The impact of secondary polysaccharide, i.e., low methoxyl pectin (LMP) or κ-carrageenan (KC), and its concentration (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6%) on particle size, shape, morphological, textural properties ...and swelling behavior of sodium alginate (ALG)- based double-network hydrogel particles, as well as the viability of encapsulated probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in simulated sequential gastrointestinal (GI) digestion was investigated. We found the addition of LMP impaired the sphericity of double-network hydrogel particles, while the incorporation of KC increased the particle size. The FT-IR results indicated the miscibility and cross-linking capacity of the two polysaccharides in forming double-network hydrogel particles. With respect to the swelling behavior in simulated GI digestion, all hydrogel particles shrank in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) but swelled in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Among the two types of double-networking, ALG–KC hydrogel particles showed noticeable shrank in SGF in conjunction with the reduced swelling in SIF, which was unfavorable for protection and the controlled release of probiotics. In the case of death rate of encapsulated LGG, the presence of LMP at a lower level (0.2 or 0.4%) exhibited protective effect against LGG death during the sequential GI digestion, while addition of KC demonstrated an opposite role.
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•Sodium alginate (ALG) based double-network hydrogel particle could be fabricated.•ALG-low methyl pectin (LMP) had uniform cross-section structure.•ALG-LMP had better protective effects in simulated sequential gastrointestinal tract.•Addition of κ-carrageenan in ALG promoted the death rate of probiotics.
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•Fungicide premixtures can potentially reduce ergot body weight.•Fungicide premixtures can influence EA production in wheat.•None of the fungicides provided complete inhibition of ...ergot development.•Limited inhibition could be related to application timing or wheat genotype.
Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul is the causal organism for ergot impacting grass hosts, including wheat. The pathogen produces ergot alkaloids (EAs) during the development of mature sclerotia leading to potential wheat quality discounts or rejection at the point of sale. Cultural practices are recommended for the management of ergot in wheat, but there is limited information pertaining to the use of in-season fungicides to help reduce ergot. The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of four fungicides (prothioconazole + metconazole, pydiflumetofen + propiconazole, azoxystrobin + propiconazole, and fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin) on sclerotia characteristics, and EAs associated with C. purpurea. A field experiment was established using a male-sterile hard red spring line with fungicide applications occurring at complete full head emergence (Feekes Growth Stage 10.5). Individual plots were harvested and cleaned, and ergot sclerotia were collected. Physical characteristics and toxin production were examined. Fungicides had a significant (p < .05) impact on total ergot body weight (EBW), with all fungicides having lower EBW than the nontreated control. The fungicide premixture of pydiflumetofen + propiconazole had the lowest EBW among all treatments. Fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin had the lowest levels of EAs among fungicides. Results suggest that fungicide premixtures can potentially reduce EBW and influence EA production in wheat.
Bitterness often associated with whole wheat products may be related to phenolics in the bran. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are known to form inclusion complexes. The objective was to form inclusion complexes ...between
-CD and wheat phenolics. Pure phenolic acids (trans-ferulic acid (FA), caffeic acid (CA), and
-coumaric acid (CO)) and phenolic acids from wheat bran were used to investigate complex formation potential. Complexes were characterized by spectroscopy techniques, and a computational and molecular modeling study was carried out. The relative amount of complex formation between
-CD and wheat bran extract was CA > CO > FA. The phenolic compounds formed inclusion complexes with
-CDs by non-covalent bonds. The quantum-mechanical calculations supported the experimental results. The most stable complex was CO/
-CD complex. The Δ
value for CO/
-CD complex was -11.72 kcal/mol and was about 3 kcal/mol more stable than the other complexes. The QSPR model showed good correlation between binding energy and
H NMR shift for the H
signal. This research shows that phenolics and
-CD inclusion complexes could be utilized to improve the perception of whole meal food products since inclusion complexes have the potential to mask the bitter flavor and enhance the stability of the phenolics in wheat bran.
