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Sonicated protein isolates were recovered from Chenopodium quinua, Phaseoulus vulgaris and Lens culinaris to develop a functional matrix by assessing the physicochemical and functional properties. The plant protein isolates were prepared from powdered materials followed by sonication in alkaline medium using a Box-Behnken design. pH (6–10), a buffer-to-material ratio (5:1 to 15:1) and sonication time (0–20 min) were taken as independent variables, whereas protein yield was taken as the dependent variable. A pH of 9, 20 min treatment, and a buffer-to-material ratio of 5:1 were the optimal extraction conditions for quinoa and black beans, whereas a 1:10 ratio was suitable for lentils. Sonication in alkaline medium caused partial protein unfolding and these isolates; in turn, the molecular weight affected the emulsifying activity and stability. Moreover, sonication had a strong effect on the gelation temperature, emulsifying activity, the water, and oil sorption. Sonication improved protein yield and exposed amino acids such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, leucine and glycine. In turn, thiol groups were responsible for the increased in gelation temperature. The better gelling property coupled with high emulsifying property of these proteins show potential application as protein emulsifiers in the production of gels, sausages, and pet foods.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with low-grade inflammation and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) dysfunction. Polyphenol-rich foods may improve these alterations. Agraz is a fruit rich in polyphenols (mainly anthocyanins); however, there is limited information about its effects on human health. We evaluated the effects of agraz consumption as compared to placebo on HDL function and inflammation in women with MetS. Forty volunteers (25–60 years) were included in this double-blind crossover study. Women consumed agraz or placebo over 4 weeks; separated by a 4-week washout period. HDL function (apoliprotein-A1; paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity; cholesterol efflux capacity), oxidative stress (myeloperoxidase (MPO), advanced oxidation protein products) and inflammatory markers (serum cytokines/chemokines and peripheral blood mononuclear cell nuclear factor-kB) were measured after each period. Compared to placebo, agraz consumption did not significantly change any of the biomarkers measured. Interestingly, only after agraz period there were significant positive correlations between PON1 activities and cholesterol efflux. Additionally, there were significant inverse correlations between changes in inflammatory markers and HDL function markers and positive correlations with oxidative markers. Although polyphenol-rich foods have been shown to be beneficial for certain conditions; polyphenol-rich agraz fruit consumption did not impact inflammation and HDL function in the current study of women with MetS.

Two novel ingredients were incorporated into spreadable liver pâtés to study their effect on physicochemical and sensory characteristics and their possible use in the meat industry. Fresh date (Phoenix dactylifera, cv. Confitera) co-products, as a paste (0, 2.5 and 7.5%), and annatto (Bixa orellana) extract (0 and 128 mg/kg), as a colourant, and their combinations were incorporated into liver pâtés to study their effect on the final quality. The six formulations were analysed for chemical composition, physicochemical characteristics (pH, aw, colour, emulsion stability, and texture), and sensory properties. Pâtés tolerated suitable incorporation of date paste, providing emulsifying activity and being able to counteract to some extent the emulsion destabilisation caused by the annatto. All formulations showed an acceptable sensory quality, particularly pâtés with annatto and 7.5% date paste, which was softer, juicier, and presented redness values similar to the control as well as better emulsion stability. The combined use of these novel ingredients could be used as natural ingredients.

To compare the encapsulation of annatto extract by external gelation (EG) and internal gelation (IG) and to maximize process yield (% Y), two central composite designs were proposed. Calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) concentration (0.3–3.5%), alginate to gelling solution ratio (1:2–1:6); acetic acid (CH 3 COOH) concentration (0.2–5.0%) and alginate to gelling solution ratio (1:2–1:6) were taken as independent variables for EG and IG respectively. Release studies were conducted under different conditions; morphology, particle size, the encapsulation efficiency (EE), and release mechanism were evaluated under optimized conditions. The optimized EG conditions were 0.3% CaCl 2 and 1:1.2 alginate to gelling solution ratio, whereas a 0.3% CH 3 COOH and 1:5 alginate to gelling solution ratio were optimized conditions for IG. When 20% extract was employed, the highest EE was achieved, and the largest release was obtained at a pH 6.5 buffer. The Peppas–Sahlin model presented the best fit to experimental data. Polyphenol release was driven by diffusion, whereas bixin showed anomalous release. These results are promising for application as modulated release agents in food matrices.

