Gram Of Dry Matter Research Articles

Novel biostimulant bacterial exopolysaccharides production via solid-state fermentation as a valorisation strategy for agri-food waste.

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are extracellular polymer-based substances recently defined as potential plant biostimulants, as they can increase nutrient uptake, water retention, and resistance to abiotic stress. As sugar-based substances, the bacteria producing them need to grow in a sugar-rich substrate. Hence, some agri-food by-products could be used as suitable carbon sources for EPS production as a cost-effective and more sustainable alternative to conventional substrates. Thus, this study aimed to produce EPS from specific bacterial strains through solid-state fermentation (SSF) using agri-food waste as a low-cost substrate. Six residues and five bacterial strains were tested in a lab-scale SSF system. From the assessed substrate-strain combinations, Burkholderia cepacia with ginger juice waste (GJW) resulted in the most promising considering several process parameters (EPS production, cumulative oxygen consumption, biomass growth, reducing sugars consumption). Also, dynamic monitoring of the system allowed for establishing 5days as a suitable fermentation time. Then, using response surface methodology (Box-Behnken design), the process was optimised based on airflow rate (AF), inoculum size (IS), and micronutrient concentration (MN). In this stage, the best conditions found were at 0.049 (± 0.014) L h-1 per gram of dry matter (DM) for AF, 8.4 (± 0.9) E + 09CFUg-1 DM for IS, and 0.07 (± 0.01) mL g-1 DM for MN, reaching up to 71.1 (± 3.2) mg crude EPS g-1 DM. Results show the potential of this approach to provide a new perspective on the value chain for the agri-food industry by introducing it to a circular economy framework.

Lupin Seed Supplementation as a Functional Feed Additive: In Vitro Ruminal Gas, Methane and Carbon Dioxide Production, Fermentation Kinetics, and Nutrient Degradability.

The inevitable enteric gas emission from ruminants is considered a modern-day problem from an environmental perspective. Addressing this problem requires nutritional approaches such as the use of phytogenic additives in ruminant diets. In this regard, lupin seed (LS) can be a useful additive due to its phytochemical constituents. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) seed supplementation as a functional and sustainable feed additive in sheep diet (50:50 concentrate-to-forage ratio) on in vitro gas production (GP; mL/g DM), methane (CH4; mL/g DM) and carbon dioxide (CO2; mL/g DM) emissions, fermentation parameters, and nutrient degradability (g/kg DM incubated). Gas production and CH4 were measured per gram of incubated dry matter (DM), degradable DM (dDM), degradable neutral detergent fiber (dNDF), and degradable acid detergent fiber (dADF). Lupin seeds were included at 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2% of the diet. The seeds contained 3.27% essential oils (DM basis), with eucalyptol as the main phytochemical. The highest GP per gram of DM and dDM was observed (p < 0.01) with 2.0% LS supplementation level. While 1.0% LS had the highest GP per gram of dNDF, 0.5% lupin diet had the highest GP per gram of dADF. Asymptotic GP and CH4 emissions linearly and quadratically increased (p < 0.01) with increasing LS level, while lag time decreased. Despite increased CH4 production, the proportion of CH4 in total biogas was lower (p = 0.008) for LS treatments than the control, with the 0.5% LS showing the lowest CH4 proportion. Production of CO2 increased with lupin seed treatments, with 0.5% LS producing the highest proportion (p = 0.027). Degradability of DM, NDF, and ADF was greater (p < 0.01) for the high LS supplementation level, while 0.5% supplementation level decreased ADF degradability. Total short-chain fatty acids, acetic acid, and propionic acid increased (p < 0.05) with LS supplementation level, leading to a reduced acetate:propionate ratio. Rumen pH decreased (p = 0.036) with LS supplementation, while ammonia-N decreased (p = 0.045) and estimated metabolizable energy increased (p < 0.001) linearly. Calculated microbial protein synthesis (p = 0.005) and gas yield (p = 0.047) increased with LS supplementation level. LS supplementation at 2.0% of diet (DM basis) increased GP and CH4 emission (mL/g DM) and enhanced nutrient degradability, suggesting its potential use as a functional feed additive for ruminants when supplemented at a 2.0% level into diet.

