Two years in the past, we heard a couple of extremely absorbant hydrogel made out of upcycled pineapple leaves. Among the scientists who developed that gel are actually saying that the leaves is also used to soak up dangerous fat from just lately consumed meals in our digestive system.
For the brand new research – led by affiliate professors Duong Hai-Minh and Phan Toan Thang – researchers on the Nationwide College of Singapore began by drying and grinding pineapple leaves that had been obtained as an agricultural waste product.
When the ensuing powder was examined in a lab-based system that simulated the acidic setting of the human digestive tract, it was discovered that 1 gram of the substance was able to absorbing 45.1 grams (1.6 oz) of cooked fat. In an effort to make the powder simpler to ingest, a few of it was encapsulated, and a few was pressed into the type of skinny crackers.
“After ingestion, the capsule or cracker absorbs fatty compounds (similar to animal fat) and kind fat-coated fiber lumps,” mentioned Phan Toan Thang. “These fat-coated lumps will then be handed out from the digestive system in a single to 3 days, much like different meals we eat.”
Nationwide College of Singapore
And whereas the mechanical properties of pineapple leaves make them well-suited to the duty, the scientists have acknowledged that different sorts of high-cellulose agricultural waste – similar to sugarcane pulp – is also used.
That mentioned, extra analysis must be carried out to see how efficient the powder is in an precise human digestive tract. The college is presently in search of business companions to additional develop the know-how.
Supply: Nationwide College of Singapore
