Mechanical properties of biorenewable fiber/plastic composites

Plastic fiber composites, consisting of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE), and pinewood, big blue stem (BBS), soybean hulls, or distillers dried grain and solubles (DDGS), were prepared by extrusion. Young's modulus, tensile and flexural strengths, melt flow, shrinkage, and impact energy, with respect to the type, amount, and size of fiber on composites, were evaluated. Young's moduli under tensile load of wood, BBS, and soybean‐hull fiber composites, compared with those of pure plastic controls, were either comparable or higher. Tensile strength significantly decreased for all the PP/fiber composites when compared with that of the control. Strength of BBS fiber composites was higher than or comparable to that of wood. When natural fibers were added there was a significant decrease in the melt flow index for both plastic/fiber composites. There was no significant difference in the shrinkage of all fiber/plastic composites compared to that of controls. BBS/PE plastic composites resulted in higher notched impact strength than that of wood or soybean‐hull fiber composites. There was significant reduction in the unnotched impact strength compared to that of controls. BBS has the potential to be used as reinforcing materials for low‐cost composites. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2484–2493, 2004     

Conversion of Canola Meal into a High-Protein Feed Additive via Solid-State Fungal Incubation Process

The study goal was to determine the optimal fungal culture to reduce glucosinolates (GLS), fiber, and residual sugars while increasing the protein content and nutritional value of canola meal. Solid‐state incubation conditions were used to enhance filamentous growth of the fungi. Flask trials were performed using 50 % moisture content hexane‐extracted (HE) or cold‐pressed (CP) canola meal with incubation for 168 h at 30 °C. Incubation on HE canola meal Trichoderma reesei (NRRL‐3653) achieved the greatest increase in protein content (23 %), while having the lowest residual levels of sugar (8 % w/w) and GLS (0.4 μM/g). Incubation on CP canola meal Trichoderma reesei (NRRL‐3653), A. pullulans (NRRL‐58522), and A. pullulans (NRRL‐Y‐2311‐1) resulted in the greatest improvement in protein content (22.9, 16.9 and 15.4 %, respectively), while reducing total GLS content from 60.6 to 1.0, 3.2 and 10.7 μM/g, respectively. HE and CP canola meal GLS levels were reduced to 65.5 and 50.7 % by thermal treatments while solid‐state microbial conversion further reduced GLS up to 99 and 98 %, respectively. Fiber levels increased due to the concentration effect of removing oligosaccharides and GLS.     

Evaluation of commercially available, wide-pore ultrafiltration membranes for production of α-lactalbumin-enriched whey protein concentrate

Commercially available, wide-pore ultrafiltration membranes were evaluated for production of α-lactalbumin (α-LA)-enriched whey protein concentrate (WPC). In this study microfiltration was used to produce a prepurified feed that was devoid of casein fines, lipid materials, and aggregated proteins. This prepurified feed was subsequently subjected to a wide-pore ultrafiltration process that produced an α-LA-enriched fraction in the permeate. We evaluated the performance of 3 membrane types and a range of transmembrane pressures. We determined that the optimal process used a polyvinylidene fluoride membrane (molecular weight cut-off of 50 kDa) operated at transmembrane pressure (TMP) of 207 kPa. This membrane type and operating pressure resulted in α-LA purity of 0.63, α-LA:β-LG ratio of 1.41, α-LA yield of 21.27%, and overall flux of 49.46 L/m²·h. The manufacturing cost of the process for a hypothetical plant indicated that α-LA-enriched WPC 80 (i.e., with 80% protein) could be produced at $17.92/kg when the price of whey was considered as an input cost. This price came down to $16.46/kg when the price of whey was not considered as an input cost. The results of this study indicate that production of a commercially viable α-LA-enriched WPC is possible and the process developed can be used to meet worldwide demand for α-LA-enriched whey protein.     

Extrusion Studies of Aquaculture Feed using Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles and Whey

Three isocaloric (3.5 kcal/g) ingredient blends containing 20, 30, and 40% distiller-dried grains with solubles (DDGS) along with 5% whey were prepared with a net protein content adjusted to 28% (wet basis [wb]). Other ingredients in the blends included soy flour, corn flour, fish meal, vitamin, and mineral mix. These blends were extruded in a single-screw extruder at 15, 20, and 25% (wb) moisture content and at 130 and 160 rpm screw speeds. Compared to previous research, the durability and unit density of the extrudates in this study were found to increase substantially by the addition of whey to the blends. Increasing the DDGS content from 20 to 40% resulted in a 5.8 and 16.8% increase in extrudate moisture content and redness, respectively, but produced a decrease of 11.2% in brightness and 3.6% in yellowness of the extrudates. Increasing the moisture content of the ingredient blends from 15 to 25% resulted in an increase of 16.1, 8.7, and 9.3% in moisture content, durability, and redness, respectively, but a decrease of 9.8 and 5.6%, respectively, in brightness and yellowness of the extrudates. Neither DDGS level nor screw speed significantly affected extrudate durability or unit density. In fact, changing the screw speed had no significant effect on many of the properties of the extrudates studied, except for moisture content, redness, and yellowness. As demonstrated in this study, ingredient moisture content and screw speed are critical considerations when producing extrudates with feed blends containing DDGS; further work is needed to optimize processing conditions and to produce floating feeds.     

