Enhanced bioaccessibility and stability of iron through W/O/W double emulsion-based solid lipid nanoparticles and coating with water-soluble chitosan.

W/O/W double emulsion-based iron-solid lipid nanoparticles (Fe-SLNs) and water-soluble chitosan-coated Fe-SLNs (WSC-Fe-SLNs) were developed to increase the bioaccessibility and stability of iron. Fe-SLNs exhibited a small diameter (158.17 ± 0.72 nm) and adequate zeta potential (-34.31 ± 0.41 mV) to maintain stable dispersion. The coating with WSC resulted in an increase in particle diameter (up to 226.13 ± 1.97 nm) and change of zeta potential to positive value (+47.83 ± 1.24 mV) because of the amine groups of chitosan. The lipid peroxidation of the Fe-SLNs and WSC-Fe-SLNs was substantially lower than that of pure iron. Both Fe-SLNs and WSC-Fe-SLNs were also able to protect the encapsulated iron in simulated gastric fluid, while effectively releasing almost 80% of the iron in simulated intestinal fluid. The Fe-SLNs and WSC-Fe-SLNs showed a great potential as functional materials to apply to various food industries through enhancement of physical stability and bioaccessibility of the encapsulated iron.

Improvement of the UV Barrier and Antibacterial Properties of Crosslinked Pectin/Zinc Oxide Bionanocomposite Films.

Pectin-based antibacterial bionanocomposite films were prepared by crosslinking with calcium chloride (CaCl2) and mixing with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) at various concentrations (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% w/w, based on pectin). Crosslinking with 1% CaCl2 significantly (p < 0.05) improved the tensile strength of the pectin films, although their elongation at break was decreased. The UV-light barrier property of the pectin/ZnO bionanocomposite films was significantly (p < 0.05) improved with increasing ZnO-NP concentrations. In addition, the bionanocomposite films incorporating 1.5% ZnO-NPs showed excellent antibacterial effects against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, inhibiting over 99% of the bacteria. Therefore, the developed crosslinked pectin/ZnO bionanocomposite films show great potential as active packaging materials with excellent UV-blocking and antibacterial properties.

Improvement of thermal and UV-light stability of ß-carotene-loaded nanoemulsions by water-soluble chitosan coating.

ß-Carotene is a vitamin A precursor and antioxidant with well-known health benefits; however, it is unstable and poorly soluble in water. In this study, ß-carotene-loaded nanoemulsions (BC-NEs) and water-soluble chitosan-coated BC-NEs (WSC-BC-NEs) were prepared to improve the stability of ß-carotene against high temperature and UV-light. WSC-BC-NEs were round droplets with two distinct layers and an average diameter of 218 nm and zeta potential of +40 mV. The thermal and UV light stability of the WSC-BC-NEs were improved compared to those of both free ß-carotene and BC-NEs. Free ß-carotene degraded readily during storage, particularly when exposed to high temperature and UV light. By contrast, the WSC-BC-NEs retained 82.0% of ß-carotene after 21 days of storage at 37 °C, and 77.6% after 21 days of UV light exposure (253 nm) at room temperature. Furthermore, compared with the BC-NEs, the WSC-BC-NEs improved the thermal stability of ß-carotene by about 45.1% after 21 days at 37 °C, and by 28.6% after 21 days of UV light exposure (253 nm). Therefore, the WSC-BC-NEs effectively increased the stability of the encapsulated ß-carotene, and show potential for application in the food and beverage industries.

Fortification of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid and γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Homogenized Hydroponic Ginseng Co-Fermented by Bacillus subtilis HA and Lactobacillus plantarum EJ2014.

Homogenized hydroponic ginseng (HG) fortified with poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was produced by a two-step fermentation using Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus plantarum. For optimized production of bioactive compounds, the precursor monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) as well as nutrients such as glucose and skim milk were added. The homogenized HG was pH 6.93 and had an acidity of 0.08%, and viable cell count of 6.13 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL. The first (alkaline) fermentation was performed at 42°C for 2 days in the presence of 5% MSG and 2% glucose. The fermented HG was pH 8.08 and had an acidity of 0.03%, a mucilage of 2.13%, a consistency of 0.79 Pa·sn, and viable cell count of 8.53 log CFU/mL. For the second (lactic) fermentation, the fermented HG was fortified with 5% skim milk, inoculated with 7.54 log CFU/mL of L. plantarum EJ2014, and was incubated at 30°C for 5 days; the resulting in pH 5.63 and had and acidity of 0.35, and viable cell count of 6.71 log CFU/mL (B. subtilis) and 9.23 log CFU/mL (L. plantarum). Moreover, MSG was completely bio-converted with producing 1.03% GABA. Therefore, novel co-fermentation using B. subtilis HA and L. plantarum EJ2014 fortified HG with functional components including γ-PGA, GABA, peptides, and probiotics.

