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- Simultaneous microextraction of pesticides from wastewater using optimized μSPEed and μQuEChERS techniques for food contamination analysisPublication . García-Cansino, Laura; Ángeles García, María; Marina, María Luisa; Câmara, José S.; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José; Augusto Machado Pereira, JorgeFood contamination with pesticides poses significant risks to consumer safety and undermines confidence in food supply chains. Detecting pesticides in food samples is a challenging task that requires efficient extraction techniques. This study aims to compare and validate two micro extraction techniques, μSPEed and μQuEChERS-dSPE, for the simultaneous extraction of eight pesticides (paraquat, thiabendazole, asulam, picloram, ametryn, atrazine, linuron, and cymox anil) from wastewater samples. A good analytical performance was obtained for both method ologies, with selectivity, linearity in the range 0.5–150 mg L− 1 with coefficients of determination up to 0.9979, limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranging from 0.02 to 0.05 mg L− 1 and from 0.06 to 0.17 mg L− 1 , respectively, precision below 14.7 mg L− 1 , and re coveries from wastewater samples in the range of 66.1–99.9%. The developed methodologies are simpler, faster, and require less sample and solvent volumes than conventional methodologies, having a lower impact on the environment. Nevertheless, the μSPEed approach was found to be more efficient, easier to perform, and with a higher greener profile. This study highlights the potential of microextraction techniques for the analysis of pesticide residues in food and envi ronmental samples. Overall, it presents a fast and efficient method for the analysis of pesticides in wastewater samples, which can be useful for monitoring and controlling pesticide contamination in the environment.
- Unravelling the potential of insects for medicinal purposes: a comprehensive reviewPublication . Siddiqui, Shahida Anusha; Li, Chujun; Aidoo, Owusu Fordjour; Fernando, Ito; Haddad, Moawiya A.; Pereira, Jorge A.M.; Blinov, Andrey; Golik, Andrey; Câmara, José S.; Augusto Machado Pereira, Jorge; Câmara, JoséEntomotherapy, the use of insects for medicinal purposes, has been practised for centuries in many countries around the world. More than 2100 edible insect species are eaten by humans, but little is known about the possibility of using these insects as a promising alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. This review offers a fundamental understanding of the therapeutic applications of insects and how they might be used in medicine. In this review, 235 insect species from 15 orders are reported to be used as medicine. Hymenoptera contains the largest medicinal insect species, followed by Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea. Scientists have examined and validated the potential uses of insects along with their products and by-products in treating various diseases, and records show that they are primarily used to treat digestive and skin disorders. Insects are known to be rich sources of bioactive compounds, explaining their therapeutic features such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and so on. Challenges associated with the consumption of insects (entomophagy) and their therapeutic uses include regulation barriers and consumer acceptance. Moreover, the overexploitation of medicinal insects in their natural habitat has led to a population crisis, thus necessitating the investigation and development of their mass-rearing procedure. Lastly, this review suggests po tential directions for developing insects used in medicine and offers advice for scientists inter ested in entomotherapy. In future, entomotherapy may become a sustainable and cost-effective solution for treating various ailments and has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine.
- Polystyrene microplastic particles in the food chain. Characteristics and toxicity: a reviewPublication . Siddiqui, Shahida Anusha; Singh, Shubhra; Bahmid, Nur Alim; Shyu, Douglas J.H.; Domínguez, Rubén; Lorenzo, Jose M.; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José S.; Augusto Machado Pereira, Jorge; Câmara, JoséPolystyrene (PS) is a crucial material for modern plastic manufacturers, but its widespread use and direct discard in the environment severely affect the food chain. This review provides a detailed study on the impact of PS microplastics (PS-MPs) on the food chain and the environment, including information on their mechanism, degradation process, and toxicity. The accumulation of PS-MPs in organisms' different organs leads to various adverse reactions, such as re duced body weight, premature deaths, pulmonary diseases, neurotoxicity, transgenerational issues, oxidative stress, metabolic alterations, ecotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and other dysfunctions. These consequences affect diverse ele ments in the food chain, spanning from aquatic species to mammals and humans. The review also addresses the need for sustainable plastic waste management policies and technological developments to prevent the adverse im pacts of PS-MPs on the food chain. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of developing a precise, flexible, and effective methodology for extracting and quantifying PS-MPs in food, considering their characteristics like particle size, polymer types, and forms. While several studies have focused on the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) in aquatic species, further investigation is required to understand the mechanisms by which they are transferred across multiple trophic levels. Therefore, this article serves as the first comprehensive review, examining the mecha nism, degradation process, and toxicity of PS-MPs. It presents an analysis of the current research landscape of PS MPs in the global food chain, providing insights for future researchers and governing organizations to adopt better ap proaches to managing PS-MPs and preventing their adverse impacts on the food chain. As far as we know this is the first article on this specific and impactant topic.
