Browsing by Author "Vilas-Boas, Ana M."
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- Bromelain functional hydrogel from upcycled Ananas Comosus targeting inflammatory bowel diseasesPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Campos, Débora; Pintado, ManuelaNatural substances derived from plants have been extensively studied due to their significant bioactive properties and multiple applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Bromelain, an endopeptidase composed of proteolytic enzymes found throughout the pineapple plant, is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, and anticancer properties. Previous research has developed a technique for extracting bromelain using polyelectrolyte precipitation with carrageenan, a green separation system that complexes with bromelain under controlled conditions, isolating it from the rest of the pineapple juice. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease, is a group of chronic conditions characterized by persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The incidence of IBD has risen to millions of cases worldwide, yet there are limited solutions to prevent its occurrence and manage its prevalence. Therefore, this study aims to develop and characterize multifunctional bromelain hydrogels for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Carrageenan-mediated polyelectrolytic precipitation for bromelain extraction from Ananas Comosus: evaluating the effects of bromelain solution variables and carrageenan levels on yield and specific activityPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Campos, Débora; Pintado, ManuelaIntroduction: Pineapple (Ananas comosus Merr.) is a widely popular fruit, commonly used in various fruit-based products (Ataide et al., 2019; Campos et al., 2019). The byproducts from pineapple processing, which are rich in bioactive compounds like bromelain, offer an environmentally friendly approach to waste management. Bromelain, a protease primarily found in pineapple stems, is typically extracted using techniques such as solvent precipitation and ultrafiltration (Ketnawa & Rawdkuen, 2011; Pratiwi et al., 2020; Schieber et al., 2001; Simões et al., 2022). Recently, polyelectrolyte precipitation has gained attention as a green alternative for protein concentration and purification, ensuring the integrity of proteins while facilitating their separation (Chakraborty et al., 2021; Mala et al., 2021; Rajan & Dunna, 2022). Objective: This study aimed to employ the polyelectrolytic precipitation with carrageenan (Carr) to assess a process for efficient bromelain extraction from pineapple stem and peel fractions. Several sequential steps for bromelain purification were applied to obtain the best end-product for potential commercialization, like centrifugations, pellet washing and different stock Carr concentration. Conclusion: Polyelectrolytic precipitation with Carr concentrations of 5 mg/ml, or higher, significantly impacts precipitate yield (ca. >60%) and specific proteolytic activity for both fractions. The enzyme separation pH affects the activity, exhibiting higher values for alkaline pH. Extracting bromelain from pineapple waste offers a sustainable solution for waste reduction and promotes health-focused products, supporting a zero-waste approach in pineapple production.
- Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and phenolic contents of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flour as related to seed presence and roasting effectsPublication . Brassesco, María; Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brandão, Teresa; Silva, Cristina; Pintado, ManuelaCarob is the fruit of an evergreen tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) cultivated in the Mediterranean area, where Portugal has a high-cultivated extent with relevant production and low prices. Carob is well known for its valuable locust bean gum. However, carob pods contain various relevant nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates and fiber, and phytochemicals such as polyphenols, which position carob flour with great potential to be used as a functional ingredient. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different roasting processes of carob flour (with and without seeds) on its nutritional composition and antioxidant activity. Seed presence led to a higher content of macronutrients in carob flour. The roasting processing affected the total content of polyphenols (TPC), determined by Folin-Ciocalteau, since the content at 150 ºC was twice of that obtained at 80 ºC, probably due to the formation of certain Maillard reaction products (MRPs), or certain phenolics that may degrade during roasting. The antioxidant activity is correlated with TPC, increasing when the flour was roasting at 150ºC. Regarding the total fiber content, a significant increase was observed in samples processed at 150 ºC. These findings confirm the importance of understanding the impact of processing on the nutritional value and bioactive properties of carob flours, to use them efficiently as a functional food ingredient.
- Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity and phenolic contents of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flour as related to seed presence and roasting effectsPublication . Brassesco, María; Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brandão, Teresa; Silva, Cristina; Pintado, Manuela
- Modification of carob powder (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product valorisation in the food industriesPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brassesco, María Emilia; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Azevedo, Miguel; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Pintado, Manuela E.Carob fruit originates from the carob tree, is a leguminous evergreen tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) cultivated in the Mediterranean area, namely in Portugal [1]. Its production is highly relevant, extensive, and sustainable. Carob pods contain various relevant nutrients, which include proteins, carbohydrates, and fibers [2]. In this study, after applying an innovative milling process to obtain an integral carob flour [3], carob powder with granulometry >100 µm, which is composed principally of insoluble fiber, was modified by a two-step acidic/thermal and enzymatic hydrolysis to improve its functional properties as a result of the cleavage and degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin compounds [4],[5]. The optimal time and solvent concentration were considered as experimental factors for the acidic/thermal hydrolysis, as well as the ratio of enzyme-substrate for the enzymatic hydrolysis. The selected response variable was the solubility. The assessed solvents were sulfuric, lactic, and acetic acids, deionized water at 100 °C, and the enzymes were cellulase and xylanase. Furthermore, it was assessed how the industrial steps at industrial level could be minimized in order to decrease process’s costs and runtime.The acidic/thermal hydrolysis results show that the lower solvent concentration and the higher hydrolysis time were optimal conditions for increasing the solubility. However, using an acidic solvent did not differ significantly from using deionized water, a greener and more environmentally solvent for industrial scales. As for the enzymatic hydrolysis, results suggest that when applied as an individual step, it could improve the solubility by 30%, but when applied uninterruptedly after the thermal hydrolysis, no significant improvement in solubility was detected. In conclusion, the optimal modification process for carob powder encompasses a single thermal hydrolysis using water to obtain 50% solubility of the initial carob powder. The resulting liquid by-product can be used to produce sweeteners, fillings, creams, etc., highlighting the importance of food-chain valorization in food industries.
