Selenium content of breast milk

Selenium levels in human milk in the winter period ranged from 5.3 μg/l to 23.8 μg/l, the mean value being 11.0 μg/l. The nursing women were divided into several groups according to the results of a questionnaire, i.e. according to their social status (refugees or otherwise), number of deliveries, post partum days, the weight they had gained during pregnancy, their age and smoking habits. The mean levels of selenium for each group are presented. Selenium was determined by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry.     

TUDIES ON THE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF HOP EXTRACT

Studies on fatty acids composition of hop extract obtained from Vurtenberg hop by extraction with a threecomponent mixture was carried out. It has been established that the content of fatty acids in hop extract is 0.3% ±5%. Fatty acids composition was determined by Gas-chromatographic analysis. The presence of the following unsaturated fatty acids has been proven: C_16:1; C_18:1; C_18:2; C_18:3; C_20:1 which represent about 40% of the general content of fatty acids in the extract.     

Annotation of unknown yeast ORFs by correlation analysis of microarray data and extensive literature searches

Changes in the expression of genes were used to elucidate the metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms that respond to environmental or genetic modifications. Results from previously published chemostat datasets were merged with novel data generated in the present study. ORFs displaying significant changes in expression that correlated with those of other ORFs were analysed using GO mapping tools and supplemented by literature information. The strategy developed was used to propose annotations for ORFs of unknown function. The following ORFs were assigned functions as a result of this study: YMR090w, YGL157w, YGR243w, YLR327c, YER121w, YFR017c, YGR067c, YKL187c, YGR236c (SPG1), YMR107w (SPG4), YMR206w, YER067w, YJL103c, YNL175C (NOP13) YJL200C, YDL070C (FMP16) and YGR173W.     

Freeze/thaw Stability of Cooked Pork Sausages as Affected by Salt, Phosphate, pH, and Carrageenan

The effects of κ, ι, or λ carrageenan (CGN), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), chloride salts, and meat pH on the freeze/thaw stability of cooked pork sausages were investigated. STPP decreased thaw drip (TD) and increased hardness for all treatments regardless of type of salt or CGN. KCI did not affect the texture of control samples in the presence of STPP, but decreased the functionality of κ- and ι-CGN. Increased meat pH increased the hardness and decreased thaw drip for all CGN treatments, except for λ-CGN, which remained unchanged. k- and ι- CGN increased moisture retention of sausages prepared from low-pH meat.     

The Influence of Oxygen Volumetric Mass Transfer Rates on Cyclodextrin Glycosyltransferase Production by Alkaliphilic Bacillus circulans in Batch and Fed-Batch Cultivations

In this work, the influence of oxygen mass transfer rates on the production of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) by the alkaliphilic bacterium Bacillus circulans ATCC 21783 was investigated. Experimental design and response surface methodology were applied to optimize agitation speed and air flow rate in batch cultivations, in order to identify their significant effects and interactions with the synthesis of CGTase. Results were expressed as the volumetric mass transfer rates of oxygen (k_la, [per hour]). The maximal CGTase productivity of 155 U mL⁻¹ h⁻¹ was achieved with k_la of 48 h⁻¹. CGTase production was also studied in fed-batch cultures using the optimized parameters obtained in the batch experiments. The maximal CGTase productivity on fed-batch cultivations was 137 U mL⁻¹ h⁻¹ with feeding rates of starch at 0.17 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

Effects of sodium chloride, phosphate type and concentration, and pump rate on beef biceps femoris quality and sensory characteristics

Beef biceps femoris muscles (n=45) were used to evaluate the effect of enhancement with solutions comprising 2.0% sodium chloride and either sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), or tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) at either 0.2% or 0.4% of product weight. All solutions were injected into muscle samples at either 112% (12% pump) or 118% (18% pump) of raw product weight. Muscles treated with all three phosphate types had decreased (P<0.05) free water compared to untreated muscles (CNT), and while TSPP-treated muscles were able to bind greater (P<0.05) additional water than CNT, STPP- and SHMP-treated muscles did not differ (P>0.05) from CNT. Disregarding phosphate type, steaks with 0.4% phosphate inclusion bound more (P<0.05) water than those with 0.2% phosphate inclusion. Steaks treated with STPP or TSPP had decreased (P<0.05) cooking losses than CNT, while SHMP-treated steaks did not differ (P>0.05) from CNT. Steaks injected at 18% pump had greater (P<0.05) percent moisture, and did not differ (P>0.05) in free water, water binding, or cooking losses from steaks injected at 12% pump. Although there were no differences (P>0.05) in Warner-Bratzler shear force in this study, steaks with SHMP, STPP, and TSPP all were rated more tender, and juicier (P<0.05) by sensory panelists than CNT steaks or steaks enhanced only with sodium chloride. Regardless of phosphate type, steaks enhanced with 0.4% phosphate and those steaks at 18% pump received improved (P<0.05) sensory tenderness ratings compared to 0.2% phosphate and 12% pump, respectively. These results suggest that enhancing biceps femoris muscles with STPP or TSPP can improve water retention, yield, and palatability characteristics. Additionally, enhancement with a phosphate/salt solution at an 18% pump rate, compared to a 12% pump rate, can allow for improved sensory tenderness perceptions without decreasing product yields.