Composite 2D Material-Based Pervaporation Membranes for Liquid Separation: A Review.

Today, chemistry and nanotechnology cover molecular separations in liquid and gas states by aiding in the design of new nano-sized materials. In this regard, the synthesis and application of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are current fields of research in which structurally defined 2D materials are being used in membrane separation either in self-standing membranes or composites with polymer phases. For instance, pervaporation (PV), as a highly selective technology for liquid separation, benefits from using 2D materials to selectively transport water or other solvent molecules. Therefore, this review paper offers an interesting update in revising the ongoing progress of PV membranes using 2D materials in several applications, including solvent purification (the removal of water from organic systems), organics removal (the removal of organic molecules diluted in water systems), and desalination (selective water transport from seawater). In general, recent reports from the past 3 years have been discussed and analyzed. Attention has been devoted to the proposed strategies and fabrication of membranes for the inclusion of 2D materials into polymer phases. Finally, the future trends and current research gaps are declared for the scientists in the field.

Mangiferin: A comprehensive review on its extraction, purification and uses in food systems.

With the target of fabricating healthier products, food manufacturing companies look for natural-based nutraceuticals that can potentially improve the physicochemical properties of food systems while being nutritive to the consumer and providing additional health benefits (biological activities). In this regard, Mangiferin joins all these requirements as a potential nutraceutical, which is typically contained in Mangifera indica products and its by-products. Unfortunately, knowing the complex chemical composition of Mango and its by-products, the extraction and purification of Mangiferin remains a challenge. Therefore, this comprehensive review revises the main strategies proposed by scientists for the extraction and purification of Mangiferin. Importantly, this review identifies that there is no report reviewing and criticizing the literature in this field so far. Our attention has been targeted on the timely findings on the primary extraction techniques and the relevant insights into isolation and purification. Our discussion has emphasized the advantages and limitations of the proposed strategies, including solvents, extracting conditions and key interactions with the target xanthone. Additionally, we report the current research gaps in the field after analyzing the literature, as well as some examples of functional food products containing Mangiferin.

Recent advances in reinforced bioplastics for food packaging - A critical review.

Recently, diversifying the material, method, and application in food packaging has been massively developed to find more environment-friendly materials. However, the mechanical and barrier properties of the bioplastics are major hurdles to expansion in commercial realization. The compositional variation with the inclusion of different fillers could resolve the lacking performance of the bioplastic. This review summarizes the various reinforcement fillers and their effect on bioplastic development. In this review, we first discussed the status of bioplastics and their definition, advantages, and limitations regarding their performance in the food packaging application. Further, the overview of different fillers and development methods has been discussed thoroughly. The application of reinforced bioplastic for food packaging and its effect on food quality and shelf life are highlighted. The environmental issues, health concerns, and future perspectives of the reinforced bioplastic are also discussed at the end of the manuscript. Adding different fillers into the bioplastic improves physical, mechanical, barrier, and active properties, which render the required protective functions to replace conventional plastic for food packaging applications. Various fillers, such as natural and chemically synthesized, could be incorporated into the bioplastic, and their overall properties improve significantly for the food packaging application.

Bodybuilders and high-level meat consumers' behavior towards rabbit, beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb meat: A comparative review.

In bodybuilders' diets, protein plays a crucial role in supporting muscle growth and repairing damaged muscle tissue. These individuals meet their protein needs by combining dietary sources with supplements. Animal-based proteins are often preferred over plant-based proteins because they are believed to better support muscle protein synthesis. This review explores the meat consumption patterns of bodybuilders and high-level meat consumers, focusing on rabbit, beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb. We describe and compare the types of meat bodybuilders commonly consume and provide an overview of protein supplements, including meat-based options, plant-based alternatives, and whey-based products. Our aim is to gain insight into the dietary preferences of bodybuilders and high-level meat consumers, considering their nutritional requirements and the potential effect on the meat industry. We conducted an extensive search across various databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. We found that individual choices vary based on factors such as attitudes, trust, taste, texture, nutritional content, ethical considerations, and cultural influences. Nutritional factors, including protein content, amino acid profiles, and fat levels, significantly influence the preferences of bodybuilders and high-level meat consumers. However, it is crucial to maintain a balance by incorporating other essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals to ensure a complete and balanced diet. The findings from this review can inform strategies and product development initiatives tailored to the needs of bodybuilders and discerning meat enthusiasts.

