Extruded plant proteins, also known as textured vegetable proteins (TVPs), serve as vital components in plant-based meat analogue, yet their structural and nutritional characteristics remain elusive. In this study, we examined the impact of high-moisture (HM) and low-moisture (LM) extrusion on the structures, digestion and absorption of three types of plant proteins. Extrusion transformed plant proteins from spherical to fibrous forms, and formed larger aggregate particles. It also led to the disruption of original disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions within protein molecules, and the formation of new cross-links. Intriguingly, compared to native plant proteins, TVPs' α-helix/β-sheet values decreased from 0.68 to 0.69 to 0.56-0.65. Extrusion increased the proportion of peptides shorter than 1 kD in digesta of TVPs by 1.44-23.63%. In comparison to unextruded plant proteins, TVPs exhibited lower content of free amino acids in cell transport products. Our findings demonstrated that extrusion can modify protein secondary structure by diminishing the α-helix/β-sheet value, and impact protein tertiary structure by reducing disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions, promoting the digestion and absorption of plant proteins. These insights offer valuable scientific backing for the utilization of extruded plant-based proteins, bolstering their role in enhancing the palatability and nutritional profile of plant-based meat substitutes.
The digestion behavior of epoxy triglyceride, the main cytotoxic product of deep-frying oil, remains unknown, which may affect its biosafety. In this study, epoxy triglyceride (EGT) and triglyceride (GT) were used to reveal the effect of epoxy group on digestion. Digestibility rate analysis showed that the free fatty acids release rate of EGT was slower. To clarify this phenomenon, binding ability with salt ions in digestive juice and particle size were also been studied. Cluster size analysis indicated that epoxy group increased triglyceride particle size, resulting in smaller contact area between EGT and lipase. Interface behaviors displayed EGT decreased binding ability with salt ions in digestive juice. Spectroscopic analysis showed EGT caused the red shift of lipase peak, indicating that epoxy group changed lipase structure. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested EGT leads to loosen lipase structure. In conclusion, this study highlights that epoxy group could weaken the triglyceride digestion.
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal with soya waste at different levels on intake, digestibility and growth in goats. Eighteen male goat kids with initial body weight (BW) of 13.0 kg were distributed equally to three dietary groups. They were fed Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and concentrate mixture, and each goat was assigned to an individual pen. Soybean meal in the concentrate mixture was replaced with soya waste at 0% (T1), 50% (T2) and 100% (T3) levels in respective dietary groups. These diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Results showed that animals fed T3 diet exhibited higher Napier grass intake than those fed T1 or T2 diet. There was no influence on total intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), metabolic BW, per cent BW and metabolisable energy by the dietary groups. However, there was an increasing trend on intake and digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) with increasing levels of soya waste in the diets. Animals fed T3 diet showed higher intake and digestibility of NDF than those fed T1 diet. There was no influence of the dietary groups on digestibilities of DM, OM and CP. Similarly, there was no effect of them on the final BW, total BW gain, daily BW gain, feed conversion ratio and feed cost. Soya waste can replace 100% soybean meal in diets for growing goats, because no change was observed in nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance; inclusion of soya waste enhanced the intake and digestibility of NDF.
Present work investigated the effects of processing (homogenization, sterilization) and cold storage on physicochemical properties, in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cellular uptake of bovine milk. Extreme heat sterilization and low temperature storage have significant impact on particle size and phospholipidome of bovine milk. In addition, cold storage of bovine milks led to formation of β' polymorphs crystals and endothermic peak with Toffset higher than body temperature. Processing and cold storage also increased the initial digestibility but reduced the overall digestibility of bovine milk. This might be related to the decreased particle size of the milk fat globules, changed in the phospholipidome of the MFGM and formation of β' polymorphs crystals in frozen milk. It is interesting to note that PE has relatively faster digestion meanwhile SM has relatively slower digestion. HTST milk which demonstrated lesser changed in terms of phospholipidome demonstrated highest cellular uptakes of most fatty acids.
