Fresh Hide Research Articles

Degumming Effect of Different Retting Methods for Fresh Samples of Kenaf and Jute Whole Plant

ABSTRACT To examine the impact of in situ water maceration in macerating ponds on the degumming process and fiber quality of freshly kenaf and jute whole plants. Different kenaf/jute fresh samples (whole plant, bast fresh hides) were subjected to distinct maceration treatments: padded film + cover film, cover film only, and no film. Water temperature, degumming bacterial colony counts, and fiber quality were assessed. Results revealed that composting pools with padded film + cover film maintained the highest water temperature. For colony count, padded film + cover film treatment displayed the highest colony count for kenaf, and no film treatment had the highest for jute. Kenaf whole fresh rods treated with padded film + cover film and cover film alone demonstrated the highest fiber strengths at 489.01 N and 494.85 N, respectively. Jute whole fresh rods macerated in padded film + cover film achieved the greatest strength at 392.32 N. Comparisons of fresh fiber strength between whole fresh rod and bastshowed a maximum difference of 150.69 N (kenaf) and 152.88 N (jute). Comprehensive analysis concluded, that the most effective degumming method involved using the whole fresh rods of red hemp/jute in maceration ponds equipped with padded film + cover film.

H.E.A.T. A New Sustainable Green Solution for Treating and Evaporating Hide Brine Wastewater

Salt curing of hides releases a significant amount of excess water that must be disposed. In larger abattoirs this can result in production of tens of thousands of gallons of saturated salt brine that is also contaminated with biological material from the hides. These brines are often stored in enclosed impoundments that ultimately fill and need replacement, or the facility must build multiple impoundments. The proprietary, biologically based, sustainable Halophilic Evaporative Applications Technology (H.E.A.T.) process has been developed as a method to accelerate the evaporation of salt saturated brines. The process has been tested for 18 months in a full-scale lagoon located at an operating American beef plant. The process successfully evaporated an additional 31.99 inches of brine (866,900 gal) acre-1 of concentrated hide brine in one year, nearly drying out the South lagoon. Ambient evaporation of the same brine in an identical control lagoon at the site was only 19.19 inches (520,000 gallons) acre-1 representing a 1.66x increase in brine evaporation from the H.E.A.T. microbes. During 2020, the plant produced 3,376,000 gallons of brine, meaning H.E.A.T. evaporated 100.4 % of plant production in one lagoon in its first year. This was accomplished without additional infrastructure, equipment or external heating. During this test, Biochemical Oxygen Demand in the lagoons decreased over 98% with concomitant odor reduction. Beginning in October 2020, the lagoon began receiving all brine produced daily by the plant. This continued over the winter period, during which time the process evaporated over 34% of the inflow. Continued fertilization and microbial augmentation are essential for the continued healthy development of the system. Overall, the process and its essential microbial populations were stimulated by continuing inflow of fresh hide brines. The microbial process increases brine evaporation of concentrated salt brines, reduces odors and represents a new environmentally friendly mechanism for solving an industrial problem that has long plagued hide producers.

Western Sudan Arabi camel hides attributes and leather quality characteristics

This study was aimed to evaluate camel hide attributes and leather quality characteristics of Western Sudan Arabi camel. Thirty pieces of fresh camel hides from three subtypes of Western Sudan Arabi camel ecotype (10 pieces from each of Kababish, Meidob, and Hawawir subtypes) were collected, cured, and tanned. Physical and chemical quality parameters were assessed. The data were analyzed using the Complete Randomized Block design. The results revealed that Significant differences (P≤0.05) were detected among Western Sudan Arabi camel subtypes fresh hides thickness and weight. Kababish hide thickness and weight were recorded the highest value of 0.155±0.4 cm and 11.7±1.3 Kg respectively in comparison to Meidob (0.145±0.3 cm and 8.6±1.2 Kg) and Hawawir (0.143±0.4 cm and 7.7±2.2 Kg). Kababish hides thickness value was above the minimum Sudanese standard threshold specification for cattle leather quality. While Meidob and Hawawir hide thickness values were blew the minimum Sudanese standard threshold specification for cattle leather quality. Physical quality parameters; elongation, tensile strength, resistance to grain cracking, breaking load, and tear strength; were in the Sudanese standard threshold specification for cattle leather physical quality of 100%, 200 Kg/cm2, 7N/cm, 8 N/cm, and 100 Kg/cm2respectively. Whilst flexibility parameter was below the Sudanese standard threshold specification for cattle leather quality. Chemical quality parameters were in the Sudanese standards threshold specification for cattle leather chemical quality of 18%, 4.5%, 2.5%, and 11% for moisture, Ash, chrome oxide, and fat contents respectively.

