Energy consumption and energy efficiency in olive oil mills: case studies in Portugal and Spain in the frame of TESLA project

TESLA project (Transfering Energy Save Laid on Agroindustry) financed by the European Commission, had the main goals of evaluating the energy consumption and to identify the best available practices to improve energy efficiency in key agro-food sectors, such as the olive oil mills. A general analysis of energy consumptions allowed identifying the partition between electrical and thermal energy (approximately 50%) and the production processes responsible for the higher energy consumptions, as being the in the mill and paste preparation and the phases separation. Some measures for reducing energy waste and for improving energy efficiency were identified and the impact was evaluated by using the TESLA tool developed by Circe and available at the TESLA website.

Pharmacological and Toxicological Studies of Essential Oil of Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the chemical and pharmacological properties of essential oil (EO) of Lavandula stoechas L. subsp. luisieri that is a spontaneous shrub widespread in Alentejo (Portugal). Oxygenated monoterpenes, as 1,8-cineole, lavandulol and necrodane derivatives are the main components of essential oil. It revealed important antioxidant activity with high ability to inhibit the lipid peroxidation and showed an outstanding effect against a wide spectrum of microorganisms, such as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and pathogenic yeasts. The analgesic effect studied in rats was dose dependent, reaching a maximum of 67 % at 60 min. with the dose of 200 mg/kg and the anti-inflammatory activity with this dose caused an inhibition in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema (83 %) that is higher than dexamethasone 1 mg/Kg (69 %). Besides, animals exhibited a normal behaviour after EO administration revealing low toxicity. Essential oil of L. luisieri from Alentejo that presents important pharmacological properties and low toxicity is a promised candidate to be used as food supplement or in pharmaceutical applications.

Antioxidant activity and cholinesterase inhibition studies if four flavoring herb from Alentejo.

In Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, the loss of cholinergic neurons leads to the progressive reduction of acetylcholine in the brain, resulting cognitive impairment. Inhibition of the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by blocking acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has been considered as a potential target in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Essential oils and extracts of aromatic plants may have an important role in the oxidative stress protection. Traditionally, in Alentejo (Portugal), aromatic herbs Calamintha nepeta, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha spicata and Thymus mastichina are often used by local population as condiments in food preparations. In this study, essential oils (EOs) and aqueous extracts (decoction waters) of these flavouring herbs were selected in order to evaluate its antioxidant potential and ability to inhibit AChE and BChE activities. Results suggest the potential use of EOs and extracts as nutraceutical or pharmaceutical preparations in the prevention of the oxidative stress and degenerative diseases.

Oral food perception and polyphenol-rich foods acceptance - the importance of knowing individuals saliva characteristics for promoting consumption

Polyphenols are widely present in fruits, vegetables, cereals and beverages. Their study gained scientific interest because of their beneficial effects on health. Although there is currently no official dietary recommendation for polyphenol intake, health professionals recommend the consumption of 5-8 daily portions of fruits and vegetables. This is not always achieved and, despite possible causes associated to practical schedule difficulties, the aversive bitter and astringent sensations associated to polyphenols may also lead to avoidance. As such, a better understanding on mechanisms responsible for differences among people, in polyphenol oral perception, is needed for promoting healthier choices. Saliva has been linked to polyphenol consumption. We have previously observed, in animal models, changes in salivary proteome induced by tannin-enriched diets. Moreover, differences in astringency perception were attributed to differences in salivary protein composition. In a recent experiment, we observed differences among individuals with dissimilar tannic-acid perception: people with high sensitivity for the oral sensations elicited by tannins have higher amounts of salivary cystatins and lower capacity to maintain their levels after tannic-acid ingestion. Additionally, and similarly to previous studies, salivary amylase was observed to be involved in tannin perception. In this presentation, oral cavity characteristics influencing the perception of polyphenol-containing foods will be discussed.