Unraveling the complex nexus: Interplay of volatile compounds, free amino acids, and metabolites in oat solid state fermentation.

This study delves into the dynamic interplay of volatile compounds, free amino acids, and metabolites, meticulously exploring their transformations during oat fermentation. Analysis via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) unveiled significant alterations: 72 volatile compounds in unfermented oats (NFO) and 60 in fermented oats (FO), reflecting the profound impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae TU11 and Lactobacillus plantarum Heal19 on oat constituents. A marked increase in Heptane (5.7-fold) and specific alcohol compounds, like 2-methyl-1-propanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and Phenylethyl alcohol in FO samples, while reductions in Hexanal, Hexanoic acid, and Acetic acid were observed. Notably, 4 phenolic compounds emerged post-fermentation, revealing diverse microbial actions in flavor modulation. Orthogonal-partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) indicated a clear separation between NFO and FO, demonstrating distinct volatile compound profiles. Further analysis revealed a noteworthy decrease in all free amino acids except for a significant increase in serine during fermentation. Differential metabolite screening identified 354 metabolites with 219 upregulated and 135 down-regulated, uncovering critical markers like isophenoxazine and imidazole lactic acid. Correlation analyses unveiled intricate relationships between volatile compounds and diverse metabolites, illuminating underlying biochemical mechanisms shaping oat flavor profiles during fermentation.

Elevating the significance of legume intake: A novel strategy to counter aging-related mitochondrial dysfunction and physical decline.

Mitochondrial dysfunction increasingly becomes a target for promoting healthy aging and longevity. The dysfunction of mitochondria with age ultimately leads to a decline in physical functions. Among them, biogenesis dysfunction and the imbalances in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species and mitochondria as signaling organelles in the aging process have aroused our attention. Dietary intervention in mitochondrial dysfunction and physical decline during aging processes is essential, and greater attention should be directed toward healthful legume intake. Legumes are constantly under investigation for their nutritional and bioactive properties, and their consumption may yield antiaging and mitochondria-protecting benefits. This review summarizes mitochondrial dysfunction with age, discusses the benefits of legumes on mitochondrial function, and introduces the potential role of legumes in managing aging-related physical decline. Additionally, it reveals the benefits of legume intake for the elderly and offers a viable approach to developing legume-based functional food.

Influence of cellulose viscosity on the physical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the chitosan-based films.

This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into developing biodegradable films for food packaging applications using chitosan (CN) in conjunction with three distinct types of cellulose (CE), each characterized by varying viscosities. The primary objective was to assess the influence of cellulose viscosity on the physical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the resulting films. The medium-viscosity cellulose imparted numerous advantageous qualities to the biodegradable films. These films exhibited optimal thickness (31 µm), ensuring versatility in food packaging while maintaining favorable mechanical properties, blending strength, and flexibility. Also, medium-viscosity cellulose significantly improved the films' barrier performance, particularly regarding oxygen permeability [1.80 × 10-6 (g.mm.m-2. s-1)]. Furthermore, the medium-viscosity cellulose contributed to superior moisture-related properties, including reduced water vapor permeability [14.80 × 10-9 (g.mm.m-2. s-1. Pa-1)], moisture content (13.22 %), and water solubility (22.87 %), while maintaining an appropriate degree of swelling (41.88 %). Moreover, the study employed advanced analytical techniques, including FTIR, XRD, and TGA, to provide critical insights into the films' chemical, structural, and thermal aspects. This research underscored the importance of the viscosity of film formulation materials as a crucial element in designing and efficiently producing films for food packaging.

Enhanced sensitivity in Staphylococcus aureus detection: Unveiling the impact of lipid composition on the performance of carboxyfluorescein (CF)-Loaded liposome-based assay.

