Date: 29th October 2025, Time: 1pm Central European Time (CET)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Abstract:
Join us for an insightful webinar exploring the bioactive potential of Randia spp., a plant from the Rubiaceae family renowned for its health-promoting properties, largely attributed to its rich concentration of phenolic compounds. Traditionally used in Mexican folk medicine, Randia spp. holds promising applications in both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields. This session will delve into the need for further research to fully characterize its bioactive compounds and evaluate consumer safety. We will also introduce cutting-edge extraction and preservation technologies that enhance the recovery and stability of these sensitive compounds.
Key highlights include:
– Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES): A green and efficient extraction method that improves the yield and integrity of bioactive compounds.
– Refractive Window (RW™) Drying: An innovative drying technology offering superior energy efficiency, reduced processing time, and enhanced retention of nutritional and functional properties – surpassing conventional drying methods.
The webinar aims to showcase Randia spp. as a sustainable, natural ingredient with significant health benefits, while demonstrating how advanced processing techniques like NADES and RW™ drying can support its integration into modern food and health products. This session is ideal for researchers, food industry professionals, and health enthusiasts seeking sustainable and effective solutions for food preservation and bioactive compound recovery.
Randia spp: A promising natural alternative with bioactive properties
Dr. Cecilia Eugenia Martínez-Sánchez. Profesor-Investigador. GHI Co Ambassador. Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Tuxtepec
Abstract:
Mexico boasts a vast natural heritage and ranks fifth worldwide in plant diversity, with an estimated 180,000 to 216,000 vascular plant species, according to SEMARNAT (Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources, by its acronym in Spanish). This biodiversity has led to the widespread traditional use of plants among the Mexican population, either for medicinal purposes or through commercial and cultural exchange, as adjuvants in disease prevention and symptom relief. Among these plants, growing interest has emerged in Randia spp., commonly known as “crucetillo,” from the Rubiaceae family. The fruit of this plant has been attributed with various health benefits due to its high content of phenolic compounds, including hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, gallic acid, quercetin, scopolamine, and chlorogenic acid, all known for their biological activity. Given its rich phytochemical profile, Randia spp.represents a promising natural alternative to pharmaceutical treatments. However, further studies are essential to characterize these bioactive compounds and assess the fruit’s cytotoxicity, ensuring its safety and efficacy for consumers. This research focuses on analyzing the secondary metabolites of a Randia spp. species native to the Tuxtepec region, Oaxaca, Mexico. The findings could establish potential applications including in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields and offer valuable insights into the plant’s therapeutic potential and safe consumption.
Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) innovates extraction and preservation of bioactivity of functional natural compounds in the valorization of agro-industrial residues
Dr. Juliana Morales-Castro Lead Researcher of the Sustainable Valorization of Agroindustrial Residues Research Group, based in the Food Product Development Laboratory in the Research, Graduate and Technologic Development Unit (UPIDET) at the Technological Institute of Durango (TECNM), Mexico.
Abstract:
Incorporating circular economy principles into food systems require the valorization of food by-products and co-products to maximize their value by recovering valuable compounds still present in these residues and thereby reducing food waste. Food by-products are rich in bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, phytosterols, carotenoids, tocopherols, alkaloids, saponins, among others, that contribute to human health by regulating and modulating metabolic processes. These compounds also exert protective effects against several chronic diseases, acting as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer agents, among others. Consequently, they hold great potential for a broad spectrum of applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. In pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, these metabolites can induce or inhibit genetic expression and modulate the activity of enzymes and receptors, while in the food industry they are used as dietary supplements and as natural additives to improve sensory food attributes such as colour enhancement in the particular case of carotenoids, anthocyanins and curcuminoids, among others.
However, recovering of these bioactive compounds presents important challenges due to the heterogeneity of the matrix, their intracellular location, and limitations of conventional extraction techniques, which often suffer from low efficiency, thermal degradation, and reliance on hazardous procedures such as the use of inorganic solvents. In this context, natural deep eutectic solvents, (NADES), have emerged as promising green alternatives for the extraction of bioactive compounds due to their natural origin, low toxicity, high biodegradability, and during synthesis, their properties such as viscosity, polarity, thermal stability, electrical conductivity can be tuned for specific extraction process or applications. Recent studies have reported highly positive and encouraging results, demonstrating that NADES not only improve extraction efficiency of bioactive components but also preserve and even enhance their bioactivity compared to traditional solvents. This represents a rapidly expanding research field, with significant potential to optimize both extraction yields and the stability of recovered bioactives within the framework of sustainable food system innovation.
Food drying using refractive window technology: alternative to retain bioactive compounds in foods
Dr. Erasmo Herman y Lara. Profesor-Investigador. GHI Co Ambassador. Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Tuxtepec
Abstract:
With increasing global demand for non-perishable foods, extending shelf life is essential, particularly for products requiring long-distance transportation. Drying methods play a crucial role in reducing water content and preserving food. However, traditional drying processes often involve excessive heat, sugar and salt aggregation, electromagnetic radiation, and phase changes that can negatively impact the chemical, physical, and nutritional properties of food.
Refractive Window (RW™) drying emerges as an innovative solution. Originally developed for drying suspensions, sauces, and purées, RW™ technology has proven to be highly versatile. This process combines conductive thermal energy and infrared radiation, utilizing a Mylar film over a hot water surface (below 100°C). Studies have shown that RW™ drying produces powders with moisture content comparable to freeze-drying but with several key advantages: lower cost, higher energy efficiency, reduced processing complexity, shorter drying times, and increased production capacity. Moreover, RW™ technology helps retain nutrients, functional properties, sensory attributes, and bioactive compounds more effectively than conventional drying methods. This makes it particularly suitable for heat-sensitive foods, enzymes, and pharmaceutical products. Given its efficiency and ability to preserve food quality, RW™ drying presents a promising alternative for food processing industries seeking sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Speaker 1:
Dr. Cecilia Eugenia Martínez Sánchez
Dr. Cecilia Eugenia Martínez Sánchez was born in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico and spent her early years in Teocelo, a picturesque town in the Veracruz mountains. She completed her high school education in Xalapa, where she later earned a degree as a Biological Pharmaceutical Chemist. She pursued a Master’s degree in Food Sciences at the Technological Institute of Veracruz, graduating in 1990. Since 1991, she has been a faculty member at the Technological Institute of Tuxtepec. In 1996, she began her Ph.D. in Food Sciences at UNIDA-I.T. and obtained her degree from the University of Veracruz in 2001. Since 2003, Dr. Martínez Sánchez has been actively engaged in teaching and research within the Master’s Program in Food Sciences. She is a Level I National Researcher and leads the Consolidated Academic Team “Development, Innovation, and Food Conservation”. She has directed over 30 funded research projects and supervised 32 undergraduate theses, 22 master’s theses, and co-directed 3 doctoral dissertations.
Her work has resulted in 53 publications in JCR journals and the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation index (SECIHTI). She is a reviewer for international journals, research projects, and various SECIHTI and international programs, and has been Mexico’s co-ambassador for the Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI) since 2019. She currently directs the Food Science Laboratory of the Graduate Program. Committed to research and innovation, she strives to contribute to scientific advancement and sustainable development, upholding fundamental values such as family, cooperation, and lifelong learning.
