This thesis relates the physicochemical properties of phenolic compounds to their antioxidant activities. It focuses on the partitioning of phenolic compounds between hydrophilic and lipophilic environments and the relevance this has to their in vivo health effects. Data in the literature was lacking so the phase partition coefficients (log P) of 53 phenolic antioxidants were measured by reversed-phase HPLC and calculated by log P prediction software. There was a very strong linear correlation between measured and calculated values (r=0.91). The importance of log P in determining antioxidant assay values was then tested by developing an assay system capable of measuring activities of both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. This Lipid Peroxidation Inhibition Capacity Assay (LPIC), based on using liposomes to simulate a cell membrane environment, was then used to measure the activity of antioxidants with a broad range of structures. The activities were correlated against log p, the difference of heat of formation (∆Hf) and half-wave potential (Ep/2) and used to derive a predictive model to calculate the LPIC activity. There was a highly significant linear correlation between the calculated and measured values. The LPIC activities also correlated well to published LDL inhibition activities but not to measured ORAC activities. These findings suggested that behaviours of antioxidants in the small unilamellar vesicles of the LPIC assay were similar to that in the LDL assay but not to the aqueous phase based ORAC assay. The LPIC assay may therefore be a better indicator of potential health benefits of antioxidants in the human body than the ORAC assay. The possible mechanistic reasons are that it may better reflect ability to prevent the oxidation of LDL blood stream particles that leads to cardiovascular disease and also takes into account the importance of membrane solubility which can raise the cellular concentration and thus potential to protect cells from oxidative damage. KEYWORDS: LPIC, LDL; Antioxidant; Phytochemical; Polyphenolic; Phenolic acid; Flavonoids; log P; Partition Coefficient; Liposome; Lipid bilayer; Lipid Membrane; ORAC; Comet assay; Flow Cytometry. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Emulsions form a major part of processed food formulations, either being the end products in themselves or as parts of a more complex food system. For the past few decades, colloid scientists have focussed mainly on the effects of processing conditions (e.g. heat, high pressure, and shear) on the physicochemical properties of emulsions (e.g. viscosity, droplet size distribution and phase stability). However, the information about the behaviour of food structures post consumption is very limited. Fundamental knowledge of how the food structures behave in the mouth is critical, as these oral interactions of food components influence the common sensorial perceptions (e.g. creaminess, smoothness) and the release of fat-soluble flavours. Initial studies also suggest that the breakdown of emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract and the generated interfacial structures impact lipid digestion, which can consequently influence post-prandial metabolic responses. This area of research needs to be intensively investigated before the knowledge can be applied to rational design of healthier food structures that could modulate the rate of lipid metabolism, bioavailability of nutrients, and also help in providing targeted delivery of flavour molecules and/or bioactive components. Hence, the objective of this research was to gain understanding of how emulsions behave during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro digestion models that mimic the physicochemical processes and biological conditions in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract were successfully employed. Behaviour of model protein-stabilized emulsions (both positively charged (lactoferrin) as well as negatively charged [β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)] oil-in-water emulsions) at each step of simulated physiological processing (using model oral, gastric and duodenal fluids individually) were investigated. In simulated mouth conditions, oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by lactoferrin or β-lg at the interfacial layers were mixed with artificial saliva at neutral pH that contained a range of mucin concentrations and salts. The β-lg emulsions did not interact with the artificial saliva due to the dominant repulsion between mutually opposite charges of anionic mucin and anionic β-lg interfacial layer at neutral pH. However, β-lg emulsions underwent some depletion flocculation on addition of higher concentrations of mucin due to the presence of unadsorbed mucin molecules in the continuous phase. In contrast, positively charged lactoferrin emulsions showed considerable salt-induced aggregation in the presence of salts (from the saliva) alone. Furthermore, lactoferrin emulsions underwent bridging flocculation because of electrostatic binding of anionic mucin to the positively charged lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets. In acidic pH conditions (pH 1.2) of the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), both protein-stabilized emulsions were positively charged. Addition of pepsin resulted in extensive droplet flocculation in both emulsions with a greater extent of droplet instability in lactoferrin emulsions. Coalescence of the droplets was observed as a result of peptic hydrolysis of the interfacial protein layers. Conditions such as ionic strength, pH and exposure to mucin were shown to significantly influence the rate of hydrolysis of β-lg-stabilized emulsion by pepsin. Addition of simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) containing physiological concentrations of bile salts to the emulsions showed competitive interfacial displacement of β-lg by bile salts. In the