Paola Taydé Vázquez Villegas

Fungal pathogens represent a major constraint for agricultural productivity, and plant secondary metabolites play an important role in natural defence mechanisms. The present study investigated organ-specific antifungal activity and qualitative phytochemical profiles of methanolic extracts obtained from roots, leaves, and fruits of Parmentiera aculeata against the phytopathogenic fungus Penicillium oxalicum. Plant materials were dried, macerated in methanol, and subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening. Antifungal activity was evaluated through spore germination inhibition assays at different extract concentrations, and data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). Qualitative analyses revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and phenolic compounds in all organs, with variation among tissues. Significant differences in antifungal activity were observed among plant organs and concentrations. Root extracts exhibited the highest inhibition of spore germination (76.95 % at 50 mg mL-¹), followed by fruit extracts (61.55 %) and leaf extracts (23 %). Statistical analysis confirmed a significant effect of extract type and concentration on fungal inhibition (F = 6.008, p < 0.05). These results indicated differential allocation of bioactive secondary metabolites among plant organs and are consistent with organ-specific chemical defence patterns in P. aculeata.

Objective: to compile, through documentary research, the potential of agro-industrial residues in different agriculture sectors, through their use as raw material towards generating other economically viable products. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: documentary research in different primary and secondary sources of current consultation and databases of Mexico’s Government Secretariats (Agriculture– SADER, Economy, and Natural Resources– SEMARNAT), to analyze the importance of agro-industrial waste as a source of raw material in processes that generate value-added products. The analysis of the information focused on highlighting the importance of the current use and transformation of residues and waste generated in various sectors of the agri-food industry. Also, in the identification of the challenges faced by this industry to achieve a circular economy. Emphasis was placed on innovative strategies and research aimed at converting these residues into value-added products. Results: according to the sources consulted, about 35% on average of the raw materials used in food production end up as waste. Many of these residues have bioactive, nutritional or functional properties that make them suitable for alternative applications. In recent years, agro-industrial by-products and residual fluxes have attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their potential for valorization. A synthesis of information on current food products was obtained that give a guideline to generate usable waste and with easily extracted active compounds. Certain components of residues, nowadays wasted, can be reintegrated into the production cycle as raw materials for new processes, thus reducing environmental impact and promoting a circular economy. Limitations/ Implications of the study: only databases with official information were consulted; without discrimination for specific or extensive documentary sources by subsector or product. However, innovation was identified and emphasized in those by-products identified with the greatest potential for transformation. Conclusions: despite the interest in sustainability and minimizing environmental damage, the environmental problem and non-sustainability of the food industry that often affects the country occurs because the industry continues to be aligned with a linear economic model of extraction, production and disposal that generates a considerable amount of waste. Limited infrastructure for waste recovery in new value chains is a barrier to the large-scale implementation of circular economics principles, which is another crucial step in achieving long-term sustainability.

Las lombrices de tierra son organismos que tienen un papel importante en la ecología del suelo ya que establecen rela ciones mutualistas con los microorganismos para degradar la materia orgánica, generando compuestos menos complejos y más disponibles para ser utilizados como fuente de carbono. Esta simbiosis existente entre E. fetida y los microorganismos permite que, al estar presentes compuestos xenobióticos en el suelo, sean removidos, acumulados y/o eliminados. Endosulfán es un plaguicida que ha sido utilizado ampliamente y aunque tiene una vida media corta, genera derivados como endosulfán éter, endosulfán sulfato, endosulán lactona, entre otros. Algunos de ellos se han identificado en suelo agrícola por lo que Eisenia fetida se ve afectada en sus funciones por su presencia. Dichas afectaciones van desde deficiencias de crecimiento, hasta daño fisiológico y metabólico, ocasionando su muerte. En este estudio se evaluó el efecto de los microorganismos del sustrato en el incremento de peso, bioacumulación y eliminación de endosulfán lactona en E. fetida, a diferentes concentraciones (0.001, 0.004 y 0.009 mg kg-1), utilizando sustrato estéril y no estéril. Se observó 84% de incremento de peso de la lombriz con 0.004 mgkg-1 de endosulfán lactona, máxima acumulación (95 %), y eliminación (80 %) del plaguicida, en sustrato no estéril. El análisis estadístico multivariante demostró que la concentración de ácidos grasos presentes en E. fetida fue mayor en el sustrato no estéril, lo que evidencia la relación mutualista que existe entre la lombriz y los microorganismos presentes en el sistema. En este estudio se evaluó el efecto de los microorganismos del sustrato en el incremento de peso, bioacumulación y eliminación de endosulfán lactona en E. fetida, a diferentes concentraciones (0.001, 0.004 y 0.009 mg kg-1), utilizando sustrato estéril y no estéril. Se observó 84% de incremento de peso de la lombriz con 0.004 mgkg-1 de endosulfán lactona, máxima acumulación (95 %), y eliminación (80 %) del plaguicida, en sustrato no estéril. El análisis estadístico multivariante demostró que la concentración de ácidos grasos presentes en E. fetida fue mayor en el sustrato no estéril, lo que evidencia la relación mutualista que existe entre la lombriz y los microorganismos presentes en el sistema.

