Viabilidad de bacterias ácido lácticas microencapsuladas mediante secado por aspersión con almidón de malanga en dos suplementos alimenticios / Viability of lactic acid bacteria microencapsulated by spray drying with malanga starch in two dietary supplements

Resumen: Los cormos de malanga son tallos subterráneos con alto valor nutrimental por su contenido de carbohidratos y proteínas, además de ser altamente digestivos. El almidón que se extrae de ellos puede ser utilizado en la encapsulación de microorganismos probióticos, de gran importancia para la salud. El objetivo de este trabajo fue desarrollar un suplemento alimenticio con características funcionales, usando bacterias ácido lácticas (BAL) (Lactobacilos casei), encapsuladas en almidón de malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium). El suplemento se realizó mezclando 150 mL de pulpa de fruta cocida (mango o manzana) con 400 mL de suero de leche (pH de 6.0), a 45 ± 1 °C, hasta conseguir la consistencia deseada (449.9 mPas/s a una temperatura de 25 ºC). Posteriormente, se adicionaron 1 % o 2 % de almidón de malanga (p/v) y 10 mL de cultivo probiótico por cada 100 mL de mezcla. Se deshidrató a 80 ºC y 150 ºC con flujo de aire de 20 mL/min para manzana y 8 mL/min para mango mediante secado por aspersión. El rendimiento fue de 12 %, con una viabilidad de las BAL en el suplemento deshidratado a los 3 meses de almacenamiento superior a 1 x 108 UFC/g. La ausencia de bacterias coliformes, así como de salmonella y shigella, indican que los suplementos son inocuos y aptos para consumo. La composición nutrimental del suplemento de manzana obtenido fue2.23 % de fibra, 5.93 % de grasa, 4.95 % de proteína y un 79 % de hidratos de carbono; el suplemento de mango, el contenido fue 0.59 % de fibra, 7.6 % de grasa, 4.2 % de proteína y 80.20 % de hidratos de carbono. El almidón de malanga permitió la microencapsulación de las BAL y mantener su viabilidad durante el almacenamiento de los suplementos alimenticios desarrollados con base en suero de leche y fruta.

Abstract: Malanga corms are an underground stem with a high nutritional value as it contains carbohydrates and proteins, in addition to being highly digestive; The starch extracted from them can be used in the encapsulation of probiotic microorganisms, which are of great importance for human health. The objective of this work was to develop a food supplement with functional characteristics, added with lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus casei) (LAB), using malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) starch. The supplement was obtained by mixing 150 mL of cooked fruit pulp (mango or apple) with 400 mL of sweet whey (pH of 6.0), at a temperature of 45 ± 1 °C until the desired consistency (449.9 mPas/s at a temperature of 25 °C) was achieved. Subsequently, 1 % or 2 % of malanga starch (p/v) and 10 mL of probiotic cultures were added per each 100 mL of mixture. it was then dehydrated at 80 ºC and 150 °C with an air flow of 20 mL/min for apple and 8 mL/min for mango by spray drying. The yield was 12 %, with viability of LAB in the dehydrated supplement at 3 months of storage higher than 1 x 108 CFU/g. The absence of coliform bacteria, as well as Salmonella and Shigella, indicate that the supplements are safe and suitable for consumption. The nutritional composition of the apple supplement was 2.23 % fiber, 5.93 % fat, 4.95 % protein and 79 % carbohydrates; the mango supplement content was 0.59 % fiber, 7.6 % fat, 4.2 % protein and 80.20 % carbohydrates. The malanga starch allowed the LAB microencapsulation and the maintenance of their viability during the storage of sweet whey and fruit-based food supplements.

