Increase In Oil Content Research Articles

Emulsion gel-based 3D printable fat analogue prepared with pea protein isolate

This study explores the development of fat analogues using emulsion gels prepared with pea protein isolate. The increase in MCT oil content from 10% to 80% resulted in an escalation of droplet size and PDI within emulsions, spanning from 330.2 to 14666.67 nm and from 0.22 to 0.80, respectively. Emulsions with 30–50% oil content demonstrated the formation of a uniform emulsion gel. Furthermore, both viscosity at 0.1 s−1 and storage modulus (G′) at 10 rad/s for emulsion gels increased from 230.57 kPa s to 2513.2 kPa s and from 3405.1 Pa to 9652.3 Pa, respectively, with increasing oil content (30–50%). The emulsion gel with a 50% oil content exhibited superior structural stability, shape retention, and load-bearing capacity during printability assessments. Additionally, the melting behavior of emulsion gels gradually diminished as oil content increased. This study underscores the promising applications of emulsion gels as fat analogues in the food industry.

Plant-germination ability and mechanical strength of 3D printed vegetation concrete bound with cement and soil

To facilitate the manufacturing efficiency of vegetation concrete and reduce relevant environmental footprint, a novel type of vegetation concrete was manufactured by using 3D printing with cement partially replaced by soil. Twelve mixes were prepared for the printing mortar where three types of cement, i.e., ordinary Portland cement (OPC), sulphoaluminate cement (SAC), low-alkalinity sulphoaluminate cement (LSAC), as well as soil were used as the binder. Cubic cells of the vegetation concrete were printed with two printing paths. After printing and curing, grass seeds together with soil were sowed in the gaps among the printing filaments of the specimens. The printability, plant-germination ability, mechanical strength, X-ray computed tomography reconstructed structures, stress distributions, pH, and crystal phases of the printed vegetation concrete were investigated. Results revealed that increasing soil content in the printing mortar benefited plant germination but reduced concrete strength. Furthermore, the plants germinated earlier in the higher-cement-content specimens due to lower porosity of the printed concrete which retained more water in the soil. However, such plants withered soon after germination due to high alkalinity. The compressive strengths of the printed vegetation concrete were between 0.03 and 21.19 MPa. The corners and the surface grooves between the layers of the printed vegetation concrete were weak points due to stress concentration. Moreover, the buildability of SAC and LSAC specimens was better than that of OPC specimens. This was attributed to the calcium sulfate in the SAC and LSAC specimens. On the other hand, portlandite and ettringite which were abundant in OPC specimens contributed more to the specimens’ higher alkalinity that is harmful to plant germination.

Overexpression of GhSWEET42, a SWEET-like gene from cotton, enhances the oil content and seed size

SWEET (‘sugars will eventually be exported transporters’) family genes reportedly play a critical role in sugar translocation and oil biosynthesis in various plant species. However, their functions in cotton are unknown. The present study demonstrated that while GhSWEET42 was widely expressed in different cotton tissues, it had the highest expression level in the developing ovules. Hence, it performs a vital role in seed development. We constructed GhSWEET42 transgenic Arabidopsis lines to verify the biological function of this gene and found that the oil content and weight of the seeds produced by the overexpression lines were 18–23% and 19–20% higher, respectively than those of the wild-type. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis revealed that it was mainly a relative increase in unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) that contributed to the relative increase in oil content in the transgenic seeds. Moreover, the latter exhibited comparative upregulation of certain genes associated with FA and triacylglycerol biosynthesis as well as cell expansion. GhSWEET42 might work synergistically with the aforementioned genes. This finding indicates that GhSWEET42 may be essential in oil biosynthesis and seed development in cotton. The results of the present work may facilitate further explorations into the molecular mechanism of cottonseed oil biosynthesis as well as the cultivation of novel oil-rich cotton varieties.

