Effect of pH and Pea Protein: Xanthan Gum Ratio on Emulsions with High Oil Content and High Internal Phase Emulsion Formation

Electrostatic interaction between protein and polysaccharides could influence structured liquid oil stability when emulsification is used for this purpose. The objective of this work was to structure sunflower oil forming emulsions and High Internal Phase Emulsions (HIPEs) using pea protein (PP) and xanthan gum (XG) as a stabilizer, promoting or not their electrostatic attraction. The 60/40 oil-in-water emulsions were made varying the pH (3, 5, and 7) and PP:XG ratio (4:1, 8:1, and 12:1). To form HIPEs, samples were oven-dried and homogenized. The higher the pH, the smaller the droplet size (Emulsions: 15.60–43.96 µm and HIPEs: 8.74–20.38 µm) and the oil release after 9 weeks of storage at 5 °C and 25 °C (oil loss < 8%). All systems had weak gel-like behavior, however, the values of viscoelastic properties (G′ and G″) increased with the increment of PP:XG ratio. Stable emulsions were obtained at pHs 5 and 7 in all PP:XG ratios, and at pH 3 in the ratio 4:1. Stable HIPEs were obtained at pH 7 in the ratios PP:XG 4:1, 8:1, and 12:1, and at pH 5 at PP:XG ratio 4:1. All these systems presented different characteristics that could be exploited for their application as fat substitutes.     

Comparative Study on Microencapsulation of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) Essential Oils via Spray-Drying Technique

Essential oils have been studied for various applications, including for therapeutic purposes. There is extensive literature regarding their properties; however, their low stability limits their application. Generally, the microencapsulation of essential oils allows enhanced stability and enables the potential incorporation in solid dosage forms. Lavender and peppermint oils were encapsulated in microparticles using a spray-drying technique under optimized conditions: 170 °C temperature, 35 m³/h aspiration volume flow, and 7.5 mL/min feed flow. Arabic gum and maltodextrin were used as coating polymers individually in varying concentrations from 5 to 20% (w/v) and in combination. The microparticles were studied for morphology, particle size, oil content, and flowability. The formulated powder particles showed a high yield of 71 to 84%, mean diameter 2.41 to 5.99 µm, and total oil content of up to 10.80%. The results showed that both the wall material type and concentration, as well as the type of essential oil, significantly affected the encapsulation process and the final particle characteristics. Our study has demonstrated that the encapsulation of lavender and peppermint oils in Arabic gum/maltodextrin microparticles by spray-drying represents a feasible approach for the conversion of liquids into solids regarding their further use in powder technology.     

Development of a Third Generation Snack of Rice Starch Enriched with Nopal Flour (Opuntia ficus indica)

This study aimed to obtain a third-generation snack from native rice starch (NS), rice starch modified by extrusion (MS), nopal flour (NF) and xanthan gum (XG). These raw materials were characterized by proximal analysis, pH, particle size distribution, water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI), degree of substitution (DS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheology, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis of the response variables in the nine formulations of the snack: expansion index (EI), apparent density (AD), hardness (H), luminosity (L*) and tendency to green-red (a*), was performed through a composite central design (CCD), the selected formulations were characterized by SEM. Results showed an increase in WAI, 4.69 ± 0.04, and WSI, 12.61 ± 0.10, for MS, higher than NS values due to chemical modification. According to the color analysis the NF obtained a value of 60.73 ± 0.008 in L* and −6.51 ± 0.004 in a* with green tendency. The DS value obtained was 0.09 ± 0.005, being within the FDA’s permissible range for food use. By FTIR analysis, the acetyl group was corroborated. Finally, employing microwave cooking, snacks made from NS with concentrations of NF (5%) and XG (0%) obtained the highest EI value, 4.47, as well the low Dap and D value (0.37 g/cm³, 2.25 N, respectively), corroborated by SEM analysis.     

