Reduction Of Free Fatty Acids Research Articles

The effect of carvacrol, thymol, eugenol and α-terpineol in combination with vacuum packaging on quality indicators of anchovy fillets

Food safety issues associated with the increased use of synthetic and chemicals preservatives agents are receiving increasing attention. The utilisation of natural resources may provide a potential and advisable alternative to chemical preservatives in the seafood industry. This research study focused on the impacts of pure bioactive compounds (carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, and α-terpineol) on the sensory and microbiological (total viable count, TVC) and chemical qualities (total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), free fatty acid (FFA), and peroxide value (PV)) of vacuumed packaged anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fillets during the refrigerated storage period. This study also evaluated the potential effect of bioactive compounds on biogenic amines (BAs) and ammonia (AMN) production in fish samples. Sensory investigations revealed that the control had an 8-day shelf life, that of the carvacrol and α-terpineol treatment was 15 days, and that of the thymol and eugenol treatment was 19 days. The application of bioactive compound on fish had a positive impact on the preservation of its oxidative stability through the reduction of TBA, FFA, and PV values as well as enhancement of the microbiological quality in comparision to the control. The use of pure bioactive compounds resulted in the reduction of the accumulation of BAs and AMN in anchovy fillets during 22 days of storage. The results exhibited that the pure bioactive compounds mainly eugenol and thymol, can increase the shelf life of anchovy. Therefore, they can be used by seafood industries as preservative agents due to their good antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

Optimization of the Refining Process for a Fraction Rich in Crude Common Pony Fish (Leiognathus equulus) Oil as a By-product of Fish Protein Hydrolysate Processing Using The Response Surface Method

The production of fish protein hydrolysate from common pony fish yields a fraction rich crude fish oil as a by-product. To utilize this by-product, refining is necessary to obtain common pony fish oil. This research aims to use a fraction rich crude fish oil from fish protein hydrolysate by-products to obtain fish oil and to determine the optimal conditions for the refining process using the response surface method (RSM) in the degumming, neutralization, and bleaching processes. The experimental design used was the Box–Behnken design, with the responses used to determine the optimum conditions at the degumming stage were water content and total dissolved solids. The response used to determine the optimum conditions at the neutralization stage was the refining factor, and at the bleaching stage was color (L, a*, b*). Parameters studied for each purification process include heating temperature (50-80°C), contact time between fraction rich crude fish oil with auxiliary materials (10-20 minutes) and the length of time for centrifugation (5-15 minutes) with a rotation speed of 10,062 G. The optimal conditions obtained in the degumming, neutralization, and bleaching processes for heating temperature, contact time between fraction rich crude fish oil with auxiliary materials, and centrifugation time, respectively, were 50°C, 10 min, 5 min; 50°C, 20 min, 5 min; and 80°C, 10 min, 15 min. Verification of the optimum conditions resulted in a free fatty acid value of 8.25% ± 0.01%, an acid value of 1.87 ± 0.02 mg KOH/g oil, a peroxide value of 1.04 ± 0.01 meq/Kg, an anisidine value of 11.11 ± 0.01 meq/Kg, a total oxidation value of 13.21 ± 0.01 meq/Kg and water content 6.052 ± 0.02 %. These results indicate a reduction in free fatty acids, acid number, peroxide number, anisidine number and water content by 66%, 90%, 73.5%, 61%, 63%, and 92% respectively. Our results showed that the purified fraction rich crude fish oil has met the SNI standards in parameter acid number, peroxide number, iodine number, anisidine number, and total oxidation value. The purification process that has been carried out can improve the quality fraction rich crude fish oil, but further processing still needs to be carried out to reduce water content and free fatty acid value

Characterization of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate, Diacylglycerol Regioisomers, and Esterification Products Using High-Performance Size Exclusion Chromatography.

