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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 June 2022) | Viewed by 49191

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Prof. Dr. Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet

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Department of Applied and Engineering Chemistry, Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: polyphenols; free radicals; antioxidant bioactivity; natural products; structural analysis; nutrients and bioactive compounds; liquid chromatography; spectrometry; bioactivity; bioaccessibility and bioavailability; added-value products
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Dear Colleagues,

Research on bioactive compounds is a base for the stimulating and innovative developments of new food ingredients, as well as fostering industry for the growing functional food and drink market. The main focus of the scientific community involved in phytochemistry is the valorization of bioactive components which have the ability to improve the state of well-being and health. From the practical point of view, the aim of this Special Issue is to present recent advances in natural bioactive compound valorization through their examination, utilization, and application in native forms or/and new value-added products.

Researchers who have shown interest in the extraction and stabilization of bioactive compounds, supporting their potential use in human diets, and recognizing their safe and eco-friendly properties, are invited to submit their research article or review paper. Moreover, research on the development of enriched food products with natural bioactive compounds is especially encouraged for this Special Issue.

This Special Issue on “Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization” aims to present novel advances in the valorization of natural bioactive compounds. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Examining the phytochemical composition of plants;
Extractions of natural bioactive compounds;
Investigations of bioactivity of food and food waste rich in natural bioactive compounds;
Potential utilization of natural bioactive compounds;
The development of value-added products with natural bioactive compounds.

Prof. Dr. Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet
Guest Editor

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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.

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Keywords

plants
agro-food waste valorization
natural bioactive compounds
antioxidants
extraction
phytochemistry
bioactivity
value-added products

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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16 pages, 3263 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Encapsulation of Bilberry Extract with Maltodextrin and Gum Arabic by Freeze-Drying: Formulation, Characterisation, and Storage Stability

by Ana Todorović, Luka Šturm, Ana Salević-Jelić, Steva Lević, Ilja Gasan Osojnik Črnivec, Iztok Prislan, Mihaela Skrt, Ana Bjeković, Nataša Poklar Ulrih and Viktor Nedović

Processes 2022, 10(10), 1991; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10101991 - 2 Oct 2022

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4975

Abstract

Anthocyanins are polyphenolic plant pigments associated with antioxidant and health-promoting properties. However, their application in the food industry is limited due to their poor stability. The purpose of this study was to encapsulate anthocyanin-rich bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract by freeze-drying and to investigate the effects of different wall materials and extract contents on the physicochemical and bioactive properties of the obtained encapsulates. Ethanolic bilberry extract was encapsulated with the use of maltodextrin (16.5–19.5 DE) (MD), gum Arabic (GA), and their combination in a 1:1 w/w ratio (MIX). Bilberry solids to wall material ratios were examined at 20:80, 30:70, and 40:60. All encapsulates showed an attractive red colour and low water activity values (a_w ≤ 0.3) that indicated a low risk of microbial spoilage. In general, the biggest losses of total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins during three-week storage in the dark and at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C) were detected in the case of encapsulates with a higher content of bilberry extract (MIX30 and MIX40, and GA30 and GA40, respectively). The use of maltodextrin provided the best protection to bilberry anthocyanins during forced storage. Overall, the obtained encapsulates show suitable potential for the development of food products with added nutritional benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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15 pages, 798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Profiling of Essential Oils and Hydrolates of Ocimum basilicum var. Genovese and var. Minimum Originated from Serbia

by Olja Šovljanski, Anja Saveljić, Milica Aćimović, Vanja Šeregelj, Lato Pezo, Ana Tomić, Gordana Ćetković and Vele Tešević

Processes 2022, 10(9), 1893; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10091893 - 18 Sep 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2199

