Mycelium derived from Ganoderma lucidum was employed as a template for synthesising silicon oxide (SiOx) nanofibers. The intricate structures of mycelial hyphae fibrils were replicated with high precision using an inexpensive commercial silane (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES). Following the removal of the organic mycelium template phase at 600 degrees C, APTES was successfully converted to SiOx. The resulting SiOx fibres retained the morphology of the mycelium template, with a nearly identical fibre density to the original fibrous network. A fibril diameter reduction of approximately 43% was observed from 603 to 344 nm. All synthesised materials exhibited coherent structural integrity, sufficient for handling without breakage, although they were notably less mechanically flexible than the original mycelium template. The novel hybrid mycelium-3-aminopropyl-silsesquioxane fibre network and the thermally converted SiOx network displayed notable liquid absorption properties. These materials allowed for the preferential absorption of oil or water, depending on the presence of the amino group functionality. Remarkably, the SiOx network rapidly absorbed methylene blue-dyed water within 400 ms, demonstrating behaviour opposite to the virgin mycelium network. Additionally, the materials exhibited high thermal stability, withstanding flame exposure at approximately 1400 degrees C while maintaining their nano/micromorphology. This innovative approach of using "living" templates expands the range of morphologies that can be replicated in inorganic materials, enabling the creation of genetically and environmentally tuneable structures. The SiOx nanofibers produced through this method have potential applications in various fields, including water purification, biosensors, catalytic support, and insulation.

Arabinoxylan (AX) is a potential health-promoting fiber ingredient that could be used to improve nutritional properties of bread, but is also known to affect bread and dough quality. To identify the role of feruloylation and hydrolysis of wheat bran AX on bread quality and shelf-life, hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed AX with low and high ferulic acid content were incorporated into wheat bread. Water absorption, visual appearance, specific volume, and crumb structure were evaluated in fresh bread, and texture and moisture content over 14 days of storage. Feruloylated and unhydrolyzed AX breads underwent less moisture loss during storage but none of the AX fractions retarded crumb hardening. Feruloylated and hydrolyzed AX breads were comparable to control bread even at the highest addition level (5%) in terms of volume and crumb structure. The higher quality of these breads was associated with ferulic acid content and lower molar mass based on multivariate analysis. Based on our work, knowledge on specific AX structure can facilitate the use of increased AX levels in breadmaking.

Feruloylated arabinoxylan (AX) is a potential health-promoting fiber ingredient that can enhance nutritional properties of bread but is also known to affect dough rheology. To determine the role of feruloylation and hydrolysis of wheat bran AX on dough quality and microstructure, hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed AX fractions with low and high ferulic acid content were produced, and their chemical composition and properties were evaluated. These fractions were then incorporated into wheat dough, and farinograph measurements, large and small deformation measurements and dough microstructure were assessed. AX was found to greatly affect both fraction properties and dough quality, and this effect was modulated by hydrolysis of AX. These results demonstrated how especially unhydrolyzed fiber fractions produced stiff doughs with poor extensibility due to weak gluten network, while hydrolyzed fractions maintained a dough quality closer to control. This suggests that hydrolysis can further improve the baking properties of feruloylated wheat bran AX. However, no clear effects from AX feruloylation on dough properties or microstructure could be detected. Based on this study, feruloylation does not appear to affect dough rheology or microstructure, and feruloylated wheat bran arabinoxylan can be used as a bakery ingredient to potentially enhance the nutritional quality of bread.

Proteins derived from agroindustrial coproducts and a natural cross-linking agent (genipap oil containing genipin) were used to develop porous materials by reactive extrusion for replacing fossil-based absorbents. Incorporating genipap oil allowed the production of lightweight structures with high saline uptake (above 1000%) and competing retention capacity despite their porous nature. The mechanical response of the genipap-cross-linked materials was superior to that of the noncross-linked ones and comparable to those cross-linked using commercial genipin. The extruded products were hemocompatible and soil-biodegradable in less than 6 weeks. The compounds generated by the degradation process were not found to be toxic to the soil, showing a high bioassimilation capacity by promoting grass growth. The results demonstrate the potential of biopolymers and new green cross-linkers to produce fully renewable-based superabsorbents in hygiene products with low ecotoxicity. The study further promotes the production of these absorbents using low-cost proteins and continuous processing such as reactive extrusion.

Serenoa repens is a medicinal plant well-known for its therapeutic potential in treating various urological disorders and prevention of prostatic cancer. However, the extraction process in the pharmaceutical industry leads to the generation of plant residues, typically discarded, wasting valuable resources. In this study, we aimed to explore a series of green extraction strategies to effectively valorize the residues of Serenoa repens fruits. Initially, we employed supercritical CO2 (1.2% yield on dry biomass) on the discarded biomass to identify and quantify residual fatty acids and polyprenols (1.6% of the extract dry weight), a class of unsaturated isoprenoid alcohols with promising biomedical applications. Subsequently, subcritical water extraction was utilized on the exhausted biomass to extract polar compounds. An increase in the extraction yield was observed with the rise in processing temperature up to 180 C-degrees (yields were found higher than 26%). Phenolic compounds and carbohydrate macromolecules profiles were affected by the increased hydrolytic conditions. Polar extracts exhibited robust bioactivities, demonstrating significant antioxidant activity and antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains. Extracts obtained at 180( degrees)C demonstrated the highest efficacy. Furthermore, in vitro assessment of mannans-rich fraction provided a new perspective of potential applications in the cosmeceuticals field. Results underscore the potential of the sustainable extraction biorefinery for the residue of this medicinal plant and demonstrate that, harnessing these bioactive compounds, new sustainable and eco-friendly approaches for its complete utilization can be offered, thereby promoting near-zero waste practices and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Wheat bran is an abundant and low valued agricultural feedstock rich in valuable biomolecules as arabinoxylans (AX) and ferulic acid with important functional and biological properties. An integrated bioprocess combining subcritical water extraction (SWE) and enzymatic treatments has been developed for maximised recovery of feruloylated arabinoxylans and oligosaccharides from wheat bran. A minimal enzymatic cocktail was developed combining one xylanase from different glycosyl hydrolase families and a feruloyl esterase. The incorporation of xylanolytic enzymes in the integrated SWE bioprocess increased the AX yields up to 75%, higher than traditional alkaline extraction, and SWE or enzymatic treatment alone. The process isolated AX with tailored molecular structures in terms of substitution, molar mass, and ferulic acid, which can be used for structural biomedical applications, food ingredients and prebiotics. This study demonstrates the use of hydrothermal and enzyme technologies for upcycling agricultural side streams into functional bioproducts, contributing to a circular food system.