High-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) equipped with an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) was utilized for characterization of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) and its esterified products, with a particular focus on lipid profiles and diacylglycerol (DAG) regioisomers. The separation of triacylglycerol (TAG), DAG, monoacylglycerol (MAG), and free fatty acid (FFA) was achieved through a single 100-Å Phenogel column, coupled with a 2-cm C18 guard, utilizing toluene/acetic acid (100:0.25, v/v) as the mobile phase. This separation was based on size sieving principles and the interactions between the hydroxyl group(s) and the Phenogel matrix. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for the esterified PFAD products analyzed by this method fell within the range of 4.8-5.5 μg/mL and 14.7-16.7 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, the same column, paired with a 2-cm silica guard and a mobile phase comprised of toluene/isooctane/acetic acid (35:65:0.15, v/v/v), was used for the characterization of DAG regioisomers within the esterified PFAD. LODs and LOQs for sn-1,3-DAG and sn- 1,2-DAG were determined to be 39.2 and 118.7 μg/mL, and 32.8 and 99.5 μg/mL, respectively. Investigation of esterified PFAD products prepared using 4% H2SO4 at 120°C. After 2 h, the analysis revealed the highest MAG content at 31.85%, accompanied by 51.54% DAG, 2.35% TAG, and a residual 14.27% FFA. Notably, as the reaction time extended, the MAG content decreased, while both DAG and TAG levels exhibited an increasing trend. Further examination of DAG regioisomers during PFAD esterification, under varying catalyst concentrations (2-10%) and reaction temperatures (80-140°C), demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of sn-1,3-DAG, inversely correlated with the reduction in FFA from 2% H 2 SO 4 and 80°C onwards. Remarkably, the percentage of sn-1,2-DAG remained relatively stable regardless of changes in catalyst concentrations or temperatures, confirming its susceptibility to isomerization into the thermodynamically more stable sn-1,3-DAG form. This study provides valuable insights into the composition and behavior of esterified PFAD products.

Maintaining high‐triglyceride content and reducing free fatty acids in distillers corn oil: A catalyst‐free multivariate strategy

AbstractDistillers corn oil (DCO), a byproduct of corn ethanol production, offers an alternative glyceride source for biodiesel production. Nonetheless, its higher free fatty acids (FFA) content compared to other vegetable oils hampers its direct conversion into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) due to soap formation, catalysts' activity decreasing, and emulsions generation (thus reducing FAME yield), which compromise the quality and stability of the biodiesel produced. Thus, pretreatment steps such as esterification may reduce the FFA to mitigate these issues. In this context, by utilizing glycerine, a solution emerges: esterifying these high‐acidity oils to convert FFA into triglycerides (TAG) before transesterification. However, little is known about how integrated reaction conditions can affect the process in a catalyst‐free system. Thus, our study was guided by a clear‐cut objective: transforming DCO into a raw material ideally suited for biodiesel production, which involved a dramatic reduction in FFA content, reducing it from 18% to a mere 2% while preserving a high concentration of TAG. For that, we systematically employed a response surface methodology with a three‐factorial central composite design to investigate the complex interactions among key parameters: temperature, vacuum pressure, and the glycerol/oil mass ratio. Elevated temperatures and a 2:1 glycerol/oil mass ratio were beneficial for FFA reduction, increased TAG content, and improved oil color. Interaction analysis identified synergistic temperature and vacuum pressure effects on FFA reduction, TAG production, and photometric color index reduction, revealing optimal conditions. Hence, the statistical model highlights DCO as a viable oil for future transesterification processes, laying the foundation for an eco‐friendly and economically efficient biodiesel production network.

