Sunflower pollen-derived microcapsules adsorb light and bacteria for enhanced antimicrobial photothermal therapy.

Bacterial infection is one of the most serious clinical complications, with life-threatening outcomes. Nature-inspired biomaterials offer appealing microscale and nanoscale architectures that are often hard to fabricate by traditional technologies. Inspired by the light-harvesting nature, we engineered sulfuric acid-treated sunflower sporopollenin exine-derived microcapsules (HSECs) to capture light and bacteria for antimicrobial photothermal therapy. Sulfuric acid-treated HSECs show a greatly enhanced photothermal performance and a strong bacteria-capturing ability against Gram-positive bacteria. This is attributed to the hierarchical micro/nanostructure and surface chemistry alteration of HSECs. To test the potential for clinical application, an in situ bacteria-capturing, near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered hydrogel made of HSECs and curdlan is applied in photothermal therapy for infected skin wounds. HSECs and curdlan suspension that spread on bacteria-infected skin wounds of mice first capture the local bacteria and then form hydrogels on the wound upon NIR light stimulation. The combination shows a superior antibacterial efficiency of 98.4% compared to NIR therapy alone and achieved a wound healing ratio of 89.4%. The current study suggests that the bacteria-capturing ability and photothermal properties make HSECs an excellent platform for the phototherapy of bacteria-infected diseases. Future work that can fully take advantage of the hierarchical micro/nanostructure of HSECs for multiple biomedical applications is highly promising and desirable.

Cold Alkali-Extractable Antioxidative Polysaccharide from Russula pseudocyanoxantha (Agaricomycetes), a Novel Mushroom, Stimulates Immune Responses in RAW264.7 Cells by Regulating the TLR/NF-κB Pathway.

In our previous study, we have established Russula pseudocyanoxantha as a unique species, playing a crucial role in indigenous diets through ages. The research also brought attention to bioactive potential of polysaccharide fraction extracted from the unexplored food using hot water. However, residue of the conventional process still contains therapeutic biopolymers that could further be utilized for pharmacological purposes instead of being discarded. Therefore, the current study aims to valorize the solid remnants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the novel taxon. Subsequently, the leftover was treated with cold alkali, leading to the preparation of a high-yield fraction (RP-CAP). Chemical characterization through FT-IR, GC-MS, HPTLC, and spectroscopy demonstrated presence of several monomers in the carbohydrate backbone, predominantly composed of ß-glucan. Furthermore, GPC chromatogram indicated presence of a homogeneous polymer with molecular weight of ~ 129.28 kDa. Subsequently, potent antioxidant activity was noted in terms of radical scavenging (O2·-, OH·, DPPH· and ABTS·+), chelating ability, reducing power and total antioxidant activity where EC50 values ranged from 472-3600 µg/mL. Strong immune-boosting effect was also evident, as the biopolymers stimulated murine macrophage cell proliferation, phagocytic activity, pseudopod formation, and NO as well as ROS synthesis particularly at the concentration of 100 µg/mL. In-depth analysis through RT-PCR revealed that the fraction stimulated synthesis of several inflammatory mediators, elucidating the mode of action through TLR/ NF-κB pathway. Therefore, the findings collectively suggest that RP-CAP possesses great potential to serve as a healthimproving component in functional food and pharmaceutical sectors.

Essential oil-loaded biopolymeric particles on food industry and packaging: A review.

Essential oils (EOs) are liquid extracts derived from various parts of herbal or medicinal plants. They are widely accepted in food packaging due to their bioactive components, which exhibit remarkable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties against various pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms. However, the functional efficacy of EOs is hindered by the high volatility of their bioactive compounds, leading to rapid release. Combining biopolymers with EOs forms a complex network within the polymeric matrix, reducing the volatility of EOs, controlling their release, and enhancing thermal and mechanical stability, favoring their application in food packaging or processing industries. This study presents a comprehensive overview of techniques used to encapsulate EOs, the natural polymers employed to load EOs, and the functional properties of EOs-loaded biopolymeric particles, along with their potential antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits. Additionally, a thorough discussion is provided on the widespread application of EOs-loaded biopolymers in the food industries. However, research on their utilization in confectionery processing, such as biscuits, chocolates, and others, remains limited. Further studies can be conducted to explore and expand the applications of EOs-loaded biopolymeric particles in food processing industries.

