Characterization of Nano- and Microstructures of Native Potato Starch as Affected by Physical, Chemical, and Biological Treatments.

Modifying starch allows for improvements in its properties to enable improved uses in food matrices, bioplastics, and encapsulating agents. In this research, four varieties of native potato starch were modified by acid treatment, enzymatic treatment, and ethanol precipitation, and their physicochemical, structural, thermal, and techno-functional characteristics were analyzed. According to FT-IR analysis, no influence of the modified starches on the chemical groups was observed, and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), spherical and oval shapes were observed in the acid and enzymatic treatments, with particle sizes between 27 and 36 µm. In particular, the ethanolic precipitation treatment yielded a different morphology with a particle size between 10.9 and 476.3 nm, resulting in a significant decrease in gelatinization temperature (DSC) and more pronounced crystallites (XRD). On the other hand, the enzymatic treatment showed higher values for z-potential (ζ), and the acid treatment showed lower mass loss (TGA). Acid and ethanolic treatments affected the dough properties compared to native starches. The techno-functional properties showed a decrease in the water absorption index, an increase in the water solubility index, and varied swelling power behaviors. In conclusion, the modification of potato starches through acid, enzymatic, and ethanolic precipitation treatments alters their physicochemical properties, such as swelling capacity, viscosity, and thermal stability. This in turn affects their molecular structure, modifying morphology and the ability to form gels, which expands their applications in the food industry to improve textures, stabilize emulsions, and thicken products. Furthermore, these modifications also open new opportunities for the development of bioplastics by improving the biodegradability and mechanical properties of starch-based plastic materials.

Extracellular components in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli biofilm and impact of treatment with proteinase K, DNase or sodium metaperiodate.

Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. EAEC are highly adherent to cultured epithelial cells and make biofilms. Both adherence and biofilm formation rely on the presence of aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF). We compared biofilm formation from two EAEC strains of each of the five AAF types. We found that AAF type did not correlate with the level of biofilm produced. Because the composition of the EAEC biofilm has not been fully described, we stained EAEC biofilms to determine if they contained protein, carbohydrate glycoproteins, and/or eDNA and found that EAEC biofilms contained all three extracellular components. Next, we assessed the changes to the growing or mature EAEC biofilm mediated by treatment with proteinase K, DNase, or a carbohydrate cleavage agent to target the different components of the matrix. Growing biofilms treated with proteinase K had decreased biofilm staining for more than half of the strains tested. In contrast, although sodium metaperiodate only altered the biofilm in a quantitative way for two strains, images of biofilms treated with sodium metaperiodate showed that the EAEC were more spread out. Overall, we found variability in the response of the EAEC strains to the treatments, with no one treatment producing a biofilm change for all strains. Finally, once formed, mature EAEC biofilms were more resistant to treatment than biofilms grown in the presence of those same treatments.

Evaluation of the use of sonication combined with enzymatic treatment for biofilm removal in the microbiological diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection.

Sonicating explanted prosthetic implants to physically remove biofilms is a recognized method for improving the microbiological diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI); however, chemical and enzymatic treatments have been investigated as alternative biofilm removal methods. We compared the biofilm dislodging efficacy of sonication followed by the addition of enzyme cocktails with different activity spectra in the diagnosis of PJI with that of the sonication of fluid cultures alone. Consecutive patients who underwent prosthesis explantation due to infection at our institution were prospectively enrolled for 1 year. The diagnostic procedure included the collection of five intraoperative tissue cultures, sonication of the removed devices, and conventional culture of the sonication fluid. The resulting sonication fluid was also treated with an enzyme cocktail consisting of homemade dispersin B (0.04 µg/mL) and proteinase K (Sigma; 100 µg/mL) for 45 minutes at 37°C. The resulting sonication (S) and sonication with subsequent enzymatic treatment (SE) fluids were plated for aerobic and anaerobic culture broth for 7 days (aerobic) or 14 days (anaerobic). Identification was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Bruker). We included 107 patients from whom a prosthetic implant had been removed, among which PJI was diagnosed in 36 (34%). The sensitivity of S alone was significantly greater than that of SE alone (82% vs 71%; P < 0.05). Four patients with PJI were positive after sonication alone but negative after sonication plus enzymatic treatment. The four microorganisms missed after the addition of the enzyme cocktail were Staphylococcus aureus, two coagulase-negative Staphylococci, and Cutibacterium acnes. In conclusion, sonication alone was more sensitive than sonication followed by enzymatic treatment. The combination of these two methods had no synergistic effect; in contrast, the results suggest that the combination of both dislodgment methods affects the viability of gram-positive microorganisms. IMPORTANCE: While the potential of sonication and enzymes as biofilm dispersal agents has been previously described, the originality of our work resides in the combination of both methods, which is hypothesized to enhance the ability to remove biofilm and, therefore, improve the microbiological diagnosis of PJI.