Modeling of the Fresh Fruit Bunches Collection and Transportation System with Agent-Based Simulation in Optimizing the Mode of Transportation on Oil Palm Industry

Uncertainty number of harvests per day causes the allocation of transportation modes are less optimal in collecting fruit from plantations to palm oil mills causing a shortage of trucks in some afdeling and some are unemployed in some afdeling causing large transportation costs. The use of Agent-Based Simulations can help to identify the factors that cause the number of trucks that are not optimal by looking at the behavior and interaction between the agent actors involved in the tbs collection and transportation process. The results showed the utilization rate of transportation modes increased from 27% to 40% by reducing the number of truck units rented from 177 trucks to 118 trucks and reducing transportation collection costs by 0.225% of the total cost value. With the reduced journey time, the quality of the oil palm is better with the reduction of free fatty acids (FFA) and the average weight loss of fruit.

The Effect of Moisture Content on Reducing the Free Fatty Acid Content of Nyamplung Seed Oil (Callophylum inophyllum) Using Factorial Design Method

Nyamplung seeds (Calophyllum inophyllum) have an oil content of 50–70%, in Indonesia nyamplung seeds have a high productivity of 20 t/ha. The process of extracting nyamplung seed oil chemical process produces a higher yield than mechanical. Extraction was collected using the soxhletation extraction method because the oil can be extracted perfectly and requires little solvent. The FFA content is very high, ranging from 15-30% which causes high oil quality to decrease. The high FFA content is due to the high % water content (23-25%) in nyamplung seeds, which causes a hydrolysis process where triglycerides dissociate in the presence of water, glycerol and FFA. The research variables are the moisture content of nyamplung seeds (8% and 12%), the size of the material (15 and 25 mesh), and the ratio of the material to the solvent (1:4 and 1:6) using the factorial design method for research optimization using variable moisture content Nyamplung seed is 8%, size is 20 mesh, and raw material to solvent ratio is 1:5. Novelty value research is effect of % water content on reduction of free fatty acid(FFA) levels contained nyamplung seed oil. Whereas in previous research Adenuga et al., (2021) % water content was not the main parameter for reducing free fatty acid levels. But the main parameters are only drying temperature and oven temperature. FFA content without reducing the % water content of 24 mg KOH/g Jahirul et al. (2015) and 29.2 mg KOH/g Hasibuan et al. (2013) whereas the results of the study showed an FFA level of 13.30%, which means that there was a decrease in FFA levels directly proportional to the decrease in the moisture content of nyamplung seeds.

Investigation of free fatty acid reduction from mixed crude palm oil using 3D-printed rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation: An experimental study of geometric characteristics of the inner hole

A continuous esterification process is employed to decrease the free fatty acid (FFA) concentration of FFA-rich mixed crude palm oil. Both optimal and recommended conditions are determined for the esterification reaction conditions and the geometry of the 3D-printed rotor design in the rotor–stator hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. This study is primarily concerned with the effect of the cavitation device configuration, especially the rotor design, on FFA reduction. Instead of conventional spherical or cylindrical drilled holes, a point angle cone-shaped hole is used to create cavities over the rotor surface. These point angles are adjusted to clarify their effect on FFA reduction. The response surface methodology is applied to determine the optimal concentrations of methanol and sulfuric acid, rotor speed, hole diameter and depth, and cone point angle. The recommended conditions are 20.8 wt% methanol, 2.6 wt% sulfuric acid, 3000 rpm, 5 mm hole diameter, 5 mm hole depth, and 110°, respectively. Under this configuration, the FFA content is reduced from 12.014 wt% to around 1 wt%. A maximum yield of 97.34 vol% esterified oil is obtained through a completed phase separation step, and 93.31 vol% pure oil is collected after the cleansing step. The recommended conditions result in reduced chemical usage, cheaper FFA reduction, and lower environmental impact. This creative rotor design effectively improves our understanding of the geometry of the cavitation device, thus enhancing the cavitation effect in industrial operations.

