Bacterial spores in spices and dried herbs: The risks for processed food

Production and world consumption of spices are constantly increasing. Although the antimicrobial properties of some spices are well documented, their use in the agri-food industry is also responsible for microbial contamination and spoilage. Bacterial spores introduced by spices can withstand different preparation processes, particularly thermal treatments, leading to food alterations during storage. This review brings together data from the literature about the prevalence and concentrations of spore-forming bacteria in all commercially available spices. The sporeformers found in spices belong mainly to the genera Bacillus and Clostridium. Such contaminations are very common and sometimes reach high levels, as in pepper and turmeric. Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus cereus are the most frequently detected species. Studying the harvesting, processing, and storage procedures for spices provides elements to explain why high prevalence and concentrations are observed. Spices are mostly produced in developing countries on small farms using traditional production methods. Spices become contaminated by bacterial spores in two main ways: by contact with soil during harvesting or drying, as for pepper, or by cross-contamination during the water-cooking step, as for turmeric. From these observations, we propose some recommendations. Different methods that can be used to eliminate bacterial spores from spices are presented indicating their efficiency and the limitations of their use.     

香料2-呋喃丙烯酸正丙酯的合成研究

以糠醛为起始原料，与丙二酸、正丙醇等反应合成2—呋喃丙烯酸正丙酯，对反应条件进行了研究，在最佳反应条件下，2—呋喃丙烯酸0．2mol，正丙醉0．7mol，环己烷70mL，对甲苯磺酸4．5-5g，反应时间4h，酯化反应收率达到90%。     

Preliminary study of saffron (Crocus sativus L. stigmas) color extraction in a dairy matrix

Saffron spice has been used for decades as an ingredient in many dairy products but changes in its coloring properties related to milk characteristics have not been paid appropriate attention. Saffron color was studied in ewes’ milk at different fat levels and saffron concentrations using tristimulus colorimetry. In order to evaluate saffron extraction, different temperatures and extraction times were tested. Color changes were demonstrated to be statistically significant when increasing the fat content in milk, as well as saffron concentration. The higher milk fat content, turned the extracts brighter and yellower, while less red and vivid, opposite to results obtained by increasing saffron concentration. Extraction time was not significant for color extraction. Milk extracts resulted slightly brighter and yellower when increasing temperature, probably due to crocetin esters degradation or isomerization from trans to cis configuration. Temperatures between 37 and 70 °C are recommended to avoid structural changes in milk or saffron. Color changes could be due to interactions mediated by phospholipids between milk fat globules and crocetin esters, as well as minor saffron carotenoids.     

超临界CO2萃取辛香料精油的试验研究(Ⅱ)

介绍了超临界ＣＯ２萃取辛香料精油的中试、工业化试验的情况,主要研究了用２５Ｌ、２００Ｌ超临界ＣＯ２萃取装置萃取生姜,芫荽籽等辛香料精油的工艺、等方面的内容。     

香辛料抗氧化活性的研究现状

香辛料有很多功能，而抗氧化活性是其重要功能之一。本文论述了30种香辛料的抗氧化活性和一些香辛料对高含DHA鱼油的抗氧化抑制效果，并介绍了从一些香辛料中分离出的具有高活性的抗氧化性物质。     

香辛料对亚硝酸钠的清除作用

研究花椒、八角、白胡椒香辛料对亚硝酸钠的清除作用,探讨提取液添加量、提取溶剂以及反应时间对清除效果的影响。结果表明,花椒和八角都以60%乙醇来提取作用效果较好,而白胡椒以无水乙醇来提取为佳;花椒、八角和白胡椒对亚硝酸钠的清除率都是随提取液添加量的增加呈现先增大后降低的趋势;与亚硝酸钠反应时间10min较为适宜;其中,花椒与八角按质量比1:2复配对亚硝酸钠的清除具有协同增效作用。     

肉制品中香辛料的应用

本文综述了香辛料的历史、定义、种类等,分析了肉制品中香辛料的作用,简述了使用原则、方法等,提出了目前存在的问题和展望。     

市售香辛料油树脂的抗氧化性能研究

以生姜、黑胡椒、八角茴香三种常见香辛料油树脂为研究对象,研究其对二苯代苦味酰基自由基、羟自由基的清除能力以及对大豆油的抗氧化保护作用。实验表明,三种油树脂均具有一定的自由基清除能力且清除率随着浓度的增加而增强,但是清除率低于传统抗氧化剂BHT和TBHQ。此外,这三种油树脂对大豆油也均具有明显的抗氧化保护作用,其抗氧化效果在加速氧化前4d,添加量为油样质量的0.20%时效果最好。     

复合香辛料亚硝化抑制剂对西式培根品质的影响

研究对N-亚硝胺具有阻断作用的复合香辛料亚硝化抑制剂（composite spice nitrosation inhibitor,CSNI） 在西式培根中的应用效果。设计4 组实验：1）阴性对照（negative control,NC）组：以原料肉质量计,配 制由0.06%亚硝酸钠、9%食盐、1.5%复合磷酸盐、5%白糖等组成的腌制液,注射量为20%;2）阳性对照 （positive control,PC）组：在NC组基础上添加0.055%异抗坏血酸钠;3）CSNI组：在NC组中添加CSNI; 4）PC＋CSNI组：在PC组中添加CSNI。制成西式培根,分别对西式培根成品和烧烤（200 ℃,5 min）西式培根进 行感官评定、pH值、红度值（a*）、硫代巴比妥酸反应物（thiobarbituric acid reactive substances,TBARs）值、亚 硝酸盐残留量、生物胺含量及N-亚硝胺含量测定。结果表明：相比NC、PC组,PC＋CSNI组西式培根成品的感官 评分最高,TBARs值（0.24 mg/kg）、亚硝酸盐残留量（20.48 mg/kg）和生物胺总量（184.68 mg/kg）均处于较低 水平,CSNI对N-亚硝胺的形成（总量为9.29 μg/kg）,特别是N-二甲基亚硝胺的形成有显著的阻断效果,且CSNI的 添加对产品的pH值和a*均未造成显著影响;西式培根烧烤后,由于水分和脂肪溶出,致使烧烤西式培根的亚硝酸 盐残留量、生物胺含量和N-亚硝胺含量总体呈升高趋势,但均未超过相关规定的限量值。     

Where did the Chili Get its Spice? Biogeography of Capsaicinoid Production in Ancestral Wild Chili Species

The biogeography of pungency in three species of wild chili in the chaco and surrounding highland habitats of southeastern Bolivia is described. We report that Capsicum chacoense, C. baccatum, and C. eximium are polymorphic for production of capsaicin and its analogs, such that completely pungent and completely nonpungent individuals co-occur in some populations. In C. chacoense, the density of plants and the proportion of pungent plants increased with elevation. Above 900 m, all individuals in all populations except two were pungent; nonpungent individuals in at least one of the two polymorphic populations were likely a result of spreading by humans. The occurrence of pungent and nonpungent individuals in three species of ancestral Capsicum and the geographic variation of pungency within species suggest that production of capsaicin and its analogs entails both costs and benefits, which shift from one locality to another. Determining the selection pressures behind such shifts is necessary to understand the evolution of pungency in chilies.