Flavor, color, and vitamin C retention of pulsed electric field processed orange juice in different packaging materials

Effects of packaging materials, storage temperature, and time on the stability of pulsed electric field (PEF) processed orange juice were investigated. Single-strength orange juice was treated with PEF at an electric field strength of 35 kV/cm for 59 micros using an integrated pilot plant scale PEF processing and glovebox packaging system. The retention of eight orange juice aroma compounds, color, and vitamin C in glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene, and low-density polyethylene were evaluated at 4 and 22 degrees C for 112 days. Packaging material had a significant effect (p < or = 0.05) on the retention of orange juice aroma compounds, color, and vitamin C. PEF-treated orange juice had a shelf life of >16 weeks in glass and PET at 4 degrees C.     

油中抗氧化剂的分析

前言食品中常常加入抗氧化剂,以减少油脂的氧化作用。据报导,1967年美国食品制造业使用了一千五百万磅以上的抗氧化剂。许多学者都曾经研究过BHA(叔丁基对羟基茴香醚)和BHT(2,6-二叔丁基对甲酚)的安全性。有人曾全面评述了BHA和BHT的毒理学和生物化学,涉及所观察到的病理效应、致癌潜力、BHA和BHT与酶和脂类的相互作用,BHA和BHT对再生的影响和它们的代谢。学者们对长期使用这些抗氧化剂的安全性是有争论的。法定抗氧化剂的最大使用量为食品中含油量的200ppm。据报导,此剂量乃是由各种动物进行急性和慢性临床毒性实验结果确定的。     

Developing transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) with insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance by fusion gene transformation

Using linker peptide LP4/2A for multiple gene transformation is considered to be an effective method to stack or pyramid several traits in plants. Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) cry gene and epsps(5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase) gene are two important genes for culturing pest-resistant and glyphosate-tolerant crops. We used linker peptide LP4/2A to connect the Bt cry1 Ah gene with the 2m G2-epsps gene and combined the wide-used man A gene as a selective marker to construct one coordinated expression vector called p2 EPUHLAGN. The expression vector was transferred into maize by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation, and 60 plants were obtained, 40% of which were positive transformants. Molecular detection demonstrated that the two genes in the fusion vector were expressed simultaneously and spliced correctly in translation processing; meanwhile bioassay detection proved the transgenic maize had preferable pest resistance and glyphosate tolerance. Therefore, linker peptide LP4/2A provided a simple and reliable strategy for producing gene stacking in maize and the result showed that the fusion gene transformation system of LP4/2A was feasible in monocot plants.     

Biotransformation and impact of ferulic acid on phenylpropanoid and capsaicin levels in Capsicum annuum L. cv. P1482 cell suspension cultures

Cell suspension cultures of Capsicum annuum L. cv. P1482 were fed with exogenous ferulic acid to monitor their biotransformation abilities. A portion of the ferulic acid was biotransformed into vanillin, a major natural flavor, and capsaicin, a principle secondary metabolite characteristic of Capsicum species. The cellular vanillin concentrations were relatively higher than capsaicin levels and were maximal (2 mg/g DW) 4 days after 0.6 mM ferulic acid feeding. Maximal vanillin levels in the culture medium were 10 mg/L at 4 and 3 days after feeding with 1.25 and 2.5 mM ferulic acid, respectively. With regard to capsaicin levels, the cellular levels were slightly decreased by ferulic acid feeding, whereas the levels in the culture medium were increased. Ferulic acid feeding not only enhanced vanillin and capsaicin production but also increased the concentrations of other phenylpropanoid metabolites.     

中国乌鲁木齐土壤中有机氯的来源、组成与风险评价

Twenty-eight surface soil samples from 5 functional zones (park, traffic roadside, business/residential area, rural area, and industrial area) of Ürümqi, China were collected and analyzed for the concentrations of 14 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), such as 3 isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs) (α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH), 4 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) (p, p’-DDT and its metabolites p, p’-DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane) and p, p’-DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chorophenyl)ethylene), and o, p’-DDT), and methoxychlor, aiming to survey the residue levels and compositions of these 14 OCPs, to identify possible sources of the OCPs, and to assess their potential risks to human health and the environment in surface soils of Ürümqi. The concentrations ranged from non-detected to 30.86 μg kg^-1 for HCHs (sum of α-, β-, and γ-HCH), from non-detected to 40.03 μg kg^-1 for DDTs (sum of p, p’-DDT, p, p’-DDD, p, p’-DDE, and o, p’-DDT), and from non-detected to 11.95 μg kg^-1 for methoxychlor. The total concentrations of the OCPs ranged from 16.40 to 84.86 μg kg^-1, with a mean of 41.89 ± 16.25 μg kg^-1. According to the measured concentrations and occurrence rates of the 14 OCPs, DDTs, HCHs, and methoxychlor were the most dominant compounds. Among the 5 functional zones, the total concentration of OCPs was in the order of rural area > traffic roadside > park > business/residential area > industrial area. The different compositions of DDTs and HCHs indicated that the residues of these compounds in most soil samples originated from historical application, besides slight recent introduction at some sampling sites. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that soil total organic carbon played an important role in the residue levels of HCHs, but such relationships were not found with DDTs or other OCPs. The soil quality of Ürümqi was classified as Class I based on the guidelines of the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soil (GB15618-1995), indicating that the residue levels of OCPs have little risks to the environment and human health in the study area.     