Free fatty acids support oligodendrocyte survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the white matter degeneration. Although changes in blood lipids are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, the pathological role of blood lipids in ALS remains unclear. We performed lipidome analysis on the plasma of ALS model mice, mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1G93A) mice, and found that the concentration of free fatty acids (FFAs), including oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA), decreased prior to disease onset. An in vitro study revealed that OA and LA directly inhibited glutamate-induced oligodendrocytes cell death via free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1). A cocktail containing OA/LA suppressed oligodendrocyte cell death in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice. These results suggested that the reduction of FFAs in the plasma is a pathogenic biomarker for ALS in the early stages, and supplying a deficiency in FFAs is a potential therapeutic approach for ALS by preventing oligodendrocyte cell death.

Comparison of Metabolic Response to Colonic Fermentation in Lean Youth vs Youth With Obesity

Pediatric obesity is a growing health care burden. Understanding how the metabolic phenotype of youth with obesity may modify the effect of intestinal fermentation on human metabolism is key to designing early intervention. To assess whether adiposity and insulin resistance in youth may be associated with colonic fermentation of dietary fibers and its production of acetate, gut-derived hormone secretion, and adipose tissue lipolysis. Cross-sectional study of youths aged 15 to 22 years with body mass index in the 25th to 75th percentile or higher than the 85th percentile for age and sex throughout the New Haven County community in Connecticut. Recruitment, studies, and data collection occurred from June 2018 to September 2021. Youths were assigned to a lean, obese insulin sensitive (OIS), or obese insulin resistant (OIR) group. Data were analyzed from April 2022 to September 2022. Participants consumed 20 g of lactulose during a continuous 10-hour sodium d3-acetate intravenous infusion to measure the rate of appearance of acetate in plasma. Plasma was obtained hourly to measure acetate turnover, peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), ghrelin, active glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and free fatty acids (FFA). A total of 44 youths participated in the study (median [IQR] age, 17.5 [16.0-19.3] years; 25 [56.8%] were female; 23 [52.3%] were White). Consequent to lactulose ingestion, there was a reduction of plasma FFA, an improvement of adipose tissue insulin sensitivity index, an increase in colonic acetate synthesis, and an anorexigenic response characterized by an increased plasma concentration of PYY and active GLP-1 and a reduction of ghrelin in the subgroups. Compared with the lean and OIS groups, the OIR group showed a less marked median (IQR) rate of acetate appearance (OIR: 2.00 [-0.86 to 2.69] μmol × kg-1 × min-1; lean: 5.69 [3.04 to 9.77] μmol × kg-1 × min-1; lean vs OIR P = .004; OIS: 2.63 [1.22 to 4.52] μmol × kg-1 × min-1; OIS vs OIR P = .09), a blunted median (IQR) improvement of adipose insulin sensitivity index (OIR: 0.043 [ 0.006 to 0.155]; lean: 0.277 [0.220 to 0.446]; lean vs OIR P = .002; OIS: 0.340 [0.048 to 0.491]; OIS vs OIR P = .08), and a reduced median (IQR) PYY response (OIR: 25.4 [14.8 to 36.4] pg/mL; lean: 51.3 [31.6 to 83.3] pg/mL; lean vs OIR P = .002; OIS: 54.3 [39.3 to 77.2] pg/mL; OIS vs OIR P = .011). In this cross-sectional study, lean, OIS, and OIR youth demonstrated different associations between colonic fermentation of indigestible dietary carbohydrates and the metabolic response, with OIR youth showing minimal metabolic modifications as compared with the other 2 groups. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03454828.

Arang Kulit Biji Kakao (Theobroma cacao L) sebagai Adsorben untuk Menurunkan Kadar Asam Lemak Bebas pada Pembuatan Biodiesel dari Minyak Jelantah

