Life Sciences Commons^™

Development Of Novel Pectinase And Xylanase Juice Clarification Enzymes Via A Combined Biorefinery And Immobilization Approach, Shady Hassan

Doctoral

Hydrolytic enzymes, such as pectinase and xylanase, maybe harnessed for numerous industrial applications in food industry. Therefore, economic factors such as achievement of optimum yieldsandoverall production costs, in addition to biocatalyst instability,are the main obstacles tothe industrial production and exploitation of a enzymes. For example, microbially-derived enzymes are typically produced in fermenters using expensive growth media, which may account for 30 to 40% of the production cost, and such expense may be compounded further by downstream processing operations.To counter such disadvantages, the major trend in industrial utilization of enzymes in cost-sensitive processes has been to immobilize such biocatalysts on a …

Safety Of Vitamin D2 Mushroom Powder As A Novel Food Pursuant To Regulation (Eu) 2015/2283, John Kearney, Dominique Turck, Jacqueline Castenmiller, Stefaan De Henauw

Articles

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on vitamin D2 mushroom powder as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is an ingredient produced from Agaricus bisporus mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light to induce the conversion of provitamin D2 (ergosterol) to vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). The NF contains concentrations of vitamin D provided by vitamin D2 in the ranges of 1,000–1,300 lg/g. The information provided on the manufacturing process, composition and specifications of the NF …

Chemical Effects Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma On Food Nutrients, Juan Manuel Pérez Andrés

Doctoral

A range of nonthermal techniques have demonstrated process efficacy in ensuring food product safety, extension of shelf-life and in general a retention of key quality attributes. However, various physical, chemical and biochemical effects of nonthermal techniques on both macro and micronutrients are evident, leading to both desirable and undesirable changes in food products. It is important to outline the effects of non-thermal techniques on food chemistry and the associated degradation mechanisms with the treatment of foods. Oxidation is one of the key mechanisms responsible for undesirable effects induced by non-thermal techniques. Degradation of key macromolecules largely depends on the processing …

Sure 2020 Undergraduate Science Conference Booklet, Sure Network

Group Reports

The SURE 2020 Conference was the third series of Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Conferences, following earlier series in 2018 (with three conferences in Dublin, Athlone and Waterford) and in 2019 (with three conferences in Dublin, Sligo and Carlow). The 2020 online conference had a total of 24 oral presentations and 35 poster presentations, and was attended by over 450 students, academic staff, professional body and industry representatives.

The aims of the conference were to:

1. Provide current students with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the work which has been undertaken by recent graduates, and the career opportunities that …

Assessment And Evaluation Of Student Learning Through A Project-Based Assignment On Note By Note Cooking, Roisin Burke, Pauline Danaher

Articles

Many innovative teaching and learning methods are used in higher level education including projectbased learning (PBL). Since 2012 a PBL assignment project has been undertaken by master students of the Advanced Molecular Gastronomy module at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). The aim is to stimulate student learning and creativity by using Note by Note cooking in a PBL assignment while at the same time complying with the requirements of the annual International Note by Note contest which is held in Paris, France. Direct and indirect assessment methods were used to assign individual grades and to gather student feedback about the …

Editorial Issue 2

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Editorial

A Mechanistic Study On The Non-Genotoxic Carcinogenicity Of The Food Contaminant Semicarbazide, Daniel P. Fitzpatrick

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Semicarbazide was brought to the forefront of scientific discussions by the scientific community in the early 2000’s as the substance was discovered in several food products from both synthetic and natural sources. Although semicarbazide was processed through several toxicological assays and classified as a non-genotoxic carcinogen, underwhelming amounts of toxicological data exists for the compound. The present study is one of the first in-vitro studies to examine the relationship between sub-pathophysiological concentrations of reactive oxygen species and the anomalous non-genotoxic carcinogenicity induced by semicarbazide through the upregulation of intracellular signalling pathways. A novel finding of the present study was where …

Isolation And Characterization Of A Novel Thermo-Solvent-Stable Lipase From Pseudomonas Brenneri And Its Application In Biodiesel Synthesis, Priyanka Priyanka, Gemma K. Kinsella, Gary T. Henehan, Barry J. Ryan

