The effect of ultrasonic intensity on physicochemical properties of Chinese fir

Cavitation intensity is affected by ultrasonic intensity (UI) and is a key parameter to describe experimental results during ultrasonic treatment. The relationship between the UI and physicochemical properties of Chinese fir was investigated. In this study, four frequencies (25, 28, 40, and 59 kHz) were used at the same intensity of 240 W and the same duration of 35 min. The UI during the ultrasonic treatment was determined, and the chemical components were determined. The chemical structure, crystallinity, morphology, and extractives of wood were respectively analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results showed that higher crystallinity was associated with a larger integrated area under the curve of the ultrasonic intensity (UIA). The largest UIA was observed at 25 kHz, followed by those at 40, 59, and 28 kHz. The relative content of hemicellulose was strongly affected by the ultrasonic treatment. No chemical reactions were observed in the wood, whereas the ultrasonic treatment affected the torus of the bordered pits and facilitated the migration of extractives. In general, the higher the UIA, the stronger the effect of the cavitation was. The most significant changes in the physicochemical properties were observed at 25 kHz. The instantaneous ultrasonic intensity (IUI) changed over time, and the UIA was closely associated with changes in the physicochemical properties of the wood. The results of this study demonstrate that UI has a significant influence on the physicochemical properties of wood.     

Effects of ultrasound-assisted vacuum tumbling on the oxidation and physicochemical properties of pork myofibrillar proteins

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU, 20 kHz, 0 W, 100 W, 300 W and 500 W)-assisted vacuum tumbling (UVT) for 60 min and 120 min on the oxidation and physicochemical properties of the pork myofibrillar proteins (MPs). Compared with the vacuum tumbling (VT) groups without the HIU assistance, the carbonyl content increased, while the total sulfhydryl (SH) content was reduced with the increase of HIU power and treatment time (P < 0.05). The reactive SH content was increased significantly after treated by UVT with 300 W compared with the VT group (P < 0.05) regardless of the treatment time. Similarly, the surface hydrophobicity (S₀), the intrinsic tryptophan intensity, and the solubility in the UVT group (300 W) were remarkably higher than those of the VT group (P < 0.05). In contrast, the α-helix content and the particle size of MPs significantly decreased when the HIU power was at 100 W and 300 W (P < 0.05). The results suggest that UVT treatment could change the structure and physicochemical properties of MPs accompanied by protein oxidation.     

Effects of ultrasonic assisted high-temperature cooking method on the physicochemical structure characteristics and in vitro antioxidant capacities of dietary fiber from Dendrocalamus brandisii Munro shoots

In this study, the ultrasonic assisted high-temperature cooking extraction method of soluble dietary fiber from bamboo shoots was optimized by response surface methodology, and the effects of ultrasonic assisted high-temperature cooking extraction on the structural characteristics, physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from bamboo shoots were evaluated. The yield of modified UH-SDF¹ was significantly higher than that of untreated D-SDF². FTIR and XRD confirmed that UH-SDF had more hydrophilic groups and higher crystallinity (28.73 %), resulting in better thermal stability. SEM observation showed that UH-SDF exhibited a more loose microstructure, and the particle size of UH-SDF (601.52 μm) was significantly smaller than that of D-SDF (242.59 μm), so UH-SDF had a larger specific surface area. In addition, UH-SDF has stronger water holding capacity, water swelling capacity and oil holding capacity than D-SDF. The DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates of UH-SDF were 8.91 % and 7.49 % higher than those of D-SDF. In addition, the reducing ability of UH-SDF was higher than that of D-SDF, which had better antioxidant activity. In summary, UH-SDF has the potential to be developed as an anti-inflammatory functional food.     

