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- Therapeutic and nutraceutical potential of Persea Americana fruits and their by-products: a reviewPublication . Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Silva, Carla Sousa e; Moutinho, CarlaAvocado (Persea americana Mill.), originated from Mexico and Central America, is the only commercially crucial edible fruit that belongs to the Lauraceae family. This fruit shows a growing value on the international market, not only because of its nutritional quality but also due to its medicinal uses and application in the cosmetic industry. Fruit constituents reveal that it abounds in various fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Besides this, a lot of secondary metabolites have also been isolated from different parts of the avocado plant. The predominant carotenoid is lutein, but other carotenoids are also described, including α-carotene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin. It has been reported that these lipophilic carotenoids may have, among others, potential anti-carcinogenic effects. This fruit has been recognized for its health benefits, mainly due to the compounds present in the lipidic fraction, such as omega fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols, and squalene. Several studies have shown the benefits of avocado associated with a balanced diet, especially in reducing cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular diseases. The processed avocado pulp is an alternative to utilize fruits, which can be used in various value-added food products. Tocopherols have also been identified not only in avocado pulp fruits but in their seeds. For these reasons, the recovery of health benefit bioactive compounds from fruit and its wastes is a research trend not only to help minimize the waste burden but also to meet the intensive demand from the public for bioactive compounds which are believed to have protective effects against chronic diseases. Avocado pulp and seed contain variable oil content and is widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, and the production of commercial oils similar to olive oil. It contains fatty acids such as lignoceric acid, arachidic acid, margaric acid, behenic acid, gadolenic acid, docosadienoic, myristic, and eicosanoic acids, β-sitosterol, lecithin, minerals, and vitamins, showing its potential as an alternative dietary supplement. This review is focused on the nutritional characterization, polyphenolic compounds recovery from avocado fruits, and their wastes (peel and seeds) as an excellent alternative for industry, especially for pulp processing or oil extraction, considering its composition and the benefits of its compounds. Furthermore, this crop can be used for exportation and oil extraction, application in processed products, or as a raw material in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, generating high value-added products.
- Aspetos nutricionais e propriedades biológicas das sementes de papoila e de quinoaPublication . Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Silva, Carla Sousa e; Matos, Carla; Moutinho, CarlaA dieta alimentar permite ao indivíduo consumir diariamente substâncias nutritivas fundamentais para o seu desenvolvimento e sobrevivência. Contudo, quando a sua ingestão é nutricionalmente desequilibrada ou escassa, o metabolismo humano poderá atingir um estado de desnutrição e, consequentemente, promover o aparecimento de distúrbios metabólicos e/ou doenças crónicas. Com a consciencialização destes problemas verificou-se, nos últimos anos, uma crescente tendência para o consumo de alimentos funcionais ou substâncias nutracêuticas. Muitos destes alimentos e ingredientes são de origem vegetal, apresentando elevados teores de fibra, vitaminas, minerais, ácidos gordos polinsaturados, proteínas, compostos bioativos, entre outros. Consequentemente, uma maior atenção tem sido dada à utilização de sementes, as quais, na sua maioria, não são utilizadas pela indústria alimentar, nem pela população em geral. O aproveitamento das sementes traz maior valor económico à produção agrícola, além de contribuir para a formulação de novos produtos alimentares e diminuir o desperdício industrial. Neste artigo pretende-se efetuar uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o aporte nutricional e as propriedades biológicas de sementes de papoila e de quinoa, as quais têm tido elevada aceitação por parte do consumidor em geral, quer como ingredientes, quer como alimentos.
- Cosmecêuticos e sustentabilidade: valorização de sub-produtos agro-alimentaresPublication . Silva, Carla Sousa e; Gomes, Diana; Ferreira da Vinha, AnaNos últimos anos tem havido um aumento substancial da produção de resíduos alimentares, maioritariamente por parte da indústria agroalimentar, contribuindo para os elevados níveis de poluição mundiais. Estes resíduos são principalmente utilizados para adubos ou para a alimentação direta dos animais sem sofrerem qualquer tipo de tratamento. Contudo, a partir destes subprodutos alimentares é possível extrair compostos de elevado valor, nomeadamente nutrientes e compostos bioativos, interessantes para a indústria cosmética e farmacêutica. Todavia, durante a extração destes subprodutos é necessário ter em consideração o meio ambiente e a utilização de métodos extrativos sustentáveis, de modo a contribuir para um desenvolvimento económico e social sustentável. Para tal, é necessário dar importância à reutilização, à reciclagem e à prevenção da produção de resíduos, de forma a incentivar a exploração de subprodutos alimentares com valor acrescentado e com potencial para comercialização e aplicação em formulações cosmecêuticas. Os cosmecêuticos surgiram da constante evolução da indústria cosmética e da procura pelos consumidores de produtos inovadores, levando ao aparecimento de novos conceitos, de que é exemplo o termo “cosmecêutico”, que teve origem na junção dos termos cosmético e fármaco, cujas características permitem a incorporação de compostos bioativos, como por exemplo vitaminas e compostos fenólicos, extraídos de subprodutos alimentares, e desta forma, contribuir para a sustentabilidade a nível mundial. Contudo, a regulamentação dos cosmecêuticos parece ainda não estar devidamente estabelecida, sendo um entrave à sua validação e comercialização.
