Functionality and Health-Promoting Properties of Polysaccharide and Plant-Derived Substances from Mesona chinensis

Mesona chinensis, in Thai called Chao Kuay and in Chinese Hsian-tsao, belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This herbal plant grows widely in Southern China, Taiwan (China), Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The Mesona plant is used to make functional products such as drinks and soft textured sweet treats, and also traditional medicine, to treat heat stroke, high blood pressure, heart attack, high blood sugar, hepatic diseases, colon diseases, inflammatory conditions, and to alleviate myalgia. The proximate composition of M. chinensis is a mixture of protein, fat, fiber, ash, and minerals. The main biological compounds in M. chinensis extracts are polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols, with wide-ranging pharmacological properties including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antilipidemic, carcinoma-inhibitory, renal-protective, antihypertensive, DNA damage-protective, and anti-inflammatory effects. This review investigated the proximate composition, polysaccharide type, and pharmacological properties of M. chinensis extracts. Phytochemical properties enhance the actions of the gut microbiota and improve health benefits. This review assessed the functional and medicinal activities of M. chinensis extracts. Future studies should further elucidate the in vitro/in vivo mechanisms of this plant extract and its impact on gut health.

Rheology of dispersions and emulsions composed of chia mucilage and the application of chia in food

Chia mucilage (CM) is an emerging resource in food applications. However, the mechanism of this biopolymer as a stabilizer/emulsifier ingredient has not yet been well defined. A non-uniform viscoelastic tridimensional network was observed on emulsions with CM, while the surface activity of the CM ingredient has been associated with its protein content. To understand its functionality in food, this review focused on discussing and summarizing the rheological properties of dispersions and emulsions composed of CM under different conditions, such as pH, temperature, salt content, and mucilage content. For example, emulsions and dispersions with CM showed pseudoplastic behavior. An increase in the CM concentration increased the viscosity and the consistency index and decreased the behavior index. The consistency index of dispersions with CM increased with pH. The future evaluation of emulsions and dispersions properties, such as viscoelastic properties and microstructure, is particularly important for the successful use of CM in the food industry. The principal studies have evaluated the use of CM in dairy and meat systems as an emulsifier, stabilizer, or lipid replacer. The nutritional quality of the products with CM was maintained or improved, but sometimes an undesirable darkening was observed. Future evaluation of the cold extraction method of CM might improve the color and overall sensory acceptability of food products with CM. Integrated chia seed processing, including mucilage, oil, and protein extraction could be carried out to make chia seed industrial processing viable. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of calcium chloride and pH on soluble complex of whey protein-basil seed gum and xanthan gum

Interaction between biopolymers generates different rheological behaviors, which can be effective on the structure of food products. One way to control the polysaccharide-protein interaction is the variation of acidic and ionic strength. In this research, the different amounts of pHs (3-7) and calcium chloride (5-20 mM) were investigated on a soluble complex of whey protein concentrate (WPC) with xanthan gum (XG) and basil seed gum (BSG). The complex characteristic was investigated according to turbidity, viscosity behavior, and electrostatic interactions. The turbidity test showed that WPC:BSG and WPC:XG absorbance increased at pH 3.5 and 4.5, respectively, due to the formation of insoluble complex. pH 6 was the start point of the turbidity increment, which showed the formation of soluble complexes between WPC and polysaccharides. The FTIR analysis confirmed creation of soluble complex at pH 6. The absorbance raised with increasing the molar of CaCl2 to 10 mM, but no significant difference was observed by turbidity test in the range of CaCl2<10 mM. Also, the highest viscosity value was obtained by 10 mM CaCl2.

Rheological and functional properties of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) leaves puree

Pureed form of leaves (Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Roselle)) was taken for physicochemical and rheological analysis at temperatures and TSS range of 278 K - 318 K and 3 - 5 °Brix respectively. The steady-state rheological analysis was performed with a shear rate of 1 - 100 s-1. Different rheological models are tried; Power-law was best fitted with the experimental data (R2 ≥0.98). Temperature dependence of viscosity was found out using an Arrhenius-type relationship at a shear rate of 10, 50, 100 s-1 IR analysis was done to know the influence of functional groups on rheological properties of purees. Consistency index (K) of puree increases with increase in TSS content but at a fixed TSS, there is a decrease in K with an increase in temperatures but the opposite was observed for flow behavior index (n). Puree showed a shear thinning behavior with an increment in temperature level and puree having 5 °Brix (8.37) has higher activation energy (kJ.mol-1) than 3 °Brix (6.32).