Increase In Ash Content Research Articles

Effect of ripening time on the content of bioactive peptides and fatty acids profile of Artisanal Coalho cheese.

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of ripening on the physicochemical, microbiological aspects, and fatty acid profile of Artisanal Coalho Cheeses and to detect if there are peptides with bioactive potential in their composition. Artisanal Coalho Cheese samples were kindly provided by a dairy farm located in Brazil in the Rio Grande do Norte state. A completely randomized design was adopted, with four maturation periods (0, 30, 45, and 60 days). Physicochemical traits (pH, total solids, moisture, non-fat solids, fat in total solids, protein, ash, fatty acid profile) and microbiological characterization (Salmonella sp, Listeria monocytogenes, total and thermotolerant coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus) were analyzed on cheese samples. Additionally, assays were performed for antioxidant and antihypertensive bioactivity through ACE and antimicrobial inhibition of the peptides extracted from the samples. There was a linear increase in total solids and ash content and a decrease in moisture content with increasing maturation time. The matured cheese samples had a lower pH than fresh Artisanal Coalho Cheese. Twenty-seven fatty acids were identified in the cheeses: 15 saturated, 07 monounsaturated, and 05 polyunsaturated, with a linear reduction of essential fatty acids (n6 and n3) during maturation. The microbiological quality of the cheeses was satisfactory, with an absence of undesirable bacteria in 92% of the cheese samples. Water-soluble peptide fractions from all periods tested showed antioxidant and antihypertensive potential with ACE control, and the maturation process potentiated these capacities, with a decline in these activities observed at 60 days. The antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria increased with maturation, reaching better results until 60 days. The maturation process on wooden planks in the periods of 30, 45, and 60 days allows the production of Artisanal Coalho Cheese of an innovative character, safe to consumers from the microbiological point of view, with differentiated physicochemical and functional characteristics and good quality of lipid fraction compared to fresh cheese, enabling the addition of value to the dairy chain.

Impact of Hulling and Heat Treatment on the Physicochemical Properties, Bioactivity and Bioavailability of Iron and Zinc of the G196 Soybean Variety Produced in Burkina Faso

This study delved into the impact of hulling and two types of heat treatment on the physicochemical, bioactive properties and bioavailability of the G196 soybean produced in Burkina, in order to not only find the optimal conditions for pre-treatment of seed, but also to guide their use in food formulations. Standard analytical methods were used for physicochemical and biochemical analyses. The results showed an increase in ash content by 0.04% as a result of seed shelling, while steaming led to a significant decrease in ash with a reduction rate by 0.06%; 0.08%; 0.25% after 20min, 40min and one hour, respectively. An average increase in total dry materials by 0.03% and reduction in moisture by 6.33% were observed after one hour of roasting. Additionally, shelling and steaming increased total carbohydrate contents. Roasting and steaming caused a significant reduction in protein, but an increase was observed after hulling. Carbohydrate levels decreased over the course of three roasting times. Regarding bioavailability, the zinc content improved after 40 minutes of roasting. Shelling also reduced the phytate content by 11.89%, while steaming significantly reduced the phytate, resulting in a drop in the phytate content by 17.18%; 18.02% and 19.71% after twenty, forty minutes and one hour, respectively. A significant reduction in phytate content by 26.64% after 40 minutes, and 46.46% after one hour was observed during heat treatment by roasting.

Valorization of Pumpkin Flour in Cookie Formulations: Effects on Nutritional Composition and Mineral Content

Pumpkin is a highly nutritious food that offers protective benefits against various health conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, constipation, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, and colon cancer. This study aimed to examine the proximate composition of pumpkin-wheat cookies. An experimental research approach was employed to produce pumpkin powder, incorporate it into cookie production, and analyze its nutritional constituents. The results revealed that as the proportion of pumpkin flour in the composite flour increased, there was a corresponding increase in moisture, ash, fat, protein, and fiber content. Additionally, the study demonstrated an increase in mineral content with higher amounts of pumpkin. The iron and manganese levels ranged from 244.1mg/kg to 312.1mg/kg and 74.52mg/kg to 88.17mg/kg, respectively. Calcium and potassium contents also ranged from 0.24% to 0.40% and 0.39% to 0.57%, respectively. The beta-carotene content of the samples varied between 0.18mg/kg to 0.57mg/kg, while the folic acid content ranged from 13.7ug/g to 144.95ug/g.

