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Infections with Helicobacter pylori are a global challenge. Currently, H. pylori infections are treated systemically, but the eradication rates of the different therapy regimens are declining due to the growing number of bacterial strains resistant to major antibiotics. Here, we present a strategy for the local eradication of H. pylori by the use of Penicillin G sodium (PGS). In vitro experiments revealed that PGS shows high antibiotic activity against resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.125 μg/ml. In order to provide luminal concentrations above the MIC for longer periods of time, an extended release tablet was developed. Alkalizers were included to prevent acidic degradation of PGS within the tablet matrix. Out of the tested alkalizers MgO, l -Lysine, NaHCO3, and Na2CO3 NaHCO3 provided the strongest rise in pH inside the hydrated matrix when tested in simulated gastric fluid. Better PGS stability can mainly reasoned from that, addition of MgO resulted in high pH values within the matrix, causing basic degradation of PGS. This work is a first step towards the use of extended release tablets containing PGS for the local treatment of H. pylori as a safe and cost-effective alternative to common systemic treatment regimens.

Summary Background Norovirus (NoV) can survive in buffer at a range of pH values. However, when variations to pH are combined with the enzymatic conditions typical in gastric fluid, NoV survival is less predictable. Added to this, the material on which expelled vomitus fluid lands, e.g., safety vinyl or carpet, might also affect the level of NoV survival in the environment. Aim This study aimed to assess survival of the NoV surrogate feline calicivirus (FCV) after application on to four material types in the presence of synthetic gastric fluid of varying pH values. Methods Synthetic gastric fluid of varying pH values (1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5) containing FCV (1 × 106 plaque-forming units (pfu)/100 μL of gastric fluid) was seeded (100 μL) on to four material types: Formica, safety vinyl, cotton sheet and carpet tiles (2 cm × 2 cm) and left for 0, 30 and 60 min before recovering and identifying any viable viruses via plaque assay. Findings FCV survived in synthetic gastric fluid at pH values as low as 2.5 and in some cases as low as 1.5 for at least 30 min when associated with certain materials. Greater average numbers of viable virus were recovered from the more absorbent materials of cotton (1900 pfu/sample) and carpet (1600 pfu/sample) compared with Formica (360 pfu/sample) and safety vinyl (380 pfu/sample). Conclusion This study showed that FCV can survive in synthetic gastric fluids of low pH values for significant time periods especially on absorbent materials. This emphasises the importance of ensuring effective cleaning and decontamination procedures, particularly of soft furnishings and laundry, for infection prevention and control of NoV outbreaks.

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Probiotic bacteria have been extensively merged into numerous dietary supplements and dairy commodities and have been sold as functional foods. Microencapsulation is one of those approaches used to increase probiotic survival and delivery. The aim of this work is to analyze the effect of three types of coating materials, xanthan, carrageenan and acacia gum on the viability of microencapsulated probiotics during simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) exposure. The probiotics, Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) were microencapsulated into uncoated alginate beads and were coated with 3 different concentrations of xanthan, carrageenan and acacia gums (0.1%, 0.3% and 0.5%). Free cells, uncoated and coated beads were subjected to SGF (1.5 h and 3 h) and SIF (24 h) and their viability was assessed after incubation period. Results denoted that glazed alginate beads with gums increased the viability of cells after cultivation in SGF and SIF. After SGF treatment, the viability of most of the coated beads was significantly higher compared to free cells. Among the three coating materials used in this study, xanthan gum coating provided the best cell protection in both treatments. Increasing concentration of gums had an optimistic outcome on the existence of LcS in GIT's replicated severe environments. However, microencapsulation of LcS with alginate does not significantly improve probiotic survivals under simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

Blueberry polyphenols are known for their high antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. Aichi virus (AiV) is an emerging human enteric virus that causes gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. This study aimed to (1) determine the time- and dose-dependent effects of blueberry proanthocyanidins (B-PAC) against AiV over 24 h at 37 °C; (2) gain insights on their mode of action using pre- and post-treatment of host cells and Transmission Electron Microscopy; and (3) determine their anti-AiV effects in model foods and under simulated gastric conditions. AiV at ∼5 log PFU/ml was incubated with equal volumes of commercial blueberry juice (BJ, pH 2.8), neutralized BJ (pH 7.0), B-PAC (2, 4, and 10 mg/ml) prepared either in 10% ethanol, apple juice (AJ), 2% milk, simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.5) or simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.5), and controls (malic acid (pH 3.0), phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.2), apple juice (pH 3.6) and 2% milk) over 24 h at 37 °C, followed by standard plaque assays. Each experiment was replicated thrice and data were statistically analyzed. Differences in AiV titers with 1 mg/ml B-PAC were 2.13 ± 0.06 log PFU/ml lower after 24 h and ≥3 log PFU/ml (undetectable levels) lower with 2 and 5 mg/ml B-PAC compared to AiV titers in PBS after 24 h and 3 h, respectively. BJ at 37 °C resulted in titer differences (lower titers compared to PBS) of 0.17 ± 0.06, 1.27 ± 0.01, and 1.73 ± 0.23 log PFU/ml after 1, 3, and 6 h and ≥3 log PFU/ml after 24 h. Pre- and post-treatment of host cells with 0.5 mg/ml B-PAC caused titer decreases of 0.62 ± 0.33 and 0.30 ± 0.06 log PFU/ml, respectively suggesting a moderate effect on viral-host cell binding. B-PAC at 2 mg/ml in AJ caused titer differences of ≥3 log PFU/ml after 0.5 h, while differences of 0.84 ± 0.03 log PFU/ml with 5 mg/ml B-PAC in milk, and ≥3 log PFU/ml with B-PAC at 5 mg/ml in SIF after 30 min were obtained. This study shows the ability of BJ and B-PAC to decrease AiV titers to potentially prevent AiV-related illness and outbreaks.

