Sugar and no sugar added fruit microalgae-enriched jams: a study about their physicochemical, rheological, and textural properties

Jams are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar. Due to this, health concerns of consumers have resulted in a sugar reduction, and its replacement using alternative sweeteners and introducing new ingredients enhancing nutritional properties. In this study, four types of fruits jams (plum, strawberry, apple, and peach), with or without sugar, were prepared using two microalgae biomass, Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) and Chlorella vulgaris, and Dunaliella salina extract as ingredients at different mix levels of concentrations, 0.10%–0.10%–0.05% respectively, for plum; 0.04%–0.00%–0.01 respectively, for strawberry; 0.06%–0.04%–0.00% respectively, for apple and 0.00%–0.01%–0.04% respectively, for peach. Physicochemical, rheological, and textural parameters were evaluated. Substitution of sugar/fructose syrup in the jam’s preparation caused changes in pH values, solid soluble content, and rheological and textural properties compared to sugar jams. Using sugar or sweeteners as isomalt, stevia and sucralose and microalgae biomass or extract showed significant changes in colour coordinates, however, these differences were not perceptible by the human eye. Jams containing microalgae biomass-extract showed higher G', G'', G*, and η* values than their corresponding control samples. All the jams presented weak-gel characteristics, distinguishing fruit jams. However, the results of weak-gel model analysis suggest that the influence of the different ingredients in the food system depends not only on their concentration but also on the interactions in the gel structure. Strawberry and apple jams showed no significant differences between microalgae biomass-extract samples and control samples, for both sugar and no sugar added jams being the best-obtained samples.

Study of the sedative effect of extract from tissue culture biomass of Rauwolfia serpentina

Several social, psychological and biological factors could be cause for central nervous system disorders, especially anxiety; the latter could lead to more serious neurological and psychosomatical disorders. Sedative medications of plant origin are widely used practically as an alternative and/or additive to traditional pharmacological treatments of anxiety, hyperexcitation and other neuroses. Thus, the search of new effective sedatives based on plant extracts is an actual and perspective task. Aim of the present work is to investigate the sedative effect of biomass extract from cell culture of Rauwolfia serpentina K-27 strain. Sedative action of biomass extract from cell culture of Rauwolfia serpentina high-productive strain was determined by open field method on 24 white mice males (no line). Mice weight was in 18–25 g interval. The behavior was assessed by usual behavioristic acts: motor activity, psychoemotional activity and tentative research reaction. Animals were randomized into 3 groups of 8 individuals each. Rauwolfia serpentina biomass extract at doses of 7.5 mg/kg (group 1) or 15 mg/kg (group 2) was administered orally as an aqueous solution. Animals of the control group (group 3) received a solvent (distilled water). The sedative effect of extract was discovered in doses of 7.5 and 15 mg/kg, that showed a decrease in horizontal motor activity to 63.31 and 79.76% respectively, vertical activity to 82.05 and 71.79%, grooming duration to 57.28 and 60.78% at experimental days 20 to 28. Tentative research reaction demonstrated the direct dependence of sedation intensity on duration of extract administration. As a result of the conducted researches significant differences in the number of fecal bolus of both experimental and control groups of mice were not revealed. No significant difference between the sedative effect and the dose (7.5 and 15 mg/kg) was observed. The sedative effect of biomass extract from cell culture of Rauwolfia serpentina K-27 strain was proven. This leads to perspective inclusion of the extract to traditional medicine in prophylaxis and treatment of insomnia and of physical and psychological overexcitation.

Optimization of canthaxanthin extraction from fermented biomass of Paracoccus carotinifacuens VTP20181 bacteria strain isolated in Vietnam

Introduction. The bacterium strain Paracoccus carotinifaciens VTP20181 isolated in Vietnam produces canthaxanthin, a carotenoid widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of this work was to determine optimal parameters for canthaxanthin extraction from fermented biomass of P. carotinifaciens VTP20181. Study objects and methods. First, a series of single factor investigations were carried out in regard to maximal carotenoid content in the biomass extract obtained by using ultrasonic waves. Four parameters of the extraction process, such as extraction temperature, solvent/material ratio, extraction time, and ultrasonic output power, were studied. The obtained results were then optimized by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken experimental design. Results and discussion. The optimal technological parameters of the extraction process included extraction temperature of 35°C, solvent/material ratio of 9.5:1 (v/w), extraction time of 90 min, and ultrasonic output power of 145 W. Under optimal conditions, canthaxanthin and total carotenoid contents were determined as 14.95 ± 0.12 and 18.21 ± 0.11 mg/g respectively, which were compatible with theoretical calculations ‒ 15.074 and 18.263 mg/g, respectively. Conclusion. Current results confirmed that the strain of halophilic P. carotinifaciens VTP20181 is a potential source for canthaxanthin biosynthesis.

Antiparasitic potential of alternative treatments against larval stages of Lernaea cyrpiancea

This study evaluated the potential of alternative treatments against larval stages of Lernaea cypriancea. For in vitro test, the nanoemulsified oils of Pinus sp. acicule and resin were evaluated, along with Biogermex® (commercial product based on citrus biomass). For this, the motility of five larvae of the same stage (nauplii or copepodite) were evaluated in a 96-well microplate. Using the best results, on the in vivo test, fries of Rhamdia quelen were submitted to a long-term immersion bath (96 h) containing different concentrations of the product diluted directly in the water. It was possible to notice the antiparasitic potential of the resin and the acicule of Pinus sp., as well as the citrus biomass extract against the parasites. The nanoemulsified oils successfully inhibited the development of nauplii (10 mg L− 1 in 24 h) and the fries showed to be tolerant to the presence of the compound (LC50 96h − 16.74 mg L− 1). The concentration of 30.5 mg L− 1 of Biogermex® eliminated the copepodites within 24 h, being more efficient than Pinus sp. when tested at the same stage, at the times analyzed. The results obtained indicate a potential use of these compounds as prophylactic agents against L. cyprinacea.

Mechanism and inhibition efficiency of biomass Tetraselmis chuii sp. on carbon steel corrosion in the environment under the conditions of oil wells

Corrosion control on petroleum pipe wells can only be done through the addition of corrosion inhibitors. In this study, the corrosion inhibitors studied were sourced from marine microorganisms, namely the type of microalgae Tetraselmis chuii sp. The aim to be achieved in this study was to determine the mechanism and efficiency of inhibition of the extraction of microalgae biomass in corrosion of carbon steel in an environment of petroleum conditions. To achieve this goal, a potentiodynamic polarization method (Tafel extrapolation) was used and the Electrochemistry Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) method used the galvanostat-potentiostat device (Voltalab 40, PGZ 301). The results obtained from this study indicate that API 5L X65 carbon steel in the petroleum environment is very significantly corroded, caused by acidic media derived from acetic acid and dissolved CO2. The inhibition ability of the Tetraselmis chuii sp. Biomass extract. in line with the increasing extraction concentration reaching optimum at a concentration of 250 ppm with inhibition efficiency reaching 70%. The mechanism of inhibition takes place through the formation of a protective layer adsorbed on the surface of carbon steel. The protective membrane formed is uneven and tends to be porous.

Biostimulant Potential of Scenedesmus obliquus Grown in Brewery Wastewater

Microalgae are microorganisms with the capacity to contribute to the sustainable and healthy food production, in addition to wastewater treatment. The subject of this work was to determine the potential of Scenedesmus obliquus microalga grown in brewery wastewater to act as a plant biostimulant. The germination index of watercress seeds, as well as the auxin-like activity in mung bean and cucumber, and in the cytokinin-like activity in cucumber bioassays were used to evaluate the biostimulant potential. Several biomass processes were studied, such as centrifugation, ultrasonication and enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as the final concentration of microalgal extracts to determine their influence in the biostimulant activity of the Scenedesmus biomass. The results showed an increase of 40% on the germination index when using the biomass at 0.1 g/L, without any pre-treatment. For auxin-like activity, the best results (up to 60% with respect to control) were obtained at 0.5 g/L of biomass extract, after a combination of cell disruption, enzymatic hydrolysis and centrifugation. For cytokinin-like activity, the best results (up to 187.5% with respect to control) were achieved without cell disruption, after enzymatic hydrolysis and centrifugation at a biomass extract concentration of 2 g/L.

Microwave-Assisted Furfural Production Using Hectorites and Fluorohectorites as Catalysts

It has previously been reported that the use of microwave heating, together with the presence of co-solvents, improves the efficiency of furfural production from biomass. Solid acid catalysts can be a good alternative to mineral acids, since they can prevent corrosion and can be reused. However, the formation of humines should be minimized. Several delaminated and fluorinated hectorites, with different types and strengths of acid sites, were synthesized and tested as catalysts for the production of furfural from commercial xylose and from an acid biomass extract of almond shells. A new methodology was developed to prepare crystalline fluorohectorite at 800 °C in just 3 h. The presence of F significantly increased the acidity strength in the protonated fluorohectorite (H-FH) taking into account its high ammonia desorption temperature (721 °C). Additionally, this sample had fourteen times higher total acidity by m2 than the reference H-βeta acid catalyst. H-FH was the most efficient catalyst at short reaction times (1 h) for the transformation of xylose to furfural under microwaves using toluene as co-solvent, regardless of whether the xylose was commercial (20% furfural yield) or an extract of almond shells (60% furfural yield). However, the acidity of the extract affected the fluorohectorite structure and composition.

Induction of resistance to Colletotrichum truncatum in lima bean

ABSTRACT: Anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum) is one of the major diseases of the lima bean culture, found in production fields, causing decrease in productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of abiotic and biotic inducers applied in lima bean plants to reduce anthracnose severity. Lima bean accessions were used and treated with: the abiotic inducers calcium silicate (Agrosilício Plus) and silicate clay (Rocksil), using the 3 g dose.L-1; the biotic inducer citric biomass extract (Ecolife), at the dose of 3 mL.L-1; and distilled water as control. To evaluate the resistance induction, the results of severity and degree of resistance of fava bean at 7, 11, 15, 19 and 23 days after inoculation were considered according to the scale of grades and classes of reactions. The design was a randomized block in a factorial arrangement 4 × 15 (treatments × hits) with four blocks. Resistance inducers Agrosilicon Plus, Ecolife and Rocksil have potential to be used in the management of anthracnose in fava bean. The studied accesses showed degree of resistance, being able to be explored in relation to obtaining anthracnose resistant cultivars in future breeding programs of this crop.