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- Unveiling the bioactive potential of fresh fruit and vegetable waste in human health from a consumer perspectivePublication . Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Berenguer, Cristina V.; Andrade, Carolina F. P.; Câmara, José S.Food supply disruption and shortage verified during the current pandemic events are a scenario that many anticipate for the near future. The impact of climate changes on food production, the continuous decrease in arable land, and the exponential growth of the human population are important drivers for this problem. In this context, adding value to food waste is an obvious strategy to mitigate food shortages, but there is a long way to go in this field. Globally, it is estimated that one-third of all food produced is lost. This is certainly due to many different factors, but the lack of awareness of the consumer about the nutritional value of certain foods parts, namely peels and seeds, is certainly among them. In this review, we will unveil the nutritional and bioactive value of the waste discarded from the most important fresh fruit and vegetables consumed worldwide as a strategy to decrease food waste. This will span the characterization of the bioactive composition of selected waste from fruits and vegetables, particularly their seeds and peels, and their possible uses, whether in our diet or recycled to other ends.
- Evaluation of the Health-Promoting Properties of Selected FruitsPublication . Figueira, José A.; Porto-Figueira, Priscilla; Berenguer, Cristina; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José S.In this study, the health-promoting benefits of different fruits grown in Madeira Island, namely lemon (Citrus limon var. eureka), tangerine (Citrus reticulata var. setubalense), pitanga (Eugenia uniflora var. red), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. gordal) and uva-da-serra, an endemic blueberry (Vaccinium padifolium Sm.), were investigated. The phenolic composition (total phenolics and total flavonoids content) and antioxidant capacity (assessed through ABTS and DPPH assays) were measured revealing a high phenolic potential for all fruits, except tomato, while uva-da-serra is particularly rich in flavonoids. In relation to the antioxidant capacity, the highest values were obtained for pitanga and uva-da-serra extracts. The bioactive potential was also assessed through the ability of the extracts to inhibit digestive enzymes linked to diabetes (α-amylase, α- and β glucosidases) and hypertension (angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE). The results obtained point to a very high bioactive potential with the selected samples exhibiting very important ACE anti enzymatic capacities. A statistical analysis of the obtained data reveals a very strong correlation between ABTS and TPC, and a strong contribution of the fruit polyphenols for enzyme inhibition, and thus, presenting high antihypertensive and antidiabetic capacities. Overall, the results obtained clearly show a high bioactive potential of the selected fruits that should be further studied, in terms of specific phenolic composition. Moreover, these results strongly support the valorisation of pitanga seeds usually discarded as a waste, and uva-da-serra, an endemic and wild bush, as potential bioresources of bioactive compounds with impact in human diet.
- Volatilomics: an emerging and promising avenue for the detection of potential prostate cancer biomarkersPublication . Berenguer, Cristina V.; Pereira, Ferdinando; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Camara, José S.Despite the spectacular advances in molecular medicine, including genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, lipidomics, and personalized medicine, supported by the discovery of the human genome, prostate cancer (PCa) remains the most frequent malignant tumor and a leading cause of oncological death in men. New methods for prognostic, diagnostic, and therapy evaluation are mainly based on the combination of imaging techniques with other methodologies, such as gene or protein profiling, aimed at improving PCa management and surveillance. However, the lack of highly specific and sensitive biomarkers for its early detection is a major hurdle to this goal. Apart from classical biomarkers, the study of endogenous volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) biosynthesized by different metabolic pathways and found in several biofluids is emerging as an innovative, efficient, accessible, and non-invasive approach to establish the volatilomic biosignature of PCa patients, unravelling potential biomarkers. This review provides a brief overview of the challenges of PCa screening methods and emergent biomarkers. We also focus on the potential of volatilomics for the establishment of PCa biomarkers from non-invasive matrices.
- Green Extraction Techniques as Advanced Sample Preparation Approaches in Biological, Food, and Environmental Matrices: A ReviewPublication . Câmara, José S.; Perestrelo, Rosa; Berenguer, Cristina V.; Andrade, Carolina F. P.; Gomes, Telma M.; Olayanju, Basit; Kabir, Abuzar; Rocha, Cristina M.R.; Teixeira, José António; Pereira, Jorge A. M.Green extraction techniques (GreETs) emerged in the last decade as greener and sustain able alternatives to classical sample preparation procedures aiming to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of analytical methods, simultaneously reducing the deleterious side effects of classical extraction techniques (CETs) for both the operator and the environment. The implementation of improved processes that overcome the main constraints of classical methods in terms of efficiency and ability to minimize or eliminate the use and generation of harmful substances will promote more efficient use of energy and resources in close association with the principles supporting the concept of green chemistry. The current review aims to update the state of the art of some cutting-edge GreETs developed and implemented in recent years focusing on the improvement of the main analytical features, practical aspects, and relevant applications in the biological, food, and environmental fields. Approaches to improve and accelerate the extraction efficiency and to lower solvent consumption, including sorbent-based techniques, such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and fabric-phase sorbent extraction (FPSE), and solvent-based techniques (µQuEChERS; micro quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), in addition to supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized solvent extraction (PSE), are highlighted.
- Urinary volatomic profile of traditional tobacco smokers and electronic cigarettes users as a strategy to unveil potential health issuesPublication . Berenguer, Cristina; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José S.Many harmful and potentially harmful constituents are present in tobacco prod ucts. Cigarette smoke is known to cause different forms of cancer and trigger the development of chronic diseases. In the last decade, electronic cigarettes have emerged as a healthier alternative associated to less harmful effects in compar ison to traditional tobacco. However, the lack of standardization of electronic cigarettes products makes it difficult to establish and compare the real effects on health of products from different manufacturers. To better understand the impact of smoking and vaping, the volatomic composition of urine samples from traditional tobacco smokers and electronic cigarette users was established and compared with nonsmokers (control group), using headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 45 urinary volatile organic metabolites belonging to different chemical fami lies were identified in the urine of the studied groups. Benzene derivatives, ter penes, and aromatics were the chemical families that contributed the most to the urinary profile of smokers. The vapers urinary volatomic pattern was also domi nated by terpenes and aromatics, in addition to alcohols. The orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis of the data obtained indicated that the uri nary profile of vapers is more closely related to the control group, reinforcing the hypothesis of the lowest harmfulness of electronic cigarettes. Further studies recruiting a higher number of subjects are therefore necessary to consolidate the data obtained.
- Overview of Different Modes and Applications of Liquid Phase-Based Microextraction TechniquesPublication . Câmara, José S.; Perestrelo, Rosa; Olayanju, Basit; Berenguer, Cristina V.; Kabir, Abuzar; Pereira, Jorge A. M.Liquid phase-based microextraction techniques (LPµETs) have attracted great attention from the scientific community since their invention and implementation mainly due to their high effi ciency, low solvent and sample amount, enhanced selectivity and precision, and good reproducibility for a wide range of analytes. This review explores the different possibilities and applications of LPµETs including dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) and single-drop microextrac tion (SDME), highlighting its two main approaches, direct immersion-SDME and headspace-SDME, hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction (HF-LPME) in its two- and three-phase device modes using the donor–acceptor interactions, and electro membrane extraction (EME). Currently, these LPµETs are used in very different areas of interest, from the environment to food and beverages, pharma ceutical, clinical, and forensic analysis. Several important potential applications of each technique will be reported, highlighting its advantages and drawbacks. Moreover, the use of alternative and efficient “green” extraction solvents including nanostructured supramolecular solvents (SUPRASs, deep eutectic solvents (DES), and ionic liquids (ILs)) will be discussed.