Effect of blueberries addition during beer maturation on yeast metabolism

In recent years, there has been a significant interest in beverages with increased biological value, such as beer with blueberries. In this study, blueberries were added at the beginning of maturation of lager beer with an initial extract of 12, 14 and 16ºP. The effect of blueberries addition on yeast metabolism was investigated as concentration of ethanol, higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and vicinal diketones in the final beer were measured and compared to control samples without blueberries. The results showed that blueberries affected positively ethanol formation only when wort with initial extract of 12°P was used and had no significant effect when wort with higher extract was used. In regard to secondary metabolites, blueberries addition led to a decrease in higher alcohols concentration and an increase in esters amounts. All the carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and vicinal diketones) were higher in beer with blueberries.

Separation and purification of flavonoids from polygonum cuspidatum using macroporous adsorption resin

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate the separation and purification characteristics of flavonoids from polygonum cuspidatum (PC) extracts by using macroporous adsorption resins (MAR) mixed bed to improve the utilization rate of flavonoids. Design/methodology/approach Taking the separation performance of flavonoids as an evaluation index, the best MAR were screened from 31 sorts of MAR and combined the best MAR to form a MAR mixed bed for adsorption and separation of flavonoids. Findings By studying the separation conditions that affect flavonoids, the results showed that resin LZ-72 has best separation and purification effect on flavonoids under the optimal adsorption and desorption conditions, the purity of the obtained flavonoid compound reaches 82.50%, 2.66 times of the initial extract, and the recovery rate reaches 89.70%. Theoretical research results have shown that the adsorption of flavonoids by MAR conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Freundlich models. Practical implications Because the flavonoids in PC have great medicinal value, the purpose of this work is to develop a method of separating and purifying flavonoids from PC, which will provide a certain foundation for the development of medicine. Originality/value This contribution provided a novel way to separate flavonoids from PC. Under the optimal conditions, the content of flavonoids in the product was increased 2.66-fold from 31.01% to 82.50%, and the recovery yield was 89.70%.

An insight into the chemical composition of ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) by means of macrocomponent analysis and fractionation of phenolic compounds

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) has been used for generations in folk medicine to treat various diseases. Up until today, the information about its chemical and bioactive composition is still rather incomplete. The aim of this study was to evaluate macro- and microcomposition of ground ivy including the polyphenolic profile. In the present study, different phenolic fractions (free soluble, esterified, glycosylated and insoluble-bound phenolic fractions) of ground ivy were prepared and analysed using spectrophotometric methods (total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity) and HPLC-PAD methodology. Regarding the macrocomposition, the results revealed that most of the ground ivy dry matter was composed of insoluble dietary fibre (48.96% dmb) followed by proteins (17.92% dmb). Minerals also markedly contributed to the dry matter (12.74% dmb) with potassium as the main macroelement (48.49 mg/g dmb). Dominant phenolic compounds in ground ivy extract were: rosmarinic (6.64 mg/g dmb) and chlorogenic acid (1.11 mg/g dmb), and flavonol rutin (1.87 mg/g dmb). Fractionation of phenolic compounds from ground ivy confirmed that dominant esters were indeed those of caffeic acid, while glycosides those of quercetin, which corresponded to the majority of identified compounds in the initial extract. Insoluble-bound phenolics were not represented in notable content. This study provided additional reference for macro- and microcomponent and phenolic composition of rather underutilized but valuable medicinal plant – ground ivy, to be used in further research of its health properties.

Simultaneous Purification and Separation of Syringoside and Oleuropein from Syringa oblata Lindl. Extract Using Macroporous Resin

This study developed an efficient method to simultaneously separate and purify syringoside and oleuropein from Syringa oblata Lindl. extract using macroporous resins. The adsorption and desorption property of 11 resins were systematically evaluated. Based on the adsorption performance, HPD-100B resin was selected for the separation of syringoside and oleuropein. The HPD-100B resin fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.97), as ascertained by the results of the static adsorption experiment. Kinetic and dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments were conducted using the HPD-100B resin to optimize the separation parameters of syringoside and oleuropein. On the optimal parameters, syringoside and oleuropein were obtained from the 20% and 40% ethanol eluates, respectively. In addition, the adsorption effluent (15–60 BV) contained a large amount of syringoside with less impurities; therefore, this part was also collected for further syringoside separation and enrichment of syringoside. By only one cycle treatment, the syringoside and oleuropein contents in the final products increased by 7.1-fold and 8.2-fold, respectively, compared to the initial extract. The method developed in this study provides a potential basis for the industrial-scale enrichment and separation of syringoside and oleuropein from S. oblata extract.

Useful Bioactive Substances from Wastes: Recovery of Trans-Resveratrol from Grapevine Stems

The methods for producing natural resveratrol are of big interest because of the many health benefits of this substance and its increasing use in functional foods, food supplements and para-pharmaceutical preparations. Generally, resveratrol is extracted from different natural sources, most of them usually produced for consumption purposes (grapes, nuts). This paper presents a method for recovery of resveratrol from a widely available raw material - grapevine stems, a by-product of vine pruning. An efficient extraction-fractionation scheme is developed, based on shifting the phase equilibrium, by which more concentrated extracts of resveratrol are obtained. After a simple extraction, the initial extract is further separated into two fractions, containing either water or ethanol-soluble compounds. Using this approach, the resveratrol’s low water solubility helps isolate it from other water-soluble substances. The resulting product is almost ten times more concentrated in trans-resveratrol than the initial total extract. Additionally, a fraction containing water-soluble polyphenols is obtained, which could be used for water-based pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.

