Mónica L. Chávez

Autonomous University of Coahuila | UAdeC · Department of Food Research

The goals of the present study were to characterize the phages isolated by magnetic nanocomplex, to determine the effect of natural polyphenols on phage activity against E. coli and the stability of free and encapsulated bacteriophages under UV irradiation, and their efficacy against E. coli on romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia) as...

Polyphenolic compounds are a group of secondary metabolites in plants; these molecules are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, and herbs and can be found in the vacuoles of plant cells. The current trend in these compounds is their extraction to study their applications in several areas, such as the food, cosmetic, and pharmacology industry....

Worldwide, postharvest bio-deterioration of foodstuffs causes a substantial loss of products. Food commodities such as cereals and pulses, fruits and vegetables, dairy, bakery, meat, and seafood have substantial losses during their transit and postharvest. Insect pests, microbial pathogens, and oxidation reactions all contribute to these losses. Th...

Protein hydrolysates are a promising source of bioactive peptides. One strategy by which they can be obtained is fermentation. This method uses the proteolytic system of microorganisms to hydrolyze the parental protein. Fermentation is a little-explored method for obtaining protein hydrolysates from amaranth. Different strains of lactic acid bacter...

Derived from the global energy crisis, microalgae have emerged as an alternative biomass with tremendous potential as a renewable and environmentally friendly biofuel feedstock as a rebuttal to climate change and global warming. Besides, microalgae bear potential as bio-cell factories in producing key industrial commodities, such as pigments, prote...

This study is the first record of medicinal plants in the southwest of the Coahuila state, an arid zone where extreme dry conditions prevail. One hundred twenty-two residents (in sixteen communities) were interviewed. The residents were questioned with a questionnaire-guided ethnomedical survey protocol about the various plants used. Seventy-seven...

Sorghum contains antioxidants such as tannins. However, these are considered antinutritional factors since they are responsible for the low digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates. Nevertheless, these can be extracted by solid-state fermentation (SSF). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of SSF from Aspergillus oryzae and Asperg...

Food commodities are often contaminated by microbial pathogens in transit or during storage. Hence, mitigation of these pathogens is necessary to ensure the safety of food commodities. Globally, researchers used botanicals as natural additives to preserve food commodities from bio-deterioration, and advances were made to meet users’ acceptance in t...

Nutraceuticals are functional foods with bioactive properties that confer health benefits through their consumption. They have therapeutic properties without being considered drugs, so different regulations govern them according to each country. Due to the health benefits of nutraceuticals, their demand is increasing. However, the specific regulati...

In this chapter, the basic properties of nanosystems applied as carriers of active compounds are briefly described. Structurally, they can be grouped as colloidal carriers, vesicular carriers, or nanoparticulate carriers. The agricultural and food applications of nanocarriers for nutrient delivery, nutraceuticals, food additives, and antimicrobials...

Leishmaniasis is a neglected vector-borne disease; there are different manifestations of the diseases and species involved, and cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (L.) mexicana is the most prevalent in Mexico. Currently, the drugs available for the treatment of leishmaniasis are toxic, expensive, and often ineffective; therefore, it is im...

As a counter to climate change, energy crises, and global warming, microalgal biomass has gained a lot of interest as a sustainable and environmentally favorable biofuel feedstock. Micro-algal carbohydrate is considered one of the promising feedstocks for biofuel produced via the bio-conversion route under a biorefinery system. However, the present...

The development of green technologies and bioprocesses such as solid-state fermentation (SSF) is important for the processing of macroalgae biomass and to reduce the negative effect of Sargassum spp. on marine ecosystems, as well as the production of compounds with high added value such as fungal proteins. In the present study, Sargassum spp. bioma...

The subsequent driving reason for death around the globe is cancer, with several forms including breast cancer, basal cell carcinoma, blood cancer, colon cancer, leukaemia, lungs cancer, lymphoma cancer, skin (melanoma), and prostate cancer. The “JAK/STAT signalling pathway” mainly consists of 3 components, namely signal transducer and activator of...

