The development of bio-based nanostructures to encapsulate bioactive compounds represents a promising approach for creating functional foods with improved nutritional and health benefits. However, their regular dietary use raises safety concerns, even when using food-grade ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of curcumin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN_curc) through in vitro assays with Caco-2 cells and in vivo assays with zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio). In vitro, free curcumin reduced Caco-2 viability to slightly below 80% across all (nominal) tested concentrations, while both SLN and SLN_curc maintained cell viability above 80%, suggesting no cytotoxicity. In vivo, free curcumin and SLN_curc caused high mortality at the highest (nominal) concentrations, and SLN alone induced over 75% lethality at 50 μg·mL^-1, indicating that curcumin itself strongly contributes to acute toxicity above 5 μg·mL^-1. Nonetheless, SLN and SLN_curc produced significant concentration-dependent effects on most sub-lethal parameters, though SLN_curc exhibited no significant sub-lethal toxicity at (nominal) concentrations below 5 μg·mL^-1. Overall, curcumin-loaded SLNs demonstrated a safe profile at lower (nominal) concentrations, supporting their potential in functional foods and supplements. Moreover, zebrafish embryos proved to be a valuable alternative vertebrate model for high-throughput screening of nanostructures in food applications.

The singular biodiversity of the Brazilian Caatinga inspires innovative solutions in food science. In this study, we evaluated the prebiotic potential of honeys produced by Apis mellifera in the Pajeú hinterland, Pernambuco, Brazil (Caatinga Biome), with different floral origins: Mastic (Aroeira), Mesquite (Algaroba), and mixed flowers. These were used to formulate synbiotic and alcoholic beverages fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745. Static and dynamic simulations of the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were used, as well as physicochemical, rheological, and microbiological analyses. The results revealed that honey positively influences the viability and resilience of probiotic yeast, especially honey with a predominance of Algaroba, which promoted the highest survival rate (>89%) even after 28 days of refrigeration and in dynamic in vitro simulation of the GIT (more realistic to human physio-anatomical conditions). The phenolic composition of the honeys showed a correlation with this tolerance. The use of complementary methodologies, such as flow cytometry, validated the findings and highlighted the functional value of these natural matrices, revealing an even greater longevity potential compared to conventional microbiological methodology. The data reinforces the potential of the Caatinga as a source of bioactive and sustainable compounds, proposing honey as a promising non-dairy synbiotic vehicle. This work contributes to the appreciation of the biome and the development of functional food products with a positive social, economic, and ecological impact.

The singular biodiversity of the Brazilian Caatinga inspires innovative solutions in food science. In this study, we evaluated the prebiotic potential of honeys produced by Apis mellifera in the Pajeú hinterland, Pernambuco, Brazil (Caatinga Biome), with different floral origins: Mastic (Aroeira), Mesquite (Algaroba) and mixed flowers. These were used to formula symbiotic beverages fermented by Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745. Static and dynamic simulations of the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were used, as well as physicochemical, rheological and microbiological analyses. The results revealed that honey positively influences the viability and resilience of probiotic yeast, especially honey with a predominance of Algaroba, which promoted the highest survival rate (>89%) even after 28 days of refrigeration and in dynamic in vitro simulation of the GIT (more realistic to human physio anatomical conditions). The phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of the honeys showed a correlation with this tolerance. The use of complementary methodologies, such as flow cytometry, validated the findings and highlighted the functional value of these natural matrices, revealing an even greater longevity potential compared to conventional microbiological methodology. The data reinforces the potential of the Caatinga as a source of bioactive and sustainable compounds, proposing honey as a promising non-dairy symbiotic vehicle. This work contributes to the appreciation of the biome and to the development of functional food products with a positive social, economic and ecological impact.

This study explored the prebiotic potential of africanized bee honeys from the Caatinga biome on the survival of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG in fermented beverages under refrigerated storage and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) simulation. Among the samples tested, honey derived predominantly from Myracrodruon urundeuva (aroeira-do-campo) exhibited the most pronounced protective effect. After 28 days of refrigeration, this formulation retained a viable bacterial load above 8 Log CFU/mL, compared to a drastic decline to 3 Log CFU/mL in honey analog control. Under static GIT simulation, probiotic survival exceeded 92 % post-gastric phase, with the aroeira-do-campo formulation achieving full retention. Dynamic simulations confirmed these findings, with survival rates up to 88.2 % by flow cytometry, even under complex digestive stress. Additionally, the bee honeys supported lactic acid production and maintained physicochemical integrity, confirming their synbiotic functionality. These results clearly show the potential prebiotic effect of Caatinga honeys, including the differences in their botanical origin as effective carriers of bacterial probiotics, opening the way for stable, dairy-free functional beverages adapted to arid ecosystems. Furthermore, it reinforces the importance of maintaining the sustainability of an exclusive biome and hotspot of biological diversity with a high degree of endemism. In other words, studies like this that reinforce the value of ecosystem services are of fundamental importance for the implementation of public policies in favor of the conservation of these environments.