黄原胶和瓜尔胶混合溶液及其硼砂交联体系的流变性能

本文研究了黄原胶(XG)和瓜尔胶(GG)的混合溶液及其硼砂(B)交联体系的流变性,考察了XG/GG间的“协同增效作用”以及溶液组成、pH和电解质(NaCl和CaCl 2)对其流变性的影响。结果表明,所有溶液体系均为假塑型流体,其流变曲线可用Herschel-Bulkley和Casson模型描述。XG和GG复配具有明显的“协同增粘效应”,在XG占两聚合物的质量分数w(XG)为20%和90%时协同增粘效应最强,其“协同增粘率”(R m)分别约为42%和34%。硼砂(B)可交联XG/GG混合溶液,其交联增粘效果随w(XG)的减小和硼砂质量浓度ρ(B)的增大而增大;在w(XG)=50%和ρ(B)=1.00 g/L时,“交联增粘率”可达85%。在所研究的pH值范围(6.2~10.0)内,XG/GG混合溶液的流变性基本无变化,而XG/GG/B交联体系(w(XG)=50%和ρ(B)=0.75~1.00 g/L)的表观粘度随pH值增大先升高后降低,pH=9.0时出现最大值,交联增粘率达107%。电解质可使XG/GG/B交联溶液(w(XG)=10%和ρ(B)=0.50 g/L)体系的粘度大幅下降,且CaCl 2的影响明显高于NaCl,表明交联结构的耐盐能力较差。这些结果加深了对XG/GG混合溶液流变性的认识,可为其实际应用(如在强化采油中的应用)提供依据。     

Determination of locust bean gum and guar gum by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to differentiate the thickening agents locust bean gum (LBG) and the cheaper guar gum in finished food products. Universal primers for amplification of the intergenic spacer region between trnL 3' (UAA) exon and trnF (GAA) gene in the chloroplast (cp) genome and subsequent restriction analysis were applied to differentiate guar gum and LBG. The presence of <5% (w/w) guar gum powder added to LBG powder was detectable. Based on data obtained from sequencing this intergenic spacer region, a second PCR method for the specific detection of guar gum DNA was also developed. This assay detected guar gum powder in LBG in amounts as low as 1% (w/w). Both methods successfully detected guar gum and/or LBG in ice cream stabilizers and in foodstuffs, such as dairy products, ice cream, dry seasoning mixes, a finished roasting sauce, and a fruit jelly product, but not in products with highly degraded DNA, such as tomato ketchup and sterilized chocolate cream. Both methods detected guar gum and LBG in ice cream and fresh cheese at levels <0.1%.     

Rheological characterization of functional walnut oil-enriched butters stabilized by the various polysaccharides

Dynamic rheological measurements provide a valid determination of the ability of polymeric ingredients to compensate the reduced contribution of fat to texture and mouthfeel, as well as provide an emulsion that easily breaks down in commercial low-fat butters. In this study, the linear effects of pectin (PE, 0.5%) and xanthan gum (XG, 0.1%) and their interactions with locust bean gum (LBG, 0.2% and 0.4%), sodium-alginate (ALG, 0.2% and 0.4%), and modified starch (MS, 0.2% and 0.4%) on the flow behavior, dynamic rheological characteristics, and stability of reduced-fat butters containing 10% walnut oil (WO) were investigated. Results showed that the power law model can adequately fit the shear-rate/shear-stress data (0.888?≤?r?≤?0.992, p?G′?>?G″ at all frequencies. The samples prepared with PE–LBG (0.2% and 0.4%) and XG–ALG (0.4%) had the highest G′ values. The phase angle (G″/G′) decreased with increasing frequency from 0.03 to 15?Hz. The maximum apparent viscosity and stability were, respectively, found for WO butters formulated with XG–0.2% ALG and PE–0.4% LBG.     

