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This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of a nanoemulsion containing the bioactive compounds of orange essential oil and xoconostle (Opuntia oligacantha C.F. Först) on maintaining and improving the quality of the shelf life of tomato fruits. The nanoemulsion was applied as a coating on the whole fruits during physiological maturity; the treatments were thus: Control 1 without coating (C1); Control 2 with food-grade mineral oil coating (C2); and nanoemulsions that were diluted with mineral oil at 2.5% (DN2.5), 5% (DN5), 10% (DN10), and 20% (DN20). Further, the following parameters were determined for 21 days: the percentage weight loss, firmness, colour, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid content, total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, antioxidant activities DPPH and ABTS, and the histological evaluation of the pericarp of the fruits. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed during the treatments; DN10 and DN20 obtained the best weight loss results (3.27 ± 0.31% and 3.71 ± 0.30%, respectively) compared with C1 and C2. The DN5 and DN20 textures exhibited the highest firmness (11.56 ± 0.33 and 11.89 ± 1.04 N, respectively). The antioxidant activity (DPPH on Day 21) was higher in the DN20 treatment (48.19 ± 0.95%) compared with in C1 (39.52 ± 0.30%) and C2 (38.14 ± 0.76%). Histological evaluation revealed that the nanoemulsion coating allowed a slower maturation of the cells in the pericarp of the fruits. The nanoemulsion, as a coat, improved the quality and valuable life of the tomato regarding its physicochemical and antioxidant properties, thus availing an effective alternative for conserving this fruit.

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of the application of a nanoemulsion made of orange essential oil and Opuntia oligacantha extract on avocado quality during postharvest. The nanoemulsion was applied as a coating in whole fruits, and the following treatments were assessed: concentrated nanoemulsion (CN), 50% nanoemulsion (N50), 25% nanoemulsion (N25) and control (C). Weight loss, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, total soluble solids, pH, external and internal colour, total phenols, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity by 2,2&prime, Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), while the structural evaluation of the epicarp was assessed through histological cuts. Significant differences were found (p &lt, 0.05) among the treatments in all the response variables. The best results were with the N50 and N25 treatments for firmness and weight loss, finding that the activity of the PPO was diminished, and a delay in the darkening was observed in the coated fruits. Furthermore, the nanoemulsion treatments maintained the total phenol and total flavonoid contents and potentiated antioxidant activity at 60 days. This histological study showed that the nanoemulsion has a delaying effect on the maturation of the epicarp. The results indicate that using this nanoemulsion as a coating is an effective alternative to improve the postharvest life of avocado.

Currently, nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds is promising, and is one of the methods that has been proven very effective. The development of food-grade nanoemulsions is in a state of constant innovation due to the interesting features that this method of encapsulation has, such as small droplet size, kinetic stability and appearance. With this technology, it is possible to control some food properties, such as texture, taste and stability. In this article, we present a review of the most commonly used methods in the creation of nanoemulsions, the recent developments of these dispersions, the relevant applications of nanoemulsions in food matrices, the most commonly used food-grade materials and the functionality of nanoemulsions, which are designed primarily to encapsulate compounds with biological activity. Nanoemulsions have been shown to be effective in preventing degradation and improving the bioavailability of bioactive compounds, such as oil-soluble vitamins, antimicrobials, flavours and antioxidants. At the end of this article, facts of interest about acceptance issues and nanotechnology regulatory policies in the food industry are presented.

Consumers demand so-called natural in which additive and antioxidant preservatives are from natural origin. Research focuses in using extracts from plants and fruits that are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics and betalains, but these are also prone to interact with proteins and are exposed to suffer degradation during storage. In this work, we developed a fortified yogurt with the addition of betalains and polyphenols from cactus pear extract encapsulated in a multiple emulsion (ME) (W1/O/W2). Different formulations of ME were made with two polymers, gum arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) and with the best formulation of ME four types of yogurt were prepared using different % (w/w) of ME (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%). Bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, color and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were analyzed in the different yogurts over 36 days of shelf life. Furthermore, in vitro simulated digestion was evaluated. The yogurts had significant (p &lt, 0.05) differences and the ME protected the bioactive compounds, activity of antioxidants and color. The ME did not affect the viability of LAB during 36 days of storage. The in vitro digestion showed the best bioaccessibilities of antioxidant compounds with the yogurts with ME.

