Functionality of plant-based proteins

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Food Emulsion Gels from Plant-Based Ingredients: Formulation, Processing, and Potential Applications

Recent advances in the understanding of formulations and processing techniques have allowed for greater freedom in plant-based emulsion gel design to better recreate conventional animal-based foods. The roles of plant-based proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids in the formulation of emulsion gels and relevant processing techniques such as high-pressure homogenization (HPH), ultrasound (UH), and microfluidization (MF), were discussed in correlation with the effects of varying HPH, UH, and MF processing parameters on emulsion gel properties. The characterization methods for plant-based emulsion gels to quantify their rheological, thermal, and textural properties, as well as gel microstructure, were presented with a focus on how they can be applied for food purposes. Finally, the potential applications of plant-based emulsion gels, such as dairy and meat alternatives, condiments, baked goods, and functional foods, were discussed with a focus on sensory properties and consumer acceptance. This study found that the implementation of plant-based emulsion gel in food is promising to date despite persisting challenges. This review will provide valuable insights for researchers and industry professionals looking to understand and utilize plant-based food emulsion gels

Uniform Chitosan Microparticles Prepared by a Novel Spray-Drying Technique

Particle size and morphology are important properties of pharmaceutical particles. Preparation of microparticles with uniform particle size and morphology is necessary in order to systematically relate these properties to the release behavior and other functionalities such as drug encapsulation and dissolution. In this study, we successfully prepared monodisperse, nonagglomerated chitosan microparticles in a single step by a novel spray-drying technique. The control of particle size and morphology of spray-dried microparticles was investigated experimentally. Microparticles with larger particle size can be produced when chitosan precursor of higher concentration was used. Storage time of chitosan precursor, drying temperature, and addition of lactose were shown to be crucial parameters that affect the particle morphology. Appropriate choice of the drying temperature and precursor storage time permitted control of the particle morphology, ranging from nearly spherical to cap-shaped. Surface characteristics of the particles can be finely tuned by the amount of lactose added into the chitosan precursor

Implementation of P-Controller in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulation of a Pilot Scale Outlet Temperature Controlled Spray Dryer

[EN] Most of the CFD simulations of spray dryers reported in the literature utilizes a fixed air inlet temperature numerical framework. In this paper, a numerical framework was introduced to model spray drying as an outlet air temperature controlled process. A P-controller numerical framework was introduced which allows the inlet temperature to be automatically adjusted based on the required outlet temperature set point. This numerical framework was evaluated with a simulation of a two-stage pilot scale spray drying system at the Davis Dairy Plant (South Dakota State University) which is used for commercial contract spray drying operation.Afshar, S.; Jubaer, H.; Metzger, L.; Patel, H.; Selomulya, C.; Woo, MW. (2018). Implementation of P-Controller in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulation of a Pilot Scale Outlet Temperature Controlled Spray Dryer. En IDS 2018. 21st International Drying Symposium Proceedings. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 155-162. https://doi.org/10.4995/IDS2018.2018.7536OCS15516

On spray drying of uniform silica-based microencapsulates for controlled release

Although spray drying is a scalable route for particle formation with easy product recovery, a typical spray drier produces broad distributions of particles with various morphologies in a single batch, due to the non-uniform formation of droplets, wide spray trajectories, and various residence times experienced by the droplets during drying. Thus any attempt to interpret the resulting particle functionality directly in relation to their physico-chemical properties is difficult. Here, uniform silica-based microencapsulates encapsulating vitamin B(12) homogenously distributed within their matrix were synthesised in a single step via a micro-fluidic-jet-spray-dryer (MFJSD), utilising a micro-fluidic-aerosol-nozzle (MFAN) for continuous generation of monodisperse droplets. We investigated the effects of lactose and Na-alginate to the properties of the silica matrix, as well as the overall particle shapes. The uniform nature of the particles allowed direct correlations between the matrix properties and the release behaviour of vitamin B(12) to be observed without the complications of wide size distribution or variety of shapes. Spherical particles with relatively smooth surface were obtained with lactose addition, while incorporation of Na-alginate resulted in increasing surface roughness. Lactose accelerated the release of the encapsulated vitamin B(12) (VB12), due to the relatively fast lactose dissolution that allowed buffer to penetrate deep into the matrix to facilitate diffusion and silica erosion. On the contrary, Na-alginate slowed down the release considerably by serving as an additional barrier to decelerate the matrix erosion, as well as due to ionic attraction to the VB12 molecules. Release kinetics data indicated diffusion as the main release mechanism independent of the microencapsulate composition. The release profiles from different compositions of the synthesized particles demonstrated good agreements with the computational predictions, highlighting the ability to modulate the release behaviour directly from the precursor compositions.Australian Research Council (ARC)[DP0773688

