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Effectively addressing inflammation in periodontitis is challenging as conventional injectable hydrogels typically require the addition of drugs to provide sufficient anti-inflammatory effects. To overcome this limitation, we developed a multifunctional injectable hydrogel with inherent properties that antagonize the Toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 2 complex (TLR4-MD2). This hydrogel allows for direct inhibition of inflammatory pathways without the need for additional drugs. We identified xylitol, caffeic acid, and citric acid as natural materials that effectively meet biological needs for anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects as well as support bone regeneration. With this in mind, we developed a caffeic-acid-modified poly(xylitol succinate) (PXS)-based iCPC@MgO composite hydrogel and tested its potential application for periodontal regeneration. The iCPC@MgO hydrogel demonstrated rapid wet tissue adhesion and injectability, which are ascribed to incorporating catechol groups derived from caffeic acid. Intriguingly, the PXS polymer used for synthesizing the hydrogel was found to possess anti-inflammatory properties and act as an antagonist for the TLR4-MD2 complex. This hydrogel also exhibited outstanding antibacterial efficiency against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans by stimulating antibiotic synthesis within bacteria and disrupting bacterial cell walls. In a periodontitis mouse model, the iCPC@MgO hydrogel demonstrated the therapeutic potential of reducing inflammatory factors, inhibiting dominant periodontitis-associated bacteria, and maintaining subgingival microbiota balance in addition to the regenerative effects. These properties, combined with their ecofriendly nature, firmly established the iCPC@MgO hydrogel as a highly promising option for use in periodontitis therapy as well as in tissue healing, repair, and regeneration in various other inflammatory conditions.

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) assessed the safety of Mannitol, Sorbitol, and Xylitol as used in cosmetics. These ingredients are reported to function as humectants, skin-conditioning agents, or flavoring agents. The Panel considered the available data and concluded that these sugar alcohol ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in the safety assessment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Production of xylitol from agricultural by-products offers a promising approach for the circular bioeconomy. This study investigates the roles of transcription factors XlnR and CreA in xylitol production from wheat bran in Aspergillus niger by generating strains with a constitutively active XlnR (XlnR c , V756F mutation) and/or deletion of creA, in a previously generated xylitol-producing strain. The XlnR c mutation increased the initial rate of xylitol production but lowered the overall accumulation. Deletion of creA in this strain significantly improved both the onset and rate of xylitol production, indicating an inhibitory role of CreA in the PCP. These results demonstrate the complexity of metabolic engineering to generate fungal cell factories for valuable biochemicals, such as xylitol, as not only metabolic but also multiple gene regulation aspects need to be considered., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/objectives: Xylitol, a natural low-caloric bulk sweetener, is increasingly used as a sugar alternative due to its low-glycemic and low-insulinemic properties. The aim was to investigate the effect of orally administered xylitol, sucrose, and acesulfame potassium (ace-K) on energy intake during a subsequent ad libitum test meal., Methods: In this randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05671965, 20 December 2022), we included 20 healthy participants with normal body weight. Over four study visits, participants consumed an oral preload containing 33.5 g xylitol, 33.5 g sucrose, or 0.1675 g ace-K dissolved in 300 mL water, or 300 mL pure water as control. Participants were provided with an ad libitum test meal 15 min after the preload consumption, and both energy intake and total energy intake (= preload + ad libitum test meal) were assessed. Blood samples were collected to quantify cholecystokinin (CCK), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose, and insulin concentrations., Results: Total energy intake was lower in response to xylitol and ace-K compared to sucrose ( p Tukey < 0.03), with no differences between xylitol and ace-K or water. Plasma CCK concentrations were higher in response to xylitol compared to sucrose, ace-K, and water ( p Holm < 0.01), whereas GLP-1 concentrations did not differ between the preloads. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were lower in response to xylitol compared to sucrose ( p Holm < 0.01), but xylitol led to an increase in insulin compared to ace-K and water ( p Holm < 0.01)., Conclusions: The consumption of oral preloads sweetened with xylitol or ace-K prior to an ad libitum test meal result in a lower total energy intake compared to a preload with sucrose.

Peritoneal dialysis adoption and technique survival is affected by limitations related to peritoneal membrane longevity and metabolic alterations. Indeed, almost all peritoneal dialysis fluids exploit glucose as an osmotic agent that rapidly diffuses across the peritoneal membrane, potentially resulting in metabolic abnormalities such as hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, obesity, and hyperlipidemia. Moreover, glucose-degradation products generated during heat sterilization, other than glucose itself, induce significant morphological and functional changes in the peritoneum leading to ultrafiltration failure. The partial substitution of glucose with osmotic agents characterized by a better local and systemic biocompatibility has been suggested as a potential strategy to innovate peritoneal dialysis fluids. The approach aims to minimize glucose-associated toxicity, preserving the peritoneal membrane welfare and counteracting common comorbidities. In this work, we report the clinical trial design of ELIXIR, a phase III randomized, controlled, blinded outcome assessment study comparing Xylocore ® , an innovative formulation based on Xylitol and l-carnitine, to standard glucose-based regimens, in end-stage kidney disease patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; 170 patients will be randomized (1:1) to receive XyloCore ® or to continue their pre-randomization peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy with glucose-only PD solutions, for 6 months. The primary study's objective is to demonstrate the noninferiority of XyloCore ® in terms of Kt/V urea, for which a clinically acceptable noninferiority margin of -0.25 has been determined, assuming that all patients will be treated aiming to a minimum target of 1.7 and an optimal target of 2.0., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interests The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Author Arduino Arduini is major shareholder of Iperboreal Pharma and Corequest. Authors Tommaso Prosdocimi and Massimo Iacobelli are employees of Iperboreal Pharma.

