Production of flavonol quercetin and fructooligosaccharides from onion (Allium cepa L.) waste: An environmental life cycle approach

Santiago, Beatriz Silva; Arias, Ana; Gullón, Beatriz; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Moreira, Marı́a Teresa; González‐García, Sara

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2019.123772

Cited by 40 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…On the other hand, using a lower amount of EtOH can make the entire process more sustainable in an economic and environmental point of view. Actually, in a recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis, Santiango et al [ 40 ] found that the conventional extraction of phenols (flavonols), based on the use of ethanol (70% v/v in water) as an extractive agent, had significant environmental burdens due to its background production processes. Therefore, the reduction of EtOH percentage and non-conventional extraction techniques (including MAE) was suggested for reducing the environmental impact.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artichoke Biorefinery: From Food to Advanced Technological Applications

Francavilla

Marone

Marasco

et al. 2021

Foods

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A sequential extraction process has been designed for valorizing globe artichoke plant residues and waste (heads, leaves, stalks, and roots left in the field) by means of green extraction techniques according to a biorefinery approach. We investigated two cascading extractions based on microwave-assisted extractions (MAE) and green solvents (water and ethanol) that have been optimized for varying temperature, solvent and extraction time. In the first step, phenols were extracted with yields that ranged between 6.94 mg g−1 dw (in leaves) and 3.28 mg g−1 dw (in roots), and a phenols productivity of 175.74 kg Ha−1. In the second step, inulin was extracted with impressive yields (42% dw), higher than other conventional inulin sources, corresponding to an inulin productivity of 4883.58 kg Ha−1. The remaining residues were found to be valuable feedstocks both for bioenergy production and green manure (back to the field), closing the loop according to the Circular Economy paradigm.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artichoke Biorefinery: From Food to Advanced Technological Applications

Francavilla

Marone

Marasco

et al. 2021

Foods

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“…Qu is a plant flavanol, which is commonly found in fruits, vegetables, and beverages, such as grapes [ 25 ], oranges [ 26 ], strawberries [ 27 ], onions [ 28 ], tomatoes [ 29 ], peppers [ 30 ], lettuce [ 31 ], radish leaves [ 32 ], papaya [ 33 ], almonds and pistachios [ 34 ], and nuts [ 35 ], with a chemical structure shown in Figure 1 . Qu has been named as 3,3,4,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) [ 36 , 37 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Therapeutic Targets of Quercetin, a Plant Flavonol, and Its Role in the Therapy of Various Types of Cancer through the Modulation of Various Cell Signaling Pathways

et al. 2021

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Polyphenolic flavonoids are considered natural, non-toxic chemopreventers, which are most commonly derived from plants, fruits, and vegetables. Most of these polyphenolics exhibit remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Quercetin (Qu) is a chief representative of these polyphenolic compounds, which exhibits excellent antioxidant and anticancer potential, and has attracted the attention of researchers working in the area of cancer biology. Qu can regulate numerous tumor-related activities, such as oxidative stress, angiogenesis, cell cycle, tumor necrosis factor, proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. The anticancer properties of Qu mainly occur through the modulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), apoptosis, phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (P13K)/Akt (proteinase-kinase B)/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), MAPK (mitogen activated protein kinase)/ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2), and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. The anticancer potential of Qu is documented in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies, involving several animal models and cell lines. Remarkably, this phytochemical possesses toxic activities against cancerous cells only, with limited toxic effects on normal cells. In this review, we present extensive research investigations aimed to discuss the therapeutic potential of Qu in the management of different types of cancers. The anticancer potential of Qu is specifically discussed by focusing its ability to target specific molecular signaling, such as p53, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), VEGF, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), PI3K/Akt, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways. The anticancer potential of Qu has gained remarkable interest, but the exact mechanism of its action remains unclear. However, this natural compound has great pharmacological potential; it is now believed to be a complementary—or alternative—medicine for the prevention and treatment of different cancers.

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“…This is also because lifestyle changes increased the demand for fresh-cut ready-to-use vegetables, including onion. Increased market of processed onion has also led to a higher waste accumulation, and the main European onion producers, Spain, Netherlands, and the UK, reached a waste production of about 50,000 t [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Therefore, to face the high production of food products ingredients and waste, there is the need to find sustainable agricultural processes and develop sustainable solutions for recovering key natural products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Onion Peel: Turning a Food Waste into a Resource

et al. 2021

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Food waste is a serious problem for food processing industries, especially when it represents a loss of a valuable source of nutrients and phytochemicals. Increasing consumer demand for processed food poses the problem of minimizing waste by conversion into useful products. In this regard, onion (Allium cepa) waste consisting mainly of onion skin is rich in bioactive phenolic compounds. Here, we characterized the flavonoid profiles and biological activities of onion skin wastes of two traditional varieties with protected geographical indication (PGI), the red “Rossa di Tropea” and the coppery “Ramata di Montoro”, typically cultivated in a niche area in southern Italy. The phytochemical profiles of exhaustive extracts, characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet (UV) detection and high-resolution mass spectrometry, revealed that flavonols and anthocyanins were the characteristic metabolite classes of onion skins. Quercetin, quercetin glucosides and their dimer and trimer derivatives, and, among anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-glucoside, were the most abundant bioactive compounds. The potential of onion skins was evaluated by testing several biological activities: ABTS/oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and in vitro alpha-glucosidase assays were performed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties of the extracts and of their main compounds, respectively, and proliferative activity was evaluated by MTT assay on human fibroblasts. In the present study, by observing various biological properties of “Rossa di Tropea” and “Ramata di Montoro” onion-dried skins, we clearly indicated that this agricultural waste can provide bioactive molecules for multiple applications, from industrial to nutraceutical and cosmetical sectors.

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Production of flavonol quercetin and fructooligosaccharides from onion (Allium cepa L.) waste: An environmental life cycle approach

Cited by 40 publications

References 42 publications

Artichoke Biorefinery: From Food to Advanced Technological Applications

Artichoke Biorefinery: From Food to Advanced Technological Applications

Potential Therapeutic Targets of Quercetin, a Plant Flavonol, and Its Role in the Therapy of Various Types of Cancer through the Modulation of Various Cell Signaling Pathways

Onion Peel: Turning a Food Waste into a Resource

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