Relationships between protein and other chemical composition and texture of tofu made from soybeans grown in different locations.

Understanding quantitative relationships between protein and other chemical components in diverse soybean genotypes (lines) grown in different locations and the firmness of tofu can provide scientific insight for selecting soybean suitable for tofu making. Locations showed significant effects on seed components, including total protein, major storage proteins, subunits and polypeptides of the major storage proteins, and calcium, but not magnesium or phytic acid. Results showed that 11S content, but not 11S/7S ratio, was only correlated with filled tofu firmness when analyzed over all locations. A strong and positive correlation between firmness and A3 polypeptide of the 11S protein content was found for both pressed tofu (r = 0.80, p < 0.001) and filled tofu (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) over three locations (overall pooled data) and within most individual locations. The correlation of filled tofu firmness and A3 polypeptide was significant for each of the three individual locations. However, the correlation of pressed tofu firmness and A3 polypeptide content was significant at two of three locations. Mean calcium content was positively correlated with mean pressed and filled tofu firmness over all locations, but calcium was not correlated with pressed tofu firmness at any individual location, and only one location showed a significant correlation of calcium and filled tofu firmness. In addition, pressed tofu firmness was found to be negatively correlated with tofu yield. The findings that A3 polypeptide's strong relationship with tofu firmness within certain locations may be used by the food industry to select proper soybean for manufacturing tofu and to facilitate tofu soybean breeding for tofu making.

Microbial Transglutaminase Cross-Linking Enhances the Textural and Rheological Properties of the Surimi-like Gels Made from Alkali-Extracted Protein Isolate from Catfish Byproducts and the Role of Disulfide Bonds in Gelling.

The texture of surimi-like gels made from the protein isolate extracted from catfish byproducts has been proven to be brittle and lack elasticity. To address this issue, varying levels of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) from 0.1 to 0.6 units/g were applied. MTGase had little effect on the color profile of gels. When MTGase at 0.5 units/g was employed, hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, resilience, fracturablity, and deformation were increased by 218, 55, 12, 451, 115, 446, and 71%, respectively. A further increase in added MTGase did not lead to any textural improvement. In comparison to the gels made from fillet mince, the gels made from protein isolate were still lower in cohesiveness. Due to the activated endogenous transglutaminase, a setting step enhanced the textural properties of gels made from fillet mince. However, because of the endogenous proteases-induced protein degradation, the setting step led to a texture deterioration of the gels made from protein isolate. Gels made from protein isolate showed 23-55% higher solubility in reducing solution than in non-reducing solution, suggesting the vital role of disulfide bonds in the gelation process. Due to the different protein composition and conformation, fillet mince and protein isolate exhibited distinct rheological properties. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed the highly denatured protein isolate was susceptible to proteolysis and prone to disulfide formation during the gelation process. It also revealed that MTGase had an inhibitory effect on the proteolysis induced by endogenous enzymes. In view of the susceptibility of the protein isolate to proteolysis during gelation, future research should consider including other enzyme inhibitory agents in the presence of MTGase to improve the gel texture.

Color and texture of surimi-like gels made of protein isolate extracted from catfish byproducts are improved by washing and adding soy whey.

Protein extraction from catfish byproducts has been proven economically and technically feasible. However, the gel prepared from protein isolate was dark and lacked elasticity. Byproduct mince washing and application of soy whey were adopted in this study to address the above gel quality issues. Heating soy whey at 75°C for 3 min could eliminate over 99.9% lipoxygenase activity and retain more than 50% trypsin inhibitor activity. Washing byproduct mince for 2 min with water-to-mince ratio of 2:1 could achieve satisfactory gel color, which was comparable to that of commercial surimi gels. When soy whey was applied, the autolytic enzyme-induced proteolysis was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by up to 74%. With addition of soy whey, resilience, hardness at maximum force, hardness at 5 mm compression, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, fracturability, and deformation could be increased by up to 43.10%, 66.92%, 36.72%, 14.59%, 29.17%, 143.25%, 93.82%, and 27.97%, respectively. However, the texture was still inferior to the gel made from fillet mince. SDS-PAGE revealed that myosin was most susceptible to proteolysis and application of soy whey could effectively protect it from degradation. Different from tropomyosin, myosin and actin were greatly involved in disulfide bond formation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Catfish byproducts and soy whey, a byproduct from soy protein isolation, are normally treated as waste. The current study proved the possibility to utilize these two byproducts to make value-added surimi-like gel products. Utilization of byproducts would not only increase profitability of catfish and soy processing, but also preserve the precious fish proteins and other health-promoting components.

