Solid�CLiquid Transitions and Stability of HPKO-in-Water Systems Emulsified by Dairy Proteins

Stability of oil-in-water emulsions during freezing and thawing is regulated by the phase transitions occurring in the continuous and dispersed phases upon thermal treatments and by the composition of the interfacial membrane. In the present study, the impact of the water phase formulation (0–2.5–5–10–20–30–40% w/w sucrose), the interfacial composition [whey protein isolates (WPI) or sodium caseinate (NaCas) used at different concentrations], and the particle size on the stability of hydrogenated palm kernel oil (30% w/w)-in-water systems was investigated. Phase/state behaviour of the continuous and dispersed phases and emulsion destabilisation were studied by differential scanning calorimetry. System morphology was observed by particle size analysis and optical microscopy. The presence of sucrose in the aqueous phase and reduced particle size distribution significantly improved emulsion stability. WPI showed better stabilising properties than NaCas at lipid to protein ratios of 10:1, 7.5:1, 5:1 and 4:1. Increased WPI concentration significantly improved emulsion resistance to breakdown during freeze–thaw cycling. NaCas showed poor stabilising properties and was ineffective in reducing emulsion destabilisation at 0% sucrose at all the lipid to protein ratios.     

Ethyl Cellulose Microcapsules for Protecting and Controlled Release of Folic Acid

Ethyl cellulose microcapsules were developed for use as a drug-delivery device for protecting folic acid from release and degradation in the undesirable environmental conditions of the stomach, whilst allowing its release in the intestinal tract to make it available for absorption. The controlled release folic acid-loaded ethyl cellulose microcapsules were prepared by oil-in-oil emulsion solvent evaporation using a mixed solvent system, consisting of a 9:1 (v/v) ratio of acetone:methanol and light liquid paraffin as the dispersed and continuous phase. Span 80 was used as the surfactant to stabilize the emulsion. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the microcapsules had a spherical shape. However, the particulate properties and in vitro release profile depended on the concentrations of the ethyl cellulose, Span 80 emulsifier, sucrose (pore inducer), and folic acid. The average diameter of the microcapsules increased from 300 to 448 μm, whilst the folic acid release rate decreased from 52% to 40%, as the ethyl cellulose concentration was increased from 2.5% to 7.5% (w/v). Increasing the Span 80 concentration from 1% to 4% (v/v) decreased the average diameter of microcapsules from 300 to 141 μm and increased the folic acid release rate from 52% to 79%. The addition of 2.5–7.5% (w/v) of sucrose improved the folic acid release from the microcapsules. The entrapment efficiency was improved from 64% to 88% when the initial folic acid concentration was increased from 1 to 3 mg/ml.     

Phase Separation Behavior of Caseins in Milk Containing Flaxseed Gum and κ-Carrageenan: A Light-Scattering and Ultrasonic Spectroscopy Study

The physico-chemical properties of skim milk containing κ-carrageenan (in the concentration range 0–0.06% w/v), flaxseed gum (in the concentration range 0–0.40% w/v), or a mixture of both polysaccharides were studied using dynamic light scattering, under diluted conditions, as well as in situ, undiluted, using diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) and ultrasonic spectroscopy. Flaxseed gum causes phase separation in milk mixtures, because of thermodynamic incompatibility between the casein micelles and the polysaccharide chains. Confocal microscopy and ultrasonic spectroscopy showed that while the addition of 0.01% κ-carrageenan was not sufficient to hinder phase separation, when 0.03% was added, the helix–helix interactions between κ-carrageenan molecules were sufficient to form a network and stabilize the system. DWS clearly demonstrated that clusters of casein micelles still form even at very low concentrations of polysaccharides (below the visible phase separation threshold) and that κ-carrageenan hinders visible phase separation by decreasing the mobility of the casein micelles.     