Polyphenolic Profiling and Antioxidant Activity in Berry Extracts of Pyracantha Wild Varieties from the Mediterranean Region.

Pyracantha is a genus of wild perennial shrubs native in an area extending from Southwest Europe to Southeast Asia, and it is used in traditional medicine for the diuretic, cardiac, and tonic properties of its fruits, which can also be cooked to make jellies, jams, and sauces. This work aims to study and compare the antioxidant activity and the phenolic and anthocyanin composition of three varieties of Pyracantha coccinea: Red Column (PCR), Orange Glow (PCO), and Soleil d'Or (PCS), and one of Pyracantha angustifolia: Orange glow (PAO), collected from the spontaneous flora of the Mediterranean region (Southern Italy). Two different extraction processes were tested using methanol and an aqueous methanol solution (80% MeOH) to evaluate the polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity of freeze-dried berries. The highest total phenolic content was found in PCR and PAO berries (174.21 ± 0.149 and 168.01 ± 0.691 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry matter, respectively) extracted with an aqueous methanol solution (80% MeOH). Polyphenolic extracts analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS confirmed the presence of rutin, quercetin hexose, neoeriocitrin, procyanidin B, and resveratrol. Moreover, the total antioxidant activity of the berries' extracts was measured by comparing two different spectrophotometric methods (ABTS and DPPH), showing that the varieties with the highest total phenolic content, PCR and PAO, also had the highest scavenging activity. Finally, a suitable extraction process was chosen for the evaluation of the anthocyanins' composition of all frozen berries, and in all MS spectra of Pyracantha varieties, two ionic species at 449 m/z attributable to two cyanidin derivatives were found.

Single-step extraction/pre-formulation process for B-phycoerythrin using glycerol-based eutectic solvents: A step toward more sustainable production of phycobiliproteins

B-Phycoerythrin (B-PE) is a protein pigment of significant interest to the food and cosmetic industries. B-PE is obtained from algal or microalgal biomass, such as Porphyridium cruentum, after complex pre-treatment, extraction, and pre-formulation schemes. This work investigated the use of a single step process for the extraction and pre-formulation of B-PE from P. cruentum without complex biomass pretreatment. Five hydrophilic NaDES based on glycerol with varying water contents (20–40%) were implemented by ultrasound-assisted extraction using a one-step extraction procedure. The yields obtained were satisfaying, ranging from 5 to 15 mg of B-PE per gram of dry matter. Additionally, a purity index suitable for use in cosmetics and food products was achieved, with an average of >1.5. Furthermore, the extracts obtained in a eutectic medium demonstrated enhanced stability for B-PE, with an average loss of 10% after accelerated aging, allowing storage at room temperature without loss of quality. In particular, NaDES based on glycerol and glucose and/or betaine appeared to be the most effective in preserving the integrity and antioxidant activity of B-PE, with a range of 15–30% quenched DPPH. The ComplexGAPI tool demonstrated that our single-step NaDES process is more environmentally friendly than conventional extraction processes, thanks to lower energy consumption, reduced unitary operations, and less waste production. These results provide a solid foundation for sustainable management of the valorization of P-BE for cosmetic or food industries.

