Search Results (7)

This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of starch-based gel formulations enriched with proteins and hydrocolloids for extrusion-based 3D food printing (3DFP). Food inks were prepared using corn or potato starch, protein concentrates (fava, whey, rice, pea and soya), and hydrocolloids (κ-carrageenan, arabic gum, xanthan gum, and carboxy methylcellulose). Their rheological, mechanical, and textural properties were systematically analyzed to assess printability. Among all formulations, those containing κ-carrageenan consistently demonstrated superior viscoelastic behavior (G′ > 4000 Pa), optimal tan δ values (0.096–0.169), and yield stress conducive to stable extrusion. These inks also achieved high structural fidelity (93–96% accuracy) and favourable textural attributes such as increased hardness and chewiness. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations further validated the inks’ performances by linking pressure and velocity profiles with rheological parameters. FTIR analysis revealed that gel strengthening was primarily driven by non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and electrostatic effects. The integration of empirical measurements and simulation provided a robust framework for evaluating and optimizing printable food gels. These findings contribute to the advancement of personalized and functional 3D-printed foods through data-driven formulation design. Full article

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) fruit pulp (BFP) is particularly noted for its high concentrations of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, vitamins (notably vitamin C), and dietary fiber, surpassing common fruits such as oranges in ascorbic acid content. Despite its long-standing use in local communities as a functional food ingredient, BFP drinks face significant challenges related to their sensory parameters and shelf life, particularly due to rapid microbial growth under tropical conditions. This study investigated the effects of two hydrocolloids, xanthan gum (XG) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), on the viscosity, shelf-life stability, and consumer acceptance of BFP drinks. Seven samples were formulated with these hydrocolloids at different concentrations, namely, BXG1 (95% BFP:5% XG), BXG2 (90% BFP:10% XG), BXG3 (85% BFP:15% XG), BCMC1 (95% BFP:5% CMC), BCMC2 (90% BFP:10% CMC), and BCMC3 (85% BFP:15% CMC), alongside a control sample (100% BFP) and a commercially synthetic drink (CSD) for comparison. The results indicate that BFP drink sample (BXG1) stored under refrigeration (4 °C) for up to 14 days retains acceptable sensory qualities with minimal microbial growth (9 CFU/mL). However, storing at room temperature (ca. 25 ± 2 °C) led to rapid microbial proliferation (oral observation) within four days. These findings also confirm that BFP drinks can provide significant nutritional value, offering 330.64 kcal/100 g of metabolizable energy. This study suggests that, while BFP drinks offer several healthy benefits, enhancing their stability using hydrocolloids and appropriate storage conditions is essential. Future studies should focus on the incorporation of natural preservatives to enhance their stability while preserving their nutritional integrity. Full article

Micro- and nanotechnologies have been intensively studied in recent years as novel platforms for targeting and controlling the delivery of various pharmaceutical substances. Microparticulate drug delivery systems for oral, parenteral, or topical administration are multiple unit formulations, considered as powerful therapeutic tools for the treatment of various diseases, providing sustained drug release, enhanced drug stability, and precise dosing and directing the active substance to specific sites in the organism. The properties of these pharmaceutical formulations are highly dependent on the characteristics of the polymers used as drug carriers for their preparation. Starch and cellulose are among the most preferred biomaterials for biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and lack of toxicity. These polysaccharides and their derivatives, like dextrins (maltodextrin, cyclodextrins), ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, carboxy methylcellulose, etc., have been widely used in pharmaceutical technology as excipients for the preparation of solid, semi-solid, and liquid dosage forms. Due to their accessibility and relatively easy particle-forming properties, starch and cellulose are promising materials for designing drug-loaded microparticles for various therapeutic applications. This study aims to summarize some of the basic characteristics of starch and cellulose derivatives related to their potential utilization as microparticulate drug carriers in the pharmaceutical field. Full article

Cationic and hydrophilic coatings based on casting and drying water dispersions of two different nanoparticles (NPs) onto glass are here described and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Discoid cationic bilayer fragments (BF) surrounded by carboxy-methylcellulose (CMC) and poly (diallyl dimethyl ammonium) chloride (PDDA) NPs and spherical gramicidin D (Gr) NPs dispersed in water solution were cast onto glass coverslips and dried, forming a coating quantitatively evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. From plating and colony forming units (CFU) counting, all strains interacting for 1 h with the coatings lost viability from 10⁵ to 10⁶, to zero CFU, at two sets of Gr and PDDA doses: 4.6 and 25 μg, respectively, or, 0.94 and 5 μg, respectively. Combinations produced broad spectrum, antimicrobial coatings; PDDA electrostatically attached to the microbes damaging cell walls, allowing Gr NPs interaction with the cell membrane. This concerted action promoted optimal activity at low Gr and PDDA doses. Further washing and drying of the deposited dried coatings showed that they were washed out so that antimicrobial activity was no longer present on the glass surface. Significant applications in biomedical materials can be foreseen for these transient coatings. Full article

