Effect of Skin Wine Pomace and Sulfite on Protein Oxidation in Beef Patties During High Oxygen Atmosphere Storage

Meat storage in high oxygen atmosphere has been reported to induce protein oxidation reactions decreasing meat quality. The incorporation of antioxidants has been proposed to reduce the extent of these reactions. In this study, the ability of red and white skin wine pomaces as well as sulfites to inhibit protein oxidation were tested in beef patties stored for up to 15 days at 4 °C in a high oxygen atmosphere (70 % O₂ and 30 % CO₂). SO₂ (300 ppm) effectively protected against protein oxidation measured as radical formation by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, as thiol loss by the DTNB assay and as myosin heavy chain (MHC) disulfide cross-linking by SDS-PAGE. Pomace from red wine production with a total phenol of 9.9 mg gallic acid equivalent/g protected against protein radical formation and against MHC cross-linking, but not against thiol loss by addition of 2.0 % (w/w) to the beef patties. Pomace from white wine production with a total phenol of 4.0 mg gallic acid equivalent/g only protected against MHC cross-linking. For both types of wine pomace, protein modifications not seen for sulfite addition were observed and were proposed to involve covalent phenol addition to proteins. Red wine pomace may be an alternative to sulfite as a meat additive for protection of beef patties against protein oxidation.     

High pressure treatment of dry-cured Iberian ham. Effect on radical formation,lipid oxidation and colour

The effect of high-pressure treatment (200, 400, 600 and 800 MPa) on radical formation in solid samples of dry-cured Iberian ham and in ham slurries was evaluated using the spin-trapping technique and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. In addition, hexanal was, as a secondary lipid oxidation product, assessed by gas chromatography. The effect of pressure treatments on ESR signals determined in the spin-trapping assay following pressure treatment in solid samples of dry-cured Iberian ham was not statistically significant. However, the lowest level of pressure applied initiated radical formation and promoted lipid peroxidation, whereas intermediate to high levels of pressure seemed to promote further reaction and disappearance of free radicals. Pressure significantly affected hexanal content in the same way as seen for formation of free radicals. Regarding the slurries prepared from dry-cured ham, pressure significantly increased the tendency of radical formation as seen from the ESR signals and significantly increased the hexanal content. The different pattern between solid ham and ham slurries points toward an initiation mechanism associated with the membrane phospholipids for oxidation. In addition, surface colour (L*, a* and b* values and percent reflectance values) of non-pressurized and pressurized (200–800 MPa) dry-cured Iberian ham samples was assessed. Non-pressurized samples showed a higher lightness than pressurized samples, and redness significantly decreased with pressure treatment.     

Effect of green tea or rosemary extract on protein oxidation in Bologna type sausages prepared from oxidatively stressed pork

Bologna type sausages were prepared from oxidatively stressed pork (UV-irradiation, 48 h, 5 °C) using a traditional recipe (control) or the same recipe but added green tea extract (500 ppm total phenolic compounds) or rosemary extract (400 ppm total phenolic compounds). Green tea and rosemary extracts protected against formation of TBARS and protein carbonyls. On the contrary, increased thiol loss and a distinct loss of myosin heavy chain and actin due to polymerization by reducible bonds as determined by SDS-page were found by addition of green tea extract. The enhanced protein polymerization was ascribed to the reaction between quinone compounds from the plant extracts and protein thiol groups to yield phenol-mediated protein polymerization. Analysis by ESR spectroscopy revealed increased radical intensities in sausages added plant extracts, which was ascribed to originate from protein-bound phenoxyl radicals, which may protect against other oxidatively induced protein modifications.     

Control of Morphological and Rheological Properties of Carrot Cell Wall Particle Dispersions through Processing

A range of thermal and mechanical processes were used to create dispersions with different particle morphologies, i.e., systems that contain primarily plant cell wall clusters with an average particle size (d(0.5)) of ～200 µm, single cells ((d(0.5)?=?～70 µm) or cell fragments (d(0.5)?=?～40 µm). The small and large deformation rheology (viscoelastic properties and flow properties) of these dispersions, with a range of total solid contents covering textures varying from a fluid to a paste, were determined. The particle dispersions showed weak gel-like behaviour. Their elastic modulus (G′) as a function of total solid content exhibited three regions of different rheological behaviours. The particles formed particulate colloidal networks at relatively low solid content. The interaction of particles contributed to the sharp increase in the elastic modulus of the dispersion in the concentrated region. Further packing of particles beyond the critical packing volume fraction, caused the G′ for the ‘cluster-cell’ and the ‘single-cell’ dispersions to reach a plateau value. This is due to particle deformation resulting in changes in their microstructure and their ability to pack closely. Plant particle dispersions displayed abrupt yielding at the critical stress with a 3–4 order decrease in viscosity and high yield stress at low solids due to the formation of particulate colloidal network.     

