Publications

Abstract Finding a food system to feed the growing worldwide population remains a challenge, especially in the current era, where natural resources are being dramatically depleted. From a historical point of view, the Green Revolution, together with biofortification and sustainable intensification, was established as a possible solution to counter hunger and malnutrition during the second half of the 20th century. As a solution, to overcome the limitations attributed to the Green Revolution, food supply chains were developed. The current food system, based on the long food supply chain (LFSC), is characterized by globalization, promoting several advantages for both producers and consumers. However, LFSC has been demonstrated to be unable to feed the global population and, furthermore, it generates negative ecological, environmental, logistical, and nutritional pressures. Thus, novel efficient food systems are required to respond to current environmental and consumers’ demands, as is the case of short food supply chain (SFSC). As a recently emerging food system, the evaluation of SFSC sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social assessment is yet to be determined. This review is focused on the evolution of food supply systems, starting from the Green Revolution to food supply chains, providing a significant perspective on sustainability.

This paper describes a sensitive method for the simultaneous quantification of eight commonly used grapevine fungicides in vineyard soils: cyprodinil, fludioxonil, metalaxyl, penconazole, pyrimethanil, procymidone, tebuconazole, and vinclozolin. The fungicides are extracted from the soil sample by sonication with water followed by shaking with ethyl acetate and are quantified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Average extraction efficiencies in a sample of seven spiked, previously fungicide-free soils were > or =79% for all of the analytes, method precisions were > or =17%, and quantification limits were < or =50 microg/kg. However, because recoveries varied considerably from soil to soil, there is a need to control for soil matrix differences (mainly soil pH and exchangeable calcium content); as a consequence, soil fungicide contents must be quantified by the standard additions method. When the method was applied in this way to soil samples from vineyards belonging to the specified wine-growing region of Rias Baixas (Galicia, northwestern Spain) taken at the beginning of October (1 month after the crop's final treatment), levels of fludioxonil as high as 991 microg/kg were found, but at the start of the season (9 months after the previous crop's final treatment) only fludioxonil was detected at levels higher than its limit of quantification (45 and 52 microg/kg).

Volatile organic compounds are vital to wine quality, determining their aroma and varietal characteristics. Which are present, and in what quantity, depends on the cultivar, the situation and soil of the vineyard, weather, cultivation methods, and wine-making practices. Here, we review the literature on the development of wine aroma compounds in grapes, and how it is affected by the above-named factors. Increasing understanding of these processes at the molecular level will aid vine growers in the optimal selection of harvest dates and other decisions favoring the consistent production of balanced, flavorful berries.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections affect almost half of the world’s population, with gradually increasing incidence in developed countries. Eradication of H. pylori may provide significant benefits to the affected individual by healing a number of gastrointestinal and extra-digestive disorders. But due to increased microbial resistance and lack of patient adherence to the therapy, the eradication rate of H. pylori is below 80% with current pharmacological therapies. The usage of botanicals for their therapeutic purposes and medicinal properties have been increased in last decades. They can be use as alternative H. pylori treatments, especially against drug-resistant strains. Epidemiological studies have revealed that people with lower vegetable and micronutrient intake may be at increased risk of H. pylori infection. We have undertaken a review of clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of vegetable extracts and micronutrients in patients with H. pylori. Various databases, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, were searched for the articles published in English. A total of 24 clinical studies (15 for vegetable extracts and 9 for micronutrients) were selected to be reviewed and summarized in this article. Vegetable extracts (Broccoli sprouts, curcumin, Burdock complex, and Nigella sativa) and micronutrients (vitamin C and E) were not found to be as effective as single agents in H. pylori eradication, rather their efficacy synergized with conventional pharmacological therapies. Conversely, GutGard was found to be significantly effective as a single agent when compared to placebo control.

Abstract Biofilm has been a point of concern in hospitals and various industries. They not only cause various chronic infections but are also responsible for the degradation of various medical appliances. Since the last decade, various alternate strategies are being adopted to combat the biofilm formed on various biotic and abiotic surfaces. The use of enzymes as a potent anti‐fouling agent is proved to be of utmost importance as the enzymes can inhibit biofilm formation in an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective way. The physical and chemical immobilization of the enzyme not only leads to the improvement of thermostability and reusability of the enzyme, but also gains better efficiency of biofilm removal. Immobilization of amylase, cellobiohydrolase, pectinase, subtilisin A and β‐N‐acetyl‐glucosaminidase (DspB) are proved to be most effective in inhibition of biofilm formation and removal of matured biofilm than their free forms. Hence, these immobilized enzymes provide greater eradication of biofilm formed on various surfaces and are coming up to be the potent antibiofilm agent.

Many bioactive compounds are reported from marine organisms, which are significantly different from those found in terrestrial organisms regarding their chemical structures and pharmacological activities. Marine glycoproteins (MGs) have aroused increasing attention as a good nutrient source owing to their potential applications in medicine, cosmetics and food. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive study on MGs to help readers understand the current state of research on marine-derived glycoproteins. The current review compiles the recent progress made on the structures and functions of MGs with future perspectives to maximize their value and applications <i>via</i> bibliometric analysis methods for the first time. The current research on MGs appears mostly limited to the laboratory, with no large-scale production of marine glycoproteins developed. The sugar chains are bound to proteins through covalent bonds that can readily be cleaved leading to difficultly in their separation and purification. Health effects attributed to MGs include treatment of inflammatory diseases, as well as anti-oxidant, immune modulation, anti-tumor, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, anti-bacterial and anti-freeze activities. This review can not only deepen the understanding of the functions of MGs, but also lay an important foundation for the further development and utilization of marine resources.

Heat-assisted (HAE), ultrasound-assisted (UAE), microwave-assisted (MAE), and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) represent diverse techniques with distinct physical principles that influence the efficiency and selectivity of bioactive compound recovery from Arnica montana (AM) flowers. These techniques are expected to generate unique metabolite profiles, affecting the composition and functionality of extracts. This study combined untargeted metabolomics with machine learning-based chemometrics and a comprehensive assessment of in vitro biological activities of hydroethanolic AM extracts obtained using the four techniques. PLE yielded the most distinctive phytochemical profile. All extracts contained key phenolics such as anthocyanins, lignans, and related compounds. MAE extract exhibited strong antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, associated with triterpenoid metabolites, while PLE extract showed anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities, mainly influenced by anthocyanins and flavonols. These findings deepen our understanding of how extraction technologies shape the functional potential of AM extracts, facilitating their application as nutraceuticals or bioactive ingredients in the food sector.