Wort Extract Research Articles

Highly Compressible, Superabsorbent, and Biocompatible Hybrid Cryogel Constructs Comprising Functionalized Chitosan and St. John's Wort Extract.

Biobased porous hydrogels enriched with phytocompounds-rich herbal extracts have aroused great interest in recent years, especially in healthcare. In this study, new macroporous hybrid cryogel constructs comprising thiourea-containing chitosan (CSTU) derivative and a Hypericum perforatum L. extract (HYPE), commonly known as St John's wort, were prepared by a facile one-pot ice-templating strategy. Benefiting from the strong interactions between the functional groups of the CSTU matrix and those of polyphenols in HYPE, the hybrid cryogels possess excellent liquid absorption capacity, mechanical resilience, antioxidant performance, and a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity simultaneously. Thus, owing to their design, the hybrid constructs exhibit an interconnected porous architecture with the ability to absorb over 33 and 136 times their dry weight, respectively, when contacted with a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) and an acidic aqueous solution (pH 2). These cryogel constructs have extremely high compressive strengths ranging from 839 to 1045 kPa and withstand elevated strains of over 70% without developing fractures. Moreover, the water-swollen hybrid cryogels with the highest HYPE content revealed a complete and instant shape recovery after uniaxial compression. The incorporation of HYPE into CSTU cryogels enabled substantial improvement in scavenging reactive oxygen species and an expanded antibacterial spectrum toward multiple pathogens, including Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and fungi (Candida albicans). Cell viability experiments demonstrated the cytocompatibility of the 3D cryogel constructs, which did not induce changes in the fibroblast morphology. This work showcases a simple and effective strategy to immobilize HYPE extracts on CSTU 3D networks, allowing the development of novel multifunctional platforms with promising potential in hemostasis, wound dressing, and dermal regeneration scaffolds.

St. John's wort extract with a high hyperforin content does not induce P-glycoprotein activity at the human blood-brain barrier.

St. John's wort (SJW) extract, a herbal medicine with antidepressant effects, is a potent inducer of intestinal and/or hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which can cause clinically relevant drug interactions. It is currently not known whether SJW can also induce P-gp activity at the human blood-brain barrier (BBB), which may potentially lead to decreased brain exposure and efficacy of certain central nervous system (CNS)-targeted P-gp substrate drugs. In this study, we used a combination of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and cocktail phenotyping to gain a comprehensive picture on the effect of SJW on central and peripheral P-gp and CYP activities. Before and after treatment of healthy volunteers (n = 10) with SJW extract with a high hyperforin content (3-6%) for 12-19 days (1800 mg/day), the activity of P-gp at the BBB was assessed by means of PET imaging with the P-gp substrate [11C]metoclopramide and the activity of peripheral P-gp and CYPs was assessed by administering a low-dose phenotyping cocktail (caffeine, omeprazole, dextromethorphan, and midazolam or fexofenadine). SJW significantly increased peripheral P-gp, CYP3A, and CYP2C19 activity. Conversely, no significant changes in the peripheral metabolism, brain distribution, and P-gp-mediated efflux of [11C]metoclopramide across the BBB were observed following the treatment with SJW extract. Our data suggest that SJW does not lead to significant P-gp induction at the human BBB despite its ability to induce peripheral P-gp and CYPs. Simultaneous intake of SJW with CNS-targeted P-gp substrate drugs is not expected to lead to P-gp-mediated drug interactions at the BBB.

St. John's wort extract Ze 117 alters the membrane fluidity of C6 glioma cells by influencing cellular cholesterol metabolism

