Carotenoids production by Rhodosporidium paludigenum yeasts: Characterization of chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

The high market potential imposed by natural carotenoids has turned the scientific interest in search for new strains, capable of synthesizing a wide spectrum of these pigments. In this study, Rhodosporidium paludigenum NCYC 2663 and 2664 were investigated for carotenoids production and lipid accumulation utilizing different carbon sources (glucose, fructose, sucrose, mixture of glucose: galactose). Strain R. paludigenum 2663 produced the highest total carotenoids titer (2.21 mg/L) when cultivated on sucrose, together with 4 g/L lipids (30% w/w content) and 7 g/L exopolysaccharides. In the case of R. paludigenum 2664, glucose favored the production of 2.93 mg/L total carotenoids and 1.57 g/L lipids (31.8% w/w content). Analysis of the chemical profile during fermentation revealed that β-carotene was the prominent carotenoid. Strain 2663 co-produced γ-carotene, torulene and torularhodin in lower amounts, whereas 2664 synthesized almost exclusively β-carotene. The produced lipids from strain 2663 were rich in oleic acid, while the presence of linoleic acid was also detected in the lipoic fraction from strain 2664. The obtained carotenoid extracts exhibited antioxidant (IC50 0.14 mg/mL) and high antimicrobial activity, against common bacterial and fungal pathogenic strains. The results of this study are promising for the utilization of biotechnologically produced carotenoids in food applications.

Ganoderma lucidum Mycelia Mass and Bioactive Compounds Production through Grape Pomace and Cheese Whey Valorization

Numerous compounds obtained from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum have evidenced renowned bioactive characteristics. Controlled fermentation to generate fungal mycelia confers several advantages, specifically when the valorization of agro-industrial streams as fermentation feedstocks is included. Submerged fermentation of a newly isolated Greek strain of G. lucidum was performed using conventional synthetic media and, also, grape pomace extract (GPE) and cheese whey permeate (CWP) under static and shaking conditions. Under shaking conditions, maximum biomass with GPE and supplementation with organic nitrogen reached 17.8 g/L. The addition of an elicitor in CWP resulted in a significant improvement in biomass production that exceeded synthetic media. Overall, agitation demonstrated a positive impact on biomass productivity and, therefore, on process optimization. Crude intracellular and extracellular polysaccharides were extracted and evaluated regarding antioxidant activity and polysaccharide and protein content. FTIR analysis confirmed the preliminary chemical characterization of the crude extracts. This study introduces the design of a bioprocessing scenario to utilize food industry by-products as onset feedstocks for fungal bioconversions to obtain potential bioactive molecules within the concept of bioeconomy.

Nutritional Improvements of Sourdough Breads Made with Freeze-Dried Functional Adjuncts Based on Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum and Pomegranate Juice

New types of sourdough breads are proposed, made with freeze-dried sourdough adjuncts based on: (i) Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC 14917, a potential probiotic (LP) alone or (ii) with the addition of unfermented pomegranate juice (LPPO) and (iii) pomegranate juice fermented by the same strain (POLP). Physicochemical, microbiological, and nutritional characteristics (in vitro antioxidant capacity, AC, total phenolics, TPC, and phytate content) of the breads were evaluated and compared with commercial sourdough bread. All adjuncts performed well; the best results being those obtained by POLP. Specifically, the highest acidity (9.95 mL of 0.1 M NaOH) and organic acid content (3.02 and 0.95 g/kg, lactic and acetic acid, respectively) as well as better resistance to mold and rope spoilage (12 and 13 days, respectively) were observed for POLP3 bread (sourdough with 6% POLP). Significant nutritional improvements were observed by all adjuncts, in terms of TPC, AC, and phytate reduction (103 mg gallic acid/100 g, 232 mg Trolox/100 g, and 90.2%, respectively, for POLP3). In all cases, the higher the amount of adjunct, the better the results. Finally, the good sensory properties of the products indicate the suitability of the proposed adjuncts for sourdough breadmaking, while their application in freeze-dried, powdered form can facilitate commercial application.

