Prediction of baking results from farinograph measurements by using stepwise linear regression and artificial neuronal networks

In an effort to extract additional data from farinograph experiments a model was developed to simulate the measurements and correlate the parameters of the model with results from baking tests. This additional information can be used in bakeries to predict the baking properties of the flours and adjust the recipes to maintain a constant product quality. For this eight different flours were characterized with a farinograph and 13 different results from baking experiments. An approach with five nonlinear differential equations was able to model the farinograph measurements very well (average R² = 0.995 ± 0.005). While a stepwise multilinear regression only showed weak correlations in cross validation between a single parameter of the model and the baking volume (R² = 0.745) and the volume yield (R² = 0.796) respectively, the artificial neuronal network was more successful. For the baking weight (R² = 0.926), the dough yield gross (R² = 0.909) and net (R² = 0.913) strong correlations were found. A good correlation for the baking volume (R² = 0.853) was also determined, while the volume yield showed comparable results to the linear regression (R² = 0.792).     

Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

An investigation on the effect of heat-moisture treatment on baking quality of wheat by using response surface methodology

Effect of heat-moisture treatment on quality properties of two bread wheats (cvs. Tosunbey and Bayraktar) were investigated by using response surface methodology (RSM). Temperature and moisture conditions in the experimental design were in the range of 55–95 °C and 13–19%. Heat-moisture treated grains were milled into flour and quality properties were determined. The optimum moisture-temperature combination for the highest dry gluten, Zeleny sedimentation, Alveograph W and bread volume values were estimated as 14%-63 °C for Tosunbey and 19%-55 °C for Bayraktar samples. Alveograph W seems to be a good indicator of baking quality for wheats treated at higher temperatures. In order to describe the relationship between the dependent and independent variables (moisture, temperature), the response values were fitted by second order polynomial models. Significance analysis showed that the effect of both moisture and temperature on dry gluten content, sedimentation and falling number values for Tosunbey; falling number and damaged starch values for Bayraktar were significant (p < 0.05). The effect of temperature on Farinograph water absorption, W and P/G, bread volume and firmness values were significant for both cultivars (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that improvement in baking quality can be achieved and flours with different properties can be produced by heat-moisture treatments on wheat.     

4种植物油热氧化同步荧光光谱分析

以亚麻籽油、大豆油、菜籽油与葵花籽油为原料,在不同温度条件下氧化并测定其不同时间的同步荧光光谱,分析同步荧光光谱及荧光物质变化情况。结果表明,4种植物油不同温度下的同步荧光光谱峰变化主要集中在300~415 nm内,且随着加热时间的延长存在波动现象;在50℃和150℃加热氧化条件下,300,330,375,415 nm这4个峰都存在明显的波动现象;二维相关分析表明,这4个峰的荧光强度变化速率不同,不同油变化差异较大;同种油在不同温度下,4个峰的波动情况、相互关系、变化速率均有明显差异。这些峰的变化与油脂氧化过程中荧光物质和油脂氧化程度的变化有关,可以利用同步荧光光谱的变化特性作为监控油脂氧化的依据。     

The importance of native valley oaks (Quercus lobata) as stopover habitat for migratory songbirds in urban Sacramento,California, USA

Urban development occupies over 375,000 ha (6%) of California's Central Valley, and expansion continues to displace natural and agricultural landscapes. The value of urban areas as habitat for native wildlife and the characteristics that determine its value, however, remain little studied. Many Neotropical migrant passerine bird species are declining due to changes in breeding, migratory, and wintering habitats and climatic conditions. During 2010–2013, we evaluated the importance of native valley oak (Quercus lobata) as stopover foraging habitat used by Neotropical migrant birds in urban areas of the Sacramento region in California, USA. Over 3 years, we surveyed spring and late summer-early fall migrant songbirds and measured tree canopy cover within 31 c.0.91 ha transects in Curtis Park, an older residential neighborhood. We detected 607 individuals from 20 migrant species, but four wood warblers comprised the bulk of observations: black-throated gray (Setophaga nigrescens), Wilson's (Cardellina pusilla), orange-crowned (Oreothlypis celata), and yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia). Migrant abundance was closely correlated with valley oak canopy abundance and increased linearly with oak canopy especially during fall migration. Migrants were nearly absent from areas lacking oak canopy. Migrant bird species as a group also foraged in valley oak substantially more often (74%) than would be expected based on its 15% relative canopy cover (χ²_1d.f. = 924, p < 0.0001), as did all species whose selectivity could be tested. These results are important in demonstrating previously undocumented migrant use of urban areas with remnant valley oak canopy and suggest that protecting existing valley oaks and increasing their use in future urban forestry and landscape plantings in the Central Valley could provide substantial habitat benefits for native migratory birds.     

