Production Of Nutritional Supplements Research Articles

Assessment of nutraceutical value, physicochemical, and anti-inflammatory profile of Odonthalia floccose and Odonthalia dentata

The nutraceutical value, and physicochemical profile as well as anti-inflammatory activity potential of Odonthalia floccose and Odonthalia dentata (red macroalgae) dry biomass were investigated in this study. Proximate composition study results revealed that the dry biomass of O. floccose and O. dentae were found to be as ash: 9.11 & 8.7 g 100 g−1, moisture: 8.24 & 8.1 g 100 g−1, total fat: 6.9 & 7.2 g 100 g−1, protein: 24.52 & 25.6 g 100 g−1, and total carbohydrate/polysaccharides: 53.84 & 48.85 g 100 g−1 of dry weight biomass respectively. Both algae biomass contain considerable quantity of minerals (Fe, Cu, Mg, and Zn). Furthermore, the major saturated fatty acids (6.24 & 5.82 g FAME 100 g−1 of total fat of O. floccose and O. dentate) (ΣFAs) present in the test algae were stearic acid, palmitic acid, and margaric acids. O. floccose and O. dentata also contain remarkable protein composition profile that compiled with considerable quantity of essential and non-essential amino acids. The vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, and E of O. floccose and O. dentate biomass were also identified at sufficient quantity level. The swelling capacity (SWC), water holding capacity (WHC), and oil holding capacity (OHC) properties of O. floccose and O. dentate at various temperature conditions (25 and 37 ᵒC) were found to be 8.11 & 7.02 mL g−1 and 8.95 & 7.55 mL g−1, 5.1 & 4.87 and 4.8 & 4.1 mL g−1, as well as 2.11 & 1.81 and 1.96 & 1.89 mL g−1 respectively. Among these two marine red macroalgae samples, the O. dentate showed better anti-inflammatory activity than O. floccose at 150 μg mL−1 dosage. Thus, this O. floccose and O. dentate biomass can be considerable as nutritional supplement and pharmaceutical product development related research.

Drying kinetics and quality attributes analysis of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves under distinct drying methods

AbstractThe present work aimed to analyze the drying kinetics and color degradation of moringa leaves in selected drying methods. Also, quantitatively analyze the retention of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity. Moringa leaves were dried using three methods, namely, freeze‐drying (−42 ± 2°C, 0.024 ± 0.001 mbar), microwave drying (200, 400, and 600 W), and hot air oven drying (55, 65, and 75°C). Drying kinetics revealed that the drying of moringa leaves occurred in the falling rate period, which means the diffusion process controlled the moisture removal from leaves. The color degradation was most minor in freeze‐dried leaves, followed by microwave‐dried leaves at 200 W. The value of total phenolic content was found maximum (57.42 ± 2.49 mg GAE/g dm) under microwave drying at 200 W, while the same was found least in quantity (24.62 ± 1.10 mg GAE/g dm) for samples dried under hot air oven drying at 65°C. A similar pattern was observed for total flavonoid content. The antioxidant capacity of the samples dried in the freeze dryer was highest at 5.94 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g dm. This research revealed that microwave drying at 200 W is best regarding the overall quality attributes of moringa leaves.Practical ApplicationsDrying is one of the essential processes in the food industry, for example, drying is crucial for the production of herbal medicines, nutritional supplements and extracts, leaf‐based culinary ingredients, aroma and essential oils, natural dyes and pigments, etc. It is used to increase the shelf‐life of agricultural produce; it facilitates the transportation and storage of food products. This paper may help in the selection of the drying method and condition for leaves drying to have desired characteristics in the final product like color, bioactive compounds, or antioxidant properties; May help in the trade‐off among quality, time, and cost of the production. Moreover, it may be helpful in the designing of the multi‐mode dryer which may produce superior quality products with great energy efficiency in less time. Which further facilitates the manufacturing of nutritionally rich food products.

