Mucilage Concentration Research Articles

Spread developed with peanuts, baru almonds, and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage: chemical, technological, and bioactive characteristics

The number of people changing their eating habits towards healthier foods is increasing. Among foods, peanut butter is widely consumed all around the world. However, the lipid content of peanut butter is high, which ends up being a reason for restriction for some consumers. One strategy is to replace peanuts with baru almonds, an almond native to the Brazilian Cerrado, using ora-pro-nóbis mucilage to maintain the characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and evaluate the spread with peanuts, baru almonds, and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage. Different baru almond and ora-pro-nóbis mucilage concentrations substituted the peanut concentration on the spread. Chemical, physical, technological, bioactive, and storage characteristics were evaluated. Spread with the highest amount of ora-pro-nóbis mucilage (0.2 g/100 g of butter) showed a 16% increase in protein content. The mineral profile was improved in the formulations developed compared with spreads. The firmness of the spread did not show a significant difference from the peanut-based control formulation. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was higher in a developed spread. During storage, up to 30 days, most formulations maintained their initial pH and acidity, with changes in color parameters. Spread showed great nutritional value, being an interesting food alternative to improve diet quality.

Basil seed mucilage as a bioadhesive polymer: Development of naproxen sodium microspheres and suppositories with in-vitro and ex-vivo studies

Background and purpose: The study explores basil seed mucilage as a bioadhesive carrier for naproxen sodium, demonstrating its ability to enhance solubility when administered rectally. The mucilage, derived from Ocimum basilicum seeds, showed bioadhesive properties and thermal stability, as confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Experimental approach: Microspheres were prepared using a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique, varying polymer ratios to optimize drug delivery. Key results: Particle size analysis revealed a range of 456±0.51 to 712±0.21 µm, with larger microspheres formed at higher mucilage concentrations due to increased viscosity. Encapsulation efficiency ranged from 45.01±0.25 % to 79.4±0.93 %, improving with higher basil/alginate ratios. The superior batch, OBM5, showed excellent mucoadhesive qualities in ex-vivo assays, attributed to the increased polymer content, facilitating interaction with rectal mucosa. SEM analysis of OBM5 indicated a spherical, monolithic structure conducive to free flow. Drug release was efficient, with OBM5 achieving 88.7±1.3 % after 7 hours, indicating a control­led release profile. Conclusion: Incorporated into polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 suppositories, suppose­tories were completely disintegrated in buffer solution within 25 minutes. The bioadhesive force of basil seed mucilage on rectal mucosa was significantly enhanced, reaching 6.44±0.58 g, correlating with mucilage concentration. These findings underscore the efficacy of basil seed mucilage as a bioadhesive biopolymer for rectal drug delivery systems.

A comparative study on utilization of different plant-derived nanomucilage as a fat replacer in yogurt: Product optimization, physicochemical attributes, shelf-life evaluation, and consumer perception with market orientation

This study investigated the utilization of various plant-derived sources for the extraction of nanomucilage as a fat substitute in yogurt production. Colocasia esculenta rhizome mucilage (CEM), Cordia dichotoma fruit mucilage (CDM), and Psyllium husk mucilage (PHM) were extracted using different extraction process and spray drier was utilized to acquire nanomucilage with nano-scaled particles (100–300 nm). Seven different types of yogurts were prepared with the addition of varied mucilage concentrations (1–10 % w/v). Results showed that yogurt with 4.5 % PHM exhibited suitable viscosity, higher water holding capacity, and reduced syneresis over the 16 days of storage. Furthermore, selected sample revealed similar physicochemical, textural, and color attributes as compared to control full fat and skimmed milk yogurt. Moreover, this study revealed that consumers highly accepted mucilage formulated yogurt, with a mean score of 97.16 ± 1.58 %. Overall, nanomucilage can potentially utilized as a sustainable biomaterial for the production of low-fat yogurt.

Cocoa Mucilage as a Novel Ingredient in Innovative Kombucha Fermentation.

