Karen Haydeé Nieto-Figueroa

Bio: Karen Haydeé Nieto-Figueroa is an academic researcher from Autonomous University of Queretaro. The author has contributed to research in topics: Functional food & Food industry. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 77 citations.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) pod husk: Renewable source of bioactive compounds

Abstract: Background Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH) is the main by-product from the coca industry constituting 67–76% of the cocoa fruit weight. This waste represents an important, and challenging, economic, environmental renewable opportunity, since ten tons of wet CPH are generated for each ton of dry cocoa beans. Scope and approach This review highlights the value that can be added to this industrial co-product to generate new pharmaceutical, medical, nutraceuticals or functional food products. Key findings and conclusions The quality and functionality of cocoa pod husk (CPH) has being improving through processing (fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, and combustion, among others), guiding to their use as source of volatile fragrance compounds, lipase extraction, skin whitening, skin hydration and sun screening, ruminants’ food, vegetable gum, organic potash, antibacterial and nanoparticles synthesis with antioxidant and larvicidal activities. However, their exploration to produce high-value-added products, specially for the food industry, is limited as well as their potential health benefits. Cocoa pod husk, the main by-product from cacao industry (up to 76%), is an abundant, inexpensive, and renewable source of bioactive compounds like dietary fiber, pectin, antioxidant compounds, minerals and theobromine, justifying their valorization. This review highlights the value addition that can be achieved with this valuable industrial co-product to generate new pharmaceutical, medical, nutraceuticals or functional food products.

Agro-Food Byproducts as a New Source of Natural Food Additives

Abstract: Nowadays, the agro-food industry generates high amounts of byproducts that may possess added value compounds with high functionality and/or bioactivity. Additionally, consumers' demand for healthier foodstuffs has increased over the last years, and thus the food industry has strived to answer this challenge. Byproducts are generally secondary products derived from primary agro-food production processes and represent an interesting and cheaper source of potentially functional ingredients, such as peptides, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, thus promoting a circular economy concept. The existing body of work has shown that byproducts and their extracts may be successfully incorporated into foodstuffs, for instance, phenolic compounds from eggplant can be potentially used as a mulfitunctional food additive with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and food colorant properties. As such, the aim of this review is to provide insights into byproducts and their potential as new sources of foodstuffs additives.

The Potential of Selected Agri-Food Loss and Waste to Contribute to a Circular Economy: Applications in the Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries.

Abstract: The food sector includes several large industries such as canned food, pasta, flour, frozen products, and beverages. Those industries transform agricultural raw materials into added-value products. The fruit and vegetable industry is the largest and fastest-growing segment of the world agricultural production market, which commercialize various products such as juices, jams, and dehydrated products, followed by the cereal industry products such as chocolate, beer, and vegetable oils are produced. Similarly, the root and tuber industry produces flours and starches essential for the daily diet due to their high carbohydrate content. However, the processing of these foods generates a large amount of waste several times improperly disposed of in landfills. Due to the increase in the world's population, the indiscriminate use of natural resources generates waste and food supply limitations due to the scarcity of resources, increasing hunger worldwide. The circular economy offers various tools for raising awareness for the recovery of waste, one of the best alternatives to mitigate the excessive consumption of raw materials and reduce waste. The loss and waste of food as a raw material offers bioactive compounds, enzymes, and nutrients that add value to the food cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This paper systematically reviewed literature with different food loss and waste by-products as animal feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products that strongly contribute to the paradigm shift to a circular economy. Additionally, this review compiles studies related to the integral recovery of by-products from the processing of fruits, vegetables, tubers, cereals, and legumes from the food industry, with the potential in SARS-CoV-2 disease and bacterial diseases treatment.

Second generation biorefining in Ecuador: Circular bioeconomy, zero waste technology, environment and sustainable development: The nexus

Abstract: The projection of world population growth with concurrent generation of large volumes of agro-industrial waste that negatively affect the environment is of great concern. Therefore, this review article describes the nexus between concepts of Circular Bioeconomy, Zero Waste Technology, Sustainable Development, Biorefineries, and alternatives and research efforts to generate less environmental impact. A brief analysis of the Ecuadorian industry and exports is described, emphasizing the fact that, to improve the Ecuadorian trade balance, it is necessary to increase industrial competitiveness. It is important to have emerging technologies and innovation in order to promote the replacement of fossil-derived raw materials with renewable raw materials and develop more environmentally friendly processes and industries. This paper analyses the state of biomass research and its transformation in Ecuador, together with current pretreatment research on biomass to obtain bioproducts and biofuels in a biorefinery that promotes clean production for the extraction of phytochemicals using green solvents, such as deep eutectic solvents; and technologies to recover high-value added materials with enhanced properties. In conclusion, the need to develop technologies and markets to commercialize high value-added products coming from biorefineries is highlighted, as this will increase the income both in rural and urban areas and will strengthen the productivity and profitability of the Ecuadorian agroindustry. Our goal through this analysis is to improve Ecuador's trade balance while also contributing to the circular bioeconomy that promotes sustainable development.

Valorisation of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) pod husk as precursors for the production of adsorbents for water treatment

Abstract: Cocoa pod husk (CPH) has been valorised as adsorbents for the removal of a variety of chemical species from aqueous media. This review was conducted to catalogue the empirical findings, discuss the...

Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction of cocoa bean shell waste and evaluation of its antioxidant, physicochemical and functional properties

Abstract: 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 content, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant performance. A great influence of pH on the CBS extraction was observed, since alkaline conditions resulted in higher extraction yields and antioxidant capacity. Optimal MAE conditions were determined as 5 min, pH 12, 97 °C and S/L 0.04 g/mL showing better outcome than conventional solvent extraction. Antioxidant performance was evaluated by using colorimetric methods (FRAP, ABTS) while structural (FTIR), physico-chemical and functional properties of the MAE extracts were also determined. MAE extracts obtained at pH 12 were rich in proteins (580.0 mg BSA/g), polysaccharides (370.4 mg Glu/g) and polyphenols (35.9 mg GAE/g), showing important antioxidant performance (35.5 mg TE/g). It can be concluded that MAE is an efficient technique for the release of bioactive molecules from CBS with antioxidant performance and potential applications in the food industry.