Recovery of polyphenols from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia H.B.K. McVaugh) depulping residue by cloud point extraction

In this study the potential of cloud point extraction formed by a non-ionic surfactant was used in order to separate polyphenols from industrial residues of camu-camu. The effects of operational conditions of the cloud point extraction (CPE) on the polyphenol recovery and volumetric ratio were investigated. The results showed a maximum recovery of 95.71% that was obtained using 7.0 wt% Triton X-114, native pH (3.25), and 80 wt% polyphenol extract at 30 °C. The use of cloud point extraction was successful to recover the polyphenols from agroindustrial residue since it is a simple as well as of low-cost technique.     

Enhancing the recovery and concentration of polyphenols from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia H.B.K. McVaugh) by aqueous two-phase flotation and scale-up process

In this study, polyphenols obtained from camu-camu pulp residue were recovered and concentrated from aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF) by evaluating different operating conditions, such as solvent type, pH, ammonium sulfate concentration, flotation time, air flow, and volumetric ratio. Under optimal conditions, the polyethylene glycol 400/ammonium sulfate ATPF system showed an efficiency of 81.02% and a concentration coefficient two times higher than traditional aqueous two-phase extraction. Experiments were also carried out on a semi-pilot scale, using an apparatus with a 2.5-L working volume. The results showed that the semi-pilot system was comparable to the smaller scale system.     

Drying of Mushroom Slices Using Hot Air Combined with an Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Drying System

In this study, hot air combined with EHD drying is examined as an improved method for drying mushroom slices. The effects of three levels of voltage (17, 19, and 21 kV) and electrode gap (5, 6, and 7 cm) on the drying kinetics, time, effective water diffusion coefficient, and energy consumption of the EHD, pure hot air (provided within a chamber), and hot air combined with EHD drying systems were investigated. ANOVA showed that there were significant differences between EHD treatments and control (pure hot-air-drying treatment) for all of the investigated responses. Voltage and electrode gap factors had significant effects on all investigated responses. The results confirmed that the combination of EHD and hot air can significantly reduce the drying period, resulting in a greater effective water diffusion coefficient and drying rate and reduced energy consumption. As such, this technique offers a promising solution to the considerable energy consumption of the drying industry.     

Color Change Kinetics of American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) Slices During Air Impingement Drying

The color change kinetics of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) slices were investigated in an air impingement dryer under different drying temperatures (35, 45, 55, and 65°C) using the CIE Lab color parameters (L*, a*, b*) as the assessment indicators. Results illustrated that all three color parameters (L*, a*, b*) increased with drying time. The L* value decreased with increasing drying temperature. However, a* and b* values increased with the increase in drying temperature. Furthermore, at the initial drying stage the change rate of L* increased significantly, while towards the end of drying it reduced significantly. As regards a*, it slowly changed at the initial and final drying stages rather than in the intermediate drying stage. In the case of b*, it increased with increasing drying time and drying temperature during the whole process. The zero-order, first-order, and fractional conversion models were fitted to the experimental data, and the model's parameters were determined using linear regression analysis. By comparing the fitting of kinetic models to the experimental data, the most suitable model was selected to describe the color change kinetics. An Arrhenius equation was used to calculate the activation energy for color change kinetics and it was found that the values were 33.87–38.55, 56.48, and 74.03 kJ/mol for L*, a*, and b*, respectively. The findings of this work contribute to a better understanding of ginseng color changes kinetics during drying, and the established change kinetics models are a good tool for predicting, evaluating, and controlling of color change of American ginseng during its drying process.     

Studies of Physical State of Water in Maize from Northeast China (cv. Huangmo 417) During Drying at Subzero Temperatures

In northeastern provinces of China, maize is one of the main sources of income in agriculture. After harvest, the grain is kept under subzero conditions for 3-4 months. Studies have been undertaken to assess the feasibility of drying at subzero temperatures during storage. Using a combination of NMR and MRI enabled a better understanding of physical states of water in the cv. Huangmo 417 during drying at subzero temperatures. The studies showed two water components with different relaxation times (long and short T₁) that were found when temperature was lowered from +25 to -30°C. T₁ was a minimum when the temperature was reduced to -20°C. T₂ was found to be much shorter than T₁. This was an indication that water mobility was decreasing at the same time as the temperature. The results from MRI revealed the location of frozen water in different areas of the maize kernel during subzero drying. This approach to characterizing the states of water in maize under subzero conditions will assist in devising drying strategies for northeastern China.     

