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Polytechnic of Coimbra
Halophyte plants are highly adapted to salt marsh ecosystems due to their physiological and ecological characteristics. Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen is one abundant halophyte shrub that belongs to a Chenopodiaceae family and Caryophyllales order and is found on sandy or muddy coastlines and salt marshes. In this study, the leaves of sea purslane (H. portulacoides) grown in Figueira da Foz (Portugal) were characterized at nutritional and mineral concentration. Moreover, different methanolic extracts were obtained from the leaves, and the antioxidant activity was assessed by several methods. From a nutritional point of view, this halophyte plant may be considered a good source of dietary fiber, protein, natural minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and potassium. The primary sugar found in leaves of sea purslane is maltose, followed by sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Finally, leaves showed a high content of phenolic compounds and considerable antioxidant activity. The novel products butter and pasta enriched with powder dried leaves of H. portulacoides revealed the plant’s potential to be used as a salt substitute and a good alternative to enhance the sensory characteristics of products, with additional health benefits. The nutritional characteristics and the phytochemical value highlight H. portulacoides as a potential candidate crop in saline agriculture and to be used as a new vegetable, especially as a premium food in the novel “salty veggies” market or as a kitchen salt substitute.
Arona Pires; Sílvia Agreira; Sandrine Ressurreição; Joana Marques; Raquel Guiné; Maria João Barroca; Aida Moreira da Silva. Sea Purslane as an Emerging Food Crop: Nutritional and Biological Studies. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 7860 .
AMA StyleArona Pires, Sílvia Agreira, Sandrine Ressurreição, Joana Marques, Raquel Guiné, Maria João Barroca, Aida Moreira da Silva. Sea Purslane as an Emerging Food Crop: Nutritional and Biological Studies. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11 (17):7860.
Chicago/Turabian StyleArona Pires; Sílvia Agreira; Sandrine Ressurreição; Joana Marques; Raquel Guiné; Maria João Barroca; Aida Moreira da Silva. 2021. "Sea Purslane as an Emerging Food Crop: Nutritional and Biological Studies." Applied Sciences 11, no. 17: 7860.
Touka Letaief; Jamel Mejri; Sandrine Ressureição; Manef Abderrabba; Rui Costa. Extraction of Ziziphus lotus fruit syrups: effect of enzymatic extraction and temperature on the rheological and chemical properties. International Agrophysics 2021, 35, 31 -40.
AMA StyleTouka Letaief, Jamel Mejri, Sandrine Ressureição, Manef Abderrabba, Rui Costa. Extraction of Ziziphus lotus fruit syrups: effect of enzymatic extraction and temperature on the rheological and chemical properties. International Agrophysics. 2021; 35 (1):31-40.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTouka Letaief; Jamel Mejri; Sandrine Ressureição; Manef Abderrabba; Rui Costa. 2021. "Extraction of Ziziphus lotus fruit syrups: effect of enzymatic extraction and temperature on the rheological and chemical properties." International Agrophysics 35, no. 1: 31-40.
Crepis vesicaria subsp. taraxacifolia (Cv) of Asteraceae family is used as food and in traditional medicine. However there are no studies on its nutritional value, phenolic composition and biological activities. In the present work, a nutritional analysis of Cv leaves was performed and its phenolic content and biological properties evaluated. The nutritional profile was achieved by gas chromatography (GC). A 70% ethanolic extract was prepared and characterized by HLPC-PDA-ESI/MSn. The quantification of chicoric acid was determined by HPLC-PDA. Subsequently, it was evaluated its antioxidant activity by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods. The anti-inflammatory activity and cellular viability was assessed in Raw 264.7 macrophages. On wet weight basis, carbohydrates were the most abundant macronutrients (9.99%), followed by minerals (2.74%) (mainly K, Ca and Na), protein (1.04%) and lipids (0.69%), with a low energetic contribution (175.19 KJ/100 g). The Cv extract is constituted essentially by phenolic acids as caffeic, ferulic and quinic acid derivatives being the major phenolic constituent chicoric acid (130.5 mg/g extract). The extract exhibited antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays and inhibited the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by LPS (IC50 = 0.428 ± 0.007 mg/mL) without cytotoxicity at all concentrations tested. Conclusions: Given the nutritional and phenolic profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, Cv could be a promising useful source of functional food ingredients.
