High Shelf Life Research Articles

Shelf life study of developed reduced fat Synbiotic cream cheese

Cream cheese is a soft, rich, creamy white, unripened cheese with slightly acidic and diacetyl flavour. The focus of the present study was to study the shelf life of the developed Reduced fat cream cheese (RFCC) prepared by addition of 1% probiotic (Lactobacillus helveticus) culture along with 4% inulin in comparison with the control cream cheese sample both packed in 150 ml of polypropylene cups, sealed with aluminium foil and kept at 7-8o C in refrigerator. The developed synbiotic reduced cream cheese was found to have a higher shelf life (24 days) than the control (20days).Sensory profile, physico-chemical properties and microbial count also varied significantly as the storage progressed. Free fatty acid (FFA) content of both the samples increased throughout the storage period. The viability of probiotic culture was better in RFCC with inulin than in control.

Evaluation of lead and nickel in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using sugarcane biochar

Today, heavy metal contamination in soil due to toxicity, stability, high shelf life in soil, and elemental accumulation in foods is considered to hazardous biologically and ecologically. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of lead and nickel in wheat using sugarcane biochar. The experimental design was factorial with a completely randomized design in triplicate, and the factors included sugarcane biochar at four levels of zero (control), 2, 4, and 6% of soil weight and soil type (contaminated and non-contaminated with lead and nickel). Lead (500 mg/kg) and nickel (250 mg/kg) were added to each pot based on the threshold and critical levels of contaminated agricultural soil. The maximum lead in roots (1,771.8 mg/kg), stems (119.73 mg/kg), and grains (32.36 mg/kg) and maximum nickel in roots (562.5 mg/kg), stems (39.54 mg/kg), and grains (9.4 mg/kg) were measured in the contaminated soil. The maximum reduction of lead and nickel in the plants was measured using 6% biochar, and the reduction rate of lead in roots, stems, and grains with 6% biochar was 22.2, 75.7, and 83.3%. The reduction rate of nickel in roots, stems, and grains was 16.9, 81, and 62.8% compared to the biochar absence, respectively. In the contaminated soils, 6% biochar was effective in reducing the lead below the standard level in foods, especially in the grains, while the grain nickel was slightly higher than the food standards, and further investigations should increase food safety.

The Effect of Cationic Polyacrylamide as Retention Aid for Alkaline Papermaking

Alkaline paper has advantages in their high shelf life (permanence) compared to paper made in acidic conditions. The conversion from acidic papermaking process to alkaline process is a major change experienced by the paper industry. In alkaline papermaking, one of the internal sizing agent used is Alkylketene Dimer (AKD). This additive is used to improve the resistance of paper to liquid penetration. Changes to the use of sizing agents are also followed by other changes; one of them is the change in the retention aids used. The use of Cationic Polyacrylamide (C-PAM) as retention aid on alkaline papermaking which is sized by AKD has been investigated. In this study, 100% Leaf Bleached Kraft Pulp (LBKP) as a fiber source was refined in a laboratory beater up to 400 mLCSF of freeness and then mixed with paper additives i.e. 0.1% AKD as sizing agent, 15% calcium carbonate as filler and 1% cationic starch as dry strength agent. The addition of C-PAM was varied in the range of 0% - 0.4% based on dry weight of fiber. After being mixed thoroughly, the handsheets of 60 g/m2 grammage were made and then tested for tensile strength and water absorption (Cobb-60). The addition of 0.1% C-PAM resulted paper with good tensile strength and improved the resistance to liquid penetration. Keywords: Alkaline paper, AKD sizing, C-PAM, tensile strength, water absorption (Cobb-60) DOI: 10.7176/CMR/12-6-04 Publication date: July 31 st 2020

Fermentation of high-salt liquid-state soy sauce without any additives by inoculation of lactic acid bacteria and yeast.

