Preparation,Characterization, and Dielectric Properties of PP/CaTiO3 Composites for Microwave Substrate Applications

Calcium titanate (CaTiO₃) filled polypropylene (PP) composites have been fabricated through compression molding method. The phase purity of the PP/CaTiO₃ composites was studied using X‐ray diffraction studies. Scanning electron microscopy technique has been employed to study the dispersion of the particulate filler in the PP matrix. The dielectric constant and loss tangent of the composites were measured at X‐band frequency region using waveguide cavity perturbation technique. PP/CaTiO₃ composite has an effective dielectric constant of 11.74 and loss tangent 0.007 at optimum filler loading. The experimental dielectric constant of filled composites was compared with theoretically predicted dielectric constant values obtained using different modeling approaches. The linear coefficient of thermal expansion of PP/CaTiO₃ composites was studied using thermomechanical analyzer.     

Impact of nonthermal food processing techniques on mycotoxins and their producing fungi

Mycotoxins are a significant threat to food safety and quality. Over the years, mycotoxins have been detected in almost all food and feed crops without any regional barrier. Conventional techniques for decontamination of mycotoxin involve physical, chemical, and biological methods, but these technologies often impact the quality of food in terms of changes in nutritional and sensory attributes. We examined the effects of nonthermal techniques on mycotoxins and their producing fungi to remove or reduce mycotoxin levels in food products without compromising food quality. Nonthermal technologies employ different lethal agents (including ozone, cold plasma, light, pressure, radiation, ultrasound, electric field, and magnetic field) to degrade mycotoxins while minimising product thermal exposure. However, the degradation pathway and toxicology of treated products need further research for a better understanding. With such food process development and optimisation efforts, food processors can employ various nonthermal technologies as tools for delivering consumer-desired mycotoxin-free food products with intact nutritional and sensory quality.