A composition of edible functional bars of high antioxidant activity, and its preparation

Abstract

The present disclosure reveals a composition of edible functional bars comprising one or more dried fruits (5.00-80.00% w / w) like date palm and / or figs, seeds-free grape pomace (SFGP; 0.10-50.00% w / w), milled hazelnuts (0.10-50.00% w / w) and cocoa (0.10-50.00% w / w), optionally, one or more spices or auxiliary food ingredients, and a liquid lavender extract (LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1 : 1-30 w / w, (0.01- 10.00% w / w), wherein the extraction solvent for said LLE is an edible natural deep eutectic solvent containing betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in a molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n, diluted with 20-40% w / w demineralized water. The composition is used for manufacturing functional food products intended for the enrichment of a regular diet with nutritionally and pharmacologically valuable naturally-occurring compounds of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Description

[0001]A COMPOSITION OF EDIBLE FUNCTIONAL BARS OF HIGH ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, THEIR PREPARATION AND USE DESCRIPTION Field of the Invention The present disclosure refers to edible functional bars, their preparation and use. Technical problem The technical problem that is solved by the subject disclosure is related to the preparation of edible bars based on dried fruits, that are stable at room temperature and exhibit a high antioxidant activity that can be used both as a nutritionally balanced diet and adjuvant for the prevention and treatment of disorders and diseases whose etiology is connected with prolonged oxidative stress, that can be alleviated by high antioxidant intake. Prior Art Fruits are a natural source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. Low intake of fruits and vegetables is estimated to cause a total worldwide mortality of more than 2 million deaths per year. Increasing individual fruit and vegetable consumption to up to 600 g per day could reduce the burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD), ischemic stroke, as well as stomach, lung, and colorectal cancer by considerable percentages. Besides dried fruits, various other food ingredients are combined in the modern compositions of fruit, fruit-protein, or different functional nutritional bars: sugar, glucose syrup, salt (NaCl), vitamins like ascorbic acid (vitamin C), various food additives such as sugar substitutes like polyols, e.g., maltitol, stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) glycosides, food acids like citric acid, hydrocolloids such as sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, acacia gum, and pectin, then food colors, synthetic or natural flavors, and many others. In contrast to raw fruits, fruit bars have a far greater nutritional value because all nutrients are concentrated, preserved for long-term storage, and convenient for use, for instance, see literature references 1 and 2: 1) C. E. Orrego, N. Salgado, C. A. Botero: Developments and Trends in Fruit Bar Production and Characterization, Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 54 (2014) 84-97; and 2) A. P. Alves Mendes, C. M. Bemfeito, R. Corrêa Pereira, G. de Sousa Cândido, J. de Deus Souza Carneiro, E. Valério de Barros, V. Boas, M. Cardoso de Angelis-Pereira: Economic versus nutritional viability: evaluation of the antioxidant potential of food bars sources of proteins of different production costs, J. Food Sci. Technol. 59 (2022) 46-54. The potential use of a seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP) as a neglected but valuable food ingredient and a source of nutritionally and pharmacologically important nutrients has been recognized in the prior art, for instance, see literature reference 3: 3) M. Panić, V. Gunjević, K. Radošević, M. Cvjetko Bubalo, K. Kovačević Ganić, I. Radojčić Redovniković: COSMOtherm as an Effective Tool for Selection of Deep Eutectic Solvents Based Ready-to-Use Extracts from Graševina Grape Pomace, Molecules 26 (2021) 4722. Furthermore, the use of various dried fruits, including date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and fig (Ficus carica L.), is widely spread in the functional bars industry, for instance, see literature references 4 and 5: 4) H. Barakat, H. A. Alfheeaid: Date Palm Fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) and Its Promising Potential in Developing Functional Energy Bars: Review of Chemical, Nutritional, Functional, and Sensory Attributes, Nutrients 15 (2023) 2134; and 5) O. J. Parn, R. Bhat, T. K. Yeoh, A. A. Al-Hassan: Development of novel fruit bars by utilizing date paste, Food Biosci. 9 (2015) 20-27. Moreover, the use of a combination of date palm and fig with SFGP is also a recognized approach for the enrichment of these modern fruit bars with phenolic antioxidants of SFGP, for instance, see literature reference 6: 6) E. Grazioli, E. Tranchita, G. Marrone, S. Urciuoli, M. Di Lauro, C. Cerulli, N. Piacentini, A. Murri, R. Celotto, A. Romani, A. Parisi, N. Di Daniele, A. Noce: The Impact of Functional Bars and Adapted Physical Activity on Quality of Life in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study, Int. J. Environ. Res. Pub. Health 19 (2022) 3281. At the same time, lavender (Lavandula officinalis L.) and other lavender species (Lavandula sp. L.) are well-known healing herbs. Both non-volatile naturally-occurring compounds and volatile ones from lavender essential oil are known for their wide spectrum of beneficial nutritional and pharmacological effects. Among other effects, lavender essential oil exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects, for instance, see literature reference 7: 7) G. L. Da Silva, C. Luft, A. Lunardelli, R. H. Amaral, D. A. Da Silva Melo, M. V. F. Donadio, F. B. Nunes, M. S. De Azambuja, J. C. Santana, C. M. B. Moraes, R. O. Mello, E. Cassel, M. A. De Almeida Pereira, J. R. De Oliveira: Antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of lavender essential oil, Ann. Braz. Acad. Sci. 87 (2015) 1397-1408. Since lavender is generally a healing herb that belongs to the class of spices, along with rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.), or thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), it or its extract can be employed as a functional ingredient in different functional food products. Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are stoichiometrically defined mixtures of naturally occurring compounds that form deep eutectic mixtures that can be employed as solvents for various organic reactions and / or as extraction solvents. A great number of two- and three-component NADESs are known in the scientific and patent literature, while four- and five-component systems are much less abundant. For example, Piacentini and coworkers disclosed three-component NADESs whose ingredients are selected from the group consisting of betaine, glycerol, urea, citric acid, malic acid, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, xylitol, L-proline, and choline chloride, see literature reference 8: 8) EP4011352A1; New cosmetic solvents based on three different components; inventors: A. Piacentini, M. Köhler, J. Kühnl, M. Bernau, C. Ferraro; applicant: Beiersdorf AG (DE); priority date: 09.12.2020. However, this document does not suggest the eventual preparation of four- or five-component NADESs. The sucrose-based NADESs have been disclosed in the prior art, for instance, those based on citric acid with a molar ratio of: citric acid : sucrose, 1 : 1, 1 : 2, and 1 : 30, that was diluted with 20 or 30% demineralized water to decrease viscosity down to a level suitable for practical use of NADESs as solvents, see literature reference 9: 9) L. K. Savi, M. C. G. Correa Dias, D. Carpine, N. Waszczynskyj, R. Hoffmann Ribani, C. W. I. Haminiuk: Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) based on citric acid and sucrose as a potential green technology: a comprehensive study of water inclusion and its effect on thermal, physical and rheological properties, Int. J. Food Sci. Technol. 54 (2018) doi: 10.1111 / ijfs.14013. NADES-based ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has been rarely used, presumably due to its relative instability. However, a typical example is NADES based on a defined stoichiometric mixture of choline chloride and ascorbic acid of 1:1-2:1, see literature reference 10: 10) CN106397082A; Deep-eutectic solvent based on ascorbic acid and preparation method and application of deep-eutectic solvent; inventors: W. Liu; F. Hou, J. Chen, G. Yang, B. Zong, F. Wang; applicant: Henan University of Technology (CN); priority date: 18.09.2016. Moreover, Van Spronsen and coworkers disclosed four-components NADESs based on ascorbic acid, citric acid, sorbitol, and sucrose as extraction solvents for different biological materials including herbal drugs yielding the extracts that can be employed as active pharmaceutical ingredients, functional food ingredients, or active cosmetic or agrochemical ingredients, see literature reference 11: 11) EP2575993B1; Process for extracting materials from biological material; inventors: J. Van Spronsen, G.