez-Abad are recipients of Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2014-158) and Juan de la Cierva (IJDC-2017-31255), respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. ; Peer reviewed

In this work, an advanced approach combining small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, rheology and confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to explain the different emulsification mechanisms of three pectin sources (pectin extracted from watermelon rind -WRP- and commercial citrus -CP- and apple pectin -AP). Very interestingly, three different emulsification mechanisms were identified, related to the structure and composition of the pectin extracts. WRP had significantly greater emulsifying capacity than commercial CP and AP. This enhanced emulsification ability was mainly ascribed to a combination of its relatively high protein content (mainly acting as the surface-active material), combined with the presence of longer sugar side chains in pectin, further contributing to stabilizing the oil droplets in the emulsions. All these structural features resulted in a reduction in the mean droplet size as the concentration increased, thus, hindering flocculation and coalescence during the short-term storage conditions at 4 °C. In contrast, AP had the lowest emulsification capacity, which was only related to its viscosifying effect (provided by its greater Mw), while CP, having the greatest homogalacturonan content, greatest linearity and a more balanced hydrophilic/hydrophobic character (reflected in the degree of esterification), was able to form a better adsorbed layer at the o/w interphase, although it could not avoid flocculation and creaming at low pectin concentration during refrigerated storage. ; This work was funded by the grant RTI-2018-094268-B-C22 (MCI/AEI/FEDER, EU). Mendez D. A. is supported by the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (Colciencias) of the Colombian Government (783–2017). M. J. Fabra and A. Martinez-Abad are recipients of Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2014-158) and Juan de la Cierva (IJDC-2017-31255), respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. ; Peer reviewed

Catalytic materials obtained by enzyme immobilization have multiple potential applications in the food industry. The choice of the immobilization method and support may be critical to define the properties of the immobilized enzyme compared to the soluble form. Although the use of immobilized enzymes shows multiple advantages, their catalytic efficiency is compromised in many instances. Molecular engineering techniques have been used to generate hybrid proteins where the enzyme of interest is fused to a module with affinity to a specific biopolymer. Binding of the hybrid TmLac-CBM2 protein, in which the β-galactosidase from Thermotoga maritima is fused to a carbohydrate-binding module from Pyrococcus furiosus, to cellulosic material from aquatic biomass wastes (such as Posidonia oceanica and Arundo donax) has been assayed. Both species generate environmental wastes that could be revalorized if converted into bioactive materials. Cellulose cryogels, but not films, from P. oceanica were able to bind the TmLac-CBM2 hybrid, with a higher immobilization yield (90%) than that from A. donax cellulose cryogels (60%). However, fractions containing also hemicellulose were less effective as immobilization supports in both cases, with yields of 47% and 30%, respectively. Cellulose cryogels loaded with β-galactosidase were able to hydrolyse lactose with the same efficiency as the free form of the enzyme. In contrast, enzyme-loaded cellulose films were inactive. This study represents a proof of concept for the valorisation of cellulosic wastes as bioactive materials. Furthermore, it provides information about the interaction specificity between the binding module and the cellulosic support, useful for other enzymes. ; This research was supported by grants from Spain's 'Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación' (AGL2016-75245-R), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, Grant PCI2018-092886) and cofunded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2). MJF was supported by a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC2014-158) from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia; Industria y Competitividad. The authors thank the Central Support Service for Experimental Research (SCSIE) of the University of Valencia for the electronic microscopy service. ; Peer reviewed

This work reports on the production and characterization of agar-based extracts from the seaweed Gelidium sesquipedale by means of simple protocols based on hot water and sonication treatments. The combination of sonication with the hot water treatment reduced 4-fold the extraction time without significantly affecting the extraction yield (ca. 10–12%) and the extracts' properties. Apart from agar, the extracts contained proteins, polyphenols and minerals, which conferred them high antioxidant capacity and led to the production of brownish softer gels. The application of an alkali pre-treatment yielded almost pure agars, with higher molecular weights and crystallinities than commercial agar, resulting in stiffer gels. However, the partial digestion of agar by the alkali led to low extraction yields (ca. 2–3%). These results show the efficiency of the combined heat and sonication method to generate cost-effective agar-based extracts with potential applications within the food industry. ; This work was financially supported by the "Agencia Estatal de Investigación" and co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2). Marta Martinez-Sanz is recipient of a Juan de la Cierva (IJCI-2015-23389) contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness.

