Psyllium and okra mucilage as co-carrier wall materials for fenugreek oil encapsulation and its utilization as fat replacers in pan bread and biscuit production.

This study aimed to investigate the potential use of okra and psyllium mucilage as co-carrier wall materials with whey protein and gum Arabic polymers for encapsulation of fenugreek oil to mask its undesirable flavor and promote their health benefits. Particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, morphological properties and fatty acid profiles of crude and encapsulated oils were examined using zeta-sizer, SEM and GC-MS techniques. Crude and encapsulated fenugreek oils were added as functional ingredients during production of pan bread and biscuits. The quality characteristics (baking quality, color and organoleptic properties) of bread and biscuits as well as microbiological properties of bred samples were evaluated. Results showed that the forming microcapsules had sphere particles with the size of 5.05 and 31.64 µm for okra and pysillium mucilage, respectively and had smooth continuous surfaces with no holes or fractures. Fatty acids analysis showed that fenugreek oil is superior functional edible oil, rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The organoleptic properties of products were improved when fat replaced with encapsulated fenugreek oil with okra or psyllium mucilage. Likewise, encapsulated fenugreek oil showed antimicrobial activity in bread samples during storage period. On contrary, Bread and biscuits incorporated with crude fenugreek oil gained the lowest scores for all organoleptic parameters. Regarding these results, encapsulated fenugreek oil presents good fat alternatives in dough formulations with acceptable technological, sensory and antimicrobial properties. However, further investigations still needed regarding the biological activity of encapsulated fenugreek oil and its utilization as a food supplement in other food products.

Methyl cellulose/okra mucilage composite films, functionalized with Hypericum perforatum oil and gentamicin, as a potential wound dressing.

There is a growing demand for the development of functional wound dressings enriched with bioactive natural compounds to improve the quality of life of the population by accelerating the healing process of chronic wounds. In this regard, a functional composite film of okra mucilage (OM) and methylcellulose (MC) incorporated with Hypericum perforatum oil (Hp) and gentamicin (G) was prepared and characterized as a wound dressing. Increasing Hp resulted in improved film properties with a more porous structure, higher WVTR, and lower surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, incorporating Hp into OM:MC films led to increased elongation at the break while reducing the tensile strength of the films. The highest values of total antioxidant capacity (1.09-1.16 mM trolox equivalent) and total phenolic content (13.76-16.94 µg GA equivalent mL-1) were measured in the composite films containing the highest Hp concentration (1.5 %). In addition, OM:MC/HpG composite films exhibited significant antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus and prevented the transmission of these bacteria through the films. Hp incorporation reduced the cytotoxic effects of OM:MC films on BJ cells and increased the wound closure rate in vitro. In conclusion, the developed OM:MC/HpG composite film can be a promising candidate as a novel wound dressing with its superior properties.

Analysis of natural okra extracts as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic medium.

Plant extracts have been shown to effectively inhibit metal corrosion. Using the Box-Behnken design, gravimetric, and electrochemical techniques, analyses were designed to investigate the anti-corrosion potential of okra in a 1M HCl medium. The inhibition performances derived from the various methods were in good agreement, demonstrating that physio-chemisorption was effective and adhered to the Langmuir isotherm model. The efficiency of okra mucilage extract was 96% at a much lower concentration compared to 91.2% and 88.4% for the unsieved extract and gelly-okra filtrate, respectively. FTIR results showed the presence of several functional groups in the okra mucilage extract that are associated with adsorption, and TGA analysis revealed that the extract has high thermal stability. FESEM analysis also supported evidence of adsorption. It was determined that corrosion inhibition by okra mucilage extract was primarily influenced by temperature, followed by extract concentration, with immersion time having the least effect. From the model optimization, it was observed that okra mucilage extract at 200 ppm, 60°C, and 24 h gave an inhibition efficiency of 89.98% and high desirability. These results demonstrate the high capacity of natural okra as an efficient biodegradable corrosion inhibitor.

Capturing the onset of oral processing: Merging of a model food emulsion drop with saliva.

The events occurring before and during the merging of a model liquid food emulsion with saliva have been captured ex vivo using confocal microscopy. In the order of a few seconds, millimeter-sized drops of liquid food and saliva touch and are deformed; the two surfaces eventually collapse, resulting in the merging of the two phases, in a process reminiscent of emulsion droplets coalescing. The model droplets then surge into saliva. Based on this, two distinct stages can be distinguished for the insertion of a liquid food into the oral cavity: A first phase where two intact phases co-exist, and the individual viscosities and saliva-liquid food tribology should be important to texture perception; and a second stage, dominated by the rheological properties of the liquid food-saliva mixture. The importance of the surface properties of saliva and liquid food are highlighted, as they may influence the merging of the two phases.

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of grafted okra for corrosion inhibition of mild steel in acidic medium.

