High Moisture Content Research Articles

Effect of tea extract (Camellia sinensis) on shelf life and intrinsic quality of tempe

Tempe is Indonesian traditional food made from fermented soybeans. Tempe has a short shelf life due to its high moisture content and the activity of microorganisms. The shelf life of tempe can be increased by using tea extract in tempe processing because tea contains antioxidant and antimicrobial components. This research aims to evaluate the effect of using tea extract in tempe processing on the shelf life, physicochemical characteristics, and sensory profile of tempe. During storage, the shelf-life test used the descriptive observation method on the colour, flavour, taste, and texture. The use of 0.5% black tea extract in the initial soaking of soybeans can increase the shelf life of tempe to 4 and 6 days at room and refrigerator temperature, respectively. The result showed that tempe had significantly (p<0.05) lower ash content (0.81% wb), brightness (65.37), and pH (6.50), while the texture (15.3 Kg force) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the control (untreated tempe). The results of sensory evaluation using the hedonic rating test showed that fresh tempe with black tea extract treatment had significantly lower (p<0.05) colour, texture, and overall attributes than the control one. The same evaluation on fried tempe showed that the black tea extract treatment significantly increased (p<0.05) the texture attribute compared to the control.

Impact of external moisture on quantitative analysis of coal and rapid drying by a CO2 laser to improve prediction accuracy based on laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

For high-accuracy determination of ash, fixed carbon, and volatile matter in coal, generally, the impact of external moisture content in coal must be considered and removed in quantitative modeling based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Herein, the ash, fixed carbon, and volatile of coals with moisture contents from 3% to 15% are quantitatively assessed using partial least squares based on principal component analysis (PCA-PLS), and the predictive limit of this model for moist coals is explored based on LIBS. To validate the industrial feasibility of the method, an infrared CO2 laser based heating technique is employed to rapidly dry the moist coals before laser ablation. The results demonstrate that root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of all ash, volatile carbon, and fixed carbon become higher with moisture content increase. Nevertheless, as the moisture content reaches 3%, the prediction model retains an acceptable predictive capability with mean absolute error (MAE) of ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon of 1.85%, 1.5%, and 1.79%, respectively. When the IR laser for drying is employed to irradiating for 40 ms, external water in coal with an original moisture content of 15% can be quickly removed, resulting in a decrease in RMSEP of ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon from 3.06%, 5.42%, and 6.22% to 1.47%, 3.16%, and 3.34%, respectively. This method provides a potential technical solution for the use of infrared laser-assisted LIBS real-time online rapid detection of indicators in raw coal with high moisture content.

Nanostructure and interfacial mechanical properties of PEG/cellulose nanocomposites studied with molecular dynamics

Our starting hypothesis is that Polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be utilized to mix with the biopolymers for consolidating fiber-reinforced composites without deteriorating their hygro-mechanical properties. The effect of PEG on the shear strength during pull-out of crystalline cellulose (CC) fiber out of an amorphous cellulose matrix is simulated with molecular dynamics. The interfacial shear stress shows a stick-slip behavior and is weakened with increasing moisture content. Shear strength increases at low moisture content, manifesting a slight strengthening of interfacial mechanical property due to cohesive forces exerted by the water molecules. At higher moisture content, shear strength is reduced due to breakage of the hydrogen bonds between CC and matrix by water molecules. When adding PEG, amorphous cellulose around the crystalline fiber is replaced by PEG, forming a mixture with amorphous cellulose. It is found that PEG-treated CC-AC composite maintains its shear strength and the presence of PEG does not deteriorate the dependence of the shear strength on moisture content. A shear strength model based on the number of hydrogen bonds between the fiber and the matrix is developed, which validates our initial hypothesis by unraveling the fundamental mechanisms at play. The model reveals that, although the shear strength per hydrogen bond between the fiber and PEG is lower than the shear strength per hydrogen bond between the fiber and amorphous cellulose, the final shear strength is partly compensated by an increase in the total number of hydrogen bonds with increasing PEG ratio. Since PEG reduces the moisture content in the composite at low relative humidity, PEG treated wood in museum conditions will show enhanced shear strength. The framework is a basis for further investigation of realistic archaeological wood with PEG-treatment.