Liposomes have emerged as versatile nanocarriers, finding applications not only in drug delivery but also in pathogen detection and diagnostics. This study aimed to enhance the sensitivity of liposomes to Staphylococcus aureus by investigating the impact of lipid composition on liposomes loaded with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF). Liposomes were fabricated using various concentrations of cholesterol (10-40 mol%) combined with saturated phospholipids. Dynamic light scattering results revealed that higher cholesterol concentrations led to reduced liposome size, CF release (%), and entrapment efficiency (%). Liposome sensitivity towards S. aureus was evaluated by using CF-loaded liposomes with and without aptamer insertion. Liposomes with a higher cholesterol content (40 mol%) exhibited a strong ability to detect low bacterial concentrations down to 5 × 102 CFU/mL without relying solely on specific receptor-ligand recognition. However, functionalizing the liposome with an aptamer further improved the specificity and sensitivity of S. aureus detection at even lower concentrations, down to 80 CFU/mL, in the wide range of 80-107 CFU/mL. This study highlights the potential for optimizing the lipid composition of liposomes to improve their sensitivity for pathogen detection, particularly when combined with aptamer-based strategies.

Replacement of polyethylene oxide by peach gum to produce an active film using Litsea cubeba essential oil and its application in beef.

This study evaluated the effects of adding various concentrations (0 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 %) of peach gum (PG) to films made from polyethylene oxide (PEO) combined with Litsea cubeba essential oil (LCEO) to be utilized as active packaging for food in the future. The findings showed that the film containing PG 2 % concentration had the best physic-mechanical properties. In films made with PG, the glass transition temperature was significantly improved. Combining PG and PEO resulted in films that were brighter in color, had lower WVP values, and had the lowest water activity. Furthermore, XRD demonstrated that PG additions were compatible with the film of PEO blended with LCEO. The PG films formulated with PG presented high antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Wrapping beef with P2G2 film led to maintaining its quality with suitable levels of pH, TBARS, and TVB-N. This also decreased the number of E. coli and S. aureus in beef throughout the storage period. The results indicate that adding PG to PEO films enhances their suitability for food preservation.

Recent Advances in Synthetic, Industrial and Biological Applications of Violacein and Its Heterologous Production.

Violacein, a purple pigment first isolated from a gram-negative coccobacillus Chromobacterium violaceum, has gained extensive research interest in recent years due to its huge potential in the pharmaceutic area and industry. In this review, we summarize the latest research advances concerning this pigment, which include (1) fundamental studies of its biosynthetic pathway, (2) production of violacein by native producers, apart from C. violaceum, (3) metabolic engineering for improved production in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and Yarrowia lipolytica, (4) biological/pharmaceutical and industrial properties, (5) and applications in synthetic biology. Due to the intrinsic properties of violacein and the intermediates during its biosynthesis, the prospective research has huge potential to move this pigment into real clinical and industrial applications.

Physicochemical properties, microstructure, and storage stability of Pulicaria jaubertii extract microencapsulated with different protein biopolymers and gum arabic as wall materials.

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using gum arabic (GA) with different protein materials namely whey protein isolate (WP), sodium caseinate (SC), and soybean protein (SP) as wall materials to encapsulate Pulicaria jaubertii extract (PJ) using freeze-drying. Four formulations of microencapsulation of Pulicaria jaubertii extract (MPJE) were produced, including WPGA-MPJE, SCGA-MPJE, SPGA-MPJE, and GA-MPJE. The formulations were stored at 4 °C and 25 °C for 28 days to assess the storage stability. The results indicated that mixtures of proteins with GA improved the physicochemical properties and bioactive content of the MPJE compared to GA-MPJE. The SCGA-MPJE formula showed optimal values of particle size (450.13 nm), polydispersity index (0.33), zeta potential (74.63 mV), encapsulation efficiency (91.07%), total phenolic content (25.51 g GAE g-1 capsules), and antioxidants compounds, as well as presented a lower release of bioactive composites with high oxidative stability during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. The microstructure of MPJE formulations showed a flat surface without any visible cracking on surfaces. The microcapsules prepared from protein mixtures with GA, especially the SCGA-MPJE formula, are the most efficient in encapsulating the plant extract derived from the PJ, which could be useful for application in various industrial fields.

