Effects of conventional boiling on the polyphenols and cell walls of pears

Pears of the cultivar Gieser Wildeman were cooked for up to 24 h and changes in polyphenol and cell wall components were monitored. The main polyphenols were flavan‐3‐ols (epicatechin and its procyanidin oligomers), with an average degree of polymerisation of 6, and caffeoylquinic acid. Upon cooking, flavan‐3‐ols were retained in the pear tissue while the hydroxycinnamic acids were partially leached into the cooking water. After 1 h of cooking, 65% of the original flavan‐3‐ols and 40% of the original caffeoylquinic acid were still detectable in the pear tissue; the cooking water contained only 2% of the flavan‐3‐ols but 24% of the caffeoylquinic acid. Cell walls represented 23 g kg^?1 of the fresh pear and were composed of cellulose, pectins and xylans. The pectic fractions was degraded during cooking while xylans and cellulose were not affected. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of Fruit Size on Fresh Cucumber Composition and the Chemical and Physical Consequences of Fermentation

ABSTRACT: The composition of pickling cucumbers varied with fruit size, which affected buffer capacity, sugar utilization, terminal pH, and texture of the fermented fruit. We found that as cucumber size increased (from less than 27 to 51 mm in dia), malic acid, pH, buffer capacity, and dry matter content decreased, and glucose and fructose contents increased. Fruit firmness and bloater damage were greater in large than in small, fermented, whole cucumbers. Blanching (75 °C, 30 s) had little effect on the fermentation and prevention of bloater formation in finished products, regardless of fruit sizes. It was demonstrated that cucumber juice can serve as a model system for studying the metabolic, but not the physical (texture, bloater damage), consequences of lactic acid bacteria chosen as starter cultures for cucumber fermentation.     

Effects of Sodium Fertiliser on the Chemical Composition of Grass and Clover Leaves,Stems and Inflorescences

Sodium fertiliser was applied to dairy cow pasture to investigate the effects on the chemical composition of grass and clover leaves, stems and inflorescences. The effect of sodium fertiliser varied between fractions, with grass leaves and stems generally being more responsive than grass inflorescences or clover fractions. The sodium content of all fractions was already high in the control treatment, and was increased to an excessive level by sodium fertiliser in all fractions except grass stems. Grass leaves were most affected. Potassium content was reduced in grass leaves and stems, but not in other fractions. The effects on calcium and magnesium varied between fractions but the K: (Ca+Mg) ratio, the most sensitive index of susceptibility to hypomagnesaemia, was reduced in grass leaves, but increased in other fractions. DM digestibility was decreased in grass and clover leaves by sodium, probably because of the high sodium content. MAD fibre content was also increased in these fractions. Crude protein content was decreased by sodium fertiliser in grass leaves, in particular. Therefore, when applied to pasture which is naturally high in sodium, sodium fertiliser had detrimental effects on pasture macronutrient content. However, beneficial effects were still observed on mineral ratios for plant and animal nutrition. It is concluded that if sodium fertiliser increases herbage sodium concentrations above 5 g kg⁻¹ DM, improvements in mineral ratios that could affect ruminant health may be offset by reductions in the nutritive value of the herbage. It is therefore recommended that the herbage sodium concentration should be known before sodium fertiliser is applied.     

不同干燥方法对荷花花瓣抗氧化活性和化学成分的影响

研究不同干燥方法(阴干、晒干、鼓风干燥、微波干燥、冷冻干燥)对荷花花瓣抗氧化活性和总黄酮、总酚、花青素含量的影响。以抗坏血酸作为阳性对照,采用还原能力、DPPH自由基清除和羟基自由基清除3种体外抗氧化模型,评价了不同干燥方式处理的荷花花瓣的抗氧化能力,并对总黄酮、总酚和花青素的含量进行了测定。结果表明:荷花花瓣具有较强的还原能力、清除DPPH自由基和羟基自由基的能力;不同干燥方法对荷花花瓣的抗氧化活性和活性物质的含量均有较大的影响,其中冷冻干燥的荷花花瓣抗氧活性能力最强,且总黄酮、总酚和花青素的含量最高,分别为60.20、85.35 mg/g和150.3 ng/g;而晒干荷花花瓣的抗氧化能力最差,黄酮、总酚和花青素的含量最低,分别为0.39、19.08 mg/g和2.8 ng/g。     

Effects of Roasting Conditions on the Changes of Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios (δ13C) in Sesame Oil and Usefulness of δ13C to Differentiate Blended Sesame Oil from Corn Oil

Abstract: Differentiating blended sesame oils from authentic sesame oil (SO) is a critical step in protecting consumer rights. Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C), color, fluorescence intensity, and fatty acid profiles were analyzed in SO prepared from sesame seeds with different roasting conditions and in corn oil blended with SO. Sesame seeds were roasted at 175, 200, 225, or 250 °C for 15 or 30 min at each temperature. SO was mixed with corn oil at varying ratios. Roasting conditions ranging from175 to 250 °C at the 30 min time point did not result in significant changes in δ¹³C (P > 0.05). Values of δ¹³C in corn oil and SO from sesame seeds roasted at 250 °C for 15 min were −17.55 and −32.13 ‰, respectively. Fatty acid ratios, including (O + L)/(P × Ln) and (L × L)/O, where O, L, P, and Ln were oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and linolenic acids, respectively, showed good discriminating abilities among the SO blended with corn oil. Therefore, using different combinations of stable carbon isotope ratios and some fatty acid ratios can allow successful differentiation of authentic SO from SO blended with corn oil. Practical Application: Adulteration of sesame oil with less expensive oils such as corn oil or soybean oil to reduce cost is a common unethical practice in Korea. Due to the unique and strong flavor of sesame oils that may mask other weaker flavors, however, differentiating authentic sesame oils from blended oils is difficult. This study showed that the roasting process did not significantly affect the ratios of the stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) in sesame oils. δ¹³C was confirmed to be a reliable parameter. Moreover, some fatty acid ratios were designed to discriminate between blended sesame oil with corn oil and authentic sesame oil.     

江香薷挥发油的化学成分分析及其对金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜的抑制作用

目的：研究江香薷挥发油的化学成分及其对金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜的影响。方法：运用气相色谱-质谱（gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,GC-MS）技术鉴定江香薷挥发油的化学成分,并对其中相对含量较大的8 种化学成分的金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜抑制作用进行研究。结果：GC-MS分析鉴定出29 种成分,其中相对含量比较大的成分为百里香酚、香荆芥酚、对聚伞花素、γ-松油烯、百里香酚乙酸酯、α-石竹烯、3-蒈烯和香荆芥酚乙酸酯。江香薷挥发油对金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜形成的抑制率可达91.3%,对成熟的金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜清除率为78.5%,香荆芥酚、3-蒈烯、香荆芥酚乙酸酯和α-石竹烯对金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜的形成抑制作用显著,其中3-蒈烯的抑制率最高,为93.9%,而对聚伞花素和百里香酚乙酸酯对成熟的金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜清除作用比较明显。结论：江香薷挥发油对金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜形成有较强的抑制作用,也具有一定的成熟金黄色葡萄球菌生物被膜清除作用,这可能是江香薷挥发油中多种化学成分共同作用的结果。