- Modification of carob powder (Ceratonia siliqua L.) for by-product valorisation in the food industriesPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brassesco, María Emilia; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Azevedo, Miguel; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Pintado, Manuela
- Particle size effect of integral carob flour on bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds during simulated gastrointestinal digestionPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brassesco, María E.; Quintino, Andreia C.; Vieira, Margarida C.; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Azevedo, Miguel; Pintado, ManuelaCarob fruit is native to the Mediterranean region and produced mainly in Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Turkey. The production of the carob fruit in Portugal is highly extensive and sustainable. Currently, carob flour (CF) production is mainly achieved after pulp separation, despite it having been demonstrated that the seeds improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, promoting human health. This study aimed to produce an integral CF through an innovative process and assess its physicochemical and bioactive properties at different particle sizes throughout simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion. The sugar content profile obtained throughout GIT digestion indicated that sucrose, the sugar present at the highest concentration in undigested CF, was digested and broken down into simple sugars, namely glucose and fructose. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity obtained for the ≤100 µm fraction were in accordance and gastric digestion promoted an increase in the TPC value compared to the undigested sample. The >100 µm fractions displayed a distinct profile from the ≤100 µm fraction. This study showed that the particle size affects the sugar, antioxidant and total phenolic content of CFs and also their gastrointestinal tract digestion. The ≤100 µm fraction demonstrated the most suitable profile as a functional food ingredient.
- Refining bromelain extraction: procedures and precipitant effects on enzyme activity recovered from pineapple peelPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Campos, Débora; Pintado, ManuelaIntroduction: Pineapple (Ananas comosus Merr.) is extensively used in various food products due to its widespread popularity. The residue from pineapple, which contains valuable bioactive compounds like bromelain, offers an eco-friendly approach to waste management. Bromelain (Br), a protease prevalent in pineapples, can be extracted from waste parts, using methods such as solvent precipitation and ultrafiltration. An increasingly popular and environmentally friendly method for protein concentration and purification is polyelectrolyte precipitation, which preserves protein integrity while aiding separation. Objective: This study utilized polyelectrolytic precipitation with carrageenan (Carr) to assess an efficient and sustainable method for extracting bromelain from pineapple peels. Conclusion: Changes to the extraction process did not significantly affect the bromelain specific activity of peel samples. Specific proteolytic activity increased with Process A, likely due to higher free total protein post-precipitation and other interacting components. Extracting bromelain from pineapple waste offers a sustainable solution for waste reduction and supports health-focused products, promoting a zero-waste approach in pineapple production.
- Sugar, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of integral carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) powder during the simulated gastrointestinal tract digestion as related to the particle-size effectPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brassesco, María E.; Quintino, Andreia C.; Vieira, Margarida C.; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Pintado, ManuelaCarob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) fruit is obtained from the evergreen carob tree, native to the Mediterranean region 1,2 and produced mainly in Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Turkey 3– 5. Portugal has a high-cultivated extent with relevant carob fruit production at low prices. Carob products containing phenolic substances exhibit antioxidant capacity and can promote human health, and aid in preventing chronic diseases 6,7. Currently, carob powder (CP) production is mainly achieved after the pulp separation despite having been demonstrated that seeds improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds like polyphenols 4. This study aimed to produce an integral CP through an innovative process and assess its physicochemical and bioactive properties in different particle sizes throughout a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion. The sugar content profile obtained throughout GIT digestion indicates that the highest present sugar in undigested carob powders is digested and broken into simple sugars like glucose and fructose, potentiating CPs as a functional and within healthy food intake recommendations ingredient to use. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity obtained for the ≤100 μm fraction are correlated and gastric digestion promotes the increase in TPC value compared to chemically extracted samples (undigested). The >100 μm fractions display a distinct profile from ≤100 μm, possibly due to higher content in insoluble fibers, which hinders the release of these bioactive compounds from the carob matrix. This study showed that the particle-size affects the sugar, antioxidant and total phenol content under gastrointestinal tract digestion. The ≤100 μm fraction obtained the best suitable profile as a functional food ingredient.
- Sugar, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of integral carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) powder during the simulated gastrointestinal tract digestion as related to the particle-size effectPublication . Vilas-Boas, Ana M.; Brassesco, María E.; Quintino, Andreia C.; Vieira, Margarida C.; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Silva, Cristina L. M.; Pintado, ManuelaCarob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) fruit is obtained from the evergreen carob tree, native to the Mediterranean region 1,2 and produced mainly in Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Turkey 3– 5. Portugal has a high-cultivated extent with relevant carob fruit production at low prices. Carob products containing phenolic substances exhibit antioxidant capacity and can promote human health, and aid in preventing chronic diseases 6,7. Currently, carob powder (CP) production is mainly achieved after the pulp separation despite having been demonstrated that seeds improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds like polyphenols 4. This study aimed to produce an integral CP through an innovative process and assess its physicochemical and bioactive properties in different particle sizes throughout a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion. The sugar content profile obtained throughout GIT digestion indicates that the highest present sugar in undigested carob powders is digested and broken into simple sugars like glucose and fructose, potentiating CPs as a functional and within healthy food intake recommendations ingredient to use. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity obtained for the ≤100 μm fraction are correlated and gastric digestion promotes the increase in TPC value compared to chemically extracted samples (undigested). The >100 μm fractions display a distinct profile from ≤100 μm, possibly due to higher content in insoluble fibers, which hinders the release of these bioactive compounds from the carob matrix. This study showed that the particle-size affects the sugar, antioxidant and total phenol content under gastrointestinal tract digestion. The ≤100 μm fraction obtained the best suitable profile as a functional food ingredient.