Scope and challenges of seaweed utilization in food and nutraceutical industry in India: a review.

Seaweeds are an excellent source of unique antioxidant phytochemicals, dietary fibres, essential amino acids, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals. The presence of such structurally diverse and high value bioactive compounds has led to popularization of seaweed as functional food ingredient in global health supplement market. India, with a long coastline of 8100 km and exclusive economic zone of 2.17 million km2, is rich in diverse seaweed resources belonging to almost 700 species. However, food and nutraceutical application of Indian seaweed is highly constrained. Apart from Kappaphycus alvarezii, there is no systematic commercial cultivation of seaweed in India. The regulatory framework for use of seaweed as food is still developing and consumer acceptance is still low. However, there is a timely and renewed interest from different government agencies and research organisations to develop a thriving food and nutraceutical industry using India's vast seaweed resources. The review briefly describes the nutritional and functional food potential of the seaweed and goes on to discuss the scope of seaweed utilization in food and nutraceutical industry in India. Further, the review has identified the regulatory challenges and quality control requirements for use of seaweeds in food and nutraceuticals.

Proteoglycans in breast cancer, identification and characterization by LC-MS/MS assisted proteomics approach: A review.

PURPOSE: Proteoglycans (PGs) are negatively charged macromolecules containing a core protein and single or several glycosaminoglycan chains attached by covalent bond. They are distributed in all tissues, including extracellular matrix (ECM), cell surface, and basement membrane. They are involved in major pathways and cell signalling cascades which modulate several vital physiological functions of the body. They have also emerged as a target molecule for cancer treatment and as possible biomarkers for early cancer detection. Among cancers, breast cancer is a highly invasive and heterogenous type and has become the major cause of mortality especially among women. So, this review revisits the studies on PGs characterization in breast cancer using LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach, which will be further helpful for identification of potential PGs-based biomarkers or therapeutic targets. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: There is a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the use of LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approaches to identify and characterize PGs in breast cancer. RESULTS: LC-MS/MS assisted PGs characterization in breast cancer revealed the vital PGs in breast cancer invasion and progression. In addition, comprehensive profiling and characterization of PGs in breast cancer are efficiently carried out by this approach. CONCLUSIONS: Proteomics techniques including LC-MS/MS-based identification of proteoglycans is effectively carried out in breast cancer research. Identification of expression at different stages of breast cancer is a major challenge, and LC-MS/MS-based profiling of PGs can boost novel strategies to treat breast cancer, which involve targeting PGs, and also aid early diagnosis using PGs as biomarkers.

Maxillofacial Soft-tissue Healing Efficacy between Nano-chitosan and Collagen-Chitosan Membrane - A Comparative Study.

Introduction: Routine wound management in maxillofacial trauma with soft-tissue injury needs to be addressed in a systematic way to prevent untoward complications. In this study, we examined the effects of a novel surgical dressing material on pain, wound healing and scar and its feasibility to common people. Our aim is to compare the efficacy and potency of the nano-chitosan membrane and collagen-chitosan membrane as surgical dressing materials for soft-tissue wounds in the maxillofacial region. Materials and Methods: Thirty participants who sustained soft-tissue injury in the maxillofacial region were included in the study. Post-suturing, Group A participants were treated with nano-chitosan membrane impregnated with chlorhexidine, Group B participants were treated with collagen-chitosan membrane impregnated with chlorhexidine and Group C participants had received chlorhexidine powder as conventional wound care management and recalled and evaluated for wound healing, pain and scar at seventh day, one month and three months postoperatively. Results: The wound healing efficacy of both Group A and B participants was nearly comparable and Group A had better wound healing (P = 0.043) when compared to conventional chlorhexidine dressing material. In relation to pain intensity, Group A was reported with a low intensity of pain and also with better results in scar assessment at the third-month follow-up. Discussion: This study had proven that even though the wound healing efficacy of both nano-chitosan and collagen-chitosan membranes is nearly comparable, nano-chitosan shows better results on the evaluation of parameters such as wound healing, pain and scar. Nano-chitosan membrane has better wound healing when compared to conventional chlorhexidine dressing material.

