Vanilla Research Articles

Taste aversion learning during successive negative contrast

Previous experiments found that acceptance of saccharin by rats was reduced if they had prior experience of sucrose or some other highly palatable solution. This study tested whether such successive negative contrast (SNC) effects involve acquisition of an aversion to the new taste. In three experiments, rats were switched from sucrose exposure in Stage 1 to a less palatable solution containing a new taste in Stage 2. In Experiments 1 and 2, a novel flavor was added to a saccharin solution at the start of Stage 2. In Experiment 1, preference tests revealed a weak aversion to the added vanilla flavor in the Suc-Sacch group, while in Experiment 2 an aversion was found in the Suc-Sacch group to the salty flavor that was used, compared with controls given access either saccharin or water in Stage 1. In Experiment 3, the Suc-Quin group, given quinine solution in Stage 2, displayed a greater aversion to quinine than a Water-Quin control group. These results support the suggestion that taste aversion learning plays a role in the initial suppression of intakes in a qualitative consummatory SNC effect. However, in the light of other evidence, it seems that the unusual persistence of successive negative contrast when rats are switched from sucrose to saccharin is not due to a long-lasting reduction in the value of saccharin.

Study and Characterization of Vanilla Pods Tahitensis Species for Characterization for Future Application in Products Derived from Vanilla in natura

The growing search for natural and healthier foods is a determining factor for studying and applying new routes for developing sustainable products. Therefore, this work aims to study and characterize the V.tahitensis vanilla bean for future application in natura vanilla extract. The physical-chemical and centesimal characterizations were carried out according to the methods described in the Adolfo Lutz Institute manual. The results obtained from the analyses were auspicious, and the intention is to develop the vanilla extract through a removal method that presents the best percentage of vanillin to be applied in the market.

PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT DESA RANOEYA MELALUI PELATIHAN PEMBUATAN CEMILAN CHURROS DAUN SALAM (SYZYGIUM POLYANTHUM WIGHT) BAGI PENDERITA DIABETES DI KECAMATAN WAWOTOBI KABUPATEN KONAWE

Salam leaf is one of the herbal plants that contains several compounds that effectively reduce blood glucose levels, namely saponins, tannins, phenolics and flavonoids. Empirically, the leaves of salamka are used by the Ranoeya Village community as an additional ingredient to add flavor to dishes. Community service activities of LPPM Politeknik Bina Husada and Halu Oleo University as a community empowerment in the context of utilizing bay leaves as snacks for diabetics in Wawotobi District. The potential development of churros snacks as an alternative food has the opportunity to be a very good snack for health that can be consumed by all ages. The method of the activity was carried out by training the making of churros to the Ranoeya village community of 25 people. The activity started from harvesting, wet sorting, dry sorting, drying, cutting and pulverizing bay leaves. Bay leaves were prepared with various concentrations, namely FI (1 g), FII (3 g), and FIII (5 g) and organoleptic evaluation was carried out including color, odor, taste and shape of the preparation. The results showed that Ranoeya villagers were very enthusiastic in participating in this activity. Organoleptic test results showed churros in formula FI were yellow, FII were greenish yellow and FIII were brownish green. The aroma test showed FI, FII and FIII had a distinctive aroma of milk vanilla flavor. The results of the taste test on F1 churros taste in general. F2 has a slightly concentrated bay leaf flavor, F3 has a concentrated bay leaf flavor. The taste test on F1 has the taste of churros in general, F2 is slightly concentrated, and F3 is concentrated. Hardness test on F1, F2 and F3 have good texture. The favorability test showed churros in F1 (90%), B (7%), C (3%). The results showed that Salam leaves can be formulated in the form of churros snacks and can be utilized as a healthy snack for diabetics in Ranoeya Village, Wawotobi District, Konawe Regency

Exploring the potential of the Vanilla species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Sensory description and consumer acceptance

