Colour assessment on bread wheat and triticale fresh pasta

Although durum wheat is the cereal of choice for pasta production, in many areas of Argentina pasta is made from bread wheat, since durum wheat is cultivated only in a small region of the country. The purpose of this work was to determine the influence of different bread flours on the colour of laminated fresh pasta. Triticale flour was also studied. In addition, ash, protein, and protein fractions of each flour were measured. Also, the formulation was modified using different gluten, starch, and water concentrations. Pasta lightness and redness were affected mainly by the ash content, while yellowness was affected by the protein content of different flours. A similar effect was found when the formulation was substituted for starch and gluten, due to protein dilution and concentration, respectively. Albumins and globulins correlated with a* component, while gliadins, soluble and insoluble glutenins correlated with b* component; however, only glutenins presented correlation with colour score (CS = [L* + (b*×2)]/20). The greatest amount of water added to the dough produced a decrease of lightness and an increase of redness and yellowness of pasta samples. The overall ANOVA revealed that the greatest sources of variation for pasta colour were the different flours used, in comparison with the effect of starch and gluten substitution, and with the addition of different amounts of water.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

Colour assessment on bread wheat and triticale fresh pasta

Although durum wheat is the cereal of choice for pasta production, in many areas of Argentina pasta is made from bread wheat, since durum wheat is cultivated only in a small region of the country. The purpose of this work was to determine the influence of different bread flours on the colour of laminated fresh pasta. Triticale flour was also studied. In addition, ash, protein, and protein fractions of each flour were measured. Also, the formulation was modified using different gluten, starch, and water concentrations. Pasta lightness and redness were affected mainly by the ash content, while yellowness was affected by the protein content of different flours. A similar effect was found when the formulation was substituted for starch and gluten, due to protein dilution and concentration, respectively. Albumins and globulins correlated with a* component, while gliadins, soluble and insoluble glutenins correlated with b* component; however, only glutenins presented correlation with colour score (CS = [L* + (b*×2)]/20). The greatest amount of water added to the dough produced a decrease of lightness and an increase of redness and yellowness of pasta samples. The overall ANOVA revealed that the greatest sources of variation for pasta colour were the different flours used, in comparison with the effect of starch and gluten substitution, and with the addition of different amounts of water.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

Péptidos antioxidantes derivados de la digestión gastrointestinal de proteínas de amaranto: una primera aproximación a la evaluación de su absorción intestinal y posterior actividad = Antioxidant peptides from gastrointestinal digestion of amaranth proteins: A first approach to the evaluation of the intestinal absorption and subsequent activity

Se evaluó la absorción intestinal de péptidos antioxidantes generados por digestión gastrointestinal simulada de proteínas de Amaranthus mantegazzianus. Digeridos gastrointestinales de aislado proteico (AD) y de hidrolizado con alcalasa (HD) fueron separados mediante FPLC de exclusión molecular en fracciones cuya actividad fue evaluada por los métodos ORAC y HORAC. Las fracciones más activas (0,7-1,8 kDa) fueron sometidas a ensayos de simulación de la absorción intestinal utilizando monocapas de células Caco-2/TC7 sobre insertos de poliéster (0,4 μm), colocando las muestras en la cámara apical (incubación 3 h, 37 ºC). Se analizó la concentración peptídica (método de Lowry), composición molecular (RP-HPLC) y actividad antioxidante (método ORAC) de las muestras iniciales, cámaras apical y basolateral. Ciertos péptidos fueron capaces de atravesar la monocapa celular, previa modificación en algunos casos. El potencial antioxidante de todas las cámaras apicales aumentó debido probablemente a la acción de las peptidasas del borde en cepillo. Las cámaras basolaterales presentaron aumento o disminución del potencial antioxidante respecto a las cámaras apicales, dependiendo del tipo de moléculas que atravesó en cada caso la monocapa celular. Los resultados sugieren una absorción intestinal potencial de componentes peptídicos antioxidantes de amaranto posibilitando su acción en tejidos blanco internos del organismo