Current strategies on bioremediation of personal care products and detergents: Sustainability and life cycle assessment.

The increased use of personal care products and detergents in modern society has raised concerns about their potential adverse effects on the environment. These products contain various chemical compounds that can persist in water bodies, leading to water pollution and ecological disturbances. Bioremediation has emerged as a promising approach to address these challenges, utilizing the natural capabilities of microorganisms to degrade or remove these contaminants. This review examines the current strategies employed in the bioremediation of personal care products and detergents, with a specific focus on their sustainability and environmental impact. This bioremediation is essential for environmental rejuvenation, as it uses living organisms to detergents and other daily used products. Its distinctiveness stems from sustainable, nature-centric ways that provide eco-friendly solutions for pollution eradication and nurturing a healthy planet, all while avoiding copying. Explores the use of microbial consortia, enzyme-based treatments, and novel biotechnological approaches in the context of environmental remediation. Additionally, the ecological implications and long-term sustainability of these strategies are assessed. Understanding the strengths and limitations of these bioremediation techniques is essential for developing effective and environmentally friendly solutions to mitigate the impact of personal care products and detergents on ecosystems.

Recent advances in eco-friendly technology for decontamination of pulp and paper mill industrial effluent: a review.

The economic development of a country directly depends upon industries. But this economic development should not be at the cost of our natural environment. A substantial amount of water is spent during paper production, creating water scarcity and generating wastewater. Therefore, the Pollution Control Board classifies this industry into red category. Water is used in different papermaking stages such as debarking, pulping or bleaching, washing, and finishing. The wastewater thus generated contains lignin and xenobiotic compounds such as resin acids, chlorinated lignin, phenols, furans, dioxins, chlorophenols, adsorbable organic halogens (AOX), extractable organic halogens (EOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls, plasticizers, and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. Nowadays, several microorganisms are used in the detoxification of these hazardous effluents. Researchers have found that microbial degradation is the most promising treatment method to remove high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater. Microorganisms also remove AOX toxicity, chlorinated compounds, suspended solids, color, lignin, derivatives, etc. from the pulp and paper mill effluents. But in the current scenario, mill effluents are known to deteriorate the environment and therefore it is highly desirable to deploy advanced technologies for effluent treatment. This review summarizes the eco-friendly advanced treatment technologies for effluents generated from pulp and paper mills.

Physicochemical properties of a novel chestnut porous starch nanoparticle.

A novel chestnut porous starch nanoparticle (PSNP) was successfully synthesized, combining the properties of starch nanoparticle (SNP) and porous starch. The SNP obtained through ultrasonic and acid hydrolysis, exhibited a smaller particle size (173.9 nm) and a higher specific surface area (SSA) compared to native starch. After the synergistic hydrolysis by α-amylase and glucoamylase, the porous structure appeared on the surface of SNP. The prepared PSNP had a size of 286.3 nm and the highest SSA. In the adsorption experiments, PSNP showed higher capacities for adsorbing water, oil and methylene blue (MB) compared to other samples. The acid and enzymatic treatments resulted in a decrease in the levels of total starch content and amylose ratio. Furthermore, the treatments increased the levels of relative crystallinity (RC) and solubility, while decreasing the short-range ordered structure and swelling ratio at high temperatures. It was observed that the SSA of starch granules positively correlated with the MB and water adsorption capacity (WAC), solubility, and RC. These findings highlight the potential of the novel PSNP as an efficient adsorbent for bioactive substances and dyes.

Physicochemical Characteristics of Porous Starch Obtained by Combined Physical and Enzymatic Methods, Part 1: Structure, Adsorption, and Functional Properties.