Food additives are artificial or natural substances that are added to food to improve the color, aroma, taste, and other qualities, and to meet processing requirements. For the concern of food health and safety, brewed soy sauce without additives has attracted consumers' attention. Here, only four necessary raw materials including soybean, wheat, salt, and water were added. High-salt soy sauce fermentation was conducted for six months by sequential inoculation of lactic acid bacteria and yeast under different brine content (18%, 20%, and 22%). By analyzing the physicochemical indicators during moromi, three soy sauces (No. 1: 18% salt, inoculated with Tetragenococcus halophilus and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, No. 5: 20% salt, inoculated with T. halophilus and Z. rouxii, No. 11: 22% salt, inoculated with T. halophilus and Candida versatilis) were selected and sterilized to produce finished products for further comparative investigation. Results showed that the flavor components of these three soy sauces were richer in variety than the commercial soy sauces and No. 11 soy sauce was detected to have the largest total amount of organic acids. Plate count agar analysis revealed that the free amino acid differences of soy sauces were distinct, among which the No. 11 soy sauce had the highest glutamate content of 19.64 g L-1. Besides, it was found that the shelf life of these three soy sauces could reach two years at 4 ℃. This study suggests that the high-salt soy sauce made by rational application of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and effective sterilization can have high quality and long shelf life without adding any additives.

Biological activities of dihydroquercetin and its effect on the oxidative stability of butter oil

Some biological activities of dihydroquercetin (DHQ), including antioxidative, antibacterial and anticancer activities, and the oxidative stability of butter oil supplemented with DHQ were evaluated. The DPPH* radical-scavenging activity was high for DHQ, with an IC50 of 63.83 ± 3.11 μg/ml, compared to that of Trolox, which had an IC50 of 117.02 ± 5.19 μg/ml, over the concentrations studied (10–100 μg/ml). At high concentrations (>40 μg/ml), DHQ showed a low scavenging activity for ABTS* radicals, with an IC50 of 99.96 ± 4.59 μg/ml compared to that of Trolox (78.93 ± 2.88 μg/ml). DHQ at a concentration of 12.5–100 μg/ml decreased the surviving fraction of liver (HepG2) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines, with an IC50 value of 78.5 and 124.5 μg/ml, respectively. Additionally, DHQ had good antibacterial activity against both gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Yersinia enterocolitica) bacteria. DHQ reduced the oxidation process in butter oil, which caused prolongation of the shelf life (1.9 to 3.53 times), in a concentration-dependent manner (50 to 200 ppm). Finally, DHQ is very important to the health of consumers and can be used to protect dairy foods from oxidation and extend shelf life. Practical applications The application of dihydroquercetin (DHQ) in the food industry regulates the chemical properties of food products, and the maximum content of DHQ in such products is up to 200 mg/kg fat in the product. The main proposal for using DHQ in foodstuffs is based on its properties, including the ability to reduce oxidative reactions, the ability to strengthen capillaries, and vitamin P activity. Thus, the following advantages were elucidated: DHQ, as an antioxidative agent, could reduce lipid peroxidation and provide the possibility to produce foodstuffs with a higher shelf life, and DHQ can be used for manufacturing products of functional nutrition.