Edible coatings based on plant components for active packaging of fresh/fresh-cut fruits

Edible coatings based on plant components – citrus pectin and oregano essential oil were developed for an active fresh/fresh-cut fruits packaging. Films having relatively homogeneous microstructures were prepared with variations in porosity depending on oil concentration. The increase in oil content did not reduce the water vapor permeability of films, but the water contact angle indicated a greater hydrophobicity of the film's surface with the addition of 0.5% and 1% essential oil. The antioxidant activity of pectin-based films significantly increased with increasing in oil content, while films with 0.5% and 1% oil showed great inhibition against all tested bacterial and fungal strains. Fresh-cut apples coated with pectin-oil formulations remained fresher compared to the uncoated ones during storage. The slices with coatings containing 0.05% and 0.1% oregano oil showed the best retention of freshness and color. Results indicated great potential of coatings based on pectin and oregano oil as components from plants to be used as an edible active packaging material for fresh/fresh-cut fruits.

Potential Application Performance of Hydrochar from Kitchen Waste: Effects of Salt, Oil, Moisture, and pH.

The surge in kitchen waste production is causing food-borne disease epidemics and is a public health threat worldwide. Additionally, the effectiveness of conventional treatment approaches may be hampered by KW's high moisture, salt, and oil content. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising new technology to convert waste biomass into environmentally beneficial derivatives. This study used simulated KW to determine the efficacy of hydrothermal derivatives (hydrochar) with different salt and oil content, pH value, and solid-liquid ratio for the removal of cadmium (Cd) from water and identify their high heating value (HHV). The findings revealed that the kitchen waste hydrochar (KWHC) yield decreased with increasing oil content. When the water content in the hydrothermal system increased by 90%, the yield of KWHC decreased by 65.85%. The adsorption capacity of KWHC remained stable at different salinities. The KWHC produced in the acidic environment increases the removal efficiency of KWHC for Cd. The raw material was effectively transformed into a maximum HHV (30.01 MJ/kg). HTC is an effective and secure method for the resource utilization of KW based on the adsorption capacity and combustion characteristic indices of KWHC.

Effect of oil content and protein particles concentration on non-dairy whip topping based on Pickering emulsion system and their 3D printing properties

Non-dairy whip topping is a typical food emulsion system that is popular among consumers. In this study, a novel non-dairy whip topping without hydrogenated vegetable oil was fabricated based on Pickering emulsion system. The results of particle size and stability of the pre-whipping emulsion showed that the initial emulsion particle size increased to 472.00 ± 1.73 nm as the oil content increased to 30%, and the particle size of the aged emulsion increased to 974.00 ± 9.54 nm,and the stability decreased. The particle size tended to decrease and stability gradually increased with increasing protein particles concentration. Based on the observation of bubbles in the cream system after whipping, it was found that the increase of oil content and protein particles concentration was helpful to the cream structure. Furthermore, the results of rheological and textural properties showed that all the creams presented shear thinning characteristics, and with the increase of oil content and protein particles concentration, the viscosity and energy storage modulus (G′) increased, indicating good printability. Additionally, the 3D printing of the creams displayed that the viscosity was too large to reduce the accuracy of printing, while the accuracy and stability of the printed shapes reached 99.27% and 99.72% at 25% oil content and 1.6% protein particles concentration, respectively. This study will be important for Pickering emulsion system to solve health problems in food and expand food 3D printing applications.

Deciphering the fertilizing and disease suppression potential of phytofabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles on Brassicajuncea

