Maria Carmen Garrigós

University of Alicante | UA · Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Bromatology

This book aims to inform readers about the latest trends in environment-friendly extraction techniques in food analysis. Fourteen edited chapters cover relevant topics. These topics include a primer green food analysis and extraction, environment-friendly solvents, (such as deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, and supramolecular solvents), and di...

Analysis of the oxidative stability of novel avocado chips with added natural extracts was carried out with the aim of reducing the chemical additive content in their formulation. Two different natural extracts were initially evaluated and characterized: one obtained from olive pomace (OE) and other from pomegranate seed waste. OE was selected due...

Blending Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a promising strategy to enhance the properties of biodegradable materials. However, these compounds are thermodynamically immiscible and, consequently, compatibilization is required during polymer blending. Reinforced biocomposites can be obtained by adding agricultural wastes gener...

Almond (Prunus amygdalus) is one of the most common tree nuts on a worldwide basis. This nut is highly regarded in the food and cosmetic industries. However, for all these applications, almonds are used without their shell protection, which is industrially removed contributing approximately 35-75% of the total fruit weight. This residue is normally...

Background Rice plants generate a large amount of straw after harvesting, which is currently managed mainly by incineration or used as animal bedding, animal fodder or wrapping of materials during transport. Other technological uses, such as the production of energy and biofuels, pulp and paper production or construction materials have also been de...

Tomato seed (TS) wastes are obtained in large amounts from the tomato processing industry. In this work, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of antioxidant compounds from TS were optimized by using response surface methodology. The effect of MAE and UAE main extraction parameters was studied on total phenoli...

The use of agro-industrial wastes to obtain compounds with a high added-value is increasing in the last few years in accordance with the circular economy concept. In this work, a cascade extraction approach was developed based on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for tomato, watermelon, and apple peel wastes. The protein and antioxidant compound...

This work proposes the revalorization of almond shell (AS) wastes as an active additive for food packaging applications. A new microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method to obtain extracts rich in polyphenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity was optimized. An experimental design to optimize the MAE procedure through response surface method...

In this work, lipids and bioactive compounds from tomato seed by-products were extracted and compared by using advanced extraction techniques, such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The influence of different extraction parameters, including extraction temperature (T), time (t) and solvent volume (V) f...

Nowadays, hemp farmers are facing an urgent problem related to plant stem disposal after seed harvesting. In this work, the commonly discarded epidermis and cuticle of hemp stems were valorized, turning them towards a sustainable recycling and reuse, contributing to the circular economy concept. Cellulose deprived of amorphous regions was obtained...

Tiger nut is highly appreciated in the Mediterranean basin by the large number of nutritional advantages offered by a beverage, called “horchata,” which is directly obtained from the tuber of Cyperus esculentus L. However, the current tiger nut harvesting and processing practices generate a large number of residues, mainly a solid by-product after...

The paper tissue industry is a constantly evolving sector that supplies markets that require products with different specific properties. In order to meet the demand of functional properties, ensuring a green approach at the same time, research on bio-coatings has been very active in recent decades. The attention dedicated to research on functional...

Aloe vera skin (AVS) is a major by-product of Aloe processing plants all over the world. In this study, response surface methodology was used to optimize microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of bioactive compounds from AVS. The influence of extraction parameters, such as ethanol concentration (%Et), extraction temperature (T), time (t) and solvent v...

In the present work, anthocyanin (ACN) hybrid nanopigments were synthetized by using a natural pomegranate dye (PD) and calcined hydrotalcite (HT) and montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclays. A wide colour gamut was obtained with MMT-based nanopigments ranging from reddish to bluish hues caused by structural transformations of ACNs at different pH values....

The effect of different cooking processes such as frying and roasting on the oxidative stability of sunflower seeds was evaluated under accelerated oxidation and normal storage conditions. The fatty acid composition by GC-MS showed a higher amount of linoleic acid in fried samples due to the replacement of the seed moisture by the frying oil. On th...

