Katsuyoshi Nishinari

Synthesis and antioxidant properties of gum arabic-stabilized selenium nanoparticles

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were prepared by using gum arabic (GA) as the stabilizer in a facile synthetic approach. The size, morphology, stability and antioxidant activity in vitro of the gum arabic-selenium nanocomposites (GA-SeNPs) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-vis). SeNPs (particle size of ∼34.9 nm) can be stabilized in gum arabic aqueous solutions for approximately 30 days. FTIR results show that SeNPs were combined to the hydroxyl groups of GA. In the present work, the alkali-hydrolyzed GA (AHGA) was also prepared and its efficiency in stabilizing SeNPs was compared with GA. It was concluded that the branched structure of GA was a significant factor for the functionality. The hydroxyl radical scavenging ability and DPPH scavenging ability of GA-SeNPs were higher than those of AHGA-SeNPs and could reach 85.3±2.6%, 85.3±1.9% at a concentration of 4 mg/ml, respectively.

Physical gels from biological and synthetic polymers

1. Introduction 2. Techniques for the characterisation of physical gels 3. The sol-gel transition 4. General properties of polymer networks 5. Ionic gels 6. Hydrophobically associated networks 7. Helical structures from neutral biopolymers 8. Gelation through phase transformation in synthetic and natural polymers 9. Colloidal gels from proteins and peptides 10. Mixed gels 11. Innovative systems and applications.

Rheology and synergy of κ-carrageenan/locust bean gum/konjac glucomannan gels.

The rheology and melting of mixed polysaccharide gels containing konjac glucomannan (KGM), locust bean gum (LBG) and κ-carrageenan (KC) were studied. Synergy-type peaks in the Youngs modulus at optimal mixing ratios were found for both KC/LBG and KC/KGM binary gels at a fixed total polysaccharide content (1:5.5 for LBG:KC and 1:7 for KGM:KC). The Youngs modulus peak for KC/KGM was higher than for KC/LBG gels. The same stoichiometric mixing ratios were found when either LBG or KGM was added to KC at a fixed KC concentration, where the Youngs modulus increased up to additions at the stoichiometric ratio, but leveled off at higher LBG or KGM additions. Addition of KGM or LBG to the 2-component gels beyond the stoichiometric (optimal) mixing ratio at a fixed total polysaccharide content led to a decrease in the Youngs modulus and an increase in the rupture strain and stress in extension, and both trends were stronger for KGM than for LBG. Differential scanning calorimetry of the gels revealed the development of a second melting peak for the KC/KGM gels that increased with KGM addition up to higher KGM contents than the stoichiometric ratio. For the KC/LBG gels, only a slight broadening and shift to a higher temperature were observed. When the three polysaccharides were mixed, the DSC endotherms reflected only the main features of the interaction between KC and KGM, and the same was true for the fracture in extension. The different trends led to higher Youngs moduli at intermediate KC concentrations when a 1:1 addition of LBG:KGM was used than when either only KGM or LBG was added at a fixed total polysaccharide concentration. This suggests that no special interactions arise when the three polysaccharides are mixed and the binding mechanisms are simply a sum of the bindings observed for KC/KGM and KC/LBG two-component gels.

Physicochemical characteristics of polysaccharide conjugates prepared from fresh tea leaves and their improving impaired glucose tolerance.

Hot-water extracts were prepared from fresh tea leaves and fractionated by DEAE-cellulose DE-52 column chromatography to yield one unexplored polysaccharide-conjugate fraction TPC-L (tea polysaccharide conjugates). Chemical components, molecular weight and its distribution, water vapor sorption properties, zeta potentials and optical characteristics of TPC-L were investigated. As compared with injured cell group, the two dosages of TPC-L (150 and 300 μg/mL) were discovered to possess remarkably protective effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells against impairments induced by high glucose in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Compared with group NC (normal control), the ingestion of 40 mg/kg of TPC-L could significantly reduce blood glucose levels of normal mice ingesting starch, and significant difference of AUC (area under the curve of blood glucose) and ΔAUC (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) at the postprandial time point of 0.5 and 1.0 h were observed. The three dosages of TPC-L (10, 40 and 160 mg/kg) did not significantly lower postprandial blood glucose levels of normal mice ingesting glucose. TPC-L could improve starch tolerance to prevent impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) from developing into diabetes as well as protective effects on HUVE cells against impairments induced by high glucose It was suggested that TPC-L improved IGT through its capability of inhibition on digestive enzymes.

Phase separation induced molecular fractionation of gum arabic—Sugar beet pectin systems

This paper investigates the phase separation and phase separation-induced fractionation of gum arabic (GA)/sugar beet pectin (SBP) mixed solutions. A phase diagram, including cloud and binodal curves, was established by visual observation and phase composition analysis. The deviation of the binodal curve from the cloud curve was a result of phase separation-induced fractionation of polydisperse GA and SBP molecules. Fractionation of GA increased the content of arabinogalactan-protein complex (AGP) from ca. 13% to 27%. The fractionated GA (FGA) showed improved emulsifying functionality, whereas the fractionated SBP (FSBP) had a reduced emulsifying functionality. The changes in emulsifying efficiency can be explained by interfacial adsorption behaviors at the oil-water interface as indicated by interfacial tension measurements.

The effect of degradation on κ-carrageenan/locust bean gum/konjac glucomannan gels at acidic pH.

The feasibility of textural and rheological modification of gels containing κ-carrageenan (KC) and locust bean gum (LBG) by addition of konjac glucomannan (KGM) was investigated. Special attention was paid to the effect of polysaccharide degradation during heating at acidic pH. The general effect of polysaccharide degradation was to decrease the Youngs modulus, while the fracture strain in extension was scarcely affected unless the degradation was very severe. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that the melting peak corresponding to dissociation of KC-KGM bonds decreased faster than the melting peak of KC-only bonds with increasing degree of polysaccharide degradation. The implication is that as degradation proceeds, fewer KGM molecules can interact with KC to form elastic bonds, and the excess of KGM which reinforces the existing elastic network and increases the fracture strain actually increases. For this reason, the fracture strain remains nearly unchanged with increasing degradation levels. A decrease in fracture strain is thus observed only at very severe degradations, where KC no longer forms a self-supporting gel by itself.

Whey protein isolate/gum arabic intramolecular soluble complexes improving the physical and oxidative stabilities of conjugated linoleic acid emulsions

Protein/polysaccharide electrostatic complexes have been widely used in food products to confer structure and stability. Intramolecular soluble complexes (ISCs) have superior emulsifying properties in stabilizing oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions. This paper investigates the potential application of ISCs to stabilize polyunsaturated fatty acids that were difficult to disperse and liable to oxidation. The idea was demonstrated using whey protein isolate/gum arabic (WPI/GA) ISCs and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Zeta potential measurements indicated a stoichiometry of r = 1.0 for the electrostatic complexation of WPI/GA. Excess of GA (r 20 mM and therefore seriously reduced the stability of ISCs-stabilized CLA emulsions. The superiority of ISCs in stabilizing polyunsaturated fatty acids is due to the cooperative adsorption of protein and polysaccharide at the emulsion interface, providing strong steric and electrostatic effects against droplet aggregation and coalescence and thus excellent physical stability. The improved oxidative stability should arise from the free radical scavenging ability of the protein at the emulsion interface, reducing lipid oxidation.

Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus CGMCC1.2686: Correlation Between Bacteria Survivability and Physical Properties of Microcapsules

Correlation between lactic acid bacteria (LAB) survivability and physical properties of microcapsules is critical to revealing the protecting mechanism of microcapsules for LAB. In this paper, five formulae of microcapsules with increasing mechanical strength were chosen to encapsulate Lactobacillus acidophilus CGMCC1.2686 using the method of emulsification/internal gelation. Morphological and size characteristics showed that particle diameter of the five LAB microcapsules ranged from 263.4 to 404.6xa0μm, with a span factor from 0.87 to 1.12. The increased mechanical strength of the microcapsules was accompanied with increased viscoelasticity and structural compactness as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Most of the microspheres shrinked in simulated gastric juice (SGJ), whilst swelling in bile salts solution (BS). Regression analysis showed that cell viability in SGJ was positively correlated with the mechanical strength of microcapsules. However, increasing mechanical strength did not significantly improve cell survival in BS.

Aggregation behaviour and stability of maize germ oil body suspension.

To utilize maize germ oil bodies as ingredients in the food industry, zeta potential determination and particle diameter analysis were used in this study as indicators of the stability of maize germ oil body suspensions. The stability and aggregation properties of maize germ oil body suspensions were studied at different pH and ion strength conditions, and different thermal treatments. Zeta potential measurement, mean particle size determination, and confocal laser scanning microscopy were also performed. The zeta potential and mean particle diameter of the oil bodies were easily affected by salt (7.05 mV and d32=1.43 μm at 100mM NaCl) and pH (23.30, 15.00, -16.43 mV and d32=1.02, 2.55, and 0.95 μm at pH 3, pH 4, and pH 7, respectively). Results demonstrated that aggregation and instability of the oil bodies were promoted by high salt concentrations and acidic pH but not by heating. The association between oil bodies and surfactant properties resulted in the disruption of hydrophobic interactions among oil body surface proteins because of the smaller mean particle sizes and the reduced negative charges (-75.73 mV and d32=0.46 μm at pH 3). Thus, the oil body aggregation behavior and stability of proteins are based on hydrophobic interactions present on the surface of the oil bodies.

Characterization and emulsifying properties of β-lactoglobulin-gum Acacia Seyal conjugates prepared via the Maillard reaction

Gum Acacia Seyal (ASY) is less valued than is gum Acacia Senegal, due to its poor emulsifying ability. The present study investigated the Maillard reaction between ASY and β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and its impact on the emulsifying properties of ASY. The reaction products of BLG/ASY mixture (r=1/4), prepared by dry-heating at 60°C and a relative humidity of 79%, as a function of incubation time, were characterized by SDS-PAGE, GPC-MALLS and DSC. The results showed that 12-24h of dry-heating under the given conditions was sufficient for conjugation, meanwhile avoiding the formation of deeply coloured and insoluble melanoidins. More than 64% of the protein was incorporated into ASY, resulting in a two-fold increase in arabinogalactan-protein (AGP) content and 3.5 times increase in weight-average molecular mass of ASY. The conjugation with BLG markedly improved the stability of ASY-stabilized emulsions and their resistance against severe conditions, such as low pH and high saline conditions.