Foam Persistence Research Articles

Fabrication and characterization of microemulsion of some insecticides and evaluating their efficacy against cotton leaf worm on cotton crop under laboratory and field conditions

AbstractTraditional pesticide formulations have some shortcomings, including limited efficacy and the usage of huge amounts of insecticide, which has a negative impact on the environment. Using nano‐pesticide formulations reduces the amount of pesticide applied, minimizing pest control expenses and environmental contamination. As a result, this study was conducted to develop a microemulsion formulation containing emamectin benzoate or beta‐cyfluthrin with improved morphology, droplet size, emulsion stability, and persistence of foam. Moreover to assess the efficacy of the developed microemulsion in comparison to the convention alone against the Egyptian cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) under both laboratory and field conditions. The results showed that the optimum conditions for emamectin benzoate microemulsion was 2% active ingredient, 5% (w/w) ethyl acetate, and DMF (3:2), 3.5% (w/w) Geronol ff4 and Etocas 35 (6:1), 5% (w/w) ethanol, and 86.5% (w/w) water, while for beta‐cyfluthrin, a 5.0% active ingredient, 15% (w/w) Solvesso 100 and ethyl acetate (2:1), 7.0% (w/w) Geronol ff4 and Etocas 35 (6:1), 10% (w/w) ethanol, and 68% (w/w) water. Under laboratory conditions, emamectin benzoate was more toxic than beta‐cyfluthrin to Spodoptera littoralis second and fourth instar larvae. Emamectin benzoate was more effective that beta‐cyfluthrin against Spodoptera littoralis in the field, whether as a microemulsion or a commercial product. Thus, microemulsions of tested insecticides with better formulation qualities may be more effective than traditional ones in controlling cotton leaf worm.

Factors affecting the rumen fluid foaming performance in goat fed high concentrate diet.

Feeding high concentrate diets is highly prone to rumen bloat in ruminants, which is very common in production. This study explored the factors responsible for the occurrence of foamy rumen bloat. The experiment was conducted using goats as test animals, fed high concentrate diets and scored for rumen distension into high, medium and low bloat score groups. Rumen fluid was collected from 6 goats in each group separately. The foaming production, foam persistence, pH value, viscosity and the content of protein, total saccharide and mineral elements in rumen original fluid (ROL) were measured, and the protein and total saccharide content in rumen foam liquid (RFL) and rumen residual liquid (RRL) were determined. The results showed that the protein content in rumen original fluid and rumen foam liquid was significantly higher than that in rumen residual liquid (p < 0.05), and the protein content in rumen foam liquid was 10.81% higher than that in rumen original fluid. The higher the rumen bloat score, the higher the foam production, foam persistence, viscosity, protein, Ni, Mg, Ca, and K concentrations of the rumen original fluid, and the lower the PH and Na concentrations of the rumen original fluid; correlation analysis showed that the viscosity of the rumen original fluid was significantly and positively correlated with the foam production and foam persistence (p < 0.05). Foaming production and foam persistence of rumen original fluid were significantly and positively correlated with the contents of protein, total saccharide, K, Ca, Mg and Ni (p < 0.05). and negatively correlated with the content of Na (p < 0.05); after controlling other components those were significantly related to the foaming performance of rumen original fluid only protein still was significantly positively correlated with the foam persistence of rumen original fluid (P<0.05). In summary, the contents of protein, total saccharide and mineral elements in the rumen fluid had a significant effect on the foaming performance of rumen in ruminants, with protein playing a decisive role and the other components playing a supporting role. Reducing the content of protein in the diet in production is beneficial to reduce the occurrence of rumen bloat in ruminants.

Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Comparison of Popular Herbal Shampoo Brands with Synthetic Shampoo Brands of India

The most popular type of hair care is shampooing. Shampoos are basically hair and scalp washing agents. There are numerous shampoo brands on the market that cater to various hair issues. One such categorization is herbal and synthetic shampoos where former claim to be prepared from natural ingredients and more safer for human use while latter are prepared entirely from range of synthetic chemicals/compounds and sometimes assumed to show allergic reaction or side effects on hair and scalp in long run usage. This study intends to assess specific shampoos based on their physicochemical characteristics, pH measurement, percentage of solid content, cleansing performance, dirt dispersion, foaming ability and foam persistence, and skin irritancy. These parameters were selected to cover evaluation of visual appearance, efficacy as well as safety issues related to herbal and synthetic class and how far they justify their claims. Six shampoo brands from each category i.e. Patanjali’s Keshkanti, Vatika, Chik hair solutions from herbal category and Clinic Plus, Dove, Sunsilk from synthetic category were procured from market and evaluated for above said tests. All shampoos were found to perform well in most tests with some surpassing others in one or another factor with mild variation. But since none particular test be considered more important than other hence giving a composite score to shampoos based on all tests is impossible. Overall, all shampoos of both categories were found to contain each ingredient within specified limit and none showed skin irritancy hence could be considered safe.

A chemometric approach to the evaluation of sparkling ciders produced by Champenoise and Charmat methods

The production of sparkling cider could intercept the needs of non-habitual consumers of this alcoholic-beverage. This investigation was aimed to develop procedures for the production of sparkling ciders using the Italian apple variety ‘Limoncella’ by application of both Champenoise and Charmat methods.First of all, the authors apply a chemometric approach to evaluate the effects of duration of the pectolytic treatment carried out on crushed apples and of the sugar added before refermentation on physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of the Champenoise sparkling ciders. The pectolytic treatment was able to influence colour, alcohol, pH, bitterness (higher when the treatment was shorter), titratable and volatile acidity, soluble solids, CO2, total phenolics, sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and volatile alcohols (higher when the treatment was longer). The addition of sugar increased alcohol, soluble solids, and CO2, and decreased the production of volatile compounds.Then, the effects of the refermentation methods (Champenoise or Charmat) on the same parameters were evaluated. Charmat and Champenoise sparkling ciders differed for parameters showing higher values in the second type, i.e. colour (9.982 and 14.296 SRM), organic acid concentrations, CO2 (6.35 and 7.55 g/L), phenolic (313 and 424 mg/L) and volatile content, foam persistence (2.2 and 3.8), and saltiness (2.1 and 3.2) –– and for some sensory attributes such as taste quality and harmony that received higher scores in Charmat sparkling ciders (4.9 ± 0.7 and 4.9 ± 0.0, respectively) than the Champenoise ciders (3.7 ± 0.5 and 3.7 ± 0.4, respectively). Several esters, alcohols, terpenes, acids, phenols, and norisoprenoids had odour activity values > 1. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was able to homogeneously group Champenoise ciders based on the duration of the pectolytic treatment and the addition of sugar before fermentation. PCA was also able to distinguish sparkling ciders by refermentation methods.The results indicated that the chemometric approach is a sensitive tool to monitor the quality and authenticity of local sparkling cider productions. The reduction of the pectolytic treatment time was critical to avoid dramatic increases of lactic acid content. The Champenoise method preserved the cider phenolic content but negatively affected their sensory quality.

Improvement of functional characteristics of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix protein by modification with chitosan oligosaccharide.

In the food processing field, it is very often that fish proteins are denatured affecting the nutritional value of the product which is vital to be solved. By using appropriate sugar donors for glycosylation with protein, improving the stability and emulsification properties of fish proteins can be achieved. This research looks into the impacts of enzymatic chitosan oligosaccharide (CO) at various concentration (0.15%, 0.30%, 0.45%, 0.60%, w/v) upon the molecular makeup and function of silver carp myofibrillar protein (MP) in an attempt to comprehend the impact of electrostatic binding among MP as well as CO on protein conformation. Analysis was done on the impact of various CO concentrations upon MP's secondary structure, conformational changes, and functional characteristics. Twelve sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) assays were implemented to monitor MP; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, endogenous fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV absorption spectra were carried out to investigate the influence of CO on MP; Particle size distribution, emulsifying activity index (EAI), solubility, turbidity, sulfhydryl content, carbonyl content, foaming capacity, surface hydrophobicity, emulsifying stability index (ESI), and foam persistence were all investigated. In addition, we used dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscope to analyze myosin (MO) and 0.60% CO-MO complex. The results demonstrated that CO and MP form complexes through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. CO modification not only delayed the oxidation of MP but also promoted MP to show better solubility, foaming, and foaming stability. In addition, CO modified myosin particle size decreased, reducing myosin's roughness and making myosin's structure more compact. To sum up, molecular interaction could change functional characteristics, and products with special properties could be developed after modification with chitosan oligosaccharide.