One strategy to decrease the incidence of hospital-acquired infections is to avoid the survival of pathogens in the environment by the development of surfaces with antimicrobial activity. To study the antibacterial behaviour of active surfaces, different approaches have been developed of which ISO 22916 is the standard. To assess the performance of...

The consumption of minimally processed fresh vegetables has increased by the consumer’s demand of natural products without synthetic preservatives and colorants. These new consumption behaviors have prompted research on the combination of emulsion techniques and coatings that have traditionally been used by the food industries. This combination bri...

The interest and societal demand for the use of natural, biodegradable, and renewable resources have increased in the last few years. Also, food producers and consumers have improved their requirements for the quality of processed food, particularly in the field of increasing shelf-life while preserving organoleptic and nutritional properties. Acti...

In this work, pectin-based active films with a cocoa bean shell extract, obtained after waste valorisation of residues coming from the chocolate production process, and zinc oxide/zinc nanoparticles (ZnO/Zn-NPs) at different concentrations, were obtained by casting. The effect of the active additive incorporation on the thermal, barrier, structural...

Natural dyes obtained from agro-food waste can be considered promising substitutes of synthetic dyes to be used in several applications. With this aim, in the present work, we studied the use of chlorophyll dye (CD) extracted from broccoli waste to obtain hybrid nanopigments based on calcined hydrotalcite (HT) and montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclays. T...

In this work, a cascade approach to obtain different valuable fractions from lemon peels waste was optimised using microwave-assisted processes. Microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) with a Clevenger apparatus was firstly used to obtain the lemon essential oil (LEO). The remaining residue was then submitted to microwave-assisted extraction (M...

Active edible films based on corn starch containing glycerol as a plasticizer and an olive extract obtained from Spanish olive fruit (Olea europaea) by-products (olive extract; OE) at different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 wt%) were prepared by using the casting technique and further solvent-evaporation. OE showed high total phenolic and fl...

Edible films based on the addition of Aloe Vera gel (AV) into fish gelatin (FG) with antimicrobial and functional properties for food packaging applications were proposed in this work. AV showed an amphiphilic nature by infrared spectroscopy, high total phenolics content (TPC), antioxidant activity and thermal stability with an initial degradation...

Nano-biocomposite films based on poly (lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared by adding thymol (8 wt.%) and a commercial montmorillonite (D43B) at different concentrations (2.5 and 5 wt.%). The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and disintegration properties of all films were determined. A kinetic study was carried out to evaluate the thymol release from the po...

Antioxidant films based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) containing almond skin extract (ASE) were developed for food packaging applications. The effect of ASE incorporation on the morphological, structural, colour, mechanical, thermal, barrier and antioxidant properties of the prepared films were evaluated. The structural, tensile and thermal propert...

In this work, polyester-based nanocomposites added with laminar nanoclays (calcined hydrotalcite, HT, and montmorillonite, MMT) loaded with lemon waste natural dye (LD) and essential oil (LEO) were prepared and characterized. The optimal conditions to synthetize the hybrid materials were obtained by using statistically designed experiments. The max...

Background: One strategy to decrease the incidence of hospital-acquired infections is to avoid the survival of pathogens in the environment by the development of surfaces with antimicrobial activity. To study the antimicrobial behaviour of active surfaces, different approaches have been developed of which ISO 22916 is the standard. Aim: To assess t...

Aloe Vera is an ancient medicinal plant especially known for its beneficial properties for human health, due to its bioactive compounds. In this study, nanofibers with antioxidant activity were successfully obtained by electrospinning technique with the addition of a natural Aloe Vera skin extract (AVE) (at 0, 5, 10 and 20 wt% loadings) in poly(eth...

Chemical contaminants should not be present in beverages for human consumption, but could eventually be ingested by consumers as they may appear naturally from the environment or be produced by anthropogenic sources. These contaminants could belong to many different chemical sources, including heavy metals, amines, bisphenols, phthalates, pesticide...