Pentose oxidation and reduction, processes yielding value-added sugar-derived acids and alcohols, typically involve separate procedures necessitating distinct reaction conditions. In this study, a novel one-pot reaction for the concurrent production of xylonic acid and xylitol from xylose is proposed. This reaction was executed at ambient temperature in the presence of a base, eliminating the need for external gases, by leveraging Pt-supported catalysts. Initial experiments using commercially available metal-supported carbon catalysts validated the superior activity of Pt. However, a notable decline in recycling performance was observed in Pt/C, which is attributed to the sintering of Pt nanoparticles. In contrast, the synthesized Pt-supported ZrO 2 catalysts exhibited enhanced recycling performance because of the strong metal-support interaction between Pt and the ZrO 2 support. Furthermore, mechanistic insights and density functional theory calculations show that product desorption involves a significantly higher energy barrier compared to substrate adsorption and hydrogenation, highlighting an efficient transfer hydrogenation mechanism leading to equivalent yields of both xylonic acid and xylitol. This study introduces a promising approach for the simultaneous production of sugar-derived acids and alcohols, with implications for sustainable catalysis and process optimization., (© 2024 The Authors. ChemSusChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A sequential valorization process of sunflower stalks was carried out using nitric acid (0.1-2 mol dm -3 ) as a hydrolytic agent and fermenting the hydrolysate of higher sugar concentration in the presence of the non-conventional yeast Hansenula polymorpha . Values reached for ethanol yield (0.25 g g -1 ) and xylitol yield (0.14 g g -1 ) were higher than those achieved after pretreatment with other acids in previous studies. The effect of acid treatment with nitric, phosphoric, and sulfuric acids on the separated solid fractions was evaluated to determine its potential use as solid biofuel by FTIR and SEM determinations. A significant loss of lignin and hemicellulose was found in the solid treated with nitric acid, while a higher HHV was obtained when pretreated with phosphoric acid (19.16 MJ kg -1 ) and sulfuric acid (19.12 MJ kg -1 ). A subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of acid-pretreated solids showed that the nitric acid pretreatment increased the availability of glucose from the cellulose fraction to a greater extent than the other two acids, by reducing the hemicellulose fraction to 0.7% and the lignin fraction to 2.5%. This study shows that pretreatment of biomass with nitric acid leads to better fermentation results to obtain biofuels such as ethanol, which could be further increased by additional enzymatic hydrolysis, while pretreatment with the other two acids generates better solid fuels., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The passion fruit peel (PFP) has a high cellulose and hemicellulose content, which can be used to produce fermentable sugars. In this context, this study aims to optimize the release of xylose and the production of xylitol from PFP. The optimized conditions were 0.71 M dilute sulfuric acid and a 21.84-minute treatment, yielding 19.03 g/L of xylose (PFP-1). Different PFP hydrolysates were evaluated to improve xylitol production by the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus ATCC 36907: PFP-2 (PFP1 treated with Ca(OH) 2 ), PFP-3 (PFP-1 treated with Ca(OH) 2 and activated carbon), PFP-4 (PFP-3 with biological elimination of glucose with S. cerevisiae, and concentrated at different xylose concentrations). The applied methods resulted in higher xylitol production (14.97 g/L), when PFP hydrolysate was detoxified with Ca(OH) 2 , treated with activated charcoal for 1 h, biotreated for glucose removal, and concentrated to 40 g/L of xylose., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Corncob is an agro-residue rich in lignocellulosic material that can be used for the xylitol production, through its enzymatic conversion obtaining fermentable sugars and their subsequent fermentation. In light of the above, this study targeted the immobilization of Aspergillus labruscus xylanase and the use of the derivative to hydrolyze the corncob xylan for the obtainment of xylose, and its subsequent use for the production of xylitol. The extracellular xylanase was immobilized using different supports (sodium alginate, DEAE-Cellulose, DEAE-Sephadex and CM-Sephadex). Among all supports used, the best results were obtained with the DEAE-Cellulose derivative showing an efficiency of immobilization of 97-99%, yield of 93-95% and recovered activity of 81-100%. The sodium alginate derivative showed 3 cycles of reuse, with drop in activity of about 65% in the 3rd cycle using both CaCl 2 and MnCl 2 as crosslinkers. The best enzymatic activity for the DEAE-Cellulose derivative was observed at 55ºC and pH 5.0. This derivative presented reuse of 10 cycles using commercial xylan as substrate, and 4 cycles using corncob xylan. This derivative was used in an enzymatic reactor to hydrolyze corncob xylan, obtaining 2.7 mg/mL of xylose after 48 h of operation under optimal condition of temperature and pH. The xylose obtained from the corncob was fermented by Candida tropicalis for 96 h with consumption of 60%. The HPLC analyses indicated a production of 1.02 mg/mL of xylitol with 48 h of fermentation. In conclusion, this is the first report on the immobilization of the A. labrucus xylanase as an alternative for the obtainment of xylose from corncob xylan, and the subsequent production of xylitol., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) is one of the wastes that has high hemicellulose composition and potentially processed into xylitol via biotransformation route. This study explores the effectiveness of ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) in purifying and concentrating xylitol from OPEFB hydrolysate-fermentation broth. Various UF membranes, including UF1 (MWCO 150 kDa), UF2-Psf (MWCO 20 kDa), and UF2-PVDF (MWCO 50 kDa), were used, along with NF (MWCO 150 Da). Pre-treating the broth before UF was crucial to remove foulants such as microorganisms and macromolecules. While microfiltration (MF) achieved 100% microorganism rejection, its flux declined rapidly, necessitating feed centrifugation before MF. The choice of UF membrane MWCO significantly influenced xylitol retention, with UF2-PSf leading to substantial xylitol loss and UF2-PVDF showed promising results. NF has shown its applicability in concentrating xylitol in the UF permeate as much as 4 times higher, while permeating 90% of the acetic adic in the solution., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-024-06044-7., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have not disclosed any competing interests., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Dental plaque provides a proper environment for the growth and activity of bacteria responsible for periodontal diseases and caries. As a result, it should be removed by individuals to prevent periodontal diseases and caries. There are different mechanical and chemical plaque control methods. In one study is shown that dental plaque removal efficacy of dentifrice containing Ethylenediaminetetraaceticacid(EDTA)/Methylsulfonylmethane(MSM) was nearly five times that of commercially available fluoride toothpaste. In another study, authors found that xylitol-containing chewing gums caused a marked reduction in the count of Streptococcus Mutans compared to conventional ones. This difference was highly prominent in individuals with poor oral hygiene. In this study we assessed the synergic effects of Xylitol, EDTA and MSM in a chewing gum in comparison with chlorhexidine mouthwash. This study was a crossover, randomized clinical trial. Twenty-four patients were divided in two groups randomly. At the baseline scaling and root planing was done for each patient. Group1 used chlorhexidine mouthwash twice a day. Group2 used novel chewing gum for 15 min twice a day. After 14 days, for every patient O'leary plaque index, gingival index and sulcus bleeding index were reevaluated and recorded. Professional brushing was done for patients. 14 days were considered as wash-out period. After that, method of plaque control of groups was changed. After 14 days, all patients were reevaluated and recorded and were compared with previous data. Samples in 2 groups had no significant difference in age and sex. Paired sample t test revealed that there were significant differences between first and second period for O'leary plaque index, gingival index and sulcus bleeding index in Group1 (P < 0.05). But in Group2 there were no differences between first and second period for all indexes. Also independent sample t test showed that there were no significant differences between baseline, after first treatment and after second one for all indexes in both groups (P > 0.05). According to regression model results, type of treatment had no effect on mean of all indexes. According to our findings which showed the similar efficiency of novel chewing gum and chlorhexidine mouthwash in improving and reducing plaque and gingival indexes, we can conclude that novel chewing gum can be introduced as an effective, cheap and accessible tool for dental plaque control., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Maternal periodontal disease is associated with preterm and low-birthweight deliveries, but randomized trials of likely efficacious treatments (e.g., dental scaling and root planing) during pregnancy have not reduced these adverse outcomes. As an alternative, we hypothesized that periconception initiation of xylitol chewing gum would reduce the occurrence of preterm or low-birthweight deliveries among a historical high-prevalence population in Malawi., Methods: We conducted an open-label, parallel-enrollment, matched-pair, cluster-randomized, controlled clinical trial across eight health centers (sites) in and around Lilongwe, Malawi. Sites were paired by anticipated delivery volume and randomized to prenatal and oral health education alone (active control) or with twice-daily xylitol chewing gum (intervention) throughout the periconception and antenatal periods. For the primary prevention of preterm (<37 weeks) and low-birthweight (<2,500 g) deliveries (co-primary outcomes), comparison by allocation group was performed using generalized linear mixed models for each outcome as a fixed factor and the site(s) as a random factor., Findings: 10,069 participants were enrolled (n = 4,549 at intervention sites, n = 5,520 at active control sites), with >95% available for analyses. Initiation of xylitol chewing gum resulted in significant reductions in the co-primary outcomes: preterm birth (12.6% [549/4,349] vs. 16.5% [878/5,321]; relative risk [RR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-0.99) and <2,500-g neonates (8.9% [385/4,305] vs. 12.9% [679/5,260]; RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-0.99). Xylitol chewing gum use also led to fewer neonatal demises (0.2% [8/4,305] vs. 0.4% [22/5,260]; RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19-0.89)., Conclusions: Periconception initiation and ongoing use of xylitol chewing gum significantly reduced the occurrence of preterm and low-birthweight deliveries in Malawi., Funding: E.W. Al Thrasher Foundation (to K.A.) and USAID Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenges Grant AID-OAA-G-11-00062 (to K.A.). Additional financial and in-kind support was graciously provided by Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor Foundation Malawi., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Increasing interest in biodegradable and cost-effective materials derived from renewable resources has led to the development of injection-moldable thermoplastic starch (TPS). Plasticizers constitute an indispensable additive for manufacturing TPS, influencing both its thermomechanical processability and performance. The aim of the current work is thus to study the effect of single and mixed polyol plasticizers on the performance of injection-molded TPS. This study was carried out by using three types of polyols - glycerol, xylitol, and sorbitol- as single and equal-weight binary mixed plasticizers to modify cassava starch via extrusion. The resulting TPS extrudates were converted to test specimens via injection molding. Melt flow index, moisture content, water contact angle, and tensile and dynamic mechanical thermal properties of the materials were examined. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were also conducted. The results show that the higher-molecular-weight polyols (xylitol and sorbitol) exhibited lower plasticizing efficiency but formed denser hydrogen-bonding interactions with starch molecules than the smaller-molecular-weight one (glycerol). In both single and mixed plasticizer systems, increasing the molecular weight of the polyol plasticizer led to enhancements of the tensile strength (up to 27 MPa (200 % increment) and 26 MPa (115 % increment) for single and mixed plasticizer systems, respectively), Young's modulus (up to 386 MPa (240 % increment) and 458 MPa (185 % increment) for single and mixed plasticizer systems, respectively), decomposition temperature (2-3 °C), and glass transition temperature (30-50 °C) of TPS and a reduction in its moisture content (60-80 %) and surface stickiness, though disadvantages included poorer thermomechanical processability and higher melt viscosity and brittleness. In conclusion, using a co-plasticizer of glycerol and xylitol is appropriate for injection-molded TPS articles considering both processability and performance. The obtained TPS has potential applications in edible or single-use biodegradable rigid products, such as pet chew toys, chopsticks, cutlery, plant pots, etc., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Streptococcus mutans adherence to the tooth surface and subsequent biofilm development is modulated by the carbohydrate source, but the corresponding effect on bacterial proteome has not been previously studied. This study aimed to assess the effect of different carbohydrates on S. mutans viability and bacterial proteome at 2 time points, early attachment (8 h) and biofilm maturation (24 h)., Methods: Hydroxyapatite (HAp) discs coated with parotid saliva proteins were inoculated with S. mutans UA159 in tryptone soy broth without dextrose supplemented with one of the following carbohydrates (n = 12/treatment/time point): 1% sucrose; 0.525% glucose + 0.525% fructose; 10% xylitol; 10% xylitol + 1% sucrose; or culture medium without supplementation as negative control. Once inoculated, HAp discs were incubated for 8 h or 24 h at 37°C and 10% CO2. After each incubation period, adhered bacteria were quantified using the plate-counting method for 6 HAp discs/group, and the remaining 6 HAp discs/group were used to extract bacterial cell wall proteins. Extracted proteins were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and then classified by their biological process. The study was conducted in three independent assays, and the number of bacteria adhered to the HAp discs was determined at each time point and analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni test (α = 5%)., Results: The results suggest that xylitol significantly repressed bacterial adherence and metabolism at 8 h and 24 h; however, bacterial adherence and metabolism were significantly enhanced when xylitol was combined with sucrose, showing no negative effect on S. mutans at both time points. Bacterial proteome was modulated by the carbohydrate source., Conclusion: The cariogenicity of S. mutans biofilms may be reduced by the alternative sweetener xylitol; however, the combination with fermentable sugars may inhibit such a beneficial effect., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Currently, the synthesis of compounds based on microbial cell factories is rapidly advancing, yet it encounters several challenges. During the production process, engineered strains frequently encounter disturbances in the cultivation environment or the impact of their metabolites, such as high temperature, acid-base imbalances, hypertonicity, organic solvents, toxic byproducts, and mechanical damage. These stress factors can constrain the efficiency of microbial fermentation, resulting in slow cell growth, decreased production, significantly increased energy consumption, and other issues that severely limit the application of microbial cell factories., Results: This study demonstrated that sterol engineering in Kluyveromyces marxianus, achieved by overexpressing or deleting the coding genes for the last five steps of ergosterol synthase (Erg2-Erg6), altered the composition and ratio of sterols in its cell membrane, and affected its multiple tolerance. The results suggest that the knockout of the Erg5 can enhance the thermotolerance of K. marxianus, while the overexpression of the Erg4 can improve its acid tolerance. Additionally, engineering strain overexpressed Erg6 improved its tolerance to elevated temperature, hypertonic, and acid. YZB453, obtained by overexpressing Erg6 in an engineering strain with high efficiency in synthesizing xylitol, produced 101.22 g/L xylitol at 45 o C and 75.11 g/L xylitol at 46 o C. Using corncob hydrolysate for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) at 46 o C that xylose released from corncob hydrolysate by saccharification with hemicellulase, YZB453 can produce 45.98 g/L of xylitol, saving 53.72% of the cost of hemicellulase compared to 42 o C., Conclusions: This study elucidates the mechanism by which K. marxianus acquires resistance to various antifungal drugs, high temperatures, high osmolarity, acidity, and other stressors, through alterations in the composition and ratio of membrane sterols. By employing sterol engineering, the fermentation temperature of this unconventional thermotolerant K. marxianus was further elevated, ultimately providing an efficient platform for synthesizing high-value-added xylitol from biomass via the SSF process at temperatures exceeding 45 °C., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The use of sugar substitutes in food products has recently increased. Limited information regarding the role of various sugar substitutes in caries prevention was found. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of sugar substitute consumption on reducing cariogenic bacteria in dental plaque and saliva., Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science (inception to July 2023) for prospective controlled trials published in English and investigated the effects of sugar substitute consumption on cariogenic bacteria in dental plaque and saliva. The primary outcome was the changes in cariogenic bacteria. Two independent reviewers screened the papers. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools., Results: From 977 studies identified, 32 trials were included. Almost half (14/32, 44%) of the included studies had a high risk of bias. Almost all (31/32, 96.88%) were investigations of xylitol and other sugar alcohols (low-intensity sweeteners), such as sorbitol, erythritol, and maltitol. Only one trial investigated stevia, a high-intensity sweetener, whereas no studies on other high-intensity sweeteners, such as sucralose, saccharin, or aspartame, were found. Almost all studies (30/32, 93.75%) showed the consumption of low-intensity sweeteners led to a significant reduction of different types of cariogenic bacteria. The results of the meta-analysis showed that consumption of low-intensity sweeteners led to a significant reduction of cariogenic bacteria in both dental plaque and saliva compared to no treatment., Conclusion: The consumption of low-intensity sweeteners helps reduce cariogenic bacteria in dental plaque and saliva. There is limited clinical evidence regarding the role of high-intensity sweeteners in reducing cariogenic bacteria., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The circular economy is anticipated to bring a disruptive transformation in manufacturing technologies. Robust and industrial scalable microbial strains that can simultaneously assimilate and valorize multiple carbon substrates are highly desirable, as waste bioresources contain substantial amounts of renewable and fermentable carbon, which is diverse. Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is identified as an inexhaustible and alternative resource to reduce global dependence on oil. Glucose, xylose, and arabinose are the major monomeric sugars in LCB. However, primary research has focused on the use of glucose. On the other hand, the valorization of pentose sugars, xylose, and arabinose, has been mainly overlooked, despite possible assimilation by vast microbial communities. The present review highlights the research efforts that have explicitly proven the suitability of arabinose as the starting feedstock for producing various chemical building blocks via biological routes. It begins by analyzing the availability of various arabinose-rich biorenewable sources that can serve as potential feedstocks for biorefineries. The subsequent section outlines the current understanding of arabinose metabolism, biochemical routes prevalent in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and possible products that can be derived from this sugar. Further, currently, exemplar products from arabinose, including arabitol, 2,3-butanediol, 1,2,3-butanetriol, ethanol, lactic acid, and xylitol are discussed, which have been produced by native and non-native microbial strains using metabolic engineering and genome editing tools. The final section deals with the challenges and obstacles associated with arabinose-based production, followed by concluding remarks and prospects.