Sónia Pedreiro; Sandrine Da Ressurreição; Maria Lopes; Maria Teresa Cruz; Teresa Batista; Artur Figueirinha; Fernando Ramos. Crepis vesicaria L. subsp. taraxacifolia Leaves: Nutritional Profile, Phenolic Composition and Biological Properties. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 18, 151 .
AMA StyleSónia Pedreiro, Sandrine Da Ressurreição, Maria Lopes, Maria Teresa Cruz, Teresa Batista, Artur Figueirinha, Fernando Ramos. Crepis vesicaria L. subsp. taraxacifolia Leaves: Nutritional Profile, Phenolic Composition and Biological Properties. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 18 (1):151.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSónia Pedreiro; Sandrine Da Ressurreição; Maria Lopes; Maria Teresa Cruz; Teresa Batista; Artur Figueirinha; Fernando Ramos. 2020. "Crepis vesicaria L. subsp. taraxacifolia Leaves: Nutritional Profile, Phenolic Composition and Biological Properties." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 1: 151.
The increasing demand of organic agriculture (OA) is based on the consumer’s belief that organic agricultural products are healthier, tastier and more nutritious. The effect of OA and conventional agriculture (CA) methods on the elemental compositions of green and red sweet peppers were studied. The highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, K and P occur in peppers from OA in both states of ripeness, with emphasis on Ca and K contents. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA), points out to a clear separation, regarding concentrations, between peppers from OA and CA. The average fruit weight is higher in OA, 141 g versus 112 g in CA. Regarding productivity, CA reaches a value of 30.1 t/ha, 7% higher than the value observed for OA, i.e., 28 t/ha. Peppers from CA, exhibited greater protein content than those which originated from OA, regardless of the ripening stage, but not more ashes. Regarding nutritional ratios, the ripening stage and the production mode, can be important for an adequate choice regarding a more balanced Ca/P ratio, and the studied variety contained high Ca values ranging between 1009 and 1930 mg.kg−1. The PCA analysis also revealed that Mn and Fe are inversely correlated, confirming the importance of the Mn/Fe ratio evaluation in nutritional studies.
Rosa Guilherme; Fernando Reboredo; Mauro Guerra; Sandrine Ressurreição; Nuno Alvarenga. Elemental Composition and Some Nutritional Parameters of Sweet Pepper from Organic and Conventional Agriculture. Plants 2020, 9, 863 .
AMA StyleRosa Guilherme, Fernando Reboredo, Mauro Guerra, Sandrine Ressurreição, Nuno Alvarenga. Elemental Composition and Some Nutritional Parameters of Sweet Pepper from Organic and Conventional Agriculture. Plants. 2020; 9 (7):863.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRosa Guilherme; Fernando Reboredo; Mauro Guerra; Sandrine Ressurreição; Nuno Alvarenga. 2020. "Elemental Composition and Some Nutritional Parameters of Sweet Pepper from Organic and Conventional Agriculture." Plants 9, no. 7: 863.
The Sarcocornia genus is an extreme salt-tolerant plant that can be cultivated in saline habitats almost worldwide. To preserve Sarcocornia perennis, convective drying experiments were conducted and their effects on the physico-chemical properties and phenolic content of the plant were studied using conventional and vibrational spectroscopy techniques. The drying process of Sarcocornia perennis at temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C revealed three periods of convective drying process with drying times ranging between 4.5 and 24.9 h, respectively to higher and lower temperatures. The heating-up period can be neglected as compared with the drying process, and the duration of constant rate period, as a percentage of the total drying time, ranged between 34 and 20% respectively at 40 °C and 70 °C. The Modified Page model was proposed to describe the drying process at the different temperatures. From a nutritional point of view, this halophyte plant may be considered as a good source of fibres, phenolic compounds and natural minerals, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The convective drying, in the temperature range currently used, was found to preserve the colour, nutritional characteristics and phytochemical value of Sarcocornia perennis. These results were confirmed by FTIR-ATR and highlight the potential use of the dried plant in novel food products.
M. J. Barroca; R. P. F. Guiné; A. M. Amado; S. Ressurreição; A. Moreira Da Silva; M. P. M. Marques; L. A. E. Batista De Carvalho. The drying process of Sarcocornia perennis: impact on nutritional and physico-chemical properties. Journal of Food Science and Technology 2020, 57, 4443 -4458.
