Synthesis and Characterization of Phenyl Camellia oleifera Seed Oil Ester Plasticizing PVC

Plasticizers are essential additives in the processing of polyvinyl chloride(PVC),with phthalate plasticizers being widely used.However,these conventional plasticizers have been shown to be harmful to human health and environmentally unfriendly,necessitating the exploration of eco-friendly bio-based alternatives.In this study,Camellia oleifera seed oil,a specialty resource in China,was utilized as a raw material and reacted with 4,4′-Methylenebis(N,N-diglycidylaniline)(AG-80)to synthesize Phenyl Camellia seed Oil Ester(PCSOE).PCSOE was employed as a plasticizer to prepare modified PVC films with varying concentrations,with the conventional plasticizer dioctyl phthalate(DOP)serving as a control.Experimental results demonstrate that PSCOE-plasticized PVC films exhibit enhanced hydrophilicity,tensile strength,and thermal stability compared to DOP-modified PVC films.The contact angle of PSCOE-plasticized PVC films ranges from 66.26°to 78.48°,which is generally lower than the contact angle of DOP-modified PVC films at 78.40°,indicating improved hydrophilicity due to the modification with PCSOE.The tensile strength of PSCOE-plasticized PVC films ranges from 17.73 to 20.17 MPa,all surpassing the value of 16.41 MPa for DOP-modified PVC films.Moreover,the temperatures corresponding to 5%,10%,and 50%weight loss for PVC samples modified with PCSOE are higher than those for DOP.Hence,PCSOE presents a viable alternative to DOP as a plasticizer for PVC materials.

Development of a KASP Marker on Chromosome A05 for Seed Oil Content of Brassica napus

In order to identify the molecular markers that can be widely used in the breeding of Brassica napus L.varieties with high seed oil content under different genetic backgrounds,we developed a Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR(KASP)marker for seed oil content on the basis of the results from available studies.The verification in the F2 population showed that the marker was closely linked to the quantitative trait locus(QTL)for oil content on chromosome A05.The findings helped to breed the‘Fengyou’varieties with high seed oil content in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Profiling the effects of microwave-assisted and soxhlet extraction techniques on the physicochemical attributes of Moringa oleifera seed oil and proteins

There is a constant search for biomaterials from natural products like plants for food and industrial applications.The work embodied in this report aimed at investigating the effects of microwave-assisted and soxhlet extraction(MAE and SE) techniques on the functional physicochemical quality characteristics of Moringa oleifera seed oil and proteins extracts. M. oleifera seeds were ground to fine powders and oil was extracted by microwave-assisted and soxhlet extraction techniques using petroleum ether. Quality attributes including yield percent, moisture content,iodine, saponification, specific gravity, viscosity, p H, thiobarbituric acid, acid and peroxide values were measured. Mineral and vitamin contents, chemical/functional groups, fatty acid(FA) composition, and reducing power of the oil were evaluated. Metabolomics of protein extracted from the defatted powders were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR). M. oleifera oil from MAE and SE methods had good yield(34.25 ± 0.0%,28.75 ± 0.0%), low moisture content(0.008 ± 0.0%, 0.011 ± 0.0%), non-drying and unsaturated, moderately saponified, less dense(0.91 ± 0.01, 0.92 ± 0.02 g m L^(-1)), had Newtonian flow, were weakly acidic, showed good content of FAs, recorded strong potential for long shelf-life, showed stability against oxidative rancidity and enzymatic hydrolysis, had very rich deposits of micro-and macro-nutrients as well as water-soluble and lipidsoluble vitamins, and functional groups in the oil were reflective of its content of long-and medium-chain triglycerides(LCT and MCT). Monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids(MUFA and SFA) were detected and the oil has excellent ferric ion reducing power. NMR metabolomic assay revealed the presence of nine essential amino acids(EAAs) in the protein extract. MAE technique is a feasible and acceptable alternative for high throughput extraction of M. oleifera oil with high yield and excellent quality attributes. The study revealed that MAE did not impart any remarkable advantage(s) on the physicochemical properties of M. oleifera seed oil and protein compared to SE technique.

