Mechanical Properties and Chemical Composition of Peanuts as Affected by Harvest Date and Maturity

Harvest date and maturity (by the Hull Scrape method) were compared to mechanical properties and chemical composition of peanuts. In general, later-harvested or mature peanuts exhibited higher cutting and shear-compression forces, shear-compression energy and slope of force-deformation curve than earlier-harvested or immature peanuts. Mesocarp color of peanuts could be used as an index to group peanuts with similar shear-compression energy (sensory crunchiness). Harvest date did not affect dry basis chemical composition except carbohydrates content decreased slightly as digging was delayed. Oil content increased and carbohydrates decreased as peanuts matured. Total unsaturated fatty acids content increased with maturity.     

NONENZYMATIC BROWNING IN DRIED RED PEPPER PRODUCTS

The nonenzymatic browning of dried red peppers was studied under various water activities, storage temperatures, and packaging atmospheres. Whole pepper and pepper powders-coarse and fine, with and without seeds-were compared. The browning can be described by the zero order reaction, and the rate constant is strongly affected by water activity and temperature. Flushing the package with nitrogen did not have a significant effect on the browning rate. For minimum browning, the peppers should be stored at water activities below 0.3 and in the form of whole pods or coarse powder with seeds.     

纤维长度和粗度对纸张结构性能的影响

研究了各种未打浆纸浆的纤维直径、长度与粗度的关系,并探讨了纤维长度与粗度对成纸性能的影响。结果表明,纤维的直径、长度与粗度成线性关系;且纤维长度与粗度均对成纸的吸水性、气孔率与气孔有效直径有增强作用。     

EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON KILLING SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM IN VARIOUS SALT SOLUTIONS

Electrical stimulation was evaluated as a method to kill Salmonella typhimurium in various salt solutions at different concentration . Salmonella typhimurium at 2 × 10⁵ CFU/ml was treated at 22–24C for 60 min in each salt solution using electricity at 10 mA/cm² current, 1 kHz frequency, and 50% duty cycle. Samples taken at various times were serially diluted, plated on tryptic soy agar and xylose lysine desoxycholate agar, and incubated at 37C for 18–24 h. To detect injured cells, samples were also pre-enriched in buffered peptone water at 37C for 4–5h before being plated. Results indicated all salmonellae were electrically killed at 5 min in NaCl, at 30 min in NaNO₃, and at 45 min in NaC₂H₃O₂ at 0.15 and 0.015 M concentrations. Salmonellae were also killed at 45 min in Na₃PO₄ and at 60 min in Na₂CO₃ at 0.0015 M concentration by electricity in combination with high pH .     

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF TEXTURE CHANGE IN COD MUSCLE DURING FROZEN STORAGE

The textural deterioration of cod muscle during frozen storage was investigated by objective measurement using the Instron Universal Testing Machine. The rates of texture change as a function of storage time revealed that the increased toughness and decreased cohesiveness could be described by a first-order relationship. Higher storage temperatures resulted in more rapid rates of textural deterioration. Larger activation energy constants for toughness of cod muscle as compared to cohesiveness indicated that toughening was more temperature dependent than cohesiveness. The increased toughness and the decreased cohesiveness of frozen-stored fish appeared to be related to the protein denaturation of the cod muscle and the loss of water-holding capacity, respectively.     

Riboflavin-Sensitized Photodynamic UV Spectrophotometry for Ascorbic Acid Assay in Beverages

Riboflavin-sensitized photodynamic ultraviolet spectrophotometric assay of various commercial beverages was carried out. The maximum concentration of ascorbic acid for obtaining a background correction (15 min illumination and pH 7.5) was 21 μg/mL ascorbic acid in the testing solution. The upper limit of the measurement range for a straight line in the calibration graph of standard ascorbic acid was 10 μg/mL, (working range 0–10 μg/mL). The results in repeatability of the method for ascorbic acid contents in commercial fruit juices and soft-drinks showed a maximum of 4% relative standard deviation. Recovery tests with known amounts of added ascorbic acid in different fruit juices and sports drink showed the recovery of added ascorbic acid was 97.5–102.3%. Indophenol, iodine and/or HPLC methods were used in parallel to ascertain the reliability of the proposed method. This type assay could be successfully applied to many commercial beverages for determination of ascorbic acid with good accuracy, precision and reliability.     

Characterization and Identification of Raw Beef, Pork, Chicken and Turkey Meats by Electrophoretic Patterns of Their Sarcoplasmic Proteins

Electrophoretic patterns of fresh beef, pork, chicken, and turkey sarcoplasmic proteins were studied using thin layer agarose gel electro-phoresis. Creatine kinase isozyme MM and myoglobin bands were used to identify the species. Binary mixtures (5/95, 25175, 50150, 751 25, 9515, % by weight of each species) were also examined by their electrophoretic and densitometric patterns. Electrophoretic patterns remained stable at elevated pH (7.5), but were affected by low pH (4.7). The relative ratios of the bands which characterized each species changed in proportion to the species content in each binary mixture. These ratios make it possible to predict the approximate fraction of each species present in such mixtures.     

Phase Transitions of Wheat Starch-Water Systems Containing Polydextrose

Equivalent concentrations of polydextrose and sucrose had similar effects on phase transitions of wheat starch-water systems. Onset and peak gelatinization temperatures were increased similarly with the two solutes. This was true with varied water:starch ratios, varied concentrations of solute, and for batters prepared with the two solutes. Acesulfame K, cyclamate, and saccharin at low levels, as might be used in food products, had little effect on phase transitions of starch-water-solute systems.     

CAPILLARY EXTRUSION VISCOMETER FOR THE VISCOSITY MEASUREMENT OF FISH PROTEIN PASTE

To overcome various limitations of conventional viscometers in measuring salted or unsalted surimi paste, a capillary extrusion viscometer was developed. The viscosity of surimi paste was measured as a function of moisture content (MC) (75–80%), salt content (2–4%) and liquid egg white (LEW) content (2–4%). As moisture, salt and LEW contents increased, viscosity gradually decreased. The viscosity values, as affected by MCs, showed a highly negative relationship with fracture properties of surimi gel, especially shear stress from the torsion test, indicating that MC is linearly correlated to the strength of gels at fracture. This easy and quick viscosity measurement can effectively facilitate the production control of comminuted muscle foods, including surimi paste.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

There had been a difficulty to measure the exact viscosity of comminuted muscle food pastes when conventional viscometers were used. This was due to the non-linearity between dilution rates and viscosity of muscle paste, or limited range of shear rate during viscosity measurement. New developed small capillary extrusion viscometer can measure a wide range of comminuted muscle paste viscosity. When using this capillary viscometer, flow behavior of non-Newtonian surimi paste and other comminuted muscle paste can be well defined.