Study of Processing Conditions during Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Deer By-Product Tallow for Targeted Changes at the Molecular Level and Properties of Modified Fats.

In most cases, the unused by-products of venison, including deer tallow, are disposed of in rendering plants. Deer tallow contains essential fatty acids and can be used to prepare products for everyday food and advanced applications. This work aimed to process deer tallow into hydrolyzed products using microbial lipases. A Taguchi design with three process factors at three levels was used to optimize the processing: amount of water (8, 16, 24%), amount of enzyme (2, 4, 6%), and reaction time (2, 4, 6 h). The conversion of the tallow to hydrolyzed products was expressed by the degree of hydrolysis. The oxidative stability of the prepared products was determined by the peroxide value and the free fatty acids by the acid value; further, color change, textural properties (hardness, spreadability, stickiness, and adhesiveness), and changes at the molecular level were observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The degree of hydrolysis was 11.8-49.6%; the peroxide value ranged from 12.3 to 29.5 µval/g, and the color change of the samples expressed by the change in the total color difference (∆E*) was 1.9-13.5. The conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis strongly influenced the textural properties: hardness 25-50 N, spreadability 20-40 N/s, and stickiness < 0.06 N. FTIR showed that there are changes at the molecular level manifested by a decrease in ester bonds. Enzymatically hydrolyzed deer tallow is suitable for preparing cosmetics and pharmaceutical matrices.

Characterization of Poultry Gelatins Prepared by a Biotechnological Method for Targeted Changes at the Molecular Level.

Chicken collagen is a promising raw material source for the production gelatins and hydrolysates. These can be prepared biotechnologically using proteolytic enzymes. By choosing the appropriate process conditions, such changes can be achieved at the molecular level of collagen, making it possible to prepare gelatins with targeted properties for advanced cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical, or food applications. The present research aims to investigate model samples of chicken gelatins, focusing on: (i) antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-3-etylbenzotiazolin-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS); (ii) the distribution of molecular weights via gel permeation chromatography with refractometric detection (GPC-RID); (iii) functional groups and the configuration of polypeptide chains related to molecular-level properties using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); (iv) the microbiological populations on sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), plate count agar (PCA), tryptic soy agar (TSA), and violet red bile lactose (VRBL) using the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) method. Antioxidant activity towards ABTS radicals was more than 80%; activity towards DPPH radicals was more than 69%. The molecular weights of all gelatin samples showed typical α-, ß-, and γ-chains. FTIR analysis confirmed that chicken gelatins all contain typical vibrational regions for collagen cleavage products, Amides A and B, and Amides I, II, and III, at characteristic wavenumbers. A microbiological analysis of the prepared samples showed no undesirable bacteria that would limit advanced applications of the prepared products. Chicken gelatins represent a promising alternative to products made from standard collagen tissues of terrestrial animals.

Sage Essential Oil as an Antimicrobial Agent against Salmonella enterica during Beef Sous Vide Storage.

Sous-vide is a process comprising vacuum-sealing food, heating it to the desired temperature, and circulating it in a water bath in a sous vide machine. This cooking technique is increasingly common in homes and catering establishments due to its simplicity and affordability. However, manufacturers and chef's recommendations for low-temperature and long-term sous-vide cooking in media raise food safety concerns, particularly when preparing beef tenderloin. In this study, Salmonella enterica was found to be inactivated by heat and sage essential oil (EO) in beef samples from musculus psoas major that had been sous vide processed. To determine whether heat treatment was likely to increase the sous vide efficiency, S. enterica and sage EO were mixed. After being vacuum-packed and injected with S. enterica, the samples were cooked at 50-65 °C through the sous vide technique for the prescribed time. On days 1, 3, and 6, the amounts of S. enterica, total bacteria, and coliform bacteria were measured in the control and treated groups of beef processed sous vide. Mass spectrometry was used to identify bacterial isolates on different days. On each day that was measured, a higher number of all the microbiota was found in the samples exposed to 50 °C for 5 min. The most frequently isolated microorganisms from both groups of samples were Pseudomonas fragi (17%), Pseudomonas cedrina (8%), and Proteus vulgaris (8%); in the treated group, also S. enterica (21%), Pseudomonas fragi (13%), and Pseudomonas veronii (6%). After the heat treatment of samples at 65 °C for 20 min, the total count of bacteria and coliform bacteria was zero. It has been shown that adding sage essential oil (EO) in combination with sous vide processing technique leads to the stabilization and safety of beef tenderloin.

