Food Industry By-products Research Articles

Screening of Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities in Pomegranate, Quince, and Persimmon Leaf, Peel, and Seed: Valorization of Autumn Fruits By-Products for a One Health Perspective.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing globally and is now one of the major public health problems. Therefore, there is a need to search for new antimicrobial agents. The food industry generates large amounts of by-products that are rich in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, which are known to have several health benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Thus, we aimed to characterize the phenolic compounds present in pomegranate, quince, and persimmon by-products, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Phenolic compounds were extracted from pomegranate, quince, and persimmon leaves, seeds, and peels using a mixture of ethanol/water (80/20). The polyphenol profile of the extracts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. In general, leaves showed higher concentrations of phenolics than the peel and seeds of fruits. In total, 23 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified, with sanguiin and apigenin-3-O-galactoside being present in the highest concentrations. Leaf extracts of pomegranate showed higher antioxidant activities than the other components in all methods used. In general, all extracts had a greater antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Persimmon leaf and seed extracts inhibited a greater number of bacteria, both Gram-positive and -negative. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) detected among Gram-positive and -negative bacteria was 10 mg/mL for pomegranate peel and leaf extracts against Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius and for pomegranate leaf extract against Escherichia coli. Our results reinforce the need to value food industry by-products that could be used as food preservatives and antibiotic adjuvants against multiresistant bacteria.

Biomass application as a sorbent for adsorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions

The increase of the population and the industrial development, lead to enormous environmental pollution. Various types of waste containing heavy metals are produced and discharged into water resources. Heavy metals are considered to be the main source of contamination that causes serious environmental problems. The polluted water becomes unusable and threatens the human health and the ecosystem. Toxicity and non-biodegradability of heavy metals, as well as their tendency to accumulate in soils, water resources and living organisms, makes them significant environmental pollutants. Removing heavy metal ions from water resources has been a challenge for a long time. Modern eco-process engineering emphasizes the need for appropriate and sophisticated methods for the natural and wastewater treatment, regardless of the geogenic or anthropogenic origin of the source of pollution. The most commonly used methods for elimination of heavy metals from aqueous solutions are: chemical deposition, membrane processes, electrodialysis and adsorption. Most of these methods are significantly expensive when treating large amounts of water, ineffective at low concentrations of metals, and produce large amounts of other toxic products that require adequate removal and disposal. Among these proposed processes, adsorption is the most commonly used and is considered to be an effective, efficient and economical method for water purification. The sustainable development of separation processes is focused on development of modern, bioseparation techniques for elimination of toxic metals from wastewater using unconventional sorbents with low commercial cost. Bisorption is an environmentally friendly alternative method that has advantages over conventional methods. Large quantities of natural waste materials, such as agro-waste and food industry by-products, can be applied as a potential biosorbents for the removal of heavy metals. In order to increase their adsorption capacity, biosorbents can be physically or chemically modified. Modelling and optimization of the process of biosorption of heavy metals (Mn(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Cr(VI) and Pb(II)) from water resources through application of natural and modified biosorbents of domestic origin, has been performed in the frame of this work, as an alternative bioseparation technique. From theexamined potential biosorbents, rice husks and peanut husks, as well as their modified forms, showed the best biosorption affinity for the analyzed heavy metals. On the efficiency of removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions, the influence of the following operating parameters has been investigated: pH value, initial adsorbate concentration and biosorption time. This work contains a detailed literary review, optimal biomass selection, characterization of the used natural and modified biosorbents.Modeling and analysis of the equilibrium, kinetics and dynamics of the investigated systems, was aslo conducted, using sophisticated computing tools and process simulators.

CHALLENGES OF SSF PROCESS FOR PEA AND WHEAT BRAN VALORIZATION USING TRICHODERMA SPP. FOR BIOCONTROL AGENT PRODUCTION

Fungal strain Trichoderma spp. is a known bio control agent (BCA), which are difficult to obtain using more prevalent industrial-scale biofermentation methods such as submerged fermentation (SmF) However, difficult up-scalable solid-state fermentation (SSF) are appropriate for such BCA production. An automated semi-rotating drum bioreactor was developed and built to explore SSF scale-up using pea and wheat bran as substrates to valorise food-industry by-products into viable BCA ‘s. Estimation of biomass using CO2/O2 analysis in exhaust gasses revealed that mix of pea and wheat bran can produce a viable BCA ‘s using gentle mixing technique with possibilities of industrial scale-up

Sour Cherry Pomace Valorization as a Bakery Fruit Filling: Chemical Composition, Bioactivity, Quality and Sensory Properties.

Sour cherry pomace filling (SCPF) and commercial sour cherry filling (CSCF) produced on a semi-industrial scale were tested and compared in terms of food safety, chemical composition, bioactivity, quality, sensory properties and thermal stability. Both samples were safe for human consumption, thermally stable and there was a lack of syneresis. SCPF had a significantly higher fiber concentration (3.79 g/100 g) due to higher skin fraction and is considered a "source of fibers". The higher skin fraction in SCPF also resulted in a higher mineral quantity (Fe-3.83 mg/kg fw) in comparison to CSCF (Fe-2.87 mg/kg fw). Anthocyanins concentration was lower in SCPF (7.58 mg CGE/100 g fw), suggesting that a significant amount of anthocyanins was removed from SC skin during juice extraction. However, there was a lack of statistical differences in antioxidant activity between the two fillings. CSCF was more spreadable, not as firm and less sticky, with lower storage and loss modulus values than SCPF. However, both fillings exhibited acceptable rheological and textural behaviour for fruit fillings. According to the consumer pastry test, 28 participants preferred each pastry; thus, there was a lack of preference toward any of the tested samples. SCP could be used as a raw material for the bakery fruit fillings industry, which leads to the valorization of food industry by-products.

Valorization of polyphenolic compounds from food industry by-products for application in polysaccharide-based nanoparticles.

In the last decades, evidence has indicated the beneficial properties of dietary polyphenols. In vitro and in vivo studies support that the regular intake of these compounds may be a strategy to reduce the risks of some chronic non-communicable diseases. Despite their beneficial properties, they are poorly bioavailable compounds. Thus, the main objective of this review is to explore how nanotechnology improves human health while reducing environmental impacts with the sustainable use of vegetable residues, from extraction to the development of functional foods and supplements. This extensive literature review discusses different studies based on the application of nanotechnology to stabilize polyphenolic compounds and maintain their physical-chemical stability. Food industries commonly generate a significant amount of solid waste. Exploring the bioactive compounds of solid waste has been considered a sustainable strategy in line with emerging global sustainability needs. Nanotechnology can be an efficient tool to overcome the challenge of molecular instability, especially using polysaccharides such as pectin as assembling material. Complex polysaccharides are biomaterials that can be extracted from citrus and apple peels (from the juice industries) and constitute promising wall material stabilizing chemically sensitive compounds. Pectin is an excellent biomaterial to form nanostructures, as it has low toxicity, is biocompatible, and is resistant to human enzymes. The potential extraction of polyphenols and polysaccharides from residues and their inclusion in food supplements may be a possible application to reduce environmental impacts and constitutes an approach for effectively including bioactive compounds in the human diet. Extracting polyphenolics from industrial waste and using nanotechnology may be feasible to add value to food by-products, reduce impacts on nature and preserve the properties of these compounds.

Potential of Atlantic Codfish (Gadus morhua) Skin Collagen for Skincare Biomaterials.

