Effects of Microbial Polysaccharides on the Oil Absorption and Quality Characteristics of a Deep-Fried Snack Namkeen

This study investigates the potential of microbial polysaccharides (MP) gellan gum and pullulan to reduce oil uptake in a deep-fried snack (Namkeen). The concentration of MP in refined wheat flour varied between 1–10% (w/w) and the frying time and temperature are optimized. The results reveal that MP added namkeens showed a maximum relative oil reduction of 33.87% with gellan gum and 26.93% with pullulan at 10% (w/w). Gellan gum and pullulan result in oil reduction of 23.19% and 15.97% with 5% (w/w). The results reveal that gellan gum added namkeens exhibited 1.45 times lower oil uptake than pullulan added namkeen indicating potential oil reduction capabilities. The hardness of namkeen is observed to increase with an increase in MP concentration. Sensorial and textural characteristics of control and MP incorporated fried samples are comparable up to 5% (w/w) with MP concentration. The results for the control samples and MP incorporated samples are statistically significant. Furthermore, overall sensorial acceptability of pullulan added namkeens (7.74 ± 0.53) is slightly higher than that of gellan gum added namkeens (7.64 ± 0.36). Practical Application: Low-fat diet and functional foods are expected to help in managing the conditions of hyperlipidaemia. This study focuses on the potential of MP in reducing the oil content of deep-fried snacks. The efficacy of MP gellan gum and pullulan as functional ingredients for oil reduction in fried snacks demonstrates its aid in formulating low-fat foods thereby retaining sensorial characteristics.     

Experimental Investigation on the Performance of a Solar Still Using SiO2 Nanoparticles /Jatropha curcas L

Silicon - Now, enticing systematic civic since everywhere the world is used in green synthesis and benefit of the simple is eco-friendly with an emergent method of producing nanoparticles (NPs)....     

Scale up criteria for dual stirred gas-liquid unbaffled tank with concave blade impeller

Experimental investigation has been done in unbaffled gas-liquid stirred tanks using dual concave blade impeller to analyze the mass transfer, power consumption and gas holdup. Optimal impeller clearance has been suggested for lower and upper impeller based on maximum mass transfer rate. Numerical modeling has been done to analyze the flow pattern for different combinations of impeller clearance. The lower impeller positioned at 0.3 of tank diameter and clearance between lower and upper impeller at 0.4 of tank diameter gave the maximum mass transfer coefficient. Scale-up criteria for mass transfer rate, power and gas holdup have been developed for optimal geometrical similar systems of unbaffled stirred tanks with dual concave impeller.     

Relationship between morphology and mechanical properties of binary and compatibilized ternary blends of polypropylene and nylon 6

The effect of compatibilization on the morphology, mechanical properties, and dynamic mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (IPP)/nylon-6 (Ny-6) binary blends was investigated. Maleic anhydride (MAH) functionalized IPP was used as a compatibilizer in binary blends. The morphological, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties of binary and ternary blends were compared. The blends containing IPP-g-MAH showed more regular and finer dispersion of phases, different dynamic properties, and improved mechanical properties due to better adhesion between the two phases. The blends were also characterized for their flow properties and extent of water absorption. The melting peak temperature and percent crystallinity of IPP and Ny-6 phases were decreased in compatibilized blends. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Orientation of aqueous stretched cottons as measured by X-ray diffraction

The structural changes produced by aqueous swelling and stretching in cotton is found to be irreversible. This article present the X-ray angle data of six varieties of cotton that belong to Gossypium hirsutum. A marked decrease in X-ray angles was found in all treated samples, thereby indicating better orientation. Improvement in the orientation is associated with ncrease in the stretch. The improvement is high in all tension-dried cottons, showing the impact of the tension drying. Similar improved orientation is found in all varieties, indicating the varietal response of G. hirsutum. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and characterization of moisture‐cured polyurethane membranes and their applications in pervaporation separation of ethyl acetate/water azeotrope at 30°C

NCO‐terminated polyurethane membranes were prepared using diisocyanate, diol, and trimethylolpropane (TMP) using an NCO/OH ratio of 1.6 : 1. Prepolymer was chain‐extended using cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) in the ratios of 2 : 1, 4 : 1, and 3 : 1 of NCO/OH. Polyurethane (PU) membranes were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA) to investigate their thermal properties. Equilibrium sorption studies were carried out at 30°C in water and ethyl acetate media as well as in their binary mixtures. The influence of CAB on pervaporation (PV) separation of an ethyl acetate/water (92/8, w/w, i.e., azeotropic composition) mixture was investigated. Membranes in this study showed a selectivity of 42.42 with a flux value of 0.187 kg/m/h for 3 : 1% NCO/OH containing PU membrane. In order to gain a more detailed picture of the molecular transport phenomenon, we performed the sorption gravimetric experiments at 30°, 35°, 40°, and 50°C to compute diffusion, swelling, sorption, and permeability coefficients of PU membranes in the azeotropic mixture of ethyl acetate and water. Activation parameters for diffusion and permeation were computed from the Arrhenius equation to understand the polymer/solvent interactions. Sorption trends and diffusion anomalies were established through an empirical equation after estimating the diffusion parameters. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 3405–3414, 2007     

Electrical Conduction in Nano-Structured La0.9Sr0.1Al0.85Co0.05Mg0.1O3 Perovskite Oxide

Nanocrystalline La_0.9Sr_0.1Al_0.85Co_0.05Mg_0.1O₃ oxide powder was synthesized by a citrate–nitrate auto-ignition process and characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and impedance spectroscopy measurements. Nanocrystalline (50–100 nm) powder with perovskite structure could be produced at 900°C by this process. The powder could be sintered to a density more than 96% of the theoretical density at 1550°C. Impedance measurements on the sintered samples unequivocally established the potential of this process in developing nanostructured lanthanum aluminate-based oxides. The sintered La_0.9Sr_0.1Al_0.85Co_0.05Mg_0.1O₃ sample exhibited a conductivity of 2.40 × 10⁻² S/cm in air at 1000°C compared with 4.9 × 10⁻³ S/cm exhibited by La_0.9Sr_0.1Al_0.85Mg_0.15O₃.     

A kinetic model for the enzyme-catalyzed self-epoxidation of oleic acid

This paper reports a kinetic model for the selfepoxidation of oleic acid with toluene as solvent and Novozym 435 (a commercially available preparation of immobilized Candida antarctica lipase) as catalyst at 30°C. The effects of various parameters on the conversion and rates of reaction were studied. Both the initial rate and the progress curve data were used to fit an ordered bi-bi model. At low temperatures, the rate of epoxidation was faster than the rate of deactivation of the enzyme by hydrogen peroxide.     

Structural characteriztion of Nd-doped in silica host matrix prepared by net chemical process

Silica host matrix containing neodymium which is potentially important for the formation of nanocrystalline metal oxides was prepared by solgel method, using tetra-ethoxysilane and Nd(NO3)3 as precursor materials. The prepared samples were changed from amorphous to nanocrystallites phase at sintered temperature 550℃ (4 h), 750℃ (8 h) and 950 ℃ (12 h). The thermally treated sample microstructures were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). While a further increase of the temperature at 750 ℃ and annealing time (8 h) resulted in the formation of cubic and hexagonal Nd2O3 nanocrystallites. At constant sintering temperature 950℃ for 12 h, the samples showed sharper and intense peaks. The sizes of Nd2O3 nanocrystallites were characterized by XRD with average size～46 nm.