What we do

• Bioactive compound isolation and characterization, Protein/glycoprotein chemistry, Purification and characterization, Glycomics, Method development, Collaboration with industrial/academic partners

Our thematic areas of research

1. Lab-scale analytical discovery of complex glycans in foods and food streams
2. Pilot-scale engineering to separate newly discovered glycans and produce unique food ingredients
3. In vitro and in vivo studies to establish safety and elucidate the potential health benefits of the isolated complex glycans.

Accomplishments

• Our research explores how novel ‘omics combined with advances in separation science make discoveries of bioactive food components possible.
• Using a combination of Proteomics, Glycomics, Lipidomics and Peptidomics in a cheese whey model system, our work captures previously unavailable bioactive milk components that can be rapidly adapted into novel functional foods while adding value to a waste stream.
• With successful separation of milk components and verification of their similarity to human milk, these can serve as the basis for improved infant formulas and other therapeutic applications.
• Based on this foundation, we recently assembled a comprehensive structural bioinformatic library for bovine milk oligosaccharides. This library includes several novel bioactive (fucosylated) oligosaccharides and will allow rapid identification of low-abundant oligosaccharides in all food streams.
• Currently, the dairy industry must manage the cost of discarding whey permeate as a waste stream from whey protein concentrate production. Capturing the value from this waste stream as a high-value supplement and/or product for both targeted at-risk populations and for the general public could result in significant, direct economic revenue.
• We are conducting the first human study to elucidate tolerability and effectiveness of bovine milk oligosaccharides in enriching intestinal microflora toward beneficial populations (ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Record 264294 )
• Our ultimate goal is to make significant contributions to the development of novel processes that reduce agricultural/industrial waste with the aim of recovering from those side-streams important bioactive components that can be used to improve health.

Our cutting edge technologies

• Nano LC MicroChip Quadrupole ToF (Time of Flight)
• MALDI ToF -Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight
• HPAEC-PAD - High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection
• 6470A Triple Quad LC-MS - Triple Quadrupole Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer
• The combined use of these 4 analytical instruments provides a platform of technologies upon which we can investigate relatively untapped organic “waste” streams for valuable, healthful components, with concomitant mitigation of environmental pollution.

Current Projects

Non-Dairy Projects:

• Fiber Analysis for the Gut Microbiome of People and Pets, sponsored by Mars, Inc.
• Health Promoting Roles of Food Bio-Active Phenolic Compounds on Obesity-Altered Metabolic Functions and Physiology, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA, ARS)
• An Interdisciplinary Team Approach to Cracking the Code of Chardonnay, sponsored by Sonomaceuticals, LLC
• Tailoring Processing Strategies to Produce the New Generation of Chickpea Proteins and Prebiotic Oligosaccharides, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pulse Crop Health Initiative
• Improving Functional and Biological Properties of Almond Proteins with Protease- and Glycosidase- Processing, sponsored by the California Department of Food and Agriculture
• "Glycomics of Winery Antimicrobial Yeast" (European Commission, Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Fellowship awarded to Dr. Oswaldo Hernadez to carry out the project in the Barile lab 2020-2022)
• Development of a bioprocessing method to recover heath enhancing components from agricultural waste streams
• Advanced strategies for production and characterization of novel prebiotic oligosaccharides from coffee and coffee spent grounds
• Polysaccharides from non-Saccharomyces yeasts: a new opportunity to improve wine quality and human health

Dairy-Related Projects:

• Whey Phospholipid Concentrate as a Source of Bioactive Compounds that Improve Human Health, sponsored by Dairy Management Incorporated
• Integrating Biology, Psychology, and Ecology to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance in Food Animal Production Systems, sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Second Generation of Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Beyond Infant Nutrition, sponsored by BASF
• Investigating the Structures and Activities of Bovine Milk Oligosaccharides Extracted from Dairy Streams, Sponsored by ARLA AFI
• Pilot study on the tolerability of feeding different doses of bovine milk oligosaccharides for modifying gastrointestinal function in healthy humans
• Revealing the Function of Bovine Milk Oligosaccharides in the Human Gut Using Metatranscriptomics
• Mechanisms by which human milk peptides and N-glycans shape the infant intestinal microbiota
• Separation and purification of oligosaccharides from human milk
• Oligosaccharide profiles of cow’s milk for the optimization of health promoting attributes
• Enzymatic modification of isolated bovine milk oligosaccharides to mimic human milk oligosaccharides with increased antimicrobial activity
• Activation of Probiotic Bifidobacteria Effects by Milk Glycans
• Diversity of oligosaccharides in milk and milk replacer fed to calves and their effect on diversity of fecal Bifidobacteria
• Quantitative analysis of bovine milk peptides, oligosaccharides and glycolipids in dairy streams

Please contact us if you have any questions.