Improving the Three-Dimensional Printability of Potato Starch Loaded onto Food Ink.

This study focuses on improving the 3D printability of pea protein with the help of food inks designed for jet-type 3D printers. Initially, the food ink base was formulated using nanocellulose-alginate with a gradient of native potato starch and its 3D printability was evaluated. The 3D-printed structures using only candidates for the food ink base formulated with or without potato starch exhibited dimensional accuracy exceeding 95% on both the X and Y axes. However, the accuracy of stacking on the Z-axis was significantly affected by the ink composition. Food ink with 1% potato starch closely matched the CAD design, with an accuracy of approximately 99% on the Z-axis. Potato starch enhanced the stacking of 3D-printed structures by improving the electrostatic repulsion, viscoelasticity, and thixotropic behavior of the food ink base. The 3D printability of pea protein was evaluated using the selected food ink base, showing a 46% improvement in dimensional accuracy on the Z-axis compared to the control group printed with a food ink base lacking potato starch. These findings suggest that starch can serve as an additive support for high-resolution 3D jet-type printing of food ink material.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Red Radish Coral Sprout Extract by Inhibited Triglyceride Accumulation in a Microbial Evaluation System and in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Rhodosporidium toruloides, an oleaginous yeast, can be used as a fast and reliable evaluation tool to screen new natural lipid-lowering agents. Herein, we showed that triglyceride (TG) accumulation was inhibited by 42.6% in 0.1% red radish coral sprout extract (RRSE)-treated R. toruloides. We also evaluated the anti-obesity effect of the RRSE in a mouse model. The body weight gain of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) with 0.1% RRSE (HFD-RRSE) was significantly decreased by 60% compared with that mice fed the HFD alone after the 8-week experimental period. Body fat of the HFD-RRSE-fed group was dramatically reduced by 38.3% compared with that of the HFD-fed group.

Oleaginous Yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides as a Tool for Rapid Evaluation of Anti-Obesity Candidates: Inhibitory Effect of Persimmon Leaf Fermentate on Lipid Accumulation.

The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of Rhodosporidium toruloides as a new tool to evaluate the triglyceride (TG) reduction effects of anti-obesity candidate materials. Unfermented and fermented persimmon leaf hot water extracts (UFPLE and FPLE) were used as anti-obesity agents. The content of TG in R. toruloides treated with FPLE was less than those with UFPLE by about 11% (p < 0.05) relative to the control (R. toruloides incubated in YPD medium without the agents). Fat reduction in 3T3-L1 cells achieved by FPLE was about 13% higher than that achieved by UFPLE.

Platycosides from the Roots of Platycodon grandiflorum and Their Health Benefits.

The extracts and pure saponins from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) are reported to have a wide range of health benefits. Platycosides (saponins) from the roots of PG are characterized by a structure containing a triterpenoid aglycone and two sugar chains. Saponins are of commercial significance, and their applications are increasing with increasing evidence of their health benefits. The biological effects of saponins include cytotoxic effects against cancer cells, neuroprotective activity, antiviral activity, and cholesterol lowering effects. Saponins with commercial value range from crude plant extracts, which can be used for their foaming properties, to high purity saponins such as platycodin D, which can be used for its health applications (e.g., as a vaccine adjuvant). This review reveals that platycosides have many health benefits and have the potential to be used as a remedy against many of the major health hazards (e.g., cancer, obesity, alzheimer's) faced by populations around the world. Methods of platycoside purification and analysis are also covered in this review.