Fat bloom is a serious problem that occurs when chocolate and related products are stored at high temperatures for long periods. Various techniques have been used to retard and prevent the fat bloom phenomenon. In this study, we investigated the ability of a new type of symmetrical triacylglycerol, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-palmitoleoyl-sn-glycerol (PPoP), containing palmitic acid (P) at positions sn-1 and sn-3 and palmitoleic acid (Po) at position sn-2, to retard or prevent fat bloom formation. An XRD study of cocoa butter (CB) and TAG mixtures of CB/PPoP and CB/POP revealed that CB and CB/POP mixtures transformed into polymorphic Form VI under conditions where the storage temperature was gradually raised from 20°C to 28°C over a period of 100 days. In contrast, the XRD patterns of CB/PPoP mixtures after 100 days of storage was similar to that of Form V of CB, and unlike that of Form VI of CB. These results are the first to indicate that the adding PPoP may prevent or delay the polymorphic transformation of CB from Form V to Form VI. We also investigated the physical properties and fat bloom stability of cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) and dark chocolates made with different PPoP concentration and found that the solid fat contents of CBE decreased with increasing amounts of PPoP. the addition of PPoP tended to soften the dark chocolate. Finally, we found that the fat bloom formation of dark chocolate under thermal cycle storage conditions between 18°C–30.5°C and 20°C–32°C could be retarded by adding of PPoP. However, further studies are warranted to elucidate the PPoP-induced retarding mechanisms during the transition from Form V to Form VI.

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of gelatin, a water-phase component, on the flavor release mechanism in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions, used as low-fat spread model. Rapeseed oil served as the oil phase, and monoolein was employed as the emulsifier. Two W/O emulsion samples were prepared: UMG, containing only sodium chloride in the aqueous phase, and Gel-UMG, containing both gelatin and sodium chloride. Subsequently, model flavor components were incorporated into these emulsions, and the influence of gelatin in the aqueous phase on flavor release was evaluated using SPME-GC/MS. Analysis of the flavor components revealed that, in the adsorption temperature range of 30°C–50°C, fatty acid release from Gel-UMG was substantially lower than that from UMG. The interactions between gelatin and the flavor components were examined using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Fatty acids, including propanoic and butanoic acids, interacted with gelatin, increasing the resonance frequency, whereas other flavor components with similar hydrophobicity (1-butanol, 2-butanol, butanal, ethyl acetate, and γ-hexalactone) showed no interaction, as indicated by the unchanged resonance frequency. Moreover, electrical conductivity, interfacial storage modulus, and water droplet size measurements collectively suggested the presence of gelatin at the oil–water interface. These findings indicate that gelatin and fatty acids in the aqueous phase of W/O emulsions may interact via the oil–water interface. This interaction likely inhibits their release into the vapor phase, decreasing the amount of fatty acids released from Gel-UMG, as detected using GC/MS analysis.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a leading non-communicable disease (NCD), has become a pronounced health problem. It is typified by obesity, insulin insensitivity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, with obesity playing a central pathogenic role. Excessive adipose tissue accumulation promotes chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and widespread metabolic dysregulation, significantly increasing the risk of systemic diseases. We established a MetS rat model via a high-fat/high-glucose (HFHG) diet. Rats were assigned to three groups: a normal control (Control), a MetS model (MetS), and a MetS group was treated with Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (MetS + Omega-3 PUFAs). Compared to Controls, MetS rats exhibited marked increases in body weight (over 20%), triglycerides (TG), insulin (INS), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), confirming successful model induction. Histological analysis revealed pronounced aortic endothelial fibrosis in MetS rats, which was notably alleviated by omega-3 PUFA treatment. Oxidative-stress markers were significantly improved in the “MetS + Omega-3 PUFAs” group relative to the untreated MetS group. Additionally, lipid parameters (TG, TC, LDL-C) and insulin levels were substantially reduced, approaching those of the Control group. Collectively, these findings indicate that omega-3 PUFAs mitigate oxidative stress, correct metabolic dysfunction, and attenuate vascular fibrosis in MetS rats, underscoring their therapeutic potential in managing dysfunctional metabolism.

