Amount Of Acid Research Articles

Understanding the multiple actions of phosphoric acid-modified steel slag powder on early-age hydration of cement

The retardation of the early-age hydration of cement by steel slag powder severely restricts its use in cementitious materials. This paper reports on the modification of steel slag powder with phosphoric acid, which is found to alleviate its inhibition of cement hydration. Comprehensive investigations of solid phase assemblage and elements dissolving behavior in cement pastes reveal that multiple actions combine to determine the effect of phosphoric acid-modified steel slag powder on cement hydration. By using an appropriate amount of phosphoric acid for modification, a noteworthy reduction in C12A7 content and a significant increase in the specific surface area of steel slag powder can be achieved. This consequently diminishes the negative inhibitory effect of steel slag powder on hydration. However, excessive use of phosphoric acid exacerbates the delayed effect of calcium phosphate on mineral dissolution, so that the inhibitory effect of steel slag powder on cement hydration cannot be alleviated.

Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Derivatives from Agricultural Wastes

Background: Rice straw was pretreated with dilute alkaline and acid solutions to extract cellulose, which was then converted into cellulose acetate with acetic anhydride and phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40·6H2O). The concentration of KOH and the duration of immersion in acetic acid solution affected the removal of hemicellulose and lignin, and after pretreatment with 4% KOH and immersion in acetic acid for 5 hours, the treated rice straw contained 83wt.% cellulose. Phosphotungstic acid has been shown to be an excellent catalyst for the acetylation of rice straw cellulose. The degree of substitution (DS) values had a substantial effect on the solubility of cellulose acetate, and acetone-soluble cellulose acetate with DS values about 2.2 can be generated by varying the amount of phosphotungstic acid and acetylation duration. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the preparation and characterization of cellulose derivatives from agricultural wastes. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Director General of Health Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh. For this investigation the rice plant straw was collected from Magura district region. The collected straws were then treated with 3 wt% nitric acid and 1.5 wt% NaOH solution separately. Statistical analyses of the results were be obtained by using window-based Microsoft Excel and Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS-24). Results: This study observed that the rice straw contained about 35.67% cellulose, 5.50% hemicellulose and 30.18 % α-cellulose. And the wheat straw contained about 43.99% cellulose, 7.30% hemicellulose and 36.70% α-cellulose. The degree of acetylation and degree of substitution of the synthesized cellulose acetate from rice straw were 39.046% and 2.413 respectively. On the other hand, the degree of acetylation and degree of substitution of the synthesized cellulose acetate from wheat straw were 40.79% and 2.59 respectively. ....

Crystallization behavior of monoglyceride oleogels: A comparison between a fully hydrogenated palm oil and a fully hydrogenated rapeseed oil based monoglycerides

AbstractFat polymorphism plays a crucial role in many fat‐rich food products (e.g., margarine, chocolate). Due to this, polymorphism of triglycerides is widely investigated. During the previous years, the interest of using monoglyceride oleogels to replace margarine is increasing due to its structure, reduced amount of saturated fatty acids, stability and application potential. However, polymorphism of monoglyceride oleogels is less investigated. This research shows the effect of the composition (C18:0 or C18:0 and C16:0), temperature (25°C–20°C–10°C) and production process (static or lab‐scale scraped surface heat exchanger) on the crystallization behavior of monoglyceride oleogels (MO) by using differential scanning calorimetry, (synchrotron) X‐ray scattering and polarized light microscopy. Based on time‐resolved synchrotron WAXS, it was found that the rapeseed oil based MO (MO‐C18) occurred in four different polymorphs. During crystallization, transitions from an inverse lamellar phase (Lα) toward sub‐α1 and sub‐α2 could be established. Upon storage, a polymorphic transition toward β occurred. For the palm oil based MO (MO‐C18/C16), only two polymorphs were found during crystallization (Lα, sub‐α), followed by a polymorphic transition to β upon storage. By applying high shear and cooling rates during the production of MO‐C18 (dynamic production), the polymorphic transition from sub‐α2 to β occurred much faster compared to the static production method. When comparing the dynamically produced MO‐C18 and MO‐C18/C16, the thickness of 1 lamella, the crystal nanoplatelet and the fat crystals were smaller for MO‐C18/C16. This research clearly illustrates that the composition and the applied crystallization conditions have an impact on the properties from nano‐ to microscale.Practical Application: This research illustrates the importance of engineering monoglycerides oleogels to obtain food products with an improved nutritional balance. Hereby, the manuscript focuses on the crystallization behavior of monoglyceride oleogels by changing the composition and the crystallization procedure. The acquired insights go beyond the state of the art. It was found that applying high cooling rates and high shear rates by using a lab‐scale scraped surface heat exchanger affected the crystallization behavior of monoglyceride oleogels. These are crucial experiments to verify the application potential of monoglyceride oleogels in the food industry. Moreover, different polymorphic transitions occurred for the two types of monoglycerides. This is the starting point to investigate the effect of polymorphism on a final food product in order to improve the nutritional balance in fat‐rich food products.

