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Preparation and characterization of lignin modified by laccase enzyme
Hrušková, Lucie ; Obruča, Stanislav (referee) ; Kalina, Michal (advisor)
This master’s thesis focuses on the enzymatic modification of commercially available lignin using laccase enzyme and monitoring its impact on selected physical and chemical properties. Lignin is an attractive material for the production of renewable chemicals, materials, and energy, but its complex chemical structure poses a major obstacle to its effective utilization. Enzymatic modification appears to be a promising solution for its processing. Experiments were conducted under various conditions, such as pH, enzyme dosage, and reaction time. In the subsequent part of the experiment, the modified lignins were characterized and their results compared with those of the raw kraft lignin before modification. Molecular weight was determined using SEC-MALS, and the concentration of phenolic groups and antioxidant activity were measured. Structural changes were also monitored using FTIR. The results indicate that the enzymatic modification of lignin using laccase led to an increase in the molecular weight of the modified lignins, along with a decrease in the content of phenolic groups and a reduction in antioxidant activity. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the action of the laccase enzyme resulted in lignin polymerization and the formation of new chemical bonds, leading to further aggregation.
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Evaluation of coffee and coffee substitute beverages from the perspective of sensory and antioxidant properties
HONYSZOVÁ, Tereza
The aim of the thesis was to evaluate selected coffee and coffee substitutes in terms of sensory properties and chemical properties with a focus on antioxidant properties and polyphenolic substances. The thesis was divided into two parts. The first, theoretical part, deals with the cultivation and processing of coffee, consumption of coffee and coffee substitutes, legislative definition of this issue. It also characterizes the most important chemical substances in coffee. The second, practical part, deals with the sensory analysis of selected coffee and coffee substitutes samples. The physical and chemical properties of the selected samples were determined. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity of the samples and the total polyphenol content were determined. Statistical analysis evaluated differences between the samples and correlation analysis was performed. The last part of the thesis was a questionnaire that focused on the consumption of coffee and coffee substitutes. Statistically significant differences were found for six of ten descriptors when evaluating sensory attributes of the samples. The samples differed significantly also in the physicochemical analyses. The Standard coffee sample had the highest pH value, and among the coffee substitutes it was the Organic Hemp coffee. The coffee samples had higher soluble solids than the coffee substitutes samples. When colour was measured, the coffee samples were found to be darker than the coffee substitutes. From the measurements of antioxidant activity and polyphenol content, the sample of the coffee substitute Red espresso was evaluated as the best.
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Mladý ječmen a chlorella jako součást zdravého stravování
BÍCOVÁ, Pavla
Products of young barley and chlorella belong to the increasingly popular nutraceuticals due to their rich nutritional composition. The aim of the thesis was: to assess the offer of young barley and chlorella in the market network in the Czech Republic, to evaluate the knowledge about these products and the effects of using these dietary supplements by questionnaire survey (n = 338) and to assess the quality of the selected products. There is a relatively wide range of chlorella (57 products; 75 % in tablet form) and young barley (24 products; 71 % in powder form) products on the Czech market, which differ in composition, processing method, country of origin, price and information provided about them. Knowledge of the production method and the contents is important when consumers choose products. This knowledge was found to be low among some users. Awareness increased statistically significantly with age and educational attainment. The majority of users of chlorella (181; 55 %) and young barley (224; 68 %) did not suffer from side effects associated with initiation of use. The most frequently reported adverse symptoms were related to the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhoea, constipation). The most frequently reported beneficial effects were more energy and vitality, improved digestion and immunity. The microbial quality of the chlorella and young barley samples met the legislative requirements. Total polyphenol content and total antioxidant activity were lower (1.20?0.00 mg/g - 1.35?0.01 mg/g, 0.73?0.00 mg/g - 0.84?0.02 mg/g, respectively) in chlorella (11.44?0.26 mg/g - 7.92?0.25 mg/g, 10.36?0.00 mg/g - 22.76?0.27 mg/g, respectively) compared to young barley.
