Browsing by Author "Costa, H.S."
Now showing 1 - 10 of 440
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- 25 years of European Union (EU) quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs across EU Member StatesPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Oliveira, M. Beatriz P.; Costa, H.S.Consumers are increasingly turning their attention to the quality and origin of products that they consume. European Union (EU) quality schemes are associated with a label, which was introduced to allow consumers to perform an informed choice and to protect producers from unfair practices. This present study provides an overview of the last 25 years of EU quality schemes [Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)] on agricultural products and foodstuffs across the 28 EU Member States. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that Southern European countries have the highest number of registered products. The most used EU quality scheme is PGI, followed by PDO. Concerning the analysis of the evolution in the last 25 years, the number of registered products among EU Member States has increased significantly. The fruit, vegetables and cereals (fresh or processed) category is the one that accounts for the highest percentage (26.8%) of registered products, followed by cheeses and meat products (cooked, salted, smoked) categories, with 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. Further investigations should address consumer preferences, knowledge and attitudes, especially Northern European countries with a lower number of registered products. Moreover, the investigation and registration of products should be encouraged among all EU Member States to allow the maintenance of important elements of the history, culture and heritage of the local areas, regions and countries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
- 3-MCPD Occurrence in Vegetable Oils: Impact on Human Nutrition and Future ChallengesPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Costa, H.S.Over the last years, the global production of vegetable oils increased, and palm oil is still the most produced vegetable oil, followed by soybean, rapeseed and sunflower oils. Processing of vegetable oils is essential to remove impurities from the oil and to assure their quality and safety. Nonetheless, some of the applied conditions, namely during deodorization, can lead to the formation of contaminants, such as chloropropanols. In this review, an overview of the occurrence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol in vegetable oils, as well as its potential impact on human nutrition, based on exposure assessment to this contaminant, and future challenges are discussed. According to this literature review, notable differences are found for the occurrence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol in the different vegetable oils, but also among the same type of oil, which is possibly due to the geographical origin of samples, their composition, but also due to the processing conditions applied. It has been observed that unprocessed oils/fats have non-detectable or very low amounts of 3-monochloropropane-1,2 diol, while the refined oils have high amounts. Amongst the reviewed data, the highest values reported were for rice bran oil (1449 - 2564 mg/kg) and edible blending oil (1367 mg/kg). For instance, for palm oil, which is the most widely consumed vegetable oil, the values for 3 monochloropropane-1,2-diol ranged from not detected to 540 mg/kg. With respect to mitigation strategies, the use of radical scavengers, such as phenolic compounds, is efficient, but there is still a lot of work to be done in this area of research. Regarding exposure assessment to this contaminant, few studies have focused on this subject, but the reported results indicate that the mean exposure value is lower than the tolerable daily intake (2 µg/kg of body weight/day). Nonetheless, among the different food groups evaluated for exposure assessment, vegetable oils/fats were identified as the major contributor for children. In the near future, it is crucial to evaluate other processing conditions, namely cooking methods (e.g. frying and baking), since it can have a significant impact on the occurrence of this hazardous compound. Also, it is necessary to monitor the occurrence of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol in other foodstuffs, to accurately estimate the exposure assessment.
- 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in foods: a review on risk assessment, analytical methods, formation, occurrence, mitigation and future challengesPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Costa, H.S.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.Undoubtedly, significant advances were performed concerning 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals research on foods, and their formation by double oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. But further studies are still needed, especially on their occurrence in foods enriched with n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, as well as in foods for infants and processed foods. Major factors concerning the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals were discussed, namely the influence of fatty acids composition, time/temperature,processing conditions, salt, among others. Regarding mitigation, the most effective strategies are adding phenolic extracts to foods matrices, as well as other antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Exposure assessment studies revealed 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals values that could not be considered a risk for human health. However, these toxic compounds remain unaltered after digestion and can easily reach the systemic circulation. Therefore, it is crucial to develop in vivo research, with the inclusion of the colon phase, as well as, cell membranes of the intestinal epithelium. In conclusion, according to our review it is possible to eliminate or effectively decrease 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals in foods using simple and economic practices.
