Fate of ß-Carotene within Loaded Delivery Systems in Food: State of Knowledge.

Nanotechnology has opened new opportunities for delivering bioactive agents. Their physiochemical characteristics, i.e., small size, high surface area, unique composition, biocompatibility and biodegradability, make these nanomaterials an attractive tool for ß-carotene delivery. Delivering ß-carotene through nanoparticles does not only improve its bioavailability/bioaccumulation in target tissues, but also lessens its sensitivity against environmental factors during processing. Regardless of these benefits, nanocarriers have some limitations, such as variations in sensory quality, modification of the food matrix, increasing costs, as well as limited consumer acceptance and regulatory challenges. This research area has rapidly evolved, with a plethora of innovative nanoengineered materials now being in use, including micelles, nano/microemulsions, liposomes, niosomes, solidlipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipids and nanostructured carriers. These nanodelivery systems make conventional delivery systems appear archaic and promise better solubilization, protection during processing, improved shelf-life, higher bioavailability as well as controlled and targeted release. This review provides information on the state of knowledge on ß-carotene nanodelivery systems adopted for developing functional foods, depicting their classifications, compositions, preparation methods, challenges, release and absorption of ß-carotene in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and possible risks and future prospects.

Vitamin D microencapsulation and fortification: Trends and technologies.

Today, as per the latest medical reports available, majority of the population throughout globe is facing vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency. Even in sub-tropical countries like India and many others Vit D deficiency is highly prevalent despite the exuberant available sunshine (a major source of Vit D) throughtout the year. The reason could be attributed to an array of factors including socioeconomical, cultural and religious. Further, other than the sunlight, there are very limited sources of Vit D to fulfil the recommended dietary allowance of Vit D (RDA: 400-800 IU per day). A large proportion of Vit D is lost during food processing and storage due to environmental stress conditions such as temperature, pH, salt, oxygen and light. Vita D, an important micronutrient, is essentially required for the prevention of disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer etc. in addition to its traditional role in bone metabolism. Therefore, in order to meet the daily requirements of Vit D for human body, WHO has recognized fortification as the most efficient and safest method to address malnutrition. But there are innumerable chellenges involved during food fortification using Vit D as fortificants such as homogeneity into the food matrix, physico-chemical/photochemical degradation, loss during processing and storage, interactions with other components of food matrix resulting into change in taste, texture and appearance thus affecting acceptability, palatability and marketability. Fortification of Vit D into food products especially the ones which have an aqueous portion, is not simple for food technologist. Recent advances in nanotechnology offer various microencapsulation techniques such as liposome, solid-lipid particles, nanostructured lipid carriers, emulsion, spray drying etc. which have been used to design efficient nanomaterials with desired functionality and have great potential for fortification of fortificants like Vit D. The present review is an undate on Vit D, in light of its fortification level, RDA, factors affecting its bioavailability and various microencapsulation techniques adopted to develop Vit D-nanomaterials and their fate in food fortification.

Fabrication of nano-structured lipid carrier for encapsulation of vitamin D3 for fortification of 'Lassi'; A milk based beverage.

A phase inversion based cold water dilution method was developed to encapsulate Vitamin D3 (Vit D) in nano-structured lipid carrier (NLC) by blending caprylic-/capric triglyceride, Leciva S70 and Kolliphor HS®15, Vit D and sodium chloride. To optimize the process; a total of forty one formulations prepared by varying in their composition were tested for presence of NLC. Out of forty one formulations, only thirteen formulations resulted in NLC formation which were further evaluated for their physico-chemical attributes (particle size, zeta potential, transmittance, encapsulation efficiency and Vit D release). During principal component analysis using XLstats it was found that NLC-19, fabricated with 20% (v/v) Kolliphor, 20% (v/v) CCTG and 60% (v/v) water, 2.5% (w/v) Leciva, 2% (w/v) Vit D and 5% (w/v) sodium chloride was the most suitable for purpose of encapsulating Vitamin D. Hence, NLC-19 formulation was further taken up for stability studies under the following environmental stress conditions: (a) Temperature and humidity: accelerated condition: 45 ±â€¯2 °C and RH 75 ±â€¯5%, ambient condition: 25 ±â€¯3 °C and RH 65 ±â€¯5% and refrigerated condition: 6 ±â€¯2 °C and RH 55 ±â€¯5%, (b) pH: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and (c) Ionic strength (NaCl concentration): 0 mM, 250 mM, 500 mM and 750 mM. The sensory evaluation of 'Lassi' (fortified with NLC-19) and its acceptability further confirmed the suitability of NLC-19 for the purpose of fortification of Vitamin D3 in 'Lassi' (A milk based beverage).