Abstract

The genus Ocimum has many species that are used to treat diverse kinds of illnesses and sicknesses from ancient times. One of them, Ocimum basilicum L., commonly known as basil, has a vital role due to its various medicinal goods. It is best known as a plant with pharmacological activities, but also as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and larvicidal agent. Although it has been traditionally used in Serbia in traditional medicine for centuries as an insecticidal, antibacterial, and antifungal plant as well as a traditional culinary plant, none of the O. basilicum varieties have been commercialised until today. There are significant numbers of information across the world that oils and by-products are part of the global market, but no references to the essential oil composition of Serbian plants were found. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of essential oil and hydrolate of two different varieties: O. basilicum var. genovese and Ocimum. basilicum var. minimum originating from Serbia for further industrial production of antimicrobial- and/or antioxidant-valued products. The results of this study confirm that essential oils of O. basilicum var. genovese and var. minimum represent a significant source of bioactive compounds, especially linalool, with a high rate of biological activities. Similar behaviour is observed for hydrolates, which are the by-product of the essential oil distillation process and can be utilised as bioactive-rich waste in further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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16 pages, 1438 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Free Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Capacity and FT-NIR Survey of Debittered Lupinus mutabilis Seeds

by Lorenzo Estivi, Silvia Grassi, Luis Briceño-Berrú, Patricia Glorio-Paulet, Felix Camarena, Alyssa Hidalgo and Andrea Brandolini

Processes 2022, 10(8), 1637; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10081637 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2026

Abstract

Lupinus mutabilis protein-rich seeds must be debittered before consumption. The aim of this research was to assess free phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and FT-NIR spectra of flours from debittered seeds of 33 Andean ecotypes of L. mutabilis, and five varieties belonging to L. luteus, L. angustifolius and L. albus, as controls. The free phenolics were quantified by RP-HPLC, while the antioxidant capacity was evaluated spectrophotometrically through the Reducing Power, ABTS, FRAP and DPPH methods. The free phenolics of L. mutabilis were mostly (85.5–99.6%) flavonoids (genistein and genistein derivatives, apigenin, catechin and naringenin). Other compounds, detected in low quantities, were phenylethanoids (tyrosol and tyrosol derivative) and phenolic acids (cinnamic acid derivatives). The highest total free phenolic concentration was observed in H6 INIA BP (1393.32 mg/kg DM), followed by Chacas, Moteado beige, Huánuco and Lircay. The antioxidant capacity of the L. mutabilis ecotypes exceeded that of the controls and was correlated to flavonoids content. Additionally, a relationship between free phenolic compounds and spectral bands was established by FT-NIR, paving the way for a fast, reliable and non-destructive approach to lupin seeds characterisation. Even after debittering, lupin flours maintained high free phenolic concentrations and antioxidant capacity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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18 pages, 3576 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Variation of Salvia officinalis L. Essential Oil and Hydrolate Composition and Their Antimicrobial Activity

by Milica Aćimović, Lato Pezo, Ivana Čabarkapa, Anika Trudić, Jovana Stanković Jeremić, Ana Varga, Biljana Lončar, Olja Šovljanski and Vele Tešević

Processes 2022, 10(8), 1608; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10081608 - 14 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2477

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of steam distillate essential oil and corresponding hydrolate obtained from S. officinalis grown in Serbia, as well as the influence of weather conditions (temperature and precipitations) on their chemical profiles. Furthermore, their antimicrobial activity was investigated in vitro. The main compounds in essential oil were cis-thujone, followed by camphor, trans-thujone, and 1,8-cineole, while hydrolate was slightly different from the essential oil, with camphor, cis-thujone, and 1,8-cineole as the main compounds. Among the eight respiratory-associated microorganisms, Klebsiella oxytoca was the most sensitive to the tested EOs (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/minimal bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) were 14.20 and 28.4 μL mL⁻¹, respectively). MIC and MBC values of other tested bacteria ranged between 28.40 and 227.25 μL mL⁻¹ while for Candida albicans MIC/MFC ranged from 28.40/56.81 to 56.81–113.63 μL mL⁻¹. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns for the analyzed eight respiratory-associated microorganisms showed an intermediate level of resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. As a preliminary approach to the antimicrobial profiling of the tested EO, the obtained results revealed that the tested samples possess remarkable antibacterial activities and could be used to develop pharmaceutical formulations as an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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9 pages, 1201 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Papain Enzyme Assisted Extraction of Virgin Coconut Oil as Candidate In-House Reference Material

by Yulirohyami, Habibi Hidayat, Aprisilia Rizky Wijaya and Is Fatimah

Processes 2022, 10(2), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020315 - 6 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5280

