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Victor Castro Alves

Title: Researcher School/office: School of Science and Technology

Email:

Phone: +46 19 303819

Room: B3118

Victor Castro Alves

Research subject

Research environments

About Victor Castro Alves

Victor Castro-Alves is a researcher within Örebro University’s multidisciplinary Food and Health programme. Before joining the Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), he received a PhD in Food Science at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, by exploring the chemical structure of dietary fibres and their effects on immune system cells. He also has an MSc in Food Science from USP, which he obtained by applying mass spectrometry-based approaches to investigate how the surrounding environment of crop influences fruit quality. Victor Castro-Alves also employed mass spectrometry-based approaches and chemometrics to explore fruit quality in breeding programmes at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

Research

At ÖRU our primary research focus is on increasing the nutritional value and sensory quality of vegetables and herbs by developing innovative and commercially sound strategies through modulation of the light environment in greenhouses. We are applying the cutting-edge concept of sensomics, which integrates metabolomics, the comprehensive analysis of all metabolites in a studied biological system, with highly innovative testing for culinary quality and plant production parameters in collaboration with national and international research groups, as well as with commercial producers. We are also exploring how changes in the light environment during plant production impacts the synthesis of health-promoting compounds by the plant, and how these metabolites are biotransformed after consumption using in vitro fermentation studies. Our approach aims not only the production of healthier and tastier foods but also to contribute to the basic understanding of the relationship between plant metabolism and its sensorial and nutritional quality. That will lead to practical applications that will benefit primary producers, retailers, and first and foremost, consumers.

For more information about published papers please refer to my page within the ResearcherID and Google Scholar. You can also find me on ResearchGate.

Research projects

Research teams

Publications

Articles in journals |  Articles, reviews/surveys |  Chapters in books | 

Articles in journals

Palma, C. F. F. , Castro Alves, V. , Rosenqvist, E. , Ottosen, C. , Strid, Å. & Morales, L. O. (2021). Effects of UV radiation on transcript and metabolite accumulation are dependent on monochromatic light background in cucumber. Physiologia Plantarum: An International Journal for Plant Biology, 173 (3), 750-761.

Information via DOIFull text in DiVA

Castro Alves, V. , Kalbina, I. , Nilsen, A. , Mats, A. , Rosenqvist, E. , Jansen, M. A. K. , Qian, M. , Öström, Å. & et al. (2021). Integration of non-target metabolomics and sensory analysis unravels vegetable plant metabolite signatures associated with sensory quality: A case study using dill (Anethum graveolens). Food Chemistry, 344.

Information via DOIFull text in DiVA

Palma, C. F. F. , Castro Alves, V. , Morales, L. O. , Rosenqvist, E. , Ottosen, C. & Strid, Å. (2021). Spectral composition of light affects plant sensitivity to UV-B and photoinhibition in cucumber. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11.

Information via DOIFull text in DiVA

Castro Alves, V. , Kalbina, I. , Öström, Å. , Hyötyläinen, T. & Strid, Å. (2020). The taste of UV light: Using sensomics to improve horticultural quality. UV4Plants Bulletin (1), 39-43.

Information via DOIFull text in DiVA

Nascimento, T. P. , Castro-Alves, V. C. , Castelan, F. P. , Calhua, M. F. N. , Saraiva, L. A. , Agopian, R. G. & Cordenunsi-Lysenko, B. R. (2019). Metabolomic profiling reveals that natural biodiversity surrounding a banana crop may positively influence the nutritional/sensorial profile of ripe fruits. Food Research International, 124, 165-174.

Information via DOI

Castro Alves, V. , Misuzu Shiga, T. & Oliveira do Nascimento, J. R. (2019). Polysaccharides from chayote enhance lipid efflux and regulate NLRP3 inflammasome priming in macrophage-like THP-1 cells exposed to cholesterol crystals. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 127, 502-510.

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Castelan, F. P. , Castro Alves, V. , Saraiva, L. A. , Nacsimento, T. P. , Cálhau, M. F. N. S. , Dias, C. T. S. & Cordenunsi-Lysenko, B. R. (2018). Natural Ecosystem Surrounding a Conventional Banana Crop Improves Plant Health and Fruit Quality. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9.

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Castro Alves, V. , Gomes, D. , Menolli Jr., N. , Sforça, M. L. & Oliveira do Nascimento, J. R. (2017). Characterization and immunomodulatory effects of glucans from Pleurotus albidus, a promising species of mushroom for farming and biomass production. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 95, 215-223.