Study of galactomannose interaction with solids using AFM, IR and allied techniques

Guar gum (GG) and locust bean gum (LBG) are two galactomannose polysaccharides with different mannose/galactose ratio which is widely used in many industrial sectors including food, textiles, paper, adhesive, paint, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and mineral processing. They are natural nonionic polymers that are non-toxic and biodegradable. These properties make them ideal for industrial applications. However, a general lack of understanding of the interactions between the polysaccharides and solid surfaces has hindered wider application of these polymers. In this work, adsorption of locust bean gum and guar gum at the solid-liquid interface was investigated using adsorption tests, electrophoretic mobility measurements, FTIR, fluorescence spectroscopy, AFM and molecular modeling. Electrokinetic studies showed that the adsorption of GG and LBG on talc do not change its isoelectric point. In addition, GG and LBG adsorption on talc was found not to be affected by changes in solution conditions such as pH and ionic strength, which suggests a minor role of electrostatic force in adsorption. On the other hand, fluorescence spectroscopy studies conducted to investigate the role of hydrophobic bonding using pyrene probe showed no evidence of the formation of hydrophobic domains at talc-aqueous interface. Moreover, urea, a hydrogen bond breaker, markedly reduced the adsorption of LBG and GG on talc, supporting hydrogen bonding as an important role. In FTIR study, the changes in the infrared bands, associated with the CO stretch coupled to the CC stretch and OH deformation, were significant and therefore also supporting hydrogen bonding of GG and LBG to the solid surface. In addition, Langmuir modeling of adsorption isotherm further suggested that hydrogen bonding is the dominant force for polysaccharide adsorption since the adsorption free energy of these polymers is close to that for hydrogen bond formation. From molecular modeling, different helical structures are observed for LBG and GG because of their different galactose/mannose ratio and these polymers were found to adsorb flat on solid to let more of its OH groups in contact with the surface. All of the above results suggest that the main driving force for adsorption both of GG and LBG on talc is hydrogen bonding rather than hydrophobic force even though there is difference in G/M ratio between them.     

Molecular Interaction Studies and Phytochemical Characterization of Mentha pulegium L. Constituents with Multiple Biological Utilities as Antioxidant,Antimicrobial, Anticancer and Anti-Hemolytic Agents

Multiple biological functions of Mentha pulegium extract were evaluated in the current work. Phytochemical components of the M. pulegium extract were detected by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moreover, M. pulegium extract was estimated for antioxidant potential by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging, antimicrobial activity by well diffusion, and anticoagulant activity via prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). GC-MS analysis detected compounds including cholesterol margarate, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, 19-nor-4-androstenediol, androstan-17-one, pulegone-1,2-epoxide, isochiapin B, dotriacontane, hexadecanoic acid and neophytadiene. Chrysoeriol (15.36 µg/mL) was followed by kaempferol (11.14 µg/mL) and 7-OH flavone (10.14 µg/mL), catechin (4.11 µg/mL), hisperdin (3.05 µg/mL), and luteolin (2.36 µg/mL) were detected by HPLC as flavonoids, in addition to ferulic (13.19 µg/mL), cinnamic (12.69 µg/mL), caffeic (11.45 µg/mL), pyrogallol (9.36 µg/mL), p-coumaric (5.06 µg/mL) and salicylic (4.17 µg/mL) as phenolics. Antioxidant activity was detected with IC₅₀ 18 µg/mL, hemolysis inhibition was recorded as 79.8% at 1000 μg/mL, and PT and APTT were at 21.5 s and 49.5 s, respectively, at 50 μg/mL of M. pulegium extract. The acute toxicity of M. pulegium extract was recorded against PC3 (IC₅₀ 97.99 µg/mL) and MCF7 (IC₅₀ 80.21 µg/mL). Antimicrobial activity of M. pulegium extract was documented against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aureus, Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but not against black fungus Mucor circinelloides. Molecular docking was applied using MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) to explain the biological activity of neophytadiene, luteolin, chrysoeriol and kaempferol. These compounds could be suitable for the development of novel pharmacological agents for treatment of cancer and bacterial infections.     