Modified QuEChERS method combined with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for detection of cyclopiazonic acid in feeds

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungal species that can cause acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity in humans and animals. Thus, these toxins pose a significant threat to health and safety. Owing to the lack of effective antimold measures in the agricultural industry, feed ingredients such as corn, peanuts, wheat, barley, millet, nuts, oily feed, forage, and their byproducts are prone to mold and mycotoxin contamination, which can affect animal production, product quality, and safety. Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), which is mainly biosynthesized from mevalonate, tryptophan, and diacetate units, is a myotoxic secondary metabolite produced by Penicillium and Aspergillus fungi. CPA is widely present as a copollutant with aflatoxins in various crops. Compared with some common mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, zearalenones, and their metabolites, CPA has not been well investigated. In the United States, a survey showed that 51% of corn and 90% of peanut samples contained CPA, with a maximum level of 2.9 mg/kg. In Europe, CPA was found in Penicillium-contaminated cheeses as high as 4.0 mg/kg. Some studies have shown that CPA can cause irreversible damage to organs such as the liver and spleen in mice. Therefore, the establishment of a rapid and efficient analytical method for CPA is of great significance for the risk assessment of CPA in feeds, the development of standard limits, and the protection of feed product quality and safety. The QuEChERS method, a sample pretreatment method that is fast, simple, cheap, effective, and safe, is widely used in the analysis of pesticide residues in food. In this study, a modified QuEChERS method combined with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to determine CPA levels in feeds. The chromatographic separation and MS detection of CPA as well as the key factors affecting the extraction efficiency of CPA, including the type of extraction solvent, type of inorganic salt, and type and dosage of adsorbent, were optimized in detail. During the optimization of the chromatographic-separation step, the acid and salt concentrations of the mobile phase affected the separation and detection of CPA. During the optimization of the QuEChERS method, the addition of a certain amount of acetic acid improved the extraction efficiency of CPA because of its acidic nature; in addition, GCB and PSA significantly adsorbed CPA from the feed extract. Under optimal conditions, the CPA in the feed sample (1.0 g) was extracted with 2 mL of water and 4 mL of acetonitrile (ACN) containing 0.5% acetic acid. After salting out with 0.4 g of NaCl and 1.6 g of MgSO4, 1 mL of the ACN supernatant was purified by dispersive solid-phase extraction using 150 mg of MgSO4 and 50 mg of C18 and analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. The sample was separated on a Waters HSS T3 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) using 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate aqueous solution with 0.5% formic acid and ACN as the mobile phases and then analyzed by positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. CPA exhibited good linearity in the range of 2-200 ng/mL, with a high correlation coefficient (r=0.9995). The limits of detection and quantification of CPA, which were calculated as 3 and 10 times the signal-to-noise ratio, respectively, were 0.6 and 2.0 μg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries in feed samples spiked with 10, 100, and 500 μg/kg CPA ranged from 70.1% to 78.5%, with an intra-day precision of less than 5.8% and an inter-day precision of less than 7.2%, indicating the good accuracy and precision of the proposed method. Finally, the modified QuEChERS-UPLC-MS/MS method was applied to the analysis of CPA in 10 feed samples obtained from Wuhan market. The analysis results indicated that the developed method has good applicability for CPA analysis in feed samples. In summary, an improved QuEChERS method was applied to the extraction and purification of CPA from feeds for the first time; this method provides a suitable analytical method for the risk monitoring, assessment, and standard-limit setting of CPA in feed samples.