- Fishing industry by-products: further applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industriesPublication . Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Barbosa, Joana; Silva, Carla Sousa eThe agro-food industries, including the fishing industry, annually produce large quantities of by-products, whose valuation is still minimal or practical null. Currently, it is known that only a small part is reused for direct animals feeding or for composting. Considering that these by-products contain important levels of nutrients and bioactive compounds, some alternative ways of using by-products from the fishing industry are mentioned, namely for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Nevertheless, the importance of sustainability must be taken in consideration, once it is an overly complex concept that involves economic and social development, without causing major damage to the environment. Biotechnology advances for marine by-products conversion into products of interest are numerous. Despite this, the fish sector is facing several issues such as wild fish stocks reduction while, at the same time, aquaculture rises, augmentation of the importations on a global market, and consumers behaviors. All those influent parameters affect and complicate the definition of an upgrading strategy for the by-products as they directly depend to the raw material processed. In view of the importance that the fishing industry has at international level, this work has attempted to characterize and enhance the by-products generated by this activity, through a detailed description of the nutritional, chemical and biological properties presented in fisheries waste, which can benefit, in the near future, the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
- Irradiação em alimentos: avaliação das alterações químicas e propriedades biológicasPublication . Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Macedo, Anabela Machado; Silva, Carla Sousa eSão inúmeras as técnicas de conservação de alimentos descritas atualmente na literatura, todas visando o aumento de tempo de vida útil dos alimentos, sem perdas nutricionais significativas dos mesmos. A utilização da energia ionizante para a preservação dos géneros alimentares tem vindo a ser amplamente estudada pela indústria. Nesse sentido, a tecnologia alimentar está a progredir de forma a aumentar a preservação alimentar e a contribuir para a diminuição da incidência de doenças relacionadas com a ingestão de alimentos contaminados. A irradiação consiste na exposição do alimento a uma radiação ionizante, de forma a minimizar a flora microbiana e a diminuir a velocidade das reações químicas intrínsecas no alimento. Inerentes a essas condições, a presença de certos compostos químicos, correntemente designados como bioativos, onde se incluem os compostos fenólicos, são reconhecidos pelos seus efeitos biológicos na promoção da saúde. Quando ingeridos em quantidades adequadas, atuam na captação de radicais livres nocivos ao organismo e evitam a oxidação de substâncias facilmente oxidáveis. No presente trabalho foram estudados dois alimentos submetidos à técnica de irradiação. As sementes de abóbora e os grãos de feijão mungo foram submetidos a doses crescentes de radiação ionizante, de forma a avaliar a atividade antioxidante proveniente dos compostos fenólicos e dos flavonoides totais presentes nestas matrizes alimentares, tendo sempre em consideração um grupo controlo. Concluiu-se que a irradiação das amostras testadas é favorável, até uma determinada dose, garantindo o seu teor em polifenóis e, consequentemente, as propriedades biológicas reconhecidas por estes compostos.
- Recent advances regarding the phytochemical and therapeutic benefits of diospyros kaki fruitPublication . Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Soares, Marta O.; Machado, MarisaLately, several studies have demonstrated the health benefits associated with natural compounds consumption. Fruit phenolics, lycopene and ascorbic acid, have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimugenic and anticarcinogenic activities. In the present study parameters related to fruit quality and climacteric conditions, such as color, moisture, pH, water activity, total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and lycopene content were analyzed. Diospyros kaki cv. chocolate fruits were extracted with different solvents, such as methanol, ethanol and water. Total polyphenolics of each extract determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method were found to be higher in methanolic extract and lower in ethanol considering Diospyros fruits with peel. Significant variations were found in the levels of these parameters according to different geographic regions. Results support the importance of Diospyros kaki cv. chocolate fruits, Portuguese cultivar, as a functional food with high antioxidant potential that may have beneficial effects against oxidative human damage.
