Biochemical Prospection in Seafood: Extraction, Biological Activity of Extracts and Functional Research on Their Compounds

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Foods of Marine Origin".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 6246

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading and Bioprospection, IPMA, I.P.—Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Dr. Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho 6, 1495-165 Lisbon, Portugal
2. CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Terminal de Cruzeiros de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Interests: lipidomics; seafood; nutrition; benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in health; biotechnology applied to micro- and macroalgae utilization in human food and feeds; marine biomolecules; functional ingredients such as squalen, phytosterols, EPA and DHA
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Division of Aquaculture, Upgrading and Bioprospection, IPMA, I.P.—Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Dr. Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho 6, 1495-165 Lisboa, Portugal
2. CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Terminal de Cruzeiros de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Interests: biological activity; extract technology development; extract characterization; functional foods; toxicology; seaweed

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Seafood encompasses fish, shellfish, molluscs, and animals, seaweed, and other taxonomic groups. They all have a marine origin and are included in different international diets. Some very important nutrients can only be supplied to humans in a sustainable and natural way via seafood consumption, such as long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Given its diversity, the treasure trove of biologically active substances in marine biomass is still poorly known and largely undervalued. Therefore, the extraction of these substances from whole organisms or their parts/organs is important for expanding our knowledge and developing applications. These extracts need to be safe and biochemically characterized, and their biological activity and related natural active compounds must be assessed, thus enabling fractionation and an understanding of their functionality. Moreover, the extraction processes need to be optimized, leading to attractive properties such as no bio-refinery waste being produced.

Dr. Narcisa Maria Bandarra
Dr. Carlos Cardoso
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • seafood
  • marine organisms
  • undervalued marine resources
  • bio-refinery
  • green extractive technologies
  • enzyme-assisted extraction
  • in vitro biological activity
  • in vivo biological activity
  • structural elucidation
  • micronutrients

