Ultrasound-assisted fabrication of chitosan-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose nanoemulsions loaded with thymol and cinnamaldehyde: Physicochemical properties, stability, and antifungal activity.

This study investigated the influence of chitosan (CH) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (H), along with ultrasound power, on the physicochemical properties, antifungal activity, and stability of oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions containing thymol and cinnamaldehyde in a 7:3 (v/v) ratio. Eight O/W formulations were prepared using CH, H, and a 1:1 (v/v) blend of CH and H, both with and without ultrasonication (U). Compared to untreated samples, U-treated nanoemulsions had lower droplet sizes (433-301 nm), polydispersity index (0.42-0.47), and zeta potential (-0.42-0.77 mV). The U treatment decreased L* and b* values, increased a* color attribute values, and increased apparent viscosity (0.26-2.17) at the same shear rate. After 28 days, microbiological testing of nanoemulsions treated with U showed counts below the detection limits (< 2 log CFU mL-1). The U-treated nanoemulsions exhibited stronger antifungal effects against R. stolonifer, with the NE/CH-U and NE/CH-H-U formulations demonstrating the lowest minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations, measured at 0.12 and 0.24 µL/mL, respectively. On day 28, U-treated nanoemulsions demonstrated higher ionic, thermal, and physical stability than untreated samples. These findings suggest that the stability and antifungal efficacy of polysaccharide-based nanoemulsions may be improved by ultrasonic treatment. This study paves the way for innovative, highly stable nanoemulsions.

Evaluation of amylose content: Structural and functional properties, analytical techniques, and future prospects.

Amylose content (AC) is critical in evaluating starch properties, significantly influencing the food industry and human nutrition. Although amylose is not completely linear, its unique structure makes it a key research focus across various scientific fields. Understanding amylose's structural and functional properties is essential for its applications in medical, nutritional, and industrial sectors. Accurate determination of AC, from simple qualitative assessments to precise quantitative measurements, is vital for effectively processing and using starch-rich products. The choice of AC determination method depends on the specific application and the required accuracy and detail. This review summarizes amylose's structural and functional characteristics and recent advancements in qualitative and quantitative AC determination techniques. It also provides insights into future trends and prospects for these technologies, emphasizing the need for more rapid, convenient, accurate, and customizable methods. In conclusion, advancements in amylose determination should enhance accuracy, speed, and ease of use to improve quality control and applications across various sectors while expanding our understanding of amylose and its functionalities.

Fabrication of biopolymer stabilized microcapsules for enhancing physicochemical stability, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon essential oil.

The current study entails the encapsulation validity to enclose naturally occurring food preservatives, such as cinnamon essential oil (CM), within various wall materials. This approach has demonstrated enhanced encapsulated compounds' stability, efficiency, and bioactivity. The base carrier system consisted of a solid lipid (Berry wax, RW) individually blended with whey protein (WYN), maltodextrin (MDN), and gum Arabic (GMC) as wall materials. The resulting formulations were freeze-dried: WYN/RW/CM, MDN/RW/CM, and GMC/RW/CM. The study comprehensively analyzed encapsulation efficiency, morphology, crystallinity, thermal, and physiochemical properties. When RW was combined with WYN, MDN, and GMC, the microcapsule WYN/RW/CM showed the highest efficiency at 93.4 %, while the GMC/RW/CM exhibited the highest relative crystallinity at 46.54 %. Furthermore, the investigation assessed storage stability, release of bioactive compounds, and oxidative stability during storage at 4 °C/ 25 % RH ± 5 % and 25 °C/40 % RH ± 5 % for 55 days, revealing optimal stability in the WYN/RW/CM microcapsule. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity was assessed at various concentrations of microcapsules, revealing their inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) bacteria. The WYN/RW/CM microcapsule exhibited the highest inhibition activity in both strains, reaching 40 mm. This study demonstrates that combining WYN with RW as a wall material has greater efficiency in encapsulation and potential uses in various industrial sectors.

