Relationships between Instrumental and Sensory Quality Indices of Shine Muscat Grapes with Different Harvesting Times.

The effects of instrumental quality indices on the sensory properties of Shine Muscat grapes harvested 16, 18, 20, and 22 weeks after full bloom (WAFB) were investigated. The berries harvested at 20 and 22 WAFB gained higher sweetness scores than those harvested at 16 and 18 WAFB, showing similar trends to that of total soluble solids (TSS) content. The sourness, astringency, and firmness scores were not significantly different among the samples. The flavor score showed a trend similar to that of sweetness perception. The higher flavor score in the berries harvested at 20 and 22 WAFB seemed to be derived from the development of floral aroma compounds, including linalool and its derivatives, with ripening. Consumer acceptance was highly correlated with sweetness and flavor perceptions. It was concluded that the TSS content and development of floral aroma compounds are the key quality parameters for Shine Muscat grapes, satisfying consumer acceptability in the market.

Physical, chemical, and biological characterization of ginsenoside F1 incorporated in nanostructured lipid carrier.

This study was aimed to determine the physical property and thermodynamic stability of nanostructured lipid carrier suspension incorporating ginsenoside F1 (GF1_NLC), and to evaluate its transport and antioxidant properties. GF1_NLC suspension possessed spherical particles with an average size of 98.9 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency reached approximately 90%. There was a good compatibility between ginsenoside F1 (GF1) and the nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) formulation, giving no contribution to the changes in the structural organization and crystallization behavior of lipid particles. However, the incorporation of GF1 reduced the thermodynamic stability of the lipid particles. The permeability of GF1_NLC (39.2%) across Caco-2 cell monolayer was higher than that of free GF1 (26.0%); however, no significant differences were observed in the radical scavenging activity (84.1% and 85.5%, respectively). In conclusion, NLC could be a potential candidate for the delivery of GF1 into the living body due to its small particle size, high encapsulation efficiency, and improved permeability. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Poor water solubility in an aqueous solution and low absorption rate of ginsenoside F1 in the intestinal track limit its practical application in food systems. In this study, ginsenoside F1 was encapsulated in nanostructured lipid carrier to enhance its water solubility and absorption rate. The results of the encapsulated ginsenoside F1 showed high encapsulation efficiency of 90% with fine particle size of 98.9 nm that could correspond to the enhancement of water solubility in an aqueous solution and permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayer. The results may encourage the food industry to utilize this encapsulation technique for the enhancement of the functional properties of poorly water-soluble bioactive compounds.

Solid Fat Replacement with Canola Oil-Carnauba Wax Oleogels for Dairy-Free Imitation Cheese Low in Saturated Fat.

Canola oil was structured into oleogels with different amounts of carnauba wax, and their processing performances were assessed as an alternative to solid fat for imitation cheese low in saturated fat. The contents of solid fat in the oleogels were less vulnerable to the change in temperature than the palm oil. The replacement of palm oil with oleogels produced cheese samples with harder and more cohesive/chewy textures. Dynamic and transient viscoelastic measurements demonstrated that the use of oleogels was effective in increasing the elastic nature of the cheeses. Two distinct components with different proton mobilities were observed in the imitation cheeses, and longer T2 relaxation times were detected in the oleogel samples. The meltability of the cheese with palm oil was not significantly different from those with 3% and 6% oleogels. The saturated fat level of the oleogel cheese was significantly reduced from 45.70 to 5.20%. The application of canola oil-carnauba wax oleogels could successfully produce imitation cheese high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. This study thus demonstrated that the health-functional properties of imitation cheese could be enhanced by using oleogels.

Characterization of phase and diffusion behaviors of oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant ternary systems for lipid-based delivery carriers.

The phase and diffusion characteristics of ternary mixture (oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant) were investigated for their utilization as a precursor for the fabrication of lipid-based delivery carriers. Different types of phases (W/O microemulsion, bicontinuous, liquid crystal, gel and O/W conventional emulsion phases) were generated depending on the content of the co-surfactant aqueous solution. A suspension with the smallest lipid particle was obtained from the bicontinuous phase, followed by the W/O microemulsion, liquid crystal, O/W conventional emulsion, and gel. The W/O microemulsion and bicontinuous phases showing a phase transition into the hexagonal phase of lyotropic liquid crystal, were found to be suitable for lipid-based delivery carriers with small particle size distribution and quercetin encapsulation efficiency. Thus, the ternary mixtures of oil, surfactant and co-surfactant could be utilized as a precursor for the production of lipid-based delivery carriers with various particle sizes.

The thermal, rheological, and structural characterization of grapeseed oil oleogels structured with binary blends of oleogelator.

Combination of oleogelators has recently started to receive scientific attention since single oleogelator may not adequately compensate for the diverse roles of solid fat in a complicated food system. In this study, grapeseed oil oleogels were prepared with candelilla wax (CDW) and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) blends at varying mass ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 [w/w]), and their physicochemical characteristics were characterized in terms of thermal, rheological, and microstructural properties. The oleogel with CDW and GMS at a blending ratio of 75 and 25 (CDW-75:GMS-25) exhibited the lowest melting point, implying a eutectic behavior. The CDW-75:GMS-25 oleogel also had a harder texture, greater viscoelasticity, and lower oiling-off characteristics that were highly attributed to its small crystals and dense structural network observed from phase-contrast microscopic images. When GMS from different vendors were examined for melting behavior and hardness of oleogels, it was found that the oleogel properties were highly dependent on the detailed composition of GMS. NMR study showed that the ternary system of CDW, glyceryl 1-monostearate, and glyceryl 1,3-distearate was responsible for the eutectic behavior of the CDW-75:GMS-25 oleogel. This study reports the unique and improved melting and physical properties of oleogels with the mixture of CDW and GMS, which can increase the feasibility of the oleogel technology in actual food products. However, caution should be taken in selecting the oleogelators because their detailed composition and properties can vary depending on sources and processing conditions. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Increasing attention has been paid to the combination of oleogelators since single oleogelator may not adequately compensate for the diverse roles of solid fat in a complicated food system. This study showed new eutectic characteristics at a specific blending ratio of candelilla wax and glyceryl monostearate that could be positively correlated with the increased hardness, viscoelasticity, and oiling-off features. The results may encourage the food industry to utilize this binary oleogelator blend as an alternative to solid fat high in saturated fat by providing new functional properties.

Positively Charged Nanostructured Lipid Carriers and Their Effect on the Dissolution of Poorly Soluble Drugs.

The objective of this study is to develop suitable formulations to improve the dissolution rate of poorly water soluble drugs. We selected lipid-based formulation as a drug carrier and modified the surface using positively charged chitosan derivative (HTCC) to increase its water solubility and bioavailability. Chitosan and HTCC-coated lipid particles had higher zeta-potential values than uncoated one over the whole pH ranges and improved encapsulation efficiency. In vitro drug release showed that all NLC formulations showed higher in vitro release efficiency than drug particle at pH 7.4. Furthermore, NLC formulation prepared with chitosan or HTCC represented good sustained release property. The results indicate that chitosan and HTCC can be excellent formulating excipients of lipid-based delivery carrier for improving poorly water soluble drug delivery.

Bioengineered vocal fold mucosa for voice restoration.

Patients with voice impairment caused by advanced vocal fold (VF) fibrosis or tissue loss have few treatment options. A transplantable, bioengineered VF mucosa would address the individual and societal costs of voice-related communication loss. Such a tissue must be biomechanically capable of aerodynamic-to-acoustic energy transfer and high-frequency vibration and physiologically capable of maintaining a barrier against the airway lumen. We isolated primary human VF fibroblasts and epithelial cells and cocultured them under organotypic conditions. The resulting engineered mucosae showed morphologic features of native tissue, proteome-level evidence of mucosal morphogenesis and emerging extracellular matrix complexity, and rudimentary barrier function in vitro. When grafted into canine larynges ex vivo, the mucosae generated vibratory behavior and acoustic output that were indistinguishable from those of native VF tissue. When grafted into humanized mice in vivo, the mucosae survived and were well tolerated by the human adaptive immune system. This tissue engineering approach has the potential to restore voice function in patients with otherwise untreatable VF mucosal disease.

Dynamic light scattering-based method to determine primary particle size of iron oxide nanoparticles in simulated gastrointestinal fluid.

Simple dynamic light scattering (DLS)-based methodologies were developed to determine primary particle size distribution of iron oxide particles in simulated gastrointestinal fluid. Iron oxide particles, which easily agglomerate in aqueous media, were converted into dispersed particles by modification of surface charge using citric acid and sodium citrate. After the modification, zeta-potential value decreased to -40mV at pH 7. Mean particle diameters in suspensions of iron oxide nano- and microparticles stabilized by the mixture of citric acid and sodium citrate were dramatically decreased to 166 and 358nm, respectively, which were close to the particle size distributions observed in the micrographs. In simulated gastrointestinal fluid, both iron oxide nano- and microparticles were heavily agglomerated with particle diameters of almost 2600 and 5200nm, respectively, due to charge shielding on the citrate-modified surface by ions in the media. For determining primary particle size distribution by using DLS-based approach, the iron oxide particles incubated in the simulated gastrointestinal fluid were converted to monodisperse particles by altering the pH to 7 and electrolyte elimination. The simple DLS-based methodologies are well suited to determine primary particle size distribution of mineral nanoparticles at various physical, chemical, and biological conditions.

Effect of aqueous pH and electrolyte concentration on structure, stability and flow behavior of non-ionic surfactant based solid lipid nanoparticles.

The effects of pH and electrolyte concentration on the structure evolution, polymorphism, flow behavior and stability of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), stabilized by the food-grade non-ionic surfactant Tween 80, were investigated. Development of a lipid crystal was governed by thermodynamically stable ß- and ß'-subunits and relative crystallinity decreased with increasing pH and electrolyte concentration. Aqueous stability and dispersibility increased with increasing pH and decreased with increasing electrolyte concentration. Flow behavior of the SLNs suspension was affected by the electrolyte concentration. However, the pH of the aqueous surfactant medium has not shown any effect on the flow behavior. From the results, it is clear that the pH and electrolyte concentration are among the potential factors which determines the stability and release properties of entrapped materials from SLNs.

Ultrafine Angelica gigas powder normalizes ovarian hormone levels and has antiosteoporosis properties in ovariectomized rats: particle size effect.

The root of Angelica gigas (Korean angelica) is traditionally used to treat women's ailments that are caused by an impairment of menstrual blood flow and cycle irregularities. This study evaluated the effect particle size of Korean angelica powder on its efficacy for treating estrogen-related symptoms of menopause. Initially, Korean angelica roots were pulverized into ultrafine powder, and orally administered to the rats at a concentration of 500 mg/kg body weight for 8 weeks. The effects of Korean angelica powder particle size on extraction yield, contents of bioactive compounds (decursin and decursinol angelate), levels of serum ovarian hormones (estradiol and progesterone), reproductive hormones (luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone), and experimental osteoporosis parameters (mineral density, strength, and histological features) were determined. A significant increase (fivefold) in the contents of decursin and decursinol angelate in the extract of the ultrafine Korean angelica powder was observed compared to coarse Korean angelica powder. Rats were divided into sham-operated or ovariectomized (OVX) groups that were fed coarse (CRS) or ultrafine (UF) ground Korean angelica root. The serum levels of estradiol in the OVX_UF group were 19.2% and 54.1% higher than that of OVX_CRS group. Serum bone-alkaline phosphatase/total-alkaline phosphatase index in the OVX_UF group was half that of the OVX_CRS group. In addition, less trabecular bone loss and thick cortical areas were observed in rats administered ultrafine powder. Therefore, ultrafine grinding may enhance the bioactivity of herbal medicines and be especially useful when their extracted forms lose bioactivity during processing, storage, and oral intake.