DATA ANALYSIS PRIOR TO A CIRCULATION MODEL IN GRAN CANARIA

The use of numerical models in physical oceanography, with the aim of reproducing and predicting water movements, is a common practice, especially for coastal areas. Nevertheless, results will be accurate only if the assumptions are appropriate and include all significant characteristics of the domain under modeling. Two-dimensional models are often used for shallow-water areas, but the implicit assumptions of conservation of a characteristic vertical profile for the horizontal velocities all over the domain and negligible vertical circulation must be exhaustively checked. Here a case is presented in which two-dimensionality would have led to inaccurate results, as the analysis of the field data showed a three-layer behavior. This case concerns the eastern coast of Gran Canaria island (Canary Islands) and illustrates how mathematical models will describe the phenomena they try to represent correctly only if all assumptions are right.     

Application of Cognitive Techniques to Adaptive Routing for VANETs in City Environments

The evolution of smart vehicles has widened the application opportunities for vehicular ad hoc networks. In this context, the routing issue is still one of the main challenges regarding to the performance of the network. Although there are multiple ad hoc routing proposals, the traditional general-purpose approaches do not fit the distinctive properties of vehicular network environments. New routing strategies must complement the existing protocols to improve their performance in vehicular scenarios. This paper introduces a novel intelligent routing technique that makes decisions in order to adaptively adjust its operation and obtain a global benefit. The nodes sense the network locally and collect information to feed the cognitive module which will select the best routing strategy, without the need of additional protocol message dissemination or convergence mechanism.     

Evaluation of chemical and physical (high-pressure and temperature) treatments to improve the safety of minimally processed mung bean sprouts during refrigerated storage

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of combined high hydrostatic pressure and temperature treatments with different chemical sanitation treatments (water, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide) on the microbiological properties of mung bean sprouts. In a first study, the raw product was subjected to several combined high-pressure and temperature treatments for calculating a mathematical model by a response surface methodology. The number of pressure-temperature (150 to 400 MPa; 20 to 40 degrees C) combinations was limited to 10. In addition, a model system consisting of mung bean sprout juice was inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes (CECT 4032). Microbial inactivation with this model system was also investigated by a response surface methodology. The highest aerobic mesophilic bacteria and L. monocytogenes inactivation was achieved at maximum pressure and temperature (5.5 and 1.8 log cycles, respectively). In a second study, the effect of five different processing lines on the microbial load reduction of minimally processed mung bean sprouts during refrigerated storage was studied. All treatments reduced the initial population of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and fecal coliforms, with the physical treatment of 400 MPa and 40 degrees C being the most effective, showing initial reductions of 5.8 and 7.8 log CFU/ g, respectively. Recovery of bacteria from sprouts treated under these conditions was not observed during storage. However, the sprouts that received washing treatments with water, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide exhibited increases in aerobic mesophilic and fecal coliform counts after 3 days of storage at 4 degrees C.     

Investigation of the in vivo antioxidative activity of Cynara scolymus (artichoke) leaf extract in the streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rat

The in vivo antioxidant activity of a quantified leaf extract of Cynara scolymus (artichoke) was studied. The aqueous artichoke leaf extract (ALE), containing 1.5% caffeoylquinic acid with chlorogenic acid being most abundant (0.30%), and luteolin‐7‐O‐glucoside as major flavonoid (0.15%), was investigated by evaluating the effect on different oxidative stress biomarkers, after 3 wk oral supplementation in the streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rat model. Apart from two test groups (0.2 g ALE/kg BW/day and 1 g ALE/kg BW/day, where BW is body weight), a healthy control group, untreated oxidative stress group, and vitamin E treated group (positive control) were included. A 0.2 g/kg BW/day of ALE decreased oxidative stress: malondialdehyde and 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels significantly diminished, whereas erythrocyte glutathione levels significantly increased. A 1.0 g/kg BW/day ALE did not show higher antioxidant activity.     