The present work evaluated the use of enzymatic assistance to extract mint essential oils through hydro-distillation processes and the antifungal and antibacterial properties of the obtained oil against food-borne pathogens. An exploratory analysis was performed using a Hunter & Hunter model, evaluating the effect of time (90, 180 min), pH (4.5, 5)...

This study investigated the recovery ellagic acid (EA) obtained by solid-state fermentation (SSF) assisted extraction from Mexican Rambutan peel (Nephelium lappaceum L.). For the recovered compound, the influences of Aspergillus niger inoculum, temperature and moisture were evaluated. Maximum accumulation of EA, radial growth of the microorganism,...

Essential oils are volatile substances of an oily nature present in all plants. They are industrially used as high‐value substances for their biological properties in the elaboration of various products in multiple such as pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, etc. Today it is known that essential oils have a composite composition and are mainly made u...

Orange residues are an excellent carbon and energy source to obtain high added value compounds through bioprocessing, such as single-cell protein (SCP). This study aims to evaluate the orange peel as the only carbon and energy source for the growth of Candida utilis and evaluate and optimize the SCP production by submerged fermentation. A compariso...

Emerging evidence shows the trend of using safe and natural preservatives like bacteriocins in food processing. The increasing demand by the food industry to extend keeping quality and prevent spoilage of various food products has appealed for new preservatives and new methods of conservation. Further, to discover the novel spectrum of antimicrobia...

The clinical and food testing microbiological laboratories required very rapid and careful methods for microbial identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing of microorganisms on regular basis. The VITEK II compact system is employed to identify microorganisms particularly bacteria, yeast, and molds automatically. The catalogs to identify VITE...

Enzymes are biocatalysts that are used in countless catalytic reactions. These biocatalytic systems are capable of specifically manipulating biomolecules found in living organisms. However, there are enzymes whose biocatalytic activity results in a rapid deterioration of the quality of food and some can even deteriorate the health of people. Theref...

Within this research subject, authors from the interdisciplinary fields of Food Science and Technology, Food Protection, Plant Pathology and Entomology are encouraged to submit Original Research, Mini-Review, and Review articles focusing on, but not limited to: Suggested topics: • Essential oils and Plant extracts as antimicrobials • Essential oil...

Food represents a millennial source of multiple molecules with potential as health enhancers, not only from a nutritional point of view, and proteins are described as one of them. Proteins and their derived peptides could interact in a wide range of biological levels but claim attention as immunomodulating agents. The immunomodulatory system repres...

In recent years, agro-industrial waste has been a source of high-added-value natural compounds. Wastes that have previously caused problems for the industry are now being used as a cheap and easily accessible substrate. One of the agro-industrial residues produced worldwide comes from grapes, mainly from the wine industry, with 75 million tons of f...

Rapid and reliable food analyses are necessary if we are to screen for microbes and other contaminants that could create major risks to health such as pesticides, bacteria, and other toxins. The study and quantification of contaminants have benefitted from major advances in analytical methods and instruments such as chromatography. However, high co...

Agro-industrial waste is a source of nutrients and compounds that can be used to convert bioproducts such as enzymes, antibiotics, or single-cell proteins. A single-cell protein (SCP) refers to the dry cells of fermentation-derived microorganisms that are of great interest for human and animal use as food supplements. The microbial biomass is a sou...

Procyanidins are bioactive molecules with industrial and pharmaceutical relevance, they are present in recalcitrant agro-industrial wastes that are difficult to degrade. In this study, we evaluated the potential consumption of procyanidins from Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum strains in submerged fermentations. For this purpose, a cultu...

Procyanidins are an important group of bioactive molecules known for their benefits to human health. These compounds are promising in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as they prevent cell damage related to oxidative stress. It is necessary to study effective extraction methods for the...

The rising need for wholesome, fresh, safe and “minimally-processed” foods has led to pioneering research activities in the emerging non-thermal technology of food processing. Cold plasma is such an innovative and promising technology that offers several potential applications in the food industry. It uses the highly reactive, energetic and charged...

BACKGROUND About 75% of the total grape production is destined for wine production. Many agro-industrial wastes are derived from the various stages of their production that are not usually used. The present study explores grape pomace from winemaking industry as a fermentation substrate for the extraction of phenolic compounds through two fermentat...