Cocoa tree plantations aim to harvest grains found in the cob to produce cocoa and chocolate. There has been a growing interest in valorizing the secondary components of the cocoa fruit, such as the peel, placenta, and mucilage/pulp, as valuable sources of nutrients for healthy food preparation. In other words, by-products derived from these raw materials are an exploitable source of nutrients in the preparation of healthy food. In the present study, two varieties of cocoa, National Cocoa Fino de Aroma (NCFA) and Colección Castro Naranjal 51 (CCN-51), were evaluated and harvested during both dry and rainy seasons. This evaluation was based on the profiling of the cob, peel, grain, placenta, and mucilage in different stages of ripeness (underripe, ripe, and overripe). Also, from the ripe raw material, a fermented beverage prototype was developed, such as kombucha, with different concentrations of mucilage (40, 60, 80, and 100 g/L). Physicochemical analyses, such as acidity, °Brix, pH, moisture, ash, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, sugars, and polyphenols of the raw mucilage material and acidity, °Brix, and pH values of the fermented kombucha, were carried out. The best performances were obtained with the CCN-51 variety in the rainy season. Among the fermented drink panelists, the CN40 treatment (Nacional Mucilage + 40 g/L of sugar) received the highest acceptability and was considered the best. Given its efficiency, nutritional content, and potential applications, this product presents a promising strategy to address Sustainable Development Goals related to zero hunger, health and well-being, and climate action.

Nonnegative matrix factorization-based environmental monitoring of marine mucilage

ABSTRACT Marine mucilage, also known as sea-snot, is an environmental disaster with ecological, economical, and public health-related impacts, which is occurring with increasing frequency and severity worldwide. One of the latest mucilage occurrences, the mucilage outbreak of Spring 2021 in the Sea of Marmara, lasted for well over three months and covered more than area of 1160 k m 2 , and was repeated in 2022, although to a smaller extent in terms of duration, coverage area, and severity. Remotely sensed images acquired by Earth observation sensors provide a convenient and promising alternative for environmental monitoring of marine mucilage, with respect to field and laboratory work which are costly, require expert knowledge, and which have to be conducted in a small time-window and have limited generalizability due to the under-sampling of a large medium with a highly dynamic character. This work presents an unmixing-based approach using nonnegative matrix factorization for marine mucilage monitoring from remotely sensed hyperspectral data. The proposed method enables to identify the spectral signature of mucilage, and its variants where applicable, and the precise detection and estimation of mucilage concentrations in affected regions. Additionally, the proposed approach facilitates monitoring the temporal variations of mucilage presence, distribution, and accumulation, between data acquired from the same region at different dates or times. This enables quantitative spatio-temporal mapping of distributions and the potential of assessing the severity of outbreaks, without the requirement of manually prepared ground truth maps or carefully selected thresholds. Real hyperspectral data acquired by the PRISMA mission are used to validate the proposed approach qualitatively and quantitatively. The paper also discusses future directions and recommendations to enhance the performance and applicability of the proposed approach for marine mucilage analysis, and environmental monitoring in general.

Aprovechamiento del mucílago de cacao mocambo (Theobroma bicolor Hump & Bonpl.) para la obtención de un néctar

The objective of this research was to take advantage of the mucilage of Mocambo cocoa (Theobroma bicolor Hump & Bonpl.) to obtain nectar. A completely randomized design with a bifactor arrangement was used for the comparison of the means, as factor A the concentrations of mocambo cocoa mucilage (25%, 50% and 100%) and as factor B (CMC and without CMC) as a stabilizer. The variables studied were physicochemical, microbiological and sensory analysis. A viscosity of 69.92, turbidity of 54.37, °Brix of 13.23, pH of 3.45 and a titratable acidity of 0.42 were obtained. Colorimetry did not present significant differences in its results. The treatment with 25% Mocambo cocoa mucilage showed greater liking and preference on the part of the tasters. The use of mucilage obtained from Mocambo cocoa can be used as a by-product in the food industry.

