Determination of biogenic amines in Japanese miso products

Eight miso products sold in supermarket were purchased from Japan and analyzed for the determination of biogenic amines (BAs). Quantitative determination of BAs in miso products was carried out by means of HPLC with spectrophotometric UV-VIS detector. The amines were extracted in acid aqueous solution (HClO₄) and then derivatized by dansyl chloride. The levels of pH in the tested miso samples were ranged from 4.8–5.5. The BAs (tryptamine, 2-phenyl ethylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine, tyramine, and spermidine) determined in 8 miso samples were found in their respective range of ND-0.13, ND-4.20, ND-1.29, ND-0.87, ND-0.90, ND-4.19, and ND-3.57 mg%. None of the miso samples contained histamine and spermine, the major BAs of food poisoning.     

A finite element solution for the two-dimensional elastic contact problems with friction

A numerical procedure developed for solving the two-dimensional elastic contact problems with friction is presented. This is a generalization of a procedure developed by Francavilla and Zienkiewicz to include frictional effects under proportionate loading. The method uses the flexibility matrix obtained by inversion of condensed stiffness matrix formed by eliminating all the nodes except those where contact is likely to take place and those with external forces. Compatibility of displacements for both normal and tangential directions is applied to those nodes which do not slip. However, for the nodes which slip, compatibility of displacements is applied for normal direction only and slip condition is applied in the tangential direction. The technique has been applied to several problems and very good results have been obtained. The number of iterations needed are very small.     

Out-of-plane flexibilities of dovetail joints in machine tool structures

The paper aims to model the flexibility of a dovetail joint encountered in machine-tool structures. The investigation is concerned with the determination of a flexibility matrix through an approximate semianalytical procedure using finite element analysis. The contact region and the pressure distribution on the two mating surfaces are assumed. The deformation pattern of the male and female parts are separately analysed and from compatibility and equilibrium considerations, the overall deformation pattern of the joint is calculated for the three out of plane external force/moment components. The joint flexibility is represented by a 3 × 3 flexibility matrix. Results are presented for the knee-column joint and the column-overarm joint of a milling machine structure.     

Amebic peritonitis

A total of 18 patients with amebic peritonitis were studied. Fourteen of these cases were due to rupture of amebic liver abscess into the peritoneum and the remaining cases were due to perforation of amebic colitis. No initial suspicion of amebic etiology was made in more than half of the cases. In the group of ruptured liver abscesses, nearly half of the patients showed right lower lung syndrome. The diagnosis in 13 of 14 cases of rupture of liver abscess was confirmed on aspiration. Patients with ruptured amebic liver abcess were of two types: 1. Diffuse type with diffuse signs, shorter duration of illness and poor prognosis. 2. Localized type with longer duration of illness, marked signs of peritonitis and better prognosis. Once the diagnosis of peritonitis was made, the management was surgical. Conservative treatment was tried only in cases with signs of localization. The mortality rate had been 33% in amebic liver abscess rupturing into the peritoneum and 75% in perforation of the intestine. A high index of suspicion of amebiasis in patients with an acute abdomen and institution of early treatment are recommended to help in reducing this mortality. Amebic liver abscess and amebic dysentery should be treated energetically to avoid this fatal complication and surgical intervention whenever indicated should not be delayed.     

Effect of fat content on sensory and physico‐chemical properties of laboratory‐pasteurised calcium‐ and vitamin D‐fortified mixture of cow and buffalo milk

The influence of milk fat on physico‐chemical properties of calcium and vitamin D‐fortified milk was investigated. Sensory scores, curd tension, viscosity, rennet coagulation time and TBA value increased with the increase in fat content. Calcium and vitamin D fortification had no effect on sensory scores, whereas a significant increase was observed in curd tension and viscosity. The TBA value of fortified milk was significantly lower than that of the unfortified milk. The rennet coagulation time of milk increased significantly with addition of calcium phosphate, whereas calcium citrate fortification had no significant effect. All milk samples were stable to alcohol.     

