Ergot on cereal grains

Ergot is caused by a fungus (Claviceps species) which has been found on hundreds of plants in almost every country of the world. The fungus can adapt itself to form many different varieties. New species of the fungus and new hosts are still discovered today. The alkaloids in ergot have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Middle Ages after consumption of contaminated cereal grains, but during the last two decades there has not been a recorded outbreak of ergotism. Grain standards in most countries are very strict and do not permit grain which contains ergot to reach commercial food channels. All involved in cereal grain production and utilization should be cognizant of the potential danger, however, since ergot contamination at levels above those permitted by grain standards cannot necessarily be detected by the normal evaluation of a flour sample in the cereal chemistry laboratory. There always have been and always will be ergot infections and a possible danger to human health, but man has learned to minimize the potential problem by using proper agricultural practices. Furthermore, techniques for the removal of ergot from contaminated grains have been developed. While human ergotism is a disease of the past, ergotism in animals still occurs frequently. The problem is not a simple one because of many unanswered questions. What is the tolerance of different breeds or species of livestock to ergot? What are the effects of low‐level long‐term ingestion of ergot on livestock? What is the difference in toxidty to animals of ergot from different cereal grain varieties? What is the effect of storage and processing of cereal grain products on the potential ergot toxicity? The last and most important chapter in the history of ergot concerns ergot as a source of pharmacologically useful alkaloids which have found applications in internal medicine and obstetrics. The future promises to bring some new ergot alkaloids and some new uses. Recent research data indicate the possibility of using ergot alkaloids in contraceptives, which would be truly remarkable.     

Ergot on cereal grains.

Ergot is caused by a fungus (Claviceps species) which has been found on hundreds of plants in almost every country of the world. The fungus can adapt itself to form many different varieties. New species of the fungus and new hosts are still discovered today. The alkaloids in ergot have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Middle Ages after consumption of contaminated cereal grains, but during the last two decades there has not been a recorded outbreak of ergotism. Grain standards in most countries are very strict and do not permit grain which contains ergot to reach commercial food channels. All involved in cereal grain production and ulilization should be cognizant of the potential danger, however, since ergot contamination at levels above those permitted by grain standards cannot necessarily be detected by the normal evaluation of a flour sample in the cereal chemistry laboratory. There always have been and always will be ergot infections and a possible danger to human health, but man has learned to minimize the potential problem by using proper agricultural practices. Futhermore, techniques for the removal of ergot from contaminated grains have been developed. While human ergotism is a disease of the past, ergotism in animals still occurs frequently. The problem is not a simple one because of many unanswered questions. What is the tolerance of different breeds or species of livestock to ergot? What are the effects of low-level long-term ingestion of ergot on livestock? What is the difference in toxicity to animals of ergot from different cereal ingestion of ergot on livestock? What is the difference in toxicity to animals of ergot from different cereal grain varieties? What is the effect of storage and processing of cereal grain products on the potential ergot toxicity? The last and most important chapter in the history of ergot concerns ergot as a source of pharmacologically useful alkaloids which have found applications in internal medicine and obstetrics. The future promises to bring some new ergot alkaloids and some new uses. Recent research data indicate the possibility of using ergot alkaloids in contraceptives, which would be truly remarkable.     

Chromium content in breakfast cereals depending on cereal grains used in their manufacture

The total chromium content of a wide variety of breakfast cereals ( n =241) classified by cereal grain or blend of their (15 groups) was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) following acid mineralization with HNO₃-H₂SO₄-HClO₄. The reliability of the analytical method was validated. Differences in chromium content were found between breakfast cereals with different ingredients. The chromium content ranged from 0.12±0.01 g/g of bran cereals to 0.35 g/g of wheat-oat-rice-corn and corn-rice cereals.     

