Xylose Content Research Articles

Digital model of biochemical reactions in lactic acid bacterial fermentation of simple glucose and biowaste substrates

As concerns about the environmental impacts of biowaste disposal increase, lactic acid bacterial fermentation is becoming increasingly popular. Current academic research is aimed at the process optimization by developing digital bioreactors. The primary focus is to develop a digital model mimicking the biochemical reactions. In the light of this, this paper intended to build a digital model of biochemical reactions during the fermentation process of both glucose and biowaste substrates, including white pasta and organic municipal waste. For this purpose, near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy techniques were used to collect spectral information during the fermentation process. Next, the samples were analyzed by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to measure their glucose, fructose, arabinose, xylose, disaccharide, lactic acid, and acetic acid contents. The results showed that learning algorithms trained on MIR spectra accurately estimated the biochemical reactions for both glucose and biowaste substrates. For the glucose substrate, the results showed R-squared of 0.97 and RMSE of 4.69 g/L for glucose, and R-squared of 0.98 and RMSE of 2.74 g/L for lactic acid. In the case of biowaste substrate, estimations included glucose (R-squared = 0.97, RMSE = 4.69 g/L), fructose (R-squared = 0.88, RMSE = 1.47 g/L), arabinose (R-squared = 0.98, RMSE = 0.55 g/L), xylose (R-squared = 0.93, RMSE = 1.11 g/L), disaccharide (R-squared = 0.90, RMSE = 0.55 g/L), total sugar (R-squared = 0.98, RMSE = 3.79 g/L), lactic acid (R-squared = 0.98, RMSE = 2.74 g/L), and acetic acid (R-squared = 0.97, RMSE = 0.36 g/L). Regarding NIR spectral data, the predictive models were accurate when the substrate was glucose, however, they failed to accurately estimate the chemical reactions in the case of biowaste substrate. The findings of this study can be used to fulfill the requirements for a continuous fermentation process with the objective of maximizing lactic acid production.

Chemical changes of polysaccharides in heat-treated European beech wood

This work deals with the influence of different heat treatment temperatures (140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, and 210 °C) on changes in sapwood and red heartwood of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). According to the results of wet chemistry methods, HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), SEC (size exclusion chromatography), the wood constituents in sapwood and red heartwood behaved similarly to heat treatment, but the individual proportions were different. The loss of hemicelluloses and the increase in extractives with increasing temperature were more pronounced in sapwood. The amount of cellulose in sapwood and red heartwood showed similar behaviour with increasing temperature. Thermal treatment causes changes in cellulose crystallinity, and the formation of aromatic structures, mainly in beech sapwood. However, the increase in the lignin content of red heartwood was significantly lower than that of sapwood due to its auto condensation, and formation of pseudo-lignin. Among the carbohydrates, the most significant changes were observed in xylose content, which was almost twice as high in red heartwood as in sapwood. Other carbohydrates (glucose, mannose, galactose, and arabinose) reached similar values in sapwood and red heartwood.

Green process prorogue by xylanase enzyme and cellulose-derived sulfonated graphene oxide-like reinforcement in xylose and furfural production from corncob biomass

In this study, a process following the principles of green chemistry was applied for effective agricultural by-product conversion into biochemicals. Corncob was synergistically pretreated with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide:glacial acetic acid (1:2:2 wt/v/v) which was denoted as C-HPAC and then xylanase enzyme-assisted hydrolysis to obtain the highest xylose content of 1.99g with 66.41 % separation efficiency at 50 °C for 15h, and xylanase enzyme content of 0.4g/3g C-HPAC. Otherwise, the sulfonated graphene oxide-like structural material (EC-SGO) was synthesized through the sulfonation method using various concentrations of H2SO4 agent with EC-GO that was calcined with the mixture of ferrocene and cellulose (1:1 wt/wt) at 300 °C for 30 min. The highest furfural yield was 76.63 ± 2.23 % under the conditions of 60 mg EC-SGO catalyst, xylose concentration of 3 g/L, and NaCl 0.05 mol/L, at 180 °C in 60 min. Hence, the synergistic effect of NaCl and Brønsted acid sites (−SO3H) was confirmed through the XPS spectrum with an acid content of 0.6895 mmol/gcatalyst and depicted simultaneously a vital role through the proposal mechanism of converting xylose to furfural. The synthesized catalyst retains its stability for the multiple cycles of furfural production. Furthermore, this work has provided a route for the fractional separation of xylose and cellulose with assisted-enzymatic.