Application of Biotests in Cyanobacterial Extract Toxicity Assessment

The aim of the study was to determine the toxicity of the extract obtained from the cyanobacterial cells derived from the waters of Zemborzycki dam reservoir with use of a battery of biotests. The taxonomic identification of the bloom-forming cyanobacteria revealed high abundance of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Dolichospermum spp. (Anabaena spp.) and in a lower degree of Microcystis aeruginosa and Planktothrix agardhii. In the extract obtained from concentrated cyanobacterial cells, hepatotoxin microcystin-LR at a concentration of 22.89 ± 3.74 μg/L and neurotoxin Antx-a at 13.02 ± 0.01 μg/L have been detected. Toxicity of the extract was evaluated with the following assays: Daphtoxkit F magna with the crustacean Daphnia magna, Thamnotoxkit F with the crustacean Thamnocephalus platyurus, Rotoxkit F with the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus and Protoxkit F with ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. The most sensitive organism among all studied was T. platyurus for which EC50 was estimated to be 1.2% of the initial extract concentration. On the basis of the highest obtained value of the toxicity unit (TU = 83) the studied sample was classified to the IV class, which is of high acute toxicity. Additionally, it was found that reactivity on cyanobacterial products differs greatly among organisms used in bioassays, which indicate the need for using a set of biotests.

Determination and Confirmation of Parent and Total Ractopamine in Bovine, Swine, and Turkey Tissues by Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry: First Action 2011.23

A candidate method selected by the AOAC Expert Review Panel (ERP) for Ractopamine for determination and confirmation of parent and total ractopamine by LC/MS/MS was validated in a single laboratory for bovine, swine, and turkey tissues. The candidate method utilizes methanol extraction of the tissues, followed by an optional enzymatic hydrolysis for determination of total (parent plus conjugate) ractopamine. A mixed-mode cation exchange SPE cartridge is used to purify the initial extract before LC/MS/MS. Matrix-matched standards and a ractopamine-d6 internal standard are used for quantification of parent and total ractopamine in unknown samples. Validation data demonstrated that mean intertrial recoveries for ractopamine across all concentrations tested ranged from 79.7 to 102.2% for parent ractopamine and from 79.0 to 100.0% when a hydrolysis step was included. Intertrial repeatability precision ranged from 2.44 to 11.1% for parent ractopamine and 4.97 to 15.0% with hydrolysis. Estimated LOD values were below 0.1 ng/g and LOQ values were validated at 0.25x the maximum residue limits. The data satisfy the requirements of the AOAC Stakeholder Panel for Veterinary Drug Residue Methods for single laboratory validation studies. The method was awarded Official Methods of AnalysisSM First Action 2011.23 by the AOAC ERP on Veterinary Drug Residues.

Enzymatic, Spectrophotometric Determination of Glucose, Fructose, Sucrose, and Inulin/Oligofructose in Foods

A fast, simple, and accurate method, using only standard laboratory equipment, was developed for the quantification of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and inulin/oligofructose in different food matrixes. Samples were extracted using boiling water and hydrolyzed with sucrase and fructanase. Sugars were determined in the initial extract and in both hydrolysates using an enzymatic, spectrophotometric kit for glucose and fructose determination with hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphoglucose isomerase. Calculations of sucrose and inulin/oligofructose were based only on fructose measurement. Glucose results of the hydrolysates were not used for inulin/oligofructose calculations because of possible interference. Released glucose by the hydrolysis of maltose or by possible partial hydrolysis of other compounds like maltodextrines, starch, lactose, or maltitol could interfere in the measurement of the sucrase and the fructanase hydrolysates. To validate the method, a wide range of different food matrixes and different amounts of inulin/oligofructose (1–54%) were analyzed. Mean recovery ± relative standard deviation (RSD) for inulin or oligofructose was 96.0 ± 5.3%. The RSDr for inulin/oligofructose measured on 35 food samples, analyzed in duplicate, was 5.9%. Accuracy and precision of the method were less for samples with large concentrations of sucrose, maltose, maltodextrines, or s tarch (ratio to inulin/oligofructose >4 to 1). Precision and accuracy were comparable with those of the ion exchange chromatographic method AOAC 997.08 and the enzymatic, spectrophotometric method AOAC 999.03. In contrast to 999.03, this method allows the accurate quantification of both GFn and Fn forms.

Electron Capture Gas Chromatographic Determination of Melengestrol Acetate in Animal Feed Supplements

Gas-liquid chromatographic methods are described for the determination of melengestrol acetate (MGA) in cattle feed supplements containing 0.000011–0.000220% MGA (0.05–1.0 mg/lb). A sample is extracted with hexane in a continuous liquid-liquid extractor and, if necessary, the extract is purified by treatment with activated carbon, solvent partition from hexane into aqueous methanol and then into methylene chloride, followed by column chromatography with alumina and silica columns. MGA in liquid feed and a few dry feed supplements may be determined directly in the initial extract by GLC. MGA in most dry feed supplements may be determined using only the solvent parition cleanup step; a few samples containing a low level of MGA and a large amount of co-extracted material may require all of the cleanup steps. MGA is measured by GLC, using a 1% OV-17 column, a 63Ni electron affinity detector, and cholesteryl chloroacetate as an internal standard. Recovery of MGA averages better than 90% with a coefficient of variation on the order of 7% for the feed supplements studied.

Arylsulfatase multiplicity in Proteus rettgeri

Multiple electrophoretic species of arylsulfatase were demonstrated in sonicates of Proteus rettgeri by paper electrophoresis. Subsequent treatment of the sonicates with streptomycin sulfate and DEAE-cellulose chromatography resolved enzyme activity into four fractions. Electrophoretic examination of each chromatographic fraction revealed sulfatase heterogeneity comparable to that of the initial extract. These electrophoretic components differed in their general response to a number of arylsulfatase inhibitors. The results are discussed in relation to the finding of multiple species of arylsulfatase in other biological systems.