Sardine oil loaded vanillic acid grafted chitosan microparticles improves the in vivo antioxidant, haematological and lipid profile.

Oxidative stability of fish oil supplements poses a considerable health risk which can be prevented by novel delivery systems. A newly developed formulation of microencapsulated sardine oil showed excellent oxidative stability in vitro. The present study's objective is to evaluate the new formulation in vivo as a potential new supplement which may improve antioxidant, haematological, and lipid profile. The optimisation of the sardine oil loaded microparticles (SO-M) and the characterisation have been presented briefly. The SO-M formulation was fed to male albino rats for two months. Following the feeding experiment, haemoglobin content, platelet and RBC count were assessed in the control and treated group. Similarly, levels of serum cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and metabolic enzyme biomarkers, namely catalase, SOD, GST, AST, ALT, ACP and ALP, were compared. The blood analysis showed a significant increase in haemoglobin, platelets and RBC count in the treated group. Lipid profiling showed that both triglycerides and LDL levels were decreased in the sample treated group. This study also showed significant modulation of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, SOD and GST. The new formulation of PUFA rich sardine oil significantly improved the in vivo antioxidant, haematological and lipid profile, suggesting potential use as a dietary supplement. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05329-5.

Phlorotannins-bioactivity and extraction perspectives.

Phlorotannins, a seaweed based class of polyphenolic compounds, have proven to possess potential bioactivities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-allergic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, neuroprotection etc. These bioactivities have further increased demand globally and sustainable techniques such as supercritical fluid extraction, microwave assisted extraction, enzyme assisted extraction, extraction using deep eutectic solvents etc. are being explored currently for production of phlorotannin-rich extracts. In spite of such well documented bioactivities, very few phlorotannin-based nutraceuticals are available commercially which highlights the significance of generating consumer awareness about their physiological benefits. However, for industry level commercialization accurate quantification of phlorotannins with respect to the different classes is vital requiring sophisticated analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry, 1H-NMR spectroscopy etc. owing to the wide structural diversity. This review summarizes the extraction and bioactivities of phlorotannins based on the findings of in vivo and in vitro studies.

In vivo anti-lipidemic and antioxidant potential of collagen peptides obtained from great hammerhead shark skin waste.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of fish collagen peptides (FCP) derived from the skin of great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) in attenuating the high fat diet-alcohol induced hyperlipidemia. The oral supplementation of FCP in high fat diet-alcohol fed experimental rats confirmed the regulation of body weight to normal level. The FCP treated group revealed the efficient lipid lowering ability by enhancing the cholesterol metabolism. Western blot analysis of the lipid metabolic enzymes revealed that the oral-intake of FCP has down-regulated the expression levels of fatty acid synthase and 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR). Simultaneously, the expression levels of Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in liver was up-regulated. Histopathology analysis of liver tissues demonstrated that the FCP treated group maintained normal liver parenchyma with moderate inflammatory infiltration, whereas the statin treated group developed centrilobular fibrosis, atrophy of hepatocytes and moderate inflammatory infiltration. Oral dietary supplementation of FCP enhanced the activity levels of both superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes and, lowered the levels of lipid peroxidation in liver tissues. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05118-0.

Antioxidant defense of fish collagen peptides attenuates oxidative stress in gastric mucosa of experimentally ulcer-induced rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of fish collagen peptides (FCP) from the skin of great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) to avert the occurrence of gastric ulcer in experimental rats. FCP treatment prevented the formation of ulcerative lesions on gastric tissues with 86% of inhibition. The histopathology analysis of gastric tissue revealed that the FCP intake prevented the occurrence of hemorrhage and erosion in gastric tissue with formation of mild edema and necrosis, as well as normalized the pH and volume of gastric juice. It also downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory marker interferon-ɤ (IFN-ɤ) and upregulated the anti-inflammatory marker interleukin-4 (IL-4) in gastric tissue. FCP is capable to modulate the oxidative stress by enhancing the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and by lowering the levels of membrane lipid peroxidation.