Single and Interactive Effects of Unmalted Cereals, Hops, and Yeasts on Quality of White-Inspired Craft Beers

White beers owe their name to their straw yellow colour deriving from the use of unmalted wheat, which also supplies a relatively high protein content causing haze formation. This study aimed to develop white-inspired craft beers made with combinations of three mixtures of barley malt/unmalted wheat (alternatively durum-var. Dauno III, soft-var. Risciola, or emmer-var. Padre Pio), two hop varieties (Cascade or Columbus), and two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (Belgian yeast and a high-ester producing yeast); and assess the single and interactive effects of these ingredients on physical, chemical, and sensory characteristics of the beers. According to the graphical representation of the results for the Principal Component Analysis, most of the samples appear overlapped since they had similar characteristics, but it was possible to highlight two clusters of beers different from the others: those produced with (a) Risciola wheat and Columbus hop and (b) Dauno III wheat, Cascade hop, and the Belgian yeast. The beers of these clusters obtained the highest scores for their overall quality that, in turn, was positively correlated with concentrations of citric acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, and epicatechin; alcohol %, colour, amount and persistence of foam, intensity of fruity flavour, and body.

Calidad fisicoquímica y sensorial de cerveza artesanal estilo blonde ale con infusión de flor deshidratada de jamaica (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of the infusion of dried jamaican flower (IFDJ) on the physicochemical and sensory parameters of blonde ale-style craft beer. A completely randomized experimental design with a factorial arrangement was used. Factor A corresponded to concentrations of IFDJ at 5%, 10% and 15%. The Kruskal Wallis and Tukey test were used at 5% significance. In the physicochemical profile, a p &lt; 0.05% was obtained, the results ranged between 0.40% - 0.55% for acidity; 6.17% - 6.66% v/v (alcoholic degree); 3.27 - 3.71 (pH); 2.7 - 3.5 L CO2/L beverage (carbonation), at a sensory level the variables color, persistence of foam, transparency and liveliness were significantly different, the other attributes showed a p &gt; 0.05%. All the treatments presented acceptable microbiological quality, in terms of the physicochemical variables, the alcoholic degree and carbonation were found within what is required by INEN 2262, on the contrary, the acidity was above the norm, and the pH was only acceptable in the T1 (5% IFDJ). According to sensory analysis, treatment T1 (5% IFDJ) showed better acceptance, with golden color characteristics, persistent foam, transparent appearance and balanced liveliness.

The rôles of plankton and neuston microbial organic matter in climate regulation

Abstract Plankton and neuston microbes produce organic matter (OM), which accumulates in the sea surface microlayer (SML). Fluxes of heat and momentum exchange across the sea-air interface, as do fluxes of matter, including greenhouse gases, aerosols, microbes (algae, bacteria sensu lato and viruses) and other substances. At least at calm to moderate windspeeds, microbial OM (MOM) in the SML reduces these fluxes. Another MOM fraction, foam, covers a part of the ocean surface. Ocean foam increases mean ocean albedo because it reflects solar radiation, thus cooling the ocean and the Earth. The rheological properties of MOM and the reduction of sea-air fluxes depend on microbial abundance and taxonomic composition, as do the formation and persistence of foam. Genomic regulation of MOM secretion may thus be helping to regulate air-sea fluxes and climate. Unpredictable changes in abundance and taxonomic composition of these microbial communities may be adding uncertainty to global and more local climate. Some of this uncertainty could be mitigated by studying the ecology and genomics of the surface microbial community together with chemical and rheological properties of their secreted MOM and its effects on sea-air fluxes and foam coverage, to incorporate into climate models.