Development of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Combined with Lateral Flow Dipstick Assay To Detect Hemolysin Gene of Vibrio vulnificus in Oysters.

ABSTRACT: Vibrio vulnificus inhabits estuarine waters around the world and can cause severe infections in people who eat contaminated raw or undercooked oysters. Although current detection methods are sensitive and specific, there are continuous demands for the development of rapid and accurate methods without a trained operator and equipment in the field conditions. Herein, we developed a simple and rapid method by detecting the hemolysin (vvh) gene of V. vulnificus by using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD). The RPA-LFD could detect 100 fg of DNA (P < 0.05) and 20 CFU of V. vulnificus per reaction within 30 min (P < 0.01) and showed the result with incubation temperature ranges from 30 to 45°C (P < 0.001). The test was specific only to V. vulnificus and was not responsive to 10 other closely related Vibrio species and 18 foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Compared with PCR, quantitative PCR, and colony hybridization assays by using naturally contaminated oyster samples, our RPA-LFD showed the same detection ability as quantitative PCR assay. Therefore, the current RPA-LFD would be a valuable tool to detect V. vulnificus in oysters, especially in field conditions.

Determination of protease inhibitors, glycinin, and beta-conglycinin in soybeans and their relationships.

In order to search for suitable soybean varieties for different applications, the protein contents of Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI), Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor (BBI), glycinin (11S), and ß-conglycinin (7S) of 93 soybean samples from different sources and harvest years were quantified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Meanwhile, the protease inhibitory activities against trypsin and chymotrypsin were determined. Results showed that the individual protein contents and trypsin inhibitor activities differed significantly (p < 0.05) among soybean samples. KTI contents ranged from 5.25 to 14.60 mg·g-1 ; BBI contents ranged from 1.81 to 5.74 mg·g-1 ; 11S varied from 13.65% to 48.55% and 7S varied from 15.68% to 42.15% of total soluble protein; trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activities were 8.93-20.95 mg TI·g-1 and 4.18 -12.79 mg CI·g-1 , respectively. Excellent linear relationships existed between trypsin inhibitor contents and their activities. The regression equations offer a rapid method for estimating the activity of KTI or BBI in raw soybeans. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The regression equations established based on a large number of soybean varieties offered a rapid method to estimate the activity of trypsin inhibitors. The data presented here provided useful information for the food industry or breeders to select soybean varieties with different inhibitory activities or protein contents for different food processing applications.

Quercetin Ameliorates Insulin Resistance and Restores Gut Microbiome in Mice on High-Fat Diets.

Quercetin is a flavonoid that has been shown to have health-promoting capacities due to its potent antioxidant activity. However, the effect of chronic intake of quercetin on the gut microbiome and diabetes-related biomarkers remains unclear. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed HF or HF supplemented with 0.05% quercetin (HFQ) for 6 weeks. Diabetes-related biomarkers in blood were determined in mice fed high-fat (HF) diets supplemented with quercetin. Mice fed the HFQ diet gained less body, liver, and adipose weight, while liver lipid and blood glucose levels were also lowered. Diabetes-related plasma biomarkers insulin, leptin, resistin, and glucagon were significantly reduced by quercetin supplementation. In feces, quercetin supplementation significantly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia and decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. The expression of genes Srebf1, Ppara, Cyp51, Scd1, and Fasn was downregulated by quercetin supplementation. These results indicated that diabetes biomarkers are associated with early metabolic changes accompanying obesity, and quercetin may ameliorate insulin resistance.

Resveratrol Butyrate Esters Inhibit Obesity Caused by Perinatal Exposure to Bisphenol A in Female Offspring Rats.