AMA StyleM. J. Barroca, R. P. F. Guiné, A. M. Amado, S. Ressurreição, A. Moreira Da Silva, M. P. M. Marques, L. A. E. Batista De Carvalho. The drying process of Sarcocornia perennis: impact on nutritional and physico-chemical properties. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2020; 57 (12):4443-4458.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. J. Barroca; R. P. F. Guiné; A. M. Amado; S. Ressurreição; A. Moreira Da Silva; M. P. M. Marques; L. A. E. Batista De Carvalho. 2020. "The drying process of Sarcocornia perennis: impact on nutritional and physico-chemical properties." Journal of Food Science and Technology 57, no. 12: 4443-4458.
The production of yam-derived (Dioscorea rotundata) foodstuffs is mainly performed by small and medium scale processors that employ old traditional methods. This can lead to differences in quality from processor to processor, and from location to location, with consequent safety concerns. As such, the effects of processing and post-processing phases (i.e., storage, transport, etc.) on the safety of some yam-derived foodstuffs—namely chips, flakes, and flour—has been evaluated, with a focus on bacterial and fungal contamination, aflatoxins, pesticides, and heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cd and Hg). Yams harvested and processed in Nigeria were screened, being that the country is the largest producer of the tuber, with 70–75% of the world production. Results highlighted no presence of pesticides, however, many samples showed high levels of bacterial and fungal contamination, together with heavy metal concentrations above the recommended safety levels. No trend was observed between the items considered; it was noticed, however, that samples purchased from the markets showed higher contamination levels than those freshly produced, especially regarding bacterial and aflatoxins presence. The processing stage was identified as the most critical, especially drying. Nonetheless, post-processing steps such as storage and handling at the point of sale also contributed for chemical contamination, such as aflatoxin and heavy metals. The results suggested that both the processing and post-processing phases have an impact on the safety of yam chips, flakes, and flour.
Celestina Omohimi; Clara Piccirillo; Vincenza Ferraro; Mariana C. Roriz; Mobolaji A. Omemu; Sandra M. Dias Santos; Sandrine Da Ressurreição; Louise Abayomi; Abdulraqaz Adebowale; Marta W. Vasconcelos; Oluwasegun Obadina; Lateef Sanni; Maria M. E. Pintado. Safety of Yam-Derived (Dioscorea rotundata) Foodstuffs—Chips, Flakes and Flour: Effect of Processing and Post-Processing Conditions. Foods 2019, 8, 12 .
AMA StyleCelestina Omohimi, Clara Piccirillo, Vincenza Ferraro, Mariana C. Roriz, Mobolaji A. Omemu, Sandra M. Dias Santos, Sandrine Da Ressurreição, Louise Abayomi, Abdulraqaz Adebowale, Marta W. Vasconcelos, Oluwasegun Obadina, Lateef Sanni, Maria M. E. Pintado. Safety of Yam-Derived (Dioscorea rotundata) Foodstuffs—Chips, Flakes and Flour: Effect of Processing and Post-Processing Conditions. Foods. 2019; 8 (1):12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCelestina Omohimi; Clara Piccirillo; Vincenza Ferraro; Mariana C. Roriz; Mobolaji A. Omemu; Sandra M. Dias Santos; Sandrine Da Ressurreição; Louise Abayomi; Abdulraqaz Adebowale; Marta W. Vasconcelos; Oluwasegun Obadina; Lateef Sanni; Maria M. E. Pintado. 2019. "Safety of Yam-Derived (Dioscorea rotundata) Foodstuffs—Chips, Flakes and Flour: Effect of Processing and Post-Processing Conditions." Foods 8, no. 1: 12.