Emulsion gels are an alternative to developing food products and adding bioactive compounds; however, different stabilizers have been employed considering natural ingredients. In this work, stabilization of emulsion gels with blends of carboxymethylcellulose and kernel mango starch was performed with the addition of mango peel extracts, evaluating their physical, rheological and microstructural properties. Phenolic extract from mango peels (yields = 11.35 ± 2.05% w/w), with 294.60 ± 0.03 mg GAE/100 g of extract and 436.77 ± 5.30 µMol Trolox/g of the extract, was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (1:10 peel: Ethanol w/v, 200 W, 30 min), containing pyrogallol, melezitose, succinic acid, γ-tocopherol, campesterol, stigmasterol, lupeol, vitamin A and vitamin E. In addition, mango kernel starch (yields = 59.51 ± 1.35% w/w) with 27.28 ± 0.05% of amylose was obtained, being the by-product of mango (Mangiferaindica var fachir) an alternative to producing natural food ingredients. After that, stable emulsions gels were prepared to stabilize with carboxy methylcellulose–kernel mango starch blends and mango peel extracts. These results provide an ingredient as an alternative to the development of gelled systems. They offer an alternative to elaborating a new multifunctional food system with bioactive properties with potential application as a fat replacement or delivery system in the food industry. Full article

Contagious agalactia is a mycoplasmosis affecting small ruminants that have become an important issue in many countries. However, PK/PD studies of antibiotics to treat this problem in lactating goats affected by Mycoplasma (M.) agalactiae, the main CA-causing mycoplasma are almost non-existent. The aims of this study were to evaluate the plasma and milk disposition of marbofloxacin in lactating goats after intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SC) and subcutaneous poloxamer P407 formulations with and without carboxy-methylcellulose (SC-P407-CMC and SC-P407) administration. Marbofloxacin concentrations were analysed by the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of M. agalactiae field isolates from mastitic goat’s milk were used to calculate surrogate markers of efficacy. Terminal half-lives of marbofloxacin after IV, SC, SC-P407 and SC-P407-CMC administration were 7.12, 6.57, 13.92 and 12.19 h in plasma, and the half-lives of elimination of marbofloxacin in milk were 7.22, 7.16, 9.30 and 7.74 h after IV, SC, SC-P407 and SC-P407-CMC administration, respectively. Marbofloxacin penetration from the blood into the milk was extensive, with Area Under the Curve (AUC_milk/AUC_plasma) ratios ranged 1.04–1.23, and maximum concentrations (C_max-milk/C_max-plasma) ratios ranged 0.72–1.20. The PK/PD surrogate markers of efficacy fAUC24/MIC and the Monte Carlo simulation show that marbofloxacin ratio (fAUC₂₄/MIC > 125) using a 90% of target attainment rate (TAR) need a dose regimen between 8.4 mg/kg (SC) and 11.57 mg/kg (P407CMC) and should be adequate to treat contagious agalactia in lactating goats. Full article

The layered hydrated sodium salt-magadiite (MAG), which has special interpenetrating petals structure, was used as a functional filler to slowly self-assemble with sodium carboxy-methylcellulose (CMC), in order to prepare nacre-like nanocomposite film by solvent evaporation method. The structure of prepared nacre-like nanocomposite film was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis; whereas, it was indicated that CMC macromolecules were inserted between the layers of MAG to increase the layer spacing of MAG by forming an interpenetrating petals structure; in the meantime, the addition of MAG improved the thermal stability of CMC. The tensile strength of CMC/MAG was significantly improved compared with pure CMC. The tensile strength of CMC/MAG reached the maximum value at 1.71 MPa when the MAG content was 20%, to maintaining high transparency. Due to the high content of inorganic filler, the flame retarding performance and the thermal stability were also brilliant; hence, the great biocompatibility and excellent mechanical properties of the bionic nanocomposite films with the unique interpenetrating petals structure provided a great probability for these original composites to be widely applied in material research, such as tissue engineering in biomedical research. Full article