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Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods
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Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 22267

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Olga Gortzi

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Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, 38446 Volos, Greece
Interests: food chemistry; food nanotechnology; bioactivity of micronutrients; antioxidants; extracted from plants; active-packaging techniques; nanoencapsulation; nanofiltration; food safety and toxicology; quality control and assurance; improving the food quality and safety; analyzing the bioactive constituents and micronutrients; producing high value-added food products and ingredients; manufacturing functional food constituents and foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ioanna Chinou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece
Interests: bee keeping products (propolis, honeys, royal jelly, pollen); pyrrolizidine alkaloids; regulatory issues on herbal medicines (EMA, NCAs); phenolics; herbals for veterinary use
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant foods have received increasing attention due to their potential biological properties. The bioactive compounds that are present in plant foods are believed to play a major role in the aforementioned biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anticancer properties. These compounds vary widely when it comes to their chemical structure and function; hence, there are several categories, such as flavonoids, flavonols, phytoestrogens, lignans, isoflavones, monoterpenes, plant sterols, etc. The methodology that is used to extract these bioactive compounds from plant foods varies widely.  Several environmentally friendly methods are used nowadays, without the use of organic solvents, and are quickly replacing the older methods, such as liquid–liquid extraction and Soxhlet extraction. These methods include but are not limited to ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, cloud point extraction, hydro distillation, and steam distillation. Although lots of chemicals are identified and purified from plant materials, it is obvious that there are still more phytochemicals than we discovered, especially in foods.

For this purpose, the aim of this Special Issue is to indicate emerging technologies of extraction, analysis, and characterization of plant phytochemicals by pointing out the critical parts of the whole process.

Prof. Dr. Olga Gortzi
Prof. Dr. Ioanna B. Chinou
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. 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

  • extraction
  • cloud point extraction
  • bioactive compounds
  • monoterpenes
  • sterols
  • plant foods
  • phenolic compounds
  • polyphenols
  • flavonoids
  • phytoestrogens