Indonesia as one of the largest producing and exporting countries of crude palm oil (CPO). However, Indonesia still has not utilized the potential of the waste that generated by using CPO as cooking oil, namely used cooking oil. The high content of free fatty acids (FFA) in used cooking oil will cause the saponification reaction and interfere the processing into biodiesel. Cocoa bean shell charcoal (Theobroma cacao L) has a K2CO3 content similar to its commercial product, and contains some traces of silicates and sulfates so that it can increase the efficiency of reducing free fatty acids. In this study, tests were carried out to reduce FFA levels in used cooking oil using charcoal from cocoa bean husks activated with HCl, varying the concentrations of 6, 8 and 10 Molar, as well as the temperature treatment during the process of mixing used cooking oil with activated charcoal adsorbent, which was 75 , 100, and 150°C. The best FFA reduction results were found in the A3T2 reactor which reached 80%, where the best HCl concentration was 10 Molar and the temperature of the mixing process with the adsorbent was 100°C and produced a biodiesel yield of 75%. The quality of the biodiesel produced complies with SNI 7182-2015 standards, 867 kg/m3 of density, 0.5 mg KOH/g of acid number, 1.52 cSt of kinematic viscosity, 48.081 MJ/kg of calorivic value and 143.99%- mass of methyl ester content.

Free Fatty Acid Formation Points in Palm Oil Processing and the Impact on Oil Quality

Background: The level of free fatty acids (FFAs) is an important oil quality index that is consistently measured at mills and refineries to ensure that palm oil is within specification limits. FFAs can accumulate at any point throughout the process, for example, during fresh fruit bunch (FFB) harvesting or during the mill process before sterilisation. Another key contributor to FFA build-up is loose fruit (LF), which is collected following FFB harvesting and is commonly processed together with FFB into crude palm oil (CPO) at the mill. The aim of this study was to identify pivotal points of FFA formation during the process of crude palm oil production. Results: The present study shows that the highest FFA accumulation occurred during the conveying process at the mill before sterilisation due to significant fruit damage. The rapid formation of FFA occurred during the first 15 min of oil palm fruit bruising. A minimum temperature of 60 °C for one hour was needed to deactivate the lipase activity, which is responsible for FFA formation. Blending high-FFA CPO with standard CPO affected indices of palm oil quality, such as the deteriorated peroxide value (PV) and anisidine value (AV), and particularly worsened the bleachability index (DOBI). Conclusions: This study suggests that the conveyor system in the mill could be the prime area to focus on in terms of FFA reduction, along with minimising bruising events. In addition, loose fruits (LF) with high FFA content should be processed separately from FFB, and high-FFA CPO derived from LF should not be mixed with standard CPO.

Modulation of Dietary Fatty Acids in an Open-Label Study Improves Psoriasis and Dampens the Inflammatory Activation Status

Obesity and high abdominal fat mass are risk factors for developing the chronic inflammatory skin disease psoriasis. They are associated with increased incidence, prevalence and severity of the disease. A positive effect of weight loss on psoriasis activity has been shown in several studies. Obesity-related factors such as the dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, the activation of adipose tissue and resultant persistent low-grade inflammation have been discussed as links of obesity and inflammatory diseases. Recently, we demonstrated a critical role of free fatty acids (FFAs) in obesity-mediated exacerbation of psoriatic skin inflammation in both mice and humans. In the present study, we translated these findings into a therapeutic intervention. An open-label study focusing on the dietary reduction of FFAs was conducted in patients with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis, and disease severity and serum markers of inflammation were analyzed. Here, we show that such a dietary intervention improves psoriatic disease activity independently of weight loss. Diet-related metabolic changes, such as a reduction in saturated free fatty acids (SFAs), may thus be more important than weight loss itself. Moreover, dietary intervention inhibited the overall pro-inflammatory activation status in patients, as shown by analysis of serum inflammatory parameters using the Olink platform. From our pilot study, we conclude that dietary intervention focusing on SFA reduction has the capacity to reduce disease activity and general inflammatory status in psoriasis patients.

