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Gallium ions have a special action mechanism that interferes bacterial iron metabolism, thereby possessing great potential for the treatment of bacterial infections. In this work, gallium ions‐cross‐linked konjac glucomannan/polyacrylamide (KGM/PAM/Ga3+) hydrogels are successfully constructed with satisfactory swelling ability, appropriate mechanical properties and adjustable degradation performance. Ga ions as a kind of cross‐linking agent can enhance the stability, and more importantly, improve the bactericidal ability of hydrogel, thus forming novel functional KGM/PAM/Ga3+ hydrogels for treating wounds. After the evaluation of antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, KGM/PAM/Ga3+ hydrogels can effectively inhibit the proliferation of bacteria through the gradual and sustainable release of Ga ions from the hydrogel with negligible cytotoxicity and good blood compatibility. Furthermore, they possess exceptional self‐healing behavior, and can be readily adapted to varying degrees of bending, which matches skin wound dressing application. Finally, the results of wound healing performance and histological evaluation demonstrate that KGM/PAM/Ga3+ hydrogels can efficiently accelerate infected wound healing and facilitate the regeneration of skin tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The influences of deacetylated konjac glucomannan (DKGM) at different condition levels (0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) on the 3D printing feasibility, printing properties, and the final gel characteristics of minced pork were investigated. RESULTS: As the DKGM content increased, the printing accuracy and stability initially increased and then declined, and the printing stability and accuracy increased to their highest levels (98.16% and 98.85%) with a 1.5% addition of DKGM. Furthermore, the addition of DKGM significantly enhanced the texture of 3D‐printed meat after heat treatments. When the DKGM content reached 1.5%, the hardness and springiness were 1.19 and 1.06 times higher than those of the control group. The results of low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectra revealed that DKGM enhanced the amount of bound water in 3D‐printed meat and encouraged changes in protein structure. After the addition of DKGM at 1.5%, the contents of bound water and β‐sheets were 7.67% and 12.89% higher than those of the control group, respectively, facilitating the development of a better gel network of minced meat during heating. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that a concentration of 1.5% DKGM is the ideal setting for obtaining the desired rheological properties and textural characteristics (printability) of 3D‐printed minced meat products compared to other samples. In addition, the results showed that the addition of DKGM at 1.5% promotes the transition from α‐helix to β‐folding of proteins during heating, which facilitates the formation of gels. The results of the study contribute to the application potential of minced meat in the field of 3D food printing. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aqueous solutions of Konjac glucomannan (KGM)/κ‐Carrageenan (κ‐C) of different ratios (1:2, 1:5, 1:8 and 1:10) and a fixed κ‐C content of 1.5%, were proposed as a new 3D food printing ink. Their thermo‐responsive behaviour was evaluated by temperature ramp rheological tests. This characterisation allowed for the evaluation of the synergistic effect between KGM and κ‐C and gave indications useful to the printing performance. Both elastic (G′) and loss (G″) moduli were found to increase by increasing the KGM concentration. Samples were printed by controlling the thermally reversible sol/gel transition occurring during the process. Direct pressure and flow rate measurements in the 3D printer were used to obtain the viscosity versus shear rate curves under processing conditions, useful to validate a scaling law relating the printing filament diameter to the relevant process and material properties (inks viscosity and printing pressure). The 3D printing performance of inks was evaluated by means of a novel, integrated score system. The results obtained indicate that aqueous mixtures of KGM/κ‐C can be successfully employed as a base for 3D printing food hydrogels. The use of the score system above outlined proved to be an easy yet efficient tool for the optimisation of the gel composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different cellulose nanofibers (CNF, 0–20% w/w) and aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs, 0–4% w/w) concentrations on the properties of deacetylated konjac glucomannan (DKGM) base film, as well as the protective performance of DKGM-based composite film on wood. The addition of CNF primarily improves the mechanical properties of the film. Compared to the KGM base film, the DKGM/CNF composite base film (DKC) exhibits excellent tensile strength and elongation at break, with increases of 44.39 MPa and 19.87%, respectively. After application to the wood surface, the glossiness of the wood increased by 43.48%, and the moisture absorption dimensional change rates reached 0.07% (radial) and 0.11% (tangential), while the moisture absorption coefficients decreased to 0.008 (radial) and 0.019 (tangential). The addition of Al2O3 NPs primarily improves the film's resistance to ultraviolet light and water. Compared to the DKGM base film, the water contact angle, water solubility, and water vapor barrier performance of the DKGM/ Al2O3 composite base film (DKA) significantly improved. When applied to the wood surface, the wood wear resistance and aging resistance increased by 62% and 69.67%, respectively. Therefore, DKGM base films doped with CNF and Al2O3 NPs have broad development prospects in the field of wood protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market demand for food packing bags is large. However, low mechanical properties and strong electrostatic damage limit their use. In this work, carrageenan/konjac glucomannan/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite films were prepared by solution casting. First, Hummers method was used to obtain GO nanosheets. Then, GO-filled composites (various GO dosages) were fabricated. Surface morphology of films was investigated. After that, stress–strain curves of films were determined, and mechanical properties of films after 80 °C thermal aging were studied. In the end, electrical and thermal conductivities of films were measured. GO can play an important role in improving mechanical, antistatic and heat-conducting performances of films. The optimal composite (3.6 wt% GO) can exhibit promising features including a high breaking strength of ~ 130 MPa (~ 65 MPa after 80 °C thermal aging for 30 min), high electrical conductivity of ~ 0.01 S m−1 at 20 Hz under 1 V and high thermal conductivity of ~ 0.74 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature. This research will favor a large-scale fabrication of functional and environmental composites for food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of konjac glucomannan (KGM, 0–5%) on the structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro digestibility of extruded yam starch (EYS) was investigated. The EYS became rougher on the surface and the particle size increased as observed using scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis. X-ray diffraction and Raman results revealed that the relative crystallinity (18.30% to 22.30%) of EYS increased, and the full width at half maxima at 480 cm−1 decreased with increasing KGM content, indicating the increment of long-range and short-range ordered structure. Differential scanning calorimetry and rheological results demonstrated that KGM enhanced thermal stability and the gel strength of EYS due to enhanced interaction between KGM and YS molecules. Additionally, a decrease in the swelling power and viscosity of EYS was observed with increased KGM content. The inclusion of KGM in the EYS increased the resistant starch content from 11.89% to 43.51%. This study provides a dual-modified method using extrusion and KGM for modified YS with high thermal stability, gel