Promotion of lignin depolymerization and cellulose utilization via the coupling effects of DDQ pre-oxidation and HCOOH extraction

The full utilization of biomass plays an important role in the environment and energy. In this study, the coupling pretreatment of DDQ pre-oxidation and HCOOH extraction was employed to realize the separation and modification of three components of sugarcane bagasse for full utilization. Especially, the modified lignin was depolymerized to obtain aromatic monomers, and cellulose-rich residue was used to prepare lignocellulose straws. Furthermore, the coupling effects between DDQ pre-oxidation and HCOOH extraction on chemical and physical properties of modified lignin and lignocellulose straws were studied. In addition, the mechanism of lignin depolymerization and lignocellulose straw synthesis were explored as well as the mass balance of the biorefinery process. The results showed that the total yield of aromatic monomers increased by nearly 2 times and the conversion of lignin was 95.1 % after DDQ pre-oxidation. The mechanism showed that DDQ selectively oxidized Cα-OH bond of lignin to Cα = O bond, which not only avoided the formation of carbocation, but also reduced the bond dissociation energy of β-O-4 bond. Moreover, the tensile strength of hydrophobic lignocellulose straw increased by nearly 2 times and its flexural strength was 10.36 MPa. Modified lignin and modified cellulose were connected via hydrogen bonds, which enhanced the intermolecular crosslinking of molecules, thus improving the mechanical properties of lignocellulose straws. Besides, the maximum xylose relative content and concentration of xylose were 61.16 % and 17.57 g/L, respectively. This study provides a method for high-value and green utilization of sugarcane bagasse.

Essential oils combat Botrytis cinerea in apples: unveiling sugar, vitamin, and antioxidant dynamics

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of individual and combination applications of EOCs against Botrytis Cinerea in apple fruits, with a focus on sugar, vitamin, and antioxidant enzyme dynamics. In protective and curative treatments, sucrose content varied between 18.9 and 87.9 g.L-1, with the “CT” group exhibiting significantly higher sucrose levels (87.9 g.L-1). Glucose content ranged from 6.2 g.L-1 (“CT” and “C + F”) to 35.5 g.L-1 (“T + C + E + F”). Fructose content varied significantly, with the “F + T + C + E” treatment showing the highest (11.4 g.L-1) and the “CT” group the lowest (2.5 g.L-1). Rhamnose content in the curative treatment reached 14.9 g.L-1 (“F + T”) and in the protective treatment, the “C + E + F” group had the highest (3.3 g.L-1). Galactose content ranged from 0.1 to 13.0 g.L-1. Xylose content in curative treatment ranged from 12.1 to 13.6 g.L-1, with the combination “F + T” displaying the highest. In preventive treatment, arabinose content ranged from 0.7 to 3.0 g.L-1, with the “T + C + F” group having the highest. In terms of vitamins, the combination “T + F” showed the highest B1 (25.4 mg.100 g-1) and B2 (24.6 mg.100 g-1) content. Vitamin A, B1, and B2 increased in the “F + T” group, and vitamin C increased in the “F + T + C” group (33.4 mg.100 g-1). The quantification of oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes revealed significant reductions in H2O2, MDA, and proline levels in EOC applications. In preventive treatment, the combination “T + C + E + F” exhibited the most effective improvement in SOD activity (556.5 EU mg-1 ), CAT activity increased significantly in the “T + C + F” group (189.3 EU mg-1), and APX activity saw the highest increase in the “T + C + E + F” group (185.6 EU mg-1). Contrastingly, curative treatments showed higher H2O2, MDA, and proline levels. The most significant decrease in H2O2 level occurred in the “T + C + E + F” group (36.7 nmol.g-1), and a significant decrease in MDA level was noted in the same group. Notable changes were observed in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, with the “F + T + C + E” group displaying the highest SOD activity (440.7 EU mg-1), and the “F + T” group showing the highest GST activity (542.0 EU mg-1). This research provided comprehensive insights into the biochemical responses of apple fruits to EOC treatments, offering potential strategies for effective fungal management in agriculture.