Improvement of curcuminoid bioaccessibility from turmeric by a nanostructured lipid carrier system.

Turmeric contains curcumin and its analogues, which show anticancer and antiinflammatory effects; however, curcuminoids are lipophilic and are poorly absorbed by the human body. Nanostructured lipid carriers for encapsulating whole turmeric powder were successfully produced by ultrasonication, and their physicochemical properties and stability in simulated gastric and intestinal media were evaluated. The turmeric nanostructured lipid carriers (TNLCs) exhibited a round shape, small diameter (282 ±â€¯7.19 nm), adequate zeta potential (-22.75 ±â€¯1.20 mV), and high encapsulation efficiency (93.3 ±â€¯0.01%). The TNLCs were able to protect the encapsulated curcuminoids under acidic gastric conditions, and effectively released 95 ±â€¯2.51% of the curcuminoids in the simulated intestinal medium, demonstrating their suitability for controlled release. The in vitro bioaccessibility of the encapsulated curcuminoids was 75 ±â€¯1.24%, representing more than a fourfold increase compared to that of free turmeric. Therefore, the proposed TNLCs are a promising delivery system for increasing the bioaccessibility of curcuminoids from turmeric.

Development of nanostructured lipid carriers for the encapsulation and controlled release of vitamin D3.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for encapsulating vitamin D3 (VD3), a lipophilic vitamin, were successfully fabricated by hot high pressure homogenization. The physicochemical properties of the VD3-NLCs were characterized, and the release profiles of VD3 in simulated gastrointestinal fluids were investigated. Optimum VD3-NLCs were obtained with a small diameter (132.9nm), a high zeta potential (-41.90mV), and a high encapsulation efficiency (85.6%). The stability of the VD3-NLCs was tested during 20days of storage at 25°C under a wide range of pHs. In vitro digestion in simulated gastrointestinal fluids demonstrated their capability for controlled release because the NLCs were able to remain stable and protect the VD3 in simulated stomach fluid, but released more than 90% of the VD3 in simulated intestinal fluid. Therefore, the developed NLCs are promising carriers for increasing the oral bioavailability of VD3.

Application of QuEChERS for Determining Xenobiotics in Foods of Animal Origin.

The use of pesticides and veterinary drugs results in the appearance of residues of xenobiotics in foods. Thus, several methods have been developed for monitoring them; however, most are tedious and expensive. By contrast, the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology involves a microextraction that yields small samples and has been applied for the analysis of various xenobiotics including pesticides, antibiotics, and mycotoxins. QuEChERS has shown advantages over other techniques including fast sample preparation, reduced needs for reagents and labware, and versatility. This approach allows the simultaneous determination of pesticides with various polarities and volatilities and can be easily modified for the analysis of a wide range of xenobiotics in various matrices including animal products rich in fat. Nevertheless, to attain high recoveries, the extraction, cleanup, and concentration steps have to be optimized according to the target compounds and matrix. Hence, QuEChERS is a promising and environmentally friendly methodology for the high-throughput routine analysis of xenobiotics in animal products. This review focuses on the application of QuEChERS to foods of animal origin and describes recent developments for the optimization of the analysis of veterinary drugs, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other compounds of concern.

Inhibitory effect of Zizania latifolia chloroform fraction on allergy-related mediator production in RBL-2H3 cells.

Zizania latifolia exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects; however, the mechanisms behind these effects are unknown. Here the ethanol extract of Z. latifolia was partitioned using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. Subsequently, the anti-allergic effects of these fractions were evaluated in vitro. The results showed that the chloroform fraction of Z. latifolia inhibited the release of ß-hexosaminidase and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) from RBL-2H3 cells stimulated with dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA). In addition, this fraction suppressed the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The results obtained suggest that the chloroform fraction of Z. latifolia inhibited mast cell-mediated allergic inflammatory responses.