Methods for the quantitative analysis of lipids in cereal grains and similar tissues

Methods are described for the extraction and quantification of total lipids in cereal grains and other similar tissues, and for the determination of all the major classes of acyl lipid found in these extracts. Total lipids, obtained by direct solvent extraction or after acid hydrolysis, are quantified as fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by gas chromatography (g.c.), using heptadecanoate (17:0) as internal standard. Individual lipid classes are separated by thin-layer chromatography; non-polar lipids and glycolipids are measured as FAME by g.c., while phospholipids are determined from phosphorus distribution. Crude lipid extracts are used to avoid losses during purification, and methanolysis of lipid classes is always performed without extracting the lipids from silica gel in order to minimise autoxidation, handling losses and contamination. Corrections are described for minor losses during experimental procedures, and factors are given for conversion of weights of FAME or phosphorus into weights of original lipid. In the authors' laboratory the precision of routine determinations (variations expressed as percentage of mean values) are usually well within the limits: total lipids, 1.5%; major lipid classes, 1.5%; minor lipid classes, 5%.     

A comparison of the non-starch carbohydrates in cereal grains

The carbohydrates soluble in 80% ethanol and in water at 100°C were extracted from two varieties of wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice and malt. The highest concentrations of sugars soluble in 80% ethanol were found in malt and rye with the lowest in rice. Barley contained the most raffinose and rye contained the most fructan. Rye had the highest levels of water-soluble and total pentosans and barley the highest levels of water-soluble and total (1→3), (1→4)-β-glucans. The total arabinose:xylose ratio varied from 1.2 in wheat and triticale to 0.3 in oats. All were very low in uronic acids.     

Residue analysis of pyrethroid insecticides in cereal grains, milled fractions and bread

A procedure is described for the residual analysis of eight pyrethroid insecticides at levels of 2-5 micrograms/kg. Residues are extracted from cereal grains, flour or bread with a mixture of acetonitrile/water (2 + 1) and are partitioned into petroleum ether. Clean-up is performed by gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Beads S-X3 and an additional Florisil column. Electron capture gas liquid chromatography on a non-polar SE-30 capillary column separates the isomers of the compounds. Under the conditions used in the experiments with cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, and permethrin, the compound levels in rye and wheat did not decrease significantly. Losses during milling and baking were small. Consequently, pyrethroid insecticides remain effective in grain stored over a long period of time. However, considerable residues result in the milled fractions as well as in different types of bread.     

利用矩阵实验室(MATLAB)实现谷类图像的增强

讨论了谷类图像增强技术中涉及到的直方图增强、平滑滤波、锐化等内容及用MATLAB的实现,分别给出谷类图像在各种处理前与处理后的对照图像。     

Monitoring baking processes of bread rolls by digital image analysis

Industrial baking is a temperature and time controlled process, which considers neither the actual quality of the raw materials nor the process parameters like humidity, pastry temperature and actual pastry status. Furthermore the baking process is irreversible. Therefore, without a process monitoring considering the actual process state, suboptimal results may be achieved. To obtain optimal results, an automated monitoring system is required, but not yet available. Such a system must be able to identify the baking goods and the current state of the baking process represented by color and size of the baking goods.     

Fractal analysis of the retrogradation of rice starch by digital image processing

The surface profiles of retrograded rice starch (RS) samples stored at different times were obtained by horizontal sectioning and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images showed that the surface topography of the retrograded RS samples possessed fractal characteristics, which was also proven by fractal analysis. The fractal features for analysis were extracted using a new image processing method. The average fractal dimensions of the retrograded RS samples stored for 1, 5, 10, and 15 days were 1.6587, 1.7333, 1.7807, and 1.8340, respectively. The method indicated that the fractal dimension increased as the extent of retrogradation increased. The good correlation between fractal dimensions and the retrogradation enthalpies of the retrograded samples were established using a fitted binomial model (R² = 0.9976). These results show that the fractal dimensions obtained using this new image processing method could effectively quantify the extent of retrogradation.     