Chitosan/alginate/pectin biopolymer-based Nanoemulsions for improving the shelf life of refrigerated chicken breast.

This study investigated the use of nanoemulsions and various polymer coatings to enhance the quality and shelf life of chicken breast. This comprehensive study explored the antibacterial activity of essential oils (EOs) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the characterization of nanoemulsions (Nes) and nanoemulsion-based coatings. The antimicrobial potential of EOs, such as cinnamon, tea tree, jojoba, thyme, and black cumin seed oil, was evaluated against microorganisms, and thyme oil exhibited the highest inhibitory effect, followed by cinnamon and tea tree oil by disk diffusion analysis. The MIC and MBC values of EOs were found between 0.16-2.5 mg/mL and 0.16-5 mg/mL, respectively, while thyme EO resulted in the lowest values showing its antimicrobial potential. Then, the essential oil nanoemulsions (EONe) and their coatings, formulated with thyme oil, alginate, chitosan, and pectin, were successfully characterized. Optical microscope observations confirmed the uniform distribution of droplets in all (EONe), while particle size analysis demonstrated multimodal droplet size distributions. The EONe-chitosan coating showed the highest efficacy in reducing cooking loss, while the EONe-chitosan, EONe-alginate, and EONe-pectin coatings displayed promising outcomes in preserving color stability. Microbial analysis revealed the significant inhibitory effects of the EONe-chitosan coating against mesophilic bacteria, psychrophilic bacteria, and yeasts, leading to an extended shelf life of chicken breast. These results suggest the potential application of thyme oil and NE-based coatings in various industries for antimicrobial activity and quality preservation.

Advances in sustainable food packaging applications of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol blend films.

Researchers are addressing environmental concerns related to petroleum-based plastic packaging by exploring biopolymers from natural sources, chemical synthesis, and microbial fermentation. Despite the potential of individual biopolymers, they often exhibit limitations like low water resistance and poor mechanical properties. Blending polymers emerges as a promising strategy to overcome these challenges, creating films with enhanced performance. This review focuses on recent advancements in chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend food packaging films. It covers molecular structure, properties, strategies for performance improvement, and applications in food preservation. The blend's excellent compatibility and intermolecular interactions make it a promising candidate for biodegradable films. Future research should explore large-scale thermoplastic technologies and investigate the incorporation of additives like natural extracts and nanoparticles to enhance film properties. Chitosan/PVA blend films offer a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging, with potential applications in practical food preservation.

Biosurfactant and biopolymer producing microorganisms from West Kazakhstan oilfield.

Microbiological enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) uses indigenous or exogenous microorganisms and nutrients to enhance oil production through synthesis of metabolites reducing oil viscosity and surface tension. In order to find bacteria suitable for MEOR, we studied 26 isolates from wells in the Akingen oilfield in West Kazakhstan. Six of them were selected for further analysis based on their ability to reduce surface tension to less than 40 mN/m, with the A9 isolate exhibiting tension reduction values of 32.76 ± 0.3 mN/m. Based on the morphological features, biochemical activities, and the 16S rRNA gene, the isolates were classified to the Bacillus subtilis group. In the phylogenetic analysis the isolates grouped into two main clusters. Genes encoding the surfactin synthetase subunits were found in A2, A8, A9, A12, PW2, only the PW2 strain had lchAA encoding lichenysin, while sacB encoding levan was noted in A2, A8, A9, and A12. The expression of srfAB, srfAC, and sacB tested with qPCR varied among strains. Nevertheless, whereas temperature moderately affects the expression level, with the highest level recorded at 40 °C, salinity significantly impacts the expression of the genes encoding biosurfactants. B. subtilis strains isolated in the study, especially A9, are promising for microbial-enhanced oil recovery.