strength, and resistance to digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to formulate and evaluate a floating raft system for the co-delivery of etoricoxib (ETO) and famotidine (FAM) using a combination of glucomannan with natural/semi-synthetic polysaccharides. Formulation variables affect gelation lag time (GLT), floating lag time (FLT), and release percentage of drugs after 1–8 h, Stability, and viscosity parameters were evaluated. In vivo X-ray studies, followed by the pharmacokinetic study, were performed on human volunteers. Formulations exhibited pseudoplastic behavior for ease of swallowing. The optimum raft system (ORS) comprised 1% Na alginate, 0.1% Low Methoxyl (LM) pectin, 0.8% Konjac glucomannan (KGL), 1% Precirol, and 1% CaCO3. ORS exhibited rapid GLT and FLT (around 42 and 8 sec respectively) in 0.1 N HCl as well as controlled release of ETO (15% in 1 h and 82% in 8 h) and FAM (29% in 1 h and 85% in 8 h). Formulation stability with the absence of any drug-excipient interactions was observed. The X-ray imaging showed a promising buoyancy ability for approximately 8 h. Compared with marketed products, ORS showed superior relative bioavailability for both drugs. These findings revealed the successful preparation of a promising raft system with improved dual drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the quality of the characteristics of yellow alkaline noodles and enrich their nutritional value, konjac glucomannan (KGM) with or without chitosan coating were added to noodles, and their application effects were investigated in terms of color, texture, water absorption, starch digestion, total plate count (TPC) and microstructure. Chitosan–konjac glucomannan (CK) complex was firstly prepared by embedding konjac powder with chitosan sol. After embedding, the hydrophilicity of KGM decreased significantly. Then, either CK or native KGM were mixed evenly with flour before saline water, and soda was subsequently added to produce noodles. Compared with native KGM, CK provided the noodles with a higher brightness and a lighter yellow color. In terms of texture properties, although the firmness of CK noodles was weaker than that of KGM noodles, the tensile properties were enhanced. After embedding, the water absorption of CK noodles decreased and the content of resistant starch (RS) in the noodles increased. During storage, the TPC in CK noodles was significantly lower than that in KGM noodles. At a CK content of 5%, the noodles presented a lightness of 87.41, a b value of 17.75, a shear work of 39.9 g·cm, a tensile distance of 84.28 cm, a water absorption of 69.48%, a RS content of 17.97% and a TPC of 2.74 lg CFU/g at 10 days. In general, KGM with chitosan coating could improve the physicochemical qualities of noodles and extend their shelf life to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common konjac flour, especially of low grade, is a waste material produced in large quantities during purification of konjac glucomannan (KGM). It contains impurities, particularly oxalate salts, which irritate and may cause kidney stones. Konjac flour has glucomannan as a main component. Glucomannan is characterized by low crystallinity, high thermostability, and the ability to form a strong gel. Subsequently, glucomannan has good potential for the production of biodegradable material. However, its high-water affinity limits its use in packaging. The deacetylated by thermal forming process and reinforced konjac flour with 15% and 20% of microcrystalline cellulose showed improved water absorption and thermal properties of the specimen. Moreover, the thermal forming process resulted in the reduction of soluble oxalate. Therefore, due to the conditions used in this experiment, the material will be stronger, more waterproof properties, and more highly resistant to temperatures, so it is suitable to be used as a packaging that is environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM) at different concentrations on the physiochemical and sensory properties of soy protein isolate (SPI), pea protein isolate (PPI), or peanut protein isolate (PNPI) compound gels were investigated. The results revealed that when the ratio of PNPI to KGM was 90:10, the denaturation temperature of PNPI could be significantly enhanced to 119.32°C by KGM modification. Concerning the textural and microstructural features, the amount of KGM addition had positive correlation with the hardness and chewiness of each compound gel, however, too much KGM addition will cause the unstable internal structure of the PNPI/KGM compound gels (70:30 and 60:40). Furthermore, sensory results indicated that PNPI/KGM (80:20), PPI/KGM (80:20), SPI/KGM (80:20) had great potential to be considered as prototypes for novel plant‐based products, which generated the highest acceptance scores of 5.04, 5.94, and 5.36 in each group, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the investigations of various contents of egg white protein (2.0%–8.0%, EWP), microbial transglutaminase (0.1%–0.4%, MTGase), and konjac glucomannan (0.5%–2.0%, KGM) on the gelling properties and rheological behavior of Trachypenaeus Curvirostris shrimp surimi gel (SSG), and assessed the modification mechanisms through the analysis of structure characteristics. The findings suggested that all modified SSG samples (expect SSG‐KGM2.0%) had the higher gelling properties and the denser network structure than those of unmodified SSG. Meanwhile, EWP could give SSG a better appearance than MTGase and KGM. Rheological results showed that SSG‐EWP6% and SSG‐KGM1.0% had the highest G′ and G″, demonstrating that the formation of higher levels of elasticity and hardness. All modifications could increase gelation rates of SSG along with the reduction of G″ during the degeneration of protein. According to the FTIR results, three modification methods changed SSG protein conformation with the increasing α‐helix and β‐sheet contents and the decreasing of random coil content. LF‐NMR results indicated that more free water could be transformed into immobilized water in the modified SSG gels, which contributed to improve the gelling properties. Furthermore, molecular forces showed that EWP and KGM could further increase the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interaction in SSG gels, while MTGase could induce the formation of more disulfide bonds. Thus, compared with another two modifications, EWP modified SSG gels showed the highest gelling properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to study the physical stability and rheological properties of an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by a konjac glucomannan–whey protein (KGM-WP) mixture at a konjac glucomannan concentration of 0.1–0.5% (w/w) and a whey protein concentration of 1.0–3.0% (w/w). The droplet size, microstructure, stackability, flow behavior, and viscoelastic properties were measured. The experimental results showed that with an increase in KGM and WP concentrations, the droplet size (D4,3) of the emulsion gradually decreased to 12.9 μm, and the macroscopic performance of the emulsion was a gel-like structure that can be inverted and resist flow and can also be extruded and stacked. The static shear viscosity and viscoelasticity generally increased with the increase of konjac glucomannan and whey protein concentration. Emulsions were pseudo-plastic fluids with shear thinning behavior (flow behavior index: 0.15 ≤ n ≤ 0.49) and exhibited viscoelastic behavior with a storage modulus (G′) greater than their loss modulus (G″), indicating that the samples all had gel-like behavior (0.10 < n′ < 0.22). Moreover, storage modulus and loss modulus of all samples increased with increasing KGM and WP concentrations. When the concentration of konjac glucomannan was 0.3% w/w, the emulsion had similar rheological behavior to commercial mayonnaise. These results suggested that the KGM-WP mixture can be used as an effective substitute for egg yolk to make a cholesterol-free mayonnaise-like emulsion. The knowledge obtained here had important implications for the application of protein–polysaccharide mixtures as emulsifiers/stabilizers to make mayonnaise-like emulsions in sauce and condiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polished konjac flours were autoclaved (120℃, 30min.) or heated in boiling water (100℃, 30min.) at different moisture contents of 82.0-99.1%. After cooling, the ground samples were examined for MB staining. As a result, when the moisture contents were low (82.0 to 90.0%), the surface of the sample was seen to be stained light blue. On the other hand, in the case of high moisture contents (98.2, 99.1%), no blue-stained material was observed except for staining such as cell walls. From these results, it was confirmed that GM granules were stained with MB by heating under low moisture conditions in the case of polished flour. These results also suggest that the electrostatic properties of GM granules in raw konjac corms due to heating is related to the suppression of water supply necessary for sufficient swelling of GM granules in cells due to the toughness of the corm tissue, which is similar to the gelatinization of starch in the tissue of legumes. Although the details are unknown, it was speculated that the phase transition of GM molecules heated under low moisture is the cause of electrostatic properties. Viscosity was measured using RVA with a moisture content of 99.1%, and the presence or absence of MB staining was examined after the measurement was completed. As a result, MB staining of the sample was not observed regardless of the heating rate and final temperature. From this result, it was inferred that the electrostatic properties of GM granules observed in this study is not related to the exothermic phenomenon (phase transition) found by Karim et al. using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology is the property of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology Periodical Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microfluidic spinning has been widely used to produce bio-fibers with excellent tensile performances by regulating the conformation of biological macromolecules. However, the effect of channel shapes on fiber tensile performances is unclear. In this study, bio-fibers were prepared using konjac glucomannan and sodium alginate by five channels. The micro-morphology and tensile performance of fibers were characterized and measured. Then, the dynamical behaviours of macromolecule clusters in flow fields were simulated by multi-scale numerical methods. The results show that the elongational flow with increasing extension rates produced fibers with a tensile strength of 32.34 MPa and a tensile strain of 18.72 %, which were 1.37 and 1.55 times that for a shear flow, respectively. The difference in tensile performances was attributed to the micro-morphology regulated by flow fields. The continuously increasing extension rate of flow was more effective than the shear rate or the maximum extension rate for the stretching of macromolecule clusters. We conclude that the channel shapes significantly influence flow fields, dynamical behaviours of molecule clusters, the morphology of fibers, and tensile performances. This study provides a novel numerical method and understanding of microfluidic spinning, which will promote the optimization and applications of bio-fibers. [Display omitted] • The konjac glucomannan and sodium alginate composite bio-fibers were prepared by channels with different shapes. • The effect of channel shapes on microfluidic spinning was systematically investigated from multiple scales. • The increasing extensional rate of flow was important to stretching macromolecules along the flow direction. • The multi-scale numerical simulation methods were efficient and accurate in the simulation of dynamical behaviors of macromolecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac(Amorphophallus rivieri) is a perennial herb of genus Amorphophallus in the family of Araceae, which is the only economic crop that provides glucomannan in large quantities and is widely used in food, medicine, and industrial fields. In recent years, with the increase of awareness of the value in konjac and the expansion of market demands, konjac cultivation has become an important means for farmers in mountain areas to get rid of poverty. Plant viruses are important pathogens, which cause great damage to production and are known as “plant cancers”. Long-term vegetative reproduction in konjac leads to the accumulation of virus and the increase of pollution sources, which restricts the development of konjac industry in China. Virus infection in konjac causes reduction of stress resistance, the infected konjac exhits symptoms of dysplasia, dwarf, and slow growth, the infected leaves showed curl, yellowing, and mosaic, which seriously affects the quality and yield of konjac and brings potential risks to konjac cultivation, even the whole industry. In this paper, in order to provide references for the study on anti-virus breeding, disease prediction, synthetical prevention, and pathogenic mechanism of konjac, the research advances of study on konjac virus disease were reviewed, emphasizing on the species, occurrence and distribution, pathogenic biological characteristics, and detection technology of konjac virus. Effective control methods for konjac virus disease were proposed, and different viewpoints and research direction were reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bulbil, as planting material, is difficult to stimulate to grow in a dormant state. This study examines the hydropriming effect on shoot emergence and the shading treatments on leaf and cormel growth during the vegetative stage. The priming was carried out by soaking the bulbils in distilled water for 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours and the shading treatments at 0, 40, and 80 percent. The results show that the imbibition occurred immediately during the first 3 hours and continued to increase up to 24 hours. The bulbil re-drying process reached the pre-treatment water content in less than three days. Significantly the earlier emergence was observed in the plants exposed to the 80% shading. The petiole sheath breakup was not affected by the hydropriming and shading. The konjac planted in the shading treatment produced more sprouts, longer but slender petioles, larger but thinner leaves, and larger cormel size. The differences in fresh and dry weight were more related to tuber moisture content than the direct effect of the shading treatment. The SPAD value of konjac leaves immediately increased within a few days after the application of the NPK fertilizer and consistently lasted for four weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gluten (Glu) is important to wheat products by forming a three-dimensional matrix. This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical and structural properties of gluten after conjugation with konjac glucomannan (KGM) through the Maillard reaction. The study revealed that the degree of graft increased with the prolonged reaction time. The Glu-KGM conjugates were possessed of increased β-sheet but decreased α-helix and β-turn, as well as unfolding and loose tertiary structures as the reaction proceeded. Among three different proportions, the Glu-KGM 1:1 conjugate was proved to have the most excellent foaming and emulsifying properties, and could form more rigid and firm gelation structures, which could be related to the decreased particle size and increased zeta potential of the conjugate. Overall, the physicochemical and structural properties of gluten were significantly related to the KGM ratios as well as the reaction period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite gels of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and corn starch (CS) were prepared and treated by the freeze–thaw method. For KGM–CS gels, as the starch ratio rose from 0 to 100%, storage modulus (G′) decreased by 97.7% (from 3875.69 Pa to 87.72 Pa), degradation temperature decreased from 313.32 °C to 293.95 °C, and crystallinity decreased by 16.7%. For F–KGM–CS gels, G′ decreased by 99.0% (from 20,568.10 Pa to 204.09 Pa), degradation temperature increased from 289.68 °C to 298.07 °C, and crystallinity decreased by 17.1% with more starch content. The peak in infrared spectroscopy shifted