Transesterification of Palm-based Methyl Palmitate into Esteramine Catalyzed by Calcium Oxide Catalyst

The technology for transesterification reactions between methyl esters and alcohols is well established by using classical homogeneous alkaline catalysts, which provide high conversion of methyl esters to specialty or nonindigenous esters. However, in certain products where the purity of the esters is of concern, the removal of homogeneous catalysts after the completion of the reaction is a challenge in terms of production cost and water footprint. Therefore, a study to investigate the potential of heterogeneous catalysts was conducted on reactions between methyl palmitate and triethanolamine. The degree of basicity and active surface area of calcium oxide (CaO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and magnesium oxide (MgO) were first characterized by using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD-CO₂) and Brunauere–Emmett–Teller (BET), respectively. Among the metal oxides investigated, the CaO catalyst showed the best catalytic activity toward the transesterification process as it gave the highest conversion of methyl palmitate and yielded fatty esteramine compositions similar to the conventional homogeneous catalyst. The optimum transesterification condition by using the CaO catalyst utilized a lower vacuum system of approximately 200 mbar, which could minimize a considerable amount of energy consumption. Furthermore, low CaO dosage of 0.1% was able to give a conversion of 94.5% methyl ester and formed esteramine at 170 °C for 2 h. Therefore, the production of esterquats from esteramine may become more economically feasible through the methyl ester route by using the CaO catalyst, which can be recycled three times.     

Several ways to produce porous carbon monoliths by template assisted routes

Several ways to produce microporous and mesoporous carbon monoliths by template assisted synthesis routes are described. Pressed zeolite (HY) and silica powder tablets have been used as templates. Sucrose acts as a carbon precursor and as a binder between the carbon particles as well. In the case of zeolite template, the carbon porosity could be increased by additional loading of the template with ethene. Due to the balance between mechanic stability and porosity of the carbon monolith, an optimal amount of sucrose is required. The final products were characterized by low temperature nitrogen adsorption.     

Isolation,identification, and function of the Dufour gland secretion ofXylocopa virginica texana (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae)

The Dufour's gland secretion ofXylocopa virginica texana possesses short-term repellency for conspecifics when applied to passion flowers. This secretion contains a number of straight-chain hydrocarbons. The two major components are the methyl esters of palmitic and myristic acid. A mixture of the two esters and two of the available hydrocarbons were as effective as the Dufour's gland extract in eliciting a response in females to the passion flower,Passiflora incarnata, to which the extract was applied.Approved as TA13387 by the Director, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and conducted in cooperation with the USDA. Supported in part by NSF-DEB-76-03963.     

Lemon oil solubilization in mixed surfactant solutions: Rationalizing microemulsion & nanoemulsion formation

Lipophilic functional ingredients are usually incorporated into aqueous-based foods and beverages in the form of colloidal dispersions. In this study, we investigated the rate and extent of solubilization of emulsified lemon oil in mixed non-ionic surfactant solutions (buffer: propylene glycol = 2:1): sucrose monopalmitate (SMP) and/or Tween 80 (T80). The influence of surfactant concentration, type, and mixing ratio on lemon oil solubilization was investigated, with the aim of identifying suitable conditions for preparing stable microemulsions and nanoemulsions. Solubilization was monitored by measuring changes in light scattering by lemon oil droplets after they were dispersed in surfactant solutions (pH 7). The solubilization process was rapid (<few minutes), with the rate increasing with increasing surfactant concentration. For a particular surfactant type and concentration, lemon oil was transferred from nanoemulsion droplets into microemulsion droplets until a critical lemon oil concentration (C_sat) was reached, after which it remained as nanoemulsion droplets. The value of C_sat increased with increasing surfactant concentration and was higher for SMP than Tween 80. The impact of storage at pH 3.5 on the physical stability of microemulsions and nanoemulsions was examined. Acid stable colloidal dispersions could not be formed using SMP alone. However, relatively stable nanoemulsions and microemulsions could be formed when ≥75 or 50 wt% Tween 80 was incorporated into the surfactant phase, respectively. This study provides important information for the rational design of food-grade colloidal delivery systems for encapsulating and delivering functional lipids for food and beverage applications.     

TBARs distillation method: Revision to minimize the interference from yellow pigments in meat products

The aim was to study the effect of the incubation method and TBA reagent (concentration/solvent) on yellow pigment interference in meat products. Distillates from red sausage, sucrose, malondialdehyde and a mixture of sucrose–malondialdehyde were reacted with four different TBA solutions at five different temperature/time relations. Two TBA solutions were prepared at 20 mM using 90% glacial acetic acid or 3.86% perchloric acid. In addition, an 80 mM TBA solution was prepared using distilled water adjusted to pH 4 and another using 0.8% TBA in distilled water. The temperature/time relations were: (1) 35 min in a boiling water bath; (2) 70 °C/30 min; (3) 40 °C/90 min; (4) room temperature (r.t.) (24 °C) in dark conditions for 20 h; and (5) 60 min in a boiling water bath. The results showed that aqueous or diluted acid solutions of TBA reagent and the application of 100 °C for less than 1 h provided the best conditions to minimize the presence of yellow pigments and maximize pink pigment formation in meat products.     

Oral and intestinal digestion of oligosaccharides as potential sweeteners: A systematic evaluation

The utilisation of oligosaccharides by oral microorganisms and intestinal enzymes are important factors in determining their effectiveness as alternative sweeteners. In this study, classes of naturally occurring sugars were assessed using in vitro models for oral and intestinal digestibility, in order to test the influence of chemical structure on functional properties. Amongst the classes of sucrose isomers, α-glucobioses, β-glucobioses and sucrose-based oligosaccharides, structures were identified that were not utilised by the common oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans, and would therefore contribute to the non-cariogenic potential of a sweetener. Analysis of the rate and products of digestion by a rat glucosidase mixture was used to determine the relative intestinal digestibility. The results showed that oligosaccharides containing a (1 → 6)-β-Glc group, including gentiobiose and gentiobiitol, together with melezitose, a sucrose-derived oligosaccharide containing a α-Glc-(1 → 3)-Fru moiety were resistant to digestion by both S. mutans and mammalian intestinal enzymes, highlighting their potential as dietary sugar substitutes.     

Hydrogen production from sucrose via aqueous-phase reforming

Commercial sucrose was used to produce hydrogen in a combined approach of hydrogenation and aqueous phase reforming (APR). First a mixture of technical sorbitol/mannitol was produced by hydrogenating an aqueous solution of sucrose in a trickle bed reactor over 5 wt % Ru/C. The produced polyols were treated in a continuous reactor at 498 K and elevated pressure deploying a 2.5 wt % Pt/C catalyst to yield hydrogen. The highest hydrogen selectivity was 62%. No large differences were found when comparing a commercial available sorbitol to the technical sorbitol/mannitol mixture in terms of conversion levels and selectivity to the gas-phase products. This was accompanied by a similar distribution of products retained in the liquid phase. The efficiency of APR when utilizing Pt/C was found to be still insufficient for industrial implementation in terms of hydrogen production. Thus, additional efforts should be made to increase the obtained amounts of hydrogen per mole of converted sugar alcohols.     

Effect of successive stimuli on sweetness intensity of gels and custards

Variations of tastant concentration during the consumption of food products were shown to enhance taste intensity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between the frequency at which tastant concentration is varied during the consumption of products and the occurrence of taste enhancement. For this purpose, the sweetness intensity of sequences of 4 successive sweet stimuli represented by cubes of a semi-solid gel or spoons of a model custard dessert was assessed. The intensity and the order of the stimuli within the sequences were varied to obtain 4 types of sucrose concentration profile (decreasing, increasing, middle peak and boundary peak) at 2 magnitudes of concentration differences (small and large). Sequences of 4 stimuli containing a constant sucrose concentration were used as a reference. The sweetness intensity of the sequences of successive stimuli was assessed using line scale and time-intensity ratings.Line scale ratings showed that the type of sequence had an effect on sweetness intensity. A sweetness enhancement relative to the reference was observed in sequences that ended with high-intensity stimuli, whereas sweetness suppression was observed in sequences that ended with low-intensity stimuli. The observed sweetness enhancement and suppression were attributed to serial position effects (i.e. recency effects).Time-intensity ratings indicated that each stimulus in the sequences was evaluated individually by the assessors. Sequential effects seem to have occurred during the continuous evaluation of successive stimuli, since preceding stimuli in the sequences affected the evaluation of posterior stimuli. Furthermore, the overall sweetness intensity of the different sequences was not enhanced in relation to the reference. The lack of taste enhancement in sequences exhibiting variations of sucrose concentration was attributed mainly to the long period at which sucrose concentration was varied during the evaluation of the sequences. It was confirmed that the frequency of variation of tastant concentration affects the occurrence of taste enhancement.     

The stability of vitamin A in fortified palm olein during extended storage and thermal treatment

The stability of vitamin A in Refined Bleached Deodorised Palm Olein (RBDPOL) was studied for 24 months. Vitamin A decreased with time, temperature and thermal treatment (frying/cooking). RBDPOL fortification was observed over several temperature ranges, using PET, nylon and HDPE commercial packaging materials. After 24 months, the following vitamin A contents of 39–43 IU g^?1 (39–45%) at 16–20 °C; 35–40 IU g^?1 (43–49%) at 24–29 °C; and 28–39 IU g^?1 (45–73%) at 24–45 °C were detected at the respective temperature ranges. Results showed stability of vitamin A fortified RBDPOL vegetable oil was not stable over typical shelf life (12 months). Depletion of vitamin A accelerated when the RBDPOL vegetable oil was subjected to high temperature thermal treatment.     

Synthesis of Co-Zr doped nanocrystalline strontium hexaferrites by sol-gel auto-combustion route using sucrose as fuel and study of their structural,magnetic and electrical properties

Sol-gel auto-combustion route using sucrose as fuel has been employed to synthesize nanocrystalline particles of SrZr_xCo_xFe_(12−2x)O₁₉ (0.0≤ x ≤1.0). The characterization of these materials has been done by TGA-DTA, FT-IR, XRD and EDS. SEM and TEM techniques have been used to study the structure and morphology. Magnetic properties have been investigated by VSM and Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS). The influence of calcination temperature on morphology and magnetic properties of samples is studied in a wide temperature range of 500–1100 °C. XRD analysis indicates the formation of pure single phase hexagonal ferrites at 900 °C. The crystallite size calculated using Scherrer equation lies in a narrow range of 21–33 nm. The crystallite size is small enough to obtain a suitable signal to noise ratio in high density recording medium. Substitution of Zr and Co for Fe has been found to have a profound effect on the structural, magnetic and electrical properties. Upon substitution saturation magnetization (M_S) first increases from 62.67 emu/g to 64.84 emu/g (up to x=0.4) followed by a decrease to 49.71 emu/g at x=1.0. There is a slow fall in coercivity (H_C) from 5785.74 (x=0.0) to 1796.51 Oe (x=1.0). Dielectric constant, dielectric loss tangent and AC conductivity in the frequency range 20 Hz to 120 MHz have been studied for all the compositions (x=0–1.0). The composition and frequency dependence of these dielectric parameters has been qualitatively explained.