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Preparation and characterization of nanoparticles with encapsulated antimicrobial component
Dohnalová, Marie ; Strečanská, Paulína (referee) ; Márová, Ivana (advisor)
This bachelor thesis is focused on the preparation and characterization of particles with encapsulated natural substances with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Selected antioxidants were anthocyanins, eugenol and vitamin E, as one of the most powerful antioxidants. At the same time, antimicrobial agents were chosen, in this case eugenol. In the theoretical part, individual active substances, materials for the preparation of particles, methods of their preparation were characterized and the principle of determining the safety of used materials. In the experimental part, selected active substances were characterized and the preparation of particles was optimized. Two types of liposomes were prepared, for which the encapsulation efficiency, size and stability were determined. Also prepared aqueous extracts of blueberries and blackberries were prepared, for which total anthocyanin content has been determined. The extracted substances from the plant material were encapsulated into alginate particles. Furthermore, the gradual release of active substances from particles into model environments using a spectrophotometer was determined. During the gradual release of active substances from the particles, the antioxidant effect was also monitored, in which it was possible to observe a decrease with the passage of time. The antimicrobial effect of active substances and liposomes against model microorganisms Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus was also tested. Cytotoxicity tests on human keratinocytes were performed on selected active substances, extracts and prepared nanoparticles, where it was proven that the selected materials are non-cytotoxic. Finally, a proposal for a possible application form in the form of an alginate hydrogel was created.
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Characterization of selected complex vitamin supplements
Bandarenka, Andrei ; Fialová, Lenka (referee) ; Márová, Ivana (advisor)
Modern society places great emphasis on a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet, leading to increased interest in products with high levels of vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting substances. Consequently, there has been an increased interest in various dietary supplements, including so-called "greens" products. These supplements are designed to provide a concentrated source of nutrients from various green plants while also containing a high proportion of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds. The aim of this thesis is to characterize complex food supplements in terms of their composition and content of active ingredients to better understand their mechanisms of action and identify substances responsible for their health-promoting effects. The theoretical part of the work focuses on describing legislation of dietary supplements, including their characteristics and the evolution of interest in them over recent decades. Furthermore, the theoretical part addresses the description of basic components commonly found in supplements, such as vitamins, plants, algae, prebiotics, and probiotics. Finally, methods for determining these components and the most frequently used techniques for their analysis are described. In the experimental part, 12 different plant-based dietary supplements falling into the category known as "greens" were selected. The content of phenolic compounds, chlorophylls, carotenoids, and antioxidants were determined in these products. Additionally, the influence of these products on the growth of bacterial cultures and the metabolic activity of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria was examined. Analysis of the vitamin C and B-group vitamins content in these supplements was also conducted. The test results showed that the examined supplements are a rich source of phenolic compounds, chlorophyll, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Furthermore, it was found that these products can be used as prebiotics in the diet. Based on the conducted tests, it was concluded that "greens" food supplements offer a wide range of health benefits and can be considered a useful contribution to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Practically, in all conducted tests, the products with a high matcha content achieved the best results, making this ingredient a key component for creating quality dietary supplements from plant-based ingredients.
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Isolation and characterization of beta-glucans of natural origin
Ratsilouskaya, Lizaveta ; Hoová, Julie (referee) ; Márová, Ivana (advisor)
The bachelor thesis deals with the characterization of natural beta-glucans and other active substances isolated from macroalgae and yeasts. The used macroalgae samples differ in the pigment, origin and method of algae processing. The theoretical part focuses on seaweed and yeast species, beta-glucans, their sources and biological effects, other biologically active substances (such as polyphenols and antioxidants) and finally on methods for determining these biologically active substances. In the practical part, samples of selected macroalgae were analyzed, namely samples of Arame, Nori, Kombu, Wakame, Hijiki and Spaghetti. Aqueous, ethanol and acetone extracts of these algae were prepared in this work. The aqueous extracts were used for spectrophotometric determination of phenolic substances, flavonoids and antioxidant activity by the ABTS method. Furthermore, ethanol and acetone extracts of said macroalgae were used to determine total chlorophyll and carotenoid content spectrophotometric. The work also focused on beta-glucan content, analyzing macroalgae and yeast R. toruloides. Arame and Nori algae and R. toruloides were high in beta-glucans. However, beta-glucans were very low in other macroalgae.
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Comparison of the properties of chokeberry spreads of different origins, comparison and different production technologies
Kapiton, Ulyana ; Hrstka, Miroslav (referee) ; Vespalcová, Milena (advisor)
This diploma thesis deals with comparison of the properties of chokeberry spreads of different origins, composition and different production technologies. The theoretical part contains a brief description of the chokeberry – Aronia melanocarpa, an overview of the most important substances contained in the chokeberry and examples of the use of aronia, not only in the food industry. Furthermore, the legislative requirements for the production of spreads and the production technology itself are described. In this thesis is also described a new patented technology of spread production using HTD technology. Another part of the theoretical part is a literature review of the determination of anthocyanins in chokeberry by HPLC method. The experimental part describes the laboratory procedures used for determination of dry matter, carbohydrates by HPLC with ELSD detector, anthocyanin dyes, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Another part of the work was a questionnaire survey and sensory analysis of selected chokeberry spreads. The panel members prefered the Lowicz chokeberry spread, for which was determined 29,39% dry matter, 15,15 mg.g-1 anthocyanins, 9,20 mg.g-1 total phenolic compounds, 158,42 mg.g-1 fructose and 151,26 mg.g-1 glucose and the antioxidant activity was determined to be 5,94 mg.g-1.