to a higher wavenumber with more starch and to a lower wavenumber by freezing the corresponding composite gels. The detected retrogradation of the composite gels appeared for KGM–CS with 80% starch and F–KGM–CS with 40% starch. The endothermic enthalpy of free water rose by 10.6% and 10.1% with the increase in starch for KGM–CS and F–KGM–CS, respectively. The results of moisture distribution found that bound water migrated to free water and the water-binding capacity reduced with more starch. The results demonstrated that the molecular interaction in composite gels was weakened by starch and strengthened by freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac is a food mainly consumed in Asian countries with high fiber and low energy. Although glucomannan, a component of konjac, have been used for several clinical studies, there is few reports using konjac itself. This study examined the effects of the active consumption of konjac in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study included 26 Japanese patients with T2DM. Participants were recommended to take konjac at least once a day using free konjac products (various noodles, rice, and desserts) and plate konjac for 12 weeks. HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels significantly decreased from 8.3 ± 0.9% to 8.0 ± 0.8% and from 173.2 ± 44.4 to 152.8 ± 36.7 mg/dL, respectively. No significant changes were observed in body weight and insulin resistance indices, but the index for insulin secretion significantly increased. Serum high molecular weight adiponectin levels significantly increased. Plasma ghrelin, leptin and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels tended to decrease (p = 0.084), decrease (p = 0.057) and increase (p = 0.071), respectively. Actual konjac intake positively correlated with age (r = 0.61, p = 0.001). Body weight and HbA1c significantly decreased in patients aged ≥50 years than in those aged <50 years, and the changes significantly inversely correlated with age. Active consumption of konjac and konjac products seems to be a useful dietary therapy with multifaceted action for T2DM. Further studies with greater sample size and long-term are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a herbal medicine with benefits in appetite control, body weight and biochemical parameters in overweight individuals. The objective of our work was to evaluate the effect of the consumption of gummy candy enriched with KGM on appetite, to evaluate anthropometric data, biochemical and oxidative stress markers in overweight individuals. Forty-two participants aged 18 to 45 years completed our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to consume for fourteen days, 2 candies per day, containing 250 mg of KGM or identical-looking placebo candy with 250 mg of flaxseed meal, shortly after breakfast and dinner. As a result, we observed that there was a reduction in waist circumference and in the intensity of hunger/satisfaction of the participants who consumed KGM for fourteen days, and we believe that a longer consumption time as well as an increase dose of KGM contribute to even more satisfactory body results. [Display omitted] • Bullet containing glucomannan decrease waist circumference of overweight people. • Glucomannan phytotherapic into gummy candy reduces the appetite of overweight people. • Low glucomannan dose no modify biochemical and oxidative stress biomarkers of overweight individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop edible hydrogels that can be served as a main dish with low‐calorie content and high satiety value, yet are easy to digest. However, the development of such hydrogels remains challenging. In this study, low‐calorie edible hydrogels were prepared from gelatin and sodium alginate (gel/SA hydrogels) through a facile acid soaking‐drying method. These gel/SA hydrogels exhibited excellent mechanical properties with texture characteristics similar to that of Liangpi. The sensitivity of gelatin and acidified sodium alginate to pH resulted in a high swelling ratio of the hydrogels, contributing to weight retention in a simulated stomach environment and rapid degradation in a simulated intestinal environment. These properties indicate that these gel/SA hydrogels have a good prospect of being used as low‐calorie food with high satiety value and are easy to digest. Konjac glucomannan can also be incorporated into the gel/SA hydrogels to further improve their biological functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cleaning of some wooden artefacts can be challenging due to peculiar surface roughness and/or particular finishing treatments that favour the deposition of dirt and contaminants. The most common cleaning system used by conservators is agar gel, characterized by its rigidity and brittleness, which challenges the cleaning of rough and irregular surfaces typical of most wooden artefacts. In this work, alginate crosslinked with calcium (CA) and konjac glucomannan crosslinked with borax (KGB) gels were proposed to solve this issue. They were prepared and applied to smooth- and rough-surfaced mock-ups replicating wooden musical instruments' surfaces that had been subsequently covered by artificial soiling and sweat contaminants. The mechanical properties of CA and KGB gels, including their stability over a 60-day storage time, were evaluated by a texture analyzer, while cleaning efficacy was analytically evaluated by non-invasive X-ray fluorescence mapping and profilometric investigation. CA gel appeared to have a higher tensile strength and elongation at break. KGB gel was shown to be soft and resilient, indicating its suitability for cleaning rough surfaces. After repeating the cleaning application three times on the rough-surfaced mock-ups, both the CA and KGB gels were shown to have cleaning efficacy. The results obtained with CA and KGB were compared with those from the Agar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels, three-dimensional hydrophilic polymer cross-linked networks, have attracted much attention in the fields of biomedicine, health care, etc., due to their unique water retention, and structural similarity to extracellular matrix. However, the conventional synthetic polymer hydrogels have poor biocompatibility, adhesion, and biodegradability. Polysaccharides as a major constituent of native extracellular matrix are biocompatible and degradable, so the polysaccharides hydrogels are outstanding candidates for biomedicine and health care applications. Herein, novel hydrogel-based nanofiber membranes with adhesive, sustained-release, antibacterial and biocompatible performance were developed by complexing functionalized nanofibers membranes and polysaccharide hydrogels. The functionalized nanofiber membranes loaded with poly-lysine and allantoin were obtained by green solvent electrospinning technology using non-toxic and biological polycaprolactone as the base material. Biocompatible polysaccharide hydrogels were prepared by dynamic Schiff base crosslinking of chitosan oligosaccharide and oxidized konjac glucomannan. The dynamic Schiff base bonds endow hydrogels with outstanding self-healing properties. Consequently, with the integrated features of fibrous membranes and hydrogels, hydrogel-based nanofiber membranes have outstanding antibacterial capability against both Escherichia coli (99.99%) and Staphylococcus aureus (99.99%), sustained-release characteristic with 65.7% cumulative allantoin release during 10 h, and biocompatibility with at least 450% cell viability within 5 days. This unique composite structure exhibits positive potential in the application of skincare, including facial masks, medical dressings and other products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the development trend of dressing materials is being multifunctional for convenient and long-term nursing care process of some complicated wounds. Here, basing on the theory of wound moist healing, an injectable and self-healing hydrogel comprising of collagen (COL), chitosan (CS) and oxidation modified Konjac glucomannan (OKGM), which acts as a macromolecular cross-linker to construct dynamic Schiff-base bonds was smartly designed. The strategy