Co-encapsulation of multivitamins in micro & nano-sized starch, target release, capsule characterization and interaction studies.

This study aims to protect sensitive vitamins D, E, B1 and B2 by co-encapsulation in micro and nanoparticles of water chestnut starch for synergistic effects. The encapsulation efficiency, particle size, thermal properties and molecular configuration & interactions studies were analysed. The nano-sized starch with a particle size of 362 nm showed better encapsulation potential than micro-sized starch having an average particle size of 3.47 µm. The encapsulation efficiency was found to be 35 %, 81.17 %, 83.13 %, & 76.07 % and 46.27 %, 89.29 %, 84.91 %, & 77.60 % for vitamin D, E, B1 and B2 in micro and nano-sized starch, respectively. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed higher intensity for non-covalent interactions within the internal matrix of capsules. The FTIR peak at 877 cm-1 belonging to vitamin ring structures was prominent and confirmed the presence of vitamins in encapsulated powders. The nano starch capsules of vitamins showed better thermal stability with low crystallinity than micro starch capsules of vitamins. The study suggests the use of co-encapsulated vitamins in food fortification/supplementation to overcome the issues related to vitamin deficiencies.

Bioactive characterization of ultrasonicated ginger (Zingiber officinale) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) freeze dried extracts.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) are one of the most popular spices having a wide range of bioactive compounds that have varied biological and pharmacological properties. The study was aimed to extract polyphenols from Himalayan medicinal herbs ginger and licorice in different solvents using ultra-sonication technique. The extraction efficiency (EE) was determined, and the extracts were characterized for physical properties (particle size, colour values), total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant properties, and structural and morphological features. Ultra-sonicated ginger in aqueous phase had the highest EE of polyphenols (15.27%) as compared to other solvents. Similar trend was observed in licorice with EE of 30.52 % in aqueous phase followed by ethanol: water (50: 50), and methanol: water (50:50) with 28.52% and 26.39%, respectively. The preliminary screening showed the presence of tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and carbohydrates, steroids and alkaloids in all the extracts. The phenolic and flavonoid content of dried ginger was found higher in ethanolic extracts compared to fresh ones as revealed by HPLC. Similarly, for licorice, the ethanolic fractions had the highest polyphenolic content. The representative samples of ginger (ethanol: water 75:25 and ethylacetate: water 75:25) and licorice (ethanol: water 70:30 and methanol: water 50:50) were studied for FESEM and particle size. The results showed the agglomerated extract micro-particles with a diameter of 0.5-10 µm and increased particle size (ginger: 547 and 766 nm), and (licorice: 450 and 566 nm). The findings could be beneficial for the advancement of ginger and licorice processing, for the comprehension of these herbs as a source of natural antioxidants in different food formulations.

Development of functional cakes rich in bioactive compounds extracted from saffron and tomatoes.

Demand for health-promoting food products rich in bioactive compounds and fibers is increasing. The current study was aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensory characteristics of whole wheat flour cakes enriched with tomato powder (TP), crude lycopene (CL) and saffron extracts (SE). Physical characteristics such as loaf weight of cakes containing TP increased significantly (p < 0.05) while loaf volume decreased as compared to the control. The color of the crust and crumb of cakes enriched with TP and CL was dark red while cakes containing SE were bright and yellowish. Firmness of the fresh cake samples was found in the range of 7.25-14.53 N. Antioxidant properties were significantly (p < 0.05) improved after enrichment of cakes with TP, CL and SE. The storage period increased the water activity while antioxidant activity and concentration of total carotenoids was reduced. Thus, cakes enriched with TP, CL and SE could be successfully developed with improved antioxidant properties, without compromising the sensory quality of the product. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05267-2.

Ferulic acid loaded pickering emulsions stabilized by resistant starch nanoparticles using ultrasonication: Characterization, in vitro release and nutraceutical potential.

