Marek Adamczak

The aim of this article was to present the biological activity of milk components, particularly lactoferrin (LF), and techniques for its extraction and purification. Dairy products have long been recognized for their significant contributions to human health and nutrition. Recent studies indicate that dairy consumption offers various health benefits, particularly concerning bone health, metabolic wellness, and cardiovascular health. LF, abundantly present in milk, exhibits a range of health-promoting properties that are increasingly recognized for their significance in nutrition and disease prevention. The production of LF can be approached through two main avenues: extraction from milk and recombinant expression systems. Both methods present unique advantages and challenges that influence the efficiency of LF production on an industrial scale. Moreover, advances in purification and drying techniques are crucial to enhance the overall efficiency of LF production. Recent studies have focused on methods such as monolithic ion-exchange chromatography and membrane technologies to improve yield and reduce costs of LF extraction. These innovations not only facilitate the extraction but also preserve the structural integrity and the functional properties of LF. The article presents the discussion of the applications of the LF in the dairy industry, indicating its growing importance as a functional ingredient in health products.

Yogurt is a fermented milk drink produced by Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrüeckii ssp. bulgaricus, or Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which can be enriched with polyphenolic compounds to enhance its antioxidant properties. Supercritical (scCO₂/H₂O) extracts obtained from the mixture of bark and wood of black poplar (Populus nigra) and basket willow (Salix viminalis) are the source of bioactive compounds. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of supercritical extracts from the P. nigra and S. viminalis on the fermentation, quality, and bioactive properties of drinkable natural and probiotic yogurts. The incorporation of scCO₂/H₂O extracts at a dose of 0.01% (w/v) into milk for the production of natural and probiotic yogurts increases their functional properties by enhancing the antioxidant activity without causing negative effects on the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of products. The antioxidant activity of yogurt with scCO₂/H₂O extract from P. nigra and S. viminalis was higher than control yogurts by 1.3–13.2% and 4.4–37.5%, respectively. The addition of a supercritical S. viminalis extract reduced the time of natural and probiotic yogurt fermentation. Natural and probiotic yogurt with scCO₂/H₂O extracts added was characterised by a bacterial population size of over 7 log cfu/g, and the microflora was active throughout the cold storage period. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of scCO₂/H₂O extracts from P. nigra or S. viminalis in both types of yogurt. A secondary structure analysis confirmed interactions between compounds of scCO₂/H₂O extract from P. nigra and S. viminalis extract with milk proteins. These interactions affect the compounds’ structural and functional properties by changing, e.g., their digestibility and antioxidant properties.

Introduction and Objective: Biologically active peptides (BAP) are fragments of amino acid sequences of food proteins that become active upon release. The precursors of these peptides can be milk proteins, mainly casein and whey protein fractions. The aim of this study is to...

Przedstawiono wyniki badań doświadczalnych hydrolizy biomasy miskanta olbrzymiego i cukrowego, po hydrotermicznej obróbce alkalicznej, z użyciem preparatu celulaz (Accellerase 1500) i mieszaniny enzymów wspomagających. Ponad 50% aktywnych celulaz było związanych z frakcją stałą po hydrolizie lignocelulozy. Wykazano możliwość 2–3-krotnego wykorzystania enzymów związanych z biomasą miskanta olbrzymiego i cukrowego do hydrolizy lignocelulozy.

The bio-based economy concept requires using biomass not only for energy production but also for bioactive compound extraction, application or biotransformation. This study analyzed the possibility of obtaining bioactive compounds from biomass before its transformation into biofuel. This involved an analysis of the total content of polyphenols (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and spectral analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (QATR- FTIR) as well as analysis of the antioxidant activity of extracts from selected perennial herbaceous crops cultivated on marginal lands in Poland. The extracts were obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (scCO₂) or scCO₂ with water as a cosolvent (scCO₂/H₂O) from biomass of the following plants: Helianthus salicifolius, Silphium perfoliatum, Helianthus tuberosus, Miscanthus × giganteus, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, Miscanthus sinensis and Spartina pectinata. The biomass was harvested twice during the growing period (June and October) and once after the end of the growing period (February). For most of the analyzed extracts obtained from biomass at the growing stage using scCO₂ or scCO₂/H₂O, a higher TPC was noted than for samples of semi-wood or straw biomass obtained after the end of the growing period. Higher contents of polyphenolic compounds were recorded in extracts obtained using scCO₂/H₂O. A positive correlation between TPC and antioxidant activity was noted for the analyzed substrates. Flavonoid contents varied in the analyzed samples, and higher contents were generally obtained in scCO₂ extracts from biomass harvested at the beginning of the growing period. A high diversity of extract compositions was confirmed by spectral analysis. The presented data can be used at the initial stage of planning a biorefinery.

