Potential use of extracted flax seed mucilage in the construction of macroporous cryo-scaffolds

Mucilage is a natural source of polysaccharides that has recently attracted attention for use in biomaterial production. It attracts attention with its easy and fast extraction, biocompatibility, high water retention capacity, and biodegradability. Although there are studies on the characterization of mucilage obtained from different plant sources, the interaction of this polymer with other polymers and its potential to form new biomaterials have not yet been sufficiently investigated. Based on this, in this study, the potential of mucilage extracted from flaxseed for the production of cryogels for tissue engineering applications was demonstrated. Firstly, yield, basic physicochemical properties, morphology, and surface charge-dependent isoelectric point determination studies were carried out for the characterization of the extracted mucilage. The successful preparation of mucilage was evaluated for the construction of cryo-scaffolds and 3D, spongy, and porous structures were obtained in the presence of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol polymers. A heterogeneous morphology with interconnected macro and micro porosity in the range of approximately 85-115 m pore diameter was exhibited. Due to the high hydrophilic structure of the mucilage, which is attached to the structure with weak hydrogen bonds, the contact angle values of the scaffolds were obtained below 80° and they showed the ability to absorb 1000 times their dry weight in approximately 30 min. As a preliminary optimization study for the evaluation of mucilage in cryogel formation, this work introduced a new construct to be developed as wound dressing scaffold for deep and chronic wounds.

Effects of cactus pear clone harvest seasons and times on the physicochemical and technological properties of resulting mucilage and biopolymeric films

Cactus pear cladodes, clones 'Miúda' (MIU) and 'Orelha de Elefante Mexicana' (OEM) were harvested at 6 am and 8 pm during the rainy-dry, dry and rainy seasons to evaluate the effect of type of clone and harvest seasons on the physicochemical and technological properties of mucilage as well as the optical, physicochemical, mechanical, thermal and microstructural characteristics of the films obtained. The mucilage of the OEM clone presented a higher content of phenolic compounds, compared to the Nopalea genus, regardless of the season and time of harvest. Furthermore, the dry period resulted in higher carbohydrate levels, regardless of the harvest time. The biopolymeric films produced from the OEM clone harvested in the rainy season and rainy-dry transition showed darker color, better mechanical properties, water barrier, compact microstructure and thermal stability when compared to the MIU clone. Furthermore, harvesting at 6 am provided improvements in the mechanical conditions, permeability and thermal stability of the films of both types of clones studied. These results showed strong environmental modulation, naturally incorporating important macromolecules such as carbohydrates and phenolic compounds, used in the industry in the production of nutraceutical foods, into the mucilage. Furthermore, harvesting cladodes at 6 am in the rainy and transitional (rainy-dry) periods provided better quality biopolymeric films and/or coatings.

Analysis of natural okra extracts as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic medium

Plant extracts have been shown to effectively inhibit metal corrosion. Using the Box-Behnken design, gravimetric, and electrochemical techniques, analyses were designed to investigate the anti-corrosion potential of okra in a 1M HCl medium. The inhibition performances derived from the various methods were in good agreement, demonstrating that physio-chemisorption was effective and adhered to the Langmuir isotherm model. The efficiency of okra mucilage extract was 96% at a much lower concentration compared to 91.2% and 88.4% for the unsieved extract and gelly-okra filtrate, respectively. FTIR results showed the presence of several functional groups in the okra mucilage extract that are associated with adsorption, and TGA analysis revealed that the extract has high thermal stability. FESEM analysis also supported evidence of adsorption. It was determined that corrosion inhibition by okra mucilage extract was primarily influenced by temperature, followed by extract concentration, with immersion time having the least effect. From the model optimization, it was observed that okra mucilage extract at 200 ppm, 60°C, and 24 h gave an inhibition efficiency of 89.98% and high desirability. These results demonstrate the high capacity of natural okra as an efficient biodegradable corrosion inhibitor.

