Browsing by Author "Faustino, Margarida"
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- Agro-food byproducts as a new source of natural food additivesPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Veiga, Mariana; Sousa, Pedro; Costa, Eduardo M.; Silva, Sara; Pintado, ManuelaNowadays, the agro-food industry generates high amounts of byproducts that may possess added value compounds with high functionality and/or bioactivity. Additionally, consumers' demand for healthier foodstuffs has increased over the last years, and thus the food industry has strived to answer this challenge. Byproducts are generally secondary products derived from primary agro-food production processes and represent an interesting and cheaper source of potentially functional ingredients, such as peptides, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, thus promoting a circular economy concept. The existing body of work has shown that byproducts and their extracts may be successfully incorporated into foodstuffs, for instance, phenolic compounds from eggplant can be potentially used as a mulfitunctional food additive with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and food colorant properties. As such, the aim of this review is to provide insights into byproducts and their potential as new sources of foodstuffs additives.
- An eco-friendly and up-scalable approach to extract canthaxanthin from yeast cellsPublication . Pereira, Ana M.; Durão, Joana; Pereira, Joana Odila; Ferreira, Carlos; Faustino, Margarida; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Pereira, Carla F.; Pintado, Manuela E.; Carvalho, Ana P.Canthaxanthin is a naturally occurring ketocarotenoid pigment present in plants, algae, bacteria and some fungi. In addition to its coloring role, canthaxanthin has an excellent antioxidant activity, thus having additional market demands in the feed, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Canthaxanthin can be directly isolated from its natural source or produced by chemical synthesis, but these strategies either result in low yields, or use hazardous solvents, respectively. Therefore, the biosynthesis of canthaxanthin using microbial cell factories is becoming an advantageous alternative. Furthermore, microbial synthesis represents an economic and sustainable approach as it enables the use of agriculture and industrial wastes as substrates. In this work, the extraction, recovery and purification of canthaxanthin from modified yeasts using food grade solvents and up-scalable methodologies was studied. The resulting canthaxanthin-enriched extract was characterized (UV-Vis, PXRD and SEM) and quantified (HPLC), resulting in a canthaxanthin purity of 43.7 % (w/w).
- Biocompatibility of salix viminalis, salix atrocinerea and salix fragilisPublication . Silva, Sara; Veiga, Mariana; Costa, Eduardo; Costa, Célia; Faustino, Margarida; Ramos, Patricia A. B.; Santos, Sónia A. O.; Freire, Carmen S. R.; Silva, Artur M. S.; Silvestre, Armando J. D.; Pintado, M. Manuela
- Candida albicans: the current status regarding vaginal infectionsPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Ferreira, Carlos M. H.; Pereira, Ana Margarida; Carvalho, Ana P.Vaginal infections caused by Candida albicans are a significant global health concern due to their recurrence and negative impact on quality of life. This review examines the pathogenesis of C. albicans infections, emphasizing critical virulence factors such as biofilm formation, adherence, and phenotypic switching. Risk factors include immune system suppression, antibiotic use, and hormonal changes, all of which can lead to fungal overgrowth and infection. Current prevention and/or treatment strategies primarily rely on antifungal therapies, personal hygiene practices, and probiotics. However, challenges like antifungal resistance, recurrence, and limited treatment efficacy highlight the need for innovative approaches. Therefore, emerging methods such as novel antifungal agents, vaccines, and nanotechnology-based delivery systems offer promising advancements to improve infection control. Additionally, the immune system plays a key role in preventing C. albicans infections, with both innate and adaptive immunity acting to restrict fungal colonization and growth. Commercially available products, such as antifungal creams, vaginal probiotics, and hygiene solutions, are practical options but often lack long-term efficacy. Persistent challenges, including resistance, patient noncompliance, and restricted access to emerging therapies, hinder comprehensive prevention and treatment efforts. Thus, future research should focus on promoting interdisciplinary approaches, integrating personalized medicine, and enhancing healthcare accessibility. This review intends to present the current state of the art within the abovementioned issues and to enhance the understanding of the multifactorial nature of C. albicans infections and advanced prevention strategies, which are essential to reduce the burden of vaginal candidiasis worldwide and improve patient quality of life outcomes. KEY POINTS: • Candida albicans pathogenesis involves biofilms, adherence, and phenotypic switching. • Vaccines, nanotechnology, and new drugs offer improved prevention and treatment. • Addressing antifungal resistance and patient compliance is key for prevention success.