Utilization of Potassium Carbonate-Ethylene Glycol as Deep Eutectic Solvent to Delignification Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch for Furfural and Ethanol Production

Pretreatment using Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) was done to reduce the lignin content in oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB). DES solution was prepared by combining Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) as hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) and Ethylene Glycol (EG) as hydrogen bond donors (HBD). This study aimed to obtain optimum conditions in the pretreatment process and determine the levels of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and glucose in OPEFB. The pretreatment stage was performed at different temperature parameters, 100, 120, and 150°C, for 60 minutes to produce optimum conditions. Biomass pretreated with DES was hydrolyzed by cellulase complex to obtain glycose and xylose. The results showed that the pretreatment optimum condition value achieved with DES K2CO3:EG (1:10) at 150°C for 60 minutes was able to degrade lignin by 46,06%, hemicellulose by 4,08%, increase cellulose by 60,21%. The glucose and xylose content reached 58.48 g/l and 26.60 g/l, respectively. This sugar has potential for ethanol production from glucose and furfural production from xylose.

Transcription factor PagERF110 inhibits xylem differentiation by direct regulating PagXND1d in poplar

Ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) transcription factors (TFs) play an important role in plant development and growth, while their underlying function in xylem development is not very clear in poplar. In this study, a nucleus-located ERF gene, PagERF110 was isolated from Populus alba × P. glandulosa, which displayed a relatively high expression in phloem and xylem. The transgenic poplar overexpressing PagERF110 showed less secondary xylem deposition than wild-type (WT). And the contents of cellulose, xylose and lignin in the cell wall of transgenic lines were less than those of WT. Transcriptome analyses showed that PagERF110 could activate the expression of a few downstream genes related to secondary cell wall (SCW) formation. Among them, poplar NAC domain XYLEM NAC DOMAIN1 (PagXND1d) is a key downstream gene, whose overexpression inhibits the development of secondary xylem. And the evidences from yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay all proved that PagERF110 directly regulates the expression of PagXND1d, and overexpression PagXND1d reduces secondary xylem deposition in transgenic poplar. This study enriches the roles of ERFs in SCW formation in poplar, which further provides references for revealing regulatory networks of TFs in xylem development in woody plants.

Anti-obesity effects of fucoidan from Sargassum thunbergii in adipocytes and high fat diet induced obese mice through inhibiting adipogenic specific transcription factor

The prevalence of obesity has increased and is a health concern worldwide. Due to the concerns regarding synthetic anti-obesity treatments, nowadays natural products become a trend. Previous studies proved that there is a potential to use marine algae as anti-obesity agents. Therefore, in this study, the lipid inhibitory effect of crude polysaccharide of amyloglucosidase-assisted hydrolysate from Sargassum thunbergii (STAC) and its fucoidan fractions (STAFs) on 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice were investigated. According to the results, the STAF3, showed the highest xylose content and exhibited significant inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation by downregulating adipogenic and lipogenic proteins in 3T3-L1 cells. Furthermore, oral supplementation with STAC significantly declined gain in body weight and fat weight, and serum lipid contents in an HFD-induced obesity mouse model. Structural and chemical characterizations demonstrated that purified STAF3 has consistent surface morphology and small particle size, with similar structural characteristics as commercial fucoidan. Together, these results indicate that STAC and purified STAF3 from Sargassum thunbergia is a potent source to develop as ananti-obesity agents or functional food products to counter obesity.

