Shelf life extension of walnut kernels using rice starch-based edible coating formulations

The shelf life of raw walnut kernel is limited due to the influenced of various factors such as its chemical composition, storage condition and environments etc. The effects of five different rice starch-based edible coating formulations on the chemical, physicochemical and textural properties of coated walnut kernels were studied. The peroxide value, anisidine value, totox value, free fatty acid content, hexanal content, color, moisture content, and textural properties were monitored in coated walnuts stored at accelerated temperature (60°C). Results indicated that the coated walnuts had a better quality in terms oxidative stability based on all the chemical indicators of rancidity, and a firmer texture when compared to the uncoated ones, even after 20 days of storage at high temperature. The walnut kernels that were coated with the basic rice starch formulation can be stored longer than the uncoated control samples i.e. with additional of 6 to7 days at 60°C. However, the color of the coated sample was significantly (P≤0.05) lighter than the control group with L values of 49.86 and 46.88, respectively. The predicted shelf life based on calculation showed that the shelf life of the walnut kernels can be extended to 1024 days from 160 days at storage temperature of 20 ± 2°C.It can be concluded that the physicochemical and storage qualities of walnut kernels can be improved by addition of palm oil or chitosan to the rice starch-based edible coating formulations

Optimization of leavening agents in extruded gluten-free brewer's rice hard pretzel using response surface methodology

Celiac is the second most important issue in food sensitivities. The only treatment for celiac is a lifetime avoidance of consuming gluten. As pretzels are one of the most popular snacks in the world, making gluten-free pretzels is a market need. To produce gluten-free products, it is important to optimize the ingredients of the formulation. This research focused on optimization of the leavening agents of the most popular commercial hard pretzel formulation in which wheat flour is replaced with brewer's rice flour. This research also attempts to explain the effect of leavening agents in products containing no matrix molecules such as gluten. Response surface methodology via the central composite design was used to optimize the effects of yeast and bicarbonate of soda on the hardness (cutting strength), fracturability (brittleness), surface color, lateral expansion, expansion ratio, specific length, density (bulk, particle, material), porosity (open, close, total), water absorption index, water solubility index, water holding capacity, oil absorption index and oil holding capacity of gluten-free hard pretzel. The optimized results indicated that the gluten-free pretzel requires 8.05g yeast and 2.59g bicarbonate of soda for every 500g of brewer's rice flour

Comparison of starch films and effect of different rice starch-based coating formulations on physical properties of walnut during storage time at accelerated temperature

Effects of different rice starch-based coating formulations on physical properties of walnut were studied during 20 days storage at accelerated temperature. Results from different starch films indicated there were nonsignificant differences in water and oxygen barrier properties of the starch films. However, significant (p ≤ .05) differences were present in the elongation at break characteristics between the corn and rice films. Tensile strength varied significantly between edible films made from rice starch with that of wheat and corn. Melting temperature (Tm) of wheat and corn starch films was higher than rice starch films (152.77 °C). Thus, rice starch in combination with different additives such as chitosan, emulsifier, and red palm oil, which improve the properties of rice starches have been chosen to coat dried walnut kernels. The coated walnuts were significantly (p ≤ .05) lighter than the control group. Results on different functional ingredients also showed significant variations, for example; yellowness of walnut in the presence of chitosan was lower among the coating formulas (p ≥ .05). However, the variations in textural characteristics of walnuts with different coating formulas remained nonsignificant (p > .05)

Evaluation of cell adhesion molecules (LFA-1 and L-selectin) in ankylosing spondylitis patients after treatment with β-D-mannuronic acid (M2000)

Background & objectives: To examine β-D-mannuronic acid (M2000) effects on L-selectin shedding and leucocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) expression as mechanisms of action of this drug in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: To investigate the molecular consequences of β-D-mannuronic acid on L-selectin shedding, flow cytometry method was used. Furthermore, the effect of it on LFA-1 gene expression was analyzed by using quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR technique. Results: The LFA-1 expression in patients with AS was higher than controls (P=0.046). The LFA-1 expression after 12 wk therapy with β-D-mannuronic acid was meaningfully decreased (P=0.01). After 12 wk treatment with β-D-mannuronic acid, the frequency of CD62L-expressing CD4+ T cells in patients with AS, was not considerably altered, compared to the patients before therapy (P=0.5). Furthermore, after 12 wk therapy with β-D-mannuronic acid, L-selectin expression levels on CD4+ T-cells in patients with AS, were not remarkably changed, compared to the expression levels of these in patients before treatment (P=0.2). Interpretation & conclusions: The results of this study for the first time showed that β-D-mannuronic acid can affect events of adhesion cascade in patients with AS. Moreover, β-D-mannuronic acid presented as an acceptable benefit to AS patients and could aid in the process of disease management

Exploring curing potential of epoxy nanocomposites containing nitrate anion intercalated Mg–Al–LDH with Cure Index

This paper focuses to provide information about the structure-property relationship in epoxy/LDH system by studying the curing characteristic of nanocomposite containing 0.1 wt.% of Mg–Al–NO3–LDH. For this purpose, Mg–Al–LDH intercalated with nitrate anion was synthesized using hydrothermal method. The formation of lamellar structure of LDH was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG) analyses. Then, the role of synthesized LDH in curing reaction of epoxy was qualitatively evaluated by nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) performed at different heating rates via Cure Index (CI). From this point of view, the cure state of epoxy nanocomposite at heating rate of 2 °C/min was Poor, due to the vitrification of epoxy system before complete cure taking place in the system. By increasing the heating rates up to 5, 7 and then 10 °C/min, the mobility reactants was increased in the system, so that curing reaction was facilitated. Besides, nitrate anion taking part in epoxide ring opening reaction caused progress in crosslinking network formation, as evidenced by Excellent cure state

Global mortality associated with 33 bacterial pathogens in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Summary Background Reducing the burden of death due to infection is an urgent global public health priority. Previous studies have estimated the number of deaths associated with drug-resistant infections and sepsis and found that infections remain a leading cause of death globally. Understanding the global burden of common bacterial pathogens (both susceptible and resistant to antimicrobials) is essential to identify the greatest threats to public health. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present global comprehensive estimates of deaths associated with 33 bacterial pathogens across 11 major infectious syndromes. Methods We estimated deaths associated with 33 bacterial genera or species across 11 infectious syndromes in 2019 using methods from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, in addition to a subset of the input data described in the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance 2019 study. This study included 343 million individual records or isolates covering 11 361 study-location-years. We used three modelling steps to estimate the number of deaths associated with each pathogen: deaths in which infection had a role, the fraction of deaths due to infection that are attributable to a given infectious syndrome, and the fraction of deaths due to an infectious syndrome that are attributable to a given pathogen. Estimates were produced for all ages and for males and females across 204 countries and territories in 2019. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for final estimates of deaths and infections associated with the 33 bacterial pathogens following standard GBD methods by taking the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles across 1000 posterior draws for each quantity of interest. Findings From an estimated 13·7 million (95% UI 10·9–17·1) infection-related deaths in 2019, there were 7·7 million deaths (5·7–10·2) associated with the 33 bacterial pathogens (both resistant and susceptible to antimicrobials) across the 11 infectious syndromes estimated in this study. We estimated deaths associated with the 33 bacterial pathogens to comprise 13·6% (10·2–18·1) of all global deaths and 56·2% (52·1–60·1) of all sepsis-related deaths in 2019. Five leading pathogens—Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—were responsible for 54·9% (52·9–56·9) of deaths among the investigated bacteria. The deadliest infectious syndromes and pathogens varied by location and age. The age-standardised mortality rate associated with these bacterial pathogens was highest in the sub-Saharan Africa super-region, with 230 deaths (185–285) per 100 000 population, and lowest in the high-income super-region, with 52·2 deaths (37·4–71·5) per 100 000 population. S aureus was the leading bacterial cause of death in 135 countries and was also associated with the most deaths in individuals older than 15 years, globally. Among children younger than 5 years, S pneumoniae was the pathogen associated with the most deaths. In 2019, more than 6 million deaths occurred as a result of three bacterial infectious syndromes, with lower respiratory infections and bloodstream infections each causing more than 2 million deaths and peritoneal and intra-abdominal infections causing more than 1 million deaths. Interpretation The 33 bacterial pathogens that we investigated in this study are a substantial source of health loss globally, with considerable variation in their distribution across infectious syndromes and locations. Compared with GBD Level 3 underlying causes of death, deaths associated with these bacteria would rank as the second leading cause of death globally in 2019; hence, they should be considered an urgent priority for intervention within the global health community. Strategies to address the burden of bacterial infections include infection prevention, optimised use of antibiotics, improved capacity for microbiological analysis, vaccine development, and improved and more pervasive use of available vaccines. These estimates can be used to help set priorities for vaccine need, demand, and development