Study of intragastric structuring ability of sodium alginate based o/w emulsions under in vitro physiological pre-absorptive digestion conditions

Zein-enhanced sodium alginate/thiostannate microsphere adsorbent Zein@SA/KBS for efficient removal of cesium from wastewater

Although efficient removal of Cs from wastewater is of great importance because of the nuclear energy sustainable development and public health, removing cesium is challenging for the high concentrations of sodium and potassium ions coexist. In this work, we synthesized the first novel bismuth-doped layered tin sulfide (KBS) and applied it to the efficient green adsorption of liquid cesium resources. KBS could reach the adsorption equilibrium for Cs+ within only 2 min with a theoretical adsorption capacity of 425.55 mg/g. Furthermore, the adsorption performance remained reliable after 10 cycles of use. The structure and properties of KBS were explained at the molecular level by DFT calculations, and the calculated results were in sound agreement with the experimental data. Meanwhile, in this study, the material was reinforced and shaped by the electrostatic interaction of Zein and sodium alginate hydrogel, and finally, Zein@SA/KBS spherical composite adsorbent was obtained. The problem of the difficult recovery of adsorbent and the secondary contamination was solved. The adsorption performance of Zein@SA/KBS on Cs+ was better than most composite adsorbents and showed reliable stability. Therefore, the new microspherical adsorbent (Zein@SA/KBS) has great potential for industrial application in removing radioactive cesium from wastewater.

Destructuring and restructuring of foods during gastric digestion

All foods harbor unique length scale-dependent structural features that can influence the release, transport, and utilization of macro- or micronutrients in the human gastrointestinal tract. In this regard, food destructuring and restructuring processes during gastric passage significantly influence downstream nutrient assimilation and feelings of satiety. This review begins with a synopsis of the effects of oral processing on food structure. Then, stomach-centric factors that contribute to the efficacy of gastric digestion are discussed, and exemplified by comparing the intragastric de- and restructuring of a number of common foods. The mechanisms of how intragastric structuring influences gastric emptying and its relationship to human satiety are then discussed. Finally, recently developed, non-destructive instrumental approaches used to quantitively and qualitatively characterize food behavior during gastric destructuring and restructuring are described.

Exploring the Role of Cereal Dietary Fiber in Digestion

Increasing the dietary fiber of staple foods such as bread is an attractive way to promote healthy eating in a large part of the population, where dietary fiber consumption is reportedly below the recommended values. However, many consumers prefer white breads, which are typically low in dietary fiber. In this work, white bread was made from two wheat cultivars with differing fiber contents. The resulting breads showed similar quality parameters (volume, specific volume, firmness, inner structure characteristics) with any differences maintained below 7%. Bread digestibility was evaluated using a novel dynamic in vitro digestion model. Reduced digestion rates of 30% were estimated for the high-fiber white bread compared to that in the control. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential to produce healthy, high-fiber white breads that are acceptable to consumers, with a reduced rate of starch digestion, by exploiting a genetic variation in the dietary fiber content of wheat cultivars.

Modulation of chemical stability and in vitro bioaccessibility of beta-carotene loaded in kappa-carrageenan oil-in-gel emulsions

In the present paper, ionotropically structured κ-carrageenan based oil-in-gel (o/g) emulsions were tested as potential carrier systems for the delivery of β-carotene. In situ ionic gelation was induced by Na⁺, K⁺ or Ca²⁺ added at the level of 0.2-0.6% (w/w). All o/g emulsions exerted a true gel like behaviour with storage modulus (G') being reduced according to the order: K⁺>Ca²⁺>Na⁺. Ionic gelation induced a moderate increase in the microscopically assessed lipid droplets radii. O/g emulsions containing monovalent ions exerted the highest β-carotene retention throughout isothermal storage particularly at high (37 and 55°C) temperatures. Notwithstanding, increasing ionic strength resulted in acceleration of β-carotene degradation rates for all cation species. β-Carotene bioaccessibility was significantly lower in Ca²⁺o/g emulsions due to the formation of complexes between the biopolymer matrix containing β-carotene and bile salts. A good correlation between β-carotene bioaccessibility, physical and colloidal aspects of the micellar digesta fractions was observed.