MEANING OF TEXTURE WORDS TO THE CONSUMER

Abstract. A word association test administered to 102 respondents indicated that the consumer understands the qualitative meaning of texture words in the same manner as people experienced in texture evaluation. A few words such as thin, thick, dry, smooth, hard, etc. were found to have additional meanings related to characteristics other than texture. The responses were used to compile a tabulation of foods having specific recognizable textural characteristics. This tabulation should be useful in explaining the meaning of texture words to people unfamiliar with the nomenclature or in situations where a language barrier exists.     

Effects of pH on Calcium, Zinc, and Phytate Solubilities and Complexes Following In Vitro Digestions of Soy Protein Isolate

High intraluminal gastric pH values in young infants could affect the bioavailability of zinc in soy protein isolate formula. This investigation examined the effects of pH on the solubilities and complexes of calcium, zinc and phytate following in vitro pepsin and pepsin-pan-creatin digestions of soy protein isolate. The results of these in vitro studies suggested that (1) high intraluminal gastric pH values could lead to the formation of insoluble calcium-zinc-phytate complexes in the stomach following ingestion of soy protein isolate and (2) high intraluminal gastric pH values would only affect resultant soy zinc solubility in the small intestine in the absence of exogenous calcium or zinc but not in the presence of same.     

MONILINIA AND RHIZOPUS DECAY CONTROL DURING CONTROLLED RIPENING OF FREESTONE PEACHES FOR CANNING

ABSTRACT— Decay was controlled when freestone peach fruit, harvested at various stages of maturity ranging from green to straw-color, were dipped in 50% 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline (DCNA) at 1–1/2 and 4 lb/100 gal water and ripened for 5–17 days at 20°C and 90% R.H. Treated fruit had less than 10% decay while untreated fruit developed as much as 61% decay during this period. Regardless of treatment, straw-blush and full-blush fruit held for only 3 days did not develop decay. The most commonly occurring fungus pathogens, Monilinia fructicola and Rhizopus stolonifer, were controlled with these treatments. Postharvest DCNA plus captan dip treatments gave more effective decay control than from preharvest field sprays. Concentrations of DCNA or DCNA plus captan required for Monilinia decay control, suggested by preliminary laboratory tests on fruit, were verified by these commercial-size experiments.     

CONTENT-FREE STUDY OF MARITAL RESEMBLANCES IN GROUP THERAPY.

A STUDY OF 2 COMPLETELY TAPE-RECORDED MARRIAGE-COUNSELING GROUPS, EACH COMPOSED OF 4 COUPLES IN WHICH HUSBANDS WERE PROBLEM DRINKERS. EACH SESSION WAS DIVIDED INTO STATEMENT UNITS ACCORDING TO FIXED RULES. EACH CLIENT RECEIVED 2 SCORES PER INTERVIEW: (1) NUMBER OF STATEMENTS MADE, AND (2) NUMBER OF STATEMENTS RECEIVED. INTERPERSON RHO CORRELATION MATRICES WERE ANALYZED BY THE 1-TAILED SIGN TEST, USING P     

BACTERIOCIN EXPOSURE AND FOOD INGREDIENTS INFLUENCE ON GROWTH AND VIRULENCE OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN A MODEL MEAT GRAVY SYSTEM

The antilisterial activity of bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus sakei 1 bac⁺ alone and combined with food ingredients (sodium chloride, D-glucose, oregano, black pepper) was studied in a model meat gravy (1.8% proteose peptone, 1.2% meat extract, 0.6% yeast extract, 2.0% corn starch) kept under refrigeration for 10 days. Two strains of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 4b and 1/2a) were employed in coinoculation experiments and Lactobacillus sakei ATCC 15521 was used as a negative control for bacteriocin production. The LAB bac⁺ strain was more effective in inhibiting both L. monocytogenes serotypes than the LAB bac⁻ strain. The serotype 4b was more sensitive to bacteriocin than serotype 1/2a. The effect of the ingredients on inhibition of L. monocytogenes was serotype dependent. Bacteriocin exposure did not affect sensitivity to ampicilin and rifampicin. However, L. monocytogenes partially lost their hemolytic activity after exposure to bacteriocin-producing Lb. sakei 1 and food ingredients.     

Antioxidant Properties of Lignin

Since certain dietary antioxidants are generally thought to protect retinol from oxidation during digestion, lignin was tested for its antioxidant properties. Inclusion of 1–10% lignin in the rat diet resulted in an increased (50–100%) deposition of retinol as compared to cellulose-fed controls. Data indicate that lignin exhibits antioxidant properties in the presence of oil and probably in the presence of other fat-soluble substances (e.g. vitamins A and E). Animal experiments substantiate this hypothesis. Results suggest both the biochemical and chemical nature as well as the nutritional ramifications of these observations deserve further investigation.     

Relationships of Hydrophobicity to Emulsifying Properties of Heat Denatured Proteins

Effects of heating on the emulsifying properties of selected food proteins and the protein surface hydrophobicity (S_o) as a predictor of these properties were investigated. The emulsifying properties of the proteins studied were differently affected by heating. Heat-denaturation was not always accompanied by loss of emulsifying properties, but, on the contrary, in some cases resulted in great improvement. The emulsifying properties could well be predicted solely on the basis of S_o level but not on the basis of solubility level, which indicated that S_o is a very important property determining protein functionality. However, the emulsifying activity, emulsion stability and fat binding capacity of the proteins studied could be explained and more accurately predicted using S_o and solubility together.     

Pyrometallurgy of Niobium,Tantalum and Vanadium—Development Work at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

India has fairly substantial resources of vanadium and only small reserves of niobium and tantalum. Vanadium occurs in the vast deposits of titaniferrous magnetite located in Bihar Orissa and Karnataka. It is also occurring as a minor constituent in most of the bauxite deposits in the country. Niobium and tantalum occurs as niobium-tantalite in pegmatite deposits in mica mining belts of Bihar and Rajasthan. This mineral is also found in the cassiterite deposits of Baster in Madhya Pradesh.

This paper presents an overview of the development work carried out at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre on the process metallurgy of these three Group V metals starting from their indigenous resources. The coverage includes separation of pure individual elements, preparation of pure intermediates, techniques of reduction to metal and final purification.     

EXERGOECONOMIC EVALUATION OF A SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANT

The second law of thermodynamics combined with economics represents a very powerful tool for the systematic study and optimization of energy systems. This combination forms the basis of the relatively new field of thermoeconomics (exergoeconomics). This approach allows the monetary evaluation of costs caused by irreversibilities (exergy losses) as well as comparisons between these costs and the investment and operating costs for each component of a power plant. A 35MW solar thermal power plant has been analyzed with the aid of the exergoeconomics. It is found that in the reheater, heat exchanger and pumps it will be profitable to reduce exergy losses even by increasing the capital costs. Whereas it will be profitable to reduce capital cost in feed water heaters (no. 1, 2 and 3) by compromising with exergy losses. Most crucial component is the solar collector field where exergy losses are severe and it requires efficient collector design. Unfortunately not much could be done at the moment for the collectors. Its fate will depend on the advancements in collector technology.

The analysis permits identification and evaluation of inefficiencies in the plant and opportunities for improvement in the plant components.