The digestion behavior of lipids plays a crucial role in their nutritional bioaccessibility, which subsequently impacts human health. This study aims to investigate potential variations in lipid digestion profiles among individuals of different ages, considering the distinct physiological functions of the gastrointestinal tract in infants, aging populations, and healthy young adults. The digestion fates of high oleic peanut oil (HOPO), sunflower oil (SO), and linseed oil (LINO) were investigated using in vitro digestion models representing infants, adults, and elders. Comparatively, lipid digestion proved to be more comprehensive in adults, leading to free fatty acid (FFA) levels of 64.53%, 62.32%, and 57.90% for HOPO, SO, and LINO, respectively. Besides, infants demonstrated propensity to selectively release FFAs with shorter chain lengths and higher saturation levels during the digestion. In addition, in the gastric phase, particle sizes among the elderly were consistently larger than those observed in infants and adults, despite adults generating approximately 15% FFAs within the stomach. In summary, this study enhances our fundamental comprehension of how lipids with varying degrees of unsaturation undergo digestion in diverse age groups.
In this study, supercritical carbon dioxide solution-enhanced dispersion (SEDS) was used to encapsulate hemp seed oil (HSO) within matrices of hemp seed protein isolate (HPI), pea protein (PPI) and soy protein (SPI) (0.5 % w/v) in complex with alginate (AL) (0.01 % w/v). The effects of different pH levels (3-9), NaCl concentrations (0-200 mmol/L) and simulated gastrointestinal conditions on HSO release and digestion patterns were analyzed. The findings revealed that SPI/AL microcapsules effectively maintained structural integrity and controlled oil release across diverse pH levels and salt concentrations. During gastrointestinal phases, minimal oil release was observed during oral digestion (<25 % for all samples), while significant (P
Vermiform appendix is considered as a vestigial organ, and it has minimal or no role to play in the digestion and absorption of food. It is an enigma to the clinicians due to its variable positions and symptoms caused by its inflammation. In the available literature, there are many reports on various positions, size and disease of appendix. However, there is no report on an anteriorly located appendicular attachment to the caecum. During dissection classes for medical undergraduates, an appendix with its base attached to the anterior wall of the caecum was noted. The entire appendix was attached to the ileum through a mesoappendix and was readily visible when the anterior abdominal wall was reflected. This position could be a boon to the clinicians and radiologists during diagnosis and surgery of the appendix.
Anaerobic digestion is a promising way for resource recovery from waste cooking oil (WCO) due to its high bio-methanation potential. In-situ mild alkaline (pH 8) enhanced two-stage continuous stirred tank reactors (ALK-2-CSTRs) were implemented to explore its efficiency in co-digesting WCO and sewage sludge with stepwise increase of WCO in the co-substrates. Results demonstrate that the ALK-2-CSTRs effectively promoted methane yield from the co-substrates via promoting hydrolysis, long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) degradation and protecting methanogens from exposure to high concentration of LCFAs directly. The maximum methane yield of the ALK-2-CSTRs is 39.2% higher than that of a single stage CSTR system at the optimal feed mixture of 45:55 (WCO:SS [VS]). The thermophilic operation applied to the stage-1 of the ALK-2-CSTRs failed to improve the methane yield when the methanogenic performance was stable; while upon WCO overloaded, the elevated temperature mitigated the deterioration of methanogenesis by stimulating the bioconversion of the toxic LCFAs, especially the unsaturated oleic acid. Microbial community analysis reveals the ALK-2-CSTRs stimulated the growth of lipolytic bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens, which suggests the hydrogenotrophic methanogenic pathway was promoted. Cost evaluation demonstrates the economical superiority of the ALK-2-CSTR over the prevailing strategies developed for enhancing methane yield from the co-substrates.
