Pranas Viškelis

By Grazina Juodeikiene, Elena Bartkiene, Pranas Viskelis, Dalia Urbonaviciene, Dalia Eidukonyte and Ceslovas Bobinas

Part of the book: Advances in Applied Biotechnology

By Dalia Urbonaviciene, Pranas Viskelis, Elena Bartkiene, Grazina Juodeikiene and Daiva Vidmantiene

Part of the book: Biotechnology

By Pranas Viskelis, Audrius Radzevicius, Dalia Urbonaviciene, Jonas Viskelis, Rasa Karkleliene and Ceslovas Bobinas

Tomato and tomato based products are an important agricultural production worldwide. More than 80 % of grown tomatoes in the worldwide are processing in the products such as tomato juice, paste, puree, catsup, sauce, and salsa. Tomato fruit is rich in phytochemicals and vitamins. Tomato nutritional value, color, fruit and flavor of their products depends mainly on lycopene, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and sugars and their ratio in fruits. Epidemiological studies and the results associated with the consumption of tomato products against the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, confirming the tomato products as a functional food, and show that lycopene and β-carotene acts as an antioxidant. In order to increase the amount of these elements in tomato fruit, it is important to evaluate and investigate tomato genotypes influence to the carotenoids accumulation. Studies have confirmed that the carotenoid content in tomato fruits is determined by genotypic characteristics. In this work the main attention will be focused on from the biochemical and physical properties in tomato of different varieties, chemical and physical properties, to functional properties of supercritical fluid extraction of lycopene from tomato processing by products supercritical fluid tomato extracts.

Part of the book: Plants for the Future

By Ieva Urbanavičiūtė and Pranas Viškelis

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) is one of the most underutilized plant species that have high nutrient value and a positive impact on human health. Due to the high content of bio-compounds, such as phenols, vitamin C, triterpenes, fibers, essential amino acids, and microelements, the fruits, leaves, and seeds are excellent raw materials for functional food production. In addition, their biochemical composition and anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antibacterial properties expanded their uses in the pharmaceutical field. Moreover, it was demonstrated that quince waste after industrial processing is still valuable and suitable for remanufacturing and developing innovative high value-added products, which can provide economic and ecological benefits. This chapter presents the biochemical composition and possible application of C. japonica cultivars Rasa, Darius, and Rondo. The optimization of processing and extraction parameters was evaluated to increase the extraction efficiency of biologically active compounds and to reduce the extraction time and cost of electricity and environmentally harmful solvents. Moreover, the detailed nutritional and pharmacological value of Japanese quince can help for more selective plant organs application. Our study revealed that cultivars Rasa, Darius, and Rondo are very valuable with many new options for utilization, including food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Part of the book: Fruit Industry

By Aistė Balčiūnaitienė, Jonas Viškelis, Dalia Urbonavičienė and Pranas Viškelis

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using by-products of tomatoes extracts as reducing and capping agents show multiple possibilities for solving various biological problems. The aim of this study was to expand the boundaries on AgNPs using novel low toxicity and production cost phytochemical method for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles from tomatoes aqueous extracts. Biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized by various methods (SEM, EDS). Determined antioxidative and antimicrobial activity of plant extracts was compared with the activity of the AgNPs. TEM results show mainly spherical-shaped AgNPs, size distribution of which depends on the plant leaf extract type; the smaller AgNPs were obtained with tomatoes extract (6–45 nm AgNPs). Besides, AgNPs show strong antimicrobial activity against broad spectrum of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains and fungi.

Part of the book: Tomato