Degradation of high-methoxyl pectin by dynamic high pressure microfluidization and its mechanism

High-methoxyl pectin was degraded by dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM). It was found that apparent viscosity, average molecular weight and particle size of pectin decreased, whereas the amount of reducing sugars increased with increasing DHPM pressure. At the same time, the surface topography of pectin was changed from large flake-like structure to smaller porous chips. The mechanism of DHPM-induced degradation of pectin was also investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed DHPM had no effect on the primary structure of pectin. On the other hand, reducing sugars content increased linearly with decreasing average molecular weight, suggesting the degradation may derive from the rupture of glycosidic bond. The breakdown of glycosidic bond may not only result from intensive mechanical forces but also from acid hydrolysis, which was evidenced in the reduction of degradation when the concentration of H⁺ was lowered. In addition, neither β-elimination nor demethoxylation occurred with DHPM. Based on these results, a model was proposed to illustrate the degradation of pectin induced by DHPM.     

Neriifolin S, a dimeric serine protease from Euphorbia neriifolia Linn.: Purification and biochemical characterisation

A dimeric serine protease Neriifolin S of molecular mass 94 kDa with milk clotting activity has been purified from the latex of Euphorbia neriifolia by anion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. It hydrolyses peptidyl substrates l-Ala-pNA with highest affinity (K_m of 0.195 mM) and physiological efficiency (K_cat/K_m of 144.5 mM s). Enzyme belongs to the class of neutral proteases with pI value of 6.8, optimal proteolytic activity displayed at pH 9.5 and temperature 45 °C. Its proteolytic activity is strongly stimulated in the presence of Ca⁺² ions and exclusively inhibited by serine protease inhibitors. Enzyme is fairly stable toward chemical denaturants, pH and temperature. The apparent T_m, was found to be 65 °C. Thermal inactivation follow first order kinetics with activation energy (Ea), activation enthalpy (ΔH∗), free energy change (ΔG∗) and entropy (ΔS∗) of 27.54 kJ mol⁻¹, 24.89 kJ mol⁻¹, −82.34 kJ mol⁻¹ and 337.20 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹.     

Pyrolytic formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from sesquiterpenes

The products of the pyrolysis of four sesquiterpenes, β-caryophyllene, α-cedrene, longifolene and valencene, have been examined. Pyrolysis was carried out at 300, 400 and 500°C, the products determined by GC-MS and then examined for similarities and differences using multivariate data analysis. Analysis showed that longifolene was most resistant and caryophyllene least resistant to pyrolysis with cedrene and valencene occupying intermediate positions. While the compounds were largely unchanged at 300°C, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were major components of the pyrolysates at 400 and 500°C. No less than nine of the 16 EPA priority pollutants were present in the pyrolysates at the higher temperatures.     

Microbial transformation of tectoridin from Pueraria flos by Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria

Tectoridin could be hydrolyzed to tectorigenin by β-glucosidase-producing intestinal bacteria. In this study, nine strains of Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria were screened for high levels of β-glucosidase activity. We investigated their ability to transform tectoridin from Pueraria flos to tectorigenin. Lactobacillus reuteri DSM20016 showed the highest cell-envelope associated β-glucosidase activity, whereas the intracellular β-glucosidase activity from Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC15703 was higher than the other screened bacterial strains. L. reuteri DSM20016, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GGB41031 and B. adolescentis ATCC15703 showed high bioconversion rate of tectoridin. L. reuteri DSM20016 showed the highest bioconversion efficiency of tectoridin, 100% tectoridin was hydrolyzed and there was an approximate 185-fold increase in the concentration of tectorigenin after 24 h. The present study suggests that L. reuteri DSM20016, L. rhamnosus GGB41031 and B. adolescentis ATCC15703 have great potential for converting tectoridin from Pueraria flos to more bioactive tectorigenin.     

An evaluation of carotenoid levels and composition of glabrous canaryseed

Nineteen glabrous canaryseeds comprising brown- and yellow-coloured varieties were investigated to determine carotenoid content and their properties. Total carotenoid content of canaryseeds ranged from 7.57 to 11.69 mg/kg. β-Carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin were the major carotenoids of glabrous canaryseed. β-Carotene ranged from 5291 to 6273, 4564 to 5352, and 3651 to 4428 μg/kg while lutein ranged from 2667 to 3370, 1532 to 3007, and 2042 to 2299 μg/kg, respectively in canaryseed flour, wholemeal and bran. Zeaxanthin was relatively low (?650 μg/kg). High β-carotene levels distinguished glabrous canaryseeds from other cereal crops as potential ingredients for carotenoid-enriched functional foods.     

