Dynamic analysis of growth of Salmonella Enteritidis in liquid egg whites

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a common foodborne pathogen associated with eggs and egg products. This research was conducted to study the kinetics of growth and survival of SE in liquid egg whites (LEW). A dynamic temperature profile that exposed SE to suboptimal temperatures and below the minimum growth temperature (T_min) was used with two isothermal conditions to develop kinetic models. One-step dynamic analysis was used to directly construct a tertiary model for describing the growth and survival of SE and determine the kinetic parameters.The results of kinetic analysis showed that the T_min was 7.7 °C and SE may die off at a rate of 2.78 × 10⁻³ log CFU/ml per h per °C below the T_min. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the model was 0.5 log CFU/ml, with 76.6% of the residual errors within ±0.5 log CFU/ml of the experimental observations. The model was validated under both dynamic temperature and isothermal conditions. Both growth and survival of SE was accurately predicted, with the RMSE of validation at < 0.5 log CFU/ml. For all the validation tests, nearly 75% of the residual errors were within ±0.5 log CFU/ml of the experimental observations.This study clearly demonstrated that the one-step dynamic analysis method is an accurate and efficient method for direct construction of predictive models and estimation of the associated kinetic parameters that govern the growth and survival of microorganisms in food. Since the mathematical model has been validated, it can be used to predict the growth and survival of SE in LEW during storage and distribution and for conducting risk assessment of this microorganism.     

Flavourzyme酶水解蛋清蛋白的工艺研究

以水解度和蛋白质残留量为指标,研究温度、pH、酶用量及蛋清浓度对Flavourzyme酶解蛋清蛋白的影响,并通过正交试验来确定其最佳工艺。结果是温度55℃、pH6.5、加酶量为质量分数6%、蛋清料液质量体积比1 g:5 m L为最佳工艺参数。在该条件下,6 h酶解物的蛋白质残留率为27.68%,水解度为38.75%,水解物的相对分子质量大部分集中在300以下,即主要以游离氨基酸及二肽形式存在。     

Aquafaba,wastewater from chickpea canning,functions as an egg replacer in sponge cake

Aquafaba, the viscous liquid resulting from cooking chickpeas in water is typically discarded. However, this solution is now widely used by the vegan community as an egg replacement that adds texture to food products, such as mayonnaise, pudding, ice cream and baked goods. Sponge cake was prepared with either egg white or aquafaba derived from ten different brands of canned chickpea and the texture and colour were compared. Aquafaba obtained from each chickpea can produced foam which differed in both properties and stability. In addition, aquafaba from some brands provided comparable foam volume and stability to that achieved with egg white. The colour and texture of sponge cake made with either egg white or aquafaba were similar and acceptable, but cakes prepared with aquafaba were less springy, and less cohesive than cake that included egg white. Based on our results, it appears that aquafaba has potential to replace egg white in eggless cake recipes.     

Diet-derived vicilins detected in eggs laid by a double-mated female Callosobruchus maculatus originate from nuptial gifts donated by both male partners

The eggshell and the cement that attaches the eggs of the seed-beetle Callosobruchus maculatus to the seeds of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) contain vicilins, the main storage protein found in seeds. These proteins are derived from both males and females, which originally sequester them during the larval phase from their seed hosts. In this test, females received vicilin from different males during mating as a seminal nuptial gift, and transmitted this sequestered blend of proteins to the eggs. The presence of vicilin in the cement and eggshell was demonstrated by light microscopy and Western blotting. Quantification using ELISA showed that the concentration of vicilin from seminal vesicles of a virgin male is approximately double that measured following the first copula to a virgin female, suggesting that the investment of vicilin by the males is very important. This is the first demonstration showing that at least two different males can make a direct contribution of a sequestered protein which is used in oogenesis.     

Effect of processing parameters on the pulsed-spouted microwave vacuum drying of puffed salted duck egg white/starch products

A puffed food using salted duck egg white and starch as ingredients was produced by using a novel pulsed-spouted microwave vacuum drying (PSMVD) technique. In this study, three types of samples (ratios of salted duck egg white to starch 1:10, 3:10, and 5:10) were prepared and the moisture content of these samples was dehydrated to about 12% in a PSMVD dryer, then the samples were under different microwave powers (1.34 kW, 2.01 kW, and 2.68 kW) for puffing. The product volume expansion ratio, textural crispness (breaking forces), color parameters (L*, a* and b*), and sensory scores were determined. It was observed that microwave power and different ratios of salted duck egg white to starch had a significant effect on the expansion effect of the samples. The results indicated that the best product quality was obtained under the ratio of salted duck egg white to starch at 3:10 and microwave power at 2.01 kW.     