Thymol and silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were used to develop poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based films with antioxidant and antibacterial performance. Different amounts of thymol (6 and 8 wt%) and 1 wt% Ag-NPs were added to PLA to produce the active films. Ag-NPs and thymol were successfully identified in the nanocomposite structures using spectroscopic...

Polyester-based biocomposites containing INZEA F2® biopolymer and almond shell powder (ASP) at 10 and 25 wt % contents with and without two different compatibilizers, maleinized linseed oil and Joncryl ADR 4400®, were prepared by melt blending in an extruder, followed by injection molding. The effect of fine (125–250 m) and coarse (500–1000 m) mill...

Cocoa bean shell (CBS) waste is obtained in large amounts in chocolate production. In this work, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of CBS was used and experimental parameters were optimised by using response surface methodology. Effects of pH, time, temperature and solid:liquid ratio were evaluated on the extraction yield, total uronic acid conte...

Regardless of the considerable progress in properties and versatility of synthetic polymers, their low biodegradability and lack of environmentally-friendly character remains a critical issue. Pectin is a natural-based polysaccharide contained in the cell walls of many plants allowing their growth and cell extension. This biopolymer can be extracte...

In this study, new active PCL (poly(ε-caprolactone)) films containing α-tocopherol (TOC) and MSU-X mesoporous silica were prepared by melt blending. The studied additives were directly incorporated into the polymer matrix or by impregnating TOC into MSU-X silica (PCL-IMP). Thermal, optical, oxygen and water barrier properties as well as oxidation o...

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed juice by-product (PSP) was added as reinforcing and antimicrobial agent to fish gelatin (FG) films as a promising eco-friendly active material for food packaging applications. A complete linkage analysis of polysaccharides in PSP showed xylan and cellulose as main components. This residue showed also high total...

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are successfully synthesized through microwave heating by using Theobroma cacao L. bean shell extract as a stabilizing and capping agent. Response surface methodology is used to obtain optimal synthesis conditions. The effect of microwave power, irradiation time and amount of Na2SeO3 are evaluated on crystalline size...

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) procedure to obtain phenolic compounds from carob bark was optimized by using response surface methodology. A four-factor, three-level Box–Behnken design with five central points was used to evaluate the influence of temperature, solid-liquid ratio, ethanol concentration, and time in carob bark extraction in te...

In recent years, the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as green solvents for different extraction techniques has received great attention by their outstanding advantages over conventional organic solvents. ILs are considered environmentally-friendly solvents and they offer some advantageous properties to be used in extraction systems such as low toxicity;...

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are nowadays considered competent candidates to replace traditional plastics in several market sectors. However, commercial PHA materials exhibit unsatisfactory smells that can negatively affect the quality of the final product. The cause of this typical rancid odour is attributed to oxidized cell membrane glycolipids,...

Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) are currently considered competent candidates to replace traditional plastics in several market sectors. However, commercial PHA grades exhibit unsatisfactory smell that can negatively affect the quality of the final product. The cause of this typical rancid odour is attributed to oxidized cell membrane glycolipids, c...

Edible mushrooms constitute an appreciated nutritional source for humans due to their low caloric intake and their high content in carbohydrates, proteins, dietary fibre, phenolic compounds, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. It has been also demonstrated that mushrooms have health-promoting benefits. Cultivation of mushrooms, espe...

Abstract Nano-biocomposite films based on plasticized cellulose acetate/triethyl citrate (CA/TEC) were prepared with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/gelatin-modified montmorillonite nanofiller (AgM) and thymol (Th). AgNPs were biosynthesized in situ the clay using Curcuma longa (C. longa) tuber extract. Full characterization of clay and the formulated...

Background Food fraud is described as a violation of food law, which is intentionally committed to get an economic or financial gain through the consumer's swindle resulting in multi-million business and posing a public health threat. The main fraudulent practices are mislabelling of composition, certificates of origin, health claims, and artificia...