Stability Assessment of Injectable Castor Oil-Based Nano-sized Emulsion Containing Cationic Droplets Stabilized by Poloxamer–Chitosan Emulsifier Films

The objectives of the present work were to prepare castor oil-based nano-sized emulsion containing cationic droplets stabilized by poloxamer–chitosan emulgator film and to assess the kinetic stability of the prepared cationic emulsion after subjecting it to thermal processing and freeze–thaw cycling. Presence of cryoprotectants (5%, w/w, sucrose +5%, w/w, sorbitol) improved the stability of emulsions to droplet aggregation during freeze–thaw cycling. After storing the emulsion at 4°C, 25°C, and 37°C over a period of up to 6 months, no significant change was noted in mean diameter of the dispersed oil droplets. However, the emulsion stored at the highest temperature did show a progressive decrease in the pH and zeta potential values, whereas the emulsion kept at the lowest temperatures did not. This indicates that at 37°C, free fatty acids were formed from the castor oil, and consequently, the liberated free fatty acids were responsible for the reduction in the emulsion pH and zeta potential values. Thus, the injectable castor oil-based nano-sized emulsion could be useful for incorporating various active pharmaceutical ingredients that are in size from small molecular drugs to large macromolecules such as oligonucleotides.     

Heat-Induced Whey Protein Gels: Effects of pH and the Addition of Sodium Caseinate

The effects of pH (6.7 or 5.8), protein concentration and the heat treatment conditions (70 or 90 °C) on the physical properties of heat-induced milk protein gels were studied using uniaxial compression, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and water-holding capacity measurements. The systems were formed from whey protein isolate (10–15% w/v) with (5% w/v) or without the addition of caseinate. The reduction in pH from 6.7 to 5.8 increased the denaturation temperature of the whey proteins, which directly affected the gel structure and mechanical properties. Due to this increase in the denaturation temperature of the β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin, a heat treatment of 70 °C/30 min did not provide sufficient protein unfolding to form self-supporting gels. However, the presence of 5% (w/v) sodium caseinate decreased the whey protein thermo stability and was essential for the formation of self-supporting gels at pH 6.7 with heat treatment at 70 °C/30 min. The gels formed at pH 6.7 showed a fine-stranded structure, with great rigidity and deformability as compared to those formed at pH 5.8. The latter had a particulate structure and exuded water, which did not occur with the gels formed at pH 6.7. The addition of sodium caseinate led to less porous networks with increased gel deformability and strength but decreased water exudation. The same tendencies were observed with increasing whey protein concentration.     

Rapid solubilization of insoluble phosphate by a novel environmental stress-tolerant Burkholderia vietnamiensis M6 isolated from ginseng rhizospheric soil

We isolated and characterized novel insoluble phosphate (P)-solubilizing bacteria tolerant to environmental factors like high salt, low and high pHs, and low temperature. A bacterium M6 was isolated from a ginseng rhizospheric soil and confirmed to belong to Burkholderia vietnamiensis by BIOLOG system and 16S rRNA gene analysis. The optimal cultural conditions for the solubilization of P were 2.5% (w/v) glucose, 0.015% (w/v) urea, and 0.4% (w/v) MgCl₂·6H₂O along with initial pH 7.0 at 35°C. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that B. vietnamiensis M6 produced gluconic and 2-ketogluconic acids. During the culture, the pH was reduced with increase in gluconic acid concentration and was inversely correlated with P solubilization. Insoluble P solubilization in the optimal medium was about 902 mg l⁻¹, which was approximately 1.6-fold higher than the yield in NBRIP medium (580 mg l⁻¹). B. vietnamiensis M6 showed resistance against different environmental stresses like 10–45°C, 1–5% (w/v) salt, and 2–11 pH range. The maximal concentration of soluble P produced by B. vietnamiensis M6 from Ca₃(PO₄)₂, CaHPO₄, and hydroxyapatite was 1,039, 2,132, and 1,754 mg l⁻¹, respectively. However, the strain M6 produced soluble P with 20 mg l⁻¹ from FePO₄ after 2 days and 100 mg l⁻¹ from AlPO₄ after 6 days, respectively. Our results indicate that B. vietnamiensis M6 could be a potential candidate for the development of biofertilizer applicable to environmentally stressed soil.     

