Comparison of different peeling systems for kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa,cv Hayward)

Galicia (N.W. Spain) produces 60% of Spanish kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) and 5–20% of these are ‘destrío’ fruits, which do not reach market size and the appropriate form. These rejected fruits can be processed into products, thus increasing their added value. The processing of kiwifruit always includes a peeling operation, which can be performed by different systems. The most suitable conditions for caustic peeling and thermal peeling were established. Then, the two peeling systems were compared with manual peeling with the aim of selecting the best system to remove the peel of the ‘destrío’ kiwifruit. The fruits, once harvested, were stored in a cold chamber at 0 °C. Before processing or marketing kiwifruits, it is necessary to remove them from storage in cold chamber and storage at room temperature. In this study, different storage times at room temperature before peeling kiwifruits were also tested. The best system for peeling the kiwifruit was thermal peeling as this system resulted in the lowest weight loss and preserved the green colour characteristic of the kiwifruit. The best time for peeling the kiwifruit was after 8 days of storage at room temperature, after being removed from the cold chamber.     

Dry Fractionation of Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum) Fat: Physical–Chemical Properties and Polymorphic Behavior

Physical chemical properties of cupuassu fat were modified by dry fractionation. Stearin and olein fractions were obtained at 29, 26, and 24 °C. Polymorphic behavior of unfractionated cupuassu fat (UCF) and its fractions were studied in situ by small-angle (SAXS) and wide-angle (WAXS) X-ray scattering using synchrotron light. Polymorphic transitions were followed in real time tempering samples with a thermal cycle. For UCF, the main polymorphic form crystallized under selected conditions was the β’₂. α and β’₁-forms appeared in trace amounts. β₂-form was obtained after storage at 25 °C for 3 months. Stearins obtained at 26 (S-26) and 24 °C (S-24) showed a similar polymorphic behavior. However, S-26 with improved physical properties might be more suitable for chocolate production or as a trans-fat alternative than UCF. Stearin fraction obtained at 29 °C (S-29) had a complex polymorphic behavior. The α-form was the first polymorphic form detected followed by β’₂-form. There was a polymorphic transition from α to β’₁-form but no transition between β’-forms. They were independent to each other showing fractionation in two different solid solutions. Increased contents of the triacylglycerols (TAG) SOA and SOB together with lower contents of SOO compared to UCF led to co-crystallization because there was no complete compatibility among all TAG present in S-29. β₁-form crystallized after storage forming crystals with a double-layer arrangement and a characteristic morphology. This form could be useful for accelerating crystallization process in melted liquid systems.     

Presence of women on the editorial boards of the language and linguistics journals in Spain

Scientometrics - Many international studies have pointed out the under-representation of women on Editorial Boards of both Science and Social Science journals. Their presence as Editorial Board...     

Assessment of chemical and microbiological parameters of indoor swimming pool atmosphere using multiple comparisons

The aim of this study was to evaluate the air quality of an indoor swimming pool, analyzing diurnal and seasonal variations in microbiological counts and chemical parameters. The results indicated that yeast and bacteria counts, as well as carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and O₃ concentrations, showed significant diurnal difference. On the other hand, temperature, relative humidity (R.H.), yeast counts and concentrations of CO₂, particles, O₃, toluene, and benzene showed seasonal differences. In addition, the relationship between indoor and outdoor air and the degree of correlation between the different parameters have been calculated, suggesting that CO₂, fine particles and NO_x would have indoor origin due to the human activity and secondary reactions favored by the chemical and environmental conditions of the swimming pool; while O₃, benzene and toluene, would come from outside, mainly. The overall results indicated that indoor air quality (IAQ) in the swimming pool building was deficient by the high levels of CO₂ and microorganisms, low temperatures, and high R.H., because frequently the limits established by the legislation were exceeded. This fact could be due to the poor ventilation and the inadequate operation of heating, ventilation, and air‐conditioning systems.     

Isothermal rheokinetic study of a precured resol resin beyond gelation by torsion

The rheokinetics of the curing process of a resol resin was studied through isothermal analysis. The resin was subjected to a curing pretreatment until gelation was reached. Rectangular torsion was chosen as the appropriate strain form to carry out the study of the resin's curing kinetics, because the viscoelastic behavior of the material was closer to an ideal solid than to a Newtonian fluid. Seven operating temperatures were selected for analysis (80–110°C). The Arrhenius and Kiuna rheokinetic models were applied to the resin's complex viscosity (η*) evolution during the crosslinking of polymer. The resol resin had curing activation energies of 62.6 and 65.8 kJ/mol when the Arrhenius model was applied in four‐ and six‐parameter forms, respectively. The Kiuna model was proposed to fit the nonlinear viscosity region found at the highest temperatures. This model was suitable to predict changes in the resin's complex viscosity, obtaining a curing activation energy of 69.5 kJ/mol for the resin. In addition, the evolution of the degree of mechanical curing was obtained from the elastic modulus, rather than from the more common DSC technique. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012