Creaming behavior prediction of argan oil in water emulsion stabilized by lacto-fermentation: creaming index.

BACKGROUND: In order to improve the taste acceptability of certain nutritional oils, it has been decided in this study to introduce them in an emulsion whose surfactant is casein, then to carry out a lacto-fermentation, leading to a dairy-like product with added nutritional value and health benefit. In this context, a plan of mixtures has been proposed for the preparation of emulsions based on argan oil, sodium caseinate and starch, with concentrations ranged between (10-20%) and (0-2%) and (0-1.5%) respectively. All emulsions were homogenized at two high stirring velocities (10,000-20,000 rpm) and two stirring times (5-20 min). The physical stability was assessed by visual analysis and microstructural measurements. The Creaming index was calculated for selected emulsions to predict their creaming behavior. RESULTS: All emulsions showed a creaming behavior except one emulsion that required the highest values of all factors, which showed the highest creaming index with an average particle size of 11.27 µm. The absence or the variation of one or all factors led to various degrees of instabilities verified in all other emulsions. Due to the synergistic action of all parameters, the emulsion stability was attributed to the reduction of droplets size, the increase of continuous phase viscosity and the decrease of coalescence. CONCLUSION: The parameters that played a major role in the stability of the emulsion consists of: stirring velocity and time, sodium caseinate/oil ratio and starch/sodium caseinate ratio. The underlying structure and the interaction of the fluid droplets within the solid like product is what holds the stability of the product against settling or separation during fermentation.

Syneresis investigations of lacto-fermented sodium caseinate in a mixed model system.

BACKGROUND: The textural characteristics of fermented dairy products are important quality parameters that play a major role in their stability and consumer's acceptance. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sodium caseinate, starch, lactose and lactic acid bacteria as ferment on the syneresis in a mixed model system, and to evaluate their impact on the acid gel formation throughout pH and zeta potential monitoring. Accordingly, a protocol was designed to perform an experimental design by using a mixture of the selected factors. RESULTS: A significant decrease of syneresis was detected in all mixtures at 8% of sodium caseinate, ranging between a minimum of 1.8% and a maximum of 20.6% compared to the mixtures at 3% of sodium caseinate in which the syneresis decrease had ranged between a minimum of 22.2% and a maximum of 47.8%. The addition of starch had a significant impact on the acidification profile and on the syneresis of the fermented mixed model. Moreover, the monitoring of pH and zeta potential during the lacto-fermentation process has also led to a better understanding of the acid gelation and the syneresis variations. CONCLUSION: Syneresis varies very closely with sodium caseinate concentration, starch concentration and also with their association, regardless of the concentrations of lactose and ferment. In fact syneresis could be reduced to an optimum level if a sodium caseinate-starch mixed system is employed: Less syneresis gels could be obtained at a sodium caseinate concentration above 5% if starch is used above 1%.

Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173010 on Chinese constipated women.

AIM: To investigate the effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173010 and yogurt strains (BIO(R)) on adult women with constipation in Beijing. METHODS: A total of 135 adult females with constipation were randomly allocated to consume for 2 wk either 100 g of the test fermented milk or 100 g of an acidified milk containing non-living bacteria (control). Stool frequency, defecation condition scores, stool consistency and food intake were recorded at baseline and after 1 and 2 wk in an intention-to-treat population of 126 subjects. In parallel, safety evaluation parameters were performed. RESULTS: At baseline, no differences were found between groups. Following consumption of test product, stool frequency was significantly increased after 1 wk (3.5 +/- 1.5 vs 2.4 +/- 0.6, P < 0.01) and 2 wk (4.1 +/- 1.7 vs 2.4 +/- 0.6, P < 0.01), vs baseline. Similarly, after 1 and 2 wk, of test product consumption, defecation condition (1.1 +/- 0.9 vs 1.9 +/- 1.2, P < 0.01 and 0.8 +/- 1.0 vs 1.9 +/- 1.2, P < 0.01, respectively) and stool consistency (1.0 +/- 0.8 vs 1.5 +/- 1.1, P < 0.01 and 0.6 +/- 0.8 vs 1.5 +/- 1.1, P < 0.01, respectively) were significantly improved. Compared with the control group, stool frequency was also significantly increased (3.5 +/- 1.5 vs 2.5 +/- 0.9, P < 0.01 and 4.1 +/- 1.7 vs 2.6 +/- 1.0, P < 0.01, respectively), and defecation condition (1.1 +/- 0.9 vs 1.6 +/- 1.1, P < 0.01 and 0.8 +/- 1.0 vs 1.6 +/- 1.1, P < 0.01, respectively) and stool consistency (1.0 +/- 0.8 vs 1.4 +/- 1.0, P < 0.05 and 0.6 +/- 0.8 vs 1.3 +/- 1.0, P < 0.01, respectively) significantly decreased after 1 and 2 wk of product consumption. During the same period, food intake did not change between the two groups, and safety parameters of the subjects were within normal ranges. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a beneficial effect of a fermented milk containing B. lactis DN-173010 on stool frequency, defecation condition and stool consistency in adult women with constipation constipated women after 1 and 2 wk of consumption.

Annexin 1 is secreted in situ during ulcerative colitis in humans.

Although annexin l exerts extracellular anti-inflammatory properties, little is known about its release in inflammatory diseases. Here, we characterized annexin 1 secretion in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Annexin 1 was detected by immunoblotting, in tissue homogenates and supernatants of colonic biopsies incubated in culture media, and in luminal colonic perfusates of UC patients. Annexin 1 was released by inflamed colonic biopsies from patients having severe UC but not by biopsies from healthy colon of the same patient or by biopsies from non-UC patients or from patients with slight or moderate UC. Annexin 1 was detected in luminal colonic perfusates of patients having moderate or slight UC but not in perfusates from control patients. The level of annexin 1 expression and secretion was unrelated to long-term glucocorticoid treatment, but annexin 1 secretion in perfusates was induced, in some patients, by short-term glucocorticoid exposure. These results show that annexin 1 is secreted endogenously in the colon of patients with UC. This secretion, which occurs both in vitro and in vivo, depends on the severity of inflammation. Given the anti-inflammatory effects of annexin 1, this protein may serve to down-regulate the inflammatory response in the course of inflammatory bowel disease.

Frequent deletions of tumor suppressor genes in pure pancreatic juice from patients with tumoral or nontumoral pancreatic diseases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: K-ras codon 12 mutation is the most frequent genetic alteration in pancreatic cancer. Sensitivity and specificity of K-ras are not high enough to detect all pancreatic cancers, especially at early stage. This study investigated whether detection of p16 and/or DPC4 deletions along with K-ras mutation in DNA samples could improve the definition of patients at risk of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: K-ras mutations were investigated by sequencing. p16 and DPC4 homozygous deletions were studied using comparative multiplex polymerase chain reaction of DNA in pancreatic juice sampled during endoscopic retrograde pancreatography in 57 patients with either pancreatic cancer (group I, 18 patients), chronic pancreatitis (group II, 20 patients), or nontumoral pancreatobiliary disease (group III, 19 patients). RESULTS: The frequencies of Ki-ras mutations were 61% in group I, 10% in group II, and 10.5% in group III. The frequencies of p16 exon 2 and DPC4 deletions were, respectively, 28 and 36% in group I, 50 and 58% in group II, and 24 and 36% in group III. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of p16 and DPC4 deletions with K-ras mutation does not improve the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer based on K-ras mutation alone. These data suggest that tumor suppressor gene inactivation can occur with a high frequency during nonmalignant pancreatic diseases.