Chia Seeds Research Articles

Impact of Chia Seeds Powder on the Chemical, Microbiological, and Sensorial Characteristics of Low Fat UF-soft Cheese

Impact of Chia Seeds Powder on the Chemical, Microbiological, and Sensorial Characteristics of Low Fat UF-soft Cheese

Deficits in Micronutrients and Immunological Response: Editorial Note

When we consider improved nourishment for our bodies, do we remember to priorities our brain? It is the one area of our bodies that has been overused recently. However, we rarely give it special nutritional care. What nutrients does the brain require, and which foods contain them? Eat largely plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Vegetables, particularly green leafy ones like kale and indigenous leaves, dark green ones like broccoli, yellow ones like pumpkin, and purple ones like red cabbage, are high in beneficial vitamins and antioxidants. These are excellent for brain function. Berries, particularly blueberries and other dark red berries prevalent in your local food chain, curcumin found in turmeric, and most nuts, particularly almonds, are beneficial, as is the oil they contain. There is an increased interest in what people eat, and there is just too much information and marketing out there, which can confuse consumers. Foods like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa have recently been labelled as exotic and uniquely beneficial; edible mushrooms are said to be great; and insects, which have always been eaten in Africa, are gaining popularity worldwide.

Ochratoxin A detoxification potentials of basil, chan, and chia seeds.

The most toxic of the ochratoxins is ochratoxin A (OTA), which is primarily produced by species of Aspergillus and Penicillium that can be found in maize, wheat, coffee, red wine, and various grains. OTA induces immunotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity in both animals and humans. Thus, there is a need to identify mycotoxin detoxification agents that can effectively decontaminate OTA. Seeds of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), chan (Hyptis suaveolens L.), and chia (Salvia hispanica L.) are functional foods capable of eliminating harmful substances. Despite this potential, the impact of these seeds on OTA detoxification remains unclear. This study reveals that milled basil, chan, and chia seeds adsorb significant levels of OTA, with chia demonstrating the highest adsorption capacity, followed by chan and basil seeds showing the least efficiency. Furthermore, milled basil, chan, and chia seeds effectively reduced OTA residues in artificial gastric and intestinal fluids, where they achieved up to 93% OTA adsorption in the former. In addition, these milled seeds were able to remove OTAs from canned, drip, and instant coffee. This study is the first to report the OTA elimination potential of basil, chan, and chia seeds.

Utilization of Chia Seeds Powder in Wet Noodle Substituted with Modified Cassava Flour

The Indonesian food industry needs to utilize local food commodities as an alternative to wheat, supporting local farmers as part of sustainable agriculture. Modified cassava flour (MOCAF) has similar characteristics to wheat flour yet it lacks gluten and has low protein content. Chia seeds have the potential to improve the textural characteristics of gluten-free products due to their gel-forming ability and are a good source of plant-based protein. This study aims to utilize chia seed powder in the formulation of wet noodles substituted with MOCAF to possibly obtain wet noodles with equal textural characteristics and protein content to 100% wheat flour noodles. In this study, different ratios of wheat flour to MOCAF (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40) and different amounts of chia seed powder (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%) are studied in terms of cooking quality (cooking loss and water absorption), textural properties (hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness), color (brightness and hue angle). Higher MOCAF substitution resulted in higher water absorption and cooking loss, as well as undesirable (harder) textural properties. Incorporation of chia seeds powder successfully lowers the cooking loss and higher water absorption of the MOCAF-substituted noodles and noodles with 100% wheat flour without chia seeds powder. Chia seed powder can reduce the hardness while maintaining and increasing the chewiness of the MOCAF-substituted noodles. In the MOCAF-substituted noodles, comparable protein content to that of 100% wheat flour noodles can be achieved with the use of 10 to 15% chia seeds powder at a maximum 80:20 substitution ratio.

Investigating the Probiotic Potential of Vegan Puree Mixture: Viability during Simulated Digestion and Bioactive Compound Bioaccessibility.