Hydrophilicity and side effects are the major problems in the effective and safe use of 5-fluorouracil (5FL) for skin cancer. Lipid-based nanocarriers, especially nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), show specific advantages of high drug loading and low drug leakage for successful delivery of 5FL. Therefore, a lipid-nanogel system of 5FL-loaded NLC (5FL-LNG) for topical delivery was aimed at in the present study. For NLC development, a mixture of turmeric oil and labrasol (70:30) was determined as oil, and then solid lipid (tefose 1500) and surfactant (Tween 80) were selected. Central composite design was used for formulation optimization. Design suggested a formulation prepared with 1.5% binary mixture, 6% surfactant, and 8 min of sonication time for the optimized 5FL-NLC. Optimized 5FL-NLC had particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and transmittance values of 223.47±2.42 nm, –14.90±0.95 mV, 78.81±1.63%, and 94.79±0.58%, respectively. The DSC revealed homogeneous and amorphous nature of 5FL-NLC. 5FL-LNG formulation was prepared with 1% w/w Carbopol^® 934 and compared with conventional Carbopol^® 934 gel of 5FL. Spreadability and extrudability were better for 5FL-LNG and were further confirmed by texture analysis. In vitro release and skin permeation (both in vitro and ex vivo) of 5FL was better for 5FL-LNG compared to the conventional gel. Dermatokinetic data showed that C_skin-max and AUC_0-8h values were significantly higher for 5FL-LNG. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed noticeable betterment of 5FL delivery to skin epidermis and dermis from 5FL-LNG compared to conventional gel. Overall, developed 5FL-LNG formulation demonstrated its significant results for effective topical application and, therefore, could be subjected to further pre-clinical and clinical studies.

The chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Vachellia tortilis, collected from Tunisia, at the three developmental stages, was analysed by GC/MS. Seventy-five compounds were identified. GC–MS analysis showed qualitative and quantitative variation during Vachellia tortilis seed maturation. The essential oil was dominated by a large amount of apocarotenes (38.6-47.1%) and non-terpene derivatives (34.7-49.6%). The major components of the oil were (E)-geranylacetone (15.6-25.3%), guaiacylacetone (4.7-12.9%), p-menth-4-en-3-one (3.1-10.9%), cis-2-methyl-3-oxo-cyclohexane-butanal (4.5-8.7%), (E)-β-ionone (5.4-8.2%) and hexahydrofarnesylacetone (2.4-5.6%). The highest antioxidant activity was exhibited by essential oils at intermediate stage. Essential oils at immature and intermediate stages showed higher antimicrobial activity than those at mature stage. The present findings allowed us to choose the optimal harvesting period to have the maximum effectiveness of the essential oil in terms of biological activities.

This study provides a comprehensive investigation of the phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inhibition properties of Equisetum ramosissimum, a medicinal plant traditionally used in Turkey. The main aim was to characterize its bioactive compounds and evaluate their biological relevance using modern analytical techniques. Ethanolic extracts of the plant were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, enabling the identification and quantification of 13 phenolic compounds, including kaempferol (1458.11 µg/L), vanillic acid (1002.26 µg/L), and resveratrol (424.12 µg/L). Antioxidant activity was assessed through DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC assays, where the extract demonstrated strong radical scavenging and metal reducing capacity. Enzyme inhibition studies revealed significant inhibitory effects on AChE, BChE, and α-glucosidase, with IC₅₀ values comparable to standard inhibitors. These findings indicate that E. ramosissimum is a rich source of phenolic compounds with strong antioxidants and enzyme inhibitory properties. The originality of this work lies in its systematic evaluation of Turkish E. ramosissimum populations, highlighting their potential as natural therapeutic agents for managing oxidative stress-related diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and diabetes.

Organic–inorganic halide perovskite materials have attracted significant attention in the field of optoelectronics, and their single crystals, in particular, exhibit high carrier mobility. However, because single crystals were typically grown from highly polar donor solvents, the crystallization process was complicated by the formation of complexes, solvated crystals, and polymorphs. Despite these complexities, many studies have relied on empirical trial-and-error approaches, without systematically integrating the crystallization process into crystal engineering through phase diagrams. In this study, we constructed a phase diagram of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite and clarified its solubility and precipitation curves. From van’t Hoff analysis, we determined the enthalpy and entropy of dissolution. Based on the supersaturation conditions obtained from the precipitation and solubility curves, we successfully grew single crystals. These insights are expected to provide important guidance for the fabrication of solar cells, photodetectors, and integrated devices.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophic factor essential for brain function, is also produced in the kidneys and reportedly exerts kidney protective effects. However, whether renal BDNF levels decrease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains elusive. To investigate how CKD affects renal BDNF levels, we used an adenine-induced murine CKD model. Administration of 0.1% adenine solutions via free drinking for 1 week resulted in a marked reduction of BDNF expression in the kidneys. Our results suggest that CKD progression reduces kidney BDNF levels and that this model could be useful for developing BDNF-targeted strategies for CKD prevention and therapy.