Because of its resident microbiota, the human colon is one of the body’s most metabolically active organs. The use of diet to fortify certain gut flora components is a popular current aspect of ...functional food sciences and prebiotics have a significant role. Prebiotics are selectively fermented ingredients that allow specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microbiota that confers benefits upon host well-being and health. Improved techniques for analysis of the gut microflora, new food manufacturing biotechnologies, and increased understanding of the metabolism of prebiotic inulin and oligosaccharides by probiotics are facilitating development. Such developments are leading us to the time when we will be able to rationally develop prebiotics for specific functional properties and health outcomes. Thus, this review will focus on the progress of prebiotics in food science and technology in understanding the important role of prebiotics in health, beginning at the rationale of gut microflora and interactions with prebiotics. Furthermore, the classification criteria, food applications and safety assessment of prebiotics as food ingredient is also discussed.
Dietary proteins and phenolic compounds are commonly co-existing components that readily interact with each other to yield complexes in a wide range of food systems. The formed complexes play a ...critical role in the physiochemical characteristics of both reacting molecules, thereby impacting nutritional and quality profiles of related products. In this review, we provided the most updated knowledge on dietary protein-phenolic interactions related with food science and human nutrition, including their mechanisms of complexation, analytical technologies, and alterations in the functionality and nutraceutical properties of both reacting partners. Their potential applications in the industries regarding stability during food processing and storage, impacts on product quality, and fabrication of novel delivery systems for liable bioactives were also discussed. The interactions between dietary proteins and phenolics, either via non-covalent or covalent processes, are ubiquitous in food systems and are closely associated with chemical structures of both compounds and the surrounding conditions, mainly temperature, pH, and the presence of phenolic oxidases. Albeit in different ways, such intermolecular associations induced changes in protein conformational structures, which subsequently impacted their techno-functional properties, digestibility, and allergenic potentials; in turn, the bioaccessibility/bioavailability and health-protecting features of interacted phenolics were modified to various extents, as noticed by in vitro and in vivo evidence. Largely depending on the interaction molecules and preparation steps, those influences can be either favorable or unfavorable in different systems and therefore can be tailored to develop food products and nutraceuticals with maximized functionality and quality attributes.
This paper presents a harmonic instability analysis method using state-space modeling and participation analysis in the inverter-fed ac power systems. A full-order state-space model for the ...droop-controlled distributed generation (DG) inverter is built first, including the time delay of the digital control system, inner current and voltage control loops, and outer droop-based power control loop. Based on the DG inverter model, an overall state-space model of a two-inverter-fed system is established. The eigenvalue-based stability analysis is then presented to assess the influence of controller parameters on the harmonic instability of the power system. Moreover, the harmonic-frequency oscillation modes are identified, where participation analysis is presented to evaluate the contributions of different states to these modes and to further reveal how the system gives rise to harmonic instability. Based on the participation analysis, a reduced-order model for harmonic instability analysis is also proposed. The experimental results are presented for validating the theoretical analyses.
Here we report a solution-processing strategy to stabilize the perovskite-based heterostructure. Strong Pb-Cl and Pb-O bonds formed between a CH(NH
)
CH
NH
Pb
I
film with a Pb-rich surface and a ...chlorinated graphene oxide layer. The constructed heterostructure can selectively extract photogenerated charge carriers and impede the loss of decomposed components from soft perovskites, thereby reducing damage to the organic charge-transporting semiconductors. Perovskite solar cells with an aperture area of 1.02 square centimeters maintained 90% of their initial efficiency of 21% after operation at the maximum power point under AM1.5G solar light (100 milliwatts per square centimeter) at 60°C for 1000 hours. The stabilized output efficiency of the aged device was further certified by an accredited test center.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect and mechanism of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) against Shewanella putrefaciens (S. putrefaciens) and Staphylococcus ...saprophytic (S. saprophyticus). The results showed that SAEW exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against tested bacteria, which was positively correlated to the available chlorine concentration (ACC) of SAEW. The mortality rate of S. putrefaciens and S. saprophyticus was up to 96% and 85%, respectively, when the ACC of SAEW was 60.0 mg/L. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the cell morphology and structure were destroyed by SAEW. Besides, the results of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), leakage of DNA and protein provided evidence that SAEW induced membrane permeabilization in cells. Compared with the control, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by SAEW was strengthened significantly with the increase of ACC, and the cells were injured to death accordingly.
