Compared to other food categories, fruits and vegetables are the most wasted. This leads to the squandering of economic, social, and environmental resources. The reallocation of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) into animal feed contributes... more
Compared to other food categories, fruits and vegetables are the most wasted. This leads to the squandering of economic, social, and environmental resources. The reallocation of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) into animal feed contributes to the sustainability of livestock production, reducing the impact of feed production for land use. In this study, the fruit and vegetable waste from the General Wholesale Market of Milan was considered. FVW samples were collected for one year and were analysed for safety parameters and nutritional, vitamin, and mineral composition. Data showed that dry matter (DM) was on average 10.82 ± 1.21% and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was on average 22.43 ± 4.52% DM. The presence of soluble sugars (30.51 ± 7.61% DM, on average) was also detected. However, the high moisture content of this waste makes it easily perishable, with detrimental effects on quality, storage, and transportation. A strategy was therefore proposed to reduce the water content of FVW b...
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Water activity is a key factor in the development of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products. In aqueous solutions of nonelectrolytes, the Norrish model provides a simple and effective way to evaluate this quantity. However, it... more
Water activity is a key factor in the development of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products. In aqueous solutions of nonelectrolytes, the Norrish model provides a simple and effective way to evaluate this quantity. However, it contains a parameter, known as the Norrish constant, that must be estimated from experimental data. In this study, a new strategy is proposed for the prediction of water activity in the absence of experimental information, based on the use of theoretical molecular descriptors for characterizing the effects of a solute. This approach was applied to the evaluation of water activity in the presence of sugars (glucose, fructose, xylose, sucrose) and polyols (sorbitol, xylitol, glycerol, erythritol). The use of two descriptors related to the constitutional and connectivity properties of the solutes was first investigated. Subsequently, a new theoretical descriptor, named the global information index (G), was developed. By using this index, the water activity c...
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Mounting evidence from clinical and epidemiological studies suggests that lycopene, the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, may be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of some important diseases. Ripe tomato peels are the richest... more
Mounting evidence from clinical and epidemiological studies suggests that lycopene, the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, may be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of some important diseases. Ripe tomato peels are the richest source of lycopene, but the use of conventional solvent extraction methods without pretreatment of the plant material results in very poor recovery. The reason lies in the localization of lycopene in the plant tissue and the low permeability of the latter to solvent molecules. In this paper, a mixture design procedure was used to formulate solvent mixtures allowing the recovery of lycopene from non-pretreated tomato peels. Two ternary systems were investigated: (a) n-hexane–ethanol–acetone and (b) ethyl lactate–ethanol–acetone. Optimization of the ternary mixture composition led to a recovery of over 90% of the lycopene present in the peels. The high extraction efficiency was explained in terms of lycopene affinity combined with the ability to swell ...
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Abstract Background and objectives From the production of instant coffee or espresso beverages a solid waste known as spent coffee grounds (SCG) is generated. SGC are a rich source of antioxidant compounds, mainly polyphenols, which can... more
Abstract Background and objectives From the production of instant coffee or espresso beverages a solid waste known as spent coffee grounds (SCG) is generated. SGC are a rich source of antioxidant compounds, mainly polyphenols, which can be easily recovered by solvent extraction. However, little attention has been paid to investigating the extraction process in a systematic way. In this study, a rigorous approach based on response surface methodology is used to optimize the recovery of polyphenols from SCG and to evaluate the properties of the dry phenolic extracts obtained under optimal process conditions. Methods Polyphenols were recovered from SCG by an extraction procedure using aqueous ethanol as the solvent. A central composite design coupled with response surface methodology was used to evaluate the effect of temperature ( T = 20–60 °C), extraction time ( E = 30–150 min), liquid-to-solid ratio ( R = 10–50 mL/g) and ethanol concentration in the solvent ( C = 10–90 vol%) on the extraction yield ( y ). A mechanically-stirred extractor operated under optimized conditions was used to obtain dry phenolic extracts. Results All the factors examined had a positive effect on polyphenol recovery, with T and R being the most influential. The following optimal conditions were found: T = 47.1 °C, E = 150 min, R = 47.98 mL/g and C = 57.7%, with y max = 97.8%. The antioxidant activity of the dry phenolic extract, determined by the ABTS assay and expressed as Trolox equivalents (TE), was 1583 ± 57 μmol TE/g. Conclusions The obtained results show that SCG from the production of espresso coffee beverages are a rich source of polyphenols. High extraction efficiencies can be achieved by optimization of the extraction process, which can be used to produce dry phenolic extracts with very high antioxidant activity.