Utility of by‐products of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) production as feed ingredients for Pacific Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

AbstractProjected growth in insect production as alternative feedstuffs will yield novel by‐products that are potentially valuable for aquafeed applications. We analyzed the nutrient composition of three by‐products occurring from black soldier fly larvae production (exuvia, cocoon, imago) and the bioavailability of key nutrients for Pacific Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Protein accounted for 317 g kg−1 in exuviae, 433 g kg−1 in cocoons, and up to 521 g kg−1 in adult flies (imagines). Considerable amounts of essential amino acids were detected in imago meal, which significantly matched the ideal dietary amino acid composition for penaeid shrimp (r2 = 0.66, p = 0.0076). Exuviae and cocoons contained moderate amounts of lipids (64–140 g kg−1), while imagines comprised 356 g kg−1 total lipid. Saturated fatty acids predominated in all insect materials (47%–83% of total fatty acids). Chitin concentration was highest in cocoons and exuviae (154 and 139 g kg−1) and low in imagines (51 g kg−1). A feeding trial with shrimp, L vannamei, revealed apparent digestibility coefficients of 20%–59% for protein, 24%–54% for energy, 25%–49% for carbon, and 27%–68% for copper. Defatting of imago meal increased the digestibility of protein, energy, and carbon by 77%, 64%, and 61%, respectively. Defatted imago meal can serve as a protein supplement for shrimp diets.

The role of dietary fiber in functional nutrition

The process of nutrition is a function of the relationship between a person and the environment. Food should contribute to the adaptation of the human body to unfavorable conditions and, in addition to its main function – meeting the physiological needs of the human body for nutrients and energy, also perform preventive and therapeutic tasks. Recently, the popularity of healthy food has increased. Experts predict that the market for functional products is growing every year. In this regard, in many countries, in-depth research is being carried out on the structure, composition, properties of dietary fiber, and the technology of their use as one of the components in the creation of composite food products. Dietary fiber is a large group of polymeric substances of different chemical nature, the sources of which are plant products. The composition of nutrients with a fibrous structure includes large quantities of second-order polysaccharides. Dietary fiber is an active participant in the digestive process, a source of essential nutrients; its deficiency or absence can lead to disruption of homeostasis, the dynamic constancy of the internal environment of the body and pathology. Dietary fiber plays an important role in the functioning of a number of organs and systems of the body and, first of all, affects the function of the colon. They adsorb significant amounts of bile acids, as well as other metabolites, toxins and electrolytes, which helps detoxify the body. For a long time, dietary fiber was considered unnecessary ballast, from which attempts were made to free products to increase their nutritional value. In this regard, a number of refined products have been developed that are completely free of ballast substances. Dietary fiber plays an extremely important role in the functioning of the colon. One of their main properties is the ability to retain water. Water-soluble dietary fibers contained in vegetables and fruits are the most hygroscopic. The ability of dietary fiber to retain water accelerates intestinal transit and peristalsis of the colon, changes intraintestinal pressure, and the concentration of fecal electrolytes. One aspect of the physiological effect of dietary fiber is its effect on mineral metabolism. There is evidence that high dietary fiber intake may disrupt the body's mineral balance. These processes are based on the metabolic properties of ballast substances, which promotes the removal of heavy metal ions, such as lead, strontium, and allows us to consider the possibility of using fiber to remove radionuclides from the body. The use of plant additives from cereals in the development of fermented milk products is of scientific interest and is one of the current trends in the development of functional nutrition products.

