Mixture Experimental Design Research Articles

New combination of drugs to combat Escherichia coli DSM1103 QCDSM by reducing antibiotic ciprofloxacin standard dose using response surface methodology

BackgroundMicrobial diseases are emerged as a concern for the global health and are responsible for increased mortality among different age groups. It is therefore essential to control the microbial population with novel antimicrobial agents. Antibiotic-phytochemicals mixtures are used for improving the antibacterial efficiency against bacterial pathogens to decrease their microbial resistance development. This study compared the inhibitory potentials of ciprofloxacin antibiotic and phytochemical mixtures of Syzygium aromaticum (clove), Allium sativum (garlic) and Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) against Escherichia coli DSM1103 QCDSM using Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and Bactericidal inhibitory concentrations (MBCs) methods. ObjectiveInhibitory activity of ciprofloxacin and three oil plant extracts of the selected plants (clove, garlic, cinnamon) were tested against E. coli DSM1103 QCDSM using well diffusion method on Muller-Hinton agar plates by studying MIC and MBC tests. The software “Design Expert® 12” Stat-Ease was used to analyze the experimental mixture design. ResultsA mixture design of twenty mixture combination runs using different concentration levels of ciprofloxacin and the three oil plants extracts were performed against E. coli DSM1103 QCDSM growth. Results revealed that the standard recommended ciprofloxacin dose 5 μg/100 ml may be replaced by the oil extracts of S. aromaticum 4.75 % (v/v), A. sativum 5.0% (v/v), C. verum 5.0%(v/v) and ciprofloxacin 0.25% (w/v) as alternative drugs. ConclusionThe proposed mixture containing Syzygium aromaticum (clove), Allium sativum (garlic) and Cinnamomum verum (cinnamon) was found to be an effective antimicrobial agent and may signifies the role of traditional knowledge in drug discovery.

Use of pseudo cereals in food production

Pseudo-cereals grains, edible seeds, which belong to dicotyledonous plants, are becoming in demand in the human diet as gluten-free grains with excellent nutritional and nutraceutical value. Quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat are the most important pseudo-cereals. Recently, pseudo-cereals have attracted attention because of their high nutritional value of proteins, and their storage proteins are not toxic to celiac patients. In addition, seeds are an important source of dietary fibre and phenols, which are beneficial to health. Research has shown the suitability of amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat flour as a substitute for grain flour in the production of gluten-free biscuits. The article represents data on the chemical and functional composition of amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat and considers the production possibility of gluten-free biscuits using an experimental mixture design to optimize a ternary mixture of amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat flour in terms of colour parameters, specific volume and hardness. Nutritional and sensory aspects of the optimized formulation were also assessed. The resulting biscuits based on the flour blend of pseudo-cereals were characterized as a product rich in dietary fibre, a good source of essential amino acids, linolenic acid and minerals, with good sensory acceptability. The data presented testify to the possibility of using the flour blend of amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat as an alternative ingredient for gluten-free biscuits.

Development of Multi-Compartment 3D-Printed Tablets Loaded with Self-Nanoemulsified Formulations of Various Drugs: A New Strategy for Personalized Medicine.

This work aimed to develop a three-dimensional printed (3DP) tablet containing glimepiride (GLMP) and/or rosuvastatin (RSV) for treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with diabetes. Curcumin oil was extracted from the dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa and utilized to develop a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS). Screening mixture experimental design was conducted to develop SNEDDS formulation with a minimum droplet size. Five different semi-solid pastes were prepared and rheologically characterized. The prepared pastes were used to develop 3DP tablets using extrusion printing. The quality attributes of the 3DP tablets were evaluated. A non-compartmental extravascular pharmacokinetic model was implemented to investigate the in vivo behavior of the prepared tablets and the studied marketed products. The optimized SNEDDS, of a 94.43 ± 3.55 nm droplet size, was found to contain 15%, 75%, and 10% of oil, polyethylene glycol 400, and tween 80, respectively. The prepared pastes revealed a shear-thinning of pseudoplastic flow behavior. Flat-faced round tablets of 15 mm diameter and 5.6–11.2 mm thickness were successfully printed and illustrated good criteria for friability, weight variation, and content uniformity. Drug release was superior from SNEDDS-based tablets when compared to non-SNEDDS tablets. Scanning electron microscopy study of the 3DP tablets revealed a semi-porous surface that exhibited some curvature with the appearance of tortuosity and a gel porous-like structure of the inner section. GLMP and RSV demonstrated relative bioavailability of 159.50% and 245.16%, respectively. Accordingly, the developed 3DP tablets could be considered as a promising combined oral drug therapy used in treatment of metabolic disorders. However, clinical studies are needed to investigate their efficacy and safety.

