Addition Of Nitrite Research Articles

Regulation mechanism of nitrite degradation in Lactobacillus plantarum WU14 mediated by Fnr.

Fumarate and nitrate reduction regulatory protein (Fnr)-a global transcriptional regulator-can directly or indirectly regulate many genes in different metabolic pathways at the top of the bacterial transcription regulation network. The present study explored the regulatory mechanism of Fnr-mediated nitrite degradation in Lactobacillus plantarum WU14 through gene transcription and expression analysis of oxygen sensing and nir operon expression regulation by Fnr. The interaction and the mechanism of transcriptional regulation between Fnr and GlnR were also examined under nitrite stress. After Fnr and GlnR purification by glutathione S-transferase tags, they were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli by constructing an expression vector. The results of electrophoresis mobility shift assay and qRT-PCR indicated that Fnr specifically bound to the PglnR and Pnir promoters and regulated the expression of nitrite reductase (Nir) and GlnR. After 6-12h of culture, the expressions of fnr and nir under anaerobic conditions were higher than under aerobic conditions; the expression of these two genes increased with sodium nitrite (NaNO2) addition during aerobic culture. Overall, the present study indicated that Fnr not only directly participated in the expression of Nir and GlnR but also indirectly regulated the expression of Nir through GlnR regulation.

Changes in the microbiota and colour of pork meat batter during refrigerated storage in relation to the application of High Hydrostatic Pressure

The aim of this work was to study the effect of High Hydrostatic Pressures (HHP) on microbial degradation pattern and colour stability of pork meat batters used to produce fresh sausages. Besides treatments at 300 or 600 MPa for 5 min, pH (5.8 vs 5.4) and nitrite addition (100 vs. 0 mg/kg) were considered as variables. A not treated control was also monitored. The different samples were stored at 4°C and periodically analysed for their microbiota and colour. At the end of shelf life (TMC > 6.5 log CFU/g) a metagenomic analysis was also carried out to better clarify the effect of the treatments on microbial spoilage patterns. The results showed that the treatment at 300 MPa slightly affected initial cell load, but slowdown growth kinetics, especially at low pH, while 600 MPa strongly reduced microbial spoilage. The application of HHP was able to prolong shelf life of meat batters, from about two weeks (control) to 40 and 80 days in the case of treatments at 300 and 600 MPa, respectively. Metagenomic analysis revealed different degradation patterns in relation to tested variables: untreated samples showed the prevalence of Brochothrix spp., while the application of HHP determined the presence also of Carnobacterium, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus, depending on the treatment and the meat batter pH. Concerning colour, differences were mainly observed in redness (a*) and were due to the presence of nitrite. These findings suggest that HHP can be a feasible strategy to stabilize fresh sausages, although further studies are needed to assess their safety.

Dry-Cured Sausages “Salchichón” Manufactured with a Valorized Ingredient from Red Grape Pomace (Var. Tempranillo)

The inclusion of an ingredient made from red grape pomace (RGP) var. Tempranillo was evaluated for the preservation of a traditional dry-cured sausages (salchichón). The pomace was valorized through thermal blanching (103 °C for 1 min) and hydrostatic high-pressure treatment (600 MPa/5 min) before the addition to salchichón. Four formulations of salchichón were evaluated, including a negative control (NC—without red grape pomace or synthetic additives), positive control (PC—with ascorbic acid and nitrites), low level (LL—0.5%), and high level (HL—1%) of RGP. Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensorial effects were analyzed. RGP reduced the final pH of salchichón and favored the growth of lactic acid bacteria at similar levels as PC. The addition of ascorbic acid and nitrites resulted in a final product with a redder and less yellow color than the other formulations. This cured color was not reached with the addition of RGP. However, its inclusion slightly reduced lipid and protein oxidation in salchichón. PC showed high levels of sulfur and terpene levels in a volatile profile, although at a sensory level, only differences in spicy taste were not noticed by panelists. The incorporation of the ingredient could enable the substitution of nitrites with valorized red grape pomace in sausages, although the desirable color achieved with nitrifying salts was not fully attained.