There is growing interest in the application of natural ingredients to replace chemical dough improvers in bread formulations in order to meet consumer demands of clean label products. The goal of ...this study was to evaluate the dough quality and baking quality of hard red spring (HRS) wheat flour blends to replace commercial dough improvers. Hard red winter (HRW) wheat flour is commonly used in bread and diner roll formulations. In this study, doughs were prepared by adding 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of HRS wheat flour to HRW wheat base-flour to compare the dough quality and baking quality relative to different levels of commercial improvers. Additional to commercial HRS flour, two commonly grown HRS wheat varieties (Glenn and Linkert) were included in the study. All of the HRS wheat flour blends had significantly (p < 0.05) higher farinograph stability and extensograph resistance at 135 min than doughs containing most of the commercial additives. Bread flour with 40% Glenn and 40% Linkert showed the highest loaf volumes of 920 cm
3
and 950 cm
3
, respectively with the firmness of 1553.50 and 1525.50 mN, respectively. Baking quality of HRS wheat flour blends also showed significant (p < 0.05) correlation with dough rheology but commercial additives did not have the correlations. Therefore, HRS wheat flour may be used as a replacement for dough improvers, as it had better dough and bread properties compared to commercial additives and provides a great alternative for “clean-label” bread products.
Cereal grains and grain pulses are primary staples often consumed together, and contribute a major portion of daily human calorie and protein intake globally. Protective effects of consuming whole ...grain cereals and grain pulses against various inflammation-related chronic diseases are well documented. However, potential benefits of combined intake of whole cereals and pulses beyond their complementary amino acid nutrition is rarely considered in literature. There is ample evidence that key bioactive components of whole grain cereals and pulses are structurally different and thus may be optimized to provide synergistic/complementary health benefits. Among the most important whole grain bioactive components are polyphenols and dietary fiber, not only because of their demonstrated biological function, but also their major impact on consumer choice of whole grain/pulse products. This review highlights the distinct structural differences between key cereal grain and pulse polyphenols and non-starch polysaccharides (dietary fiber), and the evidence on specific synergistic/complementary benefits of combining the bioactive components from the two commodities. Interactive effects of the polyphenols and fiber on gut microbiota and associated benefits to colon health, and against systemic inflammation, are discussed. Processing technologies that can be used to further enhance the interactive benefits of combined cereal-pulse bioactive compounds are highlighted.
Cereal and pulse polyphenols and dietary fiber offer a wealth of complementary health benefits.
Arabinoxylan (AX)-based films can improve the mechanical characteristics of biodegradable materials when utilized for food packaging. However, the mechanical properties of AX films for food packaging ...applications require thorough investigation to establish their viability. In this study, AX was extracted from corn bran coproducts of dry-milling (DCB), wet-milling (WCB), and dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS) using an acid-alkali method. Packaging materials were produced using these AX extracts, each combined with laccase and sorbitol, forming the basis for three different films. These films were then modified by immersing the surface in a lipase-acetate solution. We evaluated their mechanical characteristics, including thickness, tensile properties, tear resistance, and puncture resistance. The thickness and tensile properties of the modified AX films derived from DCB and DDGS showed significant improvements (
< 0.05) compared to the unmodified AX films. In contrast, the modified AX films from WCB showed no significant changes (
> 0.05) in thickness and tensile properties compared to the unmodified WCB AX films. A significant increase in tear resistance (
< 0.05) was observed in all modified AX films after immersion in the lipase-acetate mixture. While puncture resistance was enhanced in the modified AX films, the improvement was not statistically significant (
> 0.05) compared to the unmodified films. The presence of hydroxyl (OH) and carbonyl (CO) groups on the surfaces of AX films from DCB and DDGS, modified by the lipase-acetate solution, suggests excellent biodegradability properties. The modification process positively affected the AX films, rendering them more bendable, flexible, and resistant to deformation when stretched, compared to the unmodified AX films.