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are an important therapeutic strategy in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AChE hydrolyzes a neurotransmitter acetylcholine in choline and acetate, which reduces the amount of acetylcholine. The inhibition of AChE has been studied for a long time not only for AD but also in anxiety treatment. There are some plants wit...

Digestive enzymes with hydrolytic activity, such as α-amylase, ensure hydrolysis of starch as a high-molecular-weight food component. The regulation of the enzymatic activity of amylase makes it possible to control the level of hydrolysis and absorption of simple sugars from starch. This control is essential for the treatment of metabolic diseases...

Macroalgae is an emerging third-generation feedstock and promising biomass within the biorefinery context to produce biofuels and high-added value compounds. Biorefinery involves processes and technologies in the context of sustainable bioeconomy. Throughout the biorefinery process is important not to neglect parameters and conditions that can impa...

Application of high-value algal metabolites (HVAMs) in cosmetics, additives, pigments, foods and medicines are very important. These HVAMs can be obtained from the cultivation of micro- and macro-algae. These metabolites can benefit human and animal health in a physiological and nutritional manner. However, because of conventional extraction method...

In Mexico, the citrus processing industry for the obtainment of juices generates a considerable amount of wastes composed of peel and bagasse of orange. This conjuncture makes available the exploitation of these wastes for its transformation and final obtaining of high-value products. For the reduction of the environmental impact and to obtain an e...

Bioactive peptides are biomolecules derived from proteins. They contain anywhere from 2 to 20 amino acids and have different bioactivities. For example, they have antihypertensive activity, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, etc. However, bioactive peptides are encrypted and inactive in the parental protein, so it is necessary to release...

One of the relevant problems in today's agriculture is related to phytopathogenic microorganisms that cause between 30–40% of crop losses. Synthetic chemical pesticides and antibiotics have brought human and environmental health problems and microbial resistance to these treatments. So, the search for natural alternatives is necessary. The genus St...

An entirely unknown species of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in December 2019. COVID-19 has already affected more than 180 million people causing ∼3.91 million deaths globally till the end of June 2021. During this emergency, the food nutraceuticals can be a potential therapeutic candidate. Curcumin is the natural and safe bioactive comp...

An entirely unknown species of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in December 2019. COVID-19 has already affected more than 180 million people causing ∼3.91 million deaths globally till the end of June 2021. During this emergency, the food nutraceuticals can be a potential therapeutic candidate. Curcumin is the natural and safe bioactive comp...

Lippia graveolens is a traditional crop and a rich source of bioactive compounds with various properties (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, UV defense, anti-glycemic, and cytotoxicity) that is primarily cultivated for essential oil recovery. The isolated bioactive compounds could be useful as additives in the functional food, nutrac...

The mango seed is usually discarded as waste. However, this byproduct is an excellent source of bioactive compounds and nutrients with a high potential for valorization as novel food ingredients. In this chapter, Ataulfo mango seed was investigated for its nutritional and functional properties. The yield, protein, fatty acids (GC-MS), minerals, die...

Essential oils, extracts and chemical components from aromatic plants are widely used as flavors and fragrances by the food and cosmetics industries because they act highly effective against plant pathogens and pests. According to recent research studies, some botanicals derived from higher plants are efficient insecticides against particular pests...

In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - a novel coronavirus was identified which was quickly distributed to more than 100 countries around the world. There are currently no approved treatments available but only a few preventive measures are available. Among them, maintaining strong immunity thro...

La industria vinícola utiliza para la producción del vino hasta el 80% de la producción total del fruto de la uva, sin embargo, durante el proceso de elaboración del vino se generan grandes cantidades de residuos, entre ellos destacan los orujos, las semillas, los palillos, aguas residuales, entre otros; estos pueden ser recuperados durante el proc...

The industrial application of pigments of biological origin has been gaining strength over time, which is mainly explained by the increased interest of the consumer for products with few synthetic additives. So, the search for biomolecules from natural origin has challenged food scientists and technologists to identify, develop efficient and less c...

Currently, lectins have acquired a great interest on the part of investigators due to the properties that they possess. Lectins are proteins present in plants, animals, and microorganisms. The main characteristic of this kind of protein is its ability to join sugar in a specific way. This ability made it a great tool in the treatment and diagnostic...

High generation of food waste poses potentially serious pollution issues and high handling costs. However, food processing wastes rich in nutrients are attractive substrates for the bioconversion for valuable bioproducts such as enzymes, pigments, biofuels, oligosaccharides, growth-promoting substrates, polysaccharides, proteins, bioplastics, biosu...

Bacteria have been used in the food industry to produce flavors, dyes, thickeners, and to increase food value, because bacterial fermentations favor the obtention of different metabolites such as tannins and different nutritional compounds in food. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was one the first species to be studied for industrial purposes, and its...

https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1ckpj3I9F4Jdfw Background The biodeterioration of food commodities by microbial pathogens remains a major public health concern. Worldwide, investigations have been carried out to develop harmless natural food preservatives based on essential oils (EOs) to protect food commodities, and advances have been made to meet...

Sorghum, popularly known as milo, is a versatile crop which can easily grow in drought-prone areas. It has high nutritional value and is a good source of phytochemicals, that is, tannins, flavonoids, phytosterols, and policosanols. These phytochemicals have high antioxidant activity as compared with other cereals and also exhibit positive health be...

Fructans are the non-structural polymers of D-fructose that are obtained abundantly from plants as well as microbial sources. Fructans have been divided into three groups based on their linkages i.e. inulin, levans, and graminan. Due to its ample applicability, fructans are being utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In food products...

Macrofungi, mushrooms or higher fungi have been employed for medicinal and food purposes for decades, nevertheless, also represent, a novel and fruitful source of biologically relevant compounds, that could serve as health enhancers in diverse human illness conditions; specially, mushrooms, are considered a relevant source of the distictive molecul...

The impact of increasing human population, rising food demand, and adverse effects of climate change, viz., changing rainfall pattern, rising temperature, biotic-abiotic stresses, etc., has tremendously affected global food security. In addition, increased anthropogenic inputs from urbanization, industrialization, as well as outrageous use of chemi...

In the last years, microbial caffeinases have been the subject of several studies due to their potential commercial importance and complexity as catalytic molecules. Caffeinases are capable of hydrolyzing caffeine, which represent the main chemical group of natural alkaloids occurring in the plants, particularly in coffee. The general outline of th...

The study presents the design of a magnetic nanosystem functionalised with Escherichia coli for bacteriophage isolation. The chitosan-coated nanoparticles (C-MNP) were synthesised by coprecipitation, then functionalised with E. coli cells. Different concentrations of C-MNP and incubation times were tested. The immobilisation kinetics and adsorption...

Sorghum is the fifth cereal most produced in the world after wheat, rice, maize, and barley. In some regions, this crop is replacing maize, due to its high yield, resistance to drought and heat. There are several varieties of sorghum, whose coloration varies from cream, lemon-yellow, red, and even black. Pigmented sorghum grain is a rich source of...

It is estimated that only in USA, foodborne pathogens cause 48 million illnesses, with 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths each year. The growing global emergence of multi-drug-resistant infections raises the need to find alternative methods for the effective treatment of infectious illnesses. Phages possess properties that make them interest...

La aplicación de hongos filamentosos en procesos biotecnológicos conduce a la acumulación de biomasa como residuo. Sin embargo, la biomasa fúngica contiene diversos biopolímeros entre los cuales se encuentra la quitina -el precursor del quitosán. En el presente trabajo la biomasa fúngica se utilizó como materia prima para la extracción del biopolím...

Flavonoids are a group of plant constituents called phenolic compounds and correspond to the nonenergy part of the human diet. Flavonoids are found in vegetables, seeds, fruits, and beverages such as wine and beer. Over 7000 flavonoids have been identified and they have been considered substances with a beneficial action on human health, particular...

Background and objectives Maize (Zea mays) is a cereal of great commercial importance around the world. It has been reported that maize presents polyembryony, which is described as the appearance of two or more seedlings from a germinated seed. Minerals and fatty acids (FA) play important roles in the growth and development of plants and animals. T...