Browsing by Author "Nova, Paulo"
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- Anti-hypertensive activity of horse mackerel pulverized with three different extracts from marine originPublication . Nova, Paulo; Cunha, Sara A.; Barros, Diana; Ramos, Carlos; Castro, Inês; Vaz-Velho, Manuela; Pintado, Manuela; Gomes, AnaHypertension is a serious risk factor and the most prevalent trigger to fatal cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction. The marine environment is a unique source of molecules with biological activity such as antioxidant, anti-coagulant and anti-hypertensive activities. In this study, the anti-hypertensive activity of horse mackerel fillets (HMF) pulverized with each of the following marine extracts (derived from enzymatic hydrolysis) were determined: microalgae (Tetraselmis sp. incubated with subtilisin and cellulase), Mussel_Sub (Mytilus galloprovincialis minced and incubated with subtilisin protease) and Mussel_ Pro+Alc (Mytilus galloprovincialis boiled and incubated with Protamex and Alcalase). Horse mackerel fillets were evenly sprayed with each extract and frozen until subsequent analyses. Non-sprayed HMF were used as control. Aqueous extracts were prepared from HMF by sonication. Anti-hypertensive activity was determined by the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity method. Data are presented in Table.1 as average±standard deviation of two replicates. Table 1. Anti-hypertensive activity of Horse Mackerel fillets sprayed with Extracts from Marine Origin. Horse mackerel fillet showed by itself an interesting anti-hypertensive profile. Notwithstanding, the tested marine-derived extracts effectively increased its biological potential(up to four-fold), with the best anti-hypertensive profile being achieved with microalgae and Mussel_Pro+Alc extracts. These extracts have an enormous potential to be used in the development of innovative food products that emphasize functionality, convenience, nutrition and health – goal of the project VALORMAR (POCI-024517-FEDER)(PPS1).
- Anti-hypertensive activity of horse mackerel pulverized with three different extracts from marine originPublication . Nova, Paulo; Cunha, Sara A.; Barros, Diana; Ramos, Carlos; Castro, Inês; Vaz-Velho, Manuela; Pintado, Manuela; Gomes, Ana
- Bioactive hydrolysates from chlorella vulgaris: optimal process and bioactive propertiesPublication . Cunha, Sara A.; Coscueta, Ezequiel R.; Nova, Paulo; Silva, Joana Laranjeira; Pintado, Maria ManuelaMicroalgae have been described as a source of bioactive compounds, such as peptides. Microalgae are easy to produce, making them a sustainable resource for extracting active ingredients for industrial applications. Several microalgae species have interesting protein content, such as Chlorella vulgaris with around 52.2% of protein, making it promising for peptide hydrolysate production. Therefore, this work focused on the production of water-soluble hydrolysates rich in proteins/peptides from the microalgae C. vulgaris and studied bioactive properties. For that, a design of experiments (DOE) was performed to establish the optimal conditions to produce hydrolysates with higher levels of protein, as well as antioxidant and antihypertensive properties. Four experimental factors were considered (cellulase percentage, protease percentage, hydrolysis temperature, and hydrolysis duration) for three responses (protein content, antioxidant activity, and antihypertensive activity). The optimal conditions determined by the DOE allowed producing a scaled-up hydrolysate with 45% protein, with antioxidant activity, measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay, of 1035 µmol TE/g protein, IC50 for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition activity of 286 µg protein/mL, and α-glucosidase inhibition of 31% (30 mg hydrolysate/mL). The obtained hydrolysates can be used as functional ingredients for food and nutraceuticals due to their antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic potential. Moreover, the antioxidant potential of the extracts may be relevant for the cosmetic industry, especially in antiaging formulations.
- Chemical and antioxidant properties of solvent and enzyme-assisted extracts of Fucus vesiculosus and Porphyra dioicaPublication . Nova, Paulo; Cunha, Sara A.; Costa-Pinto, Ana R.; Gomes, Ana MariaExtraction strategies impact the efficiency and nature of extracted compounds. This work assessed the chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of ethanolic, hydroethanolic, and aqueous versus enzyme-assisted extracts (isolated or with the sequential use of alcalase®, cellulase®, and viscozyme®) of the macroalgae Fucus vesiculosus (brown, Phaeophyceae) and Porphyra dioica (red, Rhodophyta. For both macroalgae, enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) was the most efficient process compared to solvent-assisted extraction (SAE), independent of solvent. Fucus vesiculosus extraction yields were higher for EAE than for SAE (27.4% to 32.2% and 8.2% to 30.0%, respectively). Total phenolics content (TPC) was at least 10-fold higher in EAE extracts (229.2 to 311.3 GAE/gextract) than in SAE (4.34 to 19.6 GAE/gextract) counterparts and correlated well with antioxidant capacity (ABTS and ORAC methods), with EAE achieving values up to 8- and 2.6-fold higher than those achieved by SAE, respectively. Porphyra dioica followed F. vesiculosus’s trend for extraction yields (37.5% to 51.6% for EAE and 5.7% to 35.1% for SAE), TPC, although of a lower magnitude, (0.77 to 8.95 GAE/gextract for SE and 9.37 to 14.73 GAE/gextract for EAE), and antioxidant capacity. Aqueous extracts registered the highest DPPH values for both macroalgae, with 2.3 µmol TE/gextract and 13.3 µmol TE/gextract for F. vesiculosus and P. dioica, respectively. EAE was a more efficient process in the extraction of soluble protein and reducing sugars in comparison to SAE. Furthermore, an improved effect of enzyme-assisted combinations was observed for almost all analyzed parameters. This study shows the promising application of enzyme-assisted extraction for the extraction of valuable compounds from F. vesiculosus and P.dioica, making them excellent functional ingredients for a wide range of health and food industrial applications.