case of lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets, there was considerable aggregation in the presence of intestinal electrolytes alone (without added bile salts) at pH 7.5. Binding of anionic bile salts to cationic interfacial lactoferrin layer resulted in re-stabilization of salt-aggregated lactoferrin emulsions. On mixing with physiological concentrations of pancreatin (mixture of pancreatic lipase, amylase and protease), significant degree of coalescence and fatty acid release occurred for both the emulsions. This was attributed to the interfacial proteolysis by trypsin (proteolytic fractions of pancreatin) resulting in interfacial film rupturing. Exchange of initial interfacial materials by bile salts and trypsin-induced film breakage enhanced the potential for lipolytic fractions of pancreatin to act on the hydrophobic lipid core. The lipid digestion products (free fatty acids and mono and/or diglycerides) generated at the droplet surface further removed the residual intact protein layers from the interface by competitive displacement mechanisms. The sequential treatment of the cationic and anionic emulsions with artificial saliva, SGF and SIF, respectively, was determined to understand the impact of initial protein type during complete physiological processing from mouth to intestine. Broadly, both the protein-stabilized emulsions underwent charge reversals, extensive droplet flocculation, and significant coalescence as they passed through various stages of the in vitro digestion conditions. Except in the simulated mouth environment, the initial charge of the emulsifiers had relatively limited influence on droplet behaviour during the simulated digestion. The results contribute to the knowledge of how structure and charge of the emulsified lipid droplets impact digestion at various stages of physiology. This information might have important consequences for developing suitable microstructures that allow controlled breakdown of droplets in the mouth and predictable release of lipids in the gastrointestinal tract.

Emulsions form a major part of processed food formulations, either being the end products in themselves or as parts of a more complex food system. For the past few decades, colloid scientists have focussed mainly on the effects of processing conditions (e.g. heat, high pressure, and shear) on the physicochemical properties of emulsions (e.g. viscosity, droplet size distribution and phase stability). However, the information about the behaviour of food structures post consumption is very limited. Fundamental knowledge of how the food structures behave in the mouth is critical, as these oral interactions of food components influence the common sensorial perceptions (e.g. creaminess, smoothness) and the release of fat-soluble flavours. Initial studies also suggest that the breakdown of emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract and the generated interfacial structures impact lipid digestion, which can consequently influence post-prandial metabolic responses. This area of research needs to be intensively investigated before the knowledge can be applied to rational design of healthier food structures that could modulate the rate of lipid metabolism, bioavailability of nutrients, and also help in providing targeted delivery of flavour molecules and/or bioactive components. Hence, the objective of this research was to gain understanding of how emulsions behave during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro digestion models that mimic the physicochemical processes and biological conditions in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract were successfully employed. Behaviour of model protein-stabilized emulsions (both positively charged (lactoferrin) as well as negatively charged [β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)] oil-in-water emulsions) at each step of simulated physiological processing (using model oral, gastric and duodenal fluids individually) were investigated. In simulated mouth conditions, oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by lactoferrin or β-lg at the interfacial layers were mixed with artificial saliva at neutral pH that contained a range of mucin concentrations and salts. The β-lg emulsions did not interact with the artificial saliva due to the dominant repulsion between mutually opposite charges of anionic mucin and anionic β-lg interfacial layer at neutral pH. However, β-lg emulsions underwent some depletion flocculation on addition of higher concentrations of mucin due to the presence of unadsorbed mucin molecules in the continuous phase. In contrast, positively charged lactoferrin emulsions showed considerable salt-induced aggregation in the presence of salts (from the saliva) alone. Furthermore, lactoferrin emulsions underwent bridging flocculation because of electrostatic binding of anionic mucin to the positively charged lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets. In acidic pH conditions (pH 1.2) of the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), both protein-stabilized emulsions were positively charged. Addition of pepsin resulted in extensive droplet flocculation in both emulsions with a greater extent of droplet instability in lactoferrin emulsions. Coalescence of the droplets was observed as a result of peptic hydrolysis of the interfacial protein layers. Conditions such as ionic strength, pH and exposure to mucin were shown to significantly influence the rate of hydrolysis of β-lg-stabilized emulsion by pepsin. Addition of simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) containing physiological concentrations of bile salts to the emulsions showed competitive interfacial displacement of β-lg by bile salts. In the case of lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets, there was considerable aggregation in the presence of intestinal electrolytes alone (without added bile salts) at pH 7.5. Binding of anionic