Olivia Magaly Luque Vilca’s research while affiliated with Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú and other places

The rapid advancement of emerging technologies is transforming the food industry, especially in enhancing the nutritional qualities of food. These innovations have significant potential for tackling global nutritional deficiencies and promoting public health. Key technologies include precision fermentation, which enables the production of high-quality proteins and micronutrients while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, gene editing techniques such as CRISPR allow for the development of crops with improved nutrient profiles and enhanced resistance to pests and diseases. Furthermore, advancements in nanotechnology enhance the fortification of foods with essential vitamins and minerals, improving their bioavailability and stability. Personalized nutrition, driven by big data and artificial intelligence, customizes dietary recommendations based on individual genetic profiles, optimizing nutrient intake and health outcomes. This review article overviews these cutting-edge technologies and their applications in creating a more nutritious and sustainable food system.

Almond-based dairy alternatives have gained popularity for their plant-based origins, but they often suffer from low protein content and incomplete amino acid profiles compared to traditional dairy products. This study investigates the enhancement of protein quality and bioactive peptide production in almond-based dairy alternatives through lactic acid fermentation and enzyme-assisted hydrolysis, focusing on potential cardiovascular health benefits. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Case Studies: Enzymatic Treatment of Plant-Based Proteins for Improved Functional Properties strains such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus were used to improve sensory properties, enhance nutrient bioavailability, and generate bioactive peptides. These peptides exhibit health-promoting activities such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, antioxidant effects, and anti-inflammatory properties, all of which are critical for cardiovascular health. Enzyme-assisted hydrolysis further improves protein digestibility by breaking down almond proteins into smaller, more absorbable peptides. The dual approach of combining fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis was found to optimize the production of bioactive peptides while enhancing the overall sensory profile and functionality of almond-based products. The study also highlights the need for further research into optimizing processing conditions, understanding the synergistic mechanisms of LAB fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis, and validating the cardiovascular benefits of almond-derived bioactive peptides through clinical trials. These findings pave the way for developing functional almond-based products with enhanced nutritional profiles and potential heart-health benefits.

Prickly pear ( Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller) is a natural source of antioxidant compounds that have gained significant attention due to their potential health benefits. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE), combined with water–ethanol mixtures from 0 to 60%, at moderate temperatures between 50 °C to 70 °C to improve the recovery of antioxidant compounds from red peel prickly pear. The recovery of these compounds was affected by solvent composition and temperature for both extraction techniques. Interestingly, the use of pure water at 70 °C during the PLE process allowed the recovery of high concentrations of antioxidant compounds (12.96 mg GAE/g dw, IC 5O : 2.03 mg/mL, ORAC: 625 µmol TE/g dw). On the contrary, when the UAE process was combined with 30% ethanol at 50 °C, the extractability of these compounds (10.52 mg GAE/g dw, IC 5O : 3.09 mg/mL, ORAC: 561.26 µmol TE/g dw) was improved. In addition, different solvent compositions were identified to improve the recovery of specific polyphenols. For PLE, pure water at 70 °C was effective in recovering phenolic acids, flavanols, and flavonols, while the highest concentrations of stilbenes were obtained with 60% ethanol at 70 °C. For UAE, the use of 30% ethanol at 50 °C was more effective in extracting phenolic acids and stilbenes, whereas pure water at 50 °C provided high concentrations of flavanols and flavonols. These results contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient extraction strategies for obtaining antioxidant-rich extracts from prickly pear peel with important applications in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceutical industries.

