Effect of light intensity and frequency of flashing light from blue light emitting diodes on astaxanthin production by Haematococcus pluvialis

Flashing light from blue light emitting diodes is an effective method for the reduction of energy consumption in the bioproduction of astaxanthin by Haematococcus pluvialis. We investigated the effects of light intensity and frequency on the final astaxanthin concentration in bioproduction by H. pluvialis grown mixotrophically. The final astaxanthin concentration under illumination with flashing light, with frequencies ranging from 25 to 200 Hz, was dependent on the light intensity and on the duty cycle and was equivalent, or higher, in comparison with that under illumination with continuous light at the same incident intensity. The light intensity determined the maximum attainable concentration of astaxanthin under continuous illumination. Under illumination with flashing light, the ratio of the final astaxanthin concentration to the maximum concentration at a specific light intensity was correlated to the duty cycle in the frequency range from 25 to 200 Hz. The effect of lower frequencies on enhanced astaxanthin production under flashing light was also studied; at levels as low as 1 Hz, higher final astaxanthin concentrations were observed under flashing light compared to concentrations attained under continuous light.     

Stability of electronic nose (e-nose) as determined by considering date-pits heated at different temperatures

Variability and sensitivity of a portable electronic nose (32 sensors) was assessed by considering different variables for measurement (i.e., reference, standard, first and second purges, sample draw time, waiting time for the volatiles released in the headspace, and mass of sample or headspace volume of the jar containing sample). In this study, dried date-pits were used a model sample. The highest stability was achieved when both reference and standard (i.e., dried date-pits, no heating treatment) were used before test sample measurement. Higher sample draw time more than 10 s significantly decreased the stability, whereas optimum second purge was observed at 50 s. Optimum time to generate volatile was observed as 24 h. A sample of 100 g increased the signal intensity compared to the 50 g sample for the 60°C and 100°C treated samples, while an opposite trend was observed for the 150°C treated sample. Finally, the responses of volatile components in date-pits heated at different temperatures (60°C, 100°C, and 150°C) were measured using the optimum operating conditions. Principal component analysis explored the relationships between the volatile features and classified date-pits heated at different temperatures. The results showed that an electronic nose was able to classify date-pits based on their volatile components generated by different degrees of heating (93.3% accuracy).     

Comparative physicochemical stability and efficacy study of lipoid S75-biopeptides nanoliposome composite produced by conventional and direct heating methods

Liposomes are used as effective nanodelivery devices to improve the physicochemical stability and biological efficacy of the encapsulated peptides and proteins. In this study, nanoliposome composite of lipoid S75-entrapped angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory biopeptides was prepared by conventional (BLS75-CM) and direct heating (BLS75-DHM) methods. The nanoliposomes (BLS75-CM and BLS75-DHM) were stored at 4^°C for 8 weeks and evaluated for physicochemical stability in terms of particle size, polydispersity index (pdi), zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency (EE). These were also studied for residual ACE-inhibitory efficacy following their digestion under simulated gastrointestinal tract condition. The BLS75-CM was found to maintain higher physicochemical stability in terms of particle size, pdi, and zeta potential compared to BLS75-DHM. However, the BLS75-DHM indicated higher EE and efficacy with greater residual ACE-inhibitory activity of 47.37% compared to 44.18% and 36.84% that were obtained for the digested BLS75-CM and digested biopeptides without encapsulation, respectively. In vitro release study showed a cumulative biopeptides release of 66.41% and 69.00% from BLS75-CM and BLS75-DHM, respectively. The results of transmission electron microscopy showed spherical appearance of the nanoliposome capsules while Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of ionic complexation and hydrogen bonds between the biopeptides and their phospholipid matrix.     

Epidemiologic and economic analyses of pregnancy loss attributable to mastitis in primiparous Holstein cows

The main objective of the study reported here was to examine the association between pregnancy loss (PL) and previous exposure to clinical or subclinical mastitis before breeding or during gestation in primiparous Holstein cows. A secondary objective was to estimate the cost of clinical mastitis during gestation, including that of PL attributable to mastitis in study cows. A total of 687 primiparous Holstein cows from 1 dairy farm were included in a matched case-control study. Study cows were declared pregnant via ultrasound on d 33 after timed artificial insemination (TAI). Case cows (n = 78) were those diagnosed as nonpregnant by rectal palpation on d 47 or 75 after TAI. Control cows were those confirmed as pregnant by rectal palpation on d 47 and 75 after TAI. Case cows were matched with eligible controls according to year of calving and calving-to-conception interval ±3 d. Cows were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) cows not affected with clinical or subclinical mastitis; (2) cows affected with subclinical mastitis (Dairy Herd Improvement Association somatic cell score >4.5); and (3) cows affected with clinical mastitis during 2 exposure periods, 1 to 42 d before breeding or during gestation (1 to PL diagnosis day for case cows, and 1 to 75 d for control cows). Conditional logistic regression was used to model the odds of PL as a function of previous exposure to mastitis in study cows. Mastitis before breeding was not associated with PL. The odds of PL were 2.21 times greater in cows affected with clinical mastitis during gestation (95% confidence interval = 1.01, 4.83), compared with cows without mastitis, after controlling for breeding type and lameness. The cost of clinical mastitis during gestation was $149, which includes the cost ($27) of PL attributable to mastitis. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that clinical mastitis during gestation can cause PL in primiparous dairy cows leading to economic losses.     

Prediction of the thickness loss and recovery of cut-pile carpets imposed to UV exposure and wear using polynomial regression method

Ultraviolet radiation which exists in environment around can be regarded as a major source of textile materials. In this study, the effect of UV exposure on the cut-pile carpet was investigated. A UV chamber was used to expose different levels of accelerated UV radiation on the samples of the machine-woven pile carpet. Wear test were then carried out on all samples using a Hexapod tumbler machine. The short-term static loading was applied to the carpets and the thickness loss percent (TL) and recovery percent (RP) of the samples at different times after load removal was measured using standard methods. Factorial experimental design and response surface method were applied for to create polynomial regression models and predict each of the thickness loss and recovery percent of carpet samples. The model is capable to determine the contribution of different variables. The results of the modeling revealed a desirable fit. The adjusted R² values were also high and significant. The ANOVA test indicated that the presented models were valid at 5% significant level.     

Exopolysaccharide from Pantoea sp. BCCS 001 GH isolated from nectarine fruit: production in submerged culture and preliminary physicochemical characterizations

Food Science and Biotechnology - Exopolysaccharide (EPS), as potential microbial base polysaccharide source, has plenty of applications due to its unique physicochemical structure. A Pantoea sp....     

The effects of aqueous extraction on the performance of wheat bran in bread

Wheat bran was sieved into coarse, medium and fine fractions prior to extraction with tap water. Bran, bran extract and bran residue were analysed for moisture, protein, fat, ash, pentosan and phytic acid. Farinograph measurements and baking tests showed maximum dough resistance and loaf volume of a white flour were both increased by the addition of the residue. Both these parameters were substantially decreased by bran extract and, to a lesser degree, by the bran itself. These findings were common amongst the size fractions although the residue from the coarse bran had the greatest effect on loaf volume and dough properties.     

Physicochemical Properties of Mammalian Gelatin in Relation to Membrane Process Requirement

In any of the membrane process application, understanding of the characteristics of the feed solution is essential in order to achieve desired level of separation performance. In this study, in an effort to substitute evaporation with membrane processes partially, experiments were carried out to investigate the physicochemical properties of gelatins, namely, molecular weight distribution, pH, viscosity, isoelectric point, and gel strength, which are, of foremost, important parameters in the characterization of gelatin. Two different mammalian gelatins, i.e. from bovine (type B) and porcine (type A) sources, were used in this study. The pH was significantly varied for all gelatins in the vicinity of 4.75–5.51 (±0.01). Experimental result revealed that both sources of mammalian gelatin contained components of different molecular weights with wide distribution ranging from 10 to 400 kDa. Analysis of the molecular weight distribution result also showed strong correlation between average molecular weight and gel strength of gelatin. The isoelectric points of gelatins from bovine were 4.60 ± 0.08 to 5.25 ± 0.43 and porcine gelatins were in the range of 7–9.3, which agreed well with the results obtained from other researchers. The high bloom strength mammalian gelatins were also significantly more viscous and thus, had a higher melting point.     

Ohmic‐assisted hydrodistillation of essential oils from Zataria multiflora Boiss (Shirazi thyme)

Ohmic‐assisted hydrodistillation (OAHD) is a combination of ohmic heating and distillation, and could be considered as a novel method for the extraction of essential oils. Major problems with traditional methods are long extraction time and lower purity of the extract. In this study, OAHD was applied as an economic and green technology for the extraction of essential oils from Zataria multiflora Boiss. (Shirazi thyme) aerial parts and the results were compared to those obtained from hydrodistillation (HD) as a conventional method. The results showed that OAHD method had the extraction time of 32.21 ± 2.59 min while this value was about 57.21 ± 2.33 min for hydrodistillation (HD). Scanning electron micrographs of thyme leaves showed a sudden eruption of essential oil glands and their surrounding area for OAHD samples. GC–MS analysis indicated that both methods of OAHD and HD can extract the same compounds.     

A Miniaturized Preconcentration Method Based on Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction for the Spectrophotometric Determination of Aziridine in Food Simulants

In this work a simple, rapid and sensitive method using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with UV–Vis spectrophotometry has been developed for the preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of aziridine in food simulants. The method is based on derivatization of aziridine with Folin's reagent (1,2-naphthoquione-4-sulphonic acid) and extraction of color product using DLLME technique. Some important parameters, such as reaction conditions, and type and volume of extraction solvent and disperser solvent were studied and optimized. Under optimum conditions, a linear calibration curve in the range of 2.0–350 ng mL^?1 of aziridine was obtained. Detection limit based on 3S_b was 1.0 ng mL^?1, and the relative standard deviation for 50 ng mL^?1 of aziridine was 2.49c (n?=?7). The proposed method was applied for the determination of aziridine in food simulants.