Valorization of coffee bean processing waste for bioethanol production: comparison and evaluation of mass transfer effects in fermentations using free and encapsulated cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Coffee husk, an agricultural waste abundant in carbohydrates and nutrients, is typically discarded through landfills, mixed with animal fodder, or incinerated. However, in alignment with sustainable development principles, researchers worldwide are exploring innovative methods to harness the value of coffee husk, transforming it into profitable products. One such avenue is the biotechnological approach to bioethanol production from agricultural wastes, offering an eco-friendly alternative to mitigate the adverse effects of fossil fuels. This study delves into the feasibility of utilizing coffee husk as a substrate for bioethanol production, employing and comparing various hydrolysis methods. The enzymatic hydrolysis method outshone thermochemical and thermal approaches, yielding 1.84 and 3.07 times more reducing sugars in the hydrolysate, respectively. In examining bioethanol production, a comparison between free and encapsulated cells in enzyme hydrolysate revealed that free-cell fermentation faced challenges due to cell viability issues. Under specific fermentation conditions, bioethanol yield (0.59 and 0.83 g of bioethanol/g of reducing sugar) and productivity (0.1 and 0.12 g/L h) were achieved for free and encapsulated cells, respectively. However, it was noted that bioethanol production by encapsulated cells was more significantly influenced by internal mass transfer effects, as indicated by the Thiele modulus and effectiveness factor. In conclusion, our findings underscore the potential of coffee husk as a valuable substrate for bioethanol production, showcasing its viability in contributing to sustainable and eco-friendly practices.

Non-digestible oligosaccharides-based prebiotics to ameliorate obesity: Overview of experimental evidence and future perspectives.

The diverse populations reportedly suffer from obesity on a global scale, and inconclusive evidence has indicated that both environmental and genetic factors are associated with obesity development. Therefore, a need exists to examine potential therapeutic or prophylactic molecules for obesity treatment. Prebiotics with non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) have the potential to treat obesity. A limited number of prebiotic NDOs have demonstrated their ability as a convincing therapeutic solution to encounter obesity through various mechanisms, viz., stimulating beneficial microorganisms, reducing the population of pathogenic microorganisms, and also improving lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. NDOs include pectic-oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides, manno-oligosaccharides and other oligosaccharides which significantly influence the overall human health by different mechanisms. This review provides the treatment of obesity benefits by incorporating these prebiotic NDOs, according to established scientific research, which shows their good effects extend beyond the colon.

In silico approach towards the identification of potential inhibitors from Curcuma amada Roxb against H. pylori: ADMET screening and molecular docking studies.

Introduction: The present study attempts to identify potential targets of H. pylori for novel inhibitors from therapeutic herb, mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.). Methods: Crystal structure of all the selected drug targets obtained from Protein Data Bank (PDB) were subjected to molecular docking against a total of 130 compounds (found to have biological activity against H. pylori ) were retrieved from public databases. Compounds with good binding affinity were selected for Prime MM-GBSA rescoring and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Final list of compounds were taken for ADMET predictions. Results: Based on binding affinity denoted by glide score and ligand efficiency, mango ginger compounds were found selective to shikimate kinase and type II dehydroquinase through hydrogen bonding and salt bridge interactions. Stability of the interactions and free energy calculations by Prime MM-GBSA results confirmed the affinity of mango ginger compounds towards both shikimate kinase and type II dehydroquinase. From the above results, 15 compounds were calculated for ADMET parameters, Lipinski's rule of five, and the results were found promising without any limitations. MD simulations identified gentisic acid as hit compound for shikimate kinase of H. pylori. Conclusion: Current study could identify the in silico potential of mango ginger compounds against shikimate kinase and type II dehydroquinase targets for H. pylori infections and are suitable for in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum Kanjika 2007, Isolated from Kanjika, a South Indian Traditional Food.

The draft genome sequence of Lactobacillus plantarum Kanjika 2007, isolated from the South Indian staple, medicinal, and traditional food kanjika, is reported here. The whole genome consists of 3.16 Mb with a G+C content of 44.7% and 3,009 protein-coding genes, 78 tRNAs, and 4rRNAs (5S-23S-16S).

Probiotic attributes, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory effects of Enterococcus faecium CFR 3003: in vitro and in vivo evidence.

Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotic bacteria play a vital role in modulating various aspects integral to the health and well-being of humans. In the present study, probiotic attributes and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuromodulatory potential of Enterococcus faecium CFR 3003 were investigated by employing suitable model systems. E. faecium exhibited robust resistance to gastrointestinal stress conditions as it could withstand acid stress at pH 1.5, 2 and 3. The bacterium also survived at a bile salt concentration of 0.45 %, and better tolerance was observed towards pepsin and trypsin. E. faecium produced lactic acid as a major metabolic product, followed by butyric acid. Lyophilized cell-free supernatant (LCS) of E. faecium exhibited significant antioxidant capacity evaluated against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl, ascorbate auto-oxidation, oxygen radical absorbance and reducing power. Interestingly, E. faecium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG MTCC 1408 and LCS showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect by negatively modulating TNF-α production and upregulating IL-10 levels in LPS-stimulated macrophage cell lines. In an in vivo mice model, the propensity of probiotic supplements to modulate endogenous oxidative markers and redox status in brain regions was assessed. Young mice provided with oral supplements (daily for 28 days) of E. faecium and L. rhamnosus exhibited diminished oxidative markers in the brain and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes with a concomitant increase in γ-aminobutyric acid and dopamine levels. Collectively, our findings clearly suggest the propensity of these bacteria to protect against tissue damage mediated through free radicals and inflammatory cytokines. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms need further studies, it is tempting to speculate that probiotics confer a neuroprotective advantage in vivo against oxidative damage-mediated neurodegenerative conditions.