Enhanced DSSC performance with high surface area thin anatase TiO2 nanoleaves

Thin anatase TiO₂ nanoleaves (NLs) with high surface area (∼93 m²/g) are synthesized by hydrothermal route and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) made using such NLs are compared with those made with hydro-thermally synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles and the Degussa P25 powder. The NLs-based DSSCs show increment of 16% and 24% in the total conversion efficiency over the cells made with NPs and P25 respectively. Interestingly, the highest increment in the conversion efficiency (∼35%) is achieved for cells made using a 50:50 (wt/wt) mixture of NLs and NPs. In this case the dye loading is found to be >50% higher than the case of NP films. Moreover the DC resistance of diffusion of in electrolyte (as revealed by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) is substantially lower than the NP film case, other cell parameters being nominally comparable.     

Understanding the thermodynamic micro-environment inside a pan coater using a data logging device

Objective: The objective of the current study was to establish the use of PyroButton data-logging device to monitor and quantify the thermodynamic environment (temperature and humidity) of a pan coating process.

Material and methods: PyroButtons were placed (fixed) at various locations in a pan coater, including exhaust plenum, spray-gun bar, baffles and were also allowed to freely move with the tablet-bed. A full factorial design of experiments (DOE) study on three process parameters, exhaust temperature, pan speed and spray rate was conducted on a 24 inch pan coater, using a coating system and a core tablet combination expected to have a narrow process operating space.

Results: It was shown that the PyroButtons can provide a detailed and useful signature of the coating process. PyroButton data showed that the tablet-bed temperature was always lower than exhaust temperature and that the difference was a function of the operating conditions such as spray rate. Similarly, the tablet-bed humidity was found to always be higher than exhaust humidity. Some of the DOE batches showed coating defects (logo-bridging). It was shown that the relative humidity (RH), as measured by the freely-moving PyroButtons in the tablet-bed, correlated well with the logo-bridging events. A critical RH value (30%) was established, above which logo-bridging was observed for the selected formulation.

Conclusions: This study showed that PyroButtons can provide very meaningful micro-environmental data that can be correlated to coating defects, and can aid in establishing a process design space for a given coating and tablet formulation.     

Effect of Novel Starter Culture on Reduction of Biogenic Amines,Quality Improvement,and Sensory Properties of Doenjang,a Traditional Korean Soybean Fermented Sauce Variety

To select appropriate microorganisms as starter cultures for the reliable and reproducible fermentation of soybean fermented products of Korean Doenjang, various ratios of fungi (Aspergillus oryzae J, Mucor racemosus 15, M. racemosus 42) combined with Bacillus subtilis TKSP 24 were selected as either single, double, or multiple Meju strains for commercial mass production of Doenjang, followed by analysis of sensory characteristics. In the sensory evaluation, Doenjang BAM15‐1 and BAM42‐1, which were fermented with multiple strains (1:1:1), showed the highest sensory scores as compared to control. Based on sensory characteristics, 6 Doenjang samples were subjected to quantitative determination of amino acids, free sugars, and organic acids (volatile and nonvolatile) contents, followed by determination of biogenic amines. Total sweet taste amino acid contents were highest in BAM15‐1 and BAM42‐1 samples (333.7 and 295.8 mg/100 g, respectively) and similar that of control (391.1 mg/100 g). Samples BAM15‐1 and BAM42‐1 showed the relatively high volatile and nonvolatile organic acid contents (154.24, 192.26, and 71.31, 82.42 mg/100 g, respectively). In addition, BAM15‐1 and BAM42‐1 showed negligible biogenic amine formation, ranging from 0.00 to 1.02 and 0.00 to 3.92 mg/100 g, respectively. These findings indicate that determination of food components along with sensory and quality attributes using multiple microbial Meju strains as a starter culture may provide substantial results on improved quality fermented Doenjang products.     

Effect of calcium and vitamin D2 fortification on quality characteristics of dahi

Two levels (500 and 600 ppm) of calcium (calcium phosphate and calcium citrate) along with vitamin D₂ (600 IU/L) were fortified in milk for dahi preparation. pH, water‐holding capacity and syneresis of fortified dahi were not affected significantly (P > 0.05). However, acetaldehyde content decreased and setting time increased upon fortification. Microbial count significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in calcium phosphate‐fortified dahi, whereas no difference was observed in calcium citrate‐fortified dahi. Firmness and viscosity decreased in calcium phosphate‐fortified dahi, whereas it increased in calcium citrate‐fortified dahi as compared to control. All dahi samples showed good sensory acceptability.