Alterations of molecular properties of lipoxygenase induced by dense phase carbon dioxide

Browning inhibition in fresh-cut Chinese water chestnut under high pressure CO2 treatment: Regulation of reactive oxygen species and membrane lipid metabolism

Fresh-cut Chinese water chestnut (CWC) was treated with high pressure CO₂ (HPCD) to inhibit the browning reactions, and the underlying mechanism was investigated in this study. Results showed that HPCD at 2 MPa pressure significantly inhibited lipoxygenase activity and enhanced superoxide dismutase activity, leading to decreased malondialdehyde and H₂O₂ contents in surface tissue. Moreover, HPCD could reduce total phenols/flavonoids content of surface tissue. Compare with control, homoeriodictyol, hesperetin, and isorhamnetin contents of 2 MPa HPCD-treated samples on day 10 were reduced by 95.72%, 94.31%, and 94.02%, respectively. Furthermore, HPCD treatment enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, and improved the O₂^- scavenging ability and reducing power of inner tissue. In conclusion, by regulating ROS and membrane lipid metabolism, HPCD treatment with appropriate pressure could retard the biosynthesis of flavonoids and enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds in surface tissue, and enhance antioxidant activity of inner tissue, thereby, delaying the quality deterioration of fresh-cut CWC.

Activity and stability of lipase from Candida Antarctica after treatment in pressurized fluids

Lipase B from Candida antarctica (CalB) is one of the biocatalysts most used in organic synthesis due to its ability to act in several medium, wide substrate specificity and enantioselectivity, tolerance to non-aqueous environment, and resistance to thermal deactivation. Thus, the objective of this work was to treat CalB in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and measure its activity before and after high-pressure treatment. Residual specific hydrolytic activities of 132% and 142% were observed when CalB was exposed to SC-CO₂ at 35 ℃, 75 bar and 1 h and to LPG at 65 ℃, 30 bar and 1 h, respectively. Residual activity of the enzyme treated at high pressure was still above 100% until the 20th day of storage at low temperatures. There was no difference on the residual activity loss of CalB treated with LPG and stored at different temperatures over time. Greater difference was observed between CalB treated with CO₂ and flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen (- 196 ℃) followed by storage in freezer (- 10 ℃) and CalB stored in freezer at - 10 ℃. Such findings encourage deeper studies on CalB as well as other enzymes behavior under different types of pressurized fluids aiming at industrial application.

How to comprehensively improve juice quality: a review of the impacts of sterilization technology on the overall quality of fruit and vegetable juices in 2010-2021, an updated overview and current issues

Fruit and vegetable juices (FVJ) are rich in nutrients, so they easily breed bacteria, which cause microbial pollution and rapid deterioration of their quality and safety. Sterilization is an important operation in FVJ processing. However, regardless of whether thermal sterilization or non-thermal sterilization is used, the effect and its impact on the overall quality of FVJ are strongly dependent on the processing parameters, microbial species, and FVJ matrix. Therefore, for different types of FVJ, an understanding of the impacts that different sterilization technologies have on the overall quality of the juice is important in designing and optimizing technical parameters to produce value-added products. This article provides an overview of the application of thermal and non-thermal technique in the field of FVJ processing over the past 10 years. The operating principle and effects of various technologies on the inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes, nutritional and functional characteristics, physicochemical properties, and sensory quality of a wide range of FVJ are comprehensively discussed. The application of different combinations of hurdle technology in the field of FVJ sterilization processing are also discussed in detail. Additionally, the advantages, limitations, and current application prospects of different sterilization technologies are summarized.

Quark Cheese Processed by Dense-Phase Carbon Dioxide: Shelf-Life Evaluation and Physiochemical, Rheological, Microstructural and Volatile Properties Assessment

Dense-phase carbon dioxide (DPCD), a novel non-thermal processing technology, has attracted extensive attention due to its excellent performance in food sterilization and enzyme inactivation without quality deterioration. In this work, we aimed to extend the shelf life of quark cheese with DPCD and explore the effect of DPCD treatment as well as storage time on the quality of quark cheese. The sterilization parameters were optimized by means of orthogonal experiments, and the physiochemical, rheological, microstructural and volatile properties of cheese were investigated. The optimal DPCD treatment (20 MPa, 45 min, 55 °C) successfully extended the shelf life of quark cheese due to its inhibition effect on yeast and was able to slow down the proteolysis and alterations in pH and color of cheese. Cheese processed using DPCD after 14-day storage even displayed similar rheological properties to the control at day 0, from which bound water significantly migrated during storage. Moreover, DPCD contributed to the retention of the volatile profile of cheese during storage. This study demonstrated that DPCD is a promising pasteurization technology for quark cheese to improve its quality stability during storage.