Effect of drying technique on the physicochemical properties of sodium silicate-based mesoporous precipitated silica

The conventional drying (oven drying) method used for the preparation of precipitated mesoporous silica with low surface area (>300 m²/g) and small pore volume is often associated with a high production cost and a time consuming process. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to develop a cost-effective and fast drying process for the production of precipitated mesoporous silica using inexpensive industrial grade sodium silicate and spray drying of the precipitated wet-gel silica slurry. The precipitated wet-gel silica slurry was prepared from an aqueous sodium silicate solution through the drop-wise addition of sulfuric acid. Mesoporous precipitated silica powder was prepared by drying the wet-gel slurry with different drying techniques. The effects of the oven drying (OD), microwave drying (MD), and spray drying (SD) techniques on the physical (oil, water absorption, and tapping density), and textural properties (specific BET surface area, pore volume, pore size, and % porosity) of the precipitated mesoporous silica powder were studied. The dried precipitated mesoporous silica powders were characterized with field-emission scanning electron microscopy; Brunauer, Emmett and Teller and BJH nitrogen gas adsorption/desorption methods; Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; thermogravimetric and differential analysis; N₂ physisorption isotherm; pore size distribution and particle size analysis. There was a significant effect of drying technique on the textural properties, such as specific surface area, pore size distribution and cumulative pore volume of the mesoporous silica powder. Additionally, the effect of the microwave-drying period on the physicochemical properties of the precipitated mesoporous silica powder was investigated and discussed.     

Dual-frequency multi-angle ultrasonic processing technology and its real-time monitoring on physicochemical properties of raw soymilk and soybean protein

To improve the soybean protein content (SPC), flavor and quality of soymilk, the effects of dual-frequency ultrasound at different angles (40 + 20 kHz 0°, 40 + 20 kHz 30°, 40 + 20 kHz 45°) on physicochemical properties and soybean protein (SP) structure of raw soymilk were mainly studied and compared with the conventional single-frequency (40 kHz, 20 kHz) ultrasound. Furthermore, the intensity of the ultrasonic field in real-time was monitored via the oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer. The results showed that 40 + 20 kHz 45° treatment significantly increased SPC. The ultrasonic field intensity of 40 + 20 kHz 0° treatment was the largest (8.727 × 10⁴ W/m²) and its distribution was the most uniform. The emulsifying stability of SP reached the peak value (233.80 min), and SP also had the largest particle size and excellent thermal stability. The protein solubility of 40 + 20 kHz 30° treatment attained peak value of 87.09%. 20 kHz treatment significantly affected the flavor of okara. The whiteness and brightness of raw soymilk treated with 40 kHz were the highest and the system was stable. Hence, the action mode of ultrasonic technology can be deeply explored and the feasibility for improving the quality of soymilk can be achieved.     

Effects of ultrasound on the degradation kinetics,physicochemical properties and prebiotic activity of Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide

The controllable ultrasonic modification was hindered due to the uncertainty of the relationship between ultrasonic parameters and polysaccharide quality. In this study, the ultrasonic degradation process was established with kinetics. The physicochemical properties and prebiotic activity of ultrasonic degraded Flammulina velutipes polysaccharides (U-FVPs) were investigated. The results showed that the ultrasonic degradation kinetic models were fitted to 1/M_t-1/M₀ = kt. When the ultrasonic intensity increased from 531 to 3185 W/cm², the degradation proceeded faster. The decrease of polysaccharide concentration contributed to the degradation of FVP, and the fastest degradation rate was at 60 °C. Ultrasound changed the solution conformation of FVP, and partially destroyed the stability of the triple helix structure of FVP. Additionally, the viscosity and gel strength of FVP decreased, but its thermal stability was improved by ultrasound. Higher ultrasonic intensity led to larger variations in physicochemical properties. Compared with FVP, U-FVPs could be more easily utilized by gut microbiota. U-FVPs displayed better prebiotic activity by promoting the growth of Bifidobacterium and Brautella and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. Ultrasound could be effectively applied to the degradation of FVP to improve its physicochemical properties and bioactivities.     

Determination of physicochemical properties of diacylglycerol oil at high pressure by means of ultrasonic methods

The purpose of the paper is to address, using ultrasonic methods, the impact of temperature and pressure on the physicochemical properties of liquids on the example of diacylglycerol (DAG) oil. The paper presents measurements of sound velocity, density and volume of DAG oil sample in the pressure range from atmospheric pressure up to 0.6 GPa and at temperatures ranging from 20 to 50 °C.     

