High Sugar Content Research Articles

Pushing the boundaries of phosphorylase cascade reaction for cellobiose production II: Model-based multiobjective optimization.

The inherent complexity of coupled biocatalytic reactions presents a major challenge for process development with one-pot multienzyme cascade transformations. Kinetic models are powerful engineering tools to guide the optimization of cascade reactions towards a performance suitable for scale up to an actual production. Here, we report kinetic model-based window of operation analysis for cellobiose production (≥100 g/L) from sucrose and glucose by indirect transglycosylation via glucose 1-phosphate as intermediate. The two-step cascade transformation is catalyzed by sucrose and cellobiose phosphorylase in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of phosphate (≤27 mol% of substrate). Kinetic modeling was instrumental to uncover the hidden effect of bulk microviscosity due to high sugar concentrations on decreasing the rate of cellobiose phosphorylase specifically. The mechanistic-empirical hybrid model thus developed gives a comprehensive description of the cascade reaction at industrially relevant substrate conditions. Model simulations serve to unravel opposed relationships between efficient utilization of the enzymes and maximized concentration (or yield) of the product within a given process time, in dependence of the initial concentrations of substrate and phosphate used. Optimum balance of these competing key metrics of process performance is suggested from the model-calculated window of operation and is verified experimentally. The evidence shown highlights the important use of kinetic modeling for the characterization and optimization of cascade reactions in ways that appear to be inaccessible to purely data-driven approaches.

Tannin-Tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae Isolated from Traditional Fermented Tea (Miang) of Northern Thailand and Its Feasible Applications

This study evaluated the ability of a yeast strain isolated from traditional fermented tea leaves (Camellia sinensis var. assamica), Miang from northern Thailand, to grow and produce ethanol in the presence of tannin. Among 43 Miang samples, 25 yeast isolates displayed gas-forming character in the presence of 1% (w/v) tannin, but only ML1-1 and ML1-2 isolates were confirmed as ethanol-producing yeast capable of tannin tolerance. These isolates were further identified to be Pichia occidentalis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively, based on D1/D2 domain sequence analysis. S. cerevisiae ML1-2 was selected for further studies and exhibited growth at 20–35 °C, pH 4–7, and tolerance to high sugar concentrations of up to 350 g/L. Supplementation of 1% (w/v) tannin had no effect on sugar utilization and ethanol production, while delayed sugar consumption and ethanol production were observed in the reference strain S. cerevisiae TISTR 5088. However, 5 and 10% (w/v) tannin showed inhibitory effects on the growth and ethanol production of the selected yeast isolates. During the fermentation under high tannin conditions derived by mixing Java plum fruit with ground seed, S. cerevisiae ML1-2 showed significant advantages in growth and enhanced the content of ethanol, polyphenols, tannin, and flavonoids compared to S. cerevisiae TISTR 5088. This indicated its potential for high-tannin substrate-based bioconversion for the production of either fuel ethanol or functional alcoholic beverages.

Elaboration and Characterization of Dulce de Leche with Reduced Sugar Content

Dulce de leche is a South American traditional dairy product. However, due to the high sugar content, it is unsafe for consumers with special physiological conditions, such as diabetes. Light foods were developed to meet those demands whilst maintaining the sensory characteristics. The present study aimed to develop and characterize a formulation of light dulce de leche, using sweeteners to substitute sucrose, and gums as thickening and stabilizing agents. The physicochemical assays follow the AOAC manual, and the microbiological parameters were set according to MERCOSUL’s legislation. Thirty potential consumers perform the nine-point hedonic scale for product acceptance and the seven-point scale for buying intention. Compared to the traditional formulation, the product had better rheological properties, but a lighter color. All the raw materials and final products were considered safe by the recommended microbiological and toxicological standards; however, the product showed discrepancies to the physicochemical requirements. The formulation had an overall medium acceptance and low buying intention. The product had deficiencies, needing other compounds to reach the desired characteristics. Even though it leads to a more expensive final product, it is possible to adjust the product and allow access to more selective consumers or with restrictions.