Effect of the Addition of Non-Saccharomyces at First Alcoholic Fermentation on the Enological Characteristics of Cava Wines

Background: Cava is considered to be a high-quality wine internationally. Hence, it has undergone consistent improvement and/or the preservation of its aromatic qualities, bouquet, color, and foamability, throughout its elaboration and aging. Methods: This study investigates the use of different Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts strains (Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima) in Chardonnay and Xarel.lo cava wines. The usual enological parameters, the volatile composition, the protein contents, and foamability were determined, and sensory analyses were also performed for all of the vinifications (both before tirage and after 18 months of aging on the lees). Results: the protein and foamability results show that there is a direct relationship between both parameters, with better foam persistence achieved in some non-Saccharomyces fermentation. M. pulcherrima base wines showed a high protein content, improving foamability and foaming persistence. In addition, the results of the aromatic composition and the sensory analysis showed that the use of T. delbrueckii at first fermentation produced interesting cavas from an aromatic perspective. These cavas showed the highest values of ethyl isovalerate (120–126 µg/L), providing aromatic fruity notes, especially fresh green apple. Conclusions: the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the base wine fermentation can be an alternative to produce cavas with differentiated aromatic characteristics and interesting foaming ability.

Counterion-coupled gemini surfactants based on propoxylated hexamethylenediamine and fatty acids: Theory and application

Novel cocogem surfactants are synthesized from N, N′-di-(propane-2-olyl)-1,6-hexanediamine and six different fatty acids (capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic). N,N′-di-(propane-2-olyl)-1,6-hexanediamine is the product of the reaction between hexamethylenediamine and propylene oxide in 1:2 mol ratio. Important surface activity parameters, such as critical micelle concentration (CMC), negative logarithm of the concentration required for 20 mN/m reduction in surface tension (pC20), surface pressure (πCMC), surface excess concentration (Γmax) of the synthesized surfactants are determined. Application properties such as foamability, foam stability, and emulsion stability of cocogem surfactants are measured. Absorption and micellization Gibbs energies are calculated. Surfactants having palmitic and stearic tails display quite high foam and emulsion stability. Viscosity measurement data are utilized to explain the high foam persistence and emulsion stability of these surfactants. The cocogem surfactant based on myristic acid is able to show surface tension reduction performance comparable to that of commercial fluorinated surfactants. Computational studies are performed in density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP functional and 6-31G* basis set for optimizing the synthesized surfactant structures and determining their formation free energies.

Development and stability study of products containing cupuaçu butter

The Amazon region is responsible for much of Brazil’s native fruit biodiversity. In this context, stands out the cupuacu ( Theobroma grandiflorum ( Wild. Ex Spreng.) K. Schum.), a fruit tree whose fruit has a seed with high fat content and nutritional value, besides antioxidant and moisturizing activities. The present research aimed to use the cupuacu butter in the development of shampoo and emulsion formulations, evaluating their stability and the antioxidant activity of the emulsion. The butter was extracted from cupuacu pulping byproducts by the ultrasound assisted extraction method, and was used to formulate four shampoos (I, II, III and IV) and emulsions containing 3% and 5% of cupuacu butter. All formulations had their organoleptic characteristics (color, odor and appearance) and physicochemical parameters (pH determination, viscosity, conductivity and centrifugation) analyzed, as well as the evaluation of shampoo density, foam persistence and refractive index and spreadability and potencial antioxidant activity of the emulsion. The stability of the formulations was evaluated by monitoring the organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics by the preliminary and accelerated stability tests. Shampoo formulations I and II showed lower than expected viscosity during the preliminary stability test and were discarded. After accelerated stability, formulation IV had a change in its appearance while formulation III was satisfactory in the other parameters, only presenting a decrease in the viscosity values, allowing the addition of a new thickening agent. Emulsions showed values within the standards in all evaluations and were stable during stability tests. The spreadability of the butter-containing emulsions was higher than the control emulsion, implying that the addition of the butter provides ease of application. Emulsions showed low antioxidant activity as they are produced with processing byproducts, but allowing the addition of smaller amounts of synthetic antioxidants to the formulation. Thus, the use of cupuacu butter obtained from pulping byproducts has been shown to be applicable in the development of different formulations of commercial interest such as shampoos and emulsions.

