PROCESSING AND QUALITY EVALUATION OF WHOLE CANNED 'DWARF' GOLDEN APPLES (SPONDIAS CYTHEREA)

‘Dwarf’ golden apples (Spondias cytherea) were canned in sucrose syrup of either 30 d?Brix (L) or 40 d?Brix (H). Processing was either by hot filling (HF) of syrup at 92C in filled cans or by steam‐exhausting (SE) of the filled cans at 85C for 12–14 min, followed by processing at 100C for 20 min (W₂₀) or 30 min (W₃₀). Sensory evaluation of commercial sterile products, SE‐LW₃₀ and SE‐LW₃₀ indicated there were no differences (P < 0.05) in appearance, color, taste, aroma and texture. Overall scores indicated that fruits in syrup were liked definitely to like slightly. Panelists indicated that they might or definitely will purchase the products. Fruits in 40 d?Brix syrup were firmer than in 30 d?Brix syrup. By week 8 of storage at 28–30C, pH was stable between 3.6–3.7, and ‘cut‐out’d?Brix of syrup for LW₃₀ and HW₃₀ products was 24.0 – 24.5 and 28.5, respectively.     

AFLATOXIGENIC ASPERGILLI IN FOODS AND FEEDS IN UGANDA

Studies conducted during the sixties and the seventies on food crops in Uganda showed that the populace was exposed to consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated foods. These studies also linked the highest incidence of liver cancer in the world to the presence of high levels of aflatoxins in the food and beverages. After a lapse of a decade, it was of interest to investigate the occurrence of aflatoxins and aflatoxigenic fungi in staple Ugandan food crops and poultry feeds derived from these foodstuffs. A simple, rapid and reproducible procedure was used. The procedure consisted of growing or culturing feed grains on a selective medium, Aspergillus flavus/parasiticus agar (AFPA) followed by screening for aflatoxin producing fungi on a coconut agar medium (CAM) under UV light with a subsequent confirmatory screening method for aflatoxin production by the fungi in pure culture. Fifty-four samples consisting of corn and peanuts, soybean and poultry feed were analyzed for content of aflatoxigenic. A. flavus/parasiticus and 25 of the samples were also screened for aflatoxins B₁ and G₁, zearalenone, sterigmatocystin, ochratoxin A, citrinin, vomitoxin, and diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS). Aflatoxigenic A. flavus/parasiticus was detected from the majority of corn (77%), peanuts (36% human food and 83.3% animal feed) and poultry feed (66.6%). but not from soybean samples. Two samples out of 25 contained detectable levels of aJatosin B, (20 ppb). For the jirst time other mycotoxins, zearalenone (3 samples) and vomitoxin (2 samples) were detected in corn from Uganda.     

Modification of tempeh with the addition of bakla (Vicia faba Linn)

Bakla ( Vicia faba Linn), an indigenous pulse, was subjected to fermentation by the strains of Rhizopus oligosporus either alone or blended with soybean ( Glycine max ). Mycelial growth as viewed on the surface of the fermented mass was best obtained when strain NRRL 3271 was used. Increase in moisture content and pH during fermentation was highest in the case of strain NRRL 2710 irrespective of composition of bakla-soybean mixture. The tempeh, the fermented product, in each case had a mushroom-like odour, which was independent of the strain used. Bakla and bakla-soybean (up to 1:1 ratio) tempeh was free of beany flavour but this flavour increased as the soybean content of the blend was further raised and was perceptibly high when soybean content reached 75%. Bakla tempeh was more crisp than soybean tempeh. The crispness decreased with increasing soybean content.     

MICROALGAE AS A SOURCE OF FATTY ACIDS

Microalgae are a very diverse group of organisms that consist of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic forms. Although most microalgae are phototrophic, some species are also capable of heterotrophic growth. Some species of microalgae can be induced to overproduce particular fatty acids through simple manipulations of the physical and chemical properties of the culture medium. As a result of the profound differences in cellular organization and growth modes and the ability to manipulate their fatty acid content, microalgae represent a significant source of unusual and valuable lipids and fatty acids.
The utilization of microalgal lipids and fatty acids as food components requires that these organisms be grown at large scale under controlled conditions. Several growth systems have been developed for large scale growth of phototrophic microalgae using either natural sunlight or artificial light, but their lack of control of culturing parameters or their high cost of operation have limited their utility for the production of food products. Instead, large scale cultivation of heterotrophic microalgae using classical fermentation systems provides consistent biomass produced under highly controlled conditions at low cost.
Microalgae contain many of the major lipid classes and fatty acids found in other organisms. However, they are also the principal producers in the biosphere of some polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The high DHA content found in some algae is currently being utilized to supplement infant formula to enable it to more closely resemble human breast milk. Thus, the commercialization of DHA from microalgae demonstrates the value of these organisms as a source of useful fatty acids.     