Promotion of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification by nitrite and efficient removal of total nitrogen of strain EN-F2

The inhibition of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) process and low efficiency of total nitrogen conversion under nitrite stress were overcome by strain EN-F2. Results demonstrated that nitrite addition increased total nitrogen conversion to 91.36% and 87.02% for ammonium and nitrate systems, respectively, representing improvements of 5.61% and 15.41%. This enhancement is likely due to the simultaneous acceleration of cell growth, and consumption of ammonium and nitrate. Furthermore, 10 mg/L of hydroxylamine could be almost completely oxidized in a wide range of environmental conditions in the presence of 50 mg/L nitrite, and 100% and 89.82% of nitrite and total nitrogen could be degraded under the conditions of 25 °C, sodium succinate, 7.40 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, C/N ratio 20, initial pH 7.40–7.80 and inoculation quantity of 0.5 × 108 CFU/mL. Altogether, the HN-AD performance of strain EN-F2 can be promoted by nitrite, and no nitrate and hydroxylamine accumulation were found.

Improving contaminant removal and inhibiting CH4 and H2S emissions from septic tanks: Nitrified human urine as a source of electron acceptor

Septic tanks are widely adopted in decentralized household wastewater treatment systems serving billions of people globally. Due to the lack of effective electron acceptors, insufficient nutrient removal and the emission of harmful gases, e. g. H2S, CH4, etc., are the common drawbacks. In the present work, we attempted to supplement nitrite into septic tanks as an electron acceptor, via nitrifying human urine source-separated from blackwater, to overcome these drawbacks. Partial or complete nitritation of source-separated urine was achieved in a sequencing batch reactor. The addition of nitrified urine into septic tanks improved organic and nitrogen removals in blackwater up to 90 % and 70 %, respectively. The emission of harmful gases from the septic tanks was stably diminished, with more than 75 % of CH4, CO2 and H2S reductions. Nitrite addition significantly reduced the abundance of hydrogenotrophic methanogens in septic tanks. Though the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria recovered after the initial inhibition upon nitrite addition, the bio-generated H2S was retained in water since the increased wastewater pH after nitrite addition promoted the disassociation of H2S in aqueous solution.

Effects of Nitrate and Nitrite on Plaque pH Decrease and Nitrite-Producing and -Degrading Activities of Plaque in vitro.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nitrate and nitrite on the pH-lowering activity of human plaque, the nitrite-producing and -degrading activities of human plaque, and their correlation. Nitrate and nitrite were added to human plaque suspensions collected from the buccal aspect of maxillary molars of patients visiting a general dental clinic, and changes in pH were measured with and without glucose addition. Nitrite-producing and -degrading activities were evaluated by adding nitrate and nitrite to the plaque suspension and measuring the increase and decrease in nitrite with Griess reagent, respectively. The addition of nitrate inhibited both endogenous and glucose-induced plaque pH-lowering. The addition of glucose enhanced the production of nitrite from nitrate by about 3.3-fold. The addition of nitrite also inhibited endogenous plaque pH-lowering, but the addition of glucose promoted nitrite degradation by only about 1.1-fold. Nitrite-producing activity was positively correlated with age, but not with nitrite-degrading activity. This study revealed that nitrite was produced from nitrate and inhibited the pH-lowering activity of human plaque, which may contribute to caries control. Both nitrite-producing and -degrading activities occurred in human plaque, but no correlation was found between them. Furthermore, nitrite production was enhanced by glucose metabolism, which may function as a self-regulatory mechanism (resilience) to prevent excessive acidification by glucose metabolism.

Metagenomic insights into microbial metabolic mechanisms of a combined solid-phase denitrification and anammox process for nitrogen removal in mainstream wastewater treatment

To overcome the significant challenges associated with nitrite supply and nitrate residues in mainstream anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox)-based processes, this study developed a combined solid-phase denitrification (SPD) and anammox process for low-strength nitrogen removal without the addition of nitrite. The SPD step was performed in a packed-bed reactor containing poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hyroxyvelate (PHBV) prior to employing the anammox granular sludge reactor in the continuous-flow mode. The removal efficiency of total inorganic nitrogen reached 95.7 ± 1.2% under a nitrogen loading rate of 0.18 ± 0.01 kg N·m3·d−1, and it required 1.02 mol of nitrate to remove 1 mol of ammonium nitrogen. The PHBV particles not only served as biofilm carriers for the symbiosis of hydrolytic bacteria (HB) and denitrifying bacteria (DB), but also carbon sources that facilitated the coupling of partial denitrification and anammox in the granules. Metagenomic sequencing analysis indicated that Burkholderiales was the most abundant HB genus in SPD. The metabolic correlations between DB (Betaproteobacteria, Rhodocyclaceae, and Anaerolineae) and anammox bacteria (Candidatus Brocadiac and Kuenenia) in the granules were confirmed through microbial co-occurrence networks analysis and functional gene annotations. Additionally, the genes encoding nitrate reductase (Nap) and nitrite reductase (Nir) in DB primarily facilitated nitrate reduction, thereby supplying nitric oxide to anammox bacteria for subsequent nitrogen removal with hydrazine synthase (Hzs) and hydrazine dehydrogenase (Hdh). The findings provide insights into microbial metabolism within combined SPD and anammox processes, thus advancing the development of mainstream anammox-based processes in engineering applications.

