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Ligustrum lucidum Aiton and its berries have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for around two thousand years. In the present study, L. lucidium berries harvested in two regions of Portugal were studied. Haemolytic activity and inhibition of oxidative haemolysis as well as the enzyme inhibitory activities (α-amylase enzyme and acetylcholinesterase) were assessed. Results suggest that the different biological activities varied according to the region where samples were collected. Results demonstrated that the sample obtained from region R1 was the most efficient extract for all parameters evaluated, presenting the lowest values of IC50, 10.67 ± 0.46 μg/mL for the inhibition of erythrocyte oxidative haemolysis, 58.28 ± 3.77 μg/mL for the α-amylase enzyme and 67.67 ± 2.10 μg/mL for the acetylcholinesterase inhibition. L. Lucidum berries may be an interesting source of compounds for use in the development of the therapeutic armamentarium for diseases where enzymatic disruption is believed to play a role

Bee pollen is a healthful food product with a good nutritional profile and therapeutic properties. However, the storage conditions may affect its composition and characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the storage conditions on chemical composition of different monofloral bee pollen samples, namely acidity (pH), water activity, total acidity and the content of fibre, ash, reducing sugars, protein, lipids, total phenols and total flavonoids. Nine bee pollen samples were harvested in three places in the Northeast of Portugal and divided into two aliquots: one was frozen at −20°C, while the other was dried at 42°C, until reaching moisture of 6–8%. Even though differences in the botanical origin are a significant factor explaining the variation between samples, the storage method was also found to be a highly significant factor for several parameters: reducing sugars, lipids, total phenols and total flavonoids. Higher counts were obtained on the frozen bee pollen samples regarding aerobic mesophiles and moulds and yeasts. Even so, for all samples and conservation methods, the values were below those given by the standards. Our study suggests that it is better to consume bee pollen frozen at −20°C in comparison to that dried in an electric oven.

Some diseases still need better therapeutic approaches, including the prevention of development. Natural resources are investigated with this purpose; among them, we decided to use an invasive plant as a main strategy. This will help in two ways: screening new compounds in flowers prevents the plant from causing widespread damage by controlling the dissemination and also obtains crude material for further applications. In the present study, flower extracts from Acacia dealbata Link harvested in Portugal were studied during three stages of flowering. Phenolic compounds were evaluated using HPLC/DAD and the total phenolics as the total flavonoids content was determined. The bioactivities screened were antioxidant potential, inhibitory activities of some enzymes (acetylcholinesterase, lipase and α-glucosidase) and, to complete the screening, the inhibition of microbial growth was determined against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as for yeasts. The data obtained suggested that the hydroethanolic extracts gave good results for all these biological activities and varied according to the maturation status of the flowers, with the early stage being the most active, which can be related to the chalcones content. This new approach will lead to the possible control of the invasive plant and also future perspective research for therapeutic purposes.

Monofloral Lavandula spp. honey is very appreciated by consumers due to its characteristic and pleas antaroma and flavor. Given the economic importance of this ype of honey, it is important to develop a rapid and nonexpensive methodology that allows certifying its quality. In this context, this study aimed to compare the applicability and accuracy of FTIR-ATR and FT-Raman techniques for the quality evaluation of Lavandula spp. honey. Calibration models, with PLS regression models, were obtained for both methodologies concerning the following parameters: total acidity, reducing sugars, hidroximetilfurfural (HMF), electrical conductivity, ash, proline content, diastase activity, apparent sucrose, total flavonoids, and total phenolic contents. The calibration models had high regression coefficients, r 2 (FTIR-ATR: 0.965–0.996; FT-Raman: 0.983–0.999), high ratios of performance to deviation, RPD (FTIR-ATR: 5.4–15.7; FT-Raman: 7.6–53.7), and low root mean square errors (RMSEs; FTIR-ATR: 0.005–3.0; FT-Raman: 0.004–1.02). These results corroborate the potentiality of FTIR-ATR and FT-Raman for quality evaluation and evaluation of the chemical properties of Lavandula spp. honey even though FT-Raman technique provided more accurate models.

The antioxidant activity of bee pollen (mainly composed by Cistus ladanifer pellets) was explored in the context of black pudding production. For this purpose, three black pudding formulations comprising varying antioxidant compounds (sodium ascorbate, bee pollen and bee pollen extract) were produced. Bee pollen was characterized according to the botanical origin, antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents and phenolic profile. Black pudding was characterized by the microbiological safety, lipid oxidation, pH, water activity and humidity at 1, 10, 21, 30 and 37 days. Sensory acceptance was evaluated on the four first periods of storage. Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were absent in all samples. Small variations on humidity and pH were observed during the black pudding's storage. Regarding lipid oxidation, it increased, on average, from 1.36 mg to 2.11 mg malondialdehyde/kg meat. Differences among the three formulations were only significant on the first days of storage. The sensory assessment did not differ between products. This study suggests that bee pollen may be used as a natural antioxidant in meat products, yet a careful labelling is essential to alert allergic consumers.

“Bee pollen” is pollen collected from flowers by honey bees. It is used by the bees to nourish themselves, mainly by provid ing royal jelly and brood food, but it is also used for human nutrition. For the latter purpose, it is collected at the hive entrance as pellets that the bees bring to the hive. Bee pollen has diverse bioactivities, and thus has been used as a health food, and even as medication in some countries. In this paper, we provide standard methods for carrying out research on bee pollen. First, we introduce a method for the production and storage of bee pollen which assures quality of the product. Routine methods are then provided for the identification of the pollen’s floral sources, and determination of the more important quality criteria such as water content and content of proteins, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, alkaloids, phen olic and polyphenolic compounds. Finally, methods are described for the determination of some important bioactivities of bee pollen such as its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antimutagenic properties.