Effect of Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids on the Physicochemical Properties and Stability of β-Carotene Emulsions during Digestion in Simulated Gastric Fluid

The effects of six different polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (PGEs) and two different particle sizes produced using various processing parameters on the physicochemical properties and stability of the β-carotene emulsions during digestion in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) were investigated. β-Carotene emulsions were prepared by high-pressure homogenization using β-carotene (0.1% w/w) in soybean oil as the oil phase and 1% (w/w) PGE in Milli-Q water as the water phase. The particle size of β-carotene emulsions was measured by a laser diffraction technique, and the stability of emulsions was interpreted in terms of the increase in particle size and span value of emulsion droplets and the retention of β-carotene during digestion in SGF. The average particle size ranges of emulsions were 0.17 to 0.27 μm for fine emulsions and 1.16 to 1.59 μm for coarse emulsions. In the prepared β-carotene emulsions, the particle size decreased with increasing polymerization of the glycerol in PGEs, and the higher polymerization of the glycerol also increased the stability of emulsions during digestion in SGF. Although the β-carotene content in the emulsions significantly decreased with increasing digestion period, loss of β-carotene was more severe in unstable emulsions than in stable emulsions, suggesting that the particles incorporated into droplets could provide some protective barrier for decreasing the β-carotene degradation. Therefore, β-carotene emulsions stabilized by PGEs with high polymerization of the glycerol may be useful for further applications in food and drug formulations. Decaglycerol monooleate (MO750) was demonstrated to be the most effective emulsifier in stabilizing β-carotene emulsions in this study.     

In Vitro Characterization and Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) Repellent Activity of Essential-Oils-Loaded Nanoemulsions

The nanoemulsions composed of citronella oil, hairy basil oil, and vetiver oil with mean droplet sizes ranging from 150 to 220 nm were prepared and investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Larger emulsion droplets (195–220 nm) shifted toward a smaller size (150–160 nm) after high-pressure homogenization and resulted in higher release rate. We proposed that thin films obtained from the nanoemulsions with smaller droplet size would have higher integrity, thus increasing the vaporization of essential oils and subsequently prolonging the mosquito repellant activity. The release rates were fitted with Avrami’s equations and n values were in the same range of 0.6 to 1.0, implying that the release of encapsulated limonene was controlled by the diffusion mechanism from the emulsion droplet. By using high-pressure homogenization together with optimum concentrations of 5% (w/w) hairy basil oil, 5% (w/w) vetiver oil (5%), and 10% (w/w) citronella oil could improve physical stability and prolong mosquito protection time to 4.7 h due to the combination of these three essential oils as well as small droplet size of nanoemulsion.     

Microcalorimetric investigations of the metabolism of yeasts. growth in batch and chemostat cultures on ethanol medium

Summary In the presence of protein, Hansenula polymorpha cultivation medium exhibits a maximum volumetric mass transfer coefficient, k_La, as function of the employed antifoam agents (soy oil and Desmophen 3600). With diminishing superficial gas velocity this maximum disappeas.Symbols E_G Relative gas holdup - k_La Volumetric mass transfer coefficient (s^–1) - w_SL Superficial liquid velocity (cm s^–1) - w_SG Superficial gas velocity (cm s^–1)     

A process for the production of ectoine and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halomonas boliviensis</Emphasis>