Articles

Pseudomonads are one of the most studied species of bacteria as they display remarkable metabolic and physiological versatility. This enables them to colonize a wide variety of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, generating biotechnologically interesting enzymes. Here, the partial purification and characterization of a novel, extracellularly-produced, lipase from Pseudomonas brenneri is described. The partially purified lipase was active over a broad pH range (5.0–9.0) and was stable at 70 °C for 45 min. The lipase displayed significant stability, and in some cases activation, in the presence of organic solvents with log P≥2.0. Such stability characteristics indicated that this lipase could potentially …

Development Of Essential Oil Incorporated Active Film Based On Biodegradable Blends Of Poly (Lactide)/Poly (Butylene Adipate‑Co‑Terephthalate) For Food Packaging Application, Shubham Sharma, Sandra Barkauskaite, Swarna Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Amit Jaiswal

Articles

Active packaging improves food safety and quality with the incorporation of certain additives such as antimicrobial agents. The PLA/PBAT films were prepared with two essential oils—eucalyptus oil and cinnamon oil of various concentrations (1%, 5%, and 10% w/w) and characterized their optical and mechanical properties, surface hydrophobicity, chemical composition, and antimicrobial activity. Cinnamon oil composite films were observed as thicker films (88.88 µm) than the eucalyptus oil films (54.46 µm). The highest UV-blocking properties were observed in cinnamon oil films. However, transparency and tensile properties of the cinnamon oil films decreases as the concentration increases. The tensile strength of the …

Botanical Tour Of Christian Art At The National Museum Of Ancient Art (Lisbon, Portugal), Luis Mendonça De Carvalho, Francisca Maria Fernandes, Maria De Fátima Nunes, Miriam Lopes, Maria Vlachou, Paula Nozes, Ana Maria Costa

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Christian works of art, from the middle XIV to early XIX centuries, were studied in order to contribute to a new perspective of the cultural history of plants in Portuguese and European art displayed at the National Museum of Ancient Art (NMAA). The symbolic use of trees, leaves, flowers and fruits in painting, sculpture and tapestry were compared with theological data from the Bible, Apocrypha Gospels and codes of symbols from the XVII to XX centuries, as well as pictorial data from academic literature and photographic databases. We found 40 botanical taxa used as symbols that aimed to reinforce moral …

Characterization And Antimicrobial Activity Of Biodegradable Active Packaging Enriched With Clove And Thyme Essential Oil For Food Packaging Application, Shubham Sharma, Sandra Barkauskaite, Brendan Duffy, Amit Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

Bioactive packaging contains natural antimicrobial agents, which inhibit the growth of microorganisms and increase the food shelf life. Solvent casting method was used to prepare the Poly (lactide)-Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA-PBAT) film incorporated with the thyme oil and clove oil in various concentrations (1 wt%, 5 wt% and 10 wt%). The clove oil composite films depicted less green and more yellow as compared to thyme oil composite films. Clove oil composite film has shown an 80% increase in the UV blocking efficiency. The tensile strength (TS) of thyme oil and clove oil composite film decreases from 1.35 MPs (control film) …

Coeliac Disease Pathogenesis: The Uncertainties Of A Well-Known Immune Mediated Disorder, Greg Byrne, Margaret Dunne, Con Feighery, Fernando Chirdo

Articles

Coeliac disease is a common small bowel enteropathy arising in genetically predisposed individuals and caused by ingestion of gluten in the diet. Great advances have been made in understanding the role of the adaptive immune system in response to gluten peptides. Despite detailed knowledge of these adaptive immune mechanisms, the complete series of pathogenic events responsible for development of the tissue lesion remains less certain. This review contributes to the field by discussing additional mechanisms which may also contribute to pathogenesis. These include the production of cytokines such as interleukin-15 by intestinal epithelial cells and local antigen presenting cells as …

Enzymatic In-Situ Transesterification Of Neutral Lipids From Simulated Wastewater Cultured Chlorella Emersonii And Pseudokirchneriella Subcapitata To Sustainably Produce Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, Priyanka Priyanka, Gemma K. Kinsella, Gary Henehan, Barry J. Ryan