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Factorial design and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were used to model the recovery of polyphenols from olive pomace (OP) by solvent extraction. Experiments carried out according to a Central Composite Design (CCD) allowed evaluation... more
Factorial design and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were used to model the recovery of polyphenols from olive pomace (OP) by solvent extraction. Experiments carried out according to a Central Composite Design (CCD) allowed evaluation of the effects of temperature (T), extraction time (E), solvent composition (C) and liquid-to-solid ratio (R) on the yield of polyphenol extraction. Statistical analysis of the results showed that T was the most influential factor, followed by E, R and C. A reduced polynomial model was developed by the stepwise regression method. The model was checked by performing validation experiments both inside and outside the factorial region. A very good agreement was observed between experimental and calculated extraction yields, thus supporting the use of the model to quantitatively describe the recovery of polyphenols from OP. Copyright © 2014 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved.
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The increasing world population generates huge amounts of wastewater as well as large energy demand. Additionally, fossil fuel’s combustion for energy production causes the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants.... more
The increasing world population generates huge amounts of wastewater as well as large energy demand. Additionally, fossil fuel’s combustion for energy production causes the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants. Therefore, there is a strong need to find alternative green approaches for wastewater treatment and energy production. Microalgae biorefineries could represent an effective strategy to mitigate the above problems. Microalgae biorefineries are a sustainable alternative to conventional wastewater treatment processes, as they potentially allow wastewater to be treated at lower costs and with lower energy consumption. Furthermore, they provide an effective means to recover valuable compounds for biofuel production or other applications. This review focuses on the current scenario and future prospects of microalgae biorefineries aimed at combining wastewater treatment with biofuel production. First, the different microalgal cultivation systems are examined, and ...
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Oxidative stress is an elevated intracellular level of free oxygen radicals that cause lipid peroxidation, protein denaturation, DNA hydroxylation, and apoptosis, ultimately negotiating cells viability. Antioxidants can scavenge such free... more
Oxidative stress is an elevated intracellular level of free oxygen radicals that cause lipid peroxidation, protein denaturation, DNA hydroxylation, and apoptosis, ultimately negotiating cells viability. Antioxidants can scavenge such free radicals, thus reducing the oxidative stress and eventually prevent cellular damage. Medicinal plants, fruits, and spices remain the prioritized sources of antioxidants and antimicrobial properties since the time immemorial, but in contrast to plants, microorganisms can be grown at a faster rate under controlled conditions. They are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and biodegradable as compared to synthetic antioxidants. Microorganisms including actinomycetes, archaea, bacteria, protozoa, yeast, and fungi are auspicious source of vital bioactive compounds. The list comprises ample of bioactive components from microorganisms. One of them is bacteriocins, which are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides product of Eurotium sp., Streptomyces parvu...
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The feasibility of exploiting secondary raw materials from marine food-chains as a source of molecules of nutritional interest, to create high-value food products and to meet nutritional challenges, is described in this report. A... more
The feasibility of exploiting secondary raw materials from marine food-chains as a source of molecules of nutritional interest, to create high-value food products and to meet nutritional challenges, is described in this report. A reduction in food waste is urgent as many sectors of the food industry damage the environment by depleting resources and by generating waste that must be treated. The project herein described, deals with the recovery of natural molecules, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA) and of α-tocopherol, from fish processing by-products. This would promote the sustainable development of new food products for human nutrition, as well as nutraceuticals. The growing awareness of increasing omega-3 fatty acids intake, has focused attention on the importance of fish as a natural source of these molecules in the diet. Therefore, a study on the concentration of these bioactive compounds in such matrices, as well as new green methodologies for their recovery, are necessary. This ...
