Cynara cardunculus, Fraxinus angustifolia and Pterospartum tridentatum are plants commercialized in Portugal for digestion-related ailments, among others. The aim of this study was to identify the chemical composition of the infusions and determine the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, the antioxidant activity, and to evaluate if the chemical composition and activities remained after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. These activities can be related with the traditional uses of these plants. The toxicity of the infusions was also tested with Caco-2 cells, a model of intestinal cells. The composition of the plant extracts revealed mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids. The antioxidant activity measured as half maximal effective concentration (EC 50) values ranged from 19 to 120 µg/ml and the acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of the three extracts determined as half inhibitory concentration (IC 50) was between 1 and 2.5 mg/ml. The composition and the biochemical activities remained after the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The infusions showed no toxicity against Caco-2 cell lines. The antioxidant activity and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase were maintained during the digestive process, and therefore can be important mechanisms for the therapeutic effects attributed to the infusions under evaluation, namely to treat digestive problems. Even though the infusions presented biochemical activities, they were not toxic for the intestine cell line.
The economic and social environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional pressure on supply chains because they now have more pressure to develop and adapt to a context of economic constraint. Delays in the supply chain can bring consequences such as the lack of food products by retailers, transporters and manufacturers. Thus, this study aims to examine the supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic in small- and medium-sized food companies in the central region of Portugal, identifying potential problems and pointing out the respective solutions. For this purpose, the study uses a qualitative methodology through semi-structured interviews. It was found that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do not have a codified supply chain and that generally, these companies have a minimal budget, which requires a constant search for new suppliers that represent a reduction in costs. Moreover, most of the companies surveyed faced unexpected challenges, such as a lack of alternative suppliers. The present paper is original because it studies the supply chain in SMEs in the food sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it allows the ascertainment of practical suggestions for these companies to improve, as well as contributing to the clarification of the literature on the supply chain in times of crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
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