Cellular and Molecular Processes Are Differently Influenced in Primary Neural Cells by Slight Changes in the Physicochemical Properties of Multicore Magnetic Nanoparticles

Herein, we use two exemplary superparamagnetic iron oxide multicore nanoparticles (SPIONs) to illustrate the significant influence of slightly different physicochemical properties on the cellular and molecular processes that define SPION interplay with primary neural cells. Particularly, we have designed two different SPION structures, NFA (i.e., a denser multicore structure accompanied by a slightly less negative surface charge and a higher magnetic response) and NFD (i.e., a larger surface area and more negatively charged), and identified specific biological responses dependent on SPION type, concentration, exposure time, and magnetic actuation. Interestingly, NFA SPIONs display a higher cell uptake, likely driven by their less negative surface and smaller protein corona, more significantly impacting cell viability and complexity. The tight contact of both SPIONs with neural cell membranes results in the significant augmentation of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin and the reduction of free fatty acids and triacylglycerides for both SPIONs. Nonetheless, NFD induces greater effects on lipids, especially under magnetic actuation, likely indicating a preferential membranal location and/or a tighter interaction with membrane lipids than NFA, in agreement with their lower cell uptake. From a functional perspective, these lipid changes correlate with an increase in plasma membrane fluidity, again larger for more negatively charged nanoparticles (NFD). Finally, the mRNA expression of iron-related genes such as Ireb-2 and Fth-1 remains unaltered, while TfR-1 is only detected in SPION-treated cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate the substantial impact that minor physicochemical differences of nanomaterials may exert in the specific targeting of cellular and molecular processes. A denser multicore structure generated by autoclave-based production is accompanied by a slight difference in surface charge and magnetic properties that become decisive for the biological impact of these SPIONs. Their capacity to markedly modify the lipidic cell content makes them attractive as lipid-targetable nanomedicines.

Metabolic surgery-induced changes of the growth hormone system relate to improved adipose tissue function

AimsBody weight loss improves insulin resistance and growth hormone secretion in obesity, which may be regulated by leptin according to preclinical studies. How changes in leptin, lipids and insulin sensitivity after bariatric (metabolic) surgery affect the human growth hormone system is yet unclear.Participants and methodsPeople with obesity (OBE, n = 79, BMI 50.8 ± 6.3 kg/m2) were studied before, 2, 12, 24 and 52 weeks after metabolic surgery and compared to lean healthy humans (control; CON, n = 24, BMI 24.3 ± 3.1 kg/m2). Tissue-specific insulin sensitivity was assessed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps with D-[6,6-2H2]glucose. Fasting leptin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP1, IGFBP3) were measured using ELISA.ResultsAt baseline, OBE exhibited higher glycemia and leptinemia as well as pronounced peripheral, adipose tissue and hepatic insulin resistance compared to CON. GH and IGFBP1 were lower, while IGF1 was comparable between groups. At 52 weeks, OBE had lost 33% body weight and doubled their peripheral insulin sensitivity, which was paralleled by continuous increases in GH, IGF-1 and IGFBP1 as well as decrease in leptin. The rise in GH correlated with reductions in free fatty acids, adipose tissue insulin resistance and insulinemia, but not with changes in body weight, peripheral insulin sensitivity, glycemia or leptinemia. The rise in IGF-1 correlated with reduction in high-sensitive C-reactive protein.ConclusionReversal of alterations of the GH-IGF-1 axis after surgically-induced weight loss is unlikely related to improved leptin secretion and/or insulin sensitivity, but is rather associated with restored adipose tissue function and reduced low-grade inflammation.

Effect of Cold Exposure and Exercise on Insulin Sensitivity and Serum Free Fatty Acids in Obese Rats.