In Vitro Antioxidant Activity, Bioaccessibility, and Thermal Stability of Encapsulated Strawberry Fruit (Fragaria × ananassa) Polyphenols

Bioactive compounds in red fruits, such as strawberries, are vulnerable to digestion, and encapsulation has become an alternative for their protection. This study aims at encapsulating strawberry juice (SJ) by freeze-drying with pea protein and okra mucilage (SJPO), pea protein and psyllium mucilage (SJPP), and pea protein, psyllium mucilage, and okra mucilage (SJPPO) and investigating the in vitro release. The highest encapsulation efficiency was observed in capsule SJPPO (95.38%) and the lowest efficiency in SJPO (82.45%). Scanning electron microscopy revealed an amorphous glassy structure for the structure of the strawberry microcapsules, and X-ray diffraction confirmed that observation. However, X-ray diffraction further showed that SJPPO was crystalline, indicating a tighter crosslinking density than the other microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed peaks at 3390 and 1650 cm-1, confirming the presence of polyphenols and polysaccharides in the strawberry microcapsules. Thermal stability was higher for SJPPO, and the observed thermal transitions were due to the bonds formed between the polymers and polyphenols. Pelargonidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin 3-glucoside, ellagic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, and kaempferol were identified in the strawberry microcapsules. Digestion affected the compounds' content; the bioaccessibility for SJ was 39.26% and 45.43% for TPC and TAC, respectively. However, encapsulation improved the bioaccessibility of both TPC (SJPP, 51.54%; SJPO, 48.52%; and SJPPO, 54.39%) and TAC (SJPP, 61.08%; SJPO, 55.03%; and SJPPO, 71.93%). Thus, encapsulating pea protein isolate, psyllium mucilage, and okra mucilage is an effective method to facilitate targeted release and preserve the biological activities of fruits.

An okra polysaccharide (Abelmoschus esculentus) reinforced green hydrogel based on guar gum and poly-vinyl alcohol double network for controlled release of nanocurcumin

A novel green hydrogel (PGCO) of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) mucilage-reinforced poly-vinyl alcohol-guar gum (PG) cross-linked by citric acid containing nanocurcumin (NC) as a model drug is reported. The citric acid (CA) cross-linked hydrogel (PGC) without okra is also prepared. The hydrogels are characterized using FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, and TGA techniques. Okra reinforced green hydrogel (PGCO) provided comparable swelling behaviour with better mechanical and thermal properties compared to the neat PGC hydrogel. Network parameters of PGC and PGCO hydrogels are estimated using Flory-Rehner equation and strong correlation between the cross-link density and swelling behaviour is established. 45.68 % NC loading in the PGCO hydrogel is achieved. Release study in phosphate buffer (PB) of pH 7.4 provided sustained release of NC over a period of 100 h. The release study of NC followed primarily the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with less-Fickian diffusional character (n < 0.5). The average diffusion coefficients of NC and curcumin are found to be 3.52 × 10^-5 cm² s^-1, and 3.43 × 10^-5 cm² s^-1 respectively demonstrating the quick release of NC in early time, which is a pre-requisite in drug delivery. The study provides initial evidence of the usefulness of okra mucilage in green hydrogel development and drug delivery applications.

UV-blocking biodegradable film based on flaxseed mucilage/pectin impregnated with titanium dioxide and calcium chloride for food packaging applications

A UV blocking and potentially biodegradable composite films are fabricated from flax seed mucilage and pectin with different concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and crosslinked with calcium chloride (CaCl₂). This study aimed to evaluate the physical, surface, and optical properties including color, potential biodegradability, and absorption kinetics of the developed film. From the observations made, addition of 5 wt% TiO₂ enhanced UV barrier property with a total color change (ΔE) of 23.441 ± 0.54 and increased its crystallinity to 54.1 % from 43.6 %. Crosslinking agent and TiO₂ resulted in a prolonged period of biodegradation of >21 days when compared to neat film. Also, swelling index of crosslinked film was reduced by 3 times of non-crosslinked films. Surface of the developed films has no cracks and agglomerates as observed from scanning electron microscope. Moisture absorption kinetic study reveals that all the films have best-fit data following a pseudo-second-order kinetic model with a correlation coefficient ≥0.99 and the rate was controlled by inter-particle diffusion. The film with 1 wt% TiO₂ and 5 wt% CaCl₂ showed the lowest rate constants (k₁) of 0.27 and (k₂) of 0.029. The results suggest that this film can be potentially used in food packaging as a UV-blocking layer with potential biodegradability and good moisture resistance as compared to pure flax seed mucilage or pectin films.