Recent studies have attempted to treat autoimmune diseases using Trichuris suis. whipworm) eggs. Large quantities of eggs can be obtained efficiently by collecting from the feces of the porcine hosts rather than by extracting from the female worm uterus. However, it is difficult to process large amounts of feces using the current methods. In the present study, we propose a method to collect the eggs from bulk feces more efficiently. Collecting the eggs using washing meshes (25 μm sieve) yields 65.7% (56.0–70.7) of eggs (median, min-max) from 100 g feces. Our method, which uses ethyl acetate and simulated gastric fluid, yielded 91.4% (91.4–94.0) of the eggs from 100 g feces into the separated aqueous solution. Egg collection using simulated gastric fluid (SGF) method was also 60 min faster than that using the sieve method. As the SGF used in the experiment is a strongly acidic reagent with a pH of 1–2, embryonation of the eggs was induced by the rapid pH change. As a result, 37.1% (8.0–77.8) of the eggs had embryonated two months after SGF stimulation. Using the developed method, we could process the feces quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, after purification, egg embryonation could be induced without any harmful reagent treatment. This method is expected to be helpful for further research using Trichuris suis eggs.

To improve sustained-release property, stability and bioavailability of anthocyanins (ACNs) in vitro, we fabricated the nanocomplexes with chitosan hydrochloride (CHC), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and β-Lactoglobulin (β-Lg). Response surface methodology (RSM) combined with desirability function was employed to optimize ACNs-loaded chitosan/β-Lg (CHC/CMC expressed with chitosan) nanocomplexes with maximum anthocyanins retention rate, preferred particle size and high encapsulation efficiency. The result suggested that the optimized conditions were 5.16 mg/mL of β-Lg, 1.45 mg/mL of CMC and 6.09 of pH CMC solution. Based on optimized conditions, anthocyanins retention rate, particle size and encapsulation efficiency of ACNs-loaded chitosan/β-Lg nanocomplexes were 68.9%, 91.71 nm and 69.33%, respectively. ACNs-loaded chitosan/β-Lg nanocomplexes was more stable in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8) by showing less ACNs release (%) than that ACNs solution and ACNs-loaded CHC/CMC nanocomplexes. Further, stability and bioavailability of ACNs in simulated gastrointestinal (GI) tract were significantly improved by nanocomplexes encapsulation. Compared with ACNs-loaded CHC/CMC nanocomplexes, ACNs-loaded chitosan/β-Lg nanocomplexes displayed better sustained ACNs release, stability and bioavailability.

The aims of this research were to obtain modified pectins of callus cultures using various culture conditions, to evaluate the relationship between the chemical characteristics of pectins, the swelling behavior and the release of prednisolone from calcium pectinate gel (CaPG) beads. An increase of the calcium concentration in the culture media correlated significantly with the rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) branching of the pectin. The beads from the pectin with a higher RG-I branching had the lower prednisolone release in a gastric fluid. The beads produced from the pectins obtained from callus cultured with a higher calcium concentration showed the lower prednisolone release. The swelling of the CaPG beads from pectin with a lower molecular weight (Mw) or linearity occurred to a lower degree. All beads prepared from modified pectins showed a high stability and a slow liberation of prednisolone in the simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, whereas rapid drug release in a colonic fluid. An applied strategy involving modification of the pectic structure using the abiotic factors allows obtaining the pectic gels with modified functional properties, in particular, with enhanced gastric and small intestinal resistance and a low drug release. These CaPG beads can be applied as the carriers for colon delivery of the drugs.

In recent years application of bacteriophages in the reduction of bacterial pathogens that may contaminate the food supply has become of growing interest. The aim of this study was to produce dried macrospheres ensuring viability of bacteriophages during exposure to adverse conditions of the digestive system after storage for an extended period of time. The viability of phages entrapped in mannitol-alginate wet and dried formulations was investigated for up to 4 weeks of storage at room temperature. Phage-loaded beads were exposed to an acidic environment (pH 2.5) of simulated gastric fluid and directly transferred to intestinal medium to dissolve. During the period from 1 to 4 weeks the survival of bacteriophage T4 in dried macrospheres under simulated gastrointestinal conditions revealed only a slight decrease and resulted in a final survival of 5.02 log10 pfu/ml. The results of this study show that the addition of 0.3 M mannitol may improve phage protection against gastrointestinal conditions and enable a large proportion of bacteriophage T4 to remain active. The potential of the developed technology can be considered in oral application of bacteriophages to reduce intestinal colonization of pathogenic bacteria via prolonged stability of phages in a dry state.

The bacterial heat shock response in foodborne pathogens is caused by exposure to higher temperatures which poses a great threat to food safety because it can undermine food processing interventions and host defense. The study assessed the heat and acid resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii following heat shock (53 °C for 15min). Inactivation curves of the heat-shocked and non-shocked C. sakazakii cells at four temperatures (56, 58, 60, and 62 °C) and simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 3.0) were examined and fitted with the log-linear model and the Weibull model. The inactivation parameters obtained on the basis of the Weibull model showed that heat shock significantly (p 0.05) increased the values of δ (time to reach 1 log reduction) and t

The use of calcium-alginate gels as carriers of food and pharmaceutical compounds is of great interest due the versatile properties of such systems. In this work, we investigated the influence of sugars (glucose: fructose) as cosolutes (15-60% (wt)) on the physico-chemical properties of calcium-alginate gel particles. Sugar concentrations above 15% (wt) reduced extensibility of alginate molecules, as shown by intrinsic viscosity measurements, and lead to a more open or less connected gel network with aggregated alginate strands. Furthermore, it is shown for the first time that sugar impacted swelling-deswelling ability of calcium alginate gels under simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestinal (pH 6.6) conditions. Release of sugar from calcium alginate gels with 15% (wt) and 30% (wt) sugar was close to Fickian diffusion mechanism, in both simulated gastric and intestinal fluid, with diffusion coefficient close to that previously reported for calcium-alginate gels with lower sugar contents. However, release from 60% (wt) gels in gastric fluid was slower than for 15 and 30% (wt) and, there was a drastic shrinkage of the gels under acid conditions. In intestinal fluid 60% (wt) gels showed slower release than gels with lower sugar content, this was hypothesised to be due to the lower surface area of these gels. Understanding the structure-function relationship of these gels is key to the successful design of delivery systems for food and biotechnological applications.

The aim of this research was to develop a range of novel chitosan iron microgel beads, and test their suitability for use as an iron fortification strategy to be incorporated into a foodstuff. Chitosan microgels were prepared by direct gelation in iron solutions, with final encapsulation levels of between 50 and 70 mg/g dried bead. The optimal route of manufacture was using an ammonium ferric citrate solution, in which the iron was found to strongly bind to the resultant chitosan matrix, with minimal release and no associated pH change in a range of aqueous media, including a model food system of simulated milk ultrafiltrate. The iron was only released from these beads in simulated fasted state gastric fluid of pH 1.2, with a sustained release over 2 h. However, in simulated fed state gastric conditions (pH 3) the beads provided a desired gastric bypass of the iron. These ammonium ferric citrate beads were used to fortify a model infant formula and results from the thiobarbituric test showed that the chitosan iron gel beads reduced lipid oxidation significantly, compared to when the same concentration of iron was included in the form of conventional iron salt.