This study aimed to explore the effect of exercise and cold exposure on insulin sensitivity and the level of serum free fatty acids (FFA) in diet-induced obese rats. Sixty-four diet-induced obese rats were randomly assigned to eight groups: room temperature-sedentary, room temperature-exercise, acute cold exposure-sedentary, acute cold exposure-exercise, intermittent cold exposure-sedentary, intermittent cold exposure-exercise, sustained cold exposure-sedentary, and sustained cold exposure-exercise. After the interventions, the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values, the level of serum FFA, subcutaneous fat ratio (SFR) and visceral fat ratio, enzyme activities of adipose triglyceride lipase, and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in inguinal adipose tissue, and protein expression of PGC1-α and p38 MAPK in skeletal muscle were investigated. We found that exercise ( P = 0.0136) and cold exposure ( P < 0.0001) reduced HOMA-IR values independently. Exercise reduced serum FFA ( P = 0.0041), whereas cold exposure did not affect them. Moreover, the HOMA-IR values were positively correlated with the serum FFA levels ( r = 0.32, P = 0.01). SFR or visceral fat ratio was coordinately reduced by the interaction (for SFR, P = 0.0015) or opposing main effects between or of cold exposure and exercise, supporting the reduction of serum FFA. However, cold exposure or exercise increased the activity of adipose triglyceride lipase and LPL independently or interactively (for LPL, P = 0.0143), suggesting an increase in serum FFA. Finally, cold exposure and exercise enhanced protein expression of PGC1-α and p38 MAPK independently or interactively (for p38 MAPK, P = 0.0226), suggesting increased uptake and oxidation of serum FFA in muscle. These results suggest that the combination of exercise and cold exposure may result in more serum FFA utilization than production and thus lead to reduced serum FFA and increased insulin sensitivity.

Perception and adoption of free fatty acid reduction techniques by small scale palm oil processors: Evidence from Ghana

The study examined the perception of small-scale palm oil processors on safe processing practices and the factors influencing the adoption of Free Fatty Acid (FFA) reduction techniques in Ghana using cross-sectional data from a census of 99 palm oil processors who had received training on safe processing practices. The Logit model and Kendal's coefficient of concordance were used in analyzing the factors influencing the adoption of FFA reduction techniques as well as constraints in producing safe palm oil. The findings indicated that the adoption of FFA reduction techniques was influenced by age, experience in processing palm oil, source of fresh fruit bunches for processing, perception on regular training for processors and perception on using improved technology for palm oil processing. Most palm oil processors are also challenged with financial and marketing constraints for the processing of quality palm oil. The study recommends that government and other stakeholders should come up with opportunities that can help processors of palm oil access credit. The study makes a contribution to the body of knowledge on palm oil processing by enhancing the understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of FFA reduction procedures as well as constraints to producing safe palm oil.

Optimization of Neem oil esterification using response surface methodology

High production cost of biodiesel as well as food-versus-fuelcrisis within the economy have led to the adoption of non-edible feedstock over edible feedstock, the high FFA associated with the former remains a challenge. Esterifying high free fatty acid (FFA) oil with acid is necessary to avoid soap formation during biodiesel production. Thus, this study evaluated the efficacy of response surface methodology (RSM) in modelling the esterification process for neem seed oil (NSO) with a high FFA catalyzed by sulphuric acid H2SO4. A central composite design (CCD) with two level-three factors (23) was applied to examine the influence of Reaction time (60-120 minutes), Catalyst concentration (1.0-3.0 w/w,%), methanol to oil ratio (0.20-0.60w/w,%) and constanttemperature at 60oC on reduction of the high FFA (4.77%) of neem. The Optimum conditions for the esterification process is 0.67 % FFA at 0.4 Methanol to Oil ratio; 90 min. Reaction Time; and 2 (w/w) % H2SO4Catalyst Concentration. Statistics for the RSM model showed that the correlation coefficient (R2) value (0.9457) is relatively high, close to 1, which is desirable and is in reasonable agreement with the adjusted R2 value (0.8969).