Taxing reproduction: the full transfer cost of rearing children in Europe.

What are the intergenerational resource transfer contributions of parents and non-parents in Europe? Using National Transfer Accounts and National Time Transfer Accounts for 12 countries around 2010, we go beyond public transfers (net taxes) to also value two statistically much less visible transfers in the family realm: of market goods and of unpaid household labour (time). Non-parents contribute almost exclusively to public transfers. But parents additionally provide still larger private transfers: mothers mainly time, fathers mainly market goods. Estimating transfer stocks over the working life, the average parental/non-parental contribution ratio in Europe flips from 0.73 (public transfers alone) to 2.66 (all three transfers combined). The highest combined parental/non-parental contribution ratios are in Sweden and Finland. The metaphorical tax rates implicitly imposed thereby on rearing children in Europe are multiples of the value-added tax rates in place on consumption goods. Unveiling the sheer magnitude of these invisible transfer asymmetries carries multiple implications for policy debates. For instance, it raises the question whether ageing European societies unwittingly tax, rather than subsidise, their own reproduction. Family friendly policy models, such as the Nordic welfare states, do not mitigate this effect. They help parents work, but do not lower the implicit tax parents pay.

Antilisterial and Antimicrobial Effect of Salvia officinalis Essential Oil in Beef Sous-Vide Meat during Storage.

If food is contaminated with pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, improper cooking during sous-vide preparation can lead to foodborne illnesses. In this study, it was found that L. monocytogenes were inactivated with both heat and the essential oil of Salvia officinalis (sage EO) in beef tenderloin of the musculus psoas major that had undergone sous-vide processing. To determine whether the enhancement of the efficacy of heat treatment is prospective, L. monocytogenes and sage EO were mixed. Groups with L. monocytogenes alone and sage essential oil combined with L. monocytogenes and test groups without EO were established. The samples were vacuum-packed, inoculated with L. monocytogenes, and then cooked sous-vide for the predetermined duration at 50, 55, 60, or 65 °C. In both groups with sous-vide beef tenderloin, the total bacterial count, the coliforms bacterial count, and the amount of L. monocytogenes were assessed on days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Over these days, the amounts of L. monocytogenes, coliform bacteria, and overall bacteria increased. The identification of bacterial strains in various days and categories was performed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The test group that was exposed to a temperature of 50 °C for 5 min had a higher overall bacterial count for each day that was assessed. Pseudomonas fragi and L. monocytogenes were the most isolated organisms from the test group and the treated group. To ensure the safety for the consumption of sous-vide beef tenderloin, it was found that the addition of natural antimicrobials could produce effective outcomes.

The Effect of Cosmetic Treatment and Gel Laser Therapy on the Improvement of Comedogenic Skin Type.

