Influence of conventional and recent extraction technologies on physicochemical properties of bioactive macromolecules from natural sources: A review.

The incorporation of bioactive macromolecules from natural sources into marketable functional foods and nutraceuticals is of major significance to the agri-food sector. Interest in this area of research stems from the application of purified bioactive macromolecules in enhancing food quality and as an alternative to some pharmaceutical drugs for delivery of potential health benefits, with less associated adverse effects. To obtain bioactive macromolecules of high quality, appropriate use of extraction techniques and its influence on sensory and physicochemical properties is paramount. With the advent of technology-aided processes, there has been remarkable improvement in the extraction efficiency of these bioactive agents. An overview of the influence of these new techniques on extraction efficiency and physicochemical properties of proteins, lipids and fibers, which this detailed review provides, will prove to be a valuable resource to food industries aiming to maximize production of bioactive macromolecules from natural sources as well as the scientific community.

Simultaneous hydrolysis and co-fermentation of whey lactose with wheat for ethanol production.

Whey permeate was used as a co-substrate to replace part of the wheat for ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was achieved with ß-galactosidase added at the onset of the fermentation to promote whey lactose hydrolysis. Aspergillus oryzae and Kluyveromyces lactis ß-galactosidases were two enzymes selected and used in the co-fermentation of wheat and whey permeate for the comparison of their effectiveness on lactose hydrolysis. The possibility of co-fermentations in both STARGEN and jet cooking systems was investigated in 5L bioreactors. Ethanol yields from the co-fermentations of wheat and whey permeate were evaluated. It was found that A. oryzae ß-galactosidase was more efficient for lactose hydrolysis during the co-fermentation and that whey permeate supplementation can contribute to ethanol yield in co-fermentations with wheat.

Peptidomics of Peptic Digest of Selected Potato Tuber Proteins: Post-Translational Modifications and Limited Cleavage Specificity.

Bioinformatic tools are useful in predicting bioactive peptides from food proteins. This study was focused on using bioinformatics and peptidomics to evaluate the specificity of peptide release and post-translational modifications (PTMs) in a peptic digest of potato protein isolate. Peptides in the protein hydrolysate were identified by LC-MS/MS and subsequently aligned to their parent potato tuber proteins. Five major proteins were selected for further analysis, namely, lipoxygenase, α-1,4-glucan phosphorylase, annexin, patatin, and polyubiquitin, based on protein coverage, abundance, confidence levels, and function. Comparison of the in silico peptide profile generated with ExPASy PeptideCutter and experimental peptidomics data revealed several differences. The experimental peptic cleavage sites were found to vary in number and specificity from PeptideCutter predictions. Average peptide chain length was also found to be higher than predicted with hexapeptides as the smallest detected peptides. Moreover, PTMs, particularly Met oxidation and Glu/Asp deamidation, were observed in some peptides, and these were unaccounted for during in silico analysis. PTMs can be formed during aging of potato tubers, or as a result of processing conditions during protein isolation and hydrolysis. The findings provide insights on the limitations of current bioinformatics tools for predicting bioactive peptide release from proteins, and on the existence of structural modifications that can alter the peptide bioactivity and functionality.

Incorporation of whey permeate, a dairy effluent, in ethanol fermentation to provide a zero waste solution for the dairy industry.

This study proposes a novel alternative for utilization of whey permeate, a by-product stream from the dairy industry, in wheat fermentation for ethanol production using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Whey permeates were hydrolyzed using enzymes to release fermentable sugars. Hydrolyzed whey permeates were integrated into wheat fermentation as a co-substrate or to partially replace process water. Cold starch hydrolysis-based simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was done as per the current industrial protocol for commercial wheat-to-ethanol production. Ethanol production was not affected; ethanol yield efficiency did not change when up to 10% of process water was replaced. Lactic acid bacteria in whey permeate did not negatively affect the co-fermentation or reduce ethanol yield. Whey permeate could be effectively stored for up to 4 wk at 4 °C with little change in lactose and lactic acid content. Considering the global abundance and nutrient value of whey permeate, the proposed strategy could improve economics of the dairy and biofuel sectors, and reduce environmental pollution. Furthermore, our research may be applied to fermentation strategies designed to produce value-added products other than ethanol.

Lateral abdominal muscle symmetry in collegiate single-sided rowers.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Although side to side symmetry of lateral abdominal muscle thickness has been established in healthy individuals, it is unknown whether abdominal muscle symmetry exists in athletes with asymmetrical physiological demands, such as those of single-sided rowers. The purpose of this study was to examine the oarside versus the non-oarside lateral abdominal musculature thickness in collegiate single-sided rowers, as measured by ultrasound imaging (USI). METHODS: The study was a prospective, cross-sectional, observational design. Thirty collegiate crew team members (17 males, 13 females, age 19.8±1.2 years) characterized as single-sided rowers participated. Resting muscle thickness measurements of the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles were obtained via USI. Comparisons of absolute and relative muscle thickness between oarside and non-oarside were performed using paired t-tests. Potential differences based on gender, rowing experience, and history of low back pain were investigated using mixed model analysis of variance. RESULTS: There were no clinically significant differences in absolute or relative thickness of the TrA, IO or EO on the oarside versus the non-oarside. There were no significant side to side differences in the relative muscle thickness of the TrA, IO or EO based on gender, rowing experience, or history of low back pain. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of single-sided rowing athletes, no clinically significant side to side differences in lateral abdominal muscle thickness were observed. Despite the asymmetrical functional demands of single-sided rowers in this study, thickness of the lateral abdominal muscles was symmetric. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Skin care in the NICU patient: effects of wipes versus cloth and water on stratum corneum integrity.

BACKGROUND: NICU patients are at risk of skin breakdown due to prematurity, irritant exposure, medical status and stress. There is a need to minimize damage, facilitate skin development and reduce infection risk, but the literature on the effects of skin care practices in NICU patients is limited. OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that baby diaper wipes with emollient cleansers and a soft cloth would minimize skin compromise relative to cloth and water. METHODS: In 130 NICU infants (gestational age 23-41 weeks, at enrollment 30-51 weeks), measurements of skin condition, i.e., skin erythema, skin rash, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and surface acidity (pH), within the diaper and at diaper and chest control sites were determined daily for 5-14 days using standardized methods. Treatments were randomly assigned based on gestational age and starting skin irritation score: wipe A, wipe B, and the current cloth and water NICU standard of care. RESULTS: Perineal erythema and TEWL were significantly lower for wipes A and B than cloth and water beginning at day 5 for erythema (scores of 1.11 +/- 0.05, 1.2 +/- 0.05, and 1.4 +/- 0.06, respectively) and day 7 for TEWL (28.2 +/- 1.6, 28.8 +/- 1.6, and 35.2 +/- 1.6 g/m(2)/h, respectively). Wipe B produced a significantly lower skin pH (day 5, 5.47 +/- 0.03) than wipe A (5.71 +/- 0.03) and cloth and water (5.67 +/- 0.04). The starting skin condition, stool total, age and time on current standard impacted the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Both wipes are appropriate for use on medically stable NICU patients, including both full and preterm infants, and provide more normalized skin condition and barrier function versus the cloth and water standard. Wipe B may facilitate acid mantle development and assist in colonization, infection control and barrier repair. Neonatal skin continues to change for up to 8 weeks postnatally, presumably as it adapts to the dry extra-uterine environment.