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Food Chemistry Jun 2024This study investigated the potential of a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) to mimic palm shortening...
This study investigated the potential of a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) to mimic palm shortening functionality in cake. The combined functional properties of linseed meal and beta-glucan led to stable semi-solid emulsion-gels (20-31 μm oil droplet size, 105-115 Pa.s viscosity and 60-65 Pa yield stress). PALM-ALT contained 25 and 88% less total and saturated fat than palm shortening, whilst PALM-ALT cakes contained 26 and 75% less total and saturated fat than the palm-based control. PALM-ALT cakes matched the flavour profile of the palm-based control, while rapeseed oil cakes tasted more sour and less sweet than the control (p < 0.05). PALM-ALT cakes proved less hard and more cohesive than the control (p < 0.05), with 100% of the consumer panel preferring PALM-ALT formulations. This study demonstrated the unique potential of PALM-ALT as healthier, sustainable and competitive alternative to palm shortening.
PubMed: 38901335
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140134 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024AP2/ERF transcription factor genes play an important role in regulating the responses of plants to various abiotic stresses, such as cold, drought, high salinity, and...
AP2/ERF transcription factor genes play an important role in regulating the responses of plants to various abiotic stresses, such as cold, drought, high salinity, and high temperature. However, less is known about the function of oil palm AP2/ERF genes. We previously obtained 172 AP2/ERF genes of oil palm and found that the expression of was significantly up-regulated under salinity, cold, or drought stress conditions. In the present study, the sequence characterization and expression analysis for were conducted, showing that it was transiently over-expressed in L. The results indicated that transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing could have a stronger tolerance to salinity stress than wild-type tobacco plants. Compared with wild-type plants, the over-expression lines showed a significantly higher germination rate, better plant growth, and less chlorophyll damage. In addition, the improved salinity tolerance of transgenic plants was mainly attributed to higher antioxidant enzyme activities, increased proline and soluble sugar content, reduced HO production, and lower MDA accumulation. Furthermore, several stress-related marker genes, including , , , , , , and , were significantly up-regulated in transgenic tobacco plants subjected to salinity stress. Overall, over-expression of the gene significantly enhanced salinity stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco plants. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of the regulatory mechanism of the gene in conferring salinity tolerance in oil palm.
Topics: Nicotiana; Plants, Genetically Modified; Plant Proteins; Salt Tolerance; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Salt Stress; Stress, Physiological; Arecaceae; Germination
PubMed: 38891808
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115621 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study focused on strains isolated from fermented palm sap in southern Thailand that exhibit potential probiotic characteristics, including antibiotic...
This study focused on strains isolated from fermented palm sap in southern Thailand that exhibit potential probiotic characteristics, including antibiotic susceptibility, resistance to gastrointestinal stresses, and antimicrobial activity against various pathogens. However, a thorough investigation of the whole genome sequences of isolates is required to ensure their safety and probiotic properties for human applications. This study aimed to sequence the genome of isolated from fermented palm sap, to assess its safety profile, and to conduct a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis with other species. The genome sizes of the seven strains ranged from 3,070,747 bp to 3,131,129 bp, with a GC content between 46.11% and 46.17% supporting their classification as nomadic lactobacilli. In addition, the minimal presence of cloud genes and a significant number of core genes suggest a high degree of relatedness among the strains. Meanwhile, phylogenetic analysis of core genes revealed that the strains possessed distinct genes and were grouped into two distinct clades. Genomic analysis revealed key genes associated with probiotic functions, such as those involved in gastrointestinal, oxidative stress resistance, vitamin synthesis, and biofilm disruption. This study is consistent with previous studies that used whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics to assess the safety and potential benefits of probiotics in various food fermentation processes. Our findings provide valuable insights into the potential use of seven strains isolated from fermented palm sap as probiotic and postbiotic candidates in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.
PubMed: 38891001
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111773 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Palm oil has a bad reputation due to the exploitation of farmers and the destruction of endangered animal habitats. Therefore, many consumers wish to avoid the use of...
