Successive fermentation of aguamiel and molasses by Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to obtain high purity fructooligosaccharides

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are usually synthesized with pure enzymes using highly concentrated sucrose solutions. In this work, low-cost aguamiel and molasses were explored as sucrose alternatives to produce FOS, via whole-cell fermentation, with an Aspergillus oryzae DIA-MF strain. FOS production process was optimized through a central composite experimental design, with two independent variables: initial sucrose concentration in a medium composed of aguamiel and molasses (AgMe), and inoculum concentration. The optimized process—165 g/L initial sucrose in AgMe (adjusted with concentrated molasses) and 1 × 107 spores/mL inoculum concentration—resulted in an FOS production of 119 ± 12 g/L and a yield of 0.64 ± 0.05 g FOS/g GFi. Among the FOSs produced were kestose, nystose, 1-fructofuranosyl-nystose, and potentially a novel trisaccharide produced by this strain. To reduce the content of mono- and disaccharides in the mixture, run a successive fermentation was run with two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Fermentations run with S. cerevisiae S227 improved FOS purity in the mixture from 39 ± 3% to 61.0 ± 0.6% (w/w) after 16 h of fermentation. This study showed that agro-industrial wastes such as molasses with aguamiel are excellent alternatives as substrate sources for the production of prebiotic FOS, resulting in a lower-cost process.Orlando de la Rosa acknowledges the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT-Mexico) for the financial support given through the PBM (Program Becas Mixtas) (CVU 860996) and the APC was funded by Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (Mexico). The study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and the Project ColOsH PTDC/BTM-SAL/30071/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030071).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fructosyltransferase Sources, Production, and Applications for Prebiotics Production

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are considered prebiotic compounds and are found in different vegetables and fruits but at low concentrations. FOS are produced by enzymatic transformation of sucrose using fructosyltransferase (FTase). Development of new production methods and search for FTase with high activity and stability for FOS production Is an actual research topic. In this article is discussed the most recent advances on FTase and its applications. Different microorganisms have been tested under various fermentation systems in order to identify and characterize new genes codifying for FTase. Some of these genes have been isolated from bacteria, fungi, and plants, with a wide range of percentages of identity but retaining the eight highly conserved motifs of the hydrolase family 32 glycoside. Therefore, this article presents an overview of the most recent advances on FTase and its applications

Fructooligosaccharides production from agro-wastes as alternative low-cost source

Background The prebiotic properties of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are well documented. The high demand of functional food by the food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have lead researchers to explore new and more feasible processes to produce FOS. Not only economical substrates are being exploited to reduce costs, but also, seeking to attend a global problem, the excessive generation of agro-industrial wastes that are polluting the earth, which are not being completely exploited, have been a concern. Scope and approach The purpose of this review is to present a concise (but wide-ranging) appraisal on the latest advances in fructooligosaccharides production from agro-wastes, as alternative low-cost source. Emphasis is placed on the examination, analysis and discussion of the prospects for using different agro-industrial waste bioresources for the production of FOS and FOS-producing enzymes. Key findings and conclusions The food, agro-industrial and forestry industries generate large volumes of waste, that are mainly composed of complex carbohydrates and crude proteins, that can be useful as nutrients for microbial growth, and enzymes or other metabolites production. Agro-industrial wastes are discarded, and its accumulation generates a severe environmental impact. The development of value-added processes using agro-industrial wastes is very attractive and becomes an environmentally friendly waste management method.Authors thank to National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT, México) for the financial support (CVU 860996) given to the Master Program in Food Science and Technology offered by the Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico. This study was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte also, Project ColOsH02/SAICT/2017(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030071).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biotechnological Approach for the Production of Prebiotics and Search for New Probiotics and their Application in the Food Industry

Background and objective: Prebiotics and probiotics intake have been widely recognized in past recent years due to possessing multiple health benefits. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that promote the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon which improves the health. Moreover, the incorporation of probiotics in food has also been a growing practice due to its immunomodulatory effect, the production of organic acids and other compounds that promotes the absorption of nutrients and the general health of the digestive system.Results and conclusion: Biotechnological strategies have been proposed for prebiotic production and purification in order to meet the demand to be included as ingredients in functional food formulation. Different aspects related to the substrates and different fermentation systems for their production as well as the purification and characterization processes are addressed. Also, we will present the benefits promoted by probiotics, the methods of isolation and characterization, as well as the evaluation of these attributes, so that they can be used in the food industry. With the technological developments in prebiotics and probiotics, it will be possible to deliver foods that respond to consumer demand with low cost and with pleasant sensory characteristics as well as providing beneficial health effects.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest

Production of an Enzymatic Extract From Aspergillus oryzae DIA-MF to Improve the Fructooligosaccharides Profile of Aguamiel