The industrial interest for microencapsulation techniques to produce innovative materials has increased in the last years. Microencapsulation shows several advantages for textile industries since active compounds, such as vitamins, essential oils, antimicrobials and/or antibiotics can be isolated to protect them from environment factors (oxygen, li...

The main ambition of the BARBARA project is to develop polysaccharide-based engineering bioplastics that are both sustainable and competitive. Functional properties will be achieved through the addition of valuable active compounds derived from agricultural residues. The project involves the extraction and chemical modification of biobased macromol...

Nowadays, the goal of industries and governments to secure a sustainable future is the development of renewable resource-based polymeric biomaterials containing the maximum possible amount of renewable biomass-based derivatives. The search for potential bio-based alternatives from energy to plastics is directed toward the reduction of the petroleum...

The interest for the development of new active packaging materials has rapidly increased in the last few years. Antimicrobial active packaging is a potential alternative to protect perishable products during their preparation, storage and distribution to increase their shelf-life by reducing bacterial and fungal growth. This review underlines the m...

The traditional application of food packaging materials as mere containers without food interaction has changed to the new concept of active packaging, where interactions between food, packaging materials and the environment increase food quality and shelf-life. This concept takes also into consideration the consumer safety and the nutritional char...

Nanotechnologies have emerged to support advancements in production, packaging, and preservation of foods. One of the most important areas in the food sector where nanotechnology gained an innovative role is the food packaging industry. Multifunctional nanocomposites with desired properties can be tailored by combining reinforcement phases with ant...

The quality and safety of processed food strongly depend on their packaging and the protection that it provides. The increasing accumulation of non-biodegradable polymers in the environment represents a threat to the natural habitats and it raises the issue of municipal waste disposal. To overcome these drawbacks, new polymers obtained from natural...

Antimicrobial compounds can help control microbial activity and target specific microorganisms to provide high safety and quality products. For this reason, new technologies based on antimicrobial active packaging have attracted much attention from the food industry because they could satisfy increasing consumer demand for minimally processed and p...

Nanocellulose is considered a sustainable nanomaterial due to its availability, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. It exists in a number of forms, including nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) or cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial cellulose (BC). Nanocellulose can be used to reinforce polymers, paper, and...

The primary function of packaging is to contain and protect the product from damage or degradation processes, maintaining its safety and quality and ensuring it reaches the consumer in the same condition as when it was produced and throughout its shelf life. This article describes new trends in packaging for drinks, focusing on different packaging...

This review discusses the latest advances in the composition of gelatin-based edible films and coatings, including nanoparticle addition, and their properties are reviewed along their potential for application in the food packaging industry. Gelatin is an important biopolymer derived from collagen and is extensively used by various industries becau...

Concerns on environmental issues have increased in the last decade, while the continuous fluctuations in fuel prices have conditioned the research and development of new bio-based materials to be used in food packaging. In this context, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biodegradable polymer that exhibits good mechanical properties and biocompatibili...

Over the past two decades, biotechnologies have provided a motor for innovation and sustainability in many economies all around the world by developing new processes and products in a bio-economy approach. Besides food and feed, increasing interest on biomass derived fuels, chemicals and materials, sustainably sourced and produced, has raised, prov...

Growing interest in biomass valorisation in recent years has led to an increasing research focusing on its high content in phytochemicals showing high potential health benefits related to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, among others. On the other hand, the demand for natural antioxidants in industry is continuousl...

This review discusses the latest advances in the composition of gelatin-based edible films and coatings, including nanoparticle addition, and their properties are reviewed along their potential for application in the food packaging industry. Gelatin is an important biopolymer derived from collagen and is extensively used by various industries becau...

Active nanocomposite films based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA), thymol and silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were prepared and characterised. PLA films containing 6 and 8 wt% thymol and 1 wt% Ag-NPs were processed by extrusion to obtain binary and ternary formulations. The addition of thymol and Ag-NPs modified the PLA thermal, optical and barrier propert...