AbstractThe present work aimed to explore, for the first time, the sensory potential of three native species of Vanilla collected in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (V. bahiana, V. chamissonis, V. cribbiana). Ethanolic extracts of vanilla species were obtained from the ripe, enzymatically cured pods, and added to lactose‐free milk making vanilla flavored milk samples. Threshold estimation differences of “vanilla flavor,” and hedonic and sensory consumer perception of samples were evaluated. A 9‐point hedonic scale and the Rate‐All That‐Apply methodology were used for comparison to the commercial species (V. planifolia) and an artificial essence. All native species showed lower average threshold concentrations than the commercial species extract. There was no significant difference in the perception of “vanilla aroma” between V. cribbiana and the commercial species, and neither V. cribbiana nor V. chamissonis showed significant difference to the artificial essence or V. planifolia extract for “sweet taste.” Among the evaluated species, V. cribbiana seemed to show the greatest potential for market success.Practical ApplicationsThe species of Vanilla sp. explored in this work have already been chemically evaluated and presented the components related to the vanilla flavor. However, the mere presence of chemical compounds does not guarantee aroma perception. Their relative concentrations, among other factors that are difficult to determine chemically, are indispensable for generating an agreeable flavor. The only reliable way to determine the acceptability of the flavor is through sensory analysis, applied in this work to prove the commercial potential of native species. Vanilla species native to the Atlantic Forest showed the sensory potential to be used as substitutes for commercial species and to be applied in the genetic improvement of varieties. These native species may be introduced to “gourmet” consumers as vanilla flavors with different nuances. Their production may favor the areas where they are cultivated, bringing economic development to the population, and helping to maintain the forest areas.

From Waste to Value: Recent Insights into Producing Vanillin from Lignin.

Vanillin, one of the most widely used and appreciated flavoring agents worldwide, is the main constituent of vanilla bean extract, obtained from the seed pods of various members belonging to the Orchidaceae family. Due to the great demand in the food confectionery industry, as well as in the perfume industry, medicine, and more, the majority of vanillin used today is produced synthetically, and only less than one percent of the world's vanilla flavoring market comes directly from the traditional natural sources. The increasing global demand for vanillin requires alternative and overall sustainable new production methods, and the recovery from biobased polymers, like lignin, is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical synthesis. The present review provides firstly an overview of the different types of vanillin, followed by a description of the main differences between natural and synthetic vanillin, their preparation, the market of interest, and the authentication issues and the related analytical techniques. Then, the review explores the real potentialities of lignin for vanillin production, presenting firstly the well-assessed classical methods and moving towards the most recent promising approaches through chemical, biotechnological and photocatalytic methodologies, together with the challenges and the principal issues associated with each technique.

Antioxidant, enzymes inhibitory, physicochemical and sensory properties of instant bio-yoghurts containing multi-purpose natural additives.

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, physicochemical and sensory properties of instant bio-yoghurts containing multi-purpose natural additives. Multi-purpose natural additives were formulated with three natural additives (sweet detar seed, ginger rhizome, and hibiscus calyx flours, as a thickener, flavourant and colourant, respectively) blends at proportions derived from the Design Expert. The additives' synthetic counterparts were formulated with sodium carboxymethylcellulose, vanilla flavor, and red colourant at the same proportions. After that, yoghurt was produced and the additives blends were incorporated into it either in aqueous extract or flour form, yielding bio-yoghurts designated multi-purpose natural additive extract-containing yoghurt (MNAE-yoghurt), multi-purpose natural additive flour-added yoghurt (MNAF-yoghurt), and their multi-purpose synthetic additives-containing counterparts (MSAE-yoghurt and MSAF-yoghurt). A commercially-available bio-yoghurt served as a control. All the yoghurts were lyophilized to obtain instant bio-yoghurts. Subsequently, bioactive components (total phenolics, tannins, total flavonoids and saponins), antioxidants and enzymes [alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, and angiotensin 1-converting enzyme (ACE)] inhibitory activities, as well as proximate, physicochemical and sensory qualities of the bio-yoghurts were determined. The MNAE-yoghurt and MNAF-yoghurt had higher bioactive constituents, total titratable acid levels, and more potent antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties, but a lower pH than their synthetic counterparts and the control. The total phenolics, tannins, total flavonoids and saponins levels of MNAE-yoghurt and MNAF-yoghurt were 14.40 ± 0.24 and 16.54 ± 0.62 mg/g, 1.65 ± 0.04 and 1.74 ± 0.08 mg/g, 4.25 ± 0.03 and 4.40 ± 0.02 mg/g, 0.64 ± 0.01 and 0.66 ± 0.02 mg/g, respectively. Among the natural multi-purpose additives-containing bio-yoghurts, MNAF-yoghurt had higher bioactive constituents and stronger antioxidant and enzymes inhibitory properties. Its α-amylase, α-glucosidase, ACE, and pancreatic lipase IC50 values were 72.47 ± 0.47, 74.07 ± 0.02, 25.58 ± 2.58, and 33.56 ± 29.66 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, MNAE-yoghurt had the highest protein (13.70 ± 0.85%) and the lowest fat (2.63 ± 0.71%) contents. The sensory attributes of all the bio-yoghurts fell within an acceptable likeness range. Overall, the inclusion of multi-purpose natural additives blends enhanced the instant bio-yoghurts' nutritional, health-promoting, and sensory qualities.