瓜儿豆胶和刺槐豆胶抑制阿斯巴甜甜感强度的机制探索

目前大分子水溶胶对于味觉物质的影响机制研究主要集中于胶体自身的性质以及胶体结构与味物质的相互作用.本文选择了食品中常用的瓜儿豆胶(GG)和刺槐豆胶(LBG),研究了这两种非离子水溶胶对甜味剂阿斯巴甜(APM)感官甜度的影响,并探索了其中的物理化学机制.感官实验结果表明,高浓度的瓜儿豆胶和刺槐豆胶对阿斯巴甜的甜度有抑制作用,且随着水溶胶浓度的增高,达到高分子临界交叠浓度C*后,抑制作用更明显.基于人工受体模型,利用等温滴定量热(ITC)技术发现,两种水溶胶存在条件下阿斯巴甜与受体模型相互作用的结合常数急剧减小.另外,通过对甜味剂存在下非离子水溶胶的水分分布、扩散性质的考察,发现随水溶胶浓度增加,体系的结合水含量均增多,尤其是水溶胶浓度达到临界交叠浓度(C*)后增多的现象更明显;同时,分子的扩散也受到了阻碍,从而导致阿斯巴甜感官甜度的降低.本研究表明,探索大分子水溶胶对甜味剂分子与受体结合差异性的影响、溶液中水分子的弛豫性质及赋存状态、结合体系的粘度及扩散性质的研究,为理解大分子水溶胶对甜味影响的物理化学机制提供更多的信息.     

ZnO Nanoparticles of Rubia cordifolia Extract Formulation Developed and Optimized with QbD Application,Considering Ex Vivo Skin Permeation,Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties

The objective of the current research is to develop ZnO-Manjistha extract (ZnO-MJE) nanoparticles (NPs) and to investigate their transdermal delivery as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The optimized formulation was further evaluated based on different parameters. The ZnO-MJE-NPs were prepared by mixing 10 mM ZnSO₄·7H₂O and 0.8% w/v NaOH in distilled water. To the above, a solution of 10 mL MJE (10 mg) in 50 mL of zinc sulfate was added. Box–Behnken design (Design-Expert software 12.0.1.0) was used for the optimization of ZnO-MJE-NP formulations. The ZnO-MJE-NPs were evaluated for their physicochemical characterization, in vitro release activity, ex vivo permeation across rat skin, antimicrobial activity using sterilized agar media, and antioxidant activity by the DPPH free radical method. The optimized ZnO-MJE-NP formulation (F13) showed a particle size of 257.1 ± 0.76 nm, PDI value of 0.289 ± 0.003, and entrapment efficiency of 79 ± 0.33%. Drug release kinetic models showed that the formulation followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model with a drug release of 34.50 ± 2.56 at pH 7.4 in 24 h. In ex vivo studies ZnO-MJE-NPs-opt permeation was 63.26%. The antibacterial activity was found to be enhanced in ZnO-MJE-NPs-opt and antioxidant activity was found to be highest (93.14 ± 4.05%) at 100 µg/mL concentrations. The ZnO-MJE-NPs-opt formulation showed prolonged release of the MJE and intensified permeation. Moreover, the formulation was found to show significantly (p < 0.05) better antimicrobial and antioxidant activity as compared to conventional suspension formulations.     

Bioactive Components and Anticancer Activities of Spray-Dried New Zealand Tamarillo Powder

Tamarillo fruit contains many phytochemicals that have beneficial therapeutic and nutritional properties. Spray-drying is widely used to preserve fruit puree in powder form. However, to obtain high-quality fruit powder, the optimisation of spray-drying conditions is necessary, as a high drying temperature can damage sensitive bioactive compounds. This study investigated the effects of spray-drying on the microstructure, polyphenolics, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, antioxidant activity, and anticancer capacity of tamarillo powder. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimise the spray-drying process to produce tamarillo powder. The independent variables were inlet drying temperature (120–160 °C), flow rate (1–5 g/mL), and maltodextrin concentration (0–10%). These variables influenced the microstructural attributes, bioactive components, and cytotoxicity of the spray-dried tamarillo powder. The increase in polyphenols and antioxidant activities were favoured under high-temperature spray drying conditions and a low carrier concentration. The optimised spray-drying conditions for producing tamarillo powder with high antioxidant and anticancer activities, high yield, and stable bioactive compounds were found to be at 146.8 °C inlet temperature, and a flow rate of 1.76 g/mL.     