Background: Acidogenicity and production of an extracellular matrix (ECM) are important virulence factors for the dental caries-associated bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans, that live in biofilms on tooth surface. The ECM protects the bacteria from the flushing and buffering effects of saliva resulting in highly acidic microenvironments inside the biofilm., Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, we applied real-time assays to follow biofilm formation and pH decrease in a growth medium and saliva by three S. mutans strains, as well as acid neutralization inside the mature biofilm. Results were compared with the biofilm composition. Effects of a non-fermentable polyol, xylitol, on acid production and acid neutralization in mature biofilms were evaluated by real-time pH measurements and confocal microscopy., Results: Combination of real-time pH measurements with biofilm accumulation assays revealed growth media dependent differences in the pH decrease and biofilm accumulation, as well as strain differences in acid production and biofilm formation but not in the buffer diffusion through ECM. The presence of xylitol reduced the pH drop during biofilm formation of all strains. In addition, with strain Ingbritt xylitol reduced the amount of ECM in biofilm, which increased the rate of acid neutralization inside the biofilm after buffer exposure., Conclusion: Our results stress the importance of biofilm matrix in creating the acidic environment inside a S. mutans biofilm, especially in the presence of saliva. In addition, our results suggest a novel mechanism of xylitol action. The observed increase in the permeability of the S. mutans ECM after xylitol exposure may allow acid-neutralizing saliva to reach deeper layer of the biofilms and thus, in part, explain previous clinical observations of reduced plaque acidogenicity after frequent xylitol use., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Autism rates have been reported to be increasing rapidly in industrialized societies. The pathology most often combines neurological symptoms associated with language and social impairments with gastrointestinal symptoms. This study aimed to measure differences in oral metatranscriptome and mitochondrial health between ASD children and neurotypical USA and Colombia ("Blue Zone") children. In addition, this study aimed to determine whether using prebiotics and probiotics would change the oral microbiome and mitochondrial health of ASD children. Buccal swabs and saliva samples were obtained from 30 autistic individuals (USA) at three intervals: prior to intervention, post-prebiotic, and post-probiotic. In addition, a subject component who were neurotypical, which included individuals from the USA (30) and Colombia (30), had buccal swabbing and salivary sampling performed for metatranscriptomic and mitochondrial comparison. Significant differences were observed in the temporal data, demonstrating shifts that interventions with probiotics and polyols may have precipitated. Particular bacterial strains were significantly more prevalent in the autism group, including a strain that reduced neurotransmitter levels via enzymatic degradation. This supports the hypothesis that the microbiome may influence the occurrence and degree of autism. Verbal skills increased in six of the 30 ASD subjects following xylitol and three more after probiotic supplementation, according to both parental reports and the subjects' healthcare providers., Competing Interests: Conflicts of InterestSri Ganeshan is from ReligenDXLife science company. Ryan Toma, Momchilo Vuyisich and Guruduth Banavar are employees of Viome Life Sciences, Inc. Momchilo Vuyisich and Guruduth Banavar own equity in Viome Life Sciences, Inc. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The Swanson Fund had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, the writing of the manuscript, or the decision to publish the results., (© 2024 by the authors.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of commercially available pediatric dentifrices containing different compositions against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus activity., Materials and Methods: Four different commercially available brands of pediatric dentifrices, designated as sample I-fluoride, sample II-herbal, sample III-xylitol with nanosilver particles, and sample IV-xylitol with fluoride, along with two control groups (a positive control-ciprofloxacin and a negative control-distilled water), were tested for their antibacterial activity by measuring the zone of inhibition, followed by MIC against two dental bacterial pathogens, S. mutans strain and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LB) strain, at five different twofold dilutions of 100, 50, 25%, 12.5, and 6.25% concentrations., Result: All four dentifrices were found to have wide variations in their effectiveness against the two tested microorganisms at 100% (pure) and 50% concentrations, with sample I having the highest activity, followed by sample IV and sample II. At 25% concentration, only sample I and sample IV showed antibacterial activity, while at 12.5 and 6.25% concentrations, none of the tested toothpastes exhibited any antibacterial activity. Sample III failed to show antibacterial activity even in pure form against the two microorganisms., Conclusion: In our present study, the fluoride-containing pediatric dentifrice with a lower fluoride concentration (458 ppm) exhibited the highest zone of inhibition, followed by the xylitol with fluoride dentifrice and the herbal dentifrice. No zone of inhibition was observed in the nanosilver with xylitol dentifrice., How to Cite This Article: Dureha R, Navit S, Khan SA, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Commercially Available Pediatric Dentifrices: An In Vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(8):938-944., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: NoneConflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

