a b s t r a c tConsumers demand more and more so-called ''natural" products and, therefore, the aim of this work was to compare the effects of natural versus synthetic antioxidant preservatives in yogurts. Matricaria recutita L. (chamomile) and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) decoctions were tested as natural additives, while potassium sorbate (E202) was used as a synthetic additive. The fortification of yogurts with natural and synthetic antioxidants did not cause significant changes in the yoghurt pH and nutritional value, in comparison with control samples (yogurt without any additive). However, the fortified yogurts showed higher antioxidant activity, mainly the yogurts with natural additives (and among these, the ones with chamomile decoction). Overall, it can be concluded that plant decoctions can be used to develop novel yogurts, by replacing synthetic preservatives and improving the antioxidant properties of the final product, without changing the nutritional profile.
a b s t r a c tCurrently, the food industry is focused in replacing the use of synthetic by natural antioxidants. The present study focused on the use of fennel and chamomile extracts, rich in phenolic compounds, as natural antioxidants in biscuits and compared their performance with a synthetic antioxidant widely used, the butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA). The complete nutritional profile, free sugars, fatty acids and antioxidant activity were determined immediately after baking and also after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of storage. The results showed that the incorporation of natural and synthetic additives did not cause significant changes in colour or in nutritional value of biscuits when compared with control samples. Both natural and synthetic additives conferred similar antioxidant activity to the biscuits. Therefore, natural additives are a more convenient solution for consumers who prefer foods ''free" from synthetic additives. Additionally, natural additives were obtained by aqueous extraction, an environment friendly and safe process.
The short shelf-life of mushrooms is an obstacle to the distribution and marketing of the fresh product. Thus, prolonging postharvest storage, while preserving their quality, would benefit the mushroom industry as well as consumers. There has been extensive research on finding the most appropriate technology for mushrooms preservation.
Food industry is focused on the development of novel functional foods containing health promoting natural ingredients, avoiding the potential harm of synthetic food additives. In the present work, the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of
Mushrooms are very perishable foods, demanding for processing technologies that retain chemical and nutritional characteristics of fresh forms. In this work, the influence of freezing, drying and gamma irradiation on chemical parameters and antioxidant potential of Macrolepiota procera was assessed through one-way ANOVA complemented with principal component analysis. Proximate composition was evaluated by AOAC procedures, while fatty acids, tocopherols and free sugars were determined using chromatographic techniques. Antioxidant activity was measured using in vitro assays. M. procera samples have low energetic values, with moisture and carbohydrates as major nutrients. Linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids were the major fatty acids; !-tocopherol was the prevalent isoform in fresh, frozen and irradiated samples, while !-tocopherol predominated in dried samples. Trehalose was the most abundant sugar in fresh and irradiated samples, whereas mannitol predominated in frozen and dried samples. Dried samples gave higher DPPH scavenging activity and !-carotene bleaching inhibition; freeze and irradiated samples showed higher reducing power and TBARS formation inhibition, respectively. Overall, freezing and drying caused significant differences in chemical parameters. On the other hand, gamma irradiation revealed the highest capacity to retain chemical profile of fresh samples, which highlights its potential to be explored and validated as an alternative conservation methodology.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation on cytotoxicity and phenolic compounds of Thymus vulgaris L. and Menta  piperita L. (methanolic extracts), used in traditional medicine. Thirteen and fourteen phenolic compounds, including caffeoyl derivatives and flavonoid glycosides, were detected in T. vulgaris and Mentha piperita, respectively, none of which was affected by the irradiation dose used (10 kGy). Furthermore, the irradiation up to 10 kGy did not change the cytotoxic properties of peppermint samples on tumor cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2), whereas thyme samples irradiated at 10 kGy increased their cytotoxicity in the assayed tumor cell lines compared with samples submitted to 2 and 5 kGy. All in all, the dose of 10 kGy was considered as suitable to be applied for the purpose of disinfestation and microbial decontamination of these plants without modifying their phenolic composition and bioactive properties.
Mushrooms contain a multitude of biomolecules with nutritional and/or biological activity. Among the bioactive molecules, phenolic compounds and tocopherols are the most responsible for their antioxidant activity. In the present work, Boletus edulis, Lentinus edodes and Xerocomus badius, three edible mushroom species originated from Poland, were analyzed for their chemical composition and antioxidant activity.Carbohydrates were the most abundant macronutrients, followed by proteins and ash.Fructose, mannitol and trehalose were the prevalent sugars, but glucose was only found in B. edulis. Polyunsaturated fatty acids predominated over mono and saturated fatty acids. Palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were abundant in the three samples. α-and β-Tocopherols were quantified in all the samples, but γ-tocopherol was only identified in X. badius. Oxalic and fumaric acids were quantified in the three samples; quinic acid was only present in L. edodes, and malic and citric acids were only found in X. badius. p-Hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic and cinnamic acids were quantified in all the species, while p-coumaric acid was only found in B. edulis. This species and X. badius revealed the highest antioxidant properties, being B. edulis more effective in radicals scavenging activity and reducing power, and X. badius in lipid peroxidation inhibition, which is related with the highest amounts in phenolic compounds and tocopherols, respectively.
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