Articles

Alternative, more sustainable and environmentally positive, sources of energy are one of the current global challenges. One approach to achieving more sustainable sources of energy is to use waste from one system as a raw material for energy production, following the circular biosystem philosophy. This study successfully adopted this approach whereby microalgae strains Chlorella emersonii and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were bioprospected and metabolically engineered in simulated wastewater supplemented with glucose to produce neutral lipids. Using a two-step cultivation approach neutral lipid content was enhanced in Chlorella emersonii and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata biomass. Via in-situ transesterification, these neutral lipids were subsequently bioconverted to …

Bioavailability And Modes Of Action Of Novel Metal Based Phenanthroline Drugs, Tadhg O’Leary

Doctoral

Metal-basedcompounds have been utilised as chemotherapeutic agents for the last four decades due to their well-documented and clinically relevant anti-tumour properties.Acquired resistance is a challenge for the clinical use of these compounds and there is a continuing need to search for potential new therapeutic agents. Herein, the potential of two metal-basedcompounds containing chelated1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-Phen), one manganese-based (CMPD 73)andonecopper-based (CMPD 74), to act as novel therapeutic agents is explored.CMPD 73 displayed high micromolar (IC50>100μM) cytotoxic properties againstvarious cell systems but interestingly displayed increased cytotoxicity against ovarian (A2780), lung (A549) and cisplatin resistant mesothelioma cells(IC5040-50μM). CMPD 74 was equally cytotoxic against …

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Of Polyphenols From Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) And Evaluation Of Its Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Properties, Amy Murphy, Eilish Norton, Faye Montgomery, Amit Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

In this present study, ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction conditions were optimized to develop a more efficient method that would result in maximum extraction of polyphenols from ginger. To achieve this optimal extraction process, a central composite design of response surface methodology was applied. A second-order polynomial equation was developed, indicating the effect of ginger concentration (400-1,200 mg/20mL solvent), solvent mixture composition (20-100%), temperature (30-70°C) and treatment time (10-30 min) on polyphenols extraction. The optimum parameters were found to be 1200mg of ginger prepared with 86% ethanol and sonication for 11 minutes at 65°C. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of ginger …

College Cocktail Competitions (1980-2020) - Version 1, James Murphy

Other resources

2020 will commemorate a very important occasion, for it not only celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the first college cocktail competition in Ireland but also over 40 years of cocktail making activity in the Technological University of Dublin (TU Dublin) formerly known as [Dublin Institute of Technology-DIT & Vocational Education Committee-VEC]. This document highlights these College Cocktail Competitions, the recipes created, the overall winners, the many participants and the kind sponsors who helped to create 40 years of college cocktail competitions. The document helps to identify the many changes which occurred during this period of time in relation to this …

Methylxanthines Inhibit Primary Amine Oxidase And Monoamine Oxidase Activities Of Human Adipose Tissue, Wiem Haj Ahmed, CéCile Peiro, Jessica Fontaine, Barry J. Ryan, Gemma K. Kinsella, Jeff O’Sullivan, Jean-Louis Grolleau, Gary T.M. Henehan, Christian CarpéNé

Articles

Abstract: Background: Methylxanthines including caffeine and theobromine are widely consumed compounds and were recently shown to interact with bovine copper-containing amine oxidase. To the best of our knowledge, no direct demonstration of any interplay between these phytochemicals and human primary amine oxidase (PrAO) has been reported to date. We took advantage of the coexistence of PrAO and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (hScAT) to test the interaction between several methylxanthines and these enzymes, which are involved in many key pathophysiological processes. Methods: Benzylamine, methylamine, and tyramine were used as substrates for PrAO and MAO in homogenates …

3d Mammalian Cell Culture Models In Toxicology Testing, Janith Wanigasekara, Brijesh K. Tiwari, James Curtin

Articles

3D cell culture can be successfully used as an alternative to laboratory animals, and as a cost effective and time-saving tissue culture technique, which also reduces the trial period for drug testing.