Effect of Blanching and Drying on Pectin Constitutents and Related Characteristics of Dehydrated Peaches

The effects of sulfuring, blanching, dehydration, and storage (of dehydrated fruits), on the pectic constitutents and other characteristics of peaches are reported. Adequate blanching stabilized pectins of the dehydrated peaches so higher rehydration capacity and lower rehydration losses were observed after 5 min blanching. Increase in degradation was observed in nonblanched or 1.5 min heat-treated fruits, which resulted in lower rehydration capacity. A significant correlation was found between the contents of total pectin and protopectin fractions and the firmness or rehydration ratio of the peaches. Thus, pectin, one of the major cell-wall and intercellular tissue components, plays a significant role in determining the textural-structural characteristics of dehydrated fruits.     

Recrystallization in Sugar/Stabilizer Solutions as Affected by Molecular Structure

The influence that a range of polysaccharides (galactomannans) had on ice recrystallization was determined. The concentration dependence of the recrystallization inhibition occurring with locust bean and guar gums was determined. The degree of galactose substitution in a range of enzyme modified guars was dominant in the effect of a galactomannan to inhibit recrystallization. The fine structure of the substituents were less important. Where the galactose content of comparable polysaccharides was similar the fine structure became dominant. The influence of sugar size on recrystallization was also investigated. Increasing molecular weight resulted in reduced recrystallization rates. The observed rates appeared to follow Williams -Landell-Ferry kinetics.     

α-, γ- and δ-Tocopherol Effects on Chlorophyll Photosensitized Oxidation of Soybean Oil

The effects of 0, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 (x 10^?3 M) α-, γ- or δ-tocopherol on chlorophyll b photosensitized oxidation of soybean oil in methylene chloride were studied by peroxide values and headspace oxygen. As concentrations of tocopherols increased, peroxide values decreased and headspace oxygen increased (P < 0.05). At 1.0 × 10^?3 M, α-tocopherol showed highest antioxidant effect, γ-tocopherol second and then δ-tocopherol. α- and -γ-Tocopherols had similar effects and δ-tocopherol had lower effect at 2.0 × 10^?3 M (P < 0.05). However, the three tocopherols were not different (P > 0.05) at 4.0 × 10^?3 M. α-Tocopherol quenched singlet oxygen to reduce the photosensitized oxidation of oil. The quenching rate constants of α-tocopherol were 2.7 × 10⁷M^?1sec^?1 by peroxide value and 2.6 × 10⁷ M^?1sec^?1 by headspace oxygen.     

LEARNING ABOUT COMPLEX SYSTEMS

Learning about complex systems is a fundamental engineering skill; it is often the first task of an engineer when faced with a complex problem in an unfamiliar context. The nature of learning is discussed. Contributions from cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, management and sociology are drawn together to show that fundamentally, system learning is a matter of forming well-constructed system or conceptual models. The skills needed for this are discussed.     

Crystallization of Beta NaFeO2 from a Glass Along the Na2SiO3-Fe2O3 Join

Fine-particle beta sodium ferrite (β-NaFeO₂), rather than α-Fe₂O₃, may be responsible for superparamagnetic behavior in a glass of composition (in mole fractions) 0.37Na₂O-0.26Fe₂O₃-0.37SiO₂. The 700°C isothermal section of the phase diagram of the Na₂O-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂ system is given, showing a three-phase field bounded by Na₂SiO₃-NaFeO₂-Fe₂O₃; there is no evidence for the existence (at 700°C) of compounds of molar composition 6Na₂O-4Fe₂O₃-5SiO₂ or 2Na₂O-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂. The Moessbauer spectrum of β-NaFeO₂ has an internal magnetic field of 487 kOe at room temperature.