Mixture DoE: A strategic approach for multi-response optimization of AA1100 metal-matrix hybrid composites

Aluminum 1100 Metal-Matrix Hybrid Composites (AA1100 MMHCs) are the materials with uncommon properties and possessing exceptional design potentials. The current study aims to optimize Mechanical Properties of AA1100 MMHCs, so that strong but light weight chassis or cabins of vehicles can be manufactured. Stir Casting Technique was employed to amalgamate AA1100 MMHC. Compositional Parameters (like Percentage of AA1100 alloy, Si, Cu and Mg) and Process Parameter (i.e. Stirring Time) were designed to vary between their upper and lower permissible limits. Mixture Design of Experiment (DoE), an optimization technique was utilized to analyze the designed experiments through Minitab 18 Software. Fabricated experiments were performed and resultants Mechanical Responses (Compressive Strength and Hardness) were observed. SEM and XRD Tests were conducted to monitor the Microstructure and Particle Size, respectively. These structural-characteristics have significant impact on Mechanical Properties under consideration.

Optimization of AC/TiO2/CeO2 composite formulation for petroleum refinery wastewater treatment via simultaneous adsorption-photocatalytic process using D-optimal mixture experimental design

This study aims to optimize the formulation of activated carbon/titanium oxide/cerium oxide (AC/TiO2/CeO2) composite for petroleum refinery wastewater (PRW) treatment via simultaneous adsorption and photocatalytic process. D-optimal mixture experimental design was applied to predict the optimal formulation of the composite. The experimental data were assessed to generate empirical models for analyzing the effects of components fraction on individual responses. The fitted models were statistically examined (through the standard error of design), considerably validated (via analysis of variance (ANOVA) and model adequacy indicators), and experimentally verified (by estimating errors, root-mean square error (RMSE), and standard error of prediction (SEP) between the predicted and actual values). Finally, the optimized formulation was accepted to have 36.85% total dissolved solid (TDS) removal, 49.23% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, treated PRW with pH = 7.22 and electrical conductivity (EC) = 2937.11 µS/cm, 53.76% phenol removal, and 52.86% NH3-N removal, by applying 53.43%-wt of AC, 21.96%-wt of TiO2, and 24.61%-wt of CeO2 with reasonably high desirability score of 0.8874. Based on the characterization results, it can be concluded that the optimized AC/TiO2/CeO2 composite was successfully synthesized. From the diffuse reflectance spectrometry (DRS), the estimated bandgap energy of the synthesized AC/TiO2/CeO2 composite was successfully reduced through the use of CeO2. Our findings show the efficiency, reliability, and feasibility of the D-optimal mixture experimental design from modeling, predicting, and optimizing the formulation of AC/TiO2/CeO2 composite. Overall, our findings prove that the optimized AC/TiO2/CeO2 composite is a prominent and effective material for PRW treatment.

