Study of oil uptake and some quality attributes of potato chips affected by hydrocolloids

The use of coating agents is one effective way to reduce oil absorption in fried products. Reducing the fat content of fried foods by application of coatings is an alternative solution to comply with both health concerns and consumer preferences. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of hydrocolloids as coating agent on the quantity of oil uptake and on sensory attributes of potato chips. The effect of the coating composition showed that the minimum fat content was related to 1% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), 0.5% xanthan, 0.3% guar and 1% xanthan with 21.2, 21.7, 22.4 and 24.8%, respectively, and the highest of fat content was related to blank sample (non-coated), 2% tragacanth, 0.5% guar gum with 49.4, 41.7 and 33.2% of oil content, respectively (p <0.05). The most effective coating agent reduced the oil uptake by 57.03, 55.94, 54.67 and 49.71%, respectively (p <0.05). Sensory evaluation showed that the best color was related to 1% CMC, 0.3% guar and 2% tragacanth, and with respect to flavor evaluation the best flavor was observed in tragacanth 2%, CMC 0.5% and CMC 0.1%, and the best texture referred to tragacanth 2%, CMC 0.5% and CMC 1%. In sensory evaluation, all coated chips got high scores compared with blank (non-coated chips) samples (p <0.05).     

A silica supported Fe-Co bimetallic catalyst prepared by the sol/gel technique: Operating conditions, catalytic properties and characterization

A Co/Fe catalyst was prepared using the sol/gel technique in order to study its catalytic activity and selectivity in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The effect of a range of operation variables such as pressure, temperature and H₂/CO molar feed ratio on the catalytic performance of 40%Fe/60%Co/15 wt.%SiO₂/1.5 wt.%K catalyst was investigated. It was found that the optimum operating conditions is a H₂/CO = 2/1 molar feed ratio at 350 °C temperature and 3 bar pressure. Characterization of both precursor and calcined catalysts was carried out using XRD, SEM, EDS, TPR, BET surface area measurements and thermal analysis methods such as TGA and DSC. It was observed that all of the different operation variables influenced the structure, morphology and catalytic performance of the catalysts.     

Finite element analysis of deformation and fracture of an exploded gas cylinder

This paper presents the finite element simulations of deformation and fracture of a gas cylinder which catastrophically failed as a result of an accidental explosion. The results of a previous detailed investigation of this incident indicated that detonation of a low-pressure oxygen-rich mixture of hydrogen and oxygen was the cause of the cylinder failure. In the current study, the finite element method was used to provide a more realistic modeling of geometry, material behavior, and boundary conditions of the cylinder. The overall transient dynamic response of the cylinder to gaseous detonation loading was studied using the ANSYS/LS-DYNA V10 package and the crack growth simulations were performed using the WARP3D-R15 research code. The crack growth analyses were performed using interface cohesive elements. The finite element results were validated using analytical solutions and data collected from the remains of the cylinder. The simulations clearly showed that the stresses caused by the assumed loading profile were indeed capable of creating local ruptures at the actual crack initiation sites. It was also shown that the self-similar growth of the initial axial crack in the main body of the cylinder was a fatigue-type incremental growth governed by the structural waves. The subsequent cyclic bulging of the crack flaps and the resultant crack curving and branching were also simulated.     

A novel approach to enhance outdoor air quality: Pedestrian ventilation system

Higher population density has altered the cities' old landscape with dense areas consisting of high-rise buildings. As a result, detrimental phenomena appeared inside modern cities that threatened the inhabitant's health and comfort. Among these phenomena, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) is known as the most harmful side effect of the urbanization which affects the Outdoor Air Quality (OAQ).     