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1488 KiB  
Article
Development of a Functional Acceptable Diabetic and Plant-Based Snack Bar Using Mushroom (Coprinus comatus) Powder
by Maria Dimopoulou, Patroklos Vareltzis, Stylianos Floros, Odysseas Androutsos, Alexandra Bargiota and Olga Gortzi
Foods 2023, 12(14), 2702; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142702 - 14 Jul 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4528
Abstract
Consumers’ growing concern about health and well-being has led to increased interest in functional foods. This research aims to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of a functional plant-based (PB) snack bar enriched with Coprinus comatus powder. The snack bar formulations exhibited a [...] Read more.
Consumers’ growing concern about health and well-being has led to increased interest in functional foods. This research aims to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of a functional plant-based (PB) snack bar enriched with Coprinus comatus powder. The snack bar formulations exhibited a wide range of flavor and textural characteristics. Two PB snack bars and four commercial bars were evaluated by a consumer panel of healthy volunteers (n = 20). The PB snack bar scored ‘like extremely’ on the 9-point hedonic scale. External preference mapping determined that sweetness, flavors, cohesiveness, gumminess, and adhesion had the greatest influence on consumer acceptability. Water content, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, reducing sugar, resistant starch, and dietary fiber were measured. Nutritional content was enhanced (omega 3, fiber and protein), and samples were shelf life stable (aw < 0.29; moisture content < 10%). In addition, the PB snack bar underwent simulated digestion according to the INFOGEST protocol, and from the comparative evaluation, the PB snack can be seen to control the post-prandial glycemic responses, as observed by the different degree of reducing sugars released via the matrix. The PB snack bar can be further functionally enhanced by the addition of their unique ingredients such as Coprinus comatus. Coprinus comatus powder is claimed to benefit glycemic control in diabetes and has attracted growing interest in terms of its potential use in natural products with possible health benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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18 pages, 2675 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant Potential of Spray- and Freeze-Dried Extract from Oregano Processing Wastes, Using an Optimized Ultrasound-Assisted Method
by Patroklos Vareltzis, Aggelos Stergiou, Kallirhoe Kalinderi and Maria Chamilaki
Foods 2023, 12(13), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132628 - 7 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2880
Abstract
Origanum vulgare is recognized worldwide for its numerous applications, in the food industry and beyond. However, the extraction of its essential oils generates a significant amount of waste. The aim of this research was to achieve the valorization of solid waste from oregano [...] Read more.
Origanum vulgare is recognized worldwide for its numerous applications, in the food industry and beyond. However, the extraction of its essential oils generates a significant amount of waste. The aim of this research was to achieve the valorization of solid waste from oregano hydro-distillation, by (i) optimizing the ultrasound extraction of antioxidants, (ii) evaluating the effect of spray and freeze drying on the extract’s physicochemical properties, and (iii) characterizing the obtained powder by its antioxidant capacity. A central composite design of experiments was used to optimize the sample/solvent ratio, ethanol/water ratio, and extraction time. The extract was analyzed for its antioxidant potential by determining the percentage of DPPH inhibition, FRAP, and total phenolic content (TPC). The GAB model best fit the data for the moisture sorption isotherm of the resulting powder. The antioxidant activity of the powders was tested in a ground-beef food system. The TPC was maximized at times longer than 58 min, a sample/solvent ratio between 0.058 and 0.078, and a ratio of ethanol/water around 1. Neither drying method significantly affected the antioxidant properties of the extract, even though the resulting powders from each showed a different morphology (determined using SEM). Encapsulation with maltodextrin protected the spray-dried extract during a 6-month storage period. Powders from both drying methods equally retarded lipid oxidation, and were comparable to the synthetic antioxidant BHT. It is concluded that oregano processing waste is a potent source of antioxidants, and that its dried extract, via an ultrasound-assisted process, can potentially be used as a natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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28 pages, 3296 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant Activity and Inhibition of Liver Cancer Cells’ Growth of Extracts from 14 Marine Macroalgae Species of the Mediterranean Sea
by Nikolaos Goutzourelas, Dimitrios Phaedon Kevrekidis, Sofia Barda, Paraskevi Malea, Varvara Trachana, Stavroula Savvidi, Alkistis Kevrekidou, Andreana N. Assimopoulou, Andreas Goutas, Ming Liu, Xiukun Lin, Nikolaos Kollatos, Grigorios D. Amoutzias and Dimitrios Stagos
Foods 2023, 12(6), 1310; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061310 - 19 Mar 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3331
Abstract
Macroalgae exhibit beneficial bioactivities for human health. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the antioxidant and anticancer potential of 14 macroalgae species’ extracts, namely, Gigartina pistillata, Gigartina teedei, Gracilaria gracilis, Gracilaria sp., Gracilaria bursa pastoris, [...] Read more.
Macroalgae exhibit beneficial bioactivities for human health. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the antioxidant and anticancer potential of 14 macroalgae species’ extracts, namely, Gigartina pistillata, Gigartina teedei, Gracilaria gracilis, Gracilaria sp., Gracilaria bursa pastoris, Colpomenia sinuosa, Cystoseira amentacea, Cystoseira barbata, Cystoseira compressa, Sargassum vulgare, Padina pavonica, Codium fragile, Ulva intestinalis, and Ulva rigida, from the Aegean Sea, Greece. The antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS•+, •OH, and O2•− radicals’ scavenging assays, reducing power (RP), and protection from ROO•-induced DNA plasmid damage assays. Moreover, macroalgae extracts’ total polyphenol contents (TPCs) were assessed. Extracts’ inhibition against liver HepG2 cancer cell growth was assessed using the XTT assay. The results showed that G. teedei extract’s IC50 was the lowest in DPPH (0.31 ± 0.006 mg/mL), ABTS•+ (0.02 ± 0.001 mg/mL), •OH (0.10 ± 0.007 mg/mL), O2•− (0.05 ± 0.003 mg/mL), and DNA plasmid breakage (0.038 ± 0.002 mg/mL) and exhibited the highest RP (RP0.5AU 0.24 ± 0.019 mg/mL) and TPC (12.53 ± 0.88 mg GAE/g dw). There was also a significant correlation between antioxidant activity and TPC. P. pavonica (IC50 0.93 ± 0.006 mg/mL) exhibited the highest inhibition against HepG2 cell growth. Conclusively, some of the tested extracts exhibited significant chemopreventive properties, and so they may be used for food products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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11 pages, 895 KiB  
Article
Validation of an LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Abscisic Acid Concentration in a Real-World Setting
by Elisabetta Schiano, Ilaria Neri, Maria Maisto, Ettore Novellino, Fortuna Iannuzzo, Vincenzo Piccolo, Vincenzo Summa, Lucia Grumetto and Gian Carlo Tenore
Foods 2023, 12(5), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051077 - 3 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2287
Abstract
One of the most relevant aspects in evaluating the impact of natural bioactive compounds on human health is the assessment of their bioavailability. In this regard, abscisic acid (ABA) has attracted particular interest as a plant-derived molecule mainly involved in the regulation of [...] Read more.
One of the most relevant aspects in evaluating the impact of natural bioactive compounds on human health is the assessment of their bioavailability. In this regard, abscisic acid (ABA) has attracted particular interest as a plant-derived molecule mainly involved in the regulation of plant physiology. Remarkably, ABA was also found in mammals as an endogenous hormone involved in the upstream control of glucose homeostasis, as evidenced by its increase after glucose load. The present work focused on the development and validation of a method for the determination of ABA in biological samples through liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), followed by liquid mass spectrometry (LC-MS) of the extract. To test method suitability, this optimized and validated method was applied to a pilot study on eight healthy volunteers’ serum levels to evaluate ABA concentration after consumption of a standardized test meal (STM) and the administration of an ABA-rich nutraceutical product. The results obtained could meet the demands of clinical laboratories to determine the response to a glucose-containing meal in terms of ABA concentration. Interestingly, the detection of this endogenous hormone in such a real-world setting could represent a useful tool to investigate the occurrence of impaired ABA release in dysglycemic individuals and to monitor its eventual improvement in response to chronic nutraceutical supplementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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17 pages, 2943 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Polyphenols from Black Rosehip and Their Bioaccessibility Using an In Vitro Digestion/Caco-2 Cell Model
by Kadriye Nur Kasapoğlu, Johanita Kruger, Aslı Barla-Demirkoz, Mine Gültekin-Özgüven, Jan Frank and Beraat Özçelik
Foods 2023, 12(4), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040781 - 11 Feb 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
The fruits of Rosa pimpinellifolia are rich sources of (poly)phenols, however they are underutilized due to the limited information available. The influence of the pressure, temperature, and co-solvent concentration (aqueous ethanol) of the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCO2-aqEtOH) on the extraction [...] Read more.
The fruits of Rosa pimpinellifolia are rich sources of (poly)phenols, however they are underutilized due to the limited information available. The influence of the pressure, temperature, and co-solvent concentration (aqueous ethanol) of the supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCO2-aqEtOH) on the extraction yield, total phenolic-, total anthocyanin-, catechin-, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside contents, and total antioxidant activity of black rosehip was investigated simultaneously. The maximum obtained total phenolic and total anthocyanin contents under the optimized extraction conditions (280 bar, 60 °C and 25% ethanol, v/v) were 76.58 ± 4.25 mg gallic acid equivalent and 10.89 ± 1.56 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalent per g of the dry fruits, respectively. The optimal extract obtained by SCO2-aqEtOH was compared to two other extraction procedures: ultrasonication using ethanol as solvent (UA-EtOH) and pressurized hot water extraction (PH-H2O). The bioaccessibility and cellular metabolism of the phenolic compounds in the different black rosehip extracts were assessed using an in vitro digestion coupled with a human intestinal Caco-2 cell model. The in vitro digestive stability and cellular uptake of the phenolic compounds had no significant difference among the different extraction methods. The results of this study confirm the efficiency of SCO2-aqEtOH extraction for phenolic compounds and, in particular, for anthocyanins, and could be used to produce new functional food ingredients from black rosehip with high antioxidant power containing both hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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Review

