Characterization of moisture content and specific gravity of branchwood and stemwood of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aningeria robusta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Terminalia ivorensis</Emphasis>

Aningeria robusta and Terminalia ivorensis of diameters ranging from 10 cm to 25 cm were examined. The following results were obtained: The overall (sapwood and heartwood combined) moisture contents of the branchwood of both Aningeria robusta and Terminalia ivorensis were significantly greater than those of their corresponding stemwood, with the branchwood of Terminalia ivorensis being the highest. It was also observed that the overall specific gravity of the branchwoods of both species was higher than that of the corresponding stemwood, with the branchwood of Aningeria robusta exhibiting the highest specific gravity. Detailed analyses of moisture content distribution and specific gravity of the heartwood and sapwood of Aningeria robusta and Terminalia ivorensis are also presented.     

Disinfection effect and its mechanism of electrolyzed oxidizing water on spores of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">niger</Emphasis>

A study was carried out on the disinfection efficiency of electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) on spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger. The results showed a remarkable fungicidal rate of 100% after 20 min duration of 191 mg/L active available chlorine (ACC). The disinfection effect was improved with increased ACC or prolonged disinfection time, while organic interferents exerted a strong concentration-dependent inhibition against the disinfection. The disinfection mechanism was also investigated at bio-molecular level. EOW decreased dehydrogenase activity, intensified membrane permeability, elevated suspension conductivity, and caused leakage of intracellular K⁺, proteins, and DNA, indicating a damage of cell walls and membranes. Effects of EOW on microbiological ultra-structures were also verified by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) images, showing that EOW destroyed protective barriers of the microbe and imposed some damages upon the nucleus area.     

Volatile flavor composition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">gamguk</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysanthemum indicum</Emphasis>) flower essential oils

The volatile composition of the essential oil from fresh gamguk (Chrysanthemum indicum) flowers was investigated. The volatile constituents were extracted by the hydro distillation method. Volatile compositional changes of gamguk prepared via different drying methods (shade- and freeze-drying methods) were also determined. Total 36, 63, and 55 volatiles constituents were confirmed in the essential oil from fresh and shade-, and freeze-dried flowers. Ketones were predominant in the volatiles of gamguk flowers (%): fresh, 43.8; shade dried, 30.3; and freeze dried, 36.1. Camphor was the most abundant volatile component in all samples, and the content of borneol was also remarkable. The content of camphor was higher in fresh sample than those of dried samples while borneol concentration was significantly increased in the dried samples.     

彩色马铃薯“剑川红”和“转心乌”花色苷的抗氧化分析

彩色马铃薯"剑川红"和"转心乌"富含花色苷,为探明2种马铃薯中花色苷的体外抗氧化活性差异及其组合效果,使这种价格低廉、取材方便的食材得到更好的开发和利用。本研究以抗坏血酸(VC)为对照,采用1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,DPPH)自由基法、2,2’-联氮-二(3-乙基-苯并噻唑-6-磺酸)二铵盐(2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate),ABTS)自由基法、羟自由基(·OH)法、超氧阴离子自由基(O_2~-·)法等4种体外抗氧化模型评价了云南地方特色马铃薯品种"剑川红"和"转心乌"花色苷的抗氧化活性。结果表明:"剑川红"和"转心乌"的花色苷具有很好的抗氧化活性,且与质量浓度成正相关,其清除自由基的能力是抗坏血酸的10.7~31.3倍;"剑川红"和"转心乌"对4种自由基的清除能力依次为ABTS+·DPPH自由基O_2~-··OH;"转心乌"花色苷对4种自由基的清除效果比"剑川红"花色苷强;二者的花色苷之间没有拮抗作用,且有一定的协同或增效作用,协同或增效效果因自由基的不同而有所差异。     

Optimization of carotenoids by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodotorula glutinis</Emphasis>