The paper reports a study involving the use of Halomonas boliviensis, a moderate halophile, for co-production of compatible solute ectoine and biopolyester poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) in a process comprising two fed-batch cultures. Initial investigations on the growth of the organism in a medium with varying NaCl concentrations showed the highest level of intracellular accumulation of ectoine (0.74 g L⁻¹) at 10–15% (w/v) NaCl, while at 15% (w/v) NaCl, the presence of hydroxyectoine (50 mg L⁻¹) was also noted. On the other hand, the maximum cell dry weight and PHB concentration of 10 and 5.8 g L⁻¹, respectively, were obtained at 5–7.5% (w/v) NaCl. A process comprising two fed-batch cultivations was developed—the first culture aimed at obtaining high cell mass and the second for achieving high yields of ectoine and PHB. In the first fed-batch culture, H. boliviensis was grown in a medium with 4.5% (w/v) NaCl and sufficient levels of monosodium glutamate, NH₄⁺, and PO₄³⁻. In the second fed-batch culture, the NaCl concentration was increased to 7.5% (w/v) to trigger ectoine synthesis, while nitrogen and phosphorus sources were fed only during the first 3 h and then stopped to favor PHB accumulation. The process resulted in PHB yield of 68.5 wt.% of cell dry weight and volumetric productivity of about 1 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ and ectoine concentration, content, and volumetric productivity of 4.3 g L⁻¹, 7.2 wt.%, and 2.8 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively. At salt concentration of 12.5% (w/v) during the second cultivation, the ectoine content was increased to 17 wt.% and productivity to 3.4 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹.     

Characterization and Stability of Emulsion Gels Based on Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sepineo P 600, a concentrated dispersion of acrylamide/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer in isohexadecane, has self-gelling and thickening properties and the ability to emulsify oily phases, which make it easy to use in the formulation of gels and o/w emulsion gels. In this paper, gels were prepared using a Sepineo P 600 concentration between the 0.5% and 5% (w/w), and then emulsion gel was also prepared from the 3% Sepineo gel by adding a specific amount of almond oil. All the prepared systems were analyzed and characterized by oscillation rheology and acoustic spectroscopy. The particle size of the oil droplets and the microrheological extensional moduli (G′ and G″) of the systems were determined from acoustic parameters and used together with the classical oscillatory rheological tests to assess the stability of the systems. Classical oscillatory analysis revealed that the dynamic moduli were very dependent on polymer concentration; as this parameter increased, there was progressive improvement in the sample elasticity. In fact, the mechanical spectra of the 0.5% and 1% (w/w) Sepineo samples were characterized by strong frequency dependence and multiple crossover points, typical of dilute polymer solution with no organized structure. On the other hand, the 3–5% (w/w) concentration systems showed typical gel-like spectra, marked by the absence of crossover points between the dynamic moduli and by weak dependence on frequency. Nevertheless, the elastic properties of the gel-like structure even at elevated polymer concentrations were not strongly long-lasting, as demonstrated by the increase of the viscous contribution in the low frequency range during acoustic spectroscopy analysis. This fact could indicate that the gel structure is characterized by weak polymer–polymer interactions, an advantageous characteristic for topical administration, as the sample is thus easier to rub into the skin. Finally, both rheology and acoustic spectroscopy indicated that addition of the oily phase caused minimal changes to the elastic character of the gel. Thus, Sepineo P 600 gel and emulsion gel are very effective systems for use in topical and other types of applications.     

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis of responses of Lactobacillus plantarum FS5-5 to salt tolerance