Sensory evaluation and mixture design assessment of coffee-flavored liquor obtained from spent coffee grounds

Spent coffee grounds are a source of bioactive compounds, including caffeine and other valuable substances, such as volatiles, fats, and alkaloids, which are currently not exploited. In this research, the water content was separated through absolute ethanol extraction yielding a hydroalcoholic solution of volatiles that could be an optimal base for a coffee-flavored liquor. This work was aimed at assessing the potential of coffee-flavored liquor formulations with the use of sensory techniques and mixture design.Based on a mixture experimental design, a total of 17 coffee-flavored liquors, including replicates, were obtained at lab-scale by adding variable amounts of water, glucose syrup, and caramel to a fixed amount of hydroalcoholic extract flavored with vanillin.First, a total of 328 consumers were asked to answer a questionnaire about the attributes of an ideal coffee-flavored liquor and their intensity in order to draw an ideal profile from a consumer point of view. Then, judges trained on the attributes of industrially-produced coffee liquors were involved in two descriptive sensory evaluation sessions of the 17 samples.Data analysis pointed to the coffee-flavored liquors with a sensory profile close to the ideal one. They showed an intense black color (mean score 7) related to a higher caramel concentration in comparison with the other samples. In addition, they scored higher in flavor and body (mean score 7) due to the relative amount of syrup and water. It is noteworthy to mention that the judges regarded these samples as more balanced than the others in terms of alcohol strength, bitterness, and sweetness.

FORMULATION OPTIMIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AQUEOUS INJECTION CONTAINING POORLY SOLUBLE DRUG USING MIXED HYDROTROPIC SOLUBILIZATION

Objective: Mefenamic acid (MFA) is an NSAID that exhibits anti-inflammatory analgesic and antipyretic activity. Peak plasma levels are attained in 2-4 h and the elimination half-life approximates 2 h, repetitive administration of tablets for 3-5 times a day is desired. It is supplied only in the form of tablets for oral administration. In acute conditions drug administered parenterally could give rapid relief from severe symptoms like pain. Thus, formulation of injectable formulation of MFA could be better alternative compared to conventional tablet dosage form. The low aqueous solubility of MFA precludes its use in parenteral formulation development.
 Methods: In this work attempt were made to enhance the aqueous solubility of mefenamic acid using mixed solvency technique. For that different hydrotropic agents such as Urea, Sodium acetate, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate and their blends were evaluated. Optimal concentration of hydrotropic agent in blend was determined using D-optimal mixture experimental design. The optimized bled was used to develop the aqueous injection of mefenamic acid. The developed injection was subjected for various quality control tests and stability of developed formulation was also evaluated.
 Results: The aqueous solubility in optimized blend of hydrotropic agent batches (U: SA: SB: SC, 4:4:23:9 %w/v) showed 835.71-fold compared to MFA solubility in distilled water. The quality control tests for parenteral formulation and accelerated stability study were found to be within prescribed limits and stable.
 Conclusion: The inadequate solubility of MFA was overcome, and aqueous injection was successfully developed which can be serve as cost effective treatment in various indications.

Effect of Incorporation of Potash from Ficus carica Fruit Peel Waste into Potash (Nikkih) from Plantain Peel Waste as Emulsifiers on the Physico-Chemical, Functional Properties, and Acceptability of Yellow Achu Soup

