Extraction and in vitro Fermentation of Rye Bran Fractions

Rye bran was fractionated on a pilot scale into water-extractable, alkali-extractable and unextractable fractions. The fractions were enzymatically digested to partially remove starch and protein. The enzyme treated substrates were fermented in vitro using a human faecal inoculum. The water- and alkali-extractable fractions were fermented faster than the unextractable fraction and rye bran itself. However, the extent of fermentation after 24 h was similar in each case. The production of gases and short-chain fatty acids correlated well with the consumption of neutral sugars. All the rye substrates enhanced the molar proportion of propionic and butyric acids, among the short chain fatty acids.     

Formation of phenolic microbial metabolites and short-chain Fatty acids from rye, wheat, and oat bran and their fractions in the metabolical in vitro colon model

Rye bran and aleurone, wheat bran and aleurone, and oat bran and cell wall concentrate were compared in their in vitro gut fermentation patterns of individual phenolic acids and short-chain fatty acids, preceded by enzymatic in vitro digestion mimicking small intestinal events. The formation of phenolic metabolites was the most pronounced from the wheat aleurone fraction. Phenylpropionic acids, presumably derived from ferulic acid (FA), were the major phenyl metabolites formed from all bran preparations. The processed rye, wheat, and oat bran fractions contained more water-extractable dietary fiber (DF) and had smaller particle sizes and were thus more easily fermentable than the corresponding brans. Rye aleurone and bran had the highest fermentation rate and extent probably due to high fructan and water-extractable arabinoxylan content. Oat samples also had a high content of water-extractable DF, β-glucan, but their fermentation rate was lower. Enzymatic digestion prior to in vitro colon fermentation changed the structure of oat cell walls as visualized by microscopy and increased the particle size, which is suggested to have retarded the fermentability of oat samples. Wheat bran was the most slowly fermentable among the studied samples, presumably due to the high proportion of water-unextractable DF. The in vitro digestion reduced the fructan content of wheat samples, thus also decreasing their fermentability. Among the studied short-chain fatty acids, acetate dominated the profiles. The highest and lowest production of propionate was from the oat and wheat samples, respectively. Interestingly, wheat aleurone generated similar amounts of butyrate as the rye fractions even without rapid gas production.     

Fermented Wheat Bran as a Functional Ingredient in Baking

The aim of the current study was to identify factors influencing the technological functionality of fermented bran. The influences of fermentation type and type of wheat bran on the microbial community, bioactivity, arabinoxylans (AX), and activity of xylanases were studied in the bran ferments. Furthermore, technological quality of ferments was established by using them to replace wheat in baking with a 20% substitution level. Solubilization of AX and endogenous xylanase activity of bran were influenced by the type of bran, fermentation type, and conditions. Peeled bran had a clearly reduced microbial load and different microbial community in comparison to native bran. Bran from peeled kernels contained 10‐fold lower activities of endogenous xylanases in comparison to native bran. Yeast fermentation of bran from peeled kernels increased the level of folates (+40%), free phenolic acids (+500%), and soluble AX (+60%). Bread containing yeast‐fermented peeled bran had improved volume (+10–15%) and crumb softness (25–35% softer) in comparison to unfermented counterparts. Solubilization of AX during the 20 hr fermentation and decreased endogenous xylanase activity are proposed as the main reasons for the improved technological functionality of fermented bran.     

Quantities of phenolic compounds and their impacts on the perceived flavour attributes of rye grain

The use of whole grain rye products, beneficial to one's health, could be substantially extended if the typical intensively bitter flavour of rye could be modified without losing the characteristic rye-like flavour. The aim of the study was to evaluate the contribution of non-volatile phenolic compounds on the perceived flavour. Rye grain was milled into five milling fractions. The levels of phenolic compounds, i.e. the phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols and lignans, of the fractions were analysed and related statistically to sensory flavour profiles by partial least-squares (PLS) regression. The non-bound (free) phenolic acids are suggested to be most flavour-active. Cereal and intense flavour and aftertaste were related to vanillic and veratric acids, alkylresorcinol C_23:0, and other lignans except for pinoresinol. The perceived bitterness of the bran fractions was suggested to result from pinoresinol and syringic acid. Sinapic and ferulic acids, alkylresorcinols, except for alkylresorcinol C_23:0, and syringaresinol seemed to cause the germ-like flavour. Phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols and lignans distributed with a similar pattern in the rye grain as the flavour attributes: the phenolic compounds were clearly located in the outer bran fractions being intense in flavour, but not in the mild-tasting inner layers of the grain.     

Development of a Germination Process for Producing High β‐Glucan,Whole Grain Food Ingredients from Oat

Germination can be used to improve the texture and flavor of cereals. However, germination generally causes breakdown of β‐glucans, which is undesirable with respect to the functional properties of β‐glucan. Our aim was to assess possibilities of germinating oat without substantial loss of high molecular weight β‐glucan. Two cultivars, hulled Veli and hull‐less (naked) Lisbeth were germinated at 5, 15, and 25°C and dried by lyophilization or oven drying. Elevated germination temperatures led to an increase in Fusarium, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., lactic acid bacteria, enterobacteria, and aerobic spore‐forming bacteria. Therefore, the germination temperature should be kept low to avoid excessive growth of microbes. Of the samples germinated at 15°C, only one contained low amounts of the Fusarium toxin deoxynivalenol (52 μg/kg). Germination led to the breakdown of β‐glucans, but the decrease in the molecular weight of β‐glucan was initially very slow. A short germination schedule (72 hr, 15°C) terminated with oven drying was developed to produce germinated oat with retained β‐glucan content. Compared with the native oat, 55–60% of the β‐glucan could be retained.     