Lactobacillus plantarum FS5-5 (L. plantarum FS5-5) is a salt-tolerant probiotic strain, which had been isolated from northeast Chinese traditionally fermented Dajiang. We analyzed the underlying molecular mechanisms of L. plantarum FS5-5 after salt stress by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based proteomics and bioinformatics analysis. L. plantarum FS5-5 was treated with low (1.5, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0% (w/v) NaCl) and high (6.0, 7.0, and 8.0% (w/v) NaCl) salt stress. Differentially expression proteins (DEPs) of all groups were measured by quantitative proteomic approach of iTRAQ with LC–MS/MS. Furthermore, DEPs were identified by Mascot and GO, and bioinformatics analysis was conducted by KEGG. Thirty DEPs (P < 0.05) between low salt stress and control condition (0% (w/v) NaCl) were mapped and classified into nine functional groups; 122 DEPs (P < 0.05) between high salt stress and control condition were mapped and classified into 15 functional groups. In all groups, most proteins were involved in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. We found that six proteins (metS, GshAB, GshR3, PepN, GshR4, and serA) involved in amino acid metabolism, three proteins (I526_2330, Gpd, and Gnd) involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and one protein (N876_0118940) involved in peptidoglycan hydrolysis were upregulated after salt stress. Conclusively, optimal L. plantarum FS5-5 growth was dependent on the collective action of different regulatory systems, with each system playing an important role in adapting to salt stress. There may be some relationship between the upregulated proteins of L. plantarum FS5-5 and salt stress.

     

Kinetics of Phase Separation of Oat β-Glucan/Whey Protein Isolate Binary Mixtures

The kinetics of phase separation and microstructure of oat β-glucan/whey protein binary mixtures varying in concentration (4–16% w/v protein, 0.3–1.2% w/v β-glucan) and β-glucan molecular weight (1.3 × 10⁶, 640 × 10³, 180 × 10³, and 120 × 10³ g/mol) was investigated by turbidimetry and fluorescent microscopy. The phase separation of the mixed systems was followed at pH 7.0 and at room temperature under quiescent conditions. Application of first principles revealed that phase separation of the systems follows first-order kinetics. Acceleration of the phase-separation process was observed with increase of β-glucan concentration for the three lowest-MW samples but the highest molecular weight (1.3 × 10⁶ g/mol) exhibited the opposite trend. Changes in the polysaccharide molecular weight resulted in considerable differences in β-glucan aggregate morphology in the mixed systems. The change in the continuity of the mixed system from polysaccharide-, to bi-, to protein-continuous was confirmed for a wide range of mixed systems differing in biopolymer concentration, and β-glucan molecular weight.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: The Influence of Sodium Hyaluronate, <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Leucine and Sodium Taurocholate on the Nebulization of Aqueous Betamethasone-17-Valerate Suspensions

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the variables that are suggested to influence the adsorption of the hydrophilic hyaluronic acid (HA) onto the surface of the hydrophobic betamethasone-17-valerate (BV) particles in order to formulate a nebulizable suspension. The adsorption of HA from aqueous solutions (0.04% to 0.16%, w/v) to a fixed BV concentration (0.04%, w/v) under different experimental conditions, was investigated. The method of preparation of HA-BV suspensions involved suspending BV particles either in the hydrated HA solution (method 1) or in water followed by addition of solid HA (method 2). Other variables like the time required for the adsorption to complete and temperature at which adsorption is carried out were studied. The nebulization of the suspensions was tested via an air jet nebulizer connected to a twin stage impinger. In order to improve the nebulization behavior of the optimized suspension, l-leucine or sodium taurocholate was incorporated in increasing concentrations (0.01–0.04%, w/v). The optimized suspension, having a nebulization efficiency of 33.75%, was achieved following the adsorption of HA (0.1%, w/v) onto BV particles adopting method 2 of preparation and extending for three days at 4 °C. Incorporation of either l-leucine or sodium taurocholate significantly decreased the aggregate size of the optimized suspension and consequently caused significant increases in the nebulization efficiency to reach 46.87% and 56.25%, respectively. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Nanocarrier for the Transdermal Delivery of an Antiparkinsonian Drug