Hygrothermal Performance of Roofs with High Initial Construction Moisture Subjected to Hot Climate

Moisture accumulation in the building components/assemblies that form building envelopes can lead to material deterioration and moisture related issues such as mould growth. As a part of the building envelope, this study focusses on assessing the moisture performance and energy performance (i.e., hygrothermal performance) of roofing systems. As roofs can be built with high initial construction moisture, numerical simulations were conducted with and without high initial construction moisture in order to investigate: (a) the hygrothermal performance of cool and black roofs having material layer with high initial construction moisture content, (b) the time needed so that the moisture content reaches acceptable level as per the building code requirements, (c) whether moisture accumulation and mould growth occur in the roofs, and (d) the energy savings as a result of installing white/cool roof instead of black roof. An advanced numerical model is used to conduct the numerical simulations for black and cool roofs when they are subjected to hot climate. This model solves simultaneously the Heat, Air and Moisture (HAM) transport equations in all layers of the building assemblies. The model was extensively validated by comparing its predictions with the experimental data of different building components at various operating conditions. For the roofing systems investigated in this paper, the results showed that mould growth occurred in the black and cool roofs only for the case with high initial construction moisture. The mould has totally disappeared after 378.8 day for the black roof and 479.3 day for the cool roof. The temperatures of the cool roof were much lower than those for the black roof. The total yearly energy load with the black roof was 77% greater than that with the cool roof.

Comparison of various single-disc type furrow openers used in no-till seeders in terms of furrow properties and acting forces

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of various single-disc type furrow openers used in no-till seeders on furrow aspects and forces acting on the discs at various soil moisture contents, soil compaction levels, and seeding depths in soil bin. Factors included plain, notched, wavy, concave, and fluted types of disc coulters, two soil moisture levels (12-18%), two soil compaction levels (2-3 MPa), and two seeding depths (50-75 mm). According to the results, the plain, notched, and fluted type discs had the lowest vertical, draft, and side force, while the wavy type disc had the maximum vertical force, draft force, and side force and the concave type disc had the highest side force. The vertical, draft, and side force requirements of all furrow openers were found to be lower in loose soils with low moisture content and greater in compacted soils with high moisture content. Fluted, concave, and wavy-type discs produced the best results in terms of the specific vertical, specific draft, and specific side forces, respectively. While the highest furrow cross-sectional area was obtained in the wavy disc, this furrow opener was followed by concave, notched, fluted, and plain-type furrow openers, respectively.

Pinpointing Moisture: The Capacitive Detection for Standing Tree Health.

the feasibility of the capacitance method for detecting the water content in standing tree trunks was investigated using capacitance-based equipment that was designed for measuring the water content of standing tree trunks. In laboratory experiments, the best insertion depth of the probe for standing wood was determined by measurement experiments conducted at various depths. The bark was to be peeled when specimens and standing wood were being measured. The actual water content of the test object was obtained by specimens being weighed and the standing wood being weighed after the wood core was extracted. A forecast of the moisture content of standing wood within a range of 0 to 180% was achieved by the measuring instrument. The feasibility of the device for basswood and fir trees is preliminarily studied. When compared to the drying method, the average error of the test results was found to be less than 8%, with basswood at 7.75%, and fir at 7.35%. It was concluded that the measuring instrument has a wide measuring range and is suitable for measuring wood with low moisture content, as well as standing timber with high moisture content. The measuring instrument, being small in size, easy to carry, and capable of switching modes, is considered to have a good application prospect in the field of forest precision monitoring and quality improvement.