Drying characteristics and quality attributes of apple slices dried by a non-thermal ultrasonic contact drying method

Drying is one of the most prevalent methods to reduce water activity and preserve foods. However, it is also the most energy-intensive food processing unit operation. Although a number of drying methods have been proposed and tested for the purpose of achieving a time- and energy-efficient drying process, almost all current drying methods still rely on thermal energy to remove moisture from the product. In this study, a novel use of power ultrasound was explored for drying of apple slices without the application of heat. The non-thermal ultrasound contact drying (US-CD) was performed in the presence of an air stream (26–40 °C) flowing over product surface to remove mist or vapor produced by the ultrasound treatment. The effects of the non-thermal US-CD, hot-air drying (HAD), and freeze drying (FD) on the changes in rehydration ratio, pH, titratable acidity, water activity, color, glass transition temperature, texture, antioxidant capacity, total phenols, and microstructures of the samples were evaluated. The moisture content of the apple slices reached below 5% (w.b.) after 75–80 min of US-CD, which was about 45% less than that of the HAD method. The antioxidant capacity and total phenol contents of the US-CD samples were significantly higher than that of the AD samples. The non-thermal ultrasonic contact drying is a promising method which has the potential to significantly reduce drying time and improve product quality.     

Influence of ultrasound treatment on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of mung bean protein hydrolysate

This study aimed to investigate influence of ultrasonic treatment on physicochemical and antioxidant properties of mung bean protein hydrolysate (MPH). Physicochemical properties of MPH were evaluated by Tricine-SDS-PAGE, particle size distribution, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and fluorescence spectroscopy, among others. Radicals scavenging activities of ABTS, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, Fe²⁺ chelating ability and reducing power characterized antioxidant activities of MPH. MPH contained four bands of 25.6, 12.8, 10.6 and 4.9 kDa, in which 4.9 kDa was the most abundant. Ultrasonic treatment increased the contents of aromatic and hydrophobic amino acids in MPH. Ultrasonic treatment decreased the content of α-helix of MPH and increased β-sheet and β-turn compared to MPH. MPH-546 W (ultrasonic treatment 546 W, 20 min) had the lowest average particle size (290.13 nm), zeta potential (-36.37 mV) and surface hydrophobicity (367.95 A.U.). Antioxidant activities of ultrasonicated-MPH increased with the ultrasonic power, achieving the lowest IC₅₀ (mg/mL) of 0.1087 (ABTS), 1.796 (hydroxyl), 1.003 (superoxide anion) and 0.185 (Fe²⁺ chelating ability) in 546 W power. These results indicated ultrasonic treatment would be a promising method to improve the antioxidant properties of MPH, which would broaden the application scope of MPH as bioactive components in the food industry.     

Ultrasound combined with slightly acidic electrolyzed water thawing of mutton: Effects on physicochemical properties,oxidation and structure of myofibrillar protein

The effects of air thawing (AT), water immersion thawing (WT), microwave thawing (MT) and ultrasound combined with slightly acidic electrolyzed water thawing (UST) on the myofibrillar protein (MP) properties (surface hydrophobicity, solubility, turbidity, particle size and zeta potential), protein oxidation (carbonyl content and sulfhydryl content) and structure (primary, secondary and tertiary) of frozen mutton were investigated in comparison with fresh mutton (FM). The solubility and turbidity results showed that the MP properties were significantly improved in the UST treatment. UST treatment could effectively reduce the MP aggregation and enhance the stability, which was similar to the FM. In addition, UST treatment could effectively inhibit protein oxidation during thawing as well. The primary structure of MP was not damaged by the thawing methods. UST treatment could reduce the damage to MP secondary and tertiary structure during the thawing process compared to other thawing methods. Overall, the UST treatment had a positive influence in maintaining the MP properties by inhibiting protein oxidation and protecting protein structure.     

Investigation on the influence of ultrasonic pretreatment on color,quality and antioxidant attributes of microwave dried Inula viscosa (L.)

