Yazar "Rusu, Alexandru Vasile" seçeneğine göre listele

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    Application of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Mucilage as a Promising Antimicrobial Agent to Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh-Cut Brinjals (Eggplants)
    (Mdpi, 2023) Tosif, Mansuri M.; Bains, Aarti; Goksen, Gulden; Ali, Nemat; Rusu, Alexandru Vasile; Trif, Monica; Chawla, Prince
    Taro rhizomes are a rich source of polysaccharides, including starch and mucilage. However, mucilage has excellent anti-microbial efficacy, and unique gel-forming and techno-functional properties. Therefore, this study aimed to extract and utilize taro mucilage (TM), which is viscous and has a gel-like texture, for the shelf-life enhancement of fresh-cut brinjals (eggplants). Mucilage was extracted using hot-water extraction and the yield was calculated to be 6.25 +/- 0.87% on a dry basis. Different formulations of coating gel solutions were prepared: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7%. The selection of the coating gel solution was carried out based on particle size. The smallest particle size was observed in treatment T5 (154 +/- 0.81 nm) and zeta potential -27.22 +/- 0.75 mV. Furthermore, cut brinjals were coated with the prepared mucilage gel solution and this showed a significant effect on the overall physicochemical properties of cut brinjals. Maximum weight loss occurred on the 10th day (12.67 +/- 0.24%), as compared with coated brinjals (8.99 +/- 0.42%). Minor changes were observed in pH, for the control sample significantly decreased from 4.58 +/- 0.45 to 2.99 +/- 0.75 on the 0th day to the 10th day, respectively. Titrable acidity of coated and uncoated cut brinjals was found to be at 0.31 +/- 0.44% on the 0th day, which increased up to 0.66 +/- 0.20% for the control and 0.55 +/- 0.68% for coated brinjals on the 10th day. The taro mucilage coating gel (TMCG) solution showed pseudo-plastic behavior or shear-thinning fluid behavior. FTIR data confirmed the existence of several functional groups including various sugars, proteins, and hydroxylic groups. Antioxidant activity of coated and uncoated cut brinjals was found to be 22.33 +/- 0.37% and 22.15 +/- 0.49%, respectively. The TMCG solution showed effective results towards the various food pathogenic microorganisms. Overall, it is a natural, renewable resource that is biodegradable. This makes it an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic additives or thickeners. It is cost effective, easily available, eco-friendly, and non-toxic. This can be an attractive feature for consumers looking for sustainable and eco-friendly options.
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    Formulation of functional noodles by adding Lentinus edodes mushroom powder: Physiochemical attributes, cellular mineral uptake and improved glycemic index
    (Elsevier, 2024) De, Subhra; Chawla, Prince; Dattatray, Anarase; Iqbal, Muzaffar; Goksen, Gulden; Dhull, Sanju Bala; Rusu, Alexandru Vasile
    This study investigated the physicochemical, low glycemic index, and mineral uptake of functional noodles added with varying concentrations (0-10 %) of Lentinus edodes (also known as shiitake) powder. Noodles with 4 % mushroom powder (L3) exhibited comparable sensory attributes in comparison with control noodles. The L3 showed significantly higher protein (1.92 +/- 0.035 %), decreased carbohydrate content, improved cooking characteristics. The L3 exhibited darker color with lower hardness, adhesiveness, higher mineral content and bioavailability of iron (59.22 +/- 0.49 %). As well, L3 showed a significantly higher mineral transport, retention, and uptake of minerals followed by increased ferritin content (29.17 +/- 0.52 ng/mg cell protein). Mushroom powder incorporation in noodles significantly decreased the area under the curve of reducing sugar release correlating with lower glycemic index and thus a potential impact on blood sugar levels. This study illustrates the efficacy of mushroom powder as a functional component in noodles, offering both augmented nutritional advantages and increased glycemic regulation.
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    Optimized Peppermint Essential Oil Microcapsules Loaded into Gelatin-Based Cryogels with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity
    (Mdpi, 2023) Demir, Didem; Goksen, Gulden; Ceylan, Seda; Trif, Monica; Rusu, Alexandru Vasile
    In this study, chitosan (Chi) was used to microencapsulate peppermint essential oil (PEO). A novel gelatin-based cryogel loaded with PEO microcapsules was further developed and characterized for potential applications. Four different cryogel systems were designed, and the morphological, molecular, physical and antibacterial properties were investigated. Additionally, the antimicrobial properties of PEO, alone and microcapsulated, incorporated into the cryogel network were evaluated. The observed gel structure of cryogels exhibited a highly porous morphology in the microcapsules. The highest values of the equilibrium swelling ratio were acquired for the GelCryo-ChiCap and GelCryo-PEO@ChiCap samples. The contact angle GelCryo-PEO@ChiCap sample was lower than the control (GelCryo) due to the water repelling of the essential oil. It has been found that the incorporation of encapsulated PEO into the cryogels would be more advantageous compared to its direct addition. Moreover, GelCryo-PEO@ChiCap cryogels showed the strongest antibacterial activities, especially against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The system that was developed showed promising results, indicating an improved antibacterial efficacy and enhanced structural properties due to the presence of microcapsules. These findings suggest that the system may be an appropriate candidate for various applications, including, but not limited to, drug release, tissue engineering, and food packaging. Finally, this system demonstrates a strategy to stabilize the releasing of the volatile compounds for creating successful results.