The solvation behavior of protein is an important factor in protein-based food products. In the present study, the xylitol (XY) - ovalbumin (OVN) interaction in an aqueous solution of different pH conditions is analyzed in two methods. In one method, the thermodynamic parameters Gibbs free energy, free volume, and internal pressure are calculated by using ultrasonic velocity, density, and viscosity in addition the refractive index is also measured. The second method is a theoretical method in which using the Laplace transform technique the diffused amount of protein have been calculated for OVN with and without XY in different pH environment. The addition of XY with OVN makes the system with more free energy and free volume as the internal pressure decreases. This trend shows that preferential interaction occurs between solvent-solute molecules. The diffusivity of OVN is reduced after the addition of XY representing the strength of protein-protein interaction. The effect of pH changes is well reflected in both experimental and theoretical results. The results confirm that acidic pH extremity offers more solvation of OVN compared to alkaline pH extremity., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Thafasalijyas Vayalpurayil reports article publishing charges was provided by King Khalid University. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Four yeast isolates were obtained from rotting wood and galleries of passalid beetles collected in different sites of the Brazilian Amazonian Rainforest in Brazil. This yeast produces unconjugated allantoid asci each with a single elongated ascospore with curved ends. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer-5.8 S region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene showed that the isolates represent a novel species of the genus Spathaspora. The novel species is phylogenetically related to a subclade containing Spathaspora arborariae and Spathaspora suhii. Phylogenomic analysis based on 1884 single-copy orthologs for a set of Spathaspora species whose whole genome sequences are available confirmed that the novel species represented by strain UFMG-CM-Y285 is phylogenetically close to Sp. arborariae. The name Spathaspora marinasilvae sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate the novel species. The holotype of Sp. marinasilvae is CBS 13467  T (MycoBank 852799). The novel species was able to accumulate xylitol and produce ethanol from  d-xylose, a trait of biotechnological interest common to several species of the genus Spathaspora., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Xylitol is considered a naturally occurring antibacterial agent. It is generally believed to enhance the body's own innate bactericidal mechanisms. It also provides anti-adhesive effects against both Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of xylitol nasal irrigation in the postoperative care of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who received FESS were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups at one month post-surgery. Thirty-five patients in the xylitol group received 400 mL of 5% xylitol nasal irrigation daily for 2 months, while another 35 in the normal saline (NS) group received 400 mL of NS nasal irrigation daily for 2 months. Prior to FESS, as well as before and after nasal irrigation, sinonasal symptoms were assessed through the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test Questionnaire. The patients also underwent an endoscopic examination while undergoing nasal function tests, and a cytokine measurement of the nasal lavage and a bacterial culture from the middle meatus were performed. The safety of the nasal irrigation was assessed through any self-reported adverse events, the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Patient Questionnaire and the eustachian tube function test. The endoscopic scores and olfactory threshold significantly decreased after xylitol irrigation when compared with those before irrigation. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in the nasal secretions also decreased significantly after xylitol irrigation. The amounts of Interleukin-5 and Interleukin-17A were significantly increased in the nasal lavage after xylitol irrigation. No side effects, including those related to eustachian tube function, were seen after nasal irrigation in both groups. Our results showed that xylitol nasal irrigation was both beneficial and safe during the postoperative care of FESS.

The preparation of a novel composite carrier of polydopamine-modified carbon fiber/polyurethane foam (PDA-CF/PUF) was proposed to improve cell immobilization and the fermentation of xylitol, which is an important food sweetener and multifunctional food additive. Candida tropicalis was immobilized on the composite carrier by adsorption and covalent binding. The properties and immobilization mechanism of the composite carrier and its effect on immobilized cells were investigated. It showed that the modification of PDA enhanced the loading of CF on the PUF surface and the adhesion of cells on the composite carrier surface. Also, the biocompatibility of carriers to cells was improved. In addition, the introduction of PDA increased the active groups on the surface of the carrier, enhanced the hydrophilicity, promoted the cells immobilization, and increased the xylitol yield. It was also found that expression of the related gene XYL1 in cells was significantly increased after the immobilization of the PDA-CF/PUF composite carrier during the fermentation. The PDA-CF/PUF was an immobilized carrier with the excellent biocompatibility and immobilization performance, which has great development potential in the industrial production of xylitol.

The health benefits of functional foods are associated with consumer interest and have supported the growth of the market for these types of foods, with emphasis on the development of new formulations based on plant extracts. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize a symbiotic preparation based on water-soluble soy extract, supplemented with inulin and xylitol and fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 8014. Regarding nutritional issues, the symbiotic formulation can be considered a source of fiber (2 g/100 mL) and proteins (2.6 g/100 mL), and it also has a low-fat content and low caloric value. This formulation, in terms of microbiological aspects, remained adequate to legal standards after storage for 60 days under refrigeration and also presented an adequate quantity of the aforementioned probiotic strain, corresponding to 9.11 Log CFU.mL -1 . These viable L. plantarum cells proved to be resistant to simulated human gastrointestinal tract conditions, reaching the intestine at high cell concentrations of 7.95 Log CFU.mL -1 after 60 days of refrigeration. Regarding sensory evaluation, the formulation showed good acceptance, presenting an average overall impression score of 6.98, 5.98, and 5.16, for control samples stored for 30 and 60 days under refrigeration, respectively. These results demonstrate that water-soluble soy extract is a suitable matrix for fermentation involving L. plantarum ATCC 8014, supporting and providing data on the first steps towards the development of a symbiotic functional food, targeting consumers who have restrictions regarding the consumption of products of animal origin, diabetics, and individuals under calorie restrictions., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

In recent years, the quest for healthier alternatives to sugar has led to the widespread use of sugar alcohol in various food and beverage products. Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, sorbitol, and erythritol, are popular substitutes due to their sweet taste and lower calorie content than sucrose. Beyond their role in calorie reduction, sugar alcohols have garnered attention for their potential impact on oral health. The bibliometric analysis of clinical trials on sugar alcohol and oral health in PubMed reveals a dynamic and multifaceted research landscape shaped by various factors. Fluctuations in publication rates over time suggest influences such as shifts in research interests, technological advancements, regulatory changes, and evolving consumer behaviors. Key authors like Makinen KK, Makinen PL, and Soderling E emerge as prolific contributors with collaborative solid networks within the research community. The University of Turku in Finland has been identified as the highest contributing university, while Caries Research is the most contributing journal based on the number of clinical trials published. The country-wise analysis highlights Italy and the United States as substantial contributors, with diverse trajectories of research activity observed across nations. The subject-specific words with the highest cooccurrence are xylitol, dental caries, chewing gum, Streptococcus mutans , and saliva. Thematic analysis dives deep into how sugar alcohols relate to oral health, using different methods to study their effectiveness, safety, and how they affect the oral microbiome. The analysis of topic trends indicates ongoing exploration of sorbitol and xylitol, with an increasing emphasis on the potential advantages of xylitol. Additionally, there is notable attention on cariostatic agents, strategies for dental caries prevention, and the emergence of novel research domains like probiotics and erythritol, showcasing the dynamic evolution of oral health research focuses and developments. Overall, this analysis provides valuable insights into the distribution and trends of clinical trial publications, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the research landscape in sugar alcohol and oral health., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Dagli et al.)