Light Can Induce Accumulation of Nutritional Antioxidants in Black Chokeberry Cell Suspension Culture

Cultivation of plant cells under controlled conditions is a highly effective and fast developing technology that recently was considered as a branch of cellular agriculture. Cellular agriculture is a multidisciplinary approach for sustainable and renewable production of agricultural goods and raw materials at cellular, rather than organismal, level. However, in contrast to the rapid advance in development of cultured meat and precision fermentation, the production of nutritional supplements from plant cells is still in its infancy. One of the limiting factors, striating commercialization of plant cells for food production, is the low yields of target bioactive metabolites. In this work, the changes in phenolics, anthocyanins and exopolysaccharides accumulation during cultivation of Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott cell suspension cultures in darknessor under illumination (16 light and 8 dark) were investigated. The data showed that the highest contents of total phenolics (8.17 ± 0.39 mg GAE/g DW), total anthocyanins (0.011 ± 0.001 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/g DW) and antioxidant activities (DPPH—21.36 ± 0.29 µM TE/g DW; TEAC—10.08 ± 0.07 µM TE/g DW; FRAP—34.85 ± 1.47 µM TE/g DW; and CUPRAC—126.74 ± 9.15 µM TE/g DW) were achieved when the cells were grown under illumination (16 light and 8 dark). In contrast, when the culture was grown indarkness, the highest amounts of accumulated dry biomass (8.68 ± 0.35 g/L) and exopolysaccharides production (2.10 ± 0.07 g/L) were reached. The results demonstrated that light can be used as an affordable and highly effective factor to control the production of valuable antioxidants by black chokeberry cell suspension culture.

Isolation of cellulose-degrading cellulosimicrobium from larval gut of protaetia brevitarsis seulensis

Larvae live in soil have been well known for containing abundant microbiota in their gut. This study isolated six bacterial genera from the gut of larvae Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis including Bacillus, Cellulosimicrobium, Microbacterium, Streptomyces, Krasilnikoviella and Isoptericola based on specific media. Among these six genera, Cellulosimicrobium was collected for further analysis of cellulose-degrading features because of the most abundance and less studies up to now. Based on the 16S rDNA gene, the Cellulosimicrobium isolates were classified to C. cellulans, C. aquatile, C. funkei, C. protaetiae that were respectively isolated from four specific media such as modified ISP-2, MRS, modified anaerobic medium, modified fermentation medium. The analysis of their genome proved the presence of genes encoding for chitinases, alkyl resorcinol, and glucosidase in four strains. These cellulose degrading enzymes were useful for textile processing, paper recycling, production of nutritional supplements, food industry, production of alcohol from lignocellulosic materials, and beneficial microorganisms in denitrification and N-cycling in forest ecosystem as well as wastewater process.

A Comparative Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Operational Phases of Three Selected Microalgal Cultivation Systems

In recent years, microalgal biomass cultivation has been growing in importance, not only related to the production of alternative foods and nutritional supplements but also for its usage for energy purposes or as a natural solution for wastewater treatment. Regarding these cases, the practical potential associated with the circular economy is evident. However, this is not an option for microalgal food and supplements due to strict hygiene requirements for microalgae cultivation used for these purposes. Currently, the most common cultivation options for microalgae include phototrophic cascades, photobioreactors, and heterotrophic fermenters. Generally, the higher requirements for the purity of the resulting biomass, the higher the consumption of energy and nutrients needed. These are the main operational parameters that significantly shape the total environmental and economic performance of microalgae cultivation processes. The comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of environmental aspects in the operational phases of three selected cultivation systems, located in the Czech Republic and used for pure microalgae biomass production, confirmed that the impacts of these systems in the assessed categories are fundamentally dependent on the amount of electricity needed and nutrient consumption, as well as their sources. For this reason, the heterotrophic fermenter was evaluated as being the most damaging in the comparison of the three cultivation systems, while the phototrophic cascade showed a lower total environmental impact by 15% and the flat photobioreactor was lower still, by 95%, mainly due to energy production from biomass. The major impact categories observed were climate change, depletion of fossil fuels, human toxicity, and freshwater and marine ecotoxicity. The environmental impacts of microalgae cultivation systems could be further reduced if cycling practices, such as process water recycling and reprocessing of generated sewage sludge, were addressed.

Glycosylated proteins in the protozoan alga Euglena gracilis: a proteomic approach.

