Effects of plasma treatment on biocompatibility of poly[(L‐lactide)‐co‐(ϵ‐caprolactone)] and poly[(L‐lactide)‐co‐glycolide] electrospun nanofibrous membranes

Poly[(l ‐lactide)‐co ‐(? ‐caprolactone)] (PLCL) and poly[(l ‐lactide)‐co ‐glycolide] (PLGA) copolymers are widely used in neural guide tissue regeneration. In this research, the surface modification of their hydrophilicity was achieved using plasma treatment. Attachment and proliferation of olfactory ensheathing cells on treated electrospun membranes increased by 26 and 32%, respectively, compared to the untreated PLCL and PLGA counterparts. Cells cultivated on both the PLCL and PLGA membranes showed high viability (>95%) and healthy morphologies with no evidence of cytotoxic effects. Cells grown on treated electrospun fibres displayed significant increases in mitochondrial activity and reductions in membrane leakage when compared to untreated samples. The results suggested that plasma treatment of the surface of the polymers enhanced both cell viability and growth without incurring any cytotoxic effects. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trans</Emphasis>-free margarine fat produced using enzymatic interesterification of rice bran oil and hard palm stearin

Trans-free interesterified fats were prepared from blends of hard palm stearin (hPS) and rice bran oil (RBO) at 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, and 80:20 weight % using immobilized Mucor miehei lipase at 60°C for 6 h with a mixing speed of 300 rpm. Physical properties and crystallization and melting behaviors of interesterified blends were investigated and compared with commercial margarine fats. Lipase-catalyzed interesterification modified triacylglycerol compositions and physical and thermal properties of hPS:RBO blends. Slip melting point and solid fat contents (SFC) of all blends decreased after interesterification. Small, mostly β′ form, needle-shaped crystals, desirable for margarines were observed in interesterified fats. Interesterified blend 40:60 exhibited an SFC profile and crystallization and melting characteristics most similar to commercial margarine fats and also had small needle-like β′ crystals. Interesterified blend 40:60 was suitable for use as a transfree margarine fat.     

High-Intensity Ultrasound-Induced Crystallization of Mango Kernel Fat

The crystallization behavior of mango kernel fat (MKF) at 25 °C with and without the application of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) (20 kHz, 125 W) was studied as a function of ultrasound amplitude level (30%, 50%, and 70% of the maximum amplitude of 180 μm). The irradiation period was fixed at 5 s. It was found that HIU induced MKF crystallization. The crystallization induction time decreased with a decrease in crystal size and an increase in the number of crystals as the HIU amplitude increased. The β' → β transformation was also accelerated with HIU application. This work has shown that there is great potential for the use of HIU in the food industry to achieve a shorter and more controllable crystallization process. In particular, HIU could be used as an efficient tool for controlling the polymorphic transition of fats.     

Synthesis of confectionery fat from illipé butter stearin and palm mid-fraction blend via enzymatic interesterification

Cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) was synthesised from blends of illipé butter stearin (IBS) and palm mid-fraction (PMF) via enzymatic interesterification (EIE). IBS was blended with PMF in three wt ratios (70:30, 60:40 and 50:50) and the EIE reactions were performed at 50°C for 30 min using an sn-1,3-specific lipase from Rhizopus oryzae as a catalyst. The triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions, slip melting points (SMP), crystallisation and melting thermograms, solid fat content (SFC) curves, and crystal microstructure of the blends before and after EIE were studied and compared with cocoa butter (CB). After EIE, the contents of POP and StOSt decreased, whereas the POSt content increased in all blends. Blend EIE 60:40 exhibited the POP and StOSt contents that situated within the ranges of POP and StOSt contents of CB. It also showed SMP, melting peak and melting completion temperatures, melting enthalpy and crystal microstructure most similar to CB. Most importantly, its SFC curve completely matched that of CB. Consequently, EIE 60:40 was chosen for further investigation and it was found to be fully compatible with CB and crystallised into the same polymorphic form (β) as CB. Therefore, EIE 60:40 has a high potential for use as a commercial CBE.     

Cocoa Butter Alternatives from Enzymatic Interesterification of Palm Kernel Stearin,Coconut Oil,and Fully Hydrogenated Palm Stearin Blends

Structured lipids (SL) were produced from enzymatic interesterification (EIE) of palm kernel stearin (PKS), coconut oil (CNO), and fully hydrogenated palm stearin (FHPS) blends in various mass ratios. The EIE reactions were performed at 60 °C for 6 hours using immobilized Lipozyme RM IM with a mixing speed of 300 rpm. The physicochemical properties, crystallization and melting behavior, solid fat content (SFC), crystal morphology and polymorphism of the physical blends (PB), and the SL were characterized and compared with commercial cocoa butter and cocoa butter alternatives (CBA). EIE significantly modified the triacylglycerol compositions of the fat blends, resulting in changes in the physical properties and the crystallization and melting behavior. SFC and slip melting point of all SL decreased from those of their counterpart PB. In particular, SL obtained from EIE of blends 60:10:30 and 70:10:20 (PKS:CNO:FHPS) exhibited a high potential to be used as trans-free CBA as they showed similar melting ranges, melting peak temperatures, and SFC curves to the commercial CBA with fine needle-like crystals and desirable β' polymorph.