Bioavailability of nutrients, the scarcity of synthetic fertilisers, and the rising cost of fuel have all contributed to an increase in production costs, which has in turn reduced crop productivity and led scientists to seek out new methods to ensure high-quality output. In this context, various cytokinins dosages were tested in Peru to see whether they affected the quality of caigua, in an effort to address these issues. To mitigate these problems, a pot experiment was carried out to check the effects of various doses of cytokinin in the quality of caigua in Peru. The experiment consisted of 5 treatments including (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mL of cytokinin) by using (Anthesis Plus per 200 L of water) as a source, each with three replicates and placed following a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Treatment with 100 mL of cytokinins foliar analysis resulted in a caigua length of 18.9 cm, an increase in diameter of 5.65 cm, and an improvement in pulp thickness of 7.60 millimeters. Physiological parameters of caigua plants taken after 45 days of sowing were considerably improved with the same treatment. Similarly, N, K and Zn concentration in leaf was higher in case of 100 mL of cytokinins foliar analysis. Therefore, policymakers must advise using the recommended quantity of cytokinins to bring about regime transition, and formers can gain by injecting 100 mL of cytokinins to boost production and the economy. It was concluded that the adequate dose of cytokinins is in treatment T3, which raised value of potassium concentration in leaves, this influenced optimal development, strengthening against environmental stress and therefore quality. For this reason, research was carried out on the comparative study of cytokinin doses in the quality of caigua in Peru; the objective was to determine the appropriate dose to obtain higher quality fruit. Likewise, it was underlined that the objective was to employ an ecological alternative of plant origin such as the usage of phytohormone that stimulates the growth of the plant and consequently the quality of the fruit. The obtained the results were served as a recommendation for farmers in the area.

La industria de la panificación tiene una gran demanda, así mismo una gran aceptación por la población rural y urbana. Pero estas carecen de innovación y valor agregado en cuanto al valor nutricional. La harina de quinua INIA – 420 Negra Collana y Spirulina son fuentes de proteínas y otros compuestos para ser agregados a distintas matrices alimentarias de innovación, las cuales pueden contribuir en minimizar la desnutrición. El objetivo de Ingeniería: Innovación, ciencia y tecnología 2 Capítulo 3 25 la investigación fue evaluar el efecto de adición de harina de quinua INIA – 420 Negra Collana y Spirulina para la elaboración de queques con alto valor proteico, para ello se determinó los porcentajes óptimos de adición de harina de quinua negra y spirulina sobre el contenido de proteína en 13 tratamientos, utilizando el modelo de superficie de respuesta y diseño central compuesto. El mejor tratamiento fue T1 (34.1 % harina de quinua negra y 2.0 % spirulina) que obtuvo 8.72 % proteína, 18 % humedad, 0.42 % acidez, 1.84 % ceniza y 1.42 me/kg de peróxido. Concluyendo que la harina de quinua INIA 420 – Negra Collana y Spirulina mejora el valor nutricional en términos de proteína, y se consideran prometedor como ingredientes para la elaboración de queques dirigido a la alimentación infantil, por que contribuirá a la salud nutricional, así mismo se pueda considerar una opción saludable de merienda que es fuente de proteína. PALABRAS CLAVE: Chenopodium quinoa Willd., proteína, spirulina, y quinua negra.

Hoy en día se tiene un enfoque sobre la búsqueda de alternativas innovadoras para mejorar la calidad nutricional de productos horneados comúnmente consumidos, como los queques. La harina de quinua Negra Collana y la espirulina se han destacado por su alto contenido de hierro, un mineral fundamental para funciones biológicas esenciales en el organismo humano. El objetivo Ingeniería: Innovación, ciencia y tecnología 2 Capítulo 4 37 de la investigación fue evaluar la adición de harina de quinua INIA – 420 Negra Collana y Spirulina sobre el contenido de hierro en la producción de queques. Las formulaciones a evaluar el contenido de hierro fueron T1 (34.1 % harina de quinua negra y 2.0 % spirulina), T6 (30% harina de quinua negra y 3.0 % spirulina) y muestra control (sin adición de harina de quinua negra y spirulina); conducidos bajo el diseño completamente al azar (DCA) y comparados según la prueba de Duncan; finalmente se sometió al análisis de aceptabilidad, mediante la metodología de escala hedónica facial de 5 puntos, con la participación de 100 consumidores, analizado mediante la prueba de Friedman. La mejor formulación fue T1 (34.1 % harina de quinua negra y 2.0 % spirulina) que se caracteriza por contener 8.72 % proteína, 18 % humedad, 0.42 % acidez, 1.84 % ceniza y 1.42 me/kg de peróxido, quien presentó mayor contenido de hierro (3.414 mg/100g de hierro), y mejores características sensoriales, concluyendo que la incorporación de harina de quinua INIA 420 – Negra Collana y Spirulina en la formulación se perfilan como opciones ideales para mejorar el perfil nutricional de los queques, convirtiéndolos en alternativas más saludables y beneficiosas para la alimentación infantil.