Comedogenic skin care receives little attention compared to the care or treatment of more serious acne manifestations. Traditional therapies may have limited success with potential side effects. Cosmetic care supported by the effect of a biostimulating laser may offer a desirable alternative. The aim of the study was to evaluate the biological effectiveness of combined cosmetic treatment with lasotherapy on comedogenic skin type using noninvasive bioengineering methods. Twelve volunteers with comedogenic skin type underwent a 28-week application of Lasocare Basic 645® cosmetic gel containing Lactoperoxidase and Lactoferrin in combination with laser therapy (Lasocare® method). The effect of treatment on skin condition was monitored using noninvasive diagnostic methods. The parameters were the amount of sebum, the pore count, the ultraviolet-induced red fluorescence assessment of comedonic lesions (percentage of the area and quantification of orange-red spots), hydration, transepidermal water loss, and pH. A statistically significant decrease in sebum production was observed on the skin of the treated volunteers, as well as a decrease in porphyrins, indicating the presence of Cutibacterium acnes populating comedones and causing enlarged pores. The balance of epidermal water in the skin was regulated adjusting the acidity of the skin coat in individual zones, which decreased the presence of Cutibacterium acnes. Cosmetic treatment in combination with the Lasocare® method successfully improved the condition of comedogenic skin. In addition to transient erythema, there were no other adverse effects. The chosen procedure appears to be a suitable and safe alternative to traditional treatment procedures known from dermatological practice.

Enzyme Conditioning of Chicken Collagen and Taguchi Design of Experiments Enhancing the Yield and Quality of Prepared Gelatins.

During the production of mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM), a by-product is created that has no adequate use and is mostly disposed of in rendering plants. Due to the high content of collagen, it is a suitable raw material for the production of gelatin and hydrolysates. The purpose of the paper was to process the MDCM by-product into gelatin by 3-step extraction. An innovative method was used to prepare the starting raw material for gelatin extraction, demineralization in HCl, and conditioning with a proteolytic enzyme. A Taguchi design with two process factors (extraction temperature and extraction time) was used at three levels (42, 46, and 50 °C; 20, 40, and 60 min) to optimize the processing of the MDCM by-product into gelatins. The gel-forming and surface properties of the prepared gelatins were analyzed in detail. Depending on the processing conditions, gelatins are prepared with a gel strength of up to 390 Bloom, a viscosity of 0.9-6.8 mPa·s, a melting point of 29.9-38.4 °C, a gelling point of 14.9-17.6 °C, excellent water- and fat-holding capacity, and good foaming and emulsifying capacity and stability. The advantage of MDCM by-product processing technology is a very high degree of conversion (up to 77%) of the starting collagen raw material to gelatins and the preparation of 3 qualitatively different gelatin fractions suitable for a wide range of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. Gelatins prepared from MDCM by-product can expand the offer of gelatins from other than beef and pork tissues.

Emulsion-Based Coatings for Preservation of Meat and Related Products.

One of the biggest challenges faced by the meat industry is maintaining the freshness of meat while extending its shelf life. Advanced packaging systems and food preservation techniques are highly beneficial in this regard. However, the energy crisis and environmental pollution demand an economically feasible and environmentally sustainable preservation method. Emulsion coatings (ECs) are highly trending in the food packaging industry. Efficiently developed coatings can preserve food, increase nutritional composition, and control antioxidants' release simultaneously. However, their construction has many challenges, especially for meat. Therefore, the following review focuses on the essential aspects of developing ECs for meat. The study begins by classifying emulsions based on composition and particle size, followed by a discussion on the physical properties, such as ingredient separation, rheology, and thermal characteristics. Furthermore, it discusses the lipid and protein oxidation and antimicrobial characteristics of ECs, which are necessary for other aspects to be relevant. Lastly, the review presents the limitations of the literature while discussing the future trends. ECs fabricated with antimicrobial/antioxidant properties present promising results in increasing the shelf life of meat while preserving its sensory aspects. In general, ECs are highly sustainable and effective packaging systems for meat industries.

Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Czech Lager Beers with Increasing Original Wort Extract Values during Cold Storage.

The scope of the study was the evaluation of the selected physicochemical (O2 and CO2 contents, bitterness, color, total polyphenol content (TPC), turbidity, foaming stability) and sensory properties of Czech lager beer with different original wort extract (OWE) values (OWE of 10.0; 11.0; 11.5; 12.0% w/w) during a cold storage period of 6 months (4 ± 2 °C). The length of the cold storage period did not influence the values of dissolved O2 and CO2, bitterness, color and foam stability of the samples. Contrarily, the TPC, turbidity, and sensory attributes of the samples were affected by the course of cold storage. The OWE values did not affect the development of the parameters tested. All beer samples stored until the 5th month presented "very good" sensory characteristics. Cold storage of beer is advantageous in order to maintain its freshness and sensory attributes at the highest level for the final consumer.