This study aimed to develop a fermented puree mixture containing plant-based ingredients and potential probiotic strains Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosusK3 and Lactobacillus johnsonii K4. The survival of potential probiotic strains, changes in sugar and organic acid concentrations, bioaccessibility of polyphenols, and antioxidant capacity after simulated digestion were examined with sensory quality. The mixture of apple puree, chia seeds, and oat bran or oat flakes was fermented. The sensory quality of the puree mixture was assessed by the quantitative descriptive profile (QDP) method. In vitro digestion was simulated using a static gastrointestinal model. Antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content were analyzed before and after the digestion phases. All samples changed sensory profiles after fermentation. The overall quality was above six out of ten for every product. Fermentation also changed the organic acid composition, with significant increases in lactic, succinic, and acetic acids. After the digestion process, the survival rate remained above 5.8 log10 CFU/g. As a result of fermentation with potential probiotics, the bioaccessibility of the total phenolics and antioxidant activity increased. These results showed that the addition of potential probiotic strains increases nutritional value and could help with healthy nourishment habits. This knowledge can guide the development of consumer-satisfying products in the food industry, expanding the probiotic food market with innovative alternatives.

Production of Novel Bigels from Cold Pressed Chia Seed Oil By-Product: Application in Low-Fat Mayonnaise.

The objective of this study was to produce an innovative bigel formulation by combining glycerol monostearate (GMS) oleogel with hydrogels stabilized by various agents, including cold pressed chia seed oil by-product gum (CSG), gelatin (G), and whey protein concentrate (WPC). The findings indicated that the choice of hydrogel influenced the rheological, textural, and microstructural properties of the bigels. The G' value of the bigel samples was higher than G″, indicating that all the bigels exhibited solid-like characteristics. In order to numerically compare the dynamic rheological properties of the samples, K' and K″ values were calculated using the power law model. K' values of the samples were found to be higher than K″ values. The K' value of bigel samples was significantly affected by the hydrogel (HG)/oleogel ratio (OG) and the type of stabilizing agent used in the hydrogel formulation. As the OG ratio of bigel samples increased, the K' value increased significantly (p < 0.05). The texture values of the samples were significantly affected by the HG/OG ratio (p < 0.05). The study's findings demonstrated that utilizing CSG, G, and WPC at an OG ratio more than 50% can result in bigels with the appropriate hardness and solid character. The low-fat mayonnaise was produced by using these bigels. The low-fat mayonnaise showed shear-thinning and solid-like behavior with G' values greater than the G″ values. Low-fat mayonnaise produced with CSG bigels (CSGBs) showed similar rheological properties to the full-fat mayonnaise. The results showed that CSG could be used in a bigel formulation as a plant-based gum and CSGB could be used as a fat replacer in low-fat mayonnaise formulation.

Effects of Ugali Maize Flour Fortification with Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) on Its Physico-Chemical Properties and Consumer Acceptability.

The study investigated the effect of incorporating whole chia seeds (WCS) and defatted chia seed flour (DCF) into whole maize meal for ugali preparation. Both were incorporated at substitution levels of 3%, 6%, and 9% separately, and the resulting treatments subjected to laboratory analysis. In addition, ugali samples were prepared from all the resulting flour formulations and subjected to consumer acceptability assessment. Incorporation of both DCF and WCS resulted in increased water absorption capacity (ranging from 0.78 to 0.98 g/mL), swelling index (ranging from 0.15 to 3.25 mL/g), and swelling capacity (ranging from 2.46 to 5.74 g/g). WCS decreased the bulk density and oil absorption capacity. DCF, however, resulted in an increase in bulk density and oil absorption capacity. Both DCF and WCS lowered the lightness (L*) of the products. Proximate composition ranged from 4.78 to 7.46% for crude fat, 7.22% to 9.16% for crude protein, and 1.74 to 4.27% for crude fiber. The obtained results show the potential of chia seeds as a good fortificant of maize flour since it resulted in nutritionally superior products (crude ash, crude protein, crude fat, and energy value) when compared to control. The freshly prepared ugali samples were generally acceptable to the panelists up to 9% WCS and 6% DCF substitution levels.

Chia seeds ameliorate cardiac disease risk factors via alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation in rats fed high-fat diet.

