A fruit leather (apple and acáchul berry) oriented toward women of reproductive age was developed. The snack was supplemented with an ingredient composed of folic acid (FA) and whey proteins (WPI) to ensure the required vitamin intake to prevent fetal neural tube defects. In order to generate a low-calorie snack, alternative sweeteners were used (stevia and maltitol). The fruit leather composition was determined. Also, an in vitro digestion process was carried out to evaluate the bioaccessibility of compounds with antioxidant capacity (AC), total polyphenols (TPCs), total monomeric anthocyanins (ACY), and FA. The quantification of FA was conducted by a microbiological method and by HPLC. The leather contained carbohydrates (70%) and antioxidant compounds, mainly from fruits. Bioaccessibility was high for AC (50%) and TPCs (90%), and low for ACY (17%). Regarding FA, bioaccessibility was higher for WPI-FA (50%) than for FA alone (37%), suggesting that WPI effectively protected the vitamin from processing and digestion. Furthermore, the product was shown to be non-cytotoxic in a Caco-2 cell model. The developed snack is an interesting option due to its low energy intake, no added sugar, and high content of bioactive compounds. Also, the supplementation with WPI-FA improved the conservation and bioaccessibility of FA.

The pods from Neltuma ruscifolia (vinal), an underutilized species, are rich in bioactive functional compounds. However, the extraction procedures to obtain the highest proportion of these compounds, considering sustainability aspects, have not been optimized. This study aimed to optimize and compare three affordable extraction methods—dynamic maceration (DME), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UE), and microwave-assisted extraction (ME)—to obtain enriched extracts. The effects of temperature, ethanol-to-water ratio in the solvent, extraction time, and frequency (for ME) were evaluated using a Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology to optimize total polyphenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH). Energy consumption and carbon footprints were also assessed, and phenolic compounds in the optimized extracts were identified by HPLC. The ethanol-to-water ratio emerged as the most influential factor, showing synergistic effects with both time and temperature, enabling optimal yields at intermediate ethanol concentrations. Gallic acid, rutin, and theobromine were found to be the most abundant components, followed by cinnamic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acids. Although UE exhibited the lowest energy consumption (0.64 ± 0.03 Wh/mg of TPC), the simple and easily implementable DME—optimized at 40 min, 50 °C, and 42% ethanol—proved to be the most efficient method, combining high extractive performance (TPC 1432 mg GAE/100 g Dw), reduced solvent use, and intermediate energy efficiency (1.84 Wh/mg of TPC). These findings highlight the potential of vinal as a natural source of bioactive ingredients obtained through simple and cost-effective techniques adaptable to small producers while underscoring the value of experimental design in optimizing sustainable extraction technologies and elucidating the interactions between key processing factors.

The objective of this work was to develop two freeze-dried snacks from blackcurrant and different sweeteners: honey/isomalt (HI) sweetened with honey/isomalt, and isomalt/stevia (IS) sweetened with isomalt/stevia. Both snacks showed high bioactive compounds retention (>75%) and no significant changes in several physicochemical properties after 6 months storage. Fresh snacks were hard and crunchy, and the perception of consumers within liking categories was: HI: 43%, and IS: 72%. After storage HI snack showed higher acceptance by consumers (75% within liking categories) while IS snack showed a decrease in their acceptance (63% within disliking categories). The penalty analysis showed that the sensory shelf-life of both snacks would be limited by the changes produced in texture and color during storage. HI snack could reach six storage months, while IS would be stored up to 3 months. The use of diverse sweeteners allowed obtaining two different products which could be incorporated into a healthy diet.

Within the group of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) is Neltuma ruscifolia (formerly Prosopis), belonging to the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), commonly known as carob trees but unlike other species, it does not have an established or formally defined commercial value. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and antiglycant properties, as well as to identify associated bioactive compounds, in extracts derived from different extraction methods (ultrasound and agitation) and grinding fractions of pods of Neltuma ruscifolia, a NUS species. The results showed that the residue fraction extracted by high-intensity ultrasound exhibited the highest bioactivity. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction allowed polyphenolic compounds such as hydroxybenzoic and ellagic acids to be obtained that did not appear with stirring. Other polyphenols (such as chrysin, rutin, kaempferol and cinnamic, coumaric, protocatechuic, ellagic and caffeic acids) were highly related to the bioactivity. This study lays the foundation for the future development of antioxidant/antiglycant additives derived from Neltuma ruscifolia, diversifying NUS range of natural additives and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to safeguard biodiversity, local resources and the planet.