A phase inversion based nanoemulsion fabrication process to encapsulate vitamin D3 for food applications.

A phase inversion based nanoemulsion fabrication process was developed to encapsulate vitamin D3 by blending caprylic-/capric triglyceride (CCTG), Leciva S70, Kolliphor® HS 15, vitamin D3 and aqueous phase (sodium chloride solution). In order to find out nanoparticle formation zone (NFZ), a ternary diagram was plotted with 41 possible combinations of three components CCTG, Kolliphor® HS 15 and aqueous phase. Out of forty one, only twelve combinations resulted in formation of stable nanoemulsion where the composition varied between 10%-40% (v/v), 10%-25% (v/v) and 35%-80% (v/v) for Kolliphor, CCTG and water respectively. Further, these 12 nanoemulsions were investigated for their particle size, zeta potential, emulsion stability, encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics (simulated digestion) of vitamin D. The nanoemulsion (NE-20) fabricated with 30% (v/v) Kolliphor, 20% (v/v) CCTG and 50% (v/v) aqueous phase was found to be the most suitable with respected to zeta potential, emulsion stability and encapsulation efficiency and also demonstrated high bioavailability of vitamin D as compared to other combinations and hence was selected for further physiochemical studies. The selected nanoemulsion was also investigated for particle size and zeta potential and stability of vitamin D3 retention under different environmental stress conditions (i) temperature and humidity: (a) accelerated condition: 45 ± 2 °C and RH 75 ± 5%, (b) ambient condition: 25 ± 3 °C and RH 65 ± 5% and (c) refrigerated condition: 6 ± 2 °C and RH 55 ± 5% (ii) pH (3-7) under refrigerated condition and (iii) ionic strength: NaCl concentration (0 mM, 250 mM, 500 mM and 750 mM) under crefrigerated condition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and High Perfomance Liquid Chromatograpy technique were used to study physico-chemical stability of encapsulated vitamin D3 in the developed nanoemulsion. The sensory evaluation also indicated the acceptability of the selected nanoemulsion the purpose of fortification for beverages.

Physicochemical, structural and functional properties of native and irradiated starch: a review.

The world population has crossed seven billion and such a huge population has increased the pressure and considerably affects our ability to feed ourselves. It has now emerged as a new challenge for policy makers, food scientists and other associated people to make food available to everyone. To achieve this, underutilized crops/plants that act as good sources of starch need to be explored. Starch in its native form have certain limitations in its functional properties to be used for different applications. Therefore, it becomes important to explore certain technologies which could be used for modification of properties of starch. During the last decades gamma irradiation has emerged as an efficient processing technique for the modification of starch when compared to the other available processes. This review, aims to summarize the effects of gamma irradiation on various properties of starch such as physicochemical and rheological properties, functional characteristics, thermal behaviour etc. so as to make the starch suitable for various applications in different industries including the food industry.

Factors influencing the absorption of vitamin D in GIT: an overview.

Vitamin D refers to a group of secosteroid compounds and recognized as the antirachitic vitamin, as it counters rickets, mineral desorption from fully-grown bones (Osteodistrophy), bone, joint disorders, and fragility of bones. On one hand, there is scarcity of vitamin D rich food while on other hand a number of factors negotiate its absorption efficiency in human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). These factors include variations in the physiochemical state of the vitamin D (molecular forms, potency and their physiological linkages), the complexity of food matrix (the amount and type of fatty acids, dietary fibers and presence/absence of vitamin D enhancer and inhibitor), and its interaction of other fat soluble compounds with vitamin D as well as the host-associated factors (age, disease, surgery, obesity, genetic variation etc.). It is hypothesized that the bioavailability of vitamin D in GIT is compromised if there changes within these factors. Present article is intended to review the contribution of these factors anticipated to be influencing vitamin D absorption in GIT.