Determination of the phytochemical profile and anti-oxidant capacity of the roots of Beta vulgaris (Chenopodiaceae)

Introduction: Chronic inflammation due to oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases. Regular consumption of fruits/vegetables known as medicinal plants are considered as fundamental approach in treating non communicable diseases like hypertension. These is achieved through secondary metabolites contained in the above-mentioned plants.&#x0D; Objective: To determine the phytochemical profile and anti-oxidant capacity of the roots of Beta vulgaris (Chenopodiaceae).&#x0D; Methodology: Qualitative phytochemical analysis was carried out according to Harbone and Evans principles. Total polyphenol content was assessed according to Li et al, total flavonoid content was assessed according to Zhishen et al and total tannins content was measured according to Julkumen-Titto. Antioxidant capacity were performed in vitro using the DPPH tests (radical scavenging) according to Blois and Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) according to Benzie and strain. All tests were performed in triplicates at 1500μg/mL. The type of antioxidant ability (primary or secondary) was assessed.&#x0D; Results: The phytochemical analysis of the raw root of Beta vulgaris revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenes. Total polyphenol, flavonoids and tannins content was 18,56±1,0, 31,19±3,12 572,84±54 mg of catechin, quercetin and tannic acid equivalent/gram dry matter respectively. Antioxidant tests revealed radical scavenging activity with DPPH whose SC50 was 108.2&#x0D; μg/mL against 302.5 μg/mL for gallic acid and FRAP (chelating antioxidant) activity at 1089.14±99.23 mg catechin equivalent per gram of dry matter. The antioxidant ability was secondary (preventive).&#x0D; Conclusion: Beta vulgaris possess the three main group of secondary metabolites and secondary antioxidant activity.

Buffering Capacity of Various Commercial and Homemade Foods in the Context of Gastric Canine Digestion

The buffering capacity (BC) of food may act as a key regulatory parameter of canine gastric digestion by influencing the activity of gastric enzymes, the solubility of dietary ingredients, the gastric breakdown of food nutrients, and, subsequently, the absorption of nutrients. To analyse a possible effect of food on gastric pH, the BC of wet, dry, and homemade dog food was quantified via an acid titration method until a pH under 2 was achieved. Wet food had the highest BC; between dry and homemade food, there was no significant difference. Using multiple regression analyses, we were able to establish associations between the nutrient composition and the BC of the dog food. Crude protein content was the most important factor that influenced the BC and HCl use per gram of dry matter (DM) (p &lt; 0.001), whereas the initial pH only tended to have an influence. The ash content also tended to affect the used HCl per gram of DM, and the DM content had a significant (p &lt; 0.05) influence on the BC per gram of DM. The excessively high ash content found in wet food could be a risk factor for gastric dilatation–volvulus syndrome because it could lead to an insufficient pH drop in the stomach. Our data indicate large differences in the BC of typical dog food; so, estimating the BC using the equations developed herein could help to design individualized dog diets, in particular for dogs with health problems such as gastric hypoacidity, gastric reflux, or gastritis. However, more research about the influence of dog-food BC on gastric pH in vivo is needed.

Guadua angustifolia Kunth leaves as a source for bioactive phenolic compounds: Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction using response surface methodology and antioxidant activities

This study evaluated the ultrasound-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds from Guadua angustifolia leaves, along with their optimization using response surface methodology. The effects of two sonication process conditions were determined using a central composite experimental design, with three levels (low, medium, and high) evaluated for time (10, 20, and 30 min) and temperature (20 °C, 35 °C, and 50 °C). A total of 12 experiments with four replicates were conducted at the central point, with the total phenol and flavonoid contents determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method and complexation with AlCl3, respectively. The optimized extract was analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), and the antioxidant capacity of the optimized extract was determined by DPPH• (2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS•+ (2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. Extraction at 50 °C for 20 min was found to favor the extraction of phenol and total flavonoids. The experimental validation of the total phenol and flavonoid content produced values of 7.39 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry matter and 1.55 mg quercetin equivalents per gram of dry matter, respectively. These values suggest that the extraction process is reproducible, with a relative standard deviation of 22.9 % and 14.1 %, respectively. The chromatographic profile showed that optimization favored the visualization of phenolic compounds compared to the non-optimized extract. The optimized extract had higher antioxidant capacity than the non-optimized extract, with values of 209.23 and 144.76 μmol Trolox per gram extract for the DPPH• and ABTS•+ techniques, respectively. Thus, the conditions evaluated in the ultrasound-assisted extraction were an efficient technique capable of extracting the maximum amount of phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity from the leaves of G. angustifolia, showing its potential application in various industries.