Iron-Enriched Fish Powder Improved Haemoglobin Levels in Adolescent Girls of West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India.

This study was carried out to assess the efficacy of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA) salt-enriched fish powder in addressing iron deficiency in adolescent anaemic girls. This was a 60-day randomised double-blinded, controlled intervention trial involving 123 girls age ranging from 10 to 19 years in three villages of West Jaintia Hills District of State of Meghalaya in India using soup made out of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA)-enriched fish powder (250 mg/100 g). The influence of the iron-enriched powder on blood haemoglobin levels and serum iron was determined. The research also analysed the food consumed by the study subjects during the study period and it was found that there were no significant differences between the iron-enriched and control groups. The results indicated that the girls predominantly consumed cereals with little fruits, vegetables and meat. On an average, 100 ml of soup prepared out of 10 g of fish powder per day was consumed that theoretically provided about 25 mg of iron each day. Following intervention, all the participants in the group that consumed soup made out of NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder had significantly higher haemoglobin levels and serum iron and a lower prevalence of anaemia than the control group. The effects of NaFeEDTA salt-enriched fish powder were statistically significant and it can be inferred that NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder was highly effective in controlling iron deficiency and reducing the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among the adolescent girls.

Nanoencapsulation in low-molecular-weight chitosan improves in vivo antioxidant potential of black carrot anthocyanin.

BACKGROUND: Anthocyanins are flavonoids that are potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-carcinogenic nutraceutical ingredients. However, low chemical stability and low bioavailability limit the use of anthocyanins in food. Nanoencapsulation using biopolymers is a recent successful strategy for stabilization of anthocyanins. This study reports the development, characterization, and antioxidant activity of black carrot anthocyanin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ACNPs). RESULTS: The ionic gelation technique yielded the ACNPs. The mean hydrodynamic diameter d and polydispersity index PDI of chitosan nanoparticles and ACNPs were found to be d = 455 nm and PDI = 0.542 respectively for chitosan nanoparticles and d = 274 nm and PDI = 0.376 respectively for ACNPs. The size distribution was bimodal. The surface topography revealed that the ACNPs are spherical and display a coacervate structure. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed physicochemical interactions of anthocyanins with chitosan. The loading process could achieve an encapsulation efficiency of 70%. The flow behavior index η of encapsulated ACNPs samples revealed Newtonian and shear thickening characteristics. There was a marginal reduction in the in vitro antioxidant potential of anthocyanins after nanoencapsulation, as evidenced from 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. Interestingly, the in vivo antioxidant potential of anthocyanins improved following nanoencapsulation, as observed in the serum antioxidant assays. CONCLUSION: The optimized nanoencapsulation process resulted in spherical nanoparticles with appreciable encapsulation efficiency. The nanoencapsulation process improved the in vivo antioxidant activity of anthocyanins, indicating enhanced stability and bioavailability. The promising antioxidant activity of the ACNPs suggests a potential for utilization as a nutraceutical supplement. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Source-dependent compositional changes in coconut flavoured liquid smoke and its application in traditional Indian smoked fishery products.