Obesity upsurges the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, primarily heart failure and coronary heart disease. Chia seeds have a high concentration of dietary fiber and increased concentrations of anti-inflammatoryand antioxidant compounds. They are used for weight loss plus enhancing blood glucose and lipid profile. The current perspective was commenced to examine the protective influence of chia seeds ingestion on cardiovascular disease risk factors in high-fat diet-fed rats. Forty male albino rats (with an initial body weight of 180-200 g) were used in this study. Rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups: Group I was the control group and group II was a control group with chia seeds supplementation. Group III was a high-fat diet group (HFD) that received HFD for 10 weeks and group IV was fed on HFD plus chia seeds for 10 weeks. In all groups Echocardiographic measurements were performed, initial and final BMI, serum glucose, AC/TC ratio, lipid profile, insulin (with a computed HOMA-IR), creatinine phosphokinase-muscle/brain (CPK-MB), CRP, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and MAP were estimated. Whole heart weight (WHW) was calculated, and then WHW/body weight (BW) ratio was estimated. Eventually, a histopathological picture of cardiac tissues was performed to assess the changes in the structure of the heart under Haematoxylin and Eosin and Crossmon's trichrome stain. Ingestion of a high diet for 10 weeks induced a clear elevation in BMI, AC/ TC, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, CRP, CPK-MB, and cTnI in all HFD groups. Moreover, there was a significant increase in MAP, left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD). Furthermore, histological cardiac examination showed structural alteration of the normal structure of the heart tissue with an increase in collagen deposition. Also, the Bcl-2 expression in the heart muscle was significantly lower, but Bax expression was significantly higher. Chia seeds ingestion combined with HFD noticeably ameliorated the previously-recorded biochemical biomarkers, hemodynamic and echocardiography measures, and histopathological changes. Outcomes of this report reveal that obesity is a hazard factor for cardiovascular disease and chia seeds could be a good candidate for cardiovascular system protection.

Ionized hypercalcemia can resolve with nutritional modification in cats with idiopathic hypercalcemia or chronic kidney disease.

Cats with ionized hypercalcemia that were fed diets with either more than 200 mg calcium per 100 kilocalories (kcal), a calcium:phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio greater than 1.4:1 or both, based on diet history, were included in this case series. Ionized hypercalcemia was documented at least twice in all cats before enrollment. Cats were referred for evaluation of ionized hypercalcemia (n = 5) or were incidentally found to have ionized hypercalcemia (n = 5). After medical workups, cats were diagnosed with either idiopathic hypercalcemia (IHC; n = 7) or chronic kidney disease (n = 3). Cats receiving medications to treat IHC (eg, alendronate, corticosteroids) were excluded. Nutritional recommendations were made to transition the cats to diets with less thn 200 mg calcium per 100 kcal and a Ca:P ratio less than 1.4:1. Ionized calcium (iCa) concentrations were rechecked in all cats, with a median recheck time of 9 weeks (range 3-20). Of the 10 cats, nine (90%) had a decrease in iCa. Of the 10 cats, six (60%) became normocalcemic after the diet change, three (30%) had a partial response and one (10%) did not respond. Of the four cats that did not achieve normocalcemia with a change in diet, two (50%) received chia seeds (1-2 g per day), and at the next recheck, both cats' iCa concentrations had normalized. Three cats had a long-term follow-up. Ionized normocalcemia was maintained for at least two consecutive follow-up visits over a median follow-up period of 33 weeks (range 12-34). Dietary calcium concentrations and the dietary Ca:P ratio appear to be important variables in considering nutritional approaches for hypercalcemic cats.

The Techno-Functionality of Chia Seed and Its Fractions as Ingredients for Meat Analogs.

Eating practices are changing due to awareness about meat consumption associated with social, ethical, environmental, and nutritional issues. Plant-based meat analogs are alternatives to conventional meat products that attempt to mimic all the inherent characteristics of meat fully. Therefore, the search for raw materials that provide these characteristics is increasing. Chia seeds have excellent potential as a functional ingredient in these products since they are a source of proteins, lipids, and fibers. Allied with this, the full use of chia through the seed and its fractions highlights the numerous beneficial characteristics of the formulation regarding nutritional characteristics and techno-functionality. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the potential of chia seed and its fractions for applications in meat-like products. Chia seeds are protein sources. Chia oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and its application in emulsions ensures the oil's nutritional quality and maintains its technological characteristics. Defatted chia flour has a high protein content and can be used to extract chia mucilage. Due to its high emulsification capacity, chia mucilage is an effective ingredient for meat products and, consequently, meat-like products. Therefore, this literature review demonstrates the strategic potential of using chia seeds and their fractions to develop meat analogs.