-J. Witkamp, F. Hollman, Y. H. Choi; applicant: University of Leiden (NL); priority date: 07.06.2010. However, this document neither suggests the use of betaine nor the preparation and use of five-component NADESs. The key technical problem that remained unsolved relates to the composition of edible functional bars that would be characterized by very high antioxidant activity that may be used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of all diseases and disorders where antioxidants may help in preventing or alleviating said medical conditions. This technical problem has been solved by the subject disclosure by the combination of: (i) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace, and (ii) a liquid lavender (Lavandula sp. L.) extract in a special five- component NADES of unexpectedly high antioxidant effect, within the matrix of a fruit bar that is subsequently characterized by a high antioxidant activity. Summary of the Disclosure The subject disclosure reveals a composition of edible functional bars comprising the following ingredients: (i) one or more dried fruits (DF), 5.00-80.00% w / w, (ii) seeds-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP),0.10-50.00% w / w, (iii) unshelled hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) fruit, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (iv) cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (v) optionally, one or more spices or auxiliary food ingredients, 0.00-10.00% w / w, and (vi) liquid extract of lavender (Lavandula sp. L.) aerial parts (LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1 : 1-30 w / w, where the liquid lavender extract (LLE) is prepared with an extraction solvent (ES) which is an edible natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) made from betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n that is diluted with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water. Preferably, the molar ratio of NADES components 1-5 is: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water. In a preferred embodiment of the subject disclosure, the fruit is selected from the group consisting of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), fig (Ficus carica L.), or a mixture of these fruits. In a further embodiment of this invention, the ingredient (ii), SFGP, is of the following specification: - dry matter content: 30.00-40.00% w / w, - fats content: 2.00-6.00% w / w, - carbohydrate content: 20.00-45.00% w / w, - sugar content: 0.50-8.00% w / w, - fibers content: 10.00-40.00% w / w, and - protein content: 2.00-10.00% w / w. In a preferred embodiment of the composition from the present disclosure, the spice or auxiliary food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of ground Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) or its extracts, ground lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck] pith, ground orange [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] pith, or mixtures of these ingredients. The ingredient (vi), LLE, is made from lavender species and cultivars selected from the group comprising Lavandula angustifolia Miller, Lavandula spica L., Lavandula stoechas L., Lavandula dentata L., Lavandula latifolia Medik, Lavandula lanata Boiss, Lavandula pedunculata Mill., Lavandula viridis L’Hér., Lavandula multifida L., Lavandula canariensis Mill., Lavandula pinnata Lundmark, Lavandula buchii Webb & Berthel., Lavandula rotundifolia Benth. 1833, Lavandula nimmoi Benth., Lavandula x hybrida, or mixtures of these plants. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ingredient (vi), LLE, is of DER, 1 : 3-10 w / w. In further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the edible functional bars comprise ingredients (i-vi) in the following percentages: (i) 20.00-70.00% w / w, preferably 50.00-70.00% w / w, (ii) 5.00-50.00% w / w, preferably 25.00-40.00% w / w, (iii) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, (iv) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, (v) 0.01-4.00% w / w, preferably 0.05-2.50% w / w, and (vi) 0.10-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-3.00% w / w. The edible functional bars according to the present disclosure are manufactured by a process that includes the following manufacturing steps: A. processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits, B. separation of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are used elsewhere, and ingredient (ii), seed-free grape pomace (SFGP), C. processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts, D. processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder, E. preparation of the liquid lavender extract (LLE) by: - preparation of natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) of the composition: betaine (1), citric acid (2),D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n by homogenization of previously weighted components in a blender for 1-10 minutes at room temperature, followed by dilution of said mixture with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water, and heating of thus prepared homogeneous mixture at 45-50 °C for 60-120 minutes until the formation of a clear viscous liquid, and cooling of thus prepared NADES to room temperature, - extraction of fresh or dried aerial parts of lavender (Lavender sp. L.) in said NADES at a weight ratio of the starting lavender plant material : NADES = 1 : 3-40 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 0.5-3 h, followed by - separation of the resulting liquid lavender extract by filtration and / or pressing and eventually centrifugation, yielding a filtrate that represents LLE, which can be, - optionally, standardized to the desired drug-to-extract ratio (DER) by the dilution with a certain smaller amount of the same, fresh NADES extraction solvent, yielding LLE which is used as an ingredient (vi), F. homogenization of SFGP from Step B with ground ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 15-60 °C for 5-30 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars, H. drying or baking of bars at 120-220 °C for 1-10 minutes, I. cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C, and J. packing of the final bars in plastic or paper bags. Preferably, the functional bars according to the subject disclosure can be manufactured by the following conditions: - the composition of NADES in Step E is betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water, at a weight ratio of the starting lavender plant material : diluted NADES = 1 : 8-12 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 1-3 h, - the homogenization in Step F is performed at 25-45 °C for 10-20 minutes, - Step H is conducted by drying at 120-130 °C for 5-10 minutes. The functional bars according to the subject disclosure are used for the enrichment of a regular diet with nutritionally and pharmacologically valuable naturally occurring products of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, the functional bars according to the subject invention can be used for the prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions where oxidative stress is either a dominant or at least one of the recognized factors in their etiology. Particularly, the functional bars according to the subject disclosure can be used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions selected from the group consisting of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease (CVD), atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), acute ischemic stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), persistent venous ulcers, chronic venous insufficiency, liver disease, osteoarthritis, post-cardiothoracic surgery, acute upper and lower respiratory infections, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, cataract, senile macular degeneration, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Detailed Description of the Invention The present disclosure reveals a composition of edible functional bars comprising the following ingredients: (i) one or more dried fruits (DF), 5.00-80.00% w / w, (ii) seeds-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP),0.10-50.00% w / w, (iii) unshelled hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) fruit, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (iv) cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (v) optionally, one or more spices or auxiliary food ingredients, 0.00-10.00% w / w, and (vi) liquid extract of lavender (Lavandula sp. L.) aerial parts (LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1 : 1-30 w / w, where the liquid lavender extract (LLE) is prepared with an extraction solvent (ES) which is an edible natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) made from betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water. In a preferred embodiment of the subject disclosure, the fruit is selected from the group consisting of those of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), fig (Ficus carica L.), or a mixture of these fruits. In a further embodiment of this invention, the ingredient (ii), SFGP, is of the following specification: - dry matter content: 30.00-40.00% w / w, - fats content: 2.00-6.00% w / w, - carbohydrate content: 20.00-45.00% w / w, - sugar content: 0.50-8.00% w / w, - fibers content: 10.00-40.00% w / w, and - protein content: 2.00-10.00% w / w. Additionally, the spice or auxiliary food ingredient that can be used in the composition of edible functional bars from the present invention is selected from the group consisting of: - ground spices: Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) or its extracts, lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck] pith, orange [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] pith, cinnamon [Cinnamomum verum J. Presl] bark, clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.) flower buds, black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), pimento (Pimenta dioica L.), laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), celery (Apium graveolens L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), lovage (Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch 1824), caraway (Carum carvi L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), extracts of these spices, or mixtures of these ingredients, and / or - auxiliary food ingredients: glucose, glucose syrup, fructose, fructose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, maple (Acer sp. L.