Influence of thermophilic and mesophilic cultures blended with buffalo milk on camel milk cheese quality and proteolysis

SummaryCamel milk and its products are gaining higher demand due to their attractive nutritional and therapeutic profile. However, manufacturing of camel milk cheese (CMC) is a challenging task. This study aimed to compare the quality of camel milk cheese made using different starter cultures. Four groups CM (camel milk + mesophilic cultures), CT (camel milk + thermophilic cultures), CBM (camel milk + 10% buffalo milk using mesophilic cultures), and CBT (camel milk + 10% buffalo milk using thermophilic cultures) were created. The cheeses were stored for 60 days at 4 °C to assess their physicochemical, sensory, and proteolytic properties. Results indicated highest moisture content in CM (70.19%) as opposed to the lowest moisture in CBT (55.19%). In addition, CM and CBM revealed lower acidity (0.63% and 0.66%) in contrast with CT and CBT (0.78% and 0.83%, respectively). On the other hand, CBM and CBT exhibited higher contents of protein (21.04, 21.57%) and fat (17.65, 17.70%) during storage. All quality indices of cheese samples significantly declined (P < 0.01) during storage excluding acidity. Sensory analyses revealed that panellists highly preferred CBT treatment followed by CBM and CT. Furthermore, urea‐PAGE and RP‐HPLC were performed for the proteolytic study of cheese samples. The study revealed that the presence of buffalo milk and thermophilic cultures in cheese resulted in a decrease concentration of intact caseins (αs1, β‐, and κ‐caseins) as storage days passed. The degree of proteolysis was found to be higher in CBT compared to CBM, CT, and CM. Based on the results, it was concluded that the use of pasteurisation at 65 °C for 30 min, pH of 5.5, 0.06% CaCl2, and the incorporation of 10% buffalo milk using thermophilic cultures (Lactobaccilus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) resulted in desirable quality characteristics.

In vitro antifungal activities of Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon martini, Pogestemon cablin and Curcuma longa essential oils against spoilage fungi isolated from tomatoes

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) have highmoisture content (93–95%), making them more vulnerable to various types of spoilage fungi. Numerous medicinal plants' essential oils are known to have antifungal properties that combat these spoilage fungi. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential antifungal activity of essential oils from some indigenous plants in Bangladesh to prevent the fungal attack on tomatoes. Using potato dextrose agar medium, 4 species of spoilage fungi from tomatoes were identified. ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) region-specific sequencing was used to identify the fungal species as Aspergillus welwitschiae, Aspergillus tamari, Penicillium citrinum and Rhizopus arrhizus. Assessment on antifungal activity was conducted for four essential oils extracted from plants: turmeric leaf (Curcuma longa), patchouli (Pogestemon cablin), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). The GC-MS method was used to analyze these essential oils to ascertain their chemical content. A pathogenicity test determined the severity and % of rot on tomatoes. A. welwitschiae caused the most severe spoilage (80%) after 21 days, while R. arrhizus damaged 26% of the tomatoes within 5 days. The minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oils were determined after analysis. Lemongrass oil fully suppressed the growth of all the isolates at a concentration of 12 ????l/ml. Finally, the essential oils of palmarosa and lemongrass may be used as a preventative measure against tomato fungal rot.

Experimental Combustion of Different Biomass Wastes, Coals and Two Fuel Mixtures on a Fire Bench

When designing settlements according to the “Green Building” principle, it is necessary to develop a heating system based on climatic conditions. For example, in areas with a sharply continental climate (cold and prolonged winters), it is sometimes necessary to use solid fuel boilers (in the absence of gas). However, to use these, it is necessary to use biomass or biomass-coal blends as fuel to increase their combustion heat. The addition of biomass waste to coal can be aimed at achieving various objectives: utilization of biomass waste; reduction of solid fossil fuel consumption; improvement of environmental performance at coal-fired boiler houses; improvement of the reactivity of coals or to improve the technical and economic performance of heat-generating plants due to the fact that biomass is a waste from various types of production, and its cost depends only on the distance of its transportation to the boiler house. In this work, combustion of various biomass wastes, including sewage sludge, was carried out on a fire bench emulating the operation of a boiler furnace. Fuel particles were ignited by convective heat transfer in a stream of hot air at a velocity of 5 m/s in the temperature range of 500–800 °C, and the experimental process was recorded on a high-speed, color video camera. The obtained values were compared with the characteristics of different coals used in thermal power generation (lignite and bituminous coal). The aim of the work is to determine the reactivity of various types of biomass, including fuel mixtures based on coal and food waste. The work presents the results of technical and elemental analysis of the researched fuels. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the fuel particle surfaces for the presence of pores, cracks and channels. It was found that the lowest ignition delay is characteristic of cedar needles and hydrolyzed lignin; it is four times less than that of lignite coal and nine times less than that of bituminous coal. The addition of hydrolysis lignin to coal improves its combustion characteristics, while the addition of brewer’s spent grain, on the contrary, reduces it, increasing the ignition time delay due to the high moisture content of the fuel particles.

