Use of adsorbent and supercritical carbon dioxide to concentrate flavor compounds from orange oil.

Orange oil is composed largely of terpene hydrocarbons but is a source of flavor and fragrance compounds (oxygenated) that are present in low concentrations. To increase the ratio of oxygenated compounds to terpene hydrocarbons, orange oil was partially fractionated by adsorption of the oxygenated compounds onto porous silica gel, with full utilization of its adsorbent capacity, and then further purified by desorption into supercritical carbon dioxide. The desorption of 24 compounds was monitored by GC and GC-MS. Adsorption alone removed three-fourths of the terpene hydrocarbons, and fractional extraction by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) improved the separation further. Response surface methodology was used in the experimental design, and regression analysis was used to determine the effects of process variables. Extraction at low temperatures and flow rates improved separation by SC-CO(2). Decanal was concentrated to 20 times that of the feed oil by using SC-CO(2) at 13.1 MPa, 35 degrees C, and 2 kg/h. The systems were operating at close to equilibrium conditions because of the fine dispersal of the oils and the excellent mass transfer properties of supercritical carbon dioxide.     

Creaming in black tea

Tea cream is the precipitate formed as tea cools. Its formation has been studied by X-ray scattering, and it is shown that a higher tea concentration leads to earlier onset of creaming and larger particles and that addition of theaflavin and calcium promotes creaming. Association constants between the major components of black tea have been obtained using NMR and show that calcium and glucose enhance the self-association of caffeine, polyphenols, and theaflavin but have little effect on hetero-association. Glycosylation of a polyphenol reduced self-association and reduced binding to caffeine. We conclude that theaflavin is important for the initiation of creaming, forming nanoclusters of typically 3 nm diameter, whereas caffeine acts more to fill in the gaps within the clusters and thus adds to the bulk of tea cream without being necessary for its initiation. Tea creaming may be reduced by increasing the solubility of the polyphenols (i.e., by glycosylation) or by removing calcium. Tea cream; theaflavin; caffeine; small-angle X-ray scattering; NMR; colloid.     

Failure of immunisation against sporidesmin or a structurally related compound to protect ewes against facial eczema

Sixty ewes, divided randomly into four groups of 15, were immunised subcutaneously against sporidesmin (sdm) — bovine thyroglobulin (BTG) or 2-amino-5-chIoro-3,4-dimethoxy benzyl alcohol (ACDMBA) coupled to heat killed staphylococci or to bovine gamma globulin. Fifteen ewes served as untreated controls. Approximately 10 weeks after inoculation ewes were dosed orally with sdm at a rate of 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day for three consecutive days. Sdm antibody binding values, in plasma collected before dosing were higher in ewes immunised with sdm-BTG than ewes given the ACDMB A-complexes. Levels in the 15 untreated ewes were all very low. However, despite the presence of antibodies, the immunised ewes were not protected against sdm challenge; and cholesterol and bilirubin levels in serum and liver and urinary bladder damage scores, at slaughter, were all significantly higher (P<0.05) in the immunised compared to the control ewes six weeks after dosing. It is concluded from these results that subcutaneous immunisation against sdm or the structurally related substance used did not protect sheep against sdm dosing.     

Utilization of wastewater-grown zooplankton: Nutritional quality of zooplankton and performance of silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell 1838) (Teraponidae) fed on wastewater-grown zooplankton

Zooplankton grow in the last stage of water purification at the Werribee Sewage Treatment Lagoons (WSTL) and the resource is huge and unutilized. Daphnia carinata and Moina australiensis are the dominant species at the WSTL. The protein content of D. carinata and M. australiensis was 54.80% and 64.80%, respectively. Analysis of zooplankton showed that both essential and nonessential amino acids were present at a level that was higher than control diet. Silver perch fed on D. carinata exhibited better growth, better food conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and apparent net protein utilization (ANPU), which were not significantly different from the control diet ( P  > 0.05). Heavy metals concentrations were at very low levels in fish fed on wastewater-grown zooplankton.     