bile salts to cationic interfacial lactoferrin layer resulted in re-stabilization of salt-aggregated lactoferrin emulsions. On mixing with physiological concentrations of pancreatin (mixture of pancreatic lipase, amylase and protease), significant degree of coalescence and fatty acid release occurred for both the emulsions. This was attributed to the interfacial proteolysis by trypsin (proteolytic fractions of pancreatin) resulting in interfacial film rupturing. Exchange of initial interfacial materials by bile salts and trypsin-induced film breakage enhanced the potential for lipolytic fractions of pancreatin to act on the hydrophobic lipid core. The lipid digestion products (free fatty acids and mono and/or diglycerides) generated at the droplet surface further removed the residual intact protein layers from the interface by competitive displacement mechanisms. The sequential treatment of the cationic and anionic emulsions with artificial saliva, SGF and SIF, respectively, was determined to understand the impact of initial protein type during complete physiological processing from mouth to intestine. Broadly, both the protein-stabilized emulsions underwent charge reversals, extensive droplet flocculation, and significant coalescence as they passed through various stages of the in vitro digestion conditions. Except in the simulated mouth environment, the initial charge of the emulsifiers had relatively limited influence on droplet behaviour during the simulated digestion. The results contribute to the knowledge of how structure and charge of the emulsified lipid droplets impact digestion at various stages of physiology. This information might have important consequences for developing suitable microstructures that allow controlled breakdown of droplets in the mouth and predictable release of lipids in the gastrointestinal tract.

Emulsions form a major part of processed food formulations, either being the end products in themselves or as parts of a more complex food system. For the past few decades, colloid scientists have focussed mainly on the effects of processing conditions (e.g. heat, high pressure, and shear) on the physicochemical properties of emulsions (e.g. viscosity, droplet size distribution and phase stability). However, the information about the behaviour of food structures post consumption is very limited. Fundamental knowledge of how the food structures behave in the mouth is critical, as these oral interactions of food components influence the common sensorial perceptions (e.g. creaminess, smoothness) and the release of fat-soluble flavours. Initial studies also suggest that the breakdown of emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract and the generated interfacial structures impact lipid digestion, which can consequently influence post-prandial metabolic responses. This area of research needs to be intensively investigated before the knowledge can be applied to rational design of healthier food structures that could modulate the rate of lipid metabolism, bioavailability of nutrients, and also help in providing targeted delivery of flavour molecules and/or bioactive components. Hence, the objective of this research was to gain understanding of how emulsions behave during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro digestion models that mimic the physicochemical processes and biological conditions in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract were successfully employed. Behaviour of model protein-stabilized emulsions (both positively charged (lactoferrin) as well as negatively charged [β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)] oil-in-water emulsions) at each step of simulated physiological processing (using model oral, gastric and duodenal fluids individually) were investigated. In simulated mouth conditions, oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by lactoferrin or β-lg at the interfacial layers were mixed with artificial saliva at neutral pH that contained a range of mucin concentrations and salts. The β-lg emulsions did not interact with the artificial saliva due to the dominant repulsion between mutually opposite charges of anionic mucin and anionic β-lg interfacial layer at neutral pH. However, β-lg emulsions underwent some depletion flocculation on addition of higher concentrations of mucin due to the presence of unadsorbed mucin molecules in the continuous phase. In contrast, positively charged lactoferrin emulsions showed considerable salt-induced aggregation in the presence of salts (from the saliva) alone. Furthermore, lactoferrin emulsions underwent bridging flocculation because of electrostatic binding of anionic mucin to the positively charged lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets. In acidic pH conditions (pH 1.2) of the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), both protein-stabilized emulsions were positively charged. Addition of pepsin resulted in extensive droplet flocculation in both emulsions with a greater extent of droplet instability in lactoferrin emulsions. Coalescence of the droplets was observed as a result of peptic hydrolysis of the interfacial protein layers. Conditions such as ionic strength, pH and exposure to mucin were shown to significantly influence the rate of hydrolysis of β-lg-stabilized emulsion by pepsin. Addition of simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) containing physiological concentrations of bile salts to the emulsions showed competitive interfacial displacement of β-lg by bile salts. In the case of lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets, there was considerable aggregation in the presence of intestinal electrolytes alone (without added bile salts) at pH 7.5. Binding of anionic bile salts to cationic interfacial lactoferrin layer resulted in re-stabilization of salt-aggregated lactoferrin emulsions. On mixing with physiological concentrations of pancreatin (mixture of pancreatic