Addition of pectolytic enzymes: an enological practice which improves the chromaticity and stability of red wines

Summary The effect of the addition of four commercial pectolytic preparations on the visual characteristics (colour and turbidity) of red wines has been evaluated. The effect of both clarifying and colour extracting enzymes and the effect of different doses used, were evaluated and compared. All the red wines treated enzymatically, independent of the type of enzyme and dose, present chromatic characteristics which can be considered better than those of the control wines. Also, those wines treated with enzymes had greater stability during 2 years storage in bottles, in particular the turbidity was better than untreated wines.     

Sequential batch reactor for eucalypt kraft pulp effluent treatment with Trametes versicolor

BACKGROUND: A sequential batch reactor (SBR) was used for eucalypt kraft pulp effluent treatment with Trametes versicolor. A 2³ full factorial design and response surface methodology were applied to optimise the batch fermentation conditions. Effluent concentration, culture medium and inoculum age were the factors selected for this study in order to optimise the reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD). RESULTS: The presence of Trametes Defined Medium (TDM) in the fermentation was required to obtain a significant COD reduction. Experiments in the batch reactor confirmed, in general, the predicted results of optimisation developed from Erlenmeyer batch assays. The T. versicolor culture remained active during 42 days of study in the SBR, providing approximately 80% of COD reduction. CONCLUSION: Trametes versicolor may be considered as very promising for the biological treatment of effluents from kraft pulp mills in an SBR system instead of the activated sludge mixed cultures traditionally used. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bisensors for amino acids

Two kinds of biosensors for amino acids (one with nonspecific enzyme as bioelement, the other with specific enzyme(s) as bioelement), including their principles, applications, recent researches and future trends were discussed in detail. 61 references were given. A part of work for gaining Ph. D in chemical and biochemical application at FPMs (Mons, Belgique) Synopsis of the first author Xia Jinlan, Male, born in 1963, now at Facult’e Polytechnique de Mons, Belgique     

Immobilization of an endopectinlyase on γ-alumina: Study of factors influencing the biocatalytic matrix stability

Endopectinlyase (EC 4.2.2.10) from Aspergillus japonicus was immobilized on to γ-alumina. Adsorption performed at pH 5·0 and a subsequent cross-linking phase using 0·1% glutaraldehyde were the chosen immobilization conditions. The comparison between the main biochemical parameters of the immobilized and free form of the enzyme showed that the immobilization procedure used did not affect the enzyme biochemical properties. The interactions between the carrier and the enzyme are essentially secondary bonding. In fact they depend on the pH and on the presence of phosphate ions in the medium. A tentative chemical model of the biocatalytic matrix thus obtained is proposed.     

Superoxide Dismutase Activities in Senescing Apple Fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.)

Total superoxide dismutase (SOD:superoxide: superoxide oxidoreductase; EC 1.15.1.1) activity and individual activities of its three different metalloenzymes, CuZn-SOD, Fe-SOD, and Mn-SOD, were investigated during senescence of apples (Malus domestica Borkh.). Total SOD activity and relative activities of its three forms varied greatly among cultivars. Activities underwent considerable change during senescence of fruit, but changes were different among cultivars. Whether fruit senesced at 0°C or 20°C had little effect on SOD activities, and application of the antioxidant diphenylamine (DPA) did not alter activities. SOD activities increased with occurrence of the physiological disorder “senescent breakdown,” but did not increase with occurrence of the disorder “superficial scald.” In a given apple cultivar, changes in total SOD activity generally paralleled activities of the different SOD forms. Such activity may reflect changes affecting food and nutritive quality of the fruit.     

Studies of substrate specificities of lipases from different sources

Although lipases are widely applied in a wide variety of reactions, available information on the factors that are responsible for the substrate specificities of lipases from different sources is scarce. In this paper, nine lipase‐producing microorganism strains were isolated from oil‐containing samples. The properties of these enzymes, including pH optima, temperature optima, thermal stability, and pH stability, vary significantly with the different sources from which these lipases were isolated. The substrate specificities of the nine lipases, including fatty acid and positional specificities, were also studied. The fatty acid specificities of the nine lipases were observably different toward 15 substrates with different carbon chain lengths, different saturation degrees and different side chains. The lipases from S₃ Penicillium citrinum (PCL), MJ₁ Aspergillus niger (ANL), MJ₂ Aspergillus oryzae (AOL), YM Bacillus coughing (BCL), S₉ Geotrichum candidum (GCL), and S₁₁ Candida lypolytica (CLL) showed the strongest specificities to short‐chain esters, and the other lipases showed strong selectivity for medium‐ or long‐chain and branched esters. The positional specificities were examined by analyzing the hydrolytic products of triolein catalyzed by the nine lipases, using TLC. The lipases can be mainly classified into two groups by their specificities for the ester bond at position 2 of triglycerides; one group can selectively hydrolyze the ester bond at position 2 of the triglycerides, the other group cannot. All these nine lipases were divided into four groups by hierarchical clustering analysis on the basis of the results of fatty acid and positional specificities.     

MALTING AND BREWING SCIENCE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES*,†

Molecular technologies have been developed for the transformation of barley. These technologies complement current methods of barley breeding. In addition, they offer the potential of altering specific components in barley that affect malting quality and of introducing foreign genes, controlling desirable traits, into barley. Application of genetic engineering to improving malt quality factors such as cell wall degradation, protein modification, starch hydrolysis and flavour stability, is discussed. Limitations to the use of this technology for improving malt-related functional properties of barley components such as cell walls and starch granules are also evaluated. Some possible constraints to the utilization of genetic engineering for malt quality improvements are identified.     

羊胎盘营养液的制备及其在化妆品中的应用

以妊娠早期羊胎盘为原料,制备了一种新型的化妆品天然添加剂,它不仅含有丰富的氨基酸、多肽,而且含有多种促进、改善组织新陈代谢的酶类。用其配成的营养性膏霜,具有明显的护肤、润肤和营养皮肤的功能,可起到延缓皮肤衰老的作用。