Anti-lipid-oxidation effects and edible safety evaluation of the oil extracted by a supercritical CO_(2) process from coix seed fermented by Monascus purpureus

The physicochemical properties and composition of coix seed oil produced by Monascus purpureus fermentation and supercritical CO_(2)extraction were determined.Anti-lipid-oxidation and edible safety were evaluated using a cholesterol-fish oil model,acute oral toxicity assay,and genetic toxicity assay in vitro and in vivo,respectively.The results show that the extraction oil from fermented coix seed(FCS-O)had good physicochemical quality and abundant active components with physiological function.In particular,γ-tocotrienol,γ-oryzanol,coixenolide and oleic acid concentrations reached 72.83μg/g,745.96μg/g,9.65 mg/g and 316.58 mg/100 g DW,respectively.The FCS-O exhibited higher antioxidant capability in inhibiting lipid oxidation and peroxidation.Compared to the blank control,the concentrations of 7-ketocholestreol and peroxide only were 8.42μg/mL and 16.16 mmol/kg at 168 h of oxidation(P<0.01).In addition,the FCS-O has been confirmed to be a very safe edible oil,with no acute toxicity(LD50>10 g/kg bw,considered actually non-toxic)and no induced mutagenicity,cytotoxicity or genotoxicity.These results serve as a good safety reference for future application of the oil from fermented coix seed.The development and utilization of this kind of oil will be beneficial as a food,food ingredient,nutritional supplement,or natural food antioxidant to promote good health function.

Phosphorus Containing Rubber Seed oil as a Flame Retardant Plasticizer for Polyvinyl Chloride

The application of phthalate plasticizers has been restricted around the world due to their poor migration and potential harm to the human body.Hence,producing functional bio-based plasticizers via exploiting clean and reusable resources meets the satisfaction of current demands.In this study,flame-retardant rubber seed oil-based plasticize(FRP)was prepared via epoxidation reaction and ring opening addition reactions,which was used as a flame-resistant plasticizer for polyvinyl chloride to replace petroleum-based phthalate plasticizer.When DOP was replaced with FRP,the torque of PVC blends increased from 11.4 to 18.4 N⋅m,the LOI value increased from 24.3%for PVC-FRP-0%to 33.1%for PVC-FRP-20.The THR value diminished from 39 MJ/m^(2)(pertaining to PVC-FRC-0)to 22 MJ/m^(2)Tg increased from 23°C to 47°C,the weight loss of plasticized PVC blends significantly reduced from 22.6%to 2.8%in leaching tests.The study provided a new way to prepare flame retardant plasticizer using rubber seed oil as raw material.

Physicochemical and Biochemical Composition of Balanites aegyptiaca Seed and Seed Oil from Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, the seeds of Balanites aegyptiaca have been considered to be potentially high lipid, protein and mineral sources but seem to be neglected and sometimes unknown by communities. This study aims to complete data on seed oil and detail on amino acids and minerals composition of the seed of B. aegyptiaca for better use. Physicochemical parameters such as moisture and ash content, saponification index, iodine, acid value, peroxide value and the melting point were determined. Seed oil triglycerides, fatty acids and amino acids have been estimated throughout this study. The moisture and ash content were 3.70% ± 0.1% and 2.90% ± 0.2%, respectively. The saponification and iodine values were respectively 181.96 ± 0.4 mg KOH/g of oil and 104.86 ± 0.6 g of iodine/100 g of oil. Polyunsaturated fatty acid content (50.94%) was the most important. Triglyceride (LLO, 22.4%) was the major triglyceride. 9 essential amino acids and 9 non-essential amino acids were identified. Phenylalanine (11697.82 ± 0.00 mg/kg) was the most important essential amino acid. The content of 21 minerals was determined and the most important was potassium (9323.13 ± 0.01 mg/kg). Ca/P, Ca/Mg, Ca/Mg and Na/K ratios were 0.34;1.18;0.04 and 0.19 respectively. B. aegyptiaca seed oil is a source of multiple nutritional values and can be used by the population for multipurpose.

Plasticizing Effect of Camellia oleifera Seed-Oil-Based Plasticizer on PVC Material Modification