The gut microbiota should be included in the scientific processes of risk assessment of food additives. Xylitol is a sweetener that shows low digestibility and intestinal absorption, implying that a high proportion of consumed xylitol could reach the colonic microbiota. The present study has evaluated the dose-dependent effects of xylitol intake on the composition and the metabolic activity of the child gut-microbiota. The study was conducted in a dynamic simulator of the colonic microbiota (BFBL Gut Simulator) inoculated with a child pooled faecal sample and supplemented three times per day, for 7 days, with increasing xylitol concentrations (1 g/L, 3 g/L and 5 g/L). Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and group-specific quantitative PCR indicated a xylitol dose-response effect on the abundance of Lachnospiraceae, particularly the genera Blautia, Anaerostipes and Roseburia. The microbial changes observed with xylitol corresponded with a dose-dependant effect on the butyrate concentration that, in parallel, favoured an increase in epithelial integrity of Caco-2 cells. The study represents a detailed observation of the bacterial taxa that are the main contributors to the metabolism of xylitol by the child gut microbiota and the results could be relevant in the risk assessment re-evaluation of xylitol as a sweetener., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Periodontitis is a prevalent condition significantly affecting oral health. Comorbid conditions, such as diabetes, can heighten the severity of periodontal disease and overall oral health. Therefore, to enhance oral health and manage comorbid conditions, comprehensive periodontal care is essential. This approach could involve using toothpaste containing antimicrobial ingredients in routine oral care. This paper presents the results of an in vitro study analysing the antimicrobial properties of the test formulation containing zinc citrate, alum, sodium fluoride, and xylitol-based toothpaste (Stolin-R). These ingredients work together to help in providing comprehensive oral care by controlling growth of bacteria majorly responsible for periodontal disease and thus maintaining optimal oral hygiene., Aim: To determine the antimicrobial properties of zinc citrate, alum, sodium fluoride, and xylitol-based toothpaste formulation against key periodontal pathogens through in vitro analyses., Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial efficacy of test formulation is evaluated through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-dependent antibacterial assessment against key periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus mutans , and Bacteroides fragilis ., Results: The test formulation demonstrated potent antimicrobial effectiveness against Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Streptococcus mutans , and Tannerella forsythia , by exhibiting low MIC and MBC. Additionally, significant bacterial reduction, exceeding 99.99%, was observed within five minutes, emphasising its potential as an effective adjunct in combating periodontal infection., Conclusion: Zinc citrate, alum, sodium fluoride, and xylitol-based toothpaste formulation demonstrates significant antimicrobial activity against key periodontal pathogens, suggesting its potential as an effective agent for maintaining oral health and combating gingival infection., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Shukla et al.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of continuous administration of xylitol (a commonly used dental prebiotic) via a subcutaneous osmotic minipump in a B16F10 syngeneic mouse model., Methods: The B16F10 syngeneic model consisted of 6-8-week-old C57BL/6 male mice subcutaneously injected with five × 10 5 B16F10 cells suspended in 100 μl PBS in the right flank. The mice were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 was the treatment group with 10% xylitol-loaded pumps (n=10), while Group 2 was the control group with saline-loaded pumps (n=10). Alzet minipumps were implanted subcutaneously in the left flank of B16F10-injected mice once more than 50% of all mice developed palpable tumors. After pump implantation surgery, the mice were monitored daily and weighed 2-3x/week. Tumor sizes were measured with calipers 2-3x/week, and all mice were euthanized when their tumors became too large (20 mm on any axis or 2,000 mm 3 ). The excised tumors were weighed and cut in half, with one half sent for histology and the other for metabolomic analysis., Results: The xylitol-treated group survived substantially longer than the control group. The tumor size was reduced by approximately 35% by volume. Histological sections of xylitol treat mice suggested reduced infiltration and angiogenesis, which is consistent with previous studies. The metabolomic analysis demonstrates that xylitol reduces the tumor production of histamine, NADP+, ATP, and glutathione from the tumor, thereby improving the host immune response with ROS reactive oxygen species., Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that xylitol has potential as an adjunct to oncological treatment and is being further investigated in comparison to monoclonal antibody therapy (Opdualag)., Competing Interests: Additional Declarations: No competing interests reported. Competing Interests: M. Cannon: None declared, A. Cosantino: None declared, N. Ghoreishi-Haack: None declared, E. Dempsey: None declared.

The concentrations of anhydrosugars (levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan), polyols (inositol, xylitol, sorbitol, and mannitol), and glucose were measured in PM 1 and PM 10 samples collected during 1 year at a traffic site in the city of Elche (southeastern Spain). Levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan were mainly found in the PM 1 fraction since they are mainly emitted from biomass burning (BB). Likewise, inositol, xylitol, and sorbitol were primarily distributed in the fine mode, suggesting a non-negligible contribution from anthropogenic sources (specifically BB) to the levels of these compounds. This was supported by their seasonal variations, with higher concentrations during winter, and their correlations with levoglucosan concentrations. The average contributions of biomass burning and biogenic sources to OC and PM levels were calculated using levoglucosan and mannitol, respectively, as tracers. On average, BB accounted for 12% and 16% of the OC in PM 1 and PM 10 , while the estimated contribution of fungal spores to OC and PM 10 levels was 1.2 and 0.8%, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that, at least in the study area, most sugar alcohols are not appropriate tracers of biogenic emissions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: A systematic review of published data was carried out to assess the caries-preventive effects of xylitol chewing gums and candies in children., Methods: Electronic and hand searches were performed to find clinical studies on the effects of xylitol chewing gums and candies on dental caries in children (≤ 18 years). Prospective randomised or controlled clinical trials published before 2023 were included in the review., Results: The initial search identified 365 titles to be evaluated. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles with either fair or low quality were reviewed. Nine articles studied chewing gums, five candies, and one both of them. In the ten evaluated xylitol chewing gum studies xylitol consumption significantly reduced caries occurrence when compared with no treatment or a placebo polyol gum. The effect was clinically significant in studies with high or moderate caries level at study baseline. The results also suggested that the caries-reducing effect of xylitol gums may differ from sorbitol/polyol gums. In five of the six heterogenous xylitol candy studies, no caries-reducing effect was found independent of caries level. In addition to caries level, also the daily xylitol dose was a confounding factor., Conclusion: The present findings suggest that the caries-reducing effect of adding xylitol chewing gum to the daily diet has been well demonstrated in children and adolescents with high or moderate caries level at study baseline. Xylitol gum use could benefit subjects with active incipient caries lesions on smooth tooth surfaces., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: It is crucial to reduce the high sugar content of fruit yoghurts in response to the excessive weight gain epidemic. The use of alternative sweeteners in yoghurts is often associated with the negative sensory attributes that can have an impact on yoghurt liking. The main objective of this research was to investigate the effect of alternative sweeteners and strawberry puree addition on the temporal sensory profile of yoghurt using multiple-intake temporal check all that apply (TCATA). A novel approach to the statical analysis of the temporal sensory data was employed by using aligned rank transformation-analysis of variance to investigate the differences between sensory attributes within different products and within different intakes., Results: Results showed that the attributes sweet and fruity decreased when the concentration of fruit puree was increased at low concentration of sucrose. Interestingly, when the concentration of fruit puree was increased, fruitiness increased and mouthcoating decreased at low concentration of stevia. With successive intakes, the attributes sweet, sour, creamy and fruity significantly decreased in yoghurts sweetened with sucrose, xylitol and stevia. Yoghurts containing low concentrations of sucrose or xylitol and fruit puree were liked the most. However, stevia-sweetened yoghurts varying in sweetener and puree concentration were not significantly different in liking. In order to investigate the consumer acceptance of yoghurts, a novel approach was used - that is, utilizing TCATA temporal data to investigate temporal drivers of liking for each yoghurt type., Conclusion: The use of multiple statistical analysis to analyse temporal data suggested that both sweetener and puree concentration need to be considered when developing products using alternative sweeteners. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Triamterene is an oral antihypertensive drug with dissolution-limited poor bioavailability. It can be used as monotherapy or in fixed dose combination with hydrochlorothiazide which also suffers from poor dissolution. Moreover, co-processing of drugs in fixed dose combination can alter their properties. Accordingly, pre-formulation studies should investigate the effect of co-processing and optimize the dissolution of drugs before and after fixed dose combination. This is expected to avoid deleterious interaction (if any) and to hasten the biopharmaceutical properties., Objective: Accordingly, the aim of this work was to optimize the dissolution rate of triamterene alone and after fixed dose combination with hydrochlorothiazide., Methodology: Triamterene was subjected to dry co-grinding with xylitol, HPMC-E5 or their combination. The effect of co-grinding with hydrochlorothiazide was also tested in absence and presence of xylitol and HPMC-E5. The products were assessed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), in addition to dissolution studies. Optimum formulations were fabricated as oral disintegrating tablets (ODT). Results: Co-processing of triamterene with xylitol formed eutectic system which hastened dissolution rate. HPMC-E5 resulted in partial amorphization and improved triamterene dissolution. Co-grinding with both materials combined their effects. Co-processing of triamterene with hydrochlorothiazide resulted in eutexia but the product was slowly dissolving due to aggregation. This problem was vanished in presence of HPMC-E5 and xylitol. Compression of the optimum formulation into ODT underwent fast disintegration and liberated acceptable amounts of both drugs., Conclusion: The study introduced simple co-processing with traditional excipients for development of ODT of triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide.

