Search Results (17)

Biopesticides represent a safe and sustainable strategy for biological pest management, applicable to weed and fungal control. Biotechnological processing offers a promising approach to enhance the bioactivity of natural products for agricultural use. In this study, guishe juice, an agroindustrial residue derived from Agave lechuguilla, was bioprocessed via inoculation with Fusarium chlamydosporum, and its fungicidal and herbicidal potentials were evaluated. The fungal biotransformation led to the accumulation of phytochemicals, including flavonoids and polyphenols, significantly enhancing antioxidant activity to 76% and 96% as measured by DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. The resulting bioprocessed guishe extract (BGE), particularly at 10% concentration (BGE-10), exhibited strong fungicidal activity, achieving 100% control of phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp. Additionally, BGE-10 demonstrated a bioherbicidal effect, with a 77% weed control rate against Verbesina encelioides. These findings emphasize the potential of bioprocessed agave residues as dual-action bioagents, supporting the development of novel, eco-friendly agricultural solutions. Full article

Apple fruit is among the most consumed fruits in the world, both in fresh and processed forms (e.g., ready-to-eat fresh slices, juice, jam, cider, and dried slices). During apple consumption/processing, a significant amount of apple residue is discarded. These residues can also be interesting materials to exploit, particularly for direct valorization in the design of added-value foods. In fact, apple waste/by-products are rich in essential components, including sugars, proteins, dietary fibers, and phenolic compounds, as they comprise apple peels, seeds, and pulp (solid residue of juice production). In this sense, the current review paper presents an overview of the nutritional composition of apple waste/by-products, and mainly apple pomace, highlighting their application in producing value-added products through microbial biotechnology. If appropriately managed, apple by-products can generate a variety of useful compounds required in food (as well as in feed, pharmaceutics, and bioenergy). Recent strategies for the synergic use of apple waste/by-products and microbial resources such as lactic acid bacteria and yeasts are discussed. This review contributes to defining a reference framework for valorizing apple waste/by-products from a circular economy perspective through the application of bioprocesses (e.g., fermentation), mainly oriented towards designing foods with improved quality attributes. Full article

Natural polyphenols, especially the ones in their glycosylated form like hesperidin, rutin, and anthocyanins, are the most abundant phenolic compounds in citric fruits, apples, and red fruits, respectively. They stand out for their high nutraceutical potential, with various reported properties, like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and cardioprotective. Nevertheless, these compounds have low bioavailability and are rapidly excreted and released by the organism. Therefore, the main goal of this work was to obtain polyphenols with increased bioactivity by functionalizing biocompounds in fruit juices, namely, orange, apple, and red fruits. This modification was achieved via hesperidinase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of several natural bioactive compounds. Hesperidinase was produced with Penicillium sp. The activity and stability of the produced enzyme, in its free and immobilized form, using the sol–gel method, were assessed, as well as the bioactivity of the bioprocessed juices. Moreover, after immobilizing hesperidinase in sol–gel lens-shaped particles, the activity and operational stability of the bioencapsulates were evaluated by measuring the residual activity over several runs. Using the specific substrate p-NPG, β-D-glucosidase retained 31% of its activity in the second run, 22.6% in the third, and 35% in the fourth. For α-L-rhamnosidase, using the substrate p-NPR, residual activity was 31.1% in both the fourth and fifth runs. In fruit juices, the bioencapsulates exhibited residual activities around 100% in the second run, approximately 81% in the third, and around 90% in the fourth. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the bioprocessed juices were evaluated, and an increase in the anti-inflammatory activity was observed when compared with the non-processed juices. Full article

A mathematical model was developed for the dynamic and static simulation of a continuous ethanol production process in a tower bioreactor packed with yeast cells immobilized in citrus pectin gel. To avoid accumulation of CO₂ gas during the bioprocess, a vertical fixed bed bioreactor with a working volume of 0.245 L, divided into four stages and equipped with external gas–liquid separators was used. The performance of the bioreactor was evaluated through continuous fermentations using feed medium (sugarcane juice) with substrate concentrations of 161.4 and 312.5 g/L, temperature of 30 °C, pH 4.0 and hydraulic residence times of 5 and 6 h. The developed mathematical model takes into account mass flow by convection and dispersion axial, external and internal mass transfer to/within particle, Contois kinetics for cell growth with inhibition terms, cell death, and substrate consumption for cell maintenance. The partial differential equations regarding cell, substrate and product mass balances in the solid and fluid phase were solved by numerical methods. The calculated profiles of state variables in the fluid phase agreed satisfactorily with the experimental data. The diffusional resistances within particles concerning the substrate consumption rate were not significant, resulting in calculated values of the effectiveness factor close to one. Full article

