Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a widely consumed fruit all around the world. The industrial exploitation of tomato generates a lot of waste. Most of the utilization of tomato seeds waste is focused on animal feeding, as well as a food ingredient aimed to increase the protein content, and raw material for some organic bioactive component extraction. The aim of this work was to evaluate the techno-functional properties of tomato seed meal (TSM) and its nutraceutical properties after applying defatting processing (TSMD), and to evaluate the nutraceutical properties after a fermentation processing (TSMDF) by Lactobacillus sp. The results showed that, at alkaline conditions (pH 8–9), the techno-functional properties for TSM and TSMD improved. In comparison with TSM, TSMD showed higher water holding capacity (WHC ≈32%), higher oil holding capacity (OHC ≈13%), higher protein solubility (49–58%), more than 10 times foaming activity (FA), more than 50 times foam stability (Fst), as well as an improved emulsifying activity (EA) and emulsion stability (Est) wich were better at pH 9. Regarding the nutraceutical properties, after 48 h of fermentation (TSMDF), the antioxidant activity was doubled and a significant increase in the iron chelating activity was also observed. During the same fermentation time, the highest angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (ACEI) was achieved (IC50 73.6 μg/mL), more than 10 times higher than TSMD, which leads to suggest that this fermented medium may be a powerful antihypertensive. Therefore, the strategy proposed in this study could be an option for the exploitation of tomato wastes.

Seeds are important for human nutrition as they are a source of nutrients such as proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and trace minerals. This chapter reviews the different by-products from processing seeds of nuts, cereals, legumes, and herbaceous plants, as well as the potential use of seeds obtained as wastes during the processing of some fruits. These by-products are often discarded or sold for animal feed. However, they are high in protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients that can improve human health. Furthermore, they possess functional qualities that are advantageous for commercial food production. The metabolites represent a promising area for research. It is important to highlight their potential as food ingredients to enhance global health while minimizing their impact on soil and water contamination as industrial waste. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

The effect of acylglycerols on the thermal inactivation of lactic acid bacteria used in the production of fermented products was studied. The starting point was the observation of an increase in thermal sensitivity in the presence of an emulsifier based on mono- and diacylglycerols in the culture medium. Analysis of the emulsifier showed that monoacylglycerols were the compounds responsible for this effect, with monopalmitin being the main contributor. Monostearin, on the other hand, showed significantly less potentiating effect. Interestingly, monoacylglycerols showed a greater bactericidal effect when used individually than when used in combination. On the other hand, the rate of thermal inactivation observed in reconstituted skim milk emulsions was lower than in peptone water emulsions, showing that the presence of proteins and colloidal particles increased the resistance of bacteria to heat treatment. With respect to pH values, a reduction in pH from 6.6 to 5.5 promoted an increase in the rate of thermal death. However, at pH = 5.5, the enhancing bactericidal effect was only detectable when the heat treatment was performed at low temperatures but not at high temperatures. This finding is of interest, since it will allow the design of moderate heat treatments, combining the use of temperature with the addition of acylglycerols, to prolong the shelf life of products fermented with lactic acid bacteria, and minimizing the destruction of desirable compounds that were obtained by the fermentation process.

El efecto de los lípidos sobre la inactivación térmica de las células bacterianas y de las esporas se ha reportado en medios de calentamiento no acuosos. En estas condiciones, los lípidos aumentan la resistencia al calor de las bacterias, lo que ha llevado a la conclusión de que los lípidos pueden proteger a las células bacterianas y a las esporas del posible daño provocado por el tratamiento térmico. Sin embargo, no todos los lípidos parecen tener el mismo efecto protector sobre la resistencia al calor de las bacterias. Tal es el caso de los monoacilgliceroles, de los cuales se ha reportado actividad bactericida principalmente sobre organismos Gram-positivos. Sin embargo, se han realizado muy pocos estudios para determinar su influencia y aplicaciones junto con un posible tratamiento térmico. En la presente investigación se estudió la inactivación de bacterias ácido-lácticas al someterlas a un tratamiento térmico en presencia de un emulsionante a base de monoacilgliceroles. El objetivo fue identificar su efecto sobre cuatro cultivos iniciadores ampliamente utilizados, y cómo esta combinación de factores permitiría la aplicación de un tratamiento térmico, asegurando la conservación de nutrientes cuya presencia en los productos lácteos fermentados es altamente deseable.