Resveratrol butyrate esters (RBE) are derivatives of resveratrol (RSV) and butyric acid and exhibit biological activity similar to that of RSV but with higher bioavailability. The aim of this study was designed as an animal experiment to explore the effects of RBE on the serum biochemistry, and fat deposits in the offspring rats exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), along with the growth and decline of gut microbiota. We constructed an animal model of perinatal Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure to observe the effects of RBE supplementation on obesity, blood lipids, and intestinal microbiota in female offspring rats. Perinatal exposure to BPA led to weight gain, lipid accumulation, high levels of blood lipids, and deterioration of intestinal microbiota in female offspring rats. RBE supplementation reduced the weight gain and lipid accumulation caused by BPA, optimised the levels of blood lipids, significantly reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, and increased and decreased the abundance of S24-7 and Lactobacillus, respectively. The analysis of faecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels revealed that BPA exposure increased the faecal concentration of acetate, which could be reduced via RBE supplementation. However, the faecal concentrations of propionate and butyrate were not only significantly lower than that of acetate, but also did not significantly change in response to BPA exposure or RBE supplementation. Hence, RBE can suppress BPA-induced obesity in female offspring rats, and it demonstrates excellent modulatory activity on intestinal microbiota, with potential applications in perinatological research.

Protein extraction from catfish byproducts and physicochemical properties of the protein isolates.

In order to optimize protein recovery from catfish byproducts by alkaline extraction, the effects of different factors, including particle size, mince-to-water ratio, pH, and extraction time were investigated. It was found that a protein recovery of about 30% could be achieved. Increases in pH (pH 10.5, 11, and 11.5) not only improved protein recovery, but also increased protein denaturation evidenced by decreased solubility, decreased α-helix, increased ß-sheet, and increased random coil. The color and texture of gels made from protein isolate were greatly affected by the pH values used for protein extraction. For the gels made from fillet mince, and protein isolates extracted at pH 10.5, 11, and 11.5, the "L" values were 78.96, 60.38, 57.74, and 54.39, the breaking forces were 205, 492, 585, and 458 g, and deformation values were 10.59, 8.07, 6.73, and 5.04 mm, respectively. Electrophoresis revealed protein degradation during alkali-aided extraction with MHC, the most predominant band, showing about 50% decrease in comparison with fillet mince. It also demonstrated that gelation not only caused cross-linking, but also autolysis with 53%, 56%, 59%, and 81% decrease in MHC intensity for fillet mince, protein isolates extracted at pH 10.5, 11, and 11.5, respectively. Fillet mince and protein isolates exhibited different storage modulus patterns during temperature sweep, implying different gelation mechanisms. This study proved the protein extracted from catfish byproducts was potential to be utilized as edible food components especially in gel making. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Catfish byproducts, which account for 70% of total weight and 50% of total protein of catfish, are normally used as animal feed, fertilizer, or even waste. This study demonstrated the potential of the utilization of catfish wastes to develop edible food components. This could reduce the total processing waste being discarded into the environment and nutrient loss, therefore increasing profitability of catfish industry.

Resveratrol Butyrate Esters Inhibit BPA-Induced Liver Damage in Male Offspring Rats by Modulating Antioxidant Capacity and Gut Microbiota.

Resveratrol can affect the physiology or biochemistry of offspring in the maternal-fetal animal model. However, it exhibits low bioavailability in humans and animals. Fifteen-week SD pregnant female rats were orally administered bisphenol A (BPA) and/or resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE), and the male offspring rats (n = 4-8 per group) were evaluated. The results show that RBE treatment (BPA + R30) compared with the BPA group can reduce the damage caused by BPA (p < 0.05). RBE enhanced the expression of selected genes and induced extramedullary hematopoiesis and mononuclear cell infiltration. RBE increased the abundance of S24-7 and Adlercreutzia in the intestines of the male offspring rats, as well as the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces. RBE also increased the antioxidant capacity of the liver by inducing Nrf2, promoting the expression of HO-1, SOD, and CAT. It also increased the concentration of intestinal SCFAs, enhancing the barrier formed by intestinal cells, thereby preventing BPA-induced metabolic disruption in the male offspring rats, and reduced liver inflammation. This study identified a potential mechanism underlying the protective effects of RBE against the liver damage caused by BPA exposure during the peri-pregnancy period, and the influence of the gut microbiota on the gut-liver axis in the offspring.

