Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. Malvaceae (HS) is characterized by its edible calyxes. The HS calyxes are widely used for cosmetic, food, and medicinal applications. According to ethnobotanical evidence, decoction, infusion, or maceration extracts from HS calyxes have been used in folk medicine to treat many ailments. Moreover, several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the pharmacological properties and potential human health benefits of HS consumption. On the other hand, the evaluation of the physiological effects and health benefits of HS in clinical studies is most challenging. Therefore, this narrative review summarizes and discusses the physiological effects and health benefits of HS calyxes reported in clinical trials. Preparations obtained from HS calyxes (extracts, infusions, decoction, teas, beverages, capsules, and pills) are used as non-pharmacological therapies to prevent/control diverse chronic non-communicable diseases. The most-reported HS health benefits are its antihypertensive, antidyslipidemic, hypoglycemic, body fat mass reduction, nephroprotective, antianemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-xerostomic activities; these effects are associated with the phytochemicals found in HS. Moreover, no adverse effects were reported during the clinical trials. However, clinical studies exhibited some limitations; thus, further studies are required to validate the clinical efficacy of HS in large-scale studies with higher doses and a good experimental design

Functionalization of polysaccharide-based packaging incorporating inorganic nanoparticles for food preservation is an active research area. This review summarizes the use of polysaccharide-based materials functionalized with inorganic nanoparticles (TiO₂, ZnO, Ag, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Zr, MgO, halloysite, and montmorillonite) to develop hybrid packaging for fruit, vegetables, meat (lamb, minced, pork, and poultry), mushrooms, cheese, eggs, and Ginkgo biloba seeds preservation. Their effects on quality parameters and shelf life are also discussed. In general, treated fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, and G. biloba seeds markedly increased their shelf life without significant changes in their sensory attributes, associated with a slowdown effect in the ripening process (respiration rate) due to the excellent gas exchange and barrier properties that effectively prevented dehydration, weight loss, enzymatic browning, microbial infections by spoilage and foodborne pathogenic bacteria, and mildew apparition in comparison with uncoated or polysaccharide-coated samples. Similarly, hybrid packaging showed protective effects to preserve meat products, cheese, and eggs by preventing microbial infections and lipid peroxidation, extending the food product’s shelf life without changes in their sensory attributes. According to the evidence, polysaccharide-hybrid packaging can preserve the quality parameters of different food products. However, further studies are needed to guarantee the safe implementation of these organic–inorganic packaging materials in the food industry.

Overweight and obesity promote diabetes and heart disease onset. Triglycerides are key biomarkers for cardiovascular disease, strokes, and other health issues. Scientists have devised methods and instruments for the detection of these molecules in liquid samples. In this study, an enzymatic biosensor was developed using an Arduino-based microfluidic platform, wherein a lipolytic enzyme was immobilized on an ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer through physical adsorption. This low-cost optical biosensor employed a spectrophotometric transducer and was assessed in liquid samples to indirectly detect triglycerides and fatty acids using p-nitrophenol as an indicator. The average triglyceride level detected in the conducted experiments was 47.727 mg/dL. The biosensor exhibited a percentage of recovery of 81.12% and a variation coefficient of 0.791%. Furthermore, the biosensor demonstrated the ability to detect triglyceride levels without the need for sample dilution, ranging from 7.6741 mg/dL to 58.835 mg/dL. This study successfully developed an efficient and affordable enzymatic biosensor prototype for triglyceride and fatty acid detection. The lipolytic enzyme immobilization on the polymer substrate provided a stable and reproducible detection system, rendering this biosensor an exciting option for the detection of these molecules.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la calidad microbiológica del agua en las escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco, México (3 de kinder, 15 de primaria y 4 de secundaria) mediante la cuantificación de cloro libre, bacterias coliformes totales (OCT) y fecales (OCF); además de la búsqueda cualitativa de Enterobacterias. En general, el 9% de las escuelas verificadas cumple con los criterios establecidos por la Normatividad Oficial Mexicana para cloro libre (0.2 a 1.5 mg/L), mientras que en el 59 % de las muestras sobrepasa los límites recomendables y en el 32 % no se detectó. En lo referente al contenido de OCT y OCF, estas bacterias se detectaron en muestras de agua provenientes de escuelas (K1 y S3) que no contenían cloro al llegar desde la red municipal, pero también en especímenes (P7, P8 y P15) que contenían cloro residual en exceso; de esto se concluye que la contaminación puede ser de origen y/o deberse a que los depósitos de almacenamiento están sucios. Por su parte, es importante destacar que en el 13.6 % de las muestras se identificó a la bacteria Escherichia coli; además, se aislaron cepas de Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella spp y Pseudomona spp. La presencia de bacterias patógenas en agua potable de instituciones educativas indica que ésta puede ser un vector de enfermedades, por lo que se recomienda que se lleven a cabo mantenimientos preventivos de limpieza en cisternas y tinacos, así como monitoreos frecuentes de la calidad microbiológica del agua.

Las plantas han sido utilizadas a lo largo del tiempo para obtener alimentos, fármacos, aromas, suplementos alimenticios, entre otros. El Agave es una de estas plantas, debido a su valor comercial. El Agave tequilana Weber var. azul es uno de los principales agaves cultivados en México, ya que a partir de la fermentación alcohólica de su mosto se obtiene el tequila, bebida emblemática del país. Adicionalmente, el Agave es una importante fuente de fructanos, los cuales son polímeros de fructosa que sirven como almacenamiento de energía en plantas y tienen aplicación industrial. Los fructanos más estudiados son los que provienen de la achicoria (Cichorium intybus). Cuando una persona consume fructanos de Agave, éstos suelen atravesar la mayor parte del tracto digestivo. Es en el cólon donde los fructanos empiezan a sufrir cambios que traen beneficios importantes para el cuerpo. En el intestino grueso, las bacterias comienzan a degradarlos en grandes porciones y al metabolizarlos producen ácidos de cadena corta, dióxido de carbono, hidrógeno y metano. Los fructanos se pueden llamar fibra soluble debido a que estimulan el crecimiento de la microbiota intestinal. En el presente trabajo se recopilan varias obras que demuestran la efectividad de los fructanos como potencial prebiótico y los efectos que traen a la salud intestinal.

Background: Mexico is one of the main producers, exporters and consumers of corn in the world. For maximum yield of the product, nitrogen fertilizers are supplied as the main source of nutrients. However, their excessive use is creating a contamination problem. Objective: The main objective was to isolate and select nitrogen-fixing bacteria from the rhizosphere and caulosphere of corn plants. Methodology: Corn plants were selected during three different periods: vegetative growth, flowering and fertilization, grain filling and maturity. Root and stem samples were obtained from each of the plants, they were superficially disinfected, serial dilutions were made and they were planted in nutrient agar medium for isolation. The nitrogen-fixing capacity was evaluated qualitatively on a nitrogen-free medium and quantitatively through the indirect ammonium ion titration method. Results: 70 bacterial isolates were obtained, of which 14 presented positive nitrogen-fixing activity in vitro. Only isolates RB14, RC12, CB1 and CC3 presented quantifiable ammonium ion concentrations, with values of 1.081 mg/L, 0.546 mg/L, 0.54 mg/L and 0.163 mg/L of released ammonium, respectively. According to the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics observed, the microorganisms that presented nitrogen fixing capacity showed a morphological similarity to the genera Bacillus sp, Pseudomonas sp and Azotobacter sp. Conclusions: These isolates can be used as an alternative to the use of chemical fertilizers since they showed a high nitrogen fixation potential in vitro.