The Effect of Application of Chicken Gelatin on Reducing the Weight Loss of Beef Sirloin after Thawing.

Freezing is one of the oldest and most-often-used traditional methods to prolong the shelf life of meat. However, the negative phenomenon of this process is the weight loss of water that occurs after the meat is thawed. Together with the water that escapes from the meat during thawing, there are large weight losses in this valuable raw material. Another negative aspect is that mineral and extractive substances, vitamins, etc. also leave the meat, resulting in irreversible nutritional losses of nutrients in the meat, which are subsequently missing for use by the consumer of the meat. The main goal of this work is to reduce these losses by using gelatin coatings. Gelatin was prepared from chicken paws according to a patented biotechnological procedure, which uses the very gentle principle of obtaining gelatin with the usage of enzymes. This unique method is friendly to the environment and innocuous for the product itself. At the same time, it ensures that the required principles achieve a circular economy with the use of the so far very-little-used slaughter byproducts, which in most parts of the world end up in uneconomic disposal by burning or landfilling without using this unique potential source of nutrients. Gelatin coatings on the surface of the beef steak were created by immersing the meat in a solution based on gelatin of different composition. A coating containing 3%, 5% or 8% gelatin with 10% or 20% glycerol (by weight of gelatin) and 1% glutaraldehyde crosslinker (by weight of gelatin) has proved to be effective. The amount of glutaraldehyde added to the coating is guaranteed not to exceed the permitted EU/U.S. legislative limits. In addition to weight loss, meat pH, color and texture were also measured. Freezing was done in two ways; some samples were frozen at a normal freezing temperature of -18 °C and the other part of the experiment at deep (shock) freezing at -80 °C. Defrosting took place in two ways, in the refrigerator and in the microwave oven, in order to use the common defrosting methods used in gastronomy. A positive effect of this coating on weight loss was observed for each group of samples. The most pronounced effect of coating was found for the least gentle method of freezing (-18 °C) and thawing (microwave), with the average weight loss of the coated samples differing by more than 2% from that of the uncoated sample. No negative effect of the coating was observed for other meat properties tested, such as pH, Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) or color. Gelatin-based coating has a positive effect on reducing the weight loss of meat after thawing. Chicken gelatin prepared by a biotechnological process has a new application in improving the quality of meat due to the retention of water and nutrients in frozen and subsequently thawed beef, which can contribute to the better quality of the subsequently gastronomically prepared dish, while maintaining the weight and nutritional quality. This also results in economic savings in the preparation of highly-valued parts of beef.

Changes in the Quality Attributes of Selected Long-Life Food at Four Different Temperatures over Prolonged Storage.

This study reports the development of selected indicators affecting changes in food quality and safety of selected long-life canned (Szeged goulash, canned chicken meat, pork pâté, canned tuna fish) and dehydrated (instant goulash soup) food during a two-year storage experiment at four different temperatures. The storage temperatures were selected to represent Arctic (−18 °C), temperate (5 °C), subtropical (25 °C) and tropical (40 °C) climatic zones where such food is likely to be stored during, for example, humanitarian and military missions. Microorganism amounts below the detection limit (p < 0.05), regardless of the storage temperature (p ≥ 0.05), were monitored in canned samples. The contents of dry matter, fat and proteins did not change during storage, regardless of the storage temperature (p ≥ 0.05). During the 24-month storage, all food showed an increase in the level of ammonia (p < 0.05) and the TBARS-value (p < 0.05), whereas the rate of increase in both parameters was significantly higher at higher storage temperatures (p < 0.05). The losses of individual amino acids during storage ranged from 5% rel. calculated on the amino acid contents in Month "0" up to 15% rel. (p < 0.05). With storage temperatures above the freezing point, the hardness values decreased with the increase in the storage temperature (p < 0.05) and prolongation of the storage period (p < 0.05). Moreover, with temperatures of −18 °C, the development of hardness, measured as the "decrease rate", was significantly higher compared to the absolute values.

