Zein-based anti-browning cling wraps for fresh-cut apple slices

The usage of cling wraps is emerging as an easy and cost-effective approach to protect fresh-cut fruits and vegetables from dust, whilst improving visual appeal on retail counters. This study focused on developing an alternate, protein-based packaging material as a food grade cling wrap for food packaging applications. Zein-based cling wraps were produced, and their physical and mechanical characteristics were evaluated and compared with conventionally used chitosan biopolymer films and commercial synthetic polymer films. Antioxidant potential of the prepared films was studied, and the effectiveness of the developed films as anti-browning cling wraps was evaluated using studies conducted on fresh-cut apple slices at ambient conditions. Anti-browning effects were in par with polymeric counterparts; however, zein cling wraps could better prevent weight loss in apple slices. Zein-based films can be adopted as biodegradable food grade cling wraps as an alternative to chitosan and synthetic polymeric materials.     

Effects of genotype and treatment on the antioxidant activity of sweet potato in Taiwan

Six genotypes of sweet potato commercially available in Taiwan, including TNG57, TNG66, TNG68, TYY1, RP and WP, were used as samples in this study of the effects of steaming and kneading with pre-steaming treatments on the antioxidant components and antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts. Steam treatment increased the total phenols contents of all genotypes (2–13 times), flavonoids content of RP (1.3 times) and anthocyanins contents of RP and WP (5–6 times). Steam treatment also increased the reducing power and scavenging DPPH radical effect of sweet potato flours. For the methanolic extracts of steamed and kneaded flours, reducing powers were 0.02–1.70 at 5.0 mg ml⁻¹ and the scavenging effects on DPPH radicals were 19–92% at 2.5 mg ml⁻¹. Both showed the order of RP > WP > TYY1 and TNG66 > TNG57 and TNG68. However, the chelating effect of the six genotypes at 1.0 mg ml⁻¹ ranged from 50% to 73%. Contents of total phenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins of sweet potato flours were significantly positively correlated with the reducing power and scavenging DPPH radical effects. After steaming and kneading treatments, RP showed the highest increase in the contents of total phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins among the six genotypes studied.     

Effects ofSolanum glycoalkaloids on chemosensilla in the Colorado potato beetle

Steroidal glycoalkaloids, found in species of the Solanaceae, elicit bursting activity in galeal and tarsal chemosensilla of adult Colorado potato beetles. The effect has an average latency of 6–12 sec, depending on the sensillum/alkaloid combination. A 20-sec alkaloid treatment is often suffficient to render galeal sensilla unresponsive to gamma-aminobutyric acid, normally an effective stimulant. The alkaloids have similar effects on galeal sensilla of larval Colorado potato beetles and on labellar chemosensilla of the blowfly. It is concluded that these compounds act independently of any specialized chemoreceptor in the Colorado potato beetle, and that association of the Colorado potato beetle with solanaceous plants has not led to evolution of a specific receptor forSolanum glycoalkaloids.     

Application of Laminated Edible Films to Potato Chip Packaging

The effects of various stearic-palmitic acid blend concentrations in films, storage temperatures and storage times on potato chip quality were evaluated using Response Surface Methodology. Storage temperature and time affected the quality of potato chips. The maximum storage times for acceptable potato chip quality were: 30 to 43 days, 23 to 25 days, and 11 to 12 days for storage temperatures of 15, 25 and 35°C, respectively. Results were independent of stearic-palmitic acid blend concentrations.     

Effect of Calcium Lactate, 4-Hexyl Resorcinol and Vacuum Packing on Physico-chemical, Sensory and Microbiological Qualities of Minimally Processed Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruits are very susceptible to pericarp browning which adversely affects consumer acceptability even though the aril portion remains in excellent condition. Litchi arils (litchis) were treated with a solution containing 0–2% (w/v) calcium lactate (CL), 0–0.02% (w/v) 4‐hexyl resorcinol (4‐HR) and 1% potassium sorbate. The pH of solution was adjusted to 4.0 with citric acid. Treated litchis were packed in polystyrene trays, over‐wrapped with polypropylene film, vacuum‐packed (0, 47409.3, 94831.9 Pa) and stored at 4 ± 2 °C. Drip losses, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), sensory attributes and microbiological quality of stored samples were estimated. A four‐factor, three‐level experimental design (D₆ Hokes design) with 19 experiments was chosen. Mathematical models were developed to analyse and predict the effect of CL, 4‐HR, in‐package vacuum and storage time on the responses. TSS, pH and sensory scores decreased significantly (P 0.01), whereas drip losses and microbial count increased significantly (P 0.01) with time. Drip loss was significantly (P 0.1) reduced by addition of CL. 4‐HR prevented browning and changes in colour score during storage were significantly less. Vacuum in packages exerted significant (P 0.01) effect over pH, TSS, sensory and microbiological qualities of minimally processed litchis.     