Studying the Interaction of Xanthan Gum and Pectin with Some Functional Carbohydrates on the Rheological Attributes of a Low-Fat Spread

Effects of xanthan gum (XG) (0.1 wt%) and pectin (PE) (0.5 wt%) alone and in combination with different concentrations (0.2 and 0.4 wt%) of locust bean gum (LBG), modified starch (MS), and Na-alginate (ALG) on some of the rheological characteristics of low-fat spreads, including flow behavior curves, rheological modeling, apparent viscosity, rheological modules (storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″)), and delta degree (G″/G′) were studied. Results showed the power-law model was better than the Herschel–Bulkley model to describe the flow curve of dispersions. The k-value in the power-law model increased with increase in biopolymers concentration in solution. All samples exhibited shear-thinning flow behavior with a low yield stress. Dynamic oscillatory shear test showed that the spreads had a viscoelastic solid behavior with a gel-like structure. The G′ value was increased by increasing frequency from 0.03 to 15 Hz, while the G″ and G″/G′ values decreased. Also, MS in combination with XG and PE led to increase the G′ values of spreads in comparison with ALG and LBG. Moreover, microstructural and stability observations revealed that the spreads prepared with 0.1% XG-0.2% LBG significantly had the highest oiling out.     

Phenolic compounds,essential oil composition,and antioxidant activity of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill

In this study, methanol extracts (MEs) and essential oil (EO) of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill obtained from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and seed) were evaluated in terms of antioxidant activity, total phenolics, compositions of phenolic compound, and essential oil with the methods of 2,2-azino-bis(3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•⁺), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH•) radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), the Folin–Ciocalteu, liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC−MS), respectively. The root extract of A. purpurascens exhibited the highest ABTS•⁺, DPPH•, and FRAP activities (IC₅₀: 0.05 ± 0.0001 mg/mL, IC₅₀: 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/mL, 821.04 ± 15.96 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), respectively). Moreover, EO of A. purpurascens root displayed DPPH• scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 2.95 ± 0.084 mg/mL). The root extract had the highest total phenolic content (438.75 ± 16.39 GAE (gallic acid equivalent), µg/mL)). Twenty compounds were identified by LC−MS/MS. The most abundant phenolics were ferulic acid (244.39 ± 15.64 μg/g extract), benzoic acid (138.18 ± 8.84 μg/g extract), oleuropein (78.04 ± 4.99 μg/g extract), and rutin (31.21 ± 2.00 μg/g extract) in seed, stem, root, and leaf extracts, respectively. According to the GC−MS analysis, the major components were determined as α-bisabolol (22.93%), cubebol (14.39%), α-pinene (11.63%), and α-limonene (9.41%) among 29 compounds. Consequently, the MEs and EO of A. purpurascens can be used as a natural antioxidant source.     

Anticancer,Anticoagulant, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Thevetia peruviana Latex with Molecular Docking of Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities

Natural origin molecules represent reliable and excellent sources to overcome some medicinal problems. The study of anticancer, anticoagulant, and antimicrobial activities of Thevetia peruviana latex were the aim of the current research. An investigation using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed that the major content of the flavonoids are rutin (11.45 µg/mL), quersestin (7.15 µg/mL), naringin (5.25 µg/mL), and hisperdin (6.07 µg/mL), while phenolic had chlorogenic (12.39 µg/mL), syringenic (7.45 µg/mL), and ferulic (5.07 µg/mL) acids in latex of T. peruviana. Via 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, the experiment demonstrated that latex had a potent antioxidant activity with the IC₅₀ 43.9 µg/mL for scavenging DPPH. Hemolysis inhibition was 58.5% at 1000 µg/mL of latex compared with 91.0% at 200 µg/mL of indomethacin as positive control. Negligible anticoagulant properties of latex were reported where the recorded time was 11.9 s of prothrombin time (PT) and 29.2 s of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) at 25 µg/mL, compared with the same concentration of heparin (PT 94.6 s and APPT 117.7 s). The anticancer potential of latex was recorded against PC-3 (97.11% toxicity) and MCF-7 (96.23% toxicity) at 1000 μg/mL with IC₅₀ 48.26 μg/mL and 40.31 µg/mL, respectively. Disc diffusion assessment for antimicrobial activity recorded that the most sensitive tested microorganisms to latex were Bacillus subtilis followed by Escherichia coli, with an inhibition zone (IZ) of 31 mm with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (10.2 μg/mL) and 30 mm (MIC, 12.51 μg/mL), respectively. Moreover, Candida albicans was sensitive (IZ, 28 mm) to latex, unlike black fungus (Mucor circinelloides). TEM examination exhibited ultrastructure changes in cell walls and cell membranes of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with latex. Energy scores of the molecular docking of chlorogenic acid with E. coli DNA (7C7N), and Rutin with human prostate-specific antigen (3QUM) and breast cancer-associated protein (1JNX), result in excellent harmony with the experimental results. The outcome of research recommended that the latex is rich in constituents and considered a promising source that contributes to fighting cancer and pathogenic microorganisms.     

Synthesis of MgAl2O4 Spinel Nanometer Powder via Biology Polysaccharide Assisted Sol-Gel Process

A novel and cost-effective sol-gel process for preparation of MgAl₂O₄ spinel nanometer powders has been developed in this study. A solution of magnesium and aluminum nitrates in stoichiometric proportion was successfully embraced in the biology polysaccharide gel network, formed by the synergistic interaction between xanthan gum (XG) and locust bean gum (LBG) utilizing their broad-spectrum stability of salt tolerance and character of transformation from sol to gel on the condition of proper temperature and relative proportion of polymeric components. Dry gel could be obtained by vacuum dehydration of aqueous gel at low temperatures. Monolithic MgAl₂O₄ spinel nanometer powders were produced by calcining the dry gel above 800°C, with average crystallite size of 20 nanometers.     

Characterization of Betabel Extract (Beta vulgaris) Encapsulated with Maltodextrin and Inulin

Betalains are powerful antioxidants contained in beets. These are divided into betacyanins (red-violet) and betaxanthins (yellow-orange), and they can be used as natural colorants in the food industry. The effects of freeze-drying pure beet juice (B) and the encapsulation of beet juice with a dextrose equivalent (DE) 10 maltodextrin (M) and agave inulin (I) as carrier agents were evaluated. The powders showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in all the variables analyzed: water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), glass transition temperature (T_g), total betalains (TB), betacyanins (BC), betaxanthins (BX), total polyphenols (TP), antioxidant activity (AA, via 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) (ABTS), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) and total protein concentration (TPC). The highest values of antioxidant activity were found in the non-encapsulated beet powder, followed by the powder encapsulated with maltodextrin and, to a lesser extent, the powder encapsulated with inulin. The glass transition temperature was 61.63 °C for M and 27.59 °C for I. However, for B it was less than 18.34 °C, which makes handling difficult. Encapsulation of beet extract with maltodextrin and inulin by lyophilization turned out to be an efficient method to increase solubility and diminish hygroscopicity.     

