Simple and high-throughput method for the multimycotoxin analysis in cereals and related foods by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A rapid, reliable and sensitive method was developed to determine 12 mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and M1, fumonisins B1 and B2, ochratoxin A, HT-2 and T-2 toxin and zearalenone) simultaneously in maize, walnuts, biscuits and breakfast cereals. The method is based on a single extraction step using acetonitrile/water mixture (80/20 v/v) followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). The selectivity of the MS/MS detection allowed the elimination of further clean up steps. Extraction, chromatographic and detection conditions were optimised in order to increase sample throughput and sensitivity. Matrix-matched calibration was used for quantification and recoveries of the extraction process ranged from 70.0% and 108.4%, with relative standard deviations lower than 25% in all the cases, when samples were fortified at 5 and 50 μg/kg. Limits of detection ranged from 0.01 to 2.1 μg/kg and limits of quantification ranged from 0.03 to 6.30 μg/kg, which were always below the tolerance levels of mycotoxins set by European Union in the matrices evaluated. Several samples were analysed and aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and T-2 toxin were detected in one maize sample, with concentrations lower than 6.0 μg/kg and deoxynivalenol was detected in a breakfast cereal at 42.1 μg/kg.     

Effect of frozen storage conditions (temperature and length of storage) on microbiological and sensory quality of rustic crossbred beef at different states of ageing

The effect of frozen storage conditions on meat from 36 Morucha × Charolais crossbred yearlings was studied. Slices of M. Longissimus thoracis were randomly assigned to groups arising from the combination of experimental factors. These factors were: ageing extent (3 and 10 days), length of frozen storage (0, 30, 75 and 90 days) and temperature (−20 and −80 °C). Regarding microbiological counts, although values were acceptable in all cases, longer storage time and longer previous ageing extent provided higher phychrotrophic bacteria counts. As frozen storage period increased, colorimetric parameters L^∗, a^∗ and C^∗ decreased, but H^∗ increased. Regarding Warner–Braztler shear force and tenderness values, an interaction (p < 0.05) between frozen storage and post-mortem ageing resulted from larger differences between frozen storage periods at shorter ageing periods than those at longer ageing periods. Frozen storage for 90 days resulted in a reduction in water holding capacity, without differences in juiciness. No effect of freezing temperature was observed in any of the parameters studied.     

Effect of enterocin AS-48 in combination with high-intensity pulsed-electric field treatment against the spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus diolivorans in apple juice

Enterocin AS-48 was tested in apple juice against the cider-spoilage, exopolysaccharide-producing strain Lactobacillus diolivorans 29 in combination with high-intensity pulsed-electric field (HIPEF) treatment (35 kV/cm, 150 Hz, 4 μs and bipolar mode). A response surface methodology was applied to study the bactericidal effects of the combined treatment, with AS-48 concentration and HIPEF treatment time as process variables. At subinhibitory bacteriocin concentrations, microbial inactivation by the combined treatment increased as the bacteriocin concentration and the HIPEF treatment time increased (from 0.5 to 2.0 μg/ml and from 100 to 1000 μs, respectively). Highest inactivation (4.87 logs) was achieved by 1000 μs HIPEF treatment in combination with 2.0 μg/ml AS-48. While application of treatments separately did not protect juice from survivors during storage, survivors to the combined treatment were inactivated within the following 24 h of storage, and the treated samples remained free from detectable lactobacilli for at least 15 days at temperatures of 4 °C as well as 22 °C. The combined treatment could be useful for inactivation of exopolysaccharide-producing L. diolivorans in apple juice.     

Improving the functional properties of soy glycinin by enzymatic treatment. Adsorption and foaming characteristics

In this contribution we have determined the effect of limited enzymatic hydrolysis on the interfacial (dynamics of adsorption and surface dilatational properties) and foaming (foam formation and stabilization) characteristics of a soy globulin (glycinin, fraction 11S). The degree of hydrolysis (DH=0%, 2%, and 6%), the pH of the aqueous solution (pH=5 and 7), and the protein concentration in solution (at 0.1, 0.5 and 1 wt%) were the variables studied. The temperature and the ionic strength were maintained constant at 20 °C and 0.05 M, respectively. The rate of adsorption and surface dilatational properties (surface dilatational modulus, E, and loss angle) of glycinin at the air–water interface depend on the pH and DH. The adsorption decreased drastically at pH 5.0, close to the isoelectric point of glycinin, because of the existence of a lag period and a low rate of diffusion. The interfacial characteristics of glycinin are much improved by enzymatic treatment, especially in the case of acidic aqueous solutions. Hydrolysates with a low DH have improved functional properties (mainly foaming capacity and foam stability), especially at pH close to the isoelectric point (pI), because the native protein is more difficult to convert into a film at fluid interfaces at pH≈pI. The foam capacity depends on the rate of diffusion of protein to the interface and is much improved by the enzymatic treatment. Foam stability correlates with surface pressure and, to a minor extent, with surface dilatational modulus at long-term adsorption with few exceptions.     

LMP机制下可中断负荷用于阻塞管理的最优调度方法

节点边际价格LMP（Locational Marginal Price）在解决交易的公平性和电网阻塞方面具有很大的优势,它从时间和空间两个层面反映电力系统的运行成本。可中断负荷作为需求侧管理的重要手段,可以有效地缓解阻塞。文中对发电出力再调度和可中断负荷量进行了均衡分析,提出了LMP机制下可中断负荷用于阻塞管理的最优调度原则。验证了可中断负荷在降低节点电价、增加社会效益以及解决阻塞方面的优势。文中采用IEEE30节点系统进行仿真,证明了该理论的正确性和合理性。     

Studies on the role and mode of operation of the very-lysine-rich histones in eukaryote chromatin. Nuclear-magnetic-resonance studies on nucleoprotein and histone phi 1-DNA complexes from marine invertebrate sperm

Proton magnetic resonance and other measurements have been carried out in order to study the behaviour of the lysine-rich histones phi 1 in the sperm chromatin of certain marine invertebrates. Well defined particles (12 S) have been obtained from this chromatin by nuclease treatment. Chromatin solubility as a function of ionic strength shows a relaxation at salt concentrations higher than in the case of calf thymus nucleoprotein. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies show that the release of histone from DNA occurs both in chromatin and in the reconstituted complexes at practically the same ionic strength as solubility relaxation. The higher the arginine content of a given phi 1, the higher the ionic strength at which both effects take place. The NMR results demonstrate that arginine residues are bound more strongly than lysine residues. The data overall show that phi 1 histones play a role in the contraction mechanism of sperm chromatin similar to that of H 1 histone in calf thymus chromatin. The highly contracted state of sperm chromatin is directly related to the increased arginine content of the phi 1 histone.