Microstructural Changes in Vanilla planifolia Beans after Using High-Hydrostatic-Pressure Treatment in the Curing Process.

During vanilla bean curing, the cell arrangement derived from the killing technique applied to start bean ripening is essential to obtain the characteristic aroma and flavor of vanilla. Hence, killing is an important step to release the enzymes and compounds required for vanillin production. In this work, high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 100-400 MPa for 5 min, using water at 7 °C as the pressure-transmitting medium, was applied as the killing method, and its effect on the microstructural changes in vanilla beans during different curing cycles (C0-C20) was evaluated and compared with that observed after scalding by using water at 100 °C for 8 s. Microstructural changes in the cross-sectioned beans were analyzed using a stereomicroscope (SM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The vanilla beans were cross-sectioned and three main sectors were analyzed: the total, annular, and core. The morphometric descriptors, namely, area, Feret's diameter, and circularity, were quantified via digital image analysis (DIA), from which a shrinkage ratio was calculated. The results show that the total area in the beans presented a maximum decrease in the C16 of curing. The core area was most affected by the HHP treatment, mainly at 400 MPa, rather than scalding. CSLM observations revealed the autofluorescence of the compounds inside the beans. In conclusion, the use of microscopy techniques and DIA allowed us to determine the microstructural changes in the HHP-treated pods, which were found to be more numerous than those found in the scalded beans.

Exploring elderly perception and acceptance: Influence of different sugars and vanilla flavor in different food models

Exploring elderly perception and acceptance: Influence of different sugars and vanilla flavor in different food models

Mechanistic insights into the metabolic pathways of vanillin: unraveling cytochrome P450 interaction mechanisms and implications for food safety.

Vanillin, a key flavor compound found in vanilla beans, is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries for its aromatic properties and potential therapeutic benefits. This study presents a comprehensive quantum chemical analysis to elucidate the interaction mechanisms of vanillin with CYP450 enzymes, with a focus on mechanism-based inactivation. Three potential inactivation pathways were evaluated: aldehyde deformylation, methoxy dealkylation, and acetal formation. Aldehyde deformylation was identified as the most energy-efficient, involving the removal of the aldehyde group from vanillin and leading to the formation of benzyne intermediates that could react with the iron porphyrin moiety of CYP450, potentially resulting in enzyme inactivation. Further investigation into the interactions of vanillin with CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 was conducted using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The docking analyses supported the findings from DFT studies, wherein vanillin revealed high binding affinities with the studied isozymes. Moreover, vanillin occupied the main binding site in both isozymes, as evidenced by the inclusion of the heme moiety in their binding mechanisms. Employing a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation, we scrutinized the interaction dynamics between vanillin and the two isozymes of CYP450. The assessment of various MD parameters along with interaction energies revealed that vanillin exhibited stable trajectories and substantial energy stabilization during its interaction with both CYP450 isozymes. These insights can guide future research and ensure the safe application of vanillin, especially in scenarios where it may interact with CYP450 enzymes.

Cutting-edge biomaterials for advanced biomedical uses: self-gelation of l-arginine-loaded chitosan/PVA/vanillin hydrogel for accelerating topical wound healing and skin regeneration.

The self-gelation utilizes natural vanillin as a primary component of vanilla bean extract, and as a crosslinking agent for entangling chitosan-PVA hydrogels. This involves a Schiff-base reaction, where amino group of chitosan (CH) interacts with aldehyde group of vanillin (Van). The optimized formula of formed hydrogels is chosen based on achieving a well-balanced combination of self-healing capability, mechanical strength, sustained release profile, and hydrophilic tendency. The prepared hydrogel is thoroughly characterized using SEM and FTIR analyses, swelling ratio, hydrolytic rate assessment, and in vitro drug release profiling. CH-PVA-Van hydrogels demonstrate controlled drug release that is sustained for over 7 days. Furthermore, antimicrobial tests indicate strong activity of CH-PVA-Van-l-arginine against Gram-positive bacteria, compared to tested yeast or Gram-negative bacteria using multiple human pathogens. Subsequently, in vitro biological assays are conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the prepared hydrogel in promoting wound healing and bone regeneration through cytotoxicity assay and wound scratch assay. The composite hydrogels achieved 95% wound healing after 24 hours, attributed to the release of NO from the loaded l-Arg and its essential role in the wound healing process. Consequently, CH-PVA-Van hydrogels emerge as a promising system for loading l-arginine and exhibiting potential for biomedical applications with antibacterial efficacy.

