Investigating the molecular structural features of hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in relation to metabolic characteristics using synchrotron-based fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy

Advances in infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging combined with artificial intelligence for the detection of cereals quality

Cereals provide humans with essential nutrients, and its quality assessment has attracted widespread attention. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy (IRS) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI), as powerful nondestructive testing technologies, are widely used in the quality monitoring of food and agricultural products. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in data mining, especially in recent years, a new generation of AI represented by deep learning (DL) has made breakthroughs in analyzing spectral data of food and agricultural products. The combination of IRS/HSI and AI further promotes the development of quality evaluation of cereals. This paper comprehensively reviews the advances of IRS and HSI combined with AI in the detection of cereals quality. The aim is to present a complete review topic as it touches the background knowledge, instrumentation, spectral data processing (including preprocessing, feature extraction and modeling), spectral interpretation, etc. To suit this goal, principles of IRS and HSI, as well as basic concepts related to AI are first introduced, followed by a critical evaluation of representative reports integrating IRS and HSI with AI. Finally, the advantages, challenges and future trends of IRS and HSI combined with AI are further discussed, so as to provide constructive suggestions and guidance for researchers.

Novel Use of Ultra-Resolution Synchrotron Vibrational Micropectroscopy (SR-FT/vIMS) to Assess Carinata and Canola oilseed tissues within Cellular and Subcellular Dimensions

The study was conducted to: (1) apply advanced synchrotron radiation-based technique-SR-FT/vIMS to detect chemical profiles that are related to protein and carbohydrate biopolymers, (2) quantify the relationship between spectral features and nutrient utilization and bioavailability of newly developed carinata and canola seed lines. The molecular spectral features of these seed lines were analyzed using SR-FT/vIMS with both univariate and multivariate spectral analysis techniques. The results showed that the inherent structural characteristics of new carinata and new canola seeds could be detected by SR-FT/vIMS. The univariate molecular spectral analysis showed differences in absorption intensities (peak heights and areas) of functional groups related to protein and carbohydrate molecular structures, while multivariate molecular spectral analysis without any spectral parameterization results showed similar protein and carbohydrate structure between new carinata and new canola seeds. Based on both, univariate and multivariate analysis, there were some differences between carinata seeds and canola seeds in protein and Carbohydrate (CHO) structure spectral characteristics, but these differences were not distinguishable in CLA and PCA plots regardless the color seed coat when using original spectral without spectral parameterization. Protein and carbohydrate structural variables could be used as predictors of rumen protein degradation kinetics, protein intestinal digestion features and protein supply for dairy cows. The CHO molecular structure showed great correlation with rumen protein degradation, intestinal protein digestion and predicted true protein supply of the newly developed carinata and canola lines.

Interactive Curve-Linear Relationship Between Alteration of Carbohydrate Macromolecular Structure Traits in Hulless Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Grain and Nutrient Utilization, Biodegradation and Bioavailability

The aim of this study was to reveal an interactive curve-linear relationship between altered carbohydrate macromolecular structure traits of hulless barley cultivars and nutrient utilization, biodegradation, as well as bioavailability. The cultivars had different carbohydrate macromolecular traits, including amylose (A), amylopectin (AP), and β-glucan contents, as well as their ratios (A:AP). The parameters assessed included: (1) chemical and nutrient profiles; (2) protein and carbohydrate sub-fractions partitioned by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS); (3) total digestible nutrients (TDN) and energy values; and (4) in situ rumen degradation kinetics of nutrients and truly absorbed nutrient supply. The hulless barley samples were analyzed for starch (ST), crude protein (CP), total soluble crude protein (SCP), etc. The in situ incubation technique was performed to evaluate the degradation kinetics of the nutrients, as well as the effective degradability (ED) and bypass nutrient (B). Results showed that the carbohydrates (g/kg DM) had a cubic relationship (p < 0.05), with the A:AP ratio and β-glucan level; while the starch level presented a quadratic relationship (p < 0.05), with the A:AP ratio and cubic relationship (p < 0.05), with β-glucan level. The CP and SCP contents had a cubic relationship (p < 0.05) with the A:AP ratio and β-glucan level. The altered carbohydrate macromolecular traits were observed to have strongly curve-linear correlations with protein and carbohydrate fractions partitioned by CNCPS. For the in situ protein degradation kinetics, there was a quadratic effect of A:AP ratio on the rumen undegraded protein (RUP, g/kg DM) and a linear effect of β-glucan on the bypass protein (BCP, g/kg DM). The A:AP ratio and β-glucan levels had quadratic effects (p < 0.05) on BCP and EDCP. For ST degradation kinetics, the ST degradation rate (K_d), BST and EDST showed cubic effects (p < 0.05) with A:AP ratio. The β-glucan level showed a cubic effect on EDST (g/kg DM) and a quadratic effect on BST (g/kg ST or g/kg DM) and EDST (g/kg DM). In conclusion, alteration of carbohydrate macromolecular traits in hulless barley significantly impacted nutrient utilization, metabolic characteristics, biodegradation, and bioavailability. Altered carbohydrate macromolecular traits curve-linearly affected the nutrient profiles, protein and carbohydrate fractions, total digestible nutrient, energy values, and in situ degradation kinetics.