Synthesis of Short-Chain-Fatty-Acid Resveratrol Esters and Their Antioxidant Properties.

To expand the applications and enhance the stability and bioactivity of resveratrol (RE), and to simultaneously include the potential health benefits of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) esters of RE were prepared by Steglich reactions with acetic, propionic, and butyric acids, respectively. RE and the esterified RE-SCFA products (including RAE, RPE, and RBE) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The FTIR and 13C NMR spectra of the esterified products included ester-characteristic peaks at 1751 cm-1 and 171 ppm, respectively. Moreover, the peaks in the range of 1700 to 1600 cm-1 in the FTIR spectra of the esterified products indicated that the esterification of RE-SCFA was successful. The TGA results revealed that the RE-SCFA esters decomposed at lower temperatures than RE. The peaks in the LC-MS profiles of the esterified products indicated the formation of mono- and diesters, and the calculated monoester synthesis rates ranged between 45.81 and 49.64%. The RE esters inhibited the Cu2+-induced low-density lipoprotein oxidation reaction, exhibited antioxidant activity in bulk oil, and effectively inhibited the hydroxyl radical-induced DNA scission. Moreover, the RE-SCFA esters had better hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity than RE. Our results are the first in the literature to successfully including short chain fatty acids in the esters of resveratrol, and the products could be used as a functional food ingredient in processed foods or can be used as dietary supplements to promote health.

Genome-wide association studies of ionomic and agronomic traits in USDA mini core collection of rice and comparative analyses of different mapping methods.

BACKGROUND: Rice is an important human staple food vulnerable to heavy metal contamination leading to serious concerns. High yield with low heavy metal contamination is a common but highly challenging goal for rice breeders worldwide due to lack of genetic knowledge and markers. RESULTS: To identify candidate QTLs and develop molecular markers for rice yield and heavy metal content, a total of 191 accessions from the USDA Rice mini-core collection with over 3.2 million SNPs were employed to investigate the QTLs. Sixteen ionomic and thirteen agronomic traits were analyzed utilizing two univariate (GLM and MLM) and two multivariate (MLMM and FarmCPU) GWAS methods. 106, 47, and 97 QTLs were identified for ionomics flooded, ionomics unflooded, and agronomic traits, respectively, with the criterium of p-value < 1.53 × 10- 8, which was determined by the Bonferroni correction for p-value of 0.05. While 49 (~ 20%) of the 250 QTLs were coinciding with previously reported QTLs/genes, about 201 (~ 80%) were new. In addition, several new candidate genes involved in ionomic and agronomic traits control were identified by analyzing the DNA sequence, gene expression, and the homologs of the QTL regions. Our results further showed that each of the four GWAS methods can identify unique as well as common QTLs, suggesting that using multiple GWAS methods can complement each other in QTL identification, especially by combining univariate and multivariate methods. CONCLUSIONS: While 49 previously reported QTLs/genes were rediscovered, over 200 new QTLs for ionomic and agronomic traits were found in the rice genome. Moreover, multiple new candidate genes for agronomic and ionomic traits were identified. This research provides novel insights into the genetic basis of both ionomic and agronomic variations in rice, establishing the foundation for marker development in breeding and further investigation on reducing heavy-metal contamination and improving crop yields. Finally, the comparative analysis of the GWAS methods showed that each method has unique features and different methods can complement each other.

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Resveratrol Butyrate Esters That Have the Ability to Prevent Fat Accumulation in a Liver Cell Culture Model.

To facilitate broad applications and enhance bioactivity, resveratrol was esterified to resveratrol butyrate esters (RBE). Esterification with butyric acid was conducted by the Steglich esterification method at room temperature with N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and 4-dimethyl aminopyridine (DMAP). Our experiments demonstrated the synthesis of RBE through EDC- and DMAP-facilitated esterification was successful and that the FTIR spectra of RBE revealed absorption (1751 cm-1) in the ester region. 13C-NMR spectrum of RBE showed a peak at 171 ppm corresponding to the ester group and peaks between 1700 and 1600 cm-1 in the FTIR spectra. RBE treatment (25 or 50 µM) decreased oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. This effect was stronger than that of resveratrol and mediated through the downregulation of p-ACC and SREBP-2 expression. This is the first study demonstrating RBE could be synthesized by the Steglich method and that resulting RBE could inhibit lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that RBE could potentially serve as functional food ingredients and supplements for health promotion.

