Single-Laboratory Validation for the Determination of Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2 in Foods Based on Immunoaffinity Column and Liquid Chromatography with Postcolumn Derivatization and Fluorescence Detection

This study presents a method validation procedure for the determination of aflatoxin B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂ in hazelnut, hazelnut paste, walnut, peanut, pistachio, corn, and wheat. The method consisting of clean-up with immunoaffinity column, high performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection was validated in accordance with Commission Regulation 2004/882/EC. The selectivity, linearity, decision limit, detection capability, detection and quantification limits, precision, recovery, ruggedness, and measurement uncertainty of the method were determined. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values (μg/kg) were: aflatoxin B₁, 0.02, 0.07; aflatoxin B₂, 0.01, 0.02; aflatoxin G₁, 0.02, 0.07; and aflatoxin G₂, 0.01, 0.03. The relative standard deviation values for the repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility were below 4 and 5 %, respectively. The recovery values of the spiked samples ranged from 80 to 105 %. These results complied with minimum performance criteria established by regulation 2006/401/EC. Therefore, the procedure can be implemented for the routine analysis of aflatoxins in the studied matrices.     

Diversity and Stability of Yeast Species During the Fermentation of Tarhana

Tarhana is a traditional cereal-based fermented food produced with a mixture of yoghurt and flour. The main microbiota in the fermentation of tarhana is yeast, together with lactic acid bacteria. In this study, the yeast microbiota of home-made tarhana (HMT) and plant-type tarhana (PTT) dough samples was evaluated and compared during fermentation. Culture-dependent LSU and ITS-5.8S rDNA sequence analysis of yeast isolates collected during the tarhana dough fermentation clarified 45 selected isolates representing different clusters. These yeast isolates displayed high homologywith species Pichia kudriavzevii (11), Candida glabrata (11), Candida humilis (10), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (7), Kluyveromyces marxianus (4), Kazachstania servazzi (1), and Kazachstania unispora (1). Additionally, both culture-dependent and PCR-Denaturated Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analyses showed that S. cerevisiae, P. kudriavzevii and K. marxianus were abundant in the fermentation of HMT dough samples whereas P. kudriavzevii, C. humilis, and C. glabrata dominated the PTT dough samples. It was concluded that tarhana fermentation was accomplished with the presence of a wide variety of yeast species that mainly included P. kudriavzevii in both HMT and PTT dough samples.     

Combination of grey cotton fabric desizing and gassing treatments with a plasma aided process

In this study, corona plasma discharge was applied to desize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and starch on cotton fabrics. Plasma treated and non-treated samples were processed in various steps in a textile firm. The samples were tested to evaluate their weight loss, size dissolution, capillarity, dyeability, pilling resistance and strength values. The surface morphology and the chemical structures were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses. The experimental results showed that the plasma has positive effects on size removal, hydrophility and the pilling values of the PVA and also starch sized fabrics.     

Effects of structural parameters on compressibility and soiling properties of machine woven carpets

Compressibility performance of the machine woven carpet after a static or dynamic loading expresses the texture deformation tendency of the carpet. This study is an experimental attempt to investigate the effects of pile height and pile density on compressibility and soiling property by dynamic loading, prolonged heavy static loading, compression recovery and artificial soiling tests. In this study, a total of 12 carpet samples with three different pile heights and four different pile densities were tested. As a result of this study, it was seen that higher pile density provides a lower thickness loss and so a lower level of texture deformation. On the other hand, pile height has a preventing effect for texture deformation for static loading and compression recovery tests whereas there is no considerable effect on dynamic loading test. There is no considerable difference between the soiling properties of the samples.     

Determination of industrial pollution effects on citrus honeys with chemometric approach

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of essential, trace and toxic elements, such as K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Al, Ni, Sn, Pb and Cd in citrus honeys from different regions (industrialized and nonindustrialized) of Hatay, Turkey. K, Ca, Na and Mg were the most abundant elements, with mean contents of 363.5, 256.6, 88.1 and 37.7 mg/kg, respectively. The trace element mean contents ranged between 0.032 and 15.58 mg/kg. Significant differences in Fe, Cu, Al, Ni, Sn, Pb, Cd, Co and Sr levels were observed between two different regions. The findings that Fe, Cu, Al, Ni, Sn, Pb, Cd, Co and Sr contents in citrus honeys from industrialized regions were higher than citrus honeys from non-industrialized regions indicate that the honeys were affected by industrial pollution. Chemometric methods were applied to classify honey according to mineral content. Cluster analysis showed three clusters corresponding to the three different regions.     

Effect of Radio Frequency Postdrying of Partially Baked Cookies on Acrylamide Content,Texture, and Color of the Final Product

Abstract: Effect of radio frequency (RF) postdrying of partially baked cookies on acrylamide content, texture, and color of the final product was investigated in this study. Control cookies were prepared by baking in a conventional oven at 205 °C for 11 min. Cookies partially baked for 8 and 9 min were postdried in a 27.12 MHz RF tunnel oven until attainment of the moisture content of control cookies. Internal temperature of cookies was monitored during the experiments to better explain the results. Cookies were analyzed for acrylamide content using a liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) method. Texture measurements were performed using a Texture Analyzer, while digital image analysis was used for color measurement. The results showed that RF postdrying of partially baked cookies resulted in lower acrylamide levels (107.3 ng/g for control cookies, 74.6 ng/g upon RF postdrying of cookies partially baked for 9 min, 51.1 ng/g upon RF postdrying of cookies partially baked for 8 min). Instrumental texture analysis showed no significant difference among the texture of cookies, whereas RF postdried samples had a lower degree of browning. According to sensory evaluation results, control had a more crumbly texture, and RF postdried sample that was conventionally baked for 8 min had a slightly uncooked flavor. Practical Application: Combining radio frequency and conventional baking may provide cookie manufacturers with ability to make cookies with lower levels of acrylamide.