Microencapsulated Red Powders from Cornflower Extract—Spectral (FT-IR and FT-Raman) and Antioxidant Characteristics

Although the health benefits of cornflower extracts are known, their application in food production has not been widely investigated. This study assessed microencapsulated red powders (RP) prepared from the aqueous extract of blue cornflower petals. Microencapsulation was performed by freeze-drying using various stabilizers, such as maltodextrin, guar gum, and lecithin. The microencapsulated RP were characterized by spectral (FT-IR and FT-Raman), mineral, structural, and antioxidant analyses. The FT-IR and FT-Raman band related to guar gum, lecithin, and maltodextrin dominated over the band characteristic of anthocyanins present in the cornflower petal powders. The main difference observed in the FT-Raman spectra was attributed to a shift of bands which is reflection of appearance of flavium cation forms of anthocyanins. The microencapsulated RP had total phenolic content of 21.6–23.4 mg GAE/g DW and total flavonoid content of 5.0–5.23 mg QE/g. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of the tested powders ranged from 13.8 to 20.2 EC₅₀ mg DW/mL. The reducing antioxidant power (RED) of the powders was estimated at between 31.0 and 38.7 EC₅₀ mg DW/mL, and OH^• scavenging activity ranged from 1.9 to 2.6 EC₅₀ mg DW/mL. Microencapsulated cornflower RP can be valuable additives to food such as sweets, jellies, puddings, drinks, or dietary supplements.     

Chemical composition,antimicrobial, and lipase enzyme activity of essential oil and solvent extracts from Serapias orientalis subsp. orientalis

The volatile components of essential oil (EO), SPME, and SPME of solvent extracts ( n -hexane, methanol, and water) obtained from fresh Serapias orientalis subsp. orientalis ( Soo ) were analyzed by GC-FID/MS. EO of Soo gave 11 compounds in the percentage of 99.97%; capronaldehyde (37.01%), 2-( E )-hexenal (23.19%), and n -nonanal (19.05%) were found to be major constituents. SPME GC-FID/MS analyses of fresh plant and solvent extracts of Soo revealed 7, 12, 7, and 4 compounds within the range of 99.7% to 99.9%. Limonene (76.5%, 41.7%, and 61.3%) was the major compound in SPMEs of the n -hexane and methanol extracts. α -Methoxy- p -cresol (52.9%) was the main component in its water extract. The antimicrobial activity of EO and the solvent extracts of Soo were screened against 9microorganisms. EO showed the best activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis , with 79.5 µg/mL MIC value. The n -hexane, methanol, and water extracts were the most active against the Staphylococcus aureus within the range of 81.25–125.0 µg/mL (MIC). IC ₅₀ values for the lipase enzyme inhibitory activity of EO and solvent extracts ( n -hexane, methanol, and water) were determined to be 59.87 µg/mL, 64.03 µg/mL, 101.91 µg/mL, and 121.24 µg/mL, respectively.     

Elucidation of Antioxidant Compounds in Moroccan Chamaerops humilis L. Fruits by GC–MS and HPLC–MS Techniques

The aim of this study was to characterize the phytochemical content as well as the antioxidant ability of the Moroccan species Chamaerops humilis L. Besides crude ethanolic extract, two extracts obtained by sonication using two solvents with increased polarity, namely ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol-water (MeOH-H₂O) 80:20 (v/v), were investigated by both spectroscopy and chromatography methods. Between the two extracts, the MeOH-H₂O one showed the highest total polyphenolic content equal to 32.7 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g DM with respect to the EtOAc extract (3.6 ± 0.5 mg GAE/g DM). Concerning the antioxidant activity of the two extracts, the EtOAc one yielded the highest value (1.9 ± 0.1 mg/mL) with respect to MeOH-H2O (0.4 ± 0.1 mg/mL). The C. humilis n-hexane fraction, analyzed by GC–MS, exhibited 69 compounds belonging to different chemical classes, with n-Hexadecanoic acid as a major compound (21.75%), whereas the polyphenolic profile, elucidated by HPLC–PDA/MS, led to the identification of a total of sixteen and thirteen different compounds in both EtOAc (major component: ferulic acid: 104.7 ± 2.52 µg/g) and MeOH-H₂O extracts (major component: chlorogenic acid: 45.4 ± 1.59 µg/g), respectively. The attained results clearly highlight the potential of C. humilis as an important source of bioactive components, making it a valuable candidate to be advantageously added to the daily diet. Furthermore, this study provides the scientific basis for the exploitation of the Doum in the food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.