A single step assembly of uniform microparticles for controlled release applications

Microparticles with homogeneous properties are crucial for pharmaceutical applications where the prior knowledge of exact drug loading and release behaviour is essential to achieve targeted therapeutic goals. Various methods such as membrane microemulsion or templating to assemble uniform particles often involve multiple steps, including post-processing for purification and recovery, with additional chemical reactivity is often required to form solid particles, rendering less flexibility in the procedure. Spray drying is a common method to produce pharmaceutical particles, although control over the particle properties poses a challenge. Here we used a specially designed dryer utilising a micro-fluidic-aerosol-nozzle to atomize monodisperse droplets from a range of precursors, to generate uniform microparticles for controlled release applications. The versatility of the device enabled microparticles with easily tunable drug release kinetics to be assembled by adjusting the drying conditions or the composition of the precursors, including the use of dopants or different solvents. Significant adjustment of the release profiles could be realized by manipulating the microstructure of the microparticles. Due to the homogeneity of the particles, a direct correlation between the microstructural properties and release mechanisms could be obtained, the knowledge of which is crucial for the design of spray-dried polymeric-based pharmaceutical particles

Implantable and Biodegradable Macroporous Iron Oxide Frameworks for Efficient Regeneration and Repair of Infracted Heart

The construction, characterization and surgical application of a multilayered iron oxide-based macroporous composite framework were reported in this study. The framework consisted of a highly porous iron oxide core, a gelatin-based hydrogel intermediary layer and a matrigel outer cover, which conferred a multitude of desirable properties including excellent biocompatibility, improved mechanical strength and controlled biodegradability. The large pore sizes and high extent of pore interconnectivity of the framework stimulated robust neovascularization and resulted in substantially better cell viability and proliferation as a result of improved transport efficiency for oxygen and nutrients. In addition, rat models with myocardial infraction showed sustained heart tissue regeneration over the infract region and significant improvement of cardiac functions following the surgical implantation of the framework. These results demonstrated that the current framework might hold great potential for cardiac repair in patients with myocardial infraction

Spray drying strategy for encapsulation of bioactive peptide powders for food applications

Spray drying is commonly used to manufacture food and dairy powders at industrial scale. Bioactive peptides, as hydrolysis products from various food proteins, are gaining interest due to their biological functionality including immunomodulation, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. This article reviews several bioactive peptides/hydrolysates from different food sources, focusing on their processing and final powder characteristics. Additionally, we propose a strategy for encapsulation of food peptide/hydrolysate via spray drying. The identification of suitable drying parameters and/or formulation could help overcome the limitations associated with the current processing of food peptides

Dairy encapsulation systems by atomization-based technology

This chapter presents an overview of atomization-based microencapsulation technology, focusing on spray drying, spray chilling, and fluidized bed coating technology, which highlights the role of dairy ingredients in the process. The ingredients include casein and whey protein, lactose, milk fat, and other ingredients that are commonly used as microcapsule wall materials, while dairy peptides and lactoferrin are used as examples of core material for microencapsulation. The properties related to the quality of microencapsulated particles and their applications in food processing are discussed