Aguamiel is a natural sap produced by some species of agave plants, such as Agave salmiana, A. atrovirens, or A. angustifolia. It is a product with a high concentration of fructose, glucose or sucrose, although its composition may vary depending on the season in which it is produced, and may also contain agave fructans (or agavins) or fructooligosaccharides (FOS). It has been reported that FOS can be produced by enzymes that act on sucrose or inulin, transfructosylating or hydrolyzing these materials, respectively. Due to the sugar content in aguamiel, the application of an enzymatic complex produced by Aspergillus oryzae DIA MF was carried out. This complex was characterized by 1-D electrophoresis SDS-PAGE, and its transfructosylation and hydrolysis activities were determined by HPLC. In order to determine the conditions at which the concentration of FOS in this beverage increased, kinetics were carried out at different temperatures (30, 50, and 70°C) and times (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 15 h). Finally, the antioxidant and prebiotic activities were evaluated. FOS concentration in aguamiel was increased from 1.61 ± 0.08 to 31.01 ± 3.42 g/ L after 10 h reaction at 30°C applying 10% enzymatic fraction-substrate (v/v). Antioxidant activity was highly increased (34.81–116.46 mg/eq Trolox in DPPH assay and 42.65 to 298.86 mg/eq Trolox in FRAP assay) and growth of probiotic bacteria was higher in aguamiel after the enzymatic treatment. In conclusion, after the application of the enzymatic treatment, aguamiel was enriched with FOS which improved antioxidant and prebiotic properties, so it can be used as a functional food

Polyembryony in Maize: A Complex, Elusive, and Potentially Agronomical Useful Trait

Polyembryony (PE) is a rare phenomenon in cultivated plant species. Since nineteenth century, several reports have been published on PE in maize. Reports of multiple seedlings developing at embryonic level in laboratory and studies under greenhouse and field conditions have demonstrated the presence of PE in cultivated maize (Zea mays L.). Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about this phenomenon; diverse genetic mechanisms controlling PE in maize have been proposed: Mendelian inheritance of a single gene, interaction between two genes and multiple genes are some of the proposed mechanisms. On the other hand, the presence of two or more embryos per seed confers higher nutrimental quality because these grains have more crude fat and lysine than normal maize kernels. As mentioned above, there is a necessity for more studies about PE maize in order to establish the genetic mechanism responsible for this phenomenon; on the other hand, previous studies showed that PE has potential to generate specialized maize varieties with yield potential and grain quality

Sustainable Ethanol Production From Sugarcane Molasses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Immobilized on Chitosan-Coated Manganese Ferrite

The interaction between nanostructures and yeast cells, as well as the description of the effect of nanoparticles in ethanol production are open questions in the development of this nanobiotechnological process. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the free and immobilized state on chitosan-coated manganese ferrite, using cane molasses as a carbon source. To obtain the chitosan-coated manganese ferrite, the one-step coprecipitation method was used. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction obtaining the typical diffraction pattern. The crystal size was calculated by the Scherrer equation as 15.2 nm. The kinetics of sugar consumption and ethanol production were evaluated by HPLC. With the immobilized system, it was possible to obtain an ethanol concentration of 56.15 g/L, as well as the total sugar consumption at 24 h of fermentation. Productivity and yield in this case were 2.3 ± 0.2 g/(L * h) and 0.28 ± 0.03, respectively. However, at the same time in the fermentation with free yeast, 39.1 g/L were obtained. The total consumption of fermentable sugar was observed only after 42 h, reaching an ethanol titer of 50.7 ± 3.1, productivity and yield of 1.4 ± 0.3 g/(L * h) and 0.25 ± 0.4, respectively. Therefore, a reduction in fermentation time, higher ethanol titer and productivity were demonstrated in the presence of nanoparticles. The application of manganese ferrite nanoparticles shows a beneficial effect on ethanol production. Research focused on the task of defining the mechanism of their action and evaluation of the reuse of biomass immobilized on manganese ferrite in the ethanol production process should be carried out in the future

Social network types and functional dependency in older adults in Mexico

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Social networks play a key role in caring for older adults. A better understanding of the characteristics of different social networks types (TSNs) in a given community provides useful information for designing policies to care for this age group. Therefore this study has three objectives: 1) To derive the TSNs among older adults affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security; 2) To describe the main characteristics of the older adults in each TSN, including the instrumental and economic support they receive and their satisfaction with the network; 3) To determine the association between functional dependency and the type of social network.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Secondary data analysis of the 2006 Survey of Autonomy and Dependency (N = 3,348). The TSNs were identified using the structural approach and cluster analysis. The association between functional dependency and the TSNs was evaluated with Poisson regression with robust variance analysis in which socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and medical history covariates were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified five TSNs: diverse with community participation (12.1%), diverse without community participation (44.3%); widowed (32.0%); nonfriends-restricted (7.6%); nonfamily-restricted (4.0%). Older adults belonging to widowed and restricted networks showed a higher proportion of dependency, negative self-rated health and depression. Older adults with functional dependency more likely belonged to a widowed network (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.5; 95%CI: 1.1-2.1).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The derived TSNs were similar to those described in developed countries. However, we identified the existence of a diverse network without community participation and a widowed network that have not been previously described. These TSNs and restricted networks represent a potential unmet need of social security affiliates.</p