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In this study 5-((2-((3-methoxy benzylidene)-amino)-phenyl)-diazenyl)-4,6-diphenyl pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione was synthesized. The pharmacological applications of pyrimidine analogs are restricted due to their poor pharmacokinetic properties. As a solution, a microbial exopolysaccharide (curdlan gum) was used to synthesize folic acid-conjugated pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione-encapsulated curdlan gum-PEGamine nanoparticles (FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs). The results of physicochemical properties revealed that the fabricated FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs were between 100 and 400 nm in size with a majorly spherical shaped, crystalline nature, and the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were 79.04 ± 0.79 %, and 8.12 ± 0.39 % respectively. The drug release rate was significantly higher at pH 5.4 (80.14 ± 0.79 %) compared to pH 7.2. The cytotoxic potential of FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs against MCF-7 cells potentially reduced the number of cells after 24 h with 42.27 μg × mL−1 as IC 50 value. The higher intracellular accumulation of pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione in MCF-7 cells leads to apoptosis, observed by AO/EBr staining and flow cytometry analysis. The highest pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione internalization in MCF-7 cells may be due to folate conjugated on the surface of curdlan gum nanoparticles. Further, internalized pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione increases the intracellular ROS level, leading to apoptosis and inducing the decalin in mitochondrial membrane potential. These outcomes demonstrated that the FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs were specificity-targeting folate receptors on the plasma membranes of MCF-7 Cells. [Display omitted] • Folate receptor encapsulated curdlan gum-PEGamine nanoparticles were fabricated. • Curdlan gum nanoparticles easy to modify their surface through ligands folic acid • Curdlan gum NPs potentially delivered into MCF-7 cancer cells via folate receptor. • The fabricated FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs showed improved anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the synergetic gelation of curdlan gum (CG) and gellan gum (CG) at different biopolymer ratios were investigated. The optimal gelation of CG and GG was determined at total biopolymer concentration of 0.6% and a mass ratio of 1:1 according to visual observation and viscoelastic properties. The gelation behavior of the CG/GG binary composite gel exhibited ratio-dependent behavior at different biopolymer mixing ratios (2:8–8:2). With the increase in the CG/GG ratio from 2:8 to 8:2, the gel strength and transition temperature of the CG/GG gel showed an increasing trend followed by a decrease, reaching a peak at 5:5, with corresponding G′ , melting and gelling temperatures of 335.8 Pa, 82.5 °C and 33.7 °C, respectively. The improved gel properties could be ascribed to hydrogen bonds between CG and GG, as reflected by the blueshift of the O–H vibration peaks and water associated regional variation. Moreover, the CG/GG binary composite gel exhibited a significantly increasing water holding capacity (WHC) as the ratio of CG/GG decreased from 8:2 to 4:6, while the excess involvement of GG had no effect on the WHC improvement. Furthermore, the CG/GG binary composite gel exhibited denser and more homogeneous microstructures in comparison to individual CG and GG and performed the most compact gel network at ratio of 5:5, supporting the stronger gel rigidity and WHC. Therefore, these novel CG/GG hydrogels showed considerable gel strength and microstructures, which would provide a better mechanistic understanding of the polysaccharide complex in practical applications as a hydrogel base material. [Display omitted] • The addition ratio between CG and GG exhibited a significant effect on the synergy. • CG/GG binary composite gels exhibited good water holding capacity. • The CG/GG binary composite gels mainly driven by hydrogen bonding forces. • The CG/GG binary composite gels exhibited dense and homogeneous microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of healthy unsaturated fat into plant-based meat alternatives is being advocated worldwide but remains technically challenging, due to limitations in the textural qualities and processability of edible oil. One way to improve the rheological behaviour of oil is via emulsion gel technology. However, adaptable solutions for real-life food processing are few and far between. On this basis, we formulated physically stable emulsion gel hybrid templates with 50–83% sunflower oil