Proximate Chemical Composition, Amino Acids Profile and Minerals Content of Meat Depending on Carcass Part, Sire Genotype and Sex of Meat Rabbits.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the sire genotype, sex and carcass part on the composition of the meat of rabbits, which were fattened under conditions where no synthetic drugs were used. As for carcass parts, the higher content of both total amino acids (AA) and all essential AA (EAA) monitored was found in the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle as compared to hind leg meat (p ˂ 0.001). Significant effects of the rabbit sire genotype and the genotype x sex interaction on proportions of some AA in meat were found (p ˂ 0.001). Crossbreeding of the Mecklenburger Schecke (MS) sires with a commercial dam line of HYLA rabbits resulted in a lower proportion of the total AA and all EAA monitored in meats of MS sired males as compared to MS sired females and HYLA rabbits (p ˂ 0.05). The sex-related effect on AA profile was not so noticeable in final commercial crossbreds of HYLA rabbits when compared to MS sired progeny. These findings point to a possible risk of alterations in the nutritional quality of meat proteins when using different rabbit sire genotypes than those originally intended for the specific commercial crossbreeding scheme. However, on the contrary, higher contents of magnesium (p ˂ 0.05), manganese (p ˂ 0.001) and zinc (p ˂ 0.05) were found in meats of MS sired progeny as compared to HYLA rabbits.

Research Note: Impact of applied thermal treatment on textural, and sensory properties and cooking loss of selected chicken and turkey cuts as affected by cooking technique.

The effect of various cooking methods (roasting, broiling, grilling, frying, and stewing) on cooking loss (CL) and textural and sensory properties of selected chicken (breast fillet, thigh, and thigh fillet) and turkey (breast fillet, thigh) cuts in relation to the applied apparatus was evaluated. Diverse results were recorded according to the method, the type of poultry meat, and the cut of poultry meat. Additionally, CL and shear force (SF) values in all examined samples were influenced by the culinary technique, the type of poultry meat, and the poultry meat cut. The lowest CL and shear SF values were reported when the samples were treated using a method with higher heating rates and/or temperatures and shorter cooking times. Additionally, lower values of CL and SF were obtained for chicken meat compared to turkey meat (thighs). In general, the applied culinary technique affected the sensory properties of the samples tested. High sensory scores were recorded for grilled chicken breast fillets and fried turkey breast fillets (irrespective of the applied apparatus). On the whole, it could be stated that culinary techniques at high temperature requiring shorter times (such as frying, grilling, and roasting) were evaluated to be more effective (in terms of CL and SF).

Cyprinus carpio Skeleton Byproduct as a Source of Collagen for Gelatin Preparation.

Byproducts obtained from fish processing account for up to 70% of their live weight and represent a large amount of unused raw materials rich in proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins. Recently, the management of the use of predominantly cold-water fish byproducts has become a priority for many processing companies. This paper describes the biotechnological processing of byproducts of warm-water Cyprinus carpio skeletons into gelatins. A Taguchi experimental design with two process factors (HCl concentration during demineralization of the starting material and the amount of enzyme during enzyme conditioning of the collagen) examined at three levels (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt%; 0.0, 0.1 and 0.2 wt% respectively) was used to optimize the processing of fish tissue into gelatin. Depending on the preparation conditions, four gelatin fractions were prepared by multi-stage extraction from the starting material with a total yield of 18.7-55.7%. Extensive characterization of the gel-forming and surface properties of the prepared gelatins was performed. Gelatins belong to the group of zero-low-medium Bloom value (0-170 Bloom) and low-medium viscosity (1.1-4.9 mPa·s) gelatins and are suitable for some food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. During processing, the pigment can be isolated; the remaining solid product can then be used in agriculture, and H3PO4Ca can be precipitated from the liquid byproduct after demineralization. The carp byproduct processing technology is environmentally friendly and meets the requirements of zero-waste technology.