Unlocking the potential of Opuntia species mucilage in chemistry

Herein, we describe a detailed protocol to extract the mucilage from different species of the genus Opuntia spp. (i.e., Opuntia Ficus (OFi), Opuntia Dillenii (ODi) and Opuntia Robusta (ORo)). The extracted mucilage was characterized by NMR, FTIR-ATR, HPLC, and TGA. OFi was found to have the highest phenolic content, 7.84 ± 1.93 mg catechol/g mucilage. The mucilage from the three species were characterized by having a high content of monosaccharides, being mannose and glucose the most abundant components (ca. 48–73 % and 23–35 %, respectively). In the context of biomass revalorization, the mucilage was proven to serve as a reducing and stabilizing agent in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNP/mucilage). The synthesis was optimized with a mucilage concentration of 2 mg/mL using 12.5 μL of KAuCl4 and was carried out at 80 °C for 90 min. This protocol afforded spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 9.7 ± 4.0 nm that were stable for at least 14 days, as demonstrated by TEM. Synthesized AuNP/mucilage was evaluated as a plasmonic catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol as model reaction, showing a considerable enhancement in its kapp of 97 % under white light and a decrease of 24.8 % in its activation energy.

Viscoelastic Water-Based Lubricants with Nopal Cactus Mucilage as Green Metalworking Fluids

Recent green manufacturing demands have boosted the development of new biodegradable lubricants to replace petroleum-based lubricants. In this regard, water-based lubricants have been at the vanguard of recent research for a wide range of industrial applications, including metalworking fluids (MWFs). In this work, we present an experimental investigation on the performance of novel green MWFs based on aqueous nopal mucilage solutions. For this, fully biodegradable solutions with different mucilage concentrations (2.29, 4.58, and 6.85 mg/mL) were evaluated in terms of rheological, tribological, thermal stability, and turning (minimum quantity lubrication) performance and compared to a commercial semisynthetic oil-based MWF (Cimstar 60). Mucilage solutions exhibited viscoelastic shear-thinning behavior, which was enhanced along with mucilage concentration. The solution with the highest mucilage content studied resulted in the lowest wear, friction, and temperature in comparison to the other solutions and neat water in extreme pressure four-ball tests and a similar level of lubricity as compared to the commercial MWF in cutting tests. This performance is associated with the enhanced viscosity and elasticity of the solution, as well as the contents of lipids with fatty acids in the mucilage. Overall, the present results reveal the relevance of the viscoelastic behavior of the lubricant, elasticity in particular, in lubrication processes and point to nopal mucilage as an effective green additive to produce innocuous MWFs.

Chemical and physical characteristics of wheat root mucilage influenced by Serendipita indica symbiosis: a comparison among four cultivars.

Although there is evidence to suggest that the endophytic fungus Serendipita indica plays a crucial role in enhancing plant tolerance against biotic/abiotic stressors, less is known about the impacts of this symbiosis association on root mucilage chemical composition and its physical functions. The mucilage of inoculated and non-inoculated seedlings of four wheat cultivars (i.e., Roshan, Ghods, Kavir and Pishtaz) were extracted using an aeroponic method. Total solute concentration (TCm), carbon content (Cmucilage), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, fatty acids, surface tension (σm), and viscosity (ηm) of mucilage were measured. Ghods and Kavir had the highest and lowest root colonization percents, respectively. Saturated fatty acids, including palmitic and stearic acids, were dominant over unsaturated fatty acids in wheat root mucilage. However, their compositions were significantly different among wheat cultivars. S. indica colonization, especially for Ghods, increased the TCm, Cmucilage, and palmitic acid. Moreover, root mucilage of S. indica-inoculated Ghods had lower σm and greater ηm. An increased amount of powerful surfactants like palmitic acid in the mucilage of S. indica inoculated treatments led to lower σm and greater ηm. Such studies provide further support for the idea that plant-released mucilage plays a major role in modifying the physical environment of the rhizosphere. This knowledge toward truly understanding the rhizosphere can be potentially used for improving the rhizosphere soil quality and increasing crop growth and yield.

