凝胶剂种类对双低菜籽油基凝胶油结构及性能的影响

以双低菜籽油为基料油，选用12-羟基硬脂酸、蜂蜡、葵花蜡、硬脂酰乳酸钠、单甘酯、豆甾醇、薯蓣皂素、肉桂酸作为凝胶剂，在不同浓度（2%，4%和6%，m/m）条件下制备菜籽油基凝胶油，通过持油率、流变特性测定、偏光显微镜、X-射线衍射和傅里叶红外等技术表征其物理特性及微观结构。经外观及持油率结果表明，除蜂蜡与肉桂酸以外，其余的凝胶剂均能在低浓度（2%）下形成稳定凝胶油，且当浓度为6%时，除薯蓣皂素与肉桂酸外，其他体系所形成的凝胶油持油率均能达到94%以上；经流变分析发现，12-羟基硬脂酸凝胶油G′值大且结构不易受外力而改变，豆甾醇形成的凝胶油热稳定性最好（相转变温度93.4°C）；微观结构结合红外分析表明，12-羟基硬脂酸在菜籽油中形成致密纤维状的网络结构，豆甾醇、薯蓣皂素在油中形成棒状晶体，而肉桂酸呈稀疏片状晶体，其他凝胶内部为小颗粒结晶，且凝胶油的晶型及晶体之间的作用力主要取决于凝胶剂的分子结构。     

Formation of kafirin microparticles by phase separation from an organic acid and their characterisation

Protein microparticles (microspheres) have numerous food and pharmaceutical applications. However, generally preparation of prolamin protein microparticles involves aqueous ethanol as a solvent. An ethanol-free method of making microparticles from kafirin with a novel structure was devised. Glacial acetic acid or other organic acids were used as kafirin solvent and the microparticles formed by phase separation on addition of water. The kafirin microparticles were characterised by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and their size distribution was measured. The kafirin microparticles prepared by phase separation from organic acid were spherical or irregular shaped, between 1 and 10 μm in diameter, with rough, porous outer surfaces and many internal holes or vacuoles. The holes seem to be the footprint of air bubbles which were entrapped during microparticle preparation. With an increase in the final concentration of acetic acid, the structure of the microparticles changed from porous spheres to an open matrix, with a concomitant change in kafirin secondary structure from α-helical to β-sheet, indicative of protein aggregation. These highly vacuolated and open matrix type microparticles appear to have potential as encapsulating agents and support structures.     

Morphological Changes and Function of Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Eddo Roots in Hydroponic Solution Containing Calcium at Various Concentrations

Abstract

Morphological changes and function of calcium oxalate crystals in eddo roots in hydroponic solution containing calcium at various concentrations were investigated. Bundles of needle-shaped crystals in crystal idioblasts were tubularly arranged in the peripheral part of cortex in the apical zone of primary roots. Under scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy, crystals in the idioblasts of roots cultured in 1 mM calcium nitrate solution were larger than those in 0 mM calcium solution but smaller than those in the solutions containing either 15 mM calcium nitrate or 15 mM calcium chloride. The number and area of crystal bundles in the sections of the apical zone in 1 mM calcium nitrate solution were significantly larger than those in 0 mM calcium solution and smaller than those in the solutions containing 15 mM calcium. The calcium mapping image obtained by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry showed that the amount of calcium in crystal idioblasts was increased with increasing calcium concentration in the solutions. However, the weight percentage of calcium per cortex parenchyma cell in root apical zone did not vary significantly with the concentration of calcium in the solutions. In the root zone apart from the root apex having no crystals, the weight percentage of calcium per cortex parenchyma cell in the solutions containing 15 mM calcium was significantly higher than that in either 0 mM calcium or 1 mM calcium nitrate solution. These results suggested that the crystals in the tubular arrangement participated in the regulation of calcium levels in the apical zone of primary roots.     