Soaking Salt Solution Increases Moisture Content, Ash Content, Starch Content, Decreases Solubility and Swelling Power Of Banggai Yam Flour

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effect of salt solution (NaCl) soaking on yam, focusing on food safety, organoleptic quality, and changes in chemical composition during the soaking process. Methodology: The method used was a factorial Complete Random Design with the following treatments: P0 = no treatment; P1 = soaking in 10 g/liter salt solution; P2 = soaking in 30 g/liter salt solution; P3 = soaking in 50 g/liter salt solution. Each treatment was repeated three times, resulting in 12 observation units. Results: The results indicated that higher salt solution concentrations led to increased water, ash, and starch content, while the solubility and swelling power of yam flour decreased. Findings: The study found that salt soaking positively affects the preservation and quality of yam by inhibiting pathogenic microorganisms and slowing down tuber rot. The increased concentration of salt solution was directly proportional to the increase in water, ash, and starch content. Novelty: This research provides new insights into the effects of salt soaking on yam, particularly on its chemical composition and potential benefits for food preservation. Originality: The study offers a detailed analysis of how different concentrations of salt solutions affect the quality and chemical properties of yam, contributing to the understanding of its implications for food safety and health. Conclusions: Soaking yams in higher concentrations of salt solution enhances their preservation by increasing water, ash, and starch content, while reducing solubility and swelling power. Paper Type: Empirical Research Paper Keywords: Flour; Salt; Soaking; Yam Banggai

Unraveling catalytic conversion of spent coffee grounds through alkaline and alkaline earth metal phosphates in hydrothermal carbonization

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) offers a promising pathway for sustainable energy production, with spent coffee grounds (CG) emerging as an eco-friendly feedstock for hydrochar generation. However, the potential applications of alkaline and alkaline earth metal phosphates as catalysts for novel carbonaceous materials remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the impact of alkaline types on the characteristics, morphology, and heating value of hydrochar derived from CG. Incorporating Mg3(PO4)2, K3PO4, and Na3PO4 into HTC processes resulted in significant reductions in carbon content, leading to decreased hydrochar yield, higher heating value (HHV), and energy yield (EY). Notably, HHV reduction ranged from 2 % to 15 %, depending on catalyst type and temperature. The catalysts contributed to increasing ash content in hydrochar due to their inorganic nature. The presence of catalysts minimally impacted the hydrochar surface functional groups, with a more amorphous structure observed at 200 °C across all samples. A higher abundance of microspheres was observed in hydrochar catalyzed by K3PO4 and Na3PO4 at 200 °C compared to Mg3(PO4)2. Interestingly, K3PO4 and Na3PO4 reduced nitrogen content of the hydrochar rather than Mg3(PO4)2. The proposed catalytic mechanism involved metal phosphate catalyzing hydrolysis reactions, thereby reducing hydrochar yields while augmenting volatile fatty acid (VFA) and furan contents in the process water. Alkaline and alkaline earth metal phosphates catalysts exhibited trade-offs between hydrochar properties and hydrolysis byproducts in the HTC of CG.

Effects of four types of natural bait on water quality, feeding, growth, and antioxidant enzyme activity of Monopterus albus in a recirculating aquaculture system