lipase, amylase and protease), significant degree of coalescence and fatty acid release occurred for both the emulsions. This was attributed to the interfacial proteolysis by trypsin (proteolytic fractions of pancreatin) resulting in interfacial film rupturing. Exchange of initial interfacial materials by bile salts and trypsin-induced film breakage enhanced the potential for lipolytic fractions of pancreatin to act on the hydrophobic lipid core. The lipid digestion products (free fatty acids and mono and/or diglycerides) generated at the droplet surface further removed the residual intact protein layers from the interface by competitive displacement mechanisms. The sequential treatment of the cationic and anionic emulsions with artificial saliva, SGF and SIF, respectively, was determined to understand the impact of initial protein type during complete physiological processing from mouth to intestine. Broadly, both the protein-stabilized emulsions underwent charge reversals, extensive droplet flocculation, and significant coalescence as they passed through various stages of the in vitro digestion conditions. Except in the simulated mouth environment, the initial charge of the emulsifiers had relatively limited influence on droplet behaviour during the simulated digestion. The results contribute to the knowledge of how structure and charge of the emulsified lipid droplets impact digestion at various stages of physiology. This information might have important consequences for developing suitable microstructures that allow controlled breakdown of droplets in the mouth and predictable release of lipids in the gastrointestinal tract.

This thesis relates the physicochemical properties of phenolic compounds to their antioxidant activities. It focuses on the partitioning of phenolic compounds between hydrophilic and lipophilic environments and the relevance this has to their in vivo health effects. Data in the literature was lacking so the phase partition coefficients (log P) of 53 phenolic antioxidants were measured by reversed-phase HPLC and calculated by log P prediction software. There was a very strong linear correlation between measured and calculated values (r=0.91). The importance of log P in determining antioxidant assay values was then tested by developing an assay system capable of measuring activities of both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. This Lipid Peroxidation Inhibition Capacity Assay (LPIC), based on using liposomes to simulate a cell membrane environment, was then used to measure the activity of antioxidants with a broad range of structures. The activities were correlated against log p, the difference of heat of formation (∆Hf) and half-wave potential (Ep/2) and used to derive a predictive model to calculate the LPIC activity. There was a highly significant linear correlation between the calculated and measured values. The LPIC activities also correlated well to published LDL inhibition activities but not to measured ORAC activities. These findings suggested that behaviours of antioxidants in the small unilamellar vesicles of the LPIC assay were similar to that in the LDL assay but not to the aqueous phase based ORAC assay. The LPIC assay may therefore be a better indicator of potential health benefits of antioxidants in the human body than the ORAC assay. The possible mechanistic reasons are that it may better reflect ability to prevent the oxidation of LDL blood stream particles that leads to cardiovascular disease and also takes into account the importance of membrane solubility which can raise the cellular concentration and thus potential to protect cells from oxidative damage. KEYWORDS: LPIC, LDL; Antioxidant; Phytochemical; Polyphenolic; Phenolic acid; Flavonoids; log P; Partition Coefficient; Liposome; Lipid bilayer; Lipid Membrane; ORAC; Comet assay; Flow Cytometry. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

This thesis relates the physicochemical properties of phenolic compounds to their antioxidant activities. It focuses on the partitioning of phenolic compounds between hydrophilic and lipophilic environments and the relevance this has to their in vivo health effects. Data in the literature was lacking so the phase partition coefficients (log P) of 53 phenolic antioxidants were measured by reversed-phase HPLC and calculated by log P prediction software. There was a very strong linear correlation between measured and calculated values (r=0.91). The importance of log P in determining antioxidant assay values was then tested by developing an assay system capable of measuring activities of both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. This Lipid Peroxidation Inhibition Capacity Assay (LPIC), based on using liposomes to simulate a cell membrane environment, was then used to measure the activity of antioxidants with a broad range of structures. The activities were correlated against log p, the difference of heat of formation (∆Hf) and half-wave potential (Ep/2) and used to derive a predictive model to calculate the LPIC activity. There was a highly significant linear correlation between the calculated and measured values. The LPIC activities also correlated well to published LDL inhibition activities but not to measured ORAC activities. These findings suggested that behaviours of antioxidants in the small unilamellar vesicles of the LPIC assay were similar to that in the LDL assay but not to the aqueous phase based ORAC assay. The LPIC assay may therefore be a better indicator of potential health benefits of antioxidants in the human body than the ORAC assay. The possible mechanistic reasons are that it may better reflect ability to prevent the oxidation of LDL blood stream particles that leads to cardiovascular disease and also takes into account the importance of membrane solubility which can raise the cellular concentration and thus potential to protect cells from oxidative damage. KEYWORDS: LPIC, LDL; Antioxidant; Phytochemical; Polyphenolic; Phenolic acid; Flavonoids; log P; Partition Coefficient; Liposome; Lipid bilayer; Lipid Membrane; ORAC; Comet assay; Flow Cytometry. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Emulsions form a major part of processed food formulations, either being the end products in themselves or as parts of a more complex food system. For the past few decades, colloid scientists have focussed mainly on the effects of processing conditions (e.g. heat, high pressure, and shear) on the physicochemical properties of emulsions (e.g. viscosity, droplet size distribution and phase stability). However, the information about the behaviour of food structures post consumption is very limited. Fundamental knowledge of how the food structures behave in the mouth is critical, as these oral interactions of food components influence the common sensorial perceptions (e.g. creaminess, smoothness) and the release of fat-soluble flavours. Initial studies also suggest that the breakdown of emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract and the generated interfacial structures impact lipid digestion, which can consequently influence post-prandial metabolic responses. This area of research needs to be intensively investigated before the knowledge can be applied to rational design of healthier food structures that could modulate the rate of lipid metabolism, bioavailability of nutrients, and also help in providing targeted delivery of flavour molecules and/or bioactive components. Hence, the objective of this research was to gain understanding of how emulsions behave during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro digestion models that mimic the physicochemical processes and biological conditions in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract were successfully employed. Behaviour of model protein-stabilized emulsions (both positively charged (lactoferrin) as well as negatively charged [β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)] oil-in-water emulsions) at each step of simulated physiological processing (using model oral, gastric and duodenal fluids individually) were investigated. In simulated mouth conditions, oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by lactoferrin or β-lg at the interfacial layers were mixed with artificial saliva at neutral pH that contained a range of mucin concentrations and salts. The β-lg emulsions did not interact with the artificial saliva due to the dominant repulsion between mutually opposite charges of anionic mucin and anionic β-lg interfacial layer at neutral pH. However, β-lg emulsions underwent some depletion flocculation on addition of higher concentrations of mucin due to the presence of unadsorbed mucin molecules in the continuous phase. In contrast, positively charged lactoferrin emulsions showed considerable salt-induced aggregation in the presence of salts (from the saliva) alone. Furthermore, lactoferrin emulsions underwent bridging flocculation because of electrostatic binding of anionic mucin to the positively charged lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets. In acidic pH conditions (pH 1.2) of the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), both protein-stabilized emulsions were positively charged. Addition of pepsin resulted in extensive droplet flocculation in both emulsions with a greater extent of droplet instability in lactoferrin emulsions. Coalescence of the droplets was observed as a result of peptic hydrolysis of the interfacial protein layers. Conditions such as ionic strength, pH and exposure to mucin were shown to significantly influence the rate of hydrolysis of β-lg-stabilized emulsion by pepsin. Addition of simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) containing physiological concentrations of bile salts to the emulsions showed competitive interfacial displacement of β-lg by bile salts. In the case of lactoferrin-stabilized emulsion droplets, there was considerable aggregation in the presence of intestinal electrolytes alone (without added bile salts) at pH 7.5. Binding of anionic bile salts to cationic interfacial lactoferrin layer resulted in re-stabilization of salt-aggregated lactoferrin emulsions. On mixing with physiological concentrations of pancreatin (mixture of pancreatic lipase, amylase and protease), significant degree of coalescence and fatty acid release occurred for both the emulsions. This was attributed to the interfacial proteolysis by trypsin (proteolytic fractions of pancreatin) resulting in interfacial film rupturing. Exchange of initial interfacial materials by bile salts and trypsin-induced film breakage enhanced the potential for lipolytic fractions of pancreatin to act on the hydrophobic lipid core. The lipid digestion products (free fatty acids and mono and/or diglycerides) generated at the droplet surface further removed the residual intact protein layers from the interface by competitive displacement mechanisms. The sequential treatment of the cationic and anionic emulsions with artificial saliva, SGF and SIF, respectively, was determined to understand the impact of initial protein type during complete physiological processing from mouth to intestine. Broadly, both the protein-stabilized emulsions underwent charge reversals, extensive droplet flocculation, and significant coalescence as they passed through various stages of the in vitro digestion conditions. Except in the simulated mouth environment, the initial charge of the emulsifiers had relatively limited influence on droplet behaviour during the simulated digestion. The results contribute to the knowledge of how structure and charge of the emulsified lipid droplets impact digestion at various stages of physiology. This information might have important consequences for developing suitable microstructures that allow controlled breakdown of droplets in the mouth and predictable release of lipids in the gastrointestinal tract.

