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Effects of ultrasonic treatment on the structural and functional properties of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) seed protein
This study aimed to explore the composition and nutritional value of CSP and reveal the effects of ultrasound treatment on protein quality. Protein chemical structure analysis showed that an appropriate intensity of ultrasound treatment (450 W) could significantly increase protein solubility (96.46 ± 2.07%) and surface hydrophobicity (13.76 ± 0.85 μg), decrease the content of T-SH (50.25 ± 0.79 μmol/g) and free-SH (8.60 ± 0.30 μmol/g), and enhance emulsification characteristics. Circular dichroism analysis further confirmed that the ultrasonic treatment increased the α-helix and random coil content. Amino acid anal...
Source: Ultrasonics Sonochemistry - June 9, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Xue Li Baokun Qi Shuang Zhang Yang Li Source Type: research

Foodomics revealed the effects of ultrasonic extraction on the composition and nutrition of cactus fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica) seed oil
This study aimed to explore the composition and nutritional value of cactus fruit seed oil (CFO) and reveal the effects of ultrasound-assisted extraction and traditional solvent extraction on oil quality. Foodomics analysis showed that CFO extracted using a traditional solvent is rich in linolenic acid (9c12cC18:2, 57.46 ± 0.84 %), α-tocopherol (20.01 ± 1.86 mg/100 g oil), and canolol (200.10 ± 1.21 μg/g). Compared to traditional solvent extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction can significantly increase the content of lipid concomitants in CFO, whereas excessive ultrasound intensity may lead to the oxidation of oil...
Source: Ultrasonics Sonochemistry - June 3, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Xue Li Baokun Qi Shuang Zhang Yang Li Source Type: research

Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 4451: Single and Binary Removals of Pb(II) and Cd(II) with Chemically Modified Opuntia ficus indica Cladodes
In this study, cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (OFIC), chemically modified with NaOH (OFICM), have been prepared, characterized, and tested as an effective biomass to remove Pb(II) and/or Cd(II) from aqueous media. At an optimum pH of 4.5, the adsorption capacity, qe, of treated OFICM was almost four times higher than that of untreated OFIC. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) in the single removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) were 116.8 and 64.7 mg g&minus;1, respectively. These values were 12.1% and 70.6% higher than those for the corresponding qmax in binary removal, which indicates the strong inhibitive effect of...
Source: Molecules - May 31, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Carmencita Lavado-Meza Miguel C. Fernandez-Pezua Francisco Gamarra-G ómez Elisban Sacari-Sacari Julio Angeles-Suazo Juan Z. D ávalos-Prado Tags: Article Source Type: research

Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 3953: Untreated Opuntia ficus indica for the Efficient Adsorption of Ni(II), Pb(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) Ions from Water
la Piazzese The raw cladode of Opuntia ficus indica (OFI) was evaluated as a sustainable biosorbent for the removal of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cu, and Cd) from aqueous solutions. The functional groups of OFI were identified by employing DRIFT-FTIR and CP-MAS-NMR techniques before and after contact with the ions in an aqueous media, showing a rearrangement of the biomass structure due to the complexation between the metal and the functional groups. The adsorption process was studied in both single- and multi-component systems under batch conditions at different pHs (4.0, 5.0, and 6.0), different metal concentrations, and ...
Source: Molecules - May 8, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Marcella Barbera Serena Indelicato David Bongiorno Valentina Censi Filippo Saiano Daniela Piazzese Tags: Article Source Type: research

Green solid-liquid extraction of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladode dietary fibers. I- optimization, pilot-scale production, and characterization
Anal Biochem. 2023 Apr 4:115139. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2023.115139. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTIn this research work, an optimization of an environment friendly extraction method of cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) cladode dietary fibers was conducted. For this purpose, a central composite experimental design with two factors (temperature and time) and five levels was established. The basic objective of this optimization was to maximize fiber yield using hot water as an extraction eco-solvent. The optimum extraction time (330 min) and temperature (100 °C) were determined with a constant medium agitation rate. Additionally, th...
Source: Analytical Biochemistry - April 6, 2023 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Marwa Cheikh Rouhou Sabrine Douiri Souhir Abdelmoumen Achraf Ghorbal Anne Lung Christine Raynaud Dorra Ghorbel Source Type: research

 Actinomadura terrae sp. nov. and Actinomadura litoris OS3-89, isolated from rhizosphere soil of cactus
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2023 Feb;73(1). doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.005687.ABSTRACTTwo mycelium-forming actinobacterial strains, designated OS3-83 T and OS3-89, were isolated from rhizosphere soil of a cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) sampled on Mara Island, Jeju, Republic of Korea. Both of the isolates were found to grow at 20-37 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 and with 0-2 % (w/v) NaCl. Their taxonomic positions were investigated by a polyphasic approach. Strains OS3-83T and OS3-89 were most closely related to the type strain of Actinomadura litoris (99.5 % and 98.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively). Both of the isolates shar...
Source: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology - February 7, 2023 Category: Microbiology Authors: Soon Dong Lee Hong Lim Yang In Seop Kim Hanna Choe Ji-Sun Kim Source Type: research