Study on Optimization of spray Drying Process of Banlangen Formula Granules / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Objective To optimize the spray drying process of Banlangen(Isatidis Radix)formula granules based on quality by design(QbD)concept.Methods Using powder yield and the contents of uridine,adenosine,guanosine,and(R,S)-goitron as the critical quality attributes(CQAs),Plackett-Burman design was used to screen out critical process parameters(CPPs)for inlet temperature,spray pressure,liquid temperature,pump speed,and liquid relative density.The central-composite design(CCD)test was used to optimize the CPPs,which were screened.Based on the quadratic polynomial regression model,the design space of spray drying process of Banlangen(Isatidis Radix)formula granules was established,and further validated by experiments.Results Plackett-burman test results show that liquid relative density and inlet velocity are the key parameters for the study.The variance analysis results of CCD test showed that the constructed model in a good prediction ability,since the P-values of model was less than 0.01 and P-values of items lack of fit was more than 0.05.The optimized design space of CPPs was the liquid relative density 1.05-1.08,and pump speed 30%-40%.Conclusion Based on the QbD concept,the design space for the spray drying process of Banlangen(Isatidis Radix)formula granules can improve the stability of its process and help ensure the consistency of product quality.

Comparison of Differential Saponin Contents and Pro-angiogenic Activities on Zebrafish Between Freeze-dried and Sun-dried Panacis Quinquefolii Radix Decoction Pieces / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze and determine the differential components of freeze-dried and sun-dried Panacis Quinquefolii Radix（PQR）， and to compare the differences in their pro-angiogenic activities. MethodFingerprints of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR were established based on ultra performance liquid chromatography（UPLC）， and chemometrics methods such as principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were combined to determine the differential saponin composition of the two decoction pieces， and six representative saponins were selected and their contents in freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR were determined by UPLC. Transgenic zebrafish line Tg（fli1a∶EGFP） embryos fertilized for 24 h were selected， and different doses of 70% methanol extracts of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR（10， 30 mg·L-1） were used to intervene in normal zebrafish and in a zebrafish model of intersegmental vascular（ISV） injury induced by vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF） receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Ⅱ（PTK787）， then the development of subintestinal vein（SIV） and ISV of zebrafish was observed， SIV diameter， mean number of crossings and mean number of germinations were determined， and the ISV vascular index was calculated， in order to compare the pro-angiogenic activities of the two decoction pieces. ResultThe similarity of the fingerprints of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR decoction pieces was>0.950， and 17 common peaks were identified， of which 6 common peaks were designated as peak 6（ginsenoside Rg1）， peak 7（ginsenoside Re）， peak 8（ginsenoside Rb1）， peak 11（ginsenoside Rc）， peak 13（ginsenoside Rb2）， and peak 16（ginsenoside Rd）， respectively. A total of 11 differential saponin components were screened by PCA and OPLS-DA， indicating that there were some differences in the contents of the components in the two decoction pieces. The results of determination showed that the contents of ginsenosides Rg1， Re， Rb1 and Rb2 in freeze-dried PQR were higher than those in sun-dried PQR， while the contents of ginsenosides Rc and Rd were lower than those in sun-dried PQR（P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the study of the pro-angiogenic effect on normal zebrafish embryos， compared with the blank group， and the SIV vessel diameter， mean germination rate and mean crossover rate were significantly higher in the high-dose groups of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR（P<0.01）， and the vessel diameter， mean numbers of crossings and germinations in the freeze-dried PQR group were higher than those of the sun-dried PQR group（P<0.05）. In the study of the pro-angiogenic effect on zebrafish embryos with ISV injury， the development of ISV in the model group was significantly inhibited when compared with the blank group， compared with the model group， different dose groups of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR could promote the growth and sprouting of ISV， and the number of normal blood vessels in the freeze-dried PQR group was significantly higher than that in the sun-dried PQR group at the same dosage（P<0.05）. ConclusionFreeze-drying can effectively avoid the loss and secondary transformation of ginsenosides in PQR， and its angiogenic activity is better than that of sun-dried PQR， which can provide a reference for the production and development of high-quality PQR decoction pieces.