The effect of germinated black lentils on cookie quality by applying ultraviolet radiation and ultrasound technology.

Black lentils contain protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, as well as phytochemicals and various bioactive compounds. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and ultrasound (US) methods are innovative technologies that can be used to increase the efficiency of the germination process in grains and legumes. To improve the nutritional value and bioactive compounds of the cookies, black lentils germinated by applying UV radiation and US technology were used in the cookie formulation. Before the germination process, UV, US, and their combination (UV+US) were applied, and pretreated and unpretreated germinated black lentil flours were used at a level of 20% in the cookie formulation. The results revealed that pretreatment application increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity more than the lentil sample germinated without any treatment. In addition, the pretreatments applied further reduced the amount of phytic acid in black lentils and the lowest phytic acid content was obtained with the UV-US combination. Compared to cookies containing unpretreated germinated black lentil flour, higher L* values and lower a* values were obtained in the cookie samples containing pretreated germinated black lentil flour. Cookies containing all pretreated germinated lentils generally exhibited higher Ca and K content. This study demonstrated that UV radiation and US improved the nutritional value and bioactive components of the germinated black lentil flour and the cookies in which it was used, compared to the black lentils germinated without any treatment. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pretreatment of black lentils with UV/US application before germination resulted in a greater increase in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to the control sample. The applied pretreatments caused a further decrease in the amount of phytic acid in black lentil samples. Black lentils germinated with the UV+US combination revealed higher Ca, Fe, K, and Mg content compared to the sample germinated without any treatment.

Evaluation of the thermal degradation kinetics of vitamin C in the pulp of tumbo (Passiflora mollissima b.)

Vitamin C is an important micronutrient, which is found in acidic fruits such is the case of tumbo, studies have shown beneficial effects of vitamin C on health due to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging capabilities. The objective of the research was to evaluate the thermal degradation kinetics of vitamin C of the pulp of tumbo (Passiflora mollissima b.). The pulp of tumbo was prepared and subsequently subjected to different temperatures (60, 70 and 80 ° C) and times (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 min). The vitamin C content in the pulp of tumbo was 77.01 mg / 100g which was analyzed by spectrophotometry. The results showed that vitamin Cdegradation followed second-order kinetic models. The degradation rate constants for ascorbic acid in the tumbo pulp were: k60 = 0.014 min-1, k70 = 0.019 min-1 and k80 = 0.023 min-1 and the decimal reduction times are: D60 = 162.17 min, D70 = 121.74 min and D80 = 101.76 min. The z value was 99 ° C, the Ea in the temperature range of 60-80 ° C is 22.84 kJ / mol and the value of Q10 is 1.60. The optimal time and temperature of pasteurization in the pulp of tumbo is 10.69 min at 60 ° C, for presenting the best correlation index, retaining the greatest amount of ascorbic acid, presenting a lower reaction rate and requiring a longer time of decimal reduction. It was concluded that the higher the temperature, the higher the degradation of vitamin C, the data obtained will help to predict the best conditions of processing of the pulp of tumbo and minimize degradation since it is an important quality factor.

Enterobacter cloacae Induces SA-Dependent Systemic Acquired Resistance of Zea mays Against Fusarium oxysporum

AbstractPlant Growth Promoting Bacteria have proven themselves in agricultural applications not only as biofertilizers but also as biocontrol agents against different phytopathogens. In this study, we focused on investigating the ability of Enterobacter cloacae to induce the immune response of Zea mays against Fusarium oxysporum infection. The bacterium was transformed with a plasmid to express Green Fluorescence Protein and used in a greenhouse experiment in combination with Fusarium infection in different treatments. E. cloacae successfully colonized the root, resulting in enhanced physical growth with great investment in leaf area, photosynthetic pigment production, and reduced anthocyanin content. E. cloacae left a considerable resistance to root rot caused by Fusarium, as the disease severity was reduced from 74.2% (in the case of Fusarium infection alone) to about 35.8% (in the case of E. cloacae addition 14 days before fungal infection). The amount of salicylic acid (SA) was markedly elevated, and Pathogen-Related Protein showed up to an eightfold increase in the expression level. From these results, we suppose that E. cloacae induces SA-dependent systemic acquired resistance, which allows pre-colonized plants to resist Fusarium infection.

