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Sustainable Use of Grapes and Grape Processing By-Products in the Development of Functional Foods

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1556

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: functional food; product development; bioactives; modeling; extraction; food powders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Grapes are a truly ancient fruit, cultivated by humans since at least 6500 BC. Their versatility is unmatched, and they are enjoyed fresh, juiced, or fermented into wine. Nutritionally, grapes are mainly comprised of water and carbohydrates, with some protein and fat; however, they excel in fiber, vitamins (C and B6), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and calcium). Importantly, they are rich in polyphenols, known for their health benefits. While delicious, grape production and processing can harm the environment. Significant waste is generated during juice and wine making. The most concerning residue is wine pomace; improper pomace management can lead to serious ecological damage: soil pollution, harm to vegetation, water contamination, pest infestations, and unpleasant odors. Thankfully, wine pomace is a valuable resource; its bioactive compounds hold promise for functional food development. With the growing importance of reuse and recycling in the food industry, this Special Issue explores the potential of grapes and their byproducts in functional foods. We seek research highlighting specific grape-derived compounds and their potential for large-scale functional food production, contributing to a more sustainable and carbon-neutral future.

Dr. Maja Benković
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • grape-derived compounds
  • by-products
  • polyphenols
  • functional foods

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 1793 KiB  
Article
Structured Fruit Cube Snack of BRS Vitoria Grape with Gala Apple: Phenolic Composition and Sensory Attributes
by Yara Paula Nishiyama-Hortense, Carolina Olivati, Victoria Diniz Shimizu-Marin, Ana Carolina Gonçales, Natália Soares Janzantti, Roberto Da Silva, Ellen Silva Lago-Vanzela and Sergio Gómez-Alonso
Molecules 2024, 29(21), 5205; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29215205 - 4 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1216
Abstract
This study developed a structured fruit cube (FC) snack using only natural ingredients, specifically red grape and apple, without hydrocolloids and sucrose. After development, physicochemical characterization and analysis of phenolic compounds (PCs), including anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS, were conducted. [...] Read more.
This study developed a structured fruit cube (FC) snack using only natural ingredients, specifically red grape and apple, without hydrocolloids and sucrose. After development, physicochemical characterization and analysis of phenolic compounds (PCs), including anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS, were conducted. Sensory quality was also assessed through an acceptance and sensory profile analysis using the rate-all-that-apply methodology. The results showed that the FC had physicochemical characteristics similar to other structured fruits that use hydrocolloids. Additionally, they presented a complex composition of PCs, predominantly including anthocyanins derived from malvidin (tri-substituted methoxylated anthocyanins), notably cumarylated ones. Flavonols compounds comprised the 3-glucoside series of myricetin, quercetin, laricitrin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and syringetin; the 3-galactoside series of myricetin and quercetin; and the 3-glucuronic acid series of myricetin and quercitin, along with rutin. The presence of caftaric acid, coutaric acid, fertaric acid, and p-coumaroyl-glucose was also detected, alongside caffeic acid-O-glucoside 1, caffeic acid-O-glucoside 2, chlorogenic acid, 4-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid, and dicaffeoylquinic acid. In conclusion, the selection of natural ingredients was technologically suitable for obtaining an FC. Despite using conventional drying at 60 °C, the product showed notable concentrations of PCs and also achieved great sensory acceptance. Full article
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