Comparative Analysis of Tapping Technique in Indian Ash Tree, Jhingam (Lannea coromandelica) (Houtt) (Merr) and Arjun (Terminalia arjuna) (Roxb) in Pakhanjure Uttar Bastar Kanker Region of Chhattisgarh

Gum and resin from non-wood forest products (NWFP) play a crucial role in the income and livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Recently, there has been a significant increase in industrial demand for these products. Therefore, a study of “Tapping Technique” was conducted in 2022–23 to assess various traditional, mechanical, and gum enhancer applications for enhancing gum and resin production during both the winter and summer seasons. This study revealed that the Jhingam tree demonstrated excellent potential for gum production throughout the year. Specifically, the application of a 2% ethylene-based gum enhancer injected via the drill method at 1-meter height from the ground in trees with over 90 cm diameter significantly increased gum production quantity, rate, and quality. Analysis of physiochemical properties showed that this treatment resulted in higher moisture content, pH, and bulk density (0.76-0.78) while reducing tapped density. The Fat and protein content were also higher compared to other methods. The angle of repose indicated good capsule-filling properties at 31.87%. On the other hand, the Arjun tree exhibited lower gum production potential compared to Jhingam, with most production occurring during the summer. Similar to Jhingam, the application of a 2% ethylene-based gum enhancer reduced the moisture content, pH, and bulk density while increasing the fat and protein content. Both gums showed high solubility in hot water, with a viscosity at 6.1 cP (high) at 100 rpm and 1 cP (low) at 10 rpm in a 1% solution. The angle of repose for Arjun gum was 25.33%.

Nutritional and Biochemical Analysis of Locally Produced Wine from a Blend of Banana (Musa sapientum) and Date Palm Fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

Background: Wine is a low-alcohol beverage made from fresh grapes or grape juice through partial or complete fermentation. Wine contains many nutrients necessary for the human body, such as sugar, vitamins, amino acids, mineral elements, polyphenols etc. Objective: This project aimed at analysing the nutritional and biochemical composition of locally produced wine from a blend of banana and dates palm fruit. The study includes determining the proximate, phytochemical, mineral, physicochemical, and amino acid profiles. Methods: The method involves heating a crucible dish to eliminate moisture, determining fat content, defatting the sample, determining ash, and determining crude protein. The phytochemical analysis includes tests for saponin, flavonoid, alkaloid, and tannin. Mineral analysis was carried using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, while physicochemical analysis includes alcohol, pH, and temperature measurements as well as determination of amino acid profile analysis of banana-date palm wine. Results: The proximate analysis revealed high moisture content (97.87%), suggesting a good source of fruit wine production. The wine contains low crude fibre (1.01%), low crude protein (0.14%), Ash content (0.49%) and low crude lipid (0.58%). The wine also contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Physicochemical analysis revealed an average pH of 4.62 to 4.71, with sugar concentration decreasing daily over four days and two mineral elements were reveal which are potassium and phosphorus. The amino acid profile analysis of banana-date palm wine reveals that it contains both essential and non-essential amino acids. The essential amino acids include isoleucine, methionine, histidine, and phenylalanine, non-essential amino acids include glutamic acid, asparagine, proline, and cysteine. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that a blend of Banana (musa sapientum) and date palm fruit (Phoenix dactyliferal) wine has a unique pleasant aroma, and may have the potential to provide both essential and non-essential amino acids, provide other nutrients that are important for normal physiological function of the body.

