De-carbonizing electricity generation: It won't be easy,cheap, nor enough

De-carbonizing electricity generation is necessary and should be implemented on a massive scale on many fronts and as soon as feasible to avert climate change. But all indications are that this–while necessary–will not be sufficient in the longer term. We must also pay attention to how energy is used, including fundamental changes in lives and lifestyles.     

Paclitaxel and other taxanes in hazelnut

Small amounts of paclitaxel (Taxol^®) were isolated from Tombul hazelnut (Corylus arellana L.) hard shells, green shell covers and leaves. In addition to paclitaxel, 10-deacetyl baccatin III, baccatin III and cephalomannine were found in the extracts. Taxanes were not detected in nut kernels or hulls from this cultivar. The amounts present varied between 8.61 and 68.22 micrograms per gram sample on a defatted and dried basis. While it is possible that these taxanes may have been made by fungi associated with the hazelnut, it is likely that they are made by the plant tissues.     

Encapsulation of food ingredients

Microencapsulation is a relatively new technology that is used for protection, stabilization, and slow release of food ingredients. The encapsulating or wall materials used generally consist of starch, starch derivatives, proteins, gums, lipids, or any combination of them. Methods of encapsulation of food ingredients include spraydrying, freeze‐drying, fluidized bed‐coating, extrusion, cocrystallization, molecular inclusion, and coacervation. This paper reviews techniques for preparation of microencapsulated food ingredients and choices of coating material. Characterization of microcapsules, mechanisms of controlled release, and efficiency of protection/ stabilization of encapsulated food ingredients are also presented.     

Oxidative stability of oil from blubber of harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) as assessed by NMR and standard procedures

Oils from seal blubber and cod liver were extracted, refined and bleached in a laboratory scale process. Oxidative stability of oils was evaluated over a 16-day period under accelerated oxidation conditions at 65°C. Peroxide value (PV), contents of conjugated dienes (CD) and trienes (CT), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and p-anisidine values (AnV) were determined. In addition, NMR spectroscopy was used to monitor relative changes in the proton pattern of the fatty acids of oils during storage. Cod liver oil showed higher PV, CD, CT and TBARS values as compared with seal blubber oil. The ratio of aliphatic to olefinic protons in both oils determined by NMR spectroscopy increased steadily over the entire length of the storage period, indicating progressive oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in both oils. A significant correlation (P ≤0·05) was found between these ratios and TOTOX values (2PV + AnV) for both oils, thus suggesting that NMR methodology can be used as an effective means to simultaneously estimate both primary and secondary oxidation changes.     

Specialty seeds: Nutrients,bioactives, bioavailability,and health benefits: A comprehensive review

Seeds play important roles in human nutrition and health since ancient time. The term “specialty” has recently been applied to seeds to describe high-value and/or uncommon food products. Since then, numerous studies have been conducted to identify various classes of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols in specialty seeds. This review discusses nutrients, fat-soluble bioactives, polyphenols/bioactives, antioxidant activity, bioavailability, health benefits, and safety/toxicology of commonly consumed eight specialty seeds, namely, black cumin, chia, hemp, flax, perilla, pumpkin, quinoa, and sesame. Scientific results from the existing literature published over the last decade have been compiled and discussed. These specialty seeds, having numerous fat-soluble bioactives and polyphenols, together with their corresponding antioxidant activities, have increasingly been consumed. Hence, these specialty seeds can be considered as a valuable source of dietary supplements and functional foods due to their health-promoting bioactive components, polyphenols, and corresponding antioxidant activities. The phytochemicals from these specialty seeds demonstrate bioavailability in humans with promising health benefits. Additional long-term and well-design human intervention trials are required to ascertain the health-promoting properties of these specialty seeds.     

Chemistry and health effects of polymethoxyflavones and hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) and hydroxylated polymethoxyflavones exist exclusively in citrus genus, especially in the citrus peels which have been used as herbal medicine for several diseases for thousands of years. In this review, the natural occurrence, isolation and separation of PMFs; synthetic scheme of hydroxylated PMF preparation, especially the reaction mechanism of preparation of 5-hydroxylated PMFs; biotransformation and metabolic fate of PMFs; the preliminary study on PMF bioavailability and the close relationship among solubility, permeability, absorption and oral bioavailability are summarized. The published bioactivity data on anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-atherogenic properties of PMFs have also been detailed along with a report of new findings of hydroxylated PMFs and their potent biological activities.     

Lipase-assisted acidolysis of high-laurate canola oil with eicosapentaenoic acid

The production of structured lipids via acidolysis of high-laurate canola oil (Laurical 15) with EPA in hexane was carried out using lipase from Pseudomonas sp. The optimal reaction conditions used 4% lipase, at a mole ratio of oil to EPA of 1∶3 at 45°C over 36 h. The positional distribution of FA on the glycerol backbone of unmodified oil indicated that lauric acid was mainly located at the sn-1,3 positions. Stereospecific analysis of the oil modified with EPA showed that lauric acid remained mostly esterified to the sn-1,3 positions of the TAG molecules and that EPA was also primarily in the sn-1,3 positions of the TAG molecules. Thus, the resultant structured lipids may have optimal value for use in applications where quick energy release and EPA supplementation are required.     

Enzymatic Incorporation of Selected Long-Chain Fatty Acids into Triolein

Acidolysis of triolein (tri C18:1) with selected long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) was carried out using Candida antarctica (Novozym 435), Rhizomucor miehei (Lipozyme RM IM), Pseudomonas sp. (PS-30), Aspergillus niger (AP-12), and Candida rugosa (AY-30). A better incorporation of stearic acid (SA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), γ-linolenic acid (GLA), arachidonic acid (AA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) was achieved using lipase from Rhizomucor miehei. Lipase from Pseudomonas sp. catalyzed a better incorporation of linoleic acid (LA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into triolein. Thus, Rhizomucor miehei and to a lesser extent Pseudomonas sp. might be considered as providing the most effective enzymes for acidolysis of triolein with selected LCFA. In general, incorporation of LCFA into triolein (tri C18:1) may be affected by chain length, number of double bonds, and the location and geometry of the double bonds as well as reaction conditions and reactivity and specificity of lipases used. As the ratio of the number of moles of a mixture of equimole quantities of C18 FA to triolein changed from 1 to 3, incorporation of C18 FA into triolein increased accordingly with Rhizomucor miehei lipase. Similarly, incorporation of n-3 FA into triolein increased when ALA, DPA, DHA, and EPA were used. The same trend was noticed for a mixture of n-6 FA (LA + GLA + AA) and triolein.