Larissa Lorrane Rodrigues Borges

This study evaluated the impact of red LED light exposure time on the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in yellow, orange and red nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) flowers. LED light treatments were applied during the growth phase with exposure times of 0, 2, 4 and 6 h. The analysis included antioxidant capacity, total carotenoids, total phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids and lutein (by HPLC). Yellow petals showed a significant increase in antioxidant capacity, reaching 39.66 μmol Trolox·g ⁻¹ by ABTS after 3.23 h, a 68.91% increase compared to the control. Additionally, total carotenoids—reflecting the presence of lutein—peaked at 79.34 mg⋅g ⁻¹ after 4.73 h more than double the content found in the untreated petals. In orange petals, total phenolics peaked at 128.13 mg AGE·100 g ⁻¹ after 2.71 h, reflecting a 14% increase over untreated samples. Red petals exhibited the highest anthocyanin content, increasing from 1389.92 ± 8.86 mg 100 g ⁻¹ (control) to 1973.10 mg 100g ⁻¹ after 4.17 h, a 41.95% increase. These results highlight the potential of red LED light to enhance phytochemical production in nasturtium flowers, offering an innovative strategy to improve their nutritional and functional properties for food and nutraceutical applications.

Anthocyanin metabolism and SCFA production varied substantially among individuals, with limited differentiation by BMI. Exploratory associations with bacterial taxa suggested complex interactions between gut microbiota and anthocyanin metabolism.

This study focused on improving the extraction of anthocyanins from medicinal plants using green solvents, which is important for the food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries. The goal was to optimize the time (15–50 min), temperature (40–80 °C), and petal/solvent ratio (2.5/7%) for the ultrasound-assisted extraction of anthocyanins from Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea), using a natural deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride/glycerol, ChCl:Gly). The extraction was compared with a simple water extraction. To assess stability, we analyzed the anthocyanin content, antioxidant capacity, and color changes over 21 days. The optimal results were achieved using a temperature of 80 °C for 50 min and a 7% petal/solvent ratio. The CHCl:Gly solvent resulted in higher anthocyanin levels (374.65 mg DGE/L) compared to water (211.63 mg DGE/L). After storing the CHCl:Gly extract at 5 °C, only 16% of anthocyanins were lost, while the water extract lost 38%. The CHCl:Gly extract also showed better antioxidant capacity (156.43 µmol/mL). Color changes were less noticeable in the CHCl:Gly extract, especially when refrigerated. These findings demonstrate the method’s effectiveness for producing bioactive extracts, with potential for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Cocoa beans contain a variety of nutritional compounds and are rich in biologically active substances. The aim of this study was to utilize cocoa nibs (roasted and unroasted) as the main ingredient in the development of an attractive and convenient product. The produced nibs were analyzed for total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. The primary phenolic compounds and methylxanthines were analyzed by LC/MS. Subsequently, cereal bars were developed, including a control sample (without nibs) and five formulations containing 41% nibs, using various proportions of roasted and unroasted nibs. The influence of the origin of the beans on the product characteristics was also evaluated. The results showed that the roasting process led to a reduction in epicatechin, caffeine, and caffeic acid. Furthermore, the reduction in total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity after roasting was more pronounced in beans from Bahia compared to those from Espírito Santo. Regarding the cereal bars, the results demonstrated that using cocoa from Bahia, the formulation with a higher proportion of unroasted nibs (F80) significantly increased the total phenolic content (1968.85 mg of gallic acid/100 g) and total flavonoids (39.26 mg of quercetin/100 g). This initial study suggests that the use of cocoa nibs as a functional ingredient in cereal bars may be a viable and advantageous option for creating a product with greater antioxidant potential.

The antimicrobial activity of Caryocar brasiliense and Annona crassiflora leaves extracts was evaluated against Escherichia coli strains through a sensitivity test by the agar diffusion method and by the evaluation of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) by the microdilution technique followed by plating. The sanitizing efficiency of these extracts in reducing E. coli cells biotransferred from L. sativa leaves to polypropylene surfaces was evaluated after an exposure time of 5 minutes. All strains were sensitive to antibacterials and the formation of an inhibition halo was observed for the extracts against all strains tested. The C. brasiliense extract showed better antimicrobial action against E. coli strains, with a MIC of 1.09 mg/mL, while the MIC of A. crassiflora extract was 5.58 mg/mL. No MBC was found for plant extracts. The strains were not able to form biofilms under the conditions studied, however, there was biotransfer and adhesion of E. coli to polypropylene. The highest counts of E. coli cells biotransferred and, consequently, adhere to the polypropylene coupons were observed when 5 log CFU/mL was inoculated, with a mean count of 4.53 ± 0.66 log CFU/cm2. It was verified that the treatment with the extract solutions in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) totally reduced the number of E. coli cells adhered to the polypropylene coupons. The results obtained indicate that the use of extracts from both species as antibacterials is promising.