> syrup, and salt (NaCl). In a preferred embodiment of the composition from the present disclosure, the spice or auxiliary food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of ground Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) or its extracts, ground lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck] pith, ground orange [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] pith, or mixtures of these ingredients. The ingredient (vi), LLE, is made from lavender species and cultivars selected from the group comprising Lavandula angustifolia Miller (formerly Lavandula officinalis L.), Lavandula spica L., Lavandula stoechas L., Lavandula dentata L., Lavandula latifolia Medik, Lavandula lanata Boiss, Lavandula pedunculata Mill., Lavandula viridis L’Hér., Lavandula multifida L., Lavandula canariensis Mill., Lavandula pinnata Lundmark, Lavandula buchii Webb & Berthel., Lavandula rotundifolia Benth. 1833, Lavandula nimmoi Benth., Lavandula x hybrida, or mixtures of these plants. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ingredient (vi), LLE, is of DER, 1 : 3-10 w / w. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment of the subject disclosure, the edible natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) is made from betaine (1), citric acid (2),D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water. In further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the edible functional bars comprise ingredients (i-vi) in the following percentages: (i) 20.00-70.00% w / w, preferably 50.00-70.00% w / w, (ii) 5.00-50.00% w / w, preferably 25.00-40.00% w / w, (iii) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, (iv) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, 0.01-4.00% w / w, preferably 0.05-2.50% w / w, and (vi) 0.10-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-3.00% w / w. Process for manufacturing of functional bars disclosure A process for manufacturing edible functional bars according to the present disclosure includes the following manufacturing steps: A. processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits (DF), B. separation of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are used elsewhere, and ingredient (ii), seed-free grape pomace (SFGP), C. processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts, D. processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder, E. preparation of the liquid lavender extract (LLE) by: - preparation of natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) of the composition: betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n, by homogenization of previously weighted components in a blender for 1-10 minutes at room temperature, followed by dilution of said mixture with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water, and heating of thus prepared homogeneous mixture at 45-50 °C for 60-120 minutes until the formation of a clear viscous liquid, and cooling of thus prepared NADES to room temperature, - extraction of fresh or dried aerial parts of lavender (Lavender sp. L.) in said NADES at a weight ratio of the starting lavender plant material : NADES = 1 : 3-40 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 0.5-3 h, followed by - separation of the resulting liquid lavender extract by filtration and / or pressing and eventually centrifugation, yielding a filtrate that represents LLE, which can be, - optionally, standardized to the desired drug-to-extract ratio (DER) by the dilution with a certain smaller amount of the same, fresh NADES extraction solvent, yielding LLE which is used as an ingredient (vi), F. homogenization of SFGP from Step B with ground ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 15-60 °C for 5-30 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars, H. drying or baking of bars at 120-220 °C for 1-10 minutes, I. cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C, and J. packing of the final bars in plastic or paper bags. Preferably, the functional bars according to the subject disclosure can be manufactured by the following conditions: - the composition of NADES in Step E is betaine (1), citric acid (2), D-sorbitol (3), sucrose (4), and ascorbic acid (5) in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water, at a weight ratio of the starting lavender plant material : NADES = 1 : 8-12 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 1-3 h, - the homogenization in Step F is performed at 25-45 °C for 10-20 minutes, - Step H is conducted by drying at 120-130 °C for 5-10 minutes. It is clear to those skilled in the art that ingredients (iii) and (iv) can be optionally purchased in already powderous (grounded) form. In this case, the corresponding milling and related processing operations included in steps A, C, and D can be omitted. Typical experimental procedure of the step E, which essentially represents the preparation of the extraction solvent (NADES) for the preparation of LLE according to the subject disclosure is described in Example 1 (first part of the step E), while the experimental procedure for the preparation of ingredient (vi), LLE, is disclosed in Example 2. The high antioxidant activity of thus obtained LLE from the present invention was demonstrated by four different standard methods, including: (i) the Total Phenolic Content (TPC) assay, see literature reference 12; (ii) the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay, see literature reference 13; (iii) the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay, see literature reference 14; and (iv) the 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH·) assay, see literature reference 15: 12) V. L. Singleton, R. Orthofer, R. M. Lamuela-Raventós: Analysis of Total Phenols and Other Oxidation Substrates and Antioxidants by Means of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, Meth. Enzymol. 299 (1999) 152- 178; 13) P. Ninfali, G. Mea, S. Giorgini, M. Rocchi, M. Bacchiocca: Antioxidant capacity of vegetables, spices and dressings relevant to nutrition, Brit. J. Nutr. 93 (2005) 257-266; 14) I. F. F. Benzie, J. J. Strain: The Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) as a Measure of “Antioxidant Power”: The FRAP Assay, Anal. Biochem. 239 (1996) 70-76; and 15) W. Brand-Williams, M. E. Cuvelier, C. Berset: Use of a Free Radical Method to Evaluate Antioxidant Activity, LWT Food Sci. Technol. 28 (1995) 25-30. The preparation of typical control liquid lavender extract (cLLE) in the form of a so-called tincture with 35% aqueous ethanol as the extraction solvent of the same DER factor is described in Example 3. This cLLE was used as the control for the examination of the antioxidant activity of this classical extract versus LLE from the subject invention. The results of the antioxidant activity of the typical LLE according to the present invention are given in Table 1. Table 1. The results of antioxidant activity of the typical liquid lavender (Lavandula x hybrida) extract (LLE) according to the present invention, product of Example 2 in comparison with the control liquid propolis extract (cLLE) based on 35% aqueous ethanol that can be considered as a prior art knowledge, product of Example 3. The antioxidant activity was determined by four different analytical methods: TPC, ORAC, FRAP, and DPPH, according to the methodology described in literature references 12-15. Prior art This invention Achieved No. cLLE LLE PN LLE-PNimprovement LLE-PN / cLLEA. TPC parameter 1 3.59±0.02 107.52±1.47 82.19±0.28 25.33±1.19 7.06 B. ORAC parameter 2 185.38±10.48 406.37±14.18 134.35±7.60 272.02±6.58 1.47 C. FRAP parameter 3 0.04±0.01 1.85±0.04 1.51±0.02 0.34±0.02 8.50 D. DPPH parameter 4 0.03±0.00 1.20±0.001 0.85±0.001 0.35±0.00 11.67 cLLE = control liquid lavender extract (cLLE) obtained with 35% aqueous ethanol as the extraction solvent, of drug-to-extract ratio (DER) 1:3.8 w / w, product Example 3; LLE = liquid lavender extract according to the subject invention, DER 1:3.7 w / w, product of Example 2; PN = pure natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) of the composition: betaine (1) : citric acid (2) : D-sorbitol (3) : sucrose (4) : ascorbic acid (5) = 5:1:5:5:5, n / n / n / n / n, according to the subject disclosure, whose preparation is described in Example 1; LLE-PN = antioxidant activity of pure LLE extract without the expected antioxidant effect of PN present in the same LLE, due to the presence of ascorbic acid (5); LLE-PN / cLLE = relative increasing of antioxidant activity of LLE from the subject disclosure in comparison to the classical, control liquid lavender extract (cLLE) that can be considered as the prior art knowledge; this parameter represents the numerical measure of improvement in lavender extraction achieved by the present invention in comparison to the prior