High Sugar Content Research Articles

Harnessing CRISPR/Cas12a Activity and DNA-Based Ultrabright FluoroCube for In Situ Imaging of Metabolically Labeled Cell Membrane Glycoproteins.

Fluorescence imaging of cell membrane glycoproteins based on metabolic labeling faces challenges including the sensitivity and spatial specificity and the use of a high concentration of unnatural sugars. To overcome these limitations, we developed a method for in situ imaging of cell membrane glycoproteins by operating Cas12a activity, and employing the ultrabright DNA nanostructure, FluoroCube (FC), as a signal reporter. Following Cas12a activation, we observed stable and intense fluorescence signals within 15 min. The combination of bright FC and Cas12a's amplification capability allows for effective imaging with only 5 μM of unnatural sugars and a brief 24-h incubation. Computational modeling demonstrates that Cas12a specifically cleaves FC in the 11-17 nm range of the glycosylation site, enabling spatially precise imaging. This approach successfully enabled fluorescence imaging of glycoproteins across various cell lines and the detection of changes in glycoprotein levels induced by drugs.

Determination of optimal technological conditions for the manufacture of semi-finished products from gooseberry fruit

The quality of pureed berries products is determined by many factors. The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal technological conditions for the manufacture of semi-finished products from gooseberries, providing for the use of equipment with a rotary machine (MAG‑50) and ensuring the required quality characteristics. The objects of research were semi-finished products from gooseberries. The manufacturing technology involved high-temperature processing or the use of the rotary machine MAG‑50. The research methods were standard. It has been found that in order to obtain products with the required quality characteristics, the duration of processing in MAG‑50 had the greatest influence. The optimal technological conditions for the manufacture of products in MAG‑50 have been determined: processing for 14–20 minutes at a temperature of 59–65°C of at least 72% of fresh berries or 58–65°C of at least 66% of quick-frozen ones. It has been established that the technology involving the use of rotary machine MAG‑50, compared with the high-temperature one, made it possible to obtain products with a lower content of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms, molds (by 97.7 and 69.8%, respectively), better appearance characteristics (by 1.7%), color, texture and odor (by 2.3%), taste and aftertaste (by 3.6%). The state of the raw materials had the greatest impact on the content of yeast in semi-finished products — products made from fresh berries contained 48.7% more of them on average than products from quick-frozen ones. Compared with the Senator variety, gooseberry fruits of the Pink 2 variety made it possible to obtain products with a high content of soluble solids, sugars, minerals and ascorbic acid (by 18.2, 58.9, 7.7 and 61.8%, respectively), less titrated acids and dietary fibers (by 21.2 and 20.3%, respectively). The study demonstrates the potential of obtaining semi-finished products from gooseberries, regardless of their variety and condition by using the technology involving the use of MAG‑50.

Changes in the sugars and volatile compounds profiles associated with anthocyanin accumulation in oranges: Blood vs. blond varieties, and slightly pigmented vs. intensely pigmented blood fruit

The blood oranges accumulate anthocyanins in their peel and pulp, which give them their characteristic red colour. To investigate whether there is a specific volatile compounds profile for blood oranges, we compared the volatile composition of the blood varieties ‘Moro’, ‘Tarocco Rosso’ and ‘Sanguinelli’ to that of the blond ones ‘Cadenera’, ‘Salustina’ and ‘Hamlim’ using a non-targeted approach based on HS–SPME–GC–MS. Moreover, fruits from each blood orange variety were divided into slightly and intensely pigmented fruits, and individual sugars and anthocyanins were determined by liquid chromatography to investigate whether their profiles depend on the degree of pulp pigmentation. A total of 101 volatile compounds were identified in this study. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, including all compounds, revealed that blood oranges have no unique volatiles profile that makes them more similar to one another than to the blond varieties. For blood orange varieties, our results corroborated that greater anthocyanin accumulation in the most intensely pigmented fruit is associated with higher sugar content (an increase of 0.8–2.3 % depending on the variety). Moreover, we reported for the first time that anthocyanin accumulation is also associated with changes in the volatiles profile. A Multifactor Analysis including data on volatiles, sugars and anthocyanin showed that sucrose is the sugar more strongly linked to anthocyanin accumulation. A group of volatile compounds, mainly esters (ethyl acetate, ethyl-2-methyl butanoate and ethyl-2-butenoate) along with ethanol, are present at increased levels, sometimes even doubling in the most intensely pigmented samples compared to the slightly pigmented ones. These results open the door to further investigate the possible metabolic link between sugars and anthocyanins accumulation and changes in volatile compounds.