Optimization of Crystalline Xylose Production from Coffee Cherry Processing Waste

Purpose: This study aims to optimize the production of crystalline xylose from coffee cherry processing waste (CCPW) by investigating the influence of substrate concentration (SC), xylanase concentration (XC), and commercial xylose crystal concentration (CXC) on the process. Theoretical Reference: The research utilizes Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to design experiments and analyze the effects of SC, XC, and CXC on crystalline xylose production. Method: Experimental laboratory procedures were conducted with varying levels of SC (10-20%), XC (1-5%), and CXC (2-7%). Xylose production was carried out in fed-batch mode, with substrate feeding every 12 hours. Solvent volume was maintained at 250ml, with 60% added initially and the remaining 40% distributed incrementally during production. Results: The study found significant effects of XC and SC on xylose production, while CXC showed no significant influence. The optimized conditions were determined with SC at 10%, XC at 5%, and CXC at 7%, resulting in a xylose content of 0.804 g/L and a desirability value of 0.632. The model's validity was confirmed with a validation accuracy of 98.99%. Conclusion: The research demonstrates the effectiveness of RSM in optimizing crystalline xylose production from CCPW, highlighting the importance of XC and SC levels in the process. Implications of Research: The optimized conditions identified in this study offer practical insights for enhancing xylose production efficiency from CCPW, potentially contributing to the development of functional food ingredients and process engineering applications. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the field by providing a systematic approach to maximizing xylose production from coffee cherry processing waste, offering valuable knowledge for both academia and industry.

Comparative Study of the Convertibility of Pretreated Miscanthus Straw Using Enzyme Preparations Produced by Different Recombinant Strains of Penicillium verruculosum

Non-edible cellulosic biomass from perennial herbaceous plants is a promising and abundant feedstock for replacing slow-growing woody plants used in biotechnological applications. Herbaceous plant biomass, as other types of plant biomass, requires pretreatment before biochemical conversion. In this study, miscanthus straw was pretreated using different methods and subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with Penicillium verruculosum enzyme complexes under laboratory conditions. The convertibility after enzymatic hydrolysis varied from 15% to 66%, depending on the pretreatment method. Dilute alkaline pretreatment showed the highest convertibility compared to other methods, reaching up to 66%. The efficiency of dilute acid pretreatment was relatively low compared to other methods. The maximum convertibility was 37% for sulfuric acid pretreatment (the least efficient) and 51% for nitric acid. Convertibility was almost equal with 43% for white liquor and 46% for hot water. The glucose-to-xylose ratio was 4.7:1 for dilute alkaline pretreatment and 11–13:1 for white liquor. Both sulfuric and nitric acid resulted in a low xylose content in the enzymatic hydrolysates. Low-xylose hydrolysates with less than 2% of the glucose amount can be produced by hot water pretreatment. Preparation C, enriched with endoglucanase I from T. reesei and endoglucanase II from P. verruculosum, was found to be the most effective of the different enzyme preparations (EPs) tested.

Effects of Medium Additives on the Mycelial Growth and Polysaccharide Biosynthesis in Submerged Culture of Bjerkandera fumosa.

Medium additives have been shown to affect the synthesis of active products in fungi. This study investigated the effects of corn stalk, poplar sawdust, Tween-80, and oleic acid on mycelial biomass and physicochemical properties, as well as the bioactivity of polysaccharides, including exopolysaccharides (EPS) and intracellular polysaccharides (IPS), in the submerged culture of Bjerkandera fumosa. Results showed that the addition of corn stalk or poplar sawdust increased the production of EPS but decreased the production of IPS; Tween-80 had less effect on the production of EPS and IPS; and oleic acid stimulated polysaccharide production significantly. Polysaccharide property analysis showed that the addition of corn stalk or poplar sawdust promoted the production of high-molecular-weight components in polysaccharides and changed the monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides, as well as increased the mannose, glucuronic acid, and xylose contents of IPS. Tween-80 and oleic acid also changed the molecular weight distribution of polysaccharides but only slightly affected the composition of monosaccharides. The bioactivity assay indicated that the polysaccharides obtained by adding corn stalk possessed high hydroxyl radical scavenging and antitumor activities. The effect of poplar sawdust was slightly weaker than that of corn stalk. EPS and IPS obtained from a culture with Tween-80 and oleic acid possessed low antioxidant activity. Moreover, their antitumor activity was improved and lost, respectively. The results obtained in this work are useful for improving the understanding of the optimization and regulation of bioactive polysaccharide production in the submerged culture of B. fumosa.

