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Urea is the nitrogen-containing fertilizer most used in agricultural fields; however, the nutrient given by the urea is lost into the environment. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of two soil textures by applying a prolonged-release system of urea (PRSU) on the N losses. This research shows an important decrease of the nitrate and ammonium losses from 24.91 to 87.94%. Also, the microbiological population increases after the application of the PRSU. It was concluded that both soil textures presented the same loss-reduction pattern, where the N from the nitrates and ammonium was reduced in the leachates, increasing the quality of the soil and the microbial population in both soil textures after the PRSU application., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The blue corn-based products are considered functional foods due to their high concentration of anthocyanins. The aim of this study was to estimate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the thermal degradation of anthocyanins from extruded nixtamalized corn products. A comparative study of anthocyanins thermal stability in these matrices in a buffer solution (pH 2.5) was investigated at different temperatures (60, 75 or 90 °C). Results showed the mechanism of anthocyanins degradation followed first-order reaction kinetics. The values of the reaction rate constant (k) were found to be in a range of 0.027-0.037 h -1 at 60 °C, 0.107-0.113 h -1 at 75 °C and 0.340-0.354 h -1 at 90 °C. The higher the k value was, the shorter the half-life time and D-value. The activation energy (Ea) and z-values were in the range of 75.1-89.2 kJ/mol and 28.8-35.1 °C, respectively. The coefficient Q 10 indicated the reaction rate approximately doubles with every 10 °C temperature increase. ∆H, ∆S and ∆G indicated the degradation of anthocyanins was an endothermic and nonspontaneous reaction. Even the major susceptibility of the anthocyanins in extruded nixtamalized corn products at the time-temperature combination applied, there was not difference between flour and tortilla, this imply that most of the anthocyanins were degraded during the nixtamalization extrusion process and no significative further degradation occur in the cooking step. This study provides and advance in the knowledge on the effect of nixtamalization extrusion process and tortillas making on the stability of anthocyanins from blue corn. However, further studies are needed., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extrusion factors on the properties of extruded nixtamalized corn flours (ENCFs), determine the optimal conditions, and produce a tortilla with texture and nutraceutical characteristics acceptable for consumers. The processing factors used were feed moisture (FM, 15 to 30%), extruder temperature (T, 70 to 110 °C), and screw speed (SS, 50 to 145 rpm). The properties evaluated in the flours were total anthocyanins (TA), subjective water absorption capacity, and peak viscosity (PV). Response surface methodology and analysis of variance were used in the evaluation. The linear and quadratic terms of FM had a greater effect on all evaluated parameters. The optimization was performed using the numerical method of global desirability. The response variables that were optimized in the ENCF were TAs (maximize) and PV (maximize). The optimal region was the following: FM (18.17%), T (92.03 °C), and SS (76.61 rpm). The experimental value for the TA in the optimized ENCF was 226.07 mg/kg, and the PV was 1063.9 cP. The results of this study could help develop nixtamalized corn flours with desirable characteristics to make tortillas using the extrusion process. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results obtained would be useful for the tortilla industry, developing nixtamalized corn flours with desirable characteristics to make healthy tortillas using the extrusion process, with minimum losses in biologically active compounds such as anthocyanins (health promoters) without affect negatively the eating quality of the product (good texture)., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Sorghum is a cereal with little use in human diet; however, this grain can provide several nutrients and, additionally, has a high content of phenolic compounds concentrated in bran, which could be beneficial to human health due to its high antioxidant capacity. However, these bioactive compounds are bound within the cell wall matrix; it is necessary to release these compounds to take advantage of their antioxidant properties. The extrusion process increases the accessibility of bound phenolic compounds, breaking their bonds from the bran matrix. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal extrusion conditions for maximizing the phenolic compound content and antioxidant capacity of sorghum bran extrudate. The extrusion process factors evaluated were feed moisture (FM) from 25 to 35% and the fourth extrusion zone temperature (T) in the range of 140-180 °C. Analysis of variance and response surface analysis were used in the evaluation. The prediction coefficient, (FM) 2 , (T) 2 and their interaction (FM)(T) significantly affected the free total phenolic compounds. The antioxidant capacity of the free total phenolic compounds was significantly affected by (FM) 2 and (T) 2 . The optimal extrusion conditions were FM = 30% and T = 160 °C, which provided free total phenolic compounds with a value of 7428.95 μg GAE/g (predicted value: 7810.90 μg GAE/g) and antioxidant capacity with a value of 14.12 μmol TE/g (predicted value: 14.85 μmol TE/g). Results confirmed that extrusion process optimization was useful to increase the content of phenolic compounds and improved the antioxidant capacity of sorghum bran.