Reinforced poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/almond skin (AS) biocomposites were prepared by extrusion and injection moulding at different AS contents (0, 10, 20, 30 wt%) in order to revalorize this agricultural residue. AS particles were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), attenuated total reflectance infrared spectrosco...

The quality and safety of processed food strongly depend on their packaging and the protection that it provides. The increasing accumulation of synthetic non-biodegradable plastics in the environment represents a threat to the natural habitats. This has lead companies and researchers to explore different ways to develop bio-based polymers made from...

The most fashionable trends in food packaging research are targeted towards improvements in food quality and safety by increasing the use of environmentally-friendly materials, ideally those able to be obtained from bio-based resources and presenting biodegradable characteristics. Edible films represent a key area of development in new multifunctio...

New trends in beverage packaging are focusing on the structure modification of packaging materials and the development of new active and/or intelligent systems, which can interact with the product or its environment, improving the conservation of beverages, such as wine, juice or beer, customer acceptability, and food security. In this paper, the m...

The accumulation of non-biodegradable plastics in the environment, raising the issue of waste disposal, joined to the growing concerns about the high dependence on petroleum-based materials has led to the development of new bio-based polymers obtained directly from biomass. Unlike the chemically synthesized polymers, bioplastics are produced by liv...

Active edible films represent one of the current and future trends in the development of new polymers for selected applications, particularly food packaging. Some biopolymers show excellent performance as carriers for active compounds extracted from natural sources and are able to be released at a controlled rate to packaged food. In this review we...

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) procedure to isolate phenolic compounds from almond skin by-products was optimized. A three-level, three-factor Box-Behnken design was used to evaluate the effect of almond skin weight, microwave power and irradiation time on total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH). Almond skin weight was t...

The increasing interest and society demand on the use of natural, biodegradable and renewable resources has increased in the last few years. In addition, food producers and consumers have improved their requirements in the quality of processed food, particularly in the field of increasing shelf-life while preserving organoleptic and nutritional pro...

In this study, the effect of different cooking processes (blanching, roasting and frying) on the oxidative stability of almonds under normal storage and accelerated oxidation conditions were investigated. Fried almonds showed higher initial linoleic acid content due to oil frying medium migration to the samples. As oxidation time increased, a diffe...

Billion metric tons of agricultural residues are generated every year from industry worldwide that may be considered one of the most abundant, cheap and renewable resources on earth. However, they are normally incinerated or dumped causing environmental problems such as air pollution, soil erosion and decreasing soil biological activity. The reuse...

Antioxidant nano-biocomposites based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared by incorporating hydroxytyrosol (HT) and a commercial montmorillonite, Cloisite®30B (C30B), at different concentrations. A full structural, thermal, mechanical and functional characterization of the developed nano-biocomposites was carried out. The presence of the nano...

The main directions in food packaging research are targeted toward improvements in food quality and food safety. For this purpose, food packaging providing longer product shelf-life, as well as the monitoring of safety and quality based upon international standards, is desirable. New active packaging strategies represent a key area of development i...

Active packaging is becoming an emerging food technology to improve quality and safety of food products. One of the most common approaches is based on the release of antioxidant/antimicrobial compounds from the packaging material. In this work an antifungal active packaging system based on the release of carvacrol and thymol was optimized to increa...

Edible active films based on sodium caseinate (SC) and calcium caseinate (CC) plasticized with glycerol (G) at three different concentrations and carvacrol (CRV) as active agent were prepared by solvent casting. Transparent films were obtained and their surfaces were analysed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The influen...

Unlabelled: Three different almond cultivars (Spanish Guara, Marcona, and Butte from U.S.A.) were characterized by using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermal analysis techniques (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All samples were directly analyzed wi...

Active packaging is becoming an emerging food technology to improve quality and safety of food products. One of the most common approaches is based on the release of antioxidant/antimicrobial compounds from the packaging material. In this work an antifungal active packaging system based on the release of carvacrol and thymol was optimized to increa...

Repositorio Institucional RUA: http://rua.ua.es/dspace/handle/10045/25861