- Chemical composition and antioxidant potential of five algae cultivated in fully controlled closed systemsPublication . Nova, Paulo; Pimenta-Martins, Ana; Maricato, Élia; Nunes, Cláudia; Abreu, Helena; Coimbra, Manuel A.; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana MariaIn this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant profile of five edible macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus, Palmaria palmata, Porphyra dioica, Ulva rigida, and Gracilaria gracilis, cultivated in fully controlled closed systems, were determined. Protein, carbohydrates, and fat contents ranged between 12.4% and 41.8%, 27.6% and 42.0%, and 0.1% and 3.4%, respectively. The tested seaweeds presented considerable amounts of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, and Fe, which reinforce their favorable nutritional profile. Regarding their polysaccharide composition, Gracilaria gracilis and Porphyra dioica were rich in sugars common to agar-producing red algae, and Fucus vesiculosus was composed mainly of uronic acids, mannose, and fucose, characteristic of alginate and fucoidans, whereas rhamnose and uronic acid, characteristic of ulvans, predominated in Ulva rigida. Comparatively, the brown F. vesiculosus clearly stood out, presenting a high polysaccharide content rich in fucoidans, and higher total phenolic content and antioxidant scavenging activity, determined by DPPH and ABTS. The remarkable potential of these marine macroalgae makes them excellent ingredients for a wide range of health, food, and industrial applications.
- Determination of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber content of marine macroalgae and microalgaePublication . Nova, Paulo; Martins, Ana Pimenta; Silva, Joana Gabriela; Pereira, Rui; Abreu, Helena; Silva, Ana Machado; Freitas, Ana; Gomes, Ana
- 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.
- Extracts from marine origin as functional ingredients to improve the antioxidant activity of horse mackerel (trachurus trachurus)Publication . Cunha, Sara A.; Nova, Paulo; Barros, Diana; Ramos, Carlos; Castro, Inês; Vaz-Velho, Manuela; Gomes, Ana; Pintado, Manuela
- Extracts from marine origin as functional ingredients to improve the antioxidant activity of horse mackerel (trachurus trachurus)Publication . Cunha, Sara A.; Nova, Paulo; Barros, Diana; Ramos, Carlos; Castro, Inês; Vaz-Velho, Manuela; Gomes, Ana; Pintado, ManuelaMarine species have been largely described as a source of antioxidant extracts. The production of antioxidant extracts from microalgae and mussels may be an interesting sustainable approach for food industry, since microalgae are easy to produce, and mussel’s commercialization generates losses and waste. Thus, this work studied the effect of three marine extracts, produced from Tetraselmis sp. and Mytilus galloprovincialis, on the antioxidant activity of Horse Mackerel fillets (HMF), with the goal of developing functional ingredients for food industry. Three extracts were produced by enzymatic hydrolysis: Tetraselmis (cellulase and subtilisin), Mussel_Sub (subtilisin) and Mussel_ Pro+Alc (Protamex and Alcalase). All the extracts were ultra-filtrated using a 3KDa cut-off. HMF were evenly sprayed with each extract, and a control without extract was used. Aqueous extracts were prepared from HMF by sonication. The antioxidant activity was determined by ORAC and ABTS assays. The results obtained for the ORAC were 15.2±3.0, 45.2±1.8, 37.6±2.6 and 20±5.0 μM Trolox Equivalent (TE)/g of sample, and the ABTS activity was 6.5±0.2, 12.9±0.6, 8.5±0.1, and 14.0±0.4 μM TE/g of sample for control, Tetraselmis, Mussel_Sub and Mussel_Pro+Alc, respectively. Fillet sprayed with Tetraselmis extract presented statistically significant differences for ORAC and ABTS results (three and two-fold), and Mussel_Pro+Alc for ABTS results (two-fold), when compared to control fillets (pThe marine extracts application enhanced the antioxidant activity of the HMF, with Tetraselmis extract showing the higher potential in both antioxidant assays, thus it may be promising as an ingredient for the development of functional food aiming preservation properties as well as health promotion.
- Foods with microalgae and seaweeds fostering consumers health: a review on scientific and market innovationsPublication . Nova, Paulo; Martins, Ana Pimenta; Teixeira, Carla; Abreu, Helena; Silva, Joana Gabriela; Silva, Ana Machado; Freitas, Ana Cristina; Gomes, Ana MariaNutrition plays a crucial role in health promotion and disease prevention, and dietary-related factors are, in many cases, the leading risks for worldwide mortality and morbidity. Nowadays, consumer awareness of this fact has led to an increasing interest in food products that couple both these dimensions to an imperative third overall factor of interest—sustainability. Microalgae and seaweeds have in their composition a wide range of important multifunctional bioactive compounds which may possess cardiovascular protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, antioxidant, anti-coagulant, anti-proliferative, and/or antidiabetic activities. In addition, they can constitute excellent ingredients for the food industry to be used in the development of value-added food products. This review provides an overview on the current scientific and industrial developments regarding food products incorporating microalgae and seaweeds. Furthermore, technological, nutritional, sustainability, and health benefits resulting from their incorporation in different food matrixes are also explored