Spray drying of cellulases produced by Bacillus sp SMIA-2

Microbial cellulases present biotechnological potential to be used in several industries, including food, brewery and wine, industrial waste for chemical feedstock, animal feed, pulp and paper, agriculture, textile and detergent production. In this work, cellulases produced by the thermophilic Bacillus sp. SMIA-2 in submerged cultures containing sugarcane bagasse, corn steep liquor and passion fruit rind flour were spray-dried, in an attempt to improve their stability for industrial purposes. The cellulases were spray dried and analyzed before and after the drying process and subsequent storage. A Central Composite Design (CCD) 23 was used to investigate the effect of different concentrations of arabic gum and microcrystalline cellulose, as well as the spray dryer inlet temperature on the cellulase spray drying process. The results evidenced that the combination of 1.0 % (w/v) arabic gum and 1.0% (w/v) microcrystalline cellulose, at inlet temperature of 70 °C, was effective in maintaining the activities of both avicelases (avicel-hydrolyzing enzymes) and carboxymethylcellulases (carboxymethylcellulose-hydrolyzing enzymes - CMCase). The dried avicelase was completely preserved when stored at 5oC, while the CMCase retained 89% of its activity, which indicates promising potential for industrial uses, especially in detergent formulations.

Effect of Harvesting Stage and Drying Method on Cowpea Leaf Nutrient Composition

Cowpea leaves are lost annually due to infestation and spoilage when being transported to clients and the losses at the local markets are brought on by inadequate postharvest handling procedures and market glut, particularly during peak seasons. High moisture content from the cowpea leaves at harvest stage may contribute to increased spoilage hence lowering quantity and quality. The choice of appropriate harvesting stage and drying method can help to reduce this problem. The aim of this study was to determine the best harvesting stage and efficient drying method that would maintain high leaf nutrient composition. Cowpeas variety M66 was used for the research and the treatments included three harvesting stages (21, 35 and 49 days after sowing [DAS]), three drying methods (open sun, solar dryer and oven. Data was collected on iron, calcium, crude fibre, beta carotene, protein and moisture content. The data was subjected for variance using Statistical Analysis System 9.2 edition and significantly different means separated using least significant difference at 5%. The results indicated significant (p<0.05) differences in moisture, calcium, proteins, beta carotene and crude fibre content in both trials. Harvest stage and drying method did not significantly (p<0.05) influence the iron content. Oven and solar drying methods showed better nutrient and mineral retention in the three harvesting stages when compared to the open sun drying method.

Study on the Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Proximate, Nutritional and Mineral Composition of Clarias gariepinus (Catfish)

Aim: This study investigated the effect of modern drying methods on the proximate, nutritional, and mineral composition of Clarias gariepinus in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: Fresh C. gariepinus were purchased from Mile 3 Market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Samples were dissected using a sharp knife, intestinal components, and gills were removed and the edible portion was washed properly and rinsed with distilled water. Samples were treated in four groups: fresh, smoking using firewood, electric drying (200oC), and non-electric drying (200oC for 30 minutes) methods. Samples were blended using mortar and pestle into powder and kept in an air-tight container prior to analyses. Results: The proximate composition of C. gariepinus revealed that crude protein concentration was in the following proportions; electric drying method (52.16+0.01%), non-electric drying method (43.40+0.00%), smoking method (32.72+0.00%) and fresh (23.01+0.00%). The lipid content of smoked and electric-dried C. gariepinus was significantly (p<0.05) higher compared to the fresh sample. However, there was no significant difference between the lipid content of fresh C. gariepinus sample and non-electric dried sample. The carbohydrate content increased in the smoking and electric drying methods but decreased in the non-electric drying method. The ash content increased only in the smoking method but decreased in both the electric dryer and non-electric dryer methods. Fresh samples had the highest moisture content (74.03+0.00%) while the least was observed in the electric dried sample (38.84+0.00%). The percent anti-nutrient composition of C. gariepinus showed that smoked samples had the highest flavonoid concentration (3.252±0.00%) which was not significantly higher (p>0.05) than the flavonoid content of electric dried C. gariepinus (2.89±0.33). The levels of selected minerals showed varying concentrations of potassium, sodium and calcium for the various processing methods. Conclusion: Modern drying methods had a significant effect on the proximate component, flavonoids, and oxalate composition of C. gariepinus. Electric drying method showed to be a better method of drying Clarias gariepinus compared to other drying methods.

