β-Cyclodextrin-assisted mechanical inclusion extraction of lipophilic flavonoids and hydrophilic terpenoids from functional food

A simple and effective method to enhance the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid in Chinese yam tubers while preserving its original appearance

Hot-air drying is an effective method to enhance the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in edible tubers/tuberous roots. However, consumers prefer fresh food to processed food. Therefore, this study aims to develop an effective method to increase the GABA levels in the tubers of Chinese yam (CY tubers) and the tubers/tuberous roots of other plants while preserving its original appearance. Among nitrogen treatment (treatment under a nitrogen atmosphere), carbon dioxide (CO2) treatment (treatment under a CO2 atmosphere), vacuum treatment, and water immersion, CO2 treatment was the most effective GABA-level-increasing method for CY tubers, with water immersion being more effective than nitrogen treatment and vacuum treatment. The GABA level in CY tubers treated with CO2 for 72 h reached 1.25 ± 0.08 mg/g. CO2 treatment and water immersion were also effective GABA-level-increasing methods for CY bulbils, potatoes, and lotus tubers, but they were less effective for carrots.

A "cyclodextrin-salicylic acid-chitosan" bifunctional monomer magnetic hydrophilic imprinted sandwich gel for targeted adsorption and slow release of ginkgolic acid

This study aims to address the challenge of detoxifying ginkgolic acid and transform it from waste into a valuable resource. By using pseudo-template molecular imprinting technology to chemically modify polysaccharide materials, we developed a polysaccharide-based molecular imprinted material (MMCC-CD/CS-MIP) for the targeted separation and controlled release of ginkgolic acid. Under optimal conditions, MMCC-CD/CS-MIP demonstrated excellent adsorption performance (Qmax = 47.786 mg g-1) and desorption performance (QD = 42.33 mg g-1), with a desorption rate of 88.58 %. In addition, the material exhibited outstanding selectivity, stability, recyclability, antibacterial activity, and sustained-release properties, with a cumulative release rate of 95.57 % over 72 h. The release data followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, while the adsorption behavior fit a multi-layer heterogeneous adsorption model (Freundlich model) and conformed to a second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the adsorption of ginkgolic acid by MMCC-CD/CS-MIP is both feasible and spontaneous. MMCC-CD/CS-MIP provides a promising solution for the detoxification of medicinal components.

Two-dimensional hydrophilic imprinted resin-graphene oxide composite for selective extraction and rapid determination of gibberellin traces in licorice samples

This study presents novel methodologies and materials for selectively and sensitively determining gibberellin traces in licorice to address food safety concerns. A novel hydrophilic imprinted resin-graphene oxide composite (HMIR-GO) was developed with fast mass transfer, high adsorption capacity, and exceptional aqueous recognition performance for gibberellin. Leveraging the advantages of molecular imprinting, hydrophilic resin synthesis, and rapid mass transfer characteristics of GO, HMIR-GO was employed as an adsorbent, showing resistance to matrix interference. Coupled with HPLC, a rapid and selective method for determining gibberellin was established. Under optimal conditions, the method exhibited a wide linear range (0.02-5.00 μg g-1, r = 0.9999), low detection limits (3.3 ng g-1), and satisfactory recoveries (92.0-98.4%), enabling the accurate and rapid detection of gibberellin in licorice. This study introduces a pioneering strategy for the selective extraction and determination of trace gibberellin levels, offering insights for similar applications in functional foods.

Chitosan-based adsorptive membrane modified by carboxymethyl cellulose for heavy metal ion adsorption: Experimental and density functional theory investigations

Low adsorption capacity and weak mechanical stability are the main drawbacks of chitosan (CS)-based adsorptive membranes for heavy metal ion removal. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has been used to improve the mechanical stability of CS membranes, but adsorption capacity is disregarded. In the current study, the surface of the chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CP) membrane was modified using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to increase its heavy metal ion adsorption capacity. Experimental and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to evaluate the heavy metal ion (As3+ and Cr3+) adsorption capabilities of CP and carboxymethyl cellulose-functionalized CP (CMC-CP) membranes. The batch adsorption process presented a higher heavy metal adsorption capacity of the CMC-CP membrane (As3+/CMC-CP = 234.78 mg/g and Cr3+/CMC-CP = 230.12 mg/g) compared to the CP membrane (As3+/CP = 89.02 mg/g and Cr3+/CP = 75.61 mg/g). The heavy metal/CMC-CP complexes confirmed higher adsorption energies (As3+/CMC-CP = -23.62 kcal/mol and Cr3+/CMC-CP = -23.21 kcal/mol) than the heavy metal/CP complexes (As3+/CP = -3.47 kcal/mol and Cr3+/CP = -2.92 kcal/mol). The electronic band structure was higher for CMC-CP (5.42 eV) compared to CP (4.43 eV). Experimental and theoretical findings were close, implying that the CMC-CP membrane has superior heavy metal adsorption capability than the CP membrane.