Collagen is the major structural protein in extracellular matrix present in connective tissues, including skin, being considered a promising material for skin regeneration. Marine organisms have been attracting interest amongst the industry as an alternative collagen source. In the present work, Atlantic codfish skin collagen was analyzed, to evaluate its potential for skincare. The collagen was extracted from two different skin batches (food industry by-product) using acetic acid (ASColl), confirming the method reproducibility since no significant yield differences were observed. The extracts characterization confirmed a profile compatible with type I collagen, without significant differences between batches or with bovine skin collagen (a reference material in biomedicine). Thermal analyses suggested ASColl's native structure loss at 25 °C, and an inferior thermal stability to bovine skin collagen. No cytotoxicity was found for ASColl up to 10 mg/mL in keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). ASColl was used to develop membranes, which revealed smooth surfaces without significative morphological or biodegradability differences between batches. Their water absorption capacity and water contact angle indicated a hydrophilic feature. The metabolic activity and proliferation of HaCaT were improved by the membranes. Hence, ASColl membranes exhibited attractive characteristics to be applied in the biomedical and cosmeceutical field envisaging skincare.

Variability of Micro- and Macro-Elements in Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Municipal Sewage Sludge and Food Industrial By-Products.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of selected industrial food wastes on the fate of micro- and macro-elements within an anaerobic digestion process (AD), as well as define the relationship between their content and AD efficiency. Orange peels, (OP), orange pulp (PL) and brewery spent grain (BSG) were used as co-substrates, while municipal sewage sludge (SS) was applied as the main component. The introduction of co-substrates resulted in improvements in feedstock composition in terms of macro-elements, with a simultaneous decrease in the content of HMs (heavy metals). Such beneficial effects led to enhanced methane production, and improved process performance at the highest doses of PL and BSG. In turn, reduced biogas and methane production was found in the three-component digestion mixtures in the presence of OP and BSG; therein, the highest accumulation of most HMs within the process was also revealed. Considering the agricultural application of all digestates, exceedances for Cu, Zn and Hg were recorded, thereby excluding their further use for that purpose.

Mycotoxins' Prevalence in Food Industry By-Products: A Systematic Review.

The recovery of biomolecules from food industry by-products is of major relevance for a circular economy strategy. However, by-products' contamination with mycotoxins represents a drawback for their reliable valorization for food and feed, hampering their application range, especially as food ingredients. Mycotoxin contamination occurs even in dried matrices. There is a need for the implantation of monitoring programs, even for by-products used as animal feed, since very high levels can be reached. This systematic review aims to identify the food by-products that have been studied from 2000 until 2022 (22 years) concerning mycotoxins' contamination, distribution, and prevalence in those by-products. PRISMA ("Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses") protocol was performed via two databases (PubMed and SCOPUS) to summarize the research findings. After the screening and selection process, the full texts of eligible articles (32 studies) were evaluated, and data from 16 studies were considered. A total of 6 by-products were assessed concerning mycotoxin content; these include distiller dried grain with solubles, brewer's spent grain, brewer's spent yeast, cocoa shell, grape pomace, and sugar beet pulp. Frequent mycotoxins in these by-products are AFB1, OTA, FBs, DON, and ZEA. The high prevalence of contaminated samples, which surpasses the limits established for human consumption, thus limiting their valorization as ingredients in the food industry. Co-contamination is frequent, which can cause synergistic interactions and amplify their toxicity.

Effects of Marinades Prepared from Food Industry By-Products on Quality and Biosafety Parameters of Lamb Meat