Oat ß-glucan alleviates DSS-induced colitis via regulating gut microbiota metabolism in mice.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most prevalent inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) worldwide, while oat ß-glucan has been shown to suppress the progress of colitis in UC mice. However, the underlying mechanism of oat ß-glucan in ameliorating colitis is unclear and the role of gut microbiota in the protective effect of oat ß-glucan against colitis remains unknown. In the present study, we aim to investigate the effect of oat ß-glucan on gut microbiota in colitis mice and explore the health effect related mechanism. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was used to induce the colitis model in mice. The results showed that ß-glucan treatment attenuated hematochezia, splenomegaly and colon shortening in colitis mice. Histological evaluation of H&E and TUNEL staining showed that ß-glucan treatment suppressed DSS-induced colonic inflammatory infiltration and reduced cell apoptosis levels of colon tissues. mRNA expression levels of the pro-inflammatory factors were also significantly reduced in the ß-glucan group. Moreover, ß-glucan treatment increased the protein and mRNA expression levels of tight junction proteins. Analysis of gut microbiota community showed that ß-glucan treatment modulated gut microbial composition and structure at the OTU level in colitis mice. Further analysis of gut microbial metabolism revealed that ß-glucan treatment significantly increased acetate, propionate and butyrate concentrations, and affected microbial metabolome in colitis mice. Notably, the increased acetate and propionate concentrations could directly affect pro-inflammatory factor expression levels and tight junction protein levels. In contrast, the changes in metabolic profiles affected pro-inflammatory factor levels and thus affected tight junction protein levels. Overall, our study revealed that oat ß-glucan ameliorated DSS-induced colitis in mice simultaneously through regulating gut-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial metabolic biomarkers. Our study demonstrated that oat ß-glucan could be an effective nutritional intervention strategy towards targeting gut microbiota metabolism for ameliorating colitis.

Molecular structure, morphological, and physicochemical properties of highlands barley starch as affected by natural fermentation.

The influence of natural fermentation on the highlands barley starch chemical structure, morphological, physicochemical, and thermal properties was studied. The findings showed that fermentation had no impact on starch fine structure but it decreased the molecular-weight from 2.26 to 1.04 × 108 g/mol in native highlands barley and after 72 h fermentation (FHB72) respectively. Also, it decreased amylopectin long-chains (B1 and B2) while increased short-chains. The intensity ratio of FT-IR at 995/1022 and 1047/1022 bands were found to be higher as the time of fermentation progressed, and the highest absorption-intensity at 3000-3600 cm-1 and higher swelling capacity were noticed in the starch of FHB72. During fermentation, pasting peak, final and setback viscosities were decreased. Microscopically, granules with more pores, damaged, cracked, and no growth rings were found in starches isolated after 48 h and 72 h of fermentation. This study indicated that fermentation up to 72 h is an effective method to modify highlands barley starch.

Stabilization of water-in-oil emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii extract by ultrasonication: Fabrication, characterization, and storage stability.

This study investigated the effect of ultrasonic treatments on the properties and stability of the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii (PJ) extract. The study used different ultrasound powers (0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 W) at two storage degrees (4 and 25 °C) for 28 days. The findings showed that the emulsifying properties were improved to different extents after ultrasonic treatments. The treatment at 600 W showed optimum particle size, polydispersity index, emulsifying property, viscosity properties, and release of total phenolic content than the other powers. However, the ultrasonic power of 400 W gave positive effects on creaming index and antioxidant release compared to 600 W. The emulsion stored at 4 °C presented higher stability than that stored at 25 °C during the 28 days of storage. Microscopically, the increase in sonication power up to 600 W reduced particle size and decreased flocculation, thus resulted in stable emulsions, which is desirable for its applications in food systems.

