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This study was designed to prepare a cattle bone-derived collagen peptide-calcium chelate by the ultrasound method (CP-Ca-US), and its structure, stability, and bioactivity on MC3T3-E1 cells were characterized. Single-factor experiments optimized the preparation conditions: ultrasound power 90 W, ultrasound time 40 min, CaCl2/peptides ratio 1/2, pH 7. Under these conditions, the calcium-chelating ability reached 39.48 μg mg−1. The result of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy indicated that carboxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms were chelation sites. Morphological analysis indicated that CP-Ca-US was characterized by a porous surface and large particles. Stability analysis demonstrated that CP-Ca-US was stable in the thermal environment and under intestinal digestion. CP-Ca-US showed more stability in gastric juice than the chelate prepared by the hydrothermal method. Cell experiments indicated that CP-Ca-US increased osteoblast proliferation (proliferation rate 153% at a concentration of 300 μg mL−1) and altered the cell cycle. Significantly, CP-Ca-US enhanced calcium absorption by interacting with calcium-sensing receptors and promoted the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. This study provides the scientific basis for applying the ultrasound method to prepare peptide-calcium chelates and clarifies the positive role of chelates in bone building.

This study aimed at clarifying the mechanism by which sweet potato leaf polyphenols (SPLPs) ameliorate ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage, using the BALB/c hairless female mouse model. The moisture and hydroxyproline (HYP) contents of the model mouse skin and the thickness of the epidermis and dermis were determined by staining and histological examination. Anti-oxidative enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and protein carbonyl content in skin tissue and serum were investigated. Expression of inflammatory markers and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways were evaluated. Topical caffeic acid at 30 mg kg

Quinoa protein hydrolysate has been previously reported to exert anti-cancer effects in cultured colon cancer cells. Here, we investigated the effect of quinoa protein and its hydrolysate on an azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced mouse model of colorectal cancer (CRC) and examined its underlying mechanism using gut microbiota analysis and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production analysis. Our results showed that quinoa protein or its hydrolysate mitigated the clinical symptoms of CRC and increased SCFAs contents in colon tissues. Moreover, administration of quinoa protein or its hydrolysate partially alleviated gut microbiota dysbiosis in CRC mice by decreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria and increasing the abundance of probiotics. Additionally, PICRUSt analysis revealed that the functional profile of gut microbiota in the quinoa protein treated groups was more similar to that of the control group. These findings indicated that the modulation of gut microbiota by quinoa protein diet intervention may ameliorate AOM/DSS-induced CRC.

In the present study, leaves from 13 sweet potato cultivars were collected as raw materials. The nutritional and functional composition, antioxidant activity, and sunscreen activity of different sweet potato leaf samples were determined, and the comprehensive nutritional quality was calculated by gray relational analysis. Results showed that the nutritional and functional components are significantly different between different cultivars. Tainong71 showed the highest comprehensive nutritional quality, followed by Fu22, Ningcai, Fu23, Ecai10, Zhecai726, Ecai1, Fu18, Pushu53, Guangcai5, Shulv1, Guangcai2, and Zhecai1. The antioxidant activity varied from 3.94 to 16.75 g Trolox equivalent/100 g dry weight. Pushu53 showed the highest sunscreen activity, with the sun protection factor 24.65. There was a positive correlation between antioxidant activity and sunscreen activity (r = .737, p = .004). In conclusion, sweet potato leaves possess high nutritional and functional properties, and have the huge potential to be used as green leafy vegetables and sunscreen agent.

This study aimed at realizing high value utilization of purple sweet potato (PSP) peels. Firstly, ultrasonic assisted ethanol method was used to extract anthocyanins from PSP peels, and the individual anthocyanin composition and antioxidant activity were analyzed. Then the technological parameters of preparing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) by ultrasonic-assisted maleic acid hydrolysis were optimized, and Zeta-potential, chemical structure, thermal stability and crystallinity of CNCs were analyzed. Results showed the optimal technological parameters were as follows: the ratio between PSP peel residues and 75 wt% maleic acid was 1:10 (g/mL, W/W), and ultrasonic-assisted hydrolysis was carried out at 60℃ for 1 h, followed by 120℃ for 2.5 h. The yield and Zeta-potential of CNCs were 8.17 % and -57.7 mV, respectively. The chemical structure and physical properties of CNCs were similar to those of commercial CNCs. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted maleic acid hydrolysis has great potential to realize the industrialization of CNCs.

This study was designed to explore osteoarthritis (OA) treatment from bioactive compounds of chicken cartilage food supplements. The OA rat model induced by sodium iodoacetate was used to evaluate the treatment effect in vivo. In this study, we used animal experiments to show that oral chondroitin sulfate (CS), cartilage powder, and type II collagen peptides could increase the athletic ability of rats and reduce inflammatory cytokine levels in serum or synovial fluid, including prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, and IL-17. CS displayed the best treatment effect against OA. The morphological structure of articular cartilage indicated that CS could significantly improve cartilage tissue morphology and reduce OA score. Oral CS slowed down the development of OA by modulating gut microbiota. These results provided a useful scientific basis for the high-value utilization of chicken cartilage.

Quinoa is an excellent source of nutritional and bioactive components. Protein is considered a key nutritional advantage of quinoa grain, and many studies have highlighted the nutritional and physicochemical properties of quinoa protein. In addition, quinoa protein is a good precursor of bioactive peptides. This review focused on the biological properties of quinoa protein hydrolysate and peptides, and gave a summary of the preparation and functional test of quinoa protein hydrolysate and peptides. A combination of milling fractionation and solvent extraction is recommended for the efficient production of quinoa protein. The biological functionalities of quinoa protein hydrolysate, including antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities, and so on, have been extensively investigated based on in vitro studies and limited animal models. Additionally, bioinformatics analysis, including proteolysis simulation, virtual screening, and molecular docking, provides an alternative or assistive approach for exploring the potential bioactivity of quinoa protein and peptides. Nevertheless, further research is required for industrial production of bioactive quinoa peptides, verification of health benefits in humans, and mechanism interpretation of observed effects.

