Ana M. Benítez González

The valorization of mango pulp and processing by-products as functional ingredients requires preserving bioactive compounds while ensuring their bioaccessibility after food processing and digestion. Five mango flours derived from pulp (freeze-drying, conventional drying and foam mat drying), peel and kernels were characterized and incorporated into cupcakes at a 35% wheat flour substitution level. The flours and cupcakes were evaluated for color, phenolic compounds and isoprenoids. Additionally, the bioaccessibility of these compounds was evaluated using the standardized INFOGEST in vitro digestion model. The pulp flours showed higher carotenoid content, whereas the kernel and peel flours were richer in galloyl derivatives and flavonols. After digestion, phenolic acids and mangiferin exhibited the highest bioaccessibility, while carotenoid and tocopherol bioaccessibility was strongly influenced by the drying process, with foam mat drying showing the highest values for lipophilic compounds. Overall, the results demonstrate that the nutritional functionality of mango-derived flours depends not only on their initial bioactive composition but also on the combined effects of mango part, drying process and food matrix on compound bioaccessibility. These findings support the use of mango-derived flours as sustainable functional ingredients for bakery applications.

A rapid and robust analytical method was validated for the simultaneous extraction and quantification of carotenoids and other lipophilic antioxidants (tocopherols, tocotrienols, retinol and coenzyme Q10) in human and animal tissues using a tandem RRLC-DAD-FLD system. Thirty-eight compounds were identified, with limits of quantification as low as 0.001 µg for astaxanthin, retinol, and coenzyme Q10. Most analytes exhibited high recoveries (85–94%) and good precision (coefficient of variation < 10%), except for Co-Q10, which showed moderate variability. The method was applied to seven human tissue types and their corresponding animal tissues, demonstrating high versatility and analytical reliability. Several isomers of colourless carotenoids were identified in human tissues for the first time, reinforcing their emerging relevance in photoprotection and health. This method provides a valuable analytical tool for investigating the tissue distribution, bioavailability, functionality and nutritional significance of lipophilic antioxidants, thereby supporting future research on antioxidant status and health-related actions.

Carotenoids are bioactive compounds with relevant health-promoting properties. Thus, a carotenoid-rich diet is essential for improving human health. Beneficial soil microorganisms are used in agriculture as biostimulants to promote plant growth and development and increase their tolerance/resistance to stress. However, their effects on fruit quality have been less studied. In the present study, we assess the impact of early inoculation of tomato seedlings with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Rhizophagus irregularis on carotenoid content in fruits under real agronomic production settings. We show that early inoculation of seedlings with AM fungi provides long-lasting benefits that impact fruit quality, increasing the content of the carotenoids lycopene and β-carotene. We also show that this increase is related to transcriptional upregulation of key genes of their biosynthesis pathway. Our results show that AM fungi, commonly used as biostimulants in agriculture, can also be used as a sustainable strategy for carotenoid biofortification in tomato production systems, contributing to the production of healthy "functional products".

Carotenoid, chlorophyll and tocochromanol biosynthesis and accumulation are interrelated and age-dependent in plants. Model plants produce tocopherols, but do not produce significant amounts of tocotrienols; consequently, the regulation of tocotrienol biosynthesis in plants has been scarcely studied. The Hypericum genus produces a variety of prenyllipids naturally in all parts of the plant, allowing for a glimpse into the relationship between them without genetic or other interference. Consequently, five Hypericum species’ leaves of different ages were investigated—H. androsaemum, H. pseudohenryi, H. hookerianum, H. patulum and one hybrid H. × inodorum (H. androsaemum × H. hircinum). The leaves contained predominantly α-tocopherol, γ-tocotrienol and δ-tocotrienol (30.9–212.8, 8.13–22.43 and 1.87–20.8 mg 100 g⁻¹, respectively). Higher quantities of tocochromanols, a lower chlorophyll content and a higher a/b ratio were observed in the bottom (older) leaves. The predominant carotenoids were lutein (semi-quantitative) and β-carotene (7.60–28.63 and 2.33–12.43 mg 100 g⁻¹, respectively). Carotenoid contents were lower in bottom leaves than in middle or top leaves, and the highest carotenoid content was observed in H. hookerianum and H. patulum. Leaf tocopherol, tocotrienol, chlorophyll and carotenoid accumulation were section and leaf age-dependent, and distinct relationships can be observed between the accumulation of some prenyl lipids, but not others.

The bioaccessibility (fraction of compounds released from the food matrix and available for absorption) and carotenoid content of carrot chromoplasts obtained through high-speed centrifugation using sucrose gradients were assessed. Three chromoplast bands were isolated, corresponding to sucrose gradients between 15 and 30%, 30 and 40%, and 40 and 50%. Total carotenoid levels increased ~2.8-fold when comparing the fractions of the bands of the lowest and highest sucrose gradients. The carotenoid profiles of the bands were similar. Phytoene and phytofluene accounted for approximately 3 and 4%, respectively, while ζ-carotene made up about 3%. Provitamin A carotenoids comprised about 85% of the total carotenoids in the respective fractions. Lutein content varied among fractions, with 1.61% in the 15/30% band and 0.77% in the 40/50% sucrose band. Similar micellar carotenoid profiles were also observed across fractions. α-carotene and β-carotene accounted for 8% and 0.2% of the total carotenoid content, respectively, while ζ-carotene constituted 19%. Lutein content in micelles ranged from 0.5% in the highest sucrose content fractions to 3.2% in the lowest. Phytoene and phytofluene were the predominant carotenoids in micelles. They accounted for 41.7% and 28.4%, respectively, together representing 70% of all carotenoids, with no differences among fractions. Colourless carotenoids were more readily incorporated into micelles, followed by ζ-carotene, lutein, and provitamin A carotenoids.

The effect of different cooking methods (boiling, baking, steaming and microwaving) on the colour and texture of carrots, and on carotenoid bioaccessibility, was investigated to identify the more “sustainable cooking” methods.