The nutritional effects of fruit juices, combined with the added value of a probiotic, provide a plant-based fortified functional food. Some process-related drawbacks are caused by the pH parameter, which will affect the survival of probiotics during their industrial processing and storage. By means of developing a monitoring method for probiotic activity, the present study aims to investigate the application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) as a correlative analytical method for fermentation process tracking, in association with the different absorption patterns of bound water, explained by aquaphotomics. The data evaluated in the wavelength range of 1300–1600 nm indicate classification accuracies of 99–100% and 99–93% during calibration and validation, respectively, when applying PCA-LDA for discriminating the fermentation times, for each one of the single and mixed bacterial groups. During PLSR prediction, according to the fermentation times, the validation models developed for pH show coefficients of determination in the range of 0.96 to nearly 1 and root mean square errors of 0.05 and 0.19. On the other hand, for the PLSR prediction of log cell count (CFU/mL), validation modeling shows a coefficient of determination of 0.85 and a root mean square error of 0.23. All things considered, the results support the applicability of combining NIR and aquaphotomics as a bioprocess monitoring tool, which can be further implemented in different studies and industrial contexts. Full article

This study investigates the valorization of tomato by-products—peels, seeds, and juice—through innovative extraction and bioprocessing techniques. Lycopene recovery from tomato peels was optimized using ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction (UAE-MAE) with ethyl lactate as the solvent. The optimal conditions (0.03 g/mL, 500 W microwave power, 600 W ultrasound power) yielded a lycopene content of 37.08 mg/100 g of peels and an extraction yield (EY) of 91.20%. For tomato seeds, oil extraction methods, including conventional stirring, UAE-MAE, Soxhlet extraction, and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), were evaluated. Conventional stirring achieved the highest oil yield (19.66%), followed closely by UAE-MAE (19.53%). However, PLE produced the highest lycopene content (44.0 mg/100 g oil) and significant levels of linoleic acid (544.7 mg/g oil), though Soxhlet extraction yielded slightly more (608.9 mg/g oil). Tomato juice was processed into high-nutritional value vinegar via a two-stage fermentation process. The final product had 5.42% acidity, a pH of 2.85, and retained a high lycopene content (9.19 mg/100 g). This study underscores the potential of innovative extraction and bioprocessing strategies for the valorization of tomato by-products, promoting waste reduction and the development of high-value functional products in alignment with principles of the circular bioeconomy. Full article

Pectinolytic enzymes play a key role in many beverages manufacturing processes, improving their clarification and filtration steps. Fungal pectinases are considered promising green catalysts for industrial applications, and they can be produced using fruit-processing residues as substrate. In this study, we investigated the optimal conditions to produce polygalacturonase from Aspergillus brasiliensis in a solid-phase bioprocess, using cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) peel as substrate. Then, the pectinolytic extract was applied in the clarification of cupuaçu juice. A central composite design was used to determine the optimal fungal cultivation conditions. Thus, the optimal fungal cultivation (maximum production of 11.81 U/g of polygalacturonase) was obtained using cupuaçu peel with 80% moisture, at 34 °C, for 7 days in a medium containing 4.2% phosphorus and 2.6% nitrogen. The enzymatic extract showed greater activity at 60 °C and stability at a pH range between 5.0 and 7.0. The pectinolytic extract was able to clarify the cupuaçu juice, causing a 53.95% reduction in its turbidity and maintaining its antioxidant activity. Our results demonstrate that the cupuaçu peel can be used as a substrate to produce polygalacturonase, and the enzymatic extract produced can be applied in the cupuaçu juice processing, contributing to the circular economy. Full article

This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of using immobilized pectinase enzymes for juice processing to reduce cloudiness while preserving nutritional and bioactive properties. The research is driven by the increasing demand for innovative food products that offer enhanced functionality and health benefits. It focuses on the development and application of immobilized biocatalysts in bioprocessing, specifically using pectinase encapsulated in a sol–gel matrix. Reaction parameters for the interaction between immobilized pectinase and its primary substrate, pectin, were optimized through systematic experimentation. Optimal conditions were established, achieving enhanced enzyme activity and stability with 0.15 g of lens-shaped capsules containing 10.0 mg/mL pectinase in 24-well microplates as microreactors. Kinetic studies indicated improved substrate affinity after immobilization (K_m = 0.115 mg/mL), particularly when magnetized (K_mi = 0.041 mg/mL). Operational stability and reusability assessments demonstrated potential for extended use with magnetized pectinase capsules retaining higher residual activity after a fourth reuse cycle (155% > 75%). The application of immobilized pectinase in processing peach nectar successfully reduced cloudiness and increased the release of bioactive compounds, enhancing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as evaluated by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and the albumin method, respectively. In vitro digestion studies revealed dynamic activity profile changes, highlighting the impact of juice bioprocessing on bioavailability. Full article