The possibility to compress ordinary paper into tablets was systematically investigated in this study. Results proved that tablets can be made from paper, independent of the type of paper used. The tablets appear shiny and with a smooth surface. The pharmaceutical quality was acceptable, i.e. all tablets fulfilled the requirements for tablets according to the European Pharmacopeia. Drug-loaded tablets were produced by compression of drug-loaded paper. Drug loading did not alter the pharmaceutical quality. However, the uncoated tablets possessed an extremely fast disintegration, i.e. intense swelling upon contact with water, which might hamper the swallowing after oral administration. To avoid swelling tablets were successfully coated with a polymer film, leading to a prevention of swelling but immediate disintegration in simulated gastric fluid. In fact, tablets made from paper are a novel and promising strategy for improved oral drug delivery. They can be easily produced without any further excipients and possess pharmaceutical quality according to the European Pharmacopeia.

Capsules containing indomethacin as a model, poorly water-soluble drug, were produced using the unconventional high-M alginate polymer for site-specific drug delivery in the GI tract. Hydrated Calcium (Ca)-alginate capsules (3 mm diameter), produced by ionotropic gelation permitted almost complete release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), at 37 °C in 2 h, offering a facile approach for extemporaneous preparation of immediate release formulations. Hydrated Zinc (Zn)-alginate capsules delivered 50% of the drug in SGF but almost zero in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) over 6 h. Ca-alginate capsules dried at room temperature, hydrated Barium (Ba)-alginate capsules and hydrated Ca-alginate/guar gum capsules released 70% of the drug load in SIF, providing options for improving delivery efficiency in the small intestine. Hydrated Ba-alginate capsules resulted in a significant reduction in indomethacin release compared with Ca-alginate due to the binding affinity of Ba2+ for both M and G blocks in the high-M alginate chain. Ca-alginate capsules dried at 45 °C or freeze dried, restricted release to below 25% on sequential exposure to SGF and SIF and are potentially useful for targeting the diseased colon.

Rheological properties of pectins with a different chemical characteristic in a simulated gastrointestinal fluid, as well as behavioural satiety sequence and food intake in mice, were investigated. Mice treated with pectin isolated from floscules of tansy Tanacetum vulgare L. (TVF) spent less time feeding and ate less food. Apple pectin (AU701) failed to alter food intake and feeding time. Whole-gut transit time was slowed down by both pectins. The TVF pectin showed greater apparent viscosity in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) than in water or when incubated in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). The AU701 showed no change in apparent viscosity after sequential incubation in SGF and SIF. Our data demonstrate that TVF pectin with branched structure and a low degree of methyl-esterification can form a very viscous solution and produce greater effects on feeding behaviour and food intake.

The amount and composition of gastrointestinal media are crucial parameters in oral drug delivery. In fasted state, variable residual gastric volumes and gastric emptying behavior often cause variable drug release and absorption from oral drug products. Unfortunately, interindividual and intraindividual variability of the gastric conditions in fasted state are currently insufficiently mapped. In this work, datasets from 5 MRI studies with 16 treatments in total were pooled. The interindividual and intraindividual variability of residual gastric volumes after 10 h overnight fasting and the subsequent emptying of 240 mL of water were compared in healthy human subjects under conditions mimicking clinical studies. This work shows that even under standardized clinical conditions, residual gastric volumes and water emptying are highly variable. Interestingly, interindividual and intraindividual variabilities of both parameters were comparable, suggesting that the variability within the studies was mainly resulting from intraindividual day-to-day variations. The mean resting volumes in all conducted investigations amounted to 25 ± 18 mL (n = 120). Furthermore, 85 ± 13% (n = 22) of initially available gastric volume (resting volume plus 240 mL) was emptied after 30 min. The findings of this work will hopefully contribute to a better comprehension of the variability of oral drug release and absorption.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effect of 405 nm light-emitting diode (LED) against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. on the surface of ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh salmon, and to determine the susceptibility of LED-illuminated bacterial cells to simulated gastric fluid (SGF). A cocktail culture of L. monocytogenes or Salmonella spp. was inoculated onto the freshly cut salmon surface and then illuminated by 405 nm LED (16 ± 2 mW/cm2) for 8 h at 4 and 12 °C. Illuminated cells were subsequently exposed to SGF at 37 °C. Results showed that the populations of LED-illuminated L. monocytogenes and Salmonella cells were significantly (P

Anisakis L3 were subjected to freezing in domestic freezers and the risk posed by those larvae that might possibly survive freezing was analysed by determining their agar penetration ability, survival in gastric juice, allergenic potential and oxygen consumption rate. Anisakis L3 gradually became non-viable as the temperature fell from -1 °C to -28 °C. The faster the freezing rate, the greater the decrease in survival, but viability was not found to be affected by the proportions of Anisakis species per batch (A. simplex s.s. 83-100%, A. pegreffii 0-17%, and their heterozygote genotypes at the ITS region of rDNA 0-10%). Surviving larvae after freezing presented a drastically reduced ability to penetrate into a layer of solid agar, as compared to controls, but still 5% of them penetrated into this medium. About 80% of surviving larvae died within 24 h under conditions simulating those of gastric fluid, whereas up to 85% of the controls were able to resist for 24 h. Allergen release during freezing and after freezing was higher than in controls, and this release was compatible with a contribution of both passive (by rupture of the cuticle) and active liberation of excretion/secretion allergens during and after freezing, suggesting that the pathogenic potential of these frozen and thawed larvae cannot be discarded. These results could be of use for more precise risk assessment and providing guidelines for consumers., This work has been financed by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement 312068, EU PARASITE (Grant number: 312068) and Spanish ANIRISK (AGL2015-68248-C2) MINECO/FEDER.