Effects of different drying methods on quality of male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides based on color and chemical composition / 中国中药杂志

To study the effects of different drying methods on the quality of male flowers of Eucommia ulmoides(MFOEU), we treated fresh MFOEU samples with drying in the shade(DS), vacuum freeze drying(VFD), high-or low-temperature hot air drying(HTHAD, LTHAD), microwave drying(MD), and vacuum drying(VD), respectively. The color, total flavonoid content, total polysaccharide content, and main active components such as geniposide, geniposidic acid, rutin, chlorogenic acid, galuteolin, pinoresinol diglucoside, and aucubin in MFOEU were taken as the evaluation indicators. The quality of MFOEU was comprehensively evaluated by entropy weight method combined with color index method, partial least squares discriminant analysis and content clustering heat map. The experimental results showed that VFD and DS basically kept the original color of MFOEU. The MFOEU treated with MD had higher content of total polysaccharides, phenylpropanoids, lignans, and iridoids. The MFOEU treated with LTHAD had higher content of total flavonoids and that treated with VD had lower content of active components. According to the results of comprehensive evaluation, the quality of MFOEU dried with different methods followed the order of MD>HTHAD>VFD>LTHAD>DS>VD. Considering the color of MFOEU, the suitable drying methods were DS and VFD. Considering the color, active components, and economic benefits of MFOEU, MD was the suitable drying method. The results of this study are of a reference value for the determination of suitable methods for MFOEU processing in the producing areas.

Current research status and application prospect of numerical simulation in traditional Chinese medicine drying / 中国中药杂志

With the rapid development of computer technology, numerical simulation has gradually become an important method to study drying process and improve drying equipment. Using computer to simulate the drying process of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is characterized by intuitiveness, scientificity, and low cost, which serves as an auxiliary means for technical innovation in TCM drying. This paper summarizes the theories of different drying methods and the research status of numerical simulation in drying, introduces the modeling methods and software of numerical simulation, and expounds the significance of numerical simulation modeling in shortening the research and development cycle, improving drying equipment, and optimizing drying parameters. However, the current numerical simulation method for drying process has problems, such as low accuracy, lack of quantitative indicators for the control of simulation results on the process, and insufficient in-depth research on the mechanism of drug quality changes. Furthermore, this paper put forward the application prospect of numerical simulation in TCM drying, providing reference for the further study of numerical simulation in this field.

Effects of Different Drying Temperatures on Chemical Constituents and Surface Bacterial Population Structure of Citri Reticulatae pericarpium / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

Objective To investigate the differences in chemical components and bacterial diversity on the surface of Citrus reticulata at various drying temperatures(35、45、55、65℃).Methods At various drying temperatures,Citrus reticulata from Dahongpao produced in Chongqing Wanzhou was dried.By using HPLC,the effects of various drying temperatures on the hesperidin,hesperidin,and kaempferin concentrations in Citrus reticulata were examined.By using GC-MS,the effects of various drying temperatures on the Citrus reticulata volatile components were examined.The differences in bacterial population structure on the surface of Citrus reticulata at various drying temperatures were examined using high throughput sequencing.Results The higher the temperature,the quicker Citrus reticulata will dry.The amount of hesperidin and hesperidin in Citrus reticulata was not significantly affected by different drying temperatures.The amount of Citrus reticulata increased as the drying temperature rose.GC-MS analysis identified 15 main components in Citrus reticulata,and the proportion of some volatile aroma components decreased with the increase of drying temperature;Such as laurylene,linalool,carvol α-Orange aldehyde,etc.With the increase of drying temperature,the dominant bacteria of Proteobacteria has an upward trend.At the same time,the dominant bacteria of Halomonas and Porphyromonas have changed to Metallobacterium.Conclusion If the drying temperature is too high,the volatile components in the dried Citrus reticulata may be transformed or destroyed due to the instability of heating.The difference of the bacterial flora on the surface of Citrus reticulata at different drying temperatures may cause the change of the volatile components in the later aging process.Considering the quality of dried tangerine peel,low temperature and hot air drying is the better drying method.