Filling in the gaps in biowaste biorefineries: The use of the solid residue after enzymatic hydrolysis for the production of biopesticides through solid-state fermentation

Alternative production processes using waste are necessary to preserve non-renewable resources and prevent scarcity of materials for future generations. Biowaste, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, is abundant and easily available. It can be fractionated into building blocks for which fermentative processes can be designed. By using solid-state fermentation, this paper proposes a method of valorizing biowaste’s residual solid fraction after enzymatic hydrolysis. In a 22 L bioreactor, two digestates from anaerobic digestion processes were evaluated as cosubstrates to modify the acidic pH of the solid residue after enzymatic hydrolysis and promote the growth of the bacterial biopesticide producer Bacillus thuringiensis. Regardless of the cosubstrate used, the final microbial populations were similar indicating microbial specialization. The final product contained 4 × 108 spores per gram of dry matter and also crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis, which have insecticidal activity against pests. This method allows for the sustainable use of all materials liberated during the enzymatic hydrolysis of biowaste, including residual solids.

Enhancement in thermal performance of solar dryer through conduction mode for drying of agricultural produces

This paper presents the development and performance analysis of a solar conduction dryer (SCD) used for drying agricultural produce. Compared with other conventional solar dryers, which are mostly based on convection mode, it was found to be more efficient in terms of thermal efficiency, drying time, and drying rate. In addition to increasing the dryer's aperture area, reflectors were placed on both sides, which enhanced its thermal performance. Furthermore, reflectors can also be used as a closing cover to enhance the life of the covering material against rainstorms, hailstones, etc., when the dryer will not be used. The maximum temperature inside the dryer was 77.4 °C and 61.2 °C with and without the use of reflectors during no load conditions, while maximum temperatures inside the dryer with and without the use of reflectors measured 59.1 °C and 51.8 °C respectively during full load conditions. With and without reflectors, the drying efficiency of the developed solar dryer was found to be 59.4% and 50.09% respectively, which are much higher than that of other general solar dryers (∼35%). However, the drying rate varied between 1.525 to 0.005 g of water evaporated per gram of dry matter per hour when reflectors were used and 1.397 to 0.005 g without reflectors. A cost analysis showed that the capital invested for the development of SCD could be recovered in 1.02 years.

The Study of the Heterogeneity of the Qualities of Argan Oils and Pomaces from Different Cooperatives in the Essaouira Region (Morocco)

In this study, a comparison of the intra-regional variation in the quality of Argan oil and pomace collected from 12 cooperatives in the Essaouira region (Morocco) during the COVID-19 period was carried out. All studied Argan pomaces together with the extraction solvents showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in the total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins contents. The proteins, residual oils, total sugars, and total reducing sugars contents in the collected pomaces vary considerably among cooperatives of origin, with maximum averages of 50.45%; 30.05%; 3.82 milligrams of glucose equivalent per gram of dry matter; and 0.53 milligrams of glucose equivalent per gram of dry matter, respectively. Therefore, it is a very valuable ingredient for livestock feed and some cosmetic products that may contain it. The remaining Argan oil content in the pomace varied significantly among cooperatives, ranging from 8.74 to 30.05%. Pomace from traditional extraction recorded the highest content (30.05%), showing that the artisanal and modern extraction processes are not standardized. The measurements of acidity, peroxide value, specific extinction coefficient at 232 nm and 270 nm, and conjugated dienes were carried out in accordance with Moroccan Standard 08.5.090 in order to qualitatively classify all investigated Argan oils. Accordingly, the analyzed oils were categorized as "extra virgin Argan oil," "fine virgin Argan oil," "ordinary virgin Argan oil," and "lampante virgin Argan oil." Therefore, several factors can explain these variations in quality grades, both endogenous and exogenous. Overall, the variation observed in the obtained result allows us to deduce the most significant variables impacting the quality of Argan products and by-products.