Impacts of corrosion inhibiting admixture and supplementary cementitious material on early strength concrete

This research aimed to evaluate the influence of alccofine 1203 on a mineral admixture and sodium nitrite as a corrosion inhibitor on the properties of concrete. To achieve these aims, an experimental investigation was carried out on a set of composite samples comprising five distinct concrete formulations. Five different mixes for the concrete were used as the overlay materials such as NC as a reference concrete, alccofine concrete (i.e. 25% cement replaced with alccofine), and alccofine concrete with varying dosages of sodium nitrite (i.e. 1%, 1.25%, and 1.5%). Alccofine reduced the workability and water absorption and increased the compressive strength of the concrete (5%) at curing age of 28 days. Adding sodium nitrite further reduced water absorption of the concrete and workability but compressive strength of 29.15% and 26.93% for the curing period of 3 and 7 days, respectively. The pH of the concrete powdered solution became more alkaline with the replacement of alccofine and addition of sodium nitrite. Free chloride content dropped by 48 and 66%, respectively, with the introduction of GGBS and sodium nitrite. Corrosion properties of the concrete samples were examined using open circuit potentials and linear polarization resistance of various concrete mixes after being immersed in 1 M H2SO4 and 3% NaCl environment. The findings indicated a notable improvement in the corrosion resistance, water absorption test, thermal conductivity, strength properties, and microstructural properties of concrete with the incorporation of SN in combination with alccofine. The application of the response surface method allowed for the prediction, validation, and optimization of experimental data using a regression equation.

Effect of the Addition of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the Protein Profile, Antiradical Activity, and Microbiological Status of Raw-Ripening Pork Sausage.

The study evaluated the effect of adding dandelion extract on the characteristics of raw-ripening pork sausages while reducing the nitrite addition from 150 to 80 mg/kg. The sausages were made primarily from pork ham (80%) and pork jowl (20%). The process involved curing, preparing the meat stuffing, forming the links, and then subjecting the sausages to a 21-day ripening period. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, water activity, and oxidation-reduction potential were compared at the beginning of production and after the ripening process. The study also examined the impact of ripening on protein metabolism in pork sausages and compared the protein profiles of different sausage variants. The obtained research results indicate that dandelion-leaf extract (Taraxacum officinale) were rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, and their derivatives (LC-QTOF-MS method). Antiradical activity test against the ABTS+* and DPPH radical, and the TBARS index, demonstrated that addition of dandelion (0.5-1%) significantly improved the oxidative stability of raw-ripening sausages with nitrite content reduction to 80 mg/kg. A microbiological evaluation of the sausages was also carried out to assess the correctness of the ripening process. The total number of viable bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and coliforms were evaluated and subsequently identified by mass spectrometry.

Spatially confining copper atom in flowerlike-CoFe hydroxides for smartphone-based ratiometric colorimetric dual-mode detection of nitrite

Great progress in nanozyme catalysis for distinct catalytic reactions have been made. However, more current nanozyme-induced sensing platforms are depended on oxidase-like nanozymes with multienzymatic catalytic behavior, which can affect the determination accuracy and reliability. Designing high active and stable advanced nanozymes for enzyme-like catalysis remains a huge challenge for analytic chemistry. Herein, a three-atom site catalyst of CoFeCu hydroxide nanozyme is rationally prepared for constructing sensing platform by utilizing oxidase-like catalytic activity. The CoFeCu nanozyme can mimic the behavior of oxidase by trigging O2 into O2·− via its highly dispersed metal active sites, which exhibits good oxidase-like activities with of 2.22 mM and of 3.69 × 10−8 M·s−1 toward 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Specifically, the elaborate doping of low content Cu leads to higher catalytic activity and adequate detection sensitivity. Interestingly, with the addition of nitrite, a redox and diazotized reaction can be induced to generate visual color change from blue to yellow, resulting in the nitrite level-related ratio variation for the absorbance intensity at 665 and 450 nm. Besides, to the realize the demand of point-of-care monitor of nitrite, a portable sensor was built containing a dark box by a UV lamp and an intelligent smartphone. In the colorimetry-smartphone modes, the linear ranges of nitrite are 1–290, and 3.3–250 μM, with related detection limits of 0.9, and 2.96 μM, respectively. This strategy was further used to detect nitrite in river water with outstanding results with the dual mode. Therefore, the proposed dual-mode detection approach provides promising potential for self-house monitor of nitrite, which will greatly improve the analysis efficiency and large-scale determination in human life quality.