The development of an immediate-release solid formulation which contains natural products is a challenge considering several variables. These include the physical properties of the drug, the complex composition of the herbal extracts, and its ability to be released in the body. The present study describes the development and characterization of an immediate-release tablet formulation of a hydroethanolic extract of Lippia alba (Mill.) N. E. Br. dried leaves which possess potential gastroprotective properties and sedative effects. L. alba is a Brazilian herb known as “cidreira,” and the ethnopharmacological use of the leaf infusion has been reported in many South and Central America countries. However, no study has considered phytotherapeutics containing extracts of this herb. To achieve this goal, 14 solid formulations were produced using direct compression, wet granulation, or dry granulation. These were characterized by physical tests, such as average weight, friability, hardness, and disintegration tests. The tablet formulation produced by the dry granulation of 100 mg of the L. alba extract exhibited better physical properties, and it was characterized using acteoside (verbascoside) as a chemical marker, presenting 6.9 % w/w of acteoside content per tablet, corresponding to 41.3 mg of this constituent per unit. This formulation dissolves rapidly in simulated gastric fluid without enzymes, achieving amounts >80 % after 20 min. Thus, an immediate-release tablet formulation with L. alba extract was successfully prepared.

Summary Background In recent years, liberal preoperative fasting has been widely practiced. However, the safety of applying liberal preoperative fasting to patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases is unclear. We therefore compared the gastric volume and pH of patients who underwent upper and lower gastrointestinal surgery and non-gastrointestinal surgery. Methods Patients scheduled for surgery at 08:45 on a given day were forbidden solid foods from 21:00 hours the day before surgery and allowed to drink only clear fluids (e.g. water, green tea, sports drinks, and clear juices) freely until 07:00 hours on the day of the surgery. After induction of anesthesia, gastric juice was obtained by inserting a 14 French gastric tube into the stomach to ascertain gastric volume and pH. In the present study, the patients were divided into three groups according to type of surgery: non-gastrointestinal (Group N), upper gastrointestinal (Group U), and lower gastrointestinal (Group L) surgery. The gastric volume and pH of the three groups were then compared. Results Gastric fluid volume of the patients in Groups N, U, and L was 8 (0, 20) ml, 4 (0, 12) ml and 13 (0, 20) ml, respectively. Patients in Group L had significantly greater gastric volume compared with those in Groups N ( p = 0.0156) and U ( p = 0.0003). The gastric pH in Groups N, U, and L was 1.6 (1.3, 3.7), 3 (1.6, 5.65) and 1.9 (1.4, 5.6), respectively. Gastric pH was significantly higher in Group U than in Group N ( p = 0.0061). Conclusion Although gastric volume and pH differed among patients who underwent upper, lower, and non-gastrointestinal surgery after liberal preoperative fasting, the values remained within the safety parameters (UMIN000010802).

The allergenicity of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) proteins has been widely reported to cause many serious food safety problems. In this study, the protein sample extracted from Larimichthys crocea was digested and analyzed by reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS/MS) for globally proteomic analysis, and the Larimichthys crocea proteins were digested with simulated gastric fluid (SGF) at different time intervals and separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The digestion-resistant proteins were further done with in-gel digestion and analyzed by RPLC-MS/MS. Then, sequence homology analysis between identified proteins and known allergens was performed. Results showed that 33 kinds of distinct proteins were feasibly identified from Larimichthys crocea by RPLC-MS/MS and the protein band (approximately 44.0 kDa) presented in SDS-PAGE was considered as protein-resistant to SGF digestion. Two potential allergens, β-enolase and tropomyosin α−1 chain, were found from proteins resistant to SGF digestion by sequence homology analysis. It was observed that most of these SGF digestion-resistant proteins were potential allergens with high sequences similarity to the known protein allergens from other species. Therefore, this strategy provides an efficient alternative for potential allergens screening with high-throughput, which exhibits great potential application in fish protein allergens related food safety control.

In this study, Lactobacillus casei LC2W (LC2W) was encapsulated by double layer microcapsules that were prepared by adjusting the amount of sodium alginate and whey protein (1:0, 1:1, 1:1.5, and 1:2, namely AWC-1, AWC-2, AWC-3, and AWC-4, w/w). Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) coating was applied as an outer layer by complex coacervation. The effect of temperature and storage time on the viability of encapsulated LC2W was determined, and their survival was evaluated after exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 2.5) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.4). The results indicated that the particle size of dry microcapsules was 0.45–0.57 mm with an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 83.25%–84.34%. The viability of LC2W encapsulated in AWC-3 at optimal conditions reached 6.72 and 5.97 log CFU/g at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively, after 120 days of storage, whereas it reduced when the temperature was increased from 30 °C to 60 °C. The survival of encapsulated LC2W in AWC-3 in SGF was higher than that in SIF, and the cell counts were 6.56 and 5.96 log CFU/g, respectively. This study demonstrated that the prepared microcapsules could enhance LC2W viability in the intestine, indicating a great application potential in functional foods and milk-based products.

Vitamin gummies have gained popularity in recent years due to ease of swallowing, appealing appearance, and tasty flavors. Water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C are susceptible to degradation when exposed to oxygen, moisture, light, heat, and change in pH during manufacturing and shelf life. Therefore, it is essential to improve vitamin stability and delay the degradation process. In this study, microencapsulation of vitamin C inside casein gel followed by spray drying produced vitamin C capsules in powder form referred to as micro cheese powder (MCP). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirmed an increase in hydrogen bonding between vitamin C and casein, as well as vitamin C and the gummy. In addition, Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation technology was utilized to provide insights into the physical interaction between micellar casein, rennet treated casein, and vitamin C. The storage studies showed that microcapsules integrated into the gummy retained 92% of vitamin C during accelerated tests within a ten-week period, while the unencapsulated vitamin C in the gummy only retained 79%. In addition, compared to the unencapsulated vitamin C in the gummy, encapsulated vitamin C in the gummy showed better retention of vitamin C and color at different temperatures, humidity, and light conditions. MCP showed slower release and better protection of vitamin C from gummy in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). The developed vitamin C microencapsulation is promising to improve the stability of water-soluble vitamins in gummies during processing and storage.