Comparison of four digestion protocols on the physical characteristics of gastric digesta from cooked couscous using the Human Gastric Simulator.

In vitro digestion is widely employed in food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical research, and numerous in vitro gastric digestion protocols have been proposed, with a wide range of experimental conditions. Differences in the simulated gastric fluids (pH, mineral content, enzyme type and enzyme activity) of different digestion protocols may alter the results for the digestion of the same meal. This study aimed to investigate how variations in the gastric secretion rate and composition in four in vitro digestion protocols (Infogest Riddet, Infogest Semi-dynamic, UC Davis and United States Pharmacopeia) impacted the physical properties of the emptied gastric digesta. Cooked couscous was used as a model meal and subjected to simulated gastric digestion using a dynamic gastric model, the Human Gastric Simulator (HGS). The digesta were collected from the outlet of the HGS after 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, or 180 min. The gastric emptying of dry matter, pH, rheological properties, and particle size were evaluated. The digestion protocol significantly influenced the solid content and moisture content of the digesta (p < 0.001), particles per gram of dry matter (p < 0.0001), gastric emptying of dry matter (p < 0.003), shear stress at 0.45 s-1 and consistency coefficient (p < 0.0001). The presence of NaHCO3 in the Infogest Riddet and Infogest Semi-dynamic gastric secretions provided an additional buffering effect and increased the digesta pH during gastric digestion. Similarly, the inclusion of mucin in the UC Davis protocol resulted in a higher flow and viscoelastic properties of the emptied digesta. The highest dilution of gastric content in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) protocol resulted in larger particles emptied from the HGS and the longest gastric emptying half-time of all digestion protocols. These findings provide new insights into the impact of digestion protocols on the digesta properties, which can be beneficial for the design and standardization of in vitro digestion models.

Phylogenetic placement of thermophilic ammonium-tolerant bacteria and their distribution in various composts.

Previous studies isolated the thermophilic ammonium-tolerant (TAT) bacterium Bacillus sp. TAT105 that grew in composting swine manure with the assimilation of ammonium nitrogen and reduced ammonia emissions during composting. Those studies also investigated the potential for applications of TAT105 to composting. It was observed that the concentration of TAT bacteria, phylogenetically close to TAT105, increased during composting. The objectives of this study were to identify the phylogenetic placement of these TAT bacteria and investigate their distribution in various composts. The phylogenetic placement of TAT105 was examined based on the sequence of 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The genomic DNA homology between TAT105 and the type strains of bacterial species that were phylogenetically close to TAT105 were examined by DNA-DNA hybridization. Moreover, the tolerances of these strains to NH4Cl and NaCl were analyzed using a cultivation method. Concentrations of TAT bacteria in various composts were evaluated using an agar medium specific to TAT bacteria and polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. TAT105 was most closely related to Bacillus thermolactis and Bacillus kokeshiiformis. Many variants of these species have been detected in various environments, including composts. The type strains of these species displayed TAT characteristics that were similar to those of TAT105. Among the composts examined in this study, TAT bacteria were detected at high concentrations (105 to 109 colony forming units per gram of dry matter) in most of the composts made from cattle manure, swine manure, bark, and excess sludge. TAT bacteria comprised B. thermolactis, B. kokeshiiformis, and their phylogenetically close relatives. They were considered to be adaptable to composting of some certain materials, and a favorable target for searching for strains with some useful function that could be applied to composting of these materials.

