Evaluation of two Non-Edible, Wild Indigenous Botswana Crops (Croton megalobotrys (Motsebi/Letsebi/Moshoole) and Ricinus communis (Mokhure)) as Potential Feedstocks for Petroleum and Cosmetic Industries

Croton megalobotrys and Ricinus cummunis plants produce high-quality non-edible seed oils at relatively high quantities of 39.65 ± 0.06 % w/w to 53.74 ± 0.04 % w/w. The Iodine values of 85.97 ± 1.62 g I2/100 g to 96.51 ± 1.31 g I2/100 g; the low acid values of 0.96 ± 0.05 mg KOH/g to 5.31 ± 0.76 mg KOH/g; and high saponification values of 139.65 ± 1.06 mg KOH/g to 153.01 ± 1.67 mg KOH/g show that these seed oils can be useful feedstocks in the petroleum, soap, and cosmetics industries. GC-MS results revealed that R. cummunis seed oil is made up of eight (8) fatty acids with the bulk being ricinoleic acid at 81.51 %. Ricinoleic acid is the main fatty acid used in oleochemical industries. C. megalobotrys seed oil is made up of five (5) fatty acids, the most abundant being Linoleic acid which makes up 58.01 % of the seed oil. The other two significant fatty acids in C. megalobotrys seed oil are palmitic and oleic acids at 19.51 % and 18.37 %, respectively. These acids are important as starting materials in soap, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The fatty acids of the two seed oils absorb light at the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This means that cosmetic products made from these seed oils will be effective in protecting the human skin against ultraviolet radiation. The FT-IR peaks for the two seed oils show that even though these seed oils are made up of different fatty acids, the active sites of their fatty acids are similar, implying that these seed oils can be used as starting materials in similar industries.

213 Nutritional and Genetic Influences on Fatty Acid Composition of Beef and Lamb

There is increased competition in the protein market with the entrance of cell-based and plant-based products. Consumers issues with consumption of red meat typically center around saturated (SFA) fatty acid content and environmental impacts associated with production. Nutritional system used for finishing beef and lamb alters fatty acid composition of the meat product. Forages and grasses that are utilized in a grass-fed finishing system increases the animal’s intake of a-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3), the main fatty acid present in plants (57%) that can be converted to eicosapentaenoic (C20:5 n-3), docosapentaenoic (C22:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic (C22:6 n-3) acids in animal tissues. Grain-fed finishing systems increases the animal’s intake of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), the main fatty acid present in corn grain (57%), that can be converted to arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6) and docosatetraenoic acid (C22:4 n-6) in animal tissues. Biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is extensive in the rumen (> 80% of dietary PUFA) and rumen protected supplements are needed to enhance PUFA content of ruminant meat products. Saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids are the majority (>75% of total fatty acids) of fatty acids present in ruminant meat products. Therefore, finding approaches to attain greater desaturation of palmitic and stearic acids to their MUFA products, palmitoleic and oleic acids, would be most beneficial. The content of oleic acid and MUFA in beef is highly heritable and some breeds have high levels of MUFA. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) is the rate limiting enzyme in the production of MUFA. More research is needed to find ways of altering SCD1 expression in meat animal tissues to enhance MUFA and lower SFA content.

Biodiesel Production from a Mixture of Rubber Seed Oil and Waste Oil Through the Alcoholysis Process with Catalysts Based on Vegetable Waste

The increasing types of people needs along with the times have resulted in the need for energy increasing so that the supply of energy, especially energy that cannot be renewed (unrenewable energy) is decreasing. Currently, almost 80% of the world's energy needs are met by fossil fuels. In fact, the use of fossil fuels can cause global warming. To reduce dependence on fossil fuels as an energy source, it is necessary to search for energy sources that can be used as alternative fuels that are environmentally friendly. Indonesia is an agricultural country that is overgrown with plantation crops that produce various kinds of waste such as rubber seeds which contain oil. This plant produces a lot of wasted seeds that are not useful. Therefore, researchers want to research the oil from rubber seeds to be a biodiesel product and in order to get high quality results. This study regulates several independent variables, namely the alcoholysis temperatures: 650C, 700C and 750C and the alcohol volume: 200 ml, 250 ml and 300 ml. The process is carried out by extraction using the alkolysis method. The best yield yielded 60.5%, with the best yield of biodiesel from alcoholysis obtained at a volume of 250 ml of ethanol and a temperature of 75oC with a density of 09 kg/m3 and a viscosity of 3,285 mm2/s (cSt), fulfilling the requirements of SNI 7182:2015. Based on the results of GC analysis, the main fatty acid components in the sample were at peak 1, namely saturated fatty acids in the form of palmitic acid at 44,28% and peak 4, namely unsaturated fatty acids in the form of oleic acid at 31.99%.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of a New Olive Pomace Functional Ingredient

