Tanize Acunha

Bio: Tanize Acunha is an academic researcher from University of São Paulo. The author has contributed to research in topics: Foodomics & Black rice. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 26 publications receiving 277 citations. Previous affiliations of Tanize Acunha include National Research Council & Spanish National Research Council.

The role of direct high-resolution mass spectrometry in foodomics

Abstract: Foodomics has been defined as a global discipline in which advanced analytical techniques and bioinformatics are combined to address different questions in food science and nutrition. There is a growing number of works on the development and application of non-targeted omics methods in foodomics, which reflects that this emerging discipline is already considered by the scientific community to be a valuable approach to assess food safety, quality, and traceability as well as for the study of the links between food and health. As a result, there is a clear need for more rapid, high-throughput MS approaches for developing and applying non-targeted studies. Nowadays, direct MS analysis is one of the main choices to achieve high throughput, generating a set of information from the largest possible number of samples in a fast and straightforward way. The use of high- and ultrahigh-resolution MS greatly improves the analytical performance and offers a good combination of selectivity and sensitivity. By using a range of methods for direct sample introduction/desorption/ionization, high-throughput and non-target analysis of a variety of samples can be obtained in a few seconds by HRMS analysis. In this review, a general overview is presented of the main characteristics of direct HRMS-based approaches and their principal applications in foodomics.

Electrospun protein fibers loaded with yerba mate extract for bioactive release in food packaging

Abstract: BACKGROUND Yerba mate extract was encapsulated in electrospun zein fibers. Solutions were prepared with 30% (w/v) zein, and yerba mate extract was added at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% (w/w). The rheology and electrical conductivity of the polymer solutions were evaluated. The extract and the fibers were characterized through an analysis of total and individual phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Morphology, size distribution, and thermal stability were also evaluated. The release kinetics of zein fibers loaded with different concentrations of yerba mate were evaluated in a hydrophilic food-simulant medium (10% ethanol). RESULTS Yerba mate extract had a total phenolic compound content of 1287.76 ± 11.55 mg of gallic acid 100 g-1 yerba mate extract. The major individual phenolic compounds obtained were chlorogenic acid and rutin, quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and mess spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Zein fibers loaded with 5% extract exhibited higher antioxidant activity with 83.0% inhibition. The fibers with different concentrations of yerba mate displayed homogeneous morphology. Yerba mate extract encapsulated in zein fibers had greater thermal stability than the free extract. Zein fibers comprising 5% yerba mate extract, when in contact with a hydrophilic food simulant medium, showed a release of approximately 49% of extract within 50 h. CONCLUSION Zein fibers containing yerba mate extract may be used as antioxidant releasers for food packaging. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent advances in the application of metabolomics for food safety control and food quality analyses

Abstract: As one of the omics fields, metabolomics has unique advantages in facilitating the understanding of physiological and pathological activities in biology, physiology, pathology, and food science. In this review, based on developments in analytical chemistry tools, cheminformatics, and bioinformatics methods, we highlight the current applications of metabolomics in food safety, food authenticity and quality, and food traceability. Additionally, the combined use of metabolomics with other omics techniques for "foodomics" is comprehensively described. Finally, the latest developments and advances, practical challenges and limitations, and requirements related to the application of metabolomics are critically discussed, providing new insight into the application of metabolomics in food analysis.

Recent developments in capillary and microchip electroseparations of peptides (2017–mid 2019)

Abstract: The review brings a comprehensive survey of recent developments and applications of high performance capillary and microchip electroseparation methods (zone electrophoresis, isotachophoresis, isoelectric focusing, affinity electrophoresis, electrokinetic chromatography, and electrochromatography) to analysis, micropreparation, purification, and physicochemical and biochemical characterization of peptides in the years 2013, 2014, and ca. up to the middle of 2015. Advances in the investigation of electromigration properties of peptides, in the methodology of their analysis, including sample preseparation, preconcentration and derivatization, adsorption suppression and EOF control, as well as in detection of peptides, are described. New developments in particular CE and CEC modes are presented and several types of their applications to peptide analysis are reported: conventional qualitative and quantitative analysis, determination in complex (bio)matrices, monitoring of chemical and enzymatical reactions and physical changes, amino acid, sequence, and chiral analysis, and peptide mapping of proteins. Some micropreparative peptide separations are shown and capabilities of CE and CEC techniques to provide important physicochemical characteristics of peptides are demonstrated.

Colorimetric determination of nitrite in clinical, food and environmental samples using microfluidic devices stamped in paper platforms

Abstract: This study reports the use of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) associated with colorimetric detection for the determination of nitrite in clinical, food and environmental samples. μPADs were fabricated by a simple and fast stamping process in a geometry containing eight circular detection zones and one central zone to sample inlet interconnected by microfluidic channels. The colorimetric determination of nitrite was performed through the modified Griess reaction. Detection zones were spotted with a 0.75 μL aliquot of a solution containing 50 mM sulfanilamide, 1.2 M hydrochloric acid and 4 mM N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine. The monitoring of the background colorimetric response revealed good stability over 12 h for devices stored in the absence of light. After the addition of standard or real samples, the resulting images were captured with a scanner, converted to a color scale and analyzed in the magenta channel. The analytical sensitivity and the limit of detection achieved after a preconcentration stage were 0.56 (AU μM−1) and 5.6 μM, respectively. The preconcentration provided an enrichment factor of ca. 3.2 times. The concentration levels of nitrite were successfully determined in saliva, preservative water, ham, sausage and river water samples. The concentration levels attained for each sample using μPADs were compared to the values found by spectrophotometry and there was no significant difference from one another at a confidence level of 95%.