Natural Carotenoids: Recent Advances on Separation from Microbial Biomass and Methods of Analysis

Biotechnologically produced carotenoids occupy an important place in the scientific research. Owing to their role as natural pigments and their high antioxidant properties, microbial carotenoids have been proposed as alternatives to their synthetic counterparts. To this end, many studies are focusing on their efficient and sustainable production from renewable substrates. Besides the development of an efficient upstream process, their separation and purification as well as their analysis from the microbial biomass confers another important aspect. Currently, the use of organic solvents constitutes the main extraction process; however, environmental concerns along with potential toxicity towards human health necessitate the employment of "greener" techniques. Hence, many research groups are focusing on applying emerging technologies such as ultrasounds, microwaves, ionic liquids or eutectic solvents for the separation of carotenoids from microbial cells. This review aims to summarize the progress on both the biotechnological production of carotenoids and the methods for their effective extraction. In the framework of circular economy and sustainability, the focus is given on green recovery methods targeting high-value applications such as novel functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Finally, methods for carotenoids identification and quantification are also discussed in order to create a roadmap for successful carotenoids analysis.

Extended Stanford Type-A Aortic Dissection with Multivessel Coronary and Peripheral Artery Involvement: An Autopsy Case Report

We report the case of a 64-year-old male who died suddenly short after his admission to hospital because of strong chest pain and before any clinical diagnosis was established. His medical history included coronary disease with coronary by-pass surgery at the age of 40 years old, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and elevated levels of cholesterol. The autopsy revealed quite a rare case of Stanford A aortic dissection with extension to the common and internal carotid arteries; the subclavian, axillary, brachial, and radial arteries; three coronary arteries; the superior mesenteric artery; and the iliac arteries. There was no histological evidence of aortitis or connective tissue disease. The death did not result from the rupture of the aortic dissection, but from myocardial ischemia due to coronary occlusion in combination with hemodynamic disturbance from stress caused by the extended aortic dissection.

Towards efficient production of highly optically pure d-lactic acid from lignocellulosic hydrolysates using newly isolated lactic acid bacteria

This study presents the production of D-lactic acid with high enantiomeric purity using lignocellulosic hydrolysates from newly isolated lactic acid bacterial (LAB) strains. Six strains, 4 heterofermentative and 2 homofermentative, were investigated for their ability to grow and produce lactic acid on sugar beet pulp (SBP) hydrolysates, containing a mixture of hexose and pentose sugars. Among the strains tested, three were isolates designated as A250, A257 and A15, all of which belonged to the genus Leuconostoc. Only strain A250 could be reliably identified as Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides based on cluster analysis of Maldi-ToF spectra. All strains produced D-lactic acid in the presence of SBP hydrolysates, but with varying optical purities. The homofermentative strains achieved higher D-lactic acid optical purities, but without assimilating the pentose sugars. Co-cultivation of the homofermentative strain Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens DSM 20005 together with the heterofermentative isolate A250 led to the production of 21.7 g/L D-lactic acid with 99.3 % optical purity. This strategy enabled the complete sugar utilization of the substrate. Nanofiltration of the SBP hydrolysate enhanced the enantiomeric purity of the D-lactic acid produced from the isolates A250 and A15 by about 5 %. The highest D-lactic acid concentration (40 g/L) was achieved in fed-batch cultures of A250 isolate with nanofiltered SBP, where optical purity was 99.4 %. The results of this study underline the feasibility of a novel isolate as an efficient D-lactic acid producer using lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

Sustainable Food Systems: The Case of Functional Compounds towards the Development of Clean Label Food Products

The addition of natural components with functional properties in novel food formulations confers one of the main challenges that the modern food industry is called to face. New EU directives and the global turn to circular economy models are also pressing the agro-industrial sector to adopt cradle-to-cradle approaches for their by-products and waste streams. This review aims to present the concept of “sustainable functional compounds”, emphasizing on some main bioactive compounds that could be recovered or biotechnologically produced from renewable resources. Herein, and in view of their efficient and “greener” production and extraction, emerging technologies, together with their possible advantages or drawbacks, are presented and discussed. Μodern examples of novel, clean label food products that are composed of sustainable functional compounds are summarized. Finally, some action plans towards the establishment of sustainable food systems are suggested.