Chronic stress is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). Increased glucocorticoid levels caused by uncontrolled release through the hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal (HPA) axis can cause changes in the lipid content of the cellular plasma membrane. These changes are suspected to be involved in the development of depressive disorders. St. John's wort extract (SJW) Ze 117 has long been used as an alternative to synthetic antidepressants. Part of its effect may be due to an effect on the cellular lipid composition and thus on the properties of plasma membranes and receptor systems embedded therein. In this study, we investigated the effect of Ze 117 on that of dexamethasone and simvastatin. Dexamethasone increases the fluidity of C6 cell plasma membranes. This effect is counteracted by administration of Ze 117. Here we demonstrate that this is not due to a change in C16:1/16:0 and C18:1/18:0 ratios in C6 cell fatty acids. On the other hand, Ze 117 increased the cellular cholesterol content by 42.5%, whereas dexamethasone reduced cholesterol levels similarly to simvastatin. Lowering cholesterol levels by dexamethasone or simvastatin resulted in decreased β-arrestin 2 recruitment to the 5-HT1a receptor. This effect was counterbalanced by Ze 117, whereas the SJW extract had little effect on β-arrestin 2 recruitment in non-stressed cells. Taken together, in C6 cells, Ze 117 induces changes in membrane fluidity through its effect on cellular cholesterol metabolism rather than by affecting fatty acid saturation. This effect is reflected in an altered signal transduction of the 5-HT1a receptor under Ze 117 administration. The current in vitro results support the hypothesis that Ze 117 addresses relevant parts of the cellular lipid metabolism, possibly explaining some of the antidepressant actions of Ze 117.

Modeling and Optimization of Triticale Wort Production Using an Artificial Neural Network and a Genetic Algorithm.

Triticale grain, a wheat-rye hybrid, has been reported to comply very well with the requirements for modern brewing adjuncts. In this study, two triticale varieties, in both unmalted and malted forms, were investigated at various ratios in the grist, applying different mashing regimes and concentrations of the commercial enzyme Shearzyme® 500 L with the aim of evaluating their impact on wort production. In order to capture the complex relationships between the input (triticale ratio, enzyme ratio, mashing regime, and triticale variety) and output variables (wort extract content, wort viscosity, and free amino nitrogen (FAN) content in wort), the study aimed to implement the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to model the mashing process. Also, a genetic algorithm (GA) was integrated to minimize a specified multi-objective function, optimizing the mashing process represented by the ANN model. Among the solutions on the Pareto front, one notable set of solutions was found with objective function values of 0.0949, 0.0131, and 1.6812 for the three conflicting objectives, respectively. These values represent a trade-off that optimally balances the different aspects of the optimization problem. The optimized input variables had values of 23%, 9%, 1, and 3 for the respective input variables of triticale ratio, enzyme ratio, mashing regime, and triticale variety. The results derived from the ANN model, applying the GA-optimized input values, were 8.65% w/w for wort extract content, 1.52 mPa·s for wort viscosity, and 148.32 mg/L for FAN content in wort. Comparatively, the results conducted from the real laboratory mashing were 8.63% w/w for wort extract content, 1.51 mPa·s for wort viscosity, and 148.88 mg/L for FAN content in wort applying same input values. The presented data from the optimization process using the GA and the subsequent experimental verification on the real mashing process have demonstrated the practical applicability of the proposed approach which confirms the potential to enhance the quality and efficiency of triticale wort production.

Mechanisms of hepatocellular toxicity associated with the components of St. John’s Wort extract hypericin and hyperforin in HepG2 and HepaRG cells

St. John’s Wort preparations are used for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. They are usually well tolerated but can cause adverse reactions including liver toxicity in rare cases. To date, the mechanism(s) underlying the hepatotoxicity of St. John’s Wort extracts are poorly investigated. We studied the hepatocellular toxicity of hypericin and hyperforin as the two main ingredients of St. John’s Wort extracts in HepG2 and HepaRG cells and compared the effects to citalopram (a synthetic serotonin uptake inhibitor) with a special focus on mitochondrial toxicity and oxidative stress. In HepG2 cells, hypericin was membrane-toxic at 100 µM and depleted ATP at 20 µM. In HepaRG cells, ATP depletion started at 5 µM. In comparison, hyperforin and citalopram were not toxic up to 100 µM. In HepG2 cells, hypericin decreased maximal respiration starting at 2 µM and mitochondrial ATP formation starting at 10 µM but did not affect glycolytic ATP production. Hypericin inhibited the activity of complex I, II and IV of the electron transfer system and caused mitochondrial superoxide accumulation in cells. The protein expression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and thioredoxin 2 (TRX2) and total and reduced glutathione decreased in cells exposed to hypericin. Finally, hypericin diminished the mitochondrial DNA copy number and caused cell necrosis but not apoptosis. In conclusion, hypericin, but not hyperforin or citalopram, is a mitochondrial toxicant at low micromolar concentrations. This mechanism may contribute to the hepatotoxicity occasionally observed in susceptible patients treated with St. John’s Wort preparations.