Analysis of the Drying Kinetics of Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. Stapf) Grass Seeds at Different Drying Modes

Forage grass seeds have a high economical importance in the Brazilian bovine cattle breeding and seed drying is a fundamental stage of processing to guarantee their stability and allow their storage for long periods. In this context, the objective of this work was to develop a pilot-scale belt dryer, which operates also as a fixed and fluidized bed. Brachiaria brizantha seeds dehydration was analyzed under different air velocities and temperatures. Experimental data of moisture content variation along the drying time was successfully fit to a one-term exponential model. The experimental drying rate points were calculated by approximating the derivatives to finite differences. Its behavior was accomplished fitting curves of the drying rate versus water content and time. Finally, fissure, germination, and vigor rates were analyzed as a function of the drying conditions so that the experimental conditions combine the best process efficiency with the best physiological quality maintenance.     

微生物短杆菌(Brevibacterium sp.)选择性降解制备(R)-扁桃酸

以外消旋扁桃酸为底物,筛选出一株短杆菌Brevibacterium sp. CCSYU 10011,该菌能转化外消旋扁桃酸为(R)-扁桃酸. 用全细胞转化法研究发现,其转化过程是不对称降解过程,即选择性降解了(S)-扁桃酸,进而获得(R)-扁桃酸. 考察了温度、pH、底物浓度及细胞量等因素对(S)-扁桃酸降解的影响,转化结束后,收率为48.7%,对映体过量值(e.e.)可达99%.     

Seed Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition from Different Populations of Calotropis procera (Aiton) W. T. Aiton (Apocynaceae)

Calotropis procera is a soft-wooded, evergreen, perennial shrub species which grows in a variety of environments including dry habitats such as the Brazilian semi-arid region. This study aimed to evaluate the variation in the oil content and fatty acid composition of C. procera seeds from four climatically different locations in the state of Pernambuco in the northeast of Brazil. The seed oil content of C. procera ranged from 19.7 to 24.0 %. Five main fatty acids were identified, with a predominance of unsaturated linoleic and oleic acids (approximately 70 %). Our results suggesting that environmental conditions influenced the seed oil biosynthesis of C. procera, because the localities with high temperature and low precipitation had increased oil content and total biosynthesis of saturated fatty acids. Multivariate analysis showed high similarity among three localities which share certain physiographic characteristics and climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation values. The oil profile of C. procera presents interesting features that highlight its potential as a future alternative for the biodiesel market, especially in semi-arid regions.     

Chemometric classification of two peach palm (Bactris gasipaes H.B.K.) landraces (Juruá and Vaupes)

A multivariate analysis by Principal Components (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) methods were used to classify plants to different peach palm races. These statistical operations were applied to a data set of nineteen peach palm plant samples. Each data set contained fifteen variables defined as chemical characteristics of the mesocarp flour and physicochemical characteristics of the oil. The plants belonged to two different races. PCA showed that two principal components separated these races into two classes. KNN and SIMCA confirmed this classification. The final data for the model contained sixteen samples (plants) and eight variables. These results showed the utility of using chemometric methods for the classification of botanical species. These methods should aid the identification of new sources of oleaginous plants.     

Phase Equilibria for Ternary Liquid Systems of (Water + Carboxylic Acid + 1‐Heptanol) at 293.15 K: Modelling Considerations

Liquid‐liquid equilibrium data of the solubility curves and tie‐line end compositions are presented for mixtures of [water (1) + formic acid, or acetic acid, or propanoic acid (2) + 1‐heptanol (3)] at T = 293.15 K and P = (101.3 ± 0.7) kPa. The properties and liquid‐liquid equilibria (LLE) of associated ternary systems have been correlated using a solvatochromic approach SERLAS. The tie‐lines were also predicted using the UNIFAC‐original model. The proposed model appears to be an improvement in data fit for the ternary systems yielding a mean error of 3.8% for all the systems considered.     

Further to the “Reply to remarks on Discussion of three models used for the investigation of insertion/extraction processes by the potential step chronoamperometry technique [C. Montella, Electrochim. Acta 50 (2005) 3746] by H.-C. Shin, S.-I. Pyun, K.-N. Jung” [Electrochim. Acta 51 (2006) 2775]

Some issues have been critically discussed regarding the cell-impedance-controlled model inspired by the recent publication entitled “Reply to remarks on Discussion of three models used for the investigation of insertion/extraction processes by the potential step chronoamperometry technique [C. Montella, Electrochim. Acta 50 (2005) 3746] by H.-C. Shin, S.-I. Pyun, K.-N. Jung” [Electrochim. Acta 51 (2006) 2775]. In particular, two points on the definition of the internal cell resistance and the intersection phenomenon of chronoamperometric curves (CAs) have been revisited on the basis of the combination of experimental and theoretical approaches.