Conte Raffaele, Sepe Fabrizia, Margarucci Sabrina, Costanzo Ezia, Petillo Orsolina, Peluso Gianfranco, Marcolongo Loredana, Calarco Anna
Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy.
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy.
Molecules. 2025 Jan 21;30(3):433. doi: 10.3390/molecules30030433.
In recent decades, there has been growing interest in the fortification of food products with antioxidants and phenolics derived from plant by-products. The present study focused on the production of a plant-based beverage enriched with hazelnut cuticle extract to characterize its antioxidant content, phenolic profile, and organoleptic characteristics. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) enabled the identification of key polyphenols in hazelnut cuticles, including catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin derivatives, guiding the selection of a biocompatible Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES) composed of choline chloride and lactic acid for efficient extraction. The obtained phytochemical profile of the extract revealed a high concentration of bioactive compounds, with a Total Phenolic Content of 160.88 ± 14.27 mg GAE/g and Antioxidant Power measured by DPPH of 5848.2 ± 11.3 μmol TE/g. The bioaccessibility of phenolics in the fortified hazelnut-based beverage was determined after in vitro digestion, reaching a value of 89.7%, indicating excellent release and stability during digestion. Organoleptic evaluation revealed high sensory acceptability, with aftertaste scoring 3.61 ± 0.4 respect the 3.94 ± 1.3 result of reference milk, on a 5-point scale. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential for sustainable valorization of hazelnut cuticles, through their incorporation as NADES extracts in plant-based milk, providing an innovative solution to reduce food waste while catering to consumer demand for nutritionally enriched and eco-friendly products.
近几十年来，人们越来越关注用来自植物副产品的抗氧化剂和酚类物质强化食品。本研究聚焦于生产一种富含榛子表皮提取物的植物性饮料，以表征其抗氧化成分、酚类特征和感官特性。液相色谱 - 质谱联用（LC - MS）技术能够鉴定榛子表皮中的关键多酚，包括儿茶素、表儿茶素和槲皮素衍生物，这为选择由氯化胆碱和乳酸组成的生物相容性天然低共熔溶剂（NADES）进行高效提取提供了指导。提取物的植物化学特征显示含有高浓度的生物活性化合物，总酚含量为160.88±14.27 mg GAE/g，通过DPPH法测得的抗氧化能力为5848.2±11.3 μmol TE/g。经体外消化后测定了强化榛子基饮料中酚类物质的生物可及性，达到了89.7%的值，表明在消化过程中具有优异的释放和稳定性。感官评价显示具有较高的感官可接受性，在5分制评分中，回味评分为3.61±0.4，而参考牛奶的评分为3.94±1.3。总之，本研究证明了通过将榛子表皮作为NADES提取物添加到植物性牛奶中，实现榛子表皮可持续增值的潜力，为减少食物浪费同时满足消费者对营养丰富和环保产品的需求提供了一种创新解决方案。