СЕЛЕКЦИЯ КАРТОФЕЛЯ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЯКУТИИ

The article presents the results of the test of twelve promising hybrids (six combinations) in nurseries of a competitive test (1 and 2 years) in the conditions of Central Yakutia, conducted in 2018-2019 (the characteristics of weather conditions are presented). All of them belong to the group of early-maturing and mid-early (55-70 days): 216 (Dacha × 128-6), 239-1, 239-2, 239-3 (Ladoga × Rosalind), 233, 233-2 (Slavyanka × Rosalind), 237, 237-1 (Severny × Dubrava), 232 (Aurora × Bonus), 234 (Scarlet Sail × Victoria). The evaluation showed that the studied hybrids correspond to the variety model according to economically valuable characteristics: they have a high yield, good biochemical indicators, the appearance of the tubers meets the requirements of consumers (small surface eyes, medium-deep stolon trace), high shelf life during storage, the tasting score of the tubers is 4.0 points. The studied samples of hybrids had a yield of 26.0-42.0 t / ha, a marketability of 92-97%, which makes them economically valuable. The samples differed in the content of dry matter (18.4–22.1 %) and starch (9.5–13.4 %). The content of nitrates in the tubers did not exceed the permissible concentration. The studied samples are resistant to the most common diseases of the zone: viral (common mosaic, twisting of leaves, curly hair, wrinkled mosaic, etc.), macrosporiosis,rhizoctoniosis, scab. According to the results of the conducted studies, potato hybrids 232 (Aurora × Bonus), 233 (Slavyanka × Rosalind) and 239-2 (Ladoga x Razolind) were selected for further study and transferred to the resistance to the causative agent of cancer and nematodes.

Production and Characterization of Nutritious Peanut Butter Enhanced with Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato

Peanuts worldwide are popular for their nutritional quality and commercial potential. Their consumption in Uganda is high and second after common beans thus making them a suitable food for fortification to fight the increasing vitamin A deficiency in the country. Consumption of orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is equally high in the country and this too offers potential to fortify peanut butter for increased intake of vitamin A. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of producing a nutritious peanut butter, with high shelf-life. An OFSP ratios of 0% (Control), 5% (Treatment 1), 10% (Treatment 2) and 15% (Treatment 3) were mixed with peanut butter. The product was assessed for proximate composition using AOAC methods and sensory qualities.

Bitkisel Kaynaklı Yenilebilir Film ve Kaplamaların Minimal İşlem Görmüş Meyve ve Sebzelere Uygulanması

Günümüz tüketicileri değişen yaşam tarzı ile birlikte besin değeri yüksek, fonksiyonel özellikleri iyileştirilmiş ve raf ömrü uzun gıdalara yönelmektedir. Minimal işlem görmüş taze meyve ve sebzelere olan ilgi sağlıklı, besleyici ve tüketime hazır olmaları nedeniyle artmaktadır. Ancak hasat sonrası devam eden solunum, terleme gibi biyolojik faaliyetler depolama boyunca meyve ve sebzelerde su ve çözünen madde kaybına yol açmakta, ortamdaki gaz konsantrasyonunu değiştirmekte, bu durum kütle kaybı, besin değeri ve raf ömrü gibi kritik kalite parametrelerini büyük ölçüde etkilemektedir. Parçalama, kesme veya kabuk soyma gibi küçük ölçekli işlemler meyve ve sebzelerin yüzey alanını arttırdığı için çeşitli enzimatik reaksiyonları tetiklemekte dolayısıyla raf ömrünü azaltmaktadır. Taze meyve ve sebzeye en yakın kalitede bir ürün üretmek, istenen kalite özelliklerini korumak, mikrobiyolojik bozulmaları kontrol altına almak ve raf ömrünü uzatmak amacıyla kullanılan inovatif yöntemler arasında doğal, çevre dostu, ekonomik ve kolay uygulanabilir olması nedeniyle ‘‘yenilebilir film ve kaplamalar” ön plana çıkmaktadır. Ayrıca minimal işlenmiş meyve ve sebzelere uygulanan bu tip kaplamaların formülasyonlarında bitkisel kaynaklı materyallerin de kullanılması tüketicilerin ilgisini çekmekte ve ürünlere olan güveni arttırmaktadır. Bu derlemede, sürekli artan tüketici taleplerini karşılayacak yeni bir gıda ambalajlama yöntemi olan bitkisel kaynaklı yenilebilir film kaplamaların minimal işlem görmüş taze meyve ve sebzelere uygulanması ve depolama süresince ürünlerde meydana gelen bazı fiziksel, kimyasal, duyusal ve mikrobiyal değişimlere olan etkisi hakkında bilgi verilmiştir.