- Emerging technological advances in improving the safety of muscle foods: framing in the context of the food revolution 4.0Publication . Hassoun, Abdo; Siddiqui, Shahida Anusha; Smaoui, Slim; Ucak, İ̇lknur; Arshad, Rai Naveed; Bhat, Zuhaib F.; Bhat, Hina F.; Carpena, María; Prieto, Miguel A.; Aït-Kaddour, Abderrahmane; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Zacometti, Carmela; Tata, Alessandra; Ibrahim, Salam A.; Ozogul, Fatih; Câmara, José S.; Augusto Machado Pereira, Jorge; Câmara, JoséTo address the issues related to high perishability and limited shelf life of food proteins from muscle origin, different innovative processing, and pre servation techniques, as well as analytical methodological approaches have been developed to meet environmental challenges and consumer demand for food of high quality and sustainable production supported by circular economy principles. This development has been enhanced and increased during the ongoing age of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), which has been gaining momentum since 2015, coming up with a range of automated and digitized technologies. This review provides an updated overview of the recently developed thermal and nonthermal processing and preservation technologies, along with selected advanced analytical techniques used in the industry of muscle foods. Particular attention has been given to Industry 4.0 technologies and their role in achieving smart production with high automation and digitalization rates. As in other indus try sectors, technology breakthroughs are reshaping the food industry, including the muscle food sector. Emerging technologies, such as pulsed electric field, high-pressure processing, ohmic heating, nanotechnology, advanced mass spectrometry and hyperspectral imaging sensors are among the key elements in the current food revolution 4.0. Although Industry 4.0 offers countless possibilities, more studies are still needed to capture its full potential and further harness its technologies to solve current challenges and move forward toward Industry 5.0.
- Microextraction techniques for antibiotics surveillance in the food chain and environmentPublication . Antos, Joanna; García-Cansino, Laura; Ángeles García, María; Ginter-Kramarczyk, Dobrochna; Marina, María Luisa; Zembrzuska, Joanna; Câmara, José Sousa; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José; Augusto Machado Pereira, JorgeAntibiotics are commonly used to prevent and treat infections in human medicine, animal farming, and aqua culture. However, their excessive use can result in the development of antibiotic resistance and the presence of antibiotic residues in the food and environment. Therefore, it is essential to monitor antibiotic use and assess resistance, but the lack of standardisation and long-term quantitative data on antibiotic usage in different animal species is very challenging. Sample preparation techniques, such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), have been widely used, but they have limitations, including the need for large sample volumes, organic solvents, and complex and labourious protocols. Microextraction techniques (μExT) that align with the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry have gained attention in recent decades. Depending on the type of μExT used and the target analytes, the amounts of solvents, reagents, and samples used can be reduced by up to ten times or more. Often, the extraction time is also shortened by several orders of magnitude, labware requirements are much lower, and the analytical hardware can be simplified without compromising acceptable analytical performance. Notably, this includes the substitution of expensive LC-MS configurations with LC-UV or FLR cheaper equipment and detection systems. Greener solvents, such as ionic liquids (IL), supramolecular solvents (SUPRAS), and deep eutectic solvents (DES), have also been reported, further contributing to the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly antibiotic extraction and analytical procedures. The AGREE tool metrics shows that substitution of conventional extraction approaches with μExT enables a greener profile for any methodology developed to analyse antibiotics in different food and environmental samples. This article provides a detailed overview of the advantages of using different μExT to monitor antibiotic usage in the food industry and environment and discusses the challenges and opportunities in this field.
- Improved analytical approach for determination of tropane alkaloids in leafy vegetables based on µ-QuEChERS combined with HPLC-MS/MSPublication . González-Gómez, Lorena; Morante-Zarcero, Sonia; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Câmara, José S.; Sierra, Isabel; Augusto Machado Pereira, JorgeThis work presents an optimized methodology based on the miniaturization of the original QuEChERS (μ-QuEChERS) followed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for the determination of tropane alkaloids (TAs), atropine, and scopolamine in leafy vegetable samples. The analytical methodology was successfully validated, demonstrating quantitation limits (MQL) ≤ 2.3 ng/g, good accuracy, and precision, with recoveries between 90–100% and RSD ≤ 13% for both analytes. The method was applied to the analysis of TA-producing plants (Brugmansia versicolor, Solandra maxima, and Convolvulus arvensis). High concentrations of scopolamine were found in flowers (1771 mg/kg) and leaves (297 mg/kg) of B. versicolor. The highest concentration of atropine was found in flowers of S. maxima (10.4 mg/kg). Commercial mixed leafy vegetables contaminated with B. versicolor and S. maxima were analysed to verify the efficacy of the method, showing recoveries between 82 and 110% for both analytes. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of eighteen samples of leafy vegetables, finding atropine in three samples of mixed leafy vegetables, with concentrations of 2.7, 3.2, and 3.4 ng/g, and in nine samples with concentrations ≤MQL. In turn, scopolamine was only found in a sample of chopped Swiss chard with a concentration ≤MQL.