Inactivation of Endogenous Pectin Methylesterases by Radio Frequency Heating during the Fermentation of Fruit Wines

Pectin methylesterase (PME) is a methyl ester group hydrolytic enzyme of either plant or microbial origin. Importantly, endogenous PMEs in fruits can catalyze the demethoxylation of pectin with a bulk release of methanol, largely impacting the fruit juice and wine industries. Here, we demonstrated radio frequency (RF) heating for inactivation of endogenous PMEs and investigated the relevant mechanisms underpinning enzymatic inactivation. The RF heating curve indicated that the optimal heating rate was achieved at an electrode gap of 90 mm (compared to 100 mm and 110 mm) and that the inactivation rate of the enzyme increases with heating time. RF heating exhibited better effects on enzymatic inactivation than traditional water heating, mainly by changing the secondary structures of PMEs, including α-helix, β-sheet, β-turn, and random coil. Moreover, fluorescence spectroscopy indicated changes in the tertiary structure with a significant increase in fluorescence intensity. Significantly, application of RF heating for inactivation of PMEs resulted in a 1.5-fold decrease in methanol during the fermentation of jujube wine. Collectively, our findings demonstrated an effective approach for inactivating endogenous PMEs during the bioprocesses of fruits.

High-Pressure Carbon Dioxide Used for Pasteurization in Food Industry

The demand for safe, high-quality food has greatly increased, in recent times. As traditional thermal pasteurization can significantly impact the nutritional value and the color of fresh food, an increasing number of nonthermal pasteurization technologies have attracted attention. The bactericidal effect of high-pressure carbon dioxide has been known for many years, and its effect on food-related enzymes has been studied. This novel technology has many merits, owing to its use of relatively low pressures and temperatures, which make it a potentially valuable future method for nonthermal pasteurization. For example, the inactivation of polyphenol oxidase can be achieved with relatively low temperature and pressure, and this can contribute to food quality and better preserve nutrients, such as vitamin C. However, this novel technology has yet to be developed on an industrial scale due to insufficient test data. In order to support the further development of this application, on an industrial scale, we have reviewed the existing information on high-pressure carbon dioxide pasteurization technology. We include its bactericidal effects and its influence on food quality. We also pave the way for future studies, by highlighting key areas.

The Effect of Solution Properties on the Photochemical Ability of Pulsed Light to Inactivate Soybean Lipoxygenase

Inactivation of pure soybean lipoxygenase (LOX) by pulsed light (PL) technique was found to occur due to a photochemical effect, while inactivation of soybean LOX in a real food (soymilk) was due to the photothermal effect of PL. The effect of solution properties on the photochemical ability of PL to inactivate and degrade LOX was investigated. LOX was placed in different conditions and treated with PL at a 7 cm distance with different times. The result showed that LOX was less stable during PL operation at pH 9 compared with pH 6.8. Increasing LOX concentration, adding starch, and making a colored solution did reduce the photochemical ability of PL to inactivate LOX. PL and thermal treatment of partially purified LOX degraded the LOX band (measured by using SDS-PAGE) when no protease inhibitors were added. Controlling protease activity led to degradation of LOX by PL but not by thermal treatment.

Pressurized CO2 as a carboxylating agent for the biocatalytic ortho-carboxylation of resorcinol

The utilization of gaseous carbon dioxide instead of bicarbonate would greatly facilitate process development for enzyme catalyzed carboxylations on a large scale. As a proof-of-concept, 1,3-dihydroxybenzene (resorcinol) was carboxylated in the ortho-position using pressurized CO₂ (∼30-40 bar) catalyzed by ortho-benzoic acid decarboxylases with up to 68% conversion. Optimization studies revealed tight pH-control and enzyme stability as the most important determinants.

Inactivation of Lipoxygenase in Soymilk by Pulsed Light

Inactivation of soybean lipoxygenase in soymilk by pulsed light (PL) at different durations and distances from the pulsed light lamp was determined with and without ice surrounding the soymilk sample tray for cooling. The results show that without cooling, the lowest LOX residual activity was 0.37%, 0.00%, and 7.24%, and with cooling the LOX residual activity was 76.3%, 87.2%, and 69.0% for origin fluence of 302 J/cm2, 340 J/cm2, and 567 J/cm2, respectively. The LOX band reduced or disappeared after PL treatments compared with the LOX band control as assessed by electrophoresis. Peroxide value of the soymilk had no significant increase after pulsed light treatment. This research provided evidence that PL treatment could fully inactivate LOX in soymilk, mostly due to heat generated by the PL strobe, therefore the photo-thermal effect was the main factor that impacted LOX activity.

