Automatic detection of Salmonella enterica in sprout irrigation water using a nucleic acid sensor

A nucleic acid sensor capable of automated sample and reagent loading, real-time PCR, automated detection, and sample line cleaning was tested. Real-time PCR reactions were performed with Salmonella enterica in autoclaved and spent alfalfa sprout irrigation water. S. enterica boiled cells were detected over a range of approximately 10⁴ to 10⁸ CFU/reaction (rxn). It was possible to generate enough PCR product to visualize a band on a gel at the expected size over approximately five orders of magnitude from 3.2 × 10³ to 10⁸ CFU/rxn. Automated detection experiments yielded correct identification of 9/9 positive control reactions over a range of 10⁴ to 10⁸ CFU/rxn, correctly identified a negative control reaction, and a sample of 3.2 × 10³ CFU/rxn was incorrectly identified as negative. Primer dimers were not seen in positive or negative control reactions with sprout irrigation water, suggesting that it may be possible to improve the detection limit simply by increasing the number of thermal cycles or by lowering the annealing temperature. The system required no interpretation of real-time PCR data by the operator. The entire process of loading, running the PCR, automated data interpretation, and sample line cleaning was completed in under 2 h and 20 min, significantly faster than it would take to ship a sample and have it tested by an independent laboratory.     

Influence of germination techniques on sprout yield,biosynthesis of ascorbic acid and cooking ability,in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Effects of germination time and illuminations on sprout yield, biosynthesis of ascorbic acid, cooking ability and moisture accumulation in chickpeas were significant (p ? 0.01). Green light had the highest promoting effect on the ascorbic acid level (40.59 mg/100 g) as compared to other illuminations but significantly reduced the sprout yield (188.6 g) as compared to dark, fluorescence and γ-rays illuminations with significantly high sprout yield (196 g) and imbibing moisture (51%). Cooking time was reduced by 43% due to γ-rays in un-soaked seed. Cooking time increased in all treated chickpea samples after 24 h germination and thereafter decreased significantly. Red light significantly increased the cooking time (68.44 min) followed by fluorescent (64.5 min), yellow (61.8 min) and green light (60.9 min). The results indicated that germination of chickpea under green light was an effective process in enhancing ascorbic acid content while dark, fluorescence and γ-rays were effective in promoting sprout growth and to some extent biosynthesis of ascorbic acid.     

Anthocyanins,total polyphenols and antioxidant activity in amaranth and quinoa seeds and sprouts during their growth

Total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic contents (TP) and anthocyanins contents (ANT) were determined in Amaranthus cruentus and Chenopodium quinoa seeds and sprouts. Antioxidant activity of the investigated seeds decreased in the following order: quinoa, amaranth v. Rawa, amaranth v. Aztek for FRAP and quinoa, amaranth v. Aztek, amaranth v. Rawa for both ABTS and DPPH. Sprouts activity depended on the length of their growth, and the peak values were reached on the fourth day in the case of amaranth and on the sixth day in the case of quinoa. The data obtained by the three methods showed significant correlation between TP content in seeds and sprouts. In sprouts grown in the daylight and in the darkness we observed some significant changes of TP, ANT and antioxidant activity. Amaranth and quinoa seeds and sprouts can be used in food, because it is a good source of ANT and TP with high antioxidant activity.     

Application of electrolyzed oxidizing water in production of radish sprouts to reduce natural microbiota

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water in reducing natural microbiota on radish seed and sprout during seed soaking and sprouting. EO water with different available chlorine concentrations (ACC, 15, 20, 28, 33 and 40 mg/L) and different pH (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5) were used to soak radish seeds for 12 h and the surviving population of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and germination rate were determined. On the other hand, EO water with ACC of 30 and 50 mg/L was applied to spray sprouts during seed sprouting and the antimicrobial efficacy of EO water, as well as length, gross weight and dry weight of sprout were evaluated. The results showed that the population of natural microbiota decreased with increasing ACC of EO water, while no significant difference was observed among EO waters with different pH levels that were applied while soaking the seeds. EO water with higher ACC and lower pH slightly reduced the germination percentage of radish seed during seed soaking. EO waters with ACC of 30 and 50 mg/L sprayed during seed sprouting resulted in 1.39 and 1.58 log reductions of total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, respectively, and improved the length, gross weight and dry weight of the sprouts. Therefore, EO water with low ACC and near neutral pH could be used to soak seeds and water sprouts throughout seed germination and sprouting to control the population of natural microbiota on seeds and sprouts.     