Towards rapidly quantifying and visualizing starch content of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] based on NIR spectral and image data fusion.

This study aimed to achieve the rapid quantification and visualization of the starch content in sweet potato via near-infrared (NIR) spectral and image data fusion. The hyperspectral images of the sweet potato samples containing 900-1700 nm spectral information within every pixel were collected. The spectra were preprocessed, analyzed and the 18 informative wavelengths were finally extracted to relate to the measured starch content using the multiple linear regression (MLR) algorithm, producing a good quantitative prediction accuracy with a correlation coefficient of prediction (rP) of 0.970 and a root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.874 g/100 g by an external validation using a set of dependent samples. The MLR model was further verified in terms of soundness and predictive validity via F-test and t-test, and then transferred to each pixel of the original two dimensional images with the help of a developed algorithm, generating color distribution maps to achieve the vivid visualization of the starch distribution. The study demonstrated that the fusion of the NIR spectral and image data provided a good strategy for the rapidly and nondestructively monitoring the starch content of sweet potato. This technique can be applied to industrial use in the future.

Replacement of polyethylene oxide by peach gum to produce an active film using Litsea cubeba essential oil and its application in beef.

This study evaluated the effects of adding various concentrations (0 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 %) of peach gum (PG) to films made from polyethylene oxide (PEO) combined with Litsea cubeba essential oil (LCEO) to be utilized as active packaging for food in the future. The findings showed that the film containing PG 2 % concentration had the best physic-mechanical properties. In films made with PG, the glass transition temperature was significantly improved. Combining PG and PEO resulted in films that were brighter in color, had lower WVP values, and had the lowest water activity. Furthermore, XRD demonstrated that PG additions were compatible with the film of PEO blended with LCEO. The PG films formulated with PG presented high antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Wrapping beef with P2G2 film led to maintaining its quality with suitable levels of pH, TBARS, and TVB-N. This also decreased the number of E. coli and S. aureus in beef throughout the storage period. The results indicate that adding PG to PEO films enhances their suitability for food preservation.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan-based antimicrobial films containing encapsulated lemon essential oil by ionic gelation and cranberry juice.

Research about biodegradable antimicrobial films continues to receive a lot of attention due to the plastic pollution crisis and the need for environment-friendly and safe food products. In this study, we developed chitosan-based antimicrobial films using a combination of encapsulated lemon essential oil (LEO) by ionic gelation and cranberry juice and evaluated the performance of the films. Our results indicated that the incorporation of LEO microspheres and cranberry juice into the chitosan films improved the UV barrier and thermal properties as well as antioxidant activity of the films. The increase in antioxidants was consistent with the chemical components in LEO and cranberry juice as determined by GC-MS; some of which possess antioxidant properties. Furthermore, following antimicrobial activity test, considerable inhibition halo of 11 and 20 mm were observed respectively against fungi Candida albicans and Penicillium roqueforti, particularly in presence of the film containing both LEO microspheres and cranberry juice.

Impact of a novel probiotic Lactobacillus strain isolated from the bee gut on GABA content, antioxidant activity, and potential cytotoxic activity against HT-29 cell line of rice bran.

Rice bran was fermented with Lactobacillus apis, isolated from the bee gut as a novel probiotic strain, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate the relationship between its metabolites and antioxidant activity, nutraceutical value, and cytotoxic activity against the HT-29 cell line. The findings showed that L. apis improved the antioxidant activity (DPPH of 37.73%) and antioxidant capacity (ABTS of 37.62 mg Trolox/g,), as well as, hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity (91.55%) of rice bran compared to S. cerevisiae. The metabolic analysis of volatile compounds revealed an increase of alcohols and lactones in the samples fermented with S. cerevisiae. While the samples fermented with L. apis displayed an increase of ketones, esters, and thiazoles. On the other hand, L. apis and S. cerevisiae exhibited a significant ability to increase γ-aminobutyric acid during different fermentation times. Compared with non-fermented samples (18.54%), L. apis increased the cytotoxic activity of rice bran against the HT-29 cell line to 34.17%, and S. cerevisiae to 31.34%. These results suggest that the fermentation of rice bran with S. cerevisiae and L. apis provides a promising strategy to improve the antioxidant activity and nutraceuticals of rice bran, and a potential source for plant-based pharmaceutical products. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05512-2.

Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in greywater: Challenges of the current treatment situation and predictions of future scenario.

The current work reviews the quantitative microbiological risk assessment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in greywater and discusses the international strategies currently used for reducing antimicrobial resistance. The work highlights the countries that have a plan for the treatment and reuse of greywater and the current guidelines used in these countries. The paper also investigates the role of greywater in the distribution of antimicrobial resistance because of antibiotics and ARB. A bibliometric analysis was conducted for the studies on greywater, pathogenic bacteria, and antibiotics. The studies obtained from Scopus database were screened and compared to obtain the data for global antimicrobial resistance in 2000 and 2021. The strategies used by developed countries that led to the reduction in the recorded antimicrobial resistance are also listed. The challenges and limitations associated with the current plans adopted by several countries to minimise the spreading of the antimicrobial resistance are highlighted, while proposed solutions are provided. Two main issues associated with the distribution of antimicrobial resistance are (1) the absence of a plan in developing counties and presence of antimicrobial agents and ARB in the environment and (2) the difficulties in the current treatment technologies used for the removal of these antimicrobial agents from the water and wastewater. Based on the review and discussion, it was concluded that more advanced technologies are required to ensure total elimination of the antimicrobial agents and ARB from the environment. In addition, a new international standard should be drafted for the ARB in the environment, as they differ from the one currently used for medical applications.

Physicochemical properties, microstructure, and storage stability of Pulicaria jaubertii extract microencapsulated with different protein biopolymers and gum arabic as wall materials.

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using gum arabic (GA) with different protein materials namely whey protein isolate (WP), sodium caseinate (SC), and soybean protein (SP) as wall materials to encapsulate Pulicaria jaubertii extract (PJ) using freeze-drying. Four formulations of microencapsulation of Pulicaria jaubertii extract (MPJE) were produced, including WPGA-MPJE, SCGA-MPJE, SPGA-MPJE, and GA-MPJE. The formulations were stored at 4 °C and 25 °C for 28 days to assess the storage stability. The results indicated that mixtures of proteins with GA improved the physicochemical properties and bioactive content of the MPJE compared to GA-MPJE. The SCGA-MPJE formula showed optimal values of particle size (450.13 nm), polydispersity index (0.33), zeta potential (74.63 mV), encapsulation efficiency (91.07%), total phenolic content (25.51 g GAE g-1 capsules), and antioxidants compounds, as well as presented a lower release of bioactive composites with high oxidative stability during storage at 4 °C and 25 °C. The microstructure of MPJE formulations showed a flat surface without any visible cracking on surfaces. The microcapsules prepared from protein mixtures with GA, especially the SCGA-MPJE formula, are the most efficient in encapsulating the plant extract derived from the PJ, which could be useful for application in various industrial fields.

Molecular structure, morphological, and physicochemical properties of highlands barley starch as affected by natural fermentation.

The influence of natural fermentation on the highlands barley starch chemical structure, morphological, physicochemical, and thermal properties was studied. The findings showed that fermentation had no impact on starch fine structure but it decreased the molecular-weight from 2.26 to 1.04 × 108 g/mol in native highlands barley and after 72 h fermentation (FHB72) respectively. Also, it decreased amylopectin long-chains (B1 and B2) while increased short-chains. The intensity ratio of FT-IR at 995/1022 and 1047/1022 bands were found to be higher as the time of fermentation progressed, and the highest absorption-intensity at 3000-3600 cm-1 and higher swelling capacity were noticed in the starch of FHB72. During fermentation, pasting peak, final and setback viscosities were decreased. Microscopically, granules with more pores, damaged, cracked, and no growth rings were found in starches isolated after 48 h and 72 h of fermentation. This study indicated that fermentation up to 72 h is an effective method to modify highlands barley starch.