Yellow Achu soup used to eat achu is an emulsion composed primarily of red palm oil and water stabilized by potash as an emulsifier, is regarded as one of the prestigious traditional foods in Cameroon. However, the yellow achu soup faces a problem of stability due to the inability of the potash from plantain peel alone, commonly called Nikkih, to emulsify and stabilize it. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the effect of incorporation of potash from Ficus carica fruit peel to potash from plantain peel, Nikkih, on the emulsification, emulsion stability, and acceptability of yellow achu soup. To this effect, ashes obtained from plantain peels and Ficus carica fruit peel were extracted with water to get their respective crude extracts, potash, with concentrations of 0.07g/ml or 1g/15ml. A mixture experimental design was used to mix different proportions of the plantain peels to Ficus carica fruit peel potash to get 7 samples of the emulsifier, ranging from 100:0, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 30:70 0:100 denoted as IKM, KIM, MKI, IMK, MIK, KMI, and KKI respectively. The yellow achu soup obtained thereafter was prepared by mixing thoroughly 20ml of partially bleached palm oil, 10ml of emulsifier solution, and 70ml of water at 800C. The pH, emulsification index, foaming capacity, and foam stability of the resulting soup were analyzed followed by an evaluation of its acceptability. The pH of the mixture varied from 11.75 to 11.01, with a pH of 11.53 obtained for the plantain peel crude extract, IMK, and the lowest pH of 11.01 ± 0.01 obtained from the Ficus carica fruit peel ash extract, KKI. The highest alkalinity of 11.75 ± 0.02 for the mixture was obtained at a mixture ratio of 60:40 for sample IMK. The pH of the resulting yellow achu soup decreased as the incorporation ratio increased, with the highest pH of 11.49 using only the plantain crude extract, IKM, to the lowest pH of 10.58 using only the Ficus carica fruit peel ash extract, KKI. The foaming capacity of the yellow achu soup varied from 10.76 ± 2.78% representing the highest for sample IMK while the lowest value was 5.36 ± 0.18% using sample KIM. The foam stability varied from 11.89 ± 2.34% for sample IMK to 4.67 ± 0.79% for sample KIM. Sample MIK displayed the highest emulsifying activity with a value of 65.15±0.30% and 58.79±8.70% after 24 hrs and 48hrs respectively, while KIM had the lowest emulsifying activity of 34.21±0.54% after 24 hours and 34.17±0.23 after 48hours. Out of the ten panelists involved in the sensory evaluation, 50% generally accepted sample MIK, 20% accepted IMK and KMI while 10% preferred MKI. The incorporation of the Ficus carica fruit peel potash to Nikkih serves as a good strategy to improve on the functional properties and acceptability of yellow achu soup.

Optimal design of mixture experiments for general blending models

Mixture models of the Scheffé polynomial class are standard in several scientific fields. For these models there is a vast literature on the optimal design of experiments to provide good estimates of the parameters with the use of minimal resources. Contrarily, the optimal design of experiments for general blending models, extending the class of Becker, have not been systematically addressed. Nevertheless, there are practical examples where the models relating the response variables, the parameters and the factors including nonlinear blending effects fall into a general form. We propose a general formulation to find continuous and exact D– and A–optimal designs for general blending models. First, we consider designs to estimate the regression coefficients, and then extend the formulations to find locally optimal continuous designs for estimating both the coefficients and the power exponents. The treatment relies on converting the Optimal Experimental Design (OED) problem into an optimization problem of the Nonlinear Programming (or Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming) class. We apply this approach to quadratic and special cubic general blending models of the H2 class of polynomials introduced by Becker, and to three examples of practical interest in combustion science and in the characterization of fuel properties.

Quality-by-Design-Based Development of a Voxelotor Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug-Delivery System with Improved Biopharmaceutical Attributes.

Low aqueous solubility and poor oral bioavailability are limiting factors in the oral delivery of voxelotor, an antisickling agent. To overcome these limitations, a voxelotor self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system was developed. Various oils, surfactants, and cosurfactants were screened for their solubilization potential for the drug. The area of nanoemulsification was identified using a ternary phase diagram. An experimental mixture design and a desirability function were applied to select SNEDDSs that contain a maximum amount of lipids and a minimum amount of surfactant, and that possess optimal emulsification properties (i.e., droplet sizes, polydispersity index (PDI), emulsification time, and transmittance percentage). The optimized SNEDDS formulation was evaluated for the self-emulsifying time (32 s), droplet size (35 nm), and zeta potential (−8 mV). In vitro dissolution studies indicated a 3.1-fold improvement in drug solubility from the optimized SNEDDS over pure drug powder. After 60 min of in vitro lipolysis, 88% of the voxelotor loaded in the SNEDDS remained in the aqueous phase. Cytotoxicity evaluation, using Caco-2 cells, indicated the safety of the formulation at 0.9 mg/mL. The transport of the voxelotor SNEDDS across Caco-2 monolayers was significantly enhanced compared to that of the free drug. Compared to the drug suspension, the developed SNEDDS enhanced the oral bioavailability (1.7-fold) of voxelotor in rats. The results suggest that further development of SNEDDSs for the oral delivery of voxelotor is needed.