- 4-Hydroxy-2-Alkenals: a Potential Toxicological Concern of Vegetable Oils?Publication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Costa, H.S.4-hydroxy-2-alkenals, namely 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxy-2-hexenal (HHE) are secondary lipid oxidation products of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. An overview of the current knowledge about HNE and HHE in vegetable oils, including factors influencing their formation, health effects, analytical approaches, as well as mitigation strategies and future challenges are discussed. During the last years, an increased attention is being paid to these mutagenic, cytotoxic and genotoxic compounds. Due to their high reactivity and implication in numerous undesirable reactions, they can be linked with several diseases and medical conditions. Vegetable oils were identified as one of the major sources of these compounds, becoming a potential toxicological concern for public health. Up to now, the fatty acids composition, time, temperature and type of frying, as well as different processing conditions were evaluated in order to find a relationship with the presence of these hazardous compounds in vegetable oils. With respect to mitigation strategies to reduce the occurrence of HNE and HHE in vegetable oils, atmospheres with low oxygen content during frying, carbon dioxide blanketing as well as addition of phenolic compounds to the vegetable oils were studied. In the near future, it is important to exploit other conditions to explain the different amounts reported for the same type of vegetable oil from different origins, as well as to evaluate realistic conditions of frying, especially the presence of food, frying equipment and temperatures, among others.
- 4-Hydroxynonenal: a parameter of quality and safety of vegetable oilsPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Silva, M.A.; Costa, H.S.Due to several factors, namely social, economic and technical, people have less time to spend in food preparation. Consequently, the consumption of fried and pre-fried foods has been increasing due to its easy preparation. This behaviour has been linked to an increase in the intake of fats and oils subjected to high temperatures. Oils and fats are previously processed (refining) to improve their quality, stability and safety. Despite the removal of a large amount of impurities from the oil that influence negatively their quality, some processing conditions can often originate new compounds with additional health hazards.
- Abordagem nutricional na DiabetesPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Costa, H.S.Abordagem nutricional na Diabetes. O termo diabetes mellitus descreve uma desordem metabólica de etiologia múltipla, caracterizada por uma hiperglicemia crónica com distúrbios no metabolismo dos hidratos de carbono, lípidos e proteínas, resultantes de deficiências na secreção ou ação da insulina, ou de ambas.
- Abordagem nutricional na Doença CelíacaPublication . Costa, H.S.; Albuquerque, T.G.Abordagem nutricional na doença celíaca (DC), uma doença autoimune que ocorre em indivíduos com predisposição genética, causada pela permanente sensibilidade ao glúten.
- Accuracy of labelled nutrition declaration among cereal productsPublication . Albuquerque, T.G.; Nunes, M.A.; Oliveira, M.B.P.P.; Costa, H.S.Introduction: In the last years, consumers are paying increasing attention to the nutritional composition of foods, in order to make healthier food choices, and therefore to prevent chronic diseases. The European Union has faced the challenge of standardizing the nutritional declaration of prepacked foods. Therefore, in 2011, Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers was published (1). Accordingly, and concerning the declared values on the nutrition declaration, they should be an average and can be obtained by: (a) the manufacturer’s analysis of the food; (b) a calculation from the known or actual average values of the ingredients used; and (c) a calculation from generally established and accepted data. However, the food nutrient content should not deviate markedly from labeled values, otherwise consumers can be misled. Therefore, a tolerance guide regarding the deviations of labeled values for the different nutrients for analytical control purposes has been set up (2). In our study, an analysis regarding the accuracy of labeled nutrition declaration in cereal products was performed. Materials and Methods: In 2015, twelve samples of cereal products (cereal bars and breakfast cereals) were selected from the major supermarket chains in Portugal. An Excel® form was filled out with the labeled information for each one of the selected foods. Afterwards, the same foods were analysed concerning their salt, total fat and fatty acids composition, according to the methods described by Albuquerque et al. (3). Then, all the information was used to perform an analysis