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The stability of lycopene in two vegetable oils, sunflower seed oil (SSO) and grape seed oil (GSO), was investigated by analysing the carotenoid degradation kinetics in the temperature range of 10–40°C. A tomato oleoresin containing 6%... more
The stability of lycopene in two vegetable oils, sunflower seed oil (SSO) and grape seed oil (GSO), was investigated by analysing the carotenoid degradation kinetics in the temperature range of 10–40°C. A tomato oleoresin containing 6% (w/w) of lycopene was used to prepare lycopene-enriched oil samples. Analysis of kinetic data showed that lycopene degradation follows first-order kinetics, with an apparent activation energy of 70.7 kJ mol–1 in SSO and 69 kJ mol–1 in GSO. The estimated half-life of lycopene was found to depend on oil type and storage temperature. At 20°C, it varied between 59 and 122 days, while at 4°C it was comprised between 302 and 650 days. At all temperatures, lycopene was more stable in SSO than in GSO, which is likely due to the higher content of antioxidant compounds in SSO.
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Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is the most abundant by-product of the brewing process. BSG is currently disposed of or used as a supplement for animal feed, although it contains significant amounts of bioactive compounds of great interest to... more
Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is the most abundant by-product of the brewing process. BSG is currently disposed of or used as a supplement for animal feed, although it contains significant amounts of bioactive compounds of great interest to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food sectors. In this study we investigate the feasibility of using a simple solvent extraction procedure to recover phenolic antioxidants from BSG. Acetone–water and ethanol–water mixtures were used as extraction solvents. Phenolic extracts obtained by treatment of BSG with the two solvent systems were characterized in terms of total phenolics and antioxidant activity. For both systems, the extraction yield was maximum at 60% (v/v) organic solvent concentration. At all solvent compositions, mixtures containing acetone provided higher extraction yields. As suggested by the strong correlation between the antioxidant activity of BSG extracts and their phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts can be ma...
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This work investigates the feasibility of using coffee silverskin (CSS), one of the most abundant coffee waste products, as a reinforcing agent in biopolymer-based composites. The effect of using two compatibilizers, a maleinized linseed... more
This work investigates the feasibility of using coffee silverskin (CSS), one of the most abundant coffee waste products, as a reinforcing agent in biopolymer-based composites. The effect of using two compatibilizers, a maleinized linseed oil (MLO) and a traditional silane (APTES, (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane), on mechanical and thermal behavior of sustainable composites based on a poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate/Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) PBAT/PHBV blend filled with coffee silverskin, in both the as-received state and after the extraction of antioxidants, was studied. Thermal (by differential scanning calorimetry), mechanical (by tensile testing), and morphological properties (by scanning electron microscopy) of injection molded biocomposites at three different weight contents (10, 20, and 30 wt %) were considered and discussed as a function of compatibilizer type. The effects of extraction procedure and silane treatment on surface properties of CSS were i...
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Spent tea leaves (STL), a solid waste that is available in large amounts worldwide, was investigated as a potential low-cost adsorbent for the removal of two azo dyes, Reactive Green 19 (RG19) and Reactive Violet 5 (RV5), from... more
Spent tea leaves (STL), a solid waste that is available in large amounts worldwide, was investigated as a potential low-cost adsorbent for the removal of two azo dyes, Reactive Green 19 (RG19) and Reactive Violet 5 (RV5), from contaminated waters. Preliminary experiments conducted on untreated STL showed that this material exhibited very low removal efficiencies (<10 %). By contrast, thermal activation of STL (200 to 400 °C for up to 2 h) resulted in a significant increase in dye adsorption. After thermal exposure of STL to 300 °C for 1 hour, removal efficiencies of 98.8 % and 72.8 % were observed, respectively, for RG19 and RV5. Characterization of the adsorbent by TG/DTA and FTIR measurements showed that structural and chemical changes occurred in the lignocellulosic material which were probably responsible for the enhancement in adsorption capacity. These results strongly support the use of activated STL as a low-cost alternative to conventional adsorbents.
