Ruth Pedroza-Islas

Using biopolymer blends for shrimp feedstuff microencapsulation - II : dissolution and floatability kinetics as selection criteria

Abstract In this study, shrimp larvae diets were microencapsulated using as wall materials gum arabic, mesquite gum and maltodextrin at pH values of 4.0 and 8.0 and in a diet-to-wall material ratio of 1:2 and 1:3. The microencapsulated diets were then put in seawater in order to determine their dissolution and floatability rates. The experimental dissolution data followed a first-order kinetics model, whilst the experimental floatability data followed a first-order decay kinetics model. As a result, it was determined that the best microcapsules could be selected by using the characteristic dissolution and floatability parameters as screening criteria, without having to carry out cumbersome bioassays with all the experimental diets.

Integral Use of Amaranth Starch to Obtain Cyclodextrin Glycosyltransferase, by Bacillus megaterium, to Produce β-Cyclodextrin

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) is an enzyme that produces cyclodextrins (CDs) from starch and related carbohydrates, producing a mixture of α-, β-, and γ-CDs in different amounts. CGTase production, mainly by Bacillus sp., depends on fermentation conditions such as pH, temperature, concentration of nutrients, carbon and nitrogen sources, among others. Bacillus megaterium CGTase produces those three types of CDs, however, β-CD should prevail. Although, waxy corn starch (CS) is used industrially to obtain CGTase and CDs because of its high amylopectin content, alternative sources such as amaranth starch (AS) could be used to accomplish those purposes. AS has high susceptibility to the amylolytic activity of CGTase because of its 80% amylopectin content. Therefore, the aim of this work was evaluate the AS as carbon source for CGTase production by B. megaterium in a submerged fermentation. Afterwards, the CGTase was purified partially and its activity to synthesize α-, β-, and γ-CDs was evaluated using 1% AS as substrate. B. megaterium produced a 66 kDa CGTase (Topt = 50°C; pHopt = 8.0), from the early exponential growth phase which lasted 36 h. The maximum CGTase specific activity (106.62 ± 8.33 U/mg protein) was obtained after 36 h of culture. CGTase obtained with a Km = 0.152 mM and a Vmax = 13.4 μM/min yielded 40.47% total CDs using AS which was roughly twice as much as that of corn starch (CS; 24.48%). High costs to produce CDs in the pharmaceutical and food industries might be reduced by using AS because of its higher α-, β- and γ-CDs production (12.81, 17.94, and 9.92%, respectively) in a shorter time than that needed for CS.

Oleous Extraction of Carotenoids from Shrimp Cephalothorax and its Effect on a Microencapsulated Diet with Nauplii Larvae

ABSTRACT Carotenoids were oil extracted from shrimp-cephalothorax meal at two meal:oil ratios (1:5 and 1:10) and two meal-particle sizes (0.150 and 0.150–0.177 mm). Extraction results were significant at 0.150 mm in particle size and a meal:oil ratio of 1:10, obtaining 286 mgL−1 of pigments. Pigmented oil was microencapsulated to reduce deterioration by spray drying using two encapsulating blends: Mesquite gum-whey-protein concentrate and Arabic gum-mesquite gum-maltodextrin 10 DE. Microcapsule morphology and thermo-oxidative stability were evaluated. The Arabic/mesquite gum blend showed the best morphology and stability. A bioassay using Litopenaeus vannamei nauplii was performed using microalgae as a control. Results indicated that pigmented oil microcapsules increased the survival percentage when compared with the control. Larvae growth evaluated as the exoskeleton length was significantly different from the control favoring the pigmented oil diet. Larvae behavior measured as DI and PLIc showed no significant differences among the two treatments and the control.