Monopterus albus is one of China’s renowned and superior aquaculture species, with its seedlings mainly sourced from wild capture. One of the bottlenecks in M. albus aquaculture is the high mortality rate and low feeding initiation rate from stocking wild fry to the initiation of feeding. In production, trash fish is commonly used to wean M. albus juveniles onto feeding. In this study, we introduced three other natural feeds, earthworms (EW), yellow mealworms (YMW), and fly maggots (FM), with frozen trash fish (TF) serving as the control group, to evaluate the effects of these four natural feeds on the survival rate, feeding initiation, antioxidant enzymes activity, and body composition of M. albus juveniles under recirculating water aquaculture conditions. The experiment comprised four treatments, each with three replicates. Each replicate consisted of stocking 150 M. albus juveniles weighing 10.02 ± 0.89 g in size, raised for 5 weeks. The survival rate of the YMW group was 73.33%–85.33%, which was significantly higher than that of the other three bait groups (p < 0.05). The four bait groups showed no significant differences in final body weight and specific growth rate (SGR) (p > 0.05). The EW group showed the highest final body weight, with an average SGR of 2.73, whereas the YMW group had an average SGR of 1.87. The average daily feeding amount was significantly higher in EW and YMW groups than in the other two groups (p < 0.05). The percentage of feeding amount to fish weight in the EW group reached 7.3% in the fifth week. After 5 weeks of cultivation, NO2−-N content was significantly higher in the waters of the TF and EW groups than in the waters of the FM and YMW groups (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference in TAN content among the treatment groups (p > 0.05). Liver malondialdehyde content was significantly higher in the TF group than in the other bait groups (p < 0.05). GSH-Px activity was significantly higher in the EW group than in the FM group and YMW group. No significant differences in SOD and CAT activity and T-AOC were observed among the bait groups (p > 0.05). The increase in crude protein content was significantly higher in the TF group than in the FM group, but the increase in crude ash content was significantly lower in the TFgroup. In conclusion, Tenebrio molitor could potentially serve as one of the alternative feeds during the initial stages of M. albus juveniles stocking.

Development of Fruit Bar Using Composite Fruit Peel Powder

The main objective of the present investigation was to prepare the composite fruit peel powder using dragon fruit albedo powder and pineapple fruit peel powder and to prepare fruit bars using this composite fruit peel powder of different compositions. The recipe for fruit bar was formulated and studied by keeping all the other ingredients same (sugar syrup (40%), almonds (10%), cashew (10%), dried dates (6%), peanut butter (3.5%) and salt (0.5%) except the varying percentage of rice flakes (5% & 20%) & composite fruit peel powder (25% & 10%). The fruit bars prepared with this composition were evaluated for sensory attributes and the nutritional analysis of most acceptable fruit bar was done. It was observed that the fruit bar sample having 7% dragon fruit albedo powder, 3% pineapple fruit peel powder & 20% rice flakes was most accepted by panel. Nutritional analysis reported that there was significant increase in protein, fibre and ash content of developed fruit peel bar by 9.51%, 22.4% and 34.64% respectively. Keywords: Fruit bar, dragon fruit, pineapple fruit, peel powder, nutritional attributes.

Photosynthesis and stress response of coal fly ash on stem elongation in wheat.

Coal is one of the primary energy sources in China and is widely used for electricity generation. Crops growing in overlapped areas of farmland and coal resources (OAFCR) suffer from coal fly ash stress, especially during stem elongation, which is a key stage that impacts wheat yield and is sensitive to environmental stress. As a primary food crop of China, wheat is essential for food security. However, the characteristics of wheat under the combined stress of fly ash and various heavy metals have not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, we explored the response of stem elongation in wheat to different levels of coal fly ash stress and determined the content of heavy metals (HMs) in wheat leaves. We found that with an increase in fly ash content, the Cu content in the shoots increased, while that in the roots decreased. Coal fly ash exposure reduced the proportions of Pb and Zn in the cytoderm, and the proportion of Cu in the soluble constituents decreased from 58.3% to 45.7%. Total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b levels decreased significantly, whereas peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities generally increased with increasing fly ash dose. Meanwhile, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and their internal structures were damaged, and the cell structures of leaves, such as the internal membrane structure, were damaged.

Comparison between high-pressure steam and vinegar stir-frying on grinding characteristics and nutrient components of turtle shells: Difference between carapace and plastron

The nutritional differences between the carapace and plastron of turtle shells, and their grinding challenges, are not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional differences between a turtle shell’s carapace and plastron, and the effects of high-pressure steam (HP) and vinegar stir-frying (VS) pretreatments. The carapace showed higher crude protein and fat but lower ash than the plastron. Both pretreatments reduced grinding energy and increased ash content while decreasing protein and amino acids levels. HP resulted in more water-soluble extract (15.13 %), protein (17.26 %), and peptide (20.77 %), whereas total free amino acids (FAAs: 545.62 mg/100 g) were increased by VS. Nutritional value was comparable between carapace and plastron. Additionally, in contrast to the conventional VS pretreatment approach, the HP method not only enhances the grinding process of turtle shells but also promotes the release of their water-soluble constituents. This advancement sets a solid foundation for future comprehensive studies aimed at exploring the nutritional potential of turtle shells.