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Ramos Do Prado, S. B. , Melfi, P. R. , Castro Alves, V. , Broetto, S. G. , Araújo, E. S. , do Nascimento, J. R. & Fabi, J. P. (2016). Physiological Degradation of Pectin in Papaya Cell Walls: Release of Long Chains Galacturonans Derived from Insoluble Fractions during Postharvest Fruit Ripening. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7.

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Castro Alves, V. & Oliveira do Nascimento, J. R. (2016). Polysaccharides from raw and cooked chayote modulate macrophage function. Food Research International, 81, 171-179.

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Castro Alves, V. C. & Oliveira do Nascimento, J. R. (2016). Speeding up the extraction of mushroom polysaccharides. Food Analytical Methods, 9 (9), 2429-2433.

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Castro Alves, V. & Cordenunsi, B. R. (2015). Total Soluble Phenolic Compounds Quantification Is Not As Simple As It Seems. Food Analytical Methods, 8 (4), 873-884.

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dos Santos Garruti, D. , de Oliveira Frederico Pinto, N. , Castro Alves, V. , Azevedo da Penha, M. F. , de Castro Tobaruela, E. & da Silva Araújo, Í. M. (2013). Volatile profile and sensory quality of new varieties of Capsicum chinense pepper. Ciência e tecnologia de alimentos, 33, 102-108.

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Castro Alves, V. , da Silva Pereira, G. , de Oliveira Frederico Pinto, N. , Azevedo da Penha, M. F. & dos Santos Garruti, D. (2012). Sensory and Volatile Compounds Profile of Thap Maeo Banana: an Option for the Replacement of Pest-susceptible Cultivars. The Natural Products Journal, 2 (3), 205-211.

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Castro Alves, V. , Azevedo da Penha, M. F. , de Oliveira Frederico Pinto, N. & dos Santos Garruti, D. (2012). Volatile Compounds Profile of Musa FHIA 02: An Option to Counter Losses by Black Sigatoka. The Natural Products Journal, 2 (1), 55-60.

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Leite, L. M. , Carvalho, A. G. G. , Tavares Ferreira, P. L. F. , Xavier Pessoa, I. , Gonçalves, D. O. , de Araújo Lopes, A. , dos Santos Góes, J. G. , Castro Alves, V. C. & et al. (2011). Anti-inflammatory Properties of Doxycycline and Minocycline in Experimental Models: An in Vivo and in Vitro Comparative Study. InflammoPharmacology, 19 (2), 99-110.

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Lucetti, D. L. , Lucetti, E. C. , Bandeira, M. A. M. , Veras, H. N. , Silva, A. H. , Am Leal, L. K. , Lopes, A. A. , Castro Alves, V. & et al. (2010). Anti-inflammatory Effects and Possible Mechanism of Action of Lupeol Acetate Isolated From Himatanthus Drasticus (Mart.) Plumel. Journal of Inflammation, 7.

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Articles, reviews/surveys

Cordenunsi-Lysenko, B. R. , Nascimento, J. R. O. , Castro-Alves, V. , Purgatto, E. , Fabi, J. P. & Peroni-Okyta, F. H. G. (2019). The Starch Is (Not) Just Another Brick in the Wall: The Primary Metabolism of Sugars During Banana Ripening. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10.

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Chapters in books

Castro Alves, V. , de Oliveira Frederico Pinto, N. , Penha, M. F. A. , Gomes, B. L. , Reifschneider, F. J. & Garruti, D. S. (2014). Aroma-Active Compounds of Capsicum Chinense Var. Biquinho. In: Vicente Ferreira; Ricardo Lopez, Flavour Science: Proceedings From XIII Weurman Flavour Research Symposium (pp. 567-571). Salt Lake City: Academic Press.

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Penha, M. F. A. , Castro Alves, V. , de Oliveira Frederico Pinto, N. , Magalhães, H. C. R. , Reifschneider, F. J. & Garrut, D. S. (2014). Varietal Differences in the Volatile Profile of Bananas with Resistance to Black Leaf Streak Disease. In: Vicente Ferreira; Ricardo Lopez, Flavour Science: Proceedings From XIII Weurman Flavour Research Symposium (pp. 597-600). Salt Lake City: Academic Press.

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Pinto, N. O. , Castro Alves, V. , Penha, M. F. A. , Gomes, B. L. , Reifschneider, F. J. & Garruti, D. S. (2014). Volatile Profile of New Improved Brazilian Capsicum chinense Peppers. In: Vicente Ferreira; Ricardo Lopez, Flavour Science: Proceedings From XIII Weurman Flavour Research Symposium (pp. 643-647). Salt Lake City: Academic Press.

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