1,721,218 research outputs found
Moringa oleifera Lam. Proteins: Properties and Food Applications
No full textMoringa oleifera has been and is used in Asian traditional medicine as a panacea to treat and prevent several diseases and is part of the oriental diet both as a raw and cooked ingredient. The ability of the plant to resist unfavorable environmental conditions, such as drought and high temperatures, makes it a sustainable agricultural choice for the future. The high amounts of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, which have been extensively characterized, make Moringa leaf an ideal ingredient in cosmetics, and phytopharmacology, etc. In addition, Moringa leaves have an abundant protein content, making them a nutritious food. The characterization of M. oleifera's proteome has been neglected despite the relatively high abundance of proteins, which is unusual for a plant leaf. This chapter aims at a comprehensive review of the information available in literature on the proteinaceous tissues of Moringa (i.e., seeds and leaves). Nutritional and food safety information about Moringa leaves and seed proteins were collected together with research gaps, particularly those related to their technological application in the food industry
Microalgae to Contrast the Climate Change: A Novel Food and Feed Ingredient With Technological Applications
No full textThe overpopulation and the negative impact of conventional crops and livestock on the environment are forcing the introduction in the food market of sustainable alternative ingredients. Microalgae may be an alternative source of proteins thanks to their easy cultivation, low land-use intensity and resources. In addition, this matrix can be exploited for the treatment of urban, agricultural and industrial wastewaters and in aquaculture and hydroponic, representing an important component in the perspective of a waste-saving circular process. This chapter aims at describing the chemical composition of microalgae and their current applications in food industry as novel functional and technological ingredients. It is also reported the state-of-art of current cultivation technologies of microalgal biomasses. Further efforts are still required to reduce process, energy and water usage during microalgae growth as well as to enhance the texture, taste and appeal of microalgae-based food products, thus increasing the number of consumers willing to buy them
Proteomic and immunological characterization of a new food allergen from hazelnut (Corylus avellana).
Full text linkHazelnuts (Corylus avellana) are one of the most common sources of life-long IgE-mediated food allergies. In this study, we investigated the IgE-reactivity pattern of children with hazelnut allergy (N=15) from Regione Campania, located in Southern Italy, and addressed proteomic strategies for characterizing IgE-binding proteins. For all of the patients (15/15), the predominant IgE-reactive component was a minor ~55kDa protein not previously described. Similar to the hazelnut 11S globulin Cor a 9 allergen, the immunoreactive protein consisted of two subunits linked via a disulfide bridge. In contrast to Cor a 9, only the 20.7kDa alkaline subunit exhibited IgE-affinity. The immunogenic subunit was purified by a two-step chromatographic procedure, but peptide mass fingerprinting was unsuccessful in identifying it, due to the incompleteness of the annotated hazelnut genome. Several tryptic peptides were de novo sequenced by tandem mass spectrometry and showed a high degree of homology with the 11S globulin storage proteins from other seeds, some of which have already been reported as food allergens. The structural characterization suggests that the new putative allergen is a divergent isoform of the hazelnut 11S globulin. These results provide a new platform for developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic intervention plans.
BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE:Over the years, at least five proteins have been reported as potential food hazelnut allergens. The predominance of specific allergens appears to be strictly related to the geographical origin of the allergic subjects. The complex patterns of the IgE-reactivity of hazelnut storage proteins result in a poor diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. In the perspective of a component-resolved "molecular approach" to the hazelnut allergy we investigated the immune-reactivity patterns to hazelnuts of 15 patients (14 in the pediatric age range) from Region Campania, located in Southern Italy. For all the patients the predominant IgE-reactive component was a minor ~55kDa protein not previously annotated in either protein or genomic databases. The putative allergen was isolated, partially characterized by MS/MS de novo sequencing and appears to be an isoallergen of the hazelnut 11S globulin Cor a 9. Like this latter, the immunoreactive protein consisted of two subunits linked via a disulfide. In contrast to Cor a 9, only the 20.7kDa alkaline subunit exhibited IgE-affinity, in analogy to 11S allergens from other seeds (pistachio, cashew, soybean). We believe that the application of combined immunochemical and proteomic strategies to characterize the new food allergen could be of interest for the readers of Journal of Proteomics. In addition, the results of this study have functional worth in providing a new platform to plan innovative diagnostic and therapeutic intervention approaches to treat hazelnut allergy
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Sustainable Food Science - A Comprehensive Approach: Volumes 1-4
No full textSustainable Food Science: A Comprehensive Approach provides a timely resource on new materials and ingredients currently available in the food industry, along with cutting-edge research on how to develop and secure sustainable food for a growing world population. With contributions from international experts and an outstanding editing team, the book covers sustainable sources of ingredients for the food industry, i.e., pulses, soybeans, peanuts, along with prospective and emerging sources such as industrial hemp, insects, algae, etc. In addition, other sections cover sustainable processes for new food sources and new food design, such as microbiological and biotechnological processes and dairy and meat substitutes. Users will value the clear-cut, in-depth and expert assessment of each topic and appreciate its sensible and logical hierarchical structure. This reference work will provide expert guidance for food scientists of all levels – both in academia or industry
- …