Complete elimination of methane formation in stored livestock manure using plasma technology

Plasma-based nitrogen fixation has recently been shown to be applicable in the domain of manure management, as it has the ability to reduce ammoniacal nitrogen losses and increase the nitrogen content of organic wastes, with air and electricity as the only input. In addition, the plasma treatment confers antimicrobial properties, which we hypothesize to be transferable to methanogenic archaea and hence prevent methane formation during manure storage – a major contributor to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In this work we compared the methane formation from cow manure to the methane formation in nitrogen enriched cow manure, kept in two outdoor storage tanks for 70–80 summer days over three consecutive years. In all instances, the methane formation was eliminated completely. To investigate the cause of inhibition, a controlled incubation experiment was conducted to show that neither the acidification nor the addition of nitrate or nitrite, alone or in combination, could explain the inhibition of methanogenesis and denitrification that occurred in plasma treated cow manure at moderate pH.

Microstructures and Corrosion/Localised Corrosion of Stainless Steels, Incoloy and Their Weldments in Nitrite-Containing Chloride Environments.

Prompted by the unexpected observation of the pitting of the weldments of a highly corrosion- and pitting-resistant duplex stainless steel, SAF2507, in chloride solutions with nitride addition, the pitting and corrosion resistance of SAF2507 and its weldments were investigated in chloride solutions with and without different levels of nitrite. The Incoloy 825 and 316L austenitic stainless steels were included for the purpose of developing a comparative appreciation. The microstructures of the weldments were characterised, and 316L showed a profound influence of nitrite addition in inhibiting pitting, while 'meta-stable' pitting transients that were clearly visible in the chloride solution without nitrite were absent when nitrite was added. Both the parent metal and the weldment of SAF2507 had similar pitting potential (Ep) in 0.1 M NaCl without nitrite, which was the highest Ep among the three alloys tested. Additions of nitrite at low concentrations had an inhibitive effect on pitting, whereas higher nitrite contents had a deleterious effect on pitting resistance. On the other hand, Incoloy 825 showed a trend of Ep ennoblement with an increasing nitrite content of 0.1 M NaCl, and the weldment underwent greater ennoblement. Moreover, 316L showed a trend similar to Incoloy 825; however, the Ep ennoblements were significantly more pronounced for both the weldment and the base metal of 316L.

Evaluation of combined addition of nitrite and chloride on the corrosion behavior of steel bars in modified magnesium oxysulfate cement paste

Magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement, a new breed of eco-friendly and carbon-efficient material, boasts exceptional corrosion resistance, especially in harsh environments such as high salt and high humidity. Understanding how it affects the corrosion of steel bars is crucial for its widespread application in coastal concrete engineering. Nitrite-based inhibitors are known for their rust-preventing qualities in cementitious materials. However, more research is needed to determine if nitrite remains effective in MOS cement mixed with chloride salts. This study focuses on the combined effect of chloride and nitrite salts on the corrosion of steel bars in MOS cement. Methods like corrosion area rate, weight loss rate, natural potential, and electrochemical station are employed to study the corrosion behavior of steel in MOS cement. Microscopic techniques help unravel the influence mechanism of phase composition and microstructure on these materials. Furthermore, the study examines how chloride and nitrite contents affect the concentration of free nitrite and chloride ions in MOS cement paste. The analysis model is also established to compare simple linear adsorption, Langmuir adsorption, and Freundlich adsorption. The results indicate that chloride accelerates steel corrosion, while nitrite slows it down in the environment of mixed chloride and nitrite. In low-chloride environments, nitrite content has minimal impact on steel corrosion, but its effect becomes more pronounced in high-chloride settings. The MOS cement mixed with chloride and nitrite primarily consists of Mg(OH)2, MgCl2, MgCO3, MgO, and the 5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7 H2O (517 phase). The phase content of passive film on the surface of steel bar is composed primarily of Fe2O3, FeO, Fe, and FeOOH in descending order. As nitrite content increases, the absorption and concentration of free nitrite ions in the MOS cement paste gradually rise, exhibiting a linear trend. Based on the fitting calculations for three distinct adsorption relationships, notably, due to the limited adsorption capacity of MOS cement for nitrite, there's a considerable difference between the simple linear adsorption relationship and the two nonlinear adsorption models in high nitrite environments. However, in low nitrite concentrations, the difference among these three fitting adsorption relationships is little. This research can provide theoretical basis for enhancing the corrosion resistance and durability of coastal concrete engineering with high chloride exposure.

