Nutritional profiling, fiber content and in vitro bioactivities of wheat-based biscuits formulated with novel ingredients.

This study evaluated the nutritional profile and fiber content of innovative formulations of wheat-based biscuits enriched with chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar. The in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were also investigated to understand the potential health advantages of the incorporation of these new ingredients. The novel biscuits demonstrated significant improvements in protein and mineral content, with increases of 50% and 100% in chia biscuits, and up to 20% and 40% in carob biscuits, respectively. Fiber also notably increased, particularly in samples containing 10% carob flour, which increased four times as compared to wheat-based samples. The new ingredients exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity, particularly against Yersinia enterocolitica (minimum inhibitory concentration 1.25 mg mL-1 in coconut sugar) and Aspergillus fumigatus (minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum fungicidal concentrations 2.5/5 mg mL-1 in chia seeds). However, the final biscuits only displayed antifungal properties. Carob flour and chia seeds had a remarkably high capacity to inhibit the formation of TBARS and promoted greater antioxidant activity in biscuit formulations, with EC50 values decreasing from 23.25 mg mL-1 (control) to 4.54 mg mL-1 (15% defatted ground chia seeds) and 1.19 mg mL-1 (10% carob flour). Only chia seeds exhibited cellular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity, attributes that were lost when seeds were added into the biscuits. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of these ingredients, particularly when incorporated in new wheat-based formulations.

Recent updates on guar gum derivatives in colon specific drug delivery.

Colon specific delivery of therapeutics have gained much attention of pharmaceutical researchers in the recent past. Colonic specific targeting of drugs is used not only for facilitating absorption of protein or peptide drugs, but also localization of therapeutic agents in colon to treat several colonic disorders. Among various biopolymers, guar gum (GG) exhibits pH dependent swelling, which allows colon specific release of drug. GG also shows microbial degradation in the colonic environment which makes it a suitable excipient for developing colon specific drug delivery systems. The uncontrolled swelling and hydration of GG can be controlled by structural modification or by grafting with another polymeric moiety. Several graft copolymerized guar gum derivatives are investigated for colon targeting of drugs. The efficacy of various guar gum derivatives are evaluated for colon specific delivery of drugs. The reviewed literature evidenced the potentiality of guar gum in localizing drugs in the colonic environment. This review focuses on the synthesis of several guar gum derivatives and their application in developing various colon specific drug delivery systems including matrix tablets, coated formulations, nano or microparticulate delivery systems and hydrogels.

Seed gum-based polysaccharides hydrogels for sustainable agriculture: A review.

Globally, water scarcity in arid and semiarid regions has become one of the critical issues that hinder sustainable agriculture. Agriculture, being a major water consumer, presents several challenges that affect water availability. Hydrogels derived from polysaccharides seed gums are hydrophilic polymers capable of retaining substantial moisture in their three-dimensional network and releasing it back into the soil during drought conditions. Implementation of hydrogels in the agricultural sectors enhances soil health, plant growth, and crop yield. Furthermore, the soil permeability, density, structure, texture, and rate of evaporation and percolation of water are modified by hydrogel. In this review, hydrogels based on natural plant seed gum like guar, fenugreek, Tara and locust beans have been discussed in terms of their occurrence, properties, chemical structure, method of synthesis, and swelling behavior. The focus extends to recent applications of modified seed gum-based natural hydrogels in agriculture, serving as soil conditioners and facilitating nutrient delivery to growing plants. The swelling behavior and inherent structure of these hydrogels can help researchers unravel their maximum possibilities to promote sustainable agriculture and attenuate the obstacles propounded by our dynamic nature. The current review also examines market growth, prospects, and challenges of eco-friendly hydrogels in recent times.

Carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar gum physicochemical properties in dilute aqueous media.