Impact of γ-irradiation,CIPC treatment,and storage conditions on physicochemical and nutritional properties of potato starches

In the present study, three potato varieties were treated with chlorpropham (CIPC, 35 ppm), γ-irradiated (0.1 kGy) and stored for up to 5 months at 8 °C, and the physicochemical properties and in vitro starch digestibility of native and cooked starches were investigated. Sprouting was found to be satisfactorily suppressed by γ-irradiation and CIPC treatment. However, irradiation increased total free glucose content in two potato varieties, and decreased the thermal transition and pasting temperature of starch. The crystallinity of starch in irradiated potatoes decreased significantly (p ? 0.05) which may explain its decreased resistant starch content. Sprout inhibiting treatments and storage had no effect on in vitro starch digestibility in cooked starches, but cooling cooked starch significantly (p ? 0.05) increased its resistant starch content.     

芽苗菜集硒特性及富硒芽苗菜生理活性研究进展

硒是人体的必需微量元素,具有抗氧化、抗癌等多种生理活性,缺硒往往导致慢性疾病的发生。发芽富硒培育是提高芽苗菜硒含量的有效途径。芽苗菜具有较强的无机硒富集和转化能力,且因资源丰富、生物利用度高而备受消费者欢迎。众多研究表明,富硒之后的芽苗菜在生长特性、营养物质、生理活性等方面都得到显著提高。本文对芽苗菜的集硒途径、集硒条件、富硒芽苗菜的生理活性等方面的研究现状进行了综述,在此基础上探讨了富硒芽苗菜的发展前景,以期为富硒芽苗菜的开发利用提供一定的理论支撑。     

Above-ground morphological predictors of rooting success in rooted cuttings of Jatropha curcas L.

Cuttings of 1–3 cm diameter and 45 cm length were collected during the first week of February from branches of previous year’s growth in a mature plantation of Jatropha curcas. The cuttings, without application of any growth regulator, were planted in nursery beds having loam: gravel (1:1 v/v) mixture rooting media. The nursery beds existed inside a polyethylene tunnel where intermittent misting was done. When sprouting percentage had stabilised, sprouted cuttings were removed from the media, and root and shoot characteristics of the cuttings were recorded. The number of roots and root length were found to be significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with one another as well as with sprout length, number of sprouts and number of leaves. The following equations were fitted for prediction of root characteristics of a cutting from of its above-ground characteristics: (i) No. of roots = −0.409 + 0.452 (no. of leaves) + 0.395 (sprout length), and (ii) Root length = 2.656 + 0.206 (no. of leaves) + 0.270 (sprout length); the sprout length and root length are in centimetres in both equations. Thicker cuttings possessed better root and above-ground characteristics.     

豆芽粉发糕脆片制备工艺研究

目的 研究豆芽粉发糕脆片的制备。方法 以七种豆芽为原料, 经干燥粉碎制备成豆芽粉, 以适当比例混合调制发酵面团, 经蒸熟、 切片、烘烤脱水制成发糕脆片。以发糕比容、感官评分、发糕质构(比容、硬度、胶着性、内聚性)、脆片的形态、口感、香气为指标, 优化制备工艺。结果 制备发糕的最佳配方及工艺为: 豆芽粉与面粉质量比3:7制备混合粉, 以混合粉为基准, 按质量比加糖20%、枣粉15%、酵母粉1.0%、水120%, 27~28 ℃发酵1.5 h, 蒸制20 min。脆片的最佳烘烤条件为: 切片厚度10 mm、126 ℃烘烤24 min, 此时豆芽粉发糕脆片感官评分为95分。结论 本研究获得了豆芽粉发糕脆片优化的制备工艺,为杂豆及豆芽粉食品开发创新提供新的产品形式。     

Sprout development, biomass accumulation and fuelwood characteristics from coppiced plantations of Quercus acutissima

Sprout development, biomass production and fuelwood characteristics in coppiced plantations of sawtooth oak were evaluated at the Hongya Mountain Forest Farm in Anhui Province, China. Experimental treatments applied in a split-plot design included three stump heights (5, 50 and 100 cm) and four sprout numbers reserved on each stump (1 sprout, 2 sprouts, 4 sprouts stump⁻¹ and check). Sprout growth and biomass production per stump were significantly affected by stump heights and sprout numbers reserved on stumps. After the third growing season, the highest total sprout biomass per stump was achieved in the treatment of 5 cm stump height with 2 sprouts reserved on stumps (H5S2, reaching 4.76 kg stump⁻¹), while the lowest was found in the treatment of 100 cm stump height with no sprout thinning (only 2.82 kg stump⁻¹). Different treatments also profoundly influenced gross calorific values (GCV) of the components sampled from 3-year-old sprouts and mean GCV of stem wood on an oven-dry weight basis was within the range of 18.54 and 19.87 kJ g⁻¹. Similar to the sprout biomass production, the greatest total and stem energy stocks per stump were observed in H5S2 treatment, achieving 90.26 and 57.08 MJ stump⁻¹, respectively. However, no significant differences in chemical compositions were observed for all measured traits among the treatments. Based on the results from this study, remaining stump height below 50 cm and thinning excess sprouts to reserve 2 sprouts per stump as early as age 1 could be proposed for the management of sawtooth oak coppice.