α-Amylase inhibitors (α-AI) have great potential to treat obesity. In this study, an α-AI enriched extract (α-AIE) with a specific activity of 1027.1 ± 154.2 (U per mg protein) was prepared from white common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds. Its anti-obesity effect and gut microbiota modulation properties were verified in high-fat diet-induced obese rats. The intake of the α-AIE significantly reduced body weight gain and improved serum lipid levels (p < 0.05). In addition, rats fed the α-AIE diet exhibited higher total short-chain fatty-acid (SCFA) concentrations (p < 0.05) in their colonic contents. β-Diversity analysis, principal component analysis and a Venn diagram showed that α-AIE administration changed the gut microbiota composition. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria decreased and the relative abundances of Bacteroidetes and Akkermansia increased. In addition, 89 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) significantly responding to the high-fat diet and 30 OTUs significantly responding to the α-AIE were identified. The OTUs enriched by the α-AIE were mainly assigned to putative SCFA-producing bacteria, including Bacteroides, Butyricoccus, Blautia and Eubacterium. Twenty-two OTUs were found to be significantly correlated with obesity indexes. Taken together, the present results suggest that the intake of the α-AIE attenuated obesity and modulated gut microbiota.

The inclusion of fibre-rich ingredients in diets is one possible strategy to enhance intestinal fermentation and positively impact gut ecology, barrier and immunity. Nowadays, inulin-type fructans are used as prebiotics in the feed of piglets to manipulate gut ecology for health purposes. Likewise, some by-products could be considered as sustainable and inexpensive ingredients to reduce gut disorders at weaning. In the present study, chicory root and pulp, citrus pulp, rye bran and soya hulls were tested in a three-stepin vitromodel of the piglet’s gastro-intestinal tract combining a pepsin-pancreatin hydrolysis (digestion), a dialysis step using cellulose membranes (absorption) and a colonic batch fermentation (fermentation). The fermentation kinetics, SCFA and microbiota profiles in the fermentation broth were assessed as indicators of prebiotic activity and compared with the ones of inulin. The immunomodulatory effects of fermentation supernatant (FS) were investigated in cultured intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) by high-throughput quantitative PCR. Chicory root displayed a rapid and extensive fermentation and induced the second highest butyrate ratio after inulin. Citrus pulp demonstrated high acetate ratios and induced elevatedClostridiumclusters IV and XIVa levels. Chicory root and pulp FS promoted the intestinal barrier integrity with up-regulated tight and adherens junction gene expressions in comparison with inulin FS. Chicory pulp FS exerted anti-inflammatory effects in cultured IPEC-J2. The novel approach combining anin vitrofermentation model with IPEC-J2 cells highlighted that both chicory root and pulp appear to be promising ingredients and should be considered to promote intestinal health at weaning.

Rheological properties, printability, and 3D printed geometries texture of soy protein isolate (SPI) mixtures with sodium alginate and gelatin were investigated. The SPI and their mixtures showed shear-thinning behavior and can be used as an ideal material for 3D printing. Comparing with SPI, the viscosity and elastic modulus for SPI mixture with gelatin were lower at 35 °C, while the rheological index increased quickly as temperature decreased to 25 °C which supported the deposited layers and kept the designed shape. The SPI mixtures with 2, 6, and 10% gelatin could print excellent geometries. The addition of sodium alginate and gelatin to SPI didn't cause chemical cross-linking between protein subunits during mixing and 3D printing at 35 °C, while improved the hardness and chewiness of 3D printed geometries. The overall results suggested that the food matrix of SPI, sodium alginate and gelatin will be a promising material in 3D food printing.

The structural modification and gelation properties of sweet potato protein (SPP) affected by sulfur-containing amino acids (L-cysteine or L-cystine) and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) were investigated. Additives altered the denaturation temperature and reduced the denaturation enthalpy of SPP. Higher α-helical contents were observed in untreated or HHP-treated SPP with L-cysteine or L-cystine, while β-sheet and random coil structure unit were decreased. FTIR spectra showed a weak absorbance in HHP-treated SPP with L-cysteine and L-cystine. Storage modulus (G′) of untreated or HHP-treated SPP was enhanced by L-cysteine and L-cystine. Textural properties of SPP gels were improved by sulfur-containing amino acids and HHP, especially for L-cysteine. Decrease in T2b relaxation time and increase in A21 proportion peak area by low-field NMR suggested that water bound more closely to SPP molecules in the presence of L-cysteine and L-cystine, and more immobilized water fraction was trapped in SPP gel matrix.