Highly selective extraction of lignin and hemicellulose with retained original structure from sugarcane bagasse via low-temperature soaking and acidic precipitation

Low-temperature soaking can be used to extract the majority of the hemicellulose and lignin from bagasse without substantially changing its structure.The effects of temperature, alkali concentration, and treatment duration on the extraction of hemicellulose and lignin from bagasse via low-temperature alkaline soaking were investigated. Acid precipitation provided a solution by separating lignin from black liquor and enabled the categorization of the lignin into different groups based on the reduced pH of the solution. The precipitation of hemicellulose and lignin from black liquor under different pH conditions was investigated. The optimal pretreatment conditions for bagasse were determined to be an alkali concentration of 75 g L–1 at 35 °C for 8 d, achieving a pentose selectivity of 0.97. The main organic components of lignin and carbohydrates precipitated in different pH environments. The highest xylose content in the precipitate was obtained at pH 13.65 (above 85%), whereas the lignin content was above 90% at pH 2. The results of fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) analyses showed that the structure of the water-soluble substances and precipitates slightly changed during alkali pretreatment, which allowed for increased accessibility in subsequent biorefineries, such as in catalytic hydrogenolysis.

Development and Characterization of Soy Protein Isolate/Xylose Film

This paper used different concentrations of xylose as a cross‐linker to initiate the Maillard reaction with the soy protein isolate matrix. The mechanical performance and moisture resistance of the soy protein isolate film were enhanced. Measuring the specific wavelength absorbance, free amino group concentration, and fluorescence spectrum of the cross‐linked result revealed the alteration of the soy protein isolate. Simultaneously, composite films made by crosslinking soy protein isolate with xylose were thoroughly investigated. Mechanical properties, contact angle measurement, water vapour transmission rate, optical properties, and thermal performance were used to determine the film’s fundamental properties, and the interaction relationship between soy protein isolate, xylose, and glycerol was studied using infrared spectroscopy. The study found that the modified SPI film outperformed the unmodified film, particularly when the xylose content was 20%. The tensile strength reached 6.26 MPa, and the water vapour permeability was reduced to 5.45 × 10−8 g·mm/m2·s·Pa. It also exhibited excellent UV resistance and good thermal stability.

Coffee cherry processing waste to produce value-added products through clean production biorefineries

Indonesia is the 4th largest coffee-producing country in the world. Coffee cherry can produce 60% CCPW, more than the core product of coffee beans as the main product produced. CCPW contains lignocellulosic material that can be converted into value-added products. This research optimizes the production of xylose and xylanase enzymes as an integrated process with a biorefinery model to increase the added value of CCPW using the Research Surface Methodology (RSM). Enzyme production is carried out using a bioprocess using Trichoderma viride. Xylose production is carried out using the dregs of xylanase production as raw material and xylanase enzymes which are produced in the integrated process. The xylanase and xylose produced are in the liquid phase. The treatment design for xylanase production is substrate concentration and incubation time, while for xylose production it is substrate concentration and xylanase concentration. Based on the optimization conducted, the optimum condition of xylanase production was 75% substrate concentration with an incubation time of 72 hours, which will result in xylanase an enzyme with an activity of 29.275 U/ml with desirability of 99.55%. On the other hand, the optimum condition of xylose production was 12.54% substrate concentration with a xylanase concentration of 4.01%, which will result in 0.53 g/L xylose content with desirability of 94.06%. These findings show that xylose production efficiency can be achieved through integrated two-stage biorefinery production for efficient and sustainable utilization of CCPW.

Process optimization and effect of different extraction methods on the characteristics and activities of Herba Patriniae polysaccharides: A correlation analysis

The process of papain assisted hot water (WP), cellulase assisted hot water (WC), papain mixed cellulase assisted hot water (WPC), ultrasonic assisted papain (PU), and ultrasonic assisted cellulase (CU) for Patriniae polysaccharides (HPs) extraction were optimized using the indicate of polysaccharide yield, respectively. Then, the physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of HPs were compared, with an additional correlation analysis between the characteristics and activities of HPs. The results showed that CU demonstrated the highest extraction rate at 30.50 % among all methods. Compared to previous hot water extraction (HW), the enzyme-assisted extraction increased molecular weight, reducing sugar, mannose, and glucose content of HPs, while ultrasound-assisted extraction lowered mannose and glucose content of HPs, and increased reducing sugar content of HPs. All HPs showed concentration-dependent hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Correlation analysis revealed that HPs with moderate galactose content, higher reducing sugar, protein, glucose, mannose, xylose, and molecular weight polysaccharide content would exhibit superior hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities, with CU-HPs expressing these excellent characteristics. Together with the exceptional polysaccharide yield, CU was a promising strategy to extract HPs, whose optimum process were: enzyme addition 2.5 %, solid–liquid ratio 1:25, ultrasonic power 150 W, ultrasonic time of 50 min.

