Performance, carcass, gastrointestinal tract and meat quality traits, and selected blood parameters of broilers fed diets supplemented with humic substances

BACKGROUND: The effects of humic substances (HS) on quality traits (colour, water‐holding capacity, and pH) of breast and thigh meats and on blood minerals (calcium and phosphorus) and on metabolites (glucose, total protein, triglyceride and cholesterols) as well as on the performance, carcass, and gastrointestinal tract (gut) traits of broilers were studied. In total, 480 male chicks (ROSS 308) were allocated to four treatments, each with five replicates containing 24 birds. While control birds were fed a diet (mash form) with no additives (0 HS), other treatment birds were fed with diets containing HS at 0.5 (0.5 HS), 1.0 (1 HS) or 1.5 (1.5 HS) g kg^?1 from 1 to 42 days of age. RESULTS: The body and carcass weights and feed efficiency increased (P < 0.05) by 1.5 HS, and blood cholesterol decreased (P < 0.05) by 1 HS and 1.5 HS compared to 0 HS. The 0.5 HS decreased (P < 0.10) low‐density lipoprotein compared to 0 HS. The 0.5 HS resulted in thigh meat and breast meat that were lighter and darker than those found in the other groups and 1.5 HS respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Feeding with a diet containing HS caused a measurable variation in the meat quality and blood cholesterol as well as the performance, carcass, and gut traits of broilers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

In-house validation for the determination of honey adulteration with plant sugars (C4) by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IR-MS)

The objective of any analytical measurement is to obtain consistent, reliable, and accurate data. Validated analytical methods play a major role in achieving this goal. Although there have been many studies reporting about the isotopic compositions of honeys, little has been documented regarding the validation of these methods. In this study, an Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IR-MS) method for the determination of honey adulteration was validated in-house in terms of selectivity, stability, linearity, accuracy, repeatability, sensitivity, and recovery. This study was the first attempt to describe some important method validation parameters, such as the limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and recovery for the IR-MS studies. The LOD of the method was 0.11%, and the LOQ was 0.38% based on the percent adulteration ratio. The recovery value for spiked blank honey sample with the in-house standard was 98.57%. To evaluate the usefulness of the method, 13 different brands of honey samples were collected from markets in Turkey and analyzed. The ranges of δ¹³C values of analyzed honey samples and their protein fractions were from −12.87 ± 0.01 to −25.56 ± 0.08‰ and from −23.77 ± 0.09 to −25.98 ± 0.06‰, respectively. Adulteration was found in one honey sample.     

Maintenance of safety and quality of refrigerated ready-to-cook seasoned ground beef product (meatball) by combining gamma irradiation with modified atmosphere packaging

Abstract: Meatballs were prepared by mixing ground beef and spices and inoculated with E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. enteritidis before packaged in modified atmosphere (3% O₂+ 50% CO₂+ 47% N₂) or aerobic conditions. The packaged samples were irradiated at 0.75, 1.5, and 3 kGy doses and stored at 4 °C for 21 d. Survival of the pathogens, total plate count, lipid oxidation, color change, and sensory quality were analyzed during storage. Irradiation at 3 kGy inactivated all the inoculated (approximately 10⁶ CFU/g) S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes cells in the samples. The inoculated (approximately 10⁶ CFU/g) E. coli O157:H7 cells were totally inactivated by 1.5 kGy irradiation. D¹⁰‐values for E. coli O157:H7, S. enteritidis, and L. monocytogenes were 0.24, 0.43, and 0.41 kGy in MAP and 0.22, 0.39, and 0.39 kGy in aerobic packages, respectively. Irradiation at 1.5 and 3 kGy resulted in 0.13 and 0.36 mg MDA/kg increase in 2‐thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS) reaching 1.02 and 1.49 MDA/kg, respectively, on day 1. Irradiation also caused significant loss of color and sensory quality in aerobic packages. However, MAP effectively inhibited the irradiation‐induced quality degradations during 21‐d storage. Thus, combining irradiation (3 kGy) and MAP (3% O₂+ 50% CO₂+ 47% N₂) controlled the safety risk due to the potential pathogens and maintained qualities of meatballs during 21‐d refrigerated storage. Practical Application: Combined use of gamma irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can maintain quality and safety of seasoned ground beef (meatball). Seasoned ground beef can be irradiated at 3 kGy and packaged in MAP with 3% O₂+ 50% CO₂+ 47% N₂ gas mixture in a high barrier packaging materials. These treatments can significantly decrease risk due to potential pathogens including E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and S. enteritidis in the product. The MAP would reduce the undesirable effects of irradiation on quality, and extend the shelf life of the product for up to 21 d at 3 °C.     