Antibacterial activity of Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s wort) extracts against Gram-positive bacteria and characterisation of its secondary metabolites

This study aimed to determine the secondary metabolite profiles and antibacterial activity of H. perforatum L extracts against Gram-positive clinical isolates. The plant materials (Sample A and Sample B) were macerated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol (MeOH). The antibacterial activitiy of plant extracts and routinely used antibiotics were tested against Gram-positive bacteria. The secondary metabolite profiles of Sample A were determined by LC-Q-TOF-MS. The MIC values for n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Sample A were lower than the susceptibility breakpoints of most broad-spectrum antibiotics (e.g. vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid) in a certain proportion of Gram-positive bacteria. The n-hexane extract of Sample A showed good antibacterial activity with MICs lower than the susceptibility breakpoint of teicoplanin in 58% of coagulase-negative staphylococci. The n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Sample A had rich phloroglucinol constituents. The n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of Sample A could be alternative antibacterial agents against Gram-positive bacteria.

«Decreased everolimus blood concentration associated with consumption of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extract sweets»

«Decreased everolimus blood concentration associated with consumption of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extract sweets»

Modeling and Optimization of Processes for Craft Beer Production: Malt Mixture Modeling and Mashing Optimization for Lager Beer Production

Beer ranks third in terms of consumption worldwide, and its technology is constantly being improved and perfected. The boom in craft brewing has led to the production of thousands of new types of beer, but most often without scientific justification of the technological decisions made. This paper discusses the approaches to the modeling of the composition of the malt mixture and the mode of lager beer production. A special cubic simplex-lattice design with two replications was used to model the mixture with three malt types: Pilsner, Caramel Pils and Caramel Munich type 2. Models for the main brewing characteristics, i.e., wort extract and color, as well as models for the biological parameters of the mash, i.e., phenolic compound content and antioxidant potential, were developed using different methods. Multi-objective optimization was carried out and a specific mixture was developed for the production of lager beer. The influence of acidulated malt, lactic acid and CaCl2 additions on the extract yield and malt mash filtration time were established through one-factor experiments. The extract and fermentable sugar yield during individual pauses in the mashing mode was studied with a view to its optimization.

St. John's wort formulations induce rat CYP3A23-3A1 independent of their hyperforin content.

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a ligand activated regulator of cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A enzymes. Among the ligands of human PXR is hyperforin, a constituent of St John's wort (SJW) extracts and potent inducer of human CYP3A4. It was the aim of this study to compare the effect of hyperforin and SJW formulations controlled for its content on CYP3A23-3A1 in rats. Hyperiplant® was used as it contains a high hyperforin content and Rebalance® because it is controlled for a low hyperforin content. In silico analysis revealed a weak hyperforin-rPXR binding affinity, which was further supported in cell-based reporter gene assays showing no hyperforin-mediated reporter activation in presence of rPXR. However, cellular exposure to Hyperiplant® and Rebalance® transactivated the CYP3A-reporter 3.8 fold and 2.8 fold, respectively, and they induced Cyp3a23-3a1 mRNA expression in rat hepatoma cells compared to control 48-fold and 18-fold, respectively. In Wistar rats treated for 10 days with 400 mg/kg of Hyperiplant® we observed 1.8-times the Cyp3a23-3a1 mRNA expression, a 2.6-fold higher CYP3A23-3A1 protein amount and a 1.6-fold increase in activity compared to control. For Rebalance® we only observed a 1.8-fold hepatic increase of CYP3A23-3A1 protein compared to control animals. Even though there are differing effects on rCyp3a23-3a1/CYP3A23-3A1 in rat liver reflecting the hyperforin content of the SJW extracts, the modulation is most likely not linked to an interaction of hyperforin with rPXR. Significance Statement Treatment with St John's wort (SJW) has been reported to affect CYP3A expression and activity in rats. Our comparative study further supports this finding but shows that the PXR-ligand hyperforin is not the driving force for changes in rat CYP3A23-3A1 expression and function in vivo and in vitro Importantly, CYP3A induction mimics findings in humans but our results suggest that another so far unknown constituent of SJW is responsible for the expression and function modifying effects in rat liver.