Catalytic solvothermal liquefaction of kitchen waste over iron-based catalysts addition and two-step method to produce high-quality fuels

The disposal of kitchen waste (KW) is a wide concern because of its high moisture content, foul odor, and low energy density. Solvothermal liquefaction (STL) can directly convert KW to bio-oil without pre-drying. This study investigated the effect of iron-based catalysts (Fe, Fe2O3, and Fe3O4) and a catalytic two-step method on bio-oil production, heteroatom distributions (N and S), and pollutant decompositions during STL of KW. From the comparison of three iron-based catalysts, the catalysis of metallic Fe significantly enhanced the bio-oil yield and quality, resulting in the highest yield (52.30 %) and a high heating value (35.86 MJ/kg) of bio-oil. Meanwhile, metallic Fe noticeably increased the fraction of lighter molecules in bio-oil to 71.30 %. During the catalytic two-step method process, the nitrogen and sulfur in the raw material were primarily transferred to the aqueous phase in the form of NH4+ and SO42-. The introduction of iron-based catalysts significantly promoted the esterification and reduction reactions. The bio-oil exhibited the highest ester content (77.96 %) when Fe3O4 was present while adding metallic Fe catalyst resulted in the highest hydrocarbon content of 28.16 %. Finally, a potential reaction pathway and mechanism of the catalytic STL of KW were proposed and discussed comprehensively. This study validates the use of iron-based catalysts and a two-step method to improve the yield and quality of bio-oil. This method reduces heteroatom content through associated hydrogenation and reduction reactions, demonstrating its potential for upgrading bio-oil into high-quality fuel.

On the contribution of tidal floods on damp walls of Venice

The city of Venice, Italy, has historically coped with tidal flooding and is an example of a resilient system, but today the disruptive effects of relative sea level rise pose even more complex challenges. Some of the most significant damage to the city's historic architectural assets is related to the effects of salty water on masonry due to rising damp and tidal flooding. This paper evaluates the entity and distribution of rising damp in seven Venetian brick masonries by quantifying moisture content, soluble salt content, and ion distribution. The distribution is compared with previous literature data and related to tidal and meteorological data recorded prior to sampling. The results show that frequent tidal flooding exacerbates rising damp phenomena within building masonry, resulting in higher moisture contents both in height and depth. Possible future scenarios of relative sea level based on models and the effects of countermeasures such as the MOSE dam are discussed about the likely damage to masonry exposed to rising damp and tidal flooding.

Conductive hydro-drying of cayenne chili paste: Effects of intermittency, temperature and salt concentration on product quality and energy efficiency

Cayenne chili paste, which has a high moisture content, can be preserved by drying and adding salt. A Box-Behnken design was used to investigate the effects of added salt (0, 7.5 and 15 g salt/100 g paste), intermittent heating (cycles of 15 min on and 0, 15 or 30 min off), and water temperature (70, 80, 90 °C) on the physicochemical properties, capsaicinoid content, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AC) and energy efficiency. Salt content significantly affected drying time and product moisture, density, color, TPC and AC. The intermittency increased the concentrations of TPC and AC and decreased energy consumption by up to 31%. Drying at 90 °C significantly reduced the processing time compared to drying at 70 °C, preserving the color and capsaicinoid content (18.3–59.0 mg/100 g dry matter). Dried cayenne chili paste produced by intermittent conductive hydro-drying had higher quality than product from a continuous process, drying times were similar and the process was more energy efficient.