Speaker 2:
Dr. Juliana Morales-Castro
Dr. Juliana Morales-Castro has been a researcher in the TECNM/ Technological Institute of Durango, in Durango, México, since 1992. She earned her Ph.D. from Cornell University, in 1992, and her MSc and BSc degrees in Food Engineering and Industrial Chemical Engineering, from the Technological Institute of Durango, in 1986 and 1982, respectively. Her research focuses on Food Science and Technology, mostly on food processing, food chemistry and the physicochemical properties of foods. Her major current research interest lies in the valorization of agroindustrial food byproducts by obtaining bioactive and technofunctional food ingredients, mainly carbohydrate-based biopolymers such as fiber and cellulose, as well as proteins, pigments, antioxidants, among others. Guided by a strong commitment to sustainability, she conducts green practices and follows green chemistry principles in her research, emphasizing the use of green solvents and clean technologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Dr. Morales-Castro is also a strong advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, promoting Goal 12.3, by conducting actions to reduce food losses and waste in Mexico. She coordinates a network of academic professionals working to contribute to this goal, Network 12.3, to reduce and valorize FL&W. Between 2018 and 2022, she served as General Director of the Durango State Council for Science and Technology, where she developed programs to promote science and technology across all sectors and levels for the state. These included initiatives to empower women in science and technology, training teachers at elementary education in science programs with gender perspective, establishing a State Research Recognition Program, promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and supporting entrepreneurship for researchers by helping innovations transition from the laboratory to the market, among other programs. Dr. Morales-Castro’s contribution to science extends beyond academic and scientific publications. She is also deeply engaged in science communication and outreach, delivering public lectures, participating in radio interviews, and writing general articles and essays aimed at making science more accessible and relevant to everyday life. At the Technological Institute of Durango, Dr. Morales Castro leads the Sustainable Valorization of Agroindustrial Residues Research Group, based in the Food Product Development Laboratory in the Research, Graduate and Technologic Development Unit, UPIDET. Dr. Morales-Castro has been awarded several distinctions, including the Luis Donaldo Colosio Medal (1997) for her contributions to science and technology in Durango State, and recognition as a Distinguished Woman in Science. She is a Level II National Researcher in the National Researchers System (SNI) of the Secretary of Science, Technology, Humanities and Innovation (SECIHTI) of Mexico.
Speaker 3:
Dr. Erasmo Herman y Lara
Dr. Erasmo Herman-Lara is a Professor-Researcher at the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering of the National Technological of Mexico Campus Tuxtepec since 1983. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemical Engineering from the Technological Institute of Tuxtepec in Mexico in 1983 and a Master’s Degree in Food Sciences from the Technological Institute of Veracruz in Mexico in 1990. He obtained her Ph.D. in Food Sciences at the UNIDA (Food Research and Development Unit)-Technological Institute of Veracruz, Mexico in 2000. He belongs to the National System of Researchers of Mexico since 2002, currently with recognition level 2 in the period 2020–2025. Dr. Herman-Lara is also a member of the editorial board of 2 international journal. He has been a reviewer for various internationally indexed journals. He is a member of the Mexican College of Biochemical Engineers and the Mexican Association of Food Sciences of Mexico. He is expertise en Food engineering and Development and Simulation in Foods. His current research is focused on food drying, especially on new drying methods and the quality they represent after being dried. Especially on the retention of bioactive, techno-functional, physical and nutritional substances.
Dr. Diana Bogueva, is President of the Global Harmonization Initiative. Her background is as a social scientist and journalist with interests in sustainable food consumption, alternative proteins, consumer perception of novel food processing technologies and generational consumer behaviour, food sustainability and harmonization. Diana’s work has won three awards: the Australian National Best Book winner in 2019 and the World’s Best Book award 2020 in the Vegetarian book category at the prestigious 24th and 25th Gourmand Awards, considered equivalent to the Oscars in the area of food books, for her co-edited book ‘Environmental, Health and Business Opportunities in the New Meat Alternatives Market’. She also won the 2020 Faculty of Humanities Journal Article of the Year Award at Curtin University for their co-authored paper “Planetary Health and reduction in meat consumption”, which was at the top 5% of all world research outputs scored by Altmetrics. Diana is also a finalist in the 10th International Book Award at America’s Book Fair 2019 for her co-edited book ‘Handbook of Research on Social marketing and its influence on animal origin food product consumption’. In 2022 Diana published her first co-authored book ‘Food in a Planetary Emergency’ with Professor Dora Marinova. This book is a timely overview of current food systems and the required transformations to respond to climate change, population pressures, biodiversity loss and use of natural resources. And, in May 2023, as a tribute to the authors’ efforts, talented writing skills and passion, ‘Food in a Planetary Emergency’ was awarded the ‘Best of the Best – The Future of Food Gourmand Award’ at the 28th Award Ceremony. In 2024, Diana’s co-authored book ‘Nutrition Science, Marketing Nutrition, Health Claims and Public Policy’ published by Elsevier, was a finalist for the Association of America publisher’s award for the professional and scholarly publishing PROSE award.