Arabinoxylans: A review on protocols for their recovery, functionalities and roles in food formulations.

Arabinoxylans (AXs) are compounds with high nutritional value and applicability, including prebiotics or supplementary ingredients, in food manufacturing industries. Unfortunately, the recovery of AXs may require advanced separation and integrated strategies. Here, an analysis of the emerging techniques to extract AXs from cereals and their by-products is discussed. This review covers distinct methods implemented over the last 2-3 years, identifying that the type of method, extraction source, AX physicochemical properties and pre-treatment conditions are the main factors influencing the recovery yield. Alkaline extraction is among the most used methods nowadays, mostly due to its simplicity and high recovery yield. Concurrently, recovered AXs applied in food applications is timely reviewed, such as potential bread ingredient, prebiotic and as a wall material for probiotic encapsulation, in beer and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing, complementary ingredient in bakery products and cookies, improvers in Chinese noodles, 3D food printing and designing of nanostructures for delivery platforms.

Extraction pathways and purification strategies towards carminic acid as natural-based food colorant: A comprehensive review.

As a current trend of fabricating healthier products, food manufacturing companies seek for natural-based food colorant aiming to replace the synthetic ones, which apart from meeting sensorial and organoleptic aspects, they can also act as health promoters offering additional added value. Carminic acid is a natural based food colorant typically found in several insect taxa. However, there are current approaches which pursue the production of this natural pigment via biotechnological synthesis. To date, this colorant has been intensively applied in the manufacture of several food items. Unfortunately, one of the main limitations deals with the establishment of the right protocol of extraction and purification of this component since there is no report analyzing the main extraction techniques for obtaining carminic acid. Therefore, this review, for the first time, comprehensively analyzes the ongoing strategies and protocols proposed by scientists towards either extraction or purification of carminic acid from its origin source, and from biotechnological systems. Emphasis has been focused on the main findings dealing with extraction techniques and the relevant insights in the field. A detailed discussion is provided on the advantages and drawbacks of the reported extraction and purification methods, main solvents used and their key interactions with target molecules.

Implementing fermentation technology for comprehensive valorisation of seafood processing by-products: A critical review on recovering valuable nutrients and enhancing utilisation.

Fermentation technology is a biorefining tool that has been used in various industrial processes to recover valuable nutrients from different side streams. One promising application of this technique is in the reclamation of nutritional components from seafood side streams. Seafood processing generates significant amounts of waste, including heads, shells, and other side streams. These side streams contain high quantities of valued nutritional components that can be extracted using fermentation technology. The fermentation technology engages the application of microorganisms to convert the side stream into valuable products like biofuels, enzymes, and animal feed. Natural polymers such as chitin and chitosan have various purposes in the food, medicinal, and agricultural industry. Another example is the fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) from seafood side streams. FPHs are protein-rich powders which could be used in animal nutrition and nutraceutical industry. The resulting hydrolysate is further filtered and dried resulting in a FPH powder. Fermentation technology holds great possibility in the recovery of valuable nutrients from seafood side streams. The process can help reduce waste and generate new value-added products from what would otherwise be considered a waste product. With further research and development, fermentation technology can become a key tool in the biorefining industry.

Ongoing Progress on Pervaporation Membranes for Ethanol Separation.

Ethanol, a versatile chemical extensively employed in several fields, including fuel production, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, and chemical manufacturing, continues to witness expanding applications. Consequently, there is an ongoing need for cost-effective and environmentally friendly purification technologies for this organic compound in both diluted (ethanol-water-) and concentrated solutions (water-ethanol-). Pervaporation (PV), as a membrane technology, has emerged as a promising solution offering significant reductions in energy and resource consumption during the production of high-purity components. This review aims to provide a panorama of the recent advancements in materials adapted into PV membranes, encompassing polymeric membranes (and possible blending), inorganic membranes, mixed-matrix membranes, and emerging two-dimensional-material membranes. Among these membrane materials, we discuss the ones providing the most relevant performance in separating ethanol from the liquid systems of water-ethanol and ethanol-water, among others. Furthermore, this review identifies the challenges and future opportunities in material design and fabrication techniques, and the establishment of structure-performance relationships. These endeavors aim to propel the development of next-generation pervaporation membranes with an enhanced separation efficiency.