In this study, phage Felix O1 which has ability to infect Salmonella enterica, was microencapsulated by using extrusion method with sodium alginate and sodium caseinate. The formation of microcapsules with the highest microencapsulation efficiency, the highest resistance to low pH and the smallest perimeter was investigated by optimization of process variables applied in bacteriophage microencapsulation. Response Surface Methodology was used for the optimization of the encapsulation process. The optimum conditions were obtained by changing the ratio of sodium alginate content to sodium caseinate content of microencapsulating mixture and the vibration frequency during extrusion process. The optimum conditions for the highest microencapsulation efficiency (OptME) value predicted by the model were: vibration frequency value of 1.61 kHz, the sodium alginate content of 1.86% and sodium caseinate content of 3.26% in the microencapsulating mixture. The lowest reduction rate of microencapsulated phage Felix O1 titers (OptR) was achieved at the frequency value of 4.50 kHz, and with using the microencapsulating mixture contained 2.00% of sodium alginate and 2.69% of sodium caseinate. The activity of microencapsulated phage Felix O1 produced under optimized conditions in the simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was determined. The lowest decrease in the phage titers of Felix O1 was detected in the microcapsules produced for OptR, in the simulated gastric fluid. All microcapsules produced under optimum conditions were successfully released in simulated intestinal fluid. In conclusion, the optimum conditions obtained by the Response Surface Methodology can be used to phage Felix O1 microencapsulation in solutions of sodium alginate and sodium caseinate with extrusion method.

Alginate microparticles incorporating hydrocortisone hemisuccinate were produced by aerosolization and homogenization methods to investigate their potential for colonic drug delivery. Microparticle stabilization was achieved by CaCl2 crosslinking solution (0.5 M and 1 M), and drug loading was accomplished by diffusion into blank microparticles or by direct encapsulation. Homogenization method produced smaller microparticles (45-50 μm), compared to aerosolization (65-90 μm). High drug loadings (40% wt/wt) were obtained for diffusion-loaded aerosolized microparticles. Aerosolized microparticles suppressed drug release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) prior to drug release in simulated colonic fluid (SCF) to a higher extent than homogenized microparticles. Microparticles prepared using aerosolization or homogenization (1 M CaCl2, diffusion loaded) released 5% and 17% of drug content after 2 h in SGF and 4 h in SIF, respectively, and 75% after 12 h in SCF. Thus, aerosolization and homogenization techniques show potential for producing alginate microparticles for colonic drug delivery in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Several formulations were tested for iron-entrapped niosomes with high stability and encapsulation efficiency. A modified ethanol injection method was selected for niosomes preparation. Niosomes formulated with Glycerol monooleate, Polyglyceryl-3 dioleate or Sorbitan monooleate as food-grade surfactants and dodecanol as membrane stabilizer showed iron encapsulation efficiencies in the 72–84% range. Niosomes stability against simulated gastric fluid and simulated intestinal fluid was evaluated by measuring the entrapment efficiency and oxidation of iron. The best formulations were selected for preparation of iron-fortified yogurts. Sensory, rheological and stability properties of the control yogurt were only slightly affected by iron-entrapped niosomes. These results demonstrated that yogurt could be a suitable vehicle for the iron-entrapped niosomes formulated in this work.

The speed of simulated gastric digestion of proteins expressed in genetically engineered (GE) crops is commonly used to inform the allergenicity risk assessment. However, persistence of purified proteins in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) is poorly correlated with the allergenic status of proteins. It has been proposed that the plant or food matrix may affect the digestion of proteins and should be considered in interpreting digestion results. Here the SGF digestion of several GE proteins both as purified preparations and in soybean, corn, and cotton seed/grain extracts (in-matrix) are compared. Cry1F, Cry1Ac, phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT), aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-1 (AAD-1), aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-12 (AAD-12), and double mutant 5-enol pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (2mEPSPS) were all found to rapidly digest both as purified protein preparations and in seed/grain extracts from GE crops expressing these proteins. Based on these results, purified protein from microbial sources is a suitable surrogate for proteins in-matrix when conducting SGF digestion studies.

Carotenoids are susceptible to isomerization and oxidation upon exposure to oxygen, light and heat, which can result in loss of color, antioxidant activity, and vitamin activity. Microencapsulation helps retain carotenoid stability and promotes their release under specific conditions. Thus, the aim of the study was to encapsulate palm oil and β-carotene with chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate or chitosan/carboxymethylcellulose and to assess the performance of these microparticles in food systems by analyzing their release profile under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. Encapsulation efficiency was greater than 95%, and the yield of microparticles coated with chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate was approximately 55%, while that of microparticles coated with chitosan/carboxymethylcellulose was 87%. Particles encapsulated with chitosan/carboxymethylcellulose exhibited ideal release behavior in water and gastric fluid, but showed low release in the intestinal fluid. However, when applied to food systems these particles showed enhanced carotenoid release but showed low release of carotenoids upon storage.

Electrospray technique was used to prepare alginate beads with controllable size from about 200 μm to 1.3 mm by adjusting the working voltage. The encapsulation ability of alginate beads for gallic acid, a model hydrophilic phenolic compound, was investigated. Loading amount of gallic acid varied from 7 g/100 g–12 g/100 g among alginate beads samples. Fourier-transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetry result confirmed the inclusion of gallic acid. Moreover, no autoxidation of gallic acid was observed in the formulated alginate beads. Release profile result indicated that in simulated intestinal fluid the release was faster than that in gastric fluid. The release pattern was influenced by both loading amount of gallic acid and size of alginate beads. Our results suggest that alginate beads fabricated by electrospray method is a promising delivery system for water soluble phenolic compound like gallic acid.

The aim of a chronotherapeutic medicine is to tailor drug in vivo availability to circadian rhythms of diseases in order to reduce side effects and improve patient compliance. To counteract morning symptoms of early morning pathologies, a drug delivery system able to delay ketoprofen release after oral administration has been proposed. Particles made of a pectin matrix were produced by means of prilling; core–shell systems were produced covering the drug particles with Eudragit S100 ® . The systems developed, containing different drug/polymer ratios, were fully characterized in terms of drug content, efficiency of encapsulation, morphology and drug release kinetics. The results indicated that the loading of larger amounts of drug in the feed solution led to spherical and mono-disperse beads, with high encapsulation efficiency and a reduced drug delivery in gastric simulated fluids (22%). Finally, a further delay of drug release (7.3% released in simulated gastric fluid) was achieved applying to the drug/pectin core a shell of Eudragit S100 ® (40% w/w) a gastro-resistant polymer. This core–shell platform exploits the different characteristics of the two selected polymers, i.e. pH dependent solubility of Eudragit S100 ® and the peculiarities of pectin, degraded slowly in alkaline environment and selectively by the intestinal microflora in vivo.

