The exploitation of food industry by-products has gaining an increasing interest. At present, the disposal of food processing by-products represents a major problem for industries, since it is a cost to the food processor and has severe pollution problems besides representing a loss of valuable biomass and nutrients. Amongst the bioactive molecules still extractable from food by-products, phenolic compounds play a major role due to their high antioxidant, anti-allergenic, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is an evergreen shrub widespread in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This plant has a broad spectrum of pharmacological and therapeutic effects associated with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. In the Mediterranean area, myrtle berries are mainly employed for the production of the sweet liqueur obtained by hydro-alcoholic extraction of the berries. The myrtle processing industry produces large quantities (more than 30.000 kg/year) of berry residues left after the separation from the hydro-alcoholic extract that represent large potential resources for the high concentration of bioactive compounds. By the fact that at present the use of these biomasses is still limited being underexploited as compost for agricultural purposes, the aim of this research was is to chemically characterize and to evaluate the functional potential of myrtle by-products. Total phenolic content, concentration of flavonoids and anthocyanins, along with the antioxidant capacity were assessed in ethanol-water extract. Phenolic compounds were characterized and quantified by LC-DAD-MS, while the antioxidant activity was evaluated using in vitro model systems such as DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and cholesterol oxidation assays. The extract had significant antioxidant activity in all assays showing, at non-cytotoxic concentrations, the ability to scavenge DPPHo and peroxyl (ROOo) and hydroxyl (HOo ) radicals. Therefore, the reported data point out that the valorization of myrtle by-products as a source of bioactive compounds has a great potential on the social wellbeing and the agricultural sustainability.
Myrtus 2.0: from waste to resource. Bioactivity of myrtle by-products
Fadda A;Sanna D;Barberis A;
2016
Abstract
The exploitation of food industry by-products has gaining an increasing interest. At present, the disposal of food processing by-products represents a major problem for industries, since it is a cost to the food processor and has severe pollution problems besides representing a loss of valuable biomass and nutrients. Amongst the bioactive molecules still extractable from food by-products, phenolic compounds play a major role due to their high antioxidant, anti-allergenic, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is an evergreen shrub widespread in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This plant has a broad spectrum of pharmacological and therapeutic effects associated with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. In the Mediterranean area, myrtle berries are mainly employed for the production of the sweet liqueur obtained by hydro-alcoholic extraction of the berries. The myrtle processing industry produces large quantities (more than 30.000 kg/year) of berry residues left after the separation from the hydro-alcoholic extract that represent large potential resources for the high concentration of bioactive compounds. By the fact that at present the use of these biomasses is still limited being underexploited as compost for agricultural purposes, the aim of this research was is to chemically characterize and to evaluate the functional potential of myrtle by-products. Total phenolic content, concentration of flavonoids and anthocyanins, along with the antioxidant capacity were assessed in ethanol-water extract. Phenolic compounds were characterized and quantified by LC-DAD-MS, while the antioxidant activity was evaluated using in vitro model systems such as DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and cholesterol oxidation assays. The extract had significant antioxidant activity in all assays showing, at non-cytotoxic concentrations, the ability to scavenge DPPHo and peroxyl (ROOo) and hydroxyl (HOo ) radicals. Therefore, the reported data point out that the valorization of myrtle by-products as a source of bioactive compounds has a great potential on the social wellbeing and the agricultural sustainability.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
