Impact of Chitosan on the Mechanical Stability of Soils

Chitosan is becoming increasingly applied in agriculture, mostly as a powder, however little is known about its effect on soil mechanical properties. Uniaxial compression test was performed for cylindrical soil aggregates prepared from four soils of various properties (very acidic Podzol, acidic Arenosol, neutral Fluvisol and alkaline Umbrisol) containing different proportions of two kinds of chitosan (CS1 of higher molecular mass and lower deacetylation degree, and CS2 of lower molecular mass and higher deacetylation degree), pretreated with 1 and 10 wetting–drying cycles. In most cases increasing chitosan rates successively decreased the mechanical stability of soils that was accompanied by a tendential increase in soil porosity. In one case (Fluvisol treated with CS2) the porosity decreased and mechanical stability increased with increasing chitosan dose. The behavior of acidic soils (Podzol and Arenosol) treated with CS2, differed from the other soils: after an initial decrease, the strength of aggregates increased with increasing chitosan amendment, despite the porosity consequently decreasing. After 10 wetting–drying cycles, the strength of the aggregates of acidic soils appeared to increase while it decreased for neutral and alkaline soils. Possible mechanisms of soil–chitosan interactions affecting mechanical strength are discussed and linked with soil water stability and wettability.     

Comparative Analysis of VOCs from Winter Melon Pomace Fibers before and after Bleaching Treatment with H2O2

In this study, the trend of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in dietary fiber samples from the winter melon (Cucumis Melo var. Inodorus, Yellow Canary type) were investigated. This foodstuff, obtained as a by-product of agri-food production, has gained increasing attention and is characterized by many bioactive components and a high dietary-fiber content. As regards fiber, it is poorly colored, but it may be whitened by applying a bleaching treatment with H₂O₂. The result is a fibrous material for specific applications in food manufacturing, for example, as a corrector for some functional and technological properties. This treatment is healthy and safe for consumers and widely applied in industrial food processes. In this study, a method based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied for the characterization of the aromatic profile of the dried raw materials. Furthermore, VOC variation was investigated as function of the bleaching treatment with H₂O₂. The bleached samples were also analyzed after a long storage period (24 months), to assess their stability over time. As a result, the VOC fraction of the fresh raw fiber showed nine classes of analytes; these were restricted to seven for the bleached fiber at t₀ time, and further reduced to four classes at the age of 24 months. Alcohols were the main group detected in the fresh raw sample (33.8 % of the total chromatogram area), with 2,3-butanediol isomers as the main compounds. These analytes decreased with time. An opposite trend was observed for the acids (9.7% at t₀), which increased with time and became the most important class in the 24-month aged and bleached sample (57.3%).     

Apple Fibers as Carriers of Blackberry Juice Polyphenols: Development of Natural Functional Food Additives

Blackberry polyphenols possess various health-promoting properties. Since they are very sensitive to environmental conditions such as the presence of light, oxygen and high temperatures, the application of such compounds is restricted. Fibers are recognized as efficient carriers of polyphenols and are often used in polyphenols encapsulation. In the present study, the ability of apple fiber to adsorb blackberry juice polyphenols was examined. Freeze-dried apple fiber/blackberry juice complexes were prepared with different amounts of fibers (1%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) and a constant amount of blackberry juice. Polyphenol profile, antioxidant activity, inhibition of the α-amylase, color parameters, as well as the IR spectra, of the obtained complexes were assessed. The results showed a negative effect of higher amounts of fiber (more than 2%) on the adsorption of polyphenols and the antioxidant activity of complexes. With the proper formulation, apple fibers can serve as polyphenol carriers, and thus the application as novel food additives can be considered.     

Rapid Sample Screening Method for Authenticity Controlling of Vanilla Flavours Using Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection Using Aluminium-Doped Zirconia Nanoparticles-Modified Electrode

A rapid and sensitive technique for frauds determination in vanilla flavors was developed. The method comprises separation by liquid chromatography followed by an electrochemical detection using a homemade screen-printed carbon electrode modified with aluminium-doped zirconia nanoparticles (Al-ZrO₂-NPs/SPCE). The prepared nanomaterials (Al-ZrO₂-NPs) were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). This method allows for the determination of six phenolic compounds of vanilla flavors, namely, vanillin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillyl alcohol, vanillic acid and ethyl vanillin in a linear range between 0.5 and 25 µg g⁻¹, with relative standard deviation values from 2.89 to 4.76%. Meanwhile, the limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.10 to 0.14 µg g⁻¹ and 0.33 to 0.48 µg g⁻¹, respectively. In addition, the Al-ZrO₂-NPs/SPCE method displayed a good reproducibility, high sensitivity, and good selectivity towards the determination of the vanilla phenolic compounds, making it suitable for the determination of vanilla phenolic compounds in vanilla real extracts products.     

