Nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of dietary fiber enriched pasta.

The relationship between pasta texture and physicostructural characteristics was determined in relation to potential starch degradation and subsequent glucose release. Pastas with added soluble and insoluble dietary fiber ingredients were evaluated in relation to biochemical composition, cooking properties, and textural characteristics. Results show that both the type and amount of added fiber influence the overall quality of both raw and cooked pasta. Glucose release may be significantly reduced by the addition of soluble dietary fiber.     

Recovery of pigments from Origanum majorana L. by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide

Extraction of pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids) from marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) with supercritical carbon dioxide was investigated. The aim of this study was to map the effects of extraction pressure and temperature on the yield of coloring materials by applying a 3(2) full factorial design with three repeated tests in the center of the design. For comparison, laboratory and pilot plant Soxhlet extractions were carried out using ethanol and n-hexane solvents. The compositions of pigments in marjoram extracts were determined by HPLC. Similar amounts of carotenoids, in addition to 40% of chlorophylls and their derivatives, were recovered from the supercritical fluid extraction, in comparison to the ethanol Soxhlet extraction.     

Chitosan as an edible invisible film for quality preservation of herring and atlantic cod

The effect of chitosan with different molecular weights as coatings for shelf-life extension of fresh fillets of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and herring (Clupea harengus) was evaluated over a 12-day storage at refrigerated temperature (4 +/- 1 degrees C). Three chitosan preparations from snow crab (Chinoecetes opilio) processing wastes, differing in viscosities and molecular weights, were prepared; their apparent viscosities (360, 57, and 14 cP) depended on the deacetylation time (4, 10, and 20 h, respectively) of the chitin precursor. Upon coating with chitosans, a significant (p < or = 0.05) reduction in relative moisture losses of 37, 29, 29, 40, and 32% was observed for cod samples coated with 360 cP chitosan after 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days of storage, respectively. Chitosan coating significantly (p < or = 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation as displayed in peroxide value, conjugated dienes, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and headspace volatiles, chemical spoilage as reflected in total volatile basic nitrogen, trimethylamine, and hypoxanthine, and growth of microorganisms as reflected in total plate count in both fish model systems compared to uncoated samples. The preservative efficacy and the viscosity of chitosan were inter-related; the efficacy of chitosans with viscosities of 57 and 360 cP was superior to that of chitosan with a 14 cP viscosity. Thus, chitosan as edible coating would enhance the quality of seafoods during storage.     

植物多糖的提取及对双歧杆菌的增殖作用

采用水提法提取枸杞、红枣、甘薯、淮山4种植物原料及花菇多糖,正交设计优化提取条件,并将植物提取多糖用于双歧杆菌的增殖试验。结果表明,植物多糖提取优化条件,加水比例分别为:枸杞、红枣1∶10,花菇1∶15,甘薯1∶3,淮山1∶9;提取温度:80～95℃;提取时间1～3h。5种原料在优化条件下的多糖提取率相对于植物取样质量分别为:枸杞51.8%、红枣53.2%、花菇28.2%、甘薯18.8%、淮山18.3%。5种原料提取多糖对双歧杆菌的增殖作用:菌体在对数生长期生长速率常数(R)提高135%～85%,世代时间(G)缩短56%～44%。     

国外开发和保护水资源的经验

合理开发、利用和管理水资源，已成为世界各国所普遍关注的问题。为了缓解日益突出的水资源供求矛盾，各国进行了长期不懈的探索，在实践中总结出许多很有成效的经验。归纳起来主要有：加强立法保护水文生态环境，提高民众节水意识，实行适度开发需求管理的用水体制，推广先进的节水灌溉技术，蓄积利用雨水以及控制水体污染等，这些做法值得我国在加强水资源的开发利用和保护方面参考借鉴。     

Analysis of organophosphorus pesticides in honeybee by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry

Pesticides applied in extended agricultural fields may be controlled by means of bioindicators, such as honeybees, in which are the pesticides bioaccumulate. Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) experiments with positive (PI) and negative (NI) ion modes were optimized for the analysis of 22 organophosphorus pesticides in honeybee samples. The extraction required 3 g of sample, which was extracted with acetone. The extract was purified with coagulating solution and reextracted with Cl(2)CH(2). Pesticides studied could be detected by both ionization modes except for parathion, parathion-methyl, and bromophos, which did not give signals in PI mode, and triazophos, which was not detected in NI mode. Fragmentation voltage and vaporizer temperature were optimized to achieve the highest sensitivity. The spectra profile of each pesticide in PI mode showed the [M + H](+) ion as the main signal, whereas in NI mode only fragment ions were shown. The detection limit obtained in selected ion monitoring mode ranged from 1 to 15 microg kg(-1). The average recoveries from spiked honeybees at various concentration levels (0.5-5 mg kg(-1)) exceeded 65% with relative standard deviations of 4-15%. The method was applied to real samples, in which residues of coumaphos and dimethoate were detected.     

Microbial activity affected by lime in a long-term no-till soil

Under conventional farming practices, lime is usually applied on the soil surface and then incorporated into the soil to correct soil acidity. In no-till (NT) systems, where lime is surface applied or only incorporated into the soil to very shallow depth, lime will likely not move to where it is required within reasonable time. Consequently, lime may have to be incorporated into the soil by mechanical means. The objective of this laboratory study was to characterize the effect of lime, incorporated to different depths, on chemical and biological soil properties in a long-term NT soil. Soil samples taken from the 0–5, 0–10, and 0–20 cm depths were analyzed in incubation studies for soil pH, nitrate, CO₂ respiration, and microbial biomass-C (MBC). Lime (CaCO₃) was applied at rates equivalent to 0, 4.4, 8.8, and 17.6 Mg ha⁻¹. Application of lime to both 0–10 and 0–20 cm depths increased soil pH from about 4.9 by 1, 1.7, and 2.8 units for the low, medium, and high liming rates, respectively. Soil nitrate increased over time and in proportion to liming rate, suggesting that conditions were favorable for N-mineralization and nitrification. Greater respiration rates and greater MBC found in lime-treated than in non-limed soils were attributed to higher soil pH. Faster turnover rates and increased mineralization of organic matter were found in lime-treated than in non-limed soils. These studies show that below-surface lime placement is effective for correcting soil acidity under NT and that microbial activity and nitrification can be enhanced.     

Gel structures in soils

The colloidal structures in soils were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Small-angle neutron scattering was used in the pioneering study of the colloidal soil structures and their rearrangements under the effect of different factors. It was found that colloidal particles are fixed apart in a gel matrix formed by organic molecules. The results obtained suggest that the organomineral gel is composed of soil humus occurring, at least in part, in a gel-like status and reinforced by organic and inorganic colloidal particles. In the interaction with water, the reinforced humus gel behaves as many polymers: it swells, absorbing water and increasing in volume; it shrinks under drying conditions. Different impacts on the soil affect the status of the reinforced humus gel, which results in the observed changes of the soil properties.     

Heterogeneous aspects of lipid oxidation in dried microencapsulated oils

This work was aimed at studying lipid oxidation in dried microencapsulated oils (DMOs) during long-term storage. Samples were prepared by freeze-drying of emulsions containing sodium caseinate and lactose as encapsulating components. Evaluation of lipid oxidation was approached by quantitative analysis of nonvolatile lipid oxidation products and tocopherol. Lipid oxidation products were analyzed by separation of polar compounds by adsorption chromatography followed by HPSEC with refraction index detection for quantitation of oxidized triglyceride monomers, dimers, and oligomers. The analytical method applied enabled the detection of different oxidative patterns between the free and encapsulated oil fractions. The free oil fraction of DMOs showed a typical oxidative pattern for oils in continuous phase, which consisted of a clear induction period, in which hydroperoxides (oxidized triglyceride monomers) accumulated, before oxidation accelerated. The end of the induction period was marked by the total loss of tocopherol and the initiation of polymerization. On the contrary, the encapsulated oil showed a pattern characteristic of a mixture of oils with different oxidation status. Thus, high contents of advanced oxidation compounds (polymerization compounds) were detected when the antioxidant (tocopherol) was still present in high amounts. It is concluded that the encapsulated oil was comprised of oil globules with very different oxidation status. The results obtained in this study gave evidence of heterogeneous aspects of lipid oxidation in a dispersed-lipid food system.