This study aims to evaluate the different processing methods, soaking-high-temperature pressure cooking (SHPC) and un-soaking-high-temperature pressure cooking (USHPC), on the quality of Basa (Pangasius bocourti) fish maw (BFM). Compared to traditionally cooked BFM, SHPC and USHPC treated BFM exhibited more severe disruption of collagen fibrils and network structure, significantly decreased texture, shear force and water holding capacity of BFM with the increase of HPC time, indicating that HPC could effectively reduce soaking time of BFM. Besides, as time HPC was 30 min, USHPC almost showed similar texture results to SHPC, and the former had the higher in vitro digestibility. Microstructural and proteomic analyses confirmed that SHPC displayed more exposed fibrous structures, with collagen fibers being more prone to be fragmentation and dissolution.
Free-living animals must make dietary choices in terms of chemical and physical properties, depending on their digestive physiology and availability of food resources. Here we comprehensively evaluated the dietary choices of proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) consuming young leaves. We analysed the data for leaf toughness and digestibility measured by an in vitro gas production method, in addition to previously reported data on nutrient composition. Leaf toughness, in general, negatively correlated with the crude protein content, one of the most important nutritional factors affecting food selection by leaf-eating primates. This result suggests that leaf toughness assessed by oral sensation might be a proximate cue for its protein content. We confirmed the importance of the leaf chemical properties in terms of preference shown by N. larvatus; leaves with high protein content and low neutral detergent fibre levels were preferred to those of the common plant species. We also found that these preferred leaves were less tough and more digestible than the alternatives. Our in vitro results also suggested that N. larvatus were little affected by secondary plant compounds. However, the spatial distribution pattern of plant species was the strongest factor explaining the selection of the preferred leaf species.
The primary biological treatment method for organic sludge is composting and/or anaerobic digestion, but their product (compost or biogas) is of little economic benefit; therefore, an improved process to produce a high-value product is required to make sludge management more sustainable. Maximizing NH3 gas recovery during composting processes has the potential benefit of producing high-value microalgal biomass. However, the majority of produced ammonia does not evaporate as NH3 gas but retains as NH4+-N in the compost after fermentation. The present study investigates the effects of the timing of Ca(OH)2 dosing (on days 2, 5, and 9), and the Ca(OH)2 dose (1.1-2.6 mmol/batch), on lab-scale thermophilic composting of anaerobic sludge. The effects on NH3 recovery, organic matter degradability, and microbial activity are evaluated. Ca(OH)2 dosing immediately improved the emission of NH3, with yields 50-69% higher than those under control conditions. The timing of the dosing did not influence NH3 recovery or organic matter degradability. Higher Ca(OH)2 doses resulted in higher NH3 recovery, while microbial activity was temporarily and marginally inhibited. The pH of the compost reached 10-11.5 but quickly dropped to 8-8.5 within a day, probably because of neutralization of Ca(OH)2 by the emitted CO2 and release of NH3, which maintained the microbial activity. The present study indicated that Ca(OH)2 dosing would be useful to apply during thermophilic composting for NH3 recovery to cultivate high-value microalgal biomass, which enables this process to obtain a more economic benefit.
The human gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by a vast population of bacteria, numbering ~100 trillion. These microorganisms have been shown to play a significant role in digestion, metabolism, and the immune system. The aim of this study was to review and discuss how the human body interacts with its gut microbiome and in turn the effects that the microorganisms have on its host, overall resulting in a true mutualistic relationship.
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of varying crude protein (CP) levels on intake, growth performances and nutrient digestibility of Dorper lambs at pre- and post-weaning period. Twenty lambs at 7 days old with an initial body weight of 2.91 kg were individually penned and randomly assigned into four (4) dietary groups using a randomised complete block design. In Trial I, pre-weaning lambs were fed with creep feeding (CF) diet containing 14% crude protein (CP) as a control diet (CON14), 16% (CF16), 18% (CF18) and 20% (CF20) of CP for 84 days. Following Trial 1, the animals were fed with a growing ration (GR) diet for 96-day feeding trial. The diets consisted of 11% CP as a control diet (CON11), 14% (GR14), 16% (GR16) and 18% (GR18) of CP. The water was available ad libitum and the feed intake was measured daily by the difference of feed offered and refused. The increase of CP level resulted in a linear increase of dry matter intake (DMI), nutrient intake and average daily gain (ADG) in pre- and post-weaning lambs. The DMI (g/day) of lambs fed with CF20 (1059.92) was significantly higher (p 0.05) compared to those fed with CF16 (217.95). For post-weaning lambs, GR16 had significantly higher ADG than CON11 (43.14), but it was no difference with GR14 (72.94) and GR18 (69.41). However, increased CP level resulted in linear increase of DM, ash, organic matter (OM) and CP digestibility. The present finding suggested that the optimum CP level for pre- and post-weaning Dorper lambs in Malaysia was 16% and 14%, respectively.