The first stage of refining of post-fermentation corn oil with a high content of free fatty acids and phytosterols – Comparison of neutralisation by an ion-exchange resin without solvent and base neutralisation

Post-fermentation crude corn oil obtained as a by-product in the production of bioethanol from maize grains is characterized by a very high content of free fatty acids. Refining of post-fermentation corn oil will give a product that will be different from the refined oil obtained by extracting oil from corn germs. From the point of view of refining vegetable oils, the neutralisation of this oil is the most important process. Anionic ion-exchange resin was used in the research in a way to avoid the use of harmful organic solvents and a comparatively standard method of neutralising free fatty acids based on the use of a sodium hydroxide solution. Ion-exchange resin can be used in the processes of neutralising vegetable oil with an average content of free fatty acids, then the oil is neutralised in miscela. In the research, no organic solvent was used, but to reduce the flow resistance, a system based on an adjustable reduced pressure in the range of 300–50 mbar was used, to maintain a constant contact time of the oil with the resin in each cycle. The aim of the research was to obtain neutral oil with a high content of biologically active substances such as phytosterols and carotenoids. Both methods showed a reduction of free fatty acids up to 93–96 % and a similar refining loss of 18–19 %. The use of an ion-exchange resin allowed to obtain an oil in which the phytosterol content increased by 5 % for β-sitosterol, by 6.3 % for ϭ5-avenasterol, and the carotenoid content was reduced by 35 %. An increase in the number of fatty acids, such as 18:1 cis-oleic acid and 18:2 cis-linoleic, was observed.

Crude rubber seed oil esterification using a solid catalyst: Optimization by hybrid adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and response surface methodology

Esterifying high free fatty acid (FFA) oil with acid is necessary to avoid soap formation during biodiesel production. Thus, this study evaluated the efficacies of response surface methodology (RSM) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in modeling the esterification process for crude rubber seed oil (CRSO) with a high FFA catalyzed by dehydrated Fe2(SO4)3. A central composite design (CCD) with three factors and five levels was applied to examine the influence of methanol:CRSO molar ratio (25:1–75:1), Fe2(SO4)3 loading (8–16 wt %), and time (3–4 h) on reduction of the high FFA (22.2%) of CRSO. The performance of the particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), and RSM were assessed in optimizing the process variables. Statistics for the ANFIS and RSM models showed that both could reliably describe the esterification process with low mean relative percent deviation (MRPD) of 1.77 and 4.98; and high coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.9838 and 0.9730, respectively. The optimization results are in this order: ANFIS-PSO, ANFIS-GA, RSM-PSO, RSM, and RSM-GA. The ANFIS-PSO hybrid predicted the best optimal condition as Fe2(SO4)3 loading of 16.97 wt%, methanol:CRSO molar ratio of 44.21:1, and time of 3.39 h with the lowest FFA of 0.56%.

Substantial Fat Loss in Physique Competitors Is Characterized by Increased Levels of Bile Acids, Very-Long Chain Fatty Acids, and Oxylipins.

Weight loss and increased physical activity may promote beneficial modulation of the metabolome, but limited evidence exists about how very low-level weight loss affects the metabolome in previously non-obese active individuals. Following a weight loss period (21.1 ± 3.1 weeks) leading to substantial fat mass loss of 52% (−7.9 ± 1.5 kg) and low body fat (12.7 ± 4.1%), the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolic signature of 24 previously young, healthy, and normal weight female physique athletes was investigated. We observed uniform increases (FDR < 0.05) in bile acids, very-long-chain free fatty acids (FFA), and oxylipins, together with reductions in unsaturated FFAs after weight loss. These widespread changes, especially in the bile acid profile, were most strongly explained (FDR < 0.05) by changes in android (visceral) fat mass. The reported changes did not persist, as all of them were reversed after the subsequent voluntary weight regain period (18.4 ± 2.9 weeks) and were unchanged in non-dieting controls (n = 16). Overall, we suggest that the reported changes in FFA, bile acid, and oxylipin profiles reflect metabolic adaptation to very low levels of fat mass after prolonged periods of intense exercise and low-energy availability. However, the effects of the aforementioned metabolome subclass alteration on metabolic homeostasis remain controversial, and more studies are warranted to unravel the complex physiology and potentially associated health implications. In the end, our study reinforced the view that transient weight loss seems to have little to no long-lasting molecular and physiological effects.