Intrinsic influence of various plasticizers on functional properties and reactivity of wheat gluten thermoplastic materials

Various compounds, differing in their chemical functions, number of functional group and degree of hydrophobicity, were tested as wheat gluten plasticizers in a thermoplastic process. A low melting point and a moderate hydrophobicity were found to be critical characteristics of a good wheat gluten plasticizer. The influence of five selected plasticizers (water, glycerol, 1,4-butanediol, lactic and octanoic acids) on functional properties of the wheat gluten network was investigated. Dried gluten was used to avoid any plasticization due to hydration water (usually around 10% for commercial gluten). The influence of plasticizer properties and content was studied by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography, tensile and water swelling tests. The plasticizing effect, at the same molar content, was found to be identical for water, glycerol and 1,4-butanediol. Lactic and octanoic acids were found to have higher and lower plasticizing effects, respectively. Mechanical properties were mainly related to the thermoplastic state of the materials. Water and lactic acid were found to confer smaller and larger extensibilities, respectively, to gluten materials. Thermo-mechanical reactivity also depended on plasticizer properties. Gluten aggregation, normally induced by heating, was prevented by the acidic environment produced by lactic acid. Water swelling behaviour was found to depend on the hydrophobicity of the plasticizer used, on the degree of gluten crosslinking and on the pH of the gluten-plasticizer blend.     

赖氨酸修饰对梯棱羊肚菌黑色素结构和理化特性的影响

为了进一步提高梯棱羊肚菌黑色素的提取率及溶解性,本试验采用单因素、Plackett-Burman试验、响应面试验对纤维素酶-超声波协同提取梯棱羊肚菌黑色素的提取工艺进行优化研究。通过赖氨酸修饰,并对修饰前后的梯棱羊肚菌黑色素进行结构表征、理化性质及稳定性研究。结果表明,在NaOH浓度为1.54 mol/L,纤维素酶添加量为20 mg/g,纤维素酶酶解时间为78.6 min,料液比为1:30,酶解温度为40 ℃,超声时间为80 min条件下提取的梯棱羊肚菌黑色素最优。未修饰的梯棱羊肚菌黑色素不溶于水,色价值为480.24,修饰后的黑色素溶解度为1 016 g/L,色价值为1 771.18,比未修饰的黑色素在溶解性、色价值方面均有所提高。此外,在不同的温度、光照、pH条件下,修饰前后的梯棱羊肚菌黑色素均比较稳定。以上研究结果为梯棱羊肚菌黑色素的高效提取及其产品的开发利用奠定了理论基础。     

Effect of process conditions and amylose/amylopectin ratio on the pasting behavior of maize starch: A modeling approach

The effects of different process conditions on the pasting behavior of the 14%, w/w suspensions of high amylose, waxy and normal maize starches at mixing speeds of 50, 160 and 250 rpm with the heating rates of 2.5, 5 and 10 °C/min were investigated. In addition, the impact of the starch mixture with an amylose-amylopectin ratio of 0–70% at 160 rpm and a heating rate of 5 °C/min on the pasting parameters was studied. According to the results, when stirring speed decreased from 250 rpm to 50 rpm, the peak viscosity dramatically increased. Furthermore, both heating and stirring rates significantly affected the pasting properties (p < 0.05). The amylose content of maize starch had a negative correlation with peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity, final viscosity, and setback viscosity. Besides, syneresis values decreased as amylose content decreased from 70% to 0%. According to the kinetic modelling of pasting curves, starch coefficients were found to be higher than 1 for all starches, indicating that the penetration of water into starch granules increased granule swelling rate. The findings of the present study confirmed that both process conditions and amylose/amylopectin ratio can be optimized without necessity of starch modification to obtain the products with the desired quality.