Abstract

This study concerns papain enzyme assisted synthesis of virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a candidate in-house reference material. The study was conducted to obtain optimization of the VCO preparation with green processes as the standardized product which high stability and homogeneity. The method is expected to produce the candidate of in-house reference material to ensure the standards and quality of the VCO product. Based on the results of this study, the preparation of VCO was carried out using the papain. An optimum yield of 24.30%. was achieved under the following conditions: enzyme to coconut milk with a mass ratio of 0.6 g/L, under 500 mL water/g of coconut powder, at the temperature of 70 °C by five stages of extraction. The physicochemical properties as well as organoleptic feature of VCO which consist water content, peroxide number, free fatty acids, and iodine numbers are fit with the standard. The parameters exhibited the homogeneity and stability which be able recommended as candidate in-house reference material and have potentially as antibacterial agent. Antibacterial activity test showed that VCO has potential against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Propionibacterium acnes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as shown by the inhibition zone in the testing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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13 pages, 800 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Beetroot By-Product as a Functional Ingredient for Obtaining Value-Added Mayonnaise

by Silvia Lazăr (Mistrianu), Oana Emilia Constantin, Georgiana Horincar, Doina Georgeta Andronoiu, Nicoleta Stănciuc, Claudia Muresan and Gabriela Râpeanu

Processes 2022, 10(2), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020227 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5340

Abstract

Beetroot peel is a by-product obtained during the processing of beetroots and is an essential source of bioactive substances beneficial to health. This study used antioxidant-rich beetroot peels powder (BPP) in different concentrations (1.5, 3, 5, and 7%) to obtain value-added mayonnaise. The impact of BPP on the phytochemical composition, sensory characteristics, viscosity, color, and textural properties of the mayonnaises were also investigated. The BPP was characterized by a high betalain content (1.18 ± 0.03 mg/g DW) and rich polyphenolic content (225.36 ± 1.97 mg GAE/g DW) and showed high antioxidant activity. The purple-red colored powders added to the mayonnaise allowed a significant increase in total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of purple-red colored powders added to the mayonnaise. The total color difference ΔE value in the mayonnaise samples increased with extract concentration. The instrumental texture analysis findings revealed that BPP addition to the mayonnaise increased the firmness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness and improved the samples’ chewiness. The viscosity of mayonnaise was also significantly improved. The inclusion of BPP improved the color, according to sensory evaluation and overall acceptability of the mayonnaise formulation. The results give a novel formulation and technological insights into the influence of BPP-powder enrichment on the physical, sensory, and textural qualities of mayonnaise. BPP could be employed as a natural ingredient in several value-added emulsions, including sauces, mayonnaise, dressings, and creams. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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16 pages, 4398 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Quantitative Method for Analysis of Compounds Found in Mondia whitei Using HPLC-DAD

by Ramakwala Christinah Chokwe, Simiso Dube and Mathew Muzi Nindi

Processes 2021, 9(11), 1864; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9111864 - 20 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3455

Abstract

Mondia whitei is one of the popular medicinal plants in Africa, which has been used extensively across the continent to cure various ailments. Products prepared from this plant are distributed commercially. In this study, an HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated for seven compounds to enable quality control of these products. The method was validated using the external standard-calibration and the standard-addition methods which were found not significantly different. The method was found to be linear in the ranges 1–14 mg/L and 3–14 mg/kg with correlation coefficients from 0.9942–0.9995 and 0.9907–0.9993 in the solvent and the different matrices, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) values of the method were found to range between 0.1–1.2 mg/L in the solvent and syrup, and between 0.4–1.2 mg/kg in the teabag and root powder. The limit of quantification (LOQ) values were found to range between 0.5–3.9 mg/L in the solvent and syrup, and between 1.4–3.8 mg/kg in the teabag and root powder. The method was also found to be precise with percentage relative standard deviations below 5% and 10% in the solvent and matrices, respectively. The method was applied to Mondia whitei products for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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16 pages, 1518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of Carrot Accelerated Solvent Extraction Efficacy Using Experimental Design and Chemometric Techniques

by Vesna Tumbas Šaponjac, Strahinja Kovačević, Vanja Šeregelj, Olja Šovljanski, Anamarija Mandić, Gordana Ćetković, Jelena Vulić, Sanja Podunavac-Kuzmanović and Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet

Processes 2021, 9(9), 1652; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9091652 - 13 Sep 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2920

Abstract

Human studies have demonstrated the multiple health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Due to its high fiber, mineral and antioxidant content, carrot is an ideal source for the development of nutraceuticals or functional ingredients. Current research assesses accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) traits which affect the antioxidant qualities of carrot extract using response surface methodology (RSM), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and the sum of ranking differences (SRD). A mixture of organic solvents, acetone, and ethanol with or without the addition of 20% water was applied. The total carotenoid and polyphenol contents in extracts, as well as their scavenging activity and reducing power, were used as responses for the optimization of ASE extraction. RSM optimization, in the case of 20% water involvement, included 49% of acetone and 31% of ethanol (Opt1), while in the case of pure organic solvents, pure ethanol was the best choice (Opt2). The results of HCA clearly pointed out significant differences between the properties of extracts with or without water. SRD analysis confirmed ethanol to be optimal as well. RSM, HCA, and SRD analysis confirmed the same conclusion—water in the solvent mixture can significantly affect the extraction efficacy, and the optimal solvent for extracting antioxidants from carrot by ASE is pure ethanol. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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18 pages, 1507 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Extracts from Common Houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) on the Metabolic Activity of Human Melanoma Cells WM-266-4

by Maša Knez Marevci, Sašo Bjelić, Barbara Dariš, Željko Knez and Maja Leitgeb

Processes 2021, 9(9), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9091549 - 30 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3266

Abstract

Human melanoma cells are known as one of the most aggressive cancer cells, and consequently, melanoma is one of the most incurable cancer diseases. There is intense activity in research and development of potential medicines for malignant diseases, including alternative forms of remedies. Therefore, the purpose of our work was testing extracts from the common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) grown in Slovenia to establish its impact on human melanoma cells. Namely, we wanted to verify if the extracts inhibit growth of malignant cells and their metabolic activity. Soxhlet, cold solvent, ultrasound, and supercritical extraction methods were applied to obtain S. tectorum extracts. Polyphenols and proanthocyanins content in acquired extracts was determined as well as their antioxidative potential. For a relevant comparison, Chinese (CHI) dried and Slovenian (SLO) lyophilized S. tectorum was used. Results showed that the highest contents of polyphenols and proanthocyanins were yielded from lyophilized material, which also had the highest antioxidative potential. The focus of our work was on analysis of possible inhibition effects of the extracts on human melanoma cells since no past studies were found regarding the possible effects of S. tectorum on metabolic activity of WM-266-4. We established that in a 24-h incubation period, the extracts inhibited metabolic activity of the cells at their concentrations of 20, 10, 4, 2, 1, 0.2, and 0.02 mg/mL. Extract obtained from SLO S. tectorum (ultrasound extraction with acetone as a solvent), which showed promising results of inhibitory effect on the mentioned cells, was further described since the local plant was the focus of our study. CHI S. tectorum extract (Soxhlet extraction with ehtanol:water mixture = 1:1 as a solvent) showed the highest inhibitory effect on human melanoma cells WM-266-4, although both obtained extracts are suitable for their growth inhibition of this specific cell line. Our results suggest inhibitory ability of S. tectorum extracts on the metabolic activity of WM-266-4 metastatic cell line, suggesting their potential use as an anticancer agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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18 pages, 1573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Weather Conditions Influence on Hyssop Essential Oil Quality

by Milica Aćimović, Lato Pezo, Tijana Zeremski, Biljana Lončar, Ana Marjanović Jeromela, Jovana Stanković Jeremic, Mirjana Cvetković, Vladimir Sikora and Maja Ignjatov

Processes 2021, 9(7), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9071152 - 2 Jul 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3047