Non-biodegradable plastic materials pose environmental hazards and contribute to pollution. Arabinoxylan (AX) films have been created for applications in food packaging to replace these materials. ...The water interaction characteristics of biodegradable AX films were assessed following the extraction of AX from dry-milled corn bran (DCB), wet-milled corn bran (WCB), and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS). Films were prepared with laccase and sorbitol before surface modification with lipase–vinyl acetate. Water solubility of the modified DCB films was significantly reduced (p < 0.05); however, the water solubility of modified WCB films decreased insignificantly (p > 0.05) compared to unmodified films. Water vapor permeability of the modified AX films from WCB and DDGS was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), unlike their unmodified counterparts. The biodegradation rates of the modified WCB AX and DDGS films increased after 63 and 99 days, respectively, compared to the unmodified films. The hydrophilic nature of AX polymers from WCB and DDGS enhances the biodegradability of the films. This study found that the modified WCB AX film was more hydrophobic, and the modified DDGS AX film was more biodegradable than the modified DCB AX film. Overall, surface modifications have potential for improving hydrophobicity of biopolymer films.
The genetic gain in yield and quality are two major targets of wheat breeding programs around the world. In this study, a high density genetic map consisting of 10,172 SNP markers identified a total ...of 43 genomic regions associated with three quality traits, three yield traits and two agronomic traits in hard red spring wheat (HRSW). When compared with six grain shape and size traits, the quality traits showed mostly independent genetic control (~18% common loci), while the yield traits showed moderate association (~53% common loci). Association of genomic regions for grain area (GA) and thousand-grain weight (TGW), with yield suggests that targeting an increase in GA may help enhancing wheat yield through an increase in TGW. Flour extraction (FE), although has a weak positive phenotypic association with grain shape and size, they do not share any common genetic loci. A major contributor to plant height was the Rht8 locus and the reduced height allele was associated with significant increase in grains per spike (GPS) and FE, and decrease in number of spikes per square meter and test weight. Stable loci were identified for almost all the traits. However, we could not find any QTL in the region of major known genes like GPC-B1, Ha, Rht-1, and Ppd-1. Epistasis also played an important role in the genetics of majority of the traits. In addition to enhancing our knowledge about the association of wheat quality and yield with grain shape and size, this study provides novel loci, genetic information and pre-breeding material (combining positive alleles from both parents) to enhance the cultivated gene pool in wheat germplasm. These resources are valuable in facilitating molecular breeding for wheat quality and yield improvement.
Microalgal bioremediation of CO2, nutrients, endocrine disruptors, hydrocarbons, pesticides, and cyanide compounds have evaluated comprehensively. Microalgal mitigation of nutrients originated from ...municipal wastewaters, surface waters, and livestock wastewaters has shown great applicability. Algal utilization on secondary and tertiary treatment processes might provide unique and elegant solution on the removing of substances originated from various sources. Microalgae have displayed 3 growth regimes (autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic) through which different organic and inorganic substances are being utilized for growth and production of different metabolites. There are still some technology challenges requiring innovative solutions. Strain selection investigation should be directed towards identification of algal that are extremophiles. Understanding and manipulation of metabolic pathways of algae will possible unfold solution to utilization of algae for mitigation of dissolve organic nitrogen in wastewaters.
Bread is considered a staple food worldwide, and therefore there is much interest in research around the topic. The bread industry is usually looking for ways to improve its formulations. Therefore, ...other ingredients such as dough conditioners, crumb softeners, emulsifiers, and surfactants can be added to enhance bread quality. These ingredients perform functions such as helping standardize processes in the industry, reducing dough-mixing time, increasing water absorption, improving bread quality, and extending its shelf life. Consumers are concerned about the effect of these ingredients on their health, and this has increased the popularity of clean-label bread formulations. A clean label generally indicates that a product is free of chemical additives, has an ingredient list that is easy to understand, has undergone natural or limited processing, and/or is organic and free of additives or preservatives. However, there is no scientific definition of the term “clean label.” Researchers have focused on these clean-label initiatives to replace dough strengtheners and preservatives in bread formulations and give consumers what they perceive as a healthier product.