of introducing the silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) into the COL–CS–OKGM hydrogel matrix achieved a markedly enhanced antibacterial activity derived from the synergistical effect between the Ag+ and the mild photothermal efficacy of Ag NPs, which also improved the local capillary blood circulation of the wound area to further facilitate wound healing process. The excellent syringeability and self-healing behaviors endowed the COL–CS–OKGM–Ag hydrogel with self-adapting ability for the wounds with irregular and large area needing frequent applying and changing without secondary injuries. In vitro and in vivo evaluations verified that so-designed COL–CS–OKGM–Ag hydrogel also with hemostatic performance is a promising multifunctional dressing for the treatments of infected wound with not only good biocompatibility and convenient use, but also with desired regenerative healing prognoses benefited from hydrogel moist environment and physiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-derived soluble dietary fibers (SDF) have many important physiological functions and the applications of SDF vary based on their properties, which are worth further investigating for fiber-enriched food production. In this study, SDF derived from konjac, apple, chicory, flaxseed, orange, psyllium seed, soybean and oat were purified, and their structural, physicochemical and functional properties were systematically evaluated. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that these SDF belonged to heteropolysaccharides, of which konjac, psyllium seed, apple, soybean and oat SDF were glucomannan, arabinoxylan, pectin, arabinogalactan and glucan, respectively. The molecular weight of konjac glucomannan (KGM, 5.22 × 106 Da) was the highest, and inulin, soybean arabinogalactan (SA) and oat glucan (OG) had higher water solubility. Moreover, KGM, apple pectin (AP), flaxseed SDF (FS) and psyllium seed arabinoxylan (PA) exhibited better water-holding capacity, swelling capacity, emulsifying activity and stability. Rheological studies and texture profile analysis suggested that KGM had the best viscosity and gelation ability. In addition, AP and orange SDF (OS) showed better α-amylase inhibitory activity, while OS and KGM had higher pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity. Also, KGM and FS displayed fine cholesterol absorption capacity. To summary, these functional properties illustrated the feasibility of SDF to regulate blood sugar and blood lipid levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound dressings with good biocompatibility and bioactivity are urgently needed in wound treatment. Herein, we present a konjac glucomannan (KGM) hydrogel and its combination with Chinese medicine, including watermelon frost (WF) and Arnebia root oil (ARO), for wound treatment. The mechanical properties of KGM hydrogels were optimized by tuning preparation conditions, including pH and concentrations of KGM and NaCl. The deacetylation of glucomannan in alkaline conditions is the key to gel formation and an optimal hydrogel with good mechanical property was prepared in the conditions of pH 13.5, 3.3 wt% KGM, and 3.3 wt% NaCl. The KGM hydrogel displayed good biocompatibility and maintained 75.4% water retention capacity in one week. It showed a faster wound-healing ability than gauze in the acute wound model, and its combination with ARO demonstrated a better promotion of wound healing than the hydrogel alone or the combination with WF. Our study suggests that the KGM hydrogel has potential in wound dressing and an enhanced therapeutic effect could be obtained by its combination with Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The probiotic encapsulating hydrogel derived from porang (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) glucomannan and chitosan was investigated with regard to its encapsulation efficiency, physical properties, prebiotic activity, and survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The hydrogel's encapsulation efficiency was improved by varying the number of the Lactobacillus acidophilus FNCC 0051, which also served to increase the diameter (2-3 mm), polydispersity index (1.23–1.65), positive zeta potential, whiteness, and brightness of the hydrogel. Moreover, the hydrogel's prebiotic activity score was higher than that of inulin after 24 h of incubation, reflecting its role as a cell encapsulant, particularly when it comes to maintaining cells during exposure to simulated gastrointestinal fluid. The cell viability increased from 86% to 100% when immersed in intestinal juice, which is comparable to the increase achieved using alginate and konjac glucomannan hydrogels. Future animal studies are required to determine the cell viability in actual gastrointestinal conditions and assess the health effects of the hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exceptional network assembly of natural polysaccharides/proteins-based hydrogels offers favorable biological characteristics and tunable physical properties making them ideal candidates for food and biomedical applications. Rheological analysis can provide quantitative information insights into the assembled network, which are critical for determining hydrogel properties and their suitability for food or biomedical use. This review introduced some concepts of rheology and brought together the hydrogels based on more than ten natural biopolymers, such as starch, pectin, gellan, xanthan, alginate, gelatin, carrageenan, soy protein, casein protein, whey protein, agar, cellulose, konjac glucomannan, and their related rheological studies. In addition, combined with our previous work, the effect of diverse cross-linking strategies on rheology and the role of various rheological characteristics (such as modulus variations, shear behavior changes, thixotropy and creep recovery capabilities, etc.) in gel design and application (such as 3D printing-based foods, active ingredients carrier, etc.) were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, chitosan (CS) emulsion films were prepared with grapefruit essential oil (GEO) Pickering emulsions (OGEOs) stabilized by amphiphilic octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) konjac glucomannan (OSA-KGM) network. The droplet size of emulsion was regulated by altering oil content in OGEOs (10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 %, w/w). The structural and physicochemical properties of CS films with tunable emulsion droplets (OGEOs) were investigated. The droplet size of OGEOs increased with the increasing content of GEO. FT-IR revealed that the formation of CS-OGEOs films was attributed to hydrogen bonding. CS-OGEOs films with large droplets presented smoother surface, enhanced water resistance, UV-shielding property, mechanical properties, but increased water vapor permeability (WVP) compared with CS-OGEOs films with small droplets. In addition, CS-OGEOs films with large droplets also presented compact film structure, controlled release of GEO, high efficiency of DPPH free radical scavenging and antibacterial activity. To sum up, incorporation of emulsion droplets was a good strategy for improving the structural and physicochemical properties of CS films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphophallus belongs to the family Araceae and contains a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide that was originally extracted from corms called Konjac glucomannan. During the past 10 years, a vast body of research of Amorphophallus konjac has been published. Based on the Web of Science literature database, this work used Co-Occurrence, VOSviewer, and SciMAT bibliometrics analysis software tools to conduct literature analyses and big data mining of Amorphophallus Konjac research from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2021. Therefore, the present research sorted the development process of this field and analyzed the popular changes in research topics by combing through the visualization of the analysis results to systematically review and forecast the research of Amorphophallus Konjac-related fields. This work discusses current research trends and hotspots and explores and analyzes the content that needs improvement to provide a reference for follow-up research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The stabilization of oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions has long been explored. Assembly of polymer networks is an effective method for stabilizing O/W emulsions. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a plant polysaccharide and the network of KGM gel is a good candidate for stabilizing O/W emulsions based on its high viscosity and thickening properties. However, natural KGM has strong hydrophilicity and is not able to offer interfacial activity. Octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) is a hydrophobic molecule, which is widely used as thickener and stabilizer in food emulsions. In this work, the amphiphilic biopolymer (OSA‐KGM) was fabricated by modifying the KGM with OSA. Furthermore, OSA‐KGM biopolymer was used to prepare O/W emulsions, which were then freeze‐dried and used to prepare oleogels as fat substitute for bakery products. RESULTS: OSA‐KGM had advanced hydrophobicity with water contact angle 81.13° and adsorption behavior at the oil–water interface, with interfacial tension decreasing from 18.52 to 13.57 mN m−1 within 1 h. The emulsification of OSA‐KGM remarkably improved the stability of emulsions without phase separation during storage for 31 days. Oleogels with OSA‐KGM showed good thixotropic and structure recovery properties (approximately 100%) and low oil loss (from 69.5% to 50.4%). Cakes made from oleogels had a softer texture than cakes made from peanut oil and margarine. CONCLUSION: Amphiphilic biopolymer OSA‐KGM shows advanced interfacial activity and hydrophobicity. This paper provides an insight into preparing stable O/W emulsions with a new biopolymer and oleogels potentially applied as fat substitute in bakery products. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, active packaging films were developed by incorporating nano TiO2 and pomegranate peel extract (PPE) into high-amylose corn starch (HCS)/konjac glucomannan (KG) matrix for the first time. The aim of present work was to investigate the influence of nano TiO2 and PPE on physicochemical and functional properties of HCS/KG-based films. The films were characterized by XRD, FT-IR and SEM, and the tensile, antibacterial and antioxidant properties were evaluated. The results showed that the crystallinity of the composite films was increased and the microstructure was more uniform and dense after adding TiO2 and PPE, and the intermolecular hydrogen bonds were formed between TiO2, PPE, and film matrix. Incorporation of TiO2 and PPE significantly improved tensile properties and decreased water solubility and water vapor permeability of the composite films (p < 0.05). HCS/KG films incorporated with TiO2 and PPE presented remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and exhibited strong antioxidant activity due to the polyphenol compounds in PPE. All films properties not only changed with the content of TiO2 and PPE, but also improved synergistically when they were added together. The developed composite films were used as coating for the preservation of Agaricus bisporus, and the weight, firmness and total soluble solids of A. bisporus were significantly maintained and browning was effectively inhibited during storage. Therefore, HCS/KG composite film/coating containing TiO2 and PPE has great potential as an attractive commercialization technology to ensure the quality and extend the shelf life of foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural byproducts have excellent potential for pollutant remediation due to their low-cost and environmental sustainability. Konjac flying powder (KFP) is a fine particulate byproduct of the production of konjac glucomannan, accounting for 30–40 wt% of the total raw materials. In this work, KFP was modified by free radical grafting copolymerization with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and N,N′-methylene bis(acrylamide). The lightly crosslinked product demonstrated excellent adsorption performance for heavy metals, with the maximum adsorption capacity for Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) reaching 635 mg g−1, 812 mg g−1, and 855 mg g−1, respectively, under optimized conditions. The adsorption isotherm of heavy metal ions fitted well with the Langmuir model. Moreover, the adsorption performance was nearly unchanged after several adsorption–desorption cycles, suggesting that polymeric derivation of KFP has great potential for the remediation of heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Konjac glucomannan was modified by deacetylation combined with ozone oxidation. • The modification results in the change of molecular weight and functional groups. • The modification balances the solubility and gelation of konjac glucomannan. • Oxidized deacetylated konjac glucomannan has the ability to form a soft gel. • Oxidized deacetylated konjac glucomannan is a potential material for dysphagia food. In this study, oxidized deacetylated konjac glucomannans with different degrees of oxidation were prepared by a combination of deacetylation and ozone oxidation. Carboxyl groups were found to be introduced into the modified konjac glucomannan while acetyl groups were removed. The backbone, branched chains, and crystal structure of modified konjac glucomannan were not significantly affected. The whiteness was enhanced to 97–99 % and the thermal degradation temperature was up to 250 °C after modification. The solubility of the modified konjac glucomannan (oxidized for 60 min) was significantly increased to 84.56 % (p < 0.05), while its viscosity and swelling power were notably decreased owing to the changes in molecular weight (from 106 to 104) and functional groups. Rheological analysis showed that oxidized deacetylated konjac glucomannan has the ability to form soft-textured gels and the potential to develop dysphagia foods. Future studies should focus on the gelation mechanisms of oxidized deacetylated konjac glucomannan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac glucomannan/κ-carrageenan (KGM/KC) composite hydrogels often fail to meet industrial requirements due to their weak mechanical properties, while nanofillers are potential materials to address this challenge by taking advantage of their nano-size and filling effects. Herein, carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (C–CNCs) were chosen as nanofillers to regulate the properties of KGM/KC composite hydrogels, with focus on the effect of C–CNCs concentration on the morphological and physicochemical properties. Meanwhile, an in-depth exploration of the possible mechanisms was also underlying. C–CNCs were well dispersed within the KGM/KC composite matrix, which positively enhanced the mechanical strength, as well as increased the apparent viscosity and modulus of the composite hydrogel greatly when the C–CNCs concentration was 10 % (w/w). This is mainly ascribed to the enhancement of hydrogen bond interaction among the KGM, KC, and C–CNCs, which were verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, the results of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of C–CNCs in the hydrogel matrix reduced the water mobility of the hydrogel, which improved the freeze-thaw stability of the composite hydrogel. The fitting of the Power law model (R2 > 0.98) showed that the swelling mechanism of KGM/KC composite hydrogels belonged to Fickian diffusion, and the swelling behavior could be regulated by adjusting the C–CNCs concentration. However, the excessive C–CNCs might weakened the interaction of composite hydrogels, which partially explains the reversal of the reinforcement effects seen at the lower additions of C–CNCs inclusion. These results provide a basis for the development and design of KGM/KC-based products with desirable attributes. [Display omitted] • C–CNCs were chosen to regulate the KGM/KC composite hydrogel properties. • C–CNCs enhanced the mechanical and freeze-thaw properties of composite hydrogels. • The swelling property of composite hydrogels could be regulated by C–CNCs content. • The possible reinforcement mechanism of the nanocomposite