The effects of high-pressure, enzymatic, and high-pressure-assisted enzymatic treatment on the properties of soluble dietary fibers and their use in jelly prepared with grape waste extract.

This study aimed to investigate the physicochemical attributes of soluble dietary fibers (SDFs) of grape, which were isolated after enzymatic (using cellulase [0.1MPa/60°C/30min]), high-pressure (HP) (100MPa/60°C/30min), or HP-assisted enzymatic treatment (using cellulase [100MPa/60°C/30min]), then to evaluate textural properties, color, and microbiological load of jelly prepared using grape waste extract and either pectin or SDF types. HP-assisted enzymatic treatment increased glucose adsorption capacity by more than 50%, and the water-holding capacity of SDF more than twofold as compared to the levels measured in untreated-SDF. After treatments, glucose and galactose contents decreased, whereas fructose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, and rhamnose ratios increased. The arabinose ratio increased more than twice by the effect of HP, whereas the xylose content increased almost fivefold with HP-assisted enzymatic treatment. For the textural properties of jelly, HP-assisted enzymatic treated-SDF provided almost double values in gel strength and adhesiveness than those contributed by untreated-SDF. It was followed by HP-treated SDF jelly. The results showed that HP-assisted enzymatic treatment developed more similar outcomes with enzymatic treatment, rather than HP treatment alone. HP-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis is recommended for treating SDF for use in jelly due to its synergistic effect. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: High-pressure-assisted cellulase treatment provided the best properties to SDF for jelly. In combined treatment, impacts of cellulase treatment were more prominent than HP effects. Therefore, the use of HP assistance for enzymatic hydrolysis shortens the processing time. Moreover, the technological and functional properties (water holding, glucose adsorption capacity, and monosaccharide composition) of the combined treated-fiber can improve. In addition, the color and textural properties of the jelly prepared with this treated-fiber can be enhanced. In this way, it may be possible to obtain a good thickening agent. This material can also be an alternative to pectin.

Opuntia ficus-indica seed pomace extracts with high UV-screening ability in a circular economy approach for body lotions with solar protection

Opuntia ficus-indica seed pomace, a by-product of seed oil extraction, was investigated due to its richness of phytochemical compounds and high antioxidant capacity. The pomace was subjected to hydrothermal extraction using water under subcritical conditions to solubilize various compounds. Different final heating temperatures 120 to 220 °C were applied, and the resulting filtered extracts were analyzed using HPLC and HPSEC to determine the monosaccharide profile and molecular weight of the oligomers. Notably, extractions performed at temperatures between 120 and 180 °C yielded extracts characterized by elevated levels of glucuronic acid and exhibited higher molecular weights. In contrast, extractions conducted at 200 and 220 °C were distinguished by their enriched xylose content and relatively low molecular weights, falling below 23.6 kDa. The extracts were tested for total phenolic compounds, as well as antioxidant activity using spectrophotometric methods such as TEAC, DPPH, and FRAP. Results showed that increasing temperature led to a corresponding increase in phenolic compounds (from 7.7 to 13.7 gGAE/100 g) and antioxidant activity, with the maximum observed at 200 °C. These phenolic compounds enriched extract were used to produce a body lotion with sun protection factor of 8, with rheological behavior similar to that of commercially available products but without the need for additional UV filters and antioxidants. The lotion was shown to be safe for topical use and did not cause skin irritation. This study highlights the potential of O. ficus-indica seed pomace as a valuable source of phytochemical compounds and demonstrates the feasibility of using hydrothermal extraction to produce eco-friendly commercially interesting compounds.

