Methods of separating plant matter are described herein. The methods may include contacting monocotyledonous plant matter with one or more enzymes or one or more organisms expressing one or more enzymes, where the monocotyledonous plant matter includes vascular bundles, pith, and rind. Following the enzymatic treatment, additional processing of the plant matter may be undertaken through mechanical means. The low-intensity mechanical processing may dislodge the pith, rind, and vascular bundles from one another while minimizing energy consumption and potential damage to the plant matter. Further processing may include sorting mechanisms such as mechanical screening or pneumatic air classification. The incorporation of enzymatic treatment prior to mechanical separation may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of separating the rind, pith, and vascular bundles from one another compared to conventional mechanical separation methods.

Detergent compositions including polypeptide variants and methods of cleaning and/or treatment of surfaces using such compositions, and fabric treatment compositions including polypeptide variants. The compositions may include surfactants: anionic, nonionic and/or cationic.

A method of recovering oil, which includes (a) converting a starch-containing material into dextrins with an alpha-amylase; (b) saccharifying the dextrins using a carbohydrate source generating enzyme to form a sugar; (c) fermenting the sugar in a fermentation medium into a fermentation product using a fermenting organism, wherein the fermentation medium comprises a xylanase and a pectinase; (d) distilling the fermentation product to form a whole stillage; (e) separating the whole stillage into thin stillage and wet cake; and (f) recovering the oil from the thin stillage.

Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

The present technology relates to methods of reducing the batch time in a fermentation process, wherein the fermentation medium is subjected before, during and/or after the fermentation process to an enzyme composition comprising at least a xylanase and a pectinase.

Methods for the prevention or treatment of a galectin-3 mediated or dependent condition in a subject are provided. The methods include orally administering a first amount of a carbohydrate material to the subject and orally administering a second amount of a pectinase-producing probiotic to the subject. The methods further include enzymatically converting the carbohydrate material into one or more bioactive fragments and producing the one or more bioactive fragments in an amount sufficient to therapeutically inhibit galectin-3 in the subject.

Described herein are methods and means for reliably releasing maternal and/or paternal DNA from single seeds without substantially affecting the subsequent germination of the seeds. The methods are particularly suited for genome analysis of small grain cereals, including wheat. The methods may include enzymatic treatments for improved DNA recovery.

The invention provides methods and compositions for producing plants with fruit having increased post-harvest storage life, the method comprising reducing the expression or activity in the plant, of a polypeptide with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a variant of the polypeptide. The invention provides host cells, plant cells and plants transformed with the polynucleotides of the invention. The invention also provides methods for selecting plants with fruit having increased post-harvest storage life. The invention also provides plants produced and selected by the methods of the invention.

Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

The invention relates to a peptide and saccharide hydrolysate of Theobroma cacao L. (cocoa) beans, to a method for preparing same, to cosmetic compositions containing same, and to cosmetic uses thereof particularly for protecting skin from blue light and/or for combatting the appearance of signs of aging and photoaging of the skin.