A rare case of complicated suicide: Self-immolation and subsequent stab heart injury due to fall into a glass door

Complicated suicides can be defined as incidents where death is caused by a subsequent trauma rather than the primary injury. Deaths which occur as a complication of the suicidal act are very rare with few reports in the literature. We present the case of a 60-year-old man who was found at his home while still alive. His body was burning and he was lying on his back impaled by shards of glass that had come from a broken glass door. An ambulance was called but the man died before arrival at hospital. The autopsy showed stab heart and lung injuries in thorax and an abdominal stab trauma which resulted in the protrusion of the small intestine. Homicide was excluded and the sequence of events was reconstructed to reveal a complicated suicide intended to result from self-immolation but which resulted in a fall against a glass door which in turn resulted in shards of glass piercing his body and a fatal stab wound to the heart.

Novel Probiotic/Bacterial Cellulose Biocatalyst for the Development of Functional Dairy Beverage

The development of innovative functional products with potential health benefits, under the concept of bio-economy, is flourishing. This study undertook an evaluation of non-dairy lactobacilli Lactiplantibacillus pentosus B329 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 820 as “ready to use” starter cultures. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cultures were evaluated for their fermentation efficiency, before and after freeze-drying, using cheese whey (CW) as a fermentation substrate and subsequent immobilization on bacteria cellulose (BC) to produce a novel biocatalyst. The biocatalyst was applied in functional sour milk production and compared with free cells via the assessment of physicochemical and microbiological properties and sensory evaluation. Evidently, LAB strains exhibited high fermentative activity before and after freeze-drying. Results of a 5-month storage stability test showed that viability was 19% enhanced by immobilization on BC, supporting the concept of “ready to use” cultures for the production of fermented beverages. Likewise, sour milk produced by the BC biocatalyst presented higher organoleptic scores, compared to the free cells case, whereas immobilization on BC enhanced probiotic viability during post-fermentation storage (4 °C, 28 days). The obtained high viability (>107 log cfu/g) demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed bioprocess for the production of functional/probiotic-rich beverages. Ultimately, this work presents a consolidated scheme that includes the advantages and the cooperative effect of probiotic LAB strains combined with a functional biopolymer (BC) towards the formulation of novel functional products that coincide with the pillars of food systems sustainability.

Prevalence of Homicide-Suicide Incidents in Greece over 13 Years

Prevalence of homicide-suicides is difficult to determine in Greece due to the lack of a national tracking system. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of the homicide-suicide incidents in Greece over the past 13 years, and to determine the circumstances under which they occurred, as well as the characteristics of perpetrators and victims. Two Internet search engines (google and yahoo), as well as the search engine of the major national news websites, were surveyed to identify the number of homicide-suicide cases that occurred in Greece from January 2008 to December 2020. Over the study period, 36 homicide-suicide incidents occurred in Greece, resulting in 36 suicides and 41 homicides. The above incidents reflect an annual homicide-suicide rate of 0.02 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Most perpetrators were male (88.9%), whereas most victims were female (80.6%). Spousal-consortial cases accounted for 52.7% and familial cases for 41.7% of the total number of incidents. The use of firearms (mostly shotgun) was the most common method of homicide and suicide (58.3% and 63.9%, respectively). Women killed only their children, while men committed homicide and suicide mainly in the context of a former or current intimate partnership with the victim. Our results are in line with international homicide-suicide data. The establishment of a national surveillance system for homicides-suicides would be of paramount importance as it would facilitate accurate recording, identification of risk factors and characteristics of potential victims and perpetrators and it could ultimately be an aid to the prevention of such tragic events.

Integrated biorefinery development using winery waste streams for the production of bacterial cellulose, succinic acid and value-added fractions

An integrated biorefinery has been developed using winery wastes (grape pomace-GP, stalks-GS, wine lees-WL). Bacterial cellulose was produced from GP extracted free sugars. Grape-seed oil and polyphenols were extracted from GP. Experimental design was employed to optimize lignin removal (50.8%) from mixtures of remaining GP solids and GS via NaOH (1.19% w/v) treatment at 70°C for 30 min. Delignification liquid contained condensed tannins with 76% Stiasny number. Enzymatic hydrolysis produced a sugar-rich hydrolysate (40.2 g/L sugars). Ethanol, antioxidants, tartaric acid and nutrient-rich hydrolysate were produced from WL. The crude hydrolysates were used in fed-batch Actinobacillus succinogenes cultures for 37.2 g/L succinic acid production. The biorefinery produces 42.65 g bacterial cellulose, 24.3 g oil, 40.3 g phenolic-rich extract with 1.41 Antioxidant Activity Index, 80.2 g ethanol, 624.8 g crude tannin extract, 20.03 g tartaric acid and 157.8 g succinic acid from 1 kg of each waste stream.

Volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient as fermentation control parameter to manipulate the production of either acetoin or D-2,3-butanediol using bakery waste

The formation of either acetoin or D-2,3-butanediol (D-BDO) by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens cultivated on bakery waste hydrolysates has been evaluated in bioreactor cultures by varying the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (k_La). The highest D-BDO production (55.2 g L^-1) was attained in batch fermentations with k_La value of 64 h^-1. Batch fermentations performed at 203 h^-1 led to the highest productivity (2.16 g L^-1h^-1) and acetoin production (47.4 g L^-1). The utilization of bakery waste hydrolysate in fed-batch cultures conducted at k_La of 110 h^-1 led to combined production of acetoin, meso-BDO and D-BDO (103.9 g L^-1). Higher k_La value (200 h^-1) resulted to 65.9 g L^-1 acetoin with 1.57 g L^-1h^-1 productivity. It has been demonstrated that the k_La value may divert the bacterial metabolism towards high acetoin or D-BDO production during fermentation carried out in crude bakery waste hydrolysates.

Investigating the phenomenon of overkill in Greece: A forensic psychiatric autopsy study between 2005 and 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate overkill in the Greek population from a criminological and victimological point of view and explore possible correlations of the phenomenon with socio-cultural or psychiatric factors. Overall, 158 autopsies of overkill victims were identified throughout the 15-year records of the national forensic laboratories throughout the northern Greek mainland. The pattern that has emerged from the statistical results of the present study on the victims of overkill within the Greek borders was generally in line with global statistics on homicide victims, but also presented differences. The phenomenon correlated more with homicides in the context of mental disorders (within schizophrenia spectrum), other crimes (such as burglary) as well as domestic violence. Overall, males outnumbered females both as victims (approximately threefold) and as perpetrators in overkill homicide cases, but regarding domestic violence, the sad majority of overkill victims stood for females murdered with excessive violence by male relatives. Close female relatives (especially mothers and grandmothers) were also victimized by psychiatrically ill offenders. Female perpetrators tended to attack male individuals with whom they shared a relationship (intimate partners). An important finding was the fact that less than half the offenders' population with major mental disorders were diagnosed at the time of the offense. Overkill victims were found, on average, to be older than average homicide victims, being probably associated with the entailed difference in the physical strength ratio between the victim and the perpetrator.

A burned body with a shotgun head injury found on an "altar" made of banknotes: A case report from Greece and brief review of the literature

We describe an unusual case of a burnt body with a shotgun head injury found on a "bed" made of wooden boards on a pile of banknotes, resembling an altar. The body belonged to a 64-year-old man, of Greek nationality, with cancer who set his house (including the room in which he was found) and vehicle on fire before shooting himself, planning this way his postmortem burning. The combination of fire with the use of an "altar" and the destruction of body and possessions creates a unique death scene that implies a suicide with a ritual character.

High L(+)-lactic acid productivity in continuous fermentations using bakery waste and lucerne green juice as renewable substrates

The biotechnological production of platform chemicals from renewable resources is in the scientific spotlight, as researchers seek to develop environmentally friendly and cost-efficient processes to compete with the petroleum-based ones. Lactic acid (LA) is an established platform chemical, registering an important market share, mainly owing to the increasing demand for polylactic acid. This study investigated the feasibility to produce LA from bakery waste hydrolysates and lucerne green juice (LGJ) as inexpensive substrates, using a Bacillus coagulans strain. A final LA concentration of 62.2 g/L, with a productivity of 2.59 g/(L.h) and a conversion yield of 0.57 g LA/ g bakery waste was achieved in batch fermentation mode. LA productivity reached 11.28 g/(L.h), using a continuous fermentation system coupled with cell retention membranes at a dilution rate of 0.2 h^-1. The results indicate that bakery waste hydrolysates and LGJ can be utilized for the production of highly optical pure L(+)-LA.