The use of starch based nanoparticles have gained momentum in stabilizing pickering emulsions for it's numerous advantages. In present study resistant starch (RS) was isolated from lotus stem using enzymatic digestion and subjected to nanoprecipitation and ultrasonication to yield resistant starch nanoparticles (RSN). RSN of varying concentrations (2%, 10% and 20%) were used to stabilize the flax seed-oil water mixture to form pickering emulsions. The emulsions were used to nanoencapsulate ferulic acid (FA) - a well known bioactive via ultrasonication. The emulsions were lyophilized to form FA loaded lyophilized pickering emulsion (FA-LPE). The FA-LPE (2%, 10 % and 20%) were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infra-spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). AFM showed FA-LPE as spherical droplets embedded in the matrix with maximum peak height of 8.47 nm and maximum pit height of 1.69 nm. SEM presented FA-LPE as an irregular and continuous surface having multiple folds and holes. The ATR-FTIR spectra of all the samples displayed peaks of C = C aromatic rings of FA at 1600 cm-1 and 1439 cm-1, signifying successful encapsulation. In vitro release assay displayed more controlled release of FA from FA-LPE (20%). Bioactivity of FA-LPE was evaluated in terms of anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and prevention against oxidative damage under simulated gastro-intestinal conditions (SGID). The bioactivity of FA-LPE (20%) was significantly higher than FA-LPE (2%) and FA-LPE (10%). Key findings reveal that pickering emulsions can prevent FA under harsh SGID conditions and provide an approach to facilitate the design of pickering emulsions with high stability for nutraceutical delivery in food and supplement products.

Ultrasonics as a tool for development of pine-needle extract loaded bee wax edible packaging for value addition of Himalayan cheese.

In the present study, Himalayan cheese, kradi was coated with beeswax loaded with pine needle extract (PNE) to increase its shelf life and nutraceutical potential. PNE was extracted via ultrasonication and incorporated into beeswax at concentrations, 2:1, 1:1, and 2:3 (grams of beeswax to mL of PNE). The dispersion of PNE in the coatings was carried out using an ultrasonic probe at a frequency of 20 kHz for 15 min and at power rating of 500 W. The coatings were characterised using scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy. DLS revealed a hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential of 12.11 ± 0.41 µm and -19.32 ± 0.61 mV for coating loaded with highest concentration of PNE. The bioactivities of the coating including antioxidant, antidiabetic and antibacterial assays revealed significantly higher values with the increase in PNE concentration. Shelf life and sensory evaluation study including microbiological and sensory analysis revealed inhibition of mould growth and good score of texture and appearance with the increase in concentration of PNE. The study provides a future perspective for application of beeswax loaded PNE coatings in cheese industry.

ß-Glucan from mushrooms and dates as a wall material for targeted delivery of model bioactive compound: Nutraceutical profiling and bioavailability.

Rutin was nano-encapsulated in date [En-Ru(D)] and mushroom [En-Ru(M)] ß-glucan matrix to protect it from the harsh gastrointestinal environment and to enhance its bioavailability and biological activity upon digestion. The encapsulation was carried using green technology i.e., ultra-sonication. The En-Ru(D) and En-Ru (M) showed the hydrodynamic diameter of 314.04 and 482.21 nm with polydispersity index of 0.21 and 0.33. The in vitro release behaviour followed the Higuchi model. The antimicrobial activity of En-Ru(D) and En-Ru(M) were evaluated against gram negative E. coli (ATCC 25922) and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. Furthermore, En-Ru(D) and En-Ru(M) exhibited increased bioavailability of rutin in intestinal fluid with retention of anti-obesity and antioxidant activities after digestion (p < 0.05). Therefore, ß-glucan matrix can efficiently encapsulate flavonoids and regulate the release of functional bioactive ingredients in the simulated human digestive conditions.

Exploration of bioactive peptides from various origin as promising nutraceutical treasures: In vitro, in silico and in vivo studies.

The current health scenarios describe growing public health problems, such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Therefore, researchers focused on studying these health issues are interested in exploring bioactive compounds from different food sources. Among them, bioactive peptides have garnered huge scientific interest because of their multifunctional biological activities such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anticancer, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory effect. They can be used as food and pharmaceutical ingredients with a great potential against disease targets. This review covers methods of production in general for several peptides obtained from various food sources including seed, milk and meat, and described their biological activities. Particular focus was given to bioinformatic tools to advance quantification, detection and characterize each peptide sequence obtained from different protein sources with predicted biological activity. Besides, various in vivo studies have been discussed to provide a better understanding of their physiological functions, which altogether could provide valuable information for their commercialization in future foods.