Ferulic Acid Incorporated Active Films Based On Poly(Lactide) /Poly(Butylene Adipate-Co-Terephthalate) Blend For Food Packaging, Shubham Sharma, Amit Jaiswal, Brendan Duffy, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

Active natural antibacterial blend of poly(lactide) - poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA-PBAT) incorporated with ferulic acid was formed by solvent casting method. The influences of FA on the structural, colour, optical, thermostability and antibacterial efficiency of PLA-PBAT blend films were studied. On the incorporation of the FA, the thickness of the film was increased by 1.5–10 %. The tensile strength (TS) of the FA incorporated blend film increased to a value of 10.78 MPa at 10 wt% as compared to the control film which has 5.42 MPa. The temperature of degradation of the film increases as the FA content increases in the …

Exploring Attitudes And Reactions To Unfamiliar Food Pairings: An Examination Of The Underlying Motivations And The Impact Of Culinary Education, Mark Traynor, Andrew Moreo, Lisa Cain, Roisin Burke, Catherine Barry-Ryan

Articles

A mixed-methodology study was conducted to better understand consumer attitudes and behaviors toward novel food pairings and the impact of culinary education. Focus groups were conducted to investigate the underlying motivational factors to the reactions and behaviors toward unfamiliar foods. The second phase of the study consisted of sensory evaluation by two separate cohorts, panelists with and without culinary education, of food products created through the novel pairings of foods. Panelists with culinary education expressed a greater overall liking for the animal-based pairing. Sensory-Affective and Ideational factors appeared to be underlying motivational factors of these hedonic reactions.

Bioprocessing Of Brewers' Spent Grain For Production Of Xylanopectinolytic Enzymes By Mucor Sp., Shady S. Hassan, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gwilym A. Williams, Amit K. Jaiswal

Articles

The potential of microwave and ultrasound was evaluated for the pretreatment of brewer's spent grain (BSG). Under optimal conditions of microwave and ultrasound pretreatments, reducing sugar yields per 1 g of pretreated BSG were 64.4 ± 7 mg and 39.9 ± 6 mg, respectively. Subsequently, the pretreated BSG was evaluated as a substrate for production of Xylanopectinolytic enzymes using fungi isolated from spoiled fruits. Out of twenty-nine (29) isolates recovered, Mucor sp. (AB1) isolated from Bramley apple (Malus domestica) produced xylanopectinolytic enzymes with higher specific activity, and was selected for further studies. The highest enzyme activity (137 U/g, …

Creating Bespoke Note By Note Dishes And Drinks Inspired By Traditional Foods, Roisin Burke, Pauline Danaher, David Hurley

Articles

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Sonication Pretreatment For Enhancing Saccharification Of Brewers’ Spent Grain, Shady Hassan, Rajeev Ravindran, Swarna Jaiswal, Brijesh K. Tiwari, Gwilym A. Williams

Articles

This paper deals with the investigation of ultrasound (US) pretreatment of brewer’s spent grain (BSG) as ameans of releasing fermentable sugars, and the subsequent production of ethanol from this lignocellu-losic biomass. Using response surface methodology (RSM), the influence of US power, time, temperatureand biomass loading on fermentable sugar yield from BSG was studied. The optimal conditions werefound to be 20% US power, 60 min, 26.3°C, and 17.3% w/v of biomass in water. Under these conditions,an approximate 2.1-fold increase in reducing sugar yield (325 ± 6 mg/g of biomass) was achieved, relativeto untreated BSG (151.1 ± 10 mg/g of biomass). In …

Vitamin D Fortification Of Processed Meat To Reduce Self-Reported Deficiencies: Consumer Acceptance In The Irish Market, Emma Lynn Donaldson

Theses

It is believed that many areas of the world are experiencing a Vitamin D deficiency pandemic. With Ireland’s geographic location, genetic characteristics, and the reemergence of rickets in Ireland in the early noughties; Ireland is a part of the deficiency pandemic. Vitamin deficiencies have historically been handled effectively through food fortification schemes, however additional food products, like processed meats, need to be assessed for their ability to address the deficiency and consumer acceptance. Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the general consumer acceptance of future Vitamin D fortified, processed meats in the Irish market, in order to …

Investigation Of Consumer Attitudes Towards Emerging Novel Food Processing Technologies In The Republic Of Ireland, Emine Berna Cibik