鲜胶乳凝聚法制备粉末天然橡胶及其性能研究

采用凝聚法,以鲜胶乳为原料制备粉末天然橡胶(PNR),研究了胶乳凝聚影响因素、产品粒径分布和产品干燥条件,并测试了其性能。结果表明,胶乳的pH值为9.3~9.4,硫酸铝用量为3.70%~3.77%为宜,胶乳浓度对产品收率影响不大;隔离剂纳米二氧化硅的用量在2~3份为宜,产品粒径处于1.0~4.0 mm的比例在83%以上。与酸凝天然橡胶相比,制备的PNR的灰分含量、氮含量、挥发物含量、P o和PRI都较高,丙酮溶物含量和门尼粘度较低;PNR混炼胶的M min较小,Δt30相差不大;PNR混炼胶的M L和V M较小,t10和t90较大,硫化速率较慢;PNR硫化胶的拉伸强度、300%定伸应力和500%定伸应力较高,扯断伸长率较低。     

Polyhydric alcohol liquefaction of some lignocellulosic agricultural residues

Liquefaction of bagasse and cotton stalks was conducted by using polyhydric alcohols (polyethylene glycol PEG#400 and glycerin) in the presence of sulfuric acid (SA) as a catalyst. The effects of different liquefaction conditions, such as ratio raw material/liquefying solvent, effect of PEG#400/glycerin, acid concentration, liquefaction temperature and time on the liquefaction yield have been investigated. The hydroxyl and acid numbers for some liquefied samples were also determined. The results showed that the minimum residue content was obtained at 1/5 raw material to liquefying solvent. PEG#400 alone is not favoured as liquefying solvent as it gives ∼19% residual content for bagasse and ∼22% for cotton stalks at the optimum studied reaction conditions. Replacing 10% of PEG#400 with glycerin as well as increasing the SA concentration, liquefaction temperature or time, decreased the amount of residue for both bagasse and cotton stalks to less than 10%. The hydroxyl number of the produced polyols slowly decreased from 253 to 223 mg KOH/g on extending the reaction time till 120 min and the residual polyols prevented re-condensation of the liquefied components. It seems that this system can be applied on various types of lignocellulosic agricultural residues.     

Response surface optimization of antioxidants extraction from chestnut (Castanea sativa) bur

The chestnut bur, a forest waste product from chestnut processing in the food industry, was studied as a potential source of natural antioxidants. Extractions were performed using aqueous solutions of methanol or ethanol. Experiments were planned according to an incomplete 3³ factorial design to study the influence of temperature (25-75 °C), time (30-120 min) and solvent concentration (50-90%) on extraction yield and on extract properties: total phenols content, antioxidant activity (using the FRAP, DPPH and ABTS methods) and average molecular weights. All dependent variables were influenced by temperature and solvent concentration whereas the influence of time was almost negligible. Using the response surface methodology the optimal extraction conditions were selected: the highest temperature assayed (75 °C), the lowest solvent concentration (50%) and an extraction time of 75 min for the methanolic extractions and of 30 min for the ethanolic ones. Under those conditions the values predicted for extraction yield and total phenols content were 18.95% and 36.32 g GAE/100 g extract for the methanolic extract and 17.95% and 26.11 g GAE/100 g extract for the ethanolic ones. Methanolic extracts showed superior total phenols content and antioxidant properties and slightly higher extraction yields than ethanolic extracts; however, ethanol is recommended for food applications due to its GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) qualification. Gallic acid esters of glucose, ellagic acid and small proportions of quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside, phenolic compounds with demonstrated antioxidant properties, were identified in chestnut bur extracts by RP-HPLC-ESI-TOF.     

Preparation and properties of fibers produced from a cellulose/complex PA solvent system precipitating in diverse coagulants