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27 pages, 3594 KiB  
Review
Extraction Systems and Analytical Techniques for Food Phenolic Compounds: A Review
by Antonio Lama-Muñoz and María del Mar Contreras
Foods 2022, 11(22), 3671; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223671 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5859
Abstract
Phenolic compounds are highly valuable food components due to their potential utilisation as natural bioactive and antioxidant molecules for the food, cosmetic, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. For this purpose, the development and optimisation of efficient extraction methods is crucial to obtain phenolic-rich extracts [...] Read more.
Phenolic compounds are highly valuable food components due to their potential utilisation as natural bioactive and antioxidant molecules for the food, cosmetic, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. For this purpose, the development and optimisation of efficient extraction methods is crucial to obtain phenolic-rich extracts and, for some applications, free of interfering compounds. It should be accompanied with robust analytical tools that enable the standardisation of phenolic-rich extracts for industrial applications. New methodologies based on both novel extraction and/or analysis are also implemented to characterise and elucidate novel chemical structures and to face safety, pharmacology, and toxicity issues related to phenolic compounds at the molecular level. Moreover, in combination with multivariate analysis, the extraction and analysis of phenolic compounds offer tools for plant chemotyping, food traceability and marker selection in omics studies. Therefore, this study reviews extraction techniques applied to recover phenolic compounds from foods and agri-food by-products, including liquid–liquid extraction, solid–liquid extraction assisted by intensification technologies, solid-phase extraction, and combined methods. It also provides an overview of the characterisation techniques, including UV–Vis, infra-red, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and others used in minor applications such as Raman spectroscopy and ion mobility spectrometry, coupled or not to chromatography. Overall, a wide range of methodologies are now available, which can be applied individually and combined to provide complementary results in the roadmap around the study of phenolic compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction, Characterization and Bioactive Properties of Plants Foods)
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