Production of Biscuits from Wheat, Almond and Pawpaw Flour Blends and Investigating It’s Physicochemical and Texture Characteristics

Biscuit, also known as a cookie is a nutritive snack produced from dough that is transformed into an appetizing product through the application of heat in an oven. This study was aimed at evaluating the quality of biscuit produced from wheat, African almond and pawpaw flour blends. From the flours, blends were made and six (6) samples, A to F formulated. Sample A (100 % wheat flour) was used as the control, B (60 % Wheat flour: 0 % Almond Flour: 40 % Pawpaw Flour), C (60 % Wheat flour: 10 % Almond Flour: 30 % Pawpaw Flour), D (60 % Wheat flour: 20 % Almond Flour: 20 % Pawpaw Flour), E (60 % Wheat flour: 30 % Almond Flour: 10 % Pawpaw Flour), F (60 % Wheat flour: 40 % Almond Flour: 0 % Pawpaw Flour). The physical, proximate, anti-nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and sensory properties of the biscuits were evaluated using standard methods. For physical parameters of the biscuit, the weight ranged from 8.86 g-10.60 g, diameter from 6.60 mm- 6.80 mm, the spread ratio from 0.58-0.61, breaking strength from 0.25 kg- 0.29 kg and thickness ranged from 11.08 mm- 11.43 mm. The anti-nutrients content of the biscuits were considerably low and within safe limits. The results showed an increase in ash, fibre, fats and protein content while the carbohydrate content of the biscuit reduced upon substitution of wheat flour with almond and pawpaw flours. The vitamin content of the biscuit was also improved especially the vitamin A content upon addition of pawpaw flour. The result for mineral composition showed a significant increase from 46.00-89.35mg/100g for sodium, potassium from 323.44-486.95 mg/100g, calcium from 189.46-356.88mg/100g, magnesium from 44.34-132.88 mg/100g and phosphorus from 155.33-428.45mg/100g.6. Antioxidant activity also increased from 2.12-3.69mgAAE/g. The biscuit samples were all rated high in terms of their sensory attributes especially samples with high proportion of almond flour. This research indicates that almond and pawpaw flours are suitable for biscuit production especially at 40% and 10% substitution for almond and pawpaw flours respectively.

Characterisation of wholegrain composite for pretzels: a comprehensive nutritional and functional analysis

SummaryWholegrain composite flours are used for bakery products to enhance their nutritional value and to decrease the reliance on wheat importation as well as to ensure food security in most developing countries. This work aimed to optimise oat, maize, barley and wheat flour levels in the development of nutritionally enriched wholegrain pretzels. Composite flour blends were prepared by mechanical mixing of oat flour (OF), barley flour (BF), maize flour (MF) and wheat flour (WF) in the following proportion: WF (100%) (T0 – control), W:B (90:10) (T1), W:M (90:10) (T2), W:O (90:10) (T3), W:B:M:O (85:5:5:5) (T4), W:B:M:O (76:8:8:8) (T5) and W:B:M:O (70:10:10:10) (T6). Wholegrain composite flour mixes were analysed for their proximate composition and antioxidant properties. The fat, protein, ash and moisture content significantly changed (P < 0.05) in all treatments, while the fibre content increased. DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic and flavonoid content showed significant changes compared to the control. A rapid visco analyser determined multigrain flour's rheological and pasting properties, and the values showed significant (P < 0.05) differences for peak viscosity, final viscosity and pasting temperature. The final product was analysed for proximate analysis, texture, colour and sensory evaluation. The increase in moisture, protein, fibre and ash content of the product was observed. Moisture, fat and fibre content of pretzels exhibited significant correlations (P < 0.05) with the sensory parameters. A grouping of the samples in function of the chemical and sensory characteristics was depicted from the principal component analysis. Texture and colour analysis showed significant differences (P < 0.05). Sensory evaluation results showed that the overall score for acceptability found for composite flour mix which contains 10% barley, 10% oat and 10% maize with wheat in a 30:70 ratio was accepted by the consumer. Consumption of wholegrain pretzels as snack food can contribute to a nutritious and balanced diet.

