Effect of blanching and drying treatments on quality of bamboo shoot slices

The enzymes activity, texture, pectin, microstructure and colour change in bamboo shoots (Dendrocalamus latiflorus) were examined to evaluate the effect of blanching and drying treatments on quality of bamboo shoot slices (BSS). Peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase and polyphenol oxidase in BSS will become completely inactive at 95 °C for 6‐, 9‐ and 12‐min blanching treatments, respectively. The hardness and protopectin (PP) content decreased after the blanching treatment. Meanwhile, the content of water‐soluble pectin increased initially and then decreased gradually during the blanching. After the blanching treatment, the L* and a* of BSS decreased, while b* increased, ΔE > 2. The hardness of rehydrated BSS decreased by 43.57% after freeze drying (FD), which, however, decreased more after hot air drying (HAD). The pectin of rehydrated BSS was also determined to explain the hardness change in BSS. The BSS acquired similar microstructure of fresh samples after FD, while microstructure of BSS was severely damaged after HAD. The colour of BSS changes significantly after drying treatment. However, FD can maintain better colour of BSS than HAD. The results may provide a reference for industrial production of BSS.     

Experimental study on drying of pear slices in a convective dryer

The experiments were conducted on pear slices with thickness of 5 mm at temperatures of 50, 57, 64 and 71 °C with an air velocity of 2.0 m s^?1. Prior to drying, pear slices were pretreated with citric acid solution (0.5% w/w, 1 min, 20 °C) or blanched in hot water (1 min, 85 °C). Also, the untreated samples were dried as control. The shortest drying time of pear slices was obtained with pretreatment with citric acid solution. It was observed that whole drying process of pear slices took place in a falling rate period. Four mathematical models were tested to fit drying data of pear slices. According to the statistical criteria (R², χ² and RMSE), the Midilli et al. model was found to be the best model to describe the drying behaviour of pear slices. The effective diffusivity of moisture transfer during drying process varied between 8.56 × 10^?11 and 2.25 × 10^?10 m² s^?1, while the activation energy of moisture diffusion in pear slices was found to be 34.95–41.00 kJ mol^?1.     

Teriflunomide Preserves Neuronal Activity and Protects Mitochondria in Brain Slices Exposed to Oxidative Stress

Teriflunomide (TFN) limits relapses in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) by reducing lymphocytic proliferation through the inhibition of the mitochondrial enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) and the subsequent modulation of de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Alterations of mitochondrial function as a consequence of oxidative stress have been reported during neuroinflammation. Previously, we showed that TFN prevents alterations of mitochondrial motility caused by oxidative stress in peripheral axons. Here, we aimed to validate TFN effects on mitochondria and neuronal activity in hippocampal brain slices, in which cellular distribution and synaptic circuits are largely preserved. TFN effects on metabolism and neuronal activity were investigated by assessing oxygen partial pressure and local field potential in acute slices. Additionally, we imaged mitochondria in brain slices from the transgenic Thy1-CFP/COX8A)S2Lich/J (mitoCFP) mice using two-photon microscopy. Although TFN could not prevent oxidative stress-related depletion of ATP, it preserved oxygen consumption and neuronal activity in CNS tissue during oxidative stress. Furthermore, TFN prevented mitochondrial shortening and fragmentation of puncta-shaped and network mitochondria during oxidative stress. Regarding motility, TFN accentuated the decrease in mitochondrial displacement and increase in speed observed during oxidative stress. Importantly, these effects were not associated with neuronal viability and did not lead to axonal damage. In conclusion, during conditions of oxidative stress, TFN preserves the functionality of neurons and prevents morphological and motility alterations of mitochondria.     

A simple UV-Vis spectrophotometric method for determination of β-carotene content in raw carrot, sweet potato and supplemented chicken meat nuggets

A simple, rapid and low cost analytical method for the determination of β-carotene content in four different food categories is developed and validated. This method is based on solvent extraction followed by UV-Vis spectrometric detection. Target compound was extracted with four different solvents, in which acetone appears to be an excellent extractant as recovery of the analyte at 1 μg/g concentration in spiked samples was in the range of 67.8-98.8%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging between 4.8 and 6.6%. Intra- and inter-day assay precisions of the method at 0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 μg/g concentrations ranged in between 3.4 and 8.9%. The linearities for β- carotene in the pure acetone, raw carrot, sweet potato, and fortified raw and cooked chicken meat nuggets were 0.994, 0.995, 0.990, 0.984 and 0.984, respectively. For robustness, the analytical method was applied to 24 samples of four different food categories namely carrot, sweet potato and carrot and sweet potato supplemented chicken meat nuggets.     

