The objectives of the present work were: (a) to characterize bee pollen from the region of Epirus in terms of biofunctional activity parameters as assessed by (i) the determination of specific polyphenols using high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS), (ii) antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay), and (iii) total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu assay), and (b) to prepare yoghurts from cow, goat, and sheep milk supplemented with different concentrations of grounded bee pollen (0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 3.0%, w/v), and study afterwards the trend in antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content along with product’s sensory properties. Results showed that bee pollen ethanolic extracts are a rich source of phytochemicals based on the high total phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant activity that were monitored. The addition of grounded bee pollen in yoghurts resulted in a food matrix of a higher in vitro antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content, whereas it improved the yoghurt’s taste, odour, appearance, and cohesion; the latter indicates its beneficial use as a general food surface and interface material enhancer due to the possible formation of surface/interface active lipid-linked proteins. Based on the present findings, bee pollen yoghurt is proposed as a novel and costless functional food whereas it may comprise a research basis for food or material science in the scientific society of the future. Results were further supported by implementation of advanced chemometric analyses providing a full characterization of the product’s uniqueness.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the quality and bio-functional properties of Portuguese honeys of different botanical and geographical origins. Quality parameter analyses included the determination of palynological (predominant, secondary, minor and isolated pollen percentage), physicochemical (°Brix, moisture content, pH, electrical conductivity, free acidity, total dissolved solids, salinity, vitamin C content and specific weight) including colour-metrics (CIELAB, Pfund and colour intensity determinations), along with volatile compounds identification using solid phase micro-extraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Bio-activity parameter analysis included the determination of in vitro antioxidant activity and total phenolic content using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl and Folin-Ciocalteu assays, respectively. Melissopalynological analysis showed that Portuguese honeys were classified as eucalyptus, chestnut and heather, recording significant variations (p < 0.05) among physicochemical, volatile and bio-activity parameter analyses according to both: botanical and geographical origin. Based on the multi-parameter analysis data Portuguese honeys could be characterized by a distinctive colour, a characteristic aroma, whereas conform to the European legislation relating to honey identity and quality. Specific attention should be given in the case of heather honey which showed the highest in vitro antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. Parameters that were also highly correlated using bivariate statistics.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has gained increasing attention for its unique ability to create geometrically complex designs, which not only can be used for mass manufacturing but also has environmental and economic benefits. Additionally, as far as the food industry is concerned, this emerging technology has the potential to personalize products in terms of shape and/or nutritional requirements creating a wide range of food items with specially made shapes, colors, textures, tastes, and even nutrition using suitable raw materials/food components. In the future, 3D food printing could make complex food models with special interior design. This review gives attention to intelligent food packaging. Point-of-use machinery for manufacturing smart packaging, with a 3D printing approach, enables the use of multifunctional smart components and is self-identifying and highly sensitive, while using biocompatible non-toxic materials is cheaper than traditional manufacturing methods. This would create smart food packaging and in turn prevent customers from purchasing unsuitable food and thus reduce food waste. Future studies can make the process more compatible and efficient with a wide variety of materials that could be used to improve the 3D printing process.

The valorization of food industry byproducts has become a significant issue worldwide because of the drive towards a circular economy. The “zero waste target” in human activities seems to be a dominant objective in the design of future products by enterprises. In this work, food waste from the crayfish processing industry was converted into useful products (quantum dots), as nowadays, biowaste-derived materials tend to be more attractive than conventionally produced materials with a similar structure due to their lower production costs and environmentally friendly development processes. More specifically, shell waste from the crayfish industry was treated hydrothermally and, after a freeze-drying process, was transformed to useful quantum dots. Instrumental and chemical techniques, such as XRD, SEM-EDS, AFM, XPS, elemental analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy, TG, Microtox bioassay, and DPPH antioxidant activity, were employed to characterize the final product. The results indicated the existence of thermally stable spherical particles, with a diameter of 5–8 nm, which were mainly composed of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, and sulfur. Their external surface was rough and rich with various functional groups that further contributed to their overall optical properties. The final product presented low ecotoxicity, as studied by the Microtox assay. The superior antioxidant activity of this product compared to other similar materials reported elsewhere renders it a potential material for, e.g., food packaging applications. In addition, for the first time, N/S-Carbon QDs were applied as an antioxidant/antibacterial agent for strawberry preservation, showing promising results as the coated strawberries maintained their color and weight for three consecutive days with no mold growth observed on their surface.

Sustainability, the circular economy, and the “greenhouse” effect have led the food packaging industry to use naturally available bio-compounds. The integration of such compounds in packaging films increases food safety and extends food shelf-life. The development of an active/antioxidant packaging film based on the widely commercially used low-density polyethylene, natural zeolite, and Thymol, a natural extract from thyme oil, is presented in this work. The obtained active films were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry techniques. The tensile strength, water–oxygen barrier properties, and total antioxidant activity were measured. Low-density polyethylene incorporated with Thymol@Natural Zeolite at a proportion of 15 wt% was the most promising material and was used as film to wrap-up pork fillets. The thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method and heme iron measurements indicated a delayed lipids oxidation using this film. A linear correlation between the TBA method and heme iron values seems to be established, which could result in a fast method to determine the degree of lipid oxidation in pork fillets. Finally, a two-stage diffusion process during Thymol release was observed, and the values of the diffusion coefficient was 2.09 × 10⁻⁷ and 1.21 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s for each stage. The applied pseudo-second sorption model provided a rate constant k₂ = 0.01647 (s⁻¹). These results indicate the strong potential of such films to be used as food packaging materials free of E-number preservatives.

The chemical composition and properties of seed oils have attracted researchers nowadays. By this meaning, the physicochemical and bioactivity profile of prickly pear seed oil (PPSO) (a product of prickly pear fruits waste) were investigated. Seeds of shelf-grown cactus fruits (Opuntia ficus indica L.) were subjected to analysis. Moisture content (gravimetric analysis), seed content (gravimetric analysis), oil yield (Soxhlet extraction/gravimetric analysis), volatile compounds (HS-SPME/GC-MS), fatty acids profile (GC-FID), in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH assay), and total phenolic content (Folin-Cioacalteu assay) were determined. Results showed that prickly pear seeds had a moisture content of 6.0 ± 0.1 g/100 g, whereas the oil yield ranged between 5.4 ± 0.5 g/100 g. Furthermore, the PPSO had a rich aroma because of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, ketones, and other compounds, with the major volatiles being 2-propenal, acetic acid, pentanal, 1-pentanol, hexanal, 2-hexenal, heptanal, 2-heptenal (Z), octanal, 2-octenal, nonanal, 2,4-decadienal (E,E), and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal. Among the fatty acids, butyric, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids were the dominant. Finally, the pure PPSO had a high in vitro antioxidant activity (84 ± 0.010%) and total phenolic content (551 ± 0.300 mg of gallic acid equivalents/L). PPSO may be then used as a beneficial by-product, in different food systems as a flavoring, antioxidant, and nutritional agent.