Breast milk is the main source of nutrition during early life, but both infant formulas (Ifs; up to 12 months) and baby foods (BFs; up to 3 years) are also important for providing essential nutrients. The infant food industry rigorously controls for potential physical, biological, and chemical hazards. Although thermal treatments are commonly used to ensure food safety in IFs and BFs, they can negatively affect sensory qualities, reduce thermosensitive nutrients, and lead to chemical contaminant formation. To address these challenges, non-thermal processing technologies such as high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, radio frequency, and ultrasound offer efficient pathogen destruction similar to traditional thermal methods, while reducing the production of key process-induced toxicants such as furan and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF). These alternative thermal processes aim to overcome the drawbacks of traditional methods while retaining their advantages. This review paper highlights the growing global demand for healthy, sustainable foods, driving food manufacturers to adopt innovative and efficient processing techniques for both IFs and BFs. Based on various studies reviewed for this work, the application of these novel technologies appears to reduce thermal processing intensity, resulting in products with enhanced sensory properties, comparable shelf life, and improved visual appeal compared to conventionally processed products.

Brewer’s spent grains (BSG) offer valuable opportunities for valorization beyond its conventional use as animal feed. Among its components, lignin—a natural polymer with inherent antioxidant properties—holds significant industrial potential. This work investigates the use of microwave-assisted extraction combined with acidic natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs) for efficient lignin recovery, evaluating three different NaDES formulations. The results indicate that choline chloride–lactic acid (ChCl-LA), a NaDES with superior thermal stability as confirmed via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), is an ideal solvent for lignin extraction at 150 °C and 15 min, achieving a balance of high yield and quality. ChCl-LA also demonstrated good solubility and cell disruption capabilities, while microwaves significantly reduced processing time and severity. Under optimal conditions, i.e., 150 °C, 15 min, in the presence of ChCl-LA NaDES, the extracted lignin achieved a purity of up to 79% and demonstrated an IC50 (inhibitory concentration 50%) of approximately 0.022 mg/L, indicating a relatively strong antioxidant activity. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 2D-HSQC NMR (heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy confirmed the successful isolation and preservation of its structural integrity. This study highlights the potential of BSG as a valuable lignocellulosic resource and underscores the effectiveness of acidic NaDESs combined with microwave extraction for lignin recovery.

(1) Background: Odd-chain fatty acids (OCFAs) have garnered attention for their potential health benefits and unique roles in various biochemical pathways. Yarrowia lipolytica, a versatile yeast species, is increasingly studied for its capability to produce OCFAs under controlled genetic and environmental conditions. However, optimizing the synthesis of specific OCFAs, such as cis-9-heptadecenoic acid (C17:1), remains a challenge. (2) Methods: The gene coding for the Δ9 fatty acid desaturase, YlOLE1, and the gene coding the diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2, YlDGA2, were overexpressed in Y. lipolytica. With the engineered strain, the main goal was to fine-tune the production of OCFA-enriched lipids by optimizing the concentrations of sodium propionate and sodium acetate used as precursors for synthesizing odd- and even-chain fatty acids, respectively. (3) Results: In the strain overexpressing only YlDGA2, no significant changes in fatty acid composition or lipid content were observed compared to the control strain. However, in the strain overexpressing both genes, while no significant changes in lipid content were noted, a significant increase was observed in OCFA content. The optimal conditions for maximizing the cell density and the C17:1 content in lipids were found to be 2.23 g/L of sodium propionate and 17.48 g/L of sodium acetate. These conditions resulted in a cell density (optical density at 600 nm) of 19.5 ± 0.46 and a C17:1 content of 45.56% ± 1.29 in the culture medium after 168 h of fermentation. (4) Conclusions: By overexpressing the YlOLE1 gene and optimizing the concentrations of fatty acid precursors, it was possible to increase the content of OCFAs, mainly C17:1, in lipids synthesized by Y. lipolytica.

Odd-chain fatty acids (OCFA) have been studied for their therapeutic and nutritional properties, as well as for their potential use in the chemical industry for the production of biofuel. Genetic modification strategies have demonstrated an improved production of OCFA by oleaginous microorganisms. In this study, the production of OCFA-enriched lipids by fermentation using a genetically engineered Yarrowia lipolytica strain was investigated. The major fatty acid produced by this strain was the cis-9-heptadecenoic acid (C17:1). Its biosynthesis was optimized using a design of experiment strategy involving a central composite design. The optimal responses maximizing the cell density (optical density at 600 nm) and the C17:1 content (%) in lipids were found using 52.4 g/L sucrose, 26.9 g/L glycerol, 10.4 g/L sodium acetate, 5 g/L sodium propionate, and 4 g/L yeast extract. Under these conditions, in a 5 L scale bioreactor, the respective contents of lipids and C17:1 in culture medium were 2.52 ± 0.05 and 0.82 ± 0.01 g/L after 96 h fermentation. The results obtained in this work pave the way toward the process upscale of C17:1 and encourage its industrial production.