Protein glycosylation, and in particular N-linked glycans, is a hallmark of eukaryotic cells and has been well-studied in mammalian cells and parasites. However, little research has been conducted to investigate the conservation and variation of protein glycosylation pathways in other eukaryotic organisms. Euglena gracilis is an industrially important microalga, used in the production of biofuels and nutritional supplements. It is evolutionarily highly divergent from green algae and more related to kinetoplastid pathogens. It was recently shown that E. gracilis possesses the machinery for producing a range of protein glycosylations and make simple N-glycans, but the modified proteins were not identified. This study identifies the glycosylated proteins, including transporters, extracellular proteases, and those involved in cell surface signalling. Notably, many of the most highly expressed and glycosylated proteins are not related to any known sequences and are, therefore, likely to be involved in important novel functions in Euglena.

Design, development, and local production of lipid-based nutritional supplements to enhance the complementary feeding diet: A model for collaboration for a feeding trial in Bangladesh.

Background: Lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) are effective for treating childhood wasting and for preventing stunting, wasting, and anemia, but large-scale production and programmatic use are a barrier. Locally-developed and produced LNS may be more affordable and reduce logistical procurement and importation hurdles, while promoting private sector engagement and partnership. Methods: In northwestern Bangladesh, we conducted a community-based trial of complementary food supplementation to test its efficacy to reduce childhood stunting. Two locally-developed, small-quantity LNS (20g/day, rice-lentil and chick-pea based) were designed, developed first at small scale in the 'kitchen' laboratory under controlled conditions, followed by taking them to a local food manufacturer for larger production for the study.We describe here the partnership, required expertise and capacity, experiences, and lessons learned that made this uniquely complex undertaking possible Results:Key steps in the journey included addressing the dynamics of clear communication between partners, executing on carefully assigned tasks and roles, correcting course when needed, and maintaining timeliness and roadmaps. Knowledge of food science and technology was key in solving many food-production challenges that were encountered in taking the laboratory recipe to the factory. Factory production was established and had to meet quality and hygiene criteria set for young children. Conclusions: We provide documentation of this experience as a model to describe the various steps and considerations and what is entailed in local LNS production. We highlight the importance of a well-conceived collaboration with clear roles that created a 'win-win' situation for all partners for achieving common goals, establishing improved technology at the factory, and building new capacity to produce such products for children in a low resource setting. Key words: micronutrient, lipid-based nutrient supplements, maternal and child, malnutrition, multiagency collaboration.

Transformation of mixtures of olive mill stone waste and oat bran or Lathyrus clymenum pericarps into high added value products using solid state fermentation

The main objective of this study concerns the bioconversion of agro-industrial wastes into high added value products, such as proteinaceous animal feed, using Solid State Fermentation process (SSF). For this purpose, the Olive Mill Stone Waste (OMSW) which is known to contain low amounts of proteins and a high concentration of anti-nutritional substances was used as substrate. Subsequently, OMSW was fermented with Oat Bran (OB) or Lathyrus clymenum pericarp (LP) in proportions varying from 10 %w/w to 30 %w/w, applying SSF process initiated by Pleurotus ostreatus utilizing latter’s secreted enzymes for their degradation. The respective results indicated that the addition of 30 %w/w of OB, resulted in a 39% increase of the protein content at the end of fermentation (Day 21). In addition, we observed a 5-fold increase of 1,3–1,6 β-glucan content and a simultaneous decrease of unwanted lignin of 24%. The addition of 20 %w/w of LP afforded, at the end of fermentation (Day 21), an increased protein content of 57%, a 3-fold increase in 1,3–1,6 β-glucans and a decrease in lignin concentration of 13%. These findings demonstrate the potential of the LP utilization by using SSF process, for the production of high nutritional value dietary supplements for animal feed. This endeavor constitutes the first literature report for the utilization of the agro-industrial waste LP. The developed methodology herein is considered as crucial for the circular economy since it refers to the reuse of agro-industrial wastes and the production of a high added-value product.

Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of the Students Studying In the Coaching Education Department Regarding the Utilization of Nutritional Ergogenic Supplement

Aim: The purpose of this study is to ascertain the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of students studying in the Coaching Education Department of the Faculty of Sport Sciences regarding the utilization of nutritional ergogenic supplements. Methods: 61.5% of the participants were male (n=264), 38.5% (n=166) were female. Data were collected by conducting an online questionnaire. 19.5 % of students reported using ergogenic nutritional supplement products. The students received an average score of 3.1±0.7 on the benefit sub-dimension of the attitude scale toward nutritional ergogenic supplement products, 2.7±0.6 on the side effects and ethical sub-dimension, and 2.9±0.7 on the natural nutrition sub-dimension. Results: A significant difference has been detected in the mean scores of students on the benefit sub-dimension depending on their gender, sports branch, and use of nutritional supplement products, on the side effects and ethical sub-dimension depending on their gender, class, and use of nutritional supplement products, and on the natural nutrition sub-dimension depending on their gender and use of nutritional supplement products (p<0.05). Conclusion: Students gave the expected answer to most of the questions regarding the use of nutritional ergogenic supplements. Observing the beneficial effect of taking the sports nutrition course on the responses, reveals the importance of education once again. Keywords: Coach, Nutrition, Nutritional Ergogenic Support, Ergogenic Aid.

Soybean Processing Wastes: Novel Insights on Their Production, Extraction of Isoflavones, and Their Therapeutic Properties.

Soybean processing waste (SPW) has potential as a sustainable source of phytochemicals and functional foods. A variety of phytochemicals, nutrients, and minerals have been characterized from SPW using various analytical methods. SPW utilization strategies may provide a new way to increase production of bioactive compounds, nutritional supplements, and cosmetic ingredients. SPW has the potential for value-added processing, to improve commercial use, and to lower environmental pollution through proper use. Okara, a byproduct generated during soybean processing of tofu and soy milk, is rich in dietary fiber, isoflavones, and saponins. Isoflavones, an important class of biologically active compounds owing to their multifunctional and therapeutic effects, are extracted from SPW. Further, studies have shown that okara has potential prebiotic and therapeutic value in lowering the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Therefore, in this review, we focus on several extraction methods and pharmacotherapeutic effects of different SPWs. Their effective uses in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and health applications, as biocatalysts, and as value-added resources have been discussed.

Development of food industry metrological assurance complex

The paper considers the contribution of experts from the Laboratory of Metrology of Moisture Measurement and Reference Materials to the improvement of the food industry metrological assurance system. The information on the results of the development of forty types of reference materials (RM) for the composition of various nutrition, food staples and nutritional supplement in the period 2008-2020 is generalized. The development of each new RM type included preparation of the material, research for its stability and homogeneity, and determination of certified value with the appliance of State primary (GET 173) and secondary (GVET 176-1) standards, as well as primary reference measurement procedures and conducting the interlaboratory experiment for checking the applicability of the RM. The creation in 2008 of GET 173 was accompanied by the development of RMs for the composition of grains and dry milk product. The approval in 2010 of GVET 176-1 allowed to add in the RM the certified value for the mass fraction of nitrogen (protein). As a result of successful participation in comparisons, UNIIM got 6 items of calibration and measurement capabilities on measurements of mass fraction of nitrogen in glycine, milk powder, grain, egg powder, cereal and feed-stuff in the BIPM database. 35 types of RM for the composition of dairy and meat products, egg powder, infant food, oil and starch products together with the development of primary reference measurement procedures for measurement of fat, crude fat, ash and carbohydrates mass fraction were created between 2016 and 2019. Moreover, the RM for the composition of nutritional supplement (glycine, melamine, cystine) and dairy products for metrological assurance of IR-analysers as well as RM for the composition of reconstituted milk were developed for the control of measurement results by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Developed RM were systemized on fields of the appliance of Technical regulations of Customs Union and the sectors of the international food triangle model. These RMs allow providing the measurement uniformity of the identification indicators and the nutritional value of food products and food staples.