Investigation of the binding properties of purified Pentadesma butyracea gum: Anatural alternative to a synthetic polymer

Abstract: The focus of most pharmaceutical research in recent times has been the use of natural products like gums as pharmaceutical excipients because they are safer, economical and readily available. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of gum extracted from the exudates from the stem bark of Pentadesma butyracea as a binder in conventional release tablets using acacia gum as a reference polymer. The purified Pentadesma butyracea gum (PBG) was precipitated from the crude gum mucilage using 96% ethanol. Conventional-release paracetamol tablets were formulated using seven (7) different concentrations of the PBG mucilage (0.5 – 6 %w/w) as a binder via wet granulation (PB1 – PB7). The same approach was used for the reference conventional release paracetamol tablets (AC1- AC7). The drug-excipients and excipients-gum compatibility studies were evaluated using the FTIR. The formulated tablets were evaluated using both pharmacopoeia and non-pharmacopoeia tests. Appropriate mathematical models were used to determine the similarity (f2) and the difference (f1) factors of the dissolution profiles of the test and reference formulations. Granules for batches PB1, AC1, PB2, AC2 and AC3 had fair flow properties, whereas the rest had good flow properties. The FTIR studies showed no interactions between the drug and excipients. All formulations passed the pharmacopoeia and non- pharmacopoeia tests except for formulations PB1, PB2, PB3 and AC1 which failed the friability test, PB1 and AC1 which failed the hardness test, and AC7 which also failed the disintegration test. An increase in gum concentration led to a corresponding increase in the mechanical properties of the tablets. A comparative study showed no significant difference in the hardness and tensile strength of the test and reference tablets. All formulations except PB6 were similar to their reference formulations since f1 > 50 and f2 < 15. In conclusion, the PBG exhibited a good binding property comparable to acacia gum.

Response surface optimization of thermo-sonication conditions and taro mucilage concentrations for the preparation of soy yogurt

The present study embarked on developing soy yogurt utilizing soybean and taro mucilage. Box-Behnken Design (BBD) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was executed to optimize the ingredient and thermo-sonication conditions such as temperature (A: 40–60 °C), time (B: 5–15 min), and mucilage concentrations (0.1–0.3 g/100 mL) on the responses such as pH, acidity, syneresis, water holding capacity, viscosity, texture profile (firmness, adhesiveness, gumminess), and overall acceptability. The analyses showed that the soy yogurts have a titratable acidity (0.73 ± 0.43 % - 0.85 ± 0.58 %), pH (4.7 ± 0.40–4.93 ± 0.68), total soluble solid (26 ± 3.2 °Brix - 42.2 ± 4 °Brix), syneresis (26 ± 3.2 % - 39.98 ± 3.7 %), water holding capacity (36.33 ± 4.91 % - 55.7 ± 2.27 %), viscosity (1367.3 ± 2.98 mPa s - 2306.13 ± 3.21 mPa s), whitening index (76.1 ± 3.22–82.33 ± 2.18), firmness (14 ± 5 g - 26 ± 2 g), cohesiveness (13 ± 3.74 g s - 23.2 ± 2.88 g s), gumminess (0.7 ± 0.01 g - 1.8 ± 0.03 g), and overall acceptability (3.96 ± 0.16–4.54 ± 0.32). From the variance analysis, the R2 of eleven response variables is more than 0.85, which indicates the model explained a high proportion of variability. At 60 °C thermo-sonication temperature, 13 min thermo-sonication time, and 0.3 g/100 mL mucilage concentration, the optimal conditions recorded for 0.780 ± 0.21 % (titratable acidity), 4.701 ± 0.51 (pH), 10.986 ± 0.76 °Brix (total soluble solid), 27.886 ± 0.49 % (syneresis), 54.687 ± 0.38 % (water holding capacity), 1810.541 ± 5.75 mPa s (viscosity), 23.126 ± 0.45 (firmness), 16.945 ± 0.21 (cohesiveness), 1.485 ± 0.48 (gumminess), 81.764 ± 0.32 (whitening index), and 4.365 ± 0.42 (overall acceptability). Furthermore, the developed models' actual response and predicted values correlated with each other as the Residual Standard Error (RSE) values were ≤5 %. This suggests that our model can reliably guide the selection of optimal parameters for any combination of factors. Ultimately, the insights garnered from this study hold promise for the large-scale production of taro mucilage-based soy yogurt, offering a versatile and nutritious addition to the repertoire of dairy alternatives.