Ethanol, as the first coagulation bath, and several common organic solvents, as well as aqueous solutions of NH₄Cl, NaHCO₃ and NaOH were explored and demonstrated to be adopted as the second coagulation bath for cellulose/phosphoric acid/tetraphosphoric acid (cellulose/complex PA solvent) solution to produce novel cellulose fibers by two-stage dry-wet spinning in a laboratory scale, and effect of coagulants, cellulose concentration, solvent concentration (P₂O₅ concentration) and coagulation temperature on crystal structure and properties of corresponding fibers were investigated. Surface morphology of regenerated fibers as-spun from different coagulants was observed by scanning electronic microscope (SEM), indicating that methanol and 8 wt% NaOH aqueous solution all rendered cellulose fibers relatively dense and smooth surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that cellulose fiber precipitated from 8 wt% NaOH aqueous solution had pronounced characteristic peak of cellulose II than those of fibers precipitated from other coagulants, and highest crystallinity and orientation. Meanwhile, those two coagulants referred above also gave cellulose fibers relatively higher tensile strength under the same prerequisite. TGA curves exhibited that fibers were thermally stable produced from two salt aqueous solutions (8 wt% NH₄Cl and NaHCO₃) since they had the relatively higher onset decomposition temperatures. By evaluating the effect of cellulose concentration, P₂O₅ concentration and coagulation temperature on the structure and properties of asprepared fibers, it was preferable to produce cellulose fiber from a solution at 20 wt% cellulose concentration, 73 % P₂O₅ concentration, and coagulating in methanol at coagulation temperature of 60 °C at the second-stage.     

Preparation,chemical, and thermal characterization of nylon 4/6 copolymers by anionic ring opening polymerization of 2-Pyrrolidone and ε-Caprolactam

Nylon 4/6 copolymers based on 2-pyrrolidone (C4) and ε-caprolactam (C6) were synthesized and characterized as part of ongoing efforts to develop thermally stable, melt-processable 2-pyrrolidone (C4) based Nylons. Copolymers of various compositions were synthesized at between 50 and 100 °C via the anionic ring opening polymerization of C4 and C6 using a potassium tert-butoxide catalyst and a benzoyl chloride initiator. The polymers were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, DSC, TGA, GPC, intrinsic viscosity measurements, and X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS). Their chemical compositions and sequence distributions were obtained by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopies, respectively. X-ray scattering was used to investigate the lamellar morphologies and the crystal structures of solvent cast films of the copolymers. WAXS revealed the presence of α-phase crystals in the copolymers. TGA data coupled with molecular weight and sequence distribution information indicated that the polymers’ thermal stability depended on both their chemical composition and their sequence distribution.     

Milling characteristics and distribution of phytic acid and zinc in long-, medium- and short-grain rice

Milling and polishing are important operations during the production of white rice. The degree of milling and polishing has a significant effect on the nutritional aspects of white rice, especially on minerals, due to a non-uniform distribution of nutrients in the kernel. Information on the distribution of nutrients in rice will greatly help in understanding the effect of milling and aid in designing procedures that improve technological and sensory properties of rice while retaining its essential nutrients as much as possible. In this study, three kernel shapes (short-, medium- and long-grain) of rice were selected for the study of milling characteristics and distribution of zinc (Zn) and phytic acid using abrasive milling and X-ray fluorescent microscope imaging approaches.Milling characteristics differed with kernel shapes and cultivars. Mass loss (y, %) correlated well with milling duration (x, s) and was fitted using a polynomial equation of y=ax²+bx+c (R²=0.99). Different kernel shapes of rice resulted in different patterns. Breakage in milling increased with longer duration of milling. The relation between breakage (y, %) and milling duration (x, s) fitted the exponential equation y=ae^bx. Levels of phytic acid, as well as Zn, decreased with prolonged milling. Phytic acid decreased at a higher rate than Zn. The analysis of different milling runs showed that the concentration of phytic acid decreased from the surface region inward, whereas X-ray fluorescent images indicated that the highest concentration of phosphorus was at the interface of the embryo and perisperm.Our results help in understanding the milling characteristics of different rice cultivars. Understanding these characteristics offers opportunities to optimize milling procedures for maximum phytate removal at minimum mineral losses and yield loss.     

Morphology and crystal structure on electrospun fibrous poly(1-butene) (PB) membrane

This work was discussed on the morphology and crystal structure on electrospun fibrous PB membrane, namely, both highly porous PB film and the fibrous PB nonwoven prepared by the same method of electrospinning process. Both the tip-to-collector distance (TCD) and the surrounding temperature were crucial parameters for determining the resulting morphologies. In terms of shorter TCD (below 10 cm) and lower surrounding temperature (below 40 °C), highly porous PB film was almost electrospun because such shorter distance and lower temperature were completely not enough to evaporate the used solvents during electrospinning. Fibrous PB nonwoven, however, was obtained at longer TCD and higher temperature (80 °C). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analyses demonstrated that a porous PB film revealed two crystal structures of dominant form III and small amount of form II arising from the melt recrystallization from form III crystals, while fibrous PB nonwoven showed form I due to the aging time over 2 weeks at room temperature after electrospinning. As a result, it was found that PB membrane can exhibits a porous film and fibrous nonwoven with different morphologies and crystalline microstructures depending on TDC and surrounding temperature although they were prepared from the same method of electrospinning.     

