Preparation of nano/submicrometer Ganoderma tsugae and its mutagenic potencies and cytotoxicity

Nano/Submicrometer Milled Red Rice Particles-Stabilized Pickering Emulsions and Their Antioxidative Properties

Nano/submicrometer red rice particles were obtained through processing a type of red rice using media-milling. The diameters of red rice were gradually reduced as processing time increased. After 4 h of processing, the particle size of milled red rice was reduced to around 692 nm. Microscopic observation and SEM analysis confirmed the presence of nano/submicrometer particles. The phytochemical contents of milled red rice were analyzed. The total anthocyanin content of red rice increased after milling process. Its phenolic and flavonoid contents were slightly decreased after the milling process. All milled red rice exhibited good ferric reducing antioxidant property (FRAP) and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity. The emulsifying ability of milled red rice particles with different milling time was characterized. Milled red rice starch particles with a concentration of 0.8-3.5% were able to form stable Pickering emulsions, and milled red rice particles retarded the oil oxidation process when being used as Pickering emulsions stabilizers. This pioneer study directly modifies whole grain materials to submicrometer particles that can form stable food grade Pickering emulsions with intrinsic antioxidant properties.

Enhancing cellulose functionalities by size reduction using media-mill

This study explored the feasibility of enhancing cellulose functionalities by using media milling to reduce the size of cellulose particles, and assayed various physicochemical and physiological properties of the resulting cellulose. Cellulose has been recognized as dietary fiber by USFDA due to its health benefits. However, its properties like low degradability, stiff texture, and insolubility in water limits its applicability in foods. Milling reduced the volume mean size of cellulose from 25.7 μm to 0.9 μm, which in turn increased the specific surface area (36.78-fold), and swelling capacity (9-fold). Conversely, a reduction in the bulk density (1.41 to 1.32 g/mL) and intrinsic viscosity (165.64 to 77.28 mL/g) were found. The milled cellulose also had significantly enhanced capacity for holding water and binding bile acids and sugars. Moreover, the size reduction also resulted in increased fermentability of cellulose into short chain fatty acids using three human fecal microflora samples. The increase in production of acetate (2880.60%), propionate (2738.52%), and butyrate (2865.89%) after fermentation of cellulose for 24 h were significantly enhanced by size reduction. With these improved characteristics, the milled cellulose might have beneficial physiological effects including laxation as well as reduced blood cholesterol and glucose attenuation.

Organic Nanoparticles in Foods: Fabrication, Characterization, and Utilization

In the context of food systems, organic nanoparticles (ONPs) are fabricated from proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and other organic compounds to a characteristic dimension, such as a radius smaller than 100 nm. ONPs can be fabricated with bottom-up and top-down approaches, or a combination of both, on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the source materials and the fundamental principles of physical chemistry, colloidal and polymer sciences, and materials science and engineering. ONPs are characterized for dimension, morphology, surface properties, internal structures, and biological properties to understand structure-function correlations and to explore their applications. These potential applications include modifying physical properties, improving sensory attributes and food quality, protecting labile compounds, and delivering encapsulated bioactive compounds for improved bioactivity and bioavailability. Because ONPs can have digestion and absorption properties different from conventional materials, the eventual applications of ONPs require in vitro and in vivo studies to guide the development of safe food products that utilize the unique functionalities of ONPs.