Abstract
Olive mill wastewater, a high polyphenols agro-food by-product, was successfully exploited in an eco-friendly radical process to synthesize an antioxidant macromolecule, usefully engaged as a functional ingredient to prepare functional puddings. The chemical composition of lyophilized olive mill wastewaters (LOMW) was investigated by HPLC-MS/MS and 1H-NMR analyses, while antioxidant profile was in vitro evaluated by colorimetric assays. Oleuropein aglycone (5.8 μg mL−1) appeared as the main compound, although relevant amounts of an isomer of the 3-hydroxytyrosol glucoside (4.3 μg mL−1) and quinic acid (4.1 μg mL−1) were also detected. LOMW was able to greatly inhibit ABTS radical (IC50 equal to 0.019 mg mL−1), displaying, in the aqueous medium, an increase in its scavenger properties by almost one order of magnitude compared to the organic one. LOMW reactive species and tara gum chains were involved in an eco-friendly grafting reaction to synthesize a polymeric conjugate that was characterized by spectroscopic, calorimetric and toxicity studies. In vitro acute oral toxicity was tested against 3T3 fibroblasts and Caco-2 cells, confirming that the polymers do not have any effect on cell viability at the dietary use concentrations. Antioxidant properties of the polymeric conjugate were also evaluated, suggesting its employment as a thickening agent, in the preparation of pear puree-based pudding. High performance of consistency and relevant antioxidants features over time (28 days) were detected in the milk-based foodstuff, in comparison with its non-functional counterparts, confirming LOWM as an attractive source to achieve high performing functional foods.
Highlights
In recent years, to increase beneficial effects on the human health of many foodstuffs and beverages, some health-promoting natural substances with antioxidant activity were used as high- performing functional ingredients [1]
Our scientific experience suggests that antioxidant features of biomolecules in the olive mill wastewaters (OMW), as well as leaves, pomace and pits discharged from the EVOO production process, are partially recycled and usefully employed in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields [4,5]
The possibility of using the polyphenolic components present in the OMW to obtain a functional polymer able to be employed in the preparation of puddings which display a high performance of consistency and relevant antioxidant features over time was investigated
Summary
To increase beneficial effects on the human health of many foodstuffs and beverages, some health-promoting natural substances with antioxidant activity were used as high- performing functional ingredients [1]. Our scientific experience suggests that antioxidant features of biomolecules in the olive mill wastewaters (OMW), as well as leaves, pomace and pits discharged from the EVOO production process, are partially recycled and usefully employed in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields [4,5]. To this regard, literature data highlighted that the employment of macromolecular antioxidants displayed some undoubted advantages such as increased stability and slower degradation rate, compared to the compounds with low molecular weight [6]. The formulation of the commercial pudding powders usually consists of hydrocolloids, starch, flavors, sugars and colorants [10]
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