Xylitol is an increasingly popular functional food additive, and the newly isolated yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus WA has shown extensive substrate utilization capability, with the ability to grow on hexose (d-galactose, d-glucose, d-mannose, l-fructose, and d-sorbose) and pentose (d-xylose and l-arabinose) substrates, as well as high tolerance to xylose at concentrations of up to 300 g/L. Optimal xylitol fermentation conditions were achieved at 32 °C, 140 rpm, pH 5.0, and initial cell concentration OD 600 of 2.0, with YP (yeast extract 10 g/L, peptone 20 g/L) as the optimal nitrogen source. Xylitol yield increased from 0.61 g/g to 0.91 g/g with an increase in initial substrate concentration from 20 g/L to 180 g/L. Additionally, 20 g/L glycerol was found to be the optimal co-substrate for xylitol fermentation, resulting in an increase in xylitol yield from 0.82 g/g to 0.94 g/g at 140 rpm, enabling complete conversion of xylose to xylitol., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of authors have any conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, xylitol, a common sweetener and sucrose substitute in low-calorie foods, was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). During the establishment of the analytical method, three representative detection approaches, ultraviolet detector (UVD), evaporative light scattering detector, and refractive index detector, were compared and applied to determine the xylitol content in various foods distributed in Korea. The results were compared for method validation, measurement uncertainty, and applicability. As a result, HPLC-UVD showed the lowest limit of detection (0.01 mg/L) and limit of quantification (0.04 mg/L) among the three methods. It showed a low range of relative expanded uncertainty (1.12-3.98%) and could quantify xylitol in the wide range of the samples, even trace amounts of xylitol. Therefore, a total of 160 food items, including chewing gum, candy, beverage, tea, other processed products, and beverage base, were applied with three replicates by the proposed HPLC-UVD method., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Xylitol and NaCl were studied as alternative inhibitors of gelation in frozen egg yolks, considering the current dietary preference for low salt and low sucrose intake. The effects of different ratios of xylitol and NaCl on gelation were investigated. Compared to the control group, all treatment groups showed decreased egg yolk particle size and turbidity, increased solubility, surface hydrophobicity, λ max , and fluorescence intensity, reduced loss of free water, and enhanced yolk fluidity. The addition of xylitol and NaCl effectively prevented ice crystal growth, minimized protein denaturation caused by water loss, and formed complexes with proteins and water lost during freezing, thereby inhibiting the aggregation of protein molecules and the formation of gels. This study presents a novel and healthier strategy for inhibiting gelation of frozen egg yolk using xylitol and NaCl., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Renal fibrosis is a typical pathological change from chronic kidney disease (CKD) to end-stage renal failure, which presents significant challenges in prevention and treatment. The progression of renal fibrosis is closely associated with the "gut-kidney axis," therefore, although clinical intervention to modulate the "gut-kidney axis" imbalance associated with renal fibrosis brings hope for its treatment. In this study, we first identified the close relationship between renal fibrosis development and the intestinal microenvironment through fecal microtransplantation and non-absorbable antibiotics experiments. Then, we analyzed the specific connection between the intestinal microenvironment and renal fibrosis using microbiomics and metabolomics, screening for the differential intestinal metabolite. Potential metabolite action targets were initially identified through network simulation of molecular docking and further verified by molecular biology experiment. We used flow cytometry, TUNEL apoptosis staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting to assess renal injury and fibrosis extent, exploring the potential role of gut microbial metabolite in renal fibrosis development. We discovered that CKD-triggered alterations in the intestinal microenvironment exacerbate renal injury and fibrosis. When metabolomic analysis was combined with experiments in vivo, we found that the differential metabolite xylitol delays renal injury and fibrosis development. We further validated this hypothesis at the cellular level. Mechanically, bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) protein exhibits strong binding with xylitol, and xylitol alleviates renal fibrosis by inhibiting BRD4 and its downstream transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway. In summary, our findings suggest that the natural intestinal metabolite xylitol mitigates renal fibrosis by inhibiting the BRD4-regulated TGF-β pathway., (© 2024 The Authors. Clinical and Translational Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.)

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of xylitol combined or not with fluoride (F) on reduction of demineralization and increase of remineralization of shallow and deep artificial enamel lesions., Methods: Bovine enamel samples were allocated to the following solutions groups: no xylitol (negative control), 5% xylitol, 10% xylitol, 20% xylitol, 500 ppm F (as NaF), 5% xylitol+F, 10% xylitol+F or 20% xylitol+F (n = 12-15). For the demin study, a pH-cycling model (demineralization-6 h, pH 4.7/remineralization 18 h, pH 7.0) was employed for 7 days. Treatments were applied 2 × 1 min. In the remin study, specimens were pre-demineralized for 2, 5 or 10 days. Afterwards, a pH-cycling protocol was conducted (2 h demineralizing and 22 h remineralizing solution/day for 8 days) and the same treatments were done. The response variables were percentage surface hardness loss (%SHL) and transverse microradiography. Data were analyzed by RM ANOVA/Tukey or Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn (p < 0.05) RESULTS: F and Xylitol combined with F reduced the %SHL (23-30%) compared to the negative control (61.5%). The integrated mineral loss and the lesion depth were not reduced by any treatment. Surface hardness recovery was seen only for shallow lesions in case of 20% xylitol+F compared to negative control. No lesion depth recovery, but significant mineral recovery was seen for F (2-days and 10-days lesion)., Conclusions: All concentrations of xylitol+F reduced enamel surface demineralization, while only 20% xylitol+F improved surface remineralization of shallow lesions in vitro., Clinical Significance: Our results suggest that while F or any concentration of xylitol + F reduces surface demineralization, only 20% xylitol+F improves surface remineralization of shallow lesions in vitro. Therefore, xylitol may be added into oral products, combined to F, to control dental caries., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relantionships that caould have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Viscose fabrics have been widely used in various applications, but their potential fire hazard has been a concern. To address this issue, improving the flame retardancy of viscose fabrics has become a significant priority. Phytic acid (PA) and xylitol were used to create a novel flame retardant, PAXY. PAXY was finished on viscose fabrics by pad-dry-curing process, and the performance of coated viscose fabrics was investigated. The results showed that the limiting oxygen index value of PAXY13-100 (fabrics finished with a 100 g/L flame-retardant solution and the flame retardant synthesized by a 1: 3 M ratio of PA to xylitol) reached 32.8 % and the heat release rate value was decreased by 77 %. Based on the findings from the analysis of both the gas phase and condensed phase products, PAXY promoted the dehydration of viscose fabrics to produce a denser char layer, which inhibited the production of flammable gases. Surprisingly, the breaking force retention of PAXY13-100 reached 90 % in warp and 114 % in weft. Compared with that of 100 g/L PA-treated fabrics, the breaking force of PAXY13-100 increased by nearly 400 %. This work provides a new strategy for PA-based flame-retardant finishing with the synergy of flame retardancy and breaking force retention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The present study evaluates the corrosion behavior of poly[xylitol-(1,12-dodecanedioate)](PXDD)-HA coated porous iron (PXDD140/HA-Fe) and its cell-material interaction aimed for temporary bone scaffold applications. The physicochemical analyses show that the addition of 20 wt.% HA into the PXDD polymers leads to a higher crystallinity and lower surface roughness. The corrosion assessments of the PXDD140/HA-Fe evaluated by electrochemical methods and surface chemistry analysis indicate that HA decelerates Fe corrosion due to a lower hydrolysis rate following lower PXDD content and being more crystalline. The cell viability and cell death mode evaluations of the PXDD140/HA-Fe exhibit favorable biocompatibility as compared to bare Fe and PXDD-Fe scaffolds owing to HA's bioactive properties. Thus, the PXDD140/HA-Fe scaffolds possess the potential to be used as a biodegradable bone implant., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Ribitol (C 5 H 12 O 5 ) is an acyclic sugar alcohol that was recently identified in O -mannose glycan on mammalian α-dystroglycan. The conformation and dynamics of acyclic sugar alcohols such as ribitol are dependent on the stereochemistry of the hydroxyl groups; however, the dynamics are not fully understood. To gain insights into the conformation and dynamics of sugar alcohols, we carried out comparative analyses of ribitol, d-arabitol and xylitol by a crystal structure database search, solution NMR analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The crystal structures of the sugar alcohols showed a limited number of conformations, suggesting that only certain stable conformations are prevalent among all possible conformations. The three-bond scholar coupling constants and exchange rates of hydroxyl protons were measured to obtain information on the backbone torsion angle and possible hydrogen bonding of each hydroxyl group. The 100 ns MD simulations indicate that the ribitol backbone has frequent conformational transitions with torsion angles between 180∘ and ±60∘, while d-arabitol and xylitol showed fewer conformational transitions. Taking our experimental and computational data together, it can be concluded that ribitol is more flexible than d-arabitol or xylitol, and the flexibility is at least in part defined by the configuration of the OH groups, which may form intramolecular hydrogen bonds.