Attenuation of Hyperglycemia in Diabetic Rats Assisted by Immobilized Probiotic in Sodium Alginate.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is the most common chronic disease worldwide, characterized mainly by increased glucose concentration in the blood and affecting several organs' functionality. The daily consumption of probiotic bacteria can help control diabetes and reduce the damage caused. Cell immobilization techniques are a powerful tool that provides physical cell protection to such probiotic bacteria against gastrointestinal conditions. We suggest that cell immobilization could be a significant vector for delivering a high quantity of viable probiotics to the gut, helping attenuate hyperglycemia in diabetic rats. Seventy male Wistar rats were used in this work. Nicotinamide was administrated via intraperitoneal injection 15 minutes before inducing type 2 diabetes (DM2), followed by a second intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to induce DM2. Rats were divided into seven groups. For 45 days, a specific treatment was applied to each group. The group of rats, supplied with immobilized Lactobacillus casei, showed a serum glucose concentration of 137 mg/dL, which was close to the one observed in the groups of healthy rats (117 mg/dL) and rats treated with metformin (155 mg/dL). The diabetic rats without treatment presented a higher serum glucose concentration (461 mg/dL). In the rats treated with immobilized L. casei, there was no biochemical parameter alteration, and the cell morphology of the analyzed tissues was similar to those of the healthy group. The consumption of immobilized L. casei could allow a high quantity of viable probiotics to be delivered to the gut, reducing serum glucose concentration by up to 70% compared to diabetic rats and reducing organ damage caused by diabetes.

A Comprehensive Review of Phytonutrients as a Dietary Therapy for Obesity.

Obesity is a complex medical condition mainly caused by eating habits, genetics, lifestyle, and medicine. The present study deals with traditional diets like the Mediterranean diet, Nordic diet, African Heritage diet, Asian diet, and DASH, as these are considered to be sustainable diets for curing obesity. However, the bioavailability of phytonutrients consumed in the diet may vary, depending on several factors such as digestion and absorption of phytonutrients, interaction with other substances, cooking processes, and individual differences. Hence, several phytochemicals, like polyphenols, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, etc., have been investigated to assess their efficiencies and safety in the prevention and treatment of obesity. These phytochemicals have anti-obesity effects, mediated via modulation of many pathways, such as decreased lipogenesis, lipid absorption, accelerated lipolysis, energy intake, expenditure, and preadipocyte differentiation and proliferation. Owing to these anti-obesity effects, new food formulations incorporating these phytonutrients were introduced that can be beneficial in reducing the prevalence of obesity and promoting public health.

Emerging Processes for Sustainable Processing of Food Ingredients and Products.

In recent decades, traditional food processing processes, such as homogenization, pasteurization, canning, drying, and smoking, among others, have been successfully applied to obtain, to some extent, acceptable food items [...].

Deep eutectic solvents for the food industry: extraction, processing, analysis, and packaging applications - a review.

Food factories seek the application of natural products, green feedstock and eco-friendly processes, which minimally affect the properties of the food item and products. Today, water and conventional polar solvents are used in many areas of food science and technology. As modern chemistry evolves, new green items for building eco-friendly processes are being developed. This is the case of deep eutectic solvents (DESs), named the next generation of green solvents, which can be involved in many food industries. In this review, we timely analyzed the progress on applying DES toward the development of formulations, extraction of target biomolecules, food processing, extraction of undesired molecules, analysis and determination of specific analytes in food samples (heavy metals, pesticides), food microbiology, and synthesis of new packaging materials, among many other applications. For this, the latest developments (over the last 2-3 years) have been discussed emphasizing innovative ideas and outcomes. Relevantly, we discuss the hypothesis and the key features of using DES in the mentioned applications. To some extent, the advantages and limitations of implementing DES in the food industry are also elucidated. Finally, based on the findings of this review, the perspectives, research gaps and potentialities of DESs are stated.

Chitosan-based electrospun nanofibers for encapsulating food bioactive ingredients: A review.