- Antibacterial and antimalarial activity of Angolan Cymbopogon citratus essential oilPublication . Pires, P.P. Catarino; Sekhoacha, M.; Matsabisa, M.; Tselanyane, M.; Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Soares, M.O.Bacterial infections and malaria remain a major public health problem due to the emergence and spread of drug resistant strains. There is an urgent need to investigate new sources of antibacterial and antimalarial drugs, which are more effective. One of the potential sources of antibacterial and antimalarial drugs is traditional medicinal plants. Our ethnopharmacological studies, in several Angolan regions, showed that Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf., has high bioactivity against bacterial infections and malaria. The constituents of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (CCEO), obtained by hydro-distillation, were analysed by GC and GC-MS and identified from their retention indices and mass spectra. The antimicrobial activity of CCEO and major natural volatile compounds were tested against several bacterial strains. The antimalarial assays where performed in continuous in vitro cultures of asexual erythrocyte stages of P. falciparum using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay. CCEO exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Our results showed that multi-resistant Stafilococus aureus (MRSA) isolates were more sensitive to CCEO than non-MRSA. When tested against MRSA resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination, penicillin G and methicillin, CCEO shows a significant increase in bactericidal activity when compared with the commercial antibiotics. The same results were obtained using vancomycin resistant S. epidermidis and other strains. Regarding the anti-malaria activity, test samples where considered active for in vitro antimalarial activity exhibiting IC50 values of 5.34±1.01 μg/ml and 7.06±0.47 μg/ml. Our work shows that CCEO has higher antibacterial activity than commercial antibiotics against MRSA strains, as well as antimalarial activity. This offers opportunities for clinical treatments since preliminary in vivo studies showed no toxic effects and high antimalarial activity.
- Determination of heavy metals and other indicators in waters, soils and medicinal plants from Ave valley, in Portugal, and its correlation to urban and industrial pollutionPublication . Pinto, D.; Fernandes, A.; Fernandes, R.; Mendes, I.; Pereira, S.; Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Herdeiro, T.; Santos, E.; Machado, M.The aim of this study was to evaluate pollution indicators on Rio Ave and surrounding environment, namely water, soil and medicinal plants in order to identify areas where contamination could cause ecosystem degradation. Plants, soil, surface water and ground water samples were collected seasonally at five different sampling sites along the Ave valley. Conductivity, pH, ammonium, nitrite and nitrate contents were evaluated. Cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were measured in the water, soil and plants by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Results showed an increase on conductivity in waters from the origin to the mouth of the river. Nitrite levels were also higher than expected, especially in areas of wide industrialization and agricultural practices, where fertilizers widely used. Moreover, heavy metals in plants presented higher values when compared to those found in soils revealing that increased levels of heavy metals on soils are reflected similarly in plants. Levels of the analyzed parameters were often close or above to those legally acceptable in water and soils.
- Antimicrobial natural productsPublication . Soares, M.O.; Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Coutinho, F.; Pires, P.C.Our ethnopharmacological studies, in several Angolan regions, showed that Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf., it´s applied in folk medicine to treat several diseases In order to validate antibacterial activity several studies were performed using 12 bacterial strains. The essencial oil samples of Cymbopogon citratus, obtained by hydro-distillation, were analysed by GC and GC-MS. Constituents were identified and tested for their antimicrobial activity by the disc agar diffusion technique and the dilution technique against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228) and other bacterial strains. Broad spectrum antibacterial activity was exhibited by the Cymbopogon citratus essential oil against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as for MRSA that exhibited more sensitive towards the test substance compared to the non-MRSA. Our work was the first to show that Cymbopogon citratus essential oil has higher antibacterial activity against MRSA strains, than commercial antibiotics. These discover opens a new hope to fight against nosocomial infection.
- State of the art in coffee processing by-productsPublication . Alves, Rita C.; Rodrigues, Francisca; Nunes, M. Antónia; Ferreira da Vinha, Ana; Oliveira, M. Beatriz P.P.This chapter describes the steps involved in coffee processing from the field to the cup and the respective generation of by-products along the chain. The chemical composition of coffee husks, pulp, immature, and defective beans, coffee silverskin, and spent coffee grounds is detailed and methods for the sustainable management of these by-products are addressed, as well as legislative frameworks and policy recommendations. Although coffee by-products have a high potential of application in different fields, more integrated strategies with the involvement of coffee producers, industries, academic institutions, governmental and nongovernmental organizations are still needed to convert coffee by-products into really profitable substrates.
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