Production of a monoclonal antibody against ochratoxin A and its application to immunochromatographic assay

A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against ochratoxin A (OTA) was produced from the hybridoma cell line C7G25, which was established by the fusion of Sp2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells with spleen cells isolated from a BALB/c mouse immunized with the OTA-bovine serum albumin conjugate. This Mab belongs to the IgG(2a) heavy-chain subclass with a kappa-type light chain. The level of 50% inhibition concentration was 1.20 ng/mL in a competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cdELISA), and the detection limit was 0.12 ng/mL. This antibody is specific for OTA but also shows cross-reactivity with ochratoxin B (31.7%) in a cdELISA. On the basis of the sandwich format using the produced Mab against OTA, a rapid immunochromatographic assay was developed to efficiently detect OTA. This method was able to detect up to 500 ng/mL of OTA in <10 min.     

Study of light-induced volatile compounds in goat's milk cheese

Light-induced volatile compounds in goat cheese were studied by a combination of solid phase microextraction (SPME)-gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS), headspace oxygen depletion, and sensory evaluation. Samples stored under fluorescent light for 2 days at 30 degrees C had 90% more volatile compounds and 4 times more headspace oxygen depletion than samples stored in the dark at 30 degrees C. The volatiles 1-heptanol, heptanal, nonanal, and 2-decenal were formed and increased only in the light-stored samples, which may be formed from singlet oxygen oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Sensory evaluation showed that samples stored under light had significantly more off-flavor than samples stored in the dark at 30 degrees C (P < 0.05), and 1-heptanol, heptanal, nonanal, and 2-decenal increased the goat cheese off-flavor significantly (P < 0.05).     

Experimental study on seismic behavior of beam-column sandwich joints with big beam-column eccentricity

Three specimens of sandwich joints with eccentricity being larger than a quarter of the column width in middle floor of frame are designed and loaded under cyclic loading. Their shear capacity, failure modes, and ductility, as well as energy dissipation are analyzed. The results show that the performance of sandwich joints with big eccentricity is good under cyclic loading. X-type reinforcements can be used to substitute for stirrups in the joint to bear shear forces. But the anchorage of longitudinal bars of beams in eccentric sandwich joints is relatively weak. Comparing to sandwich joints without eccentricity, the column longitudinal bars near the sandwich joints with big eccentricity are vulnerable to sudden change of strain.     

Development and characterization of mouse monoclonal antibodies reactive with chicken CD80

This study was carried out to develop and characterize mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chicken CD80 (chCD80). A recombinant plasmid containing a chCD80/horse IgG4 fusion gene was constructed and expressed in CHO cells to produce recombinant chCD80/IgG4 protein. Chicken CD80 was purified from the chCD80/IgG4 fusion protein following enterokinase digestion, and used to immunize BALB/c mice, resulting in 158 hybridomas that produced mAbs against chCD80. Three mAbs with high binding specificity for recombinant chCD80/IgG4-transfected CHO cells were identified by flow cytometry, and one of these (#112) was selected for further characterization. Immunoprecipitation of CD80/IgG4-CHO cell extract, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated monocytes identified 35.0 kDa proteins. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed chCD80-expressing cells exclusively in the bursal follicles at the outer portion of the cortex, and throughout the red pulp and the outer boundary of the white pulp in the spleen. By immunofluorescence microscopy, chCD80 was observed on intestinal dendritic cells. LPS treatment of bursa or spleen monocytes for 24 or 48 h increased chCD80 expression. Finally, addition of chCD80 mAb to Con A-stimulated spleen cells inhibited the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigens and IL-2-driven proliferation of lymphoblast cells. In summary, these chCD80 mAbs will serve as valuable immunological reagents for basic and applied poultry immunology research.