Assessment of physical, microstructural, thermal, techno-functional and rheological characteristics of apple (Malus domestica) seeds of Northern Himalayas.

In this research, two common apple seed cultivars Viz: 'Golden Delicious' (GD) and 'Red Delicious' (RD) of Northern Himalayan region were characterized for physical, techno-functional, microstructure, thermal, and rheological properties. Seeds showed a significant difference in width, arithmetic, and geometric mean diameters, volume, and surface area. Proximate analysis results revealed that seed flours have high oil content (> 20%) and are potentially rich sources of protein (> 40%). Color analysis of flours indicated their satisfactory whiter color with higher brightness values (L* ˃ 75), resulting from the reduced particle size which allows greater light penetration and relatively lower a* (< 1.5) and b* (< 11) values. Techno-functional attributes including water/oil absorption capacity, emulsifying capacity, and emulsion stability were significantly higher in RD than GD flour. There was also a significant difference in the average particle size of seed flours. Flour micrographs indicated the presence of oval/spherical-shaped starch granules embedded in dense protein matrix while, Differential Scanning calorimeter (DSC) revealed exothermic transition enthalpies for seed flours. Additionally, seed flours depicted high elastic modulus (G'), suggesting their suitability for modifying food texture. It was concluded that apple seeds exhibit significant potential for use in formulating protein-enriched foods while contributing to reducing industrial wastage.

Effect of gum Arabic, xanthan and carrageenan coatings containing antimicrobial agent on postharvest quality of strawberry: Assessing the physicochemical, enzyme activity and bioactive properties.

Effect of edible coatings of gum Arabic, carrageenan and xanthan gum containing lemon grass essential oil 1% w/v on postharvest quality of strawberry was studied under refrigeration for a period of 12 days. Results showed all the three coatings maintained fruit quality parameters during storage compared to control. Among all the coatings, carrageenan coated fruits showed delayed weight loss (10.1 to 8%), decay percentage (78.42 to 14.29%), retained ascorbic acid (0.15 to 0.27 g kg-1), antioxidant activity (18.17 to 25.85%), firmness (9.07 to 12.43 N), L* (32.38 to 40.42), a* (16.08 to 17.22) and b* (27.36 to 33.54). Carrageenan gum also showed lowest cellulase activity (0.03 units h-1 mg protein-1), pectin methylesterase activity (1.13 A620 min-1 mg protein-1) and ß-galactosidase activity (0.51 µmol min-1 mg protein-1), while showed maximum reduction in polygalacturonase activity (0.07 units h-1 mg protein-1) at the end of storage. Carrageenan gum was found effective in retention of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds during storage. Coatings loaded with antimicrobial agent inhibited psychrophilic bacteria, yeast and mold growth. It is concluded that carrageenan gum could better retain strawberry quality up to 12 days under refrigeration.

Valorization of natural colors as health-promoting bioactive compounds: Phytochemical profile, extraction techniques, and pharmacological perspectives.

Color is the prime attribute with a large impact on consumers' perception, selection, and acceptance of foods. However, the belief in bio-safety protocols, health benefits, and the nutritional importance of food colors had focused the attention of the scientific community across the globe towards natural colorants that serve to replace their synthetic toxic counterparts. Moreover, multi-disciplinary applications of greener extraction techniques and their hyphenated counterparts for selective extraction of bioactive compounds is a hot topic focusing on process intensification, waste valorization, and retention of highly stable bioactive pigments from natural sources. In this article, we have reviewed available literature to provide all possible information on various aspects of natural colorants, including their sources, photochemistry and associated biological activities explored under in-vitro and in-vivo animal and human studies. However a particular focus is given on innovative technological approaches for the effective extraction of natural colors for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.

Nanoreduction as a technology to exploit ß-Glucan from cereal and fungal sources for enhancing its nutraceutical potential.