Pharmacokinetic study of a novel oral formulation of S-adenosylmethionine (MSI-195) in healthy subjects: dose escalation, food effect and comparison to a commercial nutritional supplement product

BackgroundA novel, high bioavailability oral, enteric coated tablet formulation of S-adenosylmethionine (MSI-195) has been developed for life science application. The present research reports on a Phase 1 study to (i) determine the safety of single doses of MSI-195 (ii) to determine the dose proportionality of MSI-195 at doses of 400, 800 and 1600 mg (iii) determine the pharmacokinetics of MSI-195 compared with a commercial reference product (SAM-e Complete™) over 24 h and (iv) to determine the effect of food on the pharmacokinetic profile of MSI-195 in human subjects.MethodsThis study was a pharmacokinetic and safety evaluation of MSI-195 and a commercial comparator broken into two stages. The first stage was an exploratory single ascending dose design of MSI-195 in 8 healthy normal male volunteers. The second stage was a single dose evaluation, targeting 26 male and female volunteers at set doses of MSI-195 and commercial comparator in a cross-over design followed by a food effect study on MSI-195. Plasma samples were collected and assayed for S-adenosylmethionine using a validated HPLC method with MS/MS detection. The main absorption and disposition parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental approach with a log-linear terminal phase assumption. Statistical analysis was based on an ANOVA model or t test as appropriate.ResultsMSI-195 was found to be generally well tolerated with an adverse event profile similar to the SAM-e Complete™ comparator product. The relative bioavailability of MSI-195 was approximately 2.8-fold higher than SAM-e Complete based on area under the curve (AUC) ratios for the two products and the MSI-195 formulation exposure based on AUC was found to be approximately dose proportional. There was a significant food effect for MSI-195 with a delayed time to maximum absorption Tmax, going from 4.5 h under fasted conditions to 13 h under fed conditions, and area under the curve with food reduced to 55% of that seen under fasting conditions.ConclusionsThe overall conclusion was that MSI-195 was well tolerated and has markedly higher bioavailability compared with both the SAM-e Complete™ commercial product tested and, on a per mg basis, products reported in other literature.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04623034. Retrospectively registered Nov 9, 2020.

Possible Herb-Drug Interaction Risk of Some Nutritional and Beauty Supplements on Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV Patients

This study was carried out to assess the drug interaction potential of a variety of beauty and sports/nutritional supplements when co-administered with antiviral drug therapy, especially anti-HIV drugs. Ethanolic extracts of seven dietary supplements (two beauty products, three nutritional protein supplement products and two weight loss/body building products) were examined in human liver cells (HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes) for their influence on the hepatic metabolism of five antiviral drugs (elvitegravir, rilpivirine, tenofovir, dolutegravir, and cobicistat), all of which are substrates for a key drug metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4. Our results showed that six of the seven supplements caused a 1.5 – 2 fold induction in PXR transcriptional activity in HepG2 cells. PXR regulates the expression of key drug metabolizing enzymes including CYP3A4. Follow up studies indicated a 1.5 – 3 fold induction in CYP3A4 enzyme activity in HepG2 cells treated with these supplements. We further investigated the effects of the supplement on the metabolism of above mentioned anti-viral drugs in HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes. Of the five drugs, rilpivirine and dolutegravir metabolism was increased by up to 2-folds over the no supplement control by some of the supplements. Our findings indicate that concomitant consumption of these products with anti-HIV drugs may compromise the efficacy of antivirals therapy due to supplement-induced metabolism via induction of CYP3A4 activity.

Enzymatic production of trans‐4‐hydroxy‐l‐proline by proline 4‐hydroxylase

Summary Trans‐4‐hydroxy‐l‐proline (Hyp) is a useful chiral building block for production of many nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals. However, it is still challenging for industrial production of Hyp due to heavy environmental pollution and low production efficiency. To establish a green and efficient process for Hyp production, the proline 4‐hydroxylase (DsP4H) from Dactylosporangium sp. RH1 was overexpressed and functionally characterized in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The recombinant DsP4H with l‐proline as a substrate exhibited K m, k cat and k cat/K m values up to 0.80 mM, 0.52 s−1 and 0.65 s−1·mM−1 respectively. Furthermore, DsP4H showed the highest activity at 35°C and pH 6.5 towards l‐proline. The highest enzyme activity of 175.6 U mg−1 was achieved by optimizing culture parameters. Under the optimal transformation conditions in a 5‐l fermenter, Hyp titre, conversion rate and productivity were up to 99.9 g l−1, 99.9% and 2.77 g l−1 h−1 respectively. This strategy described here provides an efficient method for production of Hyp and thus has a great potential in industrial application.