Greedy hot-potato routing on the two-dimensional mesh

Summary We propose hot-potato (or, deflection) packet routing algorithms on the two-dimensional mesh. The algorithms are strongly greedy in the sense that they attempt to send packets in good directions whenever possible. Furthermore, the routing operations are simple and independent of the time that has elapsed. The first algorithm gives the best evacuation time known for delivering all the packets to their destinations. A batch ofk packets with maximal source-to-destination distanced _max is delivered in 2(k-1)+d _max. The second algorithm improves this bound tok+d _max when all packets are destined to the same node. This also implies a new bound for the multitarget case, which is the first to take into account the number of in-edges of a node. The third algorithm is designed for routing permutations with source-to-destination distance at most three, in which case the algorithm terminates in at most seven steps. We also show a lower bound of five steps for this problem. Ishai Ben-Aroya received the B.A. and M.Sc. in computer science from the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology). He is currently working with Microsoft Israel R&D group. His main interests include Routing Algorithms, Cryptography and Computer Security. Tamar Eilam received the B.A. degree in Computer Science from the Technion IIL in 1995, and is currently studying towards her M.A. degree. Assaf Schuster received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (the last one in 1991). He is currently a lecturer at the Technion IIL. His main interests include Networks and Routing Algorithms, Parallel and Distributed Computation, Optical Computation and Communication, Dynamically Reconfiguring Networks, and Greedy Hot Potato Routing.This work was supported in part by the French-Israeli grant for cooperation in Computer Science, and by a grant from the Israeli Ministry of Science. An extended abstract appeared in proc. 2nd European Symposium on Algorithms, September 1994     

Tasting green leaf volatiles by larvae and adults of Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Larvae and adults of the Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), are shown to have galeal gustatory cells that are highly sensitive to distillate of potato leaf extracts, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-hexenal, and other saturated and unsaturated six-carbon alcohols. In larvae and adults, the sensory response patterns elicited by leaf homogenate, leaf distillate and a mixture of these two extracts differ in subtle ways. Beetle larvae feed most readily on Millipore disks treated with leaf homogenate and the mixture, but they did not feed on disks treated with leaf distillate. The differences in behavioral response and sensory input are used to derive a potential gustatory code that may stimulate different levels of feeding. This code may be disrupted by compounds present in nonhost leaves, thus leading to reduced feeding. Possible interactions of sapid leaf volatiles, amino acids, sugars, and potentially deterrent plant compounds are discussed.     

Process optimization of sweet potato pulp‐based biodegradable plastics using response surface methodology

Biodegradable plastics were produced from sweet potato pulp (SPP) and cationic starch (CS) or chitosan composite (CC) by compression molding and their mechanical properties were tested. A universal testing machine, Rockwell hardness tester, and Izod impact tester were used for testing the mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) of the plastics. A central composite second‐order design was used to study the effects of temperature, time, and moisture content on the flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP/CS and SPP/CC blended plastics. The flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength of SPP‐based plastics was 101.1–305.9 kg/cm², R29.0–R96.7, and 0.6–3.0 kg cm cm^?2, respectively. Regression analysis predicted the optimal mechanical properties (flexural strength, Rockwell hardness, and Izod strength) to be attained with a 150–160°C temperature, 15–20‐min reaction time, and 20–23% moisture content. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 423–434, 2002     

Physical characteristics of sweet potato pulp/polycaprolactone blends

Sweet potato pulp (SSP) obtained as a by‐product from starch extraction was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL) to prepare a biodegradable plastic material. In the blends, PCL was used as a reinforcing agent. The SPP/PCL blends were prepared by compression‐molding under high temperature and pressure, at different SPP/PCL ratios, and the mechanical properties of the molded specimens were tested. Matrix structure and thermal properties were measured by using a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Mechanical properties (tensile and flexural properties) were also measured to find the most suitable ratio in a SSP/PCL blend. During compression molding of the SPP/PCL blends under high pressure and temperature, chemical reaction occurred between SPP and PCL, and thus, thermal stability and mechanical strength of the blends increased and water uptake decreased. Also, by increasing the PCL content in the blend, the matrix in the blend became more homogeneous, and consequently, mechanical strength of the molded specimen increased. At 7/3 or 6/4 weight ratio of SSP/PCL, water uptake of the molded specimen became substantially less than that at 8/2. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 861–866, 2004