图像分析技术在谷物食品研究中的新应用

介绍了近几年来图像分析技术在谷物食品结构研究中的应用新进展。其中利用磁共振成像技术对面包孔洞组织进行2D平面的非侵入性扫描研究,分辨率高,并且可以对面包生产过程中气孔动态变化进行追踪和统计;X光计算机微观断层扫描技术在计算机辅助下可以将物体不同角度X光扫描图像进行重建组合,将物体内部3D立体结构重现,并对任意平面进行非侵入性统计研究。     

The effect of moisture content on the physico-mechanical properties of some hazelnut varieties

To better understand storage design requirements for hazelnuts, this research determined the physico-mechanical parameters (bulk density, true density, angle of internal friction, static coefficient of friction and dynamic coefficient of friction) of hazelnut varieties Tombul, Badem, Mincane, Çak?ldak and Sivri, for different structural surfaces. Physico-mechanical parameters (bulk density, true density, angle of internal friction, static coefficient of friction and dynamic coefficient of friction) were considered as the dependent variables, and moisture content (8%, 12%, 16%, 20%) as the independent variable. The temperature recorded in the laboratory during the experiments was 24.3 °C. The highest average value for bulk density (520 kg m⁻³) was recorded for the Sivri variety, the highest average value for angle of internal friction (35.4°) for the Badem variety, and the highest average value for true density (870 kg m⁻³) for the Mincane variety. The highest average values for static coefficient of friction (0.411) and the dynamic coefficient of friction (0.287) were recorded for concrete surfaces and the Badem variety.     

平菇菌丝体在谷物上发酵条件的研究

研究了平菇9400在小麦和玉米混合培养料上的固态发酵条件,通过单因素实验和正交实验优化了发酵条件.结果表明:接种量、发酵温度和发酵时间对菌质营养成分有较显著影响.优化后发酵条件为接种量10%,发酵温度27℃,发酵时间14d,此时多糖达到3.45%,还原糖5.57%,蛋白质17.14%,游离氨基酸89.5%,均优于其他处理.     

Nutritional quality of uncultivated cereal grains utilised as famine foods in western sudan as measured by chemical analysis

The chemical composition of the grain of a number of wild grasses used as food in times of famine in western Sudan are reported and compared with those of the local staple cereals. Species investigated were Cenchrus hiflorus (haskaneet). Dactyloctenium aegyptium (korecb). Echinochloa colona (difra) and Oryza punctata (ruz el wadi). The grain of all species except C biflorus had protein contents in the range 110-140 g kg^?1, broadly similar to those of the local staple cereals. The grain of C biflours possessed a particularly high protein content of 210 g kg^?1. The nutritional quality of the proteins as measured by their chemical scores ranged from 20 for C biflorus to 65 for O punctata compared with scores of 36 and 58 for the local sorghum var Kurgi and millet respectively. Lysine was the limiting amino acid in all cases. Whilst the composition of the protein of sorghum var Kurgi was typical of sorghum generally, that of var Karamaka was unusual in possessing lysine levels of 3.4 g (16 g N)¹, double that normally present in sorghum and raising the chemical score of the protein to 62. The ash content of the famine food cereals was high, attaining 113 g kg¹ in C biflorus. All grains were good sources of zinc and D aegyptium. O punctata and E colonum additionally contained comparatively high levels of iron. Remarkably for a cereal D aegyptium was also very rich in calcium, containing over 10 g kg¹, and possessed high concentrations of manganese. Carbohydrate content of the famine food grains varied from 617 g kg¹ for C biflorus to 748 g kg¹ for O punctata, values comparable to the local staple cereals. The proportion of starch in this fraction ranged from 650 g kg¹ in D aegyptium to 940 g kg¹ in O punctata. Seed oils of all species were predominantly unsaturated containing mainly oleic and linoleic acids.     