X-Ray Crystallography as a Tool to Determine Three-Dimensional Structures of Commercial Enzymes Subjected to Treatment in Pressurized Fluids

The study of enzyme function often involves a multi-disciplinary approach. Several techniques are documented in the literature towards determining secondary and tertiary structures of enzymes, and X-ray crystallography is the most explored technique for obtaining three-dimensional structures of proteins. Knowledge of three-dimensional structures is essential to understand reaction mechanisms at the atomic level. Additionally, structures can be used to modulate or improve functional activity of enzymes by the production of small molecules that act as substrates/cofactors or by engineering selected mutants with enhanced biological activity. This paper presentes a short overview on how to streamline sample preparation for crystallographic studies of treated enzymes. We additionally revise recent developments on the effects of pressurized fluid treatment on activity and stability of commercial enzymes. Future directions and perspectives on the the role of crystallography as a tool to access the molecular mechanisms underlying enzymatic activity modulation upon treatment in pressurized fluids are also addressed.

Role of peach proteins in juice precipitation induced by high pressure CO2

To better understand the role of peach proteins in juice precipitation induced by high pressure CO2 (HPCD), proteins extracted from peach juice were subjected to HPCD and heat, and changes in particle size distribution (PSD) and structure were investigated. PSD analysis showed aggregations of proteins were both induced by HPCD and heat, but HPCD induced a stronger aggregation. The endotherm of HPCD- and heat-treated proteins moved to lower temperature, indicating that higher-order structures were altered after treatments. Furthermore, proteins related to HPCD- and heat-induced precipitation were analyzed by proteomics and bioinformatics. It was found that proteins with low content of α-helix and hydrogen bonds were more inclined to precipitate under HPCD, and HPCD precipitated proteins with more compact structures than heat, which might cause the stronger aggregation of proteins by HPCD. In conclusion, HPCD could induce the aggregation of peach proteins by destroying higher-order structures, which contributes to juice precipitation.

Enzyme inactivation in food processing using high pressure carbon dioxide technology

High pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) is an effective non-thermal processing technique for inactivating deleterious enzymes in liquid and solid food systems. This processing method avoids high temperatures and exerts a minimal impact on the nutritional and sensory properties of foods, but extends shelf life by inhibiting or killing microorganisms and enzymes. Indigenous enzymes in food such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), pectin methylesterase (PME), and lypoxygenase (LOX) may cause undesirable chemical changes in food attributes, showing the loss in color, texture, and flavor. For more than two decades, HPCD has proved its effectiveness in inactivating these enzymes. The HPCD-induced inactivation of some microbial enzymes responsible for microbial metabolism is also included. This review presents a survey of the published knowledge regarding the use of HPCD for the inactivation of these enzymes, and analyzes the factors controlling the efficiency of HPCD and speculates on the underlying mechanism that leads to enzyme inactivation.

Aggregation and homogenization, surface charge and structural change, and inactivation of mushroom tyrosinase in an aqueous system by subcritical/supercritical carbon dioxide

The subcritical/supercritical carbon dioxide (SS CO(2)) has gained considerable attention in green chemistry industry for its advantage as nontoxic, nonflammable, and inexpensive. The effects of SS CO(2) treatments on aggregation and homogenization, surface charge, secondary and tertiary structure, and activity of mushroom tyrosinase in an aqueous system were investigated using a number of methods including dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurement, circular dichroism (CD) spectropolarimeter, and spectrofluorometer. With a treatment time of 20 min, three treatment temperatures (35, 45, and 55 °C) and four pressures (5, 8, 12, and 15 MPa) had been selected. The aggregation and homogenization of the globular protein particles was induced by SS CO(2) as suggested by the particle size distribution (PSD) patterns that were closely related to the pressure and temperature. The surface charge of the tyrosinase decreased following the SS CO(2) treatments, and its variation tendency shows a favorable consistency with that of its PSD patterns. The α-helix conformation in secondary structure and fluorescence intensity reflecting tertiary structure also decreased, together with the λ(max) red-shifted with the increasing pressure. The results also indicated that SS CO(2) could enhance inactivation effect of the temperature on the tyrosinase with its lowest residual activity being about 60% under the condition of 8 MPa, 55 °C, and 20 min treatment time. The loss in the activity of the tyrosinase was correlated to its aggregation and homogenization effect induced by SS CO(2), which led to the change of surface charge as well as secondary and tertiary structure.

Alterations in the activity and structure of pectin methylesterase treated by high pressure carbon dioxide

The influence of high pressure carbon dioxide (HPCD) on the activity and structure of pectin methylesterase (PME) from orange was investigated. The pressures were 8-30 MPa, temperature 55 degrees C and time 10 min. HPCD caused significant inactivation on PME, the lowest residual activity was about 9.3% at 30 MPa. The SDS-PAGE electrophoretic behavior of HPCD-treated PME was not altered, while changes in the secondary and tertiary structures were found. The beta-structure fraction in the secondary structure decreased and the fluorescence intensity increased as HPCD pressures were elevated. After 7-day storage at 4 degrees C, no alteration of its activity and no reversion of its beta-structure fraction were observed, while its fluorescence intensity further decreased.