Development of technological solutions to increase the biological value of gluten-free bread

The industry of gluten-free bakery products has not been studied properly, so this topic is gaining popularity among scientists. The subject of the research was the development of recipes for gluten-free flour mixtures. To improve the taste characteristics of the product and increase the biological value, it was decided to introduce plant raw materials non-traditional for bread. Chia seeds and carrot powder were chosen as additives. The goal of the research was to develop recipes for gluten-free flour mixtures. The research was carried out in several stages: 1. determination of the component composition of the gluten-free mixture recipe and production of prototypes; 2. analysis of organoleptic indicators; 3. carrying out physical and chemical studies of dough and finished products. To carry out the analysis instrumental and visual research methods were used. During the experiment three samples of bread were obtained from different types of gluten-free flour (No. 1 – green buckwheat; No. 2 amaranth flour; No. 3 – gram flour) in combination with rice flour, carrot powder and chia seeds. The control sample was bread made from rice flour, potato and corn starch. The rate of dietary fiber supplementation was calculated on the basis of the recommended daily intake. Thus, 2.8 g of dietary fiber was added with carrots, and 4.4 g of dietary fiber with chia seeds. According to all the studies carried out, sample No. 3 from gram flour turned out to be the best. The research results can be used in the baking industry to expand the range of bakery products. A mixture for making gluten-free bread can be a very useful product, especially for those categories of the population who have a need for such products. Also, given that for the majority of the population bread is a commodity of everyday demand, the production of such mixtures will be in great demand.

Evaluation of Salvia hispanica as a Therapeutic Agent against Sodium Arsenic-Induced Testicular Toxicity in a Male Rats Model.

Chia seeds offer therapeutic properties that aid in the prevention of a variety of ailments, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other risk factors. Arsenite, a common environmental chemical, has been identified as a reproductive toxin owing to its negative effects on male reproductive health. It has been shown to inhibit spermatogenesis and generate androgenic effects in men. The primary goal of this research was to look into the effect of Salvia hispanica on testicular toxicity caused by sodium arsenite in male rats. A set of 36 male albino rats was allocated to a negative control cohort. The individuals in this group were given a basic meal and orally given distilled water for a duration of 28 days. The other five groups were given a regular meal and received intra-peritoneal injections of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) at a concentration of 4 mg/kg body weight that was diluted in a 0.9% NaCl solution. The injections were administered consecutively, with two doses given within a two-day period. Subsequently, the rats were categorized into several groups using the following classification: Group 2 consisted of a positive control cohort, in which the rats were given a typical baseline diet. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 were given a basic diet that included varying proportions of ground chia seeds, namely 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% per 100 g of the diet. After the trial was completed, the rats were euthanized, and further biological examination was conducted. The measurements of the reproductive organs were documented and reported. The research assessed the following characteristics: sperm count, motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology. The research included examining serum sex hormones, namely luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. An evaluation of the activity of antioxidant enzymes was performed in the tissue of the testicles. There were statistically significant improvements in the sperm parameters, serum sex hormone levels, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as GPX, SOD, and CAT, in the therapy groups. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) exhibited a noteworthy decrease (p ≤ 0.05) when compared to the positive control group. Salvia hispanica seeds have demonstrated a significant level of effectiveness in reducing sodium arsenite-induced testicular toxicity, which leads to the conclusion. The flavonoid content and antioxidant properties of Salvia hispanica seeds may be to blame for the observed behavior. These indicated characteristics may have therapeutic significance in treating testicular harm induced by arsenite exposure.

Snack Bars as a Functional Snack Option for Individuals with Diabetes: A Review

Snack bars can be a great example of functional foods, which are foods that provide health benefits beyond basicnutrition. By adding other functional ingredients such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and spices, snack bars can offer evenmore health benefits. For example, nuts and seeds are rich in healthy fats and can help lower cholesterol levels,while fruits and berries are high in antioxidants and can help boost the immune system. Spices like cinnamon andginger have anti-inflammatory properties and can help improve digestion.Moreover, snack bars can be a convenient and portable way to get the nutrition and energy needed throughoutthe day. They can be a great option for busy individuals who need a quick and easy snack on the go or for athleteswho need sustained energy during exercise.The demand of functional food increasing day by day as the threat of non-communicable diseases increasing suchas diabetes, CVD and obesity. From the ancient time the use of medicinal food such as seeds of chia, millets andmultigrain has been seen to get different health benefits. Currently seeds are widely used for numerous healthbenefits. Seeds are well known for there high content of PUFA mainly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and fiber.These seeds are also rich source of polyphenols which further helps in protecting the body from free radicals.Furthermore, seeds are rich source of the fiber which helps in reducing cholesterol level, regulate bowel movementand reduce inflammation in the body. Demand for practical and convenient food increasing day by day due tobusy lifestyle. Food items that are convenient and can improve health are needed in today’s time. The seedsincorporated snack bar can be a convenient and practical food product with complete nutritional components.There are Some ingredients which can be used as the raw material to prepare an anti-diabetic snack bar. On thebasis of existing research, seed and modified cassava flour (MOCAF) can reduce blood sugar levels and that canreduce the risk of diabetes too.