Physicochemical, thermal and functional properties of gamma irradiated chickpea starch.

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of gamma irradiation (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10kGy) on physicochemical, functional and thermal properties of chickpea starch. Results revealed that the pasting properties showed a significant (p≤0.05) decrease in peak viscosity, final viscosity, setback viscosity, trough viscosity and pasting temperature in dose dependent manner. Swelling, solubility index, oil absorption capacity and water absorption capacity increased significantly with dose, while as syneresis decreased with dose. Gelatinization temperatures To, Tp and Tc decreased significantly with dose. X-ray diffraction showed a characteristic C type pattern of the starches and the crystallinity decreased with dose. Scanning electron microscopy revealed small oval shaped starch granules and slight surface fissures were seen in the irradiated starch treated with 5 and 10kGy.

Electron beam irradiation of maltodextrin and cinnamyl alcohol mixtures: influence of glycerol on cross-linking.

The influence of glycerol on the electron beam-induced changes in maltodextrins-cinnamyl alcohol (CA) blends is examined with respect to its influence on the degree of chain scission, grafting, and cross-linking. The study is relevant to radiation-induced polysaccharide modification, specifically in the perspective of using blended starch as a thermoplastic material, where glycerol is commonly used as a plasticizer. In the absence of CA, glycerol protects maltodextrin from chromophore formation onto the main chain, but also induces more chain scission. The presence of CA provides efficient radiation-protection against scission. Glycerol is shown to affect the interaction between maltodextrin and CA, most likely in the form of an inclusion complex when glycerol is absent. The global behavior under radiation is therefore governed by the physical interactions between the blend constituents rather than on the role of glycerol role as a plasticizer, or as an OH˙ radical scavenger.

Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in waters associated with a hospital in Ujjain, India.

BACKGROUND: Concerns have been raised about the public health implications of the presence of antibiotic residues in the aquatic environment and their effect on the development of bacterial resistance. While there is information on antibiotic residue levels in hospital effluent from some other countries, information on antibiotic residue levels in effluent from Indian hospitals is not available. Also, concurrent studies on antibiotic prescription quantity in a hospital and antibiotic residue levels and resistant bacteria in the effluent of the same hospital are few. Therefore, we quantified antibiotic residues in waters associated with a hospital in India and assessed their association, if any, with quantities of antibiotic prescribed in the hospital and the susceptibility of Escherichia coli found in the hospital effluent. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a teaching hospital outside the city of Ujjain in India. Seven antibiotics--amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, amikacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and levofloxacin--were selected. Prescribed quantities were obtained from hospital records. The samples of the hospital associated water were analysed for the above mentioned antibiotics using well developed and validated liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry technique after selectively isolating the analytes from the matrix using solid phase extraction. Escherichia coli isolates from these waters were tested for antibiotic susceptibility, by standard Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method using Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute breakpoints. RESULTS: Ciprofloxacin was the highest prescribed antibiotic in the hospital and its residue levels in the hospital wastewater were also the highest. In samples of the municipal water supply and the groundwater, no antibiotics were detected. There was a positive correlation between the quantity of antibiotics prescribed in the hospital and antibiotic residue levels in the hospital wastewater. Wastewater samples collected in the afternoon contained both a higher number and higher levels of antibiotics compared to samples collected in the morning hours. No amikacin was found in the wastewater, but E.coli isolates from all wastewater samples were resistant to amikacin. Although ciprofloxacin was the most prevalent antibiotic detected in the wastewater, E.coli was not resistant to it. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotics are entering the aquatic environment of countries like India through hospital effluent. In-depth studies are needed to establish the correlation, if any, between the quantities of antibiotics prescribed in hospitals and the levels of antibiotic residues found in hospital effluent. Further, the effect of this on the development of bacterial resistance in the environment and its subsequent public health impact need thorough assessment.