Rheological and sensorial evaluation of fruit nectar with chia mucilage

Chia mucilage is exuded from chia seed (Salvia hispanica) when dispersed in water. It can be used as an ingredient rich in fiber to improve the nutritional and kinetic stability of food and beverages. The effect of chia mucilage concentration on the physicochemical, rheological, and sensory properties of passion fruit nectar was evaluated. Chia mucilage was extracted and added to passion fruit nectar in different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8% w/w). The color, phase separation, rheology on steady state at 10 °C and 25 °C, and sensorial acceptance and descriptive tests were performed on passion fruit nectars with chia mucilage. Lower phase separation of nectar was observed with mucilage concentration increase, which was associated with rheological behavior. The mucilage use leads to nectars with increased viscosity and yield stress, reflecting the formation of a more resistant network structure with chia mucilage. However, the increase in viscosity reduced the texture acceptance scores by consumers when 0.4% or more of chia mucilage was used. The use of 0.1% and 0.2% mucilage preserved the acceptance scores and sensory properties of fruit nectar, such as fruit flavor and aroma, sweet taste, homogeneity, and shine. On the other hand, the use of 0.8% mucilage caused greater intensity of negative attributes on nectar, such as strange taste, strange flavor, viscous, cloudy, and particulate. In this way, chia mucilage can be used in different concentrations to improve stability and achieve desirable rheological, and sensory characteristics and healthy benefits according to the priority demand of consumers.

Rhizosheath formation depends on mucilage concentration and water content

Abstract Aims Root exudates contain polymers that form crosslinks and can create a jelly like substance known as mucilage, which adheres to soil and thus promotes the formation of rhizosheaths, i.e. soil that remains attached to the roots after gentle shaking. We hypothesized that rhizosheath formation is optimal at an intermediate chia seed mucilage concentration and water content, but that its formation is limited at both a high concentration of chia seed mucilage and under dry conditions as well as at a low concentration of chia seed mucilage and under wet conditions. We used an artificial root soil system in which soil moisture and mucilage concentrations could be varied independently from one another with respect to their effect on rhizosheath formation. Methods Jute cords were disposed in sandy loam soil and in quartz sand. In a subsequent study, they were also amended to different moisture contents with five different concentrations of mucilage (from 0 to 0.2 g dry mucilage g−1 water), before being isolated from chia and flaxseed mucilage after swelling of the respective seeds in distilled water for 15 min. Results We found that in dry soil, rhizosheath formation peaked at an intermediate chia seed mucilage concentration. This behavior was supported by our conceptual model of mucilage spreading and rhizosheath formation, which relies on a radial diffusion equation and assumes that at low mucilage concentration, molecule numbers are insufficient to support polymer-like networks that stick soil particles together. In a very concentrated gel, however, mucilage is too sticky to diffuse far into the soil. Increasing soil moisture promotes rhizosheath formation both in a low and a high mucilage concentration range, although only up to an intermediate volumetric water content of 0.15cm3 cm–3. Conclusions We conclude that both water and chia seed mucilage concentration are important drivers of rhizosheath formation. The effects are not additive but can combine to an optimum range, with a maximum formation of rhizosheaths observed in this study at 0.12 g mucilage g−1 rhizosphere water.

Exploring the super-disintegrating properties of fenugreek seed mucilage for fast-dissolving amlodipine tablets

Fast dissolving tablets of amlodipine besylate were developed to improve patient compliance for hypertension treatment. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) seed mucilage was used as a superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast dissolving tablets by direct compression method. Eight formulations with varying concentrations of fenugreek mucilage, microcrystalline cellulose, lactose and other excipients were prepared and evaluated for physicomechanical properties, drug-excipient compatibility, disintegration time, wetting time, water absorption ratio and in-vitro dissolution. The optimized formulation F6 containing 5% fenugreek mucilage, 75mg microcrystalline cellulose, 90mg lactose showed a disintegration time of 14 seconds, wetting time of 22 seconds and 90% water absorption. In-vitro drug release of 63% was observed within 15 minutes from F6 formulation. Physical and chemical stability studies showed the optimized F6 formulation was stable for 3 months at 40 °C/75%RH. Hence, fenugreek seed mucilage can be effectively used for developing amlodipine besylate fast dissolving tablets with improved patient compliance.