Efficacy of various plant hydrosols as natural food sanitizers in reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium on fresh cut carrots and apples

In the present study, inhibitory effects of the hydrosols of thyme, black cumin, sage, rosemary and bay leaf were investigated against Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated to apple and carrots (at the ratio of 5.81 and 5.81 log cfu/g for S. Typhimurium, and 5.90 and 5.70 log cfu/g for E. coli O157:H7 on to apple and carrot, respectively). After the inoculation of S. Typhimurium or E. coli O157:H7, shredded apple and carrot samples were washed with the hydrosols and sterile tap water (as control) for 0, 20, 40 and 60 min. While the sterile tap water was ineffective in reducing (P > 0.05) S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7, 20 min hydrosol treatment caused a significant (P < 0.05) reduction compared to the control group. On the other hand, thyme and rosemary hydrosol treatments for 20 min produced a reduction of 1.42 and 1.33 log cfu/g respectively in the E. coli O157:H7 population on apples. Additional reductions were not always observed with increasing treatment time. Moreover, thyme hydrosol showed the highest antibacterial effect on both S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 counts. Inhibitory effect of thyme hydrosol on S. Typhimurium was higher than that for E. coli O157:H7. Bay leaf hydrosol treatments for 60 min reduced significantly (P < 0.05) E. coli O157:H7 population on apple and carrot samples. In conclusion, it was shown that plant hydrosols, especially thyme hydrosol, could be used as a convenient sanitizing agent during the washing of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.     

Double subband occupation of the two-dimensional electron gas in InxAl1 − xN/AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructures with a low indium content (0.064 ≤ x ≤ 0.140) barrier

We present a carrier transport study on low indium content (0.064 ≤ x ≤ 0.140) In_xAl_1 − xN/AlN/GaN/AlN heterostructures. Experimental Hall data were carried out as a function of temperature (33-300 K) and a magnetic field (0-1.4 T). A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with single or double subbands and a two-dimensional hole gas were extracted after implementing quantitative mobility spectrum analysis on the magnetic field dependent Hall data. The mobility of the lowest subband of 2DEG was found to be lower than the mobility of the second subband. This behavior is explained by way of interface related scattering mechanisms, and the results are supported with a one-dimensional self-consistent solution of non-linear Schrödinger-Poisson equations.     

Tensile and Springback Behavior of DP600 Advanced High Strength Steel at Warm Temperatures

 In recent years, the use of advanced high strength steels in automotive industry has been increased remarkably. From advanced high strength steels, dual-phase (DP) steels have gained a great attention due to a combination of high strength and good formability. However, high strength usually increases springback behavior of material which creates problem for the parts during the assembly. In this study, uniaxial tensile deformation and springback behaviors of DP600 advanced high strength steel were investigated at rolling (0o), diagonal (45o), and transverse (90o) directions in the temperature range from room (RT) to 300 oC. All tests were performed at 25 mm/min deformation speed. A V-shape die (60o) was used for springback measurements. Results indicate that the formability and springback of the material were decreased with increasing the temperatures. The material showed complex behaviors at different directions and temperatures.     

Role of diffusion-annealing time on the superconducting, microstructural and mechanical properties of Cu-diffused bulk MgB2 superconductor

