Sodium alginate films incorporated with Lepidium sativum (Garden cress) extract as a novel method to enhancement the oxidative stability of edible oil.

This study addresses the growing interest in bio-based active food packaging by infusing Lepidium sativum (Garden cress) seeds extract (GRCE) into sodium alginate (SALG) films at varying concentrations (1, 3, and 5 %). The GRCE extract revealed six phenolic compounds, with gallic and chlorogenic acids being prominent, showcasing substantial total phenolic content (TPC) of 139.36 µg GAE/mg and total flavonoid content (TFC) of 26.46 µg RE/mg. The integration into SALG films significantly increased TPC, reaching 30.73 mg GAE/g in the film with 5 % GRCE. This enhancement extended to DPPH and ABTS activities, with notable rises to 66.47 and 70.12 %, respectively. Physical properties, including tensile strength, thickness, solubility, and moisture content, were positively affected. A reduction in water vapor permeability (WVP) was reported in the film enriched with 5 % GRCE (1.389 × 10-10 g H2O/m s p.a.). FT-IR analysis revealed bands indicating GRCE's physical interaction with the SALG matrix, with thermal stability of the films decreasing upon GRCE integration. SALG/GRCE5 effectively lowered the peroxide value (PV) of sunflower oil after four weeks at 50 °C compared to the control, with direct film-oil contact enhancing this reduction. Similar trends were observed in the K232 and K270 values.

Encapsulation of Black Rice Bran Extract in a Stable Nanoemulsion: Effects of Thermal Treatment, Storage Conditions, and In Vitro Digestion.

This study aimed to improve the dispersibility of phenolic compounds from black rice bran through the encapsulation process within nanoemulsion. The study focused on assessing the stability of the nanoemulsions, which were prepared using a combination of surfactants with distinct hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values and sunflower oil under different thermal treatments and storage conditions. The study revealed a significant correlation between the mixed surfactant HLB value and the nanoemulsions properties, including average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and ζ-potential. Specifically, an increase in the HLB value was associated with a decrease in the initial average particle size. The encapsulated polyphenols exhibited remarkable stability over a storage period of up to 30 days at different temperatures with no significant changes observed in particle size or PDI. The study also investigated the impact of different ionic strengths (0.2, 0.5, and 1.00 mol L-1 NaCl) on the physical stability and antioxidant black rice bran extract nanoemulsion, and the results revealed that adding NaCl influenced the particle size and surface charge of the nanoemulsions. Total phenolic content and DPPH results demonstrated a significant impact of salt concentration on antioxidant properties, with varying trends observed among the HLB formulations. Furthermore, the behavior of the encapsulated extracts during digestion was examined, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated.

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.

Enhanced physical properties, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of bio-composite films composed from carboxymethyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol incorporated with broccoli sprout seed extract for butter packaging.

This study investigated the development of biodegradable films made from a combination of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and purified extract of broccoli sprout seed (BSSE). The films were characterized for their color, physical properties, surface morphology, crystallinity, mechanical properties, and thermal properties. The addition of BSSE up to 1.4 % to the film matrix imparted opaque color and increased opacity up to 3.652. The films also became less moisture-absorbent 8.21 %, soluble 19.16 %, and permeable to water vapor 1.531 (× 10-10 g.m-1 s-1 pa-1). By utilizing 0.7 % from BSSE inside films, the surface of the films became smoother but became rough with higher concentrations 2.1 % of BSSE. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis showed that there was physical interaction between the BSSE extract and the PV/CM matrix. The films showed good thermal stability, and the incorporation of BSSE improved their ability to preserve the acidity, TBARS, peroxide value, and total color differences of butter during cold storage.

10 years of experience in adopting, implementing and evaluating progress testing for Saudi medical students.

Objectives: The progress test (PT) is a comprehensive examination that is designed to match the knowledge acquisition necessary at graduation and monitors progress during the entire period of an undergraduate program. Qassim College of Medicine (QCM) began using the multi-institutional PT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study aimed to determine if the PT can be utilized to assess the progress of medical students at different Saudi medical colleges with different educational approaches, as well as whether this testing modality could be accepted by other colleges. Methods: Beside the establishment of a PT committee, comprehensive blueprinting was crafted to sample 200 A-type multiple choice questions (MCQs) from different disciplines. The PT is a paper-and-pencil model and is answered in a 4-h period. All PT items followed a uniform design. Results: In total, 13 rounds of the progress test have been conducted. The number of participating colleges increased from three (with 285 students) in the first test (May 2012) to more than 20 (with >6000 students) in the ninth round (February 2017). The average % scores for first-year students ranged from 3.0% to 7.9% while the average scores for fifth-year students ranged from 34.0% to 43.0%. Conclusion: The conduction of this meticulously crafted test to evaluate knowledge achievement at medical graduation is a fruitful tool and helps to provide constructive feedback for test-takers and other stakeholders relating to their relative positions among other fellows at the national level.