German chamomile (GC) and thermal water (TW) are widely known for their biological properties. This study explored whether combining GC with TW could promote an improvement in the bioactivities of GC infusions compared to using drinking water (DW). DW was tested at 100 ◦C (GC-100DW) and TW at both 100 ◦C (GC-100TW) and 60 ◦C (GC-60TW). The use of TW for preparing infusions was associated with the reduction of t...
This study investigates bioactive compounds in apple pomace (AP) obtained from Malus domestica varieties Granny Smith and Cripps Pink, emphasizing its potential for developing high-added-value products from industrial surplus. Regarding its chemical characterization, AP stood out for its high concentration of dietary fibers (7.1g/100g fw), polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and oleic acids), α-tocopherol (0....
Dyslipidaemia is among the major causes of severe diseases and, despite being wellestablished, the hypocholesterolaemic therapies still face significant concerns about potential side effects (such as myopathy, myalgia, liver injury digestive problems, or mental fuzziness in some people taking statins), interaction with other drugs or specific foods. Accordingly, this review describes the latest developments in ...
Plant-based beverages are gaining attention due to their potential to offer sustainable and health-promoting alternatives to traditional dairy products. This study aimed to develop a dehydrated functional plant-based beverage composed of tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus L.), mukua pulp (Adansonia digitata L.), and thermal water. All matrices and the final beverage were fully characterized in terms of physica...
Nuts are increasingly recognized for their rich nutritional profile and bioactive potential, making them a sig- nificant economic contributor globally. However, the commercialization of nuts necessitates stringent quality control measures to mitigate infestations by insect pests and microorganisms, which can lead to rapid deterio- ration both pre- and post-harvest. Contamination often arises from inadequate pra...
This study characterizes two species of the genus Hypericum to envisage their applicability as effective and versatile functional foods, dietary supplements, and food preservatives. A wide phenolic composition was found in both extracts, highlighting flanovoids for H. japonicum and xanthones for H. sampsonii. Moreover, anthocya- nins were analyzed for the first time in the latter plant. Antioxidant capacity was...
This study explores the effects of germination and cooking as pretreatments, followed by fermentation using different starter cultures on the physicochemical, nutritional, and techno-functional properties of Beluga and Du Puy lentil flours, focusing on reducing antinutritional factors and enhancing nutrient bioavailability. Fermentation was conducted using lactic acid bacteria (Furfurilactobacillus rossiae and ...
Pedunculate (Quercus robur L.), holm (Quercus rotundifolia Lam.), and cork (Quercus suber L.) oaks are abundant across the Portuguese landscape. This study aims to evaluate the phenolic composition and bioactivities of acorn shell samples and determine their potential as a functional compound source. In total, five acorn shell samples collected in different locations and from different species were analyzed: Q....
This study evaluated the fruit by-products (peels, seeds, and fibrous strands) from 11 pumpkin genotypes cultivated in Greece aiming to valorize them as natural sources of bioactive compounds. Five compounds, including ( )-epicatechin and chicoric acid isomers, were identified in peels, while seeds and fibrous strands mainly contained ( )-epicatechin. Organic acids and tocopherols varied significantly among gen...
In this study, leaves and roots from three beetroot cultivars (cv. Albina Vereduna (white roots), cv. Burpee’s Golden (golden roots), and cv. Pablo F1 (red roots)), as well as Swiss chard leaves (also known as “rhubarb chard”, or Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla var. flavescens) were evaluated in terms of their chemical profile and bioactive properties. Roots were characterized by high carbohydrate content, which als...