Research progress on platelet-rich fibrin preparation and preservation technology / 国际外科学杂志

Platelet-rich fibrin(PRF), a second-generation of platelet concentrate with stereo fibrin structure, leukocyte and platelets, can release various cytokines and growth factors to promote wound healing. PRF has been widely used in the treatment of various acute and chronic wounds in traumatic surgery, plastic surgery and stomatology. Chronic wounds are common in traumatic surgery, but conventional treatment is often ineffective. Accumulating evidences have confirmed that PRF has excellent therapeutic effect on chronic wounds. According to various methods such as different specimen, centrifugation, centrifuge tube material, and freeze-drying, the researchers tried to improve the efficiency of PRF. The progress of platelet-rich fibrin preparation technology and preservation technology are reviewed in this paper.

Optimization of the preparation process of Soft-shelled turtle blood lyophilized powder using Box-Behnken response surface methodology / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To optimize the preparation process of Soft-shelled turtle blood lyophilized powder （STBLP）， and to provide a reference for improving the availability and quality stability of soft-shelled turtle blood （STB）. METHODS STBLP was prepared with vacuum freeze-drying. Taking the solubility as the index， the preparation process parameters of STBLP were optimized by single factor experiment and Box-Behnken response surface method. RESULTS The optimal freeze-drying process for STBLP was obtained： pre-freezing time of 4 h， total drying time of 13 h （before at 0 ℃）， and resolution drying temperature of 25 ℃. The average solubility of 3 batches of STBLP prepared according to the optimal process was 95.72% （RSD＝0.68%， n＝3）， the relative error of which was －0.97% to the theoretical solubility （96.66%）. CONCLUSIONS Optimized lyophilization process in this study are stable and feasible， the solubility of the prepared sample is high.

Correlation Analysis Between Material Basis and Color Characteristics of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Decoction Pieces During Ancient Classical Nine-time Repeating Steaming and Sun-drying Processing / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the dynamic changes of the main chemical components and color characteristics of Polygoni Multiflori Radix（PMR） during the process of ancient classical nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying， and to explore the correlation between the changes. MethodHigh performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was used to determine the contents of gallic acid， stilbene glycoside， emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside， physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside， emodin and physcion in PMR during the process of nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying， and electronic eye technology was used to objectively characterize the color of PMR during the process. Partial least squares（PLS） was used to analyze the correlation between the content of main components and the color characteristics. ResultDuring the nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying process of PMR， the content of gallic acid gradually increased with the increase of steaming and sun-drying times， and the contents of other components showed fluctuating changes， with an overall decreasing trend in the contents of stilbene glycoside， emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside and physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside， and an overall increasing trend in the contents of emodin and physcion. The results of electronic eye analysis showed that the color of PMR became dark， red and blue in the process of nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA） and principal component analysis（PCA） of the contents of six main components and the colors showed that the samples steamed and sun-dried for one to four times could be grouped into one category， the other five categories of samples could be grouped into another category. Gallic acid and stilbene glycoside were significantly correlated with the color indexes of PMR during the process of nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying. ConclusionThe general changes of material basis and color characteristics of PMR during the process of ancient classical nine-time repeating steaming and sun-drying have certain rules， and the establishment of the correlation model between color and index components can realize the judgment and quality evaluation of processing degree of PMR decoction pieces.

Cause Analysis and Solution Strategy of Poor Solubility of Dioscoreae Rhizoma Formula Granules / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Dioscoreae Rhizoma formula granules are made from decoction pieces by decocting， extracting， separating， concentrating， drying and granulating， which have the advantages of simple dispensing， convenient use and easy to take without decoction. However， because Dioscoreae Rhizoma is rich in starch and mucus components， its extract powder and formula granules are poorly soluble and difficult to dissolve or disperse completely within 5 min， and the insoluble material is difficult to dissolve completely even after 24 h in water， which affects the quality evaluation of the formula granules and medication psychology of patients. Therefore， by studying the dissolution process and mechanism of Dioscoreae Rhizoma extract and its formula granules， it was found that the special chemical composition of Dioscoreae Rhizoma， the denaturation of starch and its compounding with protein and other substances during the high temperature extraction process， and the contraction of coating membrane during the spray drying process were combined to form the special microstructure of coating membrane covering starch granules， and it is the root cause of poor solubility of Dioscoreae Rhizoma formula granules. Based on the research on the structure， property and function of the powder， this paper proposed a technical strategy to improve the solubility of Dioscoreae Rhizoma formula granules by powder modification process， and experimentally demonstrated that the modified Dioscoreae Rhizoma formula granules could completely dissolve within 2 min， which solved the technical problem and could provide reference for the improvement of solubility of other similar varieties， and promote the high-quality development of traditional Chinese medicine formula granule industry.