Response surface methodology was applied to maximize the yield and productivity of carotenoids by Rhodotorula glutinis strain 1151 using supplemented tomato waste based medium. Higher concentration of tomato waste extract and yeast extract favored the production of carotenoids. In contrast to carotenogenesis higher concentration of yeast extract negatively affected the formation of biomass whereas higher amount of glucose in the medium favored biomass indicating that carotenogenesis is not correlated to biomass. The optimal concentration of medium components for maximum total carotenoids and corresponding biomass production as obtained from model were calculated to be as 660 mL/L, 1.5, 4.5, 7.4, and 10 g/L for tomato extract, malt extract, yeast extract, peptone, and glucose, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> characterization study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus mojavensis</Emphasis> KJS-3 for a potential probiotic

The identification and characterization of Bacillus mojavensis KJS-3 was performed by in vitro tests. A 16S rDNA sequence and phylogenetic tree demonstrated that this isolate belongs to the B. mojavensis group. B. mojavensis KJS-3 supplies nutrients by synthesizing several vitamins. B. mojavensis KJS-3 produces α-amylase and protease. B. mojavensis KJS-3 is cultured well under aerobic conditions without gas production. B. mojavensis KJS-3 allows for assimilation of cholesterol and bile salt hydrolase activity. Finally, adhesion experiments using Caco-2 cells revealed that the adherence of B. mojavensis KJS-3 to Caco-2 cells was approximately 51.2±8.14%.     

The use of floral characters in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capparis</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capparis</Emphasis> to determine the botanical and geographical origin of capers

Capers of commerce are flower buds of Capparis species, most of them presumably of the species C. spinosa and they are considered as such in international food legislation. However, in the Mediterranean countries of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, that are the main producers of capers, four different species have been detected in the commercial product: C. spinosa, C. sicula, C. orientalis and C. aegyptia. In this paper the study of morphological characters, easily detectable under optical microscope (number of stamens, anther shape, and morphology of nectary) has proven to be a simple and cheap technique to recognize the presence of the above-mentioned species in commercial capers and the relative percentages of each, this being a good indicator of the most likely geographical origin.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carica papaya</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis melo</Emphasis> seed oils on the soybean oil stability

This study aimed to evaluate the oils of soybean (S), papaya (Pa) and melon (Me) seeds and compounds oils SPa (80:20 w/w); SMe (80:20 w/w); and SPaMe (60:20:20 w/w/w) subjected to thermoxidation. Compound oils showed lower percentages of free fatty acids in relation to others, after 20 h. With the heating process, there was an increase in the quantity of saturated and monounsaturated acids. The quantity of carotenoids decreased, except in papaya seed oil that presented significant amount of carotenoids in 20 h. In relation the tocopherols, highlighted the presence of γ-tocopherol, except in the papaya oil. In 20 h, SMe and SPa still showed high amounts of tocopherols, with 76 and 85% of retention, respectively. With the thermoxidation, the amounts of phytosterols decreased. A great potential can be verified for the use of papaya and melon seed oils, in order to increase the oxidative stability of the soybean oil.     

Phytochemical and biological investigation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stevia rebaudiana</Emphasis> Bertoni; 1-labdane-type diterpene

Five labdane diterpenoids, austroinulin, iso-austroinulin, sterebin E, sterebin E acetate, and sterebin A acetate, along with hydrocarbons, aliphatic alcohols, β-amyrin, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol were isolated from the chloroform soluble fraction of the methanol extract of Stevia rebaudiana leaves. Chlorogenic and caffeic acids were isolated from the EtOAc fraction. All the isolated compounds were identified using spectral tools. The chloroform and methanol extracts proved significant anti-inflammatory effect and caused marked inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats.     