Cost-effective production of bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate via introducing heterogeneous constitutive promoter and elevating acetyl-Coenzyme A pool of rapidly growing cyanobacteria.

Bioplastic production using cyanobacteria can be an effective strategy to cope with environmental problems caused by using petroleum-based plastics. Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 with heterogeneous phaCAB can produce bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) with a high CO2 uptake rate. For cost-effective production of PHB in S. elongatus UTEX 2973, phaCAB was expressed by the constitutive Pcpc560, resulting in the production of 226 mg/L of PHB by only photoautotrophic cultivation without the addition of inducer. Several culture conditions were applied to increase PHB productivity, and when acetate was supplied at a concentration of 1 g/L as an organic carbon source, productivity significantly increased resulting in 607.2 mg/L of PHB and additive cost reduction of more than 300 times was achieved compared to IPTG. Consequently, these results suggest the possibility of cyanobacteria as an agent that can economically produce PHB and as a solution to the problem of petroleum-based plastics.

Recent progress and treatment strategy of pectin polysaccharide based tissue engineering scaffolds in cancer therapy, wound healing and cartilage regeneration.

Natural polymers and its mixtures in the form of films, sponges and hydrogels are playing a major role in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Hydrogels have been extensively investigated as standalone materials for drug delivery purposes as they enable effective encapsulation and sustained release of drugs. Biopolymers are widely utilised in the fabrication of hydrogels due to their safety, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and regulated breakdown by human enzymes. Among all the biopolymers, polysaccharide-based polymer is well suited to overcome the limitations of traditional wound dressing materials. Pectin is a polysaccharide which can be extracted from different plant sources and is used in various pharmaceutical and biomedical applications including cartilage regeneration. Pectin itself cannot be employed as scaffolds for tissue engineering since it decomposes quickly. This article discusses recent research and developments on pectin polysaccharide, including its types, origins, applications, and potential demands for use in AI-mediated scaffolds. It also covers the materials-design process, strategy for implementation to material selection and fabrication methods for evaluation. Finally, we discuss unmet requirements and current obstacles in the development of optimal materials for wound healing and bone-tissue regeneration, as well as emerging strategies in the field.

Oscillatory rheometry for elucidating the influence of non-network biopolymer aggregation on pectin-gelatin composite gels.

Gel networks formed from biopolymers have intrigued rheological interest, especially in the food industry. Despite ubiquitous non-network biopolymer aggregation in real gel food systems, its fundamental rheological implications remain less understood. This study addresses this by preparing pectin-gelatin composite gels with dispersed or aggregated biopolymers and comparatively analyzing viscoelastic responses using rheometry. Subtle discrepancies in non-network biopolymer states were revealed through oscillatory shearing at different frequencies and amplitudes. Biopolymer aggregation in the network notably influenced loss tangent frequency dependency, particularly at high frequencies, elevating I3/I1 values and sensitizing the yield point. Non-network biopolymers weakened Payne effects and gel non-linearity. A combination of strain stiffening and shear thinning nonlinear responses characterized prepared gel systems. Aggregation of pectin and gelatin enhanced shear thinning, while strain stiffening was notable in highly aggregated pectin cases. This study enhances understanding of the link between non-network structural complexity and viscoelastic properties in oscillatory rheometry of food gels.

Biopolymer as an additive for effective biochar-based rhizobial inoculant.

