Effect of the Nixtamalization Process on the Dietary Fiber Content,Starch Digestibility,and Antioxidant Capacity of Blue Maize Tortilla

Nixtamalization is an ancient process developed by the Mesoamerican cultures. Initially, volcanic ashes were used and then calcium hydroxide in commercial production, and more recently nixtamalization with calcium salts (NCS) has been proposed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of NCS on carbohydrate digestibility and antioxidant capacity in the elaboration of blue maize tortillas. NCS in blue tortillas showed a high amount of total dietary fiber (14.27 g/100 g), the main fraction being insoluble dietary fiber. The contents of resistant starch and slowly digestible starch did not change with the nixtamalization process. The predicted glycemic index value was lower in blue tortillas with the NCS process (58) than with the traditional nixtamalization process (71). In general, NCS in blue tortillas presented a higher antioxidant capacity than traditional tortillas (ferric reducing antioxidant power method), indicating that phenolics present in blue maize maintain their activity after cooking. It can be concluded that the nutraceutical features (high dietary fiber content and antioxidant capacity) of blue maize tortillas are enhanced when they are elaborated with the NCS process.     

枸杞的微波干燥特性及其对品质的影响

为了缩短枸杞的干燥时间、节约干燥成本,运用微波试验装置,通过选择不用的干燥功率和物料铺放厚度,研究了枸杞微波干燥特性及其对干燥后产品品质的影响。研究结果表明:微波干燥作用于枸杞干燥降速干燥阶段可以大幅缩短枸杞干燥周期,微波组合干燥较自然晾晒缩短时间约65h,约占自然晾晒干燥周期的72%;干燥功率和物料层厚度是影响微波干燥时间的重要因素,微波功率越大,物料层厚度越小,则物料干燥时间越短;不同的微波干燥参数对干后产品品质有不同影响,微波功率为1k W,当物料层厚度平铺为2cm时,干燥后产品多糖保存率和感官品质最好。     

黄淮海地区大豆生产机械化现状与发展趋势

机械化在大豆全程生产中发挥着重要作用。为此,针对黄淮海地区大豆机械化生产现状,分析了目前大豆机械化生产中存在的问题,对大豆产业发展,从"种子处理技术""机械化精密平播免中耕技术""科学施肥,合理使用杀虫剂和除草剂""大力推广大豆机械化收获技术"等方面简要阐述黄淮海地区大豆生产全程机械化的发展趋势。     

DNA barcoding for identification of cryptic species in the field and existing museum collections: a case study of Aethomys and Micaelamys (Rodentia: Muridae)

DNA barcoding has been proposed as a method for species identification. However, this method has been criticised for its over-reliance on a single mitochondrial gene. In this study, four mitochondrial gene regions and one nuclear gene region were used to investigate their different abilities to identify tissue associated with museum specimens of Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys ineptus and Micaelamys namaquensis. Aethomys chrysophilus and the more recently elevated A. ineptus are indistinguishable on morphological grounds; however, their ranges are largely parapatric with only one syntopic locality currently known. All of the mitochondrial gene regions were able to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, but they varied in their abilities to resolve differences between A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus. The sequence results identified a specimen from KwaZulu-Natal that was misclassified and should have been identified as A. ineptus. Seven specimens that had not been reclassified following the elevation of A. ineptus to species level were identified as A. ineptus. Individuals of A. chrysophilus from Malawi could not be classified as either A. chrysophilus or A. ineptus, and may be a hybrid or a new, distinct species. This study indicates that DNA barcoding may be used to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, and although it was not able to separate A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, it did indicate specimens from Malawi may be a new cryptic species.