The present work models the fermentation process parameters of the newly isolated, Meyerozyma caribbica CP02 for enhanced xylitol production and its fermentability study on rice straw hydrolysate. The study examined the impact of each of the process variables by one variable at a time optimization followed by statistical validation. Temperature of 32 °C, pH of 3.5, agitation of 200 rpm, 1.5% (v/v) inoculum, 80 gL -1 initial xylose was optimized. Subsequently, a sequential two-stage agitation approach was adopted for fermentation. At these optimized conditions, xylitol yield of 0.77 gg -1 and 0.64 gg -1 was achieved using media containing commercial and rice straw derived xylose, respectively. For scale up, in 3L batch bioreactor, the highest xylitol yield (0.63 gg -1 ) was attained at 72 h with rice straw hydrolysate media containing initial xylose (59.48 ± 0.82 gL -1 ) along with inhibitors (1.55 ± 0.10 gL -1 aliphatic acids, 0.0.048 ± 0.11 gL -1 furans, 0.64 ± 0.23 gL -1 total phenols). The results imply that even under circumstances characterized by an acidic pH and elevated initial xylose level, M. caribbica CP02, as an isolate, displays robustness and shows favorable fermentability of rice straw hydrolysate. Therefore, isolate CP02 has potential to be used in bio-refineries for high yield xylitol production with minimal hydrolysate processing requirements., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sugar consumption is known to be associated with a whole range of adverse health effects, including overweight status and type II diabetes mellitus. In 2015, the World Health Organization issued a guideline recommending the reduction of sugar intake. In this context, alternative sweeteners have gained interest as sugar substitutes to achieve this goal without loss of the sweet taste. This review aims to provide an overview of the scientific literature and establish a reference tool for selected conventional sweeteners (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) and alternative sweeteners (sucralose, xylitol, erythritol, and D-allulose), specifically focusing on their important metabolic effects. The results show that alternative sweeteners constitute a diverse group, and each substance exhibits one or more metabolic effects. Therefore, no sweetener can be considered to be inert. Additionally, xylitol, erythritol, and D-allulose seem promising as alternative sweeteners due to favorable metabolic outcomes. These alternative sweeteners replicate the benefits of sugars (e.g., sweetness and gastrointestinal hormone release) while circumventing the detrimental effects of these substances on human health., Competing Interests: Authors Fabienne Teysseire, Valentine Bordier, Bettina K. W&ouml;lnerhanssen and Anne Christin Meyer-Gerspach were employed by the St. Clara Research Ltd.&mdash;a non-profit organization. The remaining author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Background: Cost-effective production of biofuels from lignocellulose requires the fermentation of D-xylose. Many yeast species within and closely related to the genera Spathaspora and Scheffersomyces (both of the order Serinales) natively assimilate and ferment xylose. Other species consume xylose inefficiently, leading to extracellular accumulation of xylitol. Xylitol excretion is thought to be due to the different cofactor requirements of the first two steps of xylose metabolism. Xylose reductase (XR) generally uses NADPH to reduce xylose to xylitol, while xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) generally uses NAD + to oxidize xylitol to xylulose, creating an imbalanced redox pathway. This imbalance is thought to be particularly consequential in hypoxic or anoxic environments., Results: We screened the growth of xylose-fermenting yeast species in high and moderate aeration and identified both ethanol producers and xylitol producers. Selected species were further characterized for their XR and XDH cofactor preferences by enzyme assays and gene expression patterns by RNA-Seq. Our data revealed that xylose metabolism is more redox balanced in some species, but it is strongly affected by oxygen levels. Under high aeration, most species switched from ethanol production to xylitol accumulation, despite the availability of ample oxygen to accept electrons from NADH. This switch was followed by decreases in enzyme activity and the expression of genes related to xylose metabolism, suggesting that bottlenecks in xylose fermentation are not always due to cofactor preferences. Finally, we expressed XYL genes from multiple Scheffersomyces species in a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinant S. cerevisiae expressing XYL1 from Scheffersomyces xylosifermentans, which encodes an XR without a cofactor preference, showed improved anaerobic growth on xylose as the primary carbon source compared to S. cerevisiae strain expressing XYL genes from Scheffersomyces stipitis., Conclusion: Collectively, our data do not support the hypothesis that xylitol accumulation occurs primarily due to differences in cofactor preferences between xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase; instead, gene expression plays a major role in response to oxygen levels. We have also identified the yeast Sc. xylosifermentans as a potential source for genes that can be engineered into S. cerevisiae to improve xylose fermentation and biofuel production., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The delivery of profound local anesthetics helps children receive successful treatment by reducing fear, anxiety, and discomfort during dental procedures. Local anesthetic injections are the most anticipated stimuli in dental surgery. Children's perceptions of pain can be altered by applying cryotherapy to precool the oral mucosa or by diverting their minds through taste distractions before administering local anesthetic injections. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cryoanesthesia and xylitol sweet-tasting solution at the injection site in 7-10-year-old children., Methods: A total of 42 participants, aged 7-10 years, who underwent dental treatment requiring local anesthesia, were enrolled in the study. The children were randomly divided into three groups. In group I, sterile water was held in the mouth for 2 minutes before anesthetic administration, similar to group II, and in group III, a xylitol sweet-tasting solution was used for 2 minutes before needle insertion. The analysis of pain perception was carried out based on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Sound, Eyes, and Motor (SEM) scale. For VAS analysis, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for intergroup comparison, and a post hoc Tukey test was performed for subgroup analysis. For the categorical SEM scale, the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the post hoc test was performed for intergroup comparison. Where a P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence intervals., Results: Cryoanesthesia significantly reduced pain scores on VAS (4.21 ± 1.42) when compared to those on VAS with xylitol sweet-tasting solution (5.50 ± 1.40) and that with sterile water (6.14 ± 2.47). Intergroup comparison of the VAS scores among the three groups was performed using one-way ANOVA, which demonstrated statistically significant differences (P value <0.026) on the VAS scale. Intergroup comparison of the SEM scale was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by post hoc comparison, which exhibited statistically significant differences (P < 0.007) among the three groups for the SEM scale., Conclusion: Cryoanesthesia demonstrated higher efficacy in reducing injection pain than that exhibited by the xylitol sweet-tasting solution., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.)