Continuous Process for the Production of Taurine from Monoethanolamine

Taurine, 2-aminoethane-1-sulfonic acid, is a commercial amino acid manufactured from either ethylene oxide or monoethanolamine (MEA). Taurine is a valuable nutritional additive that is widely used in the production of energy drinks, pet food, nutritional supplements, and infant formula. The industrial production of taurine from MEA is a two-step batch process in which the first step is the reaction of MEA with sulfuric acid to produce the ester 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate (AES) and the second step is the reaction of AES with a sulfite reagent. This report summarizes the results of a study of the fundamental chemistry for this two-step MEA-based chemical route to taurine as well as the application of this fundamental understanding to a process design for a scalable and cost-advantaged continuous process that is capable of commercial-scale production of taurine on a multikiloton scale. In order to maximize taurine yields, the water formed during the first esterification step must be effectively removed to avoid equilibrium limitations on the conversions of MEA and sulfuric acid to form the solid AES intermediate product. For the second AES sulfonation step in aqueous medium, we found that operation above 100 °C under a moderate pressure of an inert gas resulted in significantly higher taurine yields (>80 mol %) compared to those reported in current commercial production technology (typically 55–65 mol %).

Formulation Strategies to Improve Oral Bioavailability of Ellagic Acid

Ellagic acid, a polyphenolic compound present in fruit and berries, has recently been the object of extensive research for its antioxidant activity, which might be useful for the prevention and treatment of cancer, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative disorders. Its protective role justifies numerous attempts to include it in functional food preparations and in dietary supplements, and not only to limit the unpleasant collateral effects of chemotherapy. However, ellagic acid use as a chemopreventive agent has been debated because of its poor bioavailability associated with low solubility, limited permeability, first pass effect, and interindividual variability in gut microbial transformations. To overcome these drawbacks, various strategies for oral administration including solid dispersions, micro and nanoparticles, inclusion complexes, self-emulsifying systems, and polymorphs were proposed. Here, we listed an updated description of pursued micro and nanotechnological approaches focusing on the fabrication processes and the features of the obtained products, as well as on the positive results yielded by in vitro and in vivo studies in comparison to the raw material. The micro and nanosized formulations here described might be exploited for pharmaceutical delivery of this active, as well as for the production of nutritional supplements or for the enrichment of novel foods.

Punk's not dead, even at the Czech Arctic Scientific Station in Svalbard

Summary In the last few years, the newly opened Czech Arctic Scientific Infrastructure in Svalbard – Josef Svoboda Station – has closely collaborated with UiT – The Arctic University of Norway on very productive research related to climate change and the impact of the sea and land ice disappearance. Professor Josef Elster, the Head of the Czech station and a researcher in the diversity, ecology and ecophysiology of polar algae and cyanobacteria, and the glacial microbiologist Marie Sabacka and their team try to find the answer to questions concerning how the Arctic ecosystem responds to global warming and how global warming affects human activity. The results of their research can be used, for example, in the treatment and refinement of drinking and sewage water, the pharmaceutical industry and medicine, livestock nutrition including aquaculture and in the production of nutritional supplements for people. However, even the most exciting scientific information and results are not readily available to a non-professional audience. Interdisciplinarity and a suitable cultural framework can bring new life to the results of scientific research. If the presentation of science is interconnected with cultural disciplines such as literature, art, music or theatre, its account can be enriched and media interest can be increased. The scientific-cultural festivals AT HOME IN SVALBARD 2018 and ARCTIC FESTIVAL 2019 are just two good examples. The presentation of scientific research through culture is a very distinctive and innovative attempt. Moreover, the interest of the public can influence the stakeholders’ approach to providing and increasing finances for further scientific research.

Nutritional supplements use, cost, source of information, and practices by Johannesburg North gym goers.