Ukrainian Dietary Bread with Selenium-Enriched Soya Malt

The production of bread with addition of selenium-enriched soya malt was studied. Processing of this soya malt included soaking of the soya beans in the solution of hydroselenite with concentration 1.5 mg Se/L (20 μg of Se per 1 g of soya beans), then 4 days of beans germination at 20 °C, drying at 50 °C until moisture content 8%, separation from the sprouts and grinding. The soya malt was a powder containing 15–18 μg of Se in 1 g. The accumulated selenium was mainly in the protein fraction of soya malt. Addition of selenium-enriched soya malt to leaven intensified activity of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. The quality of the wheat bread with selenium-enriched soya malt was better than that of the bread in control. The enriched bread had specific pleasant smell and soft texture. The daily intake of 277 g of bread with the selenium-enriched soya malt, which is added in quantity of 1.0–1.75% to mass of plain flour, ensures the consumption of 30–50% of selenium recommended daily allowance for 17 million population of the northern and northwestern Ukraine.

     

Release of doxycycline through cellulose acetate symmetric and asymmetric membranes produced from recycled agroindustrial residue: Sugarcane bagasse

Cellulose acetate is one of the components employed in drug controlled-release systems in the form of membranes. The aim of this study was to examine the controlled-release of doxycycline employing cellulose acetate symmetric and asymmetric membranes as matrices. The cellulose triacetate was produced from sugarcane bagasse through a homogeneous acetylation reaction, using acetic acid as the solvent, acetic anhydride as the acetylating agent and sulfuric acid as the catalyst. The viscosity average molecular weight of the cellulose acetate produced was 39,000 g mol⁻¹. The symmetric membranes were produced using a system solvent of dichloromethane/ethanol (9:1, v/v) and the asymmetric membranes were produced from the same solvent system and 10% of water. For the formulation of both, 5% of doxycycline was used. The membranes were characterized by thermal analysis (DSC and TGA) and scanning electron microscopy SEM. The release of doxycycline through cellulose triacetate matrices was examined using spectrophotometric analysis in the ultraviolet-visible region, at 275 nm. The results revealed that asymmetric membranes release 80% of the drug in 100 min, while symmetric membranes release 14% of the drug during the same time interval.     

Extraction of flax shive using sodium ethoxide catalyst in anhydrous ethanol

This work investigated the yield and nature of solvent-soluble organic compounds extracted from flax shive using a room temperature reaction (20 °C) with sodium ethoxide catalyst at four different concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 M) in anhydrous ethanol. Results were compared with the use of aqueous sodium hydroxide (1.0 M) at two different reaction temperatures (20 °C and 100 °C). Quantitative yield from flax shive varied linearly with sodium ethoxide concentration and averaged 54.5 mg/g on a dry-mass basis (db) at 1.0 M. In contrast, the quantitative yield using 1.0 M sodium hydroxide was much lower, averaging 2.2 mg/g (db). Yield did not differ significantly due to changes of particle size in either case, or due to changes of temperature over the range considered in the case of sodium hydroxide.Analyses using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) confirmed all extracts to contain aromatic compounds, thus likely lignin derived, but found differences in chemical characteristics between the two extraction methods. One key difference was the presence of compounds with methyl ether groups in sodium hydroxide extracts that were absent in the case of sodium ethoxide extracts. Given that flax contains a mixed guaiacyl-syringyl lignin, methyl ether groups would be expected to be present. Control reactions on three model compounds were carried out to confirm that transesterification occurred with sodium ethoxide. These control reactions also demonstrated that methyl ether groups would be expected to remain intact under the extraction conditions reported here. In light of the higher yield of solvent soluble compounds recovered by extraction with basic ethanol, flax shive may represent a source of value-added phenolic constituents. This processing method may also represent a useful pre-treatment prior to the production of biofuels by cellulose degrading organisms.     