Predictive modelling of allowable storage time for pearl millet using multilayer perception neural network

Biotic and abiotic factors interact to damage grains in the storage ecosystem. Monitoring temperature fluctuations and moisture migration is crucial to control their impact on grain quality. Grains with high temperature and moisture content have limited time for post-harvest activities. Hence, it is important to determine the time before spoilage for different grain moisture contents and storage temperatures. The study evaluated the impact of storage variables, specifically moisture content, storage temperature, and storage period, on the parameters associated with grain quality and seed deterioration in pearl millet. A model for predicting the allowable storage time was developed using a feed-forward-back propagation multilayer perception (MLP) neural network. The effectiveness of Levenberg–Marquardt (LM), Bayesian Regularization (BR), and Scaled Conjugated Gradient (SCG) algorithms in predicting the safe storage time was evaluated and compared. The BR neural network model showed higher predictability with an R2 value greater than 0.98 and low error values. The safe storage guidelines chart and model developed for allowable storage time will be helpful for farmers and grain processing industries including storage hubs to schedule different post-harvest operations of pearl millet with minimal changes in grain quality.

Drip irrigation for sustaining high sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) yield in marginally to moderately waterlogged saline vertisols of Karnataka, India

AbstractIn the Tungabhadra project command, subsurface drainage is used to reclaim waterlogged saline areas, but its adoption is lower due to its high cost and highly skilled in nature. Irrigation water management could sustain high cane yields in mildly affected areas. A field experiment was conducted on waterlogged saline vertisols with sugarcane crops using surface drip, subsurface drip and furrow irrigation with water application amounts of 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 of evapotranspiration (ET). The subsurface drip at 1.2 ET resulted in more leaching of salts and a higher moisture content. Also it had the highest cane yield (131.0 t ha−1), water productivity (WP) (8.30 kg m−3) and sugar WP (1.72 kg m−3) among the different methods. Among the irrigation levels, the 1.2 ET level had the highest cane yield (124.7 t ha−1), lowest WP (6.89 kg m−3) and highest sugar WP (1.43 kg m−3). The highest benefit–cost ratio was recorded for the subsurface drip treatment. Depth to water table was greater for the subsurface drip treatment compared to the furrow treatment. Therefore, subsurface drip irrigation at 1.2 ET for sugarcane can act as a viable preventive measure for sustaining high cane yield in mildly waterlogged saline vertisols in the command.

Weather ageing effects on the long-term thermal conductivity and biological colonisation of thermal insulating mortars with EPS, cork and aerogel

The use of thermal insulation materials in the opaque walls is one of the best strategies toward the improvement of the thermal performance of the building envelope, thereby contributing to increase the energy efficiency of the built environment. In this context, an increasing number of studies are focusing on the development of mortars with enhanced thermal performance, i.e., thermal insulating mortars. However, considering the innovative character of these materials, reliable data on their long-term performance is still lacking, particularly concerning the thermal performance and suitability to refurbishment works. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the long-term thermal conductivity and biological colonisation of industrially produced and experimentally designed thermal mortars with EPS, cork and silica aerogel aggregates. The long-term performance of the mortars was assessed prior, during and after exposure to three accelerated ageing tests including elevated temperature, freeze–thaw cycles and high humidity levels. For each test, an empirical model (i.e., Arrhenius law, Peck model, and Coffin-Manson equation) was used to compute the acceleration factor, thus allowing to correlate the accelerated and natural ageing results and to estimate the degradation levels that would be obtained after 10 years of exposure to natural weather conditions. The results of the thermal conductivity show that a maximum increase of 10 % and 30 % can be obtained after ageing for the industrially produced and experimentally designed mortars, respectively. Moreover, all mortars were susceptible to mould growth, with the greatest biological colonisation levels obtained after the high moisture content ageing for the experimentally designed mortars.