ß-Glucan nanoparticles were produced from cereal and fungal sources viz: oats, barley, and yeast using ball milling which is considered as a green technology. The ß-glucan nanoparticles were evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Fourier transform infra-spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, antioxidant, anticancerous, antimicrobial and antihypertensive potential of ß-glucan nanoparticles from different sources were also studied. The experimental results revealed that the average particle size for BN (Barley ß-glucan nanoparticle), ON (Oats ß-glucan nanoparticle), and YN (Yeast ß-glucan nanoparticle) were 90.35, 83.55 and 77.44 nm and zeta potential were in the range of -27 to -6.3 mV. . There was an increase in antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and antihypertensive activity of BN, YN, and ON in comparison to native. Study reported increase in anticancerous activity upon size reduction. Also, antibacterial activity of BNT, ONT, YNT, BN, ON and YN against Gram-negative and Gram-positive (E.coli & Bacillus Subtilis) were studied. It was concluded that the ß-glucan nanoparticles showed enhanced nutraceutical properties that might be due to the nanoreduction using green technology.

Food hydrocolloids: Functional, nutraceutical and novel applications for delivery of bioactive compounds.

Nowadays, the consumers' understanding of the relation between diet and health has bought a profound change in their dietary pattern and lifestyle transformation. They aspire more to natural and health-full food products with desired quality and functionality. The emergence of this consciousness among consumers has become one of the driving factors for designing food products that can meet both their specific nutritional needs and health benefits. Known as the skeleton structure of food, hydrocolloids from food biopolymers have thus received much attention in recent years from both scientific communities as well as from consumers and food sectors. They play a crucial role in the tribology, rheology and sensory perceptions of food and pharmaceutical formulations when been utilized as viscosity enhancers, gelling agents, emulsifiers, coating, and stabilizing agents. Further, the implication of this multifarious class of biopolymers has increased tremendously because of their remarkable therapeutic potential. Based on prevailing literature hydrocolloids offer significant opportunities in tailoring the nutritional value along with providing health benefits via controlling gastric emptying and ileal brake mechanism, lowering plasma cholesterol levels, glycemic response, postprandial glucose and insulin levels, and prevention of colon cancer, and improving the bioavailability of specific bioactive compounds and drugs through their controlled and targeted delivery along the gastrointestinal tract. This review provides a comprehensive discussion on the functionality and nutraceutical potential of food colloids as a functional food ingredient with a specific focus on their application as controlled release excipients for nutraceuticals or drug release systems.

In Vivo Screening and Antidiabetic Potential of Polyphenol Extracts from Guava Pulp, Seeds and Leaves.

The present study investigates the antidiabetic potential of polyphenol extracts purified from guava pulp, seeds and leaves using an in vivo experiment on albino rats. The polyphenols from guava pulp, seeds and leaves were extracted using methanol solvent and the sonication method while being evaluated by total phenolic contents and radical scavenging activity assay. The proximate composition of powders revealed that ash, protein and total sugars were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in leaves and seeds, while vitamin C was highest in pulp. Total phenolic and antioxidant activities were highest in pulp followed by leaves and seeds. The findings of feed intake and body gain revealed that the supplementation of polyphenols, especially from pulp, significantly (p < 0.05) increased the feed intake, which resulted in increased body weight. Moreover, total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, while the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was increased in groups fed with polyphenols from guava pulp compared to both (+ive and -ive) control groups. Furthermore, blood glucose and triglycerides were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in supplemented groups compared to the control group of diabetes mice, which resulted in the inhibition of α-amylase and glucose transport. Besides this, packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), hemoglobin, red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and platelet levels were increased significantly (p < 0.05) in pulp's extract followed by leaves and seeds compared to both control groups. Overall, the antidiabetic potential of different extracts was in the following order: pulp > leaves > seeds. The findings suggest the feasibility of adding 200-250 mg/kg.bw of polyphenol extracts of pulp as an alternative to diabetic drugs.

Nano-reduction of starch from underutilised millets: Effect on structural, thermal, morphological and nutraceutical properties.