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of grafted okra for corrosion inhibition of mild steel in acidic medium

Introduction: Natural plant polymers demonstrate effective corrosion inhibition abilities, because of their numerous binding sites and excellent adsorption abilities. Methodology: In this study, the Box-Behnken method, gravimetric and electrochemical analyses were used to design and investigate the corrosion inhibition potential of a modified graft polymer of okra for mild steel in a 1M HCl medium. The influence of inhibitor concentration, temperature, and time were also investigated. Qualitatively, the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the extracts and evaluate the metal's surface morphology. Results and discussion: The quantitative analyses showed that the modified natural polymer's inhibition efficiency (IE) increased with concentration and reached 73.5% at 800 ppm, with a mixed-type mode of inhibition. From the response surface methodology, it was revealed that temperature influences the IE more than concentration and immersion time. The optimized IE using the desirability function showed the possibility of attaining 88.2% inhibition with inhibitor concentration at 142.3 ppm, temperature at 60.4°C, and an immersion time of 22.4 h. The new functional groups in the hybrid polymer revealed by FTIR analysis shows that grafting improved the inhibitor's adsorption abilities. TGA analysis confirmed the extract's high thermal stability, which highlights the inhibitor's strong adsorption and efficiency for high temperatures. FESEM analysis indicated evidence of inhibitor adsorption onto the metal surface. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the grafting of okra with acrylamide enhances its inhibition properties and contributes to its functionality as a cost-effective plant-based alternative inhibitor against corrosion for mild steel facilities.

Polysaccharides Obtained from Vegetables: an effective source of alternative excipient

Polymers are the major constructive material of pharmaceutical formulations that play a prime role in designing effective drug-delivery systems and releasing drugs at their sites of application. Polymers are composed of multiple repeating units of high molecular mass components with attendant properties. Most synthetic polymers are non-biocompatible, expensive, and extremely inclined to deliver adverse impacts. Meanwhile, edible polymers obtained from natural sources have gained remarkable recognition for their promising use in modern medicine. Moreover, polymers derived from natural sources are generally preferred due to certain of their unique features such as abundant availability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, economical, safe, and effective functions that fit the purpose. Polysaccharides including starch, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and mucilage are identified as a major class of naturally obtained molecules that have a substantial role as functional polymers. This review summarizes the potential role of polysaccharides derived from vegetable sources such as adhesives, anticaking agents, binders, disintegrants, emulsifiers, film-framing agents, and thickeners. This is simply an opportunity to abandon synthetic excipients that hurt our bodies and think back to nature from where we originate.

Hydrophobically Modified Abelmoschus esculentus Polysaccharide Based Nanoparticles and Applications: A Review

Nanomaterials are indeed a nanoscale technology that deals with the creation, evaluation, fabrication, and utilization of systems at the nanometre scale by manipulating their size and shape. We consider natural polysaccharides such as promising polysaccharides, which are biodegradable, nontoxic, abundant, and inexpensive bio-polymeric precursors for preparing the materials of choice in various industries. The aim is to review different methods to produce hydrophobically modified Abelmoschus esculentus nanoparticles and study the evaluation processes of these nanoparticles as given in the literature. It proved the benefits of derivatives of gum by introducing different chemical groups. The chemical functionalization of gum mainly includes the esterification, etherification, and crosslinking reactions of the hydroxyl groups and contains a special fibre which takes sugar levels in the blood under control, providing a sugar quantity suitable for the bowels. Okra contains mucilage that helps remove poisonous chemicals and bad cholesterol, often overloads the liver. Recovering from psychological conditions, like depression, general weakness, and joint healthiness can be done with Okra. Someone additionally applied it for pulmonary inflammation, bowel irritation, and sore throat. Purgative properties okra possesses are beneficial for bowel purification. It is used to counteract the acids. Fibre okra contains a valuable nutrient for intestinal microorganisms and ensures proper intestine functionality. It also protects the mucosa of the digestive tract by covering them with an extra layer because of its alkaline nature. Nanotechnology has emerged as a critical component of pharmaceutics, with many applications in drug carriers of interest aimed at improving drug clinical outcomes such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, wound care management, atopic dermatitis, cosmeceutical, etc. Beneficial outcomes of this review are discussed briefly.

Novel Active Food Packaging Films Based on Gelatin-Sodium Alginate Containing Beetroot Peel Extract

Currently, the exploration of natural colorants from vegetal waste has gained particular attention. Furthermore, incorporation of these natural sources into biopolymers is an encouraging environmentally friendly approach to establishing active films with biological activities for food packaging. The present study developed bioactive antioxidant films based on gelatin-sodium alginate (NaAlg) incorporated with aqueous beetroot peel extract (BPE). Firstly, the effects of combining gelatin-NaAlg and BPE at 0.25, 0.5, and 1% on the mechanical, physical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of the films were analyzed. With increasing BPE, mechanico-physical properties and antioxidant and anti-foodborne pathogen capacities were enhanced. Likewise, when added to gelatin-NaAlg films, BPE remarkably increased the instrumental color properties. Moreover, during 14 days of storage at 4 °C, the impact of gelatin-NaAlg coating impregnated with BPE on microbial and chemical oxidation and on the sensory characteristics of beef meat samples was periodically assessed. Interestingly, by the end of the storage, BPE at 1% limited the microbial deterioration, enhanced the instrumental color, delayed chemical oxidation, and improved sensory traits. By practicing chemometrics tools (principal component analysis and heat maps), all data provided valuable information for categorizing all samples regarding microbiological and oxidative properties, sensory features, and instrumental color. Our findings revealed the ability of gelatin-NaAlg with BPE as an antioxidant to be employed as food packaging for meat preservation.

A Concise Review on Taro Mucilage: Extraction Techniques, Chemical Composition, Characterization, Applications, and Health Attributes

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is an important source of carbohydrates as an energy source and is used as a staple food throughout the world. It is rich in mucilage and starch granules, making it a highly digestible ingredient. Mucilage can act as a matrix and a thickening, binding, emulsifying, or foaming agent in food, pharmaceutical, and several other fields of research. Moreover, mucilage can be extracted from several living organisms and has excellent functional properties, such as water-holding, oil-holding, and swelling capacities. Therefore, these remarkable functional properties make mucilage a promising ingredient with possible industrial applications. Furthermore, several extraction techniques, including enzyme-assisted, ultrasonication, microwave-assisted, aquatic, and solvent extraction methods, are used to obtain quantitative amounts of taro mucilage. Coldwater extraction with ethanol precipitation can be considered an effective and cost-effective technique to obtain high-quality mucilage with suitable industrial applications, whereas the ultrasonication method is more expensive but results in a higher amount of mucilage than other emerging techniques. Mucilage can also be used as a fat replacer or reducer, dye remover, coating agent, and antioxidating agent. Therefore, in this review, we detail the key properties related to the extraction techniques, chemical composition, and characterization of taro mucilage, along with its suitable applications and health benefits.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) as a Potential Functional Food Source of Mucilage and Bioactive Compounds with Technological Applications and Health Benefits

Abelmoschus esculentus has fruit popularly known as okra and belongs to the Malvaceae family. It is commonly used in cooking but also in traditional medicine in the treatment of worms, dysentery, inflammation, and also irritation of the stomach, intestines, and kidneys, as it is a potential functional food. Its mucilage is a highly viscous polysaccharide that is mostly composed of monosaccharides D-galactose, L-rhamnose, and galacturonic acid, as well as proteins and minerals. The functional properties of okra mucilage have been widely studied, mainly for its potential antidiabetic activity; thus, its use as adjuvant or nutraceutical therapy for diabetes is very promising. Due to its rheological properties, it is a potential resource for pharmaceutical and food applications. Okra mucilage can be extracted by several methods, which can directly influence its physicochemical characteristics and biological activity. Features such as low cost, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and high availability in nature arouse the interest of researchers for the study of okra mucilage. The survey of research on the applications of okra mucilage highlights the importance of using this promising source of bioactive compounds with interesting technological properties. The potential of okra as a functional food, the properties of okra mucilage, and its technological applications are discussed in this review.

Development and Characterization of Novel Biopolymer Derived from Abelmoschus esculentus L. Extract and Its Antidiabetic Potential

Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) is an important vegetable crop, widely cultivated around the world due to its high nutritional significance along with several health benefits. Different parts of okra including its mucilage have been currently studied for its role in various therapeutic applications. Therefore, we aimed to develop and characterize the okra mucilage biopolymer (OMB) for its physicochemical properties as well as to evaluate its in vitro antidiabetic activity. The characterization of OMB using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that okra mucilage containing polysaccharides lies in the bandwidth of 3279 and 1030 cm^-1, which constitutes the fingerprint region of the spectrum. In addition, physicochemical parameters such as percentage yield, percentage solubility, and swelling index were found to be 2.66%, 96.9%, and 5, respectively. A mineral analysis of newly developed biopolymers showed a substantial amount of calcium (412 mg/100 g), potassium (418 mg/100 g), phosphorus (60 mg/100 g), iron (47 mg/100 g), zinc (16 mg/100 g), and sodium (9 mg/100 g). The significant antidiabetic potential of OMB was demonstrated using α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory assay. Further investigations are required to explore the newly developed biopolymer for its toxicity, efficacy, and its possible utilization in food, nutraceutical, as well as pharmaceutical industries.

Scope of herbal mucilage in pharmaceutical formulations. A review

The aim of the article was to obtain maximum information about plant mucilage, its sources and applications in the pharmaceutical industry. This study focuses on the scientific articles and books available in Internet resources and college library that deal with the sources, applications, extraction and isolation of plant mucilage. Mucilage is obtained mainly from plant sources and can be isolated easily. Due to the low cost, easy availability, non-toxicity, non-irritancy, and biocompatibility, mucilage is of great demand in the field of pharmaceuticals. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Abelmoschus esculentus L, Plantago ovata Forssk. and Aloe barbadensis L. are some common sources of mucilage. The isolation methods vary depending on the part of the plant where mucilage is present. It is commonly used as gelling agent, suspending agent, binder, and disintegrant. Since it is hydrophilic in nature, chances of deterioration are higher. In this review, different mucilage sources and their isolation methods are discussed in detail. Mucilage is used as excipient in many formulations of tablets, suspensions, gels, etc. The study explores the potential of plant mucilage as an excipient in pharmaceutical formulations. The biodegradable and biocompatible properties of this inexpensive excipient make it more favourable for the newer formulation development.

A Comprehensive Review on Plant-Derived Mucilage: Characterization, Functional Properties, Applications, and Its Utilization for Nanocarrier Fabrication

Easily sourced mucus from various plant parts is an odorless, colorless and tasteless substance with emerging commercial potential in agriculture, food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals due to its non-toxic and biodegradable properties. It has been found that plant-derived mucilage can be used as a natural thickener or emulsifier and an alternative to synthetic polymers and additives. Because it is an invisible barrier that separates the surface from the surrounding atmosphere, it is used as edible coatings to extend the shelf life of fresh vegetables and fruits as well as many food products. In addition to its functional properties, mucilage can also be used for the production of nanocarriers. In this review, we focus on mucus extraction methods and its use as a natural preservative for fresh produce. We detailed the key properties related to the extraction and preservation of food, the mechanism of the effect of mucus on the sensory properties of products, coating methods when using mucus and its recipe for preserving fruit and vegetables. Understanding the ecological, economic and scientific factors of production and the efficiency of mucus as a multi-directional agent will open up its practical application in many industries.

From a plant secretion to the promising bone grafts: Cryogels of silicon-integrated quince seed mucilage by microwave-assisted sol-gel reaction

Design and fabrication of biologically active cryogels using novel biopolymer(s) are still of great importance at regenerating bone defects such as traumatic bone injuries, maxillofacial surgery, osteomyelitis, and osteoporosis. Nowadays, plant mucilage, an herbal biomaterial, has been drawn attention by scientists due to their marvelous potential to fabricate 3-dimensional (3D) physical constructs for the field of regenerative medicine. Herein, a 3D cryogel from silicon-integrated quince seed mucilage (QSM) is constructed using microwave-assisted sol-gel reaction, characterized in-depth by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), solid-state silicon cross-polarization magic-angle nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁹Si-CP-MAS NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), micro-mechanical testing, porosity, and swelling tests, contact angle measurements, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller and Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BET-BJH) analysis, enzymatic biodegradation test, and field emission-scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FE-SEM-EDX) mapping. The osteobiologic capacity of the cryogels is determined using human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) under in vitro conditions. Osteogenic differentiation of hAMSCs on both QSM and silica-modified QSM (Si-QSM) cryogels is analyzed by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative-real time (q-RT) PCR techniques. The results obtained from in vitro experiments demonstrate that the upregulation of osteogenesis-related genes in Si-QSM cryogels presents a stronger and earlier development over QSM cryogels throughout the culture period, which in turn reveals the great potential of this novel Si-incorporated QSM cryogels for bone tissue engineering applications.

Structural Properties, Bioactivities, and Applications of Polysaccharides from Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]: A Review

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench], as a kind of nutritive vegetable, is rich in flavonoids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, amino acids, and other bioactive substances and has various biological activities. As one of main bioactive components, okra polysaccharides (OPs), mainly comprising pectic polysaccharides, have various biological activities. OPs have been extensively investigated in recent years. Many studies characterized structures of OPs obtained by different extraction methods, which were confirmed to be rhamnogalacturonan-I-type polysaccharides in most cases. OPs have a thick and slimy texture, suggesting that they can be a promising source of texture modifiers for complex food matrices. They have various biological activities, such as antioxidant activity, immunomodulatory activity, hypoglycaemic activity, and improving intestinal function. Therefore, OPs may potentially serve as novel immunomodulators or an adjuvant for diabetic nephropathy. Up to now, there is no specific summary on the research progress of OPs. In this paper, the latest research progress on the extraction, purification, characterization, rheological properties, biological activities, and applications of OPs is reviewed, to provide the reference for the processing and comprehensive utilization of OPs in the future.

Arabinoxylan and rhamnogalacturonan mucilage: Outgoing and potential trends of pharmaceutical, environmental, and medicinal merits

Demand for safe, environmentally friendly and minimally processed food additives with intrinsic technological (stabilizing, texturizing, structuring) and functional potential is already on the rise. There are actually several natural excipients eligible for pharmaceutical formulation. Mucilage, as a class constitutes arabinoxylan and rhamnogalacturonan-based biomolecules used in the pharmaceutical, environmental as well as phytoremediation industries owing to its particular structure and properties. These compounds are widely used in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics, as well as, in agriculture, paper industries. This review emphasizes mucilage valuable applications in the pharmaceutical and industrial fields. In this context, much focus has recently been given to the valorization of mucilage as an ingredient for food or nutraceutical applications. Furthermore, different optimization and extraction techniques are presented to develop better utilization and/or enhanced yield of mucilage. The highlighted mucilage extraction methods warrant assessing up-scale processes to encourage for its industrial applications. The current article capitalizes on cutting-edge characteristics of mucilage and posing for other possible innovative applications in non-food industries. Here, the first holistic overview of mucilage with regards to its physicochemical properties and potential novel usages is presented.

Thiolated okra chitosan nanoparticles: preparation and optimisation as intranasal drug delivery agents

AIM

The preparation of thiolated okra gum by use of full factorial design to optimise the reaction conditions.

METHODS

Thiolated gum was obtained by esterification optimised by full factorial design. The effect of varying the thiolated Okra concentration, chitosan concentration, pH, and stirring speed on particle size, entrapment efficiency and zeta potential was observed using Box-Behnken design.

RESULTS

Maximum yield and degree of substitution were obtained at reaction time of 152 min, 6.73 ml of thioglycolic acid and 70 °C of temperature. The optimised calculated parameters were thiolated okra concentrations of (0.07% w/v), chitosan concentration (0.05% w/v), pH (3), stirring speed (4430 rpm), which yielded nanoparticles of size 294.3 ± 0.3 nm, 43.57 ± 1.21% entrapment and 23.29 ± 2.3 mV of Zeta potential.

CONCLUSION

NPs were observed to be promising for brain targeting.

Cost-effective adsorbent from arabinogalactan and pectin of cactus pear peels: Kinetics and thermodynamics studies

Cactus pear peel as agricultural waste containing arabinogalactan and pectin was thermally treated at 300 °C for 4 h and the resultant carbonized material was applied as adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue dye as a model cationic dye. The prepared adsorbent was characterized by means FTIR for structural characterization, N₂ physisoprtion measurements for texture properties, SEM and EDAX for morphological and elemental analysis. The characterization results clearly show that the prepared material is porous with several -OH and CO terminals. The point of zero charge was found to be 7 as detected by batch equilibrium method. The adsorption process was optimized in terms of pH values, contact time, initial dye concentration and temperature. The kinetic study indicated that the pseudo-second-order model can perfectly describe the investigated adsorption process; moreover, the equilibrium results were best fitted by Freundlich model. Furthermore, at pH 8.0, the adsorption capacity was achieved to the maximum value of methylene blue as 102 mg/g. Thermodynamic investigation showed that the adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic in nature with higher entropy, while the activation energy calculations indicated a physisorption process. The obtained results showed the high potential of the bio-based adsorbent for removal of methylene blue from wastewater.

Cactus Mucilage for Food Packaging Applications

Natural polymers have been widely investigated for the development of eco-friendly materials. Among these bio-polymers, cactus mucilage is attracting increasing interest regardless of the plant species or the plant organ used for extraction. Mucilage, which is a highly branched heteropolysaccharide, has been previously studied for its chemical composition, structural features, and biotechnological applications. This review highlights the mucilage application in the food packaging industry, by developing films and coatings. These cactus-based biomaterials will be discussed for their functional properties and their potential in preserving food quality and extending shelf life.