Effects of Different Processing Techniques and Sol-Gel Coating on Physical Properties of Starch and Clay-Based Biocomposite Material

This study investigated the effects of different processing techniques and sol-gel coating on the physical properties of biocomposite material. Two dispersion series from corn starch, clay, and sorbitol were prepared by conventional and microwave-assisted processing, and casting technique. One film from each series was sol-gel coated by immersion. All the samples were subjected to moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS), water absorption (WA), FT-IR, DSC, and SEM/digital microscopy tests. The results showed that the coated films contained higher MC (11.5±0.5%) than the non-coated films (5.3±0.6%) and absorbed less water (44.7±12.4%), compared to the non-coated ones (166.3±2.5%). Non-coated films exhibited less solubility in water (26.1±0.2%) than the coated ones (51.0±0.7%). FT-IR test detected cross-linking (1723 cm-1 ester) in the microwave-assisted coated film. The sol-gel coating increased the latent heat of melting and specific heat values by 14.9% and 19.4% for conventionally fabricated samples, and 22.3% and 25.3% for microwaved films, respectively, whereas it reduced the temperature of melting by 23.1% for conventionally fabricated ones, and 6.6% for microwaved ones. Microscopic tests revealed that microwaved compact morphology indicated better gelatinization of starch. Overall, microwaving and sol-gel coating need further investigation to improve the physical properties of biocomposite materials for food packaging.

Assessment of protein and phospholipid bioaccessibility in ultrafiltered buttermilk cheese using TIM-1 in vitro gastrointestinal methods

To meet the high consumer demand, butter production has increased over the last few years. As a result, the buttermilk (BM) co-produced volumes require new ways of adding value, such as in cheese manufacturing. However, BM use in cheese milk negatively influences the cheesemaking process (e.g., altered coagulation properties) and the product’s final quality (e.g., high moisture content). The concentration of BM by ultrafiltration (UF) could potentially facilitate its use in cheese manufacturing through an increased protein content while maintaining the milk salt balance. Simultaneously, little is known about the digestion of UF BM cheese. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the impact of UF BM on cheese manufacture, its structure, and its behavior during in vitro digestion. A 2-fold UF concentrated BM was used for cheese manufacture (skim milk [SM] – control). Compositional, textural, and microstructural analyses of cheeses were first conducted. In a second step, the cheeses were fed into an in vitro TNO gastrointestinal digestion model (TIM-1) of the stomach and small intestine and protein and phospholipid (PL) bioaccessibility was studied. The results showed that UF BM cheese significantly differed from SM cheese regarding its composition, hardness (p < 0.05) and microstructure. However, in TIM-1, UF BM and SM cheeses showed similar digestion behavior as a percentage of protein and PL intake. Despite relatively more non-digested and non-absorbed PL in the ileum efflux of UF BM cheese, the initially higher PL concentration contributes to an enhanced nutritional value compared to SM cheese. To our knowledge, this study is the first to compare the bioaccessibility of proteins and PL from UF BM and SM cheeses.

Hydrothermal Carbonization of Green Harvesting Residues (GHRs) from Sugar Cane: Effect of Temperature and Water/GHR Ratio on Mass and Energy Yield.

The Valle del Cauca region in Colombia is a significant producer of sugar cane, resulting in large quantities of agricultural residues (green harvesting residues (GHRs)). To ensure sustainable management of these residues, it is crucial to implement proper treatment and disposal technologies while also reusing waste to produce biogas, bioelectricity, or biofuels. The biomass hydrothermal carbonization process offers a means to convert these residues into useful products that serve as fuels or valuable energy materials. This thermal treatment involves the use of water as a solvent and reagent within the biomass's internal structure. In this study, sugar cane cutting residues were collected with relatively high moisture content of 8.5% wt. These residues were subjected to carbonization temperatures ranging from 200 to 300 °C, along with water/GHR ratios between 5/1 and 10/1. The properties of the resulting hydrocarbons were analyzed by using proximate and ultimate analysis. The objective was to produce hydrochar samples with the highest higher heating value (HHV) and energy density compared with the GHRs. The HHV value of the hydrochar showed a significant increase of 69.6% compared with that of the GHRs, reaching 43.5 MJ/kg. Besides, process parameters were optimized for mass yields, energy yields, and ash content. This exploration led us to investigate a new temperature range between 280 and 320 °C, allowing us to establish an optimal value for the hydrochar's properties.