Chickpeas are the third most abundant legume crop worldwide, having a high protein content (14.9–24.6%) with interesting technological properties, thus representing a sustainable alternative to animal proteins. In this study, the surface and structural properties of total (TE) and sequential (ALB, GLO, and GLU) protein fractions isolated from defatted chickpea flour were evaluated and compared with an animal protein, ovalbumin (OVO). Differences in their physicochemical properties were evidenced when comparing TE with ALB, GLO, and GLU fractions. In addition, using a simple and low-cost extraction method it was obtained a high protein yield (82 ± 4%) with a significant content of essential and hydrophobic amino acids. Chickpea proteins presented improved interfacial and surface behavior compared to OVO, where GLO showed the most significant effects, correlated with its secondary structure and associated with its flexibility and higher surface hydrophobicity. Therefore, chickpea proteins have improved surface properties compared to OVO, evidencing their potential use as foam and/or emulsion stabilizers in food formulations for the replacement of animal proteins.

Walnut green husk (WGH) is a waste generated by the walnut (Juglans regia L.) harvest industry. It represents a natural source of polyphenols, compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, but their activity could be dependent on the ripeness stage of the raw material. In this study, the effect of the different ripeness stages—open (OH) and closed (CH) husks—on the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of WGH extracts were analyzed, emphasizing the influence of the extracts in inhibiting Escherichia coli growth. The ripeness stage of WGH significantly affected the antioxidant activity of the extracts. This was attributed to the different polyphenol profiles related to the mechanical stress when the husk opened compared to the closed sample. The antimicrobial activity showed inhibition of E. coli growth. OH-extracts at 96 µg/mL caused the lowest specific growth rate (µ_max = 0.003 h⁻¹) and the greatest inhibition percentage (I = 93%) compared to CH-extract (µ_max = 0.01 h⁻¹; I = 69%). The obtained results showed the potential of the walnut green husk, principally open husk, as an economical source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents with potential use in the food industry.

Abarcamos los principios y estrategias a nivel mundial y nacional sobre economía circular, y las posibles materias primas de compuestos polifenólicos a partir de residuos de la agroindustria chilena, finalizando con la técnica y material de pared más utilizados (secado por aspersión utilizando maltodextrina) para la encapsulación de estos compuestos antioxidantes y generar potenciales aditivos naturales, aportando así a la economía circular. Desafortunadamente, los residuos en la agroindustria chilena no son lo suficientemente aprovechados ni estudiados para encontrarles un importante valor agregado, como ocurre en otros países que cuentan con exitosas iniciativas de economía circular.

In order to analyze whether the reducing redox status and activation of thioredoxin reductase (TRR)/thioredoxin(TRX) system induced by oligo-carrageenan (OC) kappa in Eucalyptus globulus activate secondary metabolism increasing terpenoid synthesis, trees were sprayed on the leaves with water, with OC kappa, or with inhibitors of NAD(P)H, ascorbate (ASC) and (GSH) synthesis and TRR activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) and auranofine, respectively, and with OC kappa and cultivated for four months. The main terpenoids in control Eucalyptus trees were eucalyptol (76%), α-pinene (7.4%), aromadendrene (3.6%), silvestrene (2.8%), sabinene (2%) and α-terpineol (0.9%). Treated trees showed a 22% increase in total essential oils as well as a decrease in eucalyptol (65%) and sabinene (0.8%) and an increase in aromadendrene (5%), silvestrene (7.8%) and other ten terpenoids. In addition, treated Eucalyptus showed seven de novo synthesized terpenoids corresponding to carene, α-terpinene, α-fenchene, γ-maaliene, spathulenol and α-camphenolic aldehyde. Most increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids have potential insecticidal and antimicrobial activities. Trees treated with CHS-828, lycorine, BSO and auranofine and with OC kappa showed an inhibition of increased and de novo synthesized terpenoids. Thus, OC kappa-induced reducing redox status and activation of TRR/TRX system enhance secondary metabolism increasing the synthesis of terpenoids and reprogramming of terpenoid metabolism in Eucalyptus trees.

Mixed-valence polyoxovanadates (POVs) constitute a family of polyoxometalates whose electronic properties are still unclear. Polyoxovanadoborates (POVBs), a subfamily of POVs, show different electronic and magnetic properties compared to those of POVs. Upon the interpretation of the electronic spectra of these compounds, only three bands in the 350–800 nm range were reported in the literature. This is the first theoretical study of the electronic spectra of the [V₁₂B₁₈O₆₀] family, and we showed that these three bands are the contributions of different excitations, i.e., LMCT + IVCT, d–d + IVCT and d–d + IVCT. We showed experimentally that in the NIR region, up to 1800 nm, IVCT transitions appear, whose intensity is dependent on the mixed-valence ratio. We also showed that the condensation of borate groups resulted in the loss of the differentiation of the vanadyl stretching vibration that depends on the oxidation state, which is as expected for other types of polyoxovanadates. This feature was proposed as a probe to observe the delocalized to localized phase transition in POVs.

Developing a powder-form natural antioxidant additive involves utilizing polyphenols extracted from agro-industrial wastes (walnut green husk). This research explores chickpea proteins (CPP) as an emergent encapsulating agent to enhance the stability and shelf life of the antioxidant additive. This study aims to develop a natural antioxidant powder additive based on polyphenols obtained from walnut green husks encapsulated by chickpea protein (5%, 7.5%, and 10% w/v) to evaluate their effect under storage at relative humidities (33 and 75% RH). The physicochemical and structural properties analysis indicated that better results were obtained by increasing the protein concentration. This demonstrates the protective effect of CPP on the phenolic compounds and that it is potentially non-toxic. The results suggest that the optimal conditions for storing the antioxidant powder, focusing on antioxidant activity and powder color, involve low relative humidities (33%) and high protein concentration (10%). This research will contribute to demonstrating chickpea protein as an emerging encapsulating agent and the importance of the cytotoxic analysis of extracts obtained from agroindustrial wastes.