The research explored the chemical characteristics of essential oils (EOs) extracted from the peels of four citrus fruits grown in northeastern Peru (lime, sweet lemon, mandarin and orange). The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation using a green solvent, and subsequently, their physicochemical profile, bioactive, heat capacity, and RAMAN mapping were determined; in addition, the volatile composition was determined by gas chromatography (GC-MS), and the main phenols by liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The results evidenced that sweet lemon and mandarin essential oils had higher antioxidant activity (1592.38 and 1216.13 μmol TE/g) and total phenolic content (680.78 and 420.28 mg GAE/g). In contrast, sweet lemon peel essential oil had the highest total flavonoid content (23.18 mg QE/g). D-limonene was the most abundant aromatic compound in orange (>67 %), mandarin (>70 %), and sweet lemon (>72 %) EOs; however, in the lime, it was the lowest (37 %). The most abundant component was the cyclobutane, 1,2-bis(1-methylethylethylenyl)-, trans- (32 %).

This review explores the potential of biopolymers as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics in food packaging. Biopolymers derived from plant or animal sources are crucial in extending food shelf life, minimizing degradation, and protecting against oxidative and microbial agents. Their physical and chemical properties, influenced by the raw materials used, determine their suitability for specific applications. Biopolymers have been successfully used in fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products, offering antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits. Consequently, they represent a functional and eco-friendly solution for the packaging industry, contributing to sustainability while maintaining product quality.

The process of drying food is necessary to preserve it; however, some bioactive compounds can be degraded during drying process. In this work, the convective drying process of Peruvian blackberry bagasse and the degradation of anthocyanins, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC) were studied. The logarithmic model fitted well to the data and could predict the process, showing that 6 h of drying at 90 °C is enough to reach equilibrium moisture. Anthocyanin degradation followed a first-order kinetic model with reaction rate constant between 5.45 × 10⁻² ± 4.68 × 10⁻³ and 1.21 × 10⁻¹ ± 2.31 × 10⁻² h⁻¹, and activation energy of 25.11 kJ/mol. The highest retention (84.38%) of anthocyanins was obtained in 1 h at 50 °C and the highest degradation (68.54%) in 6 h at 90 °C. The TPC and AC increased with the drying time and temperature due to the increased water evaporation.

Essential oils exhibit antioxidant properties but are prone to oxidative degradation under environmental conditions, making their preservation crucial. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical properties of nanoencapsulated essential oils (EOs) extracted from the peel of sweet lemon, mandarin, lime, and orange using four formulations of wall materials consisting of gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), and casein (CAS). The results showed that EOs from sweet lemon, mandarin, lime, and orange showed higher solubility (79.5% to 93.5%) when encapsulated with GA/MD. Likewise, EOs from sweet lemon showed the highest phenolic content when using GA/CAS (228.27 mg GAE/g sample), and the encapsulated EOs of sweet lemon and mandarin with GA/MD/CAS (1709 and 1599 μmol TE/g) had higher antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, higher encapsulation efficiency was obtained in EOs of lime encapsulated with GA/MD (68.5%), and the nanoencapsulates of EOs from sweet lemon with GA/MD had higher D-limonene content (613 ng/mL). Using gum arabic and maltodextrin increased the encapsulation efficiency and D-limonene content in EO of sweet lemon. On the other hand, the formulations with casein were the most efficient wall materials for retaining D-limonene from the EOs of mandarin, lime, and orange.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a major source of bioactive compounds, both volatile and non-volatile, that determine the characteristic aroma and flavor of chocolate. This review examines how post-harvest and industrial stages influence the transformation and formation of these compounds, considering differences among varieties such as Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario, and Nacional. Key compounds are identified, including pyrazines, esters, aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, and terpenes, and their association with floral, fruity, roasted, and bitter aromatic notes. The review also addresses the use of strategies such as controlled fermentation with starter cultures to enhance the sensory profile of cocoa. However, important gaps remain regarding the identification of volatile compounds that are specific to each processing stage, and a complete understanding of the dynamic evolution of volatile and non-volatile metabolites during chocolate production is still lacking. Therefore, further research is required to elucidate how post-harvest practices, technological processes, and cocoa genetics influence the sensory quality of the beans and the final product.

The fermentation process of native fine aroma cacao criollo (Theobroma cacao) in the province of Utcubamba, Amazonas, Peru, was optimized. A Box-Behnken statistical design was applied, whose factors were inoculum concentration, fermentation time and inoculation sequence. With the optimized model, a phenolic content of 12.99 mg AGE.g-1 cocoa, a fermentation index of 1.05, and theobromine and caffeine contents of 4.89.100 g-1 cocoa and 1.81.100g-1 cocoa, respectively, were obtained. Additionally, with a panel of nine certified and accredited tasters, the basic and special descriptive qualitative sensory attributes of the fermented and dry cocoa beans were determined, obtaining a maximum quality score of 71.1, and the sensory descriptors floral, fruity, nutty, sweet, bitter, acidity and adequate astringency were identified. In the cocoa obtained with the best treatment, 64 volatile compounds from the families of aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, esters, acids and pyrazines were identified by gas chromatography coupled to a mass detector with solid-phase microextraction (GC-MS-SPME-HS). In conclusion, it was possible to optimize the fermentation process of cacao criollo to obtain cocoa with high functional and sensory properties.