H‐Bond Modulation Mechanism for Moisture‐driven Bacteriostat Evolved from Phytochemical Formulation

AbstractThe development of environment‐friendly bacteriostats in humid atmosphere is designated as a crucial step pointing to sustainable antibiotic‐free alterative. Thanks to the excellent biosafety and intrinsic bacteriostatic attributes, bioactive phytochemical formulations become a fascinating substitute for traditional antibiotics; yet, it remains a challenge to deliver them toward moisture‐activated bacteriostatic application due to the unclear release mechanism and bacteriostatic behavior. Benefitting from “green” metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) evolved from natural γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD) and potassium ion (K+), an intelligent moisture‐activated phytochemical formulation is developed, which is featured by grafting bacteriostatic vanillin (a specific phytochemical extracted from Rutaceae vanilla bean) into microporous structure of MOFs via ligand implantation mechanism. According to the molecular simulation docking, the dominant pattern of host–guest structure is characteristic for H‐bond with a length of 1.9 Å, beneficial for the sterling adsorption capacity. Nevertheless, under moisture exposure, the intermolecular H‐bond is disrupted for vanillin release to destroy bacterial membrane structure, accelerate protein decomposition, and especially inhibit virulence gene transcription of cfa gene in Escherichia coli and sea gene in Staphylococcus aureus, directing to upgrade the insights into the bacteriostatic potency of phytochemicals in high‐humidity circumstance.

Sustainable vanilla pod dryer for small scale producers based on a participatory learning process

The traditional vanilla curing process can take up to three months. Although vanilla pods can be dried in an oven, faster drying methods can result in inferior quality and high costs. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the participatory development of a vanilla pod dryer, adapted to local conditions and based on the four principles of sustainability, to improve vanilla producers' traditional vanilla bean drying process. In participatory workshops attended by 11 participants and four facilitators, the traditional vanilla curing process was analyzed, and the basic constructional and functional parameters for a vanilla pod dryer were defined. Two models of solar dryers were constructed and tested in cooperation with the vanilla producers over a period of four months. The direct model performed better than either the indirect model or traditional sun drying. The vanilla dried significantly faster in the direct solar dryer. The drying rate in the solar dryer model was significantly higher than the drying rate of sun drying. No statistically significant difference was found in the content of vanillin for treated and untreated pods. However, the vanillin content of solar-dried vanilla is slightly higher than that of sun-dried vanilla, meaning that use of the solar dryer model did not affect vanillin content and therefore quality. In the endogenous development focus, participatory learning processes are fundamental to promoting intervention strategies, optimizing resources, and empowering local actors.

Identification of a β-Carboline Alkaloid from Chemoselectively Derived Vanilla Bean Extract and Its Prevention of Lipid Droplet Accumulation in Human Hepatocytes (HepG2).

Targeting bioactive compounds to prevent lipid droplet accumulation in the liver, we explored an antioxidative extract from vanilla bean (Vainilla planifolia) after chemo-selective derivatization through heating and acid modification. The chemical analysis of vanilla bean extract through chemoselective derivatization resulted in the identification of sixteen compounds (34-50) using LC-MS/MS analysis. A β-carboline alkaloid with a piperidine C-ring and a vanillin moiety at C-1 (34) was identified by molecular networking and diagnostic fragmentation filtering approaches. β-carboline alkaloid 34 exhibited significant inhibitory activity of lipid droplet accumulation (LDAI) in oleic acid-loaded hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The LDAI activity was associated with both activation of lipolysis and suppression of lipogenesis in the cells. The study indicates that crude plant extracts, following chemoselective derivatization, may contain bioactive compounds that could be beneficial in preventing hepatosteatosis and could serve as a source of lead compounds for drug development. This approach may be useful to investigate other mixtures of natural products and food resources.