Background Dietary strategies such as the inclusion of prebiotics have been suggested for modulating intestinal microbiota. In piglets, this strategy could result in a reduction of post-weaning-associated disorders and the use of antibiotics. To date, mainly purified fractions have been tested for their prebiotic effects at weaning while trials of potential health-promoting effects of products and corresponding by-products remain rare. In this study, fructan- and pectin-based ingredients have been tested in a two-step in vitro model for their fermentation kinetics as well as for their short-chain fatty acid production and microbiota profiles in fermentation broth as indicators for their prebiotic activity. Results Chicory root, in contrast to chicory pulp, exhibited an extensive and rapid fermentation similar to inulin and oligofructose, although butyrate levels of root and pulp did not reach those of the purified fractions. Chicory pulp showed higher relative levels of Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Clostridium cluster IV and butyryl-CoA:acetate-CoA transferase gene abundance compared to chicory root. Sugar beet pulp, orange and citrus by-products displayed extensive gas fermentation patterns, equivalent to those of purified pectin, and revealed an elevated butyrate production compared to purified pectin. Moreover, several orange and citrus by-products displayed significantly higher relative levels of Bifidobacterium spp. in comparison to purified pectin. Conclusions Chicory root and pulp as well as orange and citrus by-products appear to be promising ingredients for piglet diets for modulating intestinal fermentation for health purposes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sterols are a group of molecules found in plants and animals, which have a number of valuable applications. The deodorization residue, referred to as “deodistillate”, was previously considered as a waste but its economical value nowadays increased due to the presence of high concentrations of sterols, tocopherols and other secondary metabolites attractive for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical or food industry. Sterols can be extracted from vegetable oil deodistillate through a variety of physical and chemical separation processes or their combination. Recently, the use of lipase enzymes has been demonstrated to separate sterols more selectively in higher yields and in milder conditions. This article reviews these lipase-assisted sterol extractions and their main advantages and drawbacks in economic and environmental terms.

Despite the well-established role of quinoa protein as the source of antihypertensive peptides through in vitro enzymolysis, there is little evidence supporting the in vivo antihypertensive effect of intact quinoa protein. In this study, in vivo study on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) was conducted by administering quinoa protein for five weeks. Gastrointestinal content identification indicated that many promising precursors of bioactive peptides were released from quinoa protein under gastrointestinal processing. Quinoa protein administration on SHRs resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure, a significant increase in alpha diversity, and microbial structure alternation towards that in non-hypertension rats. Furthermore, blood pressure was highly negatively correlated with the elevated abundance of genera in quinoa protein-treated SHRs, such as Turicibacter and Allobaculum. Interestingly, the fecal microbiota in quinoa protein-treated SHRs shared more features in the composition of genera with non-hypertension rats than that of the captopril-treated group. These results indicate that quinoa protein may serve as a potential candidate to lower blood pressure and ameliorate hypertension-related gut dysbiosis. ispartof: NUTRIENTS vol:13 issue:7 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Consumers have an increasing concern in the provenance of the foods they consume. Methods for discriminating geographical origins and species of cattle bone product are essential to provide veracious information for consumers and avoid the adulteration and inferior problems. In this study, 50 element contents of a total of 143 cattle bone samples from eight producing regions in China, were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Element contents were used as chemical indicators to discriminate species and geographical origins of cattle bone samples by multivariate data analysis, including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The K-fold cross validation accuracy for species and geographical origin discrimination was 99.3% and 94.5%, respectively. This study reveals that multi-element analysis accompanied by LDA is an effective technique to ensure the information reliability of cattle bone samples, and this strategy may be a potential tool for standardizing market.

During the conversion of lignocellulose, phenolic wastewaters are generated. Therefore, researchers have investigated wastewater valorization processes in which these pollutants are converted to chemicals, i.e., lipids. However, wastewaters are lean feedstocks, so these valorization processes in research typically require the addition of large quantities of sugars and sterilization, which increase costs. This paper investigates a repeated batch fermentation strategy with Rhodotorula kratochvilovae EXF7516 and Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum ATCC 20509, without these requirements. The pollutant removal and its conversion to microbial oil were evaluated. Because of the presence of non-monomeric substrates, the ligninolytic enzyme activity was also investigated. The repeated batch fermentation strategy was successful, as more lipids accumulated every cycle, up to a total of 5.4 g/L (23% cell dry weight). In addition, the yeasts consumed up to 87% of monomeric substrates, i.e., sugars, aromatics, and organics acids, and up to 23% of non-monomeric substrates, i.e., partially degraded xylan, lignin, cellulose. Interestingly, lipid production was only observed during the harvest phase of each cycle, as the cells experienced stress, possibly due to oxygen limitation. This work presents the first results on the feasibility of valorizing non-sterilized lignocellulosic wastewater with R. kratochvilovae and C. oleaginosum using a cost-effective repeated batch strategy.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is innovatively used in creating customized healthy food for different population groups. This study provided two appropriate food-ink systems with common bean protein extract (CBPE) for the syringe-based 3D food printer (0.5 g of sodium alginate, 6 g of gelatin, and 40 g of CBPE in 100 mL of water) and the gear-based 3D food printer (3.5 g of agar, 0.05 g of xanthan, and 12 g of CBPE in 100 mL of water), respectively. Superfine grinding significantly (p

Banana production in tropical countries generates significant quantity of waste. Biorefinery of food waste biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin or pectin macromolecules have grown interest in recent scientific literature. In this paper, hemicellulose from banana rachis (Musa cavendish) was extracted by steam explosion at three severity levels (2.97, 3.57 and 3.78) and was further fractionated by graded ethanol precipitation method (15%, 60% and 80%). The recovered hemicelluloses sub-fractions (H1, H2 and H3) were characterized for their chemical composition and structural features by HPSEC, TGA/DTG, FTIR, 1H and 2D NMR techniques. The hemicellulose extraction yield increased with the severity level and treatment duration. The average molecular weight of the extracted hemicellulose macromolecules decreased from H1-60% ethanol hemicellulose sub-fraction with 143 790 g/mol, followed by H3-60% ethanol hemicellulose sub-fraction with 110 841 g/mol and finally H2-60% ethanol hemicellulose sub-fraction with 61 404 g/mol. The H1-60% ethanol hemicellulose sub-fraction extracted during the steam explosion at the lowest severity level showed the largest molecular weight and exhibited rather a high arabinose/xylose ratio and uronic acid content. Structural analysis revealed that hemicellulose from the 60%-ethanol hemicellulose sub-fractions were mainly arabino-glucuronoxylan (AGX). However, chemical analysis also revealed significant contents of co-extracted residual lignin. Although the ethanol fractionation helped at lowering the lignin content in the 60%-ethanol hemicellulose sub-fractions (20.1% in H2-60%, 24.0% in H1-60% and 28.0 in H3-60%) relatively to 80%-ethanol hemicellulose sub-fractions, additional purification step was still required to improve the quality of the extracted hemicellulose sub-fractions (purity and coloration). Nevertheless these results proved that steam explosion was an effective technique for the extraction of high molecular mass AGX hemicellulose macromolecules from banana rachis residues.