Combined sensory, volatilome and transcriptome analyses identify a limonene terpene synthase as a major contributor to the characteristic aroma of a Coffea arabica L. specialty coffee

BackgroundThe fruity aromatic bouquet of coffee has attracted recent interest to differentiate high value market produce as specialty coffee. Although the volatile compounds present in green and roasted coffee beans have been extensively described, no study has yet linked varietal molecular differences to the greater abundance of specific substances and support the aroma specificity of specialty coffees.ResultsThis study compared four Arabica genotypes including one, Geisha Especial, suggested to generate specialty coffee. Formal sensory evaluations of coffee beverages stressed the importance of coffee genotype in aroma perception and that Geisha Especial-made coffee stood out by having fine fruity, and floral, aromas and a more balanced acidity. Comparative SPME–GC–MS analyses of green and roasted bean volatile compounds indicated that those of Geisha Especial differed by having greater amounts of limonene and 3-methylbutanoic acid in agreement with the coffee cup aroma perception. A search for gene ontology differences of ripening beans transcriptomes of the four varieties revealed that they differed by metabolic processes linked to terpene biosynthesis due to the greater gene expression of prenyl-pyrophosphate biosynthetic genes and terpene synthases. Only one terpene synthase (CaTPS10-like) had an expression pattern that paralleled limonene loss during the final stage of berry ripening and limonene content in the studied four varieties beans. Its functional expression in tobacco leaves confirmed its functioning as a limonene synthase.ConclusionsTaken together, these data indicate that coffee variety genotypic specificities may influence ripe berry chemotype and final coffee aroma unicity. For the specialty coffee variety Geisha Especial, greater expression of terpene biosynthetic genes including CaTPS10-like, a limonene synthase, resulted in the greater abundance of limonene in green beans, roasted beans and a unique citrus note of the coffee drink.

In vitro degradation and antibacterial activity of bacterial cellulose deposited flax fabric reinforced with polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate

The objective of this study was to prepare biocomposites through the solution casting method followed by compression moulding in which bacterial cellulose (BC) deposited flax fabric (FF) produced through fermentation is coated with minimal amount of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Biocomposites incorporated with 60 % of PLA or PHB (% w/w) show enhanced tensile strength. Cross-sectional morphology showed good superficial interaction of these biopolymers with fibres of FF thereby filling up the gaps present between the fibres. The tensile strength of biocomposites at 60 % PLA and 60 % PHB improved from 37.97 MPa (i.e., BC deposited FF produced in presence of honey) to 67.17 MPa and 56.26 MPa, respectively. Further, 0.25 % of nalidixic acid (NA) (% w/w) and 6 % of oleic acid (OA) (% w/w) incorporation into the biocomposites imparted prolonged antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The in vitro cytotoxicity of biocomposites was determined using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The 3-(4,5-cime- thylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide cytotoxicity tests showed that the PHB derived biocomposites along with antibacterial compounds in it were non-toxic. In vitro degradation of biocomposites was measured for up to 8 weeks in the mimicked physiological environment that showed a gradual rate of degradation over the period.

Quality Characteristics and Storage Stability of Frying Steak Utilizing Wax-Based Korean Pine Seed Oil.