Lipid‐lowering mechanism of egg yolk in normal rats

The ingestion of egg has been reported to lower blood cholesterol, but the mechanism is unclear. Here, the biochemical metabolic mechanism by which the oral administration of egg yolk affects blood lipid reduction was investigated using normal rats. Blood triglycerides and total cholesterol were lower and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher in an egg yolk‐given group compared to other groups, while low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased in the pork belly oil‐given group. HMG‐CoA reductase activity was higher in the pork belly oil‐given group, compared to an egg yolk‐given group, a weekly alternating administration of pork belly oil and egg yolk‐given group, and the saline‐given normal control group. However, faecal excretions of total sterol, neutral sterol and acid sterol in an egg yolk‐given group were higher compared to the pork belly oil‐given group, a weekly alternating administration of pork belly oil and egg yolk‐given group, and a normal control group. The results suggested that ingestion of egg decreased blood lipids.     

A Sensitive and Selective Fluorimetric Method of Quick Determination of Sialic Acids in Egg Products by Lectin‐CdTe Quantum Dots as Nanoprobe

Sialic acids (SA) are widely found as components of oligosaccharide units in mucins, glycoproteins and other microbial polymers in nature food. The aim of this study is to create a new fluorimetric detection method applied for determinating SA in egg products by using a sensitive lectin‐CdTe quantum dots (QDs) nanoprobe. Water‐soluble and high luminescent CdTe QDs were conjugated with sambucus nigra bark lectin (SNA) as probe for SA detection. As a result of specific interaction between SA and SNA‐CdTe QDs, the conjugations finally lead to the change of a fluorescent signal. Under optimal conditions, fluorescence intensity increase linearly with the increase of the concentration of SA ranging from 12 to 680 ng/mL. The low detection limit is 0.67 ng/mL. This quick and selective analysis method for SA detection has been used in synthetic samples and egg products with recovery between 97.92% and 110.42%, which demonstrates the application of this assay is feasible and practical.     

Effects of controlled water temperatures on oviposition in a lotic‐breeding and externally fertilizing salamander (Hynobius kimurae)

Warm or cool ambient temperatures during winter generate plasticity in the within‐year timing of oviposition or breeding phenology shifts through the use of a reaction norm in many riverine ectotherms, but within‐year timing of oviposition in Hynobius kimurae (Caudata: Hynobiidae) is predicted to be constant at different water temperatures of a mountain stream. To clarify this difference, by experimentally controlling water temperatures from fall to spring and thus changing durations of aquatic hibernation and dates of oviposition, we determined whether oviposition is more advanced when water temperatures increase earlier than usual or is more delayed when water temperatures increase later than usual. Oviposition was more delayed than usual with earlier exposure to high water temperatures during spring and was earlier than usual with exposing to higher water temperatures during hibernation. Days from submergence to oviposition were responsive to cumulative daily water temperatures from submergence to oviposition within a population. A rate of increase in days from submergence to oviposition was different between populations but was constant within a population even if minimal water temperatures varied each year. When running a program of a Markov chain Monte Carlo generalized linear mixed model for Bayesian computation to interpret confounding effects, neither different treatments nor different years statistically affected days from submergence to oviposition. These results suggest that a biological clock exits for days from submergence to oviposition in H. kimurae, which could allow survival in situations with either warmer or cooler environments.     

The Anti-Fasciolasis Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Produced by Trichoderma harzianum and Their Improvement of the Anti-Fasciolasis Drug Triclabendazole

Recently, new strains of Fasciola demonstrated drug resistance, which increased the need for new drugs or improvement of the present drugs. Nanotechnology is expected to open some new opportunities to fight and prevent diseases using an atomic scale tailoring of materials. The ability to uncover the structure and function of biosystems at the nanoscale, stimulates research leading to improvement in biology, biotechnology, medicine and healthcare. The size of nanomaterials is similar to that of most biological molecules and structures; therefore, nanomaterials can be useful for both in vivo and in vitro biomedical research and applications. Therefore, this work aimed to isolate fungal strains from Taif soil samples, which have the ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The fungus Trichoderma harzianum, when challenged with silver nitrate solution, accumulated silver nanoparticles (AgNBs) on the surface of its cell wall in 72 h. These nanoparticles, dislodged by ultrasonication, showed an absorption peak at 420 nm in a UV-visible spectrum, corresponding to the plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. The transmission electron micrographs of dislodged nanoparticles in aqueous solution showed the production of reasonably monodisperse silver nanoparticles (average particle size: 4.66 nm) by the fungus. The percentage of non hatching eggs treated with the Triclabendazole drug was 69.67%, while this percentage increased to 89.67% in combination with drug and AgNPs.     

Feed additives diclazuril and nicarbazin in egg and liver samples from Croatian farms

In total 307 egg and 275 liver samples were examined for nicarbazin and 365 eggs for diclazuril over a 30-month period. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods used for quantification were validated according to European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Non-compliant samples were confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Mean diclazuril concentrations in egg samples were 0.31?µg?kg^?1, which is below the MRL. In only one egg sample, 2.26?µg?kg^?1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, although confirmation by LC-MS/MS gave a value of 1.6?µg?kg^?1. Mean nicarbazin levels determined were 1.85?µg?kg^?1 in egg and 21.1?µg?kg^?1 in liver samples. Four samples, one egg and three livers, yielded elevated concentrations of nicarbazin, but only in the egg sample the LC-MS/MS method confirmed nicarbazin (106?µg?kg^?1) above the MRL value.