Fast quantification of short-chain fatty acids in rat plasma by gas chromatography.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the main metabolites of the intestinal flora and play an important role in the interaction between the intestinal flora and host metabolism. Therefore, reliable methods are needed to accurately measure SCFAs concentrations. SCFAs are commonly analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which requires lengthy sample treatments and a long run time. This study aimed to develop a fast GC method with formic acid pretreatment for SCFAs quantification in the plasma of rat. Baseline chromatographic resolution was achieved for three SCFAs (acetic, propionic, and butyric) within an analysis time of 10.5 min. The method exhibited good recovery for a wide range of concentrations with a low limit of detection for each compound. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of all targeted compounds showed good intra- and interday precision (<10%). We used our method to measure SCFAs levels in plasma samples from rats fed with a high fructose diet (HFD) to test the accuracy of the developed method. It was shown that SCFAs are indeed affected negatively by a HFD (60% fructose). This method was successfully employed to accurately determine SCFAs in the rat plasma with minimum sample preparation. Results showed potential damage of HFD, which produced lower SCFAs. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Increasingly, microbiota and gut health research are being conducted by many food scientists to elucidate the relationships among the factors of food components, particularly the nondigestible carbohydrates, food processing conditions, and potential health impact. This research provides a useful, rapid, and accurate method that can save time in the analysis of short-chain fatty acids, which are commonly analyzed in gut health research.

Gut microbiota and short chain fatty acid composition as affected by legume type and processing methods as assessed by simulated in vitro digestion assays.

This study's objective was to investigate how legume type and processing method affected digestibility, and subsequent gut microbiota and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) formation. After autoclaving and germinating-cooking, pinto bean and soybean were subjected to in vitro digestion. The digestion residues were fractionated into soluble and insoluble fiber, and fermented by microbiota from pig feces. Results showed the in vitro digestibility was affected significantly by processing method and legume type. Autoclaving resulted in higher digestibility. The in-vitro digested bean residues caused a rapid pH decrease in the first 12 h during the fermentation with pig feces, and a significant increse in the formation of SCFAs. A positive modulation of the gut microbiota by the in-vitro digested bean residues was observed. Prevotella copri and Bacteroides vulgatus exhibited the highest relative abundance in the treatments with germinated bean's soluble residues. Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens was increased by the insoluble residues.

Comparative studies on ACE inhibition, degree of hydrolysis, antioxidant property and phenolic acid composition of hydrolysates derived from simulated in vitro gastrointestinal proteolysis of three thermally treated legumes.

Three phenolic-rich legume varieties underwent in vitro simulated gastrointestinal proteolytic digestion after a wide range of thermal treatments. Total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH free radical scavenging activity (DPPH), degree of hydrolysis (DH), angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of hydrolysates showed significant differences among thermal treatments. TPC values of hydrolysates were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than their corresponding undigested counterparts. The DPPH values were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than their corresponding undigested counterparts. DH had no correlations (p > 0.05) with ACE inhibitory activity for all three legumes. When compared with undigested legumes, the simulated gastrointestinal tract proteolytic digestion induced marked changes not only in the content, but also in the type of individual free phenolic acids. The present study clearly implied that literature data of phenolics and their potential health benefits derived from undigested legumes cannot accurately represent the real situations after the digestion process.

In vitro hypoglycemic, cholesterol-lowering and fermentation capacities of fiber-rich orange pomace as affected by extrusion.

Our previous study suggested that extrusion can enhance the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and improve the physicochemical properties of fiber-rich orange pomace (OP). The aim of this study was to determine the predictive indices for the hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, and fermentation capacities of extruded orange pomace (EOP) with several in vitro assays. The results revealed that EOP could effectively retard glucose diffusion and inhibit α-amylase activity relative to OP. Moreover, EOP had the binding capacities of cholesterol micelles and bile acids. During the in vitro fermentation of EOP, a high content of short chain fatty acid was produced. Scanning electron microscope images showed a more porous and irregular shaped structure of the EOP, which may influence physiological activities, relative to OP. The morphological alterations in the EOP were caused by mechanical shear. Thus, EOP has potential to become a functional food additive for glycemic control and the attenuation of blood cholesterol.