Biochar is an efficient and inexpensive carrier for bacteria that stimulate plant development and growth. In this study, different biopolymer additives (cellulose, xanthan gum, chitin and tryptone) were tested with different addition ratios (1:0.1, 1:0.5 and 1:1) on further enhancing biochar capacity for supporting the growth and activity of Bradyrhizobium japonicum (CB1809). We utilized pine wood biochar (PWBC) pyrolyzed at 400 °C as the base inoculum carrier. The shelf life and survival rate of CB1809 were counted using the colony-forming unit (CFU) method for up to 120 days. Peat served as a standard reference material against which all treatments were compared. Subsequent experiments evaluated the ability of carrier inoculants to promote Glycine max L. (soybean) plant growth and nodulation under different watering regimes, i.e., 55 % water holding capacity (WHC) (D0), 30 % WHC (D1) and, 15 % WHC (D2) using sandy loam soil. Results revealed that among different additives; xanthan gum with 1:0.5 to PWBC [PWBC-xanthan gum(1:0.5)] was observed as a superior formulation in supporting rhizobial shelf life and survival rate of CB1809. In pot experiments, plants with PWBC-xanthan gum(1:0.5) formulation showed significant increase in various physiological characteristics (nitrogenase activity, chlorophyll pigments, membrane stability index, and relative water content), root architecture (root surface area, root average diameter, root volume, root tips, root forks and root crossings), and plant growth attributes (shoot/root dry biomass, shoot/root length, and number of nodules). Additionally, a reduced enrichment of isotopic signatures (δ13C, δ15N) was observed in plants treated with PWBC-xanthan gum(1:0.5), less enrichment of δ15N indicates an inverse link to nodulation and nitrogenase activity, while lower δ13C values indicates effective water use efficiency by plants during drought stress. These results suggest that biopolymers supplementation of the PWBC is useful in promoting shelf life or survival rate of CB1809.

Flocculating and dewatering of lake sediment: An in-situ pilot study comparing synthetic polymers and biopolymers for restoring lake water quality and reusing phosphorus.

Dredging of lake sediment is a method to remove accumulated phosphorus and nitrogen in lakes and thereby reducing the risk of eutrophication. After dredging, the sediment is dewatered to reduce the volume. It is important to get a high dry matter content and ensure that the filtrate does not contain harmful compounds so it can be returned to the lake. A pilot-scale belt filter and flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC) were used for dewatering lake sediment with the sediment treated with a synthetic polymer or three different biopolymers. The goal of the study was to retain the phosphorus in the filter cake while returning the filtrate to the lake with a minimal phosphorus content. Results showed dry matter content of up to 16 % in the dewatered sediment and the sediment retained 96-99 % of the phosphorus. Furthermore, nitrogen was reduced by 27-71 % in the filtrate water. Toxicity tests found low ecotoxicity for most biopolymer filtrates, whereas synthetic polymer showed the highest potential ecotoxicity. Consequently, biopolymers provided satisfactory results, proving more environmentally friendly despite requiring longer filtration time.

The General Composition of Polyhydroxyalkanoates and Factors that Influence their Production and Biosynthesis.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have been a current research topic for many years. PHAs are biopolymers produced by bacteria under unfavorable growth conditions. They are biomaterials that exhibit a variety of properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high mechanical strength, making them suitable for future applications. This review aimed to provide general information on PHAs, such as their structure, classification, and parameters that affect the production process. In addition, the most commonly used bacterial strains that produce PHAs are highlighted, and details are provided on the type of carbon source used and how to optimize the parameters for bioprocesses. PHAs present a challenge to researchers because a variety of parameters affect biosynthesis, including the variety of carbon sources, bacterial strains, and culture media. Nevertheless, PHAs represent an opportunity to replace plastics, because they can be produced quickly and at a relatively low cost. With growing environmental concerns and declining oil reserves, polyhydroxyalkanoates are a potential replacement for nonbiodegradable polymers. Therefore, the study of PHA production remains a hot topic, as many substrates can be used as carbon sources. Both researchers and industry are interested in facilitating the production, commercialization, and application of PHAs as potential replacements for nonbiodegradable polymers. The fact that they are biocompatible, environmentally biodegradable, and adaptable makes PHAs one of the most important materials available in the market. They are preferred in various industries, such as agriculture (for bioremediation of oil-polluted sites, minimizing the toxicity of pollutants, and environmental impact) or medicine (as medical devices). The various bioprocess technologies mentioned earlier will be further investigated, such as the carbon source (to obtain a biopolymer with the lowest possible cost, such as glucose, various fatty acids, and especially renewable sources), pretreatment of the substrate (to increase the availability of the carbon source), and supplementation of the growth environment with different substances and minerals). Consequently, the study of PHA production remains a current topic because many substrates can be used as carbon sources. Obtaining PHA from renewable substrates (waste oil, coffee grounds, plant husks, etc.) contributes significantly to reducing PHA costs. Therefore, in this review, pure bacterial cultures (Bacillus megaterium, Ralstonia eutropha, Cupriavidus necator, and Pseudomonas putida) have been investigated for their potential to utilize by-products as cheap feedstocks. The advantage of these bioprocesses is that a significant amount of PHA can be obtained using renewable carbon sources. The main disadvantage is that the chemical structure of the obtained biopolymer cannot be determined in advance, as is the case with bioprocesses using a conventional carbon source. Polyhydroxyalkanoates are materials that can be used in many fields, such as the medical field (skin grafts, implantable medical devices, scaffolds, drug-controlled release devices), agriculture (for polluted water cleaning), cosmetics and food (biodegradable packaging, gentle biosurfactants with suitable skin for cosmetics), and industry (production of biodegradable biopolymers that replace conventional plastic). Nonetheless, PHA biopolymers continue to be researched and improved and play an important role in various industrial sectors. The properties of this material allow its use as a biodegradable material in the cosmetics industry (for packaging), in the production of biodegradable plastics, or in biomedical engineering, as various prostheses or implantable scaffolds.