Exploration of tumor growth regression of quinoa and chia oil nanocapsules via the control of PIK3CA and MYC expression, anti-inflammation and cell proliferation inhibition, and their hepatorenal safety in rat breast cancer model

BackgroundThe second most common cancer in the world is breast cancer. Chemotherapy is used to treat breast cancer, but instances of multidrug resistance, targets that are not selective, and physicochemical issues raise doubts about its efficacy. So, the exploration of chemopreventive agents from efficient natural sources has been required. The chia and quinoa seeds have health-promoting activities that include cardio-protective, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Given the paramount importance of their oils and their potential bioactivities, this work aimed to assess the repressive effect of their oil nanocapsules against mammary tumors in rats. Rat models of chemically induced mammary tumors were gavaged with chia and quinoa nanocapsules for one month. The repressive effect of nanocapsules was studied by quantifying TNF-α, assessing the gene expression of proto-oncogenes (PIK3CA and MYC) using qRT-PCR, and analyzing the cell cycle in mammary tissue.ResultsThe studies clarified that the inhibition of tumors in response to quinoa and chia nanocapsules was associated with a reduction in TNF-α levels, proliferation capability, and motivation for apoptosis. Furthermore, quinoa and chia nanocapsule management repressed the activation of the MYC and PIK3CA genes. As well as nanocapsules modulated the liver enzymes and kidney function alterations induced in mammary tumor animals. Meanwhile, both oils' nanocapsules do not have an impact on the liver and kidneys of healthy rats.ConclusionsThe findings indicate that quinoa and chia nanocapsules are safe and can reduce tumor growth, suggesting a potential natural therapeutic target for breast cancer treatment.

Role of Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica L.) Supplements in Managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Chia seeds have been used traditionally for treating several diseases, including diabetes mellitus (DM). No meta-analysis has holistically analyzed and summarized the effect of chia seed supplementation on glycemic and metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 DM (T2DM); we conducted this meta-analysis to bridge this knowledge gap. Methods: Electronic databases were searched for clinical trials involving patients with T2DM receiving chia seeds in the intervention arm and control diet in the comparator arm. The primary outcome was the changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from the baseline at the end of the trial. Results: From 60 initially screened articles, data from four randomized controlled trials involving 244 subjects were analyzed. Chia seed was not superior to control diets in HbA1c reduction (mean differences [MD] −0.09%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.48, 0.29], P = 0.63, I 2 = 95%). It was inferior to control diets in fasting plasma glucose reduction (MD 0.27 mmol/L, 95% CI [0.17, 0.37], P &lt; 0.00001, I 2 = 0%). Chia seed was superior to the control diets regarding reductions in body weight (MD −1.58 mmol/L, 95% CI [−2.96,−0.20], P = 0.03, I 2 = 0%), systolic blood pressure (MD 13.15 mmHg, 95% CI [−22.18, −4.12], P = 0.004, I 2 = 0%) and diastolic blood pressure (MD −7.38 mmHg, 95% CI [−13.04, −1.72], P = 0.01, I 2 = 0%). Changes in C-reactive protein and lipid parameters were similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Current data do not support chia seeds’ glucose-lowering efficacy in patients with T2DM.

Nutritional profiling, fiber content and in vitro bioactivities of wheat-based biscuits formulated with novel ingredients.

This study evaluated the nutritional profile and fiber content of innovative formulations of wheat-based biscuits enriched with chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar. The in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were also investigated to understand the potential health advantages of the incorporation of these new ingredients. The novel biscuits demonstrated significant improvements in protein and mineral content, with increases of 50% and 100% in chia biscuits, and up to 20% and 40% in carob biscuits, respectively. Fiber also notably increased, particularly in samples containing 10% carob flour, which increased four times as compared to wheat-based samples. The new ingredients exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity, particularly against Yersinia enterocolitica (minimum inhibitory concentration 1.25 mg mL-1 in coconut sugar) and Aspergillus fumigatus (minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum fungicidal concentrations 2.5/5 mg mL-1 in chia seeds). However, the final biscuits only displayed antifungal properties. Carob flour and chia seeds had a remarkably high capacity to inhibit the formation of TBARS and promoted greater antioxidant activity in biscuit formulations, with EC50 values decreasing from 23.25 mg mL-1 (control) to 4.54 mg mL-1 (15% defatted ground chia seeds) and 1.19 mg mL-1 (10% carob flour). Only chia seeds exhibited cellular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity, attributes that were lost when seeds were added into the biscuits. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of these ingredients, particularly when incorporated in new wheat-based formulations.

