Development of emulsion gelatin gels for food application: Physicochemical, rheological, structural and thermal characterization.

The current work aimed to prepare emulsion gels based on European eel skin gelatin (ESG). The results revealed that the ESG exhibited interesting antioxidant and functional properties in a dose-dependent manner. The ESG has a gel strength of 354.86 g and high gelling and melting temperatures of about 33 and 43 °C, respectively. Hence, based on its interesting gelling ability, the ESG-based gel was employed to stabilize European eel oil (EO) emulsions. In this context, two emulsions were prepared by homogenization or homogenization followed by sonication at EO:ESG weight ratios of 1:2 and 1:4. The physicochemical, textural, structural and thermal properties of emulsion gelatin-based gels (EGGs) were evaluated. The EGGs had a rigid and a cohesive gel network, according to the textural and microstructural analysis. Structural and thermogravimetric analyses showed the effective entrapment of EO in the ESG gel network.

Sardinelle protein isolate as a novel material for oil microencapsulation: Novel alternative for fish by-products valorisation.

The present study investigates the potential of sardinelle protein isolate (SrPI) combined to maltodextrin (MD), at different ratios (1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4, w/w), as wall matrix to stabilize and encapsulate corn oil (1:2, oil/ wall material ratio). Emulsions were prepared by homogenization followed by sonication treatment and then dried by the spray-drying process. The obtained microcapsules were characterized regarding the encapsulation efficiency (EE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermodynamic analyses (thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)). Data revealed that the combination of SrPI and MD resulted in very high EE compared to SrPI used alone as wall material, and the EE increased with the amount of MD incorporated to the SrPI solution. SEM images showed the production of irregular and larger particles with the increase of MD concentration. Moreover, TGA showed that microparticles obtained by 1:4 w/w ratio (SrPI/MD) displayed the highest protection of corn oil. Thus, these findings revealed the effectiveness of SrPI and MD mixture to encapsulate and protect corn oil, which offered a promote application for food and pharmaceutical industries.

Improved antioxidant activity and oxidative stability of spray dried European eel (Anguilla anguilla) oil microcapsules: Effect of emulsification process and eel protein isolate concentration.

The objective of this study was to prepare European eel oil (EO) microcapsules using European eel protein isolate (EPI) as a wall material and investigate its oxidative stability. The EPI emulsions were obtained at different EO: EPI ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:4, w/w) and using two emulsification procedures: Homogenization (H) and homogenization followed by ultrasonication (HU) treatments. The microcapsules prepared by combining the two emulsification processes (HU) and at core and wall ratio of was 1:4 presented the smallest particles size and the greatest encapsulation efficiency (68.50%) and oxidative stability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images proved the spherical shape of all microcapsules without fissure on the surface. The capsules exhibited an interesting antioxidant activity depending on the EO:EPI ratio, especially for the metal chelating potential. Thus, the effect of ultrasonication process and the EPI concentration on the characteristic, the stability and the antioxidant activity of the encapsulated EO has been proved.

First-time detection and identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex members in extrapulmonary tuberculosis clinical samples in south Tunisia by a single tube tetraplex real-time PCR assay.

INTRODUCTION: Tunisia has one of the highest burdens of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) among tuberculosis (TB) cases but the contribution of MTBC-mediated human EPTB is unknown. EPTB diagnosis is challenging due to the paucibacillary nature of clinical samples. Therefore, a need of a simplified molecular method for sensitive and specific TB detection and differentiation of MTBC members caused EPTB remains a priority to an early diagnosis, optimize successful anti-TB treatment and minimize transmission. We evaluated the performance of a single tube tetraplex Taq Man real time PCR for EPTB detection and differentiation between MTBC members directly on extrapulmonary samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extrapulmonary samples obtained from clinically suspected EPTB patients from 2013 to April 2015 were tested by Ziehl Neelsen Staining, mycobacterial culture and qPCR assay for RD1, RD9, RD12 and ext-RD9 targets (MTBC-RD qPCR). The performance of qPCR was compared to a reference standard based on MTBC culture and/or at least two criteria of a composite reference standard (CRS) including clinical, radiological, histopathological and therapeutic findings. RESULTS: EPTB was identified in 157/170 (92.4%) of included patients of whom 99 (63%) were confirmed by culture and 58 (36.9%) by CRS criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of qPCR, in comparison to the reference standard were 100% (157/157) and 92.3% (12/13), respectively. The sensitivity of qPCR was statistically significant as compared to culture and smear microscopy (P< 0.001). QPCR results showed M. bovis identification in 77.1% of extrapulmonary samples in occurrence to lymphadenitis infection. M. tuberculosis and M.bovis BCG were detected in 21.6% and 1.3% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MTBC-RD qPCR proved to be a rapid and sensitive assay for simultaneously TB detection and MTBC members identification on extrapulmonary samples within 1.5 days after sample receipt. Its high sensitivity could make this method a useful tool in diagnosing TB in addition to routine conventional methods and TB clinical parameters.