Screening and safety evaluation of heat-resistant protective agents for live classic swine fever vaccine / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To screen the formulation of heat-resistant protective agent for live classic swine fever(CSF) vaccine in order to prolong the preservation time of vaccine under harsh conditions.Methods The heat-resistant protective agent prepared based on the formula containing gelatin,D-sorbitol,trehalose,D casein hydrolysate of different contents was mixed with the live virus antigen of CSF and then lyophilized.The finished products with qualified appearance were screened for routine detection and aging resistance test,and the over-dose(10 and 30 portions) of the products qualified in the aging resistance test were used to immunize piglets via subauricular neck,5 for each to evaluate the safety of the vaccines.Results Among the 6 batches of lyophilized live CSF vaccine,3 batches(20200301,20200302 and 20200303) met the requirements of the current Chinese Veterinary Pharmacopoeia.The lyophilized loss was within 0.04～0.33 titers,and the moisture contents were all less than 2%;20200301 and 20200302 batches of finished products passed the aging resistance test.No adverse clinical symptoms were observed in all piglets 30 min after vaccination;The body temperatures of piglets vaccinated with 10 and 30 doses of vaccine were normal for 14 d after vaccination.Conclusion The two formulations of heatresistant protective agent selected might be used for freeze-dried preparations of live CSF vaccine with good effect of aging resistance and safety to piglets.

Application prospect of reaction engineering approach in studying drying behavior of single droplet during spray drying of traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

Spray drying technology is one of the most commonly used unit operations in the production of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) preparations, offering advantages such as short drying time and uniform product quality. However, due to the properties of TCM extracts, such as high viscosity, strong hygroscopicity, and poor flowability, there is limited scope to solve the problems of wall adhesion and clumping in spray drying from the macroscopic perspective of pharmaceutical production. Therefore, it has become a trend to study and optimize the spray drying process from the microscopic point of view by investigating single droplet evaporation behavior. Based on the reaction engineering approach(REA), the single droplet drying system, as a novel method for studying droplets, collects parameter data on individual TCM droplets during the drying process and uses the REA to process the data and establish predictive models. This approach is crucial for understanding the mechanism of TCM spray drying. This paper summarized and analyzed the cha-racteristics of various single droplet systems, the application of REA in single droplet drying systems, and its significance in optimizing the process, predicting drying states, and shortening the development cycle in the field of TCM spray drying, and looked ahead to the prospects of this method, including the introduction of new parameters and imaging techniques, aiming to provide a reference for further research in the field of TCM spray drying.

Preservation of phenolic compounds on dried leaf infusion of Bauhinia forficata Link

Abstract Bauhinia forficata Link aqueous extract is usually recommended as a phytomedicine to reduce blood glucose levels and its biological activity has been linked to the presence of phenolic compounds from B. forficata preparations. Several drying processes are used in the production of dry herbal extracts, which may influence the chemical composition and efficacy of final herbal medicines. Due to significant chemical changes, defining appropriate drying processes is essential for phytopharmaceutical drug development. In view of this, we analyzed dried B. forficata leaf infusion (BFLI) extracts by HPLC-UV-MSn, followed by molecular networking analysis to evaluate the chemical profiles from dried extracts yielded by freeze-and spray-drying processes. The main metabolites detected included 11 ferulic/isoferulic acid derivatives and 13 glycosylated flavonoids. The qualitative chemical profiles were alike for both drying processes, whereas the relative abundance of some flavonoids was higher using spray-drying. Taken together, our results showed that freeze-and spray-drying preserved the phenolic profile of BFLI and suggested that spray-drying may be the most suitable to obtain its dried products. Along with studying the chemical profiles of dried herbal extracts, evaluating the influence of drying processes on the quality and chemical profiles of final products is pivotal and may benefit future research.