Abstract

This paper is a study of the chemical composition of Hyssopus officinalis ssp. officinalis grown during three years (2017–2019) at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops Novi Sad (Vojvodina Province, Serbia). Furthermore, comparisons with ISO standards during the years were also investigated, as well as a prediction model of retention indices of compounds from the essential oils. An essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS was isopinocamphone chemotype. The gathered information about the volatile compounds from H. officinalis was used to classify the samples using the unrooted cluster tree. The correlation analysis was applied to investigate the similarity of different samples, according to GC-MS data. The quantitative structure–retention relationship (QSRR) was also employed to predict the retention indices of the identified compounds. A total of 74 experimentally obtained retention indices were used to build a prediction model. The coefficient of determination for the training cycle was 0.910, indicating that this model could be used for the prediction of retention indices for H. officinalis essential oil compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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9 pages, 1353 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Extraction of Phenolic Compounds with Antimicrobial Properties from Origanum vulgare

by Taja Žitek, Dragana Borjan, Andrej Golle, Željko Knez and Maša Knez

Processes 2021, 9(6), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9061032 - 11 Jun 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4579

Abstract

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is considered to be a good and cheap source of phenolic compounds with favorable biological activities, especially antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Hypothesis/Purpose: The current work explored the optimization of the process conditions of solid–liquid extraction from Origanum vulgare to obtain extracts with high antimicrobial activity. We investigated which parameters promoted different efficiencies, leading to the maximum extraction of phenols and the consequent highest level of biological activity. Design-Expert Pro 11 was selected to design and analyze the experiments. The extracts were obtained by maceration as a simple method to recover value-added compounds from plant material, and supercritical fluid extraction was carried out as a green method with a high selectivity to obtain the compounds of interest. Pressure, temperature, and time were varied to obtain extracts with high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. According to the results obtained using Design-Expert, the optimal conditions for maceration were at a temperature of 83 °C. The 1,1′-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrase method was used for the determination of antioxidant potential, while microdilution methods were used to determine the antimicrobial potential with regard to Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. A level of antioxidant activity of 87.21% was achieved. Supercritical fluid extracts showed higher antioxidant activity at a higher temperature of 60 °C and higher pressure of 25 MPa, although the results at 40 °C and 25 MPa were similar. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 0.147 mg/mL for S. aureus, 0.728 mg/mL for E. coli, and 0.311 mg/mL for C. albicans. Overall, the optimal conditions for supercritical fluid extraction were 25 MPa and 40 °C. On the other hand, amounts of 0.208 mg/mL for S. aureus, 1.031 mg/mL for E. coli and 0.872 mg/mL for C. albicans were obtained using maceration. The MIC values of extracts obtained by supercritical fluid extraction were comparable to the minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained by different conventional techniques, such as those of Clevenger and Soxhlet. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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14 pages, 1044 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Horned Melon (Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer Ex. Naudin)—Current Knowledge on Its Phytochemicals, Biological Benefits, and Potential Applications

by Vanja Šeregelj, Olja Šovljanski, Vesna Tumbas Šaponjac, Jelena Vulić, Gordana Ćetković, Siniša Markov and Jasna Čanadanović-Brunet

Processes 2022, 10(1), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10010094 - 3 Jan 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8084

Abstract

Recent studies reveal that numerous non-edible parts of fruits and vegetables, as well as food wastes, are a good source of phytochemicals that can be extracted and reintroduced into the food chain as natural food additives. Horned melon or kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus E. Mey. Ex. Naudin) is a fruit rich in various phytochemical components important in the daily diet. After primary processing, horned melon non-edible parts (e.g., peels and seeds) can represent raw materials that can be utilized in numerous applications. Among under-researched fruits, this study aims to present the potential of using horned melon edible and non-edible parts based on current knowledge on nutritional value, phytochemicals, biological activity, as well as biological benefits. Overall, this review concluded that the biological properties of horned melon are associated with the phytochemicals present in this fruit and its waste parts. Further studies should be conducted to identify phytochemicals and valorize all horned melon parts, assess their biological efficacy, and promote their potential uses in different health purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Natural Bioactive Compound Valorization)

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