Rheological behaviour and functionality of inulin‐extra virgin olive oil‐based mashed potatoes

Developing products having a high nutritional value and good storage stability during freezing is a challenge. Inulin (I) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) have interesting functional properties. The effect of the addition of I and EVOO blends at different I:EVOO ratios (0:0, 0:60, 15:45, 30:30, 45:15, 60:0, 30:45 and 45:30) on the rheological, physical, sensory and structural properties of fresh and frozen/thawed mashed potatoes formulated without and with added cryoprotectants was analysed and compared. Addition of I and EVOO (either alone or blended) reduced apparent viscosity and pseudoplasticity producing softer systems, indicating that both ingredients behave as soft fillers. Samples with added I at the higher concentrations (≥45 g kg^?1) showed lower flow index and consistency, which is related to formation of smaller I particles; microphotographs indicated that gelling properties of I depended mostly upon processing. Frozen/thawed samples were judged more acceptable and creamier than their fresh counterparts.     

Specific procedure for analysing steryl glucosides in olive oil

Avoiding any kind of oil sample pretreatment, a fraction containing the steryl glucosides (SG) was directly isolated by SPE. This fraction was derivatised and analysed by GC in order to quantify the SG content. The limit of detection of the method was 0.37 mg/kg and the recovery 90%. Additionally, the identity of the SG was confirmed by MS. We applied the procedure to oil samples of different categories and origins indicating that the only SG that could be quantified in olive oil was β‐sitosteryl glucoside, which was present at concentrations not higher than 3.00 mg/kg. Practical applications: Olive oil is of upmost importance from both the nutritional point of view and from the economic repercussion that fraud may have. Among the many parameters required by the EU in order to determine olive oil characteristics, SG are completely overlooked and no specific methodology has been elaborated so far. We have developed a straightforward protocol for the determination of SG in olive oil. This method can be used to provide an additional identity parameter and a new blend indicator. This method is fast, cheap and easy to perform. Besides, it has a great potential for automation which would allow its routine application. The possibility of applying the procedure to study vegetable oils used in the biodiesel industry is also pointed out.     

BIST test pattern generator for delay testing

To detect delay faults in a digital circuit requires a test sequence applied at the nominal frequency of the circuit. Built-in self-test (BIST) is a technique that provides such testing possibilities at speed, without expensive test equipments. A BIST test pattern generator (TPG) design, targeting the detection of delay faults is proposed     

Goodness-of-fit test for interest rate models: An approach based on empirical processes

A new test for the goodness of fit of parametric forms of the drift and volatility functions of interest rate models is proposed. The test is based on a marked empirical process of the residuals. More specifically, a marked empirical process is constructed using estimators of the integrated regression function and the integrated conditional variance function for the drift function and the volatility function, respectively. Distributions of these processes are approximated using bootstrap techniques. This test is then applied to simulated classical financial models and is illustrated in an empirical application to a EURIBOR data set.     

Rheological properties of frozen vegetable purees. Effect of freeze–thaw cycles and thawing conditions

Results are presented on the effect of the number of successive freeze-thaw cycles and different final thawing conditions on rheological properties of frozen vegetable purees using a specific mixing device (helical ribbon impeller) to follow changes in dynamic properties. The number of freeze-thaw cycles ranged from zero (that is, thawing only) to four and were applied to three types of commercial product (broccoli-potato, carrot-potato and celery-potato). After freeze-thaw cycles, purees were thawed at room temperature, by microwave at three different settings, and in a saucepan. Rheological properties were affected more by the thawing conditions than by the number of cycles applied. Saucepan thawing increased the values of these properties as a result of an apparent heavy water loss during heating. The storage modulus (G') was the rheological property most affected by either effect in both broccoli- and carrot-potato purees, showing that their behaviour is predominantly elastic, with phase angles in the region of 5-12°. After one or two cycles (depending on thawing conditions), broccoli-potato presented much greater elasticity and apparent freeze-thaw stability than the others. Celery-potato puree presented the highest fluidity, possibly because its initial higher water content meant that loss modulus values were more significantly affected by thawing conditions. Results showed a complex dependence of the dynamic properties on structural factors of the purees as well as on processing parameters.     