Palm oil has a bad reputation due to the exploitation of farmers and the destruction of endangered animal habitats. Therefore, many consumers wish to avoid the use of palm oil. Decorative sugar contains a small amount of palm oil to prevent the sugar from melting on hot bakery products. High-oleic sunflower oil used as a substitute for palm oil was analyzed in this study via multispectral imaging and an electronic nose, two methods suitable for potential large-batch analysis of sugar/oil coatings. Multispectral imaging is a nondestructive method for comparing the wavelength reflections of the surface of a sample. Reference samples enabled the estimation of the quality of unknown samples, which were confirmed via acid value measurements. Additionally, for quality determination, volatile compounds from decorative sugars were measured with an electronic nose. Both applications provide comparable data that provide information about the quality of decorative sugars.
PubMed: 38890921
DOI: 10.3390/foods13111693 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024Bioenergy is predicted to significantly contribute to the global energy needs of both developed and developing economies. Co-pyrolysis of halophytes offers a solution...
Bioenergy is predicted to significantly contribute to the global energy needs of both developed and developing economies. Co-pyrolysis of halophytes offers a solution for a sustainable supply of feedstock in coastal and water-scarce regions. This novel research introduces an experimental investigation of co-pyrolysis of saline-tolerant flora (date palm waste and ) to address sustainable waste management, bioenergy production, and efficient resource utilization in xeric regions. To examine the impact of the thermic condition on the pyrolysis products (bio-oil, biochar, and gas), the experiments have been conducted at three different temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C). This pioneering study revealed that the co-feed bio-oil is acidic (pH 3.76-4.39) and has a high energy content (HHV 32.29-36.29 MJ/kg) that surpasses most woody biomass. The produced biochar was chemically stable, high in ash (40.09-47.62 wt %), high in fixed carbon (30.12-38.12 wt %), highly alkaline (pH 9.37-10.69), and low in HHV (16.30-17.2 MJ/kg). Increased pyrolysis temperature enhances biochar stability and fixed carbon, thus benefiting long-term carbon sequestration if applied in the soil. However, due to its high alkalinity, the application of this biochar in naturally alkaline sandy soils, such as in coastal deserts, requires careful monitoring. The hydrogen content in the gaseous phase significantly improves with rising temperature, reaching HHV = 24.12 MJ/kg at 600 °C, due to the enhanced ash catalytic effect. Overall, this study constitutes an important contribution to advancing bioenergy, sustainable feedstock, carbon capture, and waste management strategies in drought-prone areas.
PubMed: 38854508
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02972 -
PloS One 2024This research presents a comprehensive study of sequential oxidative extraction (SOE) consisting of alkaline and acidic oxidation processes to extract nanocellulose from...
This research presents a comprehensive study of sequential oxidative extraction (SOE) consisting of alkaline and acidic oxidation processes to extract nanocellulose from plant biomass. This proposed process is advantageous as its operation requires a minimum process with mild solvents, and yet successfully isolated high-quality nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) from raw OPEFB. The SOE involved ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH, 2.6 M) and formic acid (HCOOH, 5.3 M) catalyzed by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 3.2 M). This approach was used to efficiently solubilize the lignin and hemicellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) at the temperature of 100°C and 1 h extraction time, which managed to retain fibrous NFC. The extracted solid and liquor at each stage were studied extensively through physiochemical analysis. The finding indicated that approximately 75.3%dwb of hemicellulose, 68.9%dwb of lignin, and 42.0%dwb of extractive were solubilized in the first SOE cycle, while the second SOE cycle resulted in 92.3%dwb, 99.6%dwb and 99.8%dwb of solubilized hemicellulose, lignin, and extractive/ash, respectively. High-quality NFC (75.52%dwb) was obtained for the final extracted solid with 76.4% crystallinity, which is near the crystallinity of standard commercial NFC. The proposed process possesses an effective synergy in producing NFC from raw OPEFB with less cellulose degradation, and most of the degraded hemicellulose and lignin are solubilized in the liquor.
Topics: Cellulose; Fruit; Oxidation-Reduction; Arecaceae; Lignin; Nanofibers; Palm Oil; Polysaccharides; Hydrogen Peroxide
PubMed: 38843202
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299312 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of...