- Characterization of a concentrated second cheese wheyPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Salsinha, Ana Sofia; Pimentel, Lígia; Alcalá, Luis; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana Maria; Pereira, Carlos Dias; Pintado, Manuela
- Characterization of concentrated second cheese wheyPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Salsinha, Ana Sofia; Pimentel, Lígia; Alcalá, Luis; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana Maria; Pereira, Carlos Dias; Pintado, ManuelaThe residual deproteinized whey known as second cheese whey or “Sorelho”, is a byproduct obtained from whey cheese manufacture. It is commonly obtained in small/medium scale cheese plants and, although it has little to no commercial value, it is produced in relatively high volumes, which results in a complex disposal process. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize the nutritional composition of two concentrated deproteinized wheys (sheep and goat), obtained through ultrafiltration/diafiltration with a 10 kDa membrane followed by freezedrying. From the nutritional standpoint, it was possible to observe that after ultrafiltration, samples were mostly comprised of protein 75-58% (w/w). Samples also exhibited a low mineral and lactose contents (1.7-3.9% (w/w) and 0.93 -69%(w/w), respectively). The fatty acid composition profile was predominantly composed of short- and medium chain fatty acids including butyric, caproic and caprylic acids, with long chain fatty acids, such as palmitoleic, rumenic, trans vaccenic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids being also detected in both goat and sheep Sorelho, but in the goat Sorelho the concentration was bigger of these fatty acids. When regarding the amino acids identified aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and tyrosine were the most predominant amino acids found in the sheep Sorelho while in the goat Sorelho aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, threonine and valine were prevalent. Overall, these results provide some insights into Sorelhos’ potential usage as source of bioactive compounds for posterior incorporation into foods.
- Comparative analysis of mannans extraction processes from spent yeast saccharomyces cerevisiaePublication . Faustino, Margarida; Durão, Joana; Pereira, Carla F.; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Pereira, Joana Odila; Pereira, Ana M.; Ferreira, Carlos; Pintado, Manuela E.; Carvalho, Ana P.Mannans are outstanding polysaccharides that have gained exponential interest over the years. These polysaccharides may be extracted from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and recovered from the brewing or synthetic biology industries, among others. In this work, several extraction processes—physical, chemical and enzymatic—were studied, all aiming to obtain mannans from spent yeast S. cerevisiae. Their performance was evaluated in terms of yield, mannose content and cost. The resultant extracts were characterized in terms of their structure (FT-IR, PXRD and SEM), physicochemical properties (color, molecular weight distribution, sugars, protein, ash and water content) and thermal stability (DSC). The biological properties were assessed through the screening of prebiotic activity in Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium animalis. The highest yield (58.82%) was achieved by using an alkaline thermal process, though the correspondent mannose content was low. The extract obtained by autolysis followed by a hydrothermal step resulted in the highest mannose content (59.19%). On the other hand, the extract obtained through the enzymatic hydrolysis displayed the highest prebiotic activity. This comparative study is expected to lay the scientific foundation for the obtention of well-characterized mannans from yeast, which will pave the way for their application in various fields.
- Design and characterization of a cheese spread incorporating osmundea pinnatifida extractPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Machado, Daniela; Rodrigues, Dina; Andrade, José Carlos; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana MariaMarine algae have been emerging as natural sources of bioactive compounds, such as soluble dietary fibers and peptides, presenting special interest as ingredients for functional foods. This study developed a cheese spread incorporating red seaweed Osmundea pinnatifida extract and subsequently characterized it in terms of nutritional, pH, and microbiological parameters and bioactivities including prebiotic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities. This food was produced through incorporation of O. pinnatifida extract (3%), obtained via enzymatic extraction Viscozyme L in a matrix containing whey cheese (75%) and Greek-type yoghurt (22%). The product was then subjected to thermal processing and subsequently stored for 21 days at 4 °C. During storage, this food showed a high pH stability (variations lower than 0.2 units), the absence of microbial contamination and all tested bioactivities at the sampling timepoints 0 and 21 days. Indeed, it exerted prebiotic effects under Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5® and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12®, increasing their viability to around 4 and 0.5 log CFU/g, respectively. In addition, it displayed antidiabetic (α-glucosidase inhibition: 5–9%), antihypertensive (ACE inhibition: 50–57%), and antioxidant (ABTS: 13–15%; DPPH: 3–5%; hydroxyl radical: 60–76%) activities. In summary, the cheese spread produced may be considered an innovative food with high potential to contribute toward healthier status and well-being of populations.
- Effect of drying technology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannans: structural, physicochemical, and functional propertiesPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Pereira, Carla F.; Durão, Joana; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Pereira, Joana Odila; Ferreira, Carlos; Pintado, Manuela E.; Carvalho, Ana P.Mannans are polysaccharides whose physicochemical and biological properties render them commercialization in several products. Since these properties are strongly dependent on production conditions, the present study aims to assess the impact of different drying technologies – freeze (FDM) and spray drying (SDM) – on the structural, physicochemical, and biological properties of mannans from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Structural analysis was assessed by FT-IR, PXRD and SEM, whereas physicochemical properties were evaluated based on sugars, protein, ash and water contents, solubility, and molecular weight distribution. Thermal behaviour was analysed by DSC, and antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS assays. The parameters which revealed major differences, in terms of structural and physicochemical properties regarded morphology (SEM), physical appearance (colour), moisture (3.6 ± 0.1 % and 11.9 ± 0.6% for FDM and SDM, respectively) and solubility (1 mg/mL for FDM and 25 mg/mL for SDM). Nevertheless, these differences were not translated into the antioxidant capacity.
- Effect of mannan oligosaccharides extracts in uropathogenic escherichia coli adhesion in human bladder cellsPublication . Faustino, Margarida; Silva, Sara; Costa, Eduardo; Pereira, Joana Odila; Pereira, Ana Margarida; Pereira, Carla F.; Durão, Joana; Pintado, Manuela E.; Carvalho, Ana P.
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