of the accuracy of the declared values, considering the tolerance limits defined for salt, total fat and saturated fatty acids (SFA). Results: Considering salt, in two (17%) of the selected foods, the declared values were not in compliance with the tolerance limits, being the analytical values lower than the lower tolerance value. The comparison between declared and analytical values for total fat shows that all the selected foods were within the tolerance limits fixed for this nutrient. On the other hand, for SFA, 33% of the samples were out of the tolerance limits, but from those samples, only one had an analytical value (10.3 g/100 g) higher than the upper tolerance value (4.7 g/100 g). Discussion and Conclusions: Food labels, namely nutrition declaration, are the most direct source of information for consumers. Therefore, it is very important that these labels provide accurate information in order to allow consumers to make informed and healthier dietary choices. In our study, SFA values were the ones for which a higher number of samples was out of the tolerance limits. References: (1) European Parliament/Council of the European Union. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. Official J Eur Union, 2011; L304: 18-63. (2) European Commission. Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU legislation. 2012. Available at: https://www.fsai.ie/uploadedfiles/guidance_tolerances_december_2012.pdf. (3) Albuquerque TG, Oliveira MBPP, Sanches-Silva A, Bento AC, Costa HS. The impact of cooking methods on the nutritional quality and safety of chicken breaded nuggets. Food Func. 2016; 7: 2736-46.
- Active Food Packaging with Antioxidant Properties: Incorporation of Plant Extracts in Polymeric Matrices to Extend Food Shelf-lifePublication . Sanches-Silva, A.; Carvalho-Costa, D.; Reis, A.R.; Albuquerque, T.G.; Castilho, M.C.; Ramos, F.; Machado, A.V.; Costa, H.S.Antioxidants (AOs) play an important role in biological processes because they prevent the effect of reactive oxygen species, protecting against cancer, inflammatory processes, cardiovascular diseases and aging, and consequently the degenerative diseases associated with it. In foods, AOs prevent oxidation which causes their deterioration and limits their shelf lives. Synthetic antioxidants are very effective against lipid oxidation, however some of them have been associated to toxic effects, which have increased the interest of food industry for natural substances also effective against this phenomenon. One of the main roles of food packaging is to retard the natural processes that lead to food deterioration. AOs can be incorporated into food packaging and be released by a controlled mechanism of diffusion. The use of AOs in food packaging may delay both lipid oxidation and protein denaturation. Packaging designed to foster desirable interactions with its content has been called active packaging. This innovative food packaging concept can extend the shelf life of food through the release of AOs by a controlled mechanism of diffusion from the packaging to the food surface and dissolution in it or in the inner atmosphere of the product or by the scavenging of free radicals. The release mechanism provides a continuous replenishment of AOs to foods and therefore, can reduce the direct addition of chemicals to the food. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a widely consumed aromatic herb that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is a xeromorphic species that grows spontaneously on sand, cliffs and stony places near the sea in many parts of the world. The fresh and dried leaves are frequently used as a food preservative and in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as a flavouring agent, being used with meat, fish, baked potatoes and sauces. Due to the influence of different factors such as growing conditions on the content of natural antioxidants, different rosemary commercial brands were compared. Antioxidant activity (radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhidrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity), total phenolics and total flavonoids were evaluated. Moreover, their content on natural antioxidants, carnosic acid, carnosol and rosmarinic acid was quantified by an Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatographic method coupled with a diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD) which has been validated in our laboratory. Finally, carotenoids and vitamin E were also evaluated following another UHPLC-DAD optimized in our laboratory. Rosemary extract has been approved as food additive (Directives 2010/67/EU and 2010/69/EU). In line with this, rosemary was also used to obtain a rosemary extract with high antioxidant activity. In fact, different solvents were tested in order to evaluate which originated higher antioxidant activity. Those with higher antioxidant activity and individual