In this study,as the plasticizer,Camellia oleifera seed-oil-based cyclohexyl ester(COSOCE)was prepared by the reaction of cyclohexene oxide and refined C.oleifera seed oil(RCOSO)obtained by acidification hydrolysis after saponification.In addition,the structure of the target product was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,and Raman spectroscopy.COSOCE was used as plasticizer-modified polyvinyl chloride(PVC)membranes.The structure of the COSOCE-modified PVC membranes were characterized by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The properties of the COSOCE-modified PVC membrane were characterized by contact angle measurements,universal testing machine,thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).The results revealed that(1)The COSOCE-modified PVC membranes exhibit a good microscopic morphology.Combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and contact angle measurement results,the COSOCE-modified PVC membranes are confirmed to be a hydrophilic material.(2)The modified PVC membrane with 60%COSOCE exhibited the best mechanical properties.The tensile strength reached 23.56±2.94 MPa.(3)COSOCE-modified PVC material exhibited better thermal stability,with a loss rate of less than 75%at the end of the first decomposition stage.Compared with that of the dioctyl-phthalate(DOP)-modified PVC membrane,the initial decomposition temperature of PVC was increased by 1.17°C–8.17°C,and the residual rate was increased by 0.67%–5.75%.The carbon–carbon double bond in the COSOCE molecular structure can remove the free radicals generated during the degradation of PVC material and slow down the decomposition rate of PVC.In addition,the double bond can be cross-linked partially with the PVC molecular chain containing the conjugated polyene structure,thereby increasing the movement resistance of the PVC molecular chain segment.Hence,COSOCE can replace DOP as a PVC plasticizer.

A Comparative Study of Transesterification of Hydnocapus weightiana Seed Oil Using Calcined and Acid Activated Natural Heterogeneous Catalyst and Its Kinetic Study

The world’s total fossil fuel consumption has been significantly increasing with consequential increased environmental catastrophes. A hunt for an alternate energy source was stimulated. Biofuel is a plausible option in this pursuit due to its ideal qualities which included but are not limited to renewability and environmental friendliness. However, the pump price of biodiesel is still very high due mainly to the high cost of the production of the commodity which is influenced by the feedstock and the homogeneous nature of catalyst used. Heterogeneous catalyst was prepared by using Pila globosa sea snail shells prepared by calcination (CP8) and by acid activation (PTW1M). Hydnocapus weightiana seed oil (Non-edible feedstock) was extracted using the soxhlet extraction method and was used for biofuel production with a methanol oil ratio of 3:1. Agitation speed 800, 600 rmp, reaction temperatures of 70°C, 60°C, catalyst concentration (3.00, 2.00 wt%) and reaction time (70 and 60 min) was maintained for CP8 and PTW1M respectively. The rate of the reaction followed a reversible second-order reaction rate. Re-usability accessed. From TGA analysis, the best calcination temperature was 800°C. SEM results showed improved surface morphology after calcination, especially for CP8. FTIR analysis showed the elimination of volatiles and formation of CaO and CaO4Te after calcination. The reaction rate constant at different temperatures was 0.0287 at 30°C, 0.1200 at 50°C and 0.1142 at 70°C and activation energy of the ethyl ester was 49.49 KJ/mol. Using CP8. Most of the fuel properties met with ASTM 6751 standard. The result of the re-usability showed that the biodiesel yield declined as follows: 92, 86, 80, 73 and 69 % for CP8 and 85, 84, 81, 76, 65. For PTW1M. After the fifth regeneration cycle, both CP8 and PTW1M samples of Pila globosa sea snail shell catalyst proved effective in transesterification reaction of Hydnocapus weightiana seed oil using ethanol. It was observed that the calcined catalyst (CP8) showed a superior catalytic performance.

Fatty Acid Composition of Hazelnut Kernel Oil from Coula edulis Collected in the Republic of Congo

Coula edulis is non-timber forest product (NTFP) used in Africa for its hazelnuts, which contain edible seeds with a demonstrated nutritional potential. However, there have been very few scientific studies of this species in the Republic of Congo. Thus, the aim of the current study was therefore to determine the fatty acid composition of the oil extracted from Coula edulis hazelnut seeds collected at random in the Republic of Congo. The oil was extracted using the Soxhlet method and its fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. The extracted oil from Coula edulis hazelnut kernels is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (95.28%), particularly oleic acid (94.5%), which classifies it as an oleic oil and gives it interesting nutritional and therapeutic properties. On the other hand, saturated fatty acids (4.15%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (0.35%) are not well represented. Its low poly-unsaturated fatty acid content makes it more stable when stored at room temperature.