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2439 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Anti-Prostate Cancer Activity among Four Seaweeds, with Focus on Caulerpa lentillifera J.Agardh
by Guan-James Wu and Pei-Wen Hsiao
Foods 2024, 13(9), 1411; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13091411 - 3 May 2024
Viewed by 1830
Abstract
In response to a global shift towards health-conscious and environmentally sustainable food choices, seaweed has emerged as a focus for researchers due to its large-scale cultivation potential and the development of bioactive substances. This research explores the potential anticancer properties of seaweed extracts, [...] Read more.
In response to a global shift towards health-conscious and environmentally sustainable food choices, seaweed has emerged as a focus for researchers due to its large-scale cultivation potential and the development of bioactive substances. This research explores the potential anticancer properties of seaweed extracts, focusing on analyzing the impact of four common edible seaweeds in Taiwan on prostate cancer (PCa) cells’ activity. The study used bioassay-guided fractionation to extract Cl80 from various seaweeds with androgen receptor (AR)-inhibitory activity. Cl80 demonstrated effective suppression of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced AR activity in 103E cells and attenuated the growth and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein expression in LNCaP and 22Rv1 cells. Additionally, Cl80 exhibited differential effects on various PCa cell lines. Concentrations above 5 μg/mL significantly inhibited LNCaP cell proliferation, while 22Rv1 cells were more resistant to Cl80. PC-3 cell proliferation was inhibited at 5 μg/mL but not completely at 50 μg/mL. A clonogenic assay showed that at a concentration of 0.5 μg/mL, the colony formation in LNCaP and PC-3 cells was significantly reduced, with a dose-dependent effect. Cl80 induced apoptosis in all PCa cell types, especially in LNCaP cells, with increased apoptotic cells observed at higher concentrations. Cl80 also decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in a dose-dependent manner in all PCa cell lines. Furthermore, Cl80 suppressed the migration ability of PCa cells, with significant reductions observed in LNCaP, 22Rv1, and PC-3 cells at various concentrations. These compelling findings highlight the promising therapeutic potential of C. lentillifera J.Agardh and its isolated compound Cl80 in the treatment of PCa. Full article
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12 pages, 595 KiB  
Article
How Biological Activity in Sea Cucumbers Changes as a Function of Species and Tissue
by Sabrina Sales, Helena M. Lourenço, Narcisa M. Bandarra, Cláudia Afonso, Joana Matos, Maria João Botelho, Maria Fernanda Pessoa, Pedro M. Félix, Arthur Veronez and Carlos Cardoso
Foods 2024, 13(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13010035 - 21 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1270
Abstract
Biological activity and bioactive compound content in sea cucumbers was assessed, considering Parastichopus regalis, Holothuria mammata, Holothuria forskali, and Holothuria arguinensis as species and intestine, muscle band, respiratory tree, body wall, and gonads as tissues. P. regalis had the lowest [...] Read more.
Biological activity and bioactive compound content in sea cucumbers was assessed, considering Parastichopus regalis, Holothuria mammata, Holothuria forskali, and Holothuria arguinensis as species and intestine, muscle band, respiratory tree, body wall, and gonads as tissues. P. regalis had the lowest content in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in contrast to Holothuria species. In the respiratory tree, the highest phenolic concentration was recorded in H. arguinensis, 76.4 ± 1.2 mg GAE/100 g dw vs. 21.0–49.0 mg GAE/100 g dw in the other species. H. arguinensis had the highest DPPH and FRAP results in the gonads, 13.6 ± 0.7 mg AAE/100 g dw vs. 2.6–3.5 mg AAE/100 g dw and 27.1 ± 0.3 μmol Fe2+/g dw vs. 8.0–15.9 μmol Fe2+/g dw, respectively. Overall, P. regalis biomass presented the highest anti-inflammatory activity levels and H. arguinensis the lowest anti-inflammatory levels. The respiratory tree was the most anti-inflammatory (measured by the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2, COX-2) tissue in H. mammata and H. forskali (also the muscle band in this case), 76.3 ± 6.3% and 59.5 ± 3.6% COX-2 inhibition in 1 mg/mL aqueous extracts, respectively. The results demonstrated a variable bioactive potential and advantage in targeting antioxidant properties in the muscle band and anti-inflammatory activity in the respiratory tree, which may constitute a starting point for a biorefinery approach envisaging multiple applications. Full article
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21 pages, 1708 KiB  
Article
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Orange-Footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa)—Effect of Different Enzymes on Protein Yield and Bioactivity
by Dat Trong Vu, Eva Falch, Edel O. Elvevoll and Ida-Johanne Jensen
Foods 2023, 12(19), 3685; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193685 - 7 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2625
Abstract
While sea cucumber is a food delicacy in Asia, these food resources are less exploited in Europe. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and potential food applications of the less exploited orange-footed sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa). [...] Read more.
While sea cucumber is a food delicacy in Asia, these food resources are less exploited in Europe. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and potential food applications of the less exploited orange-footed sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa). In particular, the antioxidative capacity and free amino acids associated with the umami flavor released by enzymatic hydrolyses by either Bromelain + Papain (0.36%, 1:1) or Alcalase (0.36%) were studied. Fresh C. frondosa contained approximately 86% water, and low levels of ash (<1%) and lipids (<0.5%). The protein content was 5%, with a high proportion of essential amino acids (43%) and thus comparable to the FAO reference protein. The high concentration of free amino acids associated with umami, sour, sweet, and bitter may contribute to flavor enhancement. Hydrolysis by Bromelain + Papain resulted in the highest protein yield, and the greatest concentration of free amino acids associated with umami and sour taste. All samples showed promising antioxidant capacity measured by FRAP, ABTS, DPPH and ORAC compared to previous reports. The inorganic arsenic concentration of fresh C. frondosa ranged from 2 to 8 mg/kg wet weight and was not affected by processing. This is comparable to other seafood and may exceed regulatory limits of consumption. Full article
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