Biodegradable composite films based on mucilage from Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae): Microstructural, functional and thermal properties

This study evaluated the feasibility of using cactus mucilage (CM) to elaborate biobased composite films blended with styrene-butadiene rubber latex (SBL). The CM was extracted and precipitated with ethanol (CMET) and isopropanol (CMIS). Mucilage-based films were formulated using three levels of mucilage (4, 6, and 8 wt%). The microstructure, thickness, moisture content, density, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, film solubility, thermal stability, and toughness of mucilage films blended with SBL (SBL/CMET and SBL/CMIS) were measured. The properties of mucilage-based films varied systematically, depending on the concentration of mucilage. The addition of SBL to CM film produces compatible, hydrophobic, flexible, and stiffer films with low moisture contents and good barrier properties. The mucilage film incorporated with 6 wt% CMET and CMIS reached the highest Young's modulus of 1512 ± 21 and 1988 ± 55 MPa, respectively. The DSC of produced films reveals that the Tg of SBL/CMIS is lower than that of SBL/CMIS. The synthesized films were structurally stable at high temperatures. The biodegradability of the composite films buried in the ground shows that the produced films are 100 % biodegradable after 40 days. Thus, CM blended with SBL can benefit specific applications, especially food packaging.

Aloe vera-Based Polymeric Network: A Promising Approach for Sustained Drug Delivery, Development, Characterization, and In Vitro Evaluation

The present study was conducted to fabricate and characterize mucilage-based polymeric networks of Aloe vera for controlled drug release. Aloe vera mucilage was used to develop a polymeric network via the free-radical polymerization method using potassium persulphate as the initiator, N′ N′-Methylene bisacrylamide as the crosslinker, and acrylamide as the monomer. Using varying concentrations of Aloe vera mucilage, crosslinker, and monomer, we developed different formulations. Swelling studies were conducted at pH 1.2 and 7.4. Concentrations of polymer, monomer, and crosslinker were optimized as a function of swelling. Porosity and gel content were calculated for all samples. FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, and DSC studies were conducted for the characterization of polymeric networks. Thiocolchicoside was used as a model drug to study the in vitro release in acidic and alkaline pH. Various kinetics models were applied by using a DD solver. Increasing content of monomer and crosslinker swelling, porosity, and drug release decreased while gel content increased. An increase in Aloe vera mucilage concentration promotes swelling, porosity, and drug release of the polymeric network but decreases gel content. The FTIR study confirmed the formation of crosslinked networks. SEM indicated that the polymeric network had a porous structure. DSC and XRD studies indicated the entrapment of drugs inside the polymeric networks in amorphous form. The analytical method was validated according to ICH guidelines in terms of linearity, range, LOD, LOQ, accuracy, precision, and robustness. Analysis of drug release mechanism revealed Fickian behavior of all formulations. All these results indicated that the M1 formulation was considered to be the best polymeric network formulation in terms of sustaining drug release patterns.

Fabrication, Characterization and Toxicity Evaluation Chemically Cross Linked Polymeric Material: A Proof of Concept

Background: Natural mucilage is a highly beneficial biodegradable polymeric material. Natural mucilage is non-toxic, biodegradable and easily available.
 Aim: The current study is required to determine the properties of a basil seed mucilage-based polymeric network and its toxicity.
 Method: By using potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator, microwave-assisted synthesis, a green approach was used to produce a graft copolymer of a polymeric blend of Basil seed mucilage (BSM) and acrylamide (AM). Variable amounts of AM and KPS were used to optimize the best grade based on the highest percentage of grafting efficiency, and the results were investigated using intrinsic viscosity measurement, Fourier Transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), DSC, H-NMR spectra, and X-ray diffraction. The degree of swelling is determined by the concentration of mucilage, monomer, and the density of crosslinking in the polymeric network. 
 Result: The microwave irradiation process with potassium persulfate as the redox initiator is a visible, green, and cost-effective method. The BSM-4 batch showed 464% grafting and 107.23 % grafting efficiency. FTIR, DSC, H-NMR, and XRD analysis showed results about completing the grafting process and changes in functional groups. The BSM-4 batch proved that the basil seed mucilage polymeric network is safe for oral drug delivery of BCS class II and IV drugs. The findings of the toxicity study indicate that the developed polymeric network is safe and non-toxic, and it may eventually prove to be a superior option for many established and cutting-edge drug delivery methods when administering drugs orally.
 Conclusion: In conclusion, the Basil seed mucilage-based polymeric network will encourage long-term delivery of any BCS Class II or IV drug, and acute toxicity testing proved that the mucilage-based network is secure for oral drug delivery.