Seaweed residues from Alaria esculenta, Saccharina latissima and Ascophyllum nodosum after alginate extraction have been valorized to produce cellulose-based fractions with different purification degrees. The residues were mainly composed of carbohydrates (35–57%) and proteins (12–37%), Alaria and Saccharina being richer in cellulose and Ascophyllum richer in fucoidan. The lower cellulose content in the latter made it unsuitable for the extraction of cellulosic fractions. Self-supporting films were obtained from the cellulosic fractions from Saccharina and Alaria residues. While the higher cellulose purity films presented more desirable characteristics in terms of mechanical properties (with elastic moduli of ca. 5–7 GPa and elongation values of ca. 3–5%) and visual appearance, the presence of non-cellulosic components in the films from less purified fractions reduced their water sensitivity and promoted greater water barrier (with water permeability values of ca. 4–6 kg·m/s·m2·Pa). These results point towards the potential of a simple alkaline extraction to generate cellulose-based films from seaweed residuals with the best compromise between functional properties and economical and environmental efficiency. ; This work was financially supported by the "Agencia Estatal de Investigación" (PCI2018-092886 Grant) and co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2) and the RTI2018-094408-J-I00 project (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE). ; Peer reviewed

Cinnamaldehyde (CNMA), an organic compound that gives cinnamon its flavor and odor, was investigated for its virucidal activity on norovirus surrogates, murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV). Initially, different concentrations of CNMA (0.1, 0.5 and 1 %) were individually mixed with each virus at titers of ca. 6–7 log10 TCID50/ml and incubated 2 h at 4 and 37 °C. CNMA was effective in reducing the titers of norovirus surrogates in a dose-dependent manner after 2 h at 37 °C, while HAV titers were reduced by 1 log10 after treatment with 1 % of CNMA. When incubation time was extended, HAV titers were reduced by 3.4 and 2.7 log10 after overnight incubation at 37 °C with 1 and 0.5 % of CNMA, respectively. Moreover, this paper analyzed, for the first time, the antiviral activity of adding an active electrospun interlayer based on zein and CNMA to a polyhydroxybutyrate packaging material (PHB) in a multilayer form. Biodegradable multilayer systems prepared with 2.60 mg/cm2 (~9.7 %) of CNMA completely inactivated FCV according to ISO 22196:2011, while MNV titers were reduced by 2.75 log10. When the developed multilayer films were evaluated after one month of preparation or at 25 °C, the antiviral activity was reduced as compared to freshly prepared multilayer films evaluated at 37 °C. The results show the excellent potential of this system for food contact applications as well as for active packaging technologies in order to maintain or extend food quality and safety. ; This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) (RYC-2012-09950, AGL2015-63855-C2-1 and INIA Grant RTA2014-00024-C04-03). GS was supported by the "Ramón y Cajal" Young Investigator and MJF was recipient of a Juan de la Cierva contract from the MINECO. JLC-M was supported by the Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (Colciencias) of Colombian Government and WR by the "Student Mobility for Placement e SMP" Grant of the EU Life Learning Program. ; Peer reviewed

The objective of this work was to investigate whether the use of unpurified agar-based fractions extracted from the seaweed Gelidium as microencapsulation matrices has an impact on probiotic protection during storage. Therefore, unpurified and pure agar and agarose-based microcapsules were produced through emulsification/internal gelation for the protection of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765. Initially, agarose-based formulations with other biopolymers were evaluated, given the excellent oxygen barrier properties of this polysaccharide. The optimal combination in terms of probiotic protection was selected for further experiments and this agarose-based formulation was compared with microcapsules produced using both pure and unpurified agar-based fractions. The presence of other compounds (mainly proteins and polyphenols) in the unpurified agar fractions significantly improved the viability of these sensitive probiotic bacteria both at ambient and refrigerated storage conditions. Furthermore, the presence of impurities allowed the increase of solids content in the formulation giving raise to stronger gel particles, which could contribute to limited oxygen diffusion, thus, partly explaining the improved protection. Therefore, this work demonstrates the potential of more cost-effective less purified carbohydrate-based fractions for probiotic protection. ; This work was financially supported by the "Agencia Estatal de Investigación" and co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2) and the European Union's Seventh Framework Program under the grant agreement no 613979 (MyNewGut). Marta Martinez-Sanz, Maria José Fabra and Laura G. Gómez-Mascaraque are recipients of a Juan de la Cierva (IJCI-2015-23389), Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2014-158) and predoctoral (BES-2013-065883) contracts, respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. ; Peer reviewed