A review of the functional activities of chia seed and the mechanisms of action related to molecular targets.

In recent years, as a functional potential pseudocereal, chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) has been of great interest for its comprehensive nutritional profile and attractive qualities after ingestion. It is reported that a reasonable dietary supplementation of chia seed (CS) contributes to the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic diseases (inflammation, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, kidney stone, etc.). CS contains a variety of bioactive macromolecular substances, such as oil, protein and gum, which manifest distinguished health-promoting activities in both in vivo and in vitro research studies. This article provides a comprehensive compendium on the functional importance of CS, in the context of biological activities and mechanism of actions of CS. Specifically, CS and its components alleviate inflammation and regulate glucose and fatty acid metabolism by regulating key influencing factors in the adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), peroxisome-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathways and the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-mediated insulin signaling pathway. In the meantime, predictions of metabolic pathways of CS peptides based on the known tracks of newly researched active peptides were proposed, with the aim of emphasizing the enormous research space of CS peptides compared to other functional active peptides.

A superporous and pH-sensitive hydrogel from Salvia hispanica (chia) seeds: stimuli responsiveness, on-off switching, and pharmaceutical applications.

The use of plant seed-based hydrogels to design drug delivery systems (DDSs) has increased due to their swellable, pH-responsive, biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic nature. Herein, the chia seeds hydrogel (CSH) was extracted through an aqueous extraction method to explore its pH and salt-responsive swelling behavior and sustained release potential. The CSH was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and solid-state cross-polarization magic angle spinning carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (solid/state CP-MAS 13C/NMR) spectra. Thermal analysis indicated that the CSH is a thermally stable material and decomposes in two steps. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of CSH witnessed the existence of microscopic channeling and a superporous nature with average pore sizes of 18 ± 11 μm (transverse cross-sections) and 23 ± 15 μm (longitudinal cross-sections). The CSH is a haemocompatible material. The CSH revealed pH and saline-responsive swelling in powder and compressed form (tablet) in the following order; distilled water (DW) > pH 7.4 > pH 6.8 > pH 1.2. Moreover, the swelling of CSH followed second-order kinetics. The swelling of CSH powder and tablets was decreased with increasing salt concentration. The pH, solvent, and saline responsive on/off switching (swelling/deswelling) results of the CSH and tablets disclosed its stimuli-responsive nature. The CSH prolonged the release of valsartan for 5 h at pH 7.4, whereas, negligible release (19.3%) was noted at pH 1.2. The valsartan release followed first-order kinetics and the non-Fickian diffusion. In conclusion, the CSH is a stimuli-responsive smart material with great potential to develop pH-sensitive and targeted DDSs.

Metagenomics and vegetative growth of Salvia hispanica inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum.

The soil is a dynamic environment, influenced by abiotic and biotic factors, which can result in changes in plant development. This study aimed to assess the impact on vegetative growth of chia (Salvia hispanica L) inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum and on the rhizosphere microbiome. The experimentation was conducted in a greenhouse under controlled conditions growing chia plants in pots containing soil with a clayey texture. Different concentrations of T. harzianum (0; 2.5; 5.0; 10.0; 20.0 µL. g-1 of seed) were applied to the chia seeds before planting. Morphological parameters, including plant height (cm), number of branches, stem diameter (mm), number of days to flowering and shoot and root dry masses (g) were quantitatively assessed. After the cultivation period, soil samples from the rhizosphere region were collected for subsequent chemical and metagenomic analyses. These samples were also compared with the control soil, collected before installing the experiment. The results showed that increasing doses of T. harzianum promoted a significant increase in the diameter of the stem, number of branches, dry biomass of the root system and the number of days to flowering, without modifying the overall height of the plants. Soil metagenomics indicated that T. harzianum inoculation modified the microbial diversity of the rhizosphere environment, with more pronounced effects observed in samples treated with higher concentrations of the inoculant. Furthermore, there were changes in the chemical composition and enzymes related to soil quality in correlation with the concentrations of the applied inoculant. This study demonstrated that inoculating chia seeds with T. harzianum not only promotes specific morphogenetic characteristics of the plant, but it also has a significant impact on the microbial diversity and biochemical functionality of the soil, including an observed increase in the populations of T. harzianum and T. asperellum.

Development and evaluation of nutritious and functional beverage from bottle gourd, mint leaves, lime and chia seeds

Development and evaluation of nutritious and functional beverage from bottle gourd, mint leaves, lime and chia seeds