Today, society has been more aware of healthy food products and related items containing bioactive compounds, which potentially contribute to human health. Unfortunately, the long-term stability and bioactivity of biologically active compounds against environmental factors compromise their target and effective action. In this way, lab-designed vehicles, such as nanoparticles and nanofibers, provide enough properties for their preservation and suitable delivery. Here, the electrospinning technique acts as an effective pathway for fabricating and designing nanofibers for the entrapments of biomolecules, in which several biopolymers such as proteins, polysaccharides (e.g., maltodextrin, agarose, chitosan), silk, among others, can be used as a wall material. It is likely that chitosan is one of the most employed biomaterials in this field. Therefore, in this review, we reveal the latest advances (over the last 2-3 years) in designing chitosan-based electrospun nanofibers and nanocarriers for encapsulation of bioactive compounds, along with the key applications in smart food packaging as well. Key findings and relevant breakthroughs are a priority in this review to provide a cutting-edge analysis of the literature. Finally, particular attention has been paid to the most promising developments.

Optimization of vortex-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction for quantification of niclosamide in real samples.

In this manuscript, a green and fast vortex-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction (VA-HMDES-DLPME) method was developed for the selective extraction and determination of niclosamide in read samples, including rice, medicine tablets, and water samples. Here, hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvents were used as the extracting solvent without requiring any centrifugation step. In the light of preliminary experiments, important parameters, such as volume of extraction solvent, pH, acetonitrile volume and vortex time, affecting the extraction efficiency of niclosamide were optimized using a Box-Behnken design. The linear dynamic range (0.25-120 µg/L), the limit of detection (0.08 µg/L), the limit of quantitation (0.25 µg/L), preconcentration factor (180), and enrichment factor (130) of the method were determined using optimized data. In particular, the validation parameters of the optimized VA-HMDES-DLPME, including robustness, matrix effect accuracy, and precision, were investigated. In addition to this, intra- and inter-day precisions were determined as ≤3.5 % and ≤4.1%, respectively. Finally, the optimized method was successfully used for the extraction of niclosamide in the selected samples prior to spectrophotometric analysis.

An air-assisted dispersive liquid phase microextraction method based on a hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent for the extraction and preconcentration of melamine from milk and milk-based products.

In the current research, a fast and sustainable air-assisted hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent-based dispersive liquid phase microextraction followed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry measurements was optimized for the extraction and determination of melamine in milk and milk-based products. The central composite design was applied for the optimization of factors affecting the recovery of melamine. Quantitative extraction of melamine was achieved using hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvents prepared from a mixture of octanoic acid, aliquat-336, and cobalt(II) chloride. The optimum conditions for extraction were found as follows: 6 extraction cycles, pH 8.2, extraction solvent volume 260 µL, and acetone volume 125 µL.Interestingly, a centrifugation step was not required to achieve phase separation. Under the optimum conditions, melamine was determined in the linear range of 3-600 ng mL-1, the limit of detection (3Sblank/m) of 0.9 ng mL-1, and the enrichment factor of 144. The validation of the method was investigated by the analysis of reference materials. Consequently, the method was successfully applied for the analysis of melamine residues in milk and milk-based products.

A Perspective on Missing Aspects in Ongoing Purification Research towards Melissa officinalis.

Melissa officinalis L. is a medicinal plant used worldwide for ethno-medical purposes. Today, it is grown everywhere; while it is known to originate from Southern Europe, it is now found around the world, from North America to New Zealand. The biological properties of this medicinal plant are mainly related to its high content of phytochemical (bioactive) compounds, such as flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, aldehydes, glycosides and terpenes, among many other groups of substances. Among the main biological activities associated with this plant are antimicrobial activity (against fungi and bacteria), and antispasmodic, antioxidant and insomnia properties. Today, this plant is still used by society (as a natural medicine) to alleviate many other illnesses and symptoms. Therefore, in this perspective, we provide an update on the phytochemical profiling analysis of this plant, as well as the relationships of specific biological and pharmacological effects of specific phytochemicals. Currently, among the organic solvents, ethanol reveals the highest effectiveness for the solvent extraction of precious components (mainly rosmarinic acid). Additionally, our attention is devoted to current developments in the extraction and fractionation of the phytochemicals of M. officinalis, highlighting the ongoing progress of the main strategies that the research community has employed. Finally, after analyzing the literature, we suggest potential perspectives in the field of sustainable extraction and purification of the phytochemical present in the plant. For instance, some research gaps concern the application of cavitation-assisted extraction processes, which can effectively enhance mass transfer while reducing the particle size of the extracted material in situ. Meanwhile, membrane-assisted processes could be useful in the fractionation and purification of obtained extracts. On the other hand, further studies should include the application of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents (DES), including DESs of natural origin (NADES) and hydrophobic DESs (hDES), as extraction or fractionating solvents, along with new possibilities for effective extraction related to DESs formed in situ, assisted by mechanical mixing (mechanochemistry-based approach).