The effects of monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (CaCl2 and MgCl2) salts combined with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on structure and gelation properties of sweet potato protein (SPP) were investigated. Surface hydrophobicity and zeta potential of SPP significantly decreased as salts concentration increased. The total amount of sulfhydryl (-SH-) groups in SPP decreased with addition of NaCl, CaCl2 and MgCl2 under HHP, whereas the disulfide bonds (-S-S-) increased from 0.59 to 0.80 and 0.74 μmol/g with addition of 0.1 and 0.2 moL/L of CaCl2 combined with HHP, respectively. The α-helical content of SPP was increased by all three salts, but decreased as salts combined with HHP, while β-sheet content was increased at high ionic strength with HHP, especially in presence of CaCl2 and MgCl2, being increased from 30.40 to 33.45 and 33.55 g/100 g, respectively. The storage modulus (G′) of SPP was enhanced by salts and HHP, even though it decreased at high ionic strength. Textural properties and water holding capacity of SPP gels were improved with salt ions by HHP, being attributed to more bound water.

Sweet potato is one of cheap sources for starch industries worldwide, and exploiting starch wastewater as an alternative protein source is mainly environmental and economic concerns. In this study, the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP; 250, 400, and 550 MPa) on chemical forces, structure, and gelation properties of sweet potato protein (SPP) at pH 3.0, 6.0, and 9.0 were investigated. The values of surface hydrophobicity (Ho) and absolute value of zeta potential of SPP significantly increased from 250 to 550 MPa (p 180 kDa) were observed in SPP after HHP at pH 6.0 and 9.0 by SDS-PAGE. Regarding elastic rheological behaviors, storage modulus (G′) values of SPP were significantly strengthened after HHP treatment. In addition, textural properties and water-holding capacity of gels made from SPP after 250 and 400 MPa at pH 9.0 were significantly improved, and the gels showed a compact and uniform gel network with the contribution of immobilized water fractions. The gel properties exhibited by SPP after HHP treatment at different pH levels, in particular after 400 MPa at pH 9.0, suggested that it could be potential protein resources as new gelling reagent in the food system.

A new enzymatic methodology is herein proposed to measure free asparagine content in wheat grains and to predict their potential for Maillard reaction products. Our model estimates the acrylamide levels generated during the industrial heat treatment of whole-grain wheat based on free asparagine and glucose measurements. We selected fifteen wheat varieties currently grown in Belgium as benchmark for the present study. While conventional chromatographic methods require a long and tedious multi-step sample preparation, the proposed method takes advantage of being simple and quick. Statistical analysis of free asparagine content indicates that selected wheat varieties can be classified into seven content levels from 0.0149% to 0.0216% of the dry matter. Based on our analysis, the varieties KWS Ozon, Benchmark and Pionier appears to be the most suitable for thermal processing (i.e. cooking applications).

This study used hawthorn as object to investigate the relation of structural conversion of pectin fractions during heat processing to the ability of inhibiting lipid digestion. Pectin fractions including water-soluble pectin (WSP), chelator-soluble pectin (CSP), and Na2CO3-soluble pectin (NSP) were isolated from hawthorn tissue after heat processing with different time, as well as the dissolved pectin (DSP) in the heating aqueous phase. The structural features of pectin fractions were characterized by degree of methoxylation, neutral sugar composition, and molecular weight (MW) distribution. After 30-min heat processing, the amount of WSP increased from 78 to 111 mg/g dry basis, while those of CSP and NSP decreased, meanwhile certain amount of DSP (68 mg/g dry basis) was generated. During heat processing, a dynamic alteration of pectin fractions involving solubilization and depolymerization occurred. The solubilization mainly happened in CSP and NSP, inducing a shift from water-insoluble pectin to WSP. The depolymerization occurred in homogalacturonan region of WSP, resulting in a formation of DSP. With the increasing heat time, a more pronounced depolymerization appeared in DSP, which resulted in forming a large amount of pectic polysaccharide fragments with small MW. The WSP showed a good rheological behavior and an ability to inhibit lipid digestion, which was higher than those of DSP. The inhibition rate of WSP (0.1% (w/w)) on lipid digestion decreased from 48.5% to 11.2% after 30-min heat processing. The results can provide novel knowledge to better understand the relation between structure and function of pectin in heat processing.

A combined dry and wet fractionation process is proposed to extract faba bean proteins with lower environmental impact. This fractionation process allowed to recover 87% of the total seeds proteins (92% of dehulled seeds proteins). This is achieved through the production of two protein concentrates (54 and 61% protein content w/w DM). After dry fractionation, wet extraction was performed on the protein-depleted fraction. The presented process consumed less energy and 5.5 times less water per kg extracted proteins, compared to traditional one-step wet extractions. Some anti-nutritional factors contents were also evaluated. Equivalent levels of phytic acid (about 11 mg/g), trypsin inhibitor activity (about 13 trypsin inhibition unit/g) and polyphenols (about 6 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) were observed in the 2 protein-rich fractions. These levels are mainly equivalent to those found after usual dry and wet one-step extractions. Significant differences of calcium, iron and zinc contents were observed between the 2 protein-rich fractions, causing a 30 to 50% difference between those fractions in terms of phytic acid/minerals ratio. Antinutritional factors content in the protein-rich fractions are equivalent to levels found in traditional legumes but still higher than existing recommendations.