This study aimed to prepare anthocyanin-rich microcapsules by spray and freeze-drying complex coacervated double emulsion using gelatin-acacia gum (GE-AG) and chitosan-carboxymethylcellulose (CS-CMC) and to investigate their properties and in vitro release kinetics. Microencapsulation efficiency (MEE) of the microcapsules varied from 84.9% to 94.7%. CS-CMS microcapsules showed significantly higher MEEs than those of GE-AG microcapsules. A significant higher MEE and lower moisture content and hygroscopicity was observed in spray-dried double emulsion (SDE) microcapsules. Freeze-dried double emulsion (FDE) microcapsules possessed higher total anthocyanin and total phenolic contents. The best fit for release kinetics was achieved using first-order and Higuchi models for SDE and FDE microcapsules, respectively. Diffusion-controlled release in the simulated gastric fluid was found for SDE microcapsules, while erosion-controlled release in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids predominated for FDE microcapsules. These findings suggest that the microcapsules can be applied for loading anthocyanins as a nutraceutical with controllable release requirement.

Biorelevant media are increasingly being employed as dissolution media in drug development, including in smaller volumes than 900ml and under non-sink conditions. The objectives were to assess interday repeatability, interanalyst repeatability, and interlaboratory reproducibility of dissolution profiles from biorelevant media, as well as to assess the impacts of biorelevant media production method and biorelevant medium volume on dissolution profiles. Ibuprofen and ketoconazole tablets were subjected to dissolution testing in 500ml, 300ml, and 40ml of fasted state simulated gastric fluid (FaSSGF), fed state simulated gastric fluid (FeSSGF), fasted state simulated intestinal fluid version 2 (FaSSIF-V2), and fed state simulated intestinal fluid version 2 (FeSSIF-V2). f2 was used to assess repeatability and reproducibility of dissolution profiles. Results indicate favorable interday repeatability (83 of 88 comparisons were similar), favorable interanalyst repeatability (19 of 21 comparisons were similar), and favorable interlaboratory reproducibility (10 of 14 comparisons were similar) of dissolution profiles from biorelevant media, with commercial media showing greater interlaboratory reproducibility than 'from scratch' media. However, biorelevant medium production had low impact on profiles when one analyst conducted all medium preparations and study procedures at one location. Additionally, biorelevant media detected differences when products were not similar. Overall, biorelevant media showed favorable repeatability and reproducibility performance.

Many drug therapies could be greatly improved by dosage forms that reside in the stomach for prolonged time and release the drug slowly. In this work, therefore, slow-release fibrous dosage forms that expand rapidly in the gastric fluid to prevent their passage into the intestines are investigated. The dosage forms consisted of acetaminophen drug and a high-molecular-weight hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) excipient. Upon immersion in a dissolution fluid, they transitioned to viscous, and expanded in proportion to the square-root of time and the reciprocal of fiber radius. The normalized axial expansion was up to 100 percent by fifteen minutes, fast enough to convert a swallowable, 10-mm diameter disk into a gastroretentive, 20-mm diameter viscous gel. The drug was released slowly, eighty percent in 2–8.4 hours. Theoretical models show that the fibrous dosage forms expand rapidly due to the fast diffusion of dissolution fluid into the thin fibers. The fibers then coalesce into a uniform viscous gel, and the diffusion length increases from the radius of the thin fibers to the half-thickness of the gelated dosage form. Consequently, drug diffusion out is slow, and the twin requirements, fast expansion and prolonged drug release, are simultaneously satisfied.

The aims of this study were to produce de-esterified pectin from yuzu (Citrus junos) peel by enzymatic treatment, to use de-esterified yuzu peel pectin (DEYPP) to prepare hydrogel beads as quercetin delivery systems for colon target, and to estimate the structural, physicochemical, and in-vitro release properties of the hydrogel beads. Yuzu peel pectin was de-esterified by pectin methylesterase (DE: 34.64%), and oligochitosan-DEYPP hydrogel beads were produced by an ionic gelation method with different concentrations of DEYPP (1, 1.5, and 2%). The new formations of cross-linking (between the ‒COO- of DEYPP and Ca2+) and a polyelectrolyte complex (between the ‒COO- of DEYPP and the ‒NH3+ of oligochitosan) in all the beads were confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared analysis. The results of X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the crystalline quercetin was converted into an amorphous state during the preparation of hydrogel beads. Both the mean particle diameter and the quercetin entrapment efficiency of the beads were significantly increased with increasing DEYPP concentration. For all beads, the cumulative quercetin release after exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) was below 1%, because both the cross-linking and the polyelectrolyte complex occurred in the beads were stable in the SGF and SIF. However, when the hydrogel beads were exposed to simulated colonic fluid for 12 h, quercetin was greatly released from the hydrogel beads (65.37–99.54%). These results revealed that oligochitosan-DEYPP hydrogel beads can be effectively used as quercetin delivery systems for colon target.

The oral bioaccessibility of copper alloys and pure metals was assessed using in vitro methods with synthetic saliva and gastric fluid. The metal-specific migration rates from polished alloy surfaces are higher in gastric (pH 1.5) than in saliva fluid (pH 7.2). In both media, migrations are higher for lead than for other metals. The bioaccessible metal concentrations in massive copper alloys, after 2 h in gastric fluid, was only0.01%-0.18%, consistent with the low surface reactivity of copper alloys (defined as 1 mm spheres). The average metal-specific migrations of cobalt, copper, nickel and lead from most of the tested copper alloys in gastric media are comparable to the ones from their pure metals. The data further show that the bioaccessibility of metals in massive copper alloys primarily depends on the bioelution medium, the exposed surface area and the composition of the alloy. The tested copper alloys show only limited evidence for influence of alloy surface microstructure. This is contrary to findings for other alloys such as stainless steel. Additional investigations on other copper alloys could allow to further refine these conclusions. These findings are useful for establishing the hazard and risk profile of copper alloys following oral exposure.