hydrogels was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac glucomannan (KG) is a dietary fiber hydrocolloid derived from Amorphophallus konjac tubers and is widely utilized as a food additive and dietary supplement. As a health-conscious choice, purified KG, along with konjac flour and KG-infused diets, have gained widespread acceptance in Asian and European markets. An overview of the chemical composition and structure of KG is given in this review, along with thorough explanations of the processes used in its extraction, production, and purification. KG has been shown to promote health by reducing glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and blood pressure, thereby offering significant weight loss advantages. Furthermore, this review delves into the extensive health benefits and pharmaceutical applications of KG and its derivatives, emphasizing its prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. This study highlights how these natural polysaccharides can positively influence health, underscoring their potential in various biomedical applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patulin (PAT) is a hazardous mycotoxin frequently occurs in fruit industry. A reusable g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG composite aerogel for PAT removal in a novel "dark adsorption-light regeneration" mode was prepared by thiol(-SH) functionalization and konjac glucomannan (KG) immobilization. The g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG was characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XPS and UV–Vis DRS, and its PAT adsorption and photocatalytic regeneration behaviors and mechanisms were investigated. The g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG exhibited good regeneration performance, maintaining 83% of PAT initial adsorption capacity (0.92 mg/g) after 5 "adsorption-regeneration" cycles. The adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. •OH and h + generated by photocatalysis were the main substances that degraded PAT into two products and regenerated -SH. The g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG could effectively remove PAT without negative impact on juice quality. The study provided a new strategy for the regeneration of thiol-functionalized PAT adsorbents, and a new idea for the application of non-selective photocatalysis in the control of food contaminations. [Display omitted] • A reusable PAT adsorbent g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG composite aerogel was synthesized. • The PAT adsorption capacity maintained at 83% of the initial level after 5 cycles. • Photocatalysis process degraded PAT and regenerated the -SH on g-C 3 N 4. • The PAT adsorption capacity of g-C 3 N 4 -SH@KG in apple juice was 0.93 mg/g. • The "dark adsorption-light regeneration" model has wide application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, konjac glucomannan (KG) was incorporated in high acyl gellan (HAG) and low acyl gellan (LAG) hydrogels in different ratios. The addition of KG increased pseudoplasticity and thermal hysteresis values of the hydrogels. Improvement in elasticity and water holding capacity (WHC) was observed in KG-LAG hydrogels. The highest WHC (98.5 %) was observed for 1K1H (KG:HAG = 1:1) and 3K7L (KG:LAG = 3:7) hydrogels. The crystallinity of the composite hydrogels was lower than hydrogels prepared from individual biopolymers. The hydrogels exhibited a rough surface with minute pores in the cross-section, due to the aggregation of glucomannan on the gellan network in the composite hydrogels. While HAG and 1K1H hydrogels exhibited greater swelling at low pH (3.0), LAG and 3K7L exhibited greater swelling at high pH (11.0). At pH 7.0, the hydrogels exhibited swelling indices >300 %. Incorporation of 1K1H hydrogel at 10 % (w/w) in sandy loamy soil under semi-arid conditions increased the germination of fenugreek microgreens from 60 % to 80 % on the 15th day. Furthermore, the moisture evaporation rate of the soil reduced from 35 % to <15 %, positively impacting the physicochemical properties of the microgreens. The composite hydrogels were successful in achieving a controlled release of phosphate fertilizer. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to enhance the water barrier properties and antifungal efficacy of KGM film by incorporating (attapulgites-Ag nanoparticles, APTs-AgNPs) composites. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analyses indicated that the successful fabrication of APTs-AgNPs composites. Water vapour permeability (WVP), moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS) and water absorption (WA) values decreased by 19.15%, 12.50%, 74.96% and 41.74% respectively, while the water contact angle (WCA) increased by 134.74%. These results demonstrated that the water barrier property of KGM/APTs-AgNPs films was superior to that of pure KGM films. The Rheological properties, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images results indicated that hydrogen bonds formed between homogeneous APTs-AgNPs (1.5 wt%) and KGM, which enhanced the water barrier properties of the KGM/APTs-AgNPs films. The KGM/APTs-AgNPs composite films possessed excellent oxygen permeability, Mechanical properties, UV barrier properties, opacity properties and thermostability. Moreover, KGM/APTs-AgNPs films slowly released Ag+ and exhibited long-acting antifungal efficacy against Aspergillus niger , as the inhibition circle diameter was 20.70 ± 0.32 mm for 10 days. Therefore, KGM/APTs-AgNPs films could be a potential alternative to petroleum-based films. [Display omitted] • The antifungal agent (APTs-AgNPs) was synthesized in situ through catechin mediation • The WVP value of KGM/APTs-AgNPs film decreased by 12.38% compared to that of KGM film • The inhibition zone increased by 20.70 mm in KGM/APTs-AgNPs film compared to KGM film [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the novel eco-friendly biopolymer electrolytes consisting of banana powder and konjac glucomannan host matrix doped with zinc acetate salt were successfully fabricated through simple casting technique. The biopolymer electrolyte exhibited satisfactory thermal stability and mechanical properties; tensile strength (13.82 MPa); elongation at break (60.52 %) and Young's modulus (93.2 MPa). The electrochemical studies were carried out in symmetrical cells Zn/Zn cells. Biopolymer electrolyte showed favorable ionic conductivity of 5.59 × 10−4 S/cm along with stable cycling performance. The potential stability was found to be 2.52 V. The as-prepared biopolymer electrolytes demonstrated the potential as green, simple yet effective biopolymer electrolytes for zinc-ion batteries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harsh physiological environment of the gastrointestinal tract can significantly affect the stability, antioxidant activity, and bioactivity of blueberry anthocyanidins (An), which is usually addressed by intestinal targeting co-delivery of An and other antioxidant substances. However, the modification, synthesis of vehicle and subsequent co-encapsulation procedure involved in this tactic are not conducive to practical application. Herein, we propose an easy method of constructing a biocompatible vehicle with broad-spectrum ROS scavenging performance to enhance the bioactivity of An through synergistic intestinal targeted mucoadhesion, that is, a nanogel (Mgel) was prepared by using thiol-contained sodium alginate, selenized konjac glucomannan and crosslinking with calcium lactate for the intestinal targeted delivery of An (Mgel@An). We evaluated the loading behavior of Mgel on An, as well as the enhancement of Mgel on the stability and bioactivity of An. Mgel@An maintained spherical structure in the stomach but disintegrated and exposed functional groups for synergistic mucoadhesion after treatment with simulated intestinal fluids. Mgel@An exhibited broad-spectrum free radical scavenging activity for •OH, •ABTS+ and •DPPH, and also showed a mucin absorbed amount of 162.03 ± 1.53 μg and 85.63 ± 1.40% bioaccessibility of An. Furthermore, the biosafe Mgel@An extended the maximum lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by enhancing the