Growing obesity is linked to shifts in dietary patterns, particularly the increased intake of ultra-processed high-fat foods. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of interesterified palm oil consumption on glucose homeostasis, adipose tissue remodeling, and hepatic lipogenesis in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. Sixty C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (n = 15): the control group (C) fed a standard diet (4% soybean oil), the high-fat group (HF) (23.8% lard), the high palm oil fat group (HFP) (23.8% palm oil), and the high interesterified palm fat group (HFI) (23.8% interesterified palm oil) for 8 weeks (all groups received 50% energy from lipids). The HFI group exhibited higher body mass than the HF group (+ 11%, P < 0.05), which was attributed to an increased percentage of fat mass. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, insulin, and HOMA-IR were also elevated in the HFI group. Both the HFP and HFI groups showed hypertrophied adipocytes and pancreatic islets, increased alpha and beta cell masses, hepatic steatosis, low expression of genes related to beta-oxidation, and upregulated lipogenesis. In conclusion, the consumption of interesterified palm oil alters inflammatory and glucose profiles.
Topics: Animals; Palm Oil; Diet, High-Fat; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Inflammation; Adipose Tissue, White; Male; Lipogenesis; Obesity; Liver; Insulin; Insulin Resistance
PubMed: 38822155
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63488-9 -
Scientific Data May 2024Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve...
Understanding direct deforestation drivers at a fine spatial and temporal scale is needed to design appropriate measures for forest management and monitoring. To achieve this, reference datasets with which to design Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to classify direct deforestation drivers within areas experiencing forest loss in a detailed, comprehensive and locally-adapted way are needed. This is the case for Cameroon, in the Congo Basin, which has known increasing deforestation rates in recent years. Here, we created an Earth Observation dataset with associated labels to classify detailed direct deforestation drivers in Cameroon, which includes satellite imagery (Landsat and PlanetScope) and auxiliary data on infrastructure and biophysical properties. The dataset provides the following fifteen labels: oil palm, timber, fruit, rubber and other-large scale plantations; grassland/shrubland; small-scale oil palm or maize plantations and other small-scale agriculture; mining; selective logging; infrastructure; wildfires; hunting; and other.
Topics: Cameroon; Conservation of Natural Resources; Satellite Imagery; Forests; Agriculture; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 38821976
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03384-z -
PeerJ 2024The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is...
BACKGROUND
The chloroplast genome has the potential to be genetically engineered to enhance the agronomic value of major crops. As a crop plant with major economic value, it is important to understand every aspect of the genetic inheritance pattern among individuals to ensure the traceability of agronomic traits.
METHODS
Two parental individuals and 23 of their F progenies were collected and sequenced using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique on the Illumina platform. Chloroplast genomes were assembled from the cleaned raw reads and aligned to check for variations. The sequences were compared and analyzed with programming language scripting and relevant bioinformatic softwares. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were determined from the chloroplast genome.
RESULTS
The chloroplast genome assembly resulted in 156,983 bp, 156,988 bp, 156,982 bp, and 156,984 bp. The gene content and arrangements were consistent with the reference genome published in the GenBank database. Seventy-eight SSRs were detected in the chloroplast genome, with most located in the intergenic spacer region.The chloroplast genomes of 17 F progenies were exact copies of the maternal parent, while six individuals showed a single variation in the sequence. Despite the significant variation displayed by the male parent, all the nucleotide variations were synonymous. This study show highly conserve gene content and sequence in chloroplast genomes. Maternal inheritance of chloroplast genome among F progenies are robust with a low possibility of mutations over generations. The findings in this study can enlighten inheritance pattern of chloroplast genome especially among crops' scientists who consider using chloroplast genome for agronomic trait modifications.
Topics: Genome, Chloroplast; Microsatellite Repeats; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Inheritance Patterns
PubMed: 38818457
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17335 -
Frontiers in Chemistry 2024Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells,...
Examining the ability of palm kernel shell extract to control corrosion and assess its economic value on thermo-mechanically treated steel in artificial seawater: a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach.
Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells, liquified fumes, and other derivatives; however, their indiscriminate disposal persists, raising issues related to the environment and economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the use of palm kernel shell as a corrosion inhibitor for thermo-mechanically treated steel in a seawater environment using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques, as well as surface tests at varying concentrations. The findings demonstrated that the palm kernel shell inhibited the cathodic and anodic processes by adsorption on the steel surface, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitor exhibited a 98% inhibitory efficiency at 500 ppm concentration. Scanning electron microscopy analysis verified the thin films of the inhibitor on steel surface in seawater solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract's components prevent the steel corrosion through an adsorptive mechanism. According to the inhibitor economic evaluation, employing the palm kernel shell extract is less expensive than utilizing conventional inhibitors.
PubMed: 38807979
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1396565