Bigel formulations of St. John’s wort extract in wound healing: toxicological aspects

This study aimed to investigate the toxicological profile of hyperforin (HP) in silico and to assess it in vivo after topical application of an HP-rich St. John’s wort (SJW) extract. The former analysis predicted low toxicity because of HP’s inability to bind DNA or proteins, but structural alerts for skin irritation/corrosion, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity were found. Animal studies involved the treatment of excision wounds in Wistar rats with poloxamer 407/borage oil formulations (bigels; Bs) containing HP-rich SJW extract previously developed by us. The effects of semisolids comprising ‘free’ extract (B/SJW) or extract loaded in nanostructured lipid carriers (B/NLC-SJW) were compared to positive (commercial herbal product) and negative (untreated) controls after 2-, 7-, 14-, and 21-day applications. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and ABTS assays evaluated the degree of oxidative stress—treatment with bigels did not affect MDA favorably but led to an increased radical-cation scavenging capacity (compared to controls). Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme levels were measured as indicators for liver/tissue damage. Treatment with both B/SJW and B/NLC-SJW for 21 days resulted in lower GGT and ASAT levels than those in controls. Two-day application of the biphasic semisolids contributed to normalized ALAT levels (lower than in both negative and positive controls), and the same trends were observed in LDH levels after a 7-day treatment. The promising results obtained after the B/NLC-SJW application suggest that this drug delivery system may not only preserve HP in SJW extract effectively but also ‘expose’ its cyto-/hepatoprotective potential.

Modification of the Malting Process of Barley Grains of Different Varieties by Vacuum Impregnation and Its Effect on Selected Wort Parameters

This study used the process of vacuum impregnation of seeds at the soaking stage. The barley varieties used were Kangoo and Xanadu. The raw material was used for the production of light malt. The effect of vacuum impregnation on the rate of water uptake by the seeds at different temperature conditions, i.e., 12, 14 and 16 °C, was also analyzed. Grain destined for malt was soaked in a water–air system. The germination (malting) stage lasted 8 days at temperatures of 12, 14 and 16 °C. Each sample was then dried using the traditional convection method. After a 3-month resting period, congress wort was produced from the malt. The wort parameters studied were the viscosity index and the wort extract content. The malt extract difference was also defined. Based on the results, it was concluded that the vacuum impregnation process significantly increases the absorption of water by the grain and thus shortens the soaking and germination stage of the seeds. Grain variety has a strong influence on extract content and wort viscosity. Malting temperature only affects the viscosity index. The most important correlations of the parameters studied were noted for the number of days the grains were malted.

LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of secondary metabolites of different St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extracts used as food supplements and evaluation of developmental toxicity on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae

LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of secondary metabolites of different St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extracts used as food supplements and evaluation of developmental toxicity on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae

Phytochemicals, α-glucosidase and α-amylase Inhibitory Efficiency of Brittle Wort (Chara corallina) Extract

This research is the first to evaluate brittle wort (Chara corallina) extract for phytochemical content and inhibitory effects against a-glucosidase and a-amylase activities. An ethanolic extract of C. corallina had the strongest enzyme inhibitory effect. The inhibition efficiencies of all extracts against a-amylase were more potent than those against a-glucosidase, with IC50 values of 8.43±0.18 mg/mL against a-glucosidase and 1.78±0.07 against a-amylase. Inhibition efficiency was related to total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ATBS radical scavenging activity and metal-chelation activity of the extracts. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract demonstrated the presence of the triterpenoid β-sitosterol. These findings provide useful supporting data for further applications of C. corallina extract.

Green production of plant/collagen-based antibacterial polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite films

The climate crisis, environmental pollution and waste generation have increased the demands for the green production of eco-friendly and bio-based nanocomposites. Modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite films were produced using hemp seeds, St. John's Wort, Rosemary and Cherry Laurel plant extracts, collagen and nano silver (AgNPs) and their microstructure, mechanical properties, swelling behavior and antibacterial properties were investigated. Morphological investigations revealed that the PVA matrix was enhanced with green synthesized silver nanoparticles of equiaxed and circular shape in the 30–37 nm size range. It was determined that the produced nature-based nanocomposites hardness are 2.3 times higher than neat un-modified samples, and their swelling in aqueous media was 3.5 times more resistant. Increasing the thermal resistance of green nanocomposite films and creating stronger chemical bonds were achieved by modification of the combined combinations of collagen, plant extracts and nano silver to PVA. In addition, the combination and compositions used in the study made an environmentally friendly nanocomposite films with 10 times stronger antibacterial effects.

NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIERS AS A PROMISING DERMAL DELIVERY PLATFORM FOR ST. JOHN'S WORT EXTRACT: PRELIMINARY STUDIES

urpose: Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) can improve the stability of various phytochemicals, so this research aimed to develop and employ such delivery systems for Hypericum perforatum extract containing the light- and oxygen-sensitive phloroglucinol hyperforin. Materials and methods: By varying the processing parameters and the solid and liquid lipids used, different NLC models were obtained via emulsification, followed by high-shear homogenization and ultrasonication. After characterization of the elaborated nanocarriers, those that exhibited optimal properties were loaded with St. John's wort extract by incorporating it in the lipid phase before emulsification and also studied. Results: The NLC models developed by prolonged ultrasonication demonstrated favorable characteristics regarding particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP). The physically stable during long-term storage nanosystems, which also showed a reduced degree of crystallinity of the solid lipid included, were loaded with St. John's wort extract. Of the carriers so-obtained, those developed by ultrasonication at ambient temperatures can be described as acceptably uniform systems (PDI from 0.23±0.01 to 0.27±0.01), comprising particles with dimensions below 200 nm, favorable ZP values (ζ > |30 mV|), and superior entrapment efficacy (EE) greater than 85%. Conclusion: In this research, different stable NLC dispersions were successfully developed. After the inclusion of the St. John's wort extract, the model possessing the highest EE (87.77±0.64%) was chosen as a carrier to conduct further studies evaluating its wound-healing potential.

Efficacy and Safety of Co-Administered St. John's Wort and Ginkgo biloba Extracts in Patients with Subjective Tinnitus: A Preliminary Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

It is widely accepted that extracts of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) improve depressive symptoms, and tinnitus patients commonly presented with either mild depression or anxiety. We investigated whether co-administration of St. John's wort and Ginkgo biloba extracts can suppress tinnitus. Participants with subjective tinnitus aged 30-70 years were randomly assigned to the experimental (co-administration of St. John's wort and Ginkgo biloba extract; n = 20) or control (Ginkgo biloba extract only; n = 26) group for 12 weeks. Participants were blinded to the group assignments. After 12 weeks of treatment, no significant change in the minimum masking level on the tinnitogram was observed in either group. In the co-administration group, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score decreased from 34.7 (SD, 15.9) to 29.6 (16.0) (p = 0.102). However, the control group showed a significant decrease in THI score, from 30.5 (16.7) to 25.6 (17.1) (p = 0.046). Regarding the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), only the "Social Functioning" domain score changed significantly after extract co-administration, from 74.5 (21.5) to 83.9 (20.5) (p = 0.047). Co-administration of St. John's wort and Ginkgo biloba extracts did not improve the symptoms of subjective tinnitus compared to administration of Ginkgo biloba extract alone.

Bigel Formulations of Nanoencapsulated St. John's Wort Extract-An Approach for Enhanced Wound Healing.

This study aimed to develop a semisolid vehicle for topical delivery of nanoencapsulated St. John's wort (SJW) extract, rich in hyperforin (HP), and explore its wound-healing potential. Four nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were obtained: blank and HP-rich SJW extract-loaded (HP-NLC). They comprised glyceryl behenate (GB) as a solid lipid, almond oil (AO), or borage oil (BO) representing the liquid lipid, along with polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (PSMO) and sorbitan monooleate (SMO) as surfactants. The dispersions demonstrated anisometric nanoscale particles with acceptable size distribution and disrupted crystalline structure, providing entrapment capacity higher than 70%. The carrier exhibiting preferable characteristics (HP-NLC2) was gelled with Poloxamer 407 (PM407) to serve as the hydrophilic phase of a bigel, to which the combination of BO and sorbitan monostearate (SMS) organogel was added. The eight prepared bigels with different proportions (blank and nanodispersion-loaded) were characterized rheologically and texturally to investigate the impact of the hydrogel-to-oleogel ratio. The therapeutic potential of the superior formulation (HP-NLC-BG2) was evaluated in vivo on Wistar male rats through the tensile strength test on a primary-closed incised wound. Compared with a commercial herbal semisolid and a control group, the highest tear resistance (7.764 ± 0.13 N) was achieved by HP-NLC-BG2, proving its outstanding wound-healing effect.

