Browsing by Author "Cunha, Sara"
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- Antimicrobial resistance profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from foodPublication . Castro, Ana; Palhau, Carla; Cunha, Sara; Camarinha, Sofia; Silva, Joana; Teixeira, Paula
- Bioactive peptides produced from the mussel mytilus galloprovincialis by enzymatic hydrolysis with corolasePublication . Cunha, Sara; Castro, Rita de; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Pintado, Manuela
- Enhancing storage stability of smoke-flavored horse mackerel filets using natural extracts as preservativesPublication . Barros, Diana; Nova, Paulo; Cunha, Sara; Monteiro, Vitor; Fernandes, Élia; Pereira-Pinto, Ricardo; Barbosa, Carla; Pintado, Maria; Gomes, Ana; Vaz-Velho, ManuelaThe Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) is a globally favored fish due to its abundance, nutritional value, and affordability, but it faces quality preservation challenges. To address this, this study aimed to enhance its value by creating low-salt smoked products with natural bioactive compounds from seafood and forest sources. The fish filets were divided into four groups: one as a control, and the others were treated with various bioactive extract solutions, specifically pine bark, mussels, and microalgae. After 15 days of storage at 4°C, significant differences in properties were observed. Moisture and salt had an inverse relationship, with decreasing moisture and pH over time. Oxidation levels remained acceptable, although sensory quality was affected by storage. Microbiological analysis uncovered high contamination levels in certain samples at specific points in time, although no pathogens such as Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes were detected. While microalgae extract was the most powerful antioxidant, its performance was hampered by the poor sensory scores. On the other hand, pine bark extract was the most acceptable from a sensory point of view and revealed some antimicrobial inhibition. Using natural antioxidants provides an appealing solution for consumers seeking products with clean labels.
- Hydrolysates of mytilus galloprovincialis as a source of bioactive compoundsPublication . Cunha, Sara; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Nova, Paulo; Costa-Pinto, Ana Rita; Sarmento, Bruno; Pintado, Manuela
- Impact of gastrointestinal digestion on the bioactivity and bioaccessibility of carotenoids and phenolic compounds from algaePublication . Coelho, Marta; Rocha, Helena; Cunha, Sara; Morais, Rui; Gomes, Ana Maria; Pintado, Manuela
- Impacto das algas nas doenças cerebrais: estudos exploratóriosPublication . Cunha, Sara; Batista, PatríciaO ambiente marinho é conhecido pela enorme diversidade de organismos vivos, entre as quais as algas. As algas marinhas foram identificadas como um recurso vegetal subexplorado, embora tenham sido reconhecidas há muito tempo como fontes valiosas de compostos bioativos. Nos últimos anos, as atividades biológicas, o valor nutricional e os potenciais benefícios para a saúde das algas têm sido intensamente investigados. Atualmente, várias linhas de investigação exploram as atividades biológicas e os efeitos neuroprotetores destes recursos naturais, incluindo atividade antioxidante, anti-inflamatória, inibidora da colinesterase e inibição da morte neuronal, fundamentais na prevenção de doenças cerebrais. As algas são há muito reconhecidas pelas suas propriedades benéficas para a saúde, mas apenas recentemente o seu potencial neuroprotector tem sido extensivamente investigado. O desenvolvimento de novos produtos farmacêuticos, nutracêuticos e alimentos funcionais está a crescer, assim como, a necessidade de aumentar a investigação na área das neurociências para uma melhor compreensão dos mecanismos de actuação das algas no cérebro e nas patologias associadas. Esta revisão, centra-se na apresentação do impacto de alguns tipos de algas na prevenção de doenças cerebrais, permitindo o aumento da literacia em saúde e sensibilização para o desenvolvimento de investigação nesta área.
- Microalgae, a potential source of protein and bioactive peptidesPublication . Cunha, Sara; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Castro, Rita de; Silva, Joana Laranjeira; Pintado, Manuela
- Nannochloropsis oceanica: a source of bioactive peptidesPublication . Cunha, Sara; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Silva, Joana Laranjeira; Pintado, Manuela
- Optimization of bioactive peptides extraction from chlorella vulgarisPublication . Cunha, Sara; Coscueta, Ezequiel; Silva, Joana Laranjeira; Pintado, Manuela
- Potential biological properties of lycopene in a self-emulsifying drug delivery systemPublication . Báo, Sônia Nair; Machado, Manuela; Silva, Ana Luisa da; Melo, Adma; Cunha, Sara; Sousa, Sérgio S.; Malheiro, Ana Rita; Fernandes, Rui; Leite, José Roberto S. A.; Vasconcelos, Andreanne G.; Relvas, João; Pintado, ManuelaIn recent years, lycopene has been highlighted due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, associated with a beneficial effect on human health. The aim of this study was to advance the studies of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms on human keratinocytes cells (HaCaT) of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) loaded with lycopene purified from red guava (nanoLPG). The characteristics of nanoLPG were a hydrodynamic diameter of 205 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.21 and a zeta potential of −20.57, providing physical stability for the nanosystem. NanoLPG demonstrated antioxidant capacity, as shown using the ORAC methodology, and prevented DNA degradation (DNA agarose). Proinflammatory activity was evaluated by quantifying the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, with only IL-8 showing a significant increase (p < 0.0001). NanoLPG showed greater inhibition of the tyrosinase and elastase enzymes, involved in the skin aging process, compared to purified lycopene (LPG). In vitro treatment for 24 h with 5.0 µg/mL of nanoLPG did not affect the viability of HaCaT cells. The ultrastructure of HaCaT cells demonstrated the maintenance of morphology. This contrasts with endoplasmic reticulum stresses and autophagic vacuoles when treated with LPG after stimulation or not with LPS. Therefore, the use of lycopene in a nanoemulsion may be beneficial in strategies and products associated with skin health.