- Green extraction approach based on μSPEed® followed by HPLC-MS/MS for the determination of atropine and scopolamine in tea and herbal tea infusionsPublication . González-Gómez, Lorena; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Morante-Zarcero, Sonia; Câmara, José S.; Sierra, Isabel; Augusto Machado Pereira, Jorge; Câmara, Joséliquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) has been proposed for the analysis of atropine and scopolamine in tea and herbal tea infusions. For this, a digiVOL® Digital Syringe was used with different sorbents and working conditions to obtain a fast and efficient µSPEed® extraction. The best performance was achieved with a PS/DVB sorbent phase, sample loading of 5 × 500 µL and elution with 2 × 100 µL aliquots of methanol. The strategy based on µSPEed® followed by HPLC-MS/MS was validated, attaining quantitation limits lower than 0.15 ng mL− 1 and recoveries between 94 and 106% for both analytes and applied to seventeen tea and herbal tea infusions. Fourteen infusions showed contamination with one or both analytes above the maximum content legislated (sum of atropine and scopolamine < 0.2 ng mL− 1).
- Editorial: Food bioactives: cutting-edge methodologies for extraction and characterizationPublication . Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Casado, Natalia; Câmara, José S.; Augusto Machado Pereira, Jorge; Câmara, José
- Behind the scenes of anthocyanins—From the health benefits to potential applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic fieldsPublication . Câmara, José S.; Monica Locatelli; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Oliveira, Hélder; Arlorio, Marco; Fernandes, Iva; Perestrelo, Rosa; Freitas, Victor; Bordiga, Matteo; Câmara, José; Augusto Machado Pereira, JorgeAnthocyanins are widespread and biologically active water-soluble phenolic pigments responsible for a wide range of vivid colours, from red (acidic conditions) to purplish blue (basic conditions), present in fruits, vegetables, and coloured grains. The pigments’ stability and colours are influenced mainly by pH but also by structure, temperature, and light. The colour-stabilizing mechanisms of plants are determined by inter- and intramolecular co-pigmentation and metal complexation, driven by van der Waals, π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and metal-ligand interactions. This group of flavonoids is well-known to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which explains the biological effects associated with them. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the role of anthocyanins as natural colorants, showing they are less harmful than conventional colorants, with several technological potential applications in different industrial fields, namely in the textile and food industries, as well as in the development of photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells, as new photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy, pharmaceuticals, and in the cosmetic industry, mainly on the formulation of skin care formulations, sunscreen filters, nail colorants, skin & hair cleansing products, amongst others. In addition, we will unveil some of the latest studies about the health benefits of anthocyanins, mainly focusing on the protection against the most prevalent human diseases mediated by oxidative stress, namely cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and diabetes. The contribution of anthocyanins to visual health is also very relevant and will be briefly explored.
- Underlying features of prostate cancer—Statistics, risk factors, and emerging methods for Its diagnosisPublication . Berenguer, Cristina V.; Pereira, Ferdinando; Câmara, José S.; Pereira, Jorge A. M.; Berenguer, Cristina; Câmara, José; Augusto Machado Pereira, JorgeProstate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently occurring type of malignant tumor and a leading cause of oncological death in men. PCa is very heterogeneous in terms of grade, phenotypes, and genetics, displaying complex features. This tumor often has indolent growth, not compromising the patient’s quality of life, while its more aggressive forms can manifest rapid growth with progression to adjacent organs and spread to lymph nodes and bones. Nevertheless, the overtreatment of PCa patients leads to important physical, mental, and economic burdens, which can be avoided with careful monitoring. Early detection, even in the cases of locally advanced and metastatic tumors, provides a higher chance of cure, and patients can thus go through less aggressive treatments with fewer side effects. Furthermore, it is important to offer knowledge about how modifiable risk factors can be an effective method for reducing cancer risk. Innovations in PCa diagnostics and therapy are still required to overcome some of the limitations of the current screening techniques, in terms of specificity and sensitivity. In this context, this review provides a brief overview of PCa statistics, reporting its incidence and mortality rates worldwide, risk factors, and emerging screening strategies.