Microalgae can stimulate antioxidant defense systems as adaptive responses to oxidative stress. Therefore, these organisms can be a potential source of natural antioxidants. In this work, forty-two strains of microalgae and cyanobacteria were selected within major groups held in the Coimbra Collection of Algae (ACOI). The antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extracts was determined by two spectrophotometric methods: the 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay and the 2,2-di(4-tert-octylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Raspberry extract was used as a reference for comparison purposes. The ABTS assay showed an antioxidant capacity range of 16.61 ± 0.15 to 258.20 ± 0.65 mg Trolox (TE) (100 g)−1 fresh biomass (FW). High antioxidant capacity was observed in Eustigmatophyceae and Chlorophyta, with high results achieved for Vischeria helvetica ACOI 299, Characiopsis aquilonaris ACOI 2424, and Micrasterias radiosa var. elegantior ACOI 1568. The DPPH assay revealed that the eustigmatophytes Characiopsis sp. ACOI 2428, Characiopsis minima ACOI 2426, and V. helvetica ACOI 299, the cryptophyte Cryptomonas pyrenoidifera ACOI 1850, and the chlorophyte Mychonastes homosphaera ACOI 1850 had the highest scavenging activity. Cyanophytes revealed low antioxidant capacity, and mucilagineous strains of different taxa remained undetermined. The assessment of these strains and the broadening of a screening survey of the ACOI Culture Collection are expected to reveal very promising antioxidant-producing strains that may be applied in the field of human nutrition.
Mariana F. G. Assunção; Raquel Amaral; Clara B. Martins; Joana D. Ferreira; Sandrine da Ressurreição; Sandra Dias Santos; Jorge Varejão; Lília M. A. Santos. Screening microalgae as potential sources of antioxidants. Journal of Applied Phycology 2016, 29, 865 -877.
AMA StyleMariana F. G. Assunção, Raquel Amaral, Clara B. Martins, Joana D. Ferreira, Sandrine da Ressurreição, Sandra Dias Santos, Jorge Varejão, Lília M. A. Santos. Screening microalgae as potential sources of antioxidants. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2016; 29 (2):865-877.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMariana F. G. Assunção; Raquel Amaral; Clara B. Martins; Joana D. Ferreira; Sandrine da Ressurreição; Sandra Dias Santos; Jorge Varejão; Lília M. A. Santos. 2016. "Screening microalgae as potential sources of antioxidants." Journal of Applied Phycology 29, no. 2: 865-877.
Due to the toxicity of synthetic antioxidants, the demand for alternative sources of antioxidants over the years has increased. The interest in such compounds is related to their importance in human health and food quality. Microalgae, a group of organisms with high morphological diversity and able to produce a wide variety of biochemical compounds are considered a promising, non expensive source of antioxidant compounds (Guedes et al., 2013a). This work reports the screening of several different species of microalgae for their antioxidant behavior using the 2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS•+) spectrophotometric assay for antioxidant activity (Guedes et al., 2013b) to 50 microalgae from the Coimbra Collection of Algae (ACOI). This method is based on the discoloration of a radical solution expressed as a radical inhibition activity. Recorded values obtained varied between 0.19 and 12.31 mg.L1 equivalent ascorbic acid concentration. In order to confirm the results, the initial screening was followed by the application of the ABTS•+ assay and another common method for antioxidant activity namely that using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) to 8 selected strains from the first 50 and belonging to different taxonomic groups. The DPPH• method consists on the decrease of absorbance of a solution containing the radical in the presence of antioxidants (Brand-Williams et al., 1994). The results obtained for these 8 strains ranged from 2 to 30 mg.L-1 equivalent ascorbic acid concentration for the ABTS•+ assay and from 7 to 13% inhibition of DPPH•. Both sets of results indicate an interesting antioxidant potential in microalgae belonging to the groups Eustigmatophyceae and Chlorophyceae. Tested species of these groups showed ABTS•+ values comparable to grape and raspberry ethanolic extracts, confirmed also by the DPPH• method.
Assunção Mariana F.G.; Ressurreição Sandrine Da; Ferreira Joana; Martins Clara; Amaral Raquel; Santos Sandra Dias; Santos Lilia M.A.; Varejão Jorge M.T.B.; Sandrine Ressurreição. Screening of antioxidant activity in microalgae. Frontiers in Marine Science 2014, 1, 1 .
AMA StyleAssunção Mariana F.G., Ressurreição Sandrine Da, Ferreira Joana, Martins Clara, Amaral Raquel, Santos Sandra Dias, Santos Lilia M.A., Varejão Jorge M.T.B., Sandrine Ressurreição. Screening of antioxidant activity in microalgae. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2014; 1 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAssunção Mariana F.G.; Ressurreição Sandrine Da; Ferreira Joana; Martins Clara; Amaral Raquel; Santos Sandra Dias; Santos Lilia M.A.; Varejão Jorge M.T.B.; Sandrine Ressurreição. 2014. "Screening of antioxidant activity in microalgae." Frontiers in Marine Science 1, no. : 1.