Nutritional supplements are defined as any dietary supplement manufactured product that is generally intended to supplement the diet when taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid. Currently, the use of nutritional supplements is on the increase worldwide, predominantly in Western countries but also more recently expanding to other parts of the world for what has become a multibillion-dollar global industry. As a result, consumer demand has caused the increase in the advertising and marketing of these products. This contributes to early exposure to nutritional supplements by potential consumers and is an influencing factor for the use of performance-enhancing and/or appearance substances by adolescents. For the nutritional supplement industry the container is thus the manifestation of innovative ideas for the enterprising business-minded mogul. For the consumer, body image and ideal body discrepancy, and social influences manifest in the belief that the perfection of body development cannot be achieved without the use of nutritional supplements. This makes the consumer a captive audience for the industry and a challenge for the health care provider when suggesting alternatives to nutritional supplements, based on cost-benefit, and risk assessment. To determine the association between commercial gym goers and nutritional supplements, in particular the commencement of use, reasons and purpose for use, and the financial and risk implications of use. A self-administered questionnaire based on a cross-sectional quantitative design and systematic convenience sampling was given to the 364 recruited males and female gym goers. This study's finding shows that the main reasons why females attend gyms are for muscle gain (57%), weight loss (48%), staying healthy (47%), and a 'spiritual motive' (39%) In males, it is predominantly for muscle gain (54%). Protein supplements were the most popular products that were consumed (84%) followed by carbohydrates (72%) and vitamins (71%). It was found that the consumption of nutritional supplements often starts at high school age and continues into adulthood. The analysis shows that natural source protein products are better priced than nutritional supplement products. The study shows the importance of educating gym goers, the general public, and the guardians of minors to make a behaviour change towards nutritional supplement consumption. The change should also incorporate a cost-benefit risk assessment which is practical for the consumer when comparing supplement use as alternative sources of protein.

Effective valorization of microalgal biomass for the production of nutritional fish-feed supplements

Abstract Falling supply and rising demand of conventional feed ingredients leads to soaring fishmeal prices, which necessitates the need for alternate feed sources. This study aims to evaluate the performance of dried dietary Chlorella sp. on the survival and growth of the freshwater juvenile- Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Koi) in a 60-day feeding trials. Microalgae was cultivated in bubble column photobioreactors with ambient air and flue gas and found to be very promising as carbon-dioxide mitigation agent. The microalgal biomass was included at dosage of 15% (w/w) to formulate two iso-nitrogenous (358 g protein kg−1 diet) and iso-caloric (19.23 MJkg−1) diets as a replacement of fishmeal. The algae derived diets contained essential macronutrients for the nutrition and survival of carp fishes. Performance evaluation of formulated diets vis-a-vis control feed (CF) showed significant improvement in weight gain (up to 55%), lower feed conversion ratio (2.17) and protein efficiency ratio (3.3). Cost estimates showed a marked reduction (26.10%) in cost of formulated feeds compared to conventional commercial feed that can significantly affect the profit margin of fish farmers. Further, histo-architectural changes in the intestinal sections of fishes confirmed the suitability of algal-based diets. This study highlights an interesting innovative strategy of producing cleaner microalgal biomass after waste carbon dioxide capture for the formulation of alternative nutritional feed supplement and paves a way for algal farmers to culture microalgae as unconventional feed source for the aquaculture industry. Lastly, the outcomes of this study are first of its kind in fish feed research and technology development.

A novel, nature-based alternative for photobioreactor decontaminations

Large-scale microalgae cultivations are increasingly used for the production of animal feed, nutritional supplements and various high-value bioproducts. Due to the process size and other limitations, contaminations of microalgae fermentations with other photoautotrophic microorganism are frequently observed. In the present study, we explored the applicability of 5-isobutyl-2,3-dimethylpyrazine for the removal of contaminating microalgae from industrial photobioreactors. In order to select a representative microbial population for susceptibility experiments, reactor samples were obtained from a multi-stage cultivation process. Assignments of 18S rRNA gene fragment amplicons indicated that Haematococcus, Chlorella, and Scenedesmus were the three most frequently occurring microalgae genera in the selected reactors. Following the isolation of representative algae cultures, susceptibility tests were conducted with the antimicrobial pyrazine. It was demonstrated that all isolated contaminants are highly susceptible to the bioactive compound. The highest tolerance towards the alkylpyrazine was observed with Scenedesmus vacuolatus; solutions with 1.66% (v/v) of the active compound were required for its deactivation. Further tests with the vaporized pyrazine showed consistent reductions in the viability of treated microalgae. This pilot study provides evidence for the applicability of a novel, nature-based alternative for bioreactor decontaminations.