Theses

Food industry and governmental organisations are continuously working on innovative food processing technologies in order to produce safe foods without causing undesirable changes in the food products. Food is a very sensitive area so consumers are conservative in accepting food products produced from novel technologies compared to other products. Food is basic needs of humans and it is becoming more and more globalized recently, but public perceptions are not same in different countries. The aim of this research was to investigate consumer attitudes toward novel food processing technologies in Republic of Ireland. A quantitative research was conducted and data was …

Breastfeeding Practices 2008–2009 Among Chinese Mothers Living In Ireland: A Mixed Methods Study, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, Tanya M. Cassidey, Wenyi Wang, John Kearney

Articles

Background

Migration to another country has a potential influence on breastfeeding practices. A significant difference in breastfeeding rates between Irish nationals and non-nationals has been reported. This study was conducted to explore breastfeeding practices of the Chinese in Ireland, one of the largest Irish ethnic groups, and to explore the influence of living in Ireland on breastfeeding practices. This is the first and the only migration study so far on breastfeeding practices among the Chinese in Ireland.

Methods

A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was adopted. The first phase was a cross-sectional self-administered retrospective mailed survey, to explore breastfeeding practices …

Vibrational Spectroscopy For In Vitro Monitoring Stem Cell Differentiation, Francesca Ravera, Esen Efeoglu, Hugh Byrne

Other resources

Stem cell technology has attracted considerable attention over recent decades due to its enormous potential in regenerative medicine and disease therapeutics. Studying the underlying mechanisms of stem cell differentiation and tissue generation is critical, and robust methodologies and different technologies are required. Towards establishing improved understanding and optimised triggering and control of differentiation processes, analytical techniques such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, RNA in situ hybridisation analysis, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting have contributed much. However, progress in the field remains limited because such techniques provide only limited information, as they are only able to address specific, …

Dietary Fat Intakes In Irish Children: Changes Between 2005 And 2019, Aileen O’Connor, Maria Buffini, Anne Nugent, Laura Kehoe, Albert Flynn, Janette Walton, John Kearney, Breige Mcnulty

Articles

Objective:To examine current dietary fat intakes and compliance in Irish childrenand to examine changes in intakes from 2005 to 2019.Design:Analyses were based on data from the Irish National Children’s FoodSurvey (NCFS) and the NSFS II, two cross-sectional studies that collected detailedfood and beverage intake data through 7-day and 4-day weighed food diaries,respectively.Setting:NCFS and NCFS II, Republic of Ireland.Participants:A nationally representative sample of 594 (NCFS) and 600 (NCFS II)children aged 5–12 years. Current intakes from the NCFS II were compared withthose previously reported in the NCFS (www.iuna.net).Results:Current intakes of total fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA andtransfat as a percentageof total energy are …

Data Mining Raman Microspectroscopic Responses Of Cells To Drugs In Vitro Using Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares, David Perezguaita, Guillermo Quintas, Zeineb Farhane, Roma Tauler, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Raman microspectroscopy is gaining popularity for the analysis of time-dependent biological processes such as drug uptake and cellular response. It is a label-free technique which acquires signals from a large variety of components, including cell biomolecules and exogenous compounds such as drugs and nanoparticles, and is commonly employed for in vitro analysis of cells and cell populations with no labelling or staining required. By monitoring the changes to the Raman spectra of the cell as a result of a perturbing agent (e.g. exposure to a drug or toxic agent), one can study the associated changes in cell biochemistry involved in …

Potential Of Raman Spectroscopy For The Analysis Of Plasma/Serum In The Liquid State: Recent Advances, Drishya Rajan Parachalil, Jennifer Mcintyre, Hugh Byrne

Articles

There is compelling evidence in the literature to support the application of Raman spectroscopy for analysis of bodily fluids in their native liquid state. Naturally, the strategies described in the literature for Raman spectroscopic analysis of liquid samples have advantages and disadvantages. Herein, recent advances in the analysis of plasma/serum in the liquid state are reviewed. The potential advantages of Raman analysis in the liquid form over the commonly employed infrared absorption analysis in the dried droplet form are initially highlighted. Improvements in measurement protocols based on inverted microscopic geometries, clinically adaptable substrates, data preprocessing and analysis, and applications for …