New polyvinyl alcohol/gellan gum-based bioplastics with guava and chickpea extracts for food packaging.

Plastic is a fossil-based synthetic polymer that has become an essential material in our daily life. Plastic pollution resulting from the accumulation of plastic objects has become problematic for our environment. Bioplastic can be a biodegradable environmentally friendly alternative for the synthetic plastic. In this paper, bioplastics based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/gellan gum (GG) blend have been produced in three different compositions and their chemical structure, mechanical, morphological and thermal properties have been studied. Glycerol has been used as a plasticizer. To add extra features to the PVA/GG bioplastic, Psidium guajava (guava) leaves, GL, and chickpea, CP, extracts have been added to the PVA/GG (30/70) blend. Water and aqueous ethanol have been used in the extraction of GL and CP, respectively. The addition of the plant's extracts enhanced the tensile properties of the PVA/GG bioplastic. Weathering acceleration tests have been carried out to examine the degradation of the prepared bioplastics. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that the prepared bioplastic is safe to be used in food packaging applications. Water and oxygen permeability for the new PVA/GG bioplastic have also been studied. The addition of the plant extracts (GL and CP extracts) increased the oxygen and water permeability to different extents. Bioplastic life cycle assessment (LCA) and CO2 emissions in comparison to fossil-based plastic have been investigated. From all the results, PVA/GG based bioplastic proved to be a degradable, safe and effective alternative for fossil-based plastics in food packaging applications.

Packaging films based on biopolymers from seafood processing wastes: Preparation, properties, and their applications for shelf-life extension of seafoods-A comprehensive review.

Biopolymers derived from seafood processing byproducts are used to prepare active and biodegradable films as the packaging of food products. These films possess bioactivities to enhance the shelf life of packed foods by proactively releasing antimicrobial/antioxidative agents into the foods and providing sufficient barrier properties. Seafood processing byproducts are an eminent source of valuable compounds, including biopolymers and bioactive compounds. These biopolymers, including collagen, gelatin, chitosan, and muscle proteins, could be used to prepare robust and sustainable food packaging with some antimicrobial agents or antioxidants, for example, plant extracts rich in polyphenols or essential oils. These active packaging are not only biodegradable but also prevent the deterioration of packed foods caused by spoilage microorganisms as well as chemical deterioration. Seafood discards have a promising benefit for the development of environmentally friendly food packaging systems via the appropriate preparation methods or techniques. Therefore, the green packaging from seafood leftover can be better exploited and replace the synthetic counterpart.

Exploring the potential of Bacillus subtilis as cell factory for food ingredients and special chemicals.