Alterations of the gut microbiome have been associated with obesity and metabolic disorders. The gut microbiota can be influenced by the intake of dietary fibres with prebiotic properties, such as inulin-type fructans. The present study tested the hypothesis that obese individuals subjected for 12 weeks to an inulin-enriched v. inulin-poor diet have differential faecal fermentation patterns. The fermentation of cellulose and inulin hydrolysates of six different inulin-rich and inulin-poor vegetables of both groups was analysed in vitro on faecal inocula. The results showed that the microbiota from obese patients who received a fructan-rich diet for 3 weeks produces more gas and total SCFA compared with the microbiota taken from the same individuals before the treatment. Obese individuals fed with a low-fructan diet produce less gas and less SCFA compared with the treated group. The present study highlighted profound changes in microbiota fermentation capacity obtained by prebiotic intervention in obese individuals, which favours the production of specific bioactive metabolites.

Almonds harvesting, along with precleaning, hulling, shelling, and sorting, generate recoverable co-products such as double, malformed, or damaged almonds. The common way that generates more benefit is the extraction of almond oil for food and cosmetic uses. The aim of this study is to compare composition and nutritional value of almond meals of the main varieties from eastern Morocco, Marcona (M), Fournat de Breznaud (FNB), FerragnesandFerraduel (FF) and Beldi a local ecotype (B), during three consecutive crop years (2016-2018). Significant differences were observed, which mainly concern the residual oil in almond cakes and especially their fibres, sugars, and proteins. Differences depend on the quality of the raw material and the effects of the crop year on the variety. Besides, from a nutritional point of view, analysed almond meals still contain significant amounts of residual oil and the major constituents of almond seeds (sugars, fibres, and proteins). The amino acid profile presents eight essential amino acids (Cysteine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, and Lysine Valine) and the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) ranges between 24.78% for (M) and 62.17% for (FF). We conclude the analysed almond meals present interesting nutritional values as a specific ingredient for gluten-free culinary preparations and light foodstuffs.

Quinoa protein has been paid more and more attention because of its nutritional properties and beneficial effects. With the development of bioinformatics, bioactive peptide database and computer‐assisted simulation provide an efficient and time‐saving method for the theoretical estimation of potential bioactivities of protein. Therefore, the potential of quinoa protein sequences for releasing bioactive peptides was evaluated using the BIOPEP database, which revealed that quinoa protein, especially globulin, is a potential source of peptides with dipeptidyl peptidase‐IV (DPP‐IV) and angiotensin‐I‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. Three plant proteases, namely papain, ficin, and stem bromelain, were employed for the in silico proteolysis of quinoa protein. Furthermore, four tripeptides (MAF, NMF, HPF, and MCG) were screened as novel promising bioactive peptides by PeptideRanker. The bioactivities of selected peptides were confirmed using chemical synthesis and in vitro assay. The present work suggests that quinoa protein can serve as a good source of bioactive peptides, and in silico approach can provide theoretical assistance for investigation and production of functional peptides., Quinoa protein, especially globulin, is a potential source of bioactive peptides. In silico analysis makes a contribution to the exploration of novel bioactive peptide.

In this study, cattle bone collagen peptides (CPs) were applied to prepare peptides-calcium chelate (CPs-Ca), and the physicochemical, structural properties, and stability of the CPs-Ca were characterized. The optimized preparation conditions were determined by single factor test, and the maximum calcium-chelating capacity was 42.70 ± 1.09 μg/mg. Physicochemical analysis indicated that CPs-Ca was a new substance compared with CPs. Structural analysis demonstrated that calcium ions chelated CPs via the sites of carboxyl oxygen, hydroxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atom. Morphology analysis showed that CPs-Ca aggregated to large particles due to the crosslinking of calcium ions. According to the stability analysis, CPs-Ca was stable in thermal processing and gastrointestinal digestion. The acid environment was the major factor of CPs-Ca dissociation. The findings put forward a scientific basis for preparing a novel calcium supplement and high-value utilization of cattle bone.

Four kinds of water-soluble pectin (WSP) extracted from hawthorn (HWSP), apple (AWSP), peach (PWSP), and carrot (CWSP) were mixed with oil-in-water emulsion to investigate pectin characteristics on lipid digestion under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. All WSPs were comprehensively characterized by the degree of methoxylation, neutral sugar composition, molecular weight and conformational parameters, intrinsic viscosity, the degree of linearity and branching, as well as molecular morphology observation by atomic force microscopy. The results demonstrated these WSPs possessed different structural characteristics. The molecules of HWSP were of small size with extended short and linear main chain, forming a certain amount of aggregations in the solution, while the molecules of PWSP were of large size with long and branched chains, forming intensive network structure. The molecular chains of AWSP and CWSP were both of medium size and tended to be flexible random coils in solution forming extensive entangled structures. The apparent viscosity of HWSP and PWSP solutions were both higher than those of AWSP and CWSP due to the aggregations or network structure. And the solution of PWSP showed better anti-shear ability than that of HWSP due to the strong cross-linking between molecule chains. The inhibitory effect of WSPs on lipid digestion decreased with the following order: PWSP, HWSP, CWSP, AWSP, which can be well related with their rheological property. The pectin with large molecular weight and highly branched chains that resulted in strong intermolecular interaction will possess good inhibitory effect on lipid digestion.