Self-immolation Suicide in Greece: A Forensic Psychiatric Autopsy Study between 2011 and 2019

Self-immolation is a rare suicide method in the developed countries of the western world (0.06-1%); however, it has relatively higher prevalence rates in the developing countries of Asia and Africa (6-57%). The present study aims to examine self-immolation suicides within the Greek mainland (Attiki, Thrace, and Peloponnese) over a period of 9 years (2011-2019) in order to investigate the phenomenon in the Greek population forensically, identify the characteristics and motivations of suicide victims, explore its associations to socio-cultural or psychiatric factors, and describe a fatal case of suicide by self-immolation that was partially recorded on camera. The medical files (autopsy reports) of cases performed at the Departments of Forensic Medicine of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Democritus University of Thrace, and the Forensic Service of Messinia-Peloponnese were retrospectively examined yielding 19 cases of suicides by self-immolation. A 3.7% prevalence of suicide by self-immolation among suicide fatalities within the Greek population was estimated. A distinctive feature of the Greek population regarding self-immolation was disclosed that it is being practiced predominantly by the elderly (mean age 2-3.5 decades higher than other countries). The phenomenon correlated strongly with poorly controlled mental disorders (mostly affective and adjustment disorders). Unlike other countries, there was no significant association with domestic or sexual violence, social or political protest, or religious issues. Therefore, the suicide victims preferred secluded or private outdoor locations (not public). Findings deriving from the examined variables localize Greek population culturally between the Western European and Asian African countries, but with its own idiosyncrasies.

Foreign Bodies in the Abdominal Area: Review of the Literature

The aim of this paper is to update and summarize the relevant literature on the anatomical localization, incidence, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to abdominal foreign bodies. A comprehensive review was carried out on recorded cases related to the presence of foreign bodies in the abdominal area throughout the literature. Moreover, the phenomenon was discussed in relation to different patient categories associated with childhood, mental or neurological illness, incarceration, and drug trafficking as well as sexual accident or abuse. Particular importance is ascribed to the underlying psychopathology and motivation of foreign body ingestion in each category of patients. The surgical, psychiatric and legal implications of the issue are discussed in detail.

In fear of the most loved ones. A comprehensive review on Capgras misidentification phenomenon and case report involving attempted murder under Capgras syndrome in a relapse of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder

The present paper aims to describe a case of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder relapse leading to attempted murder, review literature, and investigate the epidemiological data and expression of violent behavior among Capgras-related incidents. 109 case reports deriving from various scientific areas dating from 1971 to 2017 were evaluated and juxtaposed with an equivalent comparison group of random psychiatry inpatients, who were examined for the same variables. Quantitative and qualitative differences were observed between samples. High level of interpersonal violence was disclosed among Capgras-related incidents, especially towards the main care-givers, with higher propensity among male patients. Homicidal behavior was also expressed in higher levels among male patients experiencing the Capgras delusion. A multidisciplinary approach is vital for the optimal management of these incidents. Further research on the pathophysiology of Capgras delusion with the utilization of functional imaging techniques is of exceptional significance for the understanding of issues of neuroscience.

Recent Advances in d-Lactic Acid Production from Renewable Resources: Case Studies on Agro-Industrial Waste Streams

The production of biodegradable polymers as alternatives to petroleum-based plastics has gained significant attention in the past years. To this end, polylactic acid (PLA) constitutes a promising alternative, finding various applications from food packaging to pharmaceuticals. Recent studies have shown that d-lactic acid plays a vital role in the production of heat-resistant PLA. At the same time, the utilization of renewable resources is imperative in order to decrease the production cost. This review aims to provide a synopsis of the current state of the art regarding d-lactic acid production via fermentation, focusing on the exploitation of waste and byproduct streams. An overview of potential downstream separation schemes is also given. Additionally, three case studies are presented and discussed, reporting the obtained results utilizing acid whey, coffee mucilage and hydrolysate from rice husks as alternative feedstocks for d-lactic acid production.

Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Palm Oil Processing Residues and Their Application as Antioxidants

The side streams derived from the palm oil production process, namely palm kernel cake, palm pressed fibre, palm kernel shells and empty fruit bunches, were evaluated as sources of phenolic compounds. Among these streams, kernel cake had the highest total phenolic content (in mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per g of dry sample) with a value of 5.19, whereas the empty fruit bunches had the lowest value (1.79). The extraction time and liquid-to-solid ratio were investigated to optimize the phenolic extraction. Kernel cake exhibited the highest total phenolic content (5.35 mg/g) with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 40:1 during 20 min of extraction. The main phenolic compounds of the extracts deriving from all byproduct streams were also identified and quantified with HPLC-DAD. Pyrogallol, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid and ferulic acid were the main compounds found in kernel cake extracts. Empty fruit bunch and pressed fibre extracts were also rich in 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, while pyrogallol was the predominant compound in kernel shell extracts. All extracts showed antioxidant activity as it was indicated from the results of DPPH analysis and subsequently tested in sunflower oil aiming to prolong its shelf life. The addition of 0.8% kernel cake extract increased the induction time of sunflower oil more than 50%. According to the results obtained in this study, kernel cake extracts could be considered as a value-added co-product with a potential application as antioxidants in the food industry.

Fumaric acid production using renewable resources from biodiesel and cane sugar production processes

The microbial production of fumaric acid by Rhizopus arrhizus NRRL 2582 has been evaluated using soybean cake from biodiesel production processes and very high polarity (VHP) sugar from sugarcane mills. Soybean cake was converted into a nutrient-rich hydrolysate via a two-stage bioprocess involving crude enzyme production via solid state fermentations (SSF) of either Aspergillus oryzae or R. arrhizus cultivated on soybean cake followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean cake. The soybean cake hydrolysate produced using crude enzymes derived via SSF of R. arrhizus was supplemented with VHP sugar and evaluated using different initial free amino nitrogen (FAN) concentrations (100, 200, and 400 mg/L) in fed-batch cultures for fumaric acid production. The highest fumaric acid concentration (27.3 g/L) and yield (0.7 g/g of total consumed sugars) were achieved when the initial FAN concentration was 200 mg/L. The combination of VHP sugar with soybean cake hydrolysate derived from crude enzymes produced by SSF of A. oryzae at 200 mg/L initial FAN concentration led to the production of 40 g/L fumaric acid with a yield of 0.86 g/g of total consumed sugars. The utilization of sugarcane molasses led to low fumaric acid production by R. arrhizus, probably due to the presence of various minerals and phenolic compounds. The promising results achieved through the valorization of VHP sugar and soybean cake suggest that a focused study on molasses pretreatment could lead to enhanced fumaric acid production.

Succinic acid production by immobilized cultures using spent sulphite liquor as fermentation medium

Spent sulphite liquor (SSL) was used as carbon source for the production of succinic acid using immobilized cultures of Actinobacillus succinogenes and Basfia succiniciproducens on two different supports, delignified cellulosic material (DCM) and alginate beads. Fed-batch immobilized cultures with A. succinogenes in alginates resulted in higher sugar to succinic acid conversion yield (0.81g/g) than the respective yield achieved (0.65g/g) when DCM immobilized cultures were used. The final succinic acid concentration and yield achieved in fed-batch with immobilized cultures of B. succiniciproducens in alginates (45g/L and 0.66g/g) were higher than A. succinogenes immobilized cultures (35.4g/L and 0.61g/g) using nano-filtrated SSL as fermentation medium. Immobilized cultures of B. succiniciproducens in alginate beads were reused in four sequential fed-batch fermentations of nano-filtrated SSL leading to the production of 64.7g of succinic acid with a yield range of 0.42-0.67g/g and productivity range of 0.29-0.65g/L/h. The immobilized cultures improved the efficiency of succinic acid production as compared to free cell cultures.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from palm pressed fiber with high antioxidant and photoprotective activities

This work is focused on the optimization of the ultrasound-assisted extraction of antioxidant compounds with photoprotective effect from palm pressed fiber. The influence of ultrasound intensity and pulse cycle was investigated by means of a central composite rotational design. The optimized condition was ultrasound intensity of 120W.cm^-2 and pulse factor of 0.4, yielding 3.24wt%. Compounds such as fatty acids, β-sitosterol, α-tocopherol, squalene, total phenolics and carotene were identified. The extract presented antioxidant activity towards synthetic (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl - DPPH, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) - ABTS) and biological radicals (Hydroxyl - OH), besides a sun protection factor of 15.01. Polar extracts from palm pressed fiber are promising candidates for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulation since they present high antioxidant activity towards different radicals, combined with the high sun protection factor.