This study aimed to develop marinade formulas based on by-products from the dairy, berry, and fruit industries and apply them to lamb meat (LM) treatments to improve the safety and quality characteristics of the meat. To fulfil this aim, six marinade (M) formulations were created based on acid whey (AW) fermented with Lacticaseibacillus casei (Lc) and Liquorilactobacillus uvarum (Lu), either alone or combined with freeze-dried apple (AP) or blackcurrant (BC) pomace. The most appropriate fermentation times for the marinades were selected according to the lower pH values and higher viable LAB counts in the samples. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the selected marinades against pathogenic and opportunistic bacterial strains was tested. The characteristics of the LM were analysed after 24 and 48 h of treatment, including physicochemical, technological, and microbiological parameters, as well as overall acceptability. It was established that, after 48 h of fermentation, all of the tested marinades, except M-AWLuBC, had lactic acid bacterial counts > 8.0 log10 CFU·mL-1 and pH values < 3.74. The broadest spectra of pathogen inhibition were observed in the M-AWLuAP and M-AWLuBC marinades. The latter formulations improved the water holding capacity (WHC) and overall acceptability of the LM, while, in the LM-AWLcAP samples, histamine, cadaverine, putrescine, tryptamine, and phenylethylamine were not formed. Lastly, LM treatment with the M-AWLcAP and M-AWLuAP formulas for 48 h achieved the highest overall acceptability (9.04 and 9.43), tenderness (1.53 and 1.47 kg·cm-2) and WHC (2.95% and 3.5%) compared to the control samples.

Food industry byproducts - As potential animal feeds

Food industry byproducts - As potential animal feeds

Effect of food industry by-products on bacterial cellulose production and its structural properties

The advances in bioprocess design, genetic engineering, and media optimization have enabled enhanced bacterial cellulose (BC) production and its application for diverse purposes. Following the requirements of a bioeconomy, numerous approaches were conducted to investigate alternative carbon or nitrogen sources from industrial by-products for BC biosynthesis. They can, however, not only affect the BC production but also its properties. Beet molasses, vinasse, and waste beer fermentation broth (WBFB) have thus been investigated in single and combined approaches for their BC production potential and effects on structural properties using Komagataeibacter xylinus DSM 2325. Therefore, the composition of each complex component was initially analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), total bound nitrogen (TNb), sugars, organic acids, and alcohols. The polymer properties were characterized via gel permeation chromatography and X-ray diffraction. In dynamic shake flask cultivations, the exchange of Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium components for a combination of all three complex substrates on a TOC- or TNb-based quantity resulted in the highest BC concentration (8.2 g L−1). Comparable concentrations were achieved when combining molasses and WBFB (8.1 g L−1). Each investigated complex component led to differing degrees of polymerization (DPn: 2751−4601) and BC crystallinities (26−58%) in comparison to HS medium. Beet molasses and vinasse were found to decrease the polymer crystallinity but induce higher DPn whereas the opposite occurred for WBFB. This study thus highlights beneficial effects of food industry by-products for BC biosynthesis and elucidates concomitantly occurring structural polymer alterations to enable further studies dealing with alternative substrates for structurally tailored BC production.

Smartly Packaged

Smartly Packaged

Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Food Industry By-Products for Cell Imaging

Herein, following a circular economy approach, we present the synthesis of luminescent carbon dots via the thermal treatment of chestnut and peanut shells, which are abundant carbon-rich food industry by-products. As-synthesized carbon dots have excellent water dispersibility thanks to their negative surface groups, good luminescence, and photo-stability. The excitation-emission behaviour as well as the surface functionalization of these carbon dots can be tuned by changing the carbon source (chestnuts or peanuts) and the dispersing medium (water or ammonium hydroxide solution). Preliminary in vitro biological data proved that the samples are not cytotoxic to fibroblasts and can act as luminescent probes for cellular imaging. In addition, these carbon dots have a pH-dependent luminescence and may, therefore, serve as cellular pH sensors. This work paves the way towards the development of more sustainable carbon dot production for biomedical applications.