In the context of green energy valorisation, this study reports the chemical analysis and improvement of biogas production via anaerobic digestion of treated and untreated agricultural waste lignocellulosic biomass from Williams Cavendish banana plants (WCLB). With a worldwide annual production of 26 million tons of dry matter (DM), large amounts of this waste are abandoned in plantations after fruit harvesting. Steam explosion (SE) and steam cracking (SC) pretreatments were investigated at severity factors of 3.16 and 4.29, respectively, to improve the biogas potential over 135 days under mesophilic conditions. The study revealed a carbon (C)/nitrogen (N) ratio of 27.3, indicating that WCLB has sufficient N content for successful fermentation. The proportions of liquid and solid fractions recovered after SC were 20 and 80%, respectively, whereas SE yielded 17 and 83% liquid and solids, respectively. The neutral sugar content of the studied fractions indicated that glucose and xylose constituted the highest hexose and pentose fractions, respectively, in WCLB. The highest and lowest total biogas potentials were obtained from LFSC (280 mL g−1 of DM) and untreated WCLB (240 mL g−1 of DM), respectively. The methane yield from untreated WCLB and combined solid and liquid fractions from SE and SC were 40, 42, and 51%, respectively, of the theoretical methane potential. The maximum biogas production rate (7.8 mL g−1 day−1) was obtained with SFSC. This study reveals that SC deconstructs WCLB efficiently and thereby greatly enhances methane production.

The enormous quantity of food wastes discarded annually forces a look into alternatives for this interesting feedstock. Thus, food bio-waste valorisation is one of the current imperatives of society. This review is the most comprehensive overview of currently existing technologies and processes in this field. It tackles classical and innovative physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods of food waste pre-treatment and extraction for the recovery of added value compounds and detection by modern technologies and is an outcome of the COST Action EUBIS, TD1203 Food Waste Valorisation for Sustainable Chemicals, Materials and Fuels., This work as performed in the frame of COST Action EUBIS TD1203. The authors (MA and CN at SLU) are grateful to the European Union for the grant Safepellets Project (grant agreement no. 287026, 2012). The author (KWW) thanks the BBSRC for funding (Institute Strategic Programme “Food and Health” BB/J004545/1). The authors (RML, AMdCL and ARCM) are grateful to the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) for grants SFRH/BD/90282/2012 (AMdCL), SFRH/BD/94297/2013 (ARCM) and IF/00424/2013 (RML) and for financing BBRI – Biomass and Bioenergy Research Infrastructure (ROTEIRO/0189/2013) and the Associated Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry – Clean Processes and Technologies – LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MEC (UID/QUI/50006/2013) and co-financed by the ERDF under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER –007265). Author (BK) thanks the EU for BUGWORKERS Project under grant agreement no. 246449, 2007. The University of York, department of Chemistry would like to acknowledge the financial support of European Commission’s Directorate General for Research within the 7th Framework Program (FP7/2007–2013) under the grant agreement no. 251132 SUNLIBB), the Formas CETEX project and the Wild Fund. The Authors (MH and EI) would like to thank project AGL2014-53609-P (MINECO, Spain) for financial support. The author (BS) thanks the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia for project no. 172050. The authors (MF and MA) acknowledge financial support from the Swedish Energy Agency, project no. 20569-4. The authors (PG and MA) would like to acknowledge the FORMAS CETEX project. The authors (EHP and NEM) acknowledge financial support from the FP7- PEOPLE-IEF-2013, EC Grant Agreement No. 625738.

The application of sub-lethal stresses is known to be an efficient strategy to enhance survival of probiotic bacteria during drying processes. In this context, we previously showed that the application of heat stress upon the entry into stationary phase increased significantly the viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum. However, this heat shock has been considered only in small-scale bioreactor and no information is available for a possible scaling-up strategy. Five different operating scales (0.2, 2, 20, 200 and 2000 L) have thus been tested and the results showed that the viability of B. bifidum increases from 3.15 to 6.57 folds, depending on the scale considered. Our observations pointed out the fact that the heat stress procedure is scalable according to the main outcome, i.e., increases in cell viability, but other factors have to be taken into account. Among these factors, dissolved carbon dioxide seems to play a significant role, since it explains the differences observed between the test performed at laboratory scale and in industrial conditions.

Summarization: Valorization strategies of wastes from agri-food processes are intertwined with clean technological approaches and eco-industrial management. By-products from Mediterranean agri-food processes such as olive oil, wine and fruit create a considerable disposal problem for the agro-industry. Their characteristics in combination with Mediterranean climate enhance microbial development and can be source of health and safety concerns. After pre-treatment and recovery of valuable precursor materials (lignin, pulp), pyrolysis can be used for fuels, chemicals and carbon bio-based materials production. Since thermal degradation kinetic studies are a key step for the efficient design of thermo-chemical processes, in this study pyrolysis experiments were performed, using TGA for the estimation of the process kinetic parameters. The independent parallel reaction model validated against experimental results, showing a good agreement with experimental data, with deviation values ranging from 1.07 to 3.54%. Presented on: Food Research International

