Influence of Milk Whey on High-Oleic Palm Oil Nanoemulsions: Powder Production,Physical and Release Properties

The milk whey is a by-product of the dairy industry with a relevant protein concentration which can be employed as a wall material in spray drying processes. In this work, milk whey was used to encapsulate high oleic palm oil (HOPO) nanoemulsions. The HOPO/whey ratio and the atomization system (two-fluid nozzle and rotary disc) had a significant influence in the capsule formation. In addition, the release of the oleic acid (AO) from HOPO was evaluated by dialysis bag method for powders obtained by both types of atomizers. Different powders were obtained with good physical properties (particle diameter: 6.1–18.8 μm, a_w: 0.058–0.125, moisture: 0.86–2.39%, bulk density: 390–770 kg/m³, dissolution rate: 55–115s) from stable nanoemulsions with high encapsulation efficiencies (77 to 99%). On the other hand, the release percents of AO were 82.8 and 75.8% for the two-fluid nozzle and the rotary disc, respectively. The release was not completed in the tested time (7 h) due to stable HOPO-whey linkages, and the gradient that must be broken was higher. Aditionally, an inverse relation was found between diameter particle and AO release.     

Triangle Consortium for Reproductive Biology 22nd Annual Meeting

Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 504–507, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.     

Vegetation state changes in the course of shrub encroachment in an African savanna since about 1850 CE and their potential drivers

1. Shrub encroachment has far‐reaching ecological and economic consequences in many ecosystems worldwide. Yet, compositional changes associated with shrub encroachment are often overlooked despite having important effects on ecosystem functioning.
2. We document the compositional change and potential drivers for a northern Namibian Combretum woodland transitioning into a Terminalia shrubland. We use a multiproxy record (pollen, sedimentary ancient DNA, biomarkers, compound‐specific carbon (δ¹³C) and deuterium (δD) isotopes, bulk carbon isotopes (δ¹³Corg), grain size, geochemical properties) from Lake Otjikoto at high taxonomical and temporal resolution.
3. We provide evidence that state changes in semiarid environments may occur on a scale of one century and that transitions between stable states can span around 80 years and are characterized by a unique vegetation composition. We demonstrate that the current grass/woody ratio is exceptional for the last 170 years, as supported by n‐alkane distributions and the δ¹³C and δ¹³Corg records. Comparing vegetation records to environmental proxy data and census data, we infer a complex network of global and local drivers of vegetation change. While our δD record suggests physiological adaptations of woody species to higher atmospheric pCO₂ concentration and drought, our vegetation records reflect the impact of broad‐scale logging for the mining industry, and the macrocharcoal record suggests a decrease in fire activity associated with the intensification of farming. Impact of selective grazing is reflected by changes in abundance and taxonomical composition of grasses and by an increase of nonpalatable and trampling‐resistant taxa. In addition, grain‐size and spore records suggest changes in the erodibility of soils because of reduced grass cover.
4. Synthesis. We conclude that transitions to an encroached savanna state are supported by gradual environmental changes induced by management strategies, which affected the resilience of savanna ecosystems. In addition, feedback mechanisms that reflect the interplay between management legacies and climate change maintain the encroached state.