Impact of St. John’s wort extract Ze 117 on stress induced changes in the lipidome of PBMC

BackgroundMembrane lipids have an important function in the brain as they not only provide a physical barrier segregating the inner and outer cellular environments, but are also involved in cell signaling. It has been shown that the lipid composition effects membrane fluidity which affects lateral mobility and activity of membrane-bound receptors.MethodsSince changes in cellular membrane properties are considered to play an important role in the development of depression, the effect of St. John’s wort extract Ze 117 on plasma membrane fluidity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated using fluorescence anisotropy measurements. Changes in fatty acid residues in phospholipids after treatment of cortisol-stressed [1 μM] PBMCs with Ze 117 [10–50 µg/ml] were analyzed by mass spectrometry.ResultsCortisol increased membrane fluidity significantly by 3%, co-treatment with Ze 117 [50 µg/ml] counteracted this by 4.6%. The increased membrane rigidity by Ze 117 in cortisol-stressed [1 μM] PBMC can be explained by a reduced average number of double bonds and shortened chain length of fatty acid residues in phospholipids, as shown by lipidomics experiments.ConclusionThe increase in membrane rigidity after Ze 117 treatment and therefore the ability to normalize membrane structure points to a new mechanism of antidepressant action of the extract.

Extrusion modification of cassava flour for improved mashing efficiency

The application of cassava as an adjunct in the mashing process of beer brewing is hindered due to its crystalline structure and intact granules. The present study investigated the effect of extrusion treatment on modifying the physicochemical properties of cassava flour, thereby improving mashing efficiency. Granule morphology, amylose content, water absorption/solubility index, and ordered structure were determined. Treatment of extrusion led to the degradation and gelatinization of cassava starch, thus facilitating the enzyme accessibility during mashing. The wort extract yield (WEY), reducing sugar (RS), free amino nitrogen and filtration rate were 82.5%, 84.1 g/L, 198.6 mg/L and 5.9 mL/min at optimal extrusion temperature of 100 °C. The correlation analysis between physicochemical properties and the mashing efficiency indicated that WEY and RS were negatively correlated to the ordered structure of cassava extrudates. The extruded cassava, as an adjunct, is a promising material for improving the mashing efficiency and cassava utilization.

Extending High Fatty Foods Shelf-Life Protecting from Lipid Oxidation and Microbiological Contamination: An Approach Using Active Packaging with Pomegranate Extract

The search for new forms to extend foodstuffs’ shelf-life through the use of natural compounds and extracts continues to grow among researchers and the industry. In this line of thought, the main objective of this work was to develop, characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of an active food packaging based on polylactic acid (PLA) and incorporated with natural extracts obtained from grape and/or pomegranate by-products. In vitro, antioxidant methods were applied to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of three extracts: wort extract, freeze-dried pomegranate peels extract (PPE-FD), and natural pomegranate peels (PPE-N). Punicalagin (A + B) and ellagic acid were determined in PPE-FD, PPE-N, and active films by UHPLC-DAD. New PLA-based active packaging with PPE-FD (PLA/3PPE) and pomegranate peels (PLA/3PP) were developed, and their chemical, mechanical, and barrier properties were evaluated. Moreover, the effectiveness of the new film was carried out through the study of lipid oxidation state and microbial contamination of two high-fat content foodstuffs, almonds and beef meat. PPE-FD presented high antioxidant capacity and high content in total phenolics and flavonoid compounds. The PLA/3PPE and PLA/3PP prevented the lipid oxidation of meat and presented antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The addition of the PPE-FD and the pomegranate peels to the PLA did not affect the morphology of the polymer. Although both PPE-FD and pomegranate peels presented punicalagin (A + B) and ellagic acid, only ellagic acid was identified and quantified in the active PLA. Active PLA films were not effective in delaying the lipid oxidation of almonds, but they showed to be significantly effective in delaying the lipid oxidation of beef meat and reducing the microbial growth in this food matrix over time.