The aim of this study was to compare the physicochemical, rheological, and morphological characteristics of corn, nixtamalized flour, masa, and tortillas from the traditional nixtamalization process (TNP) and the extrusion nixtamalization process (ENP) and their relationship with starch. The traditional and extrusion processes were carried out using the same variety of corn. From both processes, samples of ground corn, nixtamalized flour, masa, and tortillas were obtained. The extrusion process produced corn flour with particle sizes smaller (particle size index, PSI = 51) than that of flour produced by the traditional nixtamalization process (PSI = 44). Masa from the TNP showed higher modulus of elasticity ( G ') and viscosity ( G ″ ) values than that off masa from the ENP. Furthermore, in a temperature sweep test, masa from the TNP showed a peak in G ' and G ″ , while the masa from the ENP did not display these peaks. The ENP-produced tortillas had higher resistant starch contents and comparable firmness and rollability to those from the TNP but lower quality parameter values. A comparison of the products' physicochemical properties obtained by the two processes shows the importance of controlling the damage to starch during the milling and extrusion processes to obtain tortillas of better quality. For the first time, we propose the measurement of the viscoelastic parameters G ' and G ″ in temperature sweep mode to monitor changes in the degree of starch damage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2020 Carlos Martín Enríquez-Castro et al.)

Purpose: Storage and ionizing radiation of human red blood cells (RBC) produce alterations on RBC membranes and modify their normal shape and functionality. We investigated early morphological and biochemical changes in RBC due to those stressing agents at the nanoscale level and their impact on blood quality., Materials and Methods: Whole blood samples from healthy donors were γ-irradiated with 15, 25, 35, and 50 Gy. Non-irradiated and non-stored RBC were used as control samples. Irradiated blood samples were stored separately at 4 °C and analyzed immediately and after 5 and 13 d. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), osmotic fragility and Raman spectroscopy were used to detect morphological and biochemical changes., Results: RBC function is challenged by both irradiation and storage. The storage procedure caused nanometric variations over the surface of RBC membrane for both irradiated and non-irradiated cells. The membrane of RBC became more fragile, while the biochemical fingerprint of hemoglobin (Hb) remained unaltered., Conclusions: Our work shows that the irradiation procedure leads to an increase in the number and size of nanovesicles along with the dose. The functionality of RBC can be affected from changes in the roughness, becoming more fragile and susceptible to breakage.

Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) Escherichia coli (E. coli) causes traveller's diarrhoea and high mortality among baby animals. ETEC adhesion is mediated by lectins (adhesins) that bind to glycoconjugates on the surface of host cells. Glycans that compete for adhesion could be used for disease prevention. Neoglycans of porcine albumin (PSA) that were conjugated with prebiotic galactooligosaccharides (GOS) were synthesised using the Maillard reaction. PSA glycation was confirmed by a reduction in the number of available free amino groups, decreased tryptophan intrinsic fluorescence, increased molecular mass and Ricinus communis lectin recognition. The adhesion of four ETEC strains (E. coli H10407, CFA(+), K99 and K88) to PSA-GOS was examined by an enzyme-linked lectin assay. E. coli K88 bound to PSA-GOS with greater affinity (P<0.05) than did E. coli H10407, CFA(+) and K99. In addition, PSA-GOS partially inhibited the adherence of the K88 strain to intestinal mucins. Pig ETEC strain was unable to ferment galactooligosaccharide-neoglycans. These results suggest that neoglycans obtained by the Maillard reaction may serve in the prophylaxis of ETEC K88 diarrhoea., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chitin neoglycoconjugates (BSA-CO) were obtained by the conjugation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with chitin oligosaccharides (CO) through the Maillard reaction (nonenzymatic glycation). CO produced by acid hydrolysis of chitin were fractionated using an ultrafiltration membrane system (1-3 kDa cutoff). The Maillard reaction was carried out by heating a freeze-dried mixture containing BSA and CO at 60 °C (under 43% relative humidity for 6 and 12 h). BSA-CO were characterized by available amino groups content, intrinsic tryptophan emission spectra, gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry. Biological assays included interaction with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and with bacterial adhesins of Escherichia coli K88+ and Salmonella choleraesuis. Glycation of BSA was revealed by reduction of available amino groups and fluorescence intensity and also retarded migration through SDS-PAGE. Conjugation of BSA with chitin oligomers appeared to be time dependent and was confirmed by mass spectrometry, by which molecular mass increase for monomers and dimers was observed. Monomers were estimated to contain either one or two glycation sites (at 6 and 12 h of treatment, respectively), with one or two tetrasaccharide units attached. Consequently, dimers showed two or four glycation sites. BSA-CO presented biological recognition by WGA and E. coli K88+ and S. cholerasuis adhesins. The strategy used in this work represents a simple method to obtain glycoconjugates to study applications involving protein-carbohydrate recognition.