The present study examines the impact of nitrogen sources (yeast extract, ammonium sulfate peptone, ammonium nitrate, urea, and sodium nitrate), salt solution (0.5 g/L MgSO 4 , 0.5 g/L KH 2 PO 4 , 0.3 g/L CaCl 2 ), trace elements solution (0.1 g/L CuSO 4 , 0.1 g/L FeSO 4 , 0.02 g/L MnCl 2 , 0.02 g/L ZnSO 4 ), operational parameters (temperature, aeration, agitation, initial pH and xylose concentration) and co- substrate supplementation (glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, and glycerol) on xylitol biosynthesis by Candida tropicalis ATCC 13803 using synthetic xylose. The significant medium components were identified using the Plackett Burman design followed by central composite designs to obtain the optimal concentration for the critical medium components in shaker flasks. Subsequently, the effect of operational parameters was examined using the One Factor At a Time method, followed by the impact of five co-substrates on xylitol biosynthesis in a 1 L bioreactor. The optimal media components and process parameters are as follows: peptone: 12.68 g/L, yeast extract: 6.62 g/L, salt solution (0.5 g/L MgSO 4 , 0.5 g/L KH 2 PO 4 , and 0.3 g/L CaCl 2 ): 1.23 X (0.62 g/L, 0.62 g/L, and 0.37 g/L respectively), temperature: 30 °C, pH: 6, agitation: 400 rpm, aeration: 1 vvm, and xylose: 50 g/L. Optimization studies resulted in xylitol yield and productivity of 0.71 ± 0.004 g/g and 1.48 ± 0.018 g/L/h, respectively. Glycerol supplementation (2 g/L) further improved xylitol yield (0.83 ± 0.009 g/g) and productivity (1.87 ± 0.020 g/L/h) by 1.66 and 3.12 folds, respectively, higher than the unoptimized conditions thus exhibiting the potential of C. tropicalis ATCC 13803 being used for commercial xylitol production.

Xylitol is a pentose-polyol widely applied in the food and pharmaceutical industry. It can be produced from lignocellulosic biomass, valorizing second-generation feedstocks. Biotechnological production of xylitol requires scalable solutions suitable for industrial scale processes. Immobilized-cells systems offer numerous advantages. Although fungal pellet carriers have gained attention, their application in xylitol production remains unexplored. In this study, the yeast strain P. fermentans WC 1507 was employed for xylitol production. The optimal conditions were observed with free-cell cultures at pH above 3.5, low oxygenation, and medium containing (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and yeast extract as nitrogen sources (xylitol titer 79.4 g/L, Y P/S 66.3%, and volumetric productivity 1.3 g/L/h). Yeast cells were immobilized using inactive Aspergillus oryzae pellet mycelial carrier (MC) and alginate beads (AB) and were tested in flasks over three consecutive production runs. Additionally, the effect of a 0.2% w/v alginate layer, coating the outer surface of the carriers (cMC and cAB, respectively), was examined. While Y P/S values observed with both immobilized and free cells were similar, the immobilized cells exhibited lower final xylitol titer and volumetric productivity, likely due to mass transfer limitations. AB and cAB outperformed MC and cMC. The uncoated AB carriers were tested in a laboratory-scale airlift bioreactor, which demonstrated a progressive increase in xylitol production in a repeated batch process: in the third run, a xylitol titer of 63.0 g/L, Y P/S of 61.5%, and volumetric productivity of 0.52 g/L/h were achieved. This study confirmed P. fermentans WC 1507 as a promising strain for xylitol production in both free- and entrapped-cells systems. Considering the performance of the wild strain, a metabolic engineering intervention aiming at further improving the efficiency of xylitol production could be justified. MC and AB proved to be viable supports for cell immobilization, but additional process development is necessary to identify the optimal bioreactor configuration and fermentation conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Ranieri, Candeliere, Moreno-García, Mauricio, Rossi, Raimondi and Amaretti.)

Cellulosic bioethanol production generally has a higher operating cost due to relatively expensive pretreatment strategies and low efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. The production of other high-value chemicals such as xylitol and phenylacetylcarbinol (PAC) is, thus, necessary to offset the cost and promote economic viability. The optimal conditions of diluted sulfuric acid pretreatment under boiling water at 95°C and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis steps for sugarcane bagasse (SCB), rice straw (RS), and corn cob (CC) were optimized using the response surface methodology via a central composite design to simplify the process on the large-scale production. The optimal pretreatment conditions (diluted sulfuric acid concentration (% w/v), treatment time (min)) for SCB (3.36, 113), RS (3.77, 109), and CC (3.89, 112) and the optimal enzymatic hydrolysis conditions (pretreated solid concentration (% w/v), hydrolysis time (h)) for SCB (12.1, 93), RS (10.9, 61), and CC (12.0, 90) were achieved. CC xylose-rich and CC glucose-rich hydrolysates obtained from the respective optimal condition of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis steps were used for xylitol and ethanol production. The statistically significant highest ( p ≤ 0.05) xylitol and ethanol yields were 65% ± 1% and 86% ± 2% using Candida magnoliae TISTR 5664. C. magnoliae could statistically significantly degrade ( p ≤ 0.05) the inhibitors previously formed during the pretreatment step, including up to 97% w/w hydroxymethylfurfural, 76% w/w furfural, and completely degraded acetic acid during the xylitol production. This study was the first report using the mixed whole cells harvested from xylitol and ethanol production as a biocatalyst in PAC biotransformation under a two-phase emulsion system (vegetable oil/1 M phosphate (Pi) buffer). PAC concentration could be improved by 2-fold compared to a single-phase emulsion system using only 1 M Pi buffer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Porninta, Khemacheewakul, Techapun, Phimolsiripol, Jantanasakulwong, Sommanee, Mahakuntha, Feng, Htike, Moukamnerd, Zhuang, Wang, Qi, Li, Liu, Kumar, Nunta and Leksawasdi.)

The food industry is looking for substitutes for sucrose in food items due to the excessive consumption of products with added sugar and the demand for healthier products. Alternative natural sweeteners can help achieve this goal. Different types of low-fat yoghurts (1% fat), with low-protein and high-protein levels (3% and 4.5-6.5% protein, respectively), were produced using alternative natural sweeteners. The low-protein yoghurts were made with stevia (0.03% w / w ) or agave syrup (4.5% w / w ). The high-protein yoghurts were made with stevia (0.04% w / w ), xylitol (6% w / w ) or honey (6% w / w ). Sucrose (6% w / w ) was used as a control in both trials. pH and titratable acidity, CIEL*a*b* color parameters, syneresis index, rheology and the texture profile of the low-fat yoghurts were evaluated over refrigerated storage. All products underwent sensory evaluation by an untrained panel. The high-protein yoghurts were found to be more acidic (>1% as lactic acid), had a lower syneresis index (between 2.1 and 16.2%) and a better consistency (stronger gel structure) than the low-protein yoghurts. In terms of rheological parameters, stevia-sweetened yoghurts scored higher than the other sweetened yoghurts, showing a better gel structure. The different sweeteners tested did not significantly affect the sensory properties of the yoghurts, although the high-protein yoghurts scored higher for most of the attributes evaluated. Overall, consumers preferred stevia-sweetened yoghurts to yoghurts sweetened with sucrose or agave for the low-protein yoghurts. Of the tested formulations, those containing high protein with the alternative natural sweetener xylitol received higher scores in all attributes. These results reveal the potential of the tested natural sweeteners as sucrose substitutes, while contributing to improving the nutritional value of yoghurts.

d-Xylose is a metabolizable carbon source for several non-Saccharomyces species, but not for native strains of S. cerevisiae. For the potential application of xylose-assimilating yeasts in biotechnological processes, a deeper understanding of pentose catabolism is needed. This work aimed to investigate the traits behind xylose utilization in diverse yeast species. The performance of 9 selected xylose-metabolizing yeast strains was evaluated and compared across 3 oxygenation conditions. Oxygenation diversely impacted growth, xylose consumption, and product accumulation. Xylose utilization by ethanol-producing species such as Spathaspora passalidarum and Scheffersomyces stipitis was less affected by oxygen restriction compared with other xylitol-accumulating species such as Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Naganishia liquefaciens, and Yamadazyma sp., for which increased aeration stimulated xylose assimilation considerably. Spathaspora passalidarum exhibited superior conversion of xylose to ethanol and showed the fastest growth and xylose consumption in all 3 conditions. By performing assays under identical conditions for all selected yeasts, we minimize bias in comparisons, providing valuable insight into xylose metabolism and facilitating the development of robust bioprocesses., One-Sentence Summary: This work aims to expand the knowledge of xylose utilization in different yeast species, with a focus on how oxygenation impacts xylose assimilation., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.)