Evaluation of different methods to prepare superabsorbent hydrogels based on deacetylated gellan

Advances in polysaccharides for probiotic delivery: Properties, methods, and applications

Probiotics are essential to improve the health of the host, whereas maintaining the viability of probiotics in harsh environments remains a challenge. Polysaccharides have non-toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and outstanding biodegradability, which can protect probiotics by forming a physical barrier and show a promising prospect for probiotic delivery. In this review, we summarize polysaccharides commonly used for probiotic microencapsulation and introduce the microencapsulation technologies, including extrusion, emulsion, spray drying, freeze drying, and electrohydrodynamics. We discuss strategies for better protection of probiotics and introduce the applications of polysaccharides-encapsulated probiotics in functional food, oral formulation, and animal feed. Finally, we propose the challenges of polysaccharides-based delivery systems in industrial production and application. This review will help provide insight into the advances and challenges of polysaccharides in probiotic delivery.

Progress and opportunities in Gellan gum-based materials: A review of preparation, characterization and emerging applications

Gellan gum, a microbial exopolysaccharide, is biodegradable and has potential to fill several key roles in many fields from food to pharmacy, biomedicine and tissue engineering. In order to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of gellan gum, some researchers take advantage of numerous hydroxyl groups and the free carboxyl present in each repeating unit. As a result, design and development of gellan-based materials have advanced significantly. The goal of this review is to provide a summary of the most recent, high-quality research trends that have used gellan gum as a polymeric component in the design of numerous cutting-edge materials with applications in various fields.

A pH-sensitive curcumin loaded microemulsion-filled alginate and porous starch composite gels: Characterization, in vitro release kinetics and biological activity

To improve the controlled release and stability of the loaded drug, the alginate-porous starch solution, as the gel matrix (GM), was prepared and added into curcumin-loaded microemulsion (CUR-ME) in a certain proportion, and then mixed with slow-gelling agents (CaCO₃ + d-glucono-δ-lactone) to prepared curcumin-loaded microemulsion gel (CUR-ME-G). With increasing the proportion of GM from 25% (CUR-ME₃G₁) to 83% (CUR-ME₁G₅), the drug loading efficiency increased from 24% to 98% and the maximum drug loading capacity (14.9 mg/g) was found in CUR-ME₁G₃ with 75% GM. Moreover, a denser structure that entrapped all microemulsion droplets was formed with increasing the proportion of microemulsion according to the observation of scanning electron microscopy. This was also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy that no new peaks appeared in CUR-ME-G, while the hydrogen bonding interactions might exist between curcumin and sodium alginate. The in vitro release of the CUR-ME-G followed diffusion-controlled mechanism that was consistent with the first-order kinetic model. The release rate depended on the components of the CUR-ME-G and the pH value of the release medium. CUR-ME-G with curcumin concentration of 0.20% exhibited the best biological activity. CUR-ME-G might provide a potential application in the smart drug delivery systems.

Effects of eco-friendly carbohydrate-based superabsorbent polymers on seed germination and seedling growth of maize

Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and semi-arid areas. Nowadays, lack of water and desertification are extreme problems for plant survival and growth in the arid and semi-arid areas of the world. It becomes increasingly important as to how to let the plant absorb moisture more effectively for keeping growth strong. We synthesized superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) with carbohydrate and characterized them by Fourier transform infrared spectra analyses, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses. Then, a completely randomized experiment was conducted to assess the effect of carbohydrate-based SAPs on seed germination and seedling growth of maize in an artificial climate chest. The results showed that adding an appropriate amount of SAPs could improve root length, shoot length, total biomass, germination potential and germination rate. It indicates that this SAP is not toxic to plants and can promote seed germination, and at the same time provides a possibility of replacing other substrates.