Stabilization of water-in-oil emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii extract by ultrasonication: Fabrication, characterization, and storage stability.

This study investigated the effect of ultrasonic treatments on the properties and stability of the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion of Pulicaria jaubertii (PJ) extract. The study used different ultrasound powers (0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 W) at two storage degrees (4 and 25 °C) for 28 days. The findings showed that the emulsifying properties were improved to different extents after ultrasonic treatments. The treatment at 600 W showed optimum particle size, polydispersity index, emulsifying property, viscosity properties, and release of total phenolic content than the other powers. However, the ultrasonic power of 400 W gave positive effects on creaming index and antioxidant release compared to 600 W. The emulsion stored at 4 °C presented higher stability than that stored at 25 °C during the 28 days of storage. Microscopically, the increase in sonication power up to 600 W reduced particle size and decreased flocculation, thus resulted in stable emulsions, which is desirable for its applications in food systems.

Supercritical fluid extraction of four aromatic herbs and assessment of the volatile compositions, bioactive compounds, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activity.

Artemisia arborescens, Artemisia abyssinica, Pulicaria jaubertii, and Pulicaria petiolaris are fragrant herbs traditionally used in medication and as a food seasoning. To date, there are no studies on the use of supercritical fluids extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE-CO2) on these plants. This study evaluates and compares total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity by DPPH• and ABTS•+, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm activities of SFE-CO2 extracts. Extraction was done by SFE-CO2 with 10% ethanol as a co-solvent. A. abyssinica extract had the highest extraction yield (8.9% ± 0.41). The GC/MS analysis of volatile compounds identified 307, 265, 213, and 201compounds in A. abyssinica, A. arborescens, P. jaubertii, and P. petiolaris, respectively. The P. jaubertii extract had the highest TPC (662.46 ± 50.93 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry extract), antioxidant activity (58.98% ± 0.20), and antioxidant capacity (71.78 ± 1.84 mg Trolox equivalent/g dry extract). The A. abyssinica and P. jaubertii extracts had significantly higher antimicrobial activity and were more effective against Gram-positive bacteria. B. subtilis was the most sensitive bacterium. P. aeruginosa was the most resistant bacterium. P. jaubertii extract had the optimum MIC and MBC (0.4 mg/ml) against B. subtilis. All SFE-CO2 extracts were effective as an anti-biofilm formation for all tested bacteria at 1/2 MIC. Meanwhile, P. jaubertii and P. petiolaris extracts were effective anti-biofilm for most tested bacteria at 1/16 MIC. Overall, the results indicated that the SFE-CO2 extracts of these plants are good sources of TPC, antioxidants, and antibacterial, and they have promising applications in the industrial fields.

Nanoencapsulation of Mandarin Essential Oil: Fabrication, Characterization, and Storage Stability.

This study evaluates the combined efficiency of whey protein isolate (WPI) with maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA), as a delivery system for encapsulating Citrus reticulata essential oil (CEO). The wall materials blended at different rates were produced to obtain seven formulations of nanocapsules (NCEO), namely NCEO-GA, NCEO-MD, NCEO-WPI, NCEO-GA/MD, NCEO-GA/WPI, NCEO-MD/WPI, and NCEO-GA/MD/WPI. The interaction between CEO and WPI was simulated by molecular docking. Findings showed that the physicochemical characteristics and storage stability of formulations containing WPI were considerably improved. The NCEO-GA/MD/WPI formulation demonstrated the optimum values of encapsulation efficiency (92.08%), highest glass transition temperature (79.11 °C), high crystallinity (45.58%), high thermal stability (mass loss at 100 °C < 5%), and also had the highest antioxidant activity and lowest peroxide value after storage. This study demonstrated that combining WPI with MD and GA, as wall material encapsulation, can produce nanocapsules with superior properties to those created using polysaccharides individually.