Enhanced bioethanol production from Compositae plant stalks: Integrating dry acid pretreatment and fungal mediated biodetoxification

Compositae is an important economic plant with relatively high contents of water-soluble sugars in stalk section. The pretreatment of Compositae plant stalks quickly converts the water-soluble sugars into high titers of furan aldehydes, which inhibits the viability of consequent fermentation strains. This study used the typical Compositae plant stalks of sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke, and stevia as feedstocks for dry acid pretreatment under high solids loading, then a unique solid-state biodetoxification method was applied to degrade these high-titer inhibitors. The results showed that temperature and sulfuric acid concentration were two key parameters for enhancing pretreatment efficiency. Enzymatic hydrolysis yield of the above pretreated stalks reached up to 79.68%, 66.75% and 74.05%, respectively. For pretreated Jerusalem artichoke stalk, it contained 37.36% of cellulose, 2.72% of xylan, 3.04% of glucose, 11.64% of xylose, 20.54% of lignin, and some inhibitors (3.80% of acetate, 0.24% of HMF and 0.23% of furfural). After biodetoxification, 100% of furfural, 40% of HMF, and 36% of acetate were quickly removed by Amorphotheca resinae ZN1, which resulted in 55.57 g/L ethanol production (equivalent to 7.1% by volumetric percentage) with the yield of 55.54% from 73.59 g/L of glucose and 40.69 g/L of xylose by simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF). This study provides a combinational approach of dry acid pretreatment and biodetoxification for Compositae plant stalks biorefinery.

Utilization of Hibiscus, Tamarind and Carob in Production of Low Calories Healthy Soft Drinks

The demand for carbonated beverages is increasing, offering opportunities to develop drinks with significant health benefits. Beverages containing carob, tamarind and hibiscus offer multiple nutritional and functional benefits and can serve as healthy alternatives to other soft drinks on the market. This is particularly important given the high sugar and calorie content of traditional soft drinks, which has been linked to increased issues associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease globally. The focus of the current work is to evaluate low-calorie soft drinks made from hibiscus, tamarind and carob and sweetened with erythritol that cater to diverse consumer segments, including diabetics and health-conscious individuals. Hibiscus, tamarind and carob extracts were sweetened with 0.5, 1 and 1.5 g erythritol sugar/200 ml carbonated beverage. The results showed that the alcoholic extract from hibiscus cups gave the highest content of phenols and flavonoids (70.3 mg gallic/g on DW and 7.8 mg catechin/g on DW), followed by carob pod alcoholic extract (19.3 mg gallic/g on DW) and tamarind alcoholic extract (11.6 mg gallic/g on DW). Tamarind gave a higher content of flavonoids (2.3 mg/g) than carob (1.2 mg/g); however, carob pods had the highest antioxidant activity (91.92%), followed by tamarind pulp (87.66%) and hibiscus cups (79.76%). The soft drinks of hibiscus and tamarind sweetened with erythritol at 1.5 g/200 ml gave the best sensory properties compared with control (adjusted by sucrose at 12% brix) and others concentrations used of erythritol sugar at (0.5 and 1.5 g /200 ml carbonated beverage). Carob pods soft drink sweetened with 0.5 g erythritol /200 ml gave the best sensory characteristics compared to the control sample and others concentrations of erythritol sugar at (1 and 1.5 g /200 ml carbonated beverage), which may be due to the high content of sugars in carob. Hibiscus carbonated beverage outperformed tamarind in terms of overall acceptability and carob carbonated beverage was the least acceptable in terms of sensory properties. Carob carbonated beverage recorded the highest antioxidant activity (90.9%) and phenolic content while representing the second highest in terms of flavonoids. Tamarind carbonated beverage ranked second in terms of antioxidant activity (86.0%) and phenolic content although it ranked first in terms of flavonoids. Hibiscus carbonated beverage recorded the lowest content in terms of antioxidant activity (79.36%), phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Hibiscus, tamarind and carob are a great choice for the production of carbonated beverages because they give the beverage desirable nutritional, cosmetic and medicinal qualities. Moreover, the simplicity of production and availability of raw materials allows for the stimulation of the economy by reducing dependence on multinational companies offering unhealthy or industrialized soft drinks.