Effect of high-voltage electrostatic field on quality of carrot juice during refrigeration

In the present study, carrot juice was used as the experimental material and stored in a 100 kV/m high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF; E-group) which was used as a freshness-retention system. The changes in the biological properties were investigated relative to those juices which were stored in a common refrigerator (R-group) and controlled at the same temperature (4 °C). The results showed that the extent of color difference (ΔE), amount of total phenolics, tannins, and total plate counts of carrot juice were increased during the storage period, whereas the turbidity and amount of total carotenoids decreased under all treatment conditions. These factors remained relatively constant during storage in the E-group, whereas a significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in the R-group. The HVEF treatment yielded better physicochemical properties and prolonged the shelf-life of the carrot juice. The application of HVEF at low temperature has the potential of imparting freshness and a high nutritional value to the products.     

超高压对胡萝卜-草莓复合汁中酶和微生物的影响

目的：为利用超高压技术加工鲜榨果汁提供依据；方法：采用超高压处理鲜榨胡萝卜-草莓复合汁，发现不同压力、保压时间对复合果汁中POD、PPO和LOX酶的活性及其微生物的致死作用不同；结果：在200，300，400，500，600MPa分别处理20min时，POD最耐压，LOX对压力最敏感，其中600MPa下POD、PPO和LOX分别失活46．15％、52％和77．24％。在400MPa、20min处理的复合汁中大肠杆菌≤3MPN／100mL，细菌总数≤10CFU／mL。     

A Comparison Study of Frying Conditions on Furan Formation in 3 Potato Varieties

Furan, a typical food contaminant formed by heating process, is classified as a possible carcinogen to humans. Many factors lead to the formation of furan in food processing. In our present study, 3 potato varieties, white potato, sweet potato, and purple potato were selected to investigate the effect of thermal processing temperature and time on furan formation. The results showed that the formation of furan was highly correlated with frying temperature and time. Among the 3 potato varieties, sweet potato resulted in the highest furan concentration when fried at 200 °C for 5 min. In addition, the frying temperature and time also influenced the water activity and the color of the 3 kinds of potato slices, which had significant correlation with the formation of furan. Furan concentration decreased along with the increasing of water activity in the 3 potato varieties and the changes presented regression relationships. Meanwhile, there was an inverse correlation between furan content and color changes in the 3 potato varieties. The level of furan decreased as total color changes (ΔE) increased and the changes also presented regression relationships. These results could be used to estimate the possibility of furan formation in the 3 varieties of potato slices systems.     

草莓、胡萝卜复合低糖果酱的研制

以低甲氧基果胶(LMP)凝胶特性为基础,对防止低糖果酱脱水问题的方法进行了探讨。选择草莓和胡萝卜为原料,在营养、色泽、质感上相互搭配,用正交试验设计筛选出草莓胡萝卜复合低糖果酱的最佳工艺及配方。产品可溶性固形物含量为25%～30%,色泽自然,风味宜人。     

Kinetic analysis of non-enzymatic browning in carrot juice concentrate during storage

The effect of storage temperature, storage time and total soluble solid (TSS) on the total sugar (TS), sucrose, glucose, fructose, total amino acid (TAA), pH, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and browning degree (BD) in carrot juice concentrate (CJC) stored at −18, 0, 25 and 37 °C was studied and the relationship between HMF and BD was established. Higher temperature at 25 and 37 °C had a significant effect (p<0.05) on TS, sucrose, glucose, fructose, TAA, pH, HMF and BD, while lower temperature at 0 and −18 °C had less effect, and the storage time and the soluble solid of CJC stored at 25 and 37 °C also had a significant effect on HMF formation and BD. At 25 and 37 °C, the formation of HMF and BD followed a first-order reaction well as a function of storage time; a good correlation between HMF formation and BD occurred. The formation of HMF could described by the total soluble solid value [TSS] and the BD value ([BD], absorbance at 420 nm) of CJC, the equation was [HMF] (content of HMF) = 1.2177 − 0.1124 × [TSS] + (2.835 + 0.3477 × [TSS]) × [BD] and [HMF] = 1.5510 − 0.4813 × [TSS] + (23.8847 + 0.7249 × [TSS]) × [BD] at 25 and 37 °C, respectively.     

葛根片热风干燥节能工艺条件优化研究

为了找寻葛根片热风干燥的最佳条件,利用热风干燥箱,在不同的沸水预处理时间、切片厚度、热风温度和装料量条件下对葛根片进行干燥,获得了葛根片的干燥曲线,并分析了沸水预处理时间、切片厚度、热风温度和装料厚度对干燥效果的影响。并以含水率和单位物料能耗为指标,利用响应面分析法（RSM）对热风干燥工艺条件进行优化,得到了葛根片热风干燥工艺参数的最佳组合为沸水预处理时间32 s、切片厚度4 mm、热风温度56 ℃和装料量1.4 kg/m2,在此条件下,经过44 h的干燥,葛根片干基含水率为5.9%、单位物料能耗为1.88 （kW·h）/kg。