Reproductive characteristics of the fishery important temperate demersal berycid Centroberyx gerrardi indicate greater reproductive output in regions of upwelling

The reproductive biology of Centroberyx gerrardi (Günther) was investigated across ~2,000 km of its southern Australian distribution, encompassing different jurisdictions and varying environmental features. Greater gonad mass and prevalence of spawning fish, along with lower ratios of lengths at maturity:maximum lengths and ages at maturity:maximum ages, were identified at the western‐most (Capes) and eastern‐most (Great Australian Bight; GAB) regions. Across the study region, spawning peaks in summer/autumn, when water temperatures are warmest. Regional differences in potential “reproductive output,” while not consistent with the eastward decline in mean monthly water temperature, may instead be related to summer upwelling in the Capes and GAB, driving greater oceanic productivity prior to peak spawning, supporting larval survival. In autumn, the prevailing southward and eastward flowing, downwelling Leeuwin Current (LC) strengthens, providing a dispersal mechanism along the west and south Australian coasts, but limiting upwelling effects. Predicted changes in environmental conditions and their potential impacts on C. gerrardi are discussed, in particular how these factors may affect recruitment to stocks and fisheries, requiring a better understanding of source‐sink relationships for this species. As environmental changes occur, management strategies to sustain fish resources must adapt to spatially variable and changing reproductive output and be collaborative across jurisdictions.     

Vaccination as a possible means of preventing lantana poisoning

The toxic triterpene acids lantadene A and lantadene B were isolated from Lantana camara and conjugated to bovine serum albumen or haemocyanin. The conjugates were emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant and injected into sheep and cattle. Vaccinated animals produced antibodies against the toxic compounds. Cholestasis was less severe in vaccinated than in non-vaccinated sheep challenged with a toxic dose of lantana. The results indicated a mild protective effect of vaccination against the hepatotoxic effects of lantana toxins.     

Temporal secretory patterns of growth hormone in young meat-type poultry

Temporal secretory patterns of plasma growth hormone were measured in young, male meat-type poultry at three stages (22, 30 and 44 d of age) during normal growth. Birds were cannulated in the jugular vein and, after a 2-d period of recovery were serially bled every 10 min for 3.5, 5.5 and 10 h for birds 22, 30 and 44 d of age respectively. GH secretion was found to be pulsatile and episodic, with a mean (+/- SE) peak frequency (number/h) of 0.85 (+/- 0.03) over all ages (n = 15). Birds at 22 d of age had significantly greater peak magnitudes, baseline concentrations and overall mean concentrations than those at 30 and 44 d of age.     

Noncovalent cross-linking of casein by epigallocatechin gallate characterized by single molecule force microscopy

Interaction of the tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with beta-casein in milk affects the taste of tea and also affects the stability of the tea and the antioxidant ability of the EGCG. In addition, interaction of polyphenols with the chemically similar salivary proline-rich proteins is largely responsible for the astringency of tea and red wine. With the use of single molecule force microscopy, we demonstrate that the interaction of EGCG with a single casein molecule is multivalent and leads to reduction in the persistence length of casein as calculated using the wormlike chain model and a reduction in its radius of gyration. The extra force required to stretch casein in the presence of EGCG is largely entropic, suggesting that multivalent hydrophobic interactions cause a compaction of the casein micelle.     

Failure of immunisation against sporidesmin or a structurally related compound to protect ewes against facial eczema

Sixty ewes, divided randomly into four groups of 15, were immunised subcutaneously against sporidesmin (sdm) -bovine thyroglobulin (BTG) or 2-amino-5-chloro-3,4-dimethoxy benzyl alcohol (ACDMBA) coupled to heat killed staphylococci or to bovine gamma globulin. Fifteen ewes served as untreated controls. Approximately 10 weeks after inoculation ewes were dosed orally with sdm at a rate of 0.1 mg/kg body weight/day for three consecutive days. Sdm antibody binding values.in plasma collected before dosing were higher in ewes immunised with sdm-BTG than ewes given the ACDMBA-complexes. Levels in the 15 untreated ewes were all very low. However, despite the presence of antibodies, the immunised ewes were not protected against sdm challenge; and cholesterol and bilirubin levels in serum and liver and urinary bladder damage scores, at slaughter, were all significantly higher (P<0.05) in the immunised compared to the control ewes six weeks after dosing. It is concluded from these results that subcutaneous immunisation against sdm or the structurally related substance used did not protect sheep against sdm dosing.