Production of Vanillin from Pumpkin Peels via Microbiological Fermentation using Aspergillus niger

Vanilla is the main natural flavouring agent used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, flavouring, and fragrance, in which vanillin is the major component. Vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde) is a secondary metabolite of plants and the major organoleptic aroma component of natural vanilla. The vanillin compound can be produced using the following routes: direct vanilla bean extraction, chemical synthesis, and biotechnological processes (bio-vanilla production). Nowadays, the chemical synthesis method used for vanillin production has been rejected by the United States and European legislation, while plant-derived vanillin is expensive. The current study demonstrates vanillin production from pumpkin peels (Cucurbita moschata) by Aspergillus niger via one-step fermentation approach. This study implements different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (1.0 M and 2.0 M) during alkaline hydrolysis pretreatment and different feeding volumes of hydrolysates during the biotransformation processes of ferulic acid into vanillin, classified as small feeding volumes (SFV) and large feeding volumes (LFV). Detection and quantification analysis were carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), resulting in vanillin yield of 0.49 mg/L (1.0 M SFV), 0.5 mg/L (1.0 M LFV), 0.33 mg/L (2.0 M SFV), 0.59 mg/L (2.0 M LFV). Analysis with ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometry using thiobarbituric acid as reagent was carried out as well, resulting in vanillin yield of 2.76 µg/ml (1.0 M SFV), 3.78 µg/ml (1.0 M LFV), 2.68 µg/ml (2.0 M SFV), 3.05 µg/ml (2.0 M LFV). In conclusion, pumpkin peels can be considered a great source of ferulic acid and Aspergillus niger was reported as an efficient fungus in converting ferulic acid to vanillic acid, which will then be transformed into vanillin.

Carbon and Oxygen Isotopic Ratio Analysis by FT ICR MS for Natural Vanillin Authentication.

Vanillin is the main component of vanilla flavor and is naturally produced from an orchid. However, due to the high cost and time-intensive nature of cultivating natural vanilla pods, most of the vanillin is mainly artificially manufactured. Existing methodologies, such as isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and site-specific natural isotopic fractionation by nuclear magnetic resonance (SNIF-NMR), are employed to differentiate natural vanillin from other sources based on carbon and hydrogen isotope measurements. Nevertheless, these methods have limitations, as the carbon isotopic ratio can be counterfeited by adding commercially available enriched vanillin. For this research, we purified 1 mg of vanillin from pods from various geographical and botanical sources. We developed a novel method for analyzing 13C/12C and 18O/16O isotopic ratios of vanillin using direct injection analysis coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). This innovative approach enables the examination of bulk vanillin carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios, as well as specific molecular fragments. By analyzing a characteristic vanillin fragment that provides site-specific 18O/16O isotopic ratio data, we achieved superior clustering and discrimination of samples based on their botanical source and geographical origin. Our proposed method holds significant potential for vanillin authentication and can be performed using a mere 20 μg of pure vanillin in just 10 min of analysis time. Subsequent research should focus on acquiring additional vanillin samples from diverse botanical, geographical, and biosynthetic origins while exploring various isotopic ratios to further enhance the reproducibility and reliability of this methodology.

Enzymatic Activity and Its Relationships with the Total Phenolic Content and Color Change in the High Hydrostatic Pressure-Assisted Curing of Vanilla Bean (Vanilla planifolia).

Diverse enzymatic reactions taking place after the killing of green vanilla beans are involved in the flavor and color development of the cured beans. The effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 50-400 MPa/5 min and blanching as vanilla killing methods were evaluated on the total phenolic content (TPC), polyphenoloxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activity and the color change at different curing cycles of sweating-drying (C0-C20) of vanilla beans. The rate constants describing the above parameters during the curing cycles were also obtained. The TPC increased from C1 to C6 compared with the untreated green beans after which it started to decrease. The 400 MPa samples showed the highest rate of phenolic increase. Immediately after the killing (C0), the highest increase in PPO activity was observed at 50 MPa (46%), whereas for POD it was at 400 MPa (25%). Both enzymes showed the maximum activity at C1, after which the activity started to decrease. As expected, the L* color parameter decreased during the entire curing for all treatments. An inverse relationship between the rate of TPC decrease and enzymatic activity loss was found, but the relationship with L* was unclear. HHP appears to be an alternative vanilla killing method; nevertheless, more studies are needed to establish its clear advantages over blanching.