Chilling injury development of ‘Tahitian’ lime, ‘Emperor’ mandarin, ‘Marsh’ grapefruit and ‘Valencia’ orange

The effect of varying levels of ethylene on the chilling injury (CI) development and the changes in the levels of putrescine, squalene and α-farnesene of ‘Tahitian’ lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka), ‘Emperor’ mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco), ‘Marsh’ grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf) and ‘Valencia’ orange (Citrus sinensis L Osbeck) stored at 0°C was investigated. It was found that different citrus fruits stored at 0°C had varying sensitivity to CI, and that low levels of exogenous ethyiene induced earlier and more severe CI in all citrus fiuits. The levels of endogenous putrescine, squalene and α-farnesene varied between fruit, and was affected by the time of exposure at 0°C and the presence of ethylene. The patterns of change indicate that loss of squalene coupled with loss of α-farnesene could be involved in induction of CI.     

Chemical composition of fresh and conserved<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Agaricus bisporus</Emphasis> mushroom

A comparison of chemical constituents of fresh and conserved samples of Agaricus bisporus was made. The crude protein and crude fat contents were practically unchanged but a decrease in dry matter content and a remarkable decrease in ash content were found. The concentrations of some minerals (Cd, Mn, Zn) were unchanged, indicating that the solubility was not good or the soluble, free forms of element were not present in large amounts. Another group of elements (B, Cu, K, Mg, P, Se) showed a decrease to varying extents because the presence of the free forms of the elements was high. Unfortunately this tendency was with regard to elements that belong to the biologically more valuable mineral components (K, P, Mg). Higher Cr-, Ni-, and Hg-concentrations of conserved mushroom samples are not beneficial characteristics. The extremely high Na level of the conserves (and therefore the changed, unbeneficial K/Na rate) is a hazardous factor to some groups of consumers (patients of high blood pressure and in general people with cardiovascular problems). According to the presented data there are some negative consequences (most of all the changes in minerals) derived from the classical technology of conservation which diminish the nutritional value of the mushroom.     

‘Liking’, ‘Buying’, ‘Choosing’ and ‘Take Away’ preference tests for varying degrees of hedonic disparity

Paired preference tests of liking require consumers to specify which of two foods are preferred or whether there is no preference. For ‘Buying’ preference tests, consumers specify which of two foods they are more likely to buy or whether they might buy either or neither. For ‘Choosing’ preference tests, consumers specify which of two foods they are more likely to choose when offered both, or whether they might choose both or neither. The first test is designed to predict greater degrees of liking, the second to predict buying behavior and the third to predict choice behavior. Yet, test results may not necessarily predict ‘real life’ behavior once consumers have left the testing situation; the ‘test’ preferences may not be ‘operational’. To validate the predictive ability of such tests, consumer behavior should be monitored for several months. Another approach is to allow consumers to take away some of the foods used in the test and observe what they take away. Consumers of potato chips were required to taste chips whose flavor and appearance were obviously different. A first group (N = 107) were given ‘Liking’, ‘Buying’ and ‘Choosing’ preference tests for two palatable types of chip. After the test, out of sight of the experimenter, consumers were presented with two rows of plain plastic ‘snack’ bags, filled with the chips used in the test. They could take away either two bags of the same type of chip (a ‘Take Away’ preference) or one of each type (no ‘Take Away’ preference) or take neither (rejection). They were also subtly questioned regarding whether they were going to consume the chips themselves or were going to share them with friends. A second group (N = 103) repeated the experiment. However, for these consumers, one type of chip was unpalatable. In general, ‘Buying’ preferences corresponded more to ‘Take Away’ preferences while ‘Liking’ and ‘Choosing’ preferences showed little correspondence. For the palatable chips, the preferences were spread more evenly than for the case where one type of chip was undesirable. In this latter case, approximately 50% of consumers were consistent over all tests in choosing the palatable chip. This might suggest operational preferences. ‘Take Away’ preferences suggested low predictability for paired preference tests of liking, choosing and buying. ‘Take Away’ preferences are not a substitute for monitoring consumer behavior for several months but they are a step in the right direction.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In silico</Emphasis> phylogenetic analysis of lactic acid bacteria and new primer set for identification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> in food samples