Wort fermentation and beer conditioning with selected non-Saccharomyces yeasts in craft beers

The use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts means a great source of biodiversity for the production of differentiated beer products. With this objective, five species of different genera have been selected in order to evaluate their influence on beer quality. Two different experiments were carried out with four non-Saccharomyces strains (Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Saccharomycodes ludwigii and Lachancea thermotolerans) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as control. In the first experimental setup, the five strains were used to carry out the pure culture wort fermentation and to undertake bottle conditioning. In a second experimental setup, the wort was fermented with S. cerevisiae and the four non-Saccharomyces strains were used for bottle conditioning. Beers from the first experimental setup had low ethanol content due to the wort’s original gravity; T. delbrueckii produced a beer with the largest quantity of isoamyl acetate. In the second setup, the wort had higher original gravity; most of the fermentative volatiles were produced in larger amounts (1-propanol, isobutanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol) with all tested strains. The differences observed in the volatiles production were more pronounced when the yeast strains were used for the fermentation and the bottle conditioning than whey they were used just for the bottle conditioning. The species S. pombe produced a significantly higher ethanol concentration (%v/v) in both experimental setups; these beers also obtained the highest scores for the sensory attributes foam consistency and foam persistence. Beers produced with T. delbrueckii and S. ludwigii had low ethanol content in both experimental designs, in pure culture fermentation and in bottle conditioning.

Phytochemistry in medicinal species of Solanum L. (Solanaceae)

Background: The genus Solanum L. is the largest of the family Solanaceae; it has used in food, ornamentation, and medicinal. Objective: This work had as objective to perform the phytochemical screening secondary metabolites: saponins, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and anthraquinones by means of colorimetric and precipitation analyzes of root bark, stem, leaf, and epicarp of the following species of Solanum genus: Solanum agrarium, Solanum lycocarpum, Solanum palinacanthum, Solanum paniculatum, and Solanum stipulaceum. The species are found in areas of the Cerrado Biome of Northern Minas Gerais state for initial evaluation of the possibility of cultivation for medicinal use. Materials and Methods: The following qualitative tests were performed: Liebermann–Burchard reaction for steroids/triterpenoids; foam persistence test for saponins; Bertrand and Dragendorff reagents for alkaloids; reactions with lead neutral acetate at 10% and ferric chloride at 2% for tannins; reactions with ferric chloride at 2% and Shinoda reaction for flavonoids; reaction of Borntraeger and reaction with sodium hydroxide at 0.5% for anthraquinones. Results: Plants of the Solanum L. genus, occurring in Cerrado areas in the city of Montes Claros, have considerable amounts of secondary metabolites, varying between the different species and in different structures analyzed. Conclusion: It is important to continue the study evaluating whether in species from planting occurs production of the secondary metabolites identified in wild plants. Abbreviations Used: FAPEMIG: Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, CNPq: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico, BHCB: Herbarium of the Department of Botany, from Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais.

