Fruit softening and pectin disassembly: an overview of nanostructural pectin modifications assessed by atomic force microscopy

The rising burden of cancer worldwide calls for an alternative treatment solution. Herbal medicine provides a very feasible alternative to western medicine against cancer. This article reviews the selected plant species with active phytochemicals, the animal models used for these studies, and their regulatory aspects. This study is based on a meticulous literature review conducted through the search of relevant keywords in databases, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Twenty plants were selected based on defined selection criteria for their potent anticancer compounds. The detailed analysis of the research studies revealed that plants play an indispensable role in fighting different cancers such as breast, stomach, oral, colon, lung, hepatic, cervical, and blood cancer cell lines. The in vitro studies showed cancer cell inhibition through DNA damage and activation of apoptosis-inducing enzymes by the secondary metabolites in the plant extracts. Studies that reported in vivo activities of these plants showed remarkable results in the inhibition of cancer in animal models. Further studies should be performed on exploring more plants, their active compounds, and the mechanism of anticancer actions for use as standard herbal medicine.

Anticancer Plants: A Review of the Active Phytochemicals, Applications in Animal Models, and Regulatory Aspects

Ten promising jujubes were analyzed for textural characteristic (hardness), antioxidant activity, sugar, organic acid, and phenolic profiles. Total phenolic content (TP) measured by Folin–Ciocalteu method ranged from 275.6 to 541.8 mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g fresh weight (mg GAE/100 g FW). Four sugars (rhamnose, fructose, sucrose, and glucose), 3 organic acids (malic, citric, and succinic acids), and 11 phenolic compounds (gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, cinnamic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, and quercetin) were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography in jujube fruits. The results showed that ascorbic acid and proanthocyanidins contents were positively correlated with hardness, and antioxidant activity was well correlated with TP content. Among 10 jujube cultivars, Zizyphus jujuba cv. Qingjianmuzao is good for direct consumption containing high levels of total soluble solids, total sugars, fructose, and glucose, while Zizyphus jujuba cv. Jiaxianmuzao could be an important dietary source of natural antioxidants.



Practical Application:  Genotype is the main factor influencing the composition of bioactive compounds in jujubes. Zizyphus jujuba cv. Qingjianmuzao is good for direct consumption, while Zizyphus jujuba cv. Jiaxianmuzao could be an important dietary source of natural antioxidants for prevention of diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Textural Characteristic, Antioxidant Activity, Sugar, Organic Acid, and Phenolic Profiles of 10 Promising Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Selections

Aloe vera based edible coatings improve the quality of minimally processed ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit

Background The mechanical properties of parenchyma cell walls and the strength and extension of adhesion areas between adjacent cells, jointly with cell turgor, are main determinants of firmness of fleshy fruits. These traits are modified during ripening leading to fruit softening. Cell wall modifications involve the depolymerisation of matrix glycans and pectins, the solubilisation of pectins and the loss of neutral sugars from pectin side chains. These changes weaken the cell walls and increase cell separation, which in combination with a reduction in cell turgor, bring about textural changes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to characterise the nanostructure of cell wall polysaccharides during the ripening and postharvest storage of several fruits. This technique allows the imaging of individual polymers at high magnification with minimal sample preparation. Scope and approach This paper reviews the main features of the cell wall disassembly process associated to fruit softening from a nanostructural point of view, as has been provided by AFM studies. Key findings and conclusions AFM studies show that pectin size, ramification and complexity is reduced during fruit ripening and storage, and in most cases these changes correlate with softening. Postharvest treatments that improve fruit quality have been proven to preserve pectin structure, suggesting a clear link between softening and pectin metabolism. Nanostructural characterisation of cellulose and hemicellulose during ripening has been poorly explored by AFM and the scarce results available are not conclusive. Globally, AFM could be a powerful tool to gain insights about the bases of textural fruit quality in fresh and stored fruits.

A nanostructural view of the cell wall disassembly process during fruit ripening and postharvest storage by atomic force microscopy

Effect of calcium treatment on nanostructure of chelate-soluble pectin and physicochemical and textural properties of apricot fruits

To investigate the fundamental of firmness changes of crisp peaches, firmness and pectin contents of two peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) cultivars (‘Cangfangzaosheng’ and ‘Songsenzaosheng’) stored at 2 °C, 8 °C and 15 °C were investigated. Sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP) extracted showed the highest correlation (positive) with firmness among the three kinds of pectins (water-soluble pectin, chelate-soluble pectin and SSP). The qualitative and quantitative information about SSP nanostructures were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The widths of the peach SSPs were very consistent. The SSP chain widths of both peach cultivars were similar and were composed of several basic units. Schematic models of the changes of the chain widths were proposed. The results indicate that the firmness of peach was closely related with the contents and nanostructural characteristics of SSP, which might be hydrolyzed by enzymes in fruit flesh.