Entrapment Efficiency (EE) and Release Mechanism of Rhodamine B Encapsulated in a Mixture of Chia Seed Mucilage and Sodium Alginate

Chia seed mucilage is a polysaccharide capable of forming hydrogels with excellent water-binding capacity due to its physical and chemical properties and favorable characteristics for encapsulating and protecting valuable hydrophilic molecules in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. This research aimed to show that mixtures of chia seed mucilage and sodium alginate used as wall materials to encapsulate hydrophilic molecules are suitable. We analyzed the relationship between the mucilage–alginate solution’s properties and the capsules obtained; we quantified the entrapment efficiency (EE%) and the release of rhodamine B; and we proposed a method to follow the rhodamine B release using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). We found that more viscous solutions are obtained when the mucilage concentration increases, making it difficult to produce capsules with less sphericity. The best entrapment efficiency was found when the proportion of the polymers was close to 1:1, based both on the properties of the capsules obtained and on the characterization of the release kinetics of rhodamine B; the analysis performed by fitting rhodamine B release data to theoretical models describe the diffusion process. Our results show that the use of chia seed mucilage as a wall material to trap and retain hydrophilic molecules is convenient.

Treatment of wastewaters from food Aromsa and ingredients production by electrocoagulation (EC) treatment aided by mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica

The electrocoagulation (EC) treatment process was aided by the cladode mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) to improve chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency (%) of wastewater from a plant producing flavoring and food additives. The studied variables included initial pH, current density, types of electrodes (Fe and Al), mucilage concentration, and charge loading. The EC treatment using Al electrodes, assisted by an optimum concentration of 200 mg L-1 OFI mucilage, a current density of 60 A/m2, and an initial pH equal to 3, improved the COD removal efficiency (69.77%) at an EC treatment time of 40 min. The EC operating costs, energy, and electrode consumptions values were equal to 3.809 US $/m3, 0.810 kWh/kg COD removed, and 0.7898 kg/m3, respectively. However, no improvement was noted when Fe electrodes were used with or without adding OFI mucilage (under conditions of pH 6, current density of 50 A/m2, and EC time of 120 min), and COD removal efficiency (%) was equal to 41.5%. The operational costs, energy and electrode consumptions were equal to 4.2201 US $/m3, 2.8 kWh/kg COD removal and 3.0964 kg/m3, respectively. The OFI mucilage could be used as a promising bio-coagulant with EC treatment using Al electrodes, to treat the plant producing flavoring and food additives wastewater.

Effect of α-Amylase on the Structure of Chia Seed Mucilage.

Thanks to its nutritional and mechanical properties, chia seed mucilage is becoming increasingly popular in the food industry as a small biomolecule. The mechanical properties of an ingredient are a key element for food appreciation during chewing. Therefore, with this study, we explore for the first time the structural changes that chia seed mucilage undergoes when treated with α-amylase, the most abundant enzyme in human saliva. First, rheological time-sweep tests were performed on samples with different enzyme and constant chia mucilage concentrations. Then, the effect of increasing the chia mucilage concentration at a constant enzyme content was investigated. The results show that structural changes occur after enzyme treatment. Rheological measurements show a thickening of the material with an increase in the elastic modulus depending on the concentrations of α-amylase and chia used. This effect is attributed to the release and aggregation of insoluble fibrous aggregates that naturally form the mucilage after the cleavage of the α-1,4-glucoside bond between the α-D-glucopyranose residue and the second β-D-xylopyranose residue by α-amylase. Thus, our data suggest an α-amylase-mediated restructuring of the chia mucilage network that could have implications for the commercial processing of this material.