Plant-Based Flocculants as Sustainable Conditioners for Enhanced Sewage Sludge Dewatering

With the aim to establish clean and sustainable sludge treatment, green conditioning using natural flocculants has recently gained a growing interest. In this study, a variety of plant materials, namely Moringa (Moringa oleifera) seeds, Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds, Potato (Solanum tuberosum) peels, Aloe (Aloe vera) leaves, Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) cladodes, and Phragmites (Phragmites australis) stems, were evaluated for their potential bioflocculant activity in conditioning sewage sludge. They were thoroughly characterized to determine their active flocculating compounds. Sludge dewaterability was evaluated by assessing various sludge parameters, including specific resistance to filtration (SRF), dryness of filtration cake (DC), and total suspended solid removal (TSS) from sludge filtrate. The collected results from various physicochemical characterizations of plant materials suggest that the main flocculating agents are carbohydrates in Cactus and Fenugreek and proteins in Moringa, Potato, and Phragmites. Additionally, all tested plant-based flocculants demonstrated effective dewatering performance. Interestingly, compared to the chemical flocculant polyaluminum chloride, Moringa and Cactus showed superior conditioning effects, yielding the lowest SRF values and the highest DC. As a result, the use of these natural flocculants improved sewage sludge filterability, leading to a significant removal of total suspended solids from the filtrate. The conditioning properties of Moringa and Cactus can be attributed to their high protein and sugar content, which facilitates the effective separation of bound water from solids through charge neutralization and bridging mechanisms. Thus, green conditioning using plant-based flocculants, particularly Moringa and Cactus materials, presents a promising and eco-friendly approach to enhance sewage sludge dewatering for safer disposal and valorization.

Extraction of bioactive components from date palm waste, various extraction processes and their applications: A review

Dates are vital sources of nutrients and bioactive components which are widely consumed throughout the world. Agro-industrial waste, such as date palm waste, has been recognized as a potential candidate of bioactive chemicals and essential oils for utilization in food, medicine, and cosmetics. Date fruit and seed are well-known for their nutritional worth, which includes high sugar, vitamins, and mineral content that includes potassium and magnesium. Presence of phenolic compounds diverges the attention of researchers towards efficient extraction processes. Various traditional e.g., soxhlet, maceration, infusion, and digesting and advanced extraction techniques, i.e., pressurised fluid extraction (PFE), enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and supercritical CO2 extraction (SC-CO2) have been discussed briefly to extract bioactive components for instance flavonoids, tocopherols, tannins, carotenoids, tocotrienols and hydroxybenzoic acid from date palm fruit, seed, and leaves. The findings reveal that the higher total phenolic content in a shorter time can be obtained by combining ultrasonic with PLE or SFE extraction techniques. These bioactive components can be used in the food and pharmaceutical industries for pre-treatment of certain ailments. Moreover, the natural bioactive components with potential therapeutic benefits, such as non-starch polysaccharides and selenium. The purpose of this study is to highlight the advances achieved in understanding bioactive components e.g., phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins hydroxycinnamic, hydroxybenzoic and bio-oil of date palm fruits, including their synthesis, probable functions, and health advantages, to find prospective uses for date-derived materials in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food sector.

Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on Food Sustainability: Exposure Assessment and Health Implications.

Excessive consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) is a global health concern as-sociated with an increased incidence of non-communicable diseases. UPFs are characterized by their extensive industrial processing and high content of additives, preservatives, chemicals, and artificial ingredients that are used to mask defects or inferior ingredients of end food products, presenting a multifaceted challenge to contemporary society. Exposure assessment showed that almost 50% to 30% of the energy consumption per day comes from UPFs. The more processed a food is, the less likely it is to be healthy and nutritious. UPFs affect human health by increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression, diabetes, etc., as these foods are typically made up of a large number of preservatives, high content of fats, sodium, and sugars, and low contents of protein, fiber, and potassium. The ingredients required for the production of UPFs are commonly derived from intensive monoculture and livestock of raw foods. This, in turn, exerts imminent effects on agriculture, biodiversity, and the global food system by altering the bioavailability of nutrients within agricultural soil, thereby increasing the dependency on ferti-lizers and insecticides. Recent studies have shown that over-consumption of UPF has an effect on culinary traditions, loss of biodiversity, human well-being, and food system sustainability. Therefore, for better food system sustainability, the consumption of UPFs should be reduced, and we should move toward minimal processing technologies, preferably for seasonal and or-ganic local products. Based on available data, there is an urgent need to implement policies and regulations for the agro-food industry to include nutritional and environmental criteria. This review explains the different dimensions of UPFs in relation to health, nutrition, environment, current challenges, future innovations, and wider sustainability concerns.

Effects of different ratios of nitrogen base fertilizer to topdressing on soil nitrogen form and enzyme activity in sugar beet under shallow drip irrigation

Sugar beets account for 30% of global sugar production each year, and their byproducts are an important source of bioethanol and animal feed. Sugar beet is an important cash crop in Inner Mongolia, China. To achieve high yields and sugar content, it is essential to supply nitrogen fertilizer in accordance with the growth characteristics of sugar beet, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer utilization. A two-year experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences. The impact of varying ratios of nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing on nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen levels in the 20–60 cm soil layer, as well as the activities of protease, urease, catalase, and sucrose in the 20–40 cm soil layer were investigated during the rapid leaf growth period and root and sugar growth period. Results indicated that different ratios of nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing significantly influenced the levels of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen, and the activities of protease and urease in the 0–20 cm soil layer, with these effects diminishing as soil depth increased. The activities of catalase and sucrose were minimally impacted. Nitrogen was applied at 150 kg/ha during the growth period of sugar beet, according to the growth characteristics of sugar beet to maximize nitrogen utilization efficiency. Topdressing was completed with irrigation at the rapid growth stage. The nitrogen-based fertilizer to topdressing ratio of 6:4 resulted in optimal crop yield and sugar yield of sugar beet under shallow drip irrigation. Additionally, the activities of protease and urease in different soil treatments were significantly different, and the activities of protease and urease in the 0–40 cm soil layer were identified as useful soil physiological indicators for nitrogen utilization in sugar beet.

Identification of key gene networks controlling organic acid and sugar metabolism during star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) development

The sugar and organic acid content significantly impacts the flavor quality of star fruit, and it undergoes dynamic changes during development. However, the metabolic network and molecular mechanisms governing the formation of sugar and organic acid in star fruit remain unclear. In this study, 23 of 743 components were detected by metabonomic analysis. The highest metabolites contents were organic acids and derivatives. The highest sugar content in the fruit was fructose and glucose, followed by sucrose, which proved that A. carambola is a hexose accumulation type fruit. Genome identification preliminarily screened 141 genes related to glucose metabolism and 67 genes related to acid metabolism. A total of 7,881 unigenes were found in transcriptome data, 6,124 differentially expressed genes were screened, with more up-regulated than down-regulated genes. Transcriptome and metabolome association analysis screened seven core candidate genes related to glucose metabolism and 17 core genes highly related to organic acid pathway, and eight differentially expressed sugar and acid genes were selected for qRT-PCR verification. In addition, 29 bHLHs and eight bZIPs transcription factors were predicted in the glucose metabolism pathway, and 23 MYBs, nine C2H2s transcription factors and one GRAS transcription factor was predicted in the acid metabolism pathway, and transcription factors have both positive and negative regulatory effects on sugar and acid structure genes. This study increased our understanding of A. carambola fruit flavor and provided basic information for further exploring the ornamental and edible values of star fruit.

Nutrient profiling assessment of packaged snack foods with nutrition-related claims available on the Indian market.

Food packaging includes labels with specific nutrient contents to provide consumers with nutritional information. Legislative actions and consumers' growing interest in nutrition information have increased the disclosure of nutrition information. The study was planned to examine packaged snack foods carrying nutritional claims for nutrition labeling. The selected packaged chips were divided into categories based on the primary ingredients mentioned on the nutrition label, such as cereal/pseudocereal-based, millet-based, vegetable-based, and pulses/legume-based chips. Four threshold levels, such as total sugar, sodium, total fat, and saturated fat, were used for categorization. Out of a total of 23 packaged chips, the corresponding 2, 7, 8, and 13 products had a higher content of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and total fat than the threshold levels. A significant (p ≤ 0.01) difference was observed in the values of nutrients analyzed through laboratory methods in comparison with the values given on the nutrition label in the majority of the products. The majority of the products belonged to national brands and differed from the nutrition-related information given on the product label in terms of the nutrient content claim.

Ethanol and 2-phenylethanol production by bee-isolated Meyerozyma caribbica strains

Investigating the biotechnological potential of wild microorganisms is paramount for optimizing bioprocesses. Given this premise, we looked for yeasts in Brazilian native stingless bees, considering the recognized potential of pollinating insect-associated microorganisms for the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Two yeast strains of the species Meyerozyma caribbica were isolated from bees Scaptotrigona postica and evaluated for their fermentative capacity. Both yeasts were capable of fermenting sucrose (the main sugar used in the Brazilian ethanol industry) with over 90% efficiency and yields of up to 0.504 g/g. Through an experimental design analysis (CCD), it was verified that the ethanol productivity of these yeasts can also benefit from high concentrations of sucrose and low pH values, desirable traits for microorganisms in this biofuel production. At the same time, CCD analyses also showed the great capacity of these M. caribbica strains to produce another alcohol of broad biotechnological interest, 2-phenylethanol. Interestingly, the statistical analyses demonstrated that greater production of this compound can occur at high sugar concentrations and low availability of nitrogen sources, which can be easily achieved using residual low-cost feedstocks. Thus, our results suggest that these M. caribbica strains may be efficiently used in both ethanol and 2-phenylethanol production.

Physicochemical Properties and Nutritional Relevance of Rice Beverages Available on the Market

Recently, more consumers have reached for plant-based milk substitutes, mainly for health, dietary, and flavour reasons. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and bioactive properties and sensory profile of 10 selected rice drinks available on the EU market. Assessment of the physicochemical characteristics included measurement of soluble solids, pH, osmolality, foaming properties and colour parameters. Analysis of bioactive compounds involved the determination of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Based on the manufacturer’s data, the composition and nutritional value of the above-mentioned beverages were also analysed in this study. The tested beverages were characterised by a low fat content of 0.6–1.3 g/100 mL, derived mainly from added sunflower oil, but are a good source of energy (energy value of 37–55 kcal/100 mL), derived mainly from naturally occurring carbohydrates whose content ranged from 8.0–11.0 g/100 mL. The protein content of all rice drinks was shallow, not exceeding 0.5 g/100 mL. Of the ten rice drinks analysed, in only two were vitamins B12 and D added (0.38 μg/100 mL and 0.75 μg/100 mL, respectively) and in only three was calcium (120 mg/100 mL) added. In evaluating the physicochemical characteristics, the drinks showed a pH close to neutral (mean 6.85 ± 0.01). The average soluble solids content was about 11%, which was determined by the carbohydrate content. The osmolality of the beverages averaged 324.73 ± 70.17 mOsm/kg H2O, with four beverages classifiable as hypertonic ones (osmolality > 330 mOsm/kg H2O), three as isotonic ones (with osmolality between 270–330 mOsm/kg H2O), and three as hypotonic beverages (osmolality < 270 mOsm/kg H2O). Only two rice drinks evaluated in this study showed foaming properties. The high whiteness index (81.79 ± 2.55) indicated high white colour saturation of the tested beverages. The rice drinks were characterised by a relatively diverse sensory quality regarding aroma and flavour notes. The overall sensory quality was rated highest for the beverages with the highest sugar content. The tested beverages were characterised by a low content of total polyphenols (average 1.40 ± 0.62 mg GAE/100 mL) and relatively high antioxidant activity (average 418.33 ± 59.65 µM TEAC/100 mL). Based on the research conducted and the analysis of the manufacturer’s data, it can be concluded that the rice drinks studied in this paper can be included in the daily diet, providing a rehydrating beverage that shows free radical-neutralizing properties and provides carbohydrates. At the same time, it should be highlighted that the studied drinks have a low nutritional value and cannot be recommended as milk substitutes due to low protein levels and lack of milk-specific vitamins and minerals.

The Nutritional, Mineral, and Nutraceutical Quality Is Differentially Affected by the Mango Cultivar

The main mango cultivars produced in the southern Pacific region of Mexico are Ataulfo, Manila, Haden, and Criollo. However, mineral, nutritional, and nutraceutical composition studies are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cultivars on the nutritional, mineral, and nutraceutical qualities of mango produced in Mexico. The cultivar significantly affected (p ≤ 0.05) the fruit composition across these indices. Criollo had the highest potassium, magnesium, sodium, and zinc concentrations, while Haden showed the highest calcium content. Manila had the highest iron content, contributing 0.76% of the recommended daily intake. Ataulfo and Haden were statistically similar in manganese content, both higher than Criollo, with Ataulfo reaching the maximum copper concentration. Ataulfo also had the highest sugar content, while Criollo had the most dietary fiber (3.1%), double that of Ataulfo and Haden. Haden had the lowest dry matter (14.8%) and lowest protein content (0.46%), with Manila showing the lowest ash content. The cultivars also differed in nutraceutical composition: Ataulfo was highest in total phenols, DPPH, and vitamin A; Haden in carotenoids and flavonoids; and Criollo in vitamin C. Cultivar selection induces changes in mango nutritional composition.

Accessing the growth of heat‐resistant mold ascospores in potato dextrose agar, isolated from a processed fruit jam—Dependence of temperature, pH, and sugar concentration

AbstractHeat‐resistant molds (HRM) pose a significant threat to food industries due to their ability to survive in high temperatures (pasteurization range) and grow in a variety of environments. To understand how inhibiting variables affect HRM growth, this study evaluated the impact of high sugar concentration (50–60°Brix), low pH (3.5–4.5), and temperature (5–15) on the time (tv) to develop detectable colonies (colony diameter = 2 mm) of three HRM strains (Byssochlamys nivea, Byssochlamys fulva, Neosartorya fischeri) isolated from mixed fruit products. The study found that all HRM strains had relatively short periods of time to develop detectable colonies at 50°Brix, while no visible growth was observed at 60°Brix. Byssochlamys nivea was found to be the most susceptible to low temperatures, requiring up to 43 days to develop detectable colonies at 10°C and unable to grow at colder temperatures. The tv varied from 6 to 27 days based on pH and isolates. HRM's resistance to high sugar concentrations and ability to grow in cold environments pose a threat to the microbiological safety of fruit products. The evaluated data were fitted to several statistical distribution models to support further research on the quantitative microbiological risk in processed fruit products. This study provides valuable insights into how inhibiting variables affect HRM growth and can inform efforts to minimize their impact on fruit‐based product quality and safety.

Evaluation of commercial and taste qualities of plum fruits in the foothills of Kabardino-Balkaria

Breeding varieties with high commercial and consumer qualities of fruits is one of the priority areas in the selection and variety study of domestic plum. Accordingly, the evaluation of some commercial and consumer qualities of fruits in plum varieties in the specific conditions of the mountains and foothills of the region is of great practical and scientific interest. Taking into account market requirements and the growth of consumer demand for fruit products, it is necessary to constantly update the range of plums. In this regard, varieties and hybrid forms of European plum for the subsequent selection of variety samples with high commercial characteristics have been studied (fruit weight, their uniformity and shape, cover color, aroma, pulp juiciness, taste, etc.). As a result of the studies, variety samples with the best commercial and taste properties of fruits have been selected. The following varieties have been distinguished by a high sugar content: Čačakska rannyaya - 18.8%, Grosso de Felicio - 16.5%, Big Heart - 14.7%, Milena - 13.8%, Velikiy Gertsog - 12.7%. The following varieties have been noted for the content of organic acids: Big Heart - 1.31%, Velikiy Gertsog - 1.1%, Milena - 0.92%, Čačakska rannyaya - 0.9%, Grossa de Felicio - 0.89%. Vitamin C is found in the highest amounts in the fruits of the following varieties: Big Heart – 7.85%, Grossa de Felicio – 6.34%, Angelina – 6.2%, Kyrgyzskaya Prevoskhodnaya – 5.34%. The size of the fruit is one of the characteristic varietal properties, despite the fact that it is largely determined by the cultivation conditions, the agricultural technology used, the age of the plant, its crop load, the variety-rootstock combination, as well as a number of other circumstances. The highest fruit weights are shown by the following varieties: Big Heart - 39.1 g, Kyrgyzskaya Prevoskhodnaya - 46.3 g, Zheltaya Afaska - 53.3 g, Zheltaya Large - 56.0 g, Kabardinskaya Rannyaya - 59.0 g, Fortuna - 65.1 g, Black Star - 78.7 g, Byron Gold - 84.2 g, Grossa de Felicio - 85.3 g, Angelina - 87.0 g, Ti Chi San - 97.1 g, Burbank Giant - 120.0 g.

NANOENCAPSULATION OF SPIRULINA SP. LEB 18 MICROALGAE BIOMASS USING ELECTROSPRAY TECHNIQUE AND APPLICATION IN CHOCOLATE MILK

Chocolate powder is a widely consumed food, but it has a high sugar content. Spirulina microalgae contains high nutritional value and can be used to enrich foods. However, microalgae has strong sensory characteristics. To add it to food, it is necessary to hide these characteristics, such as through nanoencapsulation. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop nanospheres with Spirulina biomass by nanoencapsulation and apply them in chocolate milk. This nanospheres were produced through the electrospraying technique, with chitosan and Spirulina. The best parameters to produce nanospheres were a polymeric solution with 0.50% chitosan, electric potential of 24kV, and capillary diameter of 0.70mm. These resulted in more uniform nanoparticles without the presence of a residual solvent. Nanospheres with Spirulina sp. LEB 18 are stable up to approximately 200 °C. Chocolate milk containing nanospheres with Spirulina was formulated to contain 5% Spirulina, which increased the protein content by 16.3%, lipids by 88.9% and ash by 33.9% in this food compared to the control. It received an average score of 6.9 in the sensory analysis and had a public acceptance rate of 76.3%. By incorporating 300mL of chocolate milk containing nanospheres with Spirulina into school meals, children up to 5 years old (weighing approximately 18kg) meet their daily protein requirement in a single serving.

High-solids saccharification of non-pretreated citrus peels through tailored cellulase

Citrus peels, characterized by their low lignin and high sugar content, have been drawing increasing attention as a valuable lignocellulosic biomass with significant potential in biorefinery. Notably, in this study, the citrus waste was found to be enzymatically accessible without any pretreatment. Moreover, to promote the high-solids saccharification of the citrus peels, a tailored cellulase cocktail was formulated by response surface methodology (RSM), along with a fed-batch strategy aiming to obtain a high substrate loading. The study resulted in an optimized cellulase cocktail (7.08 U/g DM of β-glucosidase, 164.17 U/g DM of hemicellulase, 47.38 mg/g DM of sophorolipid, and 64.68 mg/g DM of Tween 80) and achieved solids loading of 22 % with a total sugar concentration of 123.84 g/L, corresponding to a yield of 93.12 % (65.28 % in batch operation). These findings provided essential validation for the efficient utilization of citrus waste, ensuring them promising potential as feedstock for sugar platforms.

Enhanced biomass densification pretreatment using binary chemicals for efficient lignocellulosic valorization

Many effective pretreatment methods (such as dilute acid, dilute alkali, ionic liquids, etc.) have been developed for lignocellulose upgrading, but several defaults of low working mass, high sugar loss and extra cost of solid-liquid separation and water washing hinder their large-scale application in industry. Besides, the valorization of lignin-rich residue from pretreated biomass after hydrolysis or fermentation greatly contributes to the economy and sustainability of lignocellulosic biorefinery, which is usually underestimated. This study developed a densification pretreatment with binary chemicals (densifying lignocellulosic biomass with sulfuric acid (SA) and metal salt (MS) followed by autoclave treatment ((DLCA(SA-MS)), which was conducted under mild condition (121 °C) with a biomass working mass as high as 400 kg/m3. The DLCA(SA-MS) biomass achieved over 95% sugar retention, 90% enzymatic sugar conversion and a high concentration of fermentable sugar (212.3 g/L) with superior fermentability. Furthermore, bio-adsorbent derived from DLCA(SA-MS) biomass residue was highly adsorptive and suitable for dyeing wastewater treatment, providing a feasible and eco-friendly method for lignin-rich residue valorization. These findings indicated that DLCA(SA-MS) pretreatment enables the full-component utilization of biomass and boosts the economic viability of lignocellulosic biorefinery.

The effect of cold plasma treatment on the fruit quality and aroma components of winter jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. 'Dongzao').

Cold plasma (CP) is a novel environmental-friendly preservation technology that causes minimal damage to fruits. The flavor and quality of winter jujubes have decreased with the extended storage time. Currently, the research on the use of CP on winter jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. 'Dongzao') mainly focuses on the effect of the treatment on storage quality. There is limited research on the effect of CP treatment on the flavor of winter jujubes. This study used different CP (80kV) treatment durations (0, 5, and 10min) to treat winter jujubes. The appropriate treatment time was selected by observing the changes in color, respiratory intensity, soluble sugar content, total acid content, and vitamin C (VC) content of winter jujubes. Amino acid analyzer and headspace solid-phase microextraction in combination with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection were used to analyze the effect of CP treatment on the flavor compounds of winter jujubes. The results showed that the 5-min CP treatment could significantly slow down the red coloration of winter jujube while maintaining high soluble sugar, total acid, and VC content. At the respiration peak, the respiratory intensity of the 5-min CP treatment group was 0.74 mg CO2·kg-1·h-1 lower than that of the control group (p < 0.05). CP treatment slowed down the decrease in the content of amino acids and volatile organic compounds (such as 2-methyl-4-pentenal, 2-hexenal, and 3-hexenal) in winter jujubes. This study will provide basic data for applying CP preservation technology in postharvest winter jujubes.