Optimization of nutritional and sensory qualities of complementary foods prepared from sorghum, soybean, karkade and premix in Benishangul - Gumuz region, Ethiopia

Consumption of nutritionally deficient complementary foods in developing countries is among the main contributing factors to infants and young children's malnutrition. Therefore, this study was aimed to optimize the nutritional and sensory properties of complementary food made from malted sorghum, blanched soybean, boiled karkade seeds and premix. A D-optimal mixture experimental design with 18 runs was generated by design expert software within in the constrained: 40–60% malted sorghum, 20–30% blanched soybean, 10–20% boiled karkade seeds and 10% premix (5.0% figl leaf powder, 4.5% sugar and 0.5% iodized table salt). Statistical model evaluation and optimization were done using D-optimal mixture design expert software. Sensory evaluation was conducted using 53 untrained panelists on two selected formulations and the control (local formulation). The study shows that with an increasing ratio of blanched soybean and boiled karkade seeds flour in the blend, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in protein, fat, energy and mineral contents, and a decrease in tannin and phytic acid contents of high mineral bioavailability except for oxalate: calcium ratio in the formulations were observed. The optimal blending ratio was 45.0% malted sorghum, 26.0% blanched soybean, and 19.0% boiled karkade seeds flour plus 10.0% premix. The gruel made from the new formula was significantly (p < 0.05) liked in terms of aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and overall acceptability than the control sample. The findings suggested that the optimal mix of these traditionally processed ingredients can potentially alleviate protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency to mitigate expensive commercial infant complementary foods sold in the market.

In vitro cytotoxicity assay, mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity and release analysis of kojic monooleate nanodelivery system and in silico molecular docking study against 2Y9X target enzyme

Tyrosinase is the main enzyme that catalyzes the browning of fruits, fungi and vegetables, and melanogenesis process in mammals. Kojic monooleate (KMO) is an ester produced via esterification of kojic acid (KA) with oleic acid and has the potential as a tyrosinase inhibitor. Previously, we have reported the optimization study of the KMO nanoemulsion using Mixture Experimental Design and Response Surface Methodology. This study aims to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity, tyrosinase inhibitory and release activities of KMO and KMO nanoemulsion. Our study found that both the KMO and KMO nanoemulsion was not cytotoxic against 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line with the IC50 > 500 μg/mL. The tyrosinase inhibition assay conducted by using 3,4-dihydroxy phenyl l-alanine (l-DOPA) substrate revealed a significant potency of KMO (IC50 = 85.98 μM) and its nano-emulsified system (IC50 = 68.20 μg/mL), when compared to KA with the IC50 = 124.28 μM. From Franz cell release study, up to 45.94 ± 0.03% of KMO was released from the nanoemulsion system and diffuses across the cellulose acetate membrane after 8 h of study time, and the kinetic mechanism analysis revealed that the data was most fitted with the zeroth-order model. Moreover, in silico molecular docking was applied to determine binding energy and predict the interaction of mushroom tyrosinase (PDB ID: 2Y9X) with KMO. The binding energy of the KMO against 2Y9X was −5.70 kcal/mol. The best docked complex was mostly interacted via hydrophobic interaction involving His61, His85, Glu256, His259, Asn260, His263, Phe264, Met280, Gly281, Ser282, Val283, Ala286 residues. Based on the results obtained, the KMO nanoemulsion was suggested to be suitable for use in cosmeceuticals field, and further study through in vivo approach should be carried out to clarify the efficacy and safety of the KMO nanoemulsion.