To investigate the disparities in product quality and storage stability between wax-based Korean pine seed oil gel and butter when used for frying steak, a comparative analysis was conducted on cooking loss, color, texture characteristics, sensory evaluation, and volatile flavor substances using headspace solid phase microextraction combined with GM-MS. Furthermore, the storage stability was assessed. The findings revealed that the cooking loss rate of steaks significantly increased with doneness, with butter steak exhibiting a significantly higher loss rate compared to the three oil gel steaks. Hardness, chewiness, and adhesiveness greatly increased as doneness progressed; however, cohesiveness, elasticity, and resilience showed minimal variation. The L* value and b* value of steaks initially increased before stabilizing with increasing doneness levels while the a* value first rose before gradually declining. Medium rare steak received the highest sensory score among all categories tested and 69 volatile flavor compounds were detected. Multivariate data analysis indicated similarities in volatile compounds between butter steak and BW (wax-based Korean pine seed oil gel) steak groups. Additionally, during storage at 4 °C temperature conditions pH level retention water content TVB-N (total volatile basic nitrogen), TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) were evaluated to determine advantages or disadvantages within each group: Beeswax (BW) > Carnauba wax (CW) > Rice bran wax (RBW) > butter based on these parameters' values. It can be concluded that utilizing wax-based Korean pine seed oil gel for frying steaks not only effectively retains significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids but also preserves steak quality while extending shelf life-a healthier cooking method resulting in reduced oil absorption.

Effect of oxygen-containing functional group contents on sorption of lead ions by acrylate-functionalized hydrochar

The surface functional groups of hydrochar are crucial to its surface properties, and their contents are strongly positively correlated with the adsorption performance. In this study, acrylate-functionalized hydrochar (AHC) with varying contents of O-containing functional groups (OFGs) was synthesized via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of bamboo, acrylic acid and an initiator, and then deprotonated with NaOH. The AHCs were analyzed by various characterization techniques. During HTC, the higher amount of acrylic acid added led to higher carbon, oxygen and carboxyl contents, and to the larger specific surface area and pore volume of AHC. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamic, ionic strength and pH effects of Pb(II) on AHC were studied. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics obeyed Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models, respectively, indicating adsorption is monolayer chemical process. The adsorptive ability was well linearly related to the OFG contents of AHC. When acrylic acid was added to 25 mL during HTC, the adsorbing ability of AHC over Pb(II) reached 193.90 mg g−1. Hence, direct HTC of acrylic acid, biomass and an initiator can prepare hydrochar with controllable OFG contents, which is a prospective adsorbent for treating metal cations.

Engineering Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66 for the Biosynthesis of Copolymers Containing 3-Hydroxybutyrate and Medium-Chain-Length 3-Hydroxyalkanoates.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, owing to their biodegradability and superior material properties. Here, the controllable biosynthesis of scl-co-mcl PHA containing 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and mcl 3-hydroxyalkanoates was achieved in Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66. First, key genes involved in fatty acid β-oxidation, the de novo fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, and the phaC1-phaZ-phaC2 operon were deleted to develop a chassis strain. Subsequently, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase gene phaB and a PHA synthase gene phaC with broad substrate specificity were heterologously expressed for producing and polymerizing the 3HB monomer with mcl 3-hydroxyalkanoates under the assistance of native β-ketothiolase gene phaA. Furthermore, the monomer composition of scl-co-mcl PHA was regulated by adjusting the amount of glucose and dodecanoic acid supplemented. Notably, the cell dry weight and scl-co-mcl PHA content reached 14.2 g/L and 60.1 wt %, respectively, when the engineered strain HT11Δ::phaCB was cultured in King's B medium containing 5 g/L glucose and 5 g/L dodecanoic acid. These results demonstrated that P. chlororaphis can be a platform for producing scl-co-mcl PHA and has the potential for industrial application.