Improvement of frozen banana (Musa cavendishii, cv. Enana) colour by blanching: relationship between browning, phenols and polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities

 Browning in banana (Musa cavendishii, cv. Enana) processed products is a result of phenol oxidation catalysed by polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) or of other non-enzymatic reactions (Maillard and Strecker mechanisms). Microwave and steam blanching significantly reduced PPO and POD activities and phenol levels in banana flesh, steam blanching being the most effective method for enzyme inactivation. Freezing/thawing processes produced a significant increase in phenol levels in all samples, due to cellular breakdown. After microwave heating browning processes occurred while steam-treated samples did not exhibit a significant colour change. Extractable PPO and POD activities in all banana samples increased as a consequence of freezing/thawing: steam-blanched slices exhibited lower residual activities. High correlations occurred between phenols and browning (r=0.86) in control samples. Blanched samples (microwave or steam) only exhibited correlations between PPO (r=0.80) and POD (r=0.80) activities and browning. Received: 22 February 1996     

Improvement of frozen banana (Musa cavendishii, cv. Enana) colour by blanching: relationship between browning, phenols and polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities

 Browning in banana (Musa cavendishii, cv. Enana) processed products is a result of phenol oxidation catalysed by polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) or of other non-enzymatic reactions (Maillard and Strecker mechanisms). Microwave and steam blanching significantly reduced PPO and POD activities and phenol levels in banana flesh, steam blanching being the most effective method for enzyme inactivation. Freezing/thawing processes produced a significant increase in phenol levels in all samples, due to cellular breakdown. After microwave heating browning processes occurred while steam-treated samples did not exhibit a significant colour change. Extractable PPO and POD activities in all banana samples increased as a consequence of freezing/thawing: steam-blanched slices exhibited lower residual activities. High correlations occurred between phenols and browning (r=0.86) in control samples. Blanched samples (microwave or steam) only exhibited correlations between PPO (r=0.80) and POD (r=0.80) activities and browning. Received: 22 February 1996     

Nutritional and health-related compounds in sprouts and seeds of soybean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis>), wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum.L</Emphasis>) and alfalfa (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Medicago sativa</Emphasis>) treated by a new drying method

Nutritional and health-related compounds of alfalfa, wheat and soybean seeds dried by new drying process called the DIC process (controlled instantaneous pressure release) were evaluated, before and after sprouting. Vitamins (A, B₁, B₂, B₆, C and E), minerals (Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Mn, Na, Cu and Zn) and phytoestrogens (genistein and daidzein ) content were determined. Alfalfa, soybean and wheat seeds dried by DIC showed similar content of biological compounds to seeds dried by traditional processes. Sprouting DIC-seeds significantly increased the levels of vitamins, minerals and phytoestrogens, improving their nutrititional value and health quality compared to fresh products. The increase of 1250-fold and 10-fold of the initial vitamin A and vitamin C content, respectively, of alfalfa seeds due to sprouting is remarkable. Sprouts from DIC-seeds showed a significantly higher vitamin A content than sprouts obtained from seeds dried by other methods. Soybean sprouts obtained from DIC-seeds showed a significant increase in free phytoestrogens, quantified as genistein (70.34LJ.8 mg kg^-1 d.w.) and daidzein (109.17.3ᆥ.3 mg kg^-1 d.w.).     

Effect of the packaging method and the storage time on lipid oxidation and colour stability on dry fermented sausage salchichón manufactured with raw material with a high level of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids

The effects of fatty acid composition, two packaging methods (vacuum and 20% CO₂/80% N₂) and storage under refrigeration for 210 days were evaluated on a dry fermented sausage (salchichón), manufactured with raw material enriched in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fatty acid composition was determined on sausage mixtures and on ripened sausages and lipid oxidation and colour stability was determined on ripened sausage at different times during storage. The modification of fatty acid composition of the sausages raised the nutritional quality, slightly affecting the colour properties. Dry fermented sausages enriched in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids presented higher lipid oxidation values than the control ones. Both packaging methods (vacuum and 20% CO₂/80% N₂) during 210 days of chilled storage had minor effects on the colour and the lipid oxidation stability.     

Anthocyanin profile of red fruits and black carrot juices,purees and concentrates by HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS‐QTOF

A fast and reliable method for anthocyanin extraction and identification by HPLC‐DAD‐ESI/MS‐QTOF was used to analyse the anthocyanin composition of commercial red fruit juices (blackberry, redcurrant and pomegranate), purees (strawberry, cherry and raspberry) and concentrates (elderberry, blueberry and red grape). The anthocyanin profile of black carrot juice is also reported. The extraction and analysis method allowed us to detect and quantify a wide range of individual anthocyanins in a simple and rapid way. Pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside was detected in redcurrant for the first time and petunidin‐3‐galactoside quantified for the first time in blueberries. Considering the health benefits that have been associated with anthocyanin consumption, all these fruit and vegetables processed products could appear as a good source of this group of phytochemical compounds for their direct consumption or their use as ingredients for the design of new food product or food supplements.