This study aimed to develop a sustainable and bio-based nano-additive (sodium caseinate/cellulose nanofibers (SC/CNF) complex) to modulate liquid-based oil-in-water (O/W) colloid interfaces, which function as a fat control agent to slow lipid digestion. Edible protein (SC) was grafted onto CNF through facile electrostatic attraction, which reduces solvent and chemical usage for greener process. The physicochemical properties of SC/CNF showed that adding SC increased the interfacial bonding between CNF particles, resulting in higher interfacial pressure by forming dense and compact layers of SC/CNF. This characteristic improves the mechanical strength and colloidal stability of SC/CNF during water-oil stabilization. Further preparation of O/W Pickering emulsions stabilized by SC/CNF complexes was conducted using different parameters (such as SC concentration, dosage of SC/CNF, and O/W ratio) to investigate profile of free fatty acid (FFA) released during lipid digestion via simulated in vitro gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model. The results showed that the optimized emulsion stabilized by the SC/CNF complex rendered a lower value of free fatty acids (FFA) after undergoing in vitro simulated digestion. The lowest FFA release (31.18 %) was achieved under the following conditions: 1 % w/v (SC concentration), 1 % w/w (dosage of SC/CNF), and 20/80 (O/W) ratio. Low FFA release within the digestive system indicated that the nano-emulsions effectively regulated lipid digestion. The changes in physicochemical characteristics in terms of colloidal stability (particle size, microstructure, and surface charge) of the stabilized emulsions corresponding to the FFA released were studied during each digestion phase (including mouth, stomach, and small intestine). This study revealed that the SC/CNF complex is a promising nano-biomaterial that can function as a bio-functional food additive, particle stabilizer, and fat digestion controller. The unique characteristics of SC/CNF complexes in stabilizing oil-water emulsions present a potential interfacial mechanism for modulating lipid bioavailability. The innovation approach allows for the demand for green-label products, promote development of healthier food options, and the pursuit of sustainable food solutions.
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of dietary crude palm oil (CPO) concentration and water temperature on lipid and FA digestibility in rainbow trout. Four isolipidic diets with 0, 5, 10, or 20% (w/w) CPO, at the expense of fish oil, were formulated and fed to groups of trout maintained at water temperatures of 7, 10, or 15 degrees C. The apparent digestibility (AD) of the FA, measured using yttrium oxide as an inert marker, decreased with increasing chain length and increased with increasing unsaturation within each temperature regimen irrespective of CPO level fed to the fish. PUFA of the n-3 series were preferentially absorbed compared to n-6 PUFA in all diet and temperature treatments. Except for a few minor FA, a significant (P < 0.05) interaction between diet and temperature effects on FA digestibility was found. Increasing dietary levels of CPO lead to significant reductions in the AD of saturates and, to a lesser extent, also of the other FA. Lowering water temperature reduced total saturated FA digestibility in trout regardless of CPO level. Based on the lipid class composition of trout feces, this reduction in AD of saturates was due in part to the increasing resistance of dietary TAG to digestion. Increasing CPO level and decreasing water temperature significantly increased TAG content in trout fecal lipids, with saturates constituting more than 60% of the FA composition. Total monoene and PUFA digestibilities were not significantly affected by water temperature in fish fed up to 10% CPO in their diet. The potential impact of reduced lipid and FA digestibility in cold-water fish fed diets supplemented with high levels of CPO on fish growth performance requires further research.