Porous starch can be applied as an adsorbent and encapsulant for bioactive substances in the food and pharmaceutical industries. By using appropriate modification methods (chemical, physical, enzymatic, or mixed), it is possible to create pores on the surface of the starch granules without disturbing their integrity. This paper aimed to analyze the possibility of obtaining a porous structure for native corn, potato, and pea starches using a combination of ultrasound, enzymatic digestion, and freeze-drying methods. The starch suspensions (30%, w/w) were treated with ultrasound (20 kHz, 30 min, 20 °C), then dried and hydrolyzed with amyloglucosidase (1000 U/g starch, 50 °C, 24 h, 2% starch suspension). After enzyme digestion, the granules were freeze-dried for 72 h. The structure of the native and modified starches were examined using VIS spectroscopy, SEM, ATR-FTIR, and LTNA (low-temperature nitrogen adsorption). Based on the electrophoretic mobility measurements of the starch granules using a laser Doppler velocimeter, zeta potentials were calculated to determine the surface charge level. Additionally, the selected properties such as the water and oil holding capacities, least gelling concentration (LGC), and paste clarity were determined. The results showed that the corn starch was the most susceptible to the combined modification methods and was therefore best suited for the production of porous starch.

Optimal Enzyme-Assisted Extraction of Phenolics from Leaves of Pongamia pinnata via Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Networking.

This research work seeks to evaluate the impact of selected enzyme complexes on the optimised release of phenolics from leaves of Pongamia pinnata. After preliminary solvent extraction, the P. pinnata leaf extract was subjected to enzymatic treatment, using enzyme cocktails such as kemzyme dry-plus, natuzyme, and zympex-014. It was noticed that zympex-014 had a greater extract yield (28.0%) than kemzyme dry-plus (17.0%) and natuzyme (18.0%). Based on the better outcomes, zympex-014-based extract values were subsequently applied to several RSM parameters. The selected model is suggested to be significant by the F value (12.50) and R2 value (0.9669). The applicability of the ANN model was shown by how closely the projected values from the ANN were to the experimental values. In terms of total phenolic contents (18.61 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid contents (12.56 mg CE/g), and DPPH test (IC50) (6.5 g/mL), antioxidant activities also shown significant findings. SEM analysis also revealed that the cell walls were damaged during enzymatic hydrolysis, as opposed to non-hydrolysed material. Using GC-MS, five potent phenolic compounds were identified in P. pinnata extract. According to the findings of this study, the recovery of phenolic bioactives and subsequent increase in the antioxidant capacity of P. pinnata leaf extract were both positively impacted by the optimisation approaches suggested, including the use of zympex-014.

Effect of Novel Processing Techniques on the Carotenoid Release during the Production of Red Guava Juice.

Red guava, distinguished by its elevated lycopene content, emerges as a promising natural source of carotenoids. This study systematically evaluates the impact of diverse processing techniques on the efficient release of carotenoids. The primary objective is to facilitate the transfer of carotenoids into the juice fraction, yielding carotenoid-enriched juice seamlessly integrable into aqueous-based food matrices. The untreated guava puree exhibited a modest release of carotenoids, with only 66.26% of ß-carotene and 57.08% of lycopene reaching the juice. Contrastly, both high-pressure homogenization (HPH) at 25 MPa and enzyme (EM) treatment significantly enhanced carotenoid release efficiency (p < 0.05), while high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 400 MPa and pulsed electric field (PEF) of 4 kV/cm did not (p > 0.05). Notably, HPH demonstrated the most substantial release effect, with ß-carotene and lycopene reaching 90.78% and 73.85%, respectively. However, the stability of EM-treated samples was relatively poor, evident in a zeta-potential value of -6.51 mV observed in the juice. Correlation analysis highlighted the interactions between pectin and carotenoids likely a key factor influencing the stable dissolution or dispersion of carotenoids in the aqueous phase. The findings underscore HPH as a potent tool for obtaining carotenoid-enriched guava juice, positioning it as a desirable ingredient for clean-label foods.

Enzymatic treatment to improve permeability and quality of cherry tomatoes for production of dried products.

BACKGROUND: Cherry tomatoes are nutritious and favored by consumers. Processing them into dried cherry tomatoes can prolong their storage life and improve their flavor. The pretreatment of tomato pericarp is crucial for the subsequent processing. However, the traditional physical and chemical treatments of tomato pericarp generally cause nutrient loss and environmental pollution. RESULTS: In this study, a novel enzymatic method for cherry tomatoes was performed using mixed enzymes containing cutinase, cellulase and pectinase. Results showed that the pericarp permeability of cherry tomatoes was effectively improved due to enzymatic treatment. Changes in the microscopic structure and composition of the cuticle were revealed. After treatment with different concentrations of enzymes, cherry tomatoes exhibited higher pericarp permeability and sensory quality to varying degrees. The lycopene content and total polyphenol content significantly increased 2.4- and 1.45-fold, respectively. In addition, the satisfactory effect of the six-time reuse of enzymes on cherry tomatoes could still reach the same level as the initial effect, which effectively reduced the cost of production. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed for the first time that a mixed enzymatic treatment consisting of cutinase, pectinase and cellulase could effectively degrade the cuticle, enhance the pericarp permeability and improve the quality of cherry tomatoes, with the advantages of being mildly controllable and environmentally friendly, providing a new strategy for the processing of dried cherry tomatoes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative oil extraction from mutt (Myliobatis goodei) liver by enzymatic hydrolysis: free versus immobilized biocatalyst.

