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Archive for January, 2011
Chitosan antimicrobial coating potential found for curbing Listeria, according to new study
Posted On: January 28, 2011The study by Haiqiang Chen et al, published in the Journal of Food Science, found that use of chitosan, particularly when used in coatings, was able to inhibit the growth of LM and could potentially be an effective tool for the fish processing sector in efforts to tackle the bacteria.
The group said they launched the project as LM-contamination of ready-to-eat foods, such as cold-smoked salmon, is a common cause of foodbourne illness outbreaks and usually occurs in the post-processing phase. In 2009 the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that 15 per cent of all smoked fish is tainted with LM.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of chitosan-based edible coatings and films incorporating three generally recognized as safe (GRAS) antimicrobials; sodium lactate (SL), sodium diacetate (SD), and potassium sorbate (PS), against L. monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon.
Salmon samples were surface-inoculated with a 5-strain cocktail of LM to a final concentration of 4.4 log CFU/cm2 and then either coated with chitosan solutions or wrapped with chitosan films with or without the antimicrobials. The samples were then vacuum packaged and stored at 4°C for 30 days.
The scientists found that chitosan coatings, with or without the antimicrobials, consistently showed higher efficacy against LM than chitosan films with the same compositions.
Omega-3 structure may affect bioavailability, according to new study
Posted On: January 28, 2011The study, published in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, suggests that omega-3 concentrates – such as triacylglycerides – have much better bioavailability than purified fish oil.
The team of Spanish researchers said that the study contributes to knowledge on the intestinal lipolysis of omega-3 sources, which can be found in many commercial forms, from purified fish oil to concentrates of free fatty acids and ethyl esters.
They said that despite differences regarding their intestinal metabolism, there is lack of information about the specific composition of the absorbable fraction from omega-3-TAG or omega-3-EE concentrates.
The new study compared the in vitro bioaccesibility of omega-3-oils from different sources. The researchers tested salmon oil, tuna oil, enriched-omega-3 oil as triacylglycerols (omega-3-TAG), and enriched-omega-3 oil as ethyl ester (omega-3-EE).
“This comparative study showed that the in vitro bioaccesibility of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) seems to be better as omega-3-TAG concentrates than purified fish oils,” said the researchers, led by Dr. Diana Martin from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.
“The highest degree of hydrolysis and inclusion of lipid products … was found for the omega-3-TAG oil, but compared to fish oils, long digestion times were required.” They added that poor hydrolysis took place for the enriched-omega-3 oil as omega-3-EE.
CANADA: Shrimp shell processing facility to be built in Newfoundland
Posted On: January 27, 2011A shrimp shell processing facility will be established in Twillingate with the help of a $500,000 loan from the provincial government, it was announced today. The initiative is expected to create up to 19 full-time jobs during periods the facility is operational.
According to a news release, the facility will dry and compact shrimp waste to produce two products: dried shrimp shells for shipment to China (to be processed into contamination-free glucosamine which is a non-vitamin, non-mineral dietary supplement), and a protein byproduct to be targeted to the aquaculture industry as a component of feedstock. The facility will be operated by Eastern Star Group Canada Inc., a partnership between Canadian and Chinese entrepreneurs that is focused on commercial utilization of marine-based materials.
JAPAN: Total Chemical Synthesis of a Marine Natural Product with Significant Anticancer Effect
Posted On: January 27, 2011Cancer is a leading cause of death in Japan, and the development of effective chemotherapeutic agents has been an urgent issue by social demands. It has been known that a number of marine secondary metabolites, or marine natural products, produced by marine organisms have significant anticancer effects with unique mechanisms. As such, marine resources represent a rich source of evolutionary anticancer drugs. However, the availability of marine natural products is often extremely limited, and overexploitation of these resources may cause ecological damage. Therefore, it is necessary to develop reliable means to supply promising anticancer natural products for their detailed biological evaluation toward drug development, and it is most likely that chemical synthesis is the only way to achieve this goal.
A research group led by Associate Professor Haruhiko Fuwa and Professor Makoto Sasaki at Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Japan, has achieved total chemical synthesis of exiguolide, a marine macrolide natural product that was extracted from a sponge collected off the Amami-Oshima Island. In addition, through a collaborative research with Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and the Cancer Chemotherapy Center of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, it was elucidated for the first time that exiguolide exhibits potent antiproliferative activity against several human lung cancer cell lines through an unusual mechanism. By optimizing the molecular structure and elucidating the mechanism through which this natural product exhibits its potent biological activity, their research could help develop evolutionary anticancer drugs and discover new drug targets.
The research result has been published as an Article entitled “Total Synthesis and Biological Assessment of (−)-Exiguolide and Analogues” in the online edition of Chemistry—A European Journal on January 25, 2010.
