PHYSICAL–CHEMICAL AND SENSORY QUALITY EVALUATION OF GARLIC CULTIVARS

ABSTRACT

Physical–chemical quality of 14 garlic cultivars grown in Spain was analyzed, and the cultivars were classified into three types: purple, white and Chinese, in order to show the possible differences among them. The most useful instrumental color parameter to discriminate among the different types of garlic was lightness (L*). The high pH value of the purple‐type cultivar Moraluz, and the high content of d ‐glucose, d ‐fructose and total sugars of the Chinese‐type cultivars were quite remarkable. The consumer judges preferred the color and pungency of the purple‐type cultivar Morasol, while Chino Sprint stood out for its intense garlic odor. Finally, correlations between the physicochemical and the sensory parameters were studied. The red color intensity was correlated with lightness (L*) and with hue (h*); pH was correlated with chroma (C*) and moisture percentage was correlated with sucrose content.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

One of the main objectives of this work was to advise growers on the selection of garlic seed. The data obtained in this work was sent to a regional research and advising agronomic center (Technical Agronomic Institute, provincial council of Albacete), where advice was given to local growers concerning the selection of the most adequate seeds, in terms of physical– chemical properties and consumer preference, plus agronomic performance (data not included in this article). The conclusions reached in this study will make an important contribution to the agronomic characterization of the garlic cultivars grown in Spain.

     

Use of whey and buttermilk based media to obtain biomass of thermophilic LAB

The growth of commercial strains of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was determined in reconstituted dried whey and buttermilk. Kinetic (μ, /h and g, h) and growth (N, cfu/mL; X, cell yield and I_V , percentual variation) parameters were determined using Elliker (streptococci) and MRS (lactobacilli) broths, and a commercial medium as controls. Cheese whey was the least effective substrate for growing streptococci and lactobacilli strains. However, whey and buttermilk with added yeast extract gave the best performance. These media could be efficient and easily available alternatives for producing industrial biomass of thermophilic LAB.     

Fractions of a chloroform extract of ajenjo leaves (<i>Artemisia mendozana</i> DC. var. <i>mendozana</i>) inhibit the proliferation,viability and clonogenicity of B16-F0 melanoma cells

The ajenjo, Artemisia mendozana DC. var. mendozana (Asteraceae), grows in the Andean foothills of Mendoza and San Juan, Argentina, and is used as a medicinal plant for its antispasmodic and antifungal properties. The aim of this work was to obtain fractions of a chloroform extract of ajenjo leaves and to evaluate the in vitro effects on proliferation, viability and clonogenicity of B16-F0 melanoma cells. Using a silica gel chromatography column, 120 fractions were collected and grouped according to the chromatographic profile in 9 main fractions (F1–F9). Their major compounds identified were: terpenes (F1), terpenes and sesquiterpene lactones (F2–F3), sesquiterpenes (F4–F6) and phenols and sesquiterpenes (F7-9). B16-F0 cells were incubated for 72 h with DMSO (vehicle) or 0.1 mg/ml F1–F9. At 72 h of culture, F1 decreased both the growing index (GI) and cell viability. F2 and F3 both decreased GI and only F3 decreased clonogenic activity. F4 and F5 both decreased GI. Only F5 decreased cell viability and F4 decreased clonogenicity. Consequently, fractions F6–F8 did not affect any of the cell parameters assayed, while F9 decreased cell viability and inhibited clonogenicity.     

COCHANNEL INTERFERENCE IN SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS DERIVED FROM RAIN ATTENUATION MEASUREMENTS AT 20 GHz

This paper reports experimental results on cochannel interference during rain, derived from measurements of simultaneous and copolar rain attenuations, in the 20 GHz band, in two convergent slant paths to fixed receivers at Spino d'Adda (Northern Italy), from the geostationary satellites Olympus (19°W) and Italsat (13°E). The results show that during rain the interference can be larger than that in clear sky, with probability 0.5 and that, in this case, the interfering level I = A_C − A_n (dB), i.e. the difference between the simultaneous rain attenuations (dB) in the interfered path, A_C (dB), and in the interfering path, A_n (dB), increases as the system power margin increases. For system design, the paper reports the cumulative distributions of I, conditioned to the maximum value of the attenuation not exceeded (i.e. system power margin) in the interfered link. It is shown how the results could be used in systems with regenerative or transparent transponders on board.