Evaluation of an integrated biorefinery based on fractionation of spent sulphite liquor for the production of an antioxidant-rich extract, lignosulphonates and succinic acid

Spent sulphite liquor (SSL) has been used for the production of lignosulphonates (LS), antioxidants and bio-based succinic acid. Solvent extraction of SSL with isopropanol led to the separation of approximately 80% of the total LS content, whereas the fermentations carried out using the pretreated SSL with isopropanol led to the production of around 19g/L of succinic acid by both Actinobacillus succinogenes and Basfia succiniciproducens. Fractionation of SSL via nanofiltration to separate the LS and solvent extraction using ethyl acetate to separate the phenolic compounds produced a detoxified sugar-rich stream that led to the production of 39g/L of succinic acid by B. succiniciproducens. This fractionation scheme resulted also in the production of 32.4g LS and 1.15g phenolic-rich extract per 100g of SSL. Both pretreatment schemes removed significant quantities of metals and heavy metals. This novel biorefinery concept could be integrated in acidic sulphite pulping mills.

Succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes from batch fermentation of mixed sugars

Succinic acid production from the monosaccharides xylose, arabinose, glucose, mannose and galactose was studied using the bacterium Actinobacillus succinogenes. In Duran bottle cultures, containing 10 g/L of each of sugar, succinic acid was produced from all sugars except for galactose. The highest succinate yield, 0.56 g/g, was obtained with glucose, whereas the succinate yield was 0.42, 0.38 and 0.44 g/g for xylose, mannose and arabinose, respectively. The specific succinate productivity was 0.7 g/g h for glucose, but below 0.2 g/g h for the other sugars. Batch bioreactor fermentations were carried out using a sugar mixture of the five sugars giving a total concentration of 50 g/L, mimicking the distribution of sugars in spent sulfite liquor (SSL) from Eucalyptus which is rich in xylose. In this mixture, an almost complete conversion of all sugars (except galactose) was achieved resulting in a final succinate concentration of 21.8–26.8 g/L and a total yield of 0.59–0.68 g/g. There was evidence of co-consumption of glucose and xylose, whereas mannose was consumed after glucose. The main by-products were acetate 0.14–0.20 g/g and formate 0.08–0.13 g/g. NADH balance calculations suggested that NADH required for succinate production was not met solely from formate and acetate production, but other means of NADH production was necessary. Results from mixed sugar fermentations were verified using SSL as substrate resulting in a succinate yield of 0.60 g/g. In addition, it was found that CO2 sparging could replace carbonate supply in the form of MgCO3 without affecting the succinate yield.

Evaluation of by-products from the biodiesel industry as fermentation feedstock for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) production by Cupriavidus necator

Utilization of by-products from oilseed-based biodiesel production (crude glycerol, rapeseed meal hydrolysates) for microbial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production could lead to the replacement of expensive carbon sources, nutrient supplements and precursors for co-polymer production. Batch fermentations in shake flasks with varying amounts of free amino nitrogen led to the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-3HV)) with a 2.8-8% 3HV content. Fed-batch fermentations in shake flasks led to the production of 10.9g/L P(3HB-co-3HV) and a 55.6% P(3HB-co-3HV) content. NaCl concentrations between 2 and 6g/L gradually became inhibitory to bacterial growth and PHA formation, whereas in the case of K(2)SO(4), the inhibitory effect was observed only at concentrations higher than 20g/L. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C NMR) demonstrated that the incorporation of 3HV into the obtained P(3HB-co-3HV) lowered glass transition temperature, crystallinity and melting point as compared to polyhydroxybutyrate. Integrating PHA production in existing oilseed-based biodiesel plants could enhance the viability and sustainability of this first generation biorefinery.