We investigate carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar gum (CMHPG) solution properties in water and NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 aqueous solutions. The Huggins, Kraemer, and Rao models were applied by fitting specific and relative viscosity of CMHPG/water and CMHPG/salt/water to determine the intrinsic viscosity [η]. The Rao models yielded better results (R2 = 0.779-0.999) than Huggins and Kraemer equations. [η] decreased up to 84% in salt solution over the range 0.9-100 mM compared to water. Salt effects screened the CMHPG charged side groups chains leading to a compacted structure. In 0.9 mM NaCl(aq), the hydrodynamic coil radius (Rcoil) was 28% smaller and 45% smaller in 100 mM NaCl solution relative to water. Similar decreases were seen in KCl and CaCl2 solutions. KCl and CaCl2 were more effective than NaCl. CMHPG is salt-tolerant and shows comparatively less viscosity change than native guar gum, with modest reduced viscosity increases with CMHPG dilution at all salt concentrations. The electrostatic interactions were effective up to 100 mM salt. The activation energy of viscous flow for CMHPG solutions was computed and compared to measured xanthan gum and several literature values. These data show that the barrier to CMHPG flow is higher than for xanthan gum.

Techno-functional properties of active film based on guar gum-propolis and its application for "Nanguo" pears preservation.

Guar gum (GG) composite films, incorporating the ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP), were prepared and subjected to a comprehensive investigation of their functional characteristics. The addition of EEP resulted in a discernible enhancement in the opacity, moisture barrier capacity, and elongation at break. Incorporating EEP led to a noteworthy increase in the total phenolic and total flavonoid content of the films, resulting in superior antioxidant capacity upon GG-EEP films. Remarkably, the addition of 5 % EEP yielded noteworthy outcomes, manifesting in a DPPH radical scavenging rate of 47.60 % and the ABTS radical scavenging rate of 94.87 %, as well as FRAP and cupric reducing power of 331.98 mmol FeSO4-7H2O kg-1 and 56.95 µg TE mg-1, respectively. In addition, GG-EEP films demonstrated antifungal effect against Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger, along with a sustained antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. GG-EEP films had superior inhibitory ability against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria. Crucially, GG-EEP composite films played a pivotal role in reducing both lesion diameter and depth, concurrently mitigating weight loss and firmness decline during the storage period of "Nanguo" pears. Therefore, GG-EEP composite films have the considerable potential to serve as advanced and effective active packaging materials for food preservation.

Polysaccharide from Clitocybe squamulosa: Gel-forming properties and its compound effect with food thickener.

To study the gel-forming properties of polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Clitocybe squamulosa (CSFP) and its degradation product (UH-CSFP), the changes in steady-state and dynamic rheological properties of CSFP and UH-CSFP under different conditions (polysaccharide mass fraction, temperature, pH, and salt ion concentration) were studied. Polysaccharides with good gel-forming properties were selected and mixed with common edible thickeners (gelatin, guar gum, and locust bean gum), after which the properties of the composite gel were assessed. The steady-state rheological results showed that CSFP and UH-CSFP were pseudoplastic fluids, their apparent viscosity decreased with increasing temperature, the viscosity was greatest when the pH was 7. The addition of Na+ and Ca2+ could increase the viscosity, and the viscosity of UH-CSFP was lower than that of CSFP at the same mass fraction. The results of dynamic rheology indicated that G´ and G´´ of CSFP and UH-CSFP increased with increasing mass fraction, pH, and ion concentration (0.01 M to 1 M), and G´´ was always smaller than G´ indicating weak gel behavior. The thixotropy-related experimental results showed that the thixotropy ring area of CSFP and UH-CSFP increased with increasing mass fraction, the ring area of CSFP was larger than that of UH-CSFP, and the gel strength of CSFP was greater than that of UH-CSFP. The results of CSFP and three types of edible gels showed that the composite gels were pseudoplastic fluids, and their apparent viscosity was ranked (in descending order) as follows: guar bean gum, locust bean gum, and gelatin. The addition of CSFP improved the gel-forming properties of guar gum but did not significantly improve the gel properties of locust bean gum and gelatin. This study provides a theoretical basis for the selection of processing methods and the application of polysaccharides.