Genipap (Genipa americana L.), also known as caruto, is a fruit native to Central and South America and presents a novel source of a crosslinking substance containing genipin for biopolymers in various applications. In this study, the fruit's core was used to extract the genipin-rich genipap oil, and a complete characterization of the oil as an inexpensive replacement for commercial genipin powder is included. The extracted genipap oil shows a high phenolic content and remarkable non-hemolytic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity. The potential of genipap oil is further demonstrated by its advantage over commercial genipin powder, which did not show antioxidant activity. The crosslinking capacity of the genipap oil was tested with chitosan films and hot-pressed sheets of protein blends from agro-industrial biomass, including zein, wheat gluten, and potato protein. The results indicated that incorporating genipap oil in these blends allowed for manufacturing homogenous structures and improved their mechanical performance compared to the non-crosslinked blends. The use of the oil represents an advantage from a material engineering perspective as it allows for better distribution of genipin during the thermal processing of the materials compared with the commercial genipin. Further, commercial genipin requires solvents and extensive purification processes, which hinders its upscalability. These results support the use of the extracted fruit oil as a green, inexpensive, efficient crosslinking agent, opening new avenues for several applications. Genipap (Genipa americana L.), also known as caruto, is a fruit native to Central and South America and presents a novel source of a crosslinking substance containing genipin for biopolymers in various applications.

Xylan is a fundamental structural polysaccharide in plant secondary cell walls and a valuable resource for biorefinery applications. Deciphering the molecular motifs of xylans that mediate their interaction with cellulose and lignin is fundamental to understand the structural integrity of plant cell walls and to design lignocellulosic materials. In the present study, we investigated the pattern of acetylation and glucuronidation substitution in hardwood glucuronoxylan (GX) extracted from aspen wood using subcritical water and alkaline conditions. Enzymatic digestions of GX with β-xylanases from glycosyl hydrolase (GH) families GH10, GH11 and GH30 generated xylo-oligosaccharides with controlled structures amenable for mass spectrometric glycan sequencing. We identified the occurrence of intramolecular motifs in aspen GX with block repeats of even glucuronidation (every 2 xylose units) and consecutive glucuronidation, which are unique features for hardwood xylans. The acetylation pattern of aspen GX shows major domains with evenly-spaced decorations, together with minor stretches of highly acetylated domains. These heterogenous patterns of GX can be correlated with its extractability and with its potential interaction with lignin and cellulose. Our study provides new insights into the molecular structure of xylan in hardwood species, which has fundamental implications for overcoming lignocellulose recalcitrance during biochemical conversion.

Cereal arabinoxylans (AXs) are complex polysaccharides in terms of their pattern of arabinose and ferulic acid substitutions, which influence their properties in structural and nutritional applications. We have evaluated the influence of the molecular structure of three AXs from wheat and rye with distinct substitutions on the activity of β-xylanases from different glycosyl hydrolase families (GH 5_34, 8, 10 and 11). The arabinose and ferulic acid substitutions influence the accessibility of the xylanases, resulting in specific profiles of arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS). The GH10 xylanase from Aspergillus aculeatus (AcXyn10A) and GH11 from Thermomyces lanuginosus (TlXyn11) showed the highest activity, producing larger amounts of small oligosaccharides in shorter time. The GH8 xylanase from Bacillus sp. (BXyn8) produced linear xylooligosaccharides and was most restricted by arabinose substitution, whereas GH5_34 from Gonapodya prolifera (GpXyn5_34) required arabinose substitution and produced longer (A)XOS substituted on the reducing end. The complementary substrate specificity of BXyn8 and GpXyn5_34 revealed how arabinoses were distributed along the xylan backbones. This study demonstrates that AX source and xylanase specificity influence the production of oligosaccharides with specific structures, which in turn impacts the growth of specific bacteria (Bacteroides ovatus and Bifidobacterium adolescentis) and the production of beneficial metabolites (short-chain fatty acids).

The intake of dietary fibers is related with important benefits for human health. We produced two different arabinoxylan fibers with (FAX) and without ferulic acid linked (AX), 12.5 and 0.1 mg g- 1 of ferulic acid respectively, by subcritical water extraction of wheat bran. Both FAX and AX fibers were used as supplement in bread production, while non-supplemented bread was used as control. Through an enzymatic deconstruction process we investigated the effect of bread making on the fibers, the preservation of their molecular structure (A/ X ratio of 0.13 and Mw of 105 Da) and the interaction with other macromolecules in the bread. By mimicking the upper track digestion, we could confirm the non-digestability of the fibers and we used them for the fermentation with B. ovatus and B. adolescentis. The presence of AX fibers during fermentation showed specific substrate adaptation by the probiotic bacteria in correlation with its potential prebiotic effect.