Training realisation and training demand in the Rioja wine sector in Spain

Training has been identified as an effective tool in the development of human resources, especially in the current context of change. This work aims to analyse the realisation and demand on training courses in the Rioja wine sector in Spain. A representative sample of companies in the sector was interviewed using a questionnaire. Two types of analysis were conducted: univariate and a factorial analysis of variance. These analyses allow using a hypothesis test in which three independent variables are controlled – zone, ownership, and winery size. The results show that the realisation and demand for training are focused on topics related to wine production, and not on marketing. No significant differences were found regarding the realisation and demand for training and the independent variables.     

Evaluation of the peptide profile with a view to authenticating buffalo mozzarella cheese

Electrophoretic and chromatographic techniques were used to determine water‐soluble peptide profiles aiming to identify the adulteration of buffalo milk mozzarella cheese by the addition of cow's milk. Thus, cheeses were produced with contents of cow's milk varying from 0% to 100%, and the peptides extracted after production and after 20 days of refrigeration. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS‐PAGE) identified a potential peptide marker of exclusively bovine origin with a size of about 21 kDa for the addition of cow's milk above 30%. Reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) indicated the existence of two potential peptides present in higher concentrations in buffalo milk and one exclusive for cow's milk, the latter making it possible to estimate the addition of cow's milk to buffalo milk. Six commercial brands of buffalo mozzarella cheese were evaluated, and indications of adulteration found in four of them.     

Steel Microstructure Effect on Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Behavior of High Strength Low Carbon Steel

Different thermomechanical treatments were applied to a high strength low carbon steel with a novel chemical composition. As a result, three different microstructures were produced with dissimilar mechanical and corrosion properties. Subsequently, a tempering heat treatment was applied to redistribute the phases in the steel. Microstructure A with 56 pct martensite and 32 pct bainite presented high strength but medium ductility; microstructure C with 95 pct ferrite and 3 pct martensite/austenite resulted in low strength and high ductility, and finally microstructure B with 98 pct bainite and 2 pct martensite/austenite resulted in high strength and ductility. Alternatively the corrosion behavior obtained by polarization curves was characterized in 0.1 M H₂SO₄, 3 M H₂SO₄, 3.5 wt pct NaCl, and NS4 solutions resulting in similar magnitudes, while the corrosion behavior acquired by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy had slightly differences in 3 M H₂SO₄.