Nowadays there is a growing trend to find new sources of dietary fibre (DF), such as marine algae by-products that have traditionally been undervalued. In this respect, the aim of the present investigation was firstly to compare two methods of dietary fibre quantification (Englyst and Prosky) and secondly to determine the chemical composition and some of the functional properties of total and insoluble fibres extracted in accordance with the Englyst method. The dietary fibres of dried Ulva lactuca collected from the Tunisian littoral were determined by the Prosky (gravimetric method) and Englyst (enzymatic-chemical method) methods. The two extraction methods (Englyst–Prosky) provided approximately the same values in total fibres (~ 54%). However, they had different insoluble and soluble fibre contents. U. lactuca contained 20.53% and 31.55% of soluble fibres and 34.37% and 21.54% of insoluble fibres using the Prosky and Englyst methods, respectively. The fractionation of the insoluble dietary fibre concentrate revealed that hemicellulose was the most abundant fraction (32.49%), followed by cellulose (16.59%) and “lignin-like” compounds (1.53%). For both fibre concentrates, the main neutral sugar was glucose (20.70%–27.59%), which corresponded to hemicellulose and cellulose. The water holding capacity of insoluble fibre concentrate was relatively high. It varied between 9.32 g and 10.3 g of water/g of dry fibre at 25 °C and 80 °C, respectively. Nevertheless, the oil holding capacity of the insoluble fibre concentrate was not affected by temperature. It was about 1.08 and 1.01 g of oil/g of dry fibre at 25 °C and 80 °C. Despite the significant functional properties of fibre concentrate, the presence of lead limits its use as an ingredient in the food industry.

Chemical composition of banana rachis from three varieties (Grande naine, Pelipita, and CRBP969) was analyzed, and the genotype contribution to composition variability was investigated. Wet chemistry and instrumental analysis procedures (X-ray diffraction, 31P NMR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry) were used. Some significant differences were found among the three genotypes: GN-AAA genotype was found to be significantly the highest in ash fraction (30.16 %) and the lowest in acid insoluble lignin (6.58 %) at 95 % confidence level. It showed also the highest content in potassium (43.5 % in ash). Implication of compositional differences on valorization efficiency by biochemical or thermochemical pathways was investigated. For this purpose, correlation coefficients between compositional characteristics and yields in volatile compounds from pyrolysis and glucose yields from enzymatic saccharification were analyzed. Ash content was revealed to be the main drawback parameter for volatile yields from pyrolysis (r = −0.93), while for glucose yields during saccharification were limited mainly by the content in guaiacyl units of the lignin fraction (r = −0.98). However, a strong and positive correlation was established between the volatiles yield and the acid insoluble lignin content (r = 0.98) Thus, according to these observations and based on their compositional significant differences, GN-AAA was the better candidate for bioconversion pathway while PPT-ABB and CRBP969-AAAB samples were shown to be better candidates for thermochemical conversion pathway. This work gives important preliminary information for considering banana rachis as an interesting feedstock candidate for biorefinery.

Dietary fibre (DF) has many positive effects on human health associated with its functionality in the gastrointestinal tract. These benefits vary according to the type of DF. Vegetables can be a natural source of DF in the diet. However, to provide adequate nutritional advice, the content and profile of their various DF types must be characterised. This study aimed to determine the DF profile of 29 vegetables cultivated in Wallonia (Belgium) and the impact of steaming on these profiles. Using a combination of enzymatic, gravimetric and chromatographic methods, fructans, total dietary fibre (TDF), low- and high-molecular-weight soluble dietary fibre (SDF), and insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) were analysed. Results show that the DF content varies considerably among the 29 investigated vegetable varieties and species, but the influence of steaming is limited to a shift from IDF to high-molecular-weight SDF for 18 of the 29 tested vegetables, while fructans are preserved with not actual reduction in the DP.

The selection of an appropriate Cynara cardunculus flowers batch is a preliminary step to produce rennet with better clotting properties. For this reason, we proposed to study the influence of the ripening stage and the lyophilization of cardoon flowers on their chemical composition, enzymatic activities of extracts, and technological properties of cheese curds. Results of flowers composition have shown that lyophilized flowers harvested at the middle of ripening stage (A) could be employed to produce mainly proteins or milk-clotting proteases. To confirm this, enzymatic activities of extracts and technological properties of curds were assessed. The experimental findings revealed that flowers lyophilization seems to be an efficient way to produce rennet with better clotting properties, leading to higher yield, moisture, and texture parameters of curd. These findings allowed us to select lyophilized flowers (A) for further cheese making process.

Apple (Malus sp.) is among the most processed fruit that generates high amount of wastes. Depending on processes, various by-products are available offering a great diversity of low-cost raw materials. Biorefinery processes are expected to convert them into new added-value products such as hemicelluloses, oligosaccharides and polyphenols. This paper reviews the current uses of apple by-products as source of fibre and phytochemicals with special emphasis on recent fractionation processes. Future trends and challenges of apple by-product reuse are discussed.

The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) combined with microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) on the structure and gelation properties of sweet potato protein (SPP) were investigated. MTGase induced the formation of high molecular mass aggregates of SPP by the inter-molecular cross-linking. The average particle size of SPP increased by HHP at 250–550 MPa, being increased from 249.5 nm (0.1 MPa) to 270.2 nm (550 MPa). While it was decreased by the subsequent MTGase catalysis that showed the lowest value of 200.3 nm at 550 MPa, indicating the formation of intra-molecular linkages. The amount of sulfhydryl groups and thermal denaturation temperature were increased by HHP and MTGase, with the highest value of 3.5 μmol/g protein and 80.4 °C in MTGase catalyzed SPP with 400 MPa pretreatment. Textural properties of the gels made from HHP treated SPP or those with further MTGase catalysis were both enhanced due to the covalent linkage of disulfide bonds (-S-S-) and e-(γ-glutaminyl) lysine isopeptide bonds. In addition, low-field NMR results showed an increase in corresponding area fractions of A2b and A21, being attributed to more bound or immobilized water fractions were trapped in the SPP gel matrix.