Colour assessment on bread wheat and triticale fresh pasta

Although durum wheat is the cereal of choice for pasta production, in many areas of Argentina pasta is made from bread wheat, since durum wheat is cultivated only in a small region of the country. The purpose of this work was to determine the influence of different bread flours on the colour of laminated fresh pasta. Triticale flour was also studied. In addition, ash, protein, and protein fractions of each flour were measured. Also, the formulation was modified using different gluten, starch, and water concentrations. Pasta lightness and redness were affected mainly by the ash content, while yellowness was affected by the protein content of different flours. A similar effect was found when the formulation was substituted for starch and gluten, due to protein dilution and concentration, respectively. Albumins and globulins correlated with a* component, while gliadins, soluble and insoluble glutenins correlated with b* component; however, only glutenins presented correlation with colour score (CS = [L* + (b*×2)]/20). The greatest amount of water added to the dough produced a decrease of lightness and an increase of redness and yellowness of pasta samples. The overall ANOVA revealed that the greatest sources of variation for pasta colour were the different flours used, in comparison with the effect of starch and gluten substitution, and with the addition of different amounts of water.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

A blood microRNA classifier for the prediction of ICU mortality in COVID-19 patients: a multicenter validation study

Background: The identification of critically ill COVID-19 patients at risk of fatal outcomes remains a challenge. Here, we first validated candidate microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for clinical decision-making in critically ill patients. Second, we constructed a blood miRNA classifier for the early prediction of adverse outcomes in the ICU. Methods: This was a multicenter, observational and retrospective/prospective study including 503 critically ill patients admitted to the ICU from 19 hospitals. qPCR assays were performed in plasma samples collected within the first 48 h upon admission. A 16-miRNA panel was designed based on recently published data from our group. Results: Nine miRNAs were validated as biomarkers of all-cause in-ICU mortality in the independent cohort of critically ill patients (FDR < 0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that low expression levels of eight miRNAs were associated with a higher risk of death (HR from 1.56 to 2.61). LASSO regression for variable selection was used to construct a miRNA classifier. A 4-blood miRNA signature composed of miR-16-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-323a-3p and miR-451a predicts the risk of all-cause in-ICU mortality (HR 2.5). Kaplan‒Meier analysis confirmed these findings. The miRNA signature provides a significant increase in the prognostic capacity of conventional scores, APACHE-II (C-index 0.71, DeLong test p-value 0.055) and SOFA (C-index 0.67, DeLong test p-value 0.001), and a risk model based on clinical predictors (C-index 0.74, DeLong test-p-value 0.035). For 28-day and 90-day mortality, the classifier also improved the prognostic value of APACHE-II, SOFA and the clinical model. The association between the classifier and mortality persisted even after multivariable adjustment. The functional analysis reported biological pathways involved in SARS-CoV infection and inflammatory, fibrotic and transcriptional pathways. Conclusions: A blood miRNA classifier improves the early prediction of fatal outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.11 página

Péptidos antioxidantes derivados de la digestión gastrointestinal de proteínas de amaranto: Una primera aproximación a la evaluación de su absorción intestinal y posterior actividad

Intestinal absorption of antioxidant peptides from simulated gastrointestinal digestion of Amaranthus mantegazzianusproteins was evaluated. Gastrointestinal digests (AD and HD) were obtained from protein isolate&nbsp;(A) and its alcalase hydrolysate (H) and separated by molecular exclusion FPLC into fractions which activity&nbsp;was evaluated by the ORAC and HORAC methods. Active fractions (0,7-1,8 kDa) were submitted to intestinal&nbsp;absorption simulation using monolayers of Caco-2/TC7 cells on polyester inserts (0,4 μm). Samples were seeded&nbsp;in the apical compartment (incubation 3 h, 37 ºC). Original, apical and basolateral samples were analysed for&nbsp;peptide concentration (Lowry method), molecular composition (RP-HPLC) and antioxidant activity (ORAC&nbsp;method). Some peptides were able to cross the cell monolayer, with previous modifications in some cases. The&nbsp;antioxidant potential of the apical compartments increased in all cases due probably to the action of the brush&nbsp;border peptidases. Basolateral compartments presented increments or reductions of the antioxidant potentials&nbsp;respect to the apical ones, depending on which molecules crossed the monolayer in each case. Results suggest a&nbsp;potential intestinal absorption of amaranth antioxidant peptides which would be able to act inside the organism.Se evaluó la absorción intestinal de péptidos antioxidantes generados por digestión gastrointestinal simulada&nbsp;de proteínas de Amaranthus mantegazzianus. Digeridos gastrointestinales de aislado proteico (AD) y de hidrolizado con alcalasa (HD) fueron separados mediante FPLC de exclusión molecular en fracciones cuya actividad&nbsp;fue evaluada por los métodos ORAC y HORAC. Las fracciones más activas (0,7-1,8 kDa) fueron sometidas a&nbsp;ensayos de simulación de la absorción intestinal utilizando monocapas de células Caco-2/TC7 sobre insertos&nbsp;de poliéster (0,4 μm), colocando las muestras en la cámara apical (incubación 3 h, 37 ºC). Se analizó la concentración peptídica (método de Lowry), composición molecular (RP-HPLC) y actividad antioxidante (método&nbsp;ORAC) de las muestras iniciales, cámaras apical y basolateral. Ciertos péptidos fueron capaces de atravesar la&nbsp;monocapa celular, previa modificación en algunos casos. El potencial antioxidante de todas las cámaras apicales&nbsp;aumentó debido probablemente a la acción de las peptidasas del borde en cepillo. Las cámaras basolaterales&nbsp;presentaron aumento o disminución del potencial antioxidante respecto a las cámaras apicales, dependiendo&nbsp;del tipo de moléculas que atravesó en cada caso la monocapa celular. Los resultados sugieren una absorción&nbsp;intestinal potencial de componentes peptídicos antioxidantes de amaranto posibilitando su acción en tejidos&nbsp;blanco internos del organismo