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Spent tea leaves (STL), a solid waste that is available in large amounts worldwide, was investigated as a potential low-cost adsorbent for the removal of two azo dyes, Reactive Green 19 (RG19) and Reactive Violet 5 (RV5), from... more
Spent tea leaves (STL), a solid waste that is available in large amounts worldwide, was investigated as a potential low-cost adsorbent for the removal of two azo dyes, Reactive Green 19 (RG19) and Reactive Violet 5 (RV5), from contaminated waters. Preliminary experiments conducted on untreated STL showed that this material exhibited very low removal efficiencies (<10 %). By contrast, thermal activation of STL (200 to 400 °C for up to 2 h) resulted in a significant increase in dye adsorption. After thermal exposure of STL to 300 °C for 1 hour, removal efficiencies of 98.8 % and 72.8 % were observed, respectively, for RG19 and RV5. Characterization of the adsorbent by TG/DTA and FTIR measurements showed that structural and chemical changes occurred in the lignocellulosic material which were probably responsible for the enhancement in adsorption capacity. These results strongly support the use of activated STL as a low-cost alternative to conventional adsorbents.
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ABSTRACT The anodic oxidation of diazo dye Reactive Green 19 on a boron-doped diamond electrode was investigated. A membrane-free reactor was used to evaluate the effect of chloride concentration (0-0.5 M), current density (100-500 A... more
ABSTRACT The anodic oxidation of diazo dye Reactive Green 19 on a boron-doped diamond electrode was investigated. A membrane-free reactor was used to evaluate the effect of chloride concentration (0-0.5 M), current density (100-500 A m−2), pH (3-11) and stirring rate (250-750 rpm) on color and TOC removal. Complete decolorization was obtained in less than 30 min, whereas total mineralization was never achieved within 3 h of electrolysis. Color removal was significantly enhanced by increasing chloride concentration and, to a lesser extent, current density and stirring rate. TOC removal was positively affected by current density, pH and chloride concentration.
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A high-fat (HF) diet increases lipid storage and oxidative stress in mouse liver and this process seems to be mediated by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α (PPARα). In this study we evaluated the protective effect of cocoa... more
A high-fat (HF) diet increases lipid storage and oxidative stress in mouse liver and this process seems to be mediated by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α (PPARα). In this study we evaluated the protective effect of cocoa against hepatic steatosis induced by a HF diet. The HF diet down-regulated PPARα expression and turned off PPARα-signalling, deregulated the β-oxidation (β-Ox) system and catalase (CAT) activity, increased fat storage, reduced expression of enzymatic activity involved in oxidative defence in the liver and doubled the weight gain per calorie consumed compared to animals under the normal diet. In contrast, cocoa improved hepatic β-Ox, activated PPARα-signalling and up-regulated both gene and protein expression of SOD1. Moreover, when co-administered with the HF diet, cocoa treatment counteracted lipid storage in the liver, improved the lipid-metabolizing activity and oxidative stress defences and normalized the weight gain per calorie consumed.
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ABSTRACT
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The feasibility of using tomato pomace, the solid waste resulting from the industrial processing of tomatoes, to produce a tomato oleoresin and a lycopene-enriched seed oil was investigated. The oil was obtained by cold-pressing the... more
The feasibility of using tomato pomace, the solid waste resulting from the industrial processing of tomatoes, to produce a tomato oleoresin and a lycopene-enriched seed oil was investigated. The oil was obtained by cold-pressing the seeds, while the oleoresin was produced by pretreating the peel fraction of the waste with cell wall degrading enzymes. The latter consisted of polygalacturonase, pectin methylesterase, cellulase and hemicellulase. The enzymatic treatment followed by hexane extraction and solvent evaporation allowed the production of an oleoresin with a lycopene content of about 7% by weight. The oleoresin was incorporated in different proportions into tomato seed oil so as to obtain a functional oil with a lycopene content ranging from 30 to 600 ppm. The lycopene-enriched oil was characterized by official analytical methods and its potential use in the nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors was discussed.