Citric acid crosslinked carboxymethyl cellulose edible films: A case study on preserving freshness in bananas

The study involves the preparation and characterization of crosslinked-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) films using varying amounts of citric acid (CA) within the range 5 %–20 %, w/w, relative to the dry weight of CMC. Through techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, carbonyl content analysis, and gel fraction measurements, the successful crosslinking between CMC and CA is confirmed. The investigation includes an analysis of chemical structure, physical and optical characteristics, swelling behavior, water vapor transmission rate, moisture content, and surface morphologies. The water resistance of the cross-linked CMC films exhibited a significant improvement when compared to the non-crosslinked CMC film. The findings indicated that films crosslinked with 10 % CA demonstrated favorable properties for application as edible coatings. These transparent films, ideal for packaging, prove effective in preserving the quality and sensory attributes of fresh bananas, including color retention, minimized weight loss, slowed ripening through inhibiting amyloplast degradation, and enhanced firmness during storage.

Polyphenol Profile, Antioxidant Activity and Yield of Cynara cardunculus altilis in Response to Nitrogen Fertilisation

Cardoon leaves are of great pharmaceutical importance due to their high content of polyphenol compounds. Polyphenolic compounds have attracted much interest due to their health-promoting effects. The content of these compounds in C. cardunculus depends on several factors, such as genotype, crop management, plant tissues, harvest time, and storage time. In this study, the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilisation (rates and forms) on the biomass yield and polyphenol profile of the leaves were determined. Increasing the amount of N up to 180 kg-ha−1 in fertilisation did not significantly increase the air-dried biomass yield of the leaves. On the contrary, it led to lower concentrations of total phenolic compounds (TP), total flavonoids (TF), caffeic acid, cynarin, and luteolin. Improvements in performance were achieved when 120 kg-ha−1 N rate was applied and increases in TP, TF content, and radical scavenging activity were observed. The applied N forms (NO3, NH4 or urea) had different effects on the concentrations of individual compounds and leaf air-dried biomass. Higher concentrations of cynarin, luteolin, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were found when the N forms NH4 and urea were applied; higher caffeic acid content was found when urea was applied. The application of NO3 and urea in fertilisation reduced the level of luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, while the application of NO3 and NH4 reduced the amount of caffeic acid. The obtained results provide a better understanding of the effects of N rates and forms on cardoon leaves over two growing seasons.

Health benefits of bluefin tuna consumption: (Thunnus thynnus) as a case study.

Consumers are increasingly interested in food products with high nutritional value and health benefits. For instance, fish consumption is linked with diverse positive health benefits and the prevention of certain widespread disorders, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, or cardiovascular diseases. These benefits have been attributed to its excellent nutritional value (large amounts of high-quality fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals) and bioactive compounds, while being relatively low-caloric. Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus tynnus) is one of the most consumed species worldwide, motivated by its good nutritional and organoleptic characteristics. Recently, some organizations have proposed limitations on its consumption due to the presence of contaminants, mainly heavy metals such as mercury. However, several studies have reported that most specimens hold lower levels of contaminants than the established limits and that their richness in selenium effectively limits the contaminants' bioaccessibility in the human body. Considering this situation, this study aims to provide baseline data about the nutritional composition and the latest evidence regarding the beneficial effects of Atlantic bluefin tuna consumption. A review of the risk-benefit ratio was also conducted to evaluate the safety of its consumption, considering the current suggested limitations to this species' consumption.

Organoleptic, physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of broiler chicken meat in combined toxicosis