Efficient shoot regeneration from direct apical meristem tissue to produce virus-free purple passion fruit plants

Purple passion fruit is an important fresh table fruit. At present, the production of passion fruit is decreasing because of the spread of viral diseases throughout the planting area. The aim of this research was to propagate virus-free plants using a tissue culture technique involving the apical meristem of purple passion fruit. Shoot tips were excised to a length of 2 mm and the shoots were regenerated by culturing on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with different concentrations of benzyladenine (BA) (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mg/l) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/l). Root formation was promoted using different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.2 mg/l). A greater number of shoots were produced with BA concentrations of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/l than with any other BA concentrations tested (less than 1.0 mg/l or greater than 1.5 mg/l). However, when NAA at any concentration was included in the medium, no shoots were produced in culture. The cultures including 1.0 mg/l and 1.5 mg/l BA were then subcultured four times every two weeks. Initially, the tissue cultured in the 1.5 mg/l BA medium grew faster than that cultured in the 1.0 mg/l BA medium. The tissue cultured with 1.5 mg/l BA generated many short shoots, whereas the tissue cultured with 1.0 mg/l BA, generated long shoots that could be subcultured into individual plants. These regenerated shoots were assayed for the presence of the passion fruit woodiness virus using ELISA or a test strip kit; only virus-free shoots were used for further propagation. Root formation was very good in IBA concentrations of 0.4 and 0.6 mg/l. Thus, virus-free plants could be successfully regenerated directly from the apical meristem.     

Investigation on morphological structure and crystal transition of maize starch gelatinized in pure glycerol

The gelatinization phenomena and crystalline structure of maize starch gelatinized in pure glycerol were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Starch granules were firstly treated in water system, CLSM and SEM micrographs displayed that they were completely broken and the characteristic birefringence of the starch granules disappeared at 70 °C. As for pure glycerol system, the starch granules swelled but maintained granular shape with the increasing of temperature. The crystalline structure of starch granules was partially destroyed at 130 °C and completely destroyed at 140 °C. The DSC thermogram showed that the gelatinization temperature of starch in glycerol started at 123.7 °C, peaked at 128.4 °C, and concluded at 135.2 °C. The X-ray diffractograms indicated that the crystalline structure of maize starch was partially destroyed at 130 °C and completely destroyed at 140 °C. Thus, glycerol served an alternative solvent to destroy crystalline structure of maize starch, which may be helpful for hydrolysis of starch granules by amylase in food industry.     

表面活性剂在丙糖膏助晶中的应用研究

丙糖膏助晶中存在的美拉德反应,会产生大量气体,气体阻扰糖晶体吸收糖分子,影响蔗糖收回。对比了市售的聚甘油脂肪酸酯和蔗糖脂肪酸酯两种表面活性剂以及自制不同聚合度的聚甘油脂肪酸酯对丙糖膏流速的影响,并在糖厂进行生产试验。结果表明:表面活性剂的添加可以清除丙糖膏中的气泡,从而增大晶体与糖液中糖分子的接触面积,降低糖液流动阻力,增强对流,提高助晶效率。处理霜冻、陈旧变质甘蔗时,添加A号聚甘油脂肪酸酯帮助丙糖膏助晶可以提高7.5%生产能力,提高丙糖膏废蜜纯度差1.6GP,为企业带来可观经济效益及诸多边际效益。     

玉米秸秆腐解液酚酸物质含量检测及对玉米大斑病菌的影响

通过提取不同时期玉米秸秆腐解液,研究其对玉米大斑病菌菌丝生长和孢子萌发的影响。利用HPLC检测腐解60 d的腐解液,推测其含有对羟基苯甲酸、邻苯二甲酸、香草酸、丁香酸和苯甲酸。通过外源添加法研究酚酸物质对玉米大斑病菌菌丝生长和孢子萌发的影响,结果表明,5种酚酸物质抑制玉米大斑病菌菌丝生长,抑菌率在14.5%~100%,且随浓度的增加抑制作用趋势增强。苯甲酸和邻苯二甲酸在0.125~1 mg/m L浓度下抑制孢子萌发;羟基苯甲酸在0.062 5~1.0 mg/m L浓度下促进孢子萌发。通过田间调查发现,在开始发病时,秸秆还田抑制玉米大斑病病情指数的发展。     