Opuntia ficus indica (L.) fruit extract alleviates oxidative stress through activation of dual oxidases and Keap1/Nrf2 signaling cascades in high-fat-diet associated atherosclerosis rats
Toxicol Res (Camb). 2022 Oct 15;11(6):920-930. doi: 10.1093/toxres/tfac070. eCollection 2022 Dec.ABSTRACTAtherosclerosis is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic inflammation associated with progressive thickening and hardening of the large to medium-sized arteries due to plaque formation. The study aims to evaluate the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic efficacy of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) fruit extract against the high-fat-diet associated atherosclerotic rat model. In-vitro qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening of OFI fruit extract revealed the significant presence of total pheno...
Source: Atherosclerosis - December 26, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Noreen Aslam Muhammad Naeem Faisal Junaid Ali Khan Wafa Majeed Source Type: research

Solid-State Fermentation of Steam-Exploded Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes Using Trichoderma reesei CCT-2768 for the Production of Cellulolytic Enzymes
Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2022 Nov 11. doi: 10.1007/s12010-022-04222-x. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe sustainable development of the drylands, i.e., regions with limited availability of water, depends on the exploitation of the few biomass types that can thrive in such conditions, such as the Opuntia ficus-indica, a plant of the Cactaceae family. In the present study, the cladodes of O. ficus-indica were used as a substrate by the fungus Trichoderma reesei CCT-2768 for the production of cellulolytic enzymes through solid-state fermentation. Firstly, the extraction of the mucilage, soluble components of industrial intere...
Source: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - November 11, 2022 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Pedro F Souza Filho Everaldo S Dos Santos Source Type: research

Molecules, Vol. 27, Pages 7568: Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Biotransformation of Opuntia Ficus Fruit: The Effect of In Vitro and Ex Vivo Gut Microbiota Metabolism
This study assessed gut microbiota effect on the biotransformation of O. ficus-indica metabolites both in vitro and ex vivo. Two-time aliquots (0.5 and 24 h) from the in vitro assay were harvested post incubation of O. ficus-indica methanol extract with microbial consortium, while untreated and treated samples with fecal bacterial culture from the ex vivo assay were prepared. Metabolites were analyzed using UHPLC-QTOF-MS, with flavonoid glycosides completely hydrolyzed in vitro at 24 h being converted to two major metabolites, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid and phloroglucinol, concurrent with an increase in the gallic a...
Source: Molecules - November 4, 2022 Category: Chemistry Authors: Ibrahim E. Sallam Ulrike Rolle-Kampczyk Stephanie Serena Sch äpe Soumaya S. Zaghloul Riham S. El-Dine Ping Shao Martin von Bergen Mohamed A. Farag Tags: Article Source Type: research

Cacti as low-cost substrates to produce L-asparaginase by endophytic fungi
This study aimed to select endophytic fungi to produce L-asparaginase and partially optimising the production of the enzyme using cacti as substrate. Seventeen endophytes were assessed for intracellular enzymatic potential in modified Czapek Dox ’s medium using L-proline as an inducer. The best producer was evaluated for intracellular and extracellular enzymatic activity in modified Czapek Dox’s medium using flours ofOpuntia ficus-indica andNopalea cochenillifera as substrate. The biomass and L-asparaginase production profile was analysed and the best conditions for enzyme production were verified using factorial desig...
Source: World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology - October 27, 2022 Category: Microbiology Source Type: research

Molecules, Vol. 27, Pages 7217: Dough Performance and Quality Evaluation of Cookies Prepared from Flour Blends Containing Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and Acacia (Acacia seyal) Gums
m A. Ababtain Acacia (AG) and cactus gums (CG) were mixed into wheat flour at the 3% and 6% levels. The flour blends were tested for their pasting, dough development, and extensibility behaviors. The blends were used to make cookies, which were then evaluated for their physical, textural, and sensory qualities. Both types of gum reduced the setback viscosities, water absorption, and farinograph quality numbers while increasing the water retention capacity, dough development time, and extensibility. The thickness and diameter of the cookies decreased in the presence of the cactus gum, while the acacia gum resulted in gr...
Source: Molecules - October 25, 2022 Category: Chemistry Authors: Shahzad Hussain Mohamed Saleh Alamri Abdellatif A. Mohamed Mohamed Abdrabo Ibraheem Akram A. Abdo Qasem Ghalia Shamlan Ibrahim A. Ababtain Tags: Article Source Type: research

Radiochemical transformation of mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus- índica using gamma radiation
Appl Radiat Isot. 2022 Aug 19;190:110430. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110430. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGamma irradiation is a powerful tool for modifying the physicochemical properties of polymers. Gamma radiation has been widely used to carry out reactions such as crosslinking, depolymerization, and graft copolymerization, with a wide variety of synthetic and natural polymers. Although gamma irradiation proved to be useful to modify the chemical properties of several polysaccharides, this method has not been applied to mucilage. However, irradiation could bring beneficial changes to mucilage for its use in different...
Source: Applied Radiation and Isotopes - October 3, 2022 Category: Radiology Authors: Mart ín Caldera-Villalobos Violeta Álvarez-Venicio Miriam Arenas-S áenz Benjam ín Leal-Acevedo Mar ía Del Pilar Carreón-Castro Source Type: research