The development of sustainable extraction methods to obtain natural products constitutes a challenge for the food industry. The aim of this work was to compare yield, separation efficiency, chemical composition, and physicochemical properties of the mucilage extracted from fresh cladodes (FNM) and mucilage extracted from dehydrated cladodes (DNM) of O. ficus indica. Suspensions of fresh and dehydrated cladodes (4% w/w) were prepared for mucilage extraction by using a mechanical separation process. Subsequently, the separated mucilage was precipitated with ethyl alcohol (1:2 v/v) then, yield and separation efficiency were determined. The mucilage was characterized by measuring Z potential, viscosity, color, and texture attributes. Additionally, chemical proximate analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were conducted. No significant differences (p < 0.05) were detected in the yield and separation efficiencies between samples. Nevertheless, the dehydration process of cladodes prior to mucilage extraction increased protein, ashes, nitrogen free extract, and calcium content. The viscosity was higher in DNM than in FNM. The TGA revealed a different thermal behavior between samples. In addition, the DNM showed lower L (darkness/lightness), cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness values than those of FNM. These results support that differences found between the chemical and physicochemical properties of DNM and those of FNM will determine the applications of the mucilage obtained from the O. ficus indica cladodes in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Edible nano-coatings were applied in strawberry with the end goal of preserving quality by 21 days of storage at 4 °C. The beeswax solid lipid nanoparticles (BSLN) were prepared by high-energy homogenization, BSLN had a monomodal dispersion with average particle sizes of 214–227 nm and zeta potential of −30 mV. Four coatings were tested: 0, 10, 20, and 30 g/L of BSLN dispersion, all these edible coatings contained xanthan gum (XG) (3 g/L) and propylene glycol (5 g/L) and contrasted with strawberries without any treatment. The best behavior was achieved with 10 g/L of BSLN showing the lowest weight loss (6.1%), a decay index of (31%), loss of firmness (34%), and ΔE = 11. It was established that a concentration of 30 g/L of BSLN caused physiological damage. Based on the findings found, it can be said that nano-coatings with 10 g/L of BSLN-XG are an excellent alternative in the conservation and to increase of shelf life of strawberry stored in refrigeration. In the present case, it was 10 g/L of BSL. Highlighting the importance to evaluate the best concentration in relation to the fruit characteristics.

This study aimed to evaluate how hydration temperature, rotational speed, and screw restriction influence the extraction efficiency, physicochemical characteristics, and monosaccharide composition of chia seed mucilage (CSM). Optimal extraction conditions (43.7 Hz, 100% screw restriction and 50 °C) yielded an extraction efficiency of 65.69% and a mucilage yield of 7.66%, producing a material with an average particle size of 15.28 μm, a ζ-potential of 9.7 mV, and weak-gel rheological behavior. Structural analyses confirmed the absence of insoluble fiber and revealed crystalline phases including MgO, Ca₅P₈, K₂S, K₄P₆, and CaCO₃, along with typical polysaccharide functional groups (–OH, –CH, C=O, COO⁻, C–O). Moderate hydration temperature combined with controlled mechanical conditions favored the release of mucilage enriched in xylose, glucose, and arabinose, which are characteristic of seed coat polysaccharides. In contrast, minimal mechanical action or excessive seed disruption shifted the monosaccharide profile toward cell wall structural carbohydrates, indicating reduced mucilage purity. Elevated hydration temperature (75 °C) enhanced the solubilization of uronic acids and arabinose, suggesting increased extraction of acidic polysaccharide fractions associated with the seed coat matrix. These findings demonstrate that extraction parameters strongly determine CSM composition, structural integrity, and functional attributes. The results provide a basis for tailoring chia-derived polysaccharides for applications in hydrocolloid systems, bio-based materials, and functional polymer formulations.

Background/Objectives: Estrogen deficiency is associated with impaired bone mineralization and deterioration of bone quality. Protein–polysaccharide nanostructures have attracted interest as food-grade formulations because their physicochemical properties can be modified by the nature and organization of their constituent biopolymers. This study evaluated the effects of whey protein–polysaccharide nanocomplex formulations on bone-related outcomes in ovariectomized female Wistar rats. Methods: Whey protein nanocomplexes containing either Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage or Tamarindus indica xyloglucan were produced by complex coacervation and ultrasonication. The nanocomplexes were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, ζ-potential, and morphology. Ovariectomized rats received the nanostructured formulations, their corresponding physical mixtures, the individual ingredients, or control diets for 12 weeks. Femoral bone quality was evaluated through biomechanical testing, calcium and phosphorus content, Ca/P ratio, bone mineral density, scanning electron microscopy and histomorphometry, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Results: The developed nanocomplexes exhibited particle sizes below 500 nm and polydispersity indices of approximately 0.3. Their physicochemical characteristics and morphology differed according to the polysaccharide incorporated. Ovariectomy was associated with unfavorable changes in bone mineralization, microarchitecture, crystallographic characteristics, and biomechanical competence. Among the evaluated treatments, the whey protein–O. ficus-indica mucilage nanostructured formulation (LMCC) showed the most favorable overall pattern across most bone-related outcomes, including bone mineral density, femoral calcium content, microarchitecture, hydroxyapatite crystallite size, and biomechanical properties. However, the response to nanostructuring was not uniform across the two polysaccharide systems, and the xyloglucan-based formulations exhibited parameter-dependent responses. Conclusions: The biological response to whey protein–polysaccharide formulations was associated with polysaccharide type and physicochemical organization. The mucilage-based nanostructured formulation showed a more favorable overall pattern across most evaluated bone-related outcomes in ovariectomized rats. However, calcium association within the nanostructures, calcium-release kinetics, gastrointestinal bioaccessibility, and intestinal calcium absorption were not evaluated; therefore, the mechanisms underlying these responses remain to be established. These findings should be interpreted as preclinical and should not be extrapolated directly to osteoporosis prevention in humans.

El cempoalxóchitl (Tagetes erecta) es una planta endémica de México con un gran potencial y múltiples aplicaciones entre las que se encuentran: la ornamental, la terapéutica, la agroindustrial y la tecnológica. Desde sus primeros reportes en el siglo XV, el cempoalxóchitl ha sido naturalizada en diferentes zonas subtropicales del mundo. Los carotenoides son de los principales metabolitos presentes en T. erecta. Estos son compuestos lipofílicos e hidrofóbicos, generalmente constituidos por un esqueleto hidrocarbonado de 40 átomos y en las plantas están involucrados en el desarrollo y la respuesta al estrés. El desarrollo de las ómicas para generar estrategias que permitan incrementar el rendimiento y/o producción en los niveles de estos metabolitos en T. erecta, puede ser una solución para lograr cubrir la demanda y posicionar a México como un líder en la producción de carotenoides. Así mismo, esto permitirá el desarrollo de tecnologías más sostenibles mediante el uso de T. erecta.