Collagen Fiber Opening of Cattle Hides in Urea/Calcium Hydroxide Solutions

In the beamhouse, liming might directly affect the structure and performance of collagen, as well as the quality of resultant leather. However, the influences of composition and content of liming agents on liming mechanism are quite complicated. In this study, calcium hydroxide and urea were utilized in liming. The solution pH, hide swelling ratio and non-collagenous protein removal were quantitatively analyzed. The morphologies of both limed and fresh hides were studied by optical microscopy. The reaction mechanism of fiber opening up of cattle hides was analyzed and speculated by the combination of thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy. It was found that the fiber bundles of hides limed by urea/calcium hydroxide have a better opening up effect than that by pure calcium hydroxide. The mechanism of liming in an urea/calcium hydroxide solution system was proposed.

Potential Use of Lactobacillus plantarum 1UHCC as a Bio-hydrolyzer in the Development of the Sustainable Food Industry in Indonesia

The purpose of this study aimed to evaluate the potential and performance of Lactobacillus plantarum 1 UHCC (L.plantarum 1UHCC) bacteria as bio-hydrolyzer of the food industry in Indonesia. As much as 100g of fresh hide from Balinese cattle were used as a substrate. The fermentation time was carried out at 3 time levels, namely: 24 hours (T-24); 48 hours (T-48) and 72 hours (T-72). The bacteria were used L.plantarum which was isolated from milkfish extract. The results showed that in the solution of L.plantarum bacteria using collagen substrate of cattle hide, pH values were increased and the lactic acid levels were decreased significantly. The pH value and the lactic acid level of the solution were respectively around 5.77±0.03-6.13±0.02 and 1.65±0.26-2.02±0.05%. The total bacteria has increased and dissolved protein has decreased for fermentation time, but in general it is not significant. Total bacteria and dissolved proteins respectively 4.5±0.98-5.5±2.29 Log10CFU/mL and 36.98±3.37-40.25±1.54 mg/mL. The application of 24 hours (T-24) fermentation time to L.plantarum bacteria using collagen substrate of cattle hide skin was considered as the optimum time to be applied in the fermentation process. Bacteria L.plantarum 1UHCC has the ability to hydrolyze collagen protein components, especially collagen extracts from cattle hide. Bacteria L.plantarum 1UHCC has the potential to be developed as a bio-hydrolyzer organism. Bacteria L.plantarum 1UHCC plays a very important role in the development of the food industry, especially in Indonesia. Keywords: Bacteria, Cattle hide, Collagen, Fermentation, L.plantarum 1UHCC

Identifying Experimental Tool Use Through Confocal Microscopy

Characterizing use-wear traces quantitatively is a valid way to improve the capacity of use-wear analysis. This aim has been on specialists’ agenda since the beginning of the discipline. Micropolish quantification is especially important, as this type of trace allows the identification of worked materials. During the last decade, confocal microscopy has been used as a promising approach to address this question. Following previous efforts in plant microwear characterization (Ibanez et al. Journal of Archaeological Science, 48, 96–103, 2014; Journal of Archaeological Science, 73, 62–81, 2016), here we test the capacity of the method for correctly grouping experimental tools used for working eight types of materials: bone, antler, wood, fresh hide, dry hide, wild cereals, domestic cereals, and reeds. We demonstrate, for the first time, that quantitative texture analysis of use-wear micropolish based on confocal microscopy can consistently identify tools used for working different contact materials. In this way, we are able to move toward using texture analysis as part of the standard functional analysis of prehistoric instruments.