Valorization of Griffonia simplicifolia Seed Oil for Biodiesel Production: A Sustainable Alternative

Bio-derived oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel), are promising alternatives for alleviating the adverse effects of fossil fuel consumption on climate change and preventing petroleum resource depletion. However, the selection of a viable feedstock for competitive biodiesel production remains challenging. Recent studies focusing on Griffonia simplicifolia seeds, the sole plant industrially exploited for 5-hydroxy- tryptophan (5-HTP) extraction, have shown that G. simplicifolia seed oil (GSO) can be solvent-extracted directly from ground seeds or the remaining seed cakes obtained after 5-HTP extraction with quantitative yields. This work documents the conversion of GSO into biodiesel through homogeneous base-catalyzed transesterification. The refractive index and density of the obtained methyl ester mixtures decreased with increasing oil-to-methanol molar ratio, reaction temperature, and time. Under specific conditions, 1.43 wt% FFA oil, 63.5C, 60 min, and 1:9 oil/MeOH molar ratio with 1.2 wt% NaOH or 1.3 wt% KOH as catalysts, optimal reaction conditions were reached. There were no significant differences in the potential for diminution of the refractive index and density between the NaOH and KOH catalysts. The predicted fuel properties based on the fatty acid composition determined by GC-MS showed that G. simplicifolia biodiesel exhibited a cetane index of 50.29, volumetric energy density of 34.97 MJ/L, cloud point of -1.03°C, kinematic viscosity of 4.07 mm2/s, and oxidative stability of 0.65 h. Apart from its unfavorable oxidative stability and slightly lower energy density compared to petrodiesel, all other calculated parameters met the current standards. The valorization concept proposed in this study should be integrated into the 5-HTP extraction process, preferably using the remaining dry seed cakes as raw materials to maximize revenue in a bioeconomic and sustainable approach.

Design and Production of Infant Flours Based on Pumpkin Pulp Enriched with Cakes Extracted from Its Seeds

The inclusion of composite flours in infant food at weaning time should be a priority for mothers. The aim of this project is to formulate infant flour based on pulp flour enriched with oilcake from these grains after extraction of the oil. To do this, the elements were combined to obtain a regulatory formulation. Micro- and macronutrients, minerals, vitamins and tasting of the prepared porridge were determined. The results obtained were satisfactory. The moisture content of the fruit pulp was determined using oven-drying techniques: 92.2%, carbohydrates 6.00%, lipids 0.3%, ash 0.80%, proteins 1.10%, calcium 19.8%, phosphorus 42.6% and iron 0.4%. Furthermore, the carbohydrate content of flours composed of 5% insertion is 62.9 g to 48.8 g per 100 g, and the protein content of compound flours with 5% insertion is 15.9 g to 28.25 g per 100 g. On the other hand, the vitamin C and E contents of fresh pulp and oilcake are 25 mg, 13 mg and 21 mg respectively. However, only copper and β-carotene from 5% to 30% insertion remain invariant to the different insertion rates, with a value of 25 mg for copper and 0 µg for β-carotene. In addition, a variation in the degree of swelling of weaning flours compared with the standard from 3.95% at 5% insertion to 3.58 at 30% insertion was observed. The solubility of flours increases on the one hand with increases in the degree of insertion of the cakes. Flour formulated so many toward basicity. But the presence of traces of oil containing fatty acids can reduce this basicity. This study may be an alternative of industrial flours in infant nutrition.

Functional evaluation for effective compositions in seed oil of Korean pine

The effect of seed oil of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) on the rats' blood-fat and its anti-ageing function was stud-ied for appraising the efficacy of the seed oil of Korean pine. Sixty experimental rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (half males and half females in each group) as normal control group, high fat diet control group, and three groups (Group 1 Group 2, Group 3) that were fed with feedstuff with the contents of the seed oil of 2.0g/(kgd-1), 4.0g/(kgd-1) and 8.0g/(kgd-1), respec-tively. The indexes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and anti-oxidation capacity (AOC) were measured by Reagent Kit method. It was found that the seed oil of the Korean pine could reduce the content of triglyc-eride and improve SOD as well as GSH-PX activity in serum. These indexes of the rats in Group 2 fed with Korean pine seed oil of 4.0 g/(kgd-1) reached the significant level and those of rats in Group 3 fed with the seed oil of 8.0 g/(kgd-1) reached the extremely significant level. The results indicated the seed oil of Korean pine had function of regulating the level of blood-fat and anti-ageing.