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) include species very closely related both physiologically and genotypically. Therefore, the identification of this bacteria group using conventional phenotypic methods is ambiguous and cumbersome. In this study, we have analyzed a recA gene fragment from 30 bacteria, including LAB and species common in the human gastrointestinal tract, aiming to evaluate the gene conservation among them and the development of primers and PCR conditions able to discriminate Lactobacillus plantarum strains from LAB closely related. The fragment with 995 bp of recA gene has grouped LAB, enterobacteria and bifidobacteria, in different clusters. A novel primer pair, LPrecAF and LPrecAR with 23 and 18 bp, respectively, has allowed the single amplification of a 108 bp fragment of L. plantarum strains contained in culture broth and fermented dairy samples. The observed detection limit for food samples and for cultures broth were 1 × 10³ and 7 × 10² CFU mL⁻¹, respectively. This approach proved to be a simple and efficient method for the identification and monitoring of L. plantarum in food, feeds, and culture broth. Moreover, the assay could be used in the studies from human or environmental microbiota.     

Determination of phenolic compounds of ‘Sikitita’ olive leaves by HPLC-DAD-TOF-MS. Comparison with its parents ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Picual’ olive leaves

‘Sikitita’ is a new olive cultivar developed in Spain by crossing the cultivars ‘Picual’ and ‘Arbequina’. The phenolic fraction of olive leaves (Olea europaea L.), is purported to have good anti-oxidative properties which help to prevent several health problems. To our knowledge, no studies are available on the phenolic fraction of ‘Sikitita’ olive leaves or any other new cultivar developed from breeding. Thus, the identification and quantification of the phenolic fraction of ‘Sikitita’ olive leaves by HPLC-DAD-MS were studied and compared with those of its parent cultivars. The three cultivars were grown under the same agronomic and environmental conditions in the same orchard. The quantification was performed using HPLC-DAD, whereas qualitative data were acquired using HPLC-MS. It was thus possible to identify 30 different compounds, two of which have been tentatively characterized for the first time in olive leaves of Spanish cultivars. Significant differences between cultivars were observed for almost all the compounds. Results for ‘Sikitita’ olive leaves presented a higher degree of similarity with respect to ‘Picual’ than to ‘Arbequina’. Further work will monitor the time course of phenolic compounds over the growth period.     

Stereoselectivity of the β-lyase-catalyzed cleavage of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-cysteine conjugates of pulegone

Stereoisomers of 8-S-cysteinyl-p-menthan-3-one synthesized from (R)- and (S)- pulegone by Michael addition of cysteine were characterized by means of GC, GC-MS, LC-MS, and ¹H-NMR. Conjugates were treated with three sources of cysteine-S-conjugate #-lyase: (i) a crude enzyme extract prepared from Eubacterium limosum, (ii) tryptophanase from E. coli and (iii) yeast cells. The result was liberation of 8-mercapto-p-menthan-3-one, a powerful flavoring substance exhibiting a cassis-type odor note. The enzyme-catalyzed cleavage of the thio-ether bond proceeded with low enantioselectivity. Discrimination of diastereoisomers was more pronounced with a clear preference of the cis-configured substrates.     

Contribution à l'étude expérimentale de la séborrhée. Implications éventuelles en cosmétologie

The sebaceous gland is an androgen-dependent structure and a major site for androgen metabolism. Androgens are involved in stimulation of sebaceous secretion in humans. The object of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the role of these hormones and their metabolites in seborrhea and to comment on the activity of certain inhibitors. Methods used are sebaceous secretion and ¹⁴C-lipogenesis in animals, ¹⁴C-testosterone or DHA metabolism in animal and human skin. Our results showed that: – by subcutaneous administration in rats, there was a relative specificity of weak androgens for sebaceous gland stimulation unlike potent androgens.