Comparative assessment of emulsifiers for in vitro ruminal gas production and fermentation measurements: Tween 80 is a suitable emulsifier.

Emulsifiers are essential for achieving a homogenous distribution of lipophilic supplements in in vitro rumen fluid incubations. Since emulsifiers can alter rumen fermentation, it is crucial to select one that minimally impacts fermentation parameters to reduce potential biases. This study aimed to evaluate seven emulsifiers' impact on in vitro ruminal fermentation using the Hohenheim Gas Test in order to identify the most inert emulsifier. Rumen fluids were collected from three non-lactating Original Brown-Swiss cannulated cows before morning feeding and incubated for 24 h with a basal diet in triplicates. The emulsifiers tested were ethanol, ethyl acetate, propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, soy lecithin, and Tween® 80, each in two dosages (0.5% or 1% v/v). The untreated basal diet served as control. Compared to control, in vitro organic matter digestibility was enhanced by ethyl acetate (by 36.9 and 48.2%), ethylene glycol (by 20.6 and 20.1%), glycerol (by 46.9 and 56.8%) and soy lecithin (by 19.7 and 26.8%) at 0.5 and 1% dosage, respectively. Additionally, the 24-h methane production increased for ethanol (by 41.9 and 46.2%), ethylene glycol (by 50.5 and 51.5%), and glycerol (by 63.1 and 65.4%) for the 0.5 and 1% dosage, respectively, and 0.5% dosage for ethyl acetate (by 31.6%). The acetate molar proportion was 17.2%pt higher for ethyl acetate, and 25.5%pt lower for glycerol at 1% dosage, compared to the control. The propionate concentration was 22.1%pt higher 1% glycerol, and 15.2%pt and 15.1%pt higher for 0.5 and 1% propylene glycol, respectively, compared to the control. In summary, Tween® 80 did not significantly affect in vitro rumen fermentation parameters, making it the most suitable choice for in vitro incubations involving lipophilic substances in rumen fluid. Ethanol may be considered as an alternative emulsifier if methane production is not the variable of interest.

Assessment of the functional properties of protein extracted from the brown seaweed Himanthalia elongata (Linnaeus) S. F. Gray.

A protein extract from the brown seaweed Himanthalia elongata (Linnaeus) S. F. Gray was prepared and its functional properties, colour and amino acid composition were assessed for its potential future use by the food industry. The total content of amino acids was determined as 54.02±0.46gaminoacids/kg dry weight, with high levels of the essential amino acids lysine and methionine. SDS-PAGE showed 5 protein bands with molecular weights of 71.6, 53.7, 43.3, 36.4 and 27.1kDa. The water holding capacity and oil holding capacity were determined as 10.27±0.09gH2O/g and 8.1±0.07goil/g respectively. Foaming activity and stability were higher at alkaline pH values. The emulsifying capacity and stability of the extract varied depending on the pH and oil used. These results demonstrate the potential use of Himanthalia elongata protein extract in the food industry.

Lipopeptides in microbial infection control: scope and reality for industry.

Lipopeptides are compounds that are formed by cyclic or short linear peptides linked with a lipid tail or other lipophilic molecules. Recently, several lipopeptides were characterized, showing surfactant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. The properties of lipopeptides may lead to applications in diverse industrial fields including the pharmaceutical industry as conventional antibiotics; the cosmetic industry for dermatological product development due to surfactant and anti-wrinkle properties; in food production acting as emulsifiers in various foodstuffs; and also in the field of biotechnology as biosurfactants. Some lipopeptides have reached a commercial antibiotic status, such as daptomycin, caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin. This will be the focus of this review. Moreover, the review presented here will focus on the biotechnological utilization of lipopeptides in different fields as well as the functional-structure relation, connecting recent aspects of synthesis and structure diversity.

In vitro emulsification assessment of new silicone oils.

AIM: To investigate whether the emulsification of conventional silicone oils can be reduced by adding small amounts of silicone molecules of a very long chain length. METHODS: Siluron 1000, Siluron 2000, Siluron 5000, Acri.Sil-Ol 5000, Oxane 5700, Densiron 68 LV, Densiron 68 and Densiron 68 HV (0.5 ml) were each tested along with either plasma or serum (0.5 ml) in a glass cuvette. Emulsification was induced by sonication and documented by photography. The total area of emulsified oil was assessed using the ImageJ software. RESULTS: The addition of small amounts of very-long-chain silicone molecules significantly reduced the emulsification for 1000 cSt silicone oil (Siluron 2000) and for 1000 cSt silicone oil with an admixture of F6H8 (Densiron 68 HV). CONCLUSION: New low-viscosity silicone oils show a reduced emulsification similar to that of 5000 cSt oils. In future, it may be possible to avoid using 5000 cSt oils. The findings may foster silicone oil surgery in general, and in particular the application of small-incision techniques.