Physiochemical properties and prolonged release behaviours of chitosan-denatured β-lactoglobulin microcapsules for potential food applications

Chitosan (CS) and β-lactoglobulin (βlg) double-wall coating was designed as a shell structure to achieve prolonged release of core material in the gastrointestinal tract (GI) for potential food applications. A model core material, brilliant blue (BB) dye, was incorporated into CS as the primary wall material, and subsequently, denatured βlg, a secondary wall material, was used to coat the outer layer. The strongest interaction occurred between 0.5% (w/v) βlg and 0.5% (w/v) CS at pH 5.5 ± 0.1, where the opposite charges of CS and βlg formed a complex, which is especially favourable in acidic beverage systems. Under simulated stomach conditions, a denatured-βlg coat resisted acid conditions and pepsin hydrolysis for 2 h. While mimicking small intestine conditions, βlg was degraded by pancreatin, causing the release of BB-loaded CS to the intestinal fluid at a constant rate. The sustained release of core material later in the GI tract provided an optimal absorption rate in the small intestine.     

啤酒废酵母超声破壁提取食源性β-1,3-D-葡聚糖

以啤酒废酵母为原料,采用Box-Behnken正交析因素试验优化超声破壁工艺,得出破壁参数理想条件为酵母质量浓度200 g/L,超声功率800 W,超声时间80 min,超声温度50℃;制得的酵母β-1,3-D-葡聚糖不含甘露聚糖,纯度达90.63%,得率达10.31%。     

Gallic acid oxidizes Met residues in peptides released from bovine β-lactoglobulin by in vitro digestion

Phenolic compounds (PCs) are frequently present in foods. However, little is known about the effect of PCs on enzymatic digestion process of food proteins and their products. In this study, the effect of gallic acid (GA) on in vitro digestion of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) was investigated as a model system for analysis of the interaction between PCs and food proteins. GA showed no effect on the initial rate of β-LG digestion. However, after 1.5 h of digestion, the observed degree of hydrolysis of β-LG was lower in the presence than in the absence of GA. The peptides released from β-LG were characterized by LC/IT-TOF-MS and thirty peptides were identified. In particular, four new peaks were obtained following in vitro digestion of β-LG in the presence of GA. Met(7), Met(24) and Met(145) in the peptides corresponding to these peaks were oxidized to methionine sulfoxide residues.     

Purification, gene cloning and characterization of an acidic β-1,4-glucanase from Phialophora sp. G5 with potential applications in the brewing and feed industries

An extracellular β-1,4-glucanase (CelG5, ～55.0kDa) was isolated from the culture filtrate of Phialophora sp. G5, and its encoding gene was cloned. The deduced amino acid sequence of CelG5 was at most 73.6% and 44.0%, respectively, identical with a hypothetical protein from Sordaria macrospora and an experimentally verified GH 7 endo-β-1,4-glucanase of Neurospora tetrasperma FGSC 2508. Native CelG5 had pH and temperature optima of pH 4.5-5.0 and 55-60°C. The enzyme showed some properties superior than most fungal β-1,4-glucanases, such as high activity over a wide pH range (exhibiting >50% of the maximum activity at pH 2.0-7.0), excellent stability in extreme acidic to alkaline conditions (pH 2.0-9.0), and strong resistance against pepsin and trypsin (retaining 89% and 94% activity, respectively). Recombinant CelG5 produced in Pichia pastoris had a molecular mass and a pH optimum similar to native CelG5, but with maximal activity at 65°C. Application tests showed that native CelG5 was stable under simulated gastric conditions (retaining >70% activity), and had capacity to decrease the viscosity of barley-bean feed (8.9% by 200U CelG5) and mash (6.1% by 50U CelG5) and increase the filtration rate of mash (18.4% by 50U CelG5). These properties make CelG5 a good candidate for utilization in the animal feed and brewing industries.     

High-temperature electrical properties of lanthanum beta-alumina solid electrolytes

Impedance spectroscopy measurements were carried out in the 10 Hz to 10 MHz frequency range from 500 to 1200 °C in LaAl₁₁O₁₈ pellets sintered at 1600 °C. The powders were obtained by the polymeric precursor technique. The sintered pellets were nearly single phase LaAl₁₁O₁₈. The bulk electrical resistivity was evaluated from the [−Z″(ω) × Z′(ω)] impedance diagrams. The value of the activation energy for the ionic conduction, 0.89 eV, was determined from the Arrhenius plot of the bulk conductivity. An yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) oxygen pump and an YSZ oxygen sensor were used for providing 10–1500 ppm of partial pressure of oxygen (pO₂) at 1000 °C for determining the electromotive force (emf) in a Pt/LaAl₁₁O₁₈/Cr₂O₃ + Cr electrochemical cell. The results follow the Nernst law. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the emf at low pO₂ values shows that the LaAl₁₁O₁₈ specimens may be used in sensors for detection of oxygen at high temperatures.