This thesis relates the physicochemical properties of phenolic compounds to their antioxidant activities. It focuses on the partitioning of phenolic compounds between hydrophilic and lipophilic environments and the relevance this has to their in vivo health effects. Data in the literature was lacking so the phase partition coefficients (log P) of 53 phenolic antioxidants were measured by reversed-phase HPLC and calculated by log P prediction software. There was a very strong linear correlation between measured and calculated values (r=0.91). The importance of log P in determining antioxidant assay values was then tested by developing an assay system capable of measuring activities of both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. This Lipid Peroxidation Inhibition Capacity Assay (LPIC), based on using liposomes to simulate a cell membrane environment, was then used to measure the activity of antioxidants with a broad range of structures. The activities were correlated against log p, the difference of heat of formation (∆Hf) and half-wave potential (Ep/2) and used to derive a predictive model to calculate the LPIC activity. There was a highly significant linear correlation between the calculated and measured values. The LPIC activities also correlated well to published LDL inhibition activities but not to measured ORAC activities. These findings suggested that behaviours of antioxidants in the small unilamellar vesicles of the LPIC assay were similar to that in the LDL assay but not to the aqueous phase based ORAC assay. The LPIC assay may therefore be a better indicator of potential health benefits of antioxidants in the human body than the ORAC assay. The possible mechanistic reasons are that it may better reflect ability to prevent the oxidation of LDL blood stream particles that leads to cardiovascular disease and also takes into account the importance of membrane solubility which can raise the cellular concentration and thus potential to protect cells from oxidative damage. KEYWORDS: LPIC, LDL; Antioxidant; Phytochemical; Polyphenolic; Phenolic acid; Flavonoids; log P; Partition Coefficient; Liposome; Lipid bilayer; Lipid Membrane; ORAC; Comet assay; Flow Cytometry. / Whole document restricted, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

In this case study the authors have tried to fill the gap of technology transferliterature focused on the biopharmaceutical industry. The technology transferliterature displays a clear industry-specific gap, mostly focused on heavy- andpharmaceutical industries. The authors have tried to find the key aspects of asuccessful technology transfer from the literature on the subject from alldifferent industries. The authors have then used these aspects to create atheoretical framework of the aspects that are possibly applicable in thebiopharmaceutical industry. A case study has been conducted at The Company which has a long pedigreeas one of the most innovative companies within the biopharmaceuticalindustry. The Company both develops and manufactures diagnostic tests forantibodies in animals, and their products are today widely known within theindustry. The authors have conducted a series of interviews, a non-participantobservation and also reviewed documentation of previous productsdevelopment processes. These qualitative methods have provided bothempirical evidence of similarities between the technology transfer literatureand a biopharmaceutical technology transfer process, as well as evidence ofwhat aspects are of importance in the biopharmaceutical industry. Using thisabductive research strategy, the authors have determined the key aspects thatare conceivably applicable in the biopharmaceutical industry. These are Goalcombability, Communication and documentation, Transfer plan andInterdepartmental collaboration. These aspects have not been implementedand therefore not been tested at The Company.