Smoking is an age-old food preservation method. Intense smoking results in deposition of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in food. Replacing traditional smoking practices with application of liquid smoke or smoke flavouring is proven to reduce the PAH content without adversely affecting flavour of the products. This study explores source-dependant variations in composition of a coconut-flavoured liquid smoke. Liquid smoke produced from coconut husk (CH), coconut fibre (CF) and coconut fibre powder (CP) was analysed for total phenolic content, total carbonyls, titratable acidity, pH and PAH content. Resultant liquid smokes were also compared a commercial liquid smoke (CL) for composition. Total phenolic content in the liquid smokes ranged from 1518 ± 184 (CH), 1037 ± 110 (CF), 834 ± 48.23(CP) and 20047 ± 193 mg L-1 (CL). Commercial liquid smoke showed highest total PAH content 215 ± 15.45 ng ml-1 followed by 8.23 ± 1.47 (CP), 7.22 ± 1.44 (CF) and 0.64 ± 0.13 ng m-1 (CH). Further, process parameters for producing 'masmin' - a popular traditional smoked and dried ready-to-eat product - by replacing traditional smoking practices with liquid smoking were standardised using Response Surface Methodology. Spraying cooked skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) loins with coconut husk liquid smoke containing 4% salt for 155 min at flow rate of 3 L hr-1 and chamber temperature of 60°C was found to give the product a matching flavour with traditional masmin.

Sardine oil loaded vanillic acid grafted chitosan microparticles, a new functional food ingredient: attenuates myocardial oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiomyoblast cell lines (H9c2).

Fish oil has been widely recognized as an excellent dietary source of polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA. However, it can undergo oxidation easily resulting in the formation of toxic off flavor compounds such as hydroperoxides. These compounds adversely affect the nutritional quality and may induce several stress reactions in body. To solve this problem, a new antioxidant bio-material, vanillic acid-grafted chitosan (Va-g-Ch), was synthesized and used as a wall material for microencapsulation of fish oil. The sardine oil loaded Va-g-Ch microparticles could be a potential functional food ingredient considering the numerous health benefits of fish oil, chitosan, and vanillic acid. The current study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of sardine oil-loaded Va-g-Ch microparticles against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and the underlying mechanisms. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation was conducted using H9c2 cardiomyocytes. MTT assay revealed that effective cytoprotective effect was induced by a sample concentration of 12.5 µg/mL. Results of apoptosis by double fluorescent staining with acridine orange/ethidium bromide and caspase-3 evaluation by ELISA substantiated the above findings. Further, flow cytometric determination of membrane potential, relative expression of NF-κB by PCR, and ROS determination using DCFH-DA also confirmed the protective effect of encapsulated sardine oil against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. NF-κB expression was down-regulated nearly by 50% on cells treated with encapsulated sardine oil. Altogether, the results revealed that sardine oil-loaded Va-g-Ch microparticles demonstrated potential cell protection against doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress.

Microencapsulation of sardine oil: Application of vanillic acid grafted chitosan as a bio-functional wall material.

Vanillic acid grafted chitosan (Va-g-Ch) was evaluated as a new antioxidant wall material for microencapsulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid rich sardine oil. A high grafting ratio of 305mg vanillic acid equivalent/g of polymer was achieved using a free radical mediated grafting reaction. Oil in water emulsion was prepared with an optimised combination of Va-g-Ch and Tween 20 (3.2:1). Sardine oil loaded microparticles (SO-M) were produced (∼75% yield) by spray drying. The average diameter and polydispersity Index (PDI) of the particles were found to be 2.3µ and 0.345. XRD spectra of SO-M showed reduction in crystallinity due to microencapsulation. After four weeks of storage, a moderate (∼12%) decrease in the EPA and DHA content and a low PV of 5.5±0.51meq/kg oil in SO-M demonstrated good oxidative stability. Satisfactory encapsulation efficiency (84±0.84%) and loading efficiency (67±0.51%) values, also demonstrated the suitability of Va-g-Ch for microencapsulation of sardine oil.

Biochemical Characterization of Liver Oil of Echinorhinus brucus (Bramble Shark) and Its Cytotoxic Evaluation on Neuroblastoma Cell Lines (SHSY-5Y).