Blanching effects on chemistry, quality and structure of green beans (cv. Moncayo)

Green beans (cv. Moncayo) were blanched at 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 and 97 °C for 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 min. Pectinesterase (PE) activity was highest in cell-wall-bound extracts of beans blanched at 70 °C/10 min. The lowest water-soluble pectin fraction, the highest EDTA-soluble pectin fraction and the lowest degree of esterification of the EDTA-soluble fraction were all recorded for the same temperature/time combination; these effects can therefore be attributed to PE activity. Chemical changes did not affect initial firmness of the beans, which was practically constant after blanching at 65, 70, 75 and 80 °C. Simple first-order models were adequate to establish softening kinetics for beans blanched at 85, 90 and 97 °C. In this temperature range, Kramer maximum force was the mechanical parameter that best characterised bean softening by blanching. For all temperatures, short-time blanching increased the coloration and total chlorophyll content of the samples with respect to fresh control, thus precluding the use of simple models. In the treated beans, the ascorbic acid content was consistently lower than in the control and decreased continuously with increasing time. Microphotographs showed no appreciable differences in morphology between fresh and blanched beans at 65, 70 and 75 °C, which would explain the similarity of mechanical behaviour in these samples. Blanching at 85, 90 and 97 °C caused loosening and swelling of the cell walls owing to breakdown of the pectic material, which again helps to explain the observed loss of firmness.     

Comparative Characterization of Dietary Fibre-Enriched Frozen/Thawed Mashed Potatoes

The potential use of commercial fibres (pea fibre, inulin, and their blends), as fibre-enriching agents in frozen/thawed mashed potatoes was reported. Pea fibre and inulin supplementations conferred hardness and softness to the product, respectively. Differences were attributed to the relationship of the fibre with the potato starch matrix. The association of pea fibre at low concentration (<15 g/kg mashed potatoes) and inulin at high concentration (>45 g/kg) is strongly encouraged to fortify the diet without promoting negative effects on textural and rheological properties of frozen/thawed mashed potatoes or colour and overall acceptability of the resulting products.     

A Scan-BIST Structure to Test Delay Faults in Sequential Circuits

Delay testing that requires the application of consecutive two-pattern tests is not an easy task in a scan-based environment. This paper proposes a novel approach to the delay fault testing problem in scan-based sequential circuits. This solution is based on the combination of a BIST structure with a scan-based design to apply delay test pairs to the circuit under test.     

Mechanical parameters to assess quality changes in cherimoya fruit

 Several mechanical parameters obtained by means of compression and penetration tests, and changes in cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) fruit quality during storage in air and two controlled atmospheres (CA), (3% O₂+0% CO₂ and 3% O₂+3% CO₂) were analysed. A gradient of softening was found among the equatorial and the apical areas of the flesh during CA storage, as assessed by localized penetration tests. The combination of low O₂/elevated CO₂ (3% O₂+3% CO₂) increased this gradient and had a greater inhibiting effect on skin softening than low O₂. It appeared that the prevention of softening by CA was stronger in the less mature tissues (equatorial and outer areas) than in the more mature tissues (apical and inner areas around the longitudinal axis). CA delayed or inhibited changes in fruit quality observed during air storage: increases in total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and yellowness of the flesh (b), and diminution in flesh lightness of colour (L). A good relationship between an objective quality index (QI, where QI=TSS+TA+L/b) and the compression slope (CS) was found during storage under all the conditions tested. It is suggested that the relationship, QI=29.25+0.04×CS–0.0023×CS² could be useful when assessing stages of cherimoya fruit quality during storage under different conditions by performing a nondestructive, compression test.