A novel strain of acetic acid bacteria Gluconobacter oxydans FBFS97 involved in riboflavin production.

A novel bacterial strain of acetic acid bacteria capable of producing riboflavin was isolated from the soil sample collected in Wuhan, China. The isolated strain was identified as Gluconobacter oxydans FBFS97 based on several phenotype characteristics, biochemicals tests, and 16S rRNA gene sequence conducted. Furthermore, the complete genome sequencing of the isolated strain has showed that it contains a complete operon for the biosynthesis of riboflavin. In order to obtain the maximum concentration of riboflavin production, Gluconobacter oxydans FBFS97 was optimized in shake flask cultures through response surface methodology employing Plackett-Burman design (PBD), and Central composite design (CCD). The results of the pre-experiments displayed that fructose and tryptone were found to be the most suitable sources of carbon and nitrogen for riboflavin production. Then, PBD was conducted for initial screening of eleven minerals (FeSO4, FeCl3, KH2PO4, K2HPO4, MgSO4, ZnSO4, NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, ZnCl2, and AlCl3.6H2O) for their significances on riboflavin production by Gluconobacter oxydans strain FBFS97. The most significant variables affecting on riboflavin production are K2HPO4 and CaCl2, the interaction affects and levels of these variables were optimized by CCD. After optimization of the medium compositions for riboflavin production were determined as follows: fructose 25 g/L, tryptone 12.5 g/L, K2HPO4 9 g/L, and CaCl2 0.06 g/L with maximum riboflavin production 23.24 mg/L.

Microencapsulation of fingered citron extract with gum arabic, modified starch, whey protein, and maltodextrin using spray drying.

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the Fingered citron extract (FCE) microcapsules powders with different formulations of the encapsulation carrier agents [gum arabic (GA), maltodextrin (MD), modified starch (MS), and whey protein (WP)], which are obtained through spray drying. Encapsulation yield, encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, hygroscopicity, water activity, density properties, Carr's index, cohesiveness, flowability, porosity, wettability, solubility, color, particle size, thermal behavior, relative crystallinity, and micrographs were analyzed. Moreover, chemical structure of the microcapsule powder was identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Best results were achieved when Fingered citron extract was encapsulated using gum arabic/maltodextrin/modified starch (GMS) formulation as carrier agents, where it had the highest encapsulation yield (89.39%) and encapsulation efficiency (87.20%). Furthermore, it achieved the best result in density properties, flowability, porosity, wettability, and relative crystallinity. These results have shown that using gum arabic/maltodextrin/modified starch formulation was superior for production of the Fingered citron extract microcapsules powders.

Frequency of abdominal aortic calcification in a group of Iraqi hemodialysis patients.

Cardiovascular complications including abdominal aortic calcification significantly affect the mortality and morbidity in patients on a hemodialysis (HD) program. The objective of this study is to find the frequency of abdominal aortic calcification in patients on regular HD and to evaluate the effect of parameters on frequency and severity of abdominal aortic calcification. Fifty-four patients with end-stage renal disease on regular HD were studied from January 2011 to December 2011 to evaluate abdominal aortic calcification by plain abdominal X-ray. The study showed that 10 (18.5%) patients had abdominal aortic calcification. Only one (1.9%) had grade 3 calcification and among the remaining, five (9.3%) patients had grade 1 and four (7.4%), grade 2. There was a statistically significant difference (P <0.05) in the means of serum cholesterol among those with and without abdominal aortic calcification. Hypertension was noticed in most patients with abdominal aortic calcification. The frequency of abdominal aortic calcification is directly related to age and duration of dialysis. The only biochemical parameter with a statistically significant effect was serum cholesterol.