Interactions between tocopherols,tocotrienols and carotenoids during autoxidation of mixed palm olein and fish oil

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and spin trapping detection of radical formation showed that the oxidative stability of palm olein/fish oil mixtures increased with the amount of palm olein. Mixtures with red palm olein were less stable than were mixtures with yellow palm olein. Addition of ascorbyl palmitate and citric acid gave further reduction of radical formation, whereas no effect was observed by adding lecithins. Storage of palm olein/fish oil mixtures (4:1) at 30 °C confirmed that red palm olein mixtures were less stable than were yellow palm olein mixtures. Ascorbyl palmitate together with citric acid improved the stability in both cases. The concentrations of α-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol decreased during storage, whereas β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienols were unaffected. Ascorbyl palmitate reduced the losses of α-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol. The rate of loss of carotenoids was independent of the presence of fish oil and, except for an initial fast drop, also of the presence of ascorbyl palmitate.     

Effects of climate change on biomass production and substitution in north-central Sweden

In this study we estimate the effects of climate change on forest production in north-central Sweden, as well as the potential climate change mitigation feedback effects of the resulting increased carbon stock and forest product use. Our results show that an average regional temperature rise of 4 °C over the next 100 years may increase annual forest production by 33% and potential annual harvest by 32%, compared to a reference case without climate change. This increased biomass production, if used to substitute fossil fuels and energy-intensive materials, can result in a significant net carbon emission reduction. We find that carbon stock in forest biomass, forest soils, and wood products also increase, but this effect is less significant than biomass substitution. A total net reduction in carbon emissions of up to 104 Tg of carbon can occur over 100 years, depending on harvest level and reference fossil fuel.     

Perspectives on implementing energy efficiency in existing Swedish detached houses

In this study, we first analyse energy-efficiency measures in existing electrically heated houses in Sweden from a societal economic perspective. Measures to a house envelopes and to energy supply chains are evaluated through a system analysis approach and we include the external costs of climate change and the effect of different Swedish climatic zones. We find that in a typical house from the 1970s, conversion from electric heating is highly motivated since the mitigation cost of conversion is lower than the estimated external costs of emitted CO₂. Both conversions and house envelope measures are more motivated in the northern part of the country, where there is a higher heat demand. A successful implementation of changes requires them to be attractive for consumers to adopt. We therefore secondly analyse the economic conditions for Swedish house owners to implement societal economic cost-efficient measures. We include the economic influence of an investment subsidy for heating system conversion, an income tax deduction for changing windows, customer electricity tax, real estate tax and of the cost of purchased energy from different energy suppliers. Apart from the economics, several other factors affect a house owner's decision to change heating systems. We therefore thirdly analyse house owners’ perceptions of different heating supply alternatives based on the results of two comprehensive questionnaires. These different perspectives are combined in a discussion whether the studied policy instruments encourage house owners to implement changes in accordance with the energy-efficiency goals of decision makers. We find that the investment subsidy could be useful to break the lock-in effect of resistance heaters, which house owners seemed to experience. The electricity tax makes heating systems in line with national goals more competitive and efficiency measures to the house envelope more profitable. The reduction of the electricity tax in the northern part of the country has the opposite effect. Also, the increase in real estate tax when implementing energy-efficiency measures gives a contradictory message. The price differences between energy suppliers has a larger impact on the house owners’ economic conditions than both subsidies and tax rate changes, and possibly also affect the house owner's attitudes towards various systems.     

Structure Studies on 6a-Thiathiophthenes and Related Compounds

The results from structure studies on 6a-thiathiophthenes show that different substituent groups perturb the bonding in the three-sulphur sequence to different degrees. Both equal and unequal S? S bonds occur in symmetrically as well as in unsymmetrically substituted derivatives. The specific effect of methyl and phenyl substituents on the sulphur-sulphur bonding may be described by the results from CNDO/2 calculations on mono-methyl and mono-phenyl substituted 6a-thiathiophthenes. Molecular packing and intermolecular close contacts also seem to affect the S? S bonding. The structures of equally substituted 6a-thiathiophthene analogues with and show, when compared with the equivalent 6a-thiathiophthene, that and cause a pronounced change in the S? S bonding, while the perturbation caused by is negligible. In symmetrical 6a-thiathiophthene analogues with and , the average bond length in the linear three-atom sequence is 9 – 12% longer than the respective single bond.     

Adoption of innovative heating systems—needs and attitudes of Swedish homeowners

Questionnaire surveys of Swedish homeowners of detached houses were carried out in 2004 and 2007 to understand their needs and attitudes towards attributes of innovative heating systems (IHSs) comprised of a bedrock heat pump, district heating, or a wood pellet boiler. In each occasion 1,500 homeowners were randomly selected. The response rate was 42% in 2004 and 48% in 2007. Results showed that the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their existing heating system and did not intend to install new systems. Economic factors and functional reliability were the most important factors in the respondents’ choices of heating system, while environmental factors were of lower importance. Among the IHSs, respondents had the most favorable attitude towards bedrock heat pumps followed by district heating and pellet boilers. But the attitude was more favorable towards electric boilers than for pellet boilers. The least favorable attitude was towards oil boilers. Between 2004 and 2007, there was a positive change in respondents’ attitude towards IHSs and electric boilers, and a negative change in attitude towards resistance heaters and oil boilers.     

A portable virtual machine for Ada

A portable compiler can be constructed by letting it generate code for a virtual machine, which is then implemented on the real target machines. The design of a virtual machine which is especially suitable as a target machine for compiled Ada programs is described. The main design goals, implementability on mini-computers and portability, are discussed and the resulting design is described in some detail. Some implementation strategies for the machine are proposed and the feasibility of the virtual machine approach is discussed.