Phytochemical characterization and bioactivities of different fruit parts of Tunisian barbary fig (Opuntia ficus-indica)

The valorization of bio-waste to acquire products with high added value presents a great profit for the pharmaceutical, medicinal and food industries. Thus, seeds, peels, and pulps obtained from green (GFI), orange (OFI), and purple (PFI) Tunisian pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) were evaluated in terms of phytochemical composition and biological activities. The peel part of the purple fruit contained the highest content of K, Ca, and Mg. While the seed possessed the highest P and Fe amounts. Moreover, the total carbohydrate contents in the different pear fruit parts ranged from 43.41% in the seeds (GFI) to 68.12% in pulp parts (OFI) and were significantly different from each other. The pulp parts showed much higher xylose and fructose contents, averaging 3.38 and 119.17 g/L. The seeds of the three varieties were characterized by higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids and mostly predominated by oleic acid that varied from 43.51 to 47.84% for the green and orange colored fruit seeds, followed by linoleic acid (32.76—37.1%). The seeds and peels parts contained higher levels of phenolic compounds with a total of 37 compounds compared to pulp extracts. The seeds of the three studied fruits possessed high repellency potentials against the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum). The greatest repellency activities were recorded in the purple (53.33%) and the orange (46.66%) fruit seeds at the concentration of 5 μL/cm2 and after 1h of exposure. The fruit parts showed considerable antibacterial and antifungal effects against Erwinia amylovora and Botrytis cinerea. The prickly pear fruit could be used as natural ingredients with potential biological activities.

High-intensity pulsed electric field-assisted acidic extraction of pectin from citrus peel: Physicochemical characteristics and emulsifying properties

Sustainable innovation seeks more energy-efficient processes for producing highly demanded products from industrial by-products. This study follows this endeavor. Comparisons were made on two processes for producing pectins from citrus peel as well as the two derived pectin products: a high-intensity pulsed electric field (HIPEF) pretreatment of citrus peel powder followed by a milder acidic extraction (pH 2, heating at 70 °C for 1 h; pectin termed HIPEF-CP), and a conventional direct hot-acid extraction (pH 2, heating at 90 °C for 2 h; pectin termed CP). HIPEF-assisted extraction significantly improved pectin yield (by 8.48%) and production efficiency (by 100.23%) while reducing energy consumption. Both were low-methoxyl pectins with similar branching degrees and contents of rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), protein, phenolic compounds, total alkaloids and vitamin C. Compared with CP, HIPEF-CP contained higher homogalacturonan content, higher galactose content, higher galacturonic acid content, lower arabinose content, lower xylose content, slightly lower degree of methyl esterification, higher linearity, lower side chain size, higher molecular weight, and wider molecular weight distribution. The antioxidant, emulsifying and emulsion-stabilizing abilities of HIPEF-CP were superior to those of CP, though both pectins were satisfactory emulsifiers, exhibiting good antioxidant activities and emulsifying capacities at pectin concentrations not lower than 1.0%. The HIPEF pretreatment of citrus peel made the subsequent acidic pectin extraction feasible under milder conditions, to produce pectin with desired antioxidant and emulsifying capacities.

Biorefinery of barley straw using pressurized fluids: Biocompounds and biopolymers production

In this study, barley straw was treated by subcritical water (sCW) and pressurized aqueous ethanol (PAE) (20–100% v/v ethanol) at 180–220 °C, 50–200 bar, 5 mL/min, for 40 min. The optimum condition to obtain monosaccharides was using sCW at 200 °C, 50 bar for 40 min with the highest contents of xylose (48.63 ± 2.95 mg/g barley straw) followed by glucose (17.85 ± 1.01 mg/g barley straw) and arabinose (7.20 ± 1.15 mg/g barley straw). The highest content of total phenolics in the hydrolysates (75.38 ± 1.43 mg GAE/g straw) and lignin removed in the residue (7.5% lignin left) were achieved by PAE (60%) at 220 °C, 50 bar, for 40 min, resulting in 88.43% of cellulose in the residue. In addition, the use of PAE treatments at higher ethanol concentrations significantly reduced the formation of inhibitors such as 5-HMF and furfural. Furthermore, PAE hydrolysates had antioxidant activity values in the range of 23.87–82.62 mM FeSO4/g straw.