art. Methods for the determination of antioxidant activity: TPC = total phenolic content; ORAC = oxygen radical absorbance capacity; FRAP = ferric reducing antioxidant power; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine method; for a detailed experimental procedure, see literature references 12-15. According to the results disclosed in Table 1, it is clear that the antioxidant activity of LLE from the subject invention is drastically improved in comparison to the classical, control liquid lavender extract (cLLE) obtained by the 35% aqueous ethanol which can be considered as a typical extraction solvent for the preparation of cosmetic or food extracts of herbal drugs. This means that NADES from the subject disclosure is a far more effective extraction solvent for various natural compounds from starting lavender aerial parts than 35% aqueous ethanol. Thus obtained LLE was employed as a key ingredient for the preparation of the functional bars of a high antioxidant activity, see Example 2. The present invention solves the technical problem of edible functional bars that would be characterized by very high antioxidant activity that may be used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of all diseases and disorders where antioxidants may help in preventing or alleviating said medical conditions. This technical problem has been solved by the subject disclosure with dried fruits (DF), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), and cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) delicious bars of balanced nutritional characteristics, which were additionally fortified with a combination of: (i) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP), and (ii) a liquid lavender (Lavandula sp. L.) extract in a special five- component NADES of unexpectedly high antioxidant effect, where said functional bars are characterized by a high antioxidant activity. Additionally, due to a specific chemical composition of edible NADES within LLE according to the subject disclosure, the resulting functional bars are preserved against microbiological and oxidative decay of important naturally occurring nutrients from said ingredients (i-vi). The typical experimental procedures for the preparation of the functional bars according to the subject invention (with already prepared LLE; thus, excluding step E) are described in Examples 3-5. Use of the functional bars according to the subject disclosure Due to the facts that: (i) liquid lavender extract (LLE) from the present invention exhibits surprisingly high antioxidant potential, and (ii) antioxidants of different types are known to exhibit beneficial nutritional and pharmacological effects on several different diseases, disorders, and medical conditions, for instance as disclosed in literature references 16-18: 16) O. Firuzi, R. Miri, M. Tavakkoli, L. Saso: Antioxidant Therapy: Current Status and Future Prospects, Curr. Med. Chem. 18 (2011) 3871-3888; 17) S. R. J. Maxwell: Prospects for the Use of Antioxidant Therapies, Drugs 49 (1995) 345-361; and 18) H. J. Forman, H. Zhang: Targeting oxidative stress in disease: promise and limitations of antioxidant therapy, Nature Rev. 20 (2021) 689-709; the functional bars according to the present disclosure can be used for the enrichment of a regular diet with nutritionally and pharmacologically valuable naturally occurring products of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, the functional bars according to the subject invention can be used for the prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions where oxidative stress is either a dominant or at least one of the recognized factors in their etiology. Particularly, due to already recognized positive effects of antioxidants in several diseases and disorders as disclosed in literature references 16-18 and elsewhere, the functional bars according to the subject disclosure can be used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions selected from the group consisting of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease (CVD), atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), acute ischemic stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), persistent venous ulcers, chronic venous insufficiency, liver disease, osteoarthritis, post- cardiothoracic surgery, acute upper and lower respiratory infections, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, cataract, senile macular degeneration, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is clear to those skilled in the art that the functional bars from the present invention are not considered drugs that can cure said diseases and disorders, but can help in their prevention and / or as adjuvants in their therapy due to high antioxidant activity. Examples General information The term “room temperature” refers to a temperature interval of 20-25 °C. The stirring speed during the homogenizations is expressed in the number of revolutions per minute (rpm) of the stirring element. Example 1. Preparation of NADES according to the present disclosure Composition (for 428 g anhydrous NADES or 611 g diluted NADES) -------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) 9.578% w / w (58.573 g) betaine (C5H11NO2; Mr= 117.146; n= 0.5 mol) of type Betafin,a(ii) 3.142% w / w (19.212 g) citric acid, anhydrous (C6H8O7; Mr= 192.123; n= 0.1 mol),b(iii) 14.894% w / w (91.085 g) D-sorbitol (C6H14O6; Mr= 182.170; n= 0.5 mol),c(iv) 28.046% w / w (171.150 g) sucrose (C12H22O11; Mr= 342.300; n= 0.5 mol) seed,d(v) 14.340% w / w (88.062 g) ascorbic acid (C6H8O6; Mr= 176.124; n= 0.5 mol),eand (vi) 30.000% (183.464 g) purified water, Ph.Eur. gradef-------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 100.000% w / w (611.546 g) Procedure (first part of step E): The previously weighted ingredients (i-v) were homogenized in a V- blender at 15 rpm for 10 minutes. Thus obtained homogeneous powderous mixture was placed into a baker and slowly heated to 45-50 °C with gentle stirring for 60 minutes, Then, purified water (vi) was added and the resulting mixture was additionally heated at 45-50 °C with gentle stirring for 10 minutes, yielding about 611.55 g of 30%-diluted NADES as an odourless and colourless viscous liquid. Starting materials:aProduct of company DuPont Danisco, USA;bProduct of company Jungbunzlauer AG, Switzerland;cProduct of company Roquette Freres, France;dProduct of company Sladorana Županja d.d., Croatia;eProduct of company DSM, The Netherlands;fProduct of Company Fagron Croatia d.o.o., Croatia. Example 2. Preparation of liquid lavender extract (LLE) according to the subject invention Composition (for about 185 g LLE) -------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) 50.00 g dried lavender (Lavandula x hybrida) flowers,a(ii) 250.00 g diluted NADES, product of Example 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 300.00 g Procedure (last three parts of step E): Ingredient (ii) was added to a 100-mL glass baker. Then, ingredient (i) was added, and the resulting mixture was gently stirred at 50-60 °C for 2 h. Thus obtained mixture was subjected to filtration yielding the filter cake of the used herbal residue and 184.50 g (73.8%) of filtrate as a viscous, pale yellowish liquid that represents LLE according to the subject invention of DER 1:3.7 w / w. The antioxidant activity of this product was determined through TPC, ORAC, FRAP, and DPPH parameters as described in literature references 12-15, and disclosed in Table 1. Starting materials:aProduct of company Suban d.o.o., Croatia. Example 3. Preparation of control liquid lavender extract (cLLE) in 35% aqueous ethanol Composition (for about 188 g cLLE) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 50.00 g dried lavender (Lavandula x hybrida) flowers,a (ii) 250.00 g aqueous ethanol (35% V / V)b-------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 300.00 g Procedure (last three parts of step E): Ingredient (ii) was added to a 100-mL glass baker. Then, ingredient (i) was added, and the resulting mixture was gently stirred at 60-65 °C for 2 h. Thus obtained mixture was subjected to filtration yielding the filter cake of the used herbal residue and 188.00 g (75.2%) of filtrate as a pale yellowish liquid that represents cLLE of DER 1:3.8 w / w. The antioxidant activity of this product was determined through TPC, ORAC, FRAP, and DPPH parameters as described in literature references 12-15, and disclosed in Table 1. Starting materials:aProduct of company Suban d.o.o., Croatia;b15% Aqueous ethanol solution was prepared by dilution of commercially available (Merck KGaA, Germany) 96% ethanol. Example 4. Preparation of edible functional bar according to the present disclosure based on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Composition (for 1,000 g) of homogeneous mixture for forming functional bars -------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) 50.00% w / w (500.00 g) dried date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.),a(ii) 43.00% w / w (430.00 g) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP),b(iii) 1.00% w / w (10.00 g) unshelled hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.),a(iv) 1.00% w / w (10.00 g) cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed,a(v) spices or auxiliary food ingredients: - 1.60% w / w (16.00 g) vanilla sugar [4% Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) extract],c- 0.40% w / w (4.00 g) powderous lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck] pith,dand (vi) 