Background Ferulic acid esterified with poly(ethylene glycol) with three different average molecular weights (200, 400 and 1000 g mol−1) was studied in bread-making. The effects of these antioxidants on the properties of wheat flour dough and bread were analysed and compared with those obtained with ferulic acid and two commercial surfactants, the diacetyl tartaric acid ester of mono- and diglycerides and sodium stearoyl lactylate. Farinographic and alveographic methods as well as weight, volume and bread firmness measurements were used for this purpose. Results Similar to ferulic acid, when the PEGylated derivatives were implemented in the dough (5000 ppm), it accelerated the breakdown of the dough and decreased its rheological properties. However, the important diminution of loaf volume, observed when dough supplemented with ferulic acid was baked, was avoided. That decrease in volume was related to the inhibition of the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) by the unesterified ferulic acid. Moreover, two of the PEGylated ferulic acids even contributed to an increase of loaf volumes (5–6%) and demonstrated crumb softener properties. Conclusion The addition of ferulic acid to wheat flour dough caused the inhibition of the yeast, which resulted in decreased bread volume. That effect could be avoid by the esterification of ferulic acid with poly(ethylene glycol). © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

This work evaluates the possibility of using beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) dilute-acid (H2SO4) hydrolysate as a feedstock for Chlorella sorokiniana growth, fatty acid and pigment production. Neutralized wood acid hydrolysate, containing organic and mineral compounds, was tested on Chlorella growth at different concentrations and compared to growth under phototrophic conditions. Chlorella growth was improved at lower loadings and inhibited at higher loadings. Based on these results, a 12% neutralized wood acid hydrolysate (Hyd12%) loading was selected to investigate its impact on Chlorella growth, fatty acid and pigment production. Hyd12% improved microalgal biomass, fatty acid and pigment productivities both in light and in dark, when compared to photoautotrophic control. Light intensity had substantial influence on fatty acid and pigment composition in Chlorella culture during Hyd12%-based growth. Moreover, heterotrophic Chlorella cultivation with Hyd12% also showed that wood hydrolysate can constitute an attractive feedstock for microalgae cultivation in case of lack of light.

Honey polyphenols have been studied with the objective of relating honeys to their floral sources. Initially synthesized by plant, these polyphenols can be found in the plant's nectar, which are collected by bees, which convert the nectar into honey. Consequently, polyphenols constitute minor components of honey. The development of a solid-phase extraction method for honey polyphenols is presented in this study. The technique employs Amberlite XAD-2 adsorbent and was tested on monofloral honeys from six different plants: acacia, chestnut, eucalyptus, thyme, sunflower, and wild carrot. Analyses were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV detection and mass spectrometry. Several phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified: caffeic and p-coumaric acids, quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, chrysin, and pinocembrin. Generally, the quantity of a given polyphenol in the honey was around 0.2 mg/100 g of honey, except for chestnut honey, which contained around 3.0 mg of p-coumaric acid/100 g of honey. Analyses highlighted significant formation of cis isomers for phenolic acids during the extraction despite protection from light.

Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces are mainly used for different agro-food and beverages applications. The residual biomass generated contains various useful substances that were extracted and characterized. It contained 23% (w/w) soluble pectic material, a food additive, extracted with hot acidified water (80°C, pH = 1.5) and precipitated with ethanol. The molecular weight (28.5 and 109.7 kDa), the degree of methylation (70.6 and 44.3%) and the degree of acetylation (19.0 and 4.9%) were determined for two Senegalese cultivars (koor and vimto, respectively). The effect of the extraction method on these parameters was highlighted. The residual lignocellulosic material (LCM) was chemically degraded to monosaccharides and the amount of glucose and xylose (39% of dry LCM) determined to estimate its potential as feedstock for biofuels production. However, an enzymatic degradation test revealed a recalcitrant LCM, as only 50 to 55% of its polymeric glucose content was degraded to monosaccharides without pretreatment. Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) are functional foods with a real market potential as prebiotics, characterized by their degree of polymerization (DP). The production of XOS synthetized by the enzymatic degradation of LCM was monitored. The results of analyses performed showed that XOS produced had mainly DP3 and DP4 values. Key words : Pectin, lignocellulosic material, enzymatic degradation, xylo-oligosaccharides.

The accessibility of fermentable substrates to enzymes is a limiting factor for the efficient bioconversion of agricultural wastes in the context of sustainable development. This paper presents the results of a biochemical analysis performed on six combined morphological parts of Williams Cavendish Lignocellulosic Biomass (WCLB) after steam cracking (SC) and steam explosion (SE) pretreatments. Solid (S) and liquid (L) fractions (Fs) obtained from SC pretreatment performed at 180°C (SLFSC180) and 210°C (SLFSC210) generated, after diluted acid hydrolysis, the highest proportions of neutral sugar (NS) contents, specifically 52.82 ± 3.51 and 49.78 ± 1.39 %w/w WCLB dry matter (DM), respectively. The highest proportions of glucose were found in SFSC210 (53.56 ± 1.33 %w/w DM) and SFSC180 (44.47 ± 0.00 %w/w DM), while the lowest was found in unpretreated WCLB (22.70 ± 0.71 %w/w DM). Total NS content assessed in each LF immediately after SC and SE pretreatments was less than 2 %w/w of the LF DM, thus revealing minor acid autohydrolysis consequently leading to minor NS production during the steam pretreatment. WCLB subjected to SC at 210°C (SC210) generated up to 2.7-fold bioaccessible glucan and xylan. SC and SE pretreatments showed potential for the deconstruction of WCLB (delignification, depolymerization, decrystallization and deacetylation), enhancing its enzymatic hydrolysis. The concentrations of enzymatic inhibitors, such as 2-furfuraldehyde and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural from LFSC210, were the highest (41 and 21 µg ml−1, respectively). This study shows that steam pretreatments in general and SC210 in particular are required for efficient bioconversion of WCLB. Yet, biotransformation through biochemical processes (e.g., anaerobic digestion) must be performed to assess the efficiency of these pretreatments.