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the potential of nanoemulsions as nanodrug carrier systems for the percutaneous delivery of ropinirole. Nanoemulsions comprised Capryol 90 as the oil phase, Tween 20 as the surfactant, Carbitol as the cosurfactant, and water as an external phase. The effects of composition of nanoemulsion, including the ratio of surfactant and cosurfactant (S _mix) and their concentration on skin permeation, were evaluated. All the prepared nanoemulsions showed a significant increase in permeation parameters such as steady state flux (J _ss) and permeability coefficient (K _p) when compared to the control (p < 0.01). Nanoemulsion composition (NEL3) comprising ropinirole (0.5% w/w), Capryol 90 (5% w/w), S _mix 2:1 (35% w/w), and water (59.5% w/w) showed the highest flux (51.81 ± 5.03 μg/cm²/h) and was selected for formulation into nanoemulsion gel. The gel was further optimized with respect to oil concentration (Capryol 90), polymer concentration (Carbopol), and drug content by employing the Box–Behnken design, which statistically evaluated the effects of these components on ropinirole permeation. Oil and polymer concentrations were found to have a negative influence on permeation, while the drug content had a positive effect. Nanoemulsion gel showed a 7.5-fold increase in skin permeation rate when compared to the conventional hydrogel. In conclusion, the results of the present investigation suggested a promising role of nanoemulsions in enhancing the transdermal permeation of ropinirole.     

Factors affecting the microbial digestion of an industrial seaweed-based residue

Commercial preparation of a seaweed extract from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum for use as fertiliser and soil improver produces a sludge residue which requires remediation. This residue is rich in nutrients and offers the potential for other value-added products. The residue composition was analysed, a microbial digestion process for the residue was developed, and several factors affecting the digestion process were studied. The residue showed an alkaline pH (8.61?±?0.39) and 16% (w/w) total solids, which comprised 40.6% mineral, 29.5% fibre, 24.3% lipid, 4.9% protein and 0.5% polyphenols. The optimised digestion system included a 3-day anaerobic phase to decrease pH (from 8.96?±?0.40 to 7.72?±?0.38), the addition of an inoculum, followed by a 10-day aerobic phase where the insoluble material was digested. Every 3 days, the solubilised material was decanted and replaced with water to delay metabolite inhibition. The rate of digestion (decrease in insoluble material of 28.6?±?14.2% over 13 days) was influenced by the initial insoluble (R ²?=?0.773) and soluble (R ²?=?0.672) matter, the pH at the beginning of the aerobic phase (R ²?=?0.528) and by the accumulation of solubilised digestion products. A compositional analysis of the insoluble material after digestion showed that the lipid content of the residue was 96% digested and that the proportion of protein increased by 82.4%. Inocula and metabolite inhibition were critical features of A. nodosum residue digestion. Similar organic residues require a carefully chosen inoculum and a minimum initial insoluble content (65–70%) and/or a maximum soluble content (25.30%).     

Emulsifier Dependent <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> Digestion and Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene Loaded in Oil-in-Water Emulsions

This study was performed to examine the effect of emulsifiers used to coat emulsion droplets containing β-carotene on the behavior of lipid digestion and bioaccessibility. Different emulsifiers (whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate, sodium caseinate, Tween 20, and soy lecithin) were used to prepare emulsions with similar sized droplets (200–400 nm). Protein-stabilized emulsions showed a similar behavior of digestion, and morphological change in the simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Soy lecithin-stabilized emulsions showed the lowest rate and extent of lipid digestion probably due to the low emulsifying capability of soy lecithin, showing coalesced droplets occurring after exposure to the gastric phase. Tween 20-stabilized emulsions had a lower rate and extent of lipid digestion than that of protein-stabilized emulsions, even though Tween 20-stabilized emulsions had a more stable structure to resistant to aggregation in gastric phase. Even though the difference in the digestion rate and extent, β-carotene bioaccessibility was not significantly different among emulsions stabilized by different emulsifiers at p?<?0.05.     