Introduction: Natural plant polymers demonstrate effective corrosion inhibition abilities, because of their numerous binding sites and excellent adsorption abilities. Methodology: In this study, the Box-Behnken method, gravimetric and electrochemical analyses were used to design and investigate the corrosion inhibition potential of a modified graft polymer of okra for mild steel in a 1M HCl medium. The influence of inhibitor concentration, temperature, and time were also investigated. Qualitatively, the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the extracts and evaluate the metal's surface morphology. Results and discussion: The quantitative analyses showed that the modified natural polymer's inhibition efficiency (IE) increased with concentration and reached 73.5% at 800 ppm, with a mixed-type mode of inhibition. From the response surface methodology, it was revealed that temperature influences the IE more than concentration and immersion time. The optimized IE using the desirability function showed the possibility of attaining 88.2% inhibition with inhibitor concentration at 142.3 ppm, temperature at 60.4°C, and an immersion time of 22.4 h. The new functional groups in the hybrid polymer revealed by FTIR analysis shows that grafting improved the inhibitor's adsorption abilities. TGA analysis confirmed the extract's high thermal stability, which highlights the inhibitor's strong adsorption and efficiency for high temperatures. FESEM analysis indicated evidence of inhibitor adsorption onto the metal surface. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the grafting of okra with acrylamide enhances its inhibition properties and contributes to its functionality as a cost-effective plant-based alternative inhibitor against corrosion for mild steel facilities.

Development and Characterization of Novel Biopolymer Derived from Abelmoschus esculentus L. Extract and Its Antidiabetic Potential.

Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) is an important vegetable crop, widely cultivated around the world due to its high nutritional significance along with several health benefits. Different parts of okra including its mucilage have been currently studied for its role in various therapeutic applications. Therefore, we aimed to develop and characterize the okra mucilage biopolymer (OMB) for its physicochemical properties as well as to evaluate its in vitro antidiabetic activity. The characterization of OMB using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that okra mucilage containing polysaccharides lies in the bandwidth of 3279 and 1030 cm-1, which constitutes the fingerprint region of the spectrum. In addition, physicochemical parameters such as percentage yield, percentage solubility, and swelling index were found to be 2.66%, 96.9%, and 5, respectively. A mineral analysis of newly developed biopolymers showed a substantial amount of calcium (412 mg/100 g), potassium (418 mg/100 g), phosphorus (60 mg/100 g), iron (47 mg/100 g), zinc (16 mg/100 g), and sodium (9 mg/100 g). The significant antidiabetic potential of OMB was demonstrated using α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory assay. Further investigations are required to explore the newly developed biopolymer for its toxicity, efficacy, and its possible utilization in food, nutraceutical, as well as pharmaceutical industries.

Quality-by-design approach for development of sustained-release multiple-unit beads of lamotrigine based on ion-cross-linked composite of pectin and okra mucilage: An in vitro appraisal.

The main objective of the present study was to develop a sustained release multiple-unit beads of lamotrigine based on ionotropically cross-linked natural polysaccharides such as pectin (PTN) and okra mucilage (OM) and optimize the polymer-concentration, polymer ratio and cross-linker concentration by 23 full factorial design. Two different levels of three independent variables (total polymer concentration, polymer ratio and [CaCl2]) were considered for the experimental design. Drug-polymers compatibility was examined by FTIR, DSC, TGA and powder-XRD. The surface morphology of the bead before and after dissolution test was examined by SEM. Effects of the independent variables on bead-size, drug-encapsulation-efficiency (DEE), drug-release along with release similarity and difference factors were examined. The independent variables were then numerically optimized using Design-Expert software (Version 12) with the targets to meet USP-reference release profile after the analysis of variance of all the response parameters such as DEE, percent drug release at 2 h, 5 h, 12 h, Korsmeyer-Peppas rate constant, release similarity and difference factors. The optimized formulation showed excellent DEE of 89.2 ± 4.4% and a sustained release profile with release similarity factor of 94.9. Kinetic modeling of drug release data demonstrated a release mechanism combined of hydration, diffusion and erosion.

Microsphere formulations of ambroxol hydrochloride: influence of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) mucilage as a sustained release polymer.

Ambroxol hydrochloride (AH), a secretion-releasing expectorant, is a good candidate for sustained delivery. Mucilages are biodegradable, inexpensive carriers in microsphere formulations. The study aimed to prepare microspheres of AH using Okra mucilage obtained from pods of Abelmoschus esculentus combined with sodium alginate at various polymer/drug ratios. Okra mucilage was characterized for morphology, swelling, viscosity and flow properties. AH microspheres were prepared by ionic emulsification method and characterized using size, entrapment efficiency, swelling index and dissolution time (t50). A full 2 by 3 factorial experimental design using three factors (Okra mucilage/alginate ratio X1; drug/polymer ratio X2; and polymer concentration X3), each at two levels, was used to determine the effects of formulation variables on the responses. Optimized formulations of AH microspheres had sizes ranging from 250.91 ± 16.22 to 462.10 ± 23.85 µm; swelling index 1.35 ± 0.05 and 3.20 ± 0.03 and entrapment 55.70 ± 3.55-94.11 ± 4.50%. The microspheres exhibited sustained release of AH over a prolonged period as revealed by the dissolution time (t50) 2.85 ± 1.03-7.50 ± 0.96 h. Drug release kinetics generally followed zero order, implying that the process is constant and independent of the initial concentration of drug. Polymer concentration had the highest influence on microsphere size, entrapment efficiency and dissolution time while Okra/alginate ratio had the highest influence on swelling. Okra mucilage was a suitable polymer that could serve as an alternative to synthetic polymers in sustaining the release of ambroxol hydrochloride.

