Development of a sustainable method for the extraction of lycopene and β-carotene from food wastes

The main objective of the present work is the study of a profitable process not only in the extraction and selective separation of lycopene and β-carotene, two compounds present in tomato, but also in its potential application to food industry wastes. This is one of the industries that produce larger amounts of wastes, which are rich in high value biomolecules with great economic interest. However, the conventional methods used to extract this kind of compounds are expensive which limits their application at large scale. Lycopene and βcarotene are carotenoids with high commercial value, known for their antioxidant activity and benefits to human health. Their biggest source is tomato, one of the world’s most consumed fruits, reason for which large quantities of waste is produced. This work focuses on the study of diverse solvents with a high potential to extract carotenoids from tomato, as well as the search for more environmentally benign solvents than those currently used to extract lycopene and β-carotene from biomass. Additionally, special attention was paid to the creation of a continuous process that would allow the fractionation of the compounds for further purification. Thus, the present work started with the extraction of both carotenoids using a wide range of solvents, namely, organic solvents, conventional salts, ionic liquids, polymers and surfactants. In this stage, each solvent was evaluated in what regards their capacity of extraction as well as their penetration ability in biomass. The results collected showed that an adequate selection of the solvents may lead to the complete extraction of both carotenoids in one single step, particularly acetone and tetrahydrofuran were the most effective ones. However, the general low penetration capacity of salts, ionic liquids, polymers and surfactants makes these solvents ineffective in the solid-liquid extraction process. As the organic solvents showed the highest capacity to extract lycopene and βcarotene, in particular tetrahydrofuran and acetone, the latter solvent used in the development process of fractionation, using to this by strategic use of solvents. This step was only successfully developed through the manipulation of the solubility of each compound in ethanol and n-hexane. The results confirmed the possibility of fractionating the target compounds using the correct addition order of the solvents. Approximately, 39 % of the β-carotene was dissolved in ethanol and about 64 % of lycopene was dissolved in n-hexane, thus indicating their separation for two different solvents which shows the selective character of the developed process without any prior stage optimization. This study revealed that the use of organic solvents leads to selective extraction of lycopene and β-carotene, allowing diminishing the numerous stages involved in conventional methods. At the end, it was possible to idealize a sustainable and of high industrial relevance integrated process, nevertheless existing the need for additional optimization studies in the future.

Electro-olfactograms in response to chromatographic fractions of food-related odorants in the Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis

The Bohr effect, which can be most generally defined as the influence of pH on the oxygen binding affinity of proteins, is a common feature of respiratory pigments, ranging from the haemocyanins of molluscs and crustaceans to the haemoglobins of vertebrates. Its physiological role is generally seen in the facilitation of oxygen release from respiratory pigments during tissue acidosis. The magnitude of the effect can be influenced by a multitude of factors such as temperature, carbon dioxide, chloride ions, organic phosphates and the investigated pH range. Here we present data on the maximal alkaline Bohr effect in haemoglobins from a large number of species covering all vertebrate classes, obtained at physiological temperatures in the presence of 100 mM chloride ions and the absence of carbon dioxide and organic phosphates.

Aromatic plants, spices and volatiles in food and beverages

The use of spices, common nowadays, was once a sign of high position, luxury and wealth. The value of food ingredients is thus determined by the time in which one lives, that is, it is a product of fashion, since they are always used in a social context. Many plants used as spices enjoyed fame and undeniable importance in the past but their reign was more or less ephemeral, as they were rejected in favour of others for food seasoning, or simply upstaged and/or used for other purposes.

Antioxidant and phenolic compounds in sweet potato peels and leaves: food applications and health benefits

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Biotecnológicas (Biotecnologia Alimentar), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2014

Authenticity in Scaling the Vision: Defining Boundaries in the Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship Development Cycle

The October 2015 Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship Roundtable brought together over 30 food and beverage industry leaders, entrepreneurs, faculty, and students at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Discussion topics covered entrepreneurship in the food and beverage industry, including development, intrapreneurship, operational efficiency, beverage product development, and technology. The roundtable began with the presentation of a five-point framework on food and beverage venue development. The first three phases focused on the launch of a venue, including how to define the guest experience; the creation of operational functionality by strategically planning out the design, flow, and efficiency of a defined space; and development capacity. The remaining two points of the framework focused on post-opening considerations, including operating systems and culture development. Participants discussed the importance of culture in the growth of a business. They suggested that intrapreneurship needs to be fostered in the culture of an organization and in an educational curriculum for those who are preparing to enter the industry. Participants also discussed the fine balance between setting expectations for an experience and subsequently being able to maintain this experience in a fast changing environment. In particular they considered what it means to say no to customers. A discussion on the beverage industry focused on how to distribute products in a crowded marketplace. One method to ensure that the product gets into the hands of the consumers is face-to-face sales. Finally, in the technology session, the group discussed technology adoption, specifically focusing on the point at which technology detracts from the guest experience, how to minimize operational risk from technology, and how to maximize consumers’ adoption rates.

GET YOUR Iron FROM THE Food YOU EAT.

Iron helps your blood carry enough oxygen to all parts of your body. Low iron levels can make you feel tired, grumpy, or more likely to become ill. You can do four things to build up iron in your blood: Eat several of these iron rich foods daily ; Eat a vitamin C-rich food with your iron food ; Cook more often in an iron skillet ; Avoid tea, chocolate, coffee, soda.

INFANT FOOD : A change is coming July 1

This sheet written in English and Spanish says that starting July 1, 2015 you’ll still be able to buy BeechNut brand infant food in 4-ounce jars but the Gerber 4-ounce jars are being phased out. It’s OK to buy some of each brand — BeechNut in 4-ounce jars and Gerber in 4-ounce twin packs — to reach your monthly limit.

Pee Dee food & farm guide

This is an annual guide to local food producers, farmers markets and local food businesses in the Pee Dee Region.

Food guide

This brochure in English and Spanish explains the South Carolina WIC Program, describing what foods are and aren't allowed and how to use WIC checks.

Peroxide-based hybrid and prodrug antimalarials to deliver cysteine protease inhibitors into the parasitic food vacuole

Tese de doutoramento, Farmácia (Química Farmacêutica e Terapêutica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2014