Acid cactus fruits &ldquo, xoconostle&rdquo, have been used since the pre-Columbian period as a treatment against diverse diseases. In this study, bioactive compounds (phenols and flavonoids) and the in vitro inhibition effect against &alpha, amylase and &alpha, glucosidase were evaluated. Four different extracts of cactus acid fruits were prepared from (1) endocarp, (2) mesocarp, (3) pericarp and (4) whole fruit (WFE). The results showed significant differences (p &lt, 0.05) between extracts. Pericarp extracts had 2.23 &plusmn, 0.01 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram GAE/g of phenol content and 0.84 &plusmn, 0.14 mg quercetin equivalents per gram QE/g flavonoid content, while WFE presented 1.52 &plusmn, 0.04 mg GAE/g and 0.84 &plusmn, 0.14 mg QE/g, however, the inhibition of &alpha, glucosidase were higher with WFE. It was found by using 25 mg/mL of WFE an &alpha, amylase inhibition of 63. &plusmn, 1.53% and with 30 mg/mL of WFE an &alpha, glucosidase inhibition of 46.5 &plusmn, 1.45% after simulated intestinal conditions. The WFE could be used as a therapeutic strategy in controlled diets of diabetic patients due to its low cost, natural origin, and effect after simulated intestinal conditions.

The use of unconventional sources is very relevant in the food area. In the present study the development of active films with the addition of bioextract (BE) or microencapsulated bioextract (MBE) from xoconostle (Opuntia oligacantha) on chayotextle starch was investigated. The film formulations were: 4 g of chayotextle starch, 2 g of glycerol and 180 g of water, three films with BE added (0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 g) and three films with MBE added (0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 g). Total phenols, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH), Salmonella typhimurium inhibition, color and mechanical properties of the films were analyzed. The film with 1.2 g of MBE showed high concentration of total phenols (54.12 ± 0.77 mg EAG/100 g), total flavonoids (16.65 ± 0.10 mg QE/100 g) and antioxidant activity (29.11 ± 0.48 and 41.42 ± 1.81 mg EAA for ABTS and DPPH respectively). The addition of bioextract from xoconostle is an option for the development of active films with antioxidant properties.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of the incorporation of microcapsules or nanoemulsions with Opuntiaoligacantha on the quality of fresh cheese. Three treatments were established: Control, cheese with microcapsules (Micro), and cheese with nanoemulsion (Nano). The parameters evaluated were physicochemical (moisture, ash, fat, proteins, and pH), microbiological (mesophilic aerobic bacteria, mold–yeast, and total coliforms), functional (total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity), and texture (hardness, elasticity, cohesion, and chewiness) during storage for 45 days at 4 °C. The results showed that adding microcapsules and nanoemulsion did not affect the physicochemical parameters of the cheese. Total coliforms decreased in all samples from the first days of storage (Control: 4.23 ± 0.12, Micro: 3.27 ± 0.02, and Nano: 2.68 ± 0.08 Log10 CFU), as well as aerobic mesophiles and mold–yeast counts. Regarding the functional properties, an increase in total phenols was observed in all treatments. The texture profile analysis showed that the addition of microcapsules and nanoemulsion influenced hardness (Control: 8.60 ± 1.12, Micro: 1.61 ± 0.31, and Nano: 3.27 ± 0.37 N). The antimicrobial effect was greater when nanoemulsions were added, while adding microcapsules influenced the antioxidant activity more positively.

En este trabajo se evaluó el efecto de adicionar microcápsulas de xoconostle (Opuntia oligacantha) a una matriz polimérica comestible, en las propiedades antioxidantes. Se utilizaron 3 concentraciones de pulpa libre; 0.4, 0.8 y 1.2 g, y 3 concentraciones de pulpa encapsulada 0.4, 0.8 y 1.2 g, además de un blanco. El mejor tratamiento fue la película con 1.2 g de encapsulado (54.12±0.77 mgEAG/100g para fenoles totales, 29.11±0.48/100g mgEAA para ABTS, 41.42±1.81 mgEAA/100g para DPPH). Las películas adicionadas con microencapsulado de xoconostle presentan una actividad antioxidante superior que las adicionadas con pulpa.