BACKGROUND: The development and fine-tuning of biotechnological processes for fish oil extraction constitute a very important focus to contribute to the development of a food industry based on fish consumption. This work lies in a comparative analysis of the oil extraction yield of Myliobatis goodei livers using free and immobilized enzymes. RESULTS: An immobilized biocatalyst was designed from the cell-free extract of a Bacillus sp. Mcn4. A complete factorial design was used to study the components of the bacterial culture medium and select the condition with the highest titers of extracellular enzymatic activities. Wheat bran had a significant effect on the culture medium composition for enzymatic production. The immobilized biocatalyst was designed by covalent binding of the proteins present in the cocktail retaining a percentage of different types of enzymatic activities (Mult.Enz@MgFe2 O4 ). Among the biocatalyst used, Alcalase® 2.4 L and Purazyme® AS 60 L (free commercial proteases) showed extraction yields of 87.39% and 84.25%, respectively, while Mult.Enz@MgFe2 O4 achieved a better one of 89.97%. The oils obtained did not show significant differences in their physical-chemical properties while regarding the fatty acid content, the oil extracted with Purazyme® AS 60 L showed a comparatively lower proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the use of by-products of M. goodei is a valid alternative and encourages the use of immobilized multienzyme biocatalysts for the treatment of complex substrates in the fishing industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pyrolysis Enzymolysis-Treated Pomelo Peel: Porous Carbon Materials with Fe-Nx Sites for High-Performance Supercapacitor and Efficient Oxygen Reduction Applications.

This paper proposes a different strategy for deriving carbon materials from biomass, abandoning traditional strong corrosive activators and using a top-down approach with a mild green enzyme targeted to degrade the pectin matrix in the inner layer of pomelo peel cotton wool, inducing a large number of nanopores on its surface. Meanwhile, the additional hydrophilic groups produced via an enzymatic treatment can be used to effectively anchor the metallic iron atoms and prepare porous carbon with uniformly dispersed Fe-Nx structures, in this case optimizing sample PPE-FeNPC-900's specific surface area by up to 1435 m2 g-1. PPE-FeNPC-900 is used as the electrode material in a 6 M KOH electrolyte; it manifests a decent specific capacitance of 400 F g-1. The assembled symmetrical supercapacitor exhibits a high energy density of 12.8 Wh kg-1 at a 300 W kg-1 power density and excellent cycle stability. As a catalyst, it also exhibits a half-wave potential of 0.850 V (vs. RHE) and a diffusion-limited current of 5.79 mA cm-2 at 0.3 V (vs. RHE). It has a higher electron transfer number and a lower hydrogen peroxide yield compared to commercial Pt/C catalysts. The green, simple, and efficient strategy designed in this study converts abundant, low-cost waste biomass into high-value multifunctional carbon materials, which are critical for achieving multifunctional applications.

In-house standards derived from doping peptides: Enzymatic and serum stability and degradation profile of GHRP and GHRH-related peptides.

Matrix effect and sample pretreatment significantly affect the percentage recovery of peptides in biological matrices, affecting the method robustness and accuracy. To counteract this effect, an internal standard (IS) is used; however, in most cases this is not available, which limits the analytical method. It is important to identify short peptides that can be used as ISs in the quantification of peptides in biological matrices. In this study, doping peptides GHRP-4, GHRP-5, GHRP-6, Sermorelin (1-11), Sermorelin (13-20) and Sermorelin (22-29) were synthesized using solid-phase peptide synthesis. Treatment with human blood, trypsin and chymotrypsin was used to determine the stability of the peptides. Products were evaluated using the high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method. The analytical methodology and sample pretreatment were effective for the analysis of these molecules. A unique profile related to protein binding and enzymatic stability of each peptide was established. GHRP-4, GHRP-6 and Sermorelin (22-29) can be considered as in-house ISs as they were stable to enzyme and blood treatment and can be used for the quantification of peptides in biological samples. Peptides GHRP-6 and Sermorelin (22-29) were used to analyse a dimeric peptide (26 [F] LfcinB (20-30)2 ) in four different matrices to test these peptides as in-house IS.