In recent years, food ingredients rich in bioactive compounds have emerged as candidates to prevent excess adiposity and other metabolic complications characteristic of obesity, such as low-grade inflammation and oxidative status. Among them, fungi have gained popularity for their high polysaccharide content and other bioactive components with beneficial activities. Here, we use the C. elegans model to investigate the potential activities of a Grifola frondosa extract (GE), together with the underlying mechanisms of action. Our study revealed that GE represents an important source of polysaccharides and phenolic compounds with in vitro antioxidant activity. Treatment with our GE extract, which was found to be nongenotoxic through a SOS/umu test, significantly reduced the fat content of C. elegans, decreased the production of intracellular ROS and aging-lipofuscin pigment, and increased the lifespan of nematodes. Gene expression and mutant analyses demonstrated that the in vivo anti-obesity and antioxidant activities of GE were mediated through the daf-2/daf-16 and skn-1/nrf-2 signalling pathways, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that our GE extract could be considered a potential functional ingredient for the prevention of obesity-related disturbances. ; This work was performed with the financial support of the CIEN project BIOPRO from "Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial" (CDTI), Ministry of Science and Innovation, Government of Spain. The authors thank ARGAL ALIMENTACIÓN S.A., ANECOOP, ELMUBAS IBÉRICA S.L.U., Bodega Matarromera S.L., Kimitec Group, Mahou San Miguel, UVESA, and Entomo AgroIndustrial for their support of this project. We also thank Bolet Ben Fet (TEB Verd SCCL., Barcelona). Finally, the authors thank LABORATORIOS CINFA, S.A. and VISCOFAN S.A for the financial support of the Center for Nutrition Research, and the CERCA Programme (Generalitat de Catalunya) for the financial support of IRTA. ; Peer reviewed

In this work, a bioactive persimmon extract was produced from discarded fruits. A central composite design was used to evaluate the effect of different extraction parameters and ripeness stages of persimmon fruits on the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the resulting extracts. Significantly greater phenolic contents were obtained from immature persimmon (IP) fruits. The optimum IP extract with the conditions set by the experimental design was industrially up-scaled and its composition and functional properties were evaluated and compared with those obtained under lab-scale conditions. Both extracts contained significant protein (>20%) and phenolic contents (∼11–27 mg GA/g dry extract) and displayed significant antiviral activity against murine norovirus and hepatitis A virus. Moreover, the extract showed no toxicity and significantly reduced the fat content and the cellular ageing of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) without affecting the worm development. These effects were mediated by down-regulation of fat-7, suggesting an anti-lipogenic activity of this extract. ; This work was financially supported by the grant RTI-2018-094268-B-C22 (MCI/AEI/FEDER, EU). Mendez D. A. is supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Minciencias) of the Colombian Government (783-2017). M. J. Fabra and A. Martinez-Abad are recipients of Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2014-158) and Juan de la Cierva (IJDC-2017-31255), respectively, from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. We also appreciate the funding of the CERCA program (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya) of the Generalitat de Catalunya and from the CIEN project "BIOPRO" from CDTI. ; Peer reviewed