Evaluation of Seed Oil Content in Cucumber Germplasm

With 35 different ecological types of cucumber germplasm resources as test materials, the soxhlet extraction was used to extract the crude fat from the cu- cumber seeds to analyze the seed oil content, with the aim to lay foundations for the application and new variety breeding related with cucumber seed oil. The results showed that there were significant differences in seed oil content between different cucumber varieties with the amplitude of variation rangeing from 31.03% to 40.59%, among which the seed oil content of south China cucumber was the highest of 40.59%, while the seed oil content of north China cucumber was the lowest of 31.03%. Four va.rieties with oil content of greater than 38.50% and four varieties with oil content of less than 32.01% werescreened out.

Extraction of Perilla Seed Oil Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and GC-MS Analysis

[Objective] This study was aimed to determine the optimal parameters for the extraction of perilla seed oil to obtain high-quality perilla seed oil and analyze its compositions. [Method] In this study, perilla seed oil was extracted using supercritical CO2 （SC-CO2）. The effects of extraction time, temperature and pressure were investigated by single-factor experiments and orthogonal array testing （ORT）. The chemical compositions of extracted perilla seed oil were investigated by GC-MS. [Result] The optimal conditions for the extraction of perilla seed oil using SC-CO2 were extraction time of 4 h, extraction temperature at 40 ℃, and extraction pressure at 23 MPa. Under these conditions, the extraction yield of perilla seed oil was maximized to 12.43%. GC-MS analysis revealed that perilla seed oil was a complex mixture containing 76.183% α-linolenic acid. [Conclusion] Supercritical CO2 extraction was proven to be an effective technology to extract oil from perilla seed, and GCMS was also a satisfactory method for analyzing the compositions of perilla seed oil.

Ultrasound-associated extraction of seed oil of Korean pine

Experiment on ultrasound- associated extraction of seed oil of Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis) was conducted in Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China. The factorsaffecting extraction yield, such as ultrasonic frequency, extracting temperature, extracting timeand the ratio of material to liquid (ratio of Korean pine seed to absolute alcohol), were analyzedunder specific condition and the optimal extracting parameters were obtained as the ultrasonicfrequency 32 000 Hz, the extracting temperature 80 ℃, the extracting time 50 min, and the ratio ofmaterial to liquid 1: 30. The study demonstrates that ultrasound is a reliable and great efficiencytool for the fast extraction of Korean pine seed oil.

Diversity in seed oil content and fatty acid composition in Acer species with potential as sources of nervonic acid

Nervonic acid(NA,cis-15-tetracosenoic acid)is a very long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to be a core component of nerve fibers and nerve cells.It can be used to treat and prevent many neurological diseases.At present,commercially available NA is mainly derived from Acer truncatum seeds,which contain about 5%e6%NA in their seed oil.The aim of this study were to identify and analyze NA-containing Acer species that could be used as NA resource plants.For this purpose,46 Acer species seeds were collected in China and in some or all of the seed oils from these species 15 fatty acids were detected,including linoleic acid,oleic acid(C18:1D9,C18:1D11),erucic acid,palmitic acid,NA,linolenic acid(C18:3D6,9,12,C18:3D9,12,15),eicosenoic acid(C20:1D11,C20:1D13),stearic acid,behenic acid,tetracosanoic acid,arachidic acid,and docosadienoic acid.Nervonic acid was detected in all samples,but the content was highly variable among species.NA content over 9%was detected in eleven species,of which Acer elegantulum had the highest levels(13.90%).The seed oil content,seed weight,and fatty acid profiles varied among species,but the comprehensive evaluation value(W)showed that A.coriaceifolium could be a new potential NA resources plant.The results also showed that NA was significantly negatively correlated with palmitic acid,oleic acid,and eicosenoic acid,but positively correlated with eicosadienoic acid,behenic acid,erucic acid,and tetracosanoic acid,which indicate the probable pathway for NA biosynthesis in Acer plants.This study has identified Acer species that may serve as NA resources and will help guide subsequent species breeding programs.