Lactic acid bacteria fermentation is a beneficial bioprocessing method that can improve the flavor, transform nutrients, and maintain the biological activity of foods. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum dy-1 fermentation on the nutritional components, flavor and taste properties, and composition of saponin compounds and their hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities. The results suggested that the total polyphenol content increased, and the soluble polysaccharides and total saponin contents decreased in fermented bitter melon juice (FJ) compared with those in non-fermented bitter melon juice (NFJ). The determination of volatile flavor substances by GC-MS revealed that the response values of acetic acid, n-octanol, sedumol, etc., augmented significantly, and taste analysis with an electronic tongue demonstrated lower bitterness and higher acidity in FJ. Furthermore, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS testing showed a significant decrease in bitter compounds, including momordicines I and II, and a significant increase in the active saponin momordicine U in the fermented bitter melon saponin group (FJBMS). The in vitro assays indicated that FJBMS exhibited similar antioxidant activities as the non-fermented bitter melon saponin group (NFBMS). The in vitro results show that both NFBMS and FJBMS, when used at 50 μg/mL, could significantly reduce fat accumulation and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased the catalase (CAT) activity, while there was no significant difference in the bioactivities of NFBMS and FJBMS. In conclusion, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum dy-1 fermentation is an effective means to lower the bitterness value of bitter melon and preserve the well-known bioactivities of its raw materials, which can improve the edibility of bitter melon. Full article

Fruit juice production is one of the most important branches of the food and beverage industry, considering both the market size and demand. It is also one of the largest generators of industrial wastewater, considering the large consumption of fresh water during fruit processing. Hence, the appropriate treatment strategies are of the utmost importance to minimize the environmental footprint of food industry effluents. This study aimed to investigate the valorization routes for strawberry juice production wastewater (SJPW), both in terms of nutrient recovery and a circular approach to its utilization as a medium for plant biostimulant production. The results show a low antioxidant capacity and low content of polyphenols in SJPW; however, promising results were obtained for the in vitro seed germination and tomato growth promotion when investigating a biostimulant based on Bacillus sp. BioSol021, which was cultivated using SJPW in a lab-scale bioreactor, with root and shoot length improvements of approximately 30% and 25%, respectively, compared to the control samples. The plant growth promotion (PGP) traits indicated the ability of IAA production, in a concentration of 8.55 ± 0.05 mg/L, and the enzymatic activity was evaluated as through the enzymatic activity index (EAI), achieving the following: 2.26 ± 0.04 for cellulolytic activity, 2.49 ± 0.08 for hemicellulolytic activity, 2.91 ± 0.16 for pectinolytic activity, and 1.05 ± 0.00 for proteolytic activity. This study opens a new chapter of possibilities for the development of techno-economically viable circular bioprocess solutions aimed at obtaining value-added microbial products for sustainable agriculture based on the valorization of food industry effluents thus contributing to more sustainable food production at both the agricultural and industrial levels. Full article

Food and beverages with healthy and functional properties, especially those that prevent chronic diseases, are receiving considerable interest among consumers and researchers. Among the products with enhanced properties, fermented beverages from non-grape wines have a high potential for growth. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a super fruit known for its richness in bioactive compounds that have been reported to have several therapeutic properties against non-communicable diseases. Diverse products can be obtained from the valorization of pomegranate fruit, including wines, supplements, dried arils, juices, vinegar, and syrup. There is no literature evidence of the optimization of the fermentation processes of pomegranate juice that explores the relationships between multiple factors and their interactions. This review provides an overview of the composition of pomegranate fruit and the related health benefits for human health. It also discusses the ways in which pomegranate wine fermentation is impacted by pre-fermentation and fermentation factors. Additionally, it highlights the different subjective and objective techniques for analyzing pomegranate wine quality and the advancement of technologies such as sensors to replace traditional methods of sensory evaluation. It provides comprehensive insights into how different fermentation factors interact and can improve the bioprocess, leading to the production of high-quality wine. Full article

Non-alcoholic beer (NAB) and low-alcoholic beer (LAB) are taking over the market with growing sales. Sustainable recycling and valorization of exhausted brewer’s spent grain (BSG) coming from craft beer is a relevant issue in the brewing process. In this work, recycled BSG and BSG + GJ (supplemented with 10% grape juice) were used as a wort substrate to inoculate Lachancea thermotolerans, Wickeramhomyces anomalus, Torulaspora delbruecki and Pichia kluyveri non-conventional yeasts to produce NABLAB craft beer. Results showed that wort composed of only recycled BSG produced appreciated NAB beers (ethanol concentration from 0.12% to 0.54% v/v), while the addition of 10% grape juice produced LAB beers (ethanol concentration from 0.82 to 1.66% v/v). As expected, volatile compound production was highest with the addition of grape juice. L. thermotolerans showed lactic acid production, characterizing both worts with the production of ethyl butyrate and isoamyl acetate. T. delbrueckii exhibited relevant amounts of hexanol, phenyl ethyl acetate and β-phenyl ethanol (BSG + GJ). W. anomalus and P. kluyveri showed consistent volatile production, but only in BSG + GJ where fermentation activity was exhibited. The overall results indicated that reused BSGs, non-conventional yeasts and grape juice are suitable bioprocesses for specialty NABLAB beer. Full article