Bioremediation of Automotive Residual Oil-Contaminated Soils by Biostimulation with Enzymes, Surfactant, and Vermicompost.

Contamination of soils by automotive residual oil represents a global environmental problem. Bioremediation is the technology most suitable to remove this contaminant from the medium. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation of automotive residual oil-contaminated soils by biostimulation with enzymes, surfactant, and vermicompost. The bioremediation efficiency was examined using a factorial design of 24 to determine the effect of the time, pH and temperature conditions, biostimulation with enzyme-vermicompost, and biostimulation with enzyme-surfactant. Enzymes obtained from Ricinus communis L. seeds, commercial vermicompost, and Triton X-100 were used. Results showed that the highest removal efficiency (99.9%) was achieved at 49 days, with a pH of 4.5, temperature of 37 °C, and using biostimulation with enzyme-vermicompost (3% w/v-5% w/w). The addition of surfactant was not significant in increasing the removal efficiency. Therefore, the results provide adequate conditions to bioremediate automotive residual oil-contaminated soils by biostimulation using enzymes supported with vermicompost.

Modification of Ginseng Insoluble Dietary Fiber by Enzymatic Method: Structural, Rheological, Thermal and Functional Properties.

In this study, the effects of enzymatic modification using cellulase/xylanase on the composition and structural and functional properties of ginseng insoluble dietary fiber (G-IDF) were evaluated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microcopy showed that enzymatic extraction treatment caused obvious structural alterations in ginseng-modified (G-MIDF) samples, which exhibited more porous and completely wrinkled surfaces. Comparing the peak morphology of G-MIDF with untreated IDF using X-ray diffractometry, the G-MIDF sample exhibited split peaks at a 2θ angle of 23.71°, along with the emergence of sharp peaks at 28.02°, 31.78°, and 35.07°. Thermo-gravimetric analysis showed that G-MIDF exhibited a specified range of pyrolysis temperature and is suitable for food applications involving processing at temperatures below 300 °C. Overall, it was evident from rheograms that both G-IDF and G-MIDF exhibited a resemblance with respect to viscosity changes as a function of the shear rate. Enzymatic treatment led to significant (p < 0.05) improvement in water holding, oil retention, water swelling, nitrite ion binding, bile acid binding, cholesterol absorption, and glucose absorption capacities.

Dye Decolorization by a Miniaturized Peroxidase Fe-MimochromeVI*a.

Oxidases and peroxidases have found application in the field of chlorine-free organic dye degradation in the paper, toothpaste, and detergent industries. Nevertheless, their widespread use is somehow hindered because of their cost, availability, and batch-to-batch reproducibility. Here, we report the catalytic proficiency of a miniaturized synthetic peroxidase, Fe-Mimochrome VI*a, in the decolorization of four organic dyes, as representatives of either the heterocyclic or triarylmethane class of dyes. Fe-Mimochrome VI*a performed over 130 turnovers in less than five minutes in an aqueous buffer at a neutral pH under mild conditions.

Mechanical Way To Study Molecular Structure of Pericellular Layer.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to study the mechanical properties of cells, in particular, malignant cells. Softening of various cancer cells compared to their nonmalignant counterparts has been reported for various cell types. However, in most AFM studies, the pericellular layer was ignored. As was shown, it could substantially change the measured cell rigidity and miss important information on the physical properties of the pericellular layer. Here we take into account the pericellular layer by using the brush model to do the AFM indentation study of bladder epithelial bladder nonmalignant (HCV29) and cancerous (TCCSUP) cells. It allows us to measure not only the quasistatic Young's modulus of the cell body but also the physical properties of the pericellular layer (the equilibrium length and grafting density). We found that the inner pericellular brush was longer for cancer cells, but its grafting density was similar to that found for nonmalignant cells. The outer brush was much shorter and less dense for cancer cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate a method to convert the obtained physical properties of the pericellular layer into biochemical language better known to the cell biology community. It is done by using heparinase I and neuraminidase enzymatic treatments that remove specific molecular parts of the pericellular layer. The presented here approach can also be used to decipher the molecular composition of not only pericellular but also other molecular layers.

Development and systematic evaluation of decellularization protocols in different application models for diaphragmatic tissue engineering.