Supercritical fluid extraction of four aromatic herbs and assessment of the volatile compositions, bioactive compounds, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activity.

Artemisia arborescens, Artemisia abyssinica, Pulicaria jaubertii, and Pulicaria petiolaris are fragrant herbs traditionally used in medication and as a food seasoning. To date, there are no studies on the use of supercritical fluids extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2) on these plants. This study evaluates and compares total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity by DPPH• and ABTS•+, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activities of SFE-CO2 extracts. Extraction was done by SFE-CO2 with 10% ethanol as a co-solvent. A. abyssinica extract had the highest extraction yield (8.9% ± 0.41). The GC/MS analysis of volatile compounds identified 307, 265, 213, and 201compounds in A. abyssinica, A. arborescens, P. jaubertii, and P. petiolaris, respectively. The P. jaubertii extract had the highest TPC (662.46 ± 50.93 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract), antioxidant activity (58.98% ± 0.20), and antioxidant capacity (71.78 ± 1.84 mg Trolox equivalent/g dry extract). The A. abyssinica and P. jaubertii extracts had significantly higher antimicrobial activity and were more effective against Gram-positive bacteria. B. subtilis was the most sensitive bacterium. P. aeruginosa was the most resistant bacterium. P. jaubertii extract had the optimum MIC and MBC (0.4 mg/ml) against B. subtilis. All SFE-CO2 extracts were effective as an anti-biofilm formation for all tested bacteria at 1/2 MIC. Meanwhile, P. jaubertii and P. petiolaris extracts were effective anti-biofilm for most tested bacteria at 1/16 MIC. Overall, the results indicated that the SFE-CO2 extracts of these plants are good sources of TPC, antioxidants, and antibacterial, and they have promising applications in the industrial fields.

Nanoencapsulation of Mandarin Essential Oil: Fabrication, Characterization, and Storage Stability.

This study evaluates the combined efficiency of whey protein isolate (WPI) with maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA), as a delivery system for encapsulating Citrus reticulata essential oil (CEO). The wall materials blended at different rates were produced to obtain seven formulations of nanocapsules (NCEO), namely NCEO-GA, NCEO-MD, NCEO-WPI, NCEO-GA/MD, NCEO-GA/WPI, NCEO-MD/WPI, and NCEO-GA/MD/WPI. The interaction between CEO and WPI was simulated by molecular docking. Findings showed that the physicochemical characteristics and storage stability of formulations containing WPI were considerably improved. The NCEO-GA/MD/WPI formulation demonstrated the optimum values of encapsulation efficiency (92.08%), highest glass transition temperature (79.11 °C), high crystallinity (45.58%), high thermal stability (mass loss at 100 °C < 5%), and also had the highest antioxidant activity and lowest peroxide value after storage. This study demonstrated that combining WPI with MD and GA, as wall material encapsulation, can produce nanocapsules with superior properties to those created using polysaccharides individually.

Microencapsulation of fingered citron extract with gum arabic, modified starch, whey protein, and maltodextrin using spray drying.

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the Fingered citron extract (FCE) microcapsules powders with different formulations of the encapsulation carrier agents [gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), modified starch (MS), and whey protein (WP)], which are obtained through spray drying. Encapsulation yield, encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, hygroscopicity, water activity, density properties, Carr's index, cohesiveness, flowability, porosity, wettability, solubility, color, particle size, thermal behavior, relative crystallinity, and micrographs were analyzed. Moreover, chemical structure of the microcapsule powder was identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Best results were achieved when Fingered citron extract was encapsulated using gum arabic/maltodextrin/modified starch (GMS) formulation as carrier agents, where it had the highest encapsulation yield (89.39%) and encapsulation efficiency (87.20%). Furthermore, it achieved the best result in density properties, flowability, porosity, wettability, and relative crystallinity. These results have shown that using gum arabic/maltodextrin/modified starch formulation was superior for production of the Fingered citron extract microcapsules powders.