Structural changes on a molecular basis of canola meal by conditioning temperature and time during pelleting process in relation to physiochemical (energy and protein) properties relevant to ruminants

The objectives of this study were: (1) To investigate the effects of conditioning temperature (70, 80, 90°C), time (30, 60 sec), and interaction (temperature × time) during the pelleting process on internal protein molecular structure changes of the co-products; (2) To identify differences in protein molecular structures among pellets that were processed under different conditions, and between unprocessed mash and pellets; 3) To quantify protein molecular structure changes in relation to predicted energy and protein utilization in dairy cows. The final goal of this program was to show how processing conditions changed internal feed structure on a molecular basis and how molecular structure changes induced by feed processing affected feed milk value in dairy cows. The hypothesis in this study was that processing-induced protein inherent structure changes affected energy and protein availability in dairy cattle and the sensitivity and response of protein internal structure to the different pelleting process conditions could be detected by advanced molecular spectroscopy. The protein molecular structures, amides I and II, amide I to II ratios, α-helix structure, β-sheet structure, and α to β structure ratios, were determined using the advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-FT/IR). The energy values were determined using NRC2001 summary approach in terms of total digestible nutrients, metabolizable and net energy for lactation. The protein and carbohydrate subfactions that are related to rumen degradation characteristics and rumen undegraded protein supply were determined using updated CNCPS system. The experiment design was a RCBD and the treatment design was a 3x2 factorial design. The results showed that pelleting induced changes in protein molecular structure. The sensitivity and response of protein inherent structure to the pelleting depended on the conditioning temperature and time. The protein molecular structure changes were correlated (P < 0.05) with energy values and protein subfractions of the pelleted co-product. The results indicated that the protein internal molecular structure had significant roles in determining energy and protein nutritive values in dairy cows. Multi-regression study with model variables selection showed that the energy and protein profiles in pelleted co-products could be predicted with the protein molecular structure profiles. This approach provides us a relatively new way to estimate protein value in dairy cows based on internal protein molecular structure profile.

Using a non-invasive technique in nutrition: synchrotron radiation infrared microspectroscopy spectroscopic characterization of oil seeds treated with different processing conditions on molecular spectral factors influencing nutrient delivery

Non-invasive techniques are a key to study nutrition and structure interaction. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy coupled with a synchrotron radiation source (SR-IMS) is a rapid, non-invasive, and non-destructive bioanalytical technique. To understand internal structure changes in relation to nutrient availability in oil seed processing is vital to find optimal processing conditions. The objective of this study was to use a synchrotron-based bioanalytical technique SR-IMS as a non-invasive and non-destructive tool to study the effects of heat-processing methods and oil seed canola type on modeled protein structure based on spectral data within intact tissue that were randomly selected and quantify the relationship between the modeled protein structure and protein nutrient supply to ruminants. The results showed that the moisture heat-related processing significantly changed (p<0.05) modeled protein structures compared to the raw canola (control) and those processing by dry heating. The moisture heating increased (p<0.05) spectral intensities of amide I, amide II, α-helices, and β-sheets but decreased (p<0.05) the ratio of modeled α-helices to β-sheet spectral intensity. There was no difference (p>0.05) in the protein spectral profile between the raw and dry-heated canola tissue and between yellow- and brown-type canola tissue. The results indicated that different heat processing methods have different impacts on the protein inherent structure. The protein intrinsic structure in canola seed tissue was more sensitive and more response to the moisture heating in comparison to the dry heating. These changes are expected to be related to the nutritive value. However, the current study is based on limited samples, and more large-scale studies are needed to confirm our findings.