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Domestic production of culinary herbs continues to increase in the United States. Culinary herbs are primarily propagated by seed; however, some herbs have poor germination rates and slow growth. Thus, there are advantages of propagating herbs by vegetative stem-tip cuttings as they lead to true-to-type plants and a shortened production time. Previous research of ornamental young plants and finished culinary herbs have shown a reduction in rooting time and increases in plant quality with increases in the photosynthetic daily light integral (DLI). To our knowledge, little to no research has addressed how the DLI influences culinary herb liner quality. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to quantify morphological traits of five economically important culinary herbs when grown under DLIs ranging from 2.8 to 16.4 mol·mL2·dL1. Stem-tip cuttings of Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare var. hirtum), rosemary 'Arp' (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage 'Extrakta' (Salvia officinalis), spearmint 'Spanish' (Mentha spicata), and thyme 'German Winter' (Thymus vulgaris) were excised from stock plants and rooted under no shade or aluminum shading of 36%, 56%, or 76% to create a range of DLI treatments. After 9 days (spearmint) or 16 days (all other genera) of DLI treatments, the root, shoot, and total drymass of all culinary herb liners generally increased by 105%to 449%, 52%to 142%, and 82%to 170%, respectively, as the DLI increased from 2.8 to 16.4 mol·mL2·dL1 or genus-specific DLI optimums. Stem length of oregano, spearmint, and thyme decreased by 37%, 28%, and 27%, respectively, as the DLI increased from 2.8 to 16.4 mol·mL2·dL1. However, stem length of rosemary and sage were unaffected by the DLI. The quality index of all generawas greatest at DLIs from10.4 to 16.4 mol·mL2·dL1. Furthermore, all culinary herbs grown under a DLI of £6 mol·mL2·dL1 had low root and shoot dry mass accumulation; and oregano, spearmint, and thyme were generally taller. Therefore, DLIs between 10 to 12 mol·mL2·dL1 should be maintained during culinary herb propagation, because a DLI -16 mol·mL2·dL1 may be deleterious and energy inefficient if supplemental lighting use is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-fat fried foods are a popular choice in the United States, known for their delicious taste and affordability. However, they often absorb excessive amounts of oil during frying, leading to accelerated lipid oxidation and reduced shelf life. This study introduced an innovative approach by developing edible coatings from oleogels (OGC) loaded with thyme essential oil (TEO) at varying concentrations (0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, and 2 % v/v). Uncoated samples were also included as controls to assess the effect of the coating on chicken nuggets. The aim was to explore their effectiveness in enhancing the physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of deep-fat fried chicken nuggets. Results indicated that the incorporation of TEO effectively reduced coating pickup in coated samples. Furthermore, these oleogel-based coatings significantly minimized moisture loss and fat uptake in chicken nuggets, improving both lightness (L*) and a* values without significant changes in pH values or textural parameters. Most notably, increasing TEO concentration led to a remarkable two-fold reduction in peroxide values compared to the control. Importantly, sensory analysis revealed that the addition of TEO to the coating does not compromise the overall sensory quality of the fried products. This study suggests promising future applications of OGC and TEO blends in mitigating quality degradation in deep-fat fried foods. These findings hold great potential for the food industry, offering a pathway to healthier, longer-lasting fried products with enhanced sensory appeal. [Display omitted] • An oleogel-based coating (OGC) was developed with thyme essential oil (TEO). • The OGC/TEO coating restricted moisture loss and fat uptake with increased TEO concentration. • Increasing TEO concentration inhibited lipid oxidation. • OGC/TEO offered a novel formulation for improving the quality of fried chicken nuggets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Borrelia sp. is a causative pathogen of Lyme disease which has become a worldwide health concern. Non-toxic approaches especially directed toward latent persistent forms of this pathogen are desired. Lipids in the form of volatile and non-volatile oils, and fatty acids with proven anti-borreliae efficacy could become an additional support or an alternative for consideration in treatment approaches. Methods: In this study we investigated 47 lipids (30 volatile and non-volatile oils, and 17 fatty acids) of plant and animal origin against typical motile, knob/round-shaped persisters, and biofilm-like aggregates of Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. and Borrelia garinii, which are identified as pathogenic factors of Lyme disease in the USA and Europe, using direct microscopic counting and spectrofluorometric measurements. Results: Out of all examined lipids, 5 oils (Bay leaf oil, Birch oil, Cassia oil, Chamomile oil German, and Thyme oil) at or below 0.25%, and 3 fatty acids (13Z,16Z Docosadienoic acid, erucic acid, and petroselinic acid) at or below 0.75 mg/ml, showed bactericidal activity against typical motile spirochetes and knob/round-shaped persisters. Only Bay leaf oil and Cassia oil, including their major constituents, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, showed to target biofilm-like aggregates of both tested Borrelia spp. at the same concentration, although with 20–30% eradication mark. Conclusion: Based on obtained results, volatile oils were more potent than non-volatile oils, and unsaturated fatty acids were more effective than saturated fatty acids. Among all tested oils, Bay leaf oil and Cassia oil, with their major components eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, seem to have the highest anti-borreliae efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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