Changes in firmness, pectin content and nanostructure of two crisp peach cultivars after storage

The invention relates to soybean protein plastic plasticized through compound plasticizer. The soybean protein plastic is characterized in that the soy protein plastic is formed by mixing and hot pressing the raw materials: isolated soybean protein, water, caprolactam and glycerol. The soybean protein plastic has the advantages that firstly, the adoption of a suitable amount of caprolactam can ensure the tensile strength, the breaking elongation rate and the water resistance property to be improved, materials with various mechanical properties can be obtained by regulating the content of the caprolactam, and the scientific and technological content is high; secondly, the soybean protein plastic is completely formed through the isolated soybean protein and compound plasticizer under the hot pressing condition and can be decomposed into carbon dioxide and water after being scrapped and has no pollution to the environment, and the soybean is regenerable resource and is inexhaustible compared with the petroleum raw material; thirdly, chemical modification or physical modification is not required in the soy protein plastic provided by the invention, the soybean protein plastic is only required to be simply mixed with the compound plasticizer and is easy to be processed and formed, the manufacturing cost is low, and the plastic has good toughness and ductility; fourthly, the traditional plastic processing equipment and preparation method are adopted, and the manufacturing process is simple.

Composite elasticizer plasticizing soy protein plastic and preparation thereof

The invention discloses acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic. The acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic is characterized in that the acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic is composed of acylated isolated soybean protein after being modified, water, caprolactam and glycerol; the acylated isolated soybean protein is formed through mixing isolated soybean protein, spasmolytol and acid anhydride. The acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic has the advantages that because the isolated soybean protein is modified through suitable amount of acid anhydride, the water resistance property of the acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic is greatly improved; the adoption of a suitable amount of caprolactam can ensure the tensile strength and the breaking elongation rate of the plastic to be simultaneously enhanced, materials with various mechanical properties can be obtained by regulating the content of the caprolactam, the scientific and technological content is high, and the acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic is provided with creativity; the preparing process of the acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic adopts the traditional plastic equipment and method, the process is simple, and the operation is easy; in addition, the acylated soybean protein biodegradable plastic provided by the invention is formed by mixing the isolated soybean protein after being modified and plasticizer under the hot pressing condition and can be easily decomposed into carbon dioxide and water by microorganism after being scrapped and has no pollution to the environment; the soybean protein is regenerable resource and inexhaustible.

Acylated soy protein biodegradable plastic and preparation thereof

The invention relates to an esterified soybean protein plastic and a preparation method thereof. The esterified soybean protein plastic is characterized by being prepared from soybean protein, glycerol, water, caprolactam and a proper amount of triacetin through the processes of mixing and then hot pressing under certain molding conditions. The esterified soybean protein plastic of the invention has the advantages that (a) a proper amount of triacetin is added into a complex plasticizer, so that the tensile strength and the light transmission of the soybean protein plastic are obviously improved; (b) the esterified soybean protein plastic of the invention has good biodegradability and can be easily decomposed into carbon dioxide and water by microbes in the environment after being used and discarded, so that the environment can not be polluted; (c) the esterified soybean protein plastic of the invention is prepared by mixing the soybean protein and the complex plasticizer, and the soybean protein does not need to be physically or chemically modified, can be processed and molded easily and has simple operation and low manufacturing cost; and (d) the soybean protein used as a main raw material of the esterified soybean protein plastic of the invention is a natural high molecular resource, and compared with other petroleum-based plastics, the esterified soybean protein plastic is inexhaustible.

Xiangzhe Gong

Papers

Effect of calcium treatment on nanostructure of chelate-soluble pectin and physicochemical and textural properties of apricot fruits

Changes in firmness, pectin content and nanostructure of two crisp peach cultivars after storage

Composite elasticizer plasticizing soy protein plastic and preparation thereof

Acylated soy protein biodegradable plastic and preparation thereof

Esterified soybean protein plastic and preparation method thereof