Whey permeate powder is a suitable ingredient for ice cream

The objective of this research was to evaluate the suitability of whey permeate powder for ice cream. Three white mixes were formulated with equivalent total solids, fat, and carbohydrates, but different concentrations of lactose and added sugar. Vanilla ice creams contained either reduced lactose (RL, 3.8% lactose and 17% added sugar), standard lactose (SL, 5.8%; 15%), or high lactose (HL, 7.8%; 13%). Trained panelists evaluated 8 body and texture, and 6 flavor characteristics through 10 mo of storage. All ice creams maintained low mean scores (<4.0/15.0 cm) for crumbly, lacks freshness, nonfat dry milk flavor, and whey, and moderate mean scores (5.0–8.3/15.0 cm) for gummy, melt rate, melt viscosity, sweet, and vanilla flavor for 10 mo. In mo 1 and 10, consumers in Iowa (n = 94, n = 55) and in mo 4 and 6, consumers in Kansas (n = 44; n = 56) rated the acceptability of the ice creams. Overall acceptability, flavor, and texture acceptability for products did not significantly differ until mo 10, when HL mean scores decreased lower than SL ice cream mean scores. The lower scores are attributed to crumbly and sandy texture defects, noted by trained panelists, only for HL ice cream stored 10 mo. The research demonstrates that whey permeate powder can be used to produce ice creams of acceptable quality for up to 10 mo.

A novel magneto-mediated electrochemical biosensor integrated DNAzyme motor and hollow nanobox-like Pt@Ni–Co electrocatalyst as dual signal amplifiers for vanilla detection

Herein, a novel magneto-mediated electrochemical aptasensor using the signal amplification technologies of DNAzyme motor and electrocatalyst for vanilla (VAN) detection was fabricated. The D/B duplex, formed by the DNAzyme motor that was each silenced by a blocker, and hairpin DNA1 (H1) containing adenosine ribonucleotide (rA) site were tethered on the sites of the gold nanoparticles@hollow porphyrinic-Metal-organic framework/polyethyleneimine-reduced graphene oxide (AuHPCN-222/PEI-rGO)-modified gold electrode (AuE). Then, after homogeneous and specific recognition in the presence of the VAN, trigger DNA was released and enriched by magnetic separation technique and introduced to the sensing platform to activate the DNAzyme motor, which efficiently improved target recognition capability and avoided the obstacle of multiple DNA strands tangling. More interestingly, the activated DNAzyme motor could repeatedly bind to and cleave H1 in the presence of Mg2+, leading to the exposure of a plethora of capture probes. The thionine (Thi) functionalized hairpin DNA2 (H2)–Pt@Ni–Co as signal probes could hybridize with capture probes. Additionally, the Pt@Ni–Co electrocatalysts presented catalytic activity towards Thi to obtain stronger electrochemical signals. VAN with concentrations ranging from 1 × 10−6 to 10 μM was determined and a detection limit was down to 0.15 pM. The designed electrochemical sensor was highly selective with specificity, stability, reproducibility, and reliable capability for monitoring the VAN in real samples.

Novel green production of natural-like vanilla extract from curcuminoids.

The demand for natural vanilla extract, and vanillin in particular, by far exceeds the current production, as both the cultivation of vanilla beans and the extraction of vanillin are laborious. For this purpose, most vanillin used today is produced synthetically, contrary to the general trend toward bio-based products. The present study deals with the synthesis of nature-based vanillin, starting with the more accessible rhizomes of the plant Curcuma longa. Besides vanillin, vanillic acid and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde are synthesized that way, which are also found in the natural vanilla bean. The extraction of the curcuminoids and, finally, their conversion to the flavors are performed using visible light and food-grade chemicals only. A binary mixture of ethanol and triacetin, as well as a surfactant-free microemulsion consisting of water, ethanol, and triacetin, are investigated in this context. The results exceed the literature values for Soxhlet extraction of vanilla beans by a factor>7.

Structure-guided design and development of vanillin-triazole conjugates as potential MARK4 inhibitors targeting hepatocellular carcinoma

Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) is a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy, as it plays a crucial role in cell division and metastasis. Vanillin is an essential ingredient of vanilla bean extract and has several pharmacological activities, including high inhibitory potential for MARK4. This study aimed to synthesize vanillin-triazole derivatives to develop MARK4-specific inhibitors. We employed experimental and computational approaches to investigate the potentials of synthesized vanillin-triazoles (5a–q) for inhibiting MARK4 activity and subsequent growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells (C3A/HepG2 and SNU-475). In addition, molecular docking and MD simulation studies suggest that vanillin-triazoles bind strongly with the active site residues of MARK4 and are stabilized by numerous non-covalent interactions. Among all 5a, 5g, 5h, and 5j showed an appreciable enzyme inhibition profile and strong binding affinities with MARK4 in the sub-micromolar range. Moreover the compound 5g suppresses the cell proliferation and migration potential of C3A and SNU-475 cells and strongly induces apoptosis. The present study suggests that vanillin-triazole (5g) has high inhibitory activity towards MARK4 and could be utilized for developing MARK4-based anticancer therapies.