Search

Binary and ternary blends of amylose (AM), polylactic acid (PLA), and glycerol were prepared using a Pickering emulsion approach. Various formulations of AM/PLA with low PLA contents ranging from 3% to 12% were mixed with AM matrix and reinforced with 25% cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and PLA-grafted cellulose nanofibers (g-CNF), the latter to enhance miscibility. Polymeric films were fabricated through solvent casting and characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS), and the evaluations of physical, mechanical properties, and wettability were performed using contact angle measurements. The binary blends of AM and PLA produced films suitable for packaging, pharmaceutical, or biomedical applications with excellent water barrier properties. The ternary blends of AM/CNF/PLA and AM/g-CNF/PLA nanocomposite films demonstrated enhanced tensile strength and reduced water permeability compared to AM/PLA films. Adding g-CNF resulted in better homogeneity and increased relative crystallinity from 33% to 35% compared to unmodified CNF. The application of Pickering emulsion in creating AM-based CNF/ PLA composites resulted in a notable enhancement in tensile strength by 47%. This study presents an effective approach for producing biodegradable and reinforced PLA-based nanocomposite films, which show promise as bio-nanocomposite materials for food packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Potato pulp is rich in dietary fibres and is an underutilised material produced in large quantities by the potato starch factories. Potato fibres are especially rich in rhamnogalacturonan I (RG I). RG I is a pectic polysaccharide with a high degree of branching and until now undegraded RG I has only been extracted in small amounts limiting the application possibilities for RG I. The present paper describes a large-scale extraction process providing large quantities of undegraded RG I readily available. The extraction process includes enzymatic starch removal using purified Termamyl, enzymatic RG I solubilisation using a highly purified polygalacturonase, and finally purification using depth filtration and ultrafiltration. The extracted RG I has a high molecular weight and a monosaccharide composition comparable to RG I extracted by analytical extraction procedures. The large amount of RG I available by the presented method allows for thorough structure–function analyses and tailoring of RG I to specific functionalities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum) is an important component of the diet around the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa where this drought resistant plant can grow. The marama bean contains roughly 1/3 proteins, 1/3 lipids and 1/3 carbohydrates, but despite its potential as dietary supplement little is known about the carbohydrate fraction. In this study the carbohydrate fraction of “immature” and “mature” marama seeds are characterised. The study shows that the marama bean contains negligible amounts of starch and soluble sugars, both far less than 1%. The cell wall is characterised by a high arabinose content and a high resistance to extraction as even a 6M NaOH extraction was insufficient to extract considerable amounts of the arabinose. The arabinose fraction was characterised by arabinan-like linkages and recognised by the arabinan antibody LM6 and LM13 indicating that it is pectic arabinan. Two pools of pectin could be detected; a regular CDTA (1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid) or enzymatically extractable pectin fraction and a recalcitrant pectin fraction containing the majority of the arabinans, of which about 40% was unextractable using 6M NaOH. Additionally, a high content of mannose was observed, possibly from mannosylated storage proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Posmo) was transformed with a fungal endo-α-1,5-l-arabinanase gene (E.C. 3.2.1.99) and the enzyme secreted to the apoplast. Using promoters that are known to be sucrose inducible in potato—the granule bound starch synthase promoter and the promoter of the patatin storage protein gene—strong expression of the arabinanase was observed in developing sinks, notably the meristems giving rise to tubers, stolons and side shoots. Expression of the arabinanase interfered with normal meristem function and depending on the promoter used, different phenotypes were obtained devoid of tubers or both tubers, stolons and side shoots. The altered ratio of source to sink tissues in the transformants was used to study the regulation of photoassimilate allocation to different tissues. Tuberless transformants were unable to fully balance supply with demand and excess photoassimilates were deposited as starch granules with the structure of tuber starch in above ground tissues, notably in the stem pith. Transcripts normally associated with tuber development were detected in the starch accumulating tissues and the tuberlike transcript profile was not limited to transcripts that are directly sucrose inducible. These observations are discussed in relation to organ identity and source–sink regulation in potato. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Engineered amylose and waste CNF generate good bioplastics. • CNF enhanced crystallinity, mechanics and permeability. • Cellulose nanofibers and amylose showed domain phase separation. Thermoplastic, polysaccharide-based plastics are environmentally friendly. However, typical shortcomings include lack of water resistance and poor mechanical properties. Nanocomposite manufacturing using pure, highly linear, polysaccharides can overcome such limitations. Cast nanocomposites were fabricated with plant engineered pure amylose (AM), produced in bulk quantity in transgenic barley grain, and cellulose nanofibers (CNF), extracted from agrowaste sugar beet pulp. Morphology, crystallinity, chemical heterogeneity, mechanics, dynamic mechanical, gas and water permeability, and contact angle of the films were investigated. Blending CNF into the AM matrix significantly enhanced the crystallinity, mechanical properties and permeability, whereas glycerol increased elongation at break, mainly by plasticizing the AM. There was significant phase separation between AM and CNF. Dynamic plasticizing and anti-plasticizing effects of both CNF and glycerol were demonstrated by NMR demonstrating high molecular order, but also non-crystalline, and evenly distributed 20 nm-sized glycerol domains. This study demonstrates a new lead in functional polysaccharide-based bioplastic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]