Extraction of bioactive compounds from Dipsacus fullonum leaves using deep eutectic solvents

In this study, deep eutectic solvent (DES) based systems were evaluated for selective extraction and optimized for increased recovery of chlorogenic acid derivatives, flavone glycosides and iridoid glycosides from Dipsacus fullonum L. leaves. Bioactives from Dipsacus plants has shown great antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as effectiveness against several cancer strains and a source for anti-Borrelia compounds.Twelve different hydrophilic and hydrophobic DESs were tested to find the best solvent composition. Choline chloride and betaine were used as hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) for the preparation of hydrophilic DESs and menthol for hydrophobic DESs. The tested hydrogen bond donors (HBD) were various organic acids and glycerol. The composition of most effective DES was optimized using the Box-Behnken design for each of the three main group of analytes from D. fullonum L. to evaluate possible selectivity and highest recovery. HPLC-DAD-MS was used to identify and quantify the main bioactive compounds extracted from plant material.The optimal extraction for highest overall recovery was achieved using a molar ratio of choline chloride and lactic acid of 1:2.4 with 35% water and 27 mL of the solvent per one gram of dry material. The optimized DES extract gave concentrations 1.8 to 2.2 times higher than traditional organic solvent extracts depending on the group of analytes.

Chemical composition analysis of essential oils of four plants from Aurès region of Algeria and their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against coagulase-negative staphylococci

Background: The altitudinal and geographical variability of the Aurès mountains of Algeria favored the existence of some endemic and rare varieties of medicinal plants. The aim of the present work is to determine the chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of the essential oils (EOs) from aerial parts of four medicinal plants from Aurès region of Algeria; Juniperus thurifera L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Salvia officinalis L. and Thymus ciliatus ssp. munbyanus (Boiss. &amp; Reut.) Batt. on coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolates.&#x0D; Methodology: Extraction of EOs from the four plant materials was carried out by hydro-distillation, and the EO yield expressed in gram of the distillate per 100 grams of dry matter. The chemical composition of the EOs was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. In vitro antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the EOs were evaluated against CoNS previously isolated at the Anti-Cancer Center of Batna, Algeria using the agar disc diffusion assay and biofilm inhibition study, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) of the EOs of S. officinalis L. and T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus were determined by the dilution method.&#x0D; Results: Twenty-seven and 41 compounds rich in monoterpene hydrocarbons were identified from J. oxycedrus and J. thurifera plants respectively, while 45 and 32 compounds, constituted mainly by oxygenated monoterpenes, were identified from S. officinalis L. and T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus, respectively. The EOs of T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus showed the most inhibitory activity of all the four plants on CoNS isolates (n=66) with mean inhibition zone diameter of 24.99±6.29mm, and mean MIC and MBC values of 2.65±3.77mg/ml and 5.31±7.41mg/ml respectively, followed by S. officinalis L., with mean inhibition zone diameter of 13.38± 6.52mm, and mean MIC and MBC values of 27.53±28.2 mg/ml and 31.97±33.19 mg/ml respectively (p&lt;0.0001 by one-way ANOVA). Also, percentage biofilm inhibition of CoNS isolates (n=59) was high for EOs of T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus (65.63±10.71%) and S. officinalis L. (53.13±5.83%), although was significantly higher for T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus compared to S. officinalis L. (p&lt;0.0001, t=7.874).&#x0D; Conclusion: Essential oils from T. ciliatus ssp. munbyanus and S. officinalis L. could represent an alternative to classical antibiotics against planktonic cells and biofilms of CoNS.

Antiradical Potential of Food Products as a Comprehensive Measure of Their Quality.

Antiradical potential (ARP) is an important measure of food safety. In addition, it directly or indirectly affects the rate of occurrence of a number of human pathologies. Using a photocolorimetric analysis of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) solutions, we estimated the antiradical potential of food raw materials, food concentrates, biologically active substances, and wild plants. We conducted approximately 1500 analyses of almost 100 food products selected from 11 food groups: vegetables, milk, meat, fish, cereals and bread, drinks (including tea and coffee), etc. With a confidence interval (CI) of 95%, the average values for animal products range from 15.87 to 18.70 ascorbic acid equivalents per gram of dry matter. For plant materials, the range is 474.54–501.50 equivalents when wild herbs are included and 385.02–408.83 equivalents without taking herbs into account. The antiradical potential of the biologically active substances we studied ranged from 706.84 to 847.77 equivalents per gram of dry matter, which makes it possible to use some of the components to repair products with low ARP values, for example, bread and baked goods, confectionery, milk and dairy products, carbonated drinks, and juice. In this study, a low ARP value is associated with a reduction in the shelf life of products and a deterioration in their organoleptic properties; therefore, we propose using ARP as an important reference for describing the quality of food products and raw food materials.

Molecular Docking, Tyrosinase, Collagenase, and Elastase Inhibition Activities of Argan By-Products

The argan tree (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) is one of the most important floristic resources in Morocco. This Moroccan endemic tree is known for its numerous therapeutic and medicinal uses. In addition to some medicinal and cosmetic uses, argan fruit pulp and press cake are traditionally used by the Berber population for heating and feeding livestock. Molecular docking is an in silico approach that predicts the interaction between a ligand and a protein. This approach is mainly used in chemistry and pharmacology of natural products as a prediction tool with the purpose of selecting plant extracts or fractions for in vitro tests. The aim of this research is to study the evaluation of potential tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase inhibitory activities of argan fruit press-cake and pulp extracts. Extracts were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), and the major polyphenols of both press-cake and pulp extracts were submitted to molecular docking in order to determine the mechanisms of action of these compounds. Obtained results revealed that fruit pulp had the strongest dermocosmetic activities, as well as the highest TPC, with values above 55 mg gallic-acid equivalent per gram of dry matter (mgeq AG/gDM). Moreover, those results were positively correlated with the docking findings, suggesting that the pulp lead compounds have higher affinity with tyrosinase, collagenase, and elastase action sites. The results here presented are very promising and open new perspectives for the exploitation of argan-tree by-products as cosmetic agents towards the development of new anti-aging products.

Valorisation of agricultural by-product: Optimisation of alcohol-based extraction of polyphenols from chestnut peel using Box-Behnken Design

In the present work, solvent concentration, extraction time, and solid to solvent (S/S) ratio were evaluated in order to recover the majority of polyphenols from chestnut peel waste using ethanol and methanol. Extraction method for polyphenols from peel pre-treated by ohmic heating (OH) was optimised using response surface methodology (RSM). The effect of these independent variables on total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (AC) was studied using Box-Behnken Design (BBD). A second-order polynomial model provided a satisfactory fit to the experimental data with a high coefficient of determination (R2) value. Results showed that S/S ratio and solvent concentration were generally significant variables during extraction in terms of TPC and AC. The optimum extraction conditions were obtained as 1/10 of S/S ratio and 60% of solvent concentration for both solvents. As the optimum extraction time, 82.41 min for ethanolic extraction and 116.97 min for methanolic extraction were selected. Under these optimal conditions, TPC values of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts were found to be 39.02 and 38.79 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry matter (mg GAE/g DM), respectively, thus indicating highly close agreement to the predicted values. Consequently, the effectiveness of the solvents used was found to be very similar to each other. The OH pre-treatment appeared to be a promising technique for polyphenolic extraction from industrial wastes.

Porcine in vitro fermentation characteristics of canola co-products in neutral and acidic fermentation medium pH