This work aims to develop and evaluate buoyant beads embedded with domperidone/Dowex 50WX2 resinate complex as novel multiple-unit type oral gastro-retentive drug delivery system. Domperidone (BCS II) has been chosen for gastric retention as it has a poor oral bioavailability (around 15%), a short biological half-life, and pH-dependent solubility with poor solubility at a high pH and good solubility at low pH. Two different techniques were used to induce beads buoyancy; first, formulation of effervescent beads by incorporation of NaHCO3 in the beads, which will release carbon dioxide gas upon reaction with the acidic gastric fluid causing the beads to float. Second, is the formation of low-density emulgel beads by the incorporation of light mineral oil in the beads. Resinate complex is used to control the drug release from the prepared formulations. Beads were evaluated for percent drug entrapment efficiency, floating behavior (float lag time and duration), mean particle diameter, in vitro drug release, and release kinetics in SGF. The effect of different concentrations of both NaHCO3 (1%, 2%, and 10%) and light mineral oil (2%, 5%, and 10%) on the floating behavior and physical appearance was studied. The optimized formula (F10) was subjected to a four-week stability study at both 25 oC and 40 oC. Results revealed that gastro-retentive beads possessed a floating duration of up to 24 hours and no floating lag time was developed. The novel resinate loaded beads succeeded to sustain the release of domperidone in SGF. The optimized formula was stable at both temperatures of 25 oC and 40 oC for four weeks. Hence, the developed optimized formulation (F10) is considered as a potential to increase the domperidone bioavailability, decrease dosage frequency, and increase patient compliance.

Esophageal stent implantation is an effective treatment for esophageal cancer. Current clinically-used esophageal stents are non-degradable metallic stents, such as nitinol and stainless steel, which displayed poor compliance and histocompatibility, and resulted in serious complications, such as esophageal restenosis, perforation, chest pain, etc. Thus, biodegradable esophageal stents are in eager need of investigation. Based on this, we evaluated the in vitro performance of newly-developed Zn-0.1Li alloy systematically, as a pilot study on its feasibility of applying in esophageal stent material. The degradation rate of Zn-0.1Li alloy in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was 0.056 ± 0.016 mm/year, and in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) was 0.316 ± 0.022 mm/year. Zn-0.1Li alloy could maintain 95% of the initial mechanical strength after 60 days immersion. Besides, Zn-0.1Li alloy could partly inhibit L929 cell proliferation, which might be beneficial for esophageal cancer treatment.

Vitamin D3 (VD3) is a fat-soluble vitamin and easily degraded under acidic conditions, which will greatly reduce its bioavailability. The use of complexes formed by protein-polysaccharide to control release and protect active compounds has become a feasible way in the food field. In this work, ovalbumin (OVA) and high methoxyl pectin (PEC) were applied to fabricate OVA-PEC nanocomplexes to encapsulate and protect VD3. The encapsulation efficiency of VD3 by OVA-PEC complexes could reach to 96.37%, and the storage stability of VD3 was obviously improved after encapsulation. The in vitro simulated gastrointestinal experiments combined with SEM and SDS-PAGE were employed to observe the digestive behavior of OVA-PEC-VD3 nanocomplexes. A small amount of VD3 is released from OVA-PEC-VD3 nanocomplexes in simulated gastric fluid, while a large amount of VD3 is released in simulated intestinal fluid. The sustained release kinetic of VD3 from OVA-PEC-VD3 nanocomplexes was consistent with the law of Higuchi model. The preliminary molecular mechanism for VD3 encapsulation by OVA-PEC complexes was also investigated, and the formation of OVA-PEC-VD3 nanocomplexes is ascribed to the electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions among OVA, PEC and VD3. The results demonstrated that protein-polysaccharide complexes can effectively encapsulate VD3 and achieve the goal of sustained release in the simulated gastrointestinal tract, which have potential applications in food and medicine.

Purpose The present work aims to develop and characterize domperidone resinate complex to be loaded into a gastroretentive delivery system. The formed resinate complex will be used to control the drug release in the stomach from inside the gastroretentive delivery system. Methods Resinate complexes were formulated by a simple aqueous binding method. Screening of different types of resins was carried out. Domperidone binding study was tested at various drug and resin concentrations. Physicochemical characterizations were carried out to evaluate the prepared resinate complex. These studies included flow properties, in vitro drug release in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Mass spectroscopy and XPRD evaluations. Also, the stability study of the selected resinate complex was conducted at 25 °C and 40 °C for up to one month. Results Domperidone and Dowex 50WX2 in a ratio of 1:3 have formed a resinate complex that has shown acceptable flow properties, thermal properties and short-term chemical stability at 25 °C and 40 °C. Domperidone release profile from resinate in SGF has shown slow controlled release characteristics. Conclusion The domperidone stable complex with Dowex ion exchange resin has the potential for further development as gastroretentive drug delivery system as a mean of controlling the drug release.

The emulsification method (EM) is popular for microencapsulating probiotics with lactoprotein as the wall material. We have developed an aqueous phase separation method (APSM) based on this technique by replacing emulsification with fermentation. Compared with the EM microcapsules, the electrophoresis results showed that the wall materials of the microcapsules prepared using the APSM consisted of more protein fragments after fermentation. Plate-counting results revealed porliferation of the core material —Lactobacillus plantarum LIP-1). Microencapsulation efficiency of the APSM microcapsules of 82 ± 5%, particle size of 80 ± 5 μm, survival rate in simulated gastric fluid of 85 ± 5%, survival rate after freeze-drying of 88.4%, and prolonged shelf-life. These characteristics were all significantly better than those of the EM microcapsules (P

Albeit gelatin hard capsules were predominantly applied, their disadvantages call for endeavours on non-gelatin capsules in healthcare aspects. Herein, high molecular weight (Mw = 1 × 106) pullulan was purified from yeast fermentation broth. This high Mw pullulan and commercial low Mw pullulan were respectively co-blended with gellan to prepare the optimal solutions for capsule production. Further investigations, including loss-on-drying, brittleness and tightness, showed that the obtained pullulan-gellan capsules were of low water content, brittleness, leakage, and of high tightness. These capsules exhibited an extended release of amoxicillin over 60 min in simulated gastric fluid. Although the use of high and low Mw pullulan produced composite capsules with similar properties, the required concentration of high Mw pullulan was nearly half of that for low Mw pullulan, suggesting a cost-saving characteristic of using high Mw pullulan. This work proposes a potential substitution of gelatin with pullulan-gellan composites for preparing hard capsules.

