542 documents found, page 1 of 55
Environmental and food safety assessment of pre-harvest activities in local sma...
Macieira, Ariana; Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz; Brandão, Teresa R. S.; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Teixeira, PaulaThe popularity of small-scale and local fruit and vegetable production has increased in recent years due to perceived economic, environmental, and social benefits. However, these operations face contamination risks that both consumers and small-scale producers may underestimate. The present study aimed to assess the microbiological and chemical hazards on fruit, vegetables, soil, and water samples from small-sc...
Vitamin K Epoxide Reductase Complex (VKORC1) Electrochemical Genosensors: Towar...
Barbosa, Tiago; Morais, Stephanie L.; Carvalho, Renato; Magalhães, Júlia M. C. S.; Domingues, Valentina F.; Delerue-Matos, CristinaAnticoagulants, including warfarin, are often administered to patients who are exhibiting early symptoms of thromboembolic episodes or who have already experienced such episodes. However, warfarin has a limited therapeutic index and might cause bleeding and other clinical problems. Warfarin inhibits the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1), an enzyme essential for activating vitamin K, in the ...
Screening for microplastics in agricultural soils: Applying green chemistry pri...
Rede, Diana; Vilarinho, Rui; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Moreira, Joaquim Agostinho; Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz; Fernandes, VirgíniaIn recent years, microplastic (MP) pollution has garnered significant attention owing to its ability to permeate various ecosystems, including soil. These particles can infiltrate the environment, either directly or through the degradation of larger plastic items. Despite growing concerns, standardized methods for quantification are still lacking. This study aimed to screen for the presence of MPs in agricultur...
Molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensor for the determination of 2,4-dinitro...
Torre, Ricarda; Rebelo, Patrícia; Seguro, Isabel; Pacheco, João G.; Amaral, Joana S.; Nouws, Henri P.A.; Delerue-Matos, CristinaThe rising demand for weight-loss solutions, driven by obesity concerns and societal pressure, has led to an increasing growth in both the consumption and market of food supplements. However, several studies have identified food supplements as common targets of economically motivated adulteration by the addition of pharmaceutical drugs to enhance the product's effects. Despite its toxicity and associated health...
Towards Botanical Authentication of Ginkgo Food Supplements: A Holistic Approac...
Grazina, Liliana; Paíga, Paula; Amaral, Joana S.; Costa, Joana; Moreira, Manuela M.; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Mafra, IsabelGinkgo biloba is one of the most consumed medicinal plants and broadly included as an ingredient in plant food supplements (PFS) and herbal infusions, being potential targets for economically motivated adulteration. This work aimed at comparing the use of DNA and phytochemical markers to authenticate the botanical origin of ginkgo-leaf extracts and PFS. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect ginkgo DNA, ...
Improving honey authentication: Electrochemical genosensors for the detection o...
Morais, Stephanie; Castanheira, Michelle; Santos, Marlene; Domingues, Valentina; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Barroso, M. Fátima; Santos, MarleneMonofloral honeys, like heather honey, are a highly sought-after ingredient. However, food safety concerns have emerged due to the number of adulterated honeys found in the global market [1,2]. Thus, this work aimed to develop an electrochemical genosensor capable of detecting the residual DNA of Erica arborea (heather flower) in commercial honey samples. Analyzing public databases, a 98-mer E. arborea DNA-targ...
Unraveling the nutraceutical potential of Salicornia ramosissima by-product – i...
Pinto, Diana; Santos, Inês; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Teixeira, Filipa; Sut, Stefania; Dall’Acqua, Stefano; Vieira, Mónica; Rodrigues, FranciscaSalicornia ramosissima by-product (SP) is an underexploited antioxidant-rich by-product. This study explored the phytochemical profile, bioaccessibility, and biological activity of SP before and after extraction (SBE and SAE, respectively) upon gastrointestinal simulated digestion and intestinal permeability. The phenolic and flavonoid concentrations increased during digestion, reaching bioaccessibility rates a...
Design of innovative electrochemical genosensors for honey fraud and quality de...
Morais, Stephanie L.; Castanheira, Michelle; Pereira, Eduarda; Santos, Marlene; Domingues, Valentina F.; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Barroso, M. FátimaEnsuring food safety has become a concern for companies, consumers and the government alike, due to the increase of fraudulent and/or adulterated food products found in the global market [1,2]. Some common fraudulent strategies include mislabelling a product's geographical origin and blending it with lower-grade substances [3]. Among the frequently adulterated food products there is honey. Honey is a highly sou...
Influence of dispersant and surfactant on nZVI characterization by dynamic ligh...
Fernandes, Filipe Jorge; Oliveira, Ana Isabel; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Grosso, Clara; Oliveira, Ana IsabelThe agrifood industries generate tremendous amounts of waste. The valorisation of these wastes is of the utmost importance. Here, spent coffee ground (SCG) and Cistus ladanifer L. leaf (CLL) post-distillation residues were used to prepare 50:50 (v/v) hydromethanolic extracts for green zero-valent iron nanoparticle (nZVI) production. Then, the nZVIs’ size, polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential (ZP) were ...
Brewing spent yeast as a sustainable solution for Tannin adsorption
Vieira, Elsa F.; Amaral, Tomás; Moreira, Jorge; Brandão, Tiago; Delerue-Matos, CristinaThis study explored the potential of brewing spent yeast (BSY) as an adsorbent for tannins from a chestnut shell extract (CS-tannin extract). The extract was obtained through an alkaline treatment (5% NaOH (v/v)) to recover cellulosic material from chestnut shells, which requires further valorisation. Various BSY treatments, including lyophilization, immobilization in calcium alginate beads, and alkaline and ac...