Search

In recent years, consumers have been increasingly interested in natural, healthier, functional foods, with a focus on sea-based products such as algae. Bifurcaria bifurcata (BB) is a macroalga that belongs to the Phaeophyceae class. These brown algae are recognized as the source of bioactive molecules of great interest to the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. The present work applied response surface methodology to optimize the microwave-assisted extraction of the poorly studied algae. The optimization variables were time, pressure, and solvent composition (ethanol/water) and the response parameters selected were yield, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and the antioxidant profile by evaluating DPPH•+, ABTS•+ scavenging activity, and β-carotene discoloration capacity. The results obtained reveal remarkable bioactivity of the crude extract of BB with positive results as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, the BB extract's capacity to inhibit enzymes related to neurodegenerative diseases and its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferation activity open the possibility of future food or pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle foods and their products are a fundamental part of the human diet. The high protein content found in muscle foods, as well as the high content of essential amino acids, provides an appropriate composition to complete the nutritional requirements of humans. However, due to their special composition, they are susceptible to oxidative degradation. In this sense, proteins are highly susceptible to oxidative reactions. However, in contrast to lipid oxidation, which has been studied in depth for decades, protein oxidation of muscle foods has been investigated much less. Moreover, these reactions have an important influence on the quality of muscle foods, from physico-chemical, techno-functional, and nutritional perspectives. In this regard, the loss of essential nutrients, the impairment of texture, water-holding capacity, color and flavor, and the formation of toxic substances are some of the direct consequences of protein oxidation. The loss of quality for muscle foods results in consumer rejection and substantial levels of economic losses, and thus the control of oxidative processes is of vital importance for the food industry. Nonetheless, the complexity of the reactions involved in protein oxidation and the many different factors that influence these reactions make the mechanisms of protein oxidation difficult to fully understand. Therefore, the present manuscript reviews the fundamental mechanisms of protein oxidation, the most important oxidative reactions, the main factors that influence protein oxidation, and the currently available analytical methods to quantify compounds derived from protein oxidation reactions. Finally, the main effects of protein oxidation on the quality of muscle foods, both from physico-chemical and nutritional points of view, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]