A HIERARCHICAL DIVISIVE CLUSTERING METHOD FOR MACHINE-COMPONENT GROUPING PROBLEMS

This paper proposes a new approach based on graph theory for the machine-component grouping problem in a cellular manufacturing system. The objective is to form components into part families such that the degree of interrelations is high among components within the same part family and low between components of different part families.

Since finding an optimal solution through total enumeration is prohibitive in terms of time and efforts even for problems with a moderate number of components, a heuristic algorithm is proposed. The algorithm is hierarchical and divisive in nature and illustrated with numerical examples.     

Lipid Oxidation Potential of Beef, Chicken, and Pork

Beef and pork longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles and chicken breast and thigh muscles were excised 24 hr postmortem from carcasses of marketweight grain-finished feedlot beef cattle, marke-tweight hogs on a typical finishing diet, and broilers on a commercial grain diet. Muscle samples were immediately ground and formed into patties and stored raw or after cooking, at 4°C (cooked) or ?20°C (raw and cooked). TBA values (on sample weight basis) of frozen raw samples were higher for beef and pork than for chicken, as was heme iron content. However, TBA values of cooked samples were highest for chicken thigh muscles, which contained the most polyunsaturated fatty acids, at all storage temperatures.     

Use of Glandless Cottonseed and Sunflower Seed Products in Batter/Breading for Fried Beef Patties

This study indicates that defatted glandless cottonseed flour (GCF) 01 sunflower seed protein isolate (SI) incorporated in the batter/breading system can impart their antioxidant effect to the meat of fried beef patties. Coarsely ground lean beef patties were coated consecutively with dry ingredient (wheat flour for control and 1:1 mixture of wheat flour-GCF or wheat flour-SI for experimental samples), batter made of 1 part of dry ingredient and 2 parts of water, and finally dry ingredient. Ground beef and dry ingredients each contained 1% salt. Use of GCF or SI in the coating mixes greatly reduced the thiobarbituric acid values of the meat when the coated patties were fried and stored at 4°C for 5 days.     

Ground Beef Characteristics after Browning or Oil Extraction Preparation

Ground beef with 26.3% fat was cooked by browning/draining (BD), browning/rinsing (BR), and an oil-extraction method with (OA) or without (ON) meat broth added back. BR caused the most reduction of total fat and cholesterol, whereas ON and OA yielded less cooked meat than BD and BR. ON and OA cooked samples, compared to BD and BR samples, contained more polyunsaturated fatty acids and nonheme iron and had higher TBA values unon extended storage at 4°C. Trained sensory panelists rated BD or BR cooked ground beef more intense in positive flavor note (“cooked beef/brothy”) than ON or OA meat. Likewise, consumers tended to prefer meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, and chili prepared with BD or BR cooked ground beef to those prepared with ON or OA cooked meat.     

Molecular Structure and Functionalities of Protein Isolates Prepared from Defatted Cottonseed Flour Succinylated at Various Levels

Protein isolates were prepared from glandless cottonseed flour succinylated at various levels. Succinylation levels of the resultant proteins followed first order kinetics with respect to succinic anhydride concentration added. Succinylation decreased the amount of free sulfhydryl, as well as ξ-amino groups of proteins, but did not change intermolecular disulfide bonds. Protein isolate prepared from highly succinylated flour consisted of one homogeneous protein agglomerate, while isolate from unmodified flour contained several heterogeneous proteins. Water solubility of the isolates increased logarithmically with respect to degree of succinylation, with the sharpest increase at 95% succinylation or higher. Heat coagulability had an inverse-linear relationship with amounts of negative charges on protein molecules. Emulsion capacity and oil absorption capacity were not significantly changed at less than 60% succinylation. However, these increased markedly at greater than 60% succinylation. Emulsion capacity had a positive, but not linear correlation with water solubility of proteins.     

High-Protein Texturized Products of Defatted Soy Flour, Corn Starch and Beef: Shelf-Life, Physical and Sensory Properties

Selected mixes consisting of Bf [high-beef (29%) low-fat (2.96%)], bf [low-beef (20%) low-fat] and BF [high-beef high-fat (5%)] which incorporated raw beef, defatted soy flour, and corn starch were extruded in a single-screw extruder. The products had no flavor additives and trained sensory panelists detected hay-like, beany or grainy flavors. Bf extrudate was more expanded than BF extrudate and rated least hard by the sensory panel, whereas bf extrudate was least susceptible to lipid oxidation. Bf and bf extrudates showed microstruc-tures with large air cells. All three showed advantages of beef and soy flour in amino acid and fatty acid compositions, respectively, and were microbiologically safe during prolonged storage at 37°C.     

Microbiological and Shelf-Life Properties of Ground Beef Containing Glandless Cottonseed Flour

Ground beef with or without 3% added glandless cottonseed flour (GCF) was over-wrapped with polyvinyl chloride film and displayed up to 6 days in a retail case. Aerobic plate counts were slightly higher (P < 0.05) for ground beef with GCF at day 0, with no difference (P > 0.05) found at days 3 and 6. At day 6, a combination of Pseudomonas and heterofermentative Lactobacillus spp. made up a major part of the microflora of ground beef without GCF whereas heterofermentative Lactobacillus spp. constituted a dominant part of the microflora of ground beef with GCF. Discoloration and lipid oxidation in ground beef during display were markedly reduced by addition of 3% GCF.     

Fabrication of cast carbon steel with ultrafine TiC particles

The carbon steels dispersed with ultrafine TiC particles were fabricated by conventional casting method. The casting process is more economical than other available routes for metal matrix composite production, and the large sized components to be fabricated in short processing time. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain uniform dispersion of ultrafine ceramic particles in liquid metals due to the poor wettability and the specific gravity difference between the ceramic particle and metal matrix. In order to solve these problems, the mechanical milling (MM) and surface-active processes were introduced. As a result, Cu coated ultrafine TiC powders made by MM process using high energy ball milling machine were mixed with Sn powders as a surfactant to get better wettability by lowering the surface tension of carbon steel melt. The microstructural investigations by OM show that ultrafine TiC particles are distributed uniformly in carbon steel matrix. The grain sizes of the cast matrix with ultrafine TiC particles are much smaller than those without ultrafine TiC particles. This is probably due to the fact that TiC particles act as nucleation sites during solidification. The wear resistance of cast carbon steel composites added with MMed TiC/Cu-Sn powders is improved due to grain size refinement.     

Succinylation of Cottonseed Flour: Effect on the Functional Properties of Protein Isolates Prepared from Modified Flour

Succinylated cottonseed protein isolates (40% and 54% modification of amino groups of control isolate) were prepared under pilot scale processing conditions. Partial succinylation of cottonseed flour increased the yield of protein isolate in isoelectric precipitation (pH 4.5). The succinylated isolates were more water soluble, less heat-coagulable in water, and lighter in color as compared to conventional isolates. They also showed improved functional properties including higher oil absorption, emulsion capacity, gel strength, water hydration, water retention, and viscosity. Bulk density was decreased and resulted in fluffy isolates.