Transparent unplasticized zein films were prepared in aqueous ethanol or
acetone. Tensile properties
indicated that films prepared in acetone were stronger but less
flexible than those prepared in
ethanol. Both types of films, however, were too brittle for most
applications. Films containing a
glycerol:poly(propylene glycol) ratio of 1:3 exhibited elongation
values almost fifty times greater
than glycerol-plasticized films. Incorporation of cross-linking
agents into zein films resulted in
approximately a 2−3-fold increase in tensile strength values.
Water vapor barrier properties were
best for unplasticized zein films cross-linked with 20% polymeric
dialdehyde starch. Incorporation
of plasticizer into zein films resulted in an almost doubling in water
vapor permeability values.
Keywords: Hydrophilic; film; zein; tensile properties; plasticizer;
cross-linking agents; water vapor
permeability
Three essential oils, oregano, red thyme, and cassia (100% pure oil), were encapsulated by phase separation into zein nanospheres. Topographical images indicated that the powders were made up of irregularly shaped particles ( approximately 50 mum) containing close-packed nanospheres. Approximately 31% of the oregano encapsulated particles had mean diameters greater than 100 nm compared to 19% for the zein alone particles. In vitro digestion of zein particles with pepsin at a concentration ratio of 10:1 was complete after 52 h in phosphate-citrate buffer, pH 3.5, at 37 degrees C by spectroscopic analysis. Nonenzymatic, aqueous in vitro release of essential oils from encapsulated zein particles was carried out in phosphate buffered saline at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C. Release occurred at varying rates over 20 h probably from different locations within the closely packed nanospheres of different sizes. Gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE of zein incubated with freeze-dried swine manure solids at 37 degrees C indicated that preformed microbial enzymes capable of digesting zein within minutes were present in the manure. Except for differences in size of nanospheres, no structural differences were resolved by several microscopic methods, suggesting that the oil and proteins phases were blended during phase separation.
The antioxidant activity of three major polyamine conjugates, N,N'-dicoumaroyl-putrescine (DCP), N-p-coumaroyl-N'-feruloylputrescine (CFP), and N,N'-diferuloyl-putrescine (DFP) isolated from corn bran, and their related hydroxycinnamic acids, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid, were evaluated by three antioxidant in vitro assay systems, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and superoxide and hydroxyl radicals generated by enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions. Additionally, five phenolic compounds were evaluated for melanogenesis inhibitory activity using mushroom tyrosinase and B16 melanoma cells. Most of the phenolic compounds significantly scavenged DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Particularly, DFP showed potent DPPH (IC50 = 38.46 microM) and superoxide (IC50 = 291.62 microM) radical scavenging activities, while DCP exhibited the strongest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 120.55 microM). CFP also exerted moderate DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. Meanwhile, DCP (IC50 = 181.73 microM) showed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity toward l-tyrosine as the substrate, whereas DFP (IC50 = 733.64 microM) significantly inhibited melanin synthesis in B16 melanoma cells. These current results indicate that these three polyamine conjugates from corn bran may be useful potential sources of natural antioxidants and skin-whitening agents.
Cutin in tomato peels was depolymerized in methanolic base to yield cutin monomers or a mixture of cutin oligomers. These products were isolated by typical solvent extraction methods or by precipitation, and the isolates were characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses. It was determined that the compositions of the isolates from both isolation procedures were similar, although solvent extraction gave higher yields. However, the precipitation method, which is easy to carry out and avoids the use of undesirable organic solvents, may be preferable in commercial processes for recovering these compounds.
Zein isolation by aqueous ethanol extraction from dry-milled corn produces a mixture of zeins, covalently linked polymers (dimers, tetramers, etc.) and higher-molecular-weight aggregates, some of which were not soluble in aqueous alcohol. The insoluble particles were identified as protein aggregates which form when the extraction solution is heated, particularly under alkaline conditions. The insoluble protein aggregates were not present in zein isolated by the same method from corn gluten meal. Zeins extracted from corn gluten meal and dry-milled corn were fractionated (by differential solubility) to identify differences in their polypeptide compositions. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, beta- and gamma-zeins were detected in dry-milled corn, but only trace amounts of beta-zein were found in corn gluten meal. Treatment of dry-milled corn with 0.55% lactic acid and 0.2% sulfur dioxide at 50 degrees C for 6 h before ethanol extraction resulted in a 50% increase in zein isolate yield with high solubility (98%). This pre-extraction treatment cleaved disulfide linkages of the beta- and gamma-zeins and significantly reduced insoluble aggregates in zein isolates.
Chitosan/lactic acid films were cast upon pectin films with either
glycerol or lactic acid as plasticizer
to give clear laminated films with dynamic mechanical properties
similar to those for pectin films
alone. To prevent fungal growth, lactic acid was used to replace
glycerol in the pectin film without
significant change in dynamic mechanical properties. The storage
modulus and loss modulus of
chitosan/pectin laminated films were significantly greater than
respective moduli of chitosan films
alone. Water vapor permeation of pectin or chitosan films, made
with lactic acid, was unchanged
by lamination.
Keywords: Films; chitosan/lactic acid; pectin
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