Transfer of thallium from rape seed to rape oil is negligible and oil is fit for human consumption

Rape and other Brassicaceae family plants can accumulate appreciable amounts of thallium from the soil. Because some species of this family are common crops utilised as food for direct consumption or raw materials for food production, thallium can enter the food chain. A useful method for thallium determination is inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The limit of detection (0.2 pg ml^–1 Tl or 0.02 ng g^–1 Tl, taking in the account dilution during sample decomposition) found in the current study was very low, and the method can be used for ultra-trace analysis. Possible transfer of thallium from rape seed to the rape oil was investigated in two ways. The balance of thallium in rape seed meal (content 140–200 ng g^–1 Tl) and defatted rape seed meal indicated that thallium did not pass into the oil (p < 0.05). Moreover, the analyses of thallium in six kinds of edible rape seed oil and three kinds of margarines showed that the amount of thallium in rape seed oil is negligible.     

Ciprofloxacin Liposomes as Vesicular Reservoirs for Ocular Delivery: Formulation,Optimization, and In Vitro Characterization

Management of extraocular diseases is mainly limited by the inability to provide long-term drug delivery without avoiding the systemic drug exposure and/or affecting the intraocular structures and poor availability of drugs, which may be overcome by prolonging the contact time with the ocular system, for instance with liposomes. Development and optimization of reverse phase evaporation ciprofloxacin (CPF) HCl liposomes for ocular drug delivery was carried out using a 2⁵ full factorial design based on five independent variables. The effects of the studied parameters on drug entrapment efficiency (EE), particle size, and percentage of drug released after 1 and 10 h were investigated. The results obtained pointed out that the molar concentration of cholesterol was the predominant factor that increased the EE% of the drug and the particle size responses. The percentage of drug released after 1 h was significantly controlled by the initial CPF concentration while that after 10 h was controlled by molar cholesterol concentration. The designed liposomes had average particle sizes that ranged from 2.5 to 7.23 μm. In addition, liposomes revealed a fast release during the first hour followed by a more gradual drug release during the 24-h period according to Higuchi diffusion model.     

Phytosterols and pectin added to a high‐saturated fat diet do not show hypocholesterolemic activity in female guinea pigs

This paper presents the results of a study whose aim was to test the effects of several doses of pectin and phytosterols on the sterol content in plasma, liver and feces of guinea pigs, when added to a high‐saturated fat diet. The treatments followed a 3×3 factorial design, with three levels of pectin (0, 3.67 and 6.93%) and three levels of phytosterols (0, 1.37 and 2.45%). Seventy‐two female Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs were randomly assigned to the treatment groups (eight animals per group). The duration of the treatment was 4 weeks. No differences were found in plasma cholesterol concentrations, while in liver we saw a reduction in cholesterol concentration after phytosterol feeding. Moreover, we found no pectin effects. Plant sterol concentration increased in plasma and liver after phytosterol ingestion, with the highest concentrations being obtained with the intermediate pectin dose. Our results suggest that a high‐saturated diet may impair the cholesterol‐lowering properties of plant sterols and pectin.     

Exposures to transit and other sources of noise among New York City residents

To evaluate the contributions of common noise sources to total annual noise exposures among urban residents and workers, we estimated exposures associated with five common sources (use of mass transit, occupational and nonoccupational activities, MP3 player and stereo use, and time at home and doing other miscellaneous activities) among a sample of over 4500 individuals in New York City (NYC). We then evaluated the contributions of each source to total noise exposure and also compared our estimated exposures to the recommended 70 dBA annual exposure limit. We found that one in ten transit users had noise exposures in excess of the recommended exposure limit from their transit use alone. When we estimated total annual exposures, 90% of NYC transit users and 87% of nonusers exceeded the recommended limit. MP3 player and stereo use, which represented a small fraction of the total annual hours for each subject on average, was the primary source of exposure among the majority of urban dwellers we evaluated. Our results suggest that the vast majority of urban mass transit riders may be at risk of permanent, irreversible noise-induced hearing loss and that, for many individuals, this risk is driven primarily by exposures other than occupational noise.     