Merging Proline:Xylitol Eutectic Solvent in Crosslinked Chitosan Pervaporation Membranes for Enhanced Water Permeation in Dehydrating Ethanol.

The scope of this research aims at merging a new deep eutectic mixture (DES) into a biopolymer-based membrane for a pervaporation application in dehydrating ethanol. Herein, an L-proline:xylitol (at 5:1) eutectic mixture was successfully synthesized and blended with chitosan (CS). A complete characterization of the hybrid membranes, in terms of morphology, solvent uptake, and hydrophilicity, has been conducted. As part of their applicability, the blended membranes were assayed for their ability to separate water from ethanolic solutions by means of pervaporation. At the highest temperature (50 °C), a water permeation of ca. 0.46 kg m-2 h-1 was acquired, representing a higher permeation than the pristine CS membranes (ca. 0.37 kg m-2 h-1). Therefore, CS membranes demonstrated an enhanced water permeation thanks to their blending with the hydrophilic L-proline:xylitol agent, making these membranes a good candidate for other separations containing polar solvents.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) modified cellulose acetate NF membranes for potential water treatment application.

In this study, cellulose acetate (CA)-based nanofiltration membranes, modified with zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) particles, were prepared with various ZIF-8 contents (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 wt%), to obtain membranes with improved flux and filtration performance by combining advantages of CA polymer and ZIF-8 metal-organic frameworks. Removal efficiency studies were carried out with bovine serum albumin and two different dyes, along with antifouling performance evaluation. Results of experiments disclosed that as the ZIF-8 ratio increased, the contact angle values decreased. With ZIF-8 addition, the pure water flux of the membranes increased. Besides, the flux recovery ratio value was approximately 85 % for the bare CA membrane, while it increased to above 90 % by blending ZIF-8. Also, in all ZIF-8 doped membranes, a fouling decrease was observed. Importantly, it was observed that the dye removal efficiency increased with the addition of ZIF-8 particles from 95.2 to 97.7 % for Reactive Black 5 dye.

A comprehensive review on Ginger (Zingiber officinale) as a potential source of nutraceuticals for food formulations: Towards the polishing of gingerol and other present biomolecules.

Currently, ginger is one the most consumed plants when dealing with the treatments of various illnesses. So far, it is known that various biologically active molecules, such as gingerols, shogaols and zingerone, among others, are the main responsible for specific biological activities, opening a new window for its utilization as a nutraceutical in foods. In pioneering extraction processes, solvent extraction has been initially used for these applications; however, the drawbacks of this typical extraction method compared with other emergent separation techniques make it possible for the exploration of new extraction pathways, including microwave, ultrasound, supercritical, subcritical and pressurized-assisted extraction, along with three phase partitioning, high-speed counter current chromatography and magnetic solid phase extraction. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report documenting the recent studies and cases of study in this field. Therefore, we comprehensively review the progress and the latest findings (over the last five years) on research developments, including patents and emerging extraction methods, aiming at the purification of biologically active molecules (gingerols, shogaols and zingerone) contained in ginger. Over the course of this review, particular emphasis is devoted to breakthrough strategies and meaningful outcomes in ginger components extraction. Finally, dosage and safety concerns related to ginger extracts are also documented.

Membrane distillation assisting food production processes of thermally sensitive food liquid items: a review.

Physical separation technologies have become important tool for processing in the current food manufacturing industries, especially for the products containing bioactive compounds thanks to their health benefits in costumers. As for the processing of bioactive food ingredients implies the implementation of integrated systems oriented to their separation, fractionation, and recovery. In this field, membrane distillation (MD), which is a thermally driven membrane process, has been proposed as an alternative for the separation and concentration of liquid food items. In principle, MD can separate water and volatile compounds from aqueous feed solutions through a permeate that passes across microporous hydrophobic membranes. The separation via MD is thanks to the vapor pressure difference on both membrane sides. In this review, we analyzed the ongoing experimental efforts aimed to recover and purify food bioactive compounds from the concentration of fruit juices and extracts using MD. Also, the processing of dairy products, concentration of food by-products, and ethanol production and its removal from beverages using MD have been reviewed. Additionally, a feedback on the distinct membrane module configurations and membrane requirements for successful operation is addressed.