An improved kit formulation for one-pot synthesis of [99m Tc]Tc-HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 for routine clinical use in cancer imaging.

Radiolabeled Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide derivatives have immense potential for non-invasive monitoring of malignancies overexpressing integrin αv β3 receptors. Easy availability of suitable radiotracers would augment the utility of this class of molecular imaging agents. Towards this, the present article describes the development of an improved lyophilized kit for the routine clinical formulation of [99m Tc]Tc complex of HYNIC-conjugated dimeric cyclic RGD peptide derivative E-[c(RGDfK)]2 (E = glutamic acid, f = phenyl alanine, K = lysine) without using Sn2+ and systematic evaluation of its efficacy. Five batches of the kits were prepared, and [99m Tc]Tc-HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 radiotracer was synthesized with high radiochemical purity (98.6 ± 0.5%) and specific activity (124.8 GBq/μmol) using the kits. Biodistribution studies in C57BL/6 mice bearing melanoma tumor exhibited significant accumulation of the radiotracer in tumor (5.32 ± 0.56 %ID/g at 60 min p.i.), and this uptake was also found to be receptor-specific by blocking studies. Preliminary human clinical investigations carried out in 10 breast cancer patients revealed high radiotracer uptake in the tumor along with good tumor-to-background contrast. The developed kit formulation showed an exceptionally high shelf-life of at least 18 months. These results demonstrated promising attributes of the developed kit formulation and warrant more extensive clinical investigations.

Label-Free Nanosensing Platform for Breast Cancer Exosome Profiling.

Breast cancer accounts for 11.6% of all cancer cases in both genders. Even though several diagnostic techniques have been developed, the mostly used are invasive, complex, time-consuming, and cannot guarantee an early diagnosis, significantly constraining the tumor treatment success rate. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that carry biomolecules from tissues to the peripheral circulation, representing an emerging noninvasive source of markers for early cancer diagnosis. Current techniques for exosomes analysis are frequently complex, time-consuming, and expensive. Raman spectroscopy interest has risen lately, because of its nondestructive analysis and little to no sample preparation, while having very low analyte concentration/volume, because of surface enhancement signal (SERS) possibility. However, active SERS substrates are needed, and commercially available substrates come with a high cost and low shelf life. In this work, composites of commercial nata de coco to produce bacterial nanocellulose and in-situ-synthesized silver nanoparticles are tested as SERS substrates, with a low cost and green approach. Enhancement factors from 104 to 105 were obtained, detecting Rhodamine 6G (R6G) concentrations as low as 10-11 M. Exosome samples coming from MCF-10A (nontumorigenic breast epithelium) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer) cell cultures were tested on the synthesized substrates, and the obtained Raman spectra were subjected to statistical principal component analysis (PCA). Combining PCA with Raman intravariability and intervariability in exosomal samples, data grouping with 95% confidence was possible, serving as a low-cost, green, and label-free diagnosis method, with promising applicability in clinical settings.

Development of molded jelly marmelad technology with the introduction of food additive “Magnetofood”

Lack of domestic raw materials, a significant portion of imported high-cost ingredients and increasing competitiveness make manufacturers look for new technological solutions in order to improve the consumer properties of marmalade products. A promising trend in the field of jelly and marmalade products is the creation of products with high quality and long shelf life. For this purpose various food additives, i.e. improvers, are used in jelly marmalade technology. As an improver of shaped jelly marmalade, we have developed and proposed “Magnetofood” food additive, which is nanopowder with a particle size of (70–80) nm. “Magnetofood” is a food additive with high functional and technological potential. “Magnetofood” additive can independently generate structural and mechanical properties of jelly masses, and also it can influence the gelling agent by entering into chemical and electrostatic interactions with it. Therefore the “Magnetofood” food additive can simultaneously affect several technological properties in the food jelly system: to be a stabilizer, a thickener and a gelling agent. Due to Fe (II), nanosize, developed active surface, bacteriostatic character, high thermal stability, “Magnetofood” has reducing, antioxidant, antimicrobial, sorbing, complexable, emulsifying, moisture-retaining, fat-retaining, water-binding, stabilizing, and structuring properties. It makes possible to recommend “Magnetofood” as an additive of complex action to improve the quality and extend the shelf life of shaped jelly marmalade. The influence of “Magnetofood” food additive on organoleptic, physical and chemical, microbiological parameters of test samples of agar- and pectin-based shaped jelly marmalade has been studied.

A new latent accelerator and study of its effect on physical, mechanical and shelf-life of carbon fiber epoxy prepreg

The effects of a new latent accelerator and those of two common accelerators of 1-methyl imidazole and 2,4,6-tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (DMP) have been studied in relation to the properties of dicyandiamide (dicy) cured epoxy resin and its prepregs with unidirectional carbon fiber. The new prepared accelerator is an adduct based on DMP (A_DMP). The results showed that the curing behavior of epoxy/dicy did not change when the appropriate amount of new accelerator was used. The amount of 5 phr of new latent accelerator is equal to the amount of 0.6 phr of DMP accelerator and by increasing the amount of new accelerator, the curing reaction of epoxy/dicy increased significantly. Viscosity build-up results and gel time measurements showed the high pot-life of resin system (epoxy/Dicy/A_DMP) and the high shelf-life of their prepreg. The results showed that the lap shear strength of sample containing 5 phr of the new accelerator (A_DMP5) was increased by 127% in comparison to the sample containing 0.6 phr of DMP. Transverse tensile strength and strain-at-break were increased by 27% and 31.7%, respectively. Transverse flexural strength, flexural strain-at-break and flexural modulus increased by 52%, 11% and 60%, respectively. On the other hand, fracture toughness and fracture energy increased significantly by 214% and 700%, respectively. This increase in mechanical properties was due to the bulkiness of the new latent accelerator acting as a toughening agent and also the good adhesion of fiber to the matrix as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.

Shelf-life estimation and quality of resistant bananas to black leaf streak disease during ripening

Black Leaf Streak Disease (BLSD), also known as Black Sigatoka, is considered the most important banana leaf disease worldwide, because it reduces, in average (↓), both yield (↓ 38%) and postharvest banana green-life (↓ 40%). The control of this disease requires weekly applications of fungicides, which increase the economic and environmental costs for banana production, especially in a few countries in Latin American, which account for over 80% of total banana traded internationally. However, frequent fungicide spraying leads to rapid evolution of fungicide-resistance fungal strains that cause disease-control failures. This work aimed to evaluate the shelf-life and postharvest quality of three genotypes of banana (Musa spp.) resistant to BLSD. Survival analysis methodology was used to estimate shelf-life using the Log-Rank test. Postharvest quality included variables such as peel weight, pulp weight, soluble solids, total sugar, starch, total chlorophyll and total carotenoids. The best results were highlighted by BRS Tropical including a high shelf-life for green life (GL) phase of 22.28 days, followed by BRS Vitória (13.45 days). BRS Platina presented the lowest GL phase (11.23 days). BRS Tropical presented a highest yellow life (YL), including good postharvest quality at end of ripening as soluble solids (25.53°Brix), total sugars (13.73 g 100 g−1) and starch (1.32 g 100 g−1). Results suggest that BRS Tropical, which presented a longer shelf-life (27.85 days), may be indicated for exports purposes as well as in natura consumption. Due to the short shelf-life, BRS Vitória and BRS Platina were more suitable for processing industry.

Latent curing epoxy systems with reduced curing temperature and improved stability

As a representative single component epoxy resin, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A resin (DGEBA) is the most widely used matrix in adhesives. However, challenges are still remained including high curing temperature and short shelf life. Herein, bisphenol A (BPA), Tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA), and Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) as latent curing agents and imidazole as accelerator were used in adhesives. Curing kinetics was studied by non-isothermal DSC, using a model-fitting Málek approach and a model-free advanced isoconversional method of Vyazovkin. Results indicated that curing temperature of EP-BPA, EP-TCBPA, and EP-TBBPA was reduced to 126 ℃, 94 ℃, and 106 ℃, respectively. Storage stability evaluated by DSC indicated the shelf life was up to five months. After curing, molecular weights of the as-prepared linear polymers (EP-BPA, EP-TCBPA, and EP-TBBPA) were 33,822 g/mol, 14,913 g/mol, and 18,846 g/mol, and their tensile strength and shear strength were more than 40.06 MPa and 13.64 MPa, respectively.

Highly thermoconductive fluid with aqueous compatible graphene

Heat transfer of nanofluids is a complex phenomenon, where many factors like viscosity, surface charge, composition, and fluid stability of the dispersed nanoplatelets will affect the final thermal performance. Various layered nanoplatelets have been applied to fabricate composite nanofluids for applications on thermal management systems. Up to date, heat transfer fluids with high thermal and electrical properties have not yet been synthesized. In this study, functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (FGNs) with 1-5 atomic-thick were synthesized via a green steam exfoliated technique. Such the FGNs can generate the highly stable aqueous suspensions with high shelf life. The FGNs-water nanofluid exhibits an unprecedented thermal conductivity of 2.52 W mK−1 at 20 vol% loading of nanoplatelets, suggesting it has superb potential application on various thermal fields.

Evaluation of Hurdle Technology on Shelf Life Extension of Thai Red Curry Paste and Sour Curry Paste

The effects of reduced water activity and different packaging materials were investigated regarding shelf life extension of Thai red curry paste and sour curry paste. Curry pastes supplemented with 10% sodium chloride and dried at 50°C for 120 minutes and original red and sour curry pastes were evaluated for physical, chemical and microbiological properties. Results showed that L*, a*, and b* values and total viable count in supplemented curry pastes were less than in original curry pastes. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella spp. and Escherchia coli were not detected in both supplemented and original curry pastes. Protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate, total phenolic content and IC50 value of supplemented curry pastes did not differ from the original curry pastes. Both supplemented and original curry pastes were vacuum packed in aluminium foil and nylon bags and stored at 25°C for 8 weeks. Results revealed that nylon bags gave higher shelf life extension for supplemented curry pastes over the storage period. Values of water activity, moisture, aflatoxin, total viable count and mould count in supplemented curry pastes packed in nylon bags were less than the Thai community product standards.

Enhanced electron transfer properties of NiO thin film for the efficient detection of urea

Ur/NiO matrix is used efficiently for the detection of Urea. NiO thin film is deposited using rf magnetron sputtering. Variation in processing pressure (10–40 mT) and growth temperature (room temperature to 500 °C) during film deposition alter its defect profile, thus tailoring the charge transfer characteristics. The studies reveal a relationship between biosensing characteristics with various properties of NiO matrix (structural, electrical etc.). The Ur/NiO/ITO/glass biosensor demonstrate very high sensitivity (66.7 μA/(mM)) with rapid time of response (5 s) and good linearity over a wide range of urea concentration (0.83–16.65 Mm). Lower Michaelis–Menten constant value (Km = 0.34 mM) ensures high affinity of Urease for urea. High electron transfer characteristics and long shelf life (20 weeks) are the key features of the fabricated urea biosensor.

Development of amine-based latent accelerator for one-pot epoxy system with low curing temperature and high shelf life

One-pot epoxy system is widely used in prepreg applications. Achieving a long storage life and at the same time, a low curing temperature is a real challenge in one-pot systems. To deal with these challenges, we developed adducts as latent accelerators for one-pot epoxy/dicyandiamide system through the addition reaction of epoxy, phthalic anhydride and different types of alkanolamine/phenol amines. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the so-prepared adducts were long chain tertiary amines. Non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) proved the effectiveness of adducts towards significant reduction of the curing peak temperature of epoxy/dicyandiamide. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the acceleration capacity is controlled by adduct ingredients of amine type, amine and phthalic anhydride content. The activation energies (Eα) projected by isoconversional methods revealed different Eα-conversion profiles for each system that were in agreement with chemorheological results. According to Málek method, Šesták–Berggren model was the most appropriate to fit the experimental reaction rates. Furthermore, for all one-pot epoxy/dicyandiamide samples, no viscosity build-up and epoxide group consumption were detected after 4 months indicating for their relatively long shelf lives.

Determination of shelf-life of <i>Trichoderma asperellum </i> in solid- and liquid-based formulations

Trichoderma has gained attention as a promising bio-control agent owing to its effectiveness against a wide array of soil-borne plant pathogens. Successful introduction of bio-control agents to farmers is hindered mostly by unavailability of commercial preparation of Trichoderma bio-inoculate with a considerably higher shelf-life. The objectives of this investigation was to study the shelf-life of T. asperellum in selected liquid- and solid-based formulations and to find the suitability of cattle manure as a multiplication medium. Different carrier material including liquids and solids were tested for preparation of a commercial biological formulation of T. asperellum. The liquid carrier media tested in the present study were 1% sucrose, 1% peptone water, 1% tryptone broth, 1% tryptone soy broth and sterilized distilled water. Talc powder was tested as the solid carrier material. Cattle manure was incorporated with talc-Trichoderma formulation to check the suitability of cattle manure as a multiplying substrate. The initial spore count of each liquid formulation was maintained at 1.0x106 cfu/ml. At the end of 4th week, the mean viable spore counts of the tryptone broth, peptone water and tryptone soy broth used were 7.15x106 cfu/ml, 7.26x105 cfu/ml and 7.30x105 cfu/ml, respectively. From the 4th week onwards, the viable spore count of those three formulations could not be calculated due to heavy contaminations. In the 1% sugar solution and sterilized distilled water, spores were countable only till the end of 8th week of preparation and the counts were 2.5x104 cfu/ml and 2.6x103 cfu/ml, respectively. A talc-based formulation was prepared by mixing T. asperellum spore suspension (1.0x108 CFU/ml) with talc powder at three different levels (v/w); 30ml/100 g (T1), 40 ml/100 g (T2) and 50 ml/100 g (T3). Three months after storage, all the three treatments (T1, T2 and T3) yielded mean spore counts of 0.92x108 cfu/g, 1.11x108 cfu/g and 1.21x108 cfu/g, respectively. Talc powder inoculation with cattle manure was done at four different rates, i.e. 10 g/kg cattle manure (C1), 15 g/kg cattle manure (C2), 20 g/kg cattle manure (C3) and 25 g/kg cattle manure (C4). Cattle manure was identified as a potential multiplying substrate of the talc-based formulation of T. asperellum.

Nanoencapsulation strategies for lipid-soluble vitamins

Functional properties of liposoluble vitamins have been extensively used in the food industry for the development of nutrition-based products. But their efficacy tends to decline because of oxidation reactions as they are highly sensitive to free radicals and other metallic ions. In addition, lipid-soluble vitamins also demonstrate limited water solubility. Thus, dissolution in aqueous-based foods is a challenge. Some techniques have been suggested for the protection of lipid-soluble vitamins. One such method is nanoencapsulation which has recently posed a novel platform for showing enhanced bioavailability, higher shelf life and controlled release of entrapped liposoluble vitamins. In this work, we focus on five model lipid-based nanodelivery systems: (1) conventional nanoemulsions, (2) nanoliposomes, (3) solid lipid nanoparticles, (4) nanostructured lipid carriers and (5) nanosuspensions. First, we focus on the specific liquid and electrochemical techniques available for the preparation of such nanostructures. In the next phase, the five different lipid-based nanostructures have been discussed with their formulation techniques (energy and pressure attributes) concerning their encapsulation strategy for lipid-soluble vitamins.