Microwear analysis of small recycled flakes and recycling products from the Ein-Zippori site, Lower Galilee, Israel

A microwear analysis of recycled lithic artefacts from late Pottery Neolithic Wadi Rabah and Early Bronze Age layers at Ein-Zippori, Israel included cores-on-flakes (COFs) which are discarded blanks made into cores, and the flakes detached from them. COFs may have microwear traces that formed before they were recycled. The focus here is on how blanks removed from recycled COFs were used. Discarded flakes were not used as cores to produce small blanks at Ein-Zippori because lithic raw material was scarce, but were COFs recycled so that small tools could be produced for specific tasks? Visible wear traces were present on 19 of 44 blanks produced from COFs. Microwear traces were similar to use wear Lemorini et al. (2015) observed on much older Lower Paleolithic recycled flakes from Qesem Cave, Israel. Most flakes struck from COFs had been used to cut and scrape meat and fresh hide (42%, n=8), but four were used to work wood (21%) and four others were used to cut, scrape, or whittle bone and wood (21%), and two were used for butchering and wood working (11%). One flake only had generic weak microwear traces (5%). These were expedient flake tools, made and used in an ad hoc fashion. Specific blanks do not seem to have been used for distinct tasks.

Efficacy of Citrilow and Cecure spray wash on prevalence of aerobic and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria/gram‐negative enteric bacilli and cattle hide quality

AbstractThis study investigated spray wash treatments independently with Citrilow or Cecure for their effects on microbial concentrations and leather quality. Spray washing with Citrilow reduced aerobic mesophilic recovery by 2.42–2.78 log cycles 2.78–2.95 log cycles, and 3.32–3.72 log cycles on the belly, belly, and butt regions, respectively. After washing with Citrilow, Enterobacteriaceae/related gram‐negative enteric bacilli (ENT/gnEB) recovery counts reduced by, 2.14–2.57 log cycles, 3.06–4.08 log cycles, and 4.65–4.99 log cycles on the belly, head, and butt regions, respectively. Cecure significantly lowered aerobic bacterial levels on the belly, head, and butt regions by 6.00–6.12 log cycles, 1.40–1.65 log cycles, and 4.26–3.60 log cycles, respectively. Washing with Cecure significantly lowered ENT/gnEB counts by 3.65–3.01 log cycles and 2.17–3.17 log cycles on belly and butt regions. Subjective testing, grain structure analyses, and mechanical properties of leather made from fresh hides after Citrilow or Cecure treatments revealed no difference between the treatment and their corresponding controls.Practical applicationsThe purpose of this study is to investigate the ability of two antibiotics (Citrilow and Cecure) to reduce bacteria on the outer haired surface of cattle hides which serves as a potential source of cross‐contamination of pathogens to beef. In addition, while reducing probability of cross‐contamination during cattle processing, the quality of the byproducts need to be insured. In the cattle industry, antimicrobials and surfactants applied must be food safe and limit damage to the animal byproducts, in the case of this study hides which are used to produce leather. The results from this study may be beneficial for meat processing plants, hide preparers and leather manufacturers to identify antimicrobials that may limit bacterial cross‐contamination which can lead to food related illnesses while insuring the quality of one of the cattle industries main byproducts.

Testing Area‐Scale Fractal Complexity (Asfc) and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) to Document and Discriminate Microwear on Experimental Quartzite Scrapers

Few microwear studies have been conducted on tools made from quartzite. Most rely on visual observation of microwear features using optical light microscopes and scanning electron microscopes. Quantification of microwear on quartzite tools is extremely rare, even though numerous methods to mathematically document surface roughness have been applied to other silicate tools. In this paper, laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to document surface roughness on four experimental scrapers made from two different subtypes of Mistassini quartzite that were used on either fresh or dry deer hide. Surface roughness data were analysed using area‐scale fractal complexity (Asfc). The results of this test case indicate that Asfc can effectively discriminate between the unused and used regions on the quartzite tools based on surface roughness, and that it can also discriminate between surface roughness produced by working dry versus fresh hides. Differences in the subtypes of Mistassini quartzite did affect surface roughness, but not significantly enough to prevent discrimination of the dry and fresh hide‐working tools. Although the use of the Asfc parameter for lithic microwear analysis requires further testing, these first results suggest it could be a reliable technique to mathematically document and discriminate wear patterns on archaeological quartzite tools.

A Multi-instrument Study of Microwear Polishes on Mousterian Tools from Weasel Cave (Myshtulagty Lagat), Russia

ABSTRACTThe functions of flaked stone tools are usually determined by the observation of microwear polishes with the incident-light microscope with magnifications of 50–400× – known as the Keeley Method. In our study into the function of Mousterian flint tools from Weasel Cave, we employ the atomic force microscope (AFM) and the optical interferometer, in addition to the light microscope and the SEM. The advantage of the AFM and the interferometer are the extremely high resolution permitted and most importantly the quantitative data extracted from microwear polishes. The merits of these different instruments are discussed in the context of polish differentiation for microwear traces on archaeological specimens interpreted as due to contact with meat, fresh hide, dry hide, bone, wood, as well as hafting. A multi-instrument approach contributes to the understanding of the formation of microwear polishes as well.

Reality and confusion in the recognition of post-depositional alterations and use-wear: an experimental approach on basalt tools

While many experimental studies have been done on siliceous and metamorphic rocks for both use-wear and post depositional surface modification (PDSM) events, little is known about such experiments on volcanic materials (other than obsidian), and on basalt in particular. Here we present the preliminary results of several experiments related to: a) evidence for basalt use (e.g., butchery and fresh hide scraping) and the subsequent characteristic use-wear patterns that can be seen; and b) post-depositional surface modifications caused by bear ( Ursidae ) trampling on experimental basalt flakes and subsequent use of these flakes for a tumbling experiment in a special tumbling machine. The results of these experiments were compared to better understand some surface modifications noted on the Middle to Upper Pleistocene lithic assemblages of the Azokh Cave site (Nagorno Karabagh, Lesser Caucasus). Although some aspects of both events (use-wear and PDSM) remain to be studied in depth, the experiments have improved our understanding of the effects of use-wear and post-depositional trampling and tumbling on basalt lithic artefacts. In particular, it has allowed us to recognise mechanical alterations (e.g., cracks, striations, fractures, edge damage) caused by trampling and tumbling and to note differences between these modifications and those caused by use. In particular, the experiments have shown that macroscopic modifications are rarely diagnostic, especially those observed after use. Microscopic wear features such as edge rounding, polish, abrasion and striations were the most evident types of alteration on basalt flakes, although occurring at different times and from different types of use. Distribution and orientation of alterations may be key in distinguishing use-wear from post-depositional alterations on basalt artefacts.

Efficacy of near neutral and alkaline pH electrolyzed oxidizing waters to control Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 from beef hides