BACKGROUND: Tissue engineered bioscaffolds based on decellularized composites have gained increasing interest for treatment of various diaphragmatic impairments, including muscular atrophies and diaphragmatic hernias. Detergent-enzymatic treatment (DET) constitutes a standard strategy for diaphragmatic decellularization. However, there is scarce data on comparing DET protocols with different substances in distinct application models in their ability to maximize cellular removal while minimizing extracellular matrix (ECM) damage. METHODS: We decellularized diaphragms of male Sprague Dawley rats with 1 % or 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 4 % sodium deoxycholate (SDC) by orbital shaking (OS) or retrograde perfusion (RP) through the vena cava. We evaluated decellularized diaphragmatic samples by (1) quantitative analysis including DNA quantification and biomechanical testing, (2) qualitative and semiquantitative analysis by proteomics, as well as (3) qualitative assessment with macroscopic and microscopic evaluation by histological staining, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: All protocols produced decellularized matrices with micro- and ultramorphologically intact architecture and adequate biomechanical performance with gradual differences. The proteomic profile of decellularized matrices contained a broad range of primal core and ECM-associated proteins similar to native muscle. While no outstanding preference for one singular protocol was determinable, SDS-treated samples showed slightly beneficial properties in comparison to SDC-processed counterparts. Both application modalities proved suitable for DET. CONCLUSION: DET with SDS or SDC via orbital shaking or retrograde perfusion constitute suitable methods to produce adequately decellularized matrices with characteristically preserved proteomic composition. Exposing compositional and functional specifics of variously treated grafts may enable establishing an ideal processing strategy to sustain valuable tissue characteristics and optimize consecutive recellularization. This aims to design an optimal bioscaffold for future transplantation in quantitative and qualitative diaphragmatic defects.

Ultrasonic extraction of soy protein isolate: Characterization and comparison with microwave and enzymatic extraction methods.

Soy meal as an agro-industrial by-product produced by the soybean oil processing industry is rich in protein. To valorize soy meal, the present study was aimed at the optimization of soy protein isolate (SPI) extraction by ultrasound treatment, its characterization, and comparison with microwave, enzymatic, and conventionally extracted SPI. Maximum yield (24.17% ± 0.79%) and protein purity (91.6% ± 1.08%) of SPI were obtained at the optimized ultrasound extraction conditions of 15.38:1 (liquid-solid ratio), 51.85% (amplitude), 21.70°C (temperature), 3.49 s (pulse), and 11.01 min (time). The SPI extracted with ultrasound treatment showed a smaller particle size (27.24 ± 0.33 µm) as compared to that extracted with microwave, enzymatically, or conventional treatment. Functional characteristics, namely, water and oil binding capacity, emulsion properties, and foaming properties of ultrasonically extracted SPI were increased by 40%-50% as compared to SPI extracted with microwave treatment, enzymatically, or conventionally. Structural and thermal properties studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning colorimeter showed amorphous, secondary structural change, and high thermal resistance of ultrasonically extracted SPI. Increased functionality of ultrasonically obtained SPI can enhance its application in the development of various new food products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Soybean meal is one of the richest sources of protein and has huge potential to lessen protein-based malnutrition. Most of the studies on soy protein extraction were found to be based on the conventional methods that yield less quantity of protein. Hence, ultrasound treatment which is one of the novel nonthermal techniques has been selected for the present work and optimized for soy protein extraction. The ultrasound treatment showed significant improvement in extraction yield, proximate composition, amino acids profile, and improvement of functional properties of SPI as compared to the conventional, microwave, and enzymatic methods which proved the novelty of the work. Hence, the ultrasound technique could be used to increase the applications of SPI for developing a wide range of food products.

Ultrasonication-assisted enzymatic bioprocessing as a green method for valorizing oat hulls.

Ultrasonication-assisted enzymatic treatments using Viscozyme®, Alcalase®, and feruloyl esterase were applied to recover proteins, avenanthramides, phenolic acids, free sugars, and organic acids from oat hulls (OH). The profiles of the chemical compounds in OH were markedly influenced by the nature of enzymes, ultrasonication frequency, and processing time. A significant increase in the contents of proteins and phenolic acids was observed in the liquid fraction of all enzymatic treatments, which was 2-19 folds higher than those detected in untreated OH. In contrast, avenanthramides were mostly degraded during enzyme hydrolyses. The highest content of proteins (68.9 g/100 g DM) was found in the liquid fraction after the feruloyl esterase treatment assisted with 90 min of ultrasonication at 25 kHz. This fraction also contained 0.07% phenolic acids, 14.1% free sugars, and 1.8% organic acids, which can be potentially used as the ingredient of novel food products.