load, mostly oil-in-water microstructure, and structured solely by natural food fibres without using oleogelators. The fibres included citrus fibre and soy polysaccharides as emulsifying fibres, and curdlan and deacetylated konjac glucomannan as structuring fibres. Upon heating, they developed stiffness up to 10E4 Pa in storage modulus G′. Here, we present the first characterisation of such fibre-based emulsion gel hybrids through analysis by epifluorescence microscopy, oscillatory rheology, and diffusing wave spectroscopy, and report underlying composition-structure-rheology-thermal behaviour relations. The key findings are that strength in the emulsion gel hybrid could come from combinations of the following observed mechanisms: (i) tiny droplets of dispersed phase droplets with high curvature, (ii) emulsifying fibre of high molecular weight, (iii) controlled interference from emulsifying fibre on the viscoelastic network development of structuring fibre, and (iv) for additional shear stability, highly aggregated state of dispersed phase droplets without coalescence. Promising templates bearing close resemblance to animal fat references such as pork belly fat (in terms of G′), and shear stability with potential toward extrusion and food printing application have been identified. [Display omitted] • Diffusing wave spectroscopy unveiled rheological traits in microstructure phases. • Dispersed oil droplets at ∼10 μm had high complex modulus (103−4 Pa at 101−3 Hz). • Citrus fibre size influenced viscoelastic network development in aqueous phase. • Citrus fibre size influenced thermal stability of dispersed lipid phase. • Highly clustered lipid droplets emulsified by citrus fibre led to shear stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-extrusion texturization technology is essential to broaden the application of alternative proteins to advance sustainability and address the challenges of climate change. We propose a gelation technique to texturize non/low-gelling plant protein using curdlan gum, and to manipulate the gel texture by controlling thermal history. Pea protein and curdlan gum can form soft gel at 55–60 °C, but will form rigid gel at 80 °C. Isothermal incubation for up to 1 h could further develop the gel network with significantly higher storage modulus (e.g. 1.3 kPa without incubation, 288 kPa with 1-h incubation at 80 °C). Although curdlan-pea protein gels formed at 55–60 and 80 °C showed similar modulus ranges after 1-h incubation, the microstructure is noticeably different under microscopes (optical, CLSM, SEM). At 60 °C, large pea protein particles are still visible and only partially embedded into the curdlan network; at 80 °C, smaller protein particles are fully embedded into the gel network. When protein concentration increased from 4% to 8% w/w, the gel network became less organised as more space was occupied by protein particles. We demonstrated that heterogenous structures could be achieved by controlling the thermal history of curdlan-pea protein gels to mimic animal tissue with different stiffness (modulus) between the layers. This gelation technique can potentially be applied to other plant-sourced or alternative proteins without the need of an extruder. [Display omitted] • Curdlan gum forms composite gel with pea protein. • Pea protein particles fully merge into the gel network at 80 °C. • Gel strength modulated by thermal history to produce heterogenous texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paenibacillus polymyxa ATCC 21830 was used for the production of curdlan gum for first time. A Box–Behnken experimental design was applied to optimize six variables of batch fermentation culture each at three levels. Statistical analyses were employed to investigate the direct and interactive effects of variables on curdlan production. Optimum cultural conditions were temperature (50 °C), pH (7), fermentation time (96 h), glucose (100 g/L), yeast extract (3 g/L) and agitation speed (150 rpm). The yield of curdlan production was 6.89 g/L at optimum condition medium. Response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used to model cultural conditions of curdlan production. The maximum yield of curdlan production were predicted to be 6.68 and 6.85 g/L by RSM and ANN at optimum condition. The prediction capabilities of RSM and ANN were then statistically compared. The results showed that the ANN model is much more accurate in prediction as compared to the RSM. The infrared (IR) and NMR spectra, the thermogram of DSC and pattern of X-ray diffraction for the curdlan of the present study were almost identical to those of the commercial curdlan sample. The average molecular weight of the purified curdlan was determined to be 170 kDa by gel permeation chromatography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]