Performance of Metarhizium anisopliae-treated foam in combination with Phytoseiulus longipes Evans against Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Tetranychus evansi (Te) is an exotic pest of solanaceous crops in Africa. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus longipes (Pl) and the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Ma) are potential biocontrol agents of Te. The present study investigated the efficacy of fungus-treated foam placed above or below the third Te-infested tomato leaf. The persistence of fungus-treated foam and the performance of Pl with and without fungus-treated foam were evaluated. The fungus-treated foam was effective when Te infestation was below the third tomato leaf as no damage was recorded on any of the upper tomato leaves up to 30 days post-treatment. However, in the control treatments, the infestation increased considerably from 9 ± 0.3% to 100 ± 0% (mean ± standard error) at 15 days post-treatment. The reuse of the fungus-treated foam at 15, 30 and 45 days post-treatment resulted in 19 ± 1.4%, 25 ± 1.2% and 54 ± 2.1%, respectively, infestation by Te. The fungus-treated foam and Pl alone were efficient, but there was no benefit to combining them for use against Te. The fungus-treated foam is an effective method to optimise the use of Ma in screenhouse conditions. These two control agents could be integrated in an integrated pest management strategy for crop protection. However, these results need to be confirmed in large field trials. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Correlation of Urinary Foam with Proteinuria in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Foamy urine is often reported to be associated with proteinuria and kidney diseases. There is no objective measure on the nature and correlation of this relationship. Literature reviews revealed very few studies that can confirm or refute this relationship. This study hypothesized that the severity and persistence of urinary foam were associated with the degree of proteinuria (as determined by urine protein-creatinine ratio and dipstick). Methods: We analyzed urine samples of patients from our chronic kidney disease (CKD) clinics for urine protein and foam. The urine samples were shaken in a standardized way and heights of resting foam (in millimeters) were measured after a pre-determined resting time. The foam heights were correlated with clinical variables including proteinuria, stages of CKD, gender, age, co-morbidities and urine specific gravity. Results: A total of 160 urine samples were analyzed. Greater foam height was significantly associated with advanced CKD stages (p=0.015), urine dipstick protein (p<0.001), urine PCR (p=0.005) and diabetes mellitus (p=0.013). Urine specific gravity (p=0.053) and hypertension (p=0.91) did not achieve statistically significant results with foam height. Further analyses were performed on 54 urine samples with no or low protein level (defined as urine PCR of less than <100 mg/mmol AND urine protein dipstick result of ≤ 1+). In these samples, there was no statistically significant relationship between foam height and CKD stages (p=0.403), specific gravity (p=0.564), diabetes mellitus (p=0.909) and hypertension (p=0.08). Conclusion: Our study showed that urinary foam can be used as a rudimentary surrogate marker for proteinuria in patients with CKD. It provides extra leverage to the age-long assumptions that urinary foam is associated with kidney disease and proteinuria. More research will be needed to ascertain and investigate the nature of this relationship.

A Low-Cost Image Analysis System to Upgrade the Rudin Beer Foam Head Retention Meter

Beer foam is one of the first characteristics consumers visually perceive. Even if their opinions vary, generally, beer foam should be stable and long lasting. In this work, the conventional foam head retention method developed by Rudin (1957) was improved by resorting to three different automatic data acquisition systems. The first one made use of a mouse time tracking software offered at no cost. The second one was an Accurate Image Analysis system using a high-definition camera and a script written in MATLAB. Finally, the third one was an automatic low-cost image analysis (LCIA) system incorporating a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and a camera module (Raspberry Pi Foundation, UK). The latter was able not only to acquire the whole foam decay curve but also to fit the time course of the beer–foam interface position and extract the characteristic beer foam half-life (t½). All the data acquisition systems yielded t½ values practically coincident at the probability level of 0.05, this confirming their substantial equivalence. Once the lager beer had been laced with increasing doses of a foam agent (i.e., tetrahydro-iso-α-acid) to enhance its foam persistence, the resulting foam half-life, as estimated using the above Rudin-based methods, was highly correlated (r2 = 0.99) to the foam collapse time, as derived from the NIBEM Foam Stability Tester. Finally, thanks to the LCIA acquisition system developed here, the Rudin test might represent a fast, flexible, and cheaper alternative to the generally recommended but expensive NIBEM tester, as well as other commercial automated Rudin apparatuses.

The use of a portable robotic sparkling wine pourer and image analysis to assess wine quality in a fast and accurate manner

Sparkling wines, which contain dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) are economically important for Australia, France, Spain, Italy, USA, and Chile among other countries. Climate change is expected to influence the final quality of sparkling wine due to predicted increments in ambient temperature during grapegrowing. This effect which will likely produce: i) flavour and aroma changes of grapes and wines, ii) decrease protein concentration and iii) increase alcohol content in wines. Balanced protein and alcohol concentration are related quality traits of sparkling wines as foamability and foam stability are affected by these parameters. Quality of sparkling wines can be assessed visually using parameters such as colour, bubble behaviour, appearance (bead) and foam persistence (mousse). Robotics allows consistent repeatability of assessment, by standardising pouring style, speed, angle, shape and type of glass as well as wine ambient temperature. When combined with chemometrics and standardised assessments, robotics can be correlated to traditional measures of quality. This paper discusses the development of a robotic bottle pourer to standardise time and wine volume of pouring into a glass. Images from foam dynamics in glasses were collected automatically with a digital video camera attached to the pourer and transferred to a computer. Data were then analysed by image analysis algorithms, which convey the information into bubble size, foamability (ability of the wine to produce foam), foam persistence and stability, and collar stability. Results showed that the automated robotic pourer and image analysis techniques are comparable to most common chemometrics and sensory panel results to assess quality of sparkling wine.