Cocoa By-Products: Characterization of Bioactive Compounds and Beneficial Health Effects

The annual production of cocoa is approximately 4.7 million tons of cocoa beans, of which only 10% corresponds to the cocoa bean and the remaining value corresponds to a high number of residues, cocoa bean shell, pulp and husk. These by-products are a source of nutrients and compounds of notable interest in the food industry as possible ingredients, or even additives. The assessment of such by-products is relevant to the circular economy at both environmental and economic levels. Investigations carried out with these by-products have shown that cocoa husk can be used for the production of useful chemicals such as ketones, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, furans, heterocyclic aromatics, alkylbenzenes, phenols and benzenediols, as well as being efficient for the removal of lead from acidic solutions, without decay in the process due to the other metals in this matrix. The fibre present in the cocoa bean shell has a considerable capacity to adsorb a large amount of oil and cholesterol, thus reducing its bioavailability during the digestion process, as well as preventing lipid oxidation in meats, with better results compared to synthetic antioxidants (butylated hydroxytoluene and β-tocopherol). Finally, cocoa pulp can be used to generate a sweet and sour juice with a natural flavour. Thus, this review aimed to compile information on these by-products, focusing mainly on their chemical and nutritional composition, simultaneously, the various uses proposed in the literature based on a bibliographic review of articles, books and theses published between 2000 and 2021, using databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ScieLO, PubMed and ResearchGate.     

The Chemistry of Protein Oxidation in Food

Oxidation is one of the deterioration reactions of proteins in food, the importance of which is comparable to others such as Maillard, lipation, or protein‐phenol reactions. While research on protein oxidation has led to a precise understanding of the processes and consequences in physiological systems, knowledge about the specific effects of protein oxidation in food or the role of “oxidized” dietary protein for the human body is comparatively scarce. Food protein oxidation can occur during the whole processing axis, from primary production to intestinal digestion. The present review summarizes the current knowledge and mechanisms of food protein oxidation from a chemical, technological, and nutritional–physiological viewpoint and gives a comprehensive classification of the individual reactions. Different analytical approaches are compared, and the relationship between oxidation of food proteins and oxidative stress in vivo is critically evaluated.     

Polysaccharides from Medicine and Food Homology Materials: A Review on Their Extraction,Purification, Structure,and Biological Activities

Medicine and food homology (MFH) materials are rich in polysaccharides, proteins, fats, vitamins, and other components. Hence, they have good medical and nutritional values. Polysaccharides are identified as one of the pivotal bioactive constituents of MFH materials. Accumulating evidence has revealed that MFH polysaccharides (MFHPs) have a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and radioprotective activities. Consequently, the research progress and future prospects of MFHPs must be systematically reviewed to promote their better understanding. This paper reviewed the extraction and purification methods, structure, biological activities, and potential molecular mechanisms of MFHPs. This review may provide some valuable insights for further research regarding MFHPs.     

食品包装材料中7种光引发剂向水性模拟液中的迁移测定

为了考察食品包装材料中光引发剂向食品中迁移的情况,以水性模拟液作为迁移溶剂,用65 μm聚二甲基硅氧烷/二乙烯基苯(PDMS-DVB)纤维头进行固相微萃取结合气相色谱-质谱(SPME/GC-MS)分析方法同时测定食品包装材料中7种光引发剂(PIs)的迁移量。方法的检出限为0.0012～0.0069 μg/L,线性范围为0.03～1.0 μg/L (r2＞0.9909),在3种浓度的添加水平下,加标回收率为70.8%～112.0%,相对标准偏差不大于14.0%。利用建立的方法对20个实际样品进行测定,发现所有样品中均检出二苯甲酮,其中10个样品中检出4-甲基二苯甲酮,3个样品中检出1-羟基环己基苯基甲酮,1个样品中检出安息香双甲醚。该方法的灵敏度高,样品前处理过程简单,无需使用有机溶剂,为食品接触材料表面印刷油墨中PIs向水性样品中的迁移测定提供了参考。     

Peristaltic transport of rheological fluid: model for movement of food bolus through esophagus

Fluid mechanical peristaltic transport through esophagus is studied in the paper.A mathematical model has been developed to study the peristaltic transport of a rheological fluid for arbitrary wave shapes and tube lengths.The Ostwald-de Waele power law of a viscous fluid is considered here to depict the non-Newtonian behaviour of the fluid.The model is formulated and analyzed specifically to explore some important information concerning the movement of food bolus through esophagus.The analysis is carried out by using the lubrication theory.The study is particularly suitable for the cases where the Reynolds number is small.The esophagus is treated as a circular tube through which the transport of food bolus takes place by periodic contraction of the esophageal wall.Variation of different variables concerned with the transport phenomena such as pressure,flow velocities,particle trajectory,and reflux is investigated for a single wave as well as a train of periodic peristaltic waves.The locally variable pressure is seen to be highly sensitive to the flow index "n".The study clearly shows that continuous fluid transport for Newtonian/rheological fluids by wave train propagation is more effective than widely spaced single wave propagation in the case of peristaltic movement of food bolus in the esophagus.     

Bt玉米中微量元素锂、硒、钼、铬含量测定

随着转基因食品的推广应用,人们越来越关心其食用安全性。以转Bt基因玉米及其亲本为实验材料,借助于ICP-MS对其中人体必需的微量元素锂、硒、钼和铬进行了测定。结果显示,外源基因的整合导致了锂、硒、钼和铬含量减少,这对玉米的营养价值非常不利;特别是转Bt基因玉米中硒和钼,成倍减少。这些结果说明转基因技术如果控制不严可能会对玉米的食用安全性产生不良影响,转基因植物的推广应用应当严格审查。转Bt基因玉米吸收上述微量元素减少的原因尚需进一步研究。