Stability of copigmented anthocyanins and ascorbic acid in a grape juice model system

The stability of red grape anthocyanins (Vitis vinifera) was evaluated in a model juice system during normal (25 degrees C) and accelerated storage (35 degrees C) in the presence of ascorbic acid. Rosemary polyphenolic cofactors (0, 0.2, and 0.4% v/v) were evaluated as anthocyanin stabilizing agents. Cofactor addition resulted in concentration-dependent hyperchromic (up to 178%) and bathochromic (up to 23 nm) shifts, indicating a more intense red coloration of the models. Anthocyanin and ascorbic acid degradation followed first-order kinetics during storage. Results showed that copigmented treatments underwent a lower conversion of L-ascorbic acid into dehydroascorbic acid during storage when compared to the control, favorably impacting the vitamin retention of these models. Copigmentation did not affect anthocyanin degradation in the absence of ascorbic acid but in its presence aided to retain a higher anthocyanin content than the control. This study indicated that the addition of anthocyanin cofactors could be used to reduce the pigment and vitamin degradation while masking detrimental color changes in anthocyanin containing products.     

Primary and secondary metabolite composition of kernels from three cultivars of Portuguese chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) at different stages of industrial transformation

Chestnut (Castanea sativa) is an important basic food in rural diets and a major starch crop used in a similar way to potatoes. Chestnuts are a fundamental economic resource in the "chestnut regions" not only for the fruit but also for the chestnut wood. Chestnuts have become increasingly important with respect to human health, for example, as an alternative gluten-free flour source. Chestnuts are also a rich source of other beneficial compounds, but there have been few studies on the composition during processing. In this study, we analyzed the chemical composition of three Portuguese cultivars at different stages of industrial processing. The chestnut cultivars were Longal, Judia, and Martaínha. All three cultivars had high moisture contents but were low in ash, crude fat, and crude protein contents, with high starch and low fiber contents. The free amino acid contents, including various essential amino acids, varied depending on the cultivar. All three cultivars also had a significant content of polyphenolics with gallic acid; ellagic acid was predominant among hydrolyzable and condensed tannins. Many of these compounds are known to exert significant positive effects on human health. The one-way analysis of variance for fresh chestnut shows significant differences among the three cultivars for most of the studied parameters. The same statistical analysis applied to each one of the two cultivars (Judia and Longal) sampled for the four processing steps analyzed indicates a significant effect of this factor in practically all of the constituents. On the other hand, the two-way analysis of variance shows that, besides the residual, the processing step and the interaction cultivar x processing step were the factors that more contributed for the total variation observed in the constituents analyzed, while the contribution of cultivar was much less significant.     

Comparative study of health properties and nutritional value of durian, mangosteen, and snake fruit: experiments in vitro and in vivo

In vitro and in vivo studies of the health and nutritional properties of durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) were compared with snake fruit (Salacca edulis Reinw.) and mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). Dietary fibers, minerals, and trace metals were comparable. Total polyphenols (mg of GAE/100 g of FW) and flavonoids (85.1+/-6.1) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than in snake fruit (217.1+/-13.2 (mg of CE/100 g of FW)), durian (309.7+/-19.3 and 61.2+/-4.9), and mangosteen (190.3+/-12.1 and 54.1+/-3.8). Antioxidant activity (microM TE/100 g of FW) of durian measured by DPPH and ABTS assays (228.2+/-13.4 and 2016.3+/-81.1) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in snake fruit (110.4+/-7.9 and 1507.5+/-70.1) and mangosteen (79.1+/-5.9 and 1268.6+/-62.3). HPLC/DAD analysis of durian (microg/100 g of FW) showed that quercetin (1214.23+/-116.7) was present at levels three times that of caffeic acid, and twice as high as p-coumaric and cinnamic acids. The correlation coefficients between the bioactive compounds of fruits and their antioxidant activities were high (R2=0.99). Male Wistar rats (25) were divided into five dietary groups: the control group was fed the basal diet (BD); in addition to BD, the cholesterol (Chol) group was supplemented with 1% of Chol; the diets of the Chol/Durian, Chol/Snake, and Chol/Mangosteen groups were supplemanted with 5% of these fruits, respectively. It was found that diets supplemented with durian, and to a lesser degree with snake fruit and mangosteen, significantly hindered the rise in plasma lipids and the decrease in antioxidant activity. The nutritional values were comparably high. In conclusion, it could be suggested that inclusion of studied tropical fruits, especially durian, in known disease-preventing diets could be beneficial.     

Properties of low-moisture viscoplastic materials consisting of oil droplets dispersed in a protein-carbohydrate-glycerol matrix: effect of oil concentration

The influence of oil concentration and baking on the properties of low-moisture composites consisting of oil droplets dispersed in a protein-carbohydrate-glycerol matrix was investigated. These composites were produced by blending canola oil, whey protein concentrate (WPC), corn syrup, and glycerol together using a high-speed mixer. The resulting system consisted of oil droplets dispersed in a polar matrix. Some composites were analyzed directly after preparation, while others were analyzed after being heated at 176 degrees C for 10 min to simulate baking. The "lightness" of the composites was greater before baking (higher L value), but the color was more intense after baking (higher a and b values). The lightness and color intensity of the composites decreased as the oil concentration increased, with the effects being more pronounced in the baked samples. The zeta potential of the oil droplets (measured after dilution at pH 6) was highly negative (approximately -40 mV), indicating that whey protein was adsorbed to the droplet surfaces. The mean particle diameter (measured after dilution at pH 6) increased appreciably after baking, which was attributed to droplet flocculation. The rheological properties of the unbaked and baked materials were characterized by squeezing flow viscometry, which showed that the measurements associated with consistency and yield stress increased with increasing oil concentration and with baking.     