Olive pomace, an olive oil processing byproduct, can be upcycled and meet the current demand for natural and sustainable food ingredients. In this work, a patented process was used to obtain a functional ingredient from different olive pomaces. The nutritional, chemical and antioxidant profiles, as well as the antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans, were investigated for the first time. The amount of phenolics ranged between 3.1 and 3.8 g gallic acid eq./100 g in all samples and flavonoids between 2.0 and 3.2 g catechin eq/100 g. No significant differences were found regarding the antioxidant activity. The total fat varied between 5 and 11%, α-tocopherol being the major vitamer and oleic acid the main fatty acid. The protein and ash contents were 1–4% and 10–17%, respectively. The functional ingredient with a higher hydroxytyrosol content (220 mg/100 g) also presented the best minimal inhibitory concentration against the tested bacteria. No activity against C. albicans was verified. This new functional ingredient presents the potential to be used as a natural preservative or as a nutritional profile enhancer. Moreover, it can be an advantageous ingredient in food products, since it comprises specific lipid and hydrophilic bioactive compounds usually not present in other plant extracts.

Comparison of Fatty Acid Composition and Antioxidant Contents of Tribulus Terrestris L. Collected from Different Localities

For a long time, many cultures around the world have used Tribulus terrestris L. in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. In this study, the antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content of extracts obtained with various solvents from T. terrestris plant collected from different localities in Kahramanmaraş were investigated. In addition, the fixed oil content of the extracts was examined by GC-MS analysis and as a result, 26 different fatty acids were determined. The main fatty acid components of plant extracts are linoleic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid. The total phenolic substance value of plant extracts varies between 2.20-18-77 mg g-1, total flavonoid amount varies between 0.06-0.50 mg g-1, FRAP value varies between 6.16-23.50 µg g-1 and DPPH value varies between 1.54-10.54 µg mL-1. It was observed that the solvents used in extraction affected the bioactivity values rather than the locations. Although the absorbance values of the extracts obtained with hexane were high, low extract yield affected the results. The highest values in all characters examined were obtained from ethanolic extracts.

Profiling of volatile compounds with characteristic odors in Bambusa oldhamii shoots from Taiwan

This study focuses on volatile aromatic constituents extracted using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) from underground and aboveground Bambusa oldhamii shoots. Analysis was conducted using the extracts after heating at various temperatures and for various durations. Results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed six SPME-extracted volatile aromatic compounds in underground B. oldhamii shoots and eleven in aboveground B. oldhamii shoots. Methyl salicylate with a characteristic mint aroma and methoxy-phenyl oxime that gives a smell of fresh shrimp and crabs are the main volatile compounds found in underground and aboveground shoots of B. oldhamii, respectively. Moreover, the two types of shoots tested also contain volatile compounds including fatty acids: n-hexadecanoic acid (27.94%) and aliphatic aldehyde: trans-2-nonenal (16.31%), respectively. The GC-MS analysis of underground and aboveground B. oldhamii shoots steamed at 100 C for 60 min revealed n-hexadecanoic acid as the main fatty acid compound.

The Effects of Royal Jelly Acid, 10-Hydroxy-Trans-2-Decenoic Acid, on Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress in Astrocytes Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide and Hydrogen Peroxide

The increased prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, necessitates the search for natural immune- and cognitive-enhancing agents. 10-Hydroxy-trans-2-decenoic acid (10-H2DA), the main fatty acid of royal jelly, has several pharmacological activities. Given the fundamental role of astrocytes in regulating immune responses of the central nervous system, we used cortical astrocytes to examine the effect of 10-H2DA on the expression of genes associated with neuroinflammation and the production of neurotrophins, as well as cellular resistance to H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. Astrocytes, pretreated with a range of concentrations of 10-H2DA for 24 h, were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 3 h, after which the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)) and neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF, and IGF-1) was evaluated. In the absence of LPS, 10-H2DA had no significant effect on the mRNA expression of neurotrophins or cytokines except for IL-1β, which significantly increased with low doses of 10-H2DA (3 µM). 10-H2DA (10 µM) pretreatment of LPS-stimulated cells did not significantly inhibit the expression of cytokine encoding genes; however, it significantly lowered the mRNA expression of GDNF and tended to decrease BDNF and IGF-1 expression compared with LPS alone. Additionally, 10-H2DA did not protect astrocytes against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Our data indicate no anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, or neurotrophic effect of 10-H2DA in astrocytes undergoing inflammation or oxidative stress. The effect of IGF-1 inhibition by 10-H2DA on neuronal ketogenesis needs investigation.