BACKGROUND: Bacillus subtilis has been established as model microorganism for fundamental research in the laboratory on protein production/secretion and sporulation and as model bacterium for controlling spoilage in the food industry. It has also been used for production of (commercial) enzymes and several secondary metabolites such as vitamins. However, this doesn't fully reflect the potential of B. subtilis as a cell-factory. Here, various strains of B. subtilis, including food-grade, spore-deficient strains and industrially used strains, were compared for their growth and metabolic potential. Industry-relevant parameters were analyzed for all strains under various aeration regimes, under anaerobic conditions, in various nutritious and nutrient-limited cultivation media, with and without organic nitrogen sources, and with and without sugar. RESULTS: Practical experiments were conducted to compare industrial relevant properties like growth rates, intracellular components and extracellular metabolite profile of different B. subtilis strains. Based on growth flexibility in different media, we found that some strains like NCIB3610 and DSM1092 are adapted to inorganic or organic nitrogen source utilization, which is highly relevant when considering a biorefinery approach using various cheap and abundant waste/sidestreams. Secondly, spore-deficient strains such as 3NA, 168 S and PY79S, showed advantages in microbial protein and acetolactate pathway expression, which is associated with applications in food industry for protein supplement and diacetyl production. Lastly, WB800 and PY79S exhibited potential for fermentative production of dipicolinic acid, 2,3-butanediol and lactic acid that could serve as precursors for biopolymers. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the broad potential for more extensive industrial use of Bacillus subtilis in the (bio-based) chemical industry for use of sidestreams, in the personal care industry, in the food industry for food additive production, and in the bio-sustainable industry for biofuel and bio-degradable plastic precursors production. In addition, selecting different B. subtilis strains for specific purposes makes full use of the diversity of this species and increases the potential of B. subtilis in its contribution to the bio-based economy.

Alginate biopolymeric structures: Versatile carriers for bioactive compounds in functional foods and nutraceutical formulations: A review.

Alginate-based biopolymer products have gained attention for protecting and delivering bioactive components in nutraceuticals and functional foods. These naturally abundant anionic, unbranched, and linear copolymers are also produced commercially by microorganisms. Alone or in combination with other copolymers, they efficiently transport bioactive molecules in food and nutraceutical products. This review aims to provide an in-depth understanding of alginate-based products and structures, emphasizing their role in delivering functional molecules in various formulations and delivery systems. These include edible coatings/films, gels/emulsions, beads/droplets, microspheres/particles, and engineered nanostructures where alginates have been used potentially. By exploring these applications, readers gain insights into the benefits of these products. Because, alginate-based biopolymer products have shown promise in delivering bioactive compounds like vitamin C, vitamin D3, curcumin, ß-carotene, resveratrol, folic acid, gliadins, caffeic acid, betanin, limonoids, quercetin, several polyphenols and essential oils, etc., which are chief contributors to treating specific/overall nutritional and chronic metabolic disorders. So, this review summarizes the potential of alginate-based structures/products in various forms for delivering a wide range of functional food ingredients and nutraceutical components that offer promising perspectives for future investigations.

Polyhydroxybutyrate synthesis in Camelina: Towards coproduction of renewable feedstocks for bioplastics and fuels.

Plant-based co-production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and seed oil has the potential to create a viable domestic source of feedstocks for renewable fuels and plastics. PHAs, a class of biodegradable polyesters, can replace conventional plastics in many applications while providing full degradation in all biologically active environments. Here we report the production of the PHA poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) in the seed cytosol of the emerging bioenergy crop Camelina sativa engineered with a bacterial PHB biosynthetic pathway. Two approaches were used: cytosolic localization of all three enzymes of the PHB pathway in the seed, or localization of the first two enzymes of the pathway in the cytosol and anchoring of the third enzyme required for polymerization to the cytosolic face of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER-targeted approach was found to provide more stable polymer production with PHB levels up to 10.2% of the mature seed weight achieved in seeds with good viability. These results mark a significant step forward towards engineering lines for commercial use. Plant-based PHA production would enable a direct link between low-cost large-scale agricultural production of biodegradable polymers and seed oil with the global plastics and renewable fuels markets.