In agriculture, weed management is a significant concern because their uncontrolled proliferation decreases soil quality for food crops. Allelopathy is a natural phenomenon in which the activity of allelochemical compounds inhibits the germination and growth of invasive plants as a defense mechanism. Among allelochemicals are polyphenols, which may affect genetic material or crucial enzyme activities for proper physiological function. Agroindustrial residues are a vast source of polyphenolic compounds with allelochemical activity. The bagasse of Agave Lechuguilla, known as guishe, is an abundant residue in México. The guishe has been characterized before by its polyphenolic content. Based on that, a fungal bioconversion process was developed to increase the availability of the allelochemicals in the guishe juice. First, guishe juice was obtained by mechanical pressed and characterized by spectrophotometric analysis. Results showed (g/L): 5.62 flavonoids, 0.64 of hydrolyzable polyphenols, 12.67 of reducing sugars, and 23.3 total sugars. The compounds detected by HPLC-ESI-MS were pterostilbene, hydroxycaffeic, caffeoyltartaric, and 4-O-glucoside coumaric acids, considered allelopathic. After the fungal bioprocess, (+)-gallocatechin and 3,7-Dimethyl quercetin were detected as additional compounds of interest. The flavonoid and hydrolyzable polyphenol content were modified to the highest accumulation of 1.57 and 14.9 g/L at 72 h, meaning a 2.45- and 2.22-fold increase. A bioprocess guishe juice (BGJ) was obtained at the compound accumulation peak of 72 h and evaluated in an allelopathic assay on model seeds (tomato and corn). Results show that BGJ inhibits up to 96.67% of corn seeds and up to 76.6% of tomato seeds compared to positive control. Full article

To date, approximately 30–50% of food is wasted from post-harvesting to consumer usage. Typical examples of food by-products are fruit peels and pomace, seeds, and others. A large part of these matrices is still discarded in landfills, while a small portion is valorized for bioprocessing. In this context, a feasible strategy to valorize food by-products consists of their use for the production of bioactive compounds and nanofillers, which can be further used to functionalize biobased packaging materials. The focus of this research was to create an efficient methodology for the extraction of cellulose from leftover orange peel after juice processing and for its conversion into cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for use in bionanocomposite films for packaging materials. Orange CNCs were characterized by TEM and XRD analyses and added as reinforcing agents into chitosan/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (CS/HPMC) films enriched with lauroyl arginate ethyl (LAE^®). It was evaluated how CNCs and LAE^® affected the technical and functional characteristics of CS/HPMC films. CNCs revealed needle-like shapes with an aspect ratio of 12.5, and average length and width of 500 nm and 40 nm, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy confirmed the high compatibility of the CS/HPMC blend with CNCs and LAE^®. The inclusion of CNCs increased the films’ tensile strength, light barrier, and water vapor barrier properties while reducing their water solubility. The addition of LAE^® improved the films’ flexibility and gave them biocidal efficacy against the main bacterial pathogens that cause foodborne illness, such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. Full article

Fumaric acid is one of the most promising biorefinery platform chemicals, fruit residues being a very suitable raw material for its production in second generation biorefineries. In particular, apple pomace is a plentiful residue from the apple juice industry, with apple being the second largest fruit crop in the world, with a production that increased from 46 to 86 Mtons in the 1994–2021 period. With a global apple juice production of more than 4.5 Mtons, a similar amount of apple pomace is produced yearly. In this work, apple pomace hydrolysate has been obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and further characterized for its content in sugars, phenolics and nitrogen using different analytic methods, based on HPLC and colorimetric techniques. Previous to the use of this hydrolysate (APH), we studied if the addition of fructose to the usual glucose-rich broth could lead to high fumaric acid yields, titers and productivities. Afterwards, APH fermentation was performed and improved using different nitrogen initial amounts, obtaining production yields (0.32 g_{Fumaric acid}/g_{consumed sugar}) similar to those obtained with synthetic media (0.38 g_{Fumaric acid}/g_{consumed sugar}). Kinetic modelling was employed to evaluate, explain, and understand the experimental values and trends of relevant components in the fermentation broth as functions of the bioprocess time, proposing a suitable reaction scheme and a non-structured, non-segregated kinetic model based on it. Full article