Starch nanoparticles from pearl (Pe) and proso (Pr) millets were characterised for morphological, thermal, rheological and nutraceutical properties which are important parameters to be considered for predicting applicable domain of nanoparticles in food and other industrial applications. In the present study after using collision ball milling to achieve the nano-reduction, dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed the average hydrodynamic particle diameter of 636 nm and 417 nm for nano-reduced pearl (PeN) and proso (PrN) millet starches. Further the nano-particles produced were having greater stability, as revealed by the data obtained for zeta potential. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed loss of crystallinity in starch granules whereas attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) showed no difference in the basic functional groups but decrease in intensity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to elicit the changes in surface topography of starch granules upon nano-reduction. Post nano-reduction treatment various thermal transition temperatures significantly shifted to lower values. Results of anti-oxidant assays for prediction of nutraceutical potential revealed significant increase upon nano-reduction.

Physicochemical properties, in-vitro digestibility and structural elucidation of RS4 from rice starch.

Starches extracted from four different rice cultivars were phosphorylated by using STMP/STPP to make modified food starches with high contents of type 4 resistant starch (RS4). The results revealed 10- fold improvement in RS4 content by the phosphorylation of starch. The phosphorus % and DS values of rice starches ranged from 0.33 to 0.35, and 0.016 to 0.018, respectively. FT-IR spectroscopy showed reduction of OH stretching band at 3290cm-1 and the appearance of PO at 1244-1266cm-1 which confirms crosslinking of starch with STMP/STPP. Phosphorylation was found to increase water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, bile-acid binding and lightness, whereas amylose content, swelling power, solubility index and light transmittance were decreased with phosphorylation. DSC analyses revealed increase in thermal transition temperatures of the crosslinked starches which suggests that the application of STMP/STPP as a crosslinker can improve the integrality and stability of starch. SEM micro-graphs revealed that phosphorylated rice starch granules retained their integrity, while some fissures appeared on the surface of some granules. XRD analysis revealed decreased crystallinity of RS4 rice starches.

Effect of roasting on physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties of arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia L.) flour.

Arrowhead tubers with protein, lipid and ash content of 4.60%, 2.27% and 6.15%, respectively were subjected to pan and microwave roasting, converted to flour and studied for physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties. The lightness 'L' of flour decreased significantly (p⩽0.05) from 83.01 to 72.21 while significant increase in 'a' and 'b' color values was observed from -0.27 to 2.49 and 15.49 to 25.35 on roasting. Light transmittance decreased significantly upon roasting and the lowest value (0.80) was showed by pan roasted sample. Significant decrease in pasting properties like peak (963.0-147.7 cP), setback (172.0-97.67 cP) and final viscosity (861.67-202.66 cP) was also recorded on roasting. However, roasting led to increase in pasting temperature from 78.53 to 95.23°C. The water (1.49-2.03 g/g) and oil (1.65-1.85 g/g) absorption capacity increased, while significant decrease was observed in foaming and emulsion properties upon roasting. The total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and reducing power enhanced upon pan and microwave roasting from 1.02 to 2.42 mg/g (GAE); 44.30% to 46.61%; 74.59% to 76.23%, respectively. Thermal parameters like onset temperature (To) and ΔH decreased while peak temperature (Tp) increased on roasting.

Effect of γ-irradiation on structure and nutraceutical potential of ß-D-glucan from barley (Hordeum vulgare).

This paper reports the characterization and potential antioxidant activity of ß-D-glucan isolated from barley treated with γ-rays. The ß-D-glucan was irradiated with 0, 2, 4 and 8 kGy by gamma ray. The samples were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and quantitative estimation by Megazyme ß-D-glucan assay kit. The average molecular weight of non-irradiated ß-D-glucan was 177 kDa that decreased to 79 kDa at 8 kGy. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by five complementary assays including DPPH, lipid peroxidation, reducing power, metal chelating ability and oxidative DNA damage assays. Further, the antiproliferative potential of irradiated ß-D-glucan was tested against three human cancer cell lines including Colo-205, T47D and MCF7 using MTT assay. Irradiated ß-D-glucan exhibited dose dependent cancer cell growth inhibition. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that irradiation leads to the formation of low molecular weight ß-D-glucan with enhanced antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.