Glycoconjugates consist of glycans attached to proteins or lipids. Glycans are involved in important biological functions such as trafficking of glycoconjugates, mediation, and modulation of cell adhesion and signaling. This study was conducted to obtain neoglycoconjugates containing a large number of carbohydrates, added through the condensation of reducing sugars with protein amino groups, whose structures were recognized by lectins. Neoglycoconjugates (BSA-Lac) of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with d-lactose were obtained using two sets of glycation conditions, each previously selected by its ability to glycate proteins extensively. The conditions included dry heat at 60 degrees C (for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days) and wet heat in 43% relative humidity (RH) at 50 degrees C (for 5, 10, 15, and 20 h). Products were characterized by gel electrophoresis, tryptophan fluorescence emission spectra, mass spectrometry, free amino group analysis, and their biological recognition established by a galactose-specific lectin and Escherichia coli K88 adhesins. BSA-Lac when compared to BSA revealed an increase in monomer mass due to addition of either 13 (dry heat) or 14 (wet heat) lactoses and formation of polymers (in wet conditions). All BSA-Lac products showed reduced intensity of intrinsic fluorescence, decreased amino groups' availability, and were recognized by Ricinus communis I lectin (RCAI) and by E. coli K88 adhesins. Overall, glycation using both conditions was time-dependent, but greater biorecognition was observed with wet-heat products, due to a higher global glycation and/or to the carbohydrate accessibility. The strategy used in this work represents a simple procedure to obtain glycoconjugates that could be used for recognition studies in biological systems.

The non-enzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and proteins, known as glycation, has received increased attention from nutritional and medical research. In addition, there is a large interest in obtaining glycoconjugates of pure well-characterized oligosaccharides for biological research. In this study, glycation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by d-glucose, d-galactose and d-lactose under dry-heat at 60 degrees C for 30, 60, 120, 180 or 240 min was assessed and the glycated products studied in order to establish their biological recognition by lectins. BSA glycation was monitored using gel electrophoresis, determination of available amino groups and lectin binding assays. The BSA molecular mass increase and glycation sites were investigated by mass spectrometry and through digestion with trypsin and chymotrypsin. Depending on time and type of sugar, differences in BSA conjugation were achieved. Modified BSA revealed reduction of amino groups' availability and slower migration through SDS/PAGE. d-galactose was more reactive than d-glucose or d-lactose, leading to the coupling of 10, 3 and 1 sugar residues, respectively, after 120 minutes of reaction. BSA lysines (K) were the preferred modified amino acids; both K256 and K420 appeared the most available for conjugation. Only BSA-lactose showed biological recognition by specific lectins.

Characterization of cookies made with deseeded grape pomace. The objective of this study was to evaluate deseeded grape pomace as a potential ingredient to elaborate some food products. Cookies were made with flour containing four levels of deseeded grape pomace (0, 5, 7.5 and 10%). Moisture, protein, ashes, fat, tannins and dietary fiber contents were determined in both the deseeded of grape pomace and the cookies. Besides, color, sensorial acceptability and biological evaluations of Net Protein Ratio (NPR), Apparent Digestibility (AD) and True Digestibility (TD) of Protein were determined to the cookies. Substantial amounts of dietary fiber and ashes were found in both the deseeded grape pomace and the cookies. Total dietary fiber increased while adding more deseeded grape pomace. Cookies were well accepted as observed in the sensory evaluation, showing no significative differences among the four levels of deseeded grape pomace addition. The addition of deseeded grape pomace imparted a darker color to the cookies. The dark color was greater in the samples containing more fiber which was indicated by the lower L color value. Regarding nutritional analysis, the higher the deseeded grape pomace addition, the lower the NPR, AD, and TD values. The NPR was affected in greater degree, although these differences were not significant. It is possible to use deseeded grape pomace as an ingredient to make high fiber cookies with acceptable sensorial attributes.