Lead (Pb) exposure is known to affect the health of children while soil Pb is an important contributor to human Pb exposure. To analyze the effects of both environmental and other factors, especially total and bioaccessible Pb in neighborhood soil, on school-aged urban children’s blood lead level (BLL), 75 children (6–11 years old) were recruited from an industry city in eastern China for BLL measurement and questionnaire survey. Soil samples were collected from their living neighborhoods and measured for total and bioaccessible Pb. The mean BLL was 4.82 μg dL−1, with 42 out of 75 children having BLL exceeding the international guideline of 5 μg dL−1. Low Pb contamination was observed in soil with total Pb ranging from 12.5 to 271 mg kg−1 (mean 34.3 mg kg−1). Based on the in vitro Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium (SBRC) gastric fluid extraction, bioaccessible Pb in soil ranged from 0.40 to 79.1 mg kg−1 (mean 7.58 mg kg−1) with Pb bioaccessibility ranging from 1.74 to 68.1 (mean 19.9%). When BLL was correlated with total Pb in soil, insignificant linear relationship was observed (P > 0.05, correlation coefficient 95%CI = −0.047–0.40, R2 = 0.07). However, when BLL was correlated with soil bioaccessible Pb or Pb bioaccessibility, much stronger linear relationships were observed (P

This study aimed at investigating the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from jaboticaba peel and seed after simulated gastrointestinal digestion and gut fermentation. Following gastric digestion, total phenolic compounds bioaccessibility was 47%. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, ellagic acid and gallic acid, the most abundant phenolic compounds, showed the lowest releases, probably caused by gastric fluid saturation. After intestinal digestion, anthocyanins bioaccessibility decreased 25%, possibly by their instability in alkaline pH. In contrast, ellagic acid bioaccessibility increased 74%, probably due to insoluble ellagitannins release induced by intestinal conditions. Two culture media (nutrient-poor and nutrient-rich) were tested for gut fermentation. Nutrient-rich medium showed the highest phenolic compounds bioaccessibility and was considered more adequate as it would better reflect in vivo gut metabolism. After 72 h fermentation, total phenolic compounds bioaccessibility decreased to 19%, suggesting their extensive metabolization by gut microbiota.

Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was encapsulated into pH-responsive alginate/kappa(κ)-carrageenan double network hydrogel beads at different pHs and CaCl2/KCl ratios. Controlled release of BSA was performed in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and then in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). Alginate reinforced the mechanical properties while double network with kappa-carrageenan made slow down the release of BSA into SIF. Sulfate groups on kappa-carrageenan improved the resistivity against phosphate buffer solution. Encapsulation and BSA release was manipulated by varying pH and crosslinking concentration. The highest encapsulation efficiency (83–89%) was obtained with the hydrogel beads prepared at the lower pH than isoelectric point of BSA, then 67–72% of them released in SIF in 4–5 h while lower than 10% of BSA released in SGF, hence, protein delivery targeted intestinal was achieved. BSA release exhibited a coupling of diffusion and polymer relaxation mechanism without burst release.

Complexes of amylose (AS) with ibuprofen (IBF) were prepared by the acidification method to yield V-type structure with different IBF-AS ratios. Among the ratios being tested, the IBF-AS ratio of 1/10 gave the highest yields (52.6%, w/w) and IBF content in the complex (14.1%, w/w). The XRD and 13 C CP/MAS NMR spectra indicated that the AS and IBF formed the V-amylose complexes. The DSC and FT-IR analysis further testified the formation of the AS-IBF inclusion complexes. These complexes are stable in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), with

Encapsulation of Enterococcus faecalis HZNU P2 ( E. faecalis HZNU P2) in the microspheres comprised of the mixtures of milk and alginate was developed in this paper. The survival of E. faecalis HZNU P2 in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 2.0 and 2.5) and bile salt solution (1.0 and 2.0%) was assessed. In addition, the release and storage stability of E. faecalis HZNU P2 were studied. The results showed that encapsulated cells showed good tolerance to SGF and bile salt solution (1.0 or 2.0%). Encapsulated E. faecalis HZNU P2 could be completely released in simulated intestine fluid (SIF) within 1 h. The storage stability of encapsulated E. faecalis HZNU P2 was also highly improved. These results show that milk-alginate microspheres show a promise for the encapsulation, protection and release of E. faecalis HZNU P2 as a supplement and/or food ingredient.

The treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) shows several issues among paediatric patients. This work aims to the formulation of enteric alginate beads loaded with omeprazole (OME) allowing age- and weight-related personalized dosages in children. OME was entrapped in SBA-15 mesoporous compound, characterized and loaded into alginate beads by prilling at different OME and alginate concentrations. The beads resulted of homogeneous size, spherical morphology and very consistent in drug loading and distribution. Formulations demonstrated limited swelling and release (about 10%) in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) after 2h and a prolonged release in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), till 6h, due to a mixed diffusion-case II transport mechanism. The beads were superior to the market product, which showed lower release in SGF but immediate dissolution in SIF. The high alginate beads uniformity and release properties make them a potential novel tool for a personalized treatment of GERD in children.

William Prout (1785-1850) a multifaceted English physician, conducted important research in the areas of physiology, meteorology, and chemistry; he studied the processes of digestion, respiration, and blood formation, the urinary system, urine and urinary calculi, iden- tified the presence of HCl in the gastric fluid, and proposed the theory that the atomic weight of an element is an integer multiple of the atomic weight of hydrogen (Prout's hypothesis).

The aim of the present study was to evaluate survival of Cronobacter sakazakii adapted or shocked to heat, acid or desiccation during rehydration of powdered infant formula and in simulated gastric fluid (SGF). Four C. sakazakii strains isolated in South Korea were individually adapted or shocked under stress conditions, equal volumes of each strain were combined to form a cocktail. Heat and acid resistance of stressed cells were determined by subjecting the cells to rehydrated infant formula (RIF) reconstituted at 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, and 70 °C for 1 min, and in SGF (pH 2.5), respectively. The growth kinetic parameters of stressed cells at different storage temperatures were compared using the Baranyi model. Except for desiccation, all stress conditions significantly (P 0.05) difference in growth parameters between unstressed and stressed cells at 25 °C. No growth was detected at 5 °C. Thus, this study indicates that long-term exposure of C. sakazakii to mild heat and acid could enhance their survivability during rehydration of infant formula at high temperatures or in SGF. Furthermore, this study suggests that the prepared and leftover RIF must be stored at refrigeration temperature to inhibit the growth of C. sakazakii, minimizing the risk of possible outbreaks.