Keeping qualities of potato chips flavoured with kebab and salt

The volatile components from kebab flavour used in dusting potato chips were isolated by continuous steam distillation extraction (SDE) method. Sixteen volatile components were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The main constituents were aldehydes, hydrocarbons, thiophenes and fatty acids. Two potato chips samples, one flavoured with salt and the other with the kebab flavour, were stored for six months at room temperature. The aroma of each sample was isolated before and after storage. The results showed that the most contributor components to potato chips aroma were decreased by storage while the components which are responsible for rancid flavour were increased in the two samples, but with better results for the sample flavoured with salt.     

Yield Stress of Wax Gel using Vane Method

Abstract

Wax gel formation occurs in pipelines under quiescent conditions during a scheduled or emergency shutdown of flow. Paraffinic wax precipitates from the bulk oil when oil temperature decreases below the characteristic wax precipitation temperature, while the gelling begins as the temperature decreases below the pour point. Further temperature reductions below the pour point result in the development of a stronger gel. In this study, the gel strength was measured by determining the yield stress using the vane method. The method consisted of identifying the maximum torque exerted on the sample at various temperatures. Model oils were prepared by mixing low vacuum gas oil wax, mineral oil, and kerosene. Linear increase in gel strength with decreasing temperature was observed in the measured temperature range. As the wax content increased, so did the yield strength of the gel below the solution pour point. The slope of the yield-stress versus temperature line was also steeper for the model oil containing higher amount of wax. Recovery of gel strength was also examined by aging at the same temperature and by decreasing temperatures after breaking the gel at certain temperature.     

The influence of galactomannans with different amount of galactose side chains on the gelation of soy proteins at neutral pH

The influence of diverse galactomannans, differing mainly on the degree of branching (amount of galactose side chains along the main mannan backbone), on the heat-induced gelation of soybean proteins at pH 7, was investigated using dynamic oscillatory rheological measurements at low strain amplitude and microstructural analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Rheological tests were performed during gel formation, induced by either isothermal heating or by heating/cooling at a constant rate. Two different protein concentrations were analysed, one in the vicinity of the critical gel conditions and the other corresponding to a well developed gel, whereas the galactomannan concentration ranged from 0 to 0.5%. The presence of the galactomannan promoted the gelation to occur for protein concentration below the critical gelation of soybean proteins alone, decreased the gelling temperature and had a positive effect on the gel strength of the heat-induced gels. These effects were more pronounced as the degree of branching decreases. The consequence of demixing and phase separation was dependent on biopolymer concentration and galactomannan branching, resulting in an array of microstructures, spanning emulsion-like, bicontinuous and aggregated morphologies. Structure development within the galactomannan-rich phases, dependent on the branching degree and on the capability of the galactomannan for self-association, may have played a role in the phase separation and viscoelasticity of the final gels. It was demonstrated that by using soybean proteins and galactomannan mixtures at above phase separation concentrations and controlling the polymer concentration and the length of the unsubstituted polysaccharide backbone, tailor-made viscoelasticities and microstructures can be obtained with useful applications in food formulation.     

The Douro wine region: a cluster approach

The globalization of the wine industry needs to be perceived as a challenge and an opportunity to innovate by traditional European producers’ countries, like Portugal, characterized by a terroir model, that is, an economic structure supported by a large number of grape growers, small and medium wine firms and high public regulation, to compete in international markets. Using a cluster approach, this article presents the case of the most important Portuguese wine region, the Demarcated Douro Region (DDR), which is a strong reference of terroir and known for producing Port wine. To increase its competitiveness in the world wine market, the DDR needs to evolve from an organized to an innovative cluster.     

Novel fire-retardant bagasse papers using talc/cyclodiphosphazane and nanocellulose as packaging materials

This paper aimed to modify the ignitability of the bagasse paper by using talc powder, 1,3-di-aniline-2,2,2,4,4,4-hexachlorocyclodiphosph(V)azane, and nanocellulose crystal. The formation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was detected using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal analysis as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) of the specimens recorded the improvement of the highest % of ash residue at 750 °C compared to the untreated one. The shape of the flame spread was studied. The ignition properties were studied for the untreated and treated specimens by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and flame chamber (UL/94), which recorded enhancing compared to the untreated specimen. This improvement was recorded either by measuring the mechanical properties (tensile strength, burst strength, elongation, and elasticity) of the specimens. The current article showed that the treated specimen was recorded the highest values compared to the untreated one in all physical, mechanical, and ignition properties, so these treatment paper sheets may be used as fire-retardant packaging materials.