Development of Turmeric Extract Nanoemulsions and Their Incorporation into Canned Ham.

In this study, a nanoemulsion formulation for encapsulating turmeric extract was developed and its physicochemical characteristics including particle diameter, zeta potential, polydispersity index, and stability were determined. The turmeric nanoemulsion (TE-NE) droplets exhibited small diameter (165 nm), low PDI (0.17), and high zeta potential (-31.80 mV), all desirable characteristics in nanoemulsions, as well as stability in a wide range of pH. The TE-NE was spray-dried as a means to allow its incorporation into food products and reduce potential transport and storage costs. The resulting powder exhibited a pale yellowish appearance and had a curcuminoids content of 0.39 mg/g. The spray-dried TE-NE powder was incorporated into minced pork to make canned ham, and the sensory characteristics of the ham were evaluated. As a result, the canned ham incorporating TE-NE powder received the same overall acceptability score as the control, and only exhibited slight yellowing. By contrast, ham incorporating turmeric extract exhibited substantial yellowing, and its appearance was considered less acceptable by the panelists. Therefore, the TE-NE formulation could be incorporated into canned ham and other meat products without substantially affecting their sensory qualities.

Changes in the bound aroma profiles of 'Hayward' and 'Hort16A' kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) during ripening and GC-olfactometry analysis.

Bound volatiles are recognised as a potential source of aroma compounds in fruits. In this study, the bound volatiles of Actinidia deliciosa 'Hayward' and A. chinensis 'Hort16A' were studied at three different ripening stages. The bound volatile content tended to increase as the fruit ripened from under-ripe to ripe, and then decreased in over-ripe fruit. Glycosides of (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and hexanol (green-note volatiles) were present in considerable amounts. ß-Glucosidase activity in 'Hayward' and 'Hort16A' remained fairly constant throughout ripening. GC-olfactometry analysis of the hydrolysates of ripe 'Hayward' and 'Hort16A' revealed the presence of 2-phenylethanol, ß-damascenone, vanillin and 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF). This is the first report of DMHF in 'Hayward' kiwifruit. For both 'Hayward' and 'Hort16A', the odour-active compounds found in the bound volatile extracts were different from those reported as contributors to the aroma of the ripe fruit, suggesting that bound volatiles are probably not significant contributors to the aroma of ripe kiwifruit.

Characterisation of bound volatile compounds of a low flavour kiwifruit species: Actinidia eriantha.

Aroma compounds in fruit are known to occur in free and glycosidically bound forms. The bound volatile fraction of a low flavour kiwifruit species, Actinidia eriantha, was studied. The fruit have a bland and grassy flavour. Glycosidic precursors were isolated from juice by adsorption onto an Amberlite XAD-2 column. After enzymatic hydrolysis with Rapidase AR2000, the released aglycones were analysed by GC-MS. Alcohols, terpenoids and phenolics were the most numerously represented compound classes. Alcohols, benzenoids and phenolics showed the highest concentrations. Major compounds were 2-phenylethanol, furfuryl alcohol, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, coniferyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol and linolenic acid. Several of the bound compounds found, including linoleic, linolenic and benzoic acids and coniferyl alcohol, are precursors of odorous volatiles. Many compounds detected as bound volatiles have not been previously reported as free volatiles in A. eriantha. The bound volatile composition of A. eriantha also showed differences with those of other kiwifruit species.

Characterization of the bound volatile extract from baby kiwi (Actinidia arguta).

The glycosidically bound volatile fraction of baby kiwi ( Actinidia arguta ) was studied. Glycosidic precursors were isolated from juice by adsorption onto an Amberlite XAD-2 column. After enzymatic hydrolysis with Rapidase AR2000, the released aglycones were analyzed by GC-MS. Alcohols, terpenoids, and benzenoids were the most abundant compound classes. Aromatic compounds and norisoprenoids showed the highest concentrations. Major compounds were 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (Furaneol), benzyl alcohol, 3-hydroxy-ß-damascone, hexanal, and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. Precursors of aroma compounds including benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, and coniferyl alcohol were also found. Eugenol, raspberry ketone, and 4-vinylguaiacol were identified for the first time in the fruit of an Actinidia species. The high concentration of 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone in bound form (95.36 µg/kg) is particularly interesting and justifies further investigation.