Den dominerande tekniken vid framställning av biogas från organiskt avfall är idag att använda kontinuerlig våtrötning. Utöver våtrötning finns också ett fåtal torrötningsanläggningar i Sverige. Torrötning skapar möjlighet att införa fler substrat på marknaden, substrat som annars kan vara problematiskt att röta i en våt process. Jordbrukssektorn har stor potential att bidra med organiskt avfall som kan nyttjas som substrat vid biogasproduktion. Förutom att öka den totala användningen av torra substrat från jordbrukssektorn är en möjlig åtgärd att öka biogasproduktion från gödsel, varför en lösning är avvattning. Efter separation erhålls en fast fraktion som kan spädas in i en våt process, eller användas som substrat vid en ny central torrötningsanläggning. Som slutprodukt erhålls biogas och biogödsel. Att avvattna gödseln innan rötning ger en annan gödselhantering än den konventionella. Detta eftersom att lägre volymer kan transporteras vid varje tillfälle jämfört med transport av flytgödsel som innehåller mycket vatten.  Syftet med examensarbetet var att analysera avvattnad gödsel som substrat till produktion av biogas, samt att studera effekten av att lägga till avvattning som ett alternativ till hanteringen av gödsel. För att klargöra hur mycket metangas som kunde bildas från avvattnad gödsel utfördes experiment i labskala med kontinuerlig våtrötning och satsvis torrötning. Parallellt med laborationsförsöken genomfördes en teoribaserad systemstudie med syfte att utreda central storskalig produktion med avvattnad gödsel som substrat. Utöver biogasproduktion analyserades gödselhantering med ett livscykelperspektiv där de olika systemalternativens direkta utsläpp av växthusgaser studerades. Systemmodellen innehöll tre scenarier vilka involverade olika system för att hantera gödseln (konventionell gödselhantering, våtrötning av flytgödsel samt våtrötning och torrötning med avvattnad gödsel som substrat). Laborationsförsöket visade att avvattnad gödsel är lämpligt som substrat vid biogasproduktion. Kontinuerlig våtrötning kunde genomföras med stabil process och liknade storskalig produktion. De kemiska analyser som utfördes under försöksperioden (pH, alkalinitet, VFA och kväve) uppvisade alla stabila värden utan processtörningar. Efter tre uppehållstider hade i medeltal 246 Nml CH4 per/g VS producerats från avvattnad gödsel vilket var i nivå med uppgifter från litteratur (200-300 Nml CH4/g VS). Vidare visade det satsvisa torrötningsförsöket varierande resultat beroende på val av ymp, samt hur stor mängd ymp som blandades in i testflaskorna. Vid inblandning av ymp från Tekniska verkens samrötningsanläggning i Linköping bildades i genomsnitt 222±8,6 Nml CH4/g VS (5 % VS ymp) respektive 236±10,8 Nml CH4/g VS (10 % VS ymp). Bildad metan 3 var inom rimligt intervall för välfungerande process, om än med lång uppehållstid (83 dagar). Försöksuppställningen för satsvis torrötning utformades så att laborationsförsöket skulle simulera så kallad garagerötning. Dock saknades utrustning för recirkulering av vätska, istället vändes testflaskorna dagligen. Då recirkulering av vätska ofta förekommer i storskaliga torrötningsanläggningar som drivs enligt garage-koncept är det önskvärt att utveckla laborationsförsöket vidare, med målet att bättre efterlikna en verklig process. I förhållande till konventionell hantering av gödsel visade systemstudien miljöfördelar för central torrötningsanläggning som använder avvattnad gödsel som substrat vid biogasproduktion. Miljönyttan var dels i händelse av att den bildade biogasen uppgraderas till fordonsbränsle och används som substitut till fossila drivmedel, men också om hantering av vätskefasen kan förbättras. Avvattnad gödsel ger en vätskefas som vid spridning och lagring ger upphov till emissioner av växthusgaser (lustgas, metan och koldioxid) som har negativ påverkan på miljön. Att skapa lösning för hantering av vätskefasen som reducerar emissioner innebär att biogassystem med avvattnad gödsel som substrat kan vara fördelaktigt ur ett miljöperspektiv jämfört med våtrötning av flytgödsel. Systemstudien inkluderade även en osäkerhetsanalys som visade att resultatet varierade beroende på vilket antagande som valdes för systemets parametrar. Den parameter som påverkade resultatet i störst utsträckning var antaganden kring metankonverteringsfaktorn (MCF). Sammanfattningsvis visade systemmodellen att det saknas tillräckligt underlag för att avgöra vilken rötningsteknik som är mest gynnsam vid produktion av biogas från avvattnad gödsel, varför fler studier är att rekommendera.