Applications of guar gum polysaccharide for pharmaceutical drug delivery: A review.

Bio-based materials are rapidly replacing synthetic materials owing to their significant biomedical applications, easy availability, nontoxicity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Guar gum (GG) is a plant-derived biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric compound found abundantly in nature. It is a non-ionic, hydrophilic carbohydrate and is a cost-effective hydrocolloid polysaccharide considered as a wonderful representative of the new generation of plant gums. Various composites of guar gum with other polymers have been reported in last few decades and they are extensively used in different industries like food, textile, mining, petrochemical, paper and explosives etc. Easy availability, non-toxicity, eco-friendly and biodegradable nature of GG has made it ideal candidate for for drug delivery (DD) applications. GG based hydrogels, films, scaffolds and nanoparticles have been explored widely for their DD applications. These non-toxic DD carriers can be used for targeted drug delivery. This review article directs the current efforts and improvements on GG and GG-based materials to be used in DD.

Synthesis and characterizations of super adsorbent hydrogel based on biopolymer, Guar Gum-grafted-Poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (Gg-g-Poly (HEMA)) for the removal of Bismarck brown Y dye from aqueous solution.

Chemical modification of guar gum was done by graft copolymerization of monomer hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) using azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. Optimal reaction parameters were settled by varying one reaction condition and keeping the other constant. The optimum reaction conditions worked out were solvent system: binary, [H2O] = 15.00 mL, [acetone] = 5.00 mL, [HEMA] = 82.217× 10-2 mol/L, [AIBN] = 3.333 × 10-2 mol/L, reaction time = 3 h, reaction temperature = 60 °C on to 1.00 g guar gum with Pg = 1694.6 and %GE = 68,704.152. Pure guar gum polymer and grafts were analyzed by several physicochemical investigation techniques like FTIR, SEM, XRD, EDX, and swelling studies. Percent swelling of the guar gum polymer and grafts was investigated at pH 2.2, 7.0, 7.4 and 9.4 concerning time. The finest yield of Ps was recorded at pH 9.4 with time 24 h for graft copolymer. Guar gum and grafted samples were explored for the sorption of toxic dye Bismarck brown Y from the aqueous solution with respect to variable contact time, pH, temperature and dye concentration so as to investigate the stimuli responsive sorption behaviour. Graft copolymers showed better results than guar gum with percent dye uptake (Du) of 97.588 % in 24 h contact time, 35 °C temperature, 9.4 pH at 150.00 ppm dye feed concentration as compared to Guar gum which only showed 85.260 % dye uptake at alike dye fed concentration. The kinetic behaviour of the polymeric samples was evaluated by applying many adsorption isotherms and kinetic models. The value of 1/n was between 0 â†’ 1 showing that there was physisorption of the BB dye that took place on the surface of the polymers. Thermodynamics of BB Y adsorption onto hydrogels was investigated concerning the Van't Hoff equation. -∆G° values obtained from the curve proved the spontanity of the process. Within the context of adsorption efficiency, an investigation was conducted to examine the process of sorption of Bismarck brown Y dye from aqueous solutions. The graft copolymers demonstrated remarkable adsorption abilities, achieving a dye uptake (Du) of 97.588 % over a 24-h period at a temperature of 35 °C, pH level of 9.4, and a dye concentration of 150.00 ppm. The raised adsorption capacity was additionally corroborated by the application of several adsorption isotherms and kinetic models, which indicated that physisorption is the prevailing process/mechanism. Additionally, the thermodynamic research, utilising the Van't Hoff equation, validated the spontaneity of the adsorption phenomenon, as evidenced by the presence of a negative ∆G° values. The thermodynamic analysis revealed herein establishes a strong scientific foundation for the effectiveness of adsorbent composed of graft copolymers based on guar gum. The research conclude the efficiency of the guar gum based grafted copolymers for the water remediation as efficient adsorbents. The captured dye can be re-utilised and the hydrogels can be used for the same purpose in number of cycles.