A Comprehensive Review of Cured Meat Products in the Irish Market: Opportunities for Reformulation and Processing.

Cured meat products constitute one of the meat categories commonly consumed in Ireland and has been part of the Irish cuisine and diet for many years. Ham, gammon, and bacon are some of the products that involve curing as part of the traditional processing methods. Common among these products are high levels of salt and the addition of nitrites. These products undergo processing treatments to create variety, preserve shelf-life, and develop their unique quality and safety characteristics. However, consumers are becoming more conscious of the level of processing involved in these products, and the effects of some components and ingredients might be perceived as unhealthy. Meat product developers have been exploring ways to reduce the amount of ingredients such as salt, saturated fat, and chemical preservatives (e.g., nitrites), which are linked to health concerns. This is a challenging task as these ingredients play an important techno-functional role in the products' quality, safety, and identity. While innovative processing techniques are being introduced and progress has been made in reformulation and packaging technologies, much is still unknown, especially regarding the applicability of many of the proposed interventions to a wide range of meat products and their sustainability at the industrial scale.

IRON, HEME, AND NITROSYL-HEME CONTENT IN SPANISH MEAT DERIVATIVES

Heme and nitrosyl-heme have been pointed out as responsible for the association between processed meats and cancer. The objective of this study was to obtain reliable data on the current proximate composition, total iron, total heme, zinc-protoporphyrin, and nitrosyl-heme content in 40 meat derivatives consumed in Spain. The determination of heme and nitrosyl-heme was achieved using the classical spectrophotometric determination of the acetone extracts and compared with the chromatographic determination of these extracts which enables the separation of other porphyrins. Results revealed a high variability of heme and nitrosyl-heme contents in meat derivatives which may reflect differences in meat derivatives ingredients and formulations, manufacturing processes, storage, and cooking conditions. In addition, certain derivatives contain considerable amounts of nitrosyl-heme despite the fact there was no addition of nitrite or nitrate. Although the comparison of both methodologies for heme and nitrosyl-heme determination were in good agreement, the chromatographic method is advisable as some interfering compounds may lead to an overestimation when using the classical spectrophotometric determination. In the Spanish adult population and based on the obtained data the estimated total iron, nitrosyl-heme, and total heme intakes resulting from meat derivatives consumption, were 14.6mg/day, 528.6µg/day, and 1,676.2µg/day, respectively.

Effects of sodium nitrite reduction, removal or replacement on cured and cooked meat for microbiological growth, food safety, colon ecosystem, and colorectal carcinogenesis in Fischer 344 rats

Epidemiological and experimental evidence indicated that processed meat consumption is associated with colorectal cancer risks. Several studies suggest the involvement of nitrite or nitrate additives via N-nitroso-compound formation (NOCs). Compared to the reference level (120 mg/kg of ham), sodium nitrite removal and reduction (90 mg/kg) similarly decreased preneoplastic lesions in F344 rats, but only reduction had an inhibitory effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth comparable to that obtained using the reference nitrite level and an effective lipid peroxidation control. Among the three nitrite salt alternatives tested, none of them led to a significant gain when compared to the reference level: vegetable stock, due to nitrate presence, was very similar to this reference nitrite level, yeast extract induced a strong luminal peroxidation and no decrease in preneoplastic lesions in rats despite the absence of NOCs, and polyphenol rich extract induced the clearest downward trend on preneoplastic lesions in rats but the concomitant presence of nitrosyl iron in feces. Except the vegetable stock, other alternatives were less efficient than sodium nitrite in reducing L. monocytogenes growth.