Increasing the productivity of animals and birds, resistance to non-infectious and infectious diseases remains a priority in agricultural production. Currently, the problem of obtaining environmentally friendly animal feed and food of animal origin is acute. The main natural and anthropogenic pollutants of feed and food raw materials are mycotoxins, toxic elements and pesticides. It is important to highlight the role of the influence of combinations of natural and anthropogenic pollutants on a living organism. Mycotoxins, toxic elements and pesticides, in addition to their polytoxic effect on animals, significantly reduce product quality indicators. This article examines the organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological parameters of broiler chicken meat during the experimental introduction of natural (T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol) and anthropogenic (cadmium and diquat) ecotoxicants against the background of the use of modified bentonite. Experiments were conducted on 40 broiler chickens divided into 4 groups: group 1 - biological control, received the basic diet, group 2 – toxic control (broiler chickens received food contaminated with mycotoxins, cadmium and diquat); group 3 – broiler chickens received toxic feed with a modified sorbent; group 4 – control due to the harmlessness, broiler chickens with a basic diet received a modified sorbent. The duration of the experiment was 21 days. When assessing the organoleptic parameters, it was revealed that the meat samples of broiler chickens of groups 1, 3 and 4 correspond to the characteristic features of fresh meat, groups 2 – of questionable freshness. When evaluating the physico-chemical parameters of chicken meat of the second group, a significantly increased value of the pH level of muscle tissue, an increase in amino-ammonia nitrogen by 34.9%, the amount of volatile fatty acids, acid and peroxide numbers by 1.9, 3.4 and 5.0 times, respectively, was recorded relative to other experimental groups. The qualitative reaction to peroxidase in testing 1, 3 and 4 samples of chicken meat was positive, in 2 – negative. The contamination with cocci and sticks of smears-prints of the surface layers of the muscles of broiler chickens of the second group was recorded. The organoleptic, physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of broiler chicken meat against the background of the use of a modified sorbent did not differ significantly from those of the biological control group and corresponded to the characteristic features of fresh meat.

Polybasic organic acids controlled synthesis of Mo-V-O composite metal oxide for the catalytic conversion of glycerol

By introducing oxalic acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid into the synthesis process of Mo-V-O composite metal oxides, the structure directing effect of polybasic organic acids on the crystal structure of Mo-V-O compositee metal oxide was studied. Moreover, the prepared Mo-V-O samples with different crystal phase compositions were used to the conversion of glycerol, and the effect of crystal phase structure on its catalytic performance was investigated. Results show that the crystal phase structure of Mo-V-O can be regulated by changing the type and additive amount of polybasic organic acids. The crystal phase of Mo-V-O changed from MoV2O8 to Mo0.97V0.95O5 with the increase of succinic acid and tartaric acid. The change in the Mo-V-O crystal phase is related to the amount of organic acid and the carbon chain length. When the crystal phase is MoV2O8, the selectivity of acrolein and acetone is 25.7 % and 16.2 %. According to the XPS results, Mo6+ in MoV2O8 promoted the formation of acrolein, while Mo5+ in Mo0.97V0.95O5 promoted the formation of acetone. So when the crystal phase is Mo0.97V0.95O5, the selectivity of acrolein and acetone is 11.9 % and 24.6 %. Therefore, the results of catalyzing glycerol can be controlled by selecting different crystal phases.

Evaluating the suitability of sedimentological, geochemical, and biological proxies for reconstructing floodplain palaeohydrology

Fundamental insight into the long-term ‘geoecohydrological’ dynamics of rivers and floodplains is required for their sustainable management. To study these dynamics, a multi-proxy approach is essential. While suitable proxies are available for reconstructing floodplain geomorphology and past vegetation, the suitability of the available proxies for past hydrology to reconstruct floodplain wetness has not yet been evaluated. In this study, we apply a multi-proxy analysis combining testate amoebae and several geochemical proxies for decomposition (humification, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes), in comparison to sedimentological (stratigraphy, loss on ignition) and palaeobotanical records, to obtain independent hydrological reconstructions of alluvial floodplains in contrasting environmental settings to explore the suitability of the available proxies for past hydrology to reconstruct floodplain wetness.This study concludes that testate amoebae cannot provide a continuous and reliable hydrological reconstruction, as they are insufficiently preserved in alluvial peat deposits. In addition, mineral particles within the tests size range hamper the analysis in mineral-dominated sediment units. As organic matter decomposition is low when water tables are high and vice versa, we expected the decomposition proxies to reflect the hydrological conditions. While the amount of humic acids appears to depend mainly on the substrate rather than the decomposition of the organic matter in it, the analyses of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes provide promising results, for both peat and non-peat deposits.