Effect of water activity on the release characteristics and oxidative stability of D-limonene encapsulated by spray drying

The stability of encapsulated D-limonene, which was prepared by spray drying, was studied in view of the release characteristics and oxidation stability. Gum arabic, soybean water-soluble polysaccharide, or modified starch, blended with maltodextrin were used as the wall materials. The powders were stored under the conditions of 23-96% relative humidity at 50 degrees C. The release rate and the oxidation rate were closely related to the relative humidity. The relationship was not simple. Initially, the release rate and the oxidation rate increased with increasing water activity, but around the glass transition temperature, the rates decreased sharply to increase again at a further increase of water activity. The results could be explained by a change in the powder structure, where a glass capsule matrix was changed into rubbery state during storage.     

Non-invasive genetic monitoring involving citizen science enables reconstruction of current pack dynamics in a re-establishing wolf population

Background

Carnivores are re-establishing in many human-populated areas, where their presence is often contentious. Reaching consensus on management decisions is often hampered by a dispute over the size of the local carnivore population. Understanding the reproductive dynamics and individual movements of the carnivores can provide support for management decisions, but individual-level information can be difficult to obtain from elusive, wide-ranging species. Non-invasive genetic sampling can yield such information, but makes subsequent reconstruction of population history challenging due to incomplete population coverage and error-prone data. Here, we combine a collaborative, volunteer-based sampling scheme with Bayesian pedigree reconstruction to describe the pack dynamics of an establishing grey wolf (Canis lupus) population in south-west Finland, where wolf breeding was recorded in 2006 for the first time in over a century.

Results

Using DNA extracted mainly from faeces collected since 2008, we identified 81 individual wolves and assigned credible full parentages to 70 of these and partial parentages to a further 9, revealing 7 breeding pairs. Individuals used a range of strategies to obtain breeding opportunities, including dispersal to established or new packs, long-distance migration and inheriting breeding roles. Gene flow occurred between all packs but inbreeding events were rare.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that characterizing ongoing pack dynamics can provide detailed, locally-relevant insight into the ecology of contentious species such as the wolf. Involving various stakeholders in data collection makes these results more likely to be accepted as unbiased and hence reliable grounds for management decisions.

     

Infiltrating Foxp3+ Regulatory T cells and Histopathological Features in Canine Classical and Spermatocytic Seminomas

In humans, regulatory T (T reg) cells are known to play a critical role in both the regulation of immune homoeostasis and the progression of cancer. However, there is little information about the identification, characterization and the function of T reg cells in canine tumours. We identified T reg cells in 28 canine seminoma samples using a Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) antibody and investigated the relationship between T reg cell infiltration and histopathological features of classical and spermatocytic seminomas (SE and SS, respectively). The Foxp3 protein showed nuclear immunostaining in infiltrating lymphocytes, and Foxp3+ cells were diffused or focally distributed in seminoma tissues. Foxp3+ cells were frequently present in the SS histotype, in seminomas that showed no evidence of tumour cell invasion into the vessels and in seminomas showing a diffuse growth pattern with three cell types. Neither the SE/SS histotype nor the histopathological features of the tumour correlated with Foxp3+ cell counts. These results indicate that Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with a less malignant histological phenotype or may not play a critical role in the immune response of canine seminomas. Moreover, Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with SS seminoma, but further studies, involving a larger number of samples, are required to better understand whether these cells play a critical role in the immune response in canine seminomas. This is the first report to demonstrate the characteristics of T reg cell infiltration in canine seminoma.     

The effect of growth temperature on gelatinization properties of barley starch

The effects of growth conditions on the properties of barley starch were studied with the two‐rowed malting barley cultivars “Kustaa”; and “Kymppi”; field‐grown in Finland during a cold summer and a normal summer. In both cultivars, the growth conditions had an effect on the composition and gelatinization behaviour of both small and large granules. In the starches from the cold summer, the lipid content and gelatinization peak temperatures were lower, the gelatinized starch also being more easily hydrolysed by alpha‐amylase.     

Effect of wheat bran addition on in vitro starch digestibility,physico-mechanical and sensory properties of biscuits

Biscuits contain high amount of fat and sugar thus having high calorie but low nutrient density. Wheat bran is a good source of dietary fibre (DF) and protein and is thus a good candidate for nutritional enrichment of cereal foods. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of bran incorporation and particle size reduction on biscuit microstructure, texture and in vitro starch digestibility. Five different biscuits containing 5–15% DF were produced. Two different particle sized wheat brans were used: coarse (450 μm) and fine (68 μm). Bran particle size reduction increased the elastic modulus and hardness of biscuits. Biscuits containing fine bran had visually more compact structure without any surface or internal defects than those with coarse bran. Fine bran containing sample had the highest hardness value. Sensory evaluation showed that roughness and breakdown of biscuits in the mouth was significant for the coarse bran with highest level of bran addition. The instrumental elastic modulus, stress and hardness were closely related to sensory hardness and strength to break. Increasing DF content from 5 to 15% increased hydrolysis index by 16%, from 32 to 37.