In this study, the effect of various annealing time (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 h) on microstructural, mechanical and superconducting properties of the Cu-diffused bulk MgB₂ superconducting samples is investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Vickers microhardness (H _v ) and dc resistivity measurements for the first time. The critical transition temperature, grain size, phase purity, lattice parameter, surface morphology, crystallinity and room temperature resistivity values of the bulk samples prepared are compared with each other. Electrical-resistivity measurements show that the sample (annealed at 850 °C for 1 h), exhibiting the highest room temperature resistivity, obtains the maximum zero resistivity transition temperature (T _c ). From the XRD results, all the samples contain MgB₂ as the main phase with a very small amount of Mg₂Cu phase. Moreover, SEM investigations conducted for the microstructural characterization illustrate that not only does the grain size of the samples studied enhance gradually, but the surface morphology and grain connectivity also improve with the increase in the diffusion-annealing time up to 1 h beyond which all the properties obtained start to degrade. Indeed, the worst surface morphology is observed for the Cu-diffused bulk MgB₂ superconductor exposed to 2 h annealing duration. At the same time, Vickers microhardness, elastic modulus, load independent hardness, yield strength, fracture toughness and brittleness index values are calculated separately for the pure and Cu-diffused samples. It is found that the microhardness values depend strongly on the diffusion-annealing time. Furthermore, the diffusion coefficient of the Cu ion in the bulk MgB₂ superconductor is obtained to change from 1.63 × 10^?7 to 2.58 × 10^?7 cm² s^?1. The maximum diffusion coefficient is observed for the sample prepared at 850 °C for 1 h whereas the minimum one is noted for the sample annealed at 850 °C for 2 h, confirming that the annealing-time of 1 h is the best ambient to improve the mechanical, microstructural and superconducting properties of the samples produced.     

Effective use of hydrogen sulfide and natural gas resources available in the Black Sea for hydrogen economy

In this article, we propose a novel system to effectively deploy an integrated fuel processing system for hydrogen sulfide and natural gas resources available in the Black Sea to be used for a quick transition to the hydrogen economy. In this regard, the proposed system utilizes offshore wind and offshore photovoltaic power plants to meet the electricity demand of the electrolyzer. A PEM electrolyzer unit generates hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide that is available in the Black Sea deep water. The generated hydrogen and sulfur gas from hydrogen sulfide are stored in high-pressure tanks for later use. Hydrogen is blended with natural gas, and the blend is utilized for industrial and residential applications. The investigated system is modeled with the Aspen Plus software, and hydrogen production, blending, and combustion processes are analyzed accordingly. With the hydrogen addition up to 20% in the blend, the carbon dioxide emissions of combustion decrease from 14.7 kmol/h to 11.7 kmol/h, when the annual cost of natural gas is reduced from 9 billion $ to 8.3 billion $. The energy and exergy efficiencies for the combustion process are increased from 84% to 97% and from 62% to 72%, respectively by a 20% by volume hydrogen addition into natural gas.     

Physical and viscoelastic properties of carrots during drying

It is essential to understand the physical and mechanical properties of a product since these properties affect the structure, texture, and ultimately consumer acceptance. The effect of drying conditions on dynamic viscoelastic properties, stress relaxation function and creep compliance, and physical properties, such as moisture distribution, color parameters, and shrinkage, was studied. An increase in drying temperature and duration resulted in a decrease in moisture content and volume, which were highly correlated (R = .988). Water evaporation followed the falling rate period, demonstrating that the water transport was limited by internal resistances. The decomposition of carotenoids led to a decrease in magnitude of color parameters (L, a, and b), between 30.1% and 51.6% with 4 hr drying. It was observed that the material shrinkage and moisture content highly affected the mechanical properties; increased stress relaxation modulus and decreased creep compliance values of the sample. The creep behavior, expressed with Burger's model (R² ≥ .986), was highly dependent on moisture content. The linear viscoelastic region of carrots was found to be at strains lower than 3%. The three-element Maxwell model well fitted to describe the viscoelastic behavior of carrots (R² ≥ .999, RMSE ≤ 2.08 × 10⁻⁴). The storage moduli (G′) were higher than loss moduli (G″), indicating that samples presented solid-like behavior. The findings can be used to improve the textural attributes of carrots and carrot-based products.     

Overmolded polylactide/jute-mat eco-composites: A new method to enhance the properties of natural fiber biodegradable composites

Environmentally friendly, biodegradable composites were prepared via overmolding of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) onto PLA/jute-mat, named as “ecosheets,” reinforced continuous fiber composite sheets. Film stacking procedure was used to prepare ecosheets via using a hot-press. The fiber orientation was changed as −45°/+45° and 0°/0°. −45°/+45° orientation exhibited higher properties as compared to 0°/0° for ecosheets; therefore, this construction was used to produce overmolded composites (OMCs). The mechanical tests showed that flexural modulus and strength of OMCs were improved in comparison to neat PLA. The dynamic mechanical analysis exhibited that the thermomechanical resistance of PLA was enhanced for OMCs. Scanning electron microscopy investigation showed that the jute/PLA interphase needs to be improved to further increase the properties. It was concluded that one of the biggest advantages of this novel technique was the increase of mechanical properties of PLA without altering the density. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 137, 48692.