Nitrite improved nitrification efficiency and enriched ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification process

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) is effective and energy-saving for wastewater treatment. As an inevitable intermediate product in the SND process, nitrite affects the efficiency of ammonia oxidation and the composition of nitrifiers. To investigate the impact of nitrite on ammonia oxidation efficiency, two reactors performing SND were respectively operated without nitrite (R1 as control) and with 20 mg N/L nitrite addition (R2 as experimental). The total nitrogen removal efficiency was 74.5% in R1 while 99.0% in R2. With nitrite addition (i.e., 20 mg N/L), the ammonia removal rate in R2 increased to 4.5 times of that in R1. The ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) contributed to respective around 46.9% and 41.8% ammonia removal in R2 based on the results of experiments with specific inhibitors. The number of respective AOA and AOB ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) copies increased by 280 and 30 times due to nitrite addition, according to the qPCR results. The high-throughput sequencing results illustrated the increase of dominant AOB species from 0.40% in R1 to 1.59% in R2 and the phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a close link to Nitrosospira multiformis. These results indicated that the ammonia removal efficiency was improved and AOA/AOB were enriched by nitrite addition. The specific nitrite reductases in AOA and AOB boosted the adaptation of nitrite addition. This study demonstrated the positive impacts of nitrite addition on the ammonia removal efficiency and rate in the SND process.

Performance of Inhibitors in Concrete with flyash and pondash

Inhibitors play a vital role in improving the efficiency of concrete interms of its durability and strength aspects. Objective of this work is to study the strength properties of M30 Grade concrete containing pondash as replacement to fine aggregate and flyash as replacement to cement with the addition of inhibitors. 30% Replacement of fine aggregate and Cement by Pondash and flyash in concrete is executed in this study. Inhibitors like Calcium Nitrite, Neem extract and Triethanolamine are added at the dosage of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% by weight of cement to the concrete specimen. Strength tests such as Compressive strength test, Flexural strength test and Split tensile strength test along with Water absorption test are conducted and the results are tabulated. Results suggest that Optimum Percentage of addition of inhibitor is 3%. All the inhibitors used in this study have enhanced the strength of concrete especially the addition of Neem extract provides better results in strength aspect when compared to the addition of Calcium Nitrite and Triethanolamine.

Property improvement of a thermoplastic starch/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blown film by the addition of sodium nitrite

Recently, global awareness of the adverse environmental impacts of single-use plastics has risen due to their nonbiodegradability and likelihood of ending up in the ocean. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is an alternative material employed for manufacturing single-use products because of its high biodegradability, nontoxicity, and low cost. However, TPS is moisture sensitive and has poor mechanical properties and processability. Blending TPS with biodegradable polyesters, including poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), can expand its practical applications. This research aims to improve the performance of TPS/PBAT blends by adding sodium nitrite, a food additive, and considering its effect on the morphological characteristics and properties of TPS/PBAT blends. TPS/PBAT/sodium nitrite (TPS/PBAT/N) blends with a TPS:PBAT weight ratio of 40:60 and sodium nitrite concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 wt% were prepared by extrusion and then blown into films. The acids generated from the sodium nitrite during extrusion led to the molecular weight reduction of starch and PBAT polymers, causing the increased melt flow ability of the TPS/PBAT/N blends. The incorporation of sodium nitrite improved the blends' homogeneity and the compatibility between the TPS and PBAT phases, resulting in the increased tensile strength, extensibility, impact strength, and oxygen barrier properties of the TPS/PBAT blend film.

Pomegranate peel as a source of antioxidants for the control of lipid and protein oxidation during the ripening of Iberian dry uncured sausages

This study aimed to evaluate a pomegranate peel extract (PPE), selected for its level of phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activities, as a nitrite substitute in dry sausages, as well as its effect on lipid and protein oxidative changes and instrumental colour during the drying period (28 days). Of the extraction solvents screened, water: acetone 3:7 (v/v) was the most effective extraction solvent, yielding extracts with the highest content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and condensed tannins and antioxidant activities (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP). Four batches of dry sausages were produced with different incoming amounts of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) and PPE: 1) 150 ppm NaNO2; 2) 0 ppm NaNO2; 3) 0 ppm NaNO2 + 1% PPE (v/w) and 4) 0 ppm NaNO2 + 2% PPE (v/w). Nitrite removal increased lipid oxidation in uncured dry sausages, while nitrite and PPE caused lower TBA-RS values in cured and PPE treated sausages. During drying, both nitrite and PPE addition significantly decreased carbonyl and thiol contents compared to the uncured dry sausages. A dose-response was found for PPE, with lower carbonyl and thiol concentrations, the higher the level of PPE added. PPE significantly modified instrumental colour coordinates L*a*b* producing significant total colour changes compared to cured dry sausages.