Omówiono skład chemiczny masła oraz proces jego produkcji. Zwrócono uwagę na możliwość zwiększenia jego właściwości prozdrowotnych poprzez biosyntezę witaminy D dzięki kulturom bakterii probiotycznych. Omówiono także metody oznaczania wybranych składników masła, jak również obecnych w nim zanieczyszczeń.

Renewable feedstock from perennial industrial crops, including those cultivated on marginal land in a short-rotation coppice system, could be an important contribution to the bioeconomy. The majority of data available on the topic are limited to the production of bioenergy from this type of biomass. According to the concept of bioeconomy, biomass-based bioproducts have priority over energy production. This paper characterizes the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of extracts from bark (b), wood (w) or a mixture of bark and wood (b + w) from Salix purpurea, Salix viminalis and Populus nigra obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), scCO₂ and water (1%, w/w) or only water. Generally, a high concentration of polyphenols was obtained after extraction with scCO₂ and water, while the lowest concentration was found in extracts obtained with scCO₂. The highest concentration of polyphenols (p < 0.05) was obtained in an extract from P. nigra (b) (502.62 ± 9.86 mg GAE/g dry matter (d.m.)) after extraction with scCO₂ and water, whereas the lowest polyphenol concentration was observed in an scCO₂ extract from S. purpurea (b) (6.02 ± 0.13 mg GAE/g d.m.). The flavonoids were effectively separated by extraction with scCO₂ (0.88–18.37 mg QE/g d.m.). A positive linear relationship between the antioxidant activity determined by DPPH and ABTS assays and the concentration of polyphenols was demonstrated, R² = 0.8377 and R² = 0.9568, respectively. It is most probable that the concentration of flavonoids, rather than the concentration of polyphenols, determines the chelating activity of Fe²⁺. The Fe²⁺-chelating activity of scCO₂ extracts ranged from 75.11% (EC₅₀ = 5.41 mg/cm³, S. purpurea, b + w) to 99.43% (EC₅₀ = 0.85 mg/cm³, P. nigra, b + w). The lowest chelating activity was demonstrated by the extracts obtained with scCO₂ and water (maximum 26.36%, S. purpurea, b + w). In extracts obtained with scCO₂ and water, p-hydroxybenzoic acid (210–428 µg/g), p-coumaric acid (56–281 µg/g), saligenin (142–300 µg/g) and salicortin (16–164 µg/g) were the dominant polyphenols. All of these chemical compounds occurred mainly in the free form. The S. purpurea, S. viminalis and P. nigra biomass proved to be an attractive source of biologically active compounds for various possible applications in food, drugs or cosmetics. These compounds could be extracted using an environmentally friendly method with scCO₂ and water as a co-solvent.

Wheat storage proteins and products of their hydrolysis may cause coeliac sprue in genetically predisposed individuals with high expression of main histocompatibility complex HLA-DQ2 or DQ8, since by consuming wheat, they become exposed to proline- (P) and glutamine (Q)-rich gluten. In bread-making, the hydrolysis of gliadins and coeliac-toxic peptides occurs with varied efficiency depending on the fermentation pH and temperature. Degradation of gliadins catalysed by Lactobacillus acidophilus 5e2 peptidases and a commercial prolyl endopeptidase synthesised by A. niger, carried out at pH 4.0 and 37 °C, reduces the gliadin concentration over 110-fold and decreases the relative immunoreactivity of the hydrolysate to 0.9% of its initial value. Hydrolysis of coeliac-toxic peptides: LGQQQPFPPQQPY (P1) and PQPQLPYPQPQLP (P2) under the same conditions occurs with the highest efficiency, reaching 99.8 ± 0.0% and 97.5 ± 0.1%, respectively. The relative immunoreactivity of peptides P1 and P2 was 0.8 ± 0.0% and 3.2 ± 0.0%, respectively. A mixture of peptidases from L. acidophilus 5e2 and A. niger may be used in wheat sourdough fermentation to reduce the time needed for degradation of proteins and products of their hydrolysis.