Preparation of Gelatin from Broiler Chicken Stomach Collagen.

With the increasing consumption of poultry meat around the world, the use of chicken stomachs as a source of collagen is being offered. The objective of this study was to extract gelatin from the stomachs of broiler chickens and to estimate their gel strength, ash content, viscosity, gelling point, melting point, clarity and digestibility. An innovative biotechnological method based on the conditioning of collagen with a microbial endoproteinase (Protamex®) and hot-water extraction was used to control the chemical and thermal denaturation process of collagen to prepare gelatin. The experiments were planned using a Taguchi design, 2 factors at 3 levels; factor A for the amount of proteolytic enzyme (0.10, 0.15 and 0.20%) and factor B for the extraction temperature (55.0, 62.5 and 70.0 °C). Data were statistically processed and analyzed at a significance level of 95%. The gelatin yield averaged 65 ± 8%; the gel strength ranged from 25 ± 1 to 439 ± 6 Bloom, the viscosity from 1.0 ± 0.4 to 3.40 ± 0.03 mPa·s, gelling point from 14.0 ± 2.0 to 22.0 ± 2.0 °C, melting point from 28.0 ± 1.0 to 37.0 ± 1.0 °C. The digestibility of gelatin was 100.0% in all samples; the ash content was very low (0.44 ± 0.02-0.81 ± 0.02%). The optimal conditions for the enzymatic treatment of collagen from chicken stomachs were achieved at a higher temperature (70.0 °C) and a lower amount of enzyme (0.10-0.15%). Conditioning chicken collagen with a microbial endoproteinase is an economically and environmentally friendly processing method, an alternative to the usual acid- or alkaline-based treatment that is used industrially. The extracted products can be used for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Welfare states as lifecycle redistribution machines: Decomposing the roles of age and socio-economic status shows that European tax-and-benefit systems primarily redistribute across age groups.

Social scientists identify two core functions of modern welfare states as redistribution across (a) socio-economic status groups (Robin Hood) and (b) 'the lifecycle' (the piggy bank). But what is the relative importance of these functions? The answer has been elusive, as the piggy bank is metaphorical. The intra-personal time-travel of resources it implies is based on non-quid-pro-quo transfers. In practice, 'lifecycle redistribution' must operate through inter-age-group resource reallocation in cross-section. Since at any time different birth cohorts live together, 'resource-productive' working-aged people are taxed to finance consumption of 'resource-dependent' younger and older people. In a novel decomposition analysis, we study the joint distribution of socio-economic status, age, and respectively (a) all cash and in-kind transfers ('benefits'), (b) financing contributions ('taxes'), and (c) resulting 'net benefits,' on a sample of over 400,000 Europeans from 22 EU countries. European welfare states, often maligned as ineffective Robin Hood vehicles riddled with Matthew effects, are better characterized as inter-age redistribution machines performing a more important second task rather well: lifecycle consumption smoothing. Social policies serve multiple goals in Europe, but empirically they are neither primarily nor solely responsible for poverty relief and inequality reduction.

Collagen Hydrolysate Prepared from Chicken By-Product as a Functional Polymer in Cosmetic Formulation.

Chicken stomachs can be processed into collagen hydrolysate usable in cosmetic products. The aim of the study was to verify the effects of a carbopol gel formulation enriched with 1.0% (w/w) chicken hydrolysate on the properties of the skin in the periorbital area after regular application twice a day for eight weeks in volunteers ageed 50 ± 9 years. Skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin elasticity and skin relief were evaluated. Overall, skin hydration increased by 11.82% and 9.45%, TEWL decreased by 25.70% and 17.80% (always reported for the right and left area). Generally, there was an increase in skin elasticity, a decrease in skin roughness, as the resonance times decreased by 85%. The average reduction of wrinkles was 35.40% on the right and 41.20% on the left. For all results, it can be seen that the longer the cosmetic gel formulation is applied, the better the results. Due to the positive effect on the quality and functionality of the skin, it is possible to apply the cosmetic gel formulation in the periorbital area. The advantage of the product with chicken collagen hydrolysate is also the biocompatibility with the skin and the biodegradability of the formulation.