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•SAEW exhibited a strong bactericidal ability against fish spoilage bacteria.•SAEW treatment could cause damage to the cell structure.•The release of ROS induced the necrosis of cells after SAEW treatment.•Intracellular antioxidant enzyme activity decreased after SAEW treatment.
Three-dimensional flower-like and hierarchical porous carbon material (FHPC) has been fabricated through a simple and efficient carbonization method followed by chemical activation with flower-like ...ZnO as template and pitch as carbon precursor. The hierarchical porous structure is composed of numerous micropores and well-defined mesopores in the interconnected macroporous walls. The FHPC electrode can achieve a relatively high capacitance of 294Fg−1 at a scan rate of 2mVs−1 and excellent rate capability (71% retention at 500mVs−1) with superior cycle stability (only 2% loss after 5000 cycles) in 6molL−1 KOH electrolyte. The symmetric supercapacitor fabricated with FHPC electrodes delivers a high energy density of 15.9Whkg−1 at a power density of 317.5Wkg−1 operated in the voltage range of 0–1.8V in 1molL−1 Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte.
Food allergies are recognized as a growing public health concern, with an estimated 3% of adults and 6-8% of children affected by food allergy disorders. Hence, food allergen detection, labeling, and ...management have become significant priorities within the food industry, and there is an urgent requirement for reliable, sensitive, and user-friendly technologies to trace food allergens in food products. In this critical review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the principles and applications of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors in the identification and quantification of food allergens (milk, egg, peanut, and seafood), including fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (FOSPR), surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and transmission surface plasmon resonance (TSPR). Moreover, the characteristics and fitness-for-purpose of each reviewed SPR biosensor is discussed, and the potential of newly developed SPR biosensors for multi-allergen real-time detection in a complex food system is highlighted. Such SPR biosensors are also required to facilitate the reliable, high-throughput, and real-time detection of food allergens by the food control industry and food safety control officials to easily monitor cross-contamination during food processing.
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•Four types of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors are reviewed.•Applications of SPR biosensors for food allergens detection are introduced.•Potential applications of SPR biosensors are discussed for allergen detection.
Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) and hydrogel electrolytes were developed as electrolytes for zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). Hydrogels can retain water molecules and provide high ionic conductivities; ...however, they contain many free water molecules, inevitably causing side reactions on the zinc anode. SPEs can enhance the stability of anodes, but they typically possess low ionic conductivities and result in high impedance. Here, we develop a lean water hydrogel electrolyte, aiming to balance ion transfer, anode stability, electrochemical stability window and resistance. This hydrogel is equipped with a molecular lubrication mechanism to ensure fast ion transportation. Additionally, this design leads to a widened electrochemical stability window and highly reversible zinc plating/ stripping. The full cell shows excellent cycling stability and capacity retentions at high and low current rates, respectively. Moreover, superior adhesion ability can be achieved, meeting the needs of flexible devices.
Aqueous zinc metal batteries are appealing candidates for grid energy storage. However, the inadequate electrochemical reversibility of the zinc metal negative electrode inhibits the battery ...performance at the large-scale cell level. Here, we develop practical ampere-hour-scale aqueous Zn metal battery pouch cells by engineering the electrolyte solution. After identifying the proton reduction as the primary source of H
evolution during Zn metal electrodeposition, we design an electrolyte solution containing reverse micelle structures where sulfolane molecules constrain water in nanodomains to hinder proton reduction. Furthermore, we develop and validate an electrochemical testing protocol to comprehensively evaluate the cell's coulombic efficiency and zinc metal electrode cycle life. Finally, using the reverse micelle electrolyte, we assemble and test a practical ampere-hour Zn||Zn
V
O
•nH
O multi-layer pouch cell capable of delivering an initial energy density of 70 Wh L
(based on the volume of the cell components), capacity retention of about 80% after 390 cycles at 56 mA g
and ~25 °C and prolonged cycling for 5 months at 56 mA g
and ~25 °C.