Influence of the diet on the composition of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae

The earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae is a well-known source of protein in animal feeding but there is lack of information on its fatty acid profile. This study aimed to determine its nutrient components and fatty acid profile. Earthworms were bred in substrate containing organic matter; peanut powder was added in the experimental group diet. The nutrient components (protein, ash, and minerals) of the adult worms were determined according to the Kjeldahl method and by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry. The dry-matter protein content significantly increased in worms fed peanut powder (p < 0.05) as did the minerals measured. The main fatty acid families had similar proportions in the groups. In the saturated fatty acids, C12:0 and C18:0 were present in higher proportions in both groups, whereas in monounsaturated fatty acids, C18:1ω9 prevailed. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed between the two groups. An increase in the proportion of ω6 and ω3 was observed in the experimental group compared to the control. This study showed that peanut powder significantly influenced nutrient components of E. eugeniae. The fatty acid profile of this species was similar to that of most animals. Earthworms’ diet can be altered to improve the nutritional value of E. eugeniae.

Evaluation of the Bioactive Compounds Found in Tomato Seed Oil and Tomato Peels Influenced by Industrial Heat Treatments

The circular economy action plan involves principles related to food waste reduction and integration of recovered nutrients to the market. In this context, the present study aims to highlight the valuable bioactive components found in tomato processing by-products (carotenoids, phenolic compounds and fatty acids) influenced by industrial pre-treatments, particularly cold break (CB) process at 65–75 °C and hot break (HB) process at 85–95 °C. The fatty acid profile of the tomato seed oil was examined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), individual carotenoid and phenolic compositions were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the viscoelastic properties were evaluated by rheological measurements. The physicochemical properties revealed appropriate characteristics of the tomato seed oil to fit the standards of generally accepted edible oils, for both CB and HB derived samples, however, significant qualitative and quantitative differences were detected in their phenolic composition and carotenoids content. Lycopene (37.43 ± 1.01 mg/100 mL) was a major carotenoid in the examined samples, linoleic acid was the main fatty acid (61.73%) detected in the tomato seed oil and syringic acid appeared to be one of two major phenolic acids detected in the samples of CB process. Our findings extend the boundaries of tomato processing industry by validating that tomato seed oil is a bioactive rich edible oil with additional health benefits, which can be integrated in functional food products.

Description and genomic characterization of Streptococcus symci sp. nov., isolated from a child’s oropharynx

Using the culturomics approach, we isolated a new Streptococcus species, strain C17T, from the oropharynx mucosa sample of a healthy 5-year-old child living in Shenyang, China. We studied the phenotypic, phylogenetic, and genomic characteristics of strain C17T, which was identified as a Gram-positive, coccus-shaped, non-motile, aerobic, catalase-negative bacteria. Its growth temperatures ranged from 20 to 42 °C, with optimal growth at 37 °C. Acid production could be inhibited by two sugars, trehalose and raffinose. In C17T, the reactions for enzyme lipase (C14) were confirmed to be negative, whereas those for alkaline phosphatase, α-glucosidase, and hippuric acid hydrolysis were positive. The C17T genome contained 2,189,419 base pairs (bp), with an average G+C content of 39.95%, encoding 2092 genes in total. The 16S ribosomal RNA sequence showed 99.8% similarity with the newly identified Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae ATCC BAA-960T. The main fatty acid components in C17T were C16:0, C18:1 w7c, C18:0, and C18:1 w9c, all of which can be found in other species of the Streptococcus genus. Strain C17T showed high susceptibility to clindamycin, linezolid, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, and cefepime, and moderate susceptibility to erythromycin. The obtained dDDH value between strain C17T and the closest species was 52.9%. In addition, the whole genome sequence of strain C17T had an 82.21–93.40% average nucleotide identity (ANI) with those strains of closely related Streptococcus species, indicating that the strain C17T was unique among all Streptococcus species. Based on these characteristics, we determine that C17T is a novel species, named Streptococcus symci sp. nov. (= GDMCC 1.1633 = JCM 33582).