3.00% w / w (30.00 g) liquid extract of lavender (Lavandula x hybrida; LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1:3.7 w / w, product of Example 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 100.00% w / w (1,000.00 g) Procedure (steps A-J, except step E): A. Processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits; dried date palm (i) was milled. B. Separation of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are discharged, while ingredient (ii), SFGP was used in the present preparation. C. Processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts. D. Processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder. E. Preparation of the liquid lavender extract (LLE); this step was disclosed in Examples 1 and 2; F. Homogenization of SFGP from Step B with ground ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 40-45 °C for 15-20 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. Molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars. The mixture was molded into a bar shape of approximate size 3x1x8 cm and weight about 30-35 g. H. Drying or baking of bars; formed bars were dried at 120-130 °C for 5 minutes. I. Cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C; this was performed by leaving dried bars to cool to room temperature. J. Packing of the final bars was performed in plastic bags. The product was in the form of deep brown bars with a mild odor resembling vanilla. Starting materials:aProduct of company Galleria Internazionale d.o.o., Croatia;bSeed-free grape pomace (SFGP) was prepared by pulping fresh grape pomace and passing thus obtained pulp through a sieve yielding grape seeds that retain on the sieve and seed-free grape pomace (SFGP) that passed through the sieve. Thus obtained SFGP was employed for the preparation of the subject functional bars as ingredient (ii);cProduct of company Arcadie France. Example 5. Preparation of edible functional bar according to the present disclosure based on figs (Ficus carica L.) Composition (for 1,000 g) of homogeneous mixture for forming functional bars -------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) 55.00% w / w (550.00 g) dried fig (Ficus carica L.),a(ii) 32.50% w / w (325.00 g) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP),b(iii) 3.00% w / w (30.00 g) unshelled hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.),a(iv) 2.00% w / w (20.00 g) cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed,a(v) spices or auxiliary food ingredients: - 2.10% w / w (21.00 g) vanilla sugar [4% Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) extract],c- 0.40% w / w (4.00 g) powderous orange [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] pith,cand (vi) 5.00% w / w (50.00 g) liquid extract of lavender (Lavandula x hybrida; LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1:3.7 w / w, product of Example 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 100.00% w / w (1,000.00 g) Procedure (steps A-J, except step E): A. Processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits; dried fig (i) was milled. B. Separation of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are discharged, while ingredient (ii), SFGP was used in the present preparation. C. Processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts. D. Processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder. E. Preparation of the liquid lavender extract (LLE); this step was disclosed in Examples 1 and 2; F. Homogenization of SFGP from Step B with ground ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 40-45 °C for 15-20 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. Molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars. The mixture was molded into a bar shape of approximate size 3x1x8 cm and weight about 30-35 g. H. Drying or baking of bars; formed bars were dried at 120-130 °C for 5 minutes. I. Cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C; this was performed by leaving dried bars to cool to room temperature. J. Packing of the final bars was performed in plastic bags. The product was in the form of brown bars with a mild odor resembling vanilla. Starting materials:aProduct of company Galleria Internazionale d.o.o., Croatia;bSeed-free grape pomace (SFGP) was prepared by pulping fresh grape pomace and passing thus obtained pulp through a sieve yielding grape seeds that retain on the sieve and seed-free grape pomace (SFGP) that passed through the sieve. Thus obtained SFGP was employed for the preparation of the subject functional bars as ingredient (ii);cProduct of company Arcadie France. Example 6. Preparation of edible functional bar according to the present disclosure based on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and figs (Ficus carica L.) Composition (for 1000 g) of homogeneous mixture for forming functional bars -------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) - 30.00% w / w (300.00 g) dried date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.),a- 20.00% w / w (200.00 g) dried figs (Ficus carica L.),a(ii) 27.50% w / w (275.00 g) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP),b(iii) 10.00% w / w (100.00 g) unshelled hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.),a(iv) 3.00% w / w (30.00 g) cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed,a(v) spices or auxiliary food ingredients: - 3.10% w / w (31.00 g) vanilla sugar [4% Bourbon vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) extract],c- 0.40% w / w (4.00 g) powderous lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck] pith,cand (vi) 6.00% w / w (60.00 g) liquid extract of lavender (Lavandula x hybrida; LLE) of drug-to-extract ratio (DER), 1:3.7 w / w, product of Example 2. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Total: 100.00% w / w (1000.00 g) Procedure (steps A-J, except step E): A. Processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits; dried date palm (i) was milled. B. Separation of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are discharged, while ingredient (ii), SFGP was used in the present preparation. C. Processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts. D. Processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder. E. Preparation of the liquid lavender extract (LLE); this step was disclosed in Examples 1 and 2; F. Homogenization of SFGP from Step B with ground ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 40-45 °C for 15-20 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. Molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars. The mixture was molded into a bar shape of approximate size 3x1x8 cm and weight about 30-35 g. H. Drying or baking of bars; Formed bars were dried at 120-130 °C for 5 minutes. I. Cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C; this was performed by leaving dried bars to cool to room temperature. J. Packing of the final bars was performed in plastic bags. The product was in the form of deep brown bars with a mild odor resembling vanilla. Starting materials:aProduct of company Galleria Internazionale d.o.o., Croatia;bSeed-free grape pomace (SFGP) was prepared by pulping of fresh grape pomace and passing thus obtained pulp through a sieve yielding grape seeds that retain on the sieve and seed-free grape pomace (SFGP) that passed through the sieve. Thus SFGP was employed for the preparation of the subject functional bars as ingredient (ii);cProduct of company Arcadie France. Conclusion The present invention solves the technical problem of edible functional bars that would be characterized by very high antioxidant activity that may be used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of all diseases and disorders where antioxidants may help in preventing or alleviating said medical conditions. This technical problem has been solved by the subject disclosure with dried fruits (DF), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), and cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) delicious bars of balanced nutritional characteristics, which were additionally fortified with a combination of: (i) seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace (SFGP), and (ii) a liquid lavender (Lavandula sp. L.) extract in a special five- component NADES of unexpectedly high antioxidant effect, where said functional bars are characterized by a high antioxidant activity. Additionally, due to a specific chemical composition of edible NADES within LLE according to the subject disclosure, the resulting functional bars are preserved against microbiological and oxidative decay of important naturally occurring nutrients from said ingredients (i-vi). Industrial Applicability The present invention discloses a novel composition of edible functional bars with significant antioxidant effects that can be employed in the functional food industry. In this manner, the industrial applicability of the present disclosure is obvious. Abbreviations DER = drug-to-extract ratio (by mass) DF = dried fruit DPPH = 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine DPPH· = 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (a radical) FRAP = ferric reducing antioxidant power (a measure of antioxidant activity) LLF = liquid lavender (Lavandula sp L.) extract NADES = natural deep eutectic solvent ORAC = oxygen radical absorbance capacity (a measure of antioxidant activity) SFGP = seed-free grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace TPC = total phenolic content (a measure of antioxidant activity)