Valorization of a By-Product from the Production of Mechanically Deboned Chicken Meat for Preparation of Gelatins.

In recent decades, food waste management has become a key priority of industrial and food companies, state authorities and consumers as well. The paper describes the biotechnological processing of mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM) by-product, rich in collagen, into gelatins. A factorial design at two levels was used to study three selected process conditions (enzyme conditioning time, gelatin extraction temperature and gelatin extraction time). The efficiency of the technological process of valorization of MDCM by-product into gelatins was evaluated by % conversion of the by-product into gelatins and some qualitative parameters of gelatins (gel strength, viscosity and ash content). Under optimal processing conditions (48-72 h of enzyme conditioning time, 73-78 °C gelatin extraction temperature and 100-150 min gelatin extraction time), MDCM by-product can be processed with 30-32% efficiency into gelatins with a gel strength of 140 Bloom, a viscosity of 2.5 mPa.s and an ash content of 5.0% (which can be reduced by deionization using ion-exchange resins). MDCM is a promising food by-product for valorization into gelatins, which have potential applications in food-, pharmaceutical- and cosmetic fields. The presented technology contributes not only to food sustainability but also to the model of a circular economy.

Smartphone-based multimodal tethered capsule endoscopic platform for white-light, narrow-band, and fluorescence/autofluorescence imaging.

Multimodal low-cost endoscopy is highly desirable in poor resource settings such as in developing nations. In this work, we developed a smartphone-based low-cost, reusable tethered capsule endoscopic platform that allows white-light, narrowband, and fluorescence/autofluorescence imaging of the esophagus. The ex-vivo studies of swine esophagus were performed and compared with a commercial endoscope to test the white-light imaging capabilities of the endoscope. The efficacy of the capsule for narrow-band imaging was tested by imaging the vascularization of the tongue. To determine the autofluorescence/fluorescence capability of the endoscope, fluorescein dye with different concentrations was imaged. Furthermore, swine esophagus injected with fluorescein dye was imaged using the fluorescence/autofluorescence and the white-light imaging modules, ex-vivo. The overall cost of the capsules is approximately 12 €, 15 €, and 42 € for the white light imaging, the narrow-band imaging, and the fluorescence/autofluorescence imaging respectively. In addition, the cost of the laser source module required for the narrow-band imaging and the fluorescence/autofluorescence imaging is approximately 218 €. This device will open the possibility of imaging the esophagus in underprivileged areas.

Hydration and Barrier Potential of Cosmetic Matrices with Bee Products.

Honey, honey extracts, and bee products belong to traditionally used bioactive molecules in many areas. The aim of the study was primarily to evaluate the effect of cosmetic matrices containing honey and bee products on the skin. The study is complemented by a questionnaire survey on the knowledge and awareness of the effects and potential uses of bee products. The effect of bee molecules at various concentrations was observed by applying 12 formulations to the skin of the volar side of the forearm by non-invasive bioengineering methods on a set of 24 volunteers for 48 h. Very good moisturizing properties have been found in matrices with the glycerin extract of honey. Matrices containing forest honey had better moisturizing effects than those containing flower honey. Barrier properties were enhanced by gradual absorption, especially in formulations with both glycerin and aqueous honey extract. The observed organoleptic properties of the matrices assessed by sensory analysis through 12 evaluators did not show statistically significant differences except for color and spreadability. There are differences in the ability to hydrate the skin, reduce the loss of epidermal water, and affect the pH of the skin surface, including the organoleptic properties between honey and bee product matrices according to their type and concentration.