Postharvest Application of Potato Starch Edible Coatings with Sodium Benzoate to Reduce Sour Rot and Preserve Mandarin Fruit Quality

Starch is a biodegradable polymeric carbohydrate that can easily form films and coatings and can readily be obtained from some food industry by-products and wastes, which may contribute to the circular bioeconomy. In this work, we studied the potential of two edible coating emulsions based on pregelatinized potato starch (PPS) and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) alone (F6 and F10) or formulated with the food additive sodium benzoate (SB, 2%) (F6/SB and F10/SB) to control sour rot, an important citrus postharvest disease caused by the fungus Geotrichum citri-aurantii, and maintain postharvest quality of cold-stored ‘Orri’ mandarins. The PPS-GMS coating application was compared to dipping in water (uncoated controls) and dipping in a 2% SB (w/v) aqueous solution. The results showed that the coating F10/SB was the most promising treatment to control sour rot on mandarins, with reductions in disease incidence with respect to the uncoated control samples of 94, 69, and 55% after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of storage at 5 °C, respectively. Coatings formulated without SB were ineffective. Regarding fruit quality, the coating F10 was the most effective to reduce weight loss, maintain firmness, and provide gloss on mandarins stored at 5 °C for up to 6 weeks followed by a shelf-life period of 1 week at 20 °C. The addition of SB to the PPS-GMS coatings adversely affected these coating properties, but the coating F10/SB still reduced weight loss compared to uncoated controls without negatively affecting the fruit physicochemical (juice titratable acidity, soluble solids content, and volatiles content) and sensory quality (overall flavor, off-flavors, external aspect). Overall, the coating F10/SB showed the greatest potential for commercial use as an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fungicides and waxes for sour rot control and quality preservation of cold-stored mandarins.

New Biotechnological Production of EPA by Pythium irregulare Using Alternative Sustainable Media Obtained from Food Industry By-Products and Waste

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) have multiple beneficial effects on human health, in particular docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6, n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5, n-3). A variety of microorganisms has been used for the commercial production of non-animal-source LC-PUFAs. The oomycetes of the Pythium family are promising EPA producers, and in this work, the optimization of Pythium irregulare growth using food industry by-products and wastes as cheap sources of nutrients was carried out. Sugar cane molasses (SCM), spent brewery yeast (SBY), cheese whey (CW), and expired orange juice (EFJ) were tested. A combination of SBY as a source of nitrogen and EFJ as a source of organic carbon resulted in the best outcome among the other sustainable media ingredients. The optimization of the new medium was conducted through a response surface methodology using EFJ and SBY as factors. The results show a significant positive impact of these factors on biomass productivity (p &lt; 0.005), with an optimized biomass yield of 14.22 g L−1, a lipid yield of 2.23 g L−1, and an EPA concentration of 155 mg L−1.

A novel adsorbent drived from salted egg white for efficient removal of cationic organic dyes from wastewater

Desalted duck egg white adsorbent (DSA) was prepared from salted duck egg white (SDEW), enabling high-value recycling of food industry by-products. The purpose of this research was to prepare SDEW hydrogel by microwave hydrothermal method, and then develop a desalted SDEW adsorbent by freeze–thaw and solvent exchange treatments. These treatments have the potential to enhance the adsorption performance of DSA. Methylene blue (MB), as an organic toxic dye, was selected as a representative to study the adsorption capacity of DSA. DSA can effectively remove MB from wastewater with an adsorption capacity of 166.67 mg·g-1, and the binding of MB to DSA was mainly due to hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction. Reusability test showed that MB removal efficiency remained above 83.26 % after 10 cycles of adsorption–desorption. This study provides an economical and highly effective solution to reuse and recycle food by-product SDEW.

Genome sequence analysis and characterization of Bacillus altitudinis B12, a polylactic acid- and keratin-degrading bacterium.

Keratin-rich wastes, mainly in the form of feathers, are recalcitrant residues generated in high amounts as by-products in chicken farms and food industry. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the second most common biodegradable polymer found in commercial plastics, which is not easily degraded by microbial activity. This work reports the 3.8-Mb genome of Bacillus altitudinis B12, a highly efficient PLA- and keratin-degrading bacterium, with potential for environmental friendly biotechnological applications in the feed, fertilizer, detergent, leather, and pharmaceutical industries. The whole genome sequence of B. altitudinis B12 revealed that this strain (which had been previously misclassified as Bacillus pumilus B12) is closely related to the B. altitudinis strains ER5, W3, and GR-8. A total of 4056 coding sequences were annotated using the RAST server, of which 2484 are core genes of the pan genome of B. altitudinis and 171 are unique to this strain. According to the sequence analysis, B. pumilus B12 has a predicted secretome of 353 proteins, among which a keratinase and a PLA depolymerase were identified by sequence analysis. The presence of these two enzymes could explain the characterized PLA and keratin biodegradation capability of the strain.

Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research of Food Industry By-Products in the Period 1976–2021

The combined necessity for sustainable production, a decrease in the human impact on the environment, the European Union striving to be climate neutral, and the pressure on the food industry to introduce sustainable technologies and products and reduce emissions into the environment to the minimum has led to perceiving food industry by-products (FIB) as valuable raw materials rather than waste. This has driven a constant increase in scientific research regarding the use of FIB. The aim of this research was to establish focal points and directions of the scientific research regarding FIB. Descriptive bibliography and visualization using software CiteSpace II were used to analyze research published in journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and determine and explain development trends. The results showed a constant growth of the scientific interest for FIB, which intensified since 2015. Research is being conducted worldwide, with Spain (13%) and Italy (11%) as leading countries. The results are published in journals with high impact factors and quartiles, using references published in the same rank.

Antioxidant Properties of Gluten-Free Pasta Enriched with Vegetable By-Products

The only therapy for coeliac disease patients is to completely avoid foods containing gluten, a protein complex common in several small-grain cereals. However, many alternative gluten-free foods available on the market present nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the composition and the antioxidant properties of gluten-free pasta enriched with 10% or 15% of tomato waste or linseed meal, two food industry by-products. The traits analysed were protein, lipid, ash and fibre content, heat damage, tocols, carotenoids and phenolics composition (by HPLC), antioxidant capacity, and pasta fracturability. The enriched pastas contained more fibre and lipids than the control, while the protein and ash values were similar. The addition of tomato and linseed waste improved tocols concentration but had no effect on carotenoids content. The free soluble polyphenols increase was similar for both by-products and proportional to the enrichment percentage, while the bound insoluble polyphenols were higher in linseed-enriched pastas. The samples with linseed meal showed the greatest antioxidant capacity and, at 10% addition, the highest fracturability value. In conclusion, the addition of tomato and linseed by-products significantly increases the presence of bioactive compounds (particularly polyphenols), improving the nutritional value of gluten-free pasta.

Hydrolyzed Fish Collagen Serum from By-Product of Food Industry: Cosmetic Product Formulation and Facial Skin Evaluation

Fish collagen is a good source of protein and essential amino acids. It has a wide range of applications in food manufacturing, pharmaceutics, cosmetics, etc. By-products obtained from fish processing industries are currently used as alternative sources for the production of collagen and gelatin. Hydrolyzed collagen derived from fish skin has properties that are beneficial in cosmetic products. The aim of this study was to: (1) formulate a cosmetic product containing hydrolyzed fish collagen obtained from a by-product of fish processing industries, and other effective ingredients such as vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin B3, (2) evaluate the physicochemical properties and stability of the product, and (3) conduct a facial skin evaluation test wherein volunteers use the product and have their facial skin analyzed. The formulated serum was translucent with low turbidity and had a pH of 7.7, and a viscosity of 1333 cps. The stability of the formulation was good, without any significant change in appearance, pH and viscosity as tested by freeze–thaw cycle testing, and after storage at room temperature for a period of 6 months. Furthermore, the results from the Visia skin analysis instrument revealed that the product was able to enhance facial skin moisture, reduce skin pores and wrinkles, and brighten the skin significantly when regularly used for at least 2 weeks. In conclusion, it was observed that hydrolyzed fish collagen obtained from a by-product of fish processing industries could be a sustainable and suitable material utilized in the production of safe and useful cosmeceutical products.