BRS Vitória grapes with natural surfactant pretreatment: evaluation of mineral composition, physical-chemical characteristics, and sensory characteristics after raisin production

Raisins have been gaining recognition for their nutrient and bioactive compound contents. Yet, pretreatments used for grape drying raise concerns regarding the economic viability and safety of the product. The objective of this proposal was to produce raisins from BRS Vitória grapes pretreated with a natural surfactant to accelerate the drying process. Subsequently, the influence of drying and pretreatment was evaluated for chemical composition (moisture, water activity (Aw), pH, total acidity (TA), reducing sugars (RS), and total sugars (TS)), total phenolic compounds (TPC), total anthocyanins, and qualitative and quantitative mineral composition. Finally, a sensory analysis of the raisins was conducted. By using the pretreatment, drying time decreased by approximately 38.5%. The raisins met the moisture requirements by the Brazilian and international regulations, and the pretreated raisins (PR) had a higher anthocyanin content, a high sugar concentration, acids, phenolic compounds (PC), and minerals (potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and manganese (Mn)), and were well accepted by consumers, especially in terms of taste and appearance. Interestingly, the pretreatment also provided more brightness to the samples. In conclusion, BRS Vitória grapes yielded raisins with a complex composition, especially those that were subjected to the pretreatment, might be consumed as a healthier snack, adding PC and minerals to the diet.

Sugar labeling information and online marketing strategies for hand-shaken tea drinks in northern Taiwan.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are the main cause of excessive sugar intake and increased health risks. Food companies usually use social media to market SSBs in order to increase consumers' purchase intentions. To reduce excessive added sugar consumption from hand-shaken tea drinks, Taiwan has implemented a mandatory policy requiring clear sugar content labeling. This study aimed to investigate the sugar label information and online marketing strategies for hand-shaken tea drinks in northern Taiwan. In this cross-sectional study, content analysis was employed to investigate the sugar labeling information and the current situation of online marketing in hand-shaken tea drink brands based in northern Taiwan. Seventy-two hand-shaken tea drink brands' stores were visited to record their sugar labeling presentation methods, with brands lacking labeling, presenting incomplete labeling, or not offering customized sugar levels being excluded, resulting in 60 brands being chosen for the subsequent data collection process. The sugar and energy contents in 1,581 hand-shaken tea drinks were recorded and calculated. Subsequently, the sugar contents were assessed in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) sugar recommendations (25 g/day), warning label criteria, and Taiwan's regulations for low-sugar packaged beverages. Seven brands that had high online impressions were further selected and their marketing strategies in 560 Facebook posts were analyzed. The presentation methods of labeling varied among the 60 brands, and only 42 brands had obvious and easily accessible labeling. The most common labeling presentation method was posters (n = 28). After converting the sugar content of half-sugar and low-sugar hand-shaken tea drinks, it was found that 60.2% of half-sugar beverages and 13.0% of low-sugar beverages exceeded 25 g of sugar per cup. Over 90% of brands had Facebook and Instagram accounts. The top marketing strategies for tea drink brands on Facebook were specific beverage information, brand information, and nutrition and health marketing. Most posts promoted sugar-sweetened beverages. Not all hand-shaken tea drink brands in this study followed Taiwan's labeling regulations. Moreover, high sugar contents in hand-shaken tea drinks labeled as half-sugar and low-sugar could potentially lead people to unconsciously consume excessive amounts of sugar. Future research should explore the impact of online marketing strategies on SSBs consumption behavior and ways to mitigate it among the Taiwanese public.

Improving the whey protein foam structures by using novel acetylated triglycerides: A response surface methodology (RSM) approach

AbstractProtein foams are common to foods, such as meringue, whipped cream and mousses. Stability is a challenging issue determined by fat and sugar content. We hypothesize that acetyl‐triacylglycerols (acetyl‐TAG) that possess sn‐3 acetate group with high oleic content can provide stability to the foam at reduced sugar concentrations by increasing the surface viscosity and minimizing serum drainage. A fractional factorial Box‐Wilson design was used to investigate the effects of whey protein concentration (WPI) (2–10 wt%), sucrose concentration (SC) (10–30 wt%) and acetyl‐TAG concentration (ATC) (0–1 wt%) on overrun (FO), stability against serum drainage (FD) and surface dilatational rheology. Each response was analyzed by linear regression model fitting and a backward elimination algorithm for significance (α = 0.01). FO was significantly affected (p < 0.01) by WPI and ATC, but not sucrose concentration. The optimum overrun (nearly 700%) was obtained at 9 wt% WPI and 0.6 wt% ATC. Drainage and viscoelastic properties were significantly (p < 0.01) affected by all process variables. Dynamic complex modulus (|E|) as measured using an optical tensiometer was around 30–40 mN/m when acetyl‐TAG was higher than 0.5 wt%. Our findings indicated that the acetyl‐TAG can be used to enhance the stability of protein foams in reduced sugar food products, however, not at high sugar concentrations (30 wt%).