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Biologically active substances of the Gotu kola plant
Šumberová, Michaela ; Nábělek, Jakub (referee) ; Zemanová, Jana (advisor)
The Bachelor thesis focuses on the preparation and characterization of the extract of Gotu kola (Centella asiatica). The theoretical part summarizes commonly analyzed groups of biologically active compounds of herbs and introduces potential applications of the extract in food industry. Moreover, an overview of possibly used extraction methods and analytical methods for the evaluation of biologically active compounds of the extract are presented. As for the experiment, the extract of the fresh Centella asiatica herb was prepared by maceration in ethanol and then analyzed by three chosen methods. The total phenolic content of the extract analyzed by the Folin-Ciocalteu test was 0.74 ± 0.08 mgGAE·g-1. As for the quantification of antioxidant activity, the TEAC test was performed and the antioxidant activity of the extract was 289 ± 81 µg·ml-1. The volatiles present in the extract were identified by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry in combination with solid-phase micro-extraction. Sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons were the most dominant group of the extract, in which -farnesene (33.28 %), -caryophyllene (25.01 %), and -humulene (20.91 %) were the major compounds.
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Analysis of some biologicaly active components in natural plant extracts
Kováčová, Ivana ; Márová, Ivana (referee) ; Němcová, Andrea (advisor)
This thesis is focused on the study of the effectiveness of active ingredients from natural extracts such as milk thistle and turmeric. The thesis describes the use of modern methods of analysis and identification of active substances located in plants of milk thistle and turmeric. In the experimental part of thesis, which was preceded by a literature search focused on the biological effects of active substances in the chosen natural extracts, the extracts were characterized according to group characteristics (total assessment of polyphenols and flavonoids, assessment of antioxidant activity, and assessment of vitamin C volume and tocopherol). The next part is focused on the study of the encapsulation of natural active substances into the organic particles: liposomes. Silymarin and curcumin were encapsulated as active substances. The idea of a plant with a single active ingredient is usually erroneous. Plants usually contain hundreds of components which cooperate on a given effect. Therefore, the majority of herbalists believe that a simple plant is an active ingredient. However, some plants are known to be containing a particular active phytochemical. For instance, plants such as the milk thistle, turmeric, or a ginkgo are great examples of the plant containing a particular active phytochemical. In these cases, the active compound is disproportionately more effective than the plant itself. Encapsulation efficiency of active ingredients of Silymarin and curcumin was determined by HPLC/PDA. The aim of the analysis was to observe the behavior of elements during the incubation in surrounding of gastric juice model, and the stability while maintaining the particles in model food.
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Development of a new type of energy drinks containing natural active components
Vysoká, Marie ; Němcová, Andrea (referee) ; Skoumalová, Petra (advisor)
The aim of this thesis is the development and preparation of a new energy drink. The theoretical part of the thesis focuses on the comparison of the drinks available in market, the presentation of the main active ingredients and the proposal of enriching the new energy drink. It also describes the possibility of using an encapsulation and the method used to determine specific compound in energy drink or encapsulated particles. In the experimental part of the work, at the beginning, the main content of energy drinks were characterized, for instance caffeine, sugar, polyphenol and vitamin C. Subsequently the energy drink based on selected types of loose teas that were enriched with the encapsulated extract of acai, acerola, maca, goji and ginseng was designed. All extracts contained large amounts of polyphenols and antioxidants. In addition, acerola extracts contained very high amounts of vitamin C. Two types of particles, alginate particles and liposomes were prepared for encapsulation. For all particles, encapsulation efficiency, size, stability, and antioxidant activity were determined. Long-term stability was then monitored within three months. The particles were also exposed to artificial gastric, pancreatic and bile juice. All tested particles showed very good encapsulation efficiency. In terms of long-term storage stability in an aqueous environment. Particularly liposome particles, which also showed high stability by zeta potential measurement, were suitable. On the contrary, in case of alginate particles, when stored in an aqueous medium, the release of active substances occurred. Finally, an energy drink was created and subjected to sensory analysis. The best energy drink was based on black or green tea with alginate particles acai, goji and ginseng.
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