Silver nanoparticles have high potential for application in food industry, as they have the ability to inhibit a wide range of bacteria of pathogenic and spoilage origin. They can be obtained from different methods classified in physical and chemical and which are aggressive with the environment since they produce toxic waste. Nowadays, environmentally friendly methods such as green synthesis can be used, through the use of agri-food waste. The use of these wastes is a more sustainable method, because it reduces the environmental pollution, at the same time that silver nanoparticles are obtained. The aim of the present study is the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) aqueous extract from waste and its antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Gram negative). The analyses by TEM showed that the as-synthesized silver nanoparticles were uniform and spherical particles with an average diameter of 8.67 ± 4.7 nm and confirmed by SEM. The electron diffraction and TEM analyses showed the characteristic crystallinity of silver nanoparticles. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that various functional groups were responsible for reducing and stabilizing during the biosynthesis process. Nanoparticles inhibited the growth of both types of bacteria from the lowest concentration evaluated (0.9 μg/mL). We conclude that silver nanoparticles synthesized in the present study have potential application as antibacterial agents in food and medicine industry.

Currently, silver nanoparticles have boomed in food and medicine due to their potential applications, such as antibacterial and anticancer activity. These nanoparticles have been synthesized by several techniques; however, green synthesis has taken on greater importance due to the non‐generation of toxic residues. Green synthesis has been constructed from plant parts; however, the new trend comprises the use of agri‐food waste extracts, known as sustainable green synthesis. The use of agri‐food waste reduces environmental pollution and confers on its added value. The main waste generated is found in agricultural crops and industry from fruits and vegetables, cereal, bagasse from the food industry, and alcoholic beverages, oil cake of the oil industry, among others. The main biomolecules in agri‐food waste extracts include phenolic compounds, alkaloids, terpenes, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and proteins, whose function is to reduce the agents of the silver ion. Therefore, the objective of this review was to promote the use of agri‐food waste for the sustainable green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its application as antibacterial and anticancer agents.

Stenocereus thurberi is an endemic species in northwestern Mexico. It produces colorful fruits called pitayas that have an edible pulp. They have phytochemical compounds associated with biological activities. Ultrafiltration is a widely used method for the clarification of fruit juices and the recovery of phytochemicals. However, its effect has not been extensively studied in extracts. Therefore, the objective of this work is to study the effect of the ultrafiltration of pitaya extract (Stenocereus thurberi) on its phytochemical content, antioxidant capacity, and identification of phenolic compounds by UPLC-DAD-MS, providing greater knowledge about the pitaya. In this study, two extracts were analyzed, the unclarified extract (UE) and the clarified extract (CE). The antioxidant capacity was higher in the CE with 15.93 ± 0.42 mM TE/g, DPPH and 18.37 ± 0.016 mM TE/g, ABTS. The UPLC-MS analysis indicated the decrease in phenolic compounds in the CE and the presence of gallic acid and resorcinol, compounds that had not been identified in other species of Stenocereus spp. The correlation analysis indicated that all the phytochemicals present in the pitaya contribute significantly to the antioxidant capacity. The ultrafiltration process could be a viable option to improve the biological activity of the natural extracts.