The objective of the present study was to characterize the liver oil extracted from the deep sea shark, Echinorhinus brucus, caught from Central Indian Ocean and to evaluate its cytotoxic effect on neuroblastoma cell line (SHSY-5Y). Characterization of liver oil of Echinorhinus brucus revealed the presence of palmitic acid (15%), oleic acid (12%), stearic acid (8%), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (18%), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (16%). It was also found to be a good source of squalene (38.5%) and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, and K (vitamin A: 17.08 mg/100 g of oil, vitamin D: 15.04 mg/100 g oil, and vitamin K: 11.45 mg/100 g oil). Since it was found to be rich in essential fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins, and squalene, it can be considered as better dietary supplement. The oil of Echinorhinus brucus also showed high in vitro cytotoxic effect against the human neuroblastoma cell line (SHSY-5Y) and the IC50 value laid between 35 and 45 ng.

Multiresidue analysis of multiclass pesticides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in fatty fish by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and evaluation of matrix effect.

This paper reports a selective and sensitive method for multiresidue determination of 119 chemical residues including pesticides and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in high fatty fish matrix. The novel sample preparation method involved extraction of the target analytes from homogenized fish meat (5 g) in acetonitrile (15 mL, 1% acetic acid) after three-phase partitioning with hexane (2 mL) and the remaining aqueous layer. An aliquot (1.5 mL) of the acetonitrile layer was aspirated and subjected to two-stage dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) cleanup and the residues were finally estimated by gas chromatography mass spectrometry with selected reaction monitoring (GC-MS/MS). The co-eluted matrix components were identified on the basis of their accurate mass by GC with quadrupole time of flight MS. Addition of hexane during extraction and optimized dSPE cleanup significantly minimized the matrix effects. Recoveries at 10, 25 and 50 µg/kg were within 60-120% with associated precision, RSD<11%.

Dietary Chitosan Supplementation Ameliorates Isoproterenol-Induced Aberrations in Membrane-Bound ATPases and Mineral Status of Rat Myocardium.

Myocardial infarction is one of the major public concerns in both developed and developing countries. Recently, there is growing interest in potential healthcare applications of marine natural products in the field of cardiovascular research. In the present study, we have examined the membrane-stabilizing potential of marine mucopolysaccharide-chitosan in modulating the aberrations of thiol-dependent membrane-bound ATPases activities, mineral status, and cardiac diagnostic markers in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction condition in rats. Dietary intake of chitosan significantly (p < 0.05) counteracted the isoproterenol-induced lipid peroxidation and maintained the levels of thiol contents and cardiac biomarkers at concentrations analogous to that of normal controls in the rat myocardium. Chitosan administration also significantly mitigated isoproterenol-induced aberrations in the membrane-bound ATPase activities in the heart tissue and preserved the myocardial mineral status in serum and heart tissue of experimental rats at near normal value. The results of the present study have indicated that the salubrious effect of dietary chitosan supplementation in attenuating the experimentally induced myocardial infarction condition is probably ascribable to its antioxidant defense and membrane-stabilizing properties.

Anti-ulcerogenic effect of chitin and chitosan on mucosal antioxidant defence system in HCl-ethanol-induced ulcer in rats.

The anti-ulcerogenic effect of chitin and chitosan against ulcer induced by HCl-ethanol in male Wistar rats was studied. Levels of acid output, pepsin, protein, lipid peroxides and reduced glutathione and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined in the gastric mucosa of normal and experimental groups of rats. A significant increase in volume and acidity of the gastric juice was observed in the ulcer-induced group of rats. Peptic activity was significantly decreased as compared with that of normal controls. In the rats pre-treated with chitin and chitosan 2% along with feed, the volume and acid output and peptic activity of gastric mucosa were maintained at near normal levels. The level of lipid peroxidation was significantly higher in the ulcerated mucosa when compared with that of normal controls. This was paralleled by a decline in the level of reduced glutathione and in the activity of antioxidant enzymes like GPx, GST, CAT and SOD in the gastric mucosa of ulcer-induced rats. Also, the levels of mucosal proteins and glycoprotein components were significantly depleted in ulcerated mucosa. The pre-treatment with chitin and chitosan was found to exert a significant anti-ulcer effect by preventing all the HCl-ethanol-induced ulcerogenic effects in experimental rats.