基于数字图像处理的印刷墨斑分析方法及应用研究

针对印刷品常遇到的墨斑问题,利用数字图像处理技术分析印刷墨斑,建立了印品墨斑的分析方法及分析模型。在此基础之上,将该方法应用到喷墨纸、新闻纸、铜版纸、双胶纸上,并对四种纸张的印刷墨斑进行分析,同时将该方法与人眼视觉评价体系进行相关性分析。结果表明:本文构建印刷墨斑的数学模型及方法很好地分析了印刷品的墨斑,并与人眼视觉评价结果有很好的相关性,其中,喷墨纸运用此方法效果最佳。     

The effect of moisture content on short infrared absorptivity of bread dough

The main objective of the study was to assess the influence of moisture content on short infrared absorptivity of bread dough. Weight loss, surface temperature and short to medium infrared absorptivity of dough were measured in a series of radiant heating experiments. A strong positive correlation between surface temperature and total heat flux absorbed by the dough samples was observed. The variation of infrared absorptivity of the dough is explained with the state of the water in the samples - vapor or liquid.     

The use of titanium dioxide as a catalyst for large-scale Kjeldahl determination of the total nitrogen content of cereal grains

A process is described for the use of titanium dioxide as a catalyst in the Kjeldahl determination of total nitrogen, in the place of the efficient, but highly toxic mercuric oxide. The titanium dioxide is incorporated into a catalyst mixture with cupric sulphate and potassium sulphate in the ratio 0.3:0.3:10.0. Using a 1.0-g sample, the digestion process involves the use of 20 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid, 10 g of catalyst mixture, 650-W electric heaters and a total digestion time of 35 min. The catalyst mixture is efficient, inexpensive and non-toxic.     

Evaluation of effects of hydroquinone on pigmentation by spectroscopy image analysis

Generally, depigmentation efficacy is evaluated by analyzing the L* value of skin to which the objective agent has been applied. However, in this method, slight inflammation and blood circulation affect the brightness, and then disturb the evaluation. So novel method that is able to quantitate melanin coloration accurately has been required. In this report, we modified the image-processing method that was devised by Takiwaki et al . Our method can evaluate pigmentation degree and area quantitatively. Using this method, we evaluated the availability of hydroquinone agent, which has high whitening effectiveness clinically; in addition, we examined the validity of this method.     

Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano cheese curd grains size and distribution by image analysis

Grain sizes (projected area and radius ratio) of 93 Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano cheese curds from four dairies produced using different cutting procedures were measured by bi-dimensional image analysis. Curds were sampled at the end of cutting (fresh curd grains, FCG) and cooking (cooked curd grains, CCG). Mean and median areas of FCG particles were 2.72 and 1.53 mm², respectively. Curd grain shrinkage due to cooking to 54.6 °C ± 0.8 reduced the mean and median area values to 1.63 and 1.09 mm², respectively, with a mean area reduction ratio of 1.76 ± 0.43. Size distribution of the particles was not symmetric and the span value of the distribution of area values of FCG and CCG ranged from 2.6 to 5.8 and from 1.6 to 4.0, respectively. The measuring of cheese curd grains’ size and distribution with a simple method can become a key element to increase the uniformity of curd grains’ size, improving the coagulum cutting operation.     

大豆样品水分测定方法分析比较

研究使用GB/T 5497–1985法、ASAE法和GAC2100快速仪器法三种方法对大豆中的水分含量进行测定,以确定国内外不同的检测方法是否会导致水分测定结果差异。使用上述三种方法测定同一大豆样品8平行的水分含量。运用SPSS统计分析软件中的配对t检验法、单因素方差分析法和多重比较法对结果进行比较分析,确定三种方法的结果均有显著差异。采用加标回收的方法检测三种方法水分的回收率,确定ASAE法的回收率最高,用该法测定的大豆水分含量结果最接近于大豆水分的真实值。从仪器安全、资源利用率、检测时间等方面综合考虑,建议优先使用GB/T 5497–1985法,对样品数量较多时,考虑使用GAC2100快速仪器法。