Posidonia oceanica waste biomass has been valorised to produce extracts by means of different methodologies and their bioactive properties have been evaluated. Water-based extracts were produced using ultrasound-assisted and hot water methods and classified according to their ethanol-affinity (E1: ethanol soluble; E2: non-soluble). Moreover, a conventional protocol with organic solvents was applied, yielding E3 extracts. Compositional and structural characterization confirmed that while E1 and E3 extracts were mainly composed of minerals and lipids, respectively, E2 extracts were a mixture of minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. All the extracts showed remarkably high antioxidant capacity, which was not only related to phenolic compounds but also to the presence of proteins and polysaccharides. All E2 and E3 extracts inhibited the growth of several foodborne fungi, while only E3 extracts decreased substantially the infectivity of feline calicivirus and murine norovirus. These results show the potential of P. oceanica waste biomass for the production of bioactive extracts. ; This work was financially supported by the project GV/2018//149, the "Agencia Estatal de Investigación" and cofunded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERA-Net SUSFOOD2). Marta Martinez-Sanz is recipient of a Juan de la Cierva (IJCI-2015-23389) contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness.

Biomass is defined as organic matter from living organisms represented in all kingdoms. It is recognized to be an excellent source of proteins, polysaccharides and lipids and, as such, embodies a tailored feedstock for new products and processes to apply in green industries. The industrial processes focused on the valorization of terrestrial biomass are well established, but marine sources still represent an untapped resource. Oceans and seas occupy over 70% of the Earth's surface and are used intensively in worldwide economies through the fishery industry, as logistical routes, for mining ores and exploitation of fossil fuels, among others. All these activities produce waste. The other source of unused biomass derives from the beach wrack or washed-ashore organic material, especially in highly eutrophicated marine ecosystems. The development of high-added-value products from these side streams has been given priority in recent years due to the detection of a broad range of biopolymers, multiple nutrients and functional compounds that could find applications for human consumption or use in livestock/pet food, pharmaceutical and other industries. This review comprises a broad thematic approach in marine waste valorization, addressing the main achievements in marine biotechnology for advancing the circular economy, ranging from bioremediation applications for pollution treatment to energy and valorization for biomedical applications. It also includes a broad overview of the valorization of side streams in three selected case study areas: Norway, Scotland, and the Baltic Sea. ; This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18238 (Ocean4Biotech), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). AR and KK: this research was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency (research core funding P1-0245 and P1-0237). AR: this publication has been produced with financial assistance of the Interreg MED Programme, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (Project No. 8MED20_4.1_SP_001, internal ref. 8MED20_4.1_SP_001) – B-Blue project. SG, CT, and JO: this work is financed by national funds from FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the project UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences - UCIBIO and the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy – i4HB. JaB and WH: the preparation of the manuscript was supported by the Project CONTRA (Conversion of a Nuisance to a Resource and Asset #R090, 2018–2021) of the INTERREG Baltic Sea Region Program, and Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the 2019–2021 science funding allocated for the implementation of international co-financed project W24/INTERREG BSR/2019. Research of Maris Klavins, VB, and LA was supported by ERDF project 1.1.1.1/16/A/050 "Variable fuel gasification for municipal solid waste recovery." MC acknowledges the funding from CEEC program supported by FCT/MCTES (CEECIND/02968/2017) and Strategic Funding UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 supported by national funds provided by FCT and ERDF. AD acknowledges financial support provided by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the grant agreement No 857287 and Latvian Council of Science research project No. lzp-2020/1-0054. MKa: the Interreg LAT_LIT Programme, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (LLI-525 ESMIC). LB acknowledges the funding from Erasmus + Project No. ECOBIAS 609967-EPP-1-2019-1-RS-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP; GA.2019-1991/001-001. Development of master curricula in ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment for Western Balkans HEIs/ECOBIAS. IS and KP acknowledge financial support provided by the projects CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/17_048/0007323 and CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000754 (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic). ZV-G acknowledges support within the project No.1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/029 (Formula of peat-free soil conditioner with controlled-release fertilizing effect applicable for soil remediation and quality improvement of agricultural production). IZ: the projects SLTKT20427, KIK 17431 and SARASWATI 2.0. JuB: the project No.1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/531 (Innovative technologies for stabilization of landfills – diminishing of environmental impact and resources potential in frames of circular economy). The work conducted by CR, LA-H, and MA was fully financed by Møreforsking AS. ; Peer reviewed