—Anaerobic digestion (AD) of biomass is a well-established process to produce renewable energy, where organic matter is converted to biogas by microorganism. High solid content and complex structure of sludge-derived organic matter, methane production during digestion is limited at the hydrolysis step. Therefore pre-treatment of substrate is a way to accelerate the hydrolysis step. This study aimed to identify the optimum pre-treatment method to increase the methane production from poultry waste prior anaerobic digestion. The poultry waste was mixed with water, pre-treated, seeded with inoculums. Chemical and thermochemical pre-treatment were performed with NaOH and Ca(OH)2. The AD was conducted in bioreactors and incubated in water bath at 37 °C for 15 days. Results obtained show that the highest methane yield was at the thermochemical pre-treatment with Ca(OH)2 with cumulative amount of methane at 1665.17 ppm followed by chemical pre-treatment with Ca(OH)2, thermochemical pre-treatment with NaOH and chemical pre-treatment with NaOH with cumulative amount of methane at 1381.76 ppm, 884.07 ppm and 607.98 ppm respectively. Based on the comparison of the results, the thermochemical pre-treatment with Ca(OH)2 is the best pre-treatment as it produced the highest methane yield.
The effects of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection on human fibroblast cell genomes were investigated using agarose gel electrophoresis. At selected intervals post-infection (PI), cellular D N A from mock-treated and HCMV-infected cells were prepared in low melting point agarose plugs. Results obtained following electrophoresis of the cellular D N A indicate that HCMV infection did not result in extensive degradation of the cellular DNA, even in samples obtained from cells which showed > 95% cytopathologic effects. High molecular weight DNA (> 23 Kb) comparable to that of the mock-treated samples were noted in a l l HCMV infected DNA samples. Digestion of the DNA samples with restriction endonucleases, EcoR I, Not I, Sfi I, and Nru I, however, resulted in the appearance of smaller DNA fragments (< 23 Kb) in samples obtained on day 3, 4, and 5 PI. Since these DNA bands appeared only in the infected cells, it was likely that these were the HCMV genomic DNA fragments. Findings presented in this study support the notion that the cellular DNA of HCMVinfected cells could remained intact and functiona. KEYWORDS: Cytomegalovirus, chromosomes, DNA, genomes, restriction enzymes
The present study intends to evaluate the potential of co-digestion for utilizing Organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) and sewage sludge (SS) for enhanced biogas production. Metagenomic analysis was performed to identify the dominant bacteria, archaea and fungi, changes in their communities with time and their functional roles during the course of anaerobic digestion (AD). The cumulative biogas yield of 586.2 mL biogas/gVS with the highest methane concentration of 69.5% was observed under an optimum ratio of OFMSW:SS (40:60 w/w). Bacteria and fungi were found to be majorly involved in hydrolysis and initial stages of AD. Probably, the most common archaea Methanosarsina sp. primarily followed the acetoclastic pathway. The hydrogenotrophic pathway was less followed as indicated by the reduction in abundance of syntrophic acetate oxidizers. An adequate understanding of microbial communities is important to manipulate and inoculate the specific microbial consortia to maximize CH4 production through AD.
Rice is a carbohydrate, one of the plant-based foods that can accumulate heavy metal from soil and the irrigation water. Since total heavy metal always overestimates the amount of heavy metal available in rice, bioavailability of heavy metal is always preferred. Many studies have been done and found that in vitro methods offer an appealing alternative to human and animal studies. They can be simple, rapid, low in cost and may provide insights which not achievable in the in vivo studies. In vitro digestion model for rice may differ from other in vitro digestion models applied in soil or other type of foods studies. This review aims to provide an overview of in vitro digestion model used to determine bioavailability of heavy metal in rice, summarize health risk assessment application of heavy metal in rice studies and highlight the importance of health risk assessment to be included in the studies. Future exploration of in vitro digestion model and health risk assessment application on the bioavailability of heavy metal in rice was also suggested.