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A composition of edible functional bars comprising the following ingredients: (i) one or more dried fruits <DF>, 5.00-80.00% w / w, (ii) seeds-free grape <Vitis vinifera L> pomace <SFGP>,0.10- 50.00% w / w, (iii) unshelled hazelnut <Corylus avellana L> fruit, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (iv) cocoa <Theobroma cacao L> seed, 0.10-50.00% w / w, (v) optionally, one or more spices or auxiliary food ingredients, 0.00-10.00% w / w, and (vi) liquid extract of lavender <Lavandula sp L> aerial parts <LLE> of drug-to-extract ratio <DER>, 1 : 1-30 w / w, characterized by that, the liquid lavender extract <LLE> is prepared with an extraction solvent <ES> which is an edible natural deep eutectic solvent <NADES> made from betaine <1>, citric acid <2>, D-sorbitol <3>, sucrose <4>, and ascorbic acid <5> in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n,that is diluted with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water.

2. The composition of edible functional bars according to claim 1, wherein the fruit is selected from the group consisting of thoseof date palm <Phoenix dactylifera L>, fig <Ficus carica L>, or a mixture of these fruits.

3. The composition of edible functional bars according to claims 1 and 2, wherein ingredient (ii), SFGP, is of the following specification: - dry matter content: 30.00-40.00% w / w, - fats content: 2.00-6.00% w / w, - carbohydrate content: 20.00-45.00% w / w, - sugar content: 0.50-8.00% w / w, - fibers content: 10.00-40.00% w / w, and - protein content: 2.00-10.00% w / w.

4. The composition of edible functional bars according to any of the previous claims, wherein the spice or auxiliary food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of: - ground spices: Bourbon vanilla <Vanilla planifolia Andrews> or its extracts, lemon <Citrus limon <L> Osbeck> pith, orange [Citrus x sinensis (L.) Osbeck] pith, cinnamon <Cinnamomum verum J Presl> bark, clove <Syzygium aromaticum L> flower buds, black pepper <Piper nigrum L>, pimento <Pimenta dioica L>, laurel <Laurus nobilis L>, celery <Apium graveolens L>, thyme <Thymus vulgaris L>, oregano <Origanum vulgare L>, basil <Ocimum basilicum L>, rosemary <Rosmarinus officinalis L>, lemon balm <Melissa officinalis L>, peppermint <Mentha x piperita L>, sage <Salvia officinalis L>, lovage <Levisticum officinale WDJ Koch 1824>, caraway <Carum carvi L>, cumin <Cuminum cyminum L>, dill <Anethum graveolens L>, fennel <Foeniculum vulgare Mill>, anise <Pimpinella anisum L>, turmeric <Curcuma longa L>, ginger <Zingiber officinale Roscoe>, cayenne pepper <Capsicum annuum L>, extracts of these spices, or mixtures of these ingredients, and / or - auxiliary food ingredients: glucose, glucose syrup, fructose, fructose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, maple <Acer sp L> syrup, and salt <NaCl>.

5. The composition of edible functional bars according to claim 3, wherein the spice or auxiliary food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of ground Bourbon vanilla <Vanilla planifolia Andrews> or its extracts, ground lemon <Citrus limon (L) Osbeck> pith, ground orange <Citrus x sinensis <L> Osbeck> pith, or mixtures of these ingredients.

6. The composition of edible functional bars according to any of the previous claims, wherein the ingredient (vi), LLE, is made from lavender species and cultivars selected from the group comprising Lavandula angustifolia Miller, Lavandula spica L, Lavandula stoechas L, Lavandula dentata L, Lavandula latifolia Medik, Lavandula lanata Boiss, Lavandula pedunculata Mill, Lavandula viridis L’Hér, Lavandula multifida L, Lavandula canariensis Mill, Lavandula pinnata Lundmark, Lavandula buchii Webb & Berthel, Lavandula rotundifolia Benth 1833, Lavandula nimmoi Benth, Lavandula x hybrida, or mixtures of these plants.

7. The composition of edible functional bars according to any of the previous claims, wherein the ingredient (vi), LLE, is of DER, 1 : 3-10 w / w.

8. The composition of edible functional bars according to any of the previous claims, wherein the edible natural deep eutectic solvent <NADES> is made from betaine <1>, citric acid <2>, D-sorbitol <3>, sucrose <4>, and ascorbic acid <5> in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water.

9. The composition of edible functional bars according to any of the previous claims, wherein the percentages of ingredients (i-vi) are as follows: (i) 20.00-70.00% w / w, preferably 50.00-70.00% w / w, (ii) 5.00-50.00% w / w, preferably 25.00-40.00% w / w,(iii) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, (iv) 0.50-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-2.50% w / w, (v) 0.01-4.00% w / w, preferably 0.05-2.50% w / w,(vi) 0.10-5.00% w / w, preferably 0.50-3.00% w / w.

10. A process for manufacturing edible functional bars according to claims 1-9, wherein it includes the following manufacturing steps: A. processing of one or more ingredients (i), dried fruits by milling, yielding the ground dried fruits, B. separation of grape <Vitis vinifera L> seeds from the raw grape pomace by pulping, yielding grape seeds, which are used elsewhere, and ingredient (ii), seed-free grape pomace <SFGP>, C. processing of ingredient (iii), hazelnut <Corylus avellana L> by milling, furnishing milled hazelnuts, D. processing of ingredient (iv), cocoa <Theobroma cacao L> seed by milling, yielding cocoa powder, E. preparation of the liquid lavender extract <LLE> by: - preparation of natural deep eutectic solvent <NADES> of the composition: betaine <1>, citric acid <2>, D-sorbitol <3>, sucrose <4>, and ascorbic acid <5> in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 4-6 : 1 : 4-6 : 4-6 : 4-6, n / n / n / n / n, by homogenization of previously weighted components in a blender for 1-10 minutes at room temperature, followed by dilution of said mixture with 20-40% w / w of demineralized water, and heating of thus prepared homogeneous mixture at 45-50 °C for 60-120 minutes until the formation of a clear viscous liquid, and cooling of thus prepared NADES to room temperature, - extraction of fresh or dried aerial parts of lavender <Lavender sp L> in said NADES at a weight ratio of thestarting lavender plant material : NADES = 1 : 3-40 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 0.5-3 h, followed by - separation of the resulting liquid lavender extract by filtration and / or pressing and eventually centrifugation, yielding a filtrate that represents LLE, which can be, - optionally, standardized to the desired drug-to-extract ratio <DER> by the dilution with a certain smaller amount of the same, fresh NADES extraction solvent, yielding LLE which is used as an ingredient (vi), F. homogenization of SFGP from Step B with grounded ingredient (i), milled ingredients (iii) and (iv), one or more optional ingredients (v), and ingredient (vi), LLE, by kneading at 15- 60 °C for 5-30 minutes, giving a pasty mixture for the preparation of bars, G. molding of the pasty mixture from Step F and formation of the raw bars, H. drying or baking of bars at 120-220 °C for 1-10 minutes, I. cooling dried or baked bars down to 25-40 °C, and J. packing of the final bars in plastic or paper bags.

11. A process for manufacturing edible functional bars according to claim 10, wherein: - the composition of NADES in Step E is betaine <1>, citric acid <2>, D-sorbitol <3>, sucrose <4>, and ascorbic acid <5> in the following molar ratio: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 = 5 : 1 : 5 : 5 : 5, n / n / n / n / n, that is diluted with 25-35% w / w of demineralized water, at a weight ratio of the starting lavender plant material : NADES = 1 : 8-12 w / w, at 50-60 °C for 1-3 h, - the homogenization in Step F is performed at 25-45 °C for 10- 20 minutes, - Step H is conducted by drying at 120-130 °C for 5-10 minutes.

12. A functional food product, formed as edible functional bars, according to claims 1-9, used for the enrichment of a regular diet with nutritionally and pharmacologically valuable naturally occurring products of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

14. A functional food product, formed as edible functional bars, according to claims 1-9, used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions where oxidative stress is either a dominant or at least one of the recognized factors in their etiology.

15. A functional food product according to claim 14, used for prevention and adjuvant treatment of diseases, disorders, and medical conditions selected from the group consisting of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease <CVD>, atherosclerosis, ischemia-reperfusion injury <IRI>, acute ischemic stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis <ALS>, persistent venous ulcers, chronic venous insufficiency, liver disease, osteoarthritis, post-cardiothoracic surgery, acute upper and lower respiratory infections, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis <IPF>, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease <COPD>, cystic fibrosis, cataract, senile macular degeneration, and inflammatory bowel disease <IBD>.

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