Brewers’ spent grains constitute a valuable byproduct of the beer industry. They are characterized by a rich nutritional composition consisting of around 70% lignocellulosic fibrous material, 20% proteins, 10% lipids, in addition to vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and phenolic compounds. These spent grains are produced in large amounts all through the year, are cheap, and lack economically feasible applications. Nowadays, 70% of these spent grains are used as animal feed, 10% are used for biogas production, and the remaining 20% are disposed in landfills. Due to the aforementioned facts, alternative uses of the brewers’ spent grains are highly sought-after. In fact, this nutrient-rich industrial by-product makes it a very good candidate for valorization through biotechnological processing, particularly microbial fermentation. After applying the needed pretreatments, using brewers’ spent grains as a substrate in submerged and solid-state fermentation of different microorganisms leads to the production of various value-added compounds such as organic acids, amino acids, volatile fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins, second-generation biofuels and other products.

Microbial-based biodiesel is produced by transesterification of lipids extracted from microbial cells, and is considered as a potential replacement of fossil fuel due to its advantages in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Yarrowia lipolytica is one of the most studied oleaginous yeasts able to produce lipids under some fermentation conditions and is considered as a potential industrial host for biodiesel production. Several approaches have been evaluated to increase the economical attraction of biodiesel production from Y. lipolytica lipids. In this review, we highlighted the different strategies reported in the literature, allowing this yeast to achieve high lipid accumulation. These include metabolic engineering strategies, the use of low-cost effective substrates, and the optimization of the cultivation conditions for higher lipid productivity and less operating cost. We also summarized the most effective cell disruption technologies that improve the extraction efficiencies of lipids from Y. lipolytica.

Steviol glycosides are natural sweeteners extracted from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves. Conventional extraction processes are currently used for the industrial production of these molecules, which involve the application of chemical and physical treatments that consume a significant amount of energy. Increasing the extraction yield and purity of the product, along with reducing the environmental impact of the solvents used and the energy consumed, require the development of novel extraction processes. Emerging technologies such as electrotechnologies (e.g., pulsed electric fields, high-voltage electrical discharges), ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and pressurized fluids, have shown great potential in replacing the conventional processes for the recovery of steviol glycosides from S. rebaudiona leaves. These technologies are presented in this chapter and their efficiency in ensuring a more cost-effective availability of steviol glycosides is discussed.

Pyrolysis of pine wood sawdust was carried out using microwave-heating technology in the presence of activated carbon (AC). Experimental conditions were of 20 min processing time, 10 wt.% of AC, and a microwave power varying from 100 to 800 W. The results obtained showed that the microwave absorber allowed increasing the bio-oil yield up to 2 folds by reducing the charcoal fraction. The maximum temperature reached was 505 °C at 800 W. The higher heating values (HHV) of the solid residues ranged from 17.6 to 30.3 MJ/kg. The highest HHV was obtained for the sample heated at 800 W with 10 wt.% of AC, which was 33% higher than the non-charged sample heated at the same power. Furthermore, the addition of AC allowed showing the probable catalytic effect of the AC in the charged sample pyrolysis bio-oils.

A green reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline was carried out using lignocellulosic biomass as a hydrogen source in a subcritical polar protic solvent, such as water and alcohol. The method is simple to implement, inexpensive, and easily applicable on a larger scale. The present method does not demand elaborated experimental conditions nor any metal catalyst. Optimal conditions provided aniline with a 90% yield by reduction of nitrobenzene in the presence of sawdust impregnated by KOH in subcritical methanol at 240 °C for 6 h.

Recently a new chemical production means was proposed for producing aniline by reducing nitrobenzene in a much more environmentally friendly way (Tadrent et al., 2018). In particular, activated carbon and water are used instead of hydrogen on a metal catalyst without a precise detail of the process. In the present paper, a theoretical analysis is proposed based on a step by step thermodynamic examination of elementary reactions. It is found that the Haber mechanism is theoretically possible but that due to the size of the pores of the carbon, inside which the reduction occurs, only the smallest molecules can move so that the “direct” path is favored. This can explain why the yield is rather good.

