Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of bioactive products from raw plant matter, namely cocoa extracts. The said products have one or more biopeptides with prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) enzyme inhibitory activity in vitro and/or antioxidant and/or antineurodegenerative capacity in vivo and can be used in dietetics and in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Abstract: The basis of this invention consists of the formation of microemulsions from a polar antioxidant-rich fraction in an oily medium, specifically in edible oils. These microemulsions are characterized in that their stability and homogeneity makes them suitable to incorporate them in different foods or pharmaceutical products. The most novel factor of this invention is that the critical micellar concentration (CMC) is attained by vacuum elimination of the excess polar solvent, which is the antioxidant matrix, leaving part of this solvent in the microemulsion, acting as co-surfactant.

Abstract: A process in which olive polyphenol concentrate is obtained from a by-product of olive oil extraction comprising the steps of: a) mixing the by-product with a polar solvent to give a by-product/solvent mixture; b) extracting polyphenols from the by-product/solvent mixture to give an olive polyphenols solution and extracted solids; and c) concentrating the olive polyphenols solution using membrane separation techniques to yield an olive polyphenols concentrate wherein the concentration of polyphenols present is at least 10 wt % and wherein the process further includes a defatting step.