Nano-sized Bagasse Fiber

• US 20080227753A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College (Louisiana State University System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College (Louisiana State University System)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhong Q., Lian, Kun, Cefalu, William T.
• Application Number:
  US12/037,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20080227753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/57
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/22 Comminuted fibrous parts of plants, e.g. bagasse or pulp
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5116 Other non-digestible fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/412 Microsized, i.e. having sizes between 0.1 and 100 microns
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/413 Nanosized, i.e. having sizes below 100 nm
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/717 Celluloses
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/027 Fibers; Fibrils
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9789 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9794 Liliopsida [monocotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/04 Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/08 for glucose homeostasis pancreatic hormones A61P5/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 1/02 Preparations containing skin colorants, e.g. pigments preparations in powder form A61Q1/12
• CPC Class Codes: D21B 1/14 Disintegrating in mills
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 11/12 Pulp from non-woody plants or crops, e.g. cotton, flax, straw, bagasse

Abstract

A new composition of nanosized bagasse fibers has been made by a method which reduces the sugarcane bagasse fibers to nano-sized particles while retaining the natural components of the bagasse. The resulting bagasse particles were shown to be effective as a nutritional supplement in a mouse model to aid in glucose control and body weight. Using the bagasse nanofibers, the addition of 5 to 10% fiber did not change the color or texture of food products. Moreover, the bagasse powder has a natural color and absorbs color evenly so that it could be used as a natural foundation material for cosmetic products.

Claims

1. A fiber product produced from sugarcane bagasse wherein greater than about 70% of the bagasse fibers have a size smaller than about 1 micron.

2. A dietary fiber product comprising the fiber product of claim 1 and one or more food products.

3. The dietary fiber product as in claim 2, wherein the one or more food products are selected from the group consisting of soups, salad dressings, ice cream, bread and other baked goods, cereals, pastas and other noodle goods.

4. The dietary fiber product as in claim 2, wherein the fiber product of claim 1 comprises 10% of the product by mass.

5. The dietary fiber product as in claim 2, additionally comprising psyllium fiber.

6. A dietary supplement comprising the fiber product of claim 1 and one or more nutritional supplements selected from the group consisting of vitamins and minerals.

7. The dietary supplement of claim 6, additionally comprising psyllium fiber.

8. A cosmetic product comprising the fiber product of claim 1 and one or more cosmetic ingredients.

9. The cosmetic product of claim 8, wherein the cosmetic ingredient is a pigment.

16. A method to reduce fasting plasma glucose levels in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

18. A method to reduce fasting plasma insulin levels in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said method is continued for a time until the fasting plasma insulin level in the mammal has decreased by at least 10% as compared to a mammal on a similar diet but without the fiber supplement.

21. A method to reduce body weight gain in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said method is continued for a time until the body weight in the mammal has decreased by at least 5% as compared to a mammal on a similar diet but without the fiber supplement.

24. A method to reduce stomach ghrelin gene expression in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said method is continued for a time until stomach ghrelin gene expression in the mammal has decreased by at least 25% as compared to a mammal on a similar diet but without the fiber supplement.

27. A method to reduce plasma leptin levels in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said method is continued for a time until the plasma leptin level in the mammal has decreased by at least 25% as compared to a mammal on a similar diet but without the fiber supplement.

30. A method to increase plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said method is continued for a time until the plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 level in the mammal has increased by at least 25% as compared to a mammal on a similar diet but without the fiber supplement.

33. A method to suppress appetite in a mammal, said method comprising feeding the mammal a diet supplemented with from about 5% to about 15% (wt/wt) fiber product of claim 1.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the amount of fiber product in the diet is 10% (wt/wt).

10. A method for preparing nano-sized bagasse fibers from native bagasse, said method comprising:

(a) washing and drying the native bagasse;

(b) cooling the dried bagasse to temperatures less than about −

50°

C.;

(c) pulverizing the bagasse at temperatures less than about −

50°

C. and for a time sufficient to reduce at least about 70% of the pulverized fibers to a size less than about 1 micron.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said time is from about 15 min to about 60 min.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said time is 15 min.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said cooling step (b) or (c) is with liquid nitrogen.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said cooling step (b) or (c) is with dry ice.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said pulverizing step comprises ball-milling.