A Comprehensive Study on the Development of an Isotonic Sports Drink Preserved by UV-C Light Assisted by Mild Heat and Loaded with Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) Extract

A unique isotonic sports drink (ISD) was created in this study using a pilot-scale short-wave ultraviolet light (UV-C, 892 mJ/cm2, 20 °C) assisted by mild heat (UV-C/H, 534 mJ/cm2, 50 °C), which was followed by the addition of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract (YME). Consumer perception and microbiological and physicochemical stability during refrigerated storage (4 °C/23 d) were assessed for the ISD. Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (AA) spores and cocktails of yeasts and Escherichia coli were considerably inactivated by UV-C/H. The TEM and SEM micrographs showed that AA evidenced sustained severe structural damage. Furthermore, UV-C/H completely inactivated the native microbiota, while YME incorporation increased the initial aerobic mesophilic and mold-and-yeast populations by 0.48 and 0.70 log cycles, remaining stable during storage. YME addition enhanced total polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity by 2.7-3.7, 16.5-16.7 and 6.6-24.0 times compared to the untreated ISD and ISD-UVC/H samples. Except for sedimentation and turbidity, the other physical characteristics mostly did not change (going from 1494 ± 382 to 2151 ± 106 NTU). The initial 5-HMF value in the ISD was raised by UV-C/H treatment and YME addition. Notwithstanding, it stayed below the allowed threshold throughout storage. ISD-UVC/H+YME had a high overall acceptability score; 60% of panelists gave the drink a score of seven or higher. Additionally, the herbal taste of YME was well liked, and its bitterness was perceived as mild. These findings suggest that including YME and the UV-C/H treatment can produce an ISD of superior quality with distinct sensory attributes.

Greening up organic reactions with caffeine: applications, recent developments, and future directions

Numerous studies in the field of alkaloid chemistry have provided researchers with valuable insights into their unique properties as catalysts. Among the diverse natural catalysts, caffeine has emerged as a green, expedient, and biodegradable catalyst with high efficiency and applicability. Interest in using caffeine as a catalyst has burgeoned over the past few years with its role in diverse multicomponent reactions. Preparation of its imidazolium salts and further conversion to Nitrogen Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) ligands and ionic liquids offers new paradigms. Caffeine has also played a multifaceted role as a support material in influencing the structural properties of nanoparticles. We hope that the chemistry of caffeine and its applications for sustainable organic transformations discussed in this review will stimulate new thinking and open new avenues in this field.

Q-Tube®-Assisted Alkylation and Arylation of Xanthines and Other N-H-Containing Heterocycles in Water

In this paper, a simple and clean process for the alkylation and arylation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles is reported. The reactions were conducted using the Q-tube® as a non-conventional technology, in water as a green solvent, at overboiling temperature. The developed strategy was used to improve two steps in the total synthesis of caffeine, as reported by Narayan, and then extended to the preparation of N-decorated xanthines. Finally, piperidine, methyl piperazine, and isatine were proven to be suitable substrates for the protocol proposed herein.