Process optimization of physicochemical properties of spray-dried Hydrocotyle umbellata L. extract

Abstract Hydrocotyle umbellata L., Araliaceae, is a species that is recommended in Ayurvedic medicine for its effects on the central nervous system, such as anxiolytic and memory-stimulant effects. Despite the medicinal potential of this species, its phytopharmaceutical and technological potential to produce standardized extracts has not been investigated. This study analyzes the influence of spray drying parameters on the contents of the chemical markers (total phenolic, total flavonoid, and hibalactone) and the functional properties of H. umbellata extract. The optimization of drying conditions was performed using a central composite design combined with response surface methodology and desirability function approach. The mathematical models fitted to experimental data indicated that all the evaluated drying parameters significantly influenced the chemical contents. The optimal conditions were: inlet temperature of 120 °C, feed flow rate of 4 mL min-1, and colloidal silicon dioxide:maltodextrin ratio of 16%:4%. Under these conditions, the powder samples had spherical particles and desirable physicochemical and functional properties, such as low water activity and moisture content, good product recovery, reconstitution, and flowability. Thus, spray drying might be a promising technique for processing standardized H. umbellata extracts.

Captadores solares de placa plana para el secado solar indirecto de alimentos: características y aplicaciones / Flat plate solar collectors for indirect type solar food drying: characteristics, and applications

Resumen La industria alimentaria utiliza hasta el 15 % del total de la energía eléctrica que demanda el sector industrial, principalmente en procesos de secado. Esto suscita la búsqueda de nuevas alternativas de secado que reduzcan el uso de energía eléctrica. Una opción es el secado solar, principalmente, el de tipo indirecto, a través de captadores solares de placa plana (CSPP). El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar los recientes desarrollos de los CSPP, características, ventajas, desventajas, eficiencia y diversas tecnologías utilizadas en conjunto, para aumentar la eficiencia térmica en el secado solar. Los CSPP han desarrollado, a través de la hibridación con la utilización de otras fuentes de energía (eléctrica, biomasa, solar), un incremento en su eficiencia que los vuelve cada vez más viables para ser utilizados en procesos comerciales de secado de alimentos.

Abstract The food industry uses up to 15 % of the total electrical energy demanded by the industrial sector, mainly in drying processes. This motivates the search for new drying alternatives that reduce the use of electrical energy. One option is solar drying; mainly indirect type solar drying, that uses flat plate solar collectors (FPSC). The objective of this work was to analyze the recent developments of the FPSC, their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, efficiency, and the range of technologies used in conjunction with the FPSC to increase their thermal efficiency for solar drying. The FPSC have developed through hybridization with the use of other energy sources (electricity, biomass, solar), an increase in their efficiency, that increasingly turns them into viable options for food drying processes.

Processamento e conservação de enxertos de pele: uma abordagem com foco nos métodos de criopreservação, liofilização e glicerolização / Skin grafts processing and conservation: an approach focusing on cryopreservation, freeze-drying and glycerol conservation methods

Introdução: o uso de substitutos cutâneos para o tratamento de diversas feridas graves é uma forma eficiente de prevenir infecções e favorecer o processo de reepitelização. No entanto, tecidos biológicos estão suscetíveis a degradação e contaminação. Por isso, devem ser submetidos a rigorosos protocolos de processamento e testes que comprovem suas contribuições benéficas e segurança de aplicação. Objetivo: trazer uma abordagem sobre as principais características dos métodos de criopreservação, glicerolização e liofilização e sua consequencia nos aspectos imunológicos, microbiológicos e de viabilidade tecidual de enxertos de pele humana. Metodologia: foi realizada uma busca online utilizando as palavras chaves "criopreservação", "liofilização", "glicerolização", "enxertos", "processamento tecidual" e "engenharia dos tecidos" em múltiplas combinações nos bancos de dados PubMed, LILACS e ScienceDirect. Resultados: 200 artigos científicos foram obtidos, 26 excluídos por duplicidade, 92 selecionados para leitura integral a partir da leitura de seus resumos e 27 utilizados na construção desta revisão. A liofilização e a glicerolização são métodos semelhantes considerando a viabilidade tecidual. O uso de glicerol traz como principal desvantagem sua citotoxicidade quando comparado aos outros métodos. A criopreservação mantém os tecidos viáveis. Contudo, pode ser mais cara e trazer riscos de transmissão de microorganismos patogênicos. De modo geral, não é bem estabelecido quais os melhores métodos de conservação para uma adequada conservação da viabilidade dos enxertos de pele. Considerações Finais: os 3 métodos, liofilização, glicerolização e criopreservação, possuem aplicabilidade na conservação de enxertos. A falta de padronização na aplicação de enxertos apesar de sua frequente aplicação e a escassez de estudos recentes sobre o tema justificam o presente estudo.