Currently, residual frying oil has three purposes: it is used again in the preparation of fried foods, mixed with new vegetable oil, which can cause cardiovascular disease in the consumer; it is collected by government institutions, without having an exclusive use; or it is thrown into the drain, causing serious pollution problems to water resources. An alternative is to transform it into biodiesel, through transesterification with methanol, to be used in internal combustion engines, biodiesel-diesel mixtures of 10:90, 15:85 and 20:80 (v/v), according to international regulations in such a way that, in the combustion process, less CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions are generated. Residual frying oil served as raw material, which was collected, mixed and homogenized to evaluate physicochemical properties before transformation. The biodiesel generated had a density of 0.886 g L⁻¹, an acidity of 0.516%, a viscosity of 7.535 mm² s⁻¹, a flash point of 166.8 °C and an oxidative stability of 49 days at 25 °C. Additionally, the content of functional groups characteristic of biodiesel formation was evaluated by Infrared Spectroscopy. The Biodiesel obtained is of good quality for use in internal combustion engines and agricultural machinery, thus validating its continuous production and complying with the standard values of international regulations.

Sustainable agricultural practices increasingly focus on natural bioactive agents for managing phytopathogens. This study investigates the antifungal and phytotoxic properties of methanolic bioextracts derived from Plantago major leaves (MBPm) and Sambucus nigra roots (MBSn) to explore their potential applications. Bioextracts were prepared through methanolic maceration, with yields of 6.02% (P. major) and 6.42% (S. nigra). Antifungal assays evaluated inhibitory effects on Fusarium oxysporum, Corynespora cassiicola, and Penicillium oxalicum, while phytotoxicity assays assessed concentration-dependent impacts on Solanum lycopersicum seed germination. A qualitative evaluation of major polyphenolic compounds was conducted using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Photodiode Array Detector and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS) to identify bioactive compounds known for their significant biological activity. P. major bioextracts demonstrated significant inhibition of F. oxysporum (90.06%) and C. cassiicola (83.19%), while S. nigra bioextracts achieved 89.65% and 92.16% inhibition, respectively. Both bioextracts showed minimal impact on P. oxalicum, with effects observed only at 50 mg/mL. Low concentrations of S. nigra bioextract enhanced seed germination, whereas higher doses inhibited it. Identified bioactive compounds included acteoside, isoacteoside, chlorogenic acid, and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomers. The findings highlight the potential of these bioextracts as biocontrol agents and modulators of seed germination processes, contributing to sustainable agricultural strategies. While this study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, these results provide a strong foundation for future evaluations in field settings to explore their broader agricultural applications.

In the current search for products that are friendly to the environment, the intent is to reduce the use of domestic, food and industrial waste of mineral origin, thereby creating new products that are functional in industrial and agricultural processes. That is why the use of raw chicken skin fat was evaluated for the creation of a biolubricant with possible applications in the operation of heavy machinery, such as agricultural tractors. The acute toxicity of the biolubricant made from transesterified fatty acids obtained from chicken skin fat was determined experimentally, using bioassays with Eisenia fetida as a test organism, by means of the median lethal concentration (LC50) using the probit method (p < 0.05) on the filter paper at 48 h and on an artificial substrate at 14 days, resulting in an LC50 of 878.675 mg mL⁻¹ or 0.0268 mg cm⁻² and 35.2348 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Likewise, the physiological damage was determined by means of histology, and it could be observed that there was no damage on the Eisenia fetida cell tissue. This indicates that the biolubricant is suitable for use in agricultural machinery since, in the event of an accidental spill, it does not cause damage to the soil or the organisms that live in it, as well as to the people who handle this type of product in their daily work.

The agro-food industry plays a crucial role in enhancing living standards; however, inadequate losses and waste management persists as significant challenges within its processes. Particularly, mango and cheese processing generate substantial waste, leading to ecological disruptions, economic losses, and concerns related to food security and public health. To address these issues, this study was aimed at utilizing this waste to produce a high-quality ice cream base, thereby valorizing the discarded materials. This approach not only adds nutritional value but also contributes to food security and sovereignty. The raw materials (cheese whey, oil, and starch) were subjected to physicochemical characterization, leading to the development of three different ice cream base formulations. Subsequently, the ice cream bases were evaluated for their physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties. The findings of this study revealed that mango seed kernel and cheese whey waste contain valuable components that enable the creation of an ice cream base with excellent physicochemical, functional, and sensory properties. Moreover, this research showcases a promising solution for effectively valorizing food waste and generating value-added products such as ice cream, thus promoting sustainability and resource optimization within the agro-food industry.

Endosulfan lactone is a metabolite obtained from the biological oxidation of the insecticide endosulfan by action of the microorganisms present in the soil. This metabolite is more toxic and persistent than the parent compound. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to determine the presence of this metabolite in the soil. However, accessible methods for extraction of endosulfan lactone in soil were not found in published literature. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate two conventional methods of liquid–solid extraction for the determination of endosulfan lactone in solid substrate using two solvents (ethyl acetate and acetonitrile) and HPLC UV-VIS. The acetonitrile and rotary agitation extraction method was the one with the highest efficiency (97%), optimized using a factorial 3² response surface design, and validated in terms of linearity and precision. The linearity shown was r > 0.999 in a wide spike level (0.15–100 mg kg⁻¹), with the detection limit (DL) of 0.045 mg kg⁻¹ and quantification limit (QL) of 0.15 mg kg⁻¹. The extraction of endosulfan lactone in solid substrate using acetonitrile was more efficient than that used with ethyl acetate, so this method could be used to extract and quantify endosulfan lactone in agricultural soil.