Colorimetric film based on polyvinyl alcohol/okra mucilage polysaccharide incorporated with rose anthocyanins for shrimp freshness monitoring.

In this work, a colorimetric film was designed for shrimp freshness monitoring by incorporating rose anthocyanins (RAs) in polyvinyl alcohol/okra mucilage polysaccharide (PVA/OMP) composite film. The presence of OMP changed the film-forming solution from Newtonian to non-Newtonian fluid. The addition of OMP and RAs decreased the crystalline of PVA due to the hydrogen bonds among RAs, OMP and PVA. An appropriate content of RAs and OMP could improve the film mechanical and barrier properties. The colorimetric film showed distinguishable color changes at pH 2-12 and was high sensitive to volatile ammonia. The target film of PVA/OMP-RAs could effectively monitor shrimp freshness in real time and the color changes were easily distinguished by naked eye, suggesting its potential in intelligent packaging for freshness monitoring of aquatic products and meat foods.

Extraction and characterization of polysaccharides from tamarind seeds, rice mill residue, okra waste and sugarcane bagasse for its Bio-thermoplastic properties.

The aim of the present study is to extract potential thermoplastic polysaccharides from agricultural industrial wastes. Polysaccharides were extracted from renewable agro industrial wastes such as tamarind seeds [rich in starch (TSS)], okra head waste [rich in mucilage polysaccharide (OMP)], sugarcane bagasse [rich in cellulose (SBC)] and residual rice mill wastes [rich in starch and fiber (RS)]. Urigam variety of tamarind seed starch found to be an amylose rich starch. Different polysaccharides extracted from agro wastes were found to be having high thermal stability, except okra polysaccharide (comparatively low). X-ray diffraction pattern of tamarind seed starch proved its high crystallinity index. Crystallinity index of investigated polysaccharides were found to be in the order of SBC > TSS > RS > OMP. Chemical nature of extracted polysaccharides was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis. Residual rice bran starch granules and tamarind seed starch globules were found to be having comparatively reduced particle size than sugarcane bagasse cellulose and okra mucilage. Scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed the cluster formations of RS granules and TSS globules. Residual rice bran starch found to be associated with other fibers (present in outer coat of rice). Okra mucilage and SBC were examined to be having linear sheets and linear bundles structures, respectively.

Nanocomposite films based on CMC, okra mucilage and ZnO nanoparticles: Physico mechanical and antibacterial properties.

This work examined the physico mechanical parameters and antibacterial activity of CMC/okra mucilage (OM) blend films containing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). Different proportions of CMC and okra mucilage (100/0; 70/30; 60/40 and 50/50 respectively), were mixed and casted to posterior analysis of formed films. The more colored films were obtained by higher contents of okra mucilage and adding ZnO nanoparticles. The incorporation of ZnO NPs into CMC film decreased the elongation at the break (EB) value of the films and increased the tensile strength (TS) value of the film. With increase in CMC concentration in the films, higher water vapor permeability and higher solubility in water were achieved. Microstructure analysis using SEM showed a smooth and compact surface morphology, homogeneous structure, and a rough surface for CMC, CMC+ZnO, and CMC/OM30%+ZnO, respectively. Nanocomposite films presented antibacterial activity against tested bacteria. Films contained okra mucilage showed more antibacterial activity. The inhibitory activities of resultant films were stronger against S. aureus than E. coli.

Effect of natural polymers on the survival of Lactobacillus casei encapsulated in alginate microspheres.

Linseed and okra mucilages, the fungal exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran, and commercial fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) were used to microencapsulate Lactobacillus casei LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93 in sodium alginate microspheres by the extrusion technique in calcium chloride. The addition of carbohydrate biopolymers from linseed, okra and the fungal exocellular (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-ß-D-glucan, named botryosphaeran provided higher encapsulation efficiency (EE) (>93% and >86%) for L. casei LC 01 and L. casei BGP 93, respectively. The use of linseed, okra and botryosphaeran improved the stability of probiotics encapsulated in the microspheres during the storage period over 15 d at 5 °C when compared to microspheres formulated with sodium alginate alone as the main encapsulating agent (p ≤ 0.05). In in vitro gastrointestinal simulation tests, the use of FOS combined with linseed mucilage was shown to be more effective in protecting L. casei cells LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93.