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This work proposes an evaluation of the Crystalline Index (CrI) in function of the bleaching process employed during cellulose extraction from corn husk, for further characterization using CP/MAS 13 C NMR, XRD, and FT-IR. In that sense, CrI values were calculated by FT-IR and the bands associated with the crystalline and amorphous regions were observed at 1424 cm -1 and 896 cm -1 , respectively. Similarly, the signals due to ordered (89.1 ppm) and disordered (84.2 ppm) cellulose chains were detected by solid-state 13 C NMR, while the Segal equation was only used for comparison purposes. Additionally, PCA studies showed consistent results attributed to the crystalline region in cellulose domains analyzed by both, FT-IR and solid-state 13 C NMR. The results revealed the coexistence of cellulose I/cellulose II and its effect on CrI, as well as the incomplete mercerization process, in some cases non-cellulosic residues can cause an overestimation of CrI. Additionally, the thermal stability and the glass transition temperature were determined by TGA/DTA and DSC analyses. Finally, a partially fibrillated-network morphology with a diameter of 20.47 ± 2.77 μm was observed in cellulose bleached with peracetic acid, whereas organosolv method provides flexible and clean microfibrils with diameter sizes between 10 and 9 μm., 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 Ltd.)

Cheese feed is used as spray-dryer feed in cheese powder production, where there is growing consumer demand to eliminate calcium-chelating salts (ES). To develop ES-free feed production processes, it is essential to investigate the relationship between pH, structural changes, and mineral solubilization. This study investigated the influence of acidification and pH re-neutralization on calcium equilibria and stability of ES-free model cheese feeds. The goal was to increase protein availability by solubilizing colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) and to assess whether CCP solubilization is reversible upon re-neutralization. The extent of acidification (to pH 4.2 or pH 4.7) significantly affected the irreversibility of calcium solubilization upon re-neutralization. Moreover, re-neutralization treatment seemed to induce changes in protein-fat interactions. Feed viscosity was mainly influenced by the final pH, rather than the re-neutralization history. These results offer new insights into the complex interplay of pH, structural modifications, mineral solubilization, and stability in cheese feed production., 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.)

Casein-based hydrogels are biocompatible, biodegradable, renewable, easy to obtain, inexpensive, and non-toxic. They exist in different physicochemical states, e.g. particle hydrogels, which can be dived in suspensions or emulsions and macro hydrogels that are gel colloid type. These biomaterials have drawn increasing attention in recent years due to their abilities to form networks of different tensile strengths and to encapsulate, protect and release biomolecules. This mini-review outlines the recent advances in casein-based hydrogel research and the uses of casein-based hydrogels as drug delivery system for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. The food and biomedical potential along with possible future uses of the casein-based hydrogels are discussed throughout the document., 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 © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)