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Impact of Groundnut Oil/Candelilla Wax Oleogel Replacement on Physicochemical Properties of Whole Wheat Pasta
AbstractThe current study investigates replacing water (2.5–15%) in whole wheat pasta with groundnut oil/candelilla wax (GNO/CW) oleogel. To assess the impact of incorporating GNO/CW oleogel at varied concentrations, both uncooked and cooked pasta samples are physicochemically characterized. The water absorption capacity of oleogel‐containing cooked pasta samples is found to be lower. Microscopic analysis of the surface of pasta samples (uncooked and cooked) exhibits considerable changes in their topology as the composition varied. Black patches on the cooked pasta samples are observed when the GNO/CW oleogel replacement is on the higher side (10% and 15% replacement), implying the formation of starch–lipid complexes. FTIR analysis is performed to analyze the changes in functional groups and molecular bonds. There are no major changes in the water and the starch regions of pasta samples (uncooked and cooked). The addition of GNO/CW oleogel in the pasta samples enhances their stiffness. Additionally, the pasta samples exhibit viscoelastic properties. Therefore, the incorporation of GNO/CW oleogel into the whole wheat pasta dough can change the physicochemical properties of both uncooked and cooked pasta samples.
Evaluation of the Effect of Stearyl Alcohol and Span-60 Tuned Sunflower Wax/Sunflower Oil Oleogel on Butter Replacement in Whole Wheat Cake
Scientists are concerned about the health risks associated with consuming a diet high in saturated fats. In this regard, oleogels have been used as a shortening substitute by researchers. This present study evaluated the role of stearyl alcohol (SA)-, and Span-60 (SP)-tailored sunflower wax/sunflower oil oleogels upon butter replacement in whole wheat batter and cake. The evaluation of the cake batter under PLM microscopy revealed that a complete replacement of butter with SA-containing oleogels, i.e., Sa-C, showed homogenously distributed smaller gas cells. A uniform distribution of gas cells assists in stabilization and contributes to the porosity of the cake. The DSC and FTIR studies confirmed the prominent melting of amylose-lipid complexes in batter Sa-C. The baked cake Sa-C showed the existence of large pores in the cake matrix, which may have assisted in softening the cake. Further, low starch–lipid interactions were also observed in the FTIR spectra of Sa-C cake crumbs. The SR studies of cake crumbs revealed a higher stress-relaxing ability in Sa-C from the control. Although there were no observed variations in the cake hardness values, Sa-C showed a reduction in the chewiness from the control. This current study suggests the possibility of using emulsifier-tailored oleogels as a potential substitute for butter in the baking formulation.
Microscopic Droplet Size Analysis (MDSA) of “Five Thieves’ Oil” (Olejek Pięciu Złodziei) Essential Oil after the Nebulization Process
Nowadays, due to a higher resistance to drugs, antibiotics, and antiviral medicaments, new ways of fighting pathogens are intensively studied. The alternatives for synthesized compositions are natural products, most of which have been known in natural medicine for a long time. One of the best-known and intensively investigated groups are essential oils (EOs) and their compositions. However, it is worth noting that the method of application can play a second crucial part in the effectiveness of the antimicrobial activity. EOs possess various natural compounds which exhibit antimicrobial activity. One of the compositions which is based on the five main ingredients of eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, and lemon is named “five thieves’ oil” (Polish name: olejek pięciu złodziei) (5TO) and is used in natural medicine. In this study, we focused on the droplet size distribution of 5TO during the nebulization process, evaluated by the microscopic droplet size analysis (MDSA) method. Furthermore, viscosity studies, as well as UV-Vis of the 5TO suspensions in medical solvents such as physiological salt and hyaluronic acid, were presented, along with measurements of refractive index, turbidity, pH, contact angle, and surface tension. Additional studies on the biological activity of 5TO solutions were made on the P. aeruginosa strain NFT3. This study opens a way for the possible use of 5TO solutions or emulsion systems for active antimicrobial applications, i.e., for surface spraying.
Quercetin-Fortified Animal Forage from Onion Waste: A Zero-Waste Approach to Bioactive Feed Development
There is a high demand for the development of new carriers for pharmaceutical forms for human, veterinary, and animal-feeding use. One of the solutions might be bioactive compound-loading pellets for animal forage. The aim of the work was to assess the physical and sensory properties of forage with the addition of onion peel and off-spec onions as a source of quercetin. The feed was prepared using an expanding process (thermal–mechanical expanding process). Quercetin content was evaluated in raw onion and in final-product feed mixture samples (before and after expanding, and pelleting). The obtained feed was subjected to sensory analysis, testing for expanded pellet uniformity, water absorption index (WAI), the angle of a slide, and antioxidant activity. The results confirmed a high recovery of the quercetin after the expanding process (approximately 80%), and a significantly reduced intensity of onion odor, which was confirmed compared to the non-expanded onion, which is beneficial. Furthermore, digital and optical microscopy were applied for structure analysis. Microscopic imaging results confirmed that the onion structures were visible in the whole length of feed material and analyzed cross-sections. The results can be an introduction to further research on developing products that use the expanding and pelleting process to exploit the peel and off-spec onions, as well as other waste raw materials.