Influence of Interfacial Composition on in Vitro Digestibility of Emulsified Lipids: Potential Mechanism for Chitosan's Ability to Inhibit Fat Digestion

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of interfacial composition and electrical charge on the in vitro digestion of emulsified fats by pancreatic lipase. An electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition technique was used to prepare corn oil-in-water emulsions (3 wt% oil) that contained droplets coated by (1) lecithin, (2) lecithin–chitosan, or (3) lecithin–chitosan–pectin. Pancreatic lipase (1.6 mg mL⁻¹) and/or bile extract (5.0 mg mL⁻¹) were added to each emulsion, and the particle charge, droplet aggregation, and free fatty acids released were measured. In the presence of bile extract, the amount of fatty acids released per unit amount of emulsion was much lower in the emulsions containing droplets coated by lecithin–chitosan (38 ± 16 μmol mL⁻¹) than those containing droplets coated by lecithin (250 ± 70 μmol mL⁻¹) or lecithin–chitosan–pectin (274 ± 80 μmol mL⁻¹). In addition, there was much more extensive droplet aggregation in the lecithin–chitosan emulsion than in the other two emulsions. We postulated that lipase activity was reduced in the lecithin–chitosan emulsion as a result of the formation of a relatively thick cationic layer around each droplet, as well as the formation of large flocs, which restricted the access of the pancreatic lipase to the lipids within the droplets. Our results also suggest that droplets initially coated by a lecithin–chitosan–pectin layer did not inhibit lipase activity, which may have been because the chitosan–pectin desorbed from the droplet surfaces thereby allowing the enzyme to reach the lipids; however, further work is needed to establish this. This information could be used to create food emulsions with low caloric level, or to optimize diets for individuals with lipid digestion problems.     

Cloning of β-1,3-1,4-glucanase gene from Bacillus licheniformis EGW039 (CGMCC 0635) and its expression in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)

β-1,3-1,4-Glucanase has been applied in the brewing and animal feed additive industry. It can effectively improve digestibility of barley-based diets and reduce enteritis. It also reduces viscosity during mashing for high-quality brewers malt. The aim of this work is to clone β-1,3-1,4-glucanase-encoding gene and express it heterogeneously. The gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using Bacillus licheniformis genomic DNA as the template and ligated into the expression vector pET28a. The recombinant vector was transformed into Escherichia coli. The estimated molecular weight of the recombinant enzyme with a six-His tag at the N terminus was about 28 kDa, and its activities in cell lysate supernatant were 1,286 and 986 U ml⁻¹ for 1% (w/v) barley β-glucan and 1% (w/v) lichenan, respectively. Accordingly, the specific activities were 2,479 and 1,906 U mg⁻¹ for these two substrates. The expression level of recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was about 60.9% of the total protein and about 12.5% of the total soluble protein in crude cell lysate supernatant. Acidity and temperature optimal for this recombinant enzyme was pH 5.6 and 40°C, respectively.     

Whey Protein/Arabic Gum Gels Formed by Chemical or Physical Gelation Process

Whey proteins (WP) gelation process with addition of Arabic gum (AG) was studied. Two different driving processes were employed to induce gelation: (1) heating of 12% whey protein isolate (WPI) solutions (w/w) or (2) acidification of previous thermal denatured WPI solutions (5% w/w) with glucono-δ-lactone (GDL). Protein concentrations were different because they were minimal to form gel in these two processes, but denaturation conditions were the same (90 °C/30 min). Water-holding capacity and mechanical properties of the gels were evaluated. The BST equation was used to evaluate the nonlinear part of the stress–strain data. Cold-set gels were weaker than heat-set gels at the pH range near the isoelectric point (pI) of the main whey proteins, but heated gels were more deformable (did not exhibit rupture point) and showed greater elasticity modulus. However, gels formed by heating far from the pI (pH 6.7 or 3.5) showed more fragile structure, indicating that, in these mixed gels, there are prevailing biopolymers interactions. Cold-set and heat-set gels at pH near or below the WP pI showed strain-weakening behavior, but heated gels at neutral pH showed strong strain-hardening behavior. Such results suggest that differences in stress–strain curve at the nonlinear part of the data could be correlated to structure particularities obtained from different gelation processes.