An in vitro study was conducted to determine effects of reducing pH of porcine in vitro fermentation medium on compositions of glucosinolate degradation products and porcine in vitro fermentation characteristics for solvent-extracted canola meal (SECM) and cold-pressed canola cake (CPCC). Two canola co-products were subjected to porcine in vitro fermentation for 72 h. Accumulated gas production during microbial fermentation was recorded and modeled to estimate kinetics of gas production. Glucosinolate degradation products after microbial fermentation were determined and fermentation medium pH after incubation was recorded. Total and individual volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations per unit weight of dry matter (DM) of feedstuffs were determined. On DM basis, SECM and CPCC contained 6.15 and 11.1 µmol/g of glucosinolates, respectively. Goitrin concentration for CPCC was lower (P < 0.05) than that for SECM. Isothiocyanate and indole-3-acetonitrile concentrations for CPCC were lower (P < 0.05) than those for SECM, whereas thiocyanate concentration for CPCC was greater (P < 0.05) than that for SECM. A reduction in fermentation medium pH from 6.2 to 5.2 increased (P < 0.05) goitrin and indole-3-acetonitrile concentrations and decreased (P < 0.05) isothiocyanates concentration for SECM, but did not affect concentration of these 2 glucosinolate degradation products for CPCC. Fermentation medium pH after in vitro fermentation for SECM tended to be greater (P = 0.081) than that for CPCC. Canola co-product type and fermentation medium pH did not interact on gas production parameters. However, a reduction in fermentation medium pH from 6.2 to 5.2 resulted in increased (P < 0.05) lag time and reduced (P < 0.05) fractional rate of degradation and total gas production. Canola co-product type and fermentation medium pH did not interact on total or individual VFA production per gram of DM of feedstuff fermented. However, reducing fermentation medium pH from 6.2 to 5.2 increased (P < 0.05) total VFA and acetate productions, and tended to reduce (P = 0.083) branched-chain VFA production SECM and CPCC. In conclusion, a reduction in fermentation medium pH from 6.2 to 5.2 resulted in increased production of goitrin and indole-3-acetonitriles from SECM-derived glucosinolates, but did not affect production of thiocyanate from SECM-derived glucosinolates. Glucosinolates in CPCC were less affected by the fermentation medium pH used in the current study. It appears that there are other factors other than pH that affect the degradation of canola-derived glucosinolates by microorganisms from hindgut of pigs.

Ruminal Fermentation, Degradability and Gas Production Response to Supplementing Diets with Marjoram or Basil Leaves In-vitro

AbstractEleven experimental treatments were used by in-vitro batch culture technique to study the effect of marjoram (Origanummajorana L.) or basil (Ocimumbasilicum L.) leaves supplementation to diets on gas production, ruminal fermentation, ammonia nitrogen concentration, dry matter (DM) and cell wall contents (NDF and ADF) degradability. The basal diet consisted of a total mixed ration (TMR), the experimental treatments were used as follow: 50% CFM, 50% alfalfa hay (control), control diet plus 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 grams of marjoram or basil leaves / kg DM for G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8, G9 and G10, respectively. No differences (p>0.05) were observed with marjoram or basil leaves supplementation in pH, DM, NDF and ADF degradability at all different levels compared with the control diet. Ammonia nitrogen and short chain fatty acid (SCFAs) concentrations revealed significant (p < 0.05) decreased for the experimental treatments compared with the control. Also, the experimental treatments recorded the lowest values (p < 0.05) in total gas production (TGP), gas production per each gram of dry matter, NDF andADF at the different levels of marjoram or basil leaves compared with control group. It could be concluded that the addition of marjoram or basil leaves to diets had a positive impact on total gas production without adverse effect on dry matter, and cell wall contents degradability.

Characterization of cardinal vine shoot waste as new resource of lignocellulosic biomass and valorization into value-added chemical using Plackett–Burman and Box Behnken

The objective of this work was to valorize a waste from cardinal vine shoot into a hydrolysate rich in reducing sugars. Plackett–Burman design was considered to identify the significant factors, while a Box Behnken design was considered to optimize the extraction in the following experimental conditions: 100 °C, 750 rpm, trifluoracetic acid (CF3O2H) concentration (TFA) in the range (1–10%), for 20 to 180 min and considering the following solid–liquid (S/V) ratios (1:1, 3:1, 5:1). The optimal result was 2.53% in sugars equivalent to a yield of 50.64% per gram of dry matter. Shoot vine waste was characterized by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The chemical composition was 43.38% cellulose, 23.58% hemicellulose, 21.22% lignin, 2.53% ash, 5.82% crude protein, 11.7% moisture, and extractives (0.81% fat, 0.56% total sugars, 2.3% extractive (hexane-ethanol)). The promising potential of shoot vine waste to produce sugar and other added-value compounds was demonstrated.