Structural and functional properties of soy protein isolate and cod gelatin blend films

8 pages, 6 figures, 3 tablesThe structure-function relationship of composite films obtained from soybean-protein isolate (SPI) and cod gelatin was studied. Films with different ratios of SPI:gelatin (0, 25, 50, 75, 100% [w/w]) and plasticized by a mixture of glycerol and sorbitol were prepared by casting. Regardless of the soybean-protein concentration, the thickness and water-vapor permeability of the composite films diminished significantly as compared to pure-gelatin films. The formulation containing 25% SPI: 75% cod-skin gelatin had the maximum force at the breaking point, which was 1.8-fold and 2.8-fold greater than those of 100% gelatin and 100% SPI films, respectively. Moreover, this formulation offered high percent-deformation values lower than those of gelatin but higher than all other films containing SPI-, and the same relatively low water-vapor permeability as the 100% SPI film. While all the films exhibited high water solubility, a slight reduction in film solubility and soluble protein was observed with increasing SPI concentration. Differential-scanning calorimetry analyses revealed that gelatin was completely denatured in all films, while soy proteins largely maintained their native conformation. Analysis by fourier-transform–infrared spectroscopy revealed that the presence of 25% SPI produced gelatin conformational changes, self-aggregation of gelatin chains, and intermolecular associations via CO bonds between gelatin and SPI proteins. All films were translucent in appearance, but the yellowish color increased with increasing proportions of the soybean proteins.This work has been performed within the framework of the project CYTED XI.20 and sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science under project AGL2005-02380/ALI and by the National Agency of Scientific and Technological Support (SECyT,) of Argentina under project PICT 35036/05.Peer reviewe

Pasta made from wheat bread flour fortified with soy flour

La soja es una interesante alternativa para suplementar las pastas, debido no solo a su alto contenido proteico y su perfil aminoacídico complementario al trigo, sino también, porque aporta nutrientes con efectos beneficiosos para reducir riesgos de enfermedades coronarias y de algunos tipos de cáncer. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar el efecto del agregado de harina de soja en la elaboración de pastas secas, laminadas, con la intención de obtener productos de mejor calidad nutricional y con una calidad tecnológica aceptable.Nutritionally enhanced pasta was prepared from bread wheat flour substituted at 15, 30, 40, and 50% with defatted, inactive, soy flour. This study examined the technological quality of the 2 mm wide and 15 cm long, laminated dry pasta, including cooking properties (cooking loss, water absorption, swelling index), texture of raw (fracturability) and cooked (firmness, stickiness, resilience, cohesiveness, springiness) pasta, and color. Protein, dietary fiber and isoflavones contents of cooked pasta were evaluated as a measure of nutritional and functional quality improvement. Whereas cooking loss values were significantly greater than control sample, Co, (entire bread wheat flour pasta), water absorption and swelling index values did not show many differences respect to Co.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento