Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of jackfruit seed powder (JFSP) to l-lactic acid and to polylactide polymer

Homofermentative Lactobacilli isolated from organic sources exhibit potential ability of lactic acid production

There has been an increasing interest in recent years in lactic acid bacteria that are derived from organic sources for lactic acid production. This research article presents the isolation and identification of homofermentative lactic acid bacteria from various novel organic sources, followed by qualitative and quantitative analyses of lactic acid produced. A total of 32 isolates were identified initially from various sources, such as curd (C1, C2), probiotics (P1, P2, and P3), silage (Si1 and Si2), soil samples (S1, S2, and S3), vermicompost (V1 and V2), and Farmyard manure. Biochemical tests such as Gram's staining, catalase test, and oxidase test were conducted for preliminary identification of lactic acid bacteria using De Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar (MRS) media. Through selection and identification, based on colony morphology and biochemical characteristics, 18 isolates were identified as lactic acid bacteria. The subsequent analysis included a tube test, screening for organic acid production, and homofermentative screening using homofermentative-heterofermentative differential (HHD) medium for qualitative analysis of lactic acid. The results revealed that 9 out of 18 selected strains were homofermentative and had promising potential for the production of lactic acid. Furthermore, six isolates (P1-1, S1-3, C2-1, V2-3, P2-1, and C1-1) from all of the nine positive strains were subjected to pH testing (0, 24, 48, and 72 h) and titrimetric assay for estimation of % crude lactic acid present. The presence of lactic acid was confirmed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). L (+)-Lactic acid was quantified using a K-LATE enzymatic assay kit, for the best three isolates (P1-1, S1-3, C2-1). Finally, the strains were subjected to 16SrRNA sequencing and were identified as Lactobacilli. Based on the findings of the study, it could be concluded that homofermentative lactic acid bacteria with significant LA-producing ability can be obtained from different organic sources and may prove to be useful in the successful production of lactic acid for biotechnological applications.

Poly(1,3-Propylene Glycol Citrate) as a Plasticizer for Toughness Enhancement of Poly-L-Lactic Acid

Despite the unique features of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), its mechanical properties, such as the elongation at break, need improvement to broaden its application scope. Herein, poly(1,3-propylene glycol citrate) (PO3GCA) was synthesized via a one-step reaction and evaluated as a plasticizer for PLLA films. Thin-film characterization of PLLA/PO3GCA films prepared via solution casting revealed that PO3GCA shows good compatibility with PLLA. The addition of PO3GCA slightly improves the thermal stability and enhances the toughness of PLLA films. In particular, the elongation at break of the PLLA/PO3GCA films with PO3GCA mass contents of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% increases to 172%, 209%, 230%, and 218%, respectively. Therefore, PO3GCA is promising as a plasticizer for PLLA.

Lactic acid separation and recovery from fermentation broth by ion-exchange resin: A review

Lactic acid has become one of the most important chemical substances used in various sectors. Its global market demand has significantly increased in recent years, with a CAGR of 18.7% from 2019 to 2025. Fermentation has been considered the preferred method for producing high-purity lactic acid in the industry over chemical synthesis. However, the recovery and separation of lactic acid from microbial fermentation media are relatively complicated and expensive, especially in the process relating to second-generation (2G) lactic acid recovery. This article reviews the development and progress related to lactic acid separation and recovery from fermentation broth. Various aspects are discussed thoroughly, such as the mechanism of lactic acid production through fermentation, the crucial factors that influence the fermentation process, and the separation and recovery process of conventional and advanced lactic acid separation methods. This review's highlight is the recovery of lactic acid by adsorption technique using ion-exchange resins with a brief focus on the potential of in-site separation strategies alongside the important factors that influenced the lactic acid recovery process by ion exchange. Apart from that, other lactic acid separation techniques, such as chemical neutralization, liquid-liquid extraction, membrane separation, and distillation, are also thoroughly reviewed.

Preparation of antibacterial degummed silk fiber/nano-hydroxyapatite/polylactic acid composite scaffold by degummed silk fiber loaded silver nanoparticles

In this study, an antibacterial degummed silk fiber (ADSF)/nano-hydroxyapatite/polylactic acid (ADSF/nHA/PLA) porous scaffold with antibacterial properties was prepared by using degummed silk fiber (DSF) loaded with silver nano-particles (Ag NPs) as a reinforcing material. In the experiment, ADSF and nHA were used as the main variables to investigate the effect of the change of the composition ratio on the performance of the composite scaffold, and a composite scaffold with excellent performance was obtained. Firstly, the DSFs were treated with dopamine (DA) and the silver ions were reduced to Ag NPs using the strong reducibility of polydopamine (PDA) to prepare ADSF loaded with Ag NPs. Finally, ADSF/nHA/PLA composite scaffolds with antibacterial properties were prepared using ADSF as a reinforcing material. In addition, samples were found to have good mineralization capacity in in vitro mineralization experiments. At the same time, in cell culture and antibacterial experiments, ADSF/nHA/PLA scaffolds were found to have good bioactivity, biocompatibility and antibacterial properties. All the results showed that the Ag NPs loaded DSF improved the performance of the nHA/PLA composite scaffold, while the ADSF/nHA/PLA had good bioactivity and antibacterial properties, making the antibacterial ADSF/nHA/PLA composite scaffold has a great potential for bone tissue engineering.

Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.): A Review

Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., which is commonly known as jackfruit is a tropical climacteric fruit, belonging to Moraceae family, is native to Western Ghats of India and common in Asia, Africa, and some regions in South America. It is known to be the largest edible fruit in the world. Jackfruit is rich in nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Both the seeds and the flesh of jackfruit are consumed as curries and boiled forms, while the flesh in fully ripen stage can be eaten directly as a fruit. Several countries have developed different food products such as jam, jellies, marmalades, and ice creams using pureed jackfruit. The several parts of jack tree including fruits, leaves, and barks have been extensively used in traditional medicine due to its anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and hypoglycemic effects. Despite all these benefits, unfortunately, the fruit is underutilized in commercial scale processing in regions where it is grown. The aim of this review is to disseminate the knowledge on nutritional and health benefits of jackfruit, in order to promote utilization of jackfruit for commercial scale food production.

Valorisation of Biowastes for the Production of Green Materials Using Chemical Methods

With crude oil reserves dwindling, the hunt for a sustainable alternative feedstock for fuels and materials for our society continues to expand. The biorefinery concept has enjoyed both a surge in popularity and also vocal opposition to the idea of diverting food-grade land and crops for this purpose. The idea of using the inevitable wastes arising from biomass processing, particularly farming and food production, is, therefore, gaining more attention as the feedstock for the biorefinery. For the three main components of biomass-carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins-there are long-established processes for using some of these by-products. However, the recent advances in chemical technologies are expanding both the feedstocks available for processing and the products that be obtained. Herein, this review presents some of the more recent developments in processing these molecules for green materials, as well as case studies that bring these technologies and materials together into final products for applied usage.