Introduction: the use of skin substitutes for treatment of several wounds is an efficient way to prevent infections and allow the re-epithelialization process. However, biological tissues are susceptible to degradation and contamination. Therefore, they must undergo rigorous processing and testing protocols that prove their beneficial contributions and application security. Objective:to bring an approach on the main characteristics of cryopreservation, freeze-drying and glycerol conservation methods and their implications on immunological, microbiological and tissue viability aspects when applied to human skin grafts. Methodology:a mostly online search was performed using the keywords "cryopreservation", "freeze-drying", "glycerol conservation", "grafts", "tissue processing" and "tissue engineering" in multiple combinations in PubMed, LILACS and ScienceDirect databases. Results: 200 scientific articles were rescued, 26 excluded by duplicity, 92 selected for full reading from the reading of their abstracts and 27 used in the construction of this review. Freeze-drying and glycerol conservation are similar methods, with glycerol conservation having greater economic advantage. The use of glycerol presents cytotoxicity when compared to the other methods. Cryopreservation keeps tissues viable, however, is more expensive and carry risks of transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. Overall, there is a lack of clarity about the importance of viability in the performance of skin grafts. Final considerations: the 3 methods have applicability in graft conservation. The lack of standardization in graft application despite its frequent application and the scarcity of recent studies on the subject justify the present study.

Merits and pitfalls of normal saline rehydrated air-dried cervical smears over conventional wet.fixed PAP smears: A comparative study

Background: Cervical Papanicolaou (PAP) smear is the simplest, minimal invasive, and excellent screening method to reduce the female morbidity and mortality due to cervical carcinoma. Immediate alcohol fixation of the cervical smears is required to preserve nuclear details, delay in alcohol fixation leads to air drying artifacts. Rehydrating of the air-dried cervical pap smear with normal saline can help to overcome these artifacts and also have its own advantages. Aims: This study was design to evaluate the effects, merits and pitfalls of normal saline Rehydrated Air-Dried Cervical PAP Smears (RADPS) compared with the Conventional Papanicolaou Smear (C-PAPS). Settings and Design: Comparative study. Methods and Material: Prospectively paired cervical smears of 100 women, who presented to the outpatient department of gynecology of our institute, were prepared. Alcohol fixed smears were labelled as conventional Papanicolaou smear (C-PAPS) and air-dried smears labelled as rehydrated air-dried PAP smears (RADPS). Eight cytomorphological parameters were considered for comparison and analyzed. Statistical analysis used: Chisquare (?2)/Fisher exact test. Results: Clear background with red blood cells (RBC) lysis was noted in 93% of RADPS and 54% of C-PAPS. Cytolysis was observed more in C-PAPS (18%) than in RADPS (08%). Air-drying artifacts observed in 30% of C-PAPS and 08% of RADPS. Cytoplasmic staining (92% of RADPS and 85% of C-PAPS) was superior in RADPS. Cell border, nuclear chromatin, and border were also better appreciated on RADPS as compared to C-PAPS. Statistically significant difference was observed with 3 parameters, i.e., air-drying artifacts, RBC background, and distinct cell borders. Conclusion: Rehydration of air-dried smears can be adopted in regular practice, as an alternative or coupled with conventional wet fixation method to overcome the commonly faced problems of air-drying artifacts, especially in rural screening programs.