antioxidants content were used to produce active food packaging. Due to environmental motivation there is an increasing interest in the use of biodegradable/compostable packaging and/or edible materials. This tendency increases when materials come from industrial waste or renewable resources. Although rosemary extract has already been used in non-biodegradable matrices, to our knowledge, it is the first time that it has been used to produce biodegradable active packaging. Therefore, different polymeric matrices were evaluated, biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Migration tests were carried with food simulants at standard conditions. Promising results were found until now, and the new packaging material will also be tested in contact with foods in order to check their capacity to inhibit lipid oxidation, allowing to preserve the quality of foodstuffs and to increase their shelf-life. Our research group of the Department of Food and Nutrition from the National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) has great experience in the development of analytical methods for the determination of bioactive compounds (namely antioxidants) in foodstuffs and food byproducts as well as in food-packaging interactions and mathematical modelling of migration. Moreover it has a large number of peer-review publications in this field as well as national and international collaborations with other researcher groups that work in the same or complementary fields. Some of the groups that work in close collaboration with ours include the research group of Prof. Jaime López Cervantes from the Technological Institute of Sonora (México) and the research groups of Prof. Perfecto Paseiro and Prof. José Manuel Cruz from the Universities of Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, respectively. In the future, this research group intends to extend the research to other aromatic herbs and food by-products in order to search for new and interesting extracts that can be used to produce antioxidant active food packaging, with special interest in biodegradable matrices. The final aim is to be able to extend food shelf life reducing the direct additives of antioxidants to foods with positive health implications, at long term, for the consumers.
- Active Packaging Produced by Extrusion with Shrimp Waste: Migration of Astaxanthin into Food SimulantsPublication . Sanches-Silva, A.; Ribeiro, T.; Albuquerque, T.G.; Paseiro, P.; Sendón, R.; Bernaldo de Quirós, A.; López-Cervantes, J.; Sánchez-Machado, D.; Soto Valdez, H.; Angulo, I.; Pardo Aurrekoetxea, G.; Costa, H.S.Introduction: Astaxanthin (3,3’-dihydroxy-β-β´-carotene-4-4´-dione), a potent antioxidant, is one of the major carotenoids in crustaceans. In the frame of the project ‘Preparation of active packaging with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity based on astaxanthin and chitosan’, a methodology for the incorporation of compounds obtained from shrimp waste in plastic matrices was developed to produce an active packaging with antioxidant properties. The aim of the present work was to develop and optimize a method to determine astaxanthin by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography in fermented shrimp waste. Moreover, the method was also applied to determine the migration of astaxanthin from plastic films containing different amounts of shrimp waste to food simulants. Material and Methods: The method was optimized to determine astaxanthin by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with diode array detection (DAD). The chromatographic separation was achieved using a vanguard pre-column (UPLCÒ BEH, 1.7 µm particle size) and a column (UPLCÒ BEH, 2.1 x 50 mm, 1.7 µm particle size) at 20 °C. The mobile phase was a gradient of A (dichloromethane/methanol with ammonium acetate/acetonitrile 5:20:75 (v/v)) and B (ultrapure water) with a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The optimized UPLC method allowed an excellent resolution of astaxanthin. The method was also evaluated in what concerns to validation parameters such as linearity, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification and recovery. Low density polyethylene plastic films produced by extrusion with different amounts of the lipid fraction of shrimp waste were prepared and tested regarding migration into fatty food stimulants (isooctane and ethanol 95%, v/v). Results and conclusion: The proposed method to determine astaxanthin in shrimp waste is simple and has a low detection level (0.054 μg/mL). The concentration of astaxanthin found in the lipid fraction of fermented shrimp waste was 453.8 μg/g. The films produced by extrusion with the lipid fraction of the fermented shrimp waste did not originate astaxanthin migration into the tested fatty food simulants. Further studies could be made in order to evaluate the capacity of these films in protecting packed food from oxidation.