Effects of non-thermal plasma treating wheat kernel on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles

The effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles ( FWN) were investigated. The results showed that NTP effectively decreased the total plate count (TPC), yeast and mould count (YMC) and Bacillus spp. in wheat flour. Wet gluten contents and the stability time reached the maximum when treated for 20 s. The viscosity of starch increased significantly after treatment due to the increased of damaged starch. The contents of secondary structure were altered to some extent, which was because that the ordered network structure of gluten protein broken. Furthermore, compared with the control, texture properties of FWN were enhanced significantly at 20 s, and the darkening rate of FWN was greatly inhibited due to the low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Consequently, the most suitable treatment was 500 W for 20 s, providing a basis for the application of NTP in flour products.     

Diet and Health: Apple Polyphenols as Antioxidants

The traditional American rhyme says, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” What has made apples exceptional and appreciated for a million years? Besides their content of pectin, vitamins and minerals, they are considered to be a good source of antioxidants that scavenge and neutralize free radicals, which in turn play a role in the onset of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Polyphenols are major antioxidants in apples, however, the antioxidants vary with the apple variety, and the post-harvest storage conditions. Further, the polyphenols are distributed differently throughout the fruit (skin or flesh). The paper reviews the present knowledge on apple polyphenols, their bioavailability and pro-health functionality.     

Apple Polyphenol Oxidase Inhibitor(s) from Common Housefly (Musca Domestica L.)

ABSTRACT: A new natural apple polyphenol oxidase (PPO) inhibitor(s) from housefly ( Musca domestica L.) was discovered. Crude inhibitor (s) isolated by buffer extraction, heat treatment, and dialysis from housefly pupae inhibited the activity of apple PPO up to 90% at pH values above 5.0. Inhibition was strictly pH-dependent. The inhibitor(s) was further characterized by employing heat, freezing and thawing, irradiation, pH adjustment, and ultrafiltration studies. The potential PPO inhibitor(s) was stable to heating at 100 °C for 1 h, repeated freezing and thawing, and irradiation. The inhibitor(s) was most stable at pH around 5.0 and least stable at alkaline pH. The PPO inhibition profile of housefly during metamorphosis also was evaluated.     

Enzymatic Browning in Apple Pulps

Enzymatic browning in Golden Delicious apple pulp was studied as related to degree of ripeness and temperature (3.5–31°C). Green apple pulp showed the highest rate of browning. This was attributable to differences in ascorbic acid (AA) content and polyphenoloxidase activity in young fruits. The rate of browning determined by CIE L* measurements followed complex temperature dependent kinetics, represented by a multiple linear effects with log time. Equal changes in L* parameter yielded straight lines in a log temperature vs log time plot. Inhibition with AA caused an initial slow rate of browning and a well defined break point associated with exhaustion of antioxidant properties of the AA. The greater the AA concentration the longer the initial period.     

Relationship between the enzymatic determination of starch and the starch iodine index in two varieties of cider apple

Monitoring the hydrolysis or disappearance of starch by the starch iodine test is a simple procedure for determining the maturity of cider apples, but it does not indicate the exact amount of starch present. So far, studies of starch in apples have dealt exclusively with dessert apples. In this paper the relationship between the visual starch index, the dark‐coloured surface area and the real starch content was studied in two varieties of cider apple commonly used in Normandy (France). Starch determination in cider apples required adapting the protocol provided by the Boehringer enzymatic kit. The work led to proposing a simplified index with five scales instead of 10. This index gives the correspondences between the new and old scales as well as the probable starch contents for each new scale. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Rapid evaluation of olive oil quality by NIR reflectance spectroscopy

NIR spectroscopy calibrations have been developed for a range of quality parameters in olive oil, including FFA, PV, polyphenol content, induction time, chlorophyll, and the major FA. A set of 216 olive oil samples from throughout the Australian olive-growing areas were used to provide a representative range of quality. The variation in the oils tested virtually covered the range of the chemical standard limits described by the International Olive Oil Council. A FOSS NIRSystems^® 6500 spectrophotometer with a liquid cell holder was used. Multiple correlation coefficients squared (R ²) for minor components stearic acid (0.86), and linolenic acid (0.85) were relatively low because the concentration range is very narrow compared with the reproducibility of the reference method. However, the major FA, oleic (0.99) and linoleic (1.00), FFA (0.97), and chlorophyll (0.98) provided high levels of accuracy. All of the parameters measured were sufficiently accurate for routine screening of olive oil.     

多酚氧化酶催化单宁的氧化聚合反应研究

研究了多酚氧化酶催化单宁的氧化聚合反应情况 ,探索了反应条件及 7种化合物对酶活性的抑制效果 ,对产物进行了红外光谱和紫外光谱测试 ,相对粘度法测定了产物的分子量。结果表明 ,反应的最佳条件是pH为 5 .2 9,温度为 3 0℃ ,在所用抑制剂中 ,硫酸铜的抑制作用最强 ,与单宁酸的IR图相比 ,产物的 -OH吸收带变窄 ,在 12 60cm-1处吸收峰增强 ,而紫外吸收无变化。产物平均分子量为 3 5 41,说明多酚氧化酶能催化单宁的氧化聚合     

Effects of urea fertigation of apple trees on soil pH,exchangeable cations and extractable manganese in a sandy loam soil in New Zealand

Changes in soil pH, exchangeable aluminium (Al), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) and extractable manganese (Mn) were investigated after urea fertigation of a sandy loam soil in an apple orchard in New Zealand. Urea at three rates (0, 25, 50 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 or 0, 16.9, 33.8 g N emitter^–1 yr^–1) was applied in 4 equal fertigations. Soil cores at 4 profile depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm) directly below and 20 cm from the emitter were sampled approximately 4 weeks after each fertigation and in the following winter. Results obtained showed that the largest changes in soil pH and cations occurred in soils directly below the emitter in the 50 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 treatment where the soil pH decreased by 1.6 pH units at all soil depths. The lowest pH of 4.3 was observed at a depth of 27 cm. Exchangeable Al and extractable Mn levels increased to 11 meq kg^–1 and 78µg g^–1 respectively. Estimated losses of Ca, Mg and K from the upper soil profile depth (0–10 cm) represented 23, 63 and 27% of their respective total exchangeable levels. At lower profile depths (>20 cm), accumulation of displaced K was evident. Variable, and generally non-significant, chemical changes recorded in soils 20 cm from the emitter were attributed to restricted lateral water movement, and therefore urea movement, down the profile.The present study showed that one season of urea fertigation by trickle emitters, applied to a sandy loam, at half the rate conventionally applied to apple orchards (50 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1) resulted in pH and mineral element imbalances which were potentially and sufficiently severe to inhibit tree growth.     

Sex pheromone of the mullein bug,Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae)

The first known sex pheromone for the family Miridae is reported for the mullein bug,Campylomma verbasci (Meyer) (Heteroptera: Miridae). Extracts of and Porapak Q-trapped volatiles from females were attractive to males in field bioassays. Butyl butyrate and hexyl butyrate were the predominant compounds in the females' volatiles, but these compounds previously had been found to be inactive when released alone or in combination. Butyl butyrate in combination with an isolated trace chemical, (E)-crotyl butyrate (which was inactive alone), rivaled the attraction elicited by five live females. When synthetic butyl butyrate and (E)-crotyl butyrate in a 16: 1 ratio were released at 91 or 183 g/day, they comprised an effective attractant for male bugs.