Effect of Surface Functionality on the Rheological and Self-Assembly Properties of Chitin and Chitosan Nanocrystals and Use in Biopolymer Films.

Chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs) are unique to all other bio-derived nanomaterials in one aspect: the inherent presence of a nitrogen moiety. By tuning the chemical functionality of this nanomaterial, and thus its charge and hydrogen bonding capacity, one can heavily impact its macroscopic properties such as its rheological and self-assembly characteristics. In this study, two types of ChNCs are made using acid hydrolysis (AH-ChNCs) and oxidative (OX-ChNCs) pathways, unto which deacetylation using a solvent-free procedure is utilized to create chitosan nanocrystals (ChsNCs) of varying degree of deacetylation (DDA). These nanocrystals were then studied for their rheological behavior and liquid crystalline ordering. It was found that with both deacetylation and carboxylation of ChNCs, viscosity continually increased with increasing concentrations from 2 to 8 wt %, contrary to AH-ChNC dispersions in the same range. Interestingly, increasing the amine content of ChNCs was not proportional to the storage modulus, where a peak saturation of amines provided the most stiffness. Conversely, while the introduction of carboxylation increased the elastic modulus of OX-ChNCs by an order of magnitude from that of AH-ChNCs, it was decreased by increasing DDA. Deacetylation and carboxylation both inhibited the formation of a chiral nematic phase. Finally, these series of nanocrystals were incorporated into biodegradable pectin-alginate films as a physical reinforcement, which showed increased tensile strength and Young's modulus values for the films incorporated with ChsNCs. Overall, this study is the first to investigate how surface functionalization of chitin-derived nanocrystals can affect their rheological and liquid crystalline properties and how it augments pectin/alginate films as a physical reinforcement nanofiller.

Multifaceted roles of pollen in the management of cancer.

Oral drug delivery of microparticles demonstrates shortcomings like aggregation, decreased loading capacity and batch-to-batch variation, which limits its scale-up. Later, porous structures gained attention because of their large surface-to-volume ratio, high loading capacity and ability to carry biomacromolecules, which undergo degradation in GIT. But there are pitfalls like non-uniform particle size distribution, the impact of porogen properties, and harsh chemicals. To circumvent these drawbacks, natural carriers like pollen are explored in drug delivery, which withstands harsh environments. This property helps to subdue the acid-sensitive drug in GIT. It shows uniform particle size distribution within the species. On the other side, they contain phytoconstituents like flavonoids and polysaccharides, which possess various pharmacological applications. Therefore, pollen has the capability as a carrier system and therapeutic agent. This review focuses on pollen's microstructure, composition and utility in cancer management. The extraction strategies, characterisation techniques and chemical structure of sporopollenin exine capsule, its use in the oral delivery of antineoplastic drugs, and emerging cancer treatments like photothermal therapy, immunotherapy and microrobots have been highlighted. We have mentioned a note on the anticancer activity of pollen extract. Further, we have summarised the regulatory perspective, bottlenecks and way forward associated with pollen.

Interaction mechanisms of peanut protein isolate and high methoxyl pectin with ultrasound treatment: The effect of ultrasound parameters, biopolymer ratio, and pH.

Ultrasound could effectively change molecular structure of proteins, polysaccharides, and their interactions, and was used to treat the peanut protein isolate-high methoxy pectin (PPI-HMP) complexes in this study. Effects of different ultrasound parameters, PPI-HMP mixing ratio (40:1-5:2), and pH (2.0-8.0) on the PPI-HMP interactions were investigated. Turbidity, solution appearance, and Zeta-potential analysis revealed an electrostatic interaction between PPI and HMP from pH 2.0 to pH 6.0. Ultrasound changed the tertiary structure conformation of PPI according to the surface hydrophobicity analysis. Increased ultrasound power density and pH broke the hydrogen bonds between the complexes according to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Apparent viscosity and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis showed that appropriate ultrasound treatment (5.43 W/cm3, 25 min, 25 °C) reduced the viscosity of the complexes, and enhanced the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between PPI and HMP. These findings will contribute to the application of PPI-HMP complexes in the food industry.