activity of antioxidases, inhibiting the expression of aging key genes (daf-2, age-1), and promoting the expression of anti-aging genes (daf-16, sod-3) , as well as anti-oxidative stress genes (sod-5, skn-1). This work highlights the great potential of the vehicle with ROS autonomous scavenging behavior for improving the bioactivity of An. [Display omitted] • The nanogel (Mgel) was developed to deliver blueberry anthocyanidin (An) in a pH responsive manner. • The Mgel provides An with delivery stability and pH, temperature, redox tolerance. • The blueberry An exhibits efficient intestinal targeted release under the protection of Mgel with synergistic mucoadhesion. • The Mgel can effectively improve the bioactivity of An through synergistic broad-spectrum ROS clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the utilization efficiency of proanthocyanidins (PC), it is essential to select appropriate materials for embedding PC and delivering it to the target area. This study investigates the innovative encapsulation of PC using deacetylated konjac glucomannan (DKGM) microcarriers, highlighting their impact on stability and gut microbiota. The research demonstrates that optimal DKGM-PC microparticles, consisting of 75% deacetylated DKGM, 11% PC, and 16% DKGM addition, achieve an average drug loading capacity of 18.04%. These microparticles have a particle size range of 50–190 μm and show an 18.84%–20.67% increase in PC retention over 60 days compared to a non-encapsulated DKGM/PC mixture. In vitro release studies indicate that 76.76% of PCs in DKGM-PC microparticles reach the colon. Furthermore, storage stability tests show that encapsulated PCs maintain higher retention rates under both dark and light-exposed conditions. Fermentation studies reveal effective utilization of PC by gut microbiota, with favorable changes in gut microbiota composition, including an increase in beneficial bacteria such as Megasphaera and Bifidobacterium in the DKGM-PC groups. These findings suggest that DKGM enhances the stability and targeted delivery of PCs, and positively influences gut microbiota, indicating its potential as a functional food ingredient. • DKGM microcarriers enhance PC stability and delivery. • Optimal DKGM-PC microparticles achieve 18.04% loading. • DKGM-PC microcarriers shows improved storage stability. • DKGM-PC shifts gut microbiota towards beneficial bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannanase with a molecular weight of 33.1 kDa was purified from Weissella cibaria F1. The F1 mannanase contained 289 amino acid residues and shared 70.0% similarity with mannanase from Bacillus subtilis (P55278 (MANB_BACIU)). The optimum reaction conditions of F1 mannanase were 50 °C and pH 6.5. After incubation at pH 4.5–8.0 and 30–60 °C for 2 h, the enzyme activity remained above 60%. The effects of metal ions on mannanase enzyme activity were measured, and Mn2+, Mg2+, and Cu2+ increased enzyme activity. The Km (16.96 ± 0.01 μmol·mL−1) and Vmax (1119.05 ± 0.14 μmol·min−1) values showed that the enzyme exhibited high affinity for locust bean gum. Mannanase was used to hydrolyze konjac glucomannan to produce konjac oligo-glucomannan (KOGM). KOGM increased the proliferation and phagocytosis of RAW264.7 macrophages and enhanced nitric oxide, and cytokine production in macrophages, which showed potent immunostimulatory activity. In this study, the advantages of mannanase derived from lactic acid bacteria were utilized to expand the application of KOGM in the medical field, which is helpful to explore the broad prospects of KOGM in functional food or medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Walnut oil, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), can be incorporated into food emulsions to increase their nutritional value. However, these emulsions are highly susceptible to deterioration during storage due to lipid oxidation. Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a neutral plant polysaccharide used as a stabilizer, thickener or gelling agent in foods. The goal of this study was to incorporate KGM into oil‐in‐water emulsions containing walnut oil droplets coated by whey protein isolate (WPI) and then determine its effects on their physical and oxidative stability. RESULTS: At pH 3, inclusion of KGM (0.1–1 g kg−1) reduced the positive surface potential on the droplets in the emulsions and modified the secondary structure of the adsorbed whey proteins, suggesting an interaction between KGM and WPI at the droplet surfaces. The physical stability of the emulsions was enhanced when 0.1–0.6 g kg−1 KGM was added but reduced at higher levels. Lipid oxidation was inhibited in the emulsions in a dose‐dependent manner when 0.2–0.6 g kg−1 KGM was added but protein oxidation was promoted at higher KGM levels. The steric hindrance provided by the thick WPI–KGM interfaces, as well as the ability of the polysaccharides to modify the antioxidant properties of the adsorbed proteins, may account for these effects. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that KGM can be used to inhibit lipid oxidation in emulsified foods containing protein‐coated oil droplets. However, its level must be optimized because higher doses can result in droplet aggregation and protein oxidation. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucomannan (GM)—a polysaccharide generally extracted from the tuber of Amorphophallus konjac—has great potential as a filler–binder in direct compression, disintegrant in tablets, or gelling agent due to its strong hydrophilicity and extremely high viscosity. However, it has poor water resistance and low mechanical strength when used as an excipient in solid form. Several physical and chemical modifications have been carried out to improve these drawbacks. Chemical modification affects the characteristics of GM based on the DS. Carboxymethylation improves GM functionality by modifying its solubility and viscosity, which in turn allows it to bind water more efficiently and thus improve its elongation and gel homogeneity. Meanwhile, physical modification enhances functionality through combination with other excipients to improve mechanical properties and modify swelling ability and drug release from the matrix. This review discusses extraction of GM and its modification to enhance its applicability as an excipient in solid form. Modified GM is a novel excipient applicable in the pharmaceutical industry for direct compression, as a tablet disintegrant, a film-forming agent, and for encapsulation of macromolecular compounds or drug carriers for controlled release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods is the property of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to evaluate the sensory profile of gluten-free bread with Amorphophallus konjac (AK) flour in different concentrations. This experimental study is divided into three steps: preparation of the gluten-free bread formulations, sensory analysis, and statistical analysis. The addition of Konjac flour in a gluten-free bread formulation was tested in different proportions, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50% of the flour content. The checking all-that-apply (CATA) was conducted with 110 panelists; among these, 43 were consumers of gluten-free bread. Sensory analysis was conducted using a 9-point hedonic scale for color, aroma, texture, flavor, appearance, and overall acceptability. The AK flour influenced the sensory characteristics of gluten-free bread. Bread with characteristics closer to those found in bread with gluten was the one with 12.5% of konjac flour for both the acceptability analysis as the attributes raised through a detailed CATA map. The control sample is located next to features like dry appearance, dry texture and grainy, dark color, and salty. Therefore, 12.5% AK gluten-free bread is closer to the characteristics of the control sample, such as light crust color, light crumb color, soft and moist texture, cohesion, and brightness. The bread with the highest percentage of overall consumer acceptance was 12.5% konjac with 93% and 96% acceptance among consumers and non-consumers of gluten-free bread, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]