Oenological consequences of sequential inoculation with non-Saccharomyces yeasts (Torulaspora delbrueckii or Metschnikowia pulcherrima) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in base wine for sparkling wine production

The use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts for the production of quality wine has become increasingly frequent in recent years. Several studies of the influence of Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima on chemical composition have been reported, especially in aspects concerning aroma. The aim of this article was to study the influence of sequential inoculation of these non-Saccharomyces yeasts and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the composition and quality of base wine for sparkling wine production. The results indicate that sequential inoculation with non-Saccharomyces yeasts may be an interesting tool for obtaining base wines with different characteristics. On the one hand, T. delbrueckii Biodiva™ strain increased glycerol concentration, reduced volatile acidity and exerted a positive effect on foaming properties improving foamability (Hm) and foam persistence (Hs). On the other hand, M. pulcherrima Flavia® strain also increased foam persistence (Hs) and changed the aromatic profile, increasing smoky and flowery notes.

A novel approach for improving the drying behavior of sludge by the appropriate foaming pretreatment

Foaming pretreatment has long been recognized to promote drying materials with sticky and viscous behaviors. A novel approach, CaO addition followed by appropriate mechanical whipping, was employed for the foaming of dewatered sludge at a moisture content of 80–85%. In the convective drying, the foamed sludge at 0.70 g/mL had the best drying performance at any given temperature, which saved 35–41% drying time for reaching 20% moisture content compared with the non-foamed sludge. Considering the maximum foaming efficiency, the optimal CaO addition was found at 2.0 wt%. For a better understanding of the foaming mechanisms, the foamability of sludge processed with other pretreatment methods, including NaOH addition (0–3.0 wt%) and heating application (60–120 °C), were investigated while continuously whipping. Their recovered supernatant phases were characterized by pH, surface tension, soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), protein concentration, polysaccharide concentration and spectra of excitation-emission matrices (EEM). These comparative studies indicated that the sludge foaming was mainly derived from the decreased surface tension by the surfactants and the promoted foam persistence by the protein derived compounds. Further, a comprehensive analysis of the sludge drying characteristics was performed including the surface moisture evaporation, the effective moisture diffusivity and the micromorphology of dried sludge. The results indicated that the drying advantages of foamed sludge were mainly attributed to the larger evaporation surface in a limited drying area and the more active moisture capillary movement through the liquid films, which resulted in longer constant evaporation rate periods and better effective moisture diffusivity, respectively.

커피원두의 분쇄입자크기에 따른 에스프레소의 관능적 특성

Grinding is an indispensible step in preparation of espresso coffee. The purpose of this study was to evaluate physicochemical and sensory characteristics of espresso according to the grinding grades of coffee beans. Specifically, physicochemical characteristics according to the grinding grades of coffee beans were tested based on foam index, persistence of foam, total solids, concentration, extraction yield, pH, viscosity, total soluble solid content and density. With regard to sensory characteristics, QDA were carried out by 10 trained panels. Persistence of foam, total solids, concentration, extraction, pH and viscosity in physicochemical test showed significant differences among the three categories of the samples. In other words, the finer the size of particles was, the higher value was, at the p=0.001 value. Meanwhile, the value of foam index and total soluble solid content to the grinding grades was the highest in 'fine', at the p=0.001 value. Tiger-skin effect in crema, an important attribute for excellent espresso coffee, was perceived by all of the panels in 'fine'. Also, intensity of flavor was perceived as to the strongest in 'fine'. Moreover, 'fine' had the sweetness to balance the acids and bitters. In conclusion, according to the grinding grades, it was identified that there were differences in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics. Furthermore, when the size of particles was 'fine', it brought to the most positive result.