Impact of various ultrasound pretreatment and microwave drying parameters on the qualitative and antioxidant characteristics of Inula viscosa (L.) was investigated in this study. The leaves of Inula viscosa (L.) were sonicated for 10, 20, and 30 min in an ultrasonic bath (37 kHz, 150 Watts). Microwave drying was done at three distinct times (1, 3, and 5 min) and with three different microwave power levels (100, 180, and 300 Watts). Microwave dried samples were tested for color characteristics (L*, a*, b*), chlorophyll, carotenoid, total phenol, and antioxidant content. All dried samples were prepared by infusing them in hot water as tea, and the sensorial properties of teas including odor, color, aroma, and overall acceptability were evaluated by panelists. For 10, 20, and 30 min of ultrasound pretreatment, the L* values of leaves varied from 37.70 to 49.76, 34.97 to 46.25, and 27.88 to 43.34, respectively. The total carotenoid concentration ranged from 0.12 to 0.32 mg/g DW, while the total chlorophyll content was from 0.44 to 0.94 mg/g DW. The antioxidant activity of Inula viscosa (L.) leaves that were dried at 300 Watts for 5 min did not change significantly as a result of ultrasound pretreatment. There was a significant positive correlation between aroma and TPC, as well as between color and overall acceptability. The darkest-colored teas were deemed preferable by the panelists.     

Extraction of collagen-II with pepsin and ultrasound treatment from chicken sternal cartilage; physicochemical and functional properties

A simple and green approach was developed to extract the pepsin soluble collagen-II using the ultra-sonication treatment that significantly increased the extracted yield from chicken sternal cartilage (CSC). The pretreatment of raw CSC had positive effects on proximate composition. The maximum yield of pepsin soluble collagen was obtained by ultrasound treatment time 36 min (UPSCII36; 3.37 g) as compared to non-ultrasound treated pepsin soluble collagen at zero minutes (UPSCII0; 1.73 g) (control). The amino acid profile, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of UPSC were significantly (p < 0.05) improved by the application of ultrasound. The results showed the secondary structure of ultrasound treated PSC-II was partially altered as the ultra-sonication time prolonged. Moreover, ultrasound-treated collagen had superior functional properties such as water, oil absorption capacity, water holding capacity, foaming and emulsifying properties than non-ultrasound treated collagen. The poultry by-products CSC would be a potential source of land animal collagen-II. The utilization of ultrasound for the extraction of pepsin soluble collagen-II is a good alternative technology to expand the application of collagen at industrial level.     

Impact of ultrasonication on the aggregation structure and physicochemical characteristics of sweet potato starch

In order to understand the relationship between the aggregation structure and physicochemical characteristics of ultrasonicated sweet potato starches, sweet potato starch modified with different sonication time (15, 20, 25 and 30 min) was studied in this work for developing starch-based ingredients with tailored functionality. SEM, XRD, FTIR, Raman and DSC measurements were conducted to investigate the transformations of morphological features, crystalline structure, short-range ordered structure and ordered molecular structure of starch granules. Not only could pores and cracks be observed at the surface of starch, but also the structural disorganizations were more evidently induced with the treatment time increasing, especially for the degrees of crystallinity, short-range molecular orders and ordered molecular structures. And these disordering in the aggregation structure not only increased the swelling power and solubility but also declined the pasting temperature, peak viscosity, final and breakdown viscosity of gelatinized starch. In addition, the strengthened retrogradation and gel structures formed by the rearrangement and entanglement of starch polymer chains also demonstrated the structural disorganizations of starch granules during ultrasonic treatment. Therefore, the results of this study may provide further insight in understanding the structural basis of starch physicochemical properties.     