Equivalence theorem of $D$-optimal equal allocation design for multiresponse mixture experiments

The equivalence theorem is the most important theorem of experimental design. For single response, the D-optimal equivalence theorem of the continuous design and equal allocation design already exist. However, the equivalence theorem of D-optimal equal allocation design for multiresponse mixture experiments has not been investigated. In this paper, we study this problem and find that the maximize of the variance function of the equivalence theorem equal to the number of response. D-optimal designs for multiresponse are illustrated by two examples.

Physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation of high energy cereal bar and its consumer acceptability

This research aims to study the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of high energy cereal bars (HCB) and their consumer acceptability using logistic regression. The HCB was prepared and formulated under using a mixture design (d-optimal) experiment with three centerpoints, namely, cereals (60–66%) fruits (14–20%), and sweeteners (20–26%). The regression analysis indicated that the three main ingredients affected physicochemical properties (color value, hardness, and stickiness), chemical properties (aw, total carbohydrate, gross energy, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, and total carotenoid), and sensory properties. The optimum content of cereals, fruits, and sweeteners for HCB was found to be 60.45%, 19.55%, and 20%. This indicates that puffed rice, roasted nuts, cereal seed, mixed fruits, corn syrup, and honey can provide high consumer product acceptance and purchase intention for a cereal bar and can be used to develop a high-energy cereal bar product desirable for the consumer market.

Construction of Saturated Designs for Mixture Experiments

Mixture Experiments are very common in real life experiments. Designing a mixture experiment involves selection of the proportion of the mixture components in a fashion such that a mathematical model can be fitted adequately and the parameters could be estimated. In agricultural experiments, the mixture components may be several sources of the input applied or input may be applied at different crop growth stages in splits such that total quantity applied to the crop is constant. Efficient designs for mixture experiments are useful when the response is assumed to depend on the relative proportions of the ingredients present in the mixture. A number of algorithms and heuristics are available in literature; however, a limited work has been done in the use of algorithms for mixture experiments. There is a need to develop designs for mixture experiments in smaller number of runs for a specific model for varying proportions using algorithmic approach. In this study we have developed algorithms to construct saturated designs fort mixture experiments. The algorithm provides a greater flexibility in design construction in comparison to the traditional approach in terms of models to be fitted; number of runs to be requited etc. These designs are very well suited in real life experiments. The use of algorithms in construction of designs for mixture experiments not only reduces the computational cost but also results in a more efficient search of the design in a continuous design space.

The nutritional quality improvement of dried gluten free pasta supplemented with Cladophora spp.

This research aimed to study: 1) the suitable formula gluten free pasta supplemented with Cladophora spp., 2) the chemical and physical properties of pasta supplemented with Cladophora spp., and 3) the consumer acceptance. A mixture design experiment was conducted, and three factors were analyzed, 50-70% brown rice flour, 15-25%modified starch, and 10-20%Cladophora spp., the most suitable formula indicated 68%brown rice, 22%modified starch, 10%Cladophora spp. The nutritional profile of this gluten-free pasta per 100 grams was 379.00 kilocalories of total energy, 7.09 grams of protein, 1.91 grams of dietary fiber, 0.11 milligrams of vitamin B, 0.11 milligrams of vitamin B2, 31.30 milligrams of calcium, and 3.84 milligrams of iron and antioxidant activity 48.50 mg eq Trolox. Most consumers’ overall liking score was at a moderate level. The gluten-free pasta supplemented with Cladophora spp. will make better nutrition value.&#x0D;

Preparation and characterization of vitamin D microemulsions using two-component surface-active stabilizer system

Abstract Vitamin D, like other functional lipid bioactive compounds, t suffers from less structural stability, poor water solubility and consequently less bioavailability and cellular uptake. Preparation of vitamin D microemulsions is one of the solutions for the above problems. Thus, in the present study, vitamin D microemulsions were prepared using various one/two-component stabilizer systems, namely, Tween 20 and sodium caseinate in various proportions. The effects of stabilizer components proportions on characteristics of gained vitamin D microemulsions were evaluated using a two-component mixture design of experiment. Therefore, various polynomial models were proposed in order to predict the characteristics of produced microemulsions. According to the optimization analysis, the vitamin D microemulsions stabilized by a stabilizer system composed of 70% Tween 20 and 30% sodium caseinate could produce the most desirable microemulsions with minimum mean particle size, polydispersity, and maximum zeta potential, transparency and vitamin D content. The produced vitamin D microemulsions showed acceptable chemical and good physical stabilities, which can be incorporated easily in water-based food and pharmaceutical formulations.