In this study efficacy of near neutral and alkaline pH electrolyzed oxidizing waters to reduce aerobic plate counts (AC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC) from uninoculated fresh cattle hides and Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 from inoculated hides were determined. Fresh hides were cut in to 15 by 20 cm pieces and subjected to a total of eight different treatment solutions; near neutral pH EO water (NEW-pH 6.5 at room temperature, 150 mg/L available chlorine), alkaline pH EO water (AEO-pH 11.6 at room temperature), hot alkaline pH EO water at 43 °C (HAEO-pH 11.60), alkaline pH EO water spray followed by 150 mg/L available chlorine containing near neutral pH EO water spray (A-NEW-both at room temperature), Blitz™ (PAA, pH 3.02 at room temperature), 5% lactic acid (LA, pH 2.04 at room temperature), deionized water (W) and no treatment (Control). For each treatment, 60 ml treatment solution was sprayed on hide using a hand held sprayer. Similar treatment protocol was employed to treat hide pieces inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium DT 104. Five percent lactic acid spray treatment was found to be the most effective treatment and achieved 2.77, 2.74, 2.75 and 2.98 log CFU/cm2 of AC, EC, E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium DT 104 reductions, respectively. All EO water treatments were equally effective in reducing all target microorganisms, except E. coli O157:H7. HAEO and A-NEW treatments yielded significant reduction of E. coli O157:H7 compared to other EO water treatments. These results indicate that various EO water treatments could become viable options to reduce pathogens on hide during slaughter.

Atomic force microscopy of microwear traces on Mousterian tools from Myshtylagty Lagat (Weasel Cave), Russia

Since durable technology emerged between 3.4 and 3.2 million years ago, stone tools served as a major material means that hominins used to survive. Determining how different lithic tools functioned is a principal question in human evolution. The main experimentally based approach to the functional study of lithic technology uses stereo and incident-light microscopy, and is known as the Keeley Method. Although this method has demonstrated success in linking the morphology of microwear traces on flint tools to the function of the tool, there is no agreed upon model of how these microwear polishes form. At the same time, the characterization of these polishes has been a largely qualitative process. Herein, we use the atomic force microscope (AFM) to scan microwear traces on Middle Palaeolithic (Mousterian) tools from Weasel Cave, Russia to show quantitative data and small scale features of microwear polishes interpreted (using the Keeley Method) as due to contact with meat, fresh hide, dry hide, bone, wood, and hafting. These results follow those of to the previous AFM study on the experimental tools, namely that the meat and dry hide polishes are the least developed polishes with smaller changes in roughness and that the bone polish and wood polishes are more highly developed polishes and exhibit larger changes in roughness.

Microwear Analysis of a Sample of 100 Chipped Stone Artifacts from the 1971–1977 Excavations at the Seip Earthworks

A sample of 100 lithic artifacts from seven excavation blocks at the Seip Earthworks was examined for microwear traces. None of the artifacts from Block VII had any microwear traces, but one third of the artifacts from the other six blocks were used for 35 different tasks. All of the drills, bifaces, and scrapers, as well as 60% of the points, 11% of the cores, 50% of the core rejuvenation flakes, 15% of the bladelets, and 3% of the flakes were examined. Most of the utilized Hopewell artifacts were used on fresh hide and/or meat and bone (32%) or dry hide (26%). Seven artifacts were used on bone, stone, or shell (20%), and two tools were used to work bone or antler (6%). Only one Hopewell artifact was used to cut plants or soft wood (3%). The rest of the utilized artifacts in the Seip sample are probably not associated with the Hopewellian occupations. The tools seem to have been used in an expedient fashion. There was no evidence for specialized activities in any of the Seip structures. Almost all of the...

Sulphates for skin preservation—A novel approach to reduce tannery effluent salinity hazards

In tanneries microorganisms are able to find environment suitable for their growth. Raw hide of buffalo and other animals like goat that are economically important, are an ideal source of nutrients for bacterial and fungal growth. In the past, preservatives like sodium chloride provided effective protection to fresh hides however the ill effect of their excessive use was not evaluated. But recently concern over potential ecological hazards has become more deliberate and sodium chloride features lot of disadvantages in agriculture as most of the tannery effluent is flown in agricultural fields in India. After rigorous laboratory experimentation on moisture content, SEM of hide, pure sodium sulphate as well as sodium sulphate in addition with sodium chloride (i.e. 10% w/w and 20% w/w) proved as most preferable option for curing of buffalo hide which gives effective preservation. Pollution load studies put forward sodium sulphate as an effective curing agent for buffalo hide to apply at industrial scale also.