Optimization of elecrospinning process of zein using central composite design

Biodegradable edible sub-micron electrospun zein fibers were prepared using acetic acid as solvent. The solution concentration at three levels: 22, 26 and 30 w/v %, the electrospinning voltage at three levels: 10, 20 and 30 kV, the solution flow rate at three levels: 4, 8 and 12 ml/h and the distance between needle tip and collector at three levels: 10, 15 and 20 cm were studied. Central composite design (CCD) was utilized to modeling the effect of electrospinning parameters of zein solution on average fiber diameters and the data were analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM). Coefficient of determination, R², of fitted regression model was higher than 0.9 for response. The analysis of variance table showed that the lack of fit was not significant for response surface model at 95 %. Therefore, the model for response variable was highly adequate. Results also indicated that the solution concentration had significant influence (P<0.0001) on morphology and diameter of fibers. By increasing the solution concentration, uniform and bead-free fibers were obtained. As the solution concentration was increased, the average fiber diameters were also increased. Furthermore, the electrospinning voltage had significant effect (P<0.0001) on average fiber diameters. By increasing the electrospinning voltage, the average fiber diameters increased. The solution flow rate and the distance between needle tip and collector had no significant influence on the average fiber diameters. According to model optimization, the minimum average fiber diameter of electrospun zein fiber is given by following conditions: 24 w/v % zein concentration, 10 kV of the applied voltage, 10 cm of needle tip to collector distance, and 4 ml/h of solution flow rate.     

Dyeing, fastness, and deodorizing properties of cotton, silk, and wool fabrics dyed with gardenia, coffee sludge, Cassia tora. L., and pomegranate extracts

Four kinds of natural dying solutions (natural colorant extracts) were obtained by extraction from gardenia, coffee sludge, Cassia tora. L., and pomegranate using water at 90°C for 90 min with a liquor ratio (solid natural colorant material/solvent water, weight ratio) of 1/10. The dyeing, colour fastness, and deodorizing properties of cotton, silk, and wool fabrics dyed with natural colorant extracts were compared. It was found that these properties were significantly dependent on the concentration of extracts, the structure of colorant, and the kind of fabrics. The order of colour strength (K/S) is Cassia tora. L., pomegranate, coffee sludge, and gardenia. Colour fastness (light, water, and perspiration fastness) was in the range of 2nd–5th grades. The deodorizing performance of fabrics dyed with various natural colorant extracts was in the range of 50–99 %. The deodorizing performance increased in the order of gardenia < Cassia tora. L. < coffee sludge < pomegranate. Especially, the deodorizing performance of all fabrics dyed with pomegranate was found to be highest at 99 %.     

Ferulic and p-coumaric acids extraction by alkaline hydrolysis of brewer's spent grain

This work deals with the alkaline hydrolysis of brewer's spent grain (BSG) for the extraction of ferulic and p-coumaric acids, compounds of considerable interest for applications in the food, health, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. A 2³ full factorial design with three replicates at the center point was used to investigate the simultaneous effects of the variables: NaOH concentration (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%, w/v), temperature (80, 100 and 120 °C), and reaction time (30, 60 and 90 min), on the alkaline hydrolysis. The assays were performed using a solid:liquid ratio of 1:20 (w/w). The Student's t-test revealed a positive influence (p < 0.05) of all the studied variables on the ferulic and p-coumaric acids extraction from BSG. Linear models were well fitted (R² > 0.90) to the experimental data to describe the extraction of these acids as a function of the operational variables employed. The best alkaline hydrolysis conditions consisted in using a 2% NaOH concentration, at 120 °C for 90 min. Under these conditions, a liquor containing 145.3 mg/l ferulic acid and 138.8 mg/l p-coumaric acid was obtained. These values corresponded to 9.65 mg ferulic acid and 9.22 mg p-coumaric acid per gram of solubilized lignin.