Quantitative assessment of ash effects on densifying lignocellulosic biomass with chemicals followed by autoclave (DLCA) pretreatment

Ash in lignocellulose is critical in interfering biomass pretreatment. Densifying Lignocellulosic biomass with Chemicals followed by Autoclave (DLCA) is a novel and efficient pretreatment method, whereas the specific effects of ash on DLCA pretreatment remain unclear. Herein, we quantitatively investigated the impacts of ash contents on the pretreatment effectiveness, enzymatic digestibility, and fermentability of DLCA pretreated corn stover (DLCA-CS). With the ash contents increasing from 3.36 % to 9.50 %, the DLCA-CS with addition of sulfuric acid (sa) showed decreased pretreatment efficiency and enzymatic digestibility, whereas these characteristics of DLCA-CS with addition of calcium hydroxide (ch) were improved with increasing ash contents. Further pH measurement during the biomass pretreatment revealed that the anions involved in ash neutralized the sulfuric acid, thus decreasing the pretreatment efficiency and enzymatic digestibility of DLCA(sa)-CS, while the anions can cooperated with the calcium hydroxide, thus increasing the pretreatment efficiency and enzymatic digestibility of DLCA(ch)-CS. The highest ethanol production of DLCA(sa)-CS (60.7 g/L) and DLCA(ch)-CS (66.5 g/L) at 25 % solid loading was achieved with a low ash content of 3.36 % without detoxification step. This study highlights the importance of controlling the ash contents for enhancing the efficiency of DLCA pretreatment.

Experimental Study on Mechanics and Permeability of Fly Ash Permeable Concrete

In order to explore the effects of the changes of water-glue ratio, target porosity and fly ash content on the mechanics and permeability properties of permeable concrete after being mixed with fly ash, the compressive strength, flexural strength and permeability coefficient of permeable concrete with different water-cement ratios, target porosity and fly ash content were tested. The test results show that the increase of the water-glue ratio from 0.24 to 0.33 will improve the mechanical properties of permeable concrete but reduce its permeability, and after 0.33, it will reduce its mechanical and permeability properties at the same time; the increase of target porosity will enhance the permeability of permeable concrete and reduce its mechanical properties; the increase of fly ash content from 4% to 12% will improve the mechanical and permeability properties of permeable concrete at the same time, but only increase its permeability and reduce its mechanical properties after 12%.

Assessment the Effects of Psyllium and Hydrocolloids in Gluten-free Noodle

This study was performed to examine the effects of individual and combined usage of psyllium with guar gum (GG) or locust bean gum (LBG) on the production of gluten-free Turkish-type noodles. For this purpose, six different formulations were created with the total amount of variables being 3%, and samples' physical, chemical, cooking, textural and sensorial properties were performed. The results revealed no significant decrease or increase in moisture, ash, protein and fat contents. On the other hand, although individual usage of psyllium caused a slight decrease in carbohydrate content, this did not reflect energy values. The lowest L* and hue and the highest a* values were observed in the samples where only psyllium was used, and there was no statistically significant difference in b* and saturation index values. Regarding cooking quality and textural analysis, the results from these two analyses supported each other, and there is a significant difference between the samples. An additional disliking that can be considered statistically significant was not determined by using psyllium with or without other gums in noodle formulation. As a result, the dual combined psyllium with other gums in gluten-free noodle production could be appropriate without adversely affecting the quality of the product.

Preservation of Postharvest Quality of Fresh-Cut Cauliflower through Exogenous Putrescine, Citric Acid and Salicylic Acid Treatments

Cauliflower is among the perishable vegetables after harvest. In recent years, the popularity of fresh-cut cauliflower has increased among consumers as a minimally processed product. This study was carried out to determine the effects of exogenous putrescine (PUT), citric acid (CA) and salicylic acid (SA) treatments on postharvest quality of fresh-cut cauliflower stored at 4±0.5 °C and 90±5% relative humidity for 21 days. In the study, a total of seven different treatments using two different doses (0.5 and 1.0 mM) of PUT, CA and SA were investigated. To evaluate the quality of fresh-cut cauliflower, the necessary measurements and analyzes were performed at periodic intervals on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 of storage. The results demonstrated that quality properties changed significantly depending on the postharvest treatments and storage durations. With the increase of storage duration, weight loss and ash content increased, while K, Zn and Cu contents decreased. In general, the treatments examined in the study had positive effects on postharvest quality of cauliflower. Among the treatments, especially 1.0 mM PUT was found to be more effective. Compared to the control, 1.0 mM PUT treatment decreased weight loss by 61.32%, though it increased protein content by 14.48% and P content by 21.55%. It was concluded that 1.0 mM PUT treatment can be recommended as an alternative application method to extend the storage life of fresh-cut cauliflower and reduce postharvest quality losses.

