Preparation of a Novel Lignocellulose-Based Aerogel by Partially Dissolving Medulla Tetrapanacis via Ionic Liquid.

A novel lignocellulosic aerogel, MT-LCA, was successfully prepared from MT by undergoing partial dissolution in an ionic liquid, coagulation in water, freezing in liquid nitrogen, and subsequent freeze-drying. The MT-LCA preserves its original honeycomb-like porous structure, and the newly formed micropores contribute to increased porosity and specific surface area. FT-IR analysis reveals that MT, after dissolution and coagulation, experiences no chemical reactions. However, a change in the crystalline structure of cellulose is observed, transitioning from cellulose I to cellulose II. Both MT and MT-LCA demonstrate a quasi-second-order kinetic process during methylene blue adsorption, indicative of chemical adsorption. The Langmuir model proves to be more appropriate for characterizing the methylene blue adsorption process. Both adsorbents exhibit monolayer adsorption, and their effective adsorption sites are uniformly distributed. The higher porosity, nanoscale micropores, and larger pore size in MT-LCA enhance its capillary force, providing efficient directional transport performance. Consequently, the prepared MT-LCA displays exceptional compressive performance and efficient directional transport capabilities, making it well-suited for applications requiring high compressive performance and selective directional transport.

The yield, nutritional value, umami components and mineral contents of the first-flush and second-flush Pleurotus pulmonarius mushrooms grown on three forestry wastes.

This study was carried out to evaluate the yields and quality of the first-flush and second-flush Pleurotus pulmonarius mushrooms grown on three forestry wastes (pine, poplar, and honeysuckle rattan). The biological efficiency (BE) of the substrates varied from 61.89% to 81.01%. The total protein content, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values of the mushrooms were greatly influenced by the flush number and the substrate, however, the total sugar content and ergosterol content of the mushrooms were not significantly affected. The first-flush mushrooms that were grown on the pine sawdust-based substrate had the highest protein content, and the first-flush mushrooms that were grown on the honeysuckle rattan sawdust-based substrate had the highest GABA content and EUC values. All the mushroom samples accumulated Cu but excluded Ca, Mn, Pb, Cr, and Cd, and the concentrations of Mg, Fe, and Mn are species and flush number dependent.

Encapsulation of tributyrin by gamma-cyclodextrin: Complexation, spray drying, and in vitro fermentation.

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) known for support in gastrointestinal (GI) health. Tributyrin (TB) could be used as an alternate source of butyrate. The objectives of this study were to encapsulate TB using gamma-cyclodextrin (CD) by spray-drying and to investigate the physicochemical and the fermentation properties of TB/CD complex. The TB/CD complex precipitated in water with an average stoichiometry of 1:1.3 of TB:CD. At a 1:2 molar ratio of TB:CD, TB was fully retained in the spray-dried TB/CD complex. The spray-dried TB/CD complex showed crystalline structure, supported by both X-ray diffraction spectra and scanning electron microscopy images. The TB/CD complex at 1:2 molar ratio was fermented and several SCFAs, including butyrate, were produced in an in vitro test using piglets' ileal and colonic contents. A dose-dependent increase in the butyrate concentration in both ileum and ascending colon was observed. Approximately, 426 and 1189 µmole butyrate was produced per gram of TB/CD powder at 9 mM treatment in ileum and ascending colon, respectively. Thus, the production of the TB/CD complex using spray drying is feasible and the complex has the potential for food applications to improve intestinal health. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings in this study can be applied to produce encapsulated tributyrin with gamma-cyclodextrin efficiently using spray-drying. The TB/CD complex was highly fermentable and caused an increase in the butyrate concentration in both ileum and ascending colon, which can be incorporated in foods to enhance butyrate delivery to the GI tract to assist gut health.