EVENT – UC San Diego: Pharmaceuticals from the Sea — using marine microorganisms in unimaginable ways
Posted On: January 26, 2011Pharmaceuticals from the Sea: Using marine microorganisms in unimaginable ways
Presented by:
Dr. William Gerwick
Professor, Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine
Scripps Institution of Oceanography & Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
UC San Diego
Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2010
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: AMN Healthcare
12400 High Bluff Drive # 100
San Diego, CA 92130
Program Overview:
Pharmacological research reveals that marine cyanobacteria, single-celled organisms often referred to as blue-green algae, have proven to be an effective cancer treatment in recent human clinical trials. Rapidly opening new doors for natural product drug development, cyanobacteria coupled with new screening processes and technology, is allowing for a rich interface of creative research in anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity.
In addition to its pharmacological implications, cyanobacteria and algae are especially rich in lipids that are being studied for their usefulness in creating renewable biofuels. While there are currently many unknowns about reliably producing enhanced lipid yields without negatively effecting its growth, researchers at UC San Diego are looking to overcome these obstacles.
In this lecture, Dr. William Gerwick, Professor in the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, will discuss the recent discoveries being made at the Gerwick Research Laboratory. These breakthroughs will illustrate the application of techniques in the more effective investigation of marine cyanobacteria and other microalgae for pharmaceutical lead compounds as well as biofuel-relevant lipids.
Who Should Attend:
Scientists, engineers, physicians, healthcare leaders, venture capitalists, technology and life sciences professionals, services providers and business leaders.
Marine Natural Products themed issue
Posted On: January 26, 2011Natural Products Report announces the availability of NPR Issue 2, one of the most exciting issues of Natural Product Reports: the Marine Natural Products themed issue.
This themed issue has been guest edited by four of our Editorial Board members: Marcel Jaspars, Bradley Moore, Joern Piel and Russell Cox.
Let me say thanks to all of them for their enthusiasm and hard work putting this very interesting issue together.
This issue covers a number of aspects of marine natural product chemistry. From their structural diversity and synthesis to their natural function and their ecological role. Discover everything this marine natural products themed issue offers.
Nordic Naturals introduces Daily Omega line of fish oil supplements
Posted On: January 26, 2011Nordic Naturals introduces Daily Omega™, a line of three products that offers a simple solution for consumers concerned about what type of product to take on a regular basis to address their need for omega-3 essential fatty acids.
According to Corinna Bellizzi, Retail Division Sales Manager, “Consumers have a large variety of products to choose from when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids and this can be quite confusing. Daily Omega makes this choice easy by offering three concentrated formulas (two for adults and one for children) where only one soft gel is required daily to support optimal health and wellness.” Verified by third-party testing, the Daily Omega line offers the same high quality standards with regards to purity, freshness and safety that all the Nordic Naturals products offer, including the highly absorbable, natural triglyceride form. The new label is available to retailers worldwide.
Lipid Manufacturer Equateq Secures Manufacturer Accreditation for Japan
Posted On: January 25, 2011Pharmaceutical Lipid Manufacturer Equateq has secured a manufacturer’s accreditation for Japan, taking the company a step closer to offering its Maxomega super-pure omega oil concentrates in the world’s second largest pharmaceutical market.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare issued the Accreditation certification (AG20500095) for a Foreign Drug Manufacturer (FMA) in the category of non-sterile drugs. The application included a full review of Equateq’s cGMP manufacturing facility in the Western Isles of Scotland, and its ability to deliver pharmaceutical products in Japan in compliance with all relevant regulations.
Equateq made the application based on two Maxomega concentrates. The first is EPA97 ethyl ester, a specification well-established in Japan for treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The second is a specific omega oil blend of both EPA and DHA.
This takes us one step closer to entering the Japanese market, where we have found there is considerable interest in the quality and price point of our omega APIs’ said Equateq CEO Adam Kelliher. ’Japan is renowned as a world leader for its exacting standards of purity and consistency in API manufacturing, and so we are pleased to be able to comply with their requirements.’
The Japanese pharmaceutical market is the second largest individual market after the US. Its annual sales of some $60 billion constitute approximately 11% of the world market.
Equateq’s proprietorial Maxomega technology allows it to deliver the highest concentration levels possible in the sector, at up to 99% purity of a single lipid. The facility has been a site of lipid concentration for nearly 30 years, and is certified cGMP by the UK’s health authority, the MHRA.
Novel Chitin and Chitosan Materials in Wound Dressing Report Now Available
Posted On: January 25, 2011R. Jayakumar, M. Prabaharan, P. T. Sudheesh Kumar, S. V. Nair, T. Furuike and H. Tamura (2011).
Novel Chitin and Chitosan Materials in Wound Dressing, Biomedical Engineering, Trends in Materials Science, Anthony N. Laskovski (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-513-6, InTech, Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/novel-chitin-and-chitosan-materials-in-wound-dressing
Qantas to sign LOI for algae-based aviation biofuel
Posted On: January 20, 2011At a series of public and private meetings this week on the Rodeo Drive of algae, North Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla, California, Qantas confirmed that it is in advanced talks with an unnamed algal biofuels producer (“with strong ties to Australia”) that are expected to result in a letter of intent for an offtake agreement for algal jet fuel, with the potential that Qantas may take a financial stake in the venture.
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