Polysaccharides from exudate gums of plants and interactions with the intestinal microbiota: A review of vegetal biopolymers and prediction of their prebiotic potential.

Polysaccharides in plant-exuded gums are complex biopolymers consisting of a wide range of structural variability (linkages, monosaccharide composition, substituents, conformation, chain length and branching). The structural features of polysaccharides confer the ability to be exploited in different industrial sectors and applications involving biological systems. Moreover, these characteristics are attributed to a direct relationship in the process of polysaccharide enzymatic degradation by the fermentative action in the gut microbiota, through intrinsic interactions connecting bacterial metabolism and the production of various metabolites that are associated with regulatory effects on the host homeostasis system. Molecular docking analysis between bacterial target proteins and arabinogalactan-type polysaccharide obtained from gum arabic allowed the identification of intermolecular interactions provided bacterial enzymatic mechanism for the degradation of several arabinogalactan monosaccharide chains, as a model for the study and prediction of potential fermentable polysaccharide. This review discusses the main structural characteristics of polysaccharides from exudate gums of plants and their interactions with the intestinal microbiota.

Combination of carrageenan with sodium alginate, gum arabic, and locust bean gum: Effects on rheological properties and quiescent stabilities of partially crystalline emulsions.

In the present study, carrageenan (CG) was combined with sodium alginate (SA), gum arabic (GA), and locust bean gum (LBG) to obtain four gum combinations (CG, CG + SA, CG + GA, and CG + LBG). The effects of different combinations on rheological properties and quiescent stabilities of PCEs were systematically investigated through characterization of fresh emulsion related parameters (rheological properties, forces between proteins, zeta potentials, surface tensions, interfacial adsorption properties, and multiple light scattering) and storage related parameters (visual appearance, creaming index, viscosities, particle sizes, and microscopic morphology). Rheological results indicated that CG PCEs had the highest apparent viscosities of 7.77-41.91 Pa·s at 0.01 s-1, followed by CG + SA PCEs (2.35-30.62 Pa·s), CG + GA PCEs (2.37-21.16 Pa·s), and CG + LBG PCEs (2.06-19.93 Pa·s). At low thickener concentration (0.02 %), CG PCE exhibited weak gel structure due to higher G' than G″ at all frequencies, while CG + SA, CG + GA, and CG + LBG PCEs had entangled network due to intersection between G' and G″. After three months of storage, CG + SA PCEs showed the lowest creaming index values (11.47-17.75 %), which were significantly lower than CG PCEs (15.35-20.85 %), CG + GA PCEs (15.97-24.42 %), and CG + LBG PCEs (17.13-21.71 %). Meanwhile, all the samples except for 0.02 % CG + SA PCE completely lost fluidity, and their viscosities were above 14,000 mPa·s. It was further found that CG stabilized emulsions showed severe droplet flocculation induced by hydrophobic interactions among adsorbed proteins. Combination of CG with SA, GA, and LBG, especially CG + SA, formed strong network structure and reduced contribution of hydrophobic interactions, which effectively inhibited flocculation of fat droplets, thereby improving rheological properties and storage stabilities of PCEs.

Synthesis of porous calcium-guar gum benzoate nano-biohybrids for sorptive removal of congo red and phosphates from water.

