Pomegranate peel phenolics: Microencapsulation,storage stability and potential ingredient for functional food development

In this study, we investigated the effects of microencapsulation conditions on product quality of pomegranate peel phenolics. Our results indicate an optimum air inlet temperature of 160 °C and 1/1 (w/w) or 1/3 (w/w) for phenolics/maltodextrin ratio. No differences were observed amongst the maltodextrins used for coatings. There were also no statistically significant differences in phenolic content of microcapsules for the storage periods of 90 days at 4 °C (p > 0.05). We also evaluated the resultant microencapsulated phenolics for enrichment of the functional properties of regular ice cream used as model food in our studies. Addition of pomegranate peel phenolics at 0.5 and 1.0% (w/w) showed significant improvement of the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the enriched ice creams compared with control sample. Antioxidant activity as EC₅₀ and α-glucosidase inhibitory as IC₅₀ of 1.0% phenolic enriched ice creams were 133.3 and 22.9 μg/mL, respectively. More than 75% of the panellists accepted the phenolic enriched ice creams in sensory evaluation, which lends supports to such products for commercial introduction to the general public with the potential as functional foods.     

Pressurised water extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peels

Pomegranate peels are one of the most valuable by-products of the food industry in terms of polyphenols which are conventionally extracted from plant materials by organic solvents, especially with methanol. Pressurised water extraction was investigated for the extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peels. The most important factors affecting the extraction results were found to be particle size, temperature, and static time. The results indicated that pressurised water extraction was as effective as conventional methanol extraction for the recovery of polyphenols from pomegranate peels. Total phenolic contents of pomegranate peels obtained by pressurised water extraction at optimised conditions and conventional solid–liquid methanol extraction were determined as 264.3 and 258.2 mg/g tannic acid equivalents, respectively. Hydrolyzable tannins were the predominant polyphenols of pomegranate peels corresponding to 262.7 mg/g tannic acid equivalents. Punicalagin content of pomegranate peels by pressurised water extraction was found to be 116.6 mg/g on dry matter basis.     

Composition and thermal analysis of ternary mixtures of avocado fat:palm stearin:cocoa butter (Avo:PS:CB)

Avocado fat is a semi-solid substance with potential functional lipid characteristics. A study was carried out to evaluate the effect of addition of palm stearin and cocoa butter on the solidification behavior of avocado fat to formulate a mixture to become similar to lard. A total of three mixtures were prepared: avocado fat:palm stearin:cocoa butter (88:7:5), avocado fat:palm stearin:cocoa butter (86:7:7), avocado fat:palm stearin:cocoa butter (84:7:9; w/w), and identified by the mass ratio of avocado fat to palm stearin and cocoa butter. The fat mixtures were compared with lard in terms of the fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions using gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, thermal properties using differential scanning calorimetry and solid fat content using p-nuclear magnetic resonance. Although there were considerable differences between lard and the fat mixtures with regard to fatty acid and triacylglycerol compositions, some similarities were seen with regard to thermal properties and solid fat content profile. Of all the fat mixtures, avocado fat:palm stearin:cocoa butter (84:7:9) displayed closer similarity to lard with respect to thermal transitions at –3.59°C and its solid fat content profile showed the least difference to that of lard throughout the temperature range measured.     

Characterization of bacteriocins from two Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolates

In this study, bacteriocins from two Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolates from raw milk samples in Turkey designated OC1 and OC2, respectively, were characterized and identified. The activity spectra of the bacteriocins were determined by using different indicator bacteria including Listeria, Bacillus and Staphylococcus spp. Bacteriocins were tested for their sensitivity to different enzymes, heat treatments and pH values. Loss of bacteriocin activities after alpha-amylase treatment suggested that they form aggregates with carbohydrates. Molecular masses of the purified bacteriocins were determined by SDS-PAGE. PCR amplification was carried out with specific primers for the detection of their structural genes. As a result of these studies, the two bacteriocins were characterized as nisin and lacticin 481, respectively. Examination of plasmid contents of the isolates and the results of plasmid curing and conjugation experiments showed that in L. lactis subsp. lactis OC1 strain the 39.7-kb plasmid is responsible for nisin production, lactose fermentation and proteolytic activity, whereas the 16.0-kb plasmid is responsible for lacticin 481 production and lactose fermentation in L. lactis subsp. lactis OC2 strain.     

Bench-scale treatments of colour-fixed cottonseed oil

Bench-scale refining of crude colour-fixed cottonseed oil was carried out using equipment and conditions similar to those at a local factory. Ethanolamine at 2–3% level resulted in 55–62% reduction in the oil colour, and 24–26% reduction in the refining loss over the factory treated oil. Sodium silicate at 0.14–0.47% level resulted in about 50% reduction in oil colour and 24–44% reduction in the refining loss. A two-step treatment, first with caustic soda lye then with either additives, and miscella refining using ethanolamine as an additive, resulted in superior oil colour, yet the refining losses were high.     

Development of Unconventional Fabric from Banana (Musa Acuminata) Fibre for Industrial Uses

ABSTRACT

Banana fiber is a lingo-cellulosic under-exploited bast fiber, which obtained from the pseudo-stem of banana plant (Musa acuminata). In this study, an attempt has been made to explore the possibility of production of needle-punched nonwoven from fibrous material of biowaste for value addition and diversified uses. Mechanical processing for preparation of all banana, banana-jute (1:1), and banana-polypropylene (1:1) blended needle punched nonwoven has been optimized and processing parameters have been suggested. Softening treatment of banana fibre has been done successfully for better processing. Boiling in water with 1% nonionic detergent has been suggested as pre-processing for softening. Tenacity, elongation-at-break, initial modulus, breaking energy, stress relaxation, creep, compressibility, recovery-from-compression, bending load, electrical insulation, thermal insulation, sound insulation, air permeability, and frictional force have been evaluated and analyzed for all the above-mentioned samples. Based on those properties the probable use has been suggested as insulation (thermal and sound) and filter material.     

Hypocholesterolaemic effect of yoghurt containing Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G4 or Bifidobacterium longum BB536

The effect of a yoghurt supplement containing Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G4 or Bifidobacterium longum BB536 on plasma lipids, lipid peroxidation and the faecal excretion of bile acids was examined in rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. After 8 weeks, the rats in the positive control (PC) group who were fed the cholesterol-enriched diet showed significant increases in plasma total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA). However, groups fed a cholesterol-enriched diet supplemented with yoghurt containing B. pseudocatenulatum G4 or B. longum BB536 had significantly lower plasma TC, LDL-C, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and MDA than had the PC group after 8 weeks of treatment. In addition, faecal excretion of bile acids was markedly increased in the rats fed the yoghurt containing B. pseudocatenulatum G4 or B. longum BB536 as compared to the PC and NC groups.     

Determination of toxic and essential elements in sunflower honey from Thrace Region,Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and selenium (Se) in sunflower honeys obtained from Thrace Region of Turkey. Trace and toxic element determination was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion. The accuracy of the method was checked by the standard reference material, NIST‐SRM 1515 Apple leaves. The maximum contents of trace and toxic elements in honey samples from Kesan (polluted area) were found as 0.46, 0.82, 1.98, 14.0, 9.86 μg kg^?1, 0.48 mg kg^?1, 137, 115 and 290 μg kg^?1 for Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni and Se, respectively.