Every year 30–50% of crops suffer from fungal and bacterial diseases. Use of various chemically synthesized fungicides and bactericides make the soil environment more toxic and harmful to the plant health. Therefore, there is need to find non-toxic and cost effective alternative against plant pathogen. In recent years, nanotechnology has got attention because of its wide application in different areas of agriculture. Various nanoparticles have been used in agriculture for their fertilizing and antimicrobial potential. Among them zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have gained the attention of agriculturists as zinc is an essential micronutrient for plants. Antifungal activity of Tb–ZnO NPs (Terminalia bellerica synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles) against Alternaria brassicae causative agent of blight disease in Brassica juncea has been reported in our previous study. To use Tb–ZnO NPs as nanofungicides and simultaneously as nanofertilizers, the doses of Tb–ZnO NPs beneficial to the Brassica juncea crop is need to be known. Therefore, experiment has been designed to see the protective and curative potential of Tb–ZnO NPs in alluvial and calcareous soil. Biochemical constituents and stress enzymes analysis has shown significant potential of Tb–ZnO NPs at 200 ppm concentration in alleviating the stress caused by A. brassicae by modulating the photosynthetic, biochemical and enzymatic characteristics. Growth parameter analysis confirmed the role of Tb–ZnO NPs in increasing root and shoot length of B. juncea. Yield component such as seed number, seed weight and oil content of B. juncea crop also has been increased. There was one-fold increase in oil content of B. juncea as compared to control. Maximum percent disease control was found to be 70% in alluvial soil (protective method) grown plants. Therefore, present study supports the hypothesis of a relationship between nutrients and disease suppression.

Evaluation of different hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) progenies resulting from crosses with focus on oil content and seed yield

One of the main breeding objectives for hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation is higher seed yield important also for the oil yields. However, there has been limited research on hemp breeding that focuses on these topical features. In this study, 17 crosses were created using 12 different hemp varieties. For each variety, five female inflorescences were selected for targeted crossing and one for self-pollination. Seeds from the crosses were sown in separate plots with a seeding density of 30 kg/ha. The number of male and female plants, plant height, internode length, steam thickness, inflorescence length, number of inflorescences per plant, and plant number per plot were measured in crossbred family plants. The absolute weight of seeds per plot, the degree of marbling and oil content were determined. The progeny of the cross between Helena and Tiborszallasi were found to have the highest 100 seed mass (1.546 g, upper half). The offspring of self-pollinated varieties Finola, Tiborszallasi, Fedora 17 and the cross between Helena and Tiborszallasi produced the highest oil content. The progeny of the cross between Futura 75 and KC Dora showed the most promising results in terms of high yield production. This study provided the first important data pertaining to hemp breeding with the goal of increasing oil content and seed yield.

OIL CONTENT IN WINTER RAPE SEEDS DEPENDING ON MICRONUTRIENT NUTRITION

The article is devoted to the study of the role of micronutrients in their application in the form of foliar fertilization in view of their influence on the quality indicators of the formed crop, in particular on the oil content of seeds as a basic indicator that determines the value of winter rape as a crop for multipurpose use. The effectiveness of monocomponent application of the main physiologically active microelements in two phenological critical phases of growth and flowering of winter rape plants with different dominance of growth and growth-reproductive processes of plant organism differentiation - in the phenological phases of stemming and flowering - was investigated. The effectiveness of the influence of single-component microelements selected by the typological composition of modern multicomponent chelated microfertilizers in the form of sulfate salts, boric acid and ammonium sulfate at a physiological concentration of 0.2 %, taking into account the regulation of concentrations of physiologically active agrochemicals in the format of foliar feeding with aqueous salt solutions, was determined. It was found that the use of each of the studied microelements was effective and significant in terms of increasing the oil content of seeds in comparison with the control variant of water treatment. Individual peculiarities of seed oil content formation for two high-intensity varieties of winter rape for each of the studied microelements were established both from the standpoint of the increase in oil content to the control and from the standpoint of assessing the variability of its value, taking into account the two-year cycle of study and variation within the general set of the obtained accounting values within the replications of the experiment. On the basis of the data obtained, the expediency of the timing of foliar fertilization with microfertilizers of winter rape hybrids was determined and the role of the genotypic component in the effectiveness of the use of corrective foliar fertilization with various microelements was noted. It was established on the basis of a two-year research cycle for a guaranteed increase of oil content in seeds of intensive winter rape hybrids by at least 0.6-1, 8 % under the condition of one-component use of trace elements in the form of foliar feeding, they should be used in the following order of increasing expediency and validity of Co>Zn>B>Cu>Mn>Mo in the form of a solution of salt sulfates, boric acid and ammonium molybdate at 0.2 % concentration of the working solution for foliar feeding. Prospects for further research in the field of optimization of fertilization of intensive hybrids of winter rape with microfertilizers are formulated.