Influence of harvest date and crop yield on the fatty acid composition of virgin olive oils from cv. Picual

In this study was analyzed the effect of crop year and harvesting time on the fatty acid composition of cv. Picual virgin olive oil. The study was carried out during the fruit ripening period for three crop seasons. The mean fatty acid composition of Picual oils was determined. The oils contained palmitic acid (11.9%), oleic acid (79.3%), and linoleic acid (2.95%). The content of palmitic acid and saturated fatty acids decreased during fruit ripening while oleic and linoleic acids increased. The amount of stearic and linolenic acids decreased. The amount of saturated acids, palmitic and stearic, and the polyunsaturated acids linoleic and linolenic was dependent on the time of harvest, whereas the amount of oleic acid varied with the crop year. The differences observed between crop years for both palmitic and linoleic acid may be explained by the differences in the temperature during oil biosynthesis and by the amount of summer rainfall for oleic acid content. A significant relationship was observed between the MUFA/PUFA ratio and the oxidative stability measured by the Rancimat method.     

Nitrogen and carbon mineralisation of leather meal in soil as affected by particle size of fertiliser and microbiological activity of soil

Carbon and nitrogen mineralisation of leather meal fertilisers were studied in two soils characterised by different respiration activity. Both C and N mineralisation were highest in the most active soil, and when leather meal was added as a powder rather than as 2- to 4- and 4- to 6-mm particles. Fast and slow soluble N pools were determined after extraction with cold water and with hot buffer, respectively. The N remaining after the second extraction with hot buffer was named slow-release N. The percentage of slow-release N rose as the size of the applied leather meal particles increased, whereas fast soluble N was highest in the coarsest (4-6 mm) fertiliser.     

Subcellular localization and isoenzyme pattern of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase in beet root (Beta vulgaris L.)

The two enzymes involved in enzymatic browning reactions, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (PO), have been partially purified and extracted from different fractions of beet root. PPO is mainly located in the membrane fraction, and it was also found in the soluble fraction. In both cases PPO was in its latent state. However, PO activity was higher in the soluble fraction than in the membrane fraction. Nevertheless, the highest values of specific activity for PO were obtained from the solubilized enzyme from acetone powders. Under native isoelectric focusing (IEF), several PPO isoenzymes were present in the pH range of 4.8-5.8. All of these isoenzymes shared a single band with a similar apparent mass under sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. PO was also analyzed by IEF, showing a complex isoenzyme pattern in all fractions. The characteristic basic PO isoenzyme of high pI found in both the soluble fraction and the solubilized enzyme from acetone powders was not detected in the membrane fraction. The kinetic characterization of PPO and PO from all fractions was carried out.     

Effect of glucose in removal of microcystin-LR by viable commercial probiotic strains and strains isolated from dadih fermented milk

The removal of the cyanobacterial peptide toxin microcystin-LR at 4 and 37 degrees C by six commercial probiotic strains and Lactobacillus plantarum strains IS-10506 and IS-20506 isolated from dadih, Indonesian traditional fermented milk, was assessed in this study. The aim was to evaluate the main factors influencing the viability and metabolic activity of the probiotic strains, as well as their capacity to remove microcystin-LR. Both L. plantarum strains isolated from dadih, as well as Bifidobacterium lactis strains Bb12 and 420, were shown to be more resistant, and >85% remained viable in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution for 48 h of incubation at either temperature, while the viability of the other four commercial bacteria decreased markedly over time. The effect of glucose on viability and removal of toxin was shown to be a strain-specific and strain-dependent property, but in general, the efficiency of microcystin-LR removal increased when glucose was added to the solution. A maximum removal of 95% was observed for L. plantarum strain IS-20506 (37 degrees C, 10 (11) colony-forming units mL(-1)) with 1-2% glucose supplementation and 75% in PBS alone.     

氮改性褐煤的特性及其在退化土壤造林中的应用研究

通过研究褐煤在氧化氨解反应后特性的变化及其在退化土壤造林中的应用效果,旨在探索褐煤高效利用的有效途径.结果表明:氧化氨解工艺能有效地提高褐煤的阳离子交换量、腐殖酸总量和富里酸含量,降低胡敏素含量.反应生成的氮改性褐煤,全氮含量为5.8%,且呈不同形态(铵态、酰胺态和紧密有机态氮态)的分布,能在土壤中保存较长的时间.半干旱退化土壤中的应用试验表明,在土壤中掺入氮改性褐煤(每株137 g或274 g)可使樟子松林分造林成活率提高20%～25%,而施用相应含氮量的尿素对林木成活率几乎没有作用.随着立地条件的改善和植被的恢复,施用氮改性褐煤林分的土壤碳汇、土壤微生物总量以及脱氢酶、脲酶、β-葡糖苷酶、碱性磷酸酶等的活性都有明显的提高,证实了氮改性褐煤可以作为一类生态和环保的土壤改良剂.