This work aims to develop an eco-sound nano-bio-hybrid sorbent using sustainable materials for sorptive elimination of congo red and phosphates from aquatic environment. An amphipathic biopolymer derivative, high DS guar gum benzoate (GGBN) was used for entrapment of as synthesized calcium carbonate nanoparticles using solvent diffusion nano-precipitation technique. Designer nano-biohybrids were developed upon experimenting with various materials stoichiometry. SEM, XRD and EDX studies confirmed near-uniform impregnation of rhombohedral calcium carbonate crystals throughout the biopolymer matrix. Average pore size distribution and surface area of final product Ca-GGBNC, were estimated from NDLFT and BET methods respectively. Analysis of adsorption findings acquired at study temperature 27 ± 2 °C showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of Ca-GGBNC recorded qmax, 333.33 mg/g for congo red azo dye and that for phosphate was at 500 mg/g. Adsorptive removal was noted and both components followed pseudo second order kinetics. Intra-particle diffusion kinetics investigation disclosed that the boundary layer effect was prominent and the adsorption rates were not solely directed by the diffusion stage. Activation energy, Ea was to be estimated using Arrhenius equation at 56.136 and 47.015 KJ/mol for congo red and phosphates respectively. The calculated thermodynamic parameters(ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) revealed the spontaneous, feasible and endothermic sorption process. Owing to active surface area, spherical size, functional moiety and porous network, antibacterial properties of nanobiohybrid were persistent and MIC against E. coli and S. aureus were recorded at 200 µg/mL and 350 µg/mL respectively.

Rheological characteristics of concentrated ternary gum mixtures with xanthan gum, guar gum, and carboxymethyl cellulose: Effect of NaCl, sucrose, pH, and temperature.

Our goal was to investigate the effects of various conditions of media (NaCl, sucrose, pH, and temperature) on the steady and dynamic shear rheological properties of a concentrated ternary gum mixture system (1.0 wt%) containing xanthan gum (XG), guar gum (GG), and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Regardless of the media conditions, all gum mixtures exhibited a high shear-thinning behavior with a low flow behavior index (<0.30). NaCl addition resulted in a decrease in the consistency index (K, 32.8-16.1 Pa·sn) and apparent viscosity at 50 s-1 (ηa,50, 1.00-0.75 Pa·s), as well as the elastic modulus (G') and viscous modulus (G″) due to the charge screening effect. Similar result was observed with an increase in acidity of media. The presence of sucrose also induced the decrease in the ηa,50, K, G', and G″ values of the ternary gum, but tan δ (G″/G') decreased, indicative of higher weak gel-like properties. No effect of NaCl or sucrose addition on the temperature dependence of G' values was observed, whereas pH adjustment was impacted. These results demonstrated that the presence of co-solute, the acidity of media, and temperature influenced the rheological properties of ternary gum, and in particular acid condition gave a great impact.

Maximizing the extraction yield of plant gum exudate using response surface methodology and artificial neural networking and pharmacological characterization.

Prunus armeniaca gum is used as food additive and ethno medicinal purpose. Two empirical models response surface methodology and artificial neural network were used to search for optimized extraction parameters for gum extraction. A four-factor design was implemented for optimization of extraction process for maximum yield which was obtained under the optimized extraction parameter (temperature, pH, extraction time, and gum/water ratio). Micro and macro-elemental composition of gum was determined by using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. Gum was evaluated for toxicological effect and pharmacological properties. The maximum predicted yield obtained by response surface methodology and artificial neural network was 30.44 and 30.70% which was very close to maximum experimental yield 30.23%. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopic spectra confirmed the presence Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Sodium, Lithium, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen. Acute oral toxicity study showed that gum is non-toxic up to 2000 mg/Kg body weight in rabbits, accompanied by high cytotoxic effects of gum against HepG2 and MCF-7cells by MTT assay. Overall, Aqueous solution of gum showed various pharmacological activities with significant value of antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-nociceptive, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and thrombolytic activities. Thus, optimization of parameters using mathematical models cans offer better prediction and estimations with enhanced pharmacological properties of extracted components.

Improving the quality of multi-layer films based on furcellaran by immobilising active ingredients and impact assessment of the use of a new packaging material.