Optimization of a New Antihyperglycemic Formulation Using a Mixture of Linum usitatissimum L., Coriandrum sativum L., and Olea europaea var. sylvestris Flavonoids: A Mixture Design Approach

Flavonoids are a class of natural chemicals with variable phenolic structures that have long been recognized for their health advantages, they have recently attracted researchers’ attention for treating diabetes and hyperglycemia. The goal of this research is to develop a novel antihyperglycemic formulation using a combination of three plant flavonoids: Linum usitatissimum L. seeds (FLU), Coriandrum sativum L. seeds (FCS), and Olea europaea var. sylvestris leaves (FOE) based on a mixture design experiment approach which generates the most effective ratio of each component in a mixture instead of the trial-and-error method. Prior to the test, sub-acute toxicity research was conducted to establish a safe and effective dosage. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was used to assess the antihyperglycemic impact of these extracts and their combinations in Swiss albino mice. The dose that showed efficacy and safety was 25 mg/kg, which was utilized in all formulations. According to the results, the binary and ternary combinations showed the most significant synergetic effects. The optimum combination with the most potent effect was 37% FLU, 20% FCS, and 43% FOE. This study’s mixture design and prediction model for glycemic variation (GV) may be utilized at an industrial level to develop a novel antidiabetic and antihyperglycemic formulation that is safe and effective.

Gluten-free Pasta Products with Improved Nutritional Profile by Using Banana Flour

This study aimed to determine an optimum formula for producing gluten-free pasta using banana flour. A mixture design experiment was conducted, and three factors were analyzed, 40-60% banana flour, 7-27% modified starch, and 23-43% water. The most appropriate formula included 40% banana flour, 27% modified starch, and 33% water. The nutritional profile of this gluten-free pasta per 100 grams was 469.29 kilocalories of total energy, 4.71 grams of protein, 7.60 grams of dietary fiber, 26.69 micrograms of vitamin A, 0.039 milligrams of vitamin B, 0.093 milligrams of vitamin B2, 60.30 milligrams of calcium, and 1.33 milligrams of iron. Further, these pasta products exhibited prebiotic properties and their overall preference score was at a moderate level of 7.02. Consequently, the gluten-free pasta made using banana flour differed from the commercial product due to its soft and flexible texture. Altogether, the pasta was nutritious and had prebiotic properties.

Screening and cocktail optimization using experimental mixture design: enzymatic saccharification as a biological pretreatment strategy

AbstractBiofuels contribute environment‐friendly, renewable energy, minimizing dependence on fossil energy. The pretreatment of biomass is a practical step that accelerates and facilitates the hydrolysis of complex materials. This work aimed to screen, select, and study cocktail formulations for biomass hydrolysis, where the enzymes were provided both from a commercial source (Trichoderma reesei, Novozymes®) and through the cultivation of Aspergillus brasiliensis and Aspergillus tamarii Kita. Experimental mixture designs were used to optimize the enzymatic conversion of substrates into simple sugars. A crude extract rich in amylase (AAB) had a significant favorable influence on cornmeal hydrolysis by maximizing the yield of reducing sugars (RS) (173 μmol mL–1). Celluclast™, rich in cellulase, significantly affected the hydrolysis of banana peel, maximizing the RS yield (175 μmol mL–1). Variable degrees of enzyme synergism were evident from statistical analysis of the biomass hydrolysis. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd