On the extraction of cellulose nanowhiskers from food by-products and their comparative reinforcing effect on a polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate polymer

The present work reports on the characterization of cellulose nanowhiskers (CNW) extracted from three different food by-products, i.e., wheat straw (WSCNW), Brewers spent grains (BGCNW) and olive pomace (OPCNW), by using an optimized hydrolysis method similar to that developed to extract bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers (BCNW). WSCNW and BGCNW were seen to present optimal properties, with aspect ratio, crystallinity and thermal stability values comparable to those of BCNW. Additionally, the optimized hydrolysis treatment led to extraction yields higher than those previously reported for food by-products. The CNW were subsequently incorporated into a commercial polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate polymer (PHBV) by solution casting, and the produced nanocomposites were characterized. Although the addition of BGCNW and WSCNW was advantageous in terms of mechanical performance in comparison with OPCNW, no significant enhancement of the pure PHBV mechanical properties was reported because of the low nanofiller loadings used and the inherent difficulty of achieving a high degree of dispersion by the casting method. Interestingly, BGCNW and WSCNW presented reduced moisture sensitivity as compared with BCNW, leading to greater barrier performance and resulting in oxygen permeability reductions up to 26 % with WSCNW and 44 % with BGCNW.Noelle Peutat, on leave from the University of Grenoble in France, is acknowledged for her great dedication and support in the experimental work. M. Martinez-Sanz would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Education for FPU Grant 1484. The authors acknowledge financial support from the EU FP7 ECOBIOCAP Project. The Electronic Microscopy Department in the SCIE from the University of Valencia is acknowledged for the support with SEM and TEM analyses. The Portuguese authors also acknowledge support from the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through strategic project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013

Crosslinked electrospun zein-based food packaging coatings containing bioactive chilto fruit extracts

peer-reviewedIn this work, zein fibers loaded with phenolic-enriched extracts from pulp, seed and skin of orange chilto were collected on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) films through the electrospinning technique, for their potential use as bioactive internal coatings for food packaging applications. The zein fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The water stability of the zein fibers was improved by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde vapors. The encapsulation efficiency of all bioactive phenolic-enriched extracts was greater than 90%. Encapsulation in the zein fibers improved the thermostability of the extracts. Two food simulants (50% ethanol and 3% acetic acid) were used to evaluate the release of the extracts from the crosslinked zein fibers. It was observed that crosslinking delayed the release of phenolic compounds (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and its derivates) in both solvents (80% released after 7 days of contact in 50% ethanol and 23 days in 3% acetic acid) and their antioxidant properties were kept. Therefore, this work demonstrates the potential of the developed zein-based encapsulation structures containing chilto extracts to be applied as antioxidant coatings in food packaging structures to contribute to the preservation of both hydrophilic and lipophilic food products

Electrosprayed Chitosan Microcapsules as Delivery Vehicles for Vaginal Phytoformulations

The design of novel delivery systems to treat vaginal fungalinfections is a topic of high interest. Chitosan, being itselfantimicrobial and having good mucoadhesive properties, is an excellentcandidate as a delivery matrix for active compounds. In this work,chitosan microcapsules containing dry extracts of Argentinean medicinalplants with proved biological properties (Larrea divaricata, L.cuneifolia, L. nitida, Zuccagnia punctata and Tetraglochin andina) weredeveloped through electrospraying and compared with conventionally usedtablets containing the same extracts. Total phenolics(spectrophotometry), morphology and particle size (SEM), molecularorganization (FT-IR spectroscopy), water sorption capacity, release ofbioactive compounds (BC) and biological properties were assessed. Theencapsulation process did not degrade the BC, as antioxidant andantifungal capacity remained unchanged. The FT-IR analysis suggestedinteractions via hydrogen bonding or hydrophobic interactions between thechitosan and the extracts, which explained why the microcapsules kept theintegrity in slightly acidic media. Increased solubility of the extractswhen incorporated in the microcapsules was seen in simulated vaginalfluid, potentially increasing the bioavailability of BC in the vaginalenvironment. This work highlights the potential of the chitosan-baseddelivery systems for phytomedicines with antifungal and antioxidantactivity to be used in vulvovaginal candidiasis.Fil: Moreno, María Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Mascaraque, Laura Gómez. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos; EspañaFil: Arias, Myriam Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Zampini, Iris Catiana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Sayago, Jorge Esteban. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Ramos, Liudis Leidy Pino. Universidad de Talca; ChileFil: Schmeda Hirschmann, Guillermo. Universidad de Talca; ChileFil: Lopez Rubio, Amparo. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos; EspañaFil: Isla, Maria Ines. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos; España. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentin

Dental Health and Mortality in People With End-Stage Kidney Disease Treated With Hemodialysis: A Multinational Cohort Study

Background Dental disease is more extensive in adults with chronic kidney disease, but whether dental health and behaviors are associated with survival in the setting of hemodialysis is unknown. Study Design Prospective multinational cohort. Setting & Participants 4,205 adults treated with long-term hemodialysis, 2010 to 2012 (Oral Diseases in Hemodialysis [ORAL-D] Study). Predictors Dental health as assessed by a standardized dental examination using World Health Organization guidelines and personal oral care, including edentulousness; decayed, missing, and filled teeth index; teeth brushing and flossing; and dental health consultation. Outcomes All-cause and cardiovascular mortality at 12 months after dental assessment. Measurements Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models fitted with shared frailty to account for clustering of mortality risk within countries. Results During a mean follow-up of 22.1 months, 942 deaths occurred, including 477 cardiovascular deaths. Edentulousness (adjusted HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10-1.51) and decayed, missing, or filled teeth score ≥ 14 (adjusted HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.33-2.17) were associated with early all-cause mortality, while dental flossing, using mouthwash, brushing teeth daily, spending at least 2 minutes on oral hygiene daily, changing a toothbrush at least every 3 months, and visiting a dentist within the past 6 months (adjusted HRs of 0.52 [95% CI, 0.32-0.85], 0.79 [95% CI, 0.64-0.97], 0.76 [95% CI, 0.58-0.99], 0.84 [95% CI, 0.71-0.99], 0.79 [95% CI, 0.65-0.95], and 0.79 [95% CI, 0.65-0.96], respectively) were associated with better survival. Results for cardiovascular mortality were similar. Limitations Convenience sample of clinics. Conclusions In adults treated with hemodialysis, poorer dental health was associated with early death, whereas preventive dental health practices were associated with longer survival

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Valorization of alginate-extracted seaweed biomass for the development of cellulose-based packaging films

Seaweed residues from Alaria esculenta, Saccharina latissima and Ascophyllum nodosum after alginate extraction have been valorized to produce cellulose-based fractions with different purification degrees. The residues were mainly composed of carbohydrates (35–57%) and proteins (12–37%), Alaria and Saccharina being richer in cellulose and Ascophyllum richer in fucoidan. The lower cellulose content in the latter made it unsuitable for the extraction of cellulosic fractions. Self-supporting films were obtained from the cellulosic fractions from Saccharina and Alaria residues. While the higher cellulose purity films presented more desirable characteristics in terms of mechanical properties (with elastic moduli of ca. 5–7 GPa and elongation values of ca. 3–5%) and visual appearance, the presence of non-cellulosic components in the films from less purified fractions reduced their water sensitivity and promoted greater water barrier (with water permeability values of ca. 4–6 kg·m/s·m2·Pa). These results point towards the potential of a simple alkaline extraction to generate cellulose-based films from seaweed residuals with the best compromise between functional properties and economical and environmental efficiency.publishedVersio

Resistant starch in vitro and in vivo: factors determining yield, structure, and physiological relevance

Knowledge of the food processing methods and conditions as well as the underlying mechanism that leads to the formation of resistant starch (RS) in foods is of great importance for nutritionists as well as food industries, since it offers the possibility of increasing the RS content in processed foods. RS is normally defined as that portion of dietary starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine of a healthy human. The amount of RS in a given food is determined by many different factors. Food form and structure, botanical source of the starch and its amylose content, other dietary constituents, notably protein and fat, the presence of a-amylase inhibitors and other antinutrients, the methods used to manufacture and store foods, and culinary practices all directly influence starch digestibility in the gut. Although most of the attention that RS has attracted from health professionals relates to its positive effects on bowel health, there is theoretical and mounting experimental evidence that RS has beneficial physiological properties, which extend beyond the gastrointestinal tract. Food scientists have attempted to enhance the level of enzyme-resistant retrograded starch in the diet. Numerous studies are carried out to characterize the molecular and microstructural organization of RS fractions, aiming at unraveling the mechanisms of amylolysis resistance