Effects of ultrasound-assisted enzyme hydrolysis on the microstructure and physicochemical properties of okara fibers

This work focuses on the effects of different ultrasound power densities on the microstructural changes and physicochemical properties of okara fibers, which are composed of carbohydrate-based polymers. Okara suspensions were treated with ultrasound at different power densities (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 W/mL) for 30 min, after which the ultrasound-treated okara were hydrolyzed by trypsin to obtain okara fibers. The ultrasound treatment of the okara fibers induced structural disorganization and changes, evidenced mainly in their morphological characteristics and their relative crystallinity degrees. Increasing the ultrasound power broke the okara fibers into flaky and stacked structures. When the ultrasound power density reached 4 W/mL, the parenchyma became compact and the hourglass structure fractured. The mean particle size of the okara fiber was reduced from 82.24 µm to 53.96 µm, and the homogeneity was enhanced significantly. The relative crystallinity of the okara fibers was reduced from 55.14% to 36.47%. The okara fiber surface charge decreased when the ultrasound power was increased. However, after ultrasound treatment at 4 W/mL (800 W), the okara fiber suspension exhibited the highest viscosity value and a higher swelling capacity, water-holding capacity, and oil-holding capacity. Therefore, the results indicated that the selection of processing conditions for okara fibers is critical and that okara fiber modification using a high ultrasound treatment might improve their use in potential applications.     

Electromagnetic properties and microwave absorbing characteristics of doped barium hexaferrite

M-type barium hexaferrite BaFe_12−x(Mn_0.5Cu_0.5Ti)_x/2O₁₉ (x varying from 0 to 3 in steps of 1) have been synthesized by the usual ceramic sintering method. The ferrite powders possess hexagonal shape and are well separated from one another. The powder of these ferrites were mixed with polyvinylchloride plasticizer to be converted in to a microwave absorbing composite. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), ac susceptometer, vibrating sample magnetometer, and vector network analyzer were used to analyze its structure, electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties. The results showed that, the magnetoplumbite structures for all the samples have been formed. The sample having higher magnetic susceptibility and coercivity exhibits a larger microwave absorbing ability. Also, the present investigation demonstrates that microwave absorber using BaFe_12−x (Mn_0.5Cu_0.5Ti)_x/2O₁₉ (x=2$x=2$ and 3)/polyvinylchloride can be fabricated for the applications over 15 GHz, with reflection loss more than −25 dB for specific frequencies, by controlling the molar ratio of the substituted ions.     

Effects of high intensity unltrasound on structural and physicochemical properties of myosin from silver carp

Myosin from silver carp was sonicated with varying power output (100, 150, 200 and 250 W) for 3, 6, 9, and 12 min. The changes in the structure and physicochemical properties of myosin were evaluated by dynamic light scattering, SDS-PAGE and some physicochemical indexes. The ultrasound treatments induced a significant conversion of myosin aggregates to smaller ones with a more uniform distribution, and obvious enhancement in solubility. The structure of myosin was also notably changed by sonication, with a decrease in Ca²⁺-ATPase activity and SH content, and an increase in surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, SH groups were oxidized, leading to a decrease in reactive SH and total SH contents. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that ultrasound could induce the degradation of myosin heavy chain and change the protein fraction of myosin. Collectively, the ultrasonic treatment of 100 W for 3 min showed slight influence on the SH content, S₀-ANS, and electrophoretic patterns, and the extent of changes in myosin structure and physicochemical properties tended to increase with ultrasonic power and time. The integrated data indicate that ultrasonic treatment can facilitate the improvement of the solubility and dispersion of myosin, but the choice of a suitable ultrasonic condition to avoid oxidation and degradation of myosin is very important.     

Ultrasonic assisted far infrared drying characteristics and energy consumption of ginger slices

Three drying methods, including far infrared drying, infrared convection drying, and ultrasonic pretreatment assisted far infrared drying, were adopted in the drying of ginger slices. The effects of main parameters (ultrasonic pretreatment power and time, far infrared temperature and power, sample thickness, infrared convection temperature) on the drying kinetics, energy consumption, and color change were investigated and discussed in detail. The results showed that the drying process of ginger slices was controlled by falling rate period. For far infrared drying, the drying rate increased with the increase of infrared temperature and decrease of sample thickness, while the infrared power had no obvious effect on the drying process. The infrared convection drying showed the fastest drying rate and the smallest color change, however, the energy consumption was the highest. For ultrasonic pretreatment assisted far infrared drying, an appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment time and power would promote the far infrared drying process and the energy consumption was only slightly increased. However, the color change was relatively large. The ultrasound technology showed its greatest potential to enhance the drying rate at the early stage of drying and increasing ultrasonic power was more effective than prolonging the pretreatment time in promoting far infrared drying.     