Sperm quality improvement after date seed oil in Vitro supplementation in spontaneous and induced oxidative stress

In vitro supplementation with date seed oil （DSO） can protect spermatozoa against hydrogen peroxide （HiO2）- mediated damage and can improve sperm function, possibly owing to antioxidant properties. We tested the antioxidant effects of DSO on human sperm motility, sperm viability, reacted acrosome and lipid peroxidation assessed in vitro after H202-mediated oxidative damage in spermatozoa. Sixteen patients （mean age： 35 years; range： 25-45 years） referred to the Histology-Embryology Laboratory of the Medicine Faculty of Sfax for semen analysis after 12-24 months of sexual intercourse without conception were selected. After spermiogram, sperm selection by twointerface discontinuous Sill Select gradient was performed, and selected spermatozoa were used in four experimental assays： control; incubation with 100um H2O2; incubation with 0.1% DSO; and co-incubation with 0.1% DSO and 100 um H2O2. Motility and viability were determined using World Health Organization criteria. Acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation were assessed by staining with fluorescein isothiocyanate-Pisum sativum and spectrophotometric measurement of malondialdehyde, respectively. Results showed that incubation with H2O2 alone led to a significant increase in lipid peroxidation （57.83%, P 〈 0.05） associated with a significant decrease in sperm motility, sperm viability （after 30 min and 24 h） and percentage of reacted acrosome （P 〈 0.05）. Date seed oil im- proved sperm motility after 24 h of incubation （P 〈 0.05） and protected spermatozoa against the deleterious effects of H2O2 on motility, viability, acrosome reaction and lipid peroxidation. We conclude that supplementation with DSO may have a function in antioxidant protection against male infertility.

Response Surface Optimization of Nigella glandulifera Freyn Seed Oil Yield by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction

Supercritical carbon dioxide （SC-CO2） extraction was employed to extract oil from Nigella glandulifera Freyn seed in this study. Response surface methodology （RSM） was applied to evaluate the effects of the process parameters （pressure, temperature, and CO2 flow rate） on oil yield of N. glandulifera seed. A Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The analysis of variance indicated that the linear coefficients of pressure and CO2 flow rate, the quadratic term coefficients of pressure and temperature and the interactions between pressure and temperature, as well as temperature and CO2 flow rate, had significant effects on the oil yield （P〈0.05）. The optimal conditions to obtain the maximum oil yield from N. glandulifera seed were pressure 30.84 MPa, temperature 40.57°C, and CO2 flow rate 22.00 L h-1. Under these optimal conditions, the yield of oil was predicted to be 38.19%. The validation experiment results agreed with the predicted values. The fatty acid composition of N. glandulifera seed oil extracted using SC-CO2 was compared with that of oil obtained by Soxhlet method. The results showed that the fatty acid compositions of oil extracted by the two methods were similar. Identification of oil compounds with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） showed that the contents of unsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid （48.30%）, oleic acid （22.28%） and saturated fatty acids palmitic acid （16.65%）, stearic acid （4.17%） were the most abundant fatty acids in seed oil from N. glandulifera.

Chinese Torreya grandis cv.Merrillii seed oil affects obesity through accumulation of sciadonic acid and altering the composition of gut microbiota

Torreya grandis cv.Merrillii(Taxace,Torreya)is mainly distributed across the hilly areas of subtropical China and is well known for its nutritional value.In this study,the ameliorative effects of T.grandis seed oil on lipid metabolism were investigated,and the underlying mechanism was explored from the perspective of gut microbiota.Mice experiments showed that the rate of body mass gain in the group where the mice were fed a high-fat diet(HFD)and supplemented with 550 mg/(kg·day)T.grandis seed oil(HFD+TO550 group)was 42.27%,while it was 62.25%in the HFD group.Compared with the HFD group,the liver and fat indices,total cholesterol,triglycerides,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were reduced in the oil-supplement groups.Moreover,the oil supplement significantly changed the fatty acid composition and alleviated pathological damage to the liver caused by the high-fat diet.Additionally,the distinct clustering of bacteria in the composition of gut microbiota was observed in the oil treatment group compared with that in the HFD group.T.grandis seed oil significantly increased the abundance of the beneficial bacteria and short-chain fatty acid producers,including Lactobacillus,Bifidobacterium,Faecalibaculum and Allobaculum.Our results suggest that the supplements of T.grandis seed oil could alleviate hyperlipidemia caused by HFD.These positive effects are considered to be related with sciadonic acid(SCA)and are partially mediated by alterations in gut microbiota composition and functionality.

New Process for Extracting Oil and Starch from Tea Seeds

A new process for extracting oil and starch from tea seed was introduced. The new process included one special link compared with all of the processes used now for tea seed oil and starch production. The link was static fermentation by which oil bodies and starch were separated naturally from tea seeds. By the process, tea seed oil and starch which were in conformity with government standards about edible oil and starch were successfully produced with 16% and 8% of production rate, respectively. The new process has many advantages, such as more simple equipments, lower production cost and whole natural products, etc..