This project studied the use of lentil protein (LP) and quinoa protein (QP) in their native and modified states as carrier material in the encapsulation process by the ionic gelation technique of annatto seed extract. Soy protein (SP) was used as a model of carrier material and encapsulated bioactive compounds, respectively. The plant proteins were modified by enzymatic hydrolysis, N acylation, and N-cationization to improve their encapsulating properties. Additionally, the secondary structure, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solubility as a function of pH, isoelectric point (pI), molecular weight (MW), the content of free thiol groups (SH), the absorption capacity of water (WHC) and fat (FAC), emulsifier activity (EAI), emulsifier stability (ESI), and gelation temperature (Tg) were assessed on proteins in native and modified states. The results obtained demonstrated that in a native state, LP (80.52% and 63.82%) showed higher encapsulation efficiency than QP (73.63% and 45.77%), both for the hydrophilic dye and for the annatto extract. Structural modifications on proteins improve some functional properties, such as solubility, WHC, FAC, EAI, and ESI. However, enzymatic hydrolysis on the proteins decreased the gels’ formation, the annatto extract’s encapsulated efficiency, and the hydrophilic dye by the ionic gelation method. On the other hand, the modifications of N-acylation and N-cationization increased but did not generate statistically significant differences (p-value > 0.05) in the encapsulation efficiency of both the annatto extract and the hydrophilic dye compared to those obtained with native proteins. This research contributes to understanding how plant proteins (LP and QP) can be modified to enhance their encapsulating and solubility properties. The better encapsulation of bioactive compounds (like annatto extract) can improve product self-life, potentially benefiting the development of functional ingredients for the food industry.

This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity (i.e., against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and the antioxidant activity (i.e., ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH) of annatto seeds extract obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction. A response surface design with three levels such as pH (2-11), solvent concentration (50-96 %), seed-to-solvent ratio (1:2–1:10), and treatment time (0-30 min) was employed to determine the optimal experimental conditions. Thus, a pH of 7.0, seed-to-solvent ratio of 1:7, and treatment time of 20 min were selected as optimal rendering an extract having a 0.62% of bixin, 3.81 mg gallic acid/mg equivalent of polyphenol compounds (ABTS 1035.7, FRAP 424.7, and DPPH 1161.5 μM trolox/L), and a minimal inhibitory concentration against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus of 32 and 16 mg/L, respectively. Further, the main bioactive compounds identified by LC/ESI-MS were bixin and catechin, chlorogenic acid, chrysin, butein, hypolaetin, licochalcone A, and xanthohumol.

Goldenberry and purple passion fruit contain bioactive compounds (BCs) that can prevent gastrointestinal cancers; hydrogel beads can protect and control their release in the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to develop an encapsulating material for fruit hydrogel beads (FHBs) to increase their bioaccessibility and to assess antiproliferative effects. A blend of goldenberry–purple passion fruit was encapsulated using ionic gelation and electrospraying. Through a mixture experimental design with sodium alginate (SA), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and arabic gum (AG) as components, the following response variables were optimized: polyphenol bioaccessibility and encapsulation efficiency. Polyphenols and antioxidant activity were quantified before and after digestion. Antiproliferative effect was evaluated on Caco-2 colon cancer cells. Variations in formulation proportions had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on most responses. An SA-AG mixture in a 0.75:0.25 ratio maximized polyphenol bioaccessibility to 213.17 ± 19.57% and encapsulation efficiency to 89.46 ± 6.64%. Polyphenols and antioxidant activity were lower in FHBs than in the fruit blend (F). Both F and FHBs inhibited tumor cell proliferation by 17% and 25%, respectively. In conclusion, encapsulating BCs in hydrogel beads with SA-AG can enhance the effectiveness of polyphenols in food applications by improving their bioaccessibility and showing a more pronounced effect in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by increased oxidative stress and a pro-inflammatory state. Vaccinium meridionale Swartz (known as “agraz”) is a berry rich in polyphenolic compounds with demonstrated antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of agraz consumption on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in women with MetS. Forty women with MetS (47 ± 9 years) were randomly assigned to consume daily either 200 mL of agraz nectar or placebo over four weeks in a double-blind, cross-over design study, separated by a 4-week washout period. Metabolic and inflammatory markers in serum and antioxidant/oxidative stress markers in serum and urine were assessed at the end of each period. Serum antioxidant capacity measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was significantly higher (p = 0.028), while urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was lower (p = 0.041) after agraz consumption, compared to placebo. In conclusion, consumption of agraz during four weeks increased serum antioxidant capacity and decreased a marker of DNA oxidative damage in women with MetS, compared to placebo. These results suggest that agraz consumption may play a protective role in patients with MetS.

This study deals with the extraction, optimization, and evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of bioactive compounds obtained from the seeds of annatto using microwave-assisted extraction as compared to leaching. Annatto seeds were subjected to a microwave treatment of 2450 MHz and power of 700 watts using a response surface design involving four factors: pH (4–11), solvent concentration (ethanol) (50–96%), solvent-to-seed ratio (2–10), and microwave exposure time (0–5 min). The contents of polyphenol compounds and bixin were taken as response variables. Subsequently, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were assessed at the optimal processing conditions predicted by the experimental design. Microwaves, solvent concentration, and the solvent-to-seed ratio showed a statistically significant effect for the extraction of polyphenol compounds and bixin. Thus, microwaves accelerated the extraction of those compounds and the slight increase in temperature caused some degradation of the polyphenol compounds. The microwave-assisted extraction increased the contents of polyphenols and bixin along with their antioxidant activity as compared to leaching extraction. However, this technique does not significantly improve the antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus.