High Levels Of Starch Research Articles

Improved engineered fungal-bacterial commensal consortia simultaneously degrade multiantibiotics and biotransform food waste into lipopeptides

Resource utilization of food waste is necessary to reduce environmental pollution. However, antibiotics can enter the environment through food waste, resulting in antibiotic residues, which pose potential risks to human health. In this study, commensal artificial consortia were constructed through intercellular adaptation to simultaneously degrade antibiotics and bioconvert food waste into lipopeptides. The biodegradation efficiency of oxytetracycline in the three-strain consortium, which contained lipopeptide-producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens HM618, high-level proline-producing Corynebacterium glutamate, and laccase-producing Pichia pastoris, was around 100% in the food waste medium at 72 h; this was higher than that in the pure culture of P. pastoris-Lac. Sulfamethoxazole could be removed at 48 h. However, the lipopeptide level in the three-strain consortium was only 77 mg/L. The four-strain consortium containing free fatty acid-producing Yarrowia lipolytica improved the lipopeptide level to around 218 mg/L. The degradation efficiency of oxytetracycline in the four-strain consortium was 100% at 48 h; however, only 56% of the sulfamethoxazole was removed over 96 h. Three five-strain consortia were formed by introducing recombinant manganese peroxidase-producing P. pastoris, recombinant HM618 with high-level amylase, and serine-producing C. glutamicum. In low starch food waste, the highest degradation efficiency of sulfamethoxazole was 71%, while oxytetracycline could be completely removed at 48 h. However, oxytetracycline inhibited starch degradation and lipopeptide production. The high level of starch improved lipopeptide synthesis to 1,280 mg/L. The results of this study provide a feasible strategy for the resource utilization of inferior biomass food waste.

Structural and Physicochemical Characterization of Resistant Starch from Sixteen Banana Cultivars across Three Genome Groups.

Banana fruits are rich in starch, and unripe banana flour is considered a beneficial ingredient in the food industry because it has high levels of resistant starch, which significantly aids in promoting gut health and regulating blood sugar and lipid levels. However, the associations between banana cultivars with various genotypes cultivated globally and their resistant starch properties remain unclear. Herein, we investigated resistant starches from 16 banana cultivars covering three genome groups (ABB, AAB, and AAA) in order to reveal the differences and similarities among these cultivars. The results showed that there was a genotype-specific pattern in banana resistant starch (BRS) degradation. The AAA genome BRS exhibited a high degree of resistant starch degradation. The genotypes of the banana cultivars also impacted the granular morphology of the resistant starch. The ABB and AAB genome BRS were more conducive to forming resistant starch. The BRS samples from the three genome groups displayed either B-type or C-type structures. Even within the same genome group, the BRS samples exhibited differences in thermal and pasting properties. These findings reveal the impact of genotypes on BRS content and characteristics, providing a basis for future breeding and resistant starch utilization.

Dietary starch, non-starch polysaccharides and their interactions affect nutrient digestibility, faecal waste production and characteristics differentially in three salmonids: Rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr

Waste management has emerged as a critical issue in aquaculture. In this study, we examined the impact of dietary starch and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) content on nutrient digestibility, faecal waste production, faecal removal efficiency and the faecal characteristics in three salmonid species, namely rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Four diets were formulated according to a 2 × 2 factorial design. The first factor, starch, was tested by including 0% gelatinised wheat flour (low starch) or 20% gelatinised wheat flour (high starch) in a plant-based basal diet. The second factor, NSP, was tested by adding 0% NSP source (low NSP) or 10% NSP source (high NSP). High NSP level was achieved by adding an equal mixture of soya hull (5%) and wheat bran (5%). Diets were tested in triplicates for each species and feeding was done restrictively. Experimental duration was 42 days for rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon and 49 days for Arctic charr. Among the three species investigated, Arctic charr had the lowest digestibility values for most nutrients, whereas rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon values were comparable. High starch level in the diet reduced the macronutrient (protein, fat and ash) digestibility in all three species. High starch and high NSP levels in the diet increased faecal waste production, with the effect being more pronounced for the NSP content of the diet. High dietary starch levels increased the proportion of smaller-sized particles, while high NSP content increased the ability of faecal particles to withstand mechanical stress. The high starch level in the diet lowered faecal removal efficiency but increased by high NSP content. The highest and lowest faecal removal efficiency was recorded for Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr, respectively. The amount of non-removed faeces accumulating in the system was increased by the high starch levels in rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon but remained unaffected by the NSP content of the diet across the species. No interaction effect between starch and NSP content of diets was observed for faecal removal efficiency and non-removed faeces. Among the three species investigated, Arctic charr had the maximum amount of non-removed faeces per kilogram of dry matter feed.

Supercritical fluid extrusion of dairy and fruit products to generate GOS-enriched and nutritionally superior snack puffs

The consumption of ultra-processed snacks is often considered unhealthy because such foods generally are energy-dense with low nutritive value. They contain high levels of starch, fat, and sugar and low levels of essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, and bioactive compounds. Nutritionally balanced snack foods that cater to today’s on-the-go lifestyles and do not get in the way of better eating are in high demand. The present study aims to create nutritionally attractive extruded puffs by valorizing food manufacturing byproducts and to elucidate the uniqueness of hybrid extrusion processing and its effect on product quality parameters. Supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) was used to transform apple pomace, starch or dairy ingredient-based formulations into value-added products in a zero-waste system. Acid whey, a byproduct of yogurt and cheese manufacturing, was used in lieu of water in the extruder to mitigate environmental issues related to its disposal. The SCFX system was also used for in-process polymerization of galactose, sourced from lactose hydrolyzed skim milk powder (LHSMP), with lactose from milk protein concentrate (MPC) and acid whey sources to produce galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), a prebiotic associated with various health benefits and making the product acceptable to lactose intolerant consumers. Analysis of the extruded puffs showed that a combination of pomace and dairy ingredients significantly improved the nutritional profile of the product, notably increasing the fiber (5.0 g/30 g serving), protein (13.6 g/30 g serving), bioactive compounds (phenolics 21.4 mg GAE/30 g and vitamin C 0.3 mg/30 g serving), minerals, and GOS (0.4 g/30 g serving) contents. A sensory acceptance test (n=91) showed that incorporation of fruit and dairy by-products in snacks either improved or maintained Just About Right (JAR) scores compared to Market Keto puffs. Overall, utilizing fruit pomace and acid whey in extruded products made by SCFX is not only able to generate nutritious and functional snacks with balanced nutrients profile, derived from inexpensive agro-food by-products feedstock, but also can help mitigate environmental and waste issues.

Effects of High Dietary Starch Levels on the Growth Performance, Liver Function, and Metabolome of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

In this study, we conducted a 16-week feeding trial to investigate the effects of a high-cassava starch diet on growth performance, liver function, and metabolism in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). We formulated five diets containing varying levels of cassava starch: 12%, 9%, 6%, 3%, and 0% (termed M12, M9, M6, M3, and M0, respectively). We distributed these diets among largemouth bass with the initial body weight of 83.33 ± 0.55 g via an in-pond “raceway” aquaculture system. Our findings suggest that high level (12%) of cassava starch dietary inclusion adversely affected growth performance metrics such as weight gain rate and specific growth rate, along with feed utilization efficiency indicators, including protein efficiency, protein deposition rate, and the apparent digestibility of dry matter and protein. This negative impact was accompanied by a decrease in intestinal amylase activity. Through further transcriptomic analysis, we identified several key genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, which underwent changes influencing liver function. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed the involvement of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle). Comparative metabolomics analysis further indicated that the M9 group showed significant enrichment in pathways related to amino acid metabolism and alterations in the levels of metabolites involved in carbohydrate metabolism. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that incorporating up to 9% cassava starch in the diet can enhance growth performance in largemouth bass by stimulating digestive enzyme activities and promoting glucose utilization.

Nutritional Value Evaluation of Corn Silage from Different Mesoregions of Southern Brazil

Corn silage is widely used in livestock farming; however, its quality is easily altered, and one of the factors that has a high influence in this regard is the region of production. The objective was to evaluate the chemical–bromatological composition of 498 samples of corn silage from mesoregions in Southern Brazil during the 2022/2023 summer harvest. The following were studied in relation to our objective: nutritional composition, dry matter, mineral matter, ether extract, starch, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, total digestible nutrients, total carbohydrates, and fractions of carbohydrates. The silages from Central South-PR had higher levels of starch and ether extract (30.68% ± 6.24% and 3.41% ± 0.92%, respectively), whereas in West-SC, the silages had higher levels in the A + B1 fraction of carbohydrates (49.59% ± 6.34%). Silages in North-PR had higher concentrations of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber (49.86% ± 5.92% and 29.70% ± 4.38%, respectively), while in Northwest-RS and West-PR, silages had higher levels of the B2 carbohydrate fractions (46.25% ± 1.98% and 44.55% ± 3.84%, respectively). The nutritional composition differences presented were due to the variables of each mesoregion, interfering in the scenario of formulating diets and animal nutrition.

Directed self-assembly of mesoporous starch-based microparticle: Characterization, antimicrobial activities, and digestibility

Porous starch has garnered increasing interest due to its distinctive properties and versatile applications. Here, we propose a sustainable and efficient method for producing highly uniform mesoporous starch-based microspheres (CSMP) with adjustable sizes through the directed self-assembly of short-chain glucan (SCG) using chitosan. Chitosan facilitates the layer-by-layer deposition of SCG nuclei in the circumferential direction, resulting in the formation of a porous structure on CSMP. By controlling the concentration of SCG, the particle size can be precisely tuned within the range of 400 nm–900 nm. The resulting CSMP exhibit enhanced properties compared to starch-based microspheres formed without chitosan, including a surface area of 20.54 m2/g, total pore volume of 0.13 cm³/g, average pore diameter of 25.5 nm, and water absorption capacity of 352.6%. Moreover, CSMP demonstrate remarkable antibacterial activity (over 93%) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, while containing a high level of resistant starch (over 60%), highlighting their potential for the development of functional foods.

PENGARUH KONSENTRASI KINETIN TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN SUBKULTUR PISANG KEPOK TIMBATU SECARA IN VITRO

Kepok Timbatu bananas are a local food source that is not yet popular in the community. These bananas are rich in nutrients and contain high levels of starch. However, they are rarely cultivated and not widely found, resulting in a limited supply of planting materials. Therefore, propagation through in vitro culture, particularly during the subculture stage, is necessary. This study aimed to determine the best kinetin concentration for the in vitro growth of Kepok Timbatu banana subcultures. The study was designed a completely randomized design (CRD) with one factor, testing kinetin concentrations in MS medium at four levels: k1 = 3 mg L-1, k2 = 5 mg L-1, k3 = 7 mg L-1, and k4 = 9 mg L-1. Observations in this study include time of browning appearance, browning percentage (1-6 weeks after subculture), time of shoot emergence, number of shoots (1-6 weeks after subculture), time of root emergence, number of roots (3-6 weeks after subculture), number of leaves (3-6 weeks after subculture), and shoot height. The results showed that the kinetin concentration did not significant effect on all observed variables.

Moisture content and mycorrhizal fungi in maternal environment influence performance and composition of Lallemantia species offspring

The availability of soil water content and nutrition in the maternal plant environment plays pivotal roles in shaping the performance, physio-biochemical properties, and chemical composition of the produced seed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of water and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) of maternal plant environment on performance, physio-biochemical properties, and chemical compositions of Lallemantia species offspring. A split-factorial experiment was performed using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plot consisted of three drought stress (30 %, 60 % and 90 % of soil available water depletion). The subplots were the factorial combination of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF− and AMF+) and Lallemantia species (L. iberica and L. royleana). The offspring of both Lallemantia species experienced a decrease in seed performance, superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activities, proline, and chemical composition as well as a rise in hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation due to the limited availability of water in the maternal plant environment. On the other hand, providing adequate nutrition in the maternal plant environment resulted in improved germination index, increased starch, and oil content, as well as higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the offspring of both Lallemantia species. Compared to the offspring of L. royleana, the offspring of L. iberica had a higher number of achenes, seeds, seed weight, larger seed size, greater germination index, and higher levels of starch, oil, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. In contrast, the offspring of L. royleana exhibited higher longevity, enhanced germination under osmotic and salinity stress, increased proline levels, and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbic peroxidase as well as sucrose and total soluble sugar. The study concludes that the best seed performance, antioxidant enzyme activities, and carbohydrate levels were observed in the offspring of both Lallemantia species produced under 60 % soil available water depletion with AMF inoculation in the maternal plant environment. These findings highlight the significant impact of the soil available water depletion and AMF inoculation on the seed performance, physio-biochemical properties, and chemical composition of the offspring, providing valuable insights for optimizing seed production and performance.

Investigation of metabolic processes of alcohol yeast during the fermentation of buckwheat-corn wort

To expand the range of competitive alcoholic beverages with original organoleptic properties, it is promising to study the use of new types of plant raw materials in grain distillate technologies. The purpose of this work was to establish the influence of the characteristics of the composition of grain wort prepared with the joint use of an alternative raw material source — buck- wheat and corn, which is widely used in alcohol production, on the metabolic processes of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae 985-T and alcoholic fermentation. The objects of the study were buckwheat and corn; enzyme preparations — sources of amylases, xylanases, β-glucanases and proteases; samples of grain wort, mash and mash distillates. The prospects of introducing mixed grain media prepared using non-traditional buckwheat raw materials into the technology of original alcoholic bever- ages are substantiated. It was shown that the use of buckwheat as a source of biocomplete protein, essential amino acids and minerals together with corn containing a high level of starch and a low level of non-starch polysaccharides contributed both to an increase in the yield of alcohol and a change in the quantitative content of secondary metabolites in the composition of volatile impurities. It was found that an increase in the concentration of soluble carbohydrates in the wort and a decrease in its viscosity by 15.5–40.3% occurred due to the inclusion of corn in the composition of the grain mixture, and the enrichment of the wort with nitrogen assimilated by yeast by 19.0–41.8% — as a result adding buckwheat. The optimal ratio of corn and buckwheat in the composition of the grain mixture (7:3) was selected, which made it possible to improve the biochemical and technological parameters of grain must, increase the efficiency of the vital processes of yeast and alcoholic fermentation, ensure an increase in the yield of alcohol by 1.8%, reduce the formation of side metabolites, especially higher alcohols, and change their composition in the direction of increasing the proportion of aldehydes and esters, which can have a positive effect on the organoleptic characteristics of the distillate.

Exploitation of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) Grains for Physical and Functional Properties

Buckwheat is neither a nut nor a cereal but is included in a separate group called “pseudocereals”. Buckwheat grains contain high levels of protein, starch, dietary fibre, some minerals, vitamins, flavonoids and other bioactive compounds. The main aim of the study is to analyse physical and functional properties of buckwheat grains. The results showed that bread wheat (control) had significantly higher length (5.91 mm), length to width ratio (2.06) and lower width (2.86 mm) compared to other buckwheat varieties. In the present study, higher thousand grain weight and volume were recorded for bread wheat compared to buckwheat varieties indicating bolder grains of former. Significantly higher bulk (0.70 g/ml) for and true densities (2.08 g/ml) for Dharwad Selection-1 may be regarded as a consequence of volumes and shape of grains. Buckwheat varieties showed higher greenness (-0.80 to -1.14) lower brightness (78.12 to 82.36) and yellowness (6.30 to 8.09) compared to bread wheat. Chroma being higher for bread wheat (10.06) indicates having high brightness and saturation compared to buckwheat varieties (6.40-8.13). Hydration capacity and swelling index were higher for buckwheat varieties compared to bread wheat. where, in case of hydration index and swelling capacity it was vice versa. The overall information on physical properties plays an important role in food processing and its knowledge is essential to design the equipment for handling, aeration, storing and processing of food grains.

Canna Starch Improves Intestinal Barrier Function, Inhibits Allergen Uptake, and Suppresses Anaphylactic Symptoms in Ovalbumin-Induced Food Allergy in Mice.

Edible canna rhizomes contain extremely high levels of resistant starch among cereals and potatoes. We previously showed that feeding canna rhizome starch to mice may increase intestinal barrier function and improve the intestinal environment. Here, we investigated the effects of canna starch intake in a murine food allergy model. Five-week-old female BALB/c mice were divided into four groups: Control and OVA groups fed on the control diet (AIN-93G) ad libitum and Canna and OVA-Canna groups fed on the canna diet (AIN-93G with 10% replaced with canna starch). The OVA and OVA-Canna groups were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA), and the anaphylactic response was assessed by measuring body temperature. Body temperature was significantly lower in the OVA group than in the non-sensitized group, but no decrease was observed in the OVA-Canna group. Fecal weight, fecal mucin content, and goblet cells of colorectal tissue were significantly increased in the Canna and OVA-Canna groups compared with those in the Control and OVA groups. Allergen uptake into the liver was also increased in the OVA group and decreased in the OVA-Canna group to the same level as in the non-sensitized group. These results indicate that canna starch supplementation in a murine food allergy model suppresses anaphylactic symptoms by improving the intestinal environment and reducing allergen uptake by increasing intestinal barrier function.

AKTIVITAS ANTIDIABETES KOMBINASI EKSTRAK LABU KUNING DAN BROTOWALI SECARA IN VIVO

Cucurbita Moschata are rich in polyphenolic antioxidants such as flavonoids which can be used to lower blood sugar levels. Cucurbita Moschata can be formulated into biscuits. The aim is to determine the activity of cucurbita moschata and tinospora crispa extracts on reducing blood sugar in mice (Mus muculus). The research aims to create a Cucurbita Moschata biscuit formula that contains high levels of resistant starch and beta carotene but has the lowest impact on increasing blood sugar levels. This research method is experimental by making an antidiabetic formulation in mice. Mice were divided into normal groups, K groups (CMC NA 1%), groups with varying doses of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg, and positive groups (glibenclamide 0.65 mg/kg). Using the two way anova analysis method. The results showed the effect of reducing blood sugar levels in mice at doses of 100mg/kg (17.3%), 300mg/kg (29.3%), 600 mg/kg (35.2%) and the positive group (44.3%). The 600mg/kg group (35.2%) provided the highest reduction in blood sugar levels, which was close to positive (44.3%) compared to doses of 100mg/kg (17.3%), 300 mg/kg (29.3%). The conclusion of this study is that anti-diabetes biscuits, a combination cucurbita moschata and tinospora crispa , have antihyperglycemic activity in vivo.

Practical implications of lowering dietary starch content on waste management in recirculating aquaculture systems operated with drum filtration or sedimentation in yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi)

Dietary starch negatively affects faecal removal efficiency by sedimentation in yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). In general, research on waste management in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is conducted on solid removal by sedimentation. However, most commercial farms operate with screen filtration. Compared to sedimentation, where the efficiency of removed faeces depends on faecal particle size and density, faecal removal by screen filtration is based on particle size and its stability. Accordingly, this study investigated the effect of dietary starch level on solid waste loading and faecal removal efficiency by different solid removal techniques, namely drum filtration and sedimentation. This was tested in six individual operating RAS over an experimental period of 47 days. The experimental period was divided into two consecutive phases (Phase 1 and Phase 2). During Phase 1 (42 days), the six independent RAS were operated with drum filtration, while during Phase 2 (5 days), the same RAS were operated with sedimentation. Two experimental diets, one with low starch (LS; 0% gelatinized wheat flour inclusion) and one with high starch (HS; 20% gelatinized wheat flour inclusion) levels, were formulated to test the effect of dietary starch level. HS diet negatively affected the apparent faecal waste production, apparent faecal removal efficiency by sedimentation, and the apparent amount of non-removed faeces. No dietary treatment effect was observed when RAS were operated with drum filtration. However, to achieve similar apparent faecal removal efficiency by drum filtration, the backwash frequency was on average 110% higher at HS RAS compared to LS RAS. This is likely to be related to both an increased apparent faecal waste production and the tendency for increased clogging of the drum filter screen at HS RAS throughout the experimental period. Overall, lowering dietary starch level has the potential to reduce solid loading (sedimentation) or improve drum filter performance (water usage) in RAS for yellowtail kingfish.

Nutritional and physiological responses of female and male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to different dietary starch levels

In this study, we adopted a 2 × 2 factorial design incorporating different dietary starch levels and sexes to assess the impact of dietary starch on the growth performance, feeding response, and glucolipid metabolism of female and male largemouth bass. Two isonitrogenous (49.6%) and isolipidic (10.4%) diets were formulated with 10% starch (low-starch level) and 20% starch (high-starch level). The results indicated that male largemouth bass exhibited superior growth performance compared to females regardless of the dietary starch levels. Furthermore, males demonstrated enhanced feed utilization of the high-starch diet compared to females. Males also exhibited significantly lower mRNA expressions of feeding inhibition molecules (cholecystokinin, leptin b, leptin b receptor, or cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript 2) in the brain compared to females, a phenomenon unrelated to dietary starch levels. Compared to females, males fed the high-starch diet displayed elevated mRNA expression of genes associated with glycolysis (hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, and phosphofructokinase) in the liver, as well as lower expression of gluconeogenesis-related genes (glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), which coincided with lower hepatic glycogen in males. Furthermore, males fed with the high-starch diet exhibited higher mRNA expression of genes involved in hepatic lipid catabolism (carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1, hormone-sensitive lipase, and adipose triglyceride lipase). In contrast, males exhibited lower expression of hepatic lipid synthesis regulation (acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and fatty acid synthase) in the liver compared with females fed with the low-starch diet. Additionally, upon comparing the hepatic transcriptomes of males and females fed with the high-starch diet, the males exhibited a significant up-regulation of glucokinase2 and hexokinase, coupled with down-regulation of glucose-6-phosphatase. In summary, male largemouth bass exhibited superior growth performance at this developmental stage compared to females regardless of dietary starch levels. Males also exhibited higher feed utilization when fed the high-starch diet, which was likely due to increased activity in glycolytic processes and enhanced fatty acid decomposition compared to females.

High dietary wheat starch negatively regulated growth performance, glucose and lipid metabolisms, liver and intestinal health of juvenile largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were fed with three diets containing 6%, 12%, and 18% wheat starch for 70days to examine their impacts on growth performance, glucose and lipid metabolisms, and liver and intestinal health. The results suggested that the 18% starch group inhibited the growth, and improved the hepatic glycogen content compared with the 6% and 12% starch groups (P < 0.05). High starch significantly improved the activities of glycolysis-related enzymes, hexokinase (HK), glucokinase (GK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK) (P < 0.05); promoted the mRNA expression of glycolysis-related phosphofructokinase (pfk); decreased the activities of gluconeogenesis-related enzymes, pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK); and reduced the mRNA expression of gluconeogenesis-related fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase-1(fbp1) (P < 0.05). High starch reduced the hepatic mRNA expressions of bile acid metabolism-related cholesterol hydroxylase (cyp7a1) and small heterodimer partner (shp) (P < 0.05), increased the activity of hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) (P < 0.05), and reduced the hepatic mRNA expressions of lipid metabolism-related peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (ppar-α) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α (cpt-1α) (P < 0.05). High starch promoted inflammation; significantly reduced the mRNA expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor-β1 (tgf-β1), interleukin-10 (il-10), and interleukin-11β (il-11β); and increased the mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α), interleukin-1β (il-1β), and interleukin-8 (il-8) in the liver and intestinal tract (P < 0.05). Additionally, high starch negatively influenced the intestinal microbiota, with the reduced relative abundance of Trichotes and Actinobacteria and the increased relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. In conclusion, low dietary wheat starch level (6%) was more profitable to the growth and health of M. salmoides, while high dietary starch level (12% and 18%) could regulate the glucose and lipid metabolisms, impair the liver and intestinal health, and thus decrease the growth performance of M. salmoides.

Characteristics of Nutrition and Metabolism in Dogs and Cats.

Domestic dogs and cats have evolved differentially in some aspects of nutrition, metabolism, chemical sensing, and feeding behavior. The dogs have adapted to omnivorous diets containing taurine-abundant meat and starch-rich plant ingredients. By contrast, domestic cats must consume animal-sourced foods for survival, growth, and development. Both dogs and cats synthesize vitamin Cand many amino acids (AAs, such as alanine, asparagine, aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, and serine), but have a limited ability to form de novo arginine and vitamin D3. Compared with dogs, cats have greater endogenous nitrogen losses and higher dietary requirements for AAs (particularly arginine, taurine, and tyrosine), B-complex vitamins (niacin, thiamin, folate, and biotin), and choline; exhibit greater rates of gluconeogenesis; are less sensitive to AA imbalances and antagonism; are more capable of concentrating urine through renal reabsorption of water; and cannot tolerate high levels of dietary starch due to limited pancreatic α-amylase activity. In addition, dogs can form sufficient taurine from cysteine (formost breeds); arachidonic acid from linoleic acid; eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from α-linolenic acid; all-trans-retinol from β-carotene; and niacin from tryptophan. These synthetic pathways, however, are either absent or limited in all cats due to (a)no or low activities of key enzymes (including pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase, cysteine dioxygenase, ∆6-desaturase, β-carotene dioxygenase, and quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase)and (b) diversion of intermediates to other metabolic pathways. Dogs can thrive on one large meal daily, select high-fat over low-fat diets, and consume sweet substances. By contrast, cats eat more frequently during light and dark periods, select high-protein over low-protein diets, refuse dry food, enjoy a consistent diet, and cannot taste sweetness. This knowledge guides the feeding and care of dogs and cats, as well as the manufacturing of their foods. As abundant sources of essential nutrients, animal-derived foodstuffs play important roles in optimizing the growth, development, and health of the companion animals.

Study on tobacco quality improvement and bacterial community succession during microbial co-fermentation

The high levels of starch, cellulose and protein in tobacco can produce a strong irritating smoke and diminish its flavor and overall quality, but the tobacco quality can be improved by microorganisms abundant in tobacco during fermentation. In this study, we screened and identified three strains from tobacco with high amylase, cellulase, and protease activities. The co-fermentation of Bacillus velezensis A2 and Bacillus endophyticus A4 could effectively reduce the content of starch, cellulose and protein in tobacco, leading to an increase in the content of reducing sugar and alterations in the surface of fermented tobacco, making it looser, more wrinkled, and porous, coupled with the potential to mitigate the presence of the harmful substance nicotine. Additionally, compared with the control, A2 +A4 co-fermentation increased the content of aroma components by 108.33%, and remarkably improved the sensory quality of Heat-not-Burn (HnB) cigarettes. Moreover, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella were genera with high abundance before and after A2 +A4 co-fermentation, but Bacillus gradually became the dominant genus, with its relative abundance increased from 0.49% to 32.65%. LEfSe analysis identified Bacillus as a crucial biomarker in tobacco after microbial co-fermentation. PICRUSt analysis showed that microbial co-fermentation could promote the metabolic pathways associated with substrate utilization. This study provided new strains and a theoretical basis for optimizing the fermentation process to improve the quality of tobacco for HnB cigarettes.

Assessment of freeze damage in tuber starch with electrical impedance spectroscopy and thermodynamic, rheological, spectrographic techniques

In this study, we aimed to use electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to assess the freeze-damage level of starches from potato tubers treated with multiple freezing-thawing (FT) cycles. The results showed that the relationship between the physicochemical properties of starches and the impedance characteristics of starch paste is temperature-dependent. As the temperature rises to 70–90 °C, the impedance modules show a significant correlation with the amylose and mineral contents, gelatinization and pasting properties, short-range ordered structure, relative crystallinity, and damage level within the range of 10–1 MHz (p < 0.01). This could be because FT leads to a reduction in amylose and ion content. Compared to a high level of freeze-damaged starch (FDS), a low level of FDS has less amylopectin and more amylose. Additionally, the ions could be typically evenly distributed throughout the unbranched linear amylose structure in starch paste. At the peak gelatinization temperature, the starch paste made from a low level of FDS exhibits a weakened network structure, allowing more unbound water for ion movement and enhancing electric conduction. In conclusion, EIS can predict the damage level and properties of FDS, which can benefit the frozen starchy food industry.

Metabolic pathways modulated by coumarin to inhibit seed germination and early seedling growth in Eleusine indica

Coumarin is an allelochemical that is widely present in the plant kingdom and has great potential for weed control. However, its mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. This study employed metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses along with evaluations of amino acid profiles and related physiological indicators to investigate how coumarin inhibits the germination and seedling growth of Eleusine indica by modifying metabolic pathways. At 72 h of germination at 50 and 100 mg L−1 coumarin, E. indica had lower levels of soluble sugar and activities of amylases and higher levels of starch, O2−, H2O2, auxin (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) compared to the control. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that coumarin treatments had a significant impact on the pathways associated with amino acid metabolism and transport and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Exposure to coumarin induced significant alterations in the levels of 19 amino acids, with a decrease in 15 of them, including Met, Leu and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Additionally, transcriptomic analysis showed that coumarin significantly disrupted several essential biological processes, including protein translation, secondary metabolite synthesis, and hormone signal transduction. The decrease in TCA cycle metabolite (cis-aconitate, 2-oxoglutarate, and malate) contents was associated with the suppression of transcription for related enzymes. Our findings indicate that the inhibition of germination and growth in E. indica by coumarin involves the suppression of starch conversion to sugars, modification of the amino acid profile, interference of hormone signalling and the induction of oxidative stress. The TCA cycle appears to be one of the most essential pathways affected by coumarin.