Development and Characterization of High-Fiber, Gluten-Free Pasta for Celiac Disease Patients

Celiac disease (CD) is a multi-organ complex autoimmune disorder triggered by a gluten-containing diet in genetically predisposed individuals. The only effective treatment for people with CD is strict, lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet to reduce severe disease outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to produce high-nutrition gluten-free pasta by substituting wheat flour with lupin flour, flaxseed flour, rice flour, and corn starch. For this purpose, six gluten-free pasta treatments (T1–T6) were produced with different flour compositions. In addition, inulin, xanthan gum, beta-glucan, and Moringa leaf powder in fixed amounts were added to all treatments. For the proximate analysis, color measurements and sensory evaluation were determined for all treatments. Proximate analysis of our results showed that substituting wheat flour with composite flour blends was satisfactory for producing nutritious pasta products without affecting their quality. Compared to the control group, T6 had a significant increase in fiber (4.68 ± 0.25 vs. 1.24 ± 0.28), lipid (21.99 ± 0.38 vs. 9.32 ± 0.25), protein (13.84 ± 0.30 vs. 13.45 ± 0.51), and ash content (1.65 ± 0.07 vs. 1.28 ± 0.06) of gluten-free pasta. However, the carbohydrate content decreased compared to the control treatment (46.10 ± 0.69 vs. 60.84 ± 0.75). The color measurement evaluation found a significant difference in the lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) values between the control and all gluten-free pasta treatments. The sensory evaluation of the finished gluten-free pasta treatments and control sample indicated that the quality score for overall acceptability varied widely for different treatments due to individual preferences. Our study concluded that gluten-free pasta with high nutritional value from gluten-free flour is a good alternative product for celiac patients.

Domestic cooking effects on nutritional quality and phytochemical contents of zinc biofortified Lepidium sativum L. sprouts

ABSTRACT The impact of the common cooking practices on the nutritional value and the antioxidant contents of Lepidium sativum zinc biofortified sprouts was assessed in the present investigation. Garden cress sprouts showed an increase of dry matter, ash, proteins, carbohydrates, sodium, iron and zinc contents according to the applied cooking process. Antinutrient and pigment contents (chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyans) were diminished by applying various cooking treatments. A significant drop of total phenolic (25.57 – 60.87%) and total flavonoid contents (58.04 – 71.86%), catechin hydrate (81.90 – 96.15%), sinapic acid (62.44 – 84.79%), myricitin (97.62 – 99.12%) and rutin (52.83 – 83.41%) was detected in cooked plant material. Nevertheless, cooking practices raised the caffeic acid contents by 21.97 to 29.74% and boil and steam cooking increased the chlorogenic acid amounts by 1.89% and 9.28%, respectively. Microwaving favored an improvement of the antioxidant performances. Overall, Microwaving permitted good nutrients retention along with the best antioxidant performances.

Characterizing value-added pellets obtained from blends of miscanthus, corn stover, and switchgrass

The current pellet industry primarily relies on woody biomass. Inclusion of a diverse feedstock, such as herbaceous biomass, is necessary to meet the rising demand for pellets in heat and power generation, and for biofuel production. This study was motivated by the need to densify biomass, improving its naturally low energy density, to reach the required pellet standards for biofuel conversion. We developed value-added miscanthus pellets blended with different ratios of corn stover and switchgrass and analyzed their chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Pure miscanthus pellet durability index (PDI) was less than 85 %, well below the ISO 17225-6 standard for herbaceous pellets. While increasing switchgrass and corn stover ratios increases durability beyond 94 %, it also increases ash content from 1.6 % to 4.6 %, a quality unfavorable for biofuel conversion. The moisture content of the blended pellets varied from 7.12 % to 12.45 %, and positively correlated with the durability of the pellets. Pure miscanthus pellets had the highest bulk density, 633 kg/m3, while pellets containing 75 % miscanthus and 25 % corn stover had the lowest density, 564 kg/m3. The findings of this study also identified a decrease in the pellet bulk density with the increase in ash content and pellet diameter.

