Liposomes carry various compounds with applications in pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic fields, and the administration route is especially parenteral, oral, or transdermal. Liposomes are used to preserve and release the internal components, thus maintaining the properties of the compounds, the stability and shelf life of the encapsulated products, and their functional benefits. The main problem in obtaining liposomes at the industrial level is their low stability due to fragile phospholipid membranes. To increase the stability of liposomes, phospholipid bilayers have been modified or different coating materials have been developed and studied, both for liposomes with applications in the pharmaceutical field and liposomes in the food field. In the cosmetic field, liposomes need no additional coating because the liposomal formulation is intended to have a fast penetration into the skin. The aim of this review is to provide current knowledge regarding physical and chemical factors that influence stability, coating materials for liposomes with applications in the pharmaceutical and food fields to increase the stability of liposomes containing various sensitive compounds, and absorption of the liposomes and commercial liposomal products obtained through various technologies available on the market.

The valorization of cheese whey, a rich by-product of the dairy industry that is rich in lactose (approx. 70%), proteins (14%), and minerals (9%), represents a promising approach for microbial fermentation. With global whey production exceeding 200 million tons annually, the high biochemical oxygen demand underlines the important need for sustainable processing alternatives. This review explores the biotechnological potential of whey as a fermentation medium by examining its chemical composition, microbial interactions, and ability to support the synthesis of valuable metabolites. Functional microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus helveticus, L. acidophilus), yeasts (Kluyveromyces marxianus), actinobacteria, and filamentous fungi (Aspergillus oryzae) have demonstrated the ability to efficiently convert whey into a wide range of bioactive compounds, including organic acids, exopolysaccharides (EPSs), bacteriocins, enzymes, and peptides. To enhance microbial growth and metabolite production, whey fermentation can be carried out using various techniques, including batch, fed-batch, continuous and immobilized cell fermentation, and membrane bioreactors. These bioprocessing methods improve substrate utilization and metabolite yields, contributing to the efficient utilization of whey. These bioactive compounds have diverse applications in food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and biofuels and strengthen the role of whey as a sustainable biotechnological resource. Patents and clinical studies confirm the diverse bioactivities of whey-derived metabolites and their industrial potential. Whey peptides provide antihypertensive, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial benefits, while bacteriocins and EPSs act as natural preservatives in foods and pharmaceuticals. Also, organic acids such as lactic acid and propionic acid act as biopreservatives that improve food safety and provide health-promoting formulations. These results emphasize whey’s significant industrial relevance as a sustainable, cost-efficient substrate for the production of high-quality bioactive compounds in the food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and bioenergy sectors.

Although its high protein content, bioactive compounds, and dietary fibers have many health benefits, lupine (Lupinus sp.) was undervalued as a resourceful plant. In the last years, however, the number of studies on the use of lupine as a potential food ingredient has increased. In this study, obtaining a sweet lupine protein concentrate (SLPC) hydrolysate with a high degree of hydrolysis (DH) and a simultaneous low intensity of bitterness was pursued. The experimental design was carried out, according to Taguchi methodology, using three experimental parameters: enzyme concentration (0.5–1.5%), temperature (50–60 °C), and time (1–4 h), with three levels each. The optimal conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis process of SLPC with Alcalase 2.4 L were enzyme concentration 1.5%, temperature 50 °C, and time 4 h, for which the best DH, 41.96%, was achieved. The SLPC hydrolysate as a food ingredient was characterized in terms of DH, bitter taste intensity, amino acid profile, and techno-functional properties. The results showed an increase of water binding capacity to 1.45 g/g, emulsification activity of 50.91%, and 92% stability of the emulsion, while the evaluated intensity of bitterness was 4.6 on a 7- point scale. Based on its technological, functional, sensory, and chemical characteristics, this study recommends the use of SLPC hydrolysate as a food ingredient in various food matrices.

This study investigated the combined alkaline and enzymatic hydrolysis of eggshell membranes for obtaining ingredients for food and cosmetic applications. 1.25 N NaOH and Alcalase 2.4 L protease were used for eggshell membrane hydrolysis. The characterization of the hydrolysates consisted of the determination of the degree of hydrolysis, oligopeptides, and free amino acids obtained through eggshell membrane hydrolysis. The degree of hydrolysis was 14.23%. Analytical techniques such as reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, and FT-IR spectroscopy revealed the presence of oligopeptides, dipeptides, and amino acids, including alanine, lysine/glutamine, glutamic acid, histidine, proline, valine, hydroxyproline, and phenylalanine. Electrophoretic analysis demonstrated protein fractions within the molecular weight range of approximately 14 kDa to 70 kDa in all samples.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa ssp [...]

The germination process of whole seeds activates and multiplies the composition of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, and sugars, and decreases phytate and protease inhibitors concentrations. Furthermore, germination contributes to the improved digestibility of plant proteins; conversion of carbohydrates to simpler forms for easy assimilation; bioavailability of minerals; freeing up of minerals for absorption; and an increase of beneficial enzymes. The aim of this paper was to perform the extraction of alfalfa germinated seeds using conventional and modern methods for the purpose of physical-chemical characterization. The extraction of germinated seeds was carried out by several methods, namely conventional (hydro-alcoholic and autoclave extraction) and modern (ultrasound-assisted extraction) methods. For each method, the following parameters have been set: solvent/substrate ratio, temperature, and reaction time. Hydro-alcoholic extraction was performed according to the method described by Piantino et al. (2008) with minor modifications [¹]. The parameters were as follows: ethanol:water ratio 70:30 v/v, reaction time 24 h, at room temperature, and stirred at 150 rpm. Autoclave extraction was performed according to the method described by Maurizio D’Auria (2021) using parameters temperature (121 °C), pressure (1 bar), and reaction time (15 min) [2]. Ultrasound-assisted extraction carried out according to the method described by Ahmad and Shehta (2020) with modifications [³]. The parameters were as follows: 70% ethanol, substrat:solvent ratio 1:10, reaction time 10, 20, 30 min, at room temperature in an ultrasonic bath. The proximate chemical composition analysis for each extract was performed, which refers to water content, total nitrogen, crude protein, carbohydrates, ash, and both macro and micro elements using standard methods. Following the comparative analysis of the preliminary results obtained for the four extracts, the modern method ultrasound-assisted extraction was selected. The mean percentage of chemical compounds was: moisture (at 105 °C) 78.2 ± 0.48%, crude protein 23 ± 1%, and ash (at 550 °C) 3.09 ± 0.004%. The preliminary chemical analysis of the extracts served as the basis for the selection of the extraction method. Conventional methods require a long time for extraction and use solvents at high costs. The interest in using modern methods for the extraction of germinated seeds is growing due to reduced reaction time and solvent volume involved and the accuracy of results obtained.