Fodder beet: know what you are feeding for a nutritionally balanced diet for dairy cattle

Fodder beet’s (FB) high soluble sugar and low crude protein content provide environmental benefits but also nutritional challenges, making it a unique crop in New Zealand dairy systems. Knowledge of dietary nutrient content is important to inform both mineralsupplementation and type of supplementary feed to offer. This will help ensure nutritional requirements for dairy cows are met, maximising the likelihood of positive outcomes for animal health and production. A database containing 694 samples of FB leaf andbulb tissue was compiled from monitor farm data, research projects, and cultivar evaluation trials with the objective of determining the variability in nutritional content. Descriptive statistics were used to highlight the range and variability in FB leaf and bulb nutritional composition between regions and cultivars. Our results reinforce that FB bulbs (which usually make up 70- 90% of the crop DM) are typically low in crude protein, fibre, phosphorus, calcium, and sulphur, but are high in soluble sugars. The variation in nutrient content between cultivars, and within cultivars both between and within regions shown in this study highlights the importance of paddock-specific feed analyses, and the limitations of textbook values, particularly whole crop values which do not differentiate between bulb and the more nutritionally valuable leaf.

Bioenergetic functions of mitochondria in liver, pancreatic acinar cells, and sperm cells of rats fed short-term high-fat or high-fat high-sugar diets

An unhealthy diet often is a cause of obesity, chronic inflammation, and metabolic disruption in multiple organs. However, the direct influence of elevated lipid or sugar consumption on liver, pancreatic, and sperm mitochondria is not well understood. The aim of the study was to investigate the functional activity of mitochondria of liver, pancreatic acinar cells, and sperm cells in rats on a short-term (7 weeks) diet with high fat or high fat and high sugar content. Male Wistar rats were on a basic, high-fat or high-fat high-sugar diet for 7 weeks. At the end of the experiment, visceral fat mass, blood glucose and lipids were measured. Mitochondrial functional activity was evaluated with oxygen consumption assay. In isolated pancreatic acinar cells, NAD(P)H autofluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential were also studied. No difference in body mass was observed between the 3 groups at the end of the experiment. Visceral fat mass was slightly but significantly elevated in rats on a high-fat high-sugar diet. Both diets did not affect plasma glucose or triglyceride levels but caused a modest elevation of total plasma cholesterol. Respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of isolated liver mitochondria were not affected by any experimental diet. In pancreatic acinar cells, a high-fat diet caused a significant decrease of basal respiration by ~15%, but no effects were observed on the maximal rate of uncoupled respiration, mitochondrial membrane potential, or NAD(P)H autofluorescence. In these cells, a ketone body 3-hydroxybutyrate caused elevation of uncoupled respiration and NAD(P)H level irrespectively of the diet. Diets did not cause any change in sperm concentration, viability or motility. Surprisingly, in animals on a high-fat high-sugar diet, a significant increase in both basal and maximal respiration of sperm cells was observed. Collectively, these data show that while the elevated fat and sugar content in the diet does not cause significant obesity, no detrimental effects on mitochondria of the liver, pancreas, and sperm cells are observed. Keywords: diet, liver, mitochondria, pancreatic acinar cells, sperm

Highly-efficient lipid production from hydrolysate of Radix paeoniae alba residue by oleaginous yeast Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum

Valorization of herbal extraction residues (HERs) into value-added products is pivotal for the sustainability of Chinese medicine industry. Here, seven different enzymatic hydrolysates of dilute acid pretreated HERs were evaluated for lipid production by Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum. Among them, the highest sugar yield via hydrolysis and the maximum lipid production were obtained from Radix paeoniae alba residue (RPAR). More interestingly, high proportion of sugar polymers was disintegrated into fermentable sugars during the pretreatment step, allowing a cheap non-enzymatic route for producing sugars from RPAR. A repeated dilute acid pretreatment gained a high sugar concentration of 241.6 g/L through reusing the pretreatment liquor (PL) for four times. Biomass, lipid concentration, and lipid content achieved 49.5 g/L, 35.7 g/L and 72.2 %, respectively, using fed-batch culture of PL. The biodiesel parameters indicated lipids produced from HERs were suitable for biodiesel production. This study offers a cost-effective way to upgrade the HERs waste into micro-biodiesel.

Sensory Analysis of Tomato Sauce with Added Banana Waste as A Thickener

Tomato sauce may be used as a side dish for a number of cuisines. This tomato sauce, however, is off-limits to diabetics due to its high sugar content, which can significantly raise blood sugar levels. As a result, the researchers created tomato sauce with the addition of banana peel waste. The goal of this study is to process banana peel and develop a diabetic-friendly sauce composition. In this study, 5 different treatments were used, with the percentage of tomato sauce and banana peels varying as much as 90%:10%, 80%:20%, 70%:30%, and 60%:40%. The following tests were done is organoleptic test. Based on the organoleptic testing, the sauce containing 40% banana peel was deemed to be the most favored, with an overall value of 3.8. The banana peels are included as a natural thickening agent with functional value. The sensory analysis of tomato sauce uses for developing sauce for diabetic patients.

Characteristics of Honey Powder with Maltodextrin And Gum Arabic Addition Using Vacuum Foam-Drying Method

Honey powder is a solution to overcome the weakness of liquid honey. This study aims to determine the characteristics of the addition of maltodextrin and gum arabic as fillers and their ratio to produce the best honey powder characteristics in terms of water content, water activity (aw), hygroscopicity, reducing sugar content, solubility, and dissolving time. This study consisted of 6 treatment levels, namely Maltodextrin 1 (MD1) with a ratio of honey and filler of 2:1 and solid concentration of honey (% d.b) and filler (g) of 40:20, Maltodextrin 2 (MD2) with a ratio of honey and filler of 1:1 and solid concentration of honey (% d.b) and filler (g) of 40:20. b) and filler (g) 40:40, Maltodextrin 3 (MD3) with a ratio between honey and filler of 1:1 and solid concentration of honey (% d.b) and filler (g) 40:60, followed by Gum Arabic 1 (GA1), Gum Arabic 2 (GA2), and Gum Arabic 3 (GA3) which have the same ratio and concentration as the treatment using maltodextrin. In addition, commercial honey powder data was also included as a control (CHP). This study showed that the best moisture content was in MD3, with a value of 0.591%. Then, MD1 at 0.301% had the best result in water activity. In addition, the use of gum arabic has better hygroscopicity compared to maltodextrin. Meanwhile, the results showed that gum arabic gave high reducing sugar content in honey powder compared to the addition of maltodextrin; the more the addition of gum arabic, the higher the sugar content. The use of maltodextrin as a filler in honey powder provides better solubility compared to gum arabic. In addition, the reported addition of maltodextrin can reduce the dissolving time of food powders.

Effects of crushing and enzyme treatment on physicochemical, fermentation performance, and antioxidant properties of qingke (hull-less barley) wort

Crushing and enzyme treatment are pivotal factors that cannot be ignored in the mashing stage of qingke (hull-less barley) craft beer brewing. This study aimed to explore the impact of different mashing conditions on physicochemical, fermentation, and antioxidant properties of qingke wort as well as elucidate the mechanisms of mashing conditions affecting the quality of qingke wort. The results showed that wort with a high fermentable sugar content, including maltose and glucose, could be obtained using a crushed size smaller than 0.9 mm. Furthermore, enzyme treatment further led to an increase in fermentable sugar content, enhancing the fermentation capacity of qingke wort. Notably, crushing significantly affected the antioxidant properties of qingke wort, with smaller crushed particle sizes yielded superior antioxidant properties to the wort, mainly due to the increase in the content of phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and epicatechin.

Optimization of Bioethanol Production from Sugar Bagasse by Aspergillus flavus Using Box Behnken Design

"Bioethanol, a renewable fuel derived from biomass feedstocks like agricultural residues and forestry waste, holds immense promise for sustainable energy production. Notably, sugar bagasse—a residual lignocellulosic material after sugarcane juice extraction—offers a valuable substrate due to its high sugar content. To harness its potential for bioethanol generation, optimizing parameters, such as temperature, pH, and fermentation duration. This study is geared towards the strategic enhancement of bioethanol synthesis from sugar bagasse, employing the Box Behnken experimental design using Aspergillus flavus as the biocatalyst. Employing rigorous statistical modeling and analysis, the investigation dissects the intricate interplay of temperature, pH, and fermentation duration on the bioethanol production kinetics. The outcomes underscore the optimal operational nexus that attains peak bioethanol yield: a thermal setpoint of 32.6°C, a pH milieu of 5.3, and a fermentation interval spanning 57.9 hours. The discerned synergy of these conditions culminates in an impressive bioethanol yield of 41.6 mg/L, manifesting a remarkable 56.9% escalation relative to the baseline conditions. This inquiry not only imparts nuanced insights into the precision-tuning of bioethanol synthesis from sugar bagasse through Aspergillus flavus but also furnishes a pivotal trajectory for the advancement of sustainable, environmentally conscious biofuel production."

Sleep deprivation in development of obesity, effects on appetite regulation, energy metabolism, and dietary choices.

Sleep deprivation, which is a decrease in duration and quality of sleep, is a common problem in today's life. Epidemiological and interventional investigations have suggested a link between sleep deprivation and overweight/obesity. Sleep deprivation affects homeostatic and non-homoeostatic regulation of appetite, with the food reward system playing a dominant role. Factors such as sex and weight status affect this regulation; men and individuals with excess weight seem to be more sensitive to reward-driven and hedonistic regulation of food intake. Sleep deprivation may also affect weight through affecting physical activity and energy expenditure. In addition, sleep deprivation influences food selection and eating behaviours, which are mainly managed by the food reward system. Sleep-deprived individuals mostly crave for palatable energy-dense foods and have low desire for fruit and vegetables. Consumption of meals may not change but energy intake from snacks increases. The individuals have more desire for snacks with high sugar and saturated fat content. The relationship between sleep and the diet is mutual, implying that diet and eating behaviours also affect sleep duration and quality. Consuming healthy diets containing fruit and vegetables and food sources of protein and unsaturated fats and low quantities of saturated fat and sugar may be used as a diet strategy to improve sleep. Since the effects of sleep deficiency differ between animals and humans, only evidence from human subject studies has been included, controversies are discussed and the need for future investigations is highlighted.

The haplotype-resolved autotetraploid genome assembly provides insights into the genomic evolution and fruit divergence in wax apple (Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. and Perry)

Abstract Wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) is an economically important fruit crop with great potential value to human health because of its richness in antioxidant substances. Here, we present a haplotype-resolved autotetraploid genome assembly of the wax apple with a size of 1.59 Gb. Comparative genomic analysis revealed three rounds of whole-genome duplication (WGD) events, including two independent WGDs after WGT-γ. Resequencing analysis of 35 accessions partitioned these individuals into two distinct groups, including 28 landraces and seven cultivated species, and several genes subject to selective sweeps possibly contributed to fruit growth, including the KRP1-like, IAA17-like, GME-like, and FLACCA-like genes. Transcriptome analysis of three different varieties during flower and fruit development identified key genes related to fruit size, sugar content, and male sterility. We found that AP2 also affected fruit size by regulating sepal development in wax apples. The expression of sugar transport-related genes (SWEETs and SUTs) was high in ‘ZY’, likely contributing to its high sugar content. Male sterility in ‘Tub’ was associated with tapetal abnormalities due to the decreased expression of DYT1, TDF1, and AMS, which affected early tapetum development. The chromosome-scale genome and large-scale transcriptome data presented in this study offer new valuable resources for biological research on S. samarangense and shed new light on fruit size control, sugar metabolism, and male sterility regulatory metabolism in wax apple.

Composting of post-consumption food waste enhanced by bioaugmentation with microbial consortium

There is escalating interest in composting of post-consumption food waste (PCFW) to recycle nutrients and mitigate pollution by inappropriate disposal. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of bioaugmentation to composting of PCFW, which is in difficulties caused by high sugar, protein and gross lipid content. Inoculation of the microbial consortium effectively induced rapid temperature and pH rising, which led to OM reduction rate at 25.11 % and maturity at 150 % in terms of Germination Index value. EEMs-FRI showed that humification was accelerated in the thermophilic stage and further improved in the mature stage. Bacterial community analysis revealed that microbial inoculant ameliorated acidification, and expedited temperature and pH rising in the initial stage, which in turn accelerated bacteria community succession. The abundance of Actinobacteria was much higher in the thermophilic and mature stage in T2 treatment than in T1, which might explain rapid organic degradation. High temperature enriched thermophilic genera (Thermobifida, Compostibacillus, Neobacillus), and Pseudonocardia and Actinoplanes were enriched in the mature stage, which correlated to effective degradation of organic matter, humification and maturity. Temperature and pH mainly motivated bacterial succession. The results suggest that bioaugmentation is a favorable approach for efficient composting of PCFW.

Industrial Scale Direct Liquefaction of E. globulus Biomass

This work presents the study of Eucalyptus globulus bark and sawdust direct liquefaction. Laboratory scale experiments were carried out to assess the impact of several variables on the reaction yield and the sugar content of the bio-oil. These variables were the biomass type and concentration, the solvent, and the reaction time. The results show that E. globulus sawdust presented the highest yields (>95%), but the highest sugar content after water extraction was obtained for E. globulus bark (~5.5% vs. 1.2% for sawdust). Simultaneously, industrial-scale tests were carried out at the ENERGREEN pilot plant using the same reaction variables, which resulted in reaction yields of nearly 100%. The reagents and raw materials used, as well as the products obtained (bio-oil, reaction condensates, polyols, and sugar phases) were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. The heating value of the bio-oils is higher than the original biomass (higher heating value of E. globulus sawdust bio-oil 29 MJ/kg vs. 19.5 MJ/kg of the original E. globulus sawdust). The analyses of the bio-oils allowed us to identify the presence of high-added-value compounds, such as levulinic acid and furfural. Finally, a study of the accelerated aging of liquefied biomass showed that the biofuel density increases from 1.35 to 1.44 kg/dm3 after 7 days of storage due to the occurrence of repolymerization reactions.

Tuning the mechanical properties of pectin films with polyphenol-rich plant extracts

The mechanical properties of pectin films enhanced with polyphenol-rich fruit extracts were investigated. The scavenging and reducing activity of plant extracts incorporated into the pectin films were determined using bench assays, and their antioxidant activity was correlated with a high presence of polyphenols, which were predominantly comprised of flavonoids and anthocyanins. The pectin films generated from the extracts exhibited a range of mechanical properties; tensile strength (4.99 MPa – 6.91 MPa), elongation at break (45.8 % - 52.3 %), and stiffness (1835 g mm−1 - 2765 g mm−1). To investigate the underlying relationships between plant extract composition and mechanical properties, Projection to Latent Structures (PLS) models were developed. The PLS models revealed that extracts containing high sugar and polyphenol content increase the tensile strength and moisture content of films. The elongation at break of the films was improved or diminished depending on the profile of sugar, acids, and polyphenols in the fruit extracts. Furthermore, the structures and concentration of anthocyanins and flavonoids were identified to strongly influenced the elongation at break differences. By modifying the concentration of sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols, the mechanical properties of pectin-based films can be tuned for tailored applications as food packaging materials.

The Chemical Characteristics and In Vitro Degradability of Pineapple By-Products as Potential Feed for Ruminants.

Pineapple fruit, which is cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas, is processed by the food industry, generating a large amount of waste. Using pineapple by-products in animal nutrition could reduce feeding costs and contribute to the containment of pollution. The chemical composition and the in vitro fermentation of five pineapple by-products (crown, bud end, peel, core, and pomace) from two West African pineapple varieties (Smooth Cayenne-SC and Sugarloaf-SL) were evaluated. Significant differences were observed between the varieties and by-products. The dry matter (DM) content was low and superimposable between varieties, averaging 17.7%. On a DM basis, pomace showed the highest protein content (SC 8.10% and SL 8.81%, p < 0.001), whereas the crown showed the highest (p < 0.001) NDF content (47.62% and 39.01% for SC and SL, respectively). Due the high sugar content, the core and pomace showed high in vitro organic matter degradability (SC: 85.09% and SL: 83.98%), estimated metabolizable energy (SC: 7.91 KJ/kg and SL: 7.66 KJ/kg), and volatile fatty acid production (96.86 mmol/g and 90.62 mmol/g). Based on chemical composition and in vitro digestibility results, this study suggests that pineapple by-products have the potential to be used in ruminants' diets, considering the crown, bud end, and peel as fiber sources and the core and pomace as substitutes or supplements to concentrate feedstuffs. Further research should be conducted on the storability of these by-products through in vivo trials evaluating animals' performances and the quality of their products.

Honey fraud detection based on sugar syrup adulterations by HPLC-UV fingerprinting and chemometrics

In recent years, honey-producing sector has faced the increasing presence of adulterated honeys, implying great economic losses and questioning the quality of this highly appreciated product by the society. Due to the high sugar content of honey, sugar syrups are among its most common adulterants, being also the most difficult to detect even with isotope ratio techniques depending on the origin of the sugar syrup plant source. In this work, a honey authentication method based on HPLC-UV fingerprinting was developed, exhibiting a 100% classification rate of honey samples against a great variety of sugar syrups (agave, corn, fiber, maple, rice, sugar cane and glucose) by partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). In addition, the detection and level quantitation of adulteration using syrups as adulterants (down to 15%) was accomplished by partial least squares (PLS) regression with low prediction errors by both internal and external validation (values below 12.8% and 19.7%, respectively).