Ultrafine grinding improves the nutritional, physicochemical, and antioxidant activities of two varieties of whole-grain highland barley.

Effects of ultrafine grinding on the nutritional profile, physicochemical properties, and antioxidant activities of whole-grain highland barley (HB) including white highland barley (WHB) and black highland barley (BHB) were studied. Whole-grain HB was regularly ground and sieved through 80 mesh get 80 M powder, and HB was ultrafine grounded and sieved through 80 mesh, 150 mesh, and 200 mesh get 80UMM, 150UMM, and 200UMM samples. Particle size of WHB and BHB reduced significantly after ultrafine grinding. As the particle size decreased, moisture content of WHB and BHB decreased significantly, whereas fat content increased significantly. Redistribution of fiber components in WHB and BHB from insoluble to soluble fractions was also observed. Wherein, content of soluble pentosan of WHB and BHB increased significantly from 0.56% and 0.78% (80 M) to 0.91% and 1.14% (200UMM), respectively. Damaged starch of WHB and BHB increased significantly from 8.16% and 8.21% (80 M) to 10.29% and 10.07% (200UMM), respectively. Content of phenolic acid and flavonoid of WHB and BHB and associated antioxidant capacity were increased after ultrafine grinding. Color of L* value increased significantly, a* and b* values decreased significantly, indicating the whiteness of WHB and BHB was increased after ultrafine grinding. Pasting temperature of WHB and BHB decreased, whereas peak viscosity increased. X-ray diffraction patterns of HB showed typical A- and V-style polymorphs and the relative crystallinity of HB decreased as the particle size decreased. Taken together, ultrafine grinding has shown great potential in improving the nutritional, physiochemical, and antioxidant properties of whole-grain HB. Our research findings could help better understand the ultrafine grinded whole grain HB in food industry.

Crude glycerol as feedstock for the sustainable production of p-hydroxybenzoate by Pseudomonas putida S12.

Crude glycerol is a promising renewable feedstock in bioconversion processes for the production of fuels and chemicals. Impurities present in crude glycerol can however, negatively impact the fermentation process. Successful crude glycerol utilization requires robust microbial production hosts that tolerate and preferably, can utilize such impurities. We investigated utilization of crude, unpurified glycerol as a substrate for the production of aromatic compounds by solvent tolerant Pseudomonas putida S12. In high-cell density fed-batch fermentations, P. putida S12 surprisingly performed better on crude glycerol than on purified glycerol. By contrast, growth of Escherichia coli was severely compromised under these high cell density cultivation conditions on crude glycerol. For P. putida S12 the biomass-to-substrate yield, maximum biomass production rate and substrate uptake rate were consistently higher on crude glycerol. Moreover, production of p-hydroxybenzoate by engineered P. putida S12palB5 on crude glycerol showed a 10% yield improvement over production on purified glycerol. P. putida S12 is a favorable host for bioconversion processes utilizing crude glycerol as a substrate. Its intrinsic stress-tolerance properties provide the robustness required for efficient growth and metabolism on this renewable substrate.

Improvement of docosahexaenoic acid production on glycerol by Schizochytrium sp. S31 with constantly high oxygen transfer coefficient.

Volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) is a key fermentation parameter for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from glycerol by Schizochytrium sp. S31. In order to elucidate the effects of kLa on the fermentations, both baffled and unbaffled flask cultures and fed-batch cultures were developed in present work. The results showed that high kLa could effectively increase the DHA concentration, DHA productivity and conversion yield (Yx/s, g/g). When kLa was set at 1802 ± 105 h(-1) in the fed-batch culture, DHA concentration was achieved at 28.93 g/L, DHA productivity at 301 mg/L/h and Yx/s at 0.44 ± 0.02 g/g, all of which were significantly higher than those in the previous similar studies.