Twin-Screw Extrusion Processing of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS)-Based Yellow Perch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Perca flavescens</Emphasis>) Feeds

Increases in global aquaculture production, compounded with limited availabilities of fish meal for fish feed, has created the need for alternative protein sources. Twin-screw extrusion studies were performed to investigate the production of nutritionally balanced feeds for juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Five isocaloric (~3.06 kcal/g) ingredient blends, adjusted to a target protein content of 36.7% db, were formulated with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) at an initial moisture content of 5–7% db, with appropriate amounts of fish meal, fish oil, whole wheat flour, corn gluten meal, and vitamin and mineral premixes. During processing, varying amounts of steam (6.9–9.7 kg/h) were injected into the conditioner and water (6.7–13.1 kg/h) into the extruder to modulate the cohesiveness of the final extrudates. Extrusion cooking was performed at 226–298 rpm using a 1.9 mm die. Mass flow rate and processing temperatures generally decreased with progressively higher DDGS content. Moisture content, water activity, unit density, bulk density, expansion ratio, compressive strength and modulus, pellet durability index, water stability, angle of repose, and color were extensively analyzed to quantify the effects of varying DDGS content on the physical properties of the final extrudates. Significant differences (P < 0.05) among the blends were observed for color and bulk density for both the raw and extruded material, respectively, and for the unit density of the extruded product. There were also significant changes in brightness (L), redness (a), and yellowness (b) among the final products when increasing the DDGS content of the blends. Expansion ratio and compressive strength of the extrudates were low. On the other hand, all extruded diets resulted in very good water stability properties and nearly all blends achieved high pellet durability indices. In summary, each of the ingredient blends resulted in viable extrudates.     

Applications of ozone, bacteriocins and irradiation in food processing: a review

An article is presented describing the background information on the use of ozone, bacteriocins and irradiation for destroying pathogens in food products. Their effectiveness on some pathogens of importance in food processing systems and issues of concern are highlighted. It could be concluded that although each one has the potential for use as an alternative preservation technology in specific food processing applications, no single method, except irradiation, is likely to be effective against all food spoilage and food poisoning microorganisms in all food matrices. However, the synergistic effect of one of these methods and other 'hurdles' or modes of food preservations could be used to ensure the microbial safety and prevention of the development of undesirable sensory and chemical changes in some food products. Bacteriocins may contribute an additional barrier in the 'hurdle concept' of food safety.     

Application of exopolysaccharide-producing cultures in reduced-fat Cheddar cheese: texture and melting properties

Textural, melting, and sensory characteristics of reduced-fat Cheddar cheeses made with exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing and nonproducing cultures were monitored during ripening. Hardness, gumminess, springiness, and chewiness significantly increased in the cheeses as fat content decreased. Cheese made with EPS-producing cultures was the least affected by fat reduction. No differences in hardness, springiness, and chewiness were found between young reduced fat cheese made with a ropy Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris [JFR1; the culture that produced reduced-fat cheese with moisture in the nonfat substance (MNFS) similar to that in its full-fat counterpart] and its full-fat counterpart. Whereas hardness of full-fat cheese and reduced-fat cheese made with JFR1 increased during ripening, a significant decrease in its value was observed in all other cheeses. After 6 mo of ripening, reduced fat cheeses made with all EPS-producing cultures maintained lower values of all texture profile analysis parameters than did those made with no EPS. Fat reduction decreased cheese meltability. However, no differences in meltability were found between the young full-fat cheese and the reduced-fat cheese made with the ropy culture JFR1. Both the aged full- and reduced-fat cheeses made with JFR1 had similar melting patterns. When heated, they both became soft and creamy without losing shape, whereas reduced-fat cheese made with no EPS ran and separated into greasy solids and liquid. No differences were detected by panelists between the textures of the full-fat cheese and reduced-fat cheese made with JFR1, both of which were less rubbery or firm, curdy, and crumbly than all other reduced-fat cheeses.