Bread improvers: Comparison of a range of lipases with a traditional emulsifier

This study compares three generations of lipase enzymes with the emulsifier, diacetyl tartaric esters of mono-glycerides (DATEM), on white wheat flour bread. Baking recipes with addition of DATEM (4500 ppm), Lipopan F-BG (15 ppm), Gryndamyl Exel-16 (115 ppm), Lipopan Xtra-BG (25 ppm) and Lipopan 50-BG (27.5 ppm) were test-baked after 60 and 150 min fermentations, to study their effects on the baking characteristics of volume, oven rise, crust colour, crumb texture and colour, shelf-life, flavour and aroma. The enzymes and emulsifier preparation caused significant increase in bread oven rise and specific volume with the exception of Lipopan 50-BG, which failed to improve loaf volume in the short fermentation method. There was no significant difference between other lipase enzymes and DATEM as a bread volume improver. Increase in fermentation time resulted in increase in volume in all samples, except for Lipopan-Xtra.     

Contribution of intermolecular interactions to constructing supramolecular architecture: Synthesis, structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of a new hybrid of polyoxomolybdate and ((1H-tetrazole-5-yl) methyl)morpholine

A new soluble organic–inorganic hybrid based on polyoxomolybdate, [C₆H₁₂N₅O]₃[(PO₄)Mo₁₂O₃₆]·6H₂O (1), has been successfully synthesized and characterized by using elemental analysis, IR, UV spectroscopies, ¹H NMR technique, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. According to the results of X-ray crystallography the anion [(PO₄)Mo₁₂O₃₆]³⁻ has a typical Keggin structure and the Mo–O distances of Mo–O–Mo bonds are alternately short and long in the polyoxoanion structure. Hirshfeld surface analyses, especially d_norm surface and fingerprint plots, are used for decoding intermolecular interactions in the crystal network and contribution of component units for the construction of the 3D architecture. The results indicate that in 1 the hydrogen bond interaction play a main role in the construction of the 3D architecture, especially the CHO interaction which overruns the classic NHO, NHO hydrogen bond interactions; van der Waals force between the peripheral atoms of component units cannot be ignored.     

An implantable closedloop asynchronous drug delivery system for the treatment of refractory epilepsy

In this paper, we present an implantable device for intra-cerebral electroencephalography (icEEG) data acquisition and real-time epileptic seizure detection with simultaneous focal antiepileptic drug injection feedback. This implantable device includes a neural signal amplifier, an asynchronous seizure detector, a drug delivery system (DDS) including a micropump, and a hybrid subdural electrode (HSE). The asynchronous detection algorithm is based on data-dependent analysis and validated with Matlab tools. The detector and DDS have a power saving mode. The HSE contacts are made of Platinum (Pt) encapsulated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Given the heterogeneity of electrographic seizure signals and seizure suppression threshold, the implantable device provides tunable parameters facility through an external transmitter to adapt to each individual's neurophysiology prior to clinical deployment. The proposed detector and DDS were assembled in ? 50 mm and ? 30 mm circular printed circuit boards, respectively. The detector was validated using icEEG recordings of seven patients who had previously undergone an intracranial investigation for epilepsy surgery. The triggering of the DDS was tested and a predefined seizure suppression dose was delivered ~16 s after electrographical seizure onsets. The device's power consumption was reduced by 12% in active mode and 49% in power saving mode compared to similar seizure detection algorithms implemented with synchronous architecture.     

Polyvinyl alcohol thin film reinforced by green synthesized zirconia nanoparticles

The focus of this work is to prepare polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) thin film reinforced by green synthesized zirconia nanoparticles. In order to do so, firstly, zirconia nanoparticles were synthesized by the rosemary extract-assisted sol-gel process as both template and stabilizing agents. The results showed that the as-obtained sample with zirconium salt to rosemary extract ratio of 1:4 had a semi-spherical morphology with the mean particle size of 12–17?nm. This nanoparticle was added as reinforcement with different ratios to the polyvinyl alcohol matrix. The mechanical property of the as-prepared nanocomposites revealed that the elastic modulus of 1?wt% ZrO2-PVA sample was about 5.5 times higher than pure PVA thin film.