Effects of ultrasonic pretreatment of soybean protein isolate on the binding efficiency,structural changes,and bioavailability of a protein-luteolin nanodelivery system

The combination of protein and flavonoids can ameliorate the problems of poor solubility and stability of flavonoids in utilization. In this study, soybean protein isolate pretreated by ultrasonication was selected as the embedding wall material, which was combined with luteolin to form a soybean protein isolate-luteolin nanodelivery system. The complexation effect and structural changes of soybean protein isolate (SPI) and ultrasonic pretreatment (100 W, 200 W, 300 W, 400 W and 500 W) of soybean protein isolate with luteolin (LUT) were compared, as well as the changes in digestion characteristics and antioxidant activity in vitro. The results showed that proper ultrasonic pretreatment increased the encapsulation efficacy, loading amount and solubility to 89.72%, 2.51 μg/mg and 90.56%. Appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment could make the particle size and the absolute value of ζ-potential of SPI-LUT nanodelivery system decrease and increase respectively. The FTIR and fluorescence results show that appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment could reduce α-helix, β-sheet and random coil, increase β-turn, and enhance fluorescence quenching. The thermodynamic evaluation results indicate that the ΔG < 0, ΔH > 0 and ΔS > 0, so the interaction of LUT with the protein was spontaneous and mostly governed by hydrophobic interactions. The XRD results show that the LUT was amorphous and completely wrapped by SPI. The DSC results showed that ultrasonic pretreatment could improve the thermal stability of SPI-LUT nanodelivery system to 112.66 ± 1.69 °C. Digestion and antioxidant analysis showed that appropriate ultrasonic pretreatment increased the LUT release rate and DPPH clearance rate of SPI-LUT nanodelivery system to 89.40 % and 55.63 % respectively. This study is a preliminary source for the construction of an SPI nanodelivery system with ultrasound pretreatment and the deep processing and utilization of fat-soluble active substances.     

Ultrasonic treatment on physicochemical properties of water-soluble protein from Moringa oleifera seed

Effect of ultrasonic power on the structure and functional properties of water-soluble protein extracted from defatted Moringa oleifera seed were explored. The results showed that ultrasonic treatment could reduce β-sheet and β-turn content of water-soluble protein from Moringa oleifera seed (MOWP) and increase the content of random coil and α-helix. Changes in intrinsic fluorescence spectra, surface hydrophobicity (H₀) and thermal behaviors indicated that ultrasonic had significant effect on the tertiary structure of MOWP. The results of SEM and SDS-PAGE showed that the MOWP was aggregated but not significantly degraded by ultrasound. The solubility, foaming properties and emulsifying properties of MOWP increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of ultrasonic power. Ultrasonic treatment altered the functional properties of MOWP, which might be attributed to the exposure of hydrophilic group and the change of and secondary and tertiary structure.     

Thermoultrasound and microwave-assisted freeze-thaw pretreatments for improving infrared drying and quality characteristics of red dragon fruit slices

The effects of thermoultrasound (US-FT), microwave (MW-FT), and room temperature (RT-FT) freeze–thaw pretreatments were evaluated for improving drying kinetics and quality during infrared drying (IRD) of red dragon fruit slices (RDFS). Results indicated that microstructural alterations induced by the different pretreatments improved the moisture removal rate and effective diffusivity, and significantly reduced the drying time. US-FT pretreatments prompted more efficient drying and presented an overall enhancement in the quality of RDFS, particularly at low temperatures of 25 and 50 ℃, while enhancements in TFC, FRAP, and CUPRAC were associated with RT-FT. High-power (500 W) MW-FT pretreatments improved colour and structural properties, while low-power (100, 300 W) improved TPC, TFC, ascorbic acid, betalains, and antioxidant activity. Overall, cellular and chemical alterations prompted by pretreatments improved the drying process but presented adverse effects on betaxanthin. The study presented the fundamental background for improving the IRD of foods from the use of improved thawing approaches during freeze–thaw pretreatments.