Aromatic Potential and Bioactivity of Cork Stoppers and Cork By-Products

Abstract

The characterization of natural waste sources is the first step on the reutilization process, circular economy, and global sustainability. In this work, the aromatic composition and bioactive compounds related to beneficial health effects from cork stoppers and cork by-products were assessed in order to add value to these wastes. Twenty-three aromatic compounds with industrial interest were quantified by gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry GC–MS in both samples. Vanillins and volatile phenols were the most abundant aromatic families. Other aromatic compounds, such as aldehydes, lactones, terpenols, and alcohols, were also determined. Furthermore, the phenolic composition and the antioxidant activity were also evaluated. Overall, extracts showed high aromatic and antioxidant potential to be further used in different industrial fields. The recovery of these valuable compounds from cork stoppers and cork by-products helps to reuse them in agricultural, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, or food industries.

Floating TiO2-Cork Nano-Photocatalysts for Water Purification Using Sunlight

“…Other peaks corresponding to vibrational modes of residual organic species were also observed. FTIR stretching band at 1680 cm −1 is likely related to C=O groups [75,76], while the broad and small peak that appears at 1260 cm −1 is probably ascribed to C-O stretching mode from groups such as ethers (common linkages in lignin [77]), alcohols, esters, lactones, phenols or carboxylic acids [78], all present in cork's chemical composition [79][80][81].…”

Valorization of Cork Using Subcritical Water

“…The values obtained in this work agree with those reported in the literature, considering the natural variability of cork composition with the collection year and site, as well as the type of raw material used. Mislata et al [ 26 ] obtained ethyl acetate extracts from granulated corks macerated in a hydroalcoholic solution. They identified gallic acid as the phenolic species with highest concentration in the extracts, with values of between 60.6 and 180.9 μg/g extract , followed by protocatechuic acid, varying between 41.3 and 161.6 μg/g extract .…”

Cork and Cork Stoppers: Quality and Performance

“…Both the cellular structure features and the chemical composition of cork are at the base of a set of physical and mechanical properties that are important for bottle sealing, namely, the very low permeability to liquids and gases and the behavior under compression with an outstanding recovery upon stress relief, which is absolutely essential for the sealing in the bottle neck preventing liquid leakage. Figures 1, 2, and 6 and Table 1 [60].…”

“…The phenolic compounds that solubilized in higher amounts were gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and aldehyde, and vanillin, while in lesser amounts, more complex structures have migrated such as valoneic acid, ellagic acid pentose, and castalagin/vescalagin. Mislata et al [60] characterized the aromatic composition of different wine cork stoppers and granulates, reporting that vanillins are by far the most important aromatic family in cork extracts (Table 3).…”