Comparative studies on the yield and characteristics of myofibrillar proteins from catfish heads and frames extracted by two methods for making surimi-like protein gel products.

Fish protein isolates (FPI) were recovered from catfish heads and frames by alkaline extraction (AE) and salt extraction (SE) and made into surimi-like gels. Protein patterns and content, moisture, color, and texture of cooked protein gels were compared with commercial products. Sodium-dodecyl-sulfate poly acrylamide gel electrophoreses (SDS-PAGE) indicated that the integrity of major myofibrillar proteins was maintained during the extraction process, and the protein patterns were almost the same with that of the commercial surimi products. The yields of AE-FPI (heads: 36%; frames: 55%) were much higher (p < 0.05) than that of SE-FPI (heads: 9%; frames: 16%). Firmness of cooked protein gels made from heads was similar with that made from frames. Firmness of cooked protein gels made from FPI extracted by the SE method (heads: 0.45 kg/cm2; frames: 0.43 kg/cm2) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that made from FPI extracted by the AE method (heads: 1.96 kg/cm2; frames: 1.85 kg/cm2).

Antioxidant and angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory activities of phenolic extracts and fractions derived from three phenolic-rich legume varieties.

Lentil, black soybean and black turtle bean are commonly consumed legumes of different genera, containing high phenolic contents, which are effective antioxidants and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, these legumes' phenolic compositions and ACE inhibition ability have not been compared. Crude water extract (CE) was semi-purified (SPE) and fractionated using column chromatography. Results showed that purification and fractionation could substantially increase phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities. Heating and variety had great effect on phenolic substances, antioxidant potential and mass yield of extracts and fractions. Only crude extracts showed potent ACE inhibitory activity. Black turtle bean's ACE inhibition potential was largely reduced by cooking. The order from low to high in terms of ACE inhibitory activity was black turtle bean < lentil < black soybean. Identification and quantification of individual phenolic compounds by UV spectroscopy and LC-MSn analysis confirmed 18, 22, and 14 compounds, respectively, for the three legumes.

Physicochemical properties and storage stability of soybean protein nanoemulsions prepared by ultra-high pressure homogenization.

This study investigated the effects of the ultrahigh pressure homogenization (pressure, protein concentration, oil phase fraction, pH, temperature, and ionic strength) and storage on the properties of nanoemulsions (100-500nm range), which were stabilized by laboratory-prepared soybean protein isolate (SPI), ß-conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S). The nanoemulsions made with SPI, 7S and 11S proteins exhibited considerable stability over various ionic strengths (0-500mM NaCl), pH (<4 or >7), thermal treatments (30-60°C) and storage (0-45days). The far-UV spectra of SPI, 7S, 11S dispersions, and SPI-, 7S-, 11S protein-stabilized nanoemulsions were analyzed for the protein structural changes following lipid removal. The ultra-high pressure homogenization changed the secondary structure of SPI, 7S, 11S proteins in the nanoemulsions, and enhanced their stability. This study demonstrated that SPI, 7S, and 11S proteins can be used as effective emulsifiers in nanoemulsions prepared by ultra-high pressure homogenization.

Characterization of microbial community succession during vermicomposting of medicinal herbal residues.

Large amounts of medicinal herbal residues (MHR) are produced in the world annually due to the increasing demand for herbal products. In this study, vermicomposting was used to stabilize MHR. Four inoculating density of earthworms was studied, specifically, 0 (W1), 60 (W2), 120 (W3) and 180 (W4) earthworms per kilogram of substrate. The C:N ratios of vermicomposts in W2, W3 and W4 were less than 20 by the end of the first week, while the value for W1 was 30.92. This indicates that earthworms promote the stabilization of MHR. In the initial stage, richness and diversity of the microbial community decreased due to earthworm inoculation, and then began to increase. The dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Basidiomycota and Ascomycota in the substrates. The abundance of the dominant phyla varied according to earthworm density, indicating that earthworms change the microbial composition. The results suggest that MHR can be stabilized by vermicomposting.