To improve the quality of multi-layer film, four-layer films based on furcellaran and active ingredients: gelatin hydrolysate, curcumin, capsaicin, montmorillonite and AgNPs, were produced in an innovative manner. The films were characterised by SEM and AFM analysis. Along with an increase in the concentration of active ingredients, the structure of the film becomes less homogeneous, which may affect the functional properties. The objective of the study was to analyse changes in the functional properties of the newly-obtained films and to verify their potential as packaging materials for fish products. With the increase in active ingredient concentration, water properties also improved, but there were no noticeable significant effects on mechanical properties. For antioxidant properties, the obtained values were within 1.04-2.74 mM Trolox/mg (FRAP) and 7.67-40.49% (DPPH). The obtained multi-layer films were examined with regard to the shelf-life of salmon. For this purpose, salmon fillets were packed in films having good antioxidant and functional properties. The films were effective in microorganism growth inhibition responsible for fillet spoilage during storage. The microorganism number in the active film-stored samples was lower by 0.13 log CFU/g on day 12 versus the control. However, film application did not retard lipid oxidation in the salmon fillets. Nonetheless, the films show great potential as active packaging materials, extending the shelf-life of the packed foods.

Guar gum-based multilayer fiber membranes inspired by plant transpiration for enhancing the functionality of dry facial masks.

As more eco-friendly and economical choice for wet facial masks, dry facial masks have always had the problem of cumbersome application process and poor water retention property. In this study, based on the mechanism of directional water transport of Janus membrane and plant transpiration, the hydrophobic polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber layer and the superhydrophilic guar gum (GG) nanofiber layer were prepared on both sides of the silk facial mask (SM) by electrospinning to obtain the guar gum-based bionic Janus directional water transport facial mask (G-DFM). The results showed that the directional water transport function improved the facial mask's water retention by 37 %, and the nicotinamide (NAM) encapsulated in the GG layer gave the facial mask excellent whitening and antibacterial properties. The GG layer could be directed to swell after absorbing water to form the "gel-like", which ensured that the G-DFM could continue to release NAM during its work and would enhance the attachment between the G-DFM and the skin. G-DFM not only retained the advantages of SM but also expanded the functions that SM did not have, providing an idea for designing more practical and ideal facial masks in the future.

Gum arabic/guar gum stabilized Hydnocarpus wightiana oil nanohydrogel: Characterization, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm activities.

Hydnocarpus wightiana oil has proven to inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms; however, the raw form is highly susceptible to oxidation, and thus it becomes toxic when uptake is in high amounts. Therefore, to minimize the deterioration, we formulated Hydnocarpus wightiana oil-based nanohydrogel and studied its characteristics as well biological activity. The low energy-assisted hydrogel was formulated by including gelling agent, connective linker, and cross-linker and it resulted in internal micellar polymerization of the milky white emulsion. The oil showed the presence of octanoic acid, n-tetradecane, methyl 11-(2-cyclopenten-1-yl) undecanoate (methyl hydnocarpate), 13-(2-cyclopenten-1-yl) tridecanoic acid (methyl chaulmoograte), and 10,13-eicosadienoic acid. The amount of caffeic acid was 0.0636 mg/g, which was higher than the amount of gallic acid (0.0076 mg/g) in the samples. The formulated nanohydrogel showed an average droplet size of 103.6 nm with a surface charge of -17.6 mV. The minimal inhibitory bactericidal, and fungicidal concentrations of nanohydrogel against pathogenic bacteria and fungi were ranging from 0.78 to 1.56 µl/mL with 70.29-83.62 % antibiofilm activity. Also, nanohydrogel showed a significantly (p < 0.05) higher killing rate for Escherichia coli (7.89 log CFU/mL) than Staphylococcus aureus (7.81 log CFU/mL) with comparable anti-inflammatory activity than commercial standard (49.28-84.56 %). Therefore, it can be concluded that being hydrophobic, and having the capability of target-specific drug absorption as well as biocompatibility nanohydrogels can be utilized to cure various pathogenic microbial infections.

Insights into interaction mechanism between xanthan gum and galactomannan based on density functional theory and rheological properties.

To explore the interaction sites and energies of ordered and disordered xanthan gum with locust bean gum (LBG), we prepared xanthan with different conformations and used it to form synergistic complexes with LBG. The interaction strength between xanthan and LBG was analyzed by analog computation using the density functional theory (DFT) method. Furthermore, the viscoelastic changes of the xanthan-LBG complex in different solutions were analyzed to verify the DFT results. The results showed that the ordered xanthan interacted with LBG through the side chains, with an interaction energy (EInt) of -479.450 kcal/mol. On the other hand, the disordered xanthan and LBG formed gels through backbone-to-backbone interactions, with an EInt of -262.290 kcal/mol. Overall, the study provides insights into xanthan-galactomannan gel formation and a theoretical basis for the broader application of xanthan.

Starch-guar gum-ferulic acid molecular interactions alter the ordered structure and ultimate retrogradation properties and in vitro digestibility of chestnut starch under extrusion treatment.

Molecular interactions among starch and multiple-components during food processing determine the retrogradation properties and digestibility of starch. Here, the effects of starch-guar gum (GG)-ferulic acid (FA) molecular interactions on retrogradation properties, digestibility and ordered structural changes of chestnut starch (CS) under extrusion treatment (ET) were investigated by structural analysis and quantum chemistry. Due to the entanglement behaviors and hydrogen bond interactions, GG could inhibit the formation of helical and crystalline structures of CS. When FA was introduced simultaneously, FA could weaken the interactions between GG and CS as well as enter the spiral cavity of starch to increase the single/double helix and V-type crystalline structures while reducing A-type crystalline. Based on the above structural changes, ET with starch-GG-FA molecular interactions resulted in resistant starch content of 20.31% and anti-retrogradation rate of 42.98% for 21-day storage. Overall, the results could provide basic data for creation of chestnut-based food with higher value.

Recent Advances and Prospects for Plant Gum-Based Drug Delivery Systems: A Comprehensive Review.

This work is an effort to first introduce plant-based gums and discussing their drug delivery applications. The composition of these plant gums and their major characteristics, which make them suitable as pharmaceutical excipients are also described in detail. The various modifications methods such as physical and chemical modifications of gums and polysaccharides have been discussed along with their applications in different fields. Consequently, plant-based gums modification such as etherification and grafting is attracting much scientific attention to satisfy industrial demand. The evaluation tests to characterize gum-based drug delivery systems have been summarized. The release behavior of drug from plant-gum-based drug delivery is being discussed. Thus, this review is an attempt to critically summarize different aspect of plant-gum-based polysaccharides to be utilized in drug delivery systems having potential industrial applications.

An okra polysaccharide (Abelmoschus esculentus) reinforced green hydrogel based on guar gum and poly-vinyl alcohol double network for controlled release of nanocurcumin.

A novel green hydrogel (PGCO) of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) mucilage-reinforced poly-vinyl alcohol-guar gum (PG) cross-linked by citric acid containing nanocurcumin (NC) as a model drug is reported. The citric acid (CA) cross-linked hydrogel (PGC) without okra is also prepared. The hydrogels are characterized using FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, and TGA techniques. Okra reinforced green hydrogel (PGCO) provided comparable swelling behaviour with better mechanical and thermal properties compared to the neat PGC hydrogel. Network parameters of PGC and PGCO hydrogels are estimated using Flory-Rehner equation and strong correlation between the cross-link density and swelling behaviour is established. 45.68 % NC loading in the PGCO hydrogel is achieved. Release study in phosphate buffer (PB) of pH 7.4 provided sustained release of NC over a period of 100 h. The release study of NC followed primarily the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with less-Fickian diffusional character (n < 0.5). The average diffusion coefficients of NC and curcumin are found to be 3.52 × 10-5 cm2 s-1, and 3.43 × 10-5 cm2 s-1 respectively demonstrating the quick release of NC in early time, which is a pre-requisite in drug delivery. The study provides initial evidence of the usefulness of okra mucilage in green hydrogel development and drug delivery applications.