An environmentally friendly approach for the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline promoted by carbonaceous bio-based materials was successfully achieved under subcritical water conditions. The proposed methodology features a metal-free process, no-hydrogen input as reductor, the use of commercial bio-based carbon materials having low cost and availability, and water as green solvent under subcritical conditions. Using optimized conditions, reduction of nitrobenzene in the presence of commercial NORIT GAC 12-40 or DACARB PC1000 was accomplished at 310 °C for 6 h and quantitatively furnished the target aniline. Treatment of NORIT GAC 12-40 with KOH allowed to decrease charcoal loading (6 g vs 40 g) and increase aniline yields (80% vs 66%).

This work discusses the valorization of sugar beet pulp (SBP) for pectin extraction using high-voltage electrical discharges (HVED) as a pre-treatment technology. The parameters of HVED (pulse amplitude U and number of pulses n) were varied. Better pre-treatment conditions were U = 40 kV and n = 100 giving a total energy consumption Q(p) = 76.2 kJ/kg. After the HVED pre-treatment, a subsequent acidified water extraction of pectin was carried out varying the pH and temperature. Obtained results show the pectin yield increase from 42.6% for untreated SBP to 53.4% for HVED treated SBP at better extraction conditions (T = 90 degrees C, pH = 2) and duration of one hour. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques were used to characterize the pectin extracts. They showed similar functional groups and chemical composition between the standard of sugar beet pectin and the extracted molecules from untreated and HVED pretreated SBP. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The extraction of bioactive molecules from plant matrices using conventional techniques such as maceration has been practiced for decades with satisfying results. However, the need to increase the profitability, along with increased interest in preserving the environment, has incited researchers and many industries to test and invest in emerging technologies. These technologies allow reducing extraction time, energy consumption, the use of toxic solvents, and increasing the extraction yields. In addition, emerging technologies allow preserving the most thermosensitive molecules from degradation, which is highly sought to keep the highest biological activities. This chapter describes the use of novel extraction technologies, such as pulsed electric fields, supercritical fluid extraction, negative pressure cavitation extraction, and microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extractions, to recover bioactive molecules from plant matrices. Some advantages and disadvantages of the abovementioned technologies are also discussed.

This chapter describes both conventional and non-conventional extraction methods of essential oils (EOs) from herbs and spices. Although hydrodistillation, steam distillation and solvent extraction are the most applied methods, several non-conventional technologies have been evaluated, especially in respect to EO recovery, and a great potential has been attributed to these non-conventional methods. For instance, ultrasound, microwave, supercritical fluid, pulsed electric fields, ohmic-heating and microwave (MW) extraction techniques applied alone or combined with other techniques are potent tools to obtain EOs in a 'green' way from natural resources such as aromatic plants, spices, fruits and flowers in shorter times and with high extraction efficiency as with conventional processes. Amongst MW extraction methods, vacuum MW hydrodistillation (VMHD), MW hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) and solvent free microwave extraction (SFME) were the most applied. Moreover, these techniques have the potential to reduce the energy cost and wastewater and perform in some cases even a solvent-free extraction.

Glucosinolates are a large group of plant secondary metabolites with nutritional effects, and are mainly found in cruciferous plants. After ingestion, glucosinolates could be partially absorbed in their intact form through the gastrointestinal mucosa. However, the largest fraction is metabolized in the gut lumen. When cruciferous are consumed without processing, myrosinase enzyme present in these plants hydrolyzes the glucosinolates in the proximal part of the gastrointestinal tract to various metabolites, such as isothiocyanates, nitriles, oxazolidine-2-thiones, and indole-3-carbinols. When cruciferous are cooked before consumption, myrosinase is inactivated and glucosinolates transit to the colon where they are hydrolyzed by the intestinal microbiota. Numerous factors, such as storage time, temperature, and atmosphere packaging, along with inactivation processes of myrosinase are influencing the bioavailability of glucosinolates and their breakdown products. This review paper summarizes the assimilation, absorption, and elimination of these molecules, as well as the impact of processing on their bioavailability.

This paper describes the extraction of polysaccharides (AGP) and hemicelluloses (AGH) from almond gum by hot water and alkaline solution, respectively. Structural and functional properties of the extracted polymers were then determined. For this purpose, infrared spectroscopy was first used to characterize functional groups of both polymers. The molecular weights of AGP and AGH were then determined using high performance size exclusion chromatography, resulting in 5.72×106g/mol and 5.39×106g/mol, respectively. Monosaccharide composition of both polymers was assessed using gas chromatography. The analysis of the functional properties showed that AGP and AGH had high water-holding (11.36g/g and 6.3g/g, respectively) and fat-binding (5.35g/g and 2.7g/g, respectively) capacities, with good emulsion properties. The prebiotic properties of AGP and AGH were then evaluated using in vitro fermentation by Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Both polymers showed suitability for in vitro fermentation, suggesting thus their prebiotic nature. The obtained results demonstrated the promising potential of AGP and AGH for different applications in food industry.