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Soil
Published in Stanley E. Manahan, Environmental Chemistry, 2022
A wide range of other transgenic crops are under development. One widely publicized crop is “golden rice” incorporating β-carotene in the grain, which is therefore yellow, rather than the normal white color of rice. The human body processes β-carotene to vitamin A, the lack of which impairs vision and increases susceptibility to maladies including respiratory diseases, measles, and diarrhea. Since rice is the main diet staple in many Asian countries, the widespread distribution of golden rice could substantially improve health. As an example of the intricacies of transgenic crops, two of the genes used to breed golden rice were taken from daffodil and one from a bacterium! Although golden rice that provides the daily recommended dose of vitamin A from a cupful of rice has been developed, opposition from anti-transgenic food quarters thus far has prevented introduction of this cereal into the human food chain and there is fear among some experts that many preventable cases of childhood blindness have resulted.
Plant-Based Compounds as Alternative Adjuvant Therapy for Multidrug-Resistant Cancer
Published in Parimelazhagan Thangaraj, Phytomedicine, 2020
E. C. Aniogo, Blassan P. George, Heidi Abrahamse
They are lipid-soluble compounds that play an important role together with chlorophylls in photosynthesis and photoprotection (Kapinova et al. 2018). This molecule has a long conjugated double bond series in its center, which gives them their sharp, chemical reactivity and light-absorbing properties. Carotenoids inhibit the oxidative effects of reactive and singlet oxygen species that are produced from a plant’s exposure to light and air. They react with radical molecules and delocalize the unpaired electron, thus inhibiting the oxidative effects of the radicals. This antioxidant activity makes them an excellent free radical scavenger (Ramel et al. 2012). Carotenoids are widely found in nature and can be used to prevent lipid oxidation and other related oxidative stress. Fruits including carrots, watermelons, apricots, pink guavas, tomatoes, pumpkin, mango, and sweet potatoes are rich sources of carotenoids (Jaswir et al. 2011). Generally, carotenoids are classified into α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutin, and lycopene (Liu 2004). Many epidemiological studies have found beneficial effects of carotenoid-rich foods in the reduction of cancer progression. As a chemoprevention strategy against certain human cancers, carotenoids and other antioxidants could be used, although there appears to be a detrimental interaction between β-carotene, smoke, and alcohol (Tanaka et al. 2012).
Impact of Nanomaterials on Food Functionality
Published in V. Chelladurai, Digvir S. Jayas, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Foods and Beverages, 2018
V. Chelladurai, Digvir S. Jayas
Development of oil-in-water nanoemulsions using nanotechnology is also getting increased attention in the food and beverage industry due to their improved functionality. A sunflower-oil-based nanoemulsion was tested to increase the shelf life of fish steaks, and processing of Indo-Pacific king mackerel fish steaks with this nanoemulsion inhibited the microbial growth and increased the shelf life of fish steaks upto 48 h when compared with control (Joe et al. 2012). The green tea particles were reduced to a nanosize level, and this nanotea showed enhanced antioxidant activity than the regular green tea (Ramachandraiah et al. 2015). The β-carotene, an oil-soluble pigment, is used as a coloring agent in food and beverages, and the nanoβ-carotene particles produced using calcium ions and alginic acid enhanced the color values of the food and beverages due to the higher penetration and absorbance of nanoparticles into the food matrix. Another advantage of this nanoβ-carotene-based coloring agent was the color of the food product can be easily modified from bright yellow to dark orange by just changing the concentration of β-carotene in the nanostructures (Astete et al. 2009).
Microalgae: a cheap tool for wastewater abatement and biomass recovery
Published in Environmental Technology Reviews, 2022
Haruna Saidu, Jibrin Mohammed Ndejiko, Nafiatu Abdullahi, Aisha Bello Mahmoud, Shaza Eva Mohamad
The toxicity level of wastewater to microalgae does not disqualify it as a novel method for pollutants bioremediation [25]. Osundeko et al. [116] conducted an experiment using six strains of microalgae consisting of C. debaryana, C. luteoviridis, C. vulgaris, D. intermedius, H. tetrachotoma and P. kessleri cultivated in raw concentrated wastewater. The results concluded that the acclimatization and tolerance of these microalgae in wastewater were due to physiological, biochemical, species-specific characteristics and metabolic responses. It was confirmed that the carotenoid content in C. debaryana and D. intermedius after cultivation in wastewater is low and are thus described as wastewater-stressed strains and elevated carotenoid content was detected in C. luteoviridis and P. kessleri and are thus term acclimatized strain. On these bases, they suggested that the carotenoids accumulations in wastewater-grown microalgae are involved in the tolerance mechanism. Carotenoids such as beta-carotene and astaxanthin have been shown to provide protective functions against oxidative stress such as ROS induced by adverse environmental conditions to microalgae cells [116]. Heavy metals such as copper, zinc, and nickel, mercury, lead and cadmium are toxic to microalgae at higher concentrations. Microalgae have a sound range of potential cellular mechanisms in the degradation of heavy metals, which could also provide them with tolerance ability.
The influence of carrot pretreatment, type of carrier and disc speed on the physical and chemical properties of spray-dried carrot juice microcapsules
Published in Drying Technology, 2021
Emilia Janiszewska-Turak, Dorota Witrowa-Rajchert
Carotenoids, especially β-carotene, are among the most popular colorants in food production. They are usually added in a liquid (carrot juice) or solid form (powder) to the final product. Carrot (Daucus carrot L.) is an important root vegetable for juice production and in Poland is the most frequently encountered vegetable juice on the market.[1] Carrot and its juice contain a huge amount of bioactive nutrients, mainly carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals, which provide many health benefits to the human body.[2–4] Moreover, the color of the carrot root is connected with the presence of colorants such as carotenoids, among which β-carotene is present in the largest amounts (8.285 mg/100g, which is about 50%–60% of carotenoids). The other carotenoids are α-carotene (3.477 mg/100 g; about 20%), and γ-carotene and ζ-carotene. On average, carrot root contains 11 mg/100 g of carotene, ranging from 6 mg in bright orange carrots to 24 mg/100 g in dark orange ones.[2]
Influence of lipid content and dilution on properties and stability of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) prepared from rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.) kernel fat and evaluation of their β-carotene loading capacity
Published in Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 2019
Pimchanok Witayaudom, Utai Klinkesorn
Therefore, this research investigated the effect of the lipid phase concentration and the dilution effect on the properties and physical stability of an NLC prepared from rambutan kernel fat, in order to monitor the possibility for its application in diluted form. Moreover, the effect of the loading of β-carotene, the active core model, on the properties and physical stability of the NLC, and the retention of β-carotene during storage were also determined. β-Carotene was used because is recognized as an important functional material in foods and has effective antioxidant activity which in turn has promising preventive effects against some types of chronic disorders, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, it is the most potent precursor of vitamin A which is essential for human health.[21] We expected that rambutan fat NLCs could be an effective dispersion system for encapsulation and delivery the lipophilic bioactive components (e.g., β-carotene) which could be used as ingredients in functional food products.