Evaluation of storage stability of dietary fibre incorporated aerobically packaged spent hen meat snacks at ambient temperature

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to produce a healthier, convenient and traditional ready-to-eat (RTE) snack option with increased nutritional value, using spent hen meat, dietary fibre (DF) and simple technological methods. The product was designed to be stable without refrigeration and be easily adoptable by local self-help groups, rural women and youth and entrepreneurs in urban and semi-urban areas.Design/methodology/approachConventional binder used for making snacks, i.e. rice flour was partially replaced by different sources of antioxidant DFs, i.e. oat flour (T1 – 10%), finger millet flour (T2 – 5%) and amaranth flour (T3 –15%) to prepare spent hen snack sticks (SHSS). The snacks were then packaged in low density polyethylene (LDPE) pouches and evaluated for their storage stability at ambient temperature for a period of 35 days. Their physico-chemical, sensory and microbiological quality was evaluated at a regular interval of 7 days. The proximate composition of developed SHSS was compared to commercially available snack products (chakli/murukku – snacks without meat).FindingsThe fibre-enriched SHSS showed significant improvement in nutritive value, as they contained more fibre (p = 0.001) and protein (p = 0.029) than control SHSS. When compared to commercially available snack product SHSS showed three-fold significant increase in protein (p = 0.000) and ash content (p = 0.001) and only 11%–12% total fat as compared to 31% fat in the market-available product. The most acceptable treatment in terms of overall sensory quality and nutritional aspects was T3; however, T2 was more shelf-stable during the storage period. The study showed that fibre-enriched snacks can be stored at ambient temperature for up to 35 days without substantial loss in physico-chemical, sensory and microbial quality. Hence, substituting rice flour with DFs can lead to the development of products with better sensory attributes and improved functionality.Social implicationsThe simplicity of the product in terms of composition, machinery and low production costs makes it an easily adoptable one by small-scale entrepreneurs, especially those belonging to semi-urban areas.Originality/valueIncorporation of spent hen meat, a relatively cheap but abundant source of protein, in RTE products can serve as an effective way to alleviate protein malnutrition, whereas addition of fibre further improves the functionality of the product. The methodology can be easily taken up by small-scale entrepreneurs and create a market for snack-based functional meat products.

Experimental study on ash reduction by classification flotation

ABSTRACT Poor endowment conditions, with abundant reserves of high-impurity and low- quality coal resources, characterize the coal resources in our country. As the primary source of carbon emissions, the coal industry faces a critical challenge in actively contributing to environmental protection and carbon reduction within the context of striving for carbon peak and carbon neutrality. With the widespread application of mechanized coal mining and the deteriorating geological conditions of coal resources, coal slurry particles have become increasingly fine. Additionally, a large amount of gangue minerals mixes with the coal slurry, resulting in an increase in ash content and a decrease in floatability. This places higher demands on the separation of high-ash, difficult-to-float coal slurry. This issue has become a core concern that needs to be addressed within the coal industry. This study employs a classification flotation technology to reduce ash content and improve the quality of low-quality coal slurry. The research primarily focuses on the flotation ash reduction effects of the grain size of −0.5 mm and classified grain-size coal slurry under various pulp concentrations, collector concentrations, and frother concentrations. It also analyzes the impact of a rougher and two cleaner flotation processes on the flotation efficiency. Experimental results indicate that the optimal reagent concentrations and process parameters differ for each particle size of the coal slurry. Under the best flotation conditions, the experimental results for the rougher and two cleaner flotation processes are as follows: For the grain size of −0.5 mm coal slurry, the clean coal yield is 48.40%, with an ash content of 11.02%. For the grain size of − 0.5 + 0.125 mm coal slurry, the clean coal yield is 50.53%, with an ash content of 10.72%. For the grain size of − 0.125 + 0.045 mm coal slurry, the clean coal yield is 49.56%, with an ash content of 9.24%. For the grain size of −0.045 mm coal slurry, the clean coal yield is 48.73%, with an ash content of 10.97%. Notably, the classified grain-size coal slurry exhibits higher clean coal yields and lower ash content than the grain size of −0.5 mm coal slurry, highlighting the significant importance of classification flotation for coal slurry.