High-capacity glycol chitosan-based nanoemulsion for efficient delivery of disulfiram

Disulfiram (DS) is an anti-alcoholism drug capable of acting against important and hard-to-treat cancers. The drug’s relative instability and variable absorption/distribution have led to its variable pharmacokinetics and suboptimal exposure. Hence, it was hypothesised that a nano-enabled form of DS might be able to overcome such limitations. Encapsulation of the labile DS was achieved with quaternary ammonium palmitoyl glycol chitosan (GCPQ) to form a high-capacity, soybean oil-based DS-GCPQ nanoemulsion. DS-GCPQ showed capability of oil-loading up to 50% v/v for a stable entrapment of high drug content. With increasing oil content (10 to 50% v/v), the mean particle size and polydispersity index were also increased (166 to 351 nm and 0.14 to 0.22, respectively) for a given amount of GCPQ. Formulations showed a highly positive particle surface charge (50.9 ± 1.3 mV), contributing to the colloidal stability of the individual particles. DS-GCPQ showed marked cytotoxicity against pancreatic cancer cell lines with enhanced activity in the presence of copper. An intravenous pharmacokinetic study of DS-GCPQ in vivo showed improved plasma drug stability with a DS half-life of 17 min. Prolonged survival was seen in tumour-bearing animals treated with DS-GCPQ supplemented with copper. In conclusion, DS-GCPQ nanoemulsion has the potential to be developed further for cancer therapeutic purposes.

Oil occurrence state and quantity in alkaline lacustrine shale using a high-frequency NMR technique

Complex fluid occurrence states and structures of shale reservoirs greatly affect shale oil productivity. For lacustrine shales with strong heterogeneity, it is important to identify oil movability, occurrence states and pore structures in different lithofacies in order to efficiently develop shale oil. This study combines conventional core analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), argon ion milled-scanning electron microscopy (AIM-SEM), multiple isothermal stages (MIS) pyrolysis and high-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance (HF-NMR) to create maps for samples in native, saturated, centrifuged, and dried states. A new T1-T2 map interpretation scheme is proposed, and fluid occurrence models for different shale lithofacies are established. Four oil species can be identified on the T1-T2 map. Free oil and adsorbed oil in macropores are located in the centers and edges of intergranular/intercrystalline pores, respectively. Oil in mesopores is located in intragranular/intracrystalline dissolution pores. Adsorbed oil exists in the pores of dispersed organic matter and in the marginal fractures of organic matter laminae. NMR and pyrolysis correlate well in the oil contents that they define. The occurrence state of shale oil in the Fengcheng Fm is closely related to minerals and organic matter. Siliceous minerals are beneficial to the occurrence of free oil that is usually a highly movable. The fluid-holding capacity of calcareous shale is limited, especially for adsorbed oil and restricted oil. Clay minerals (>10%) are not conducive to shale oil enrichment and flow, and mixed shale almost exclusively contains bound water. Organic matter is conducive to increasing oil content and to the movable oil saturation of siliceous shale and mixed shale.

Usage of iron foliar spray in enhancing the growth and yield of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum L)

The ideal growth and development of linseed plants depend on receiving the necessary nutrients during the growing season when they are grown. Flax's yield and oil content increase using a foliar spray containing micronutrients. This study aimed to determine how foliar iron (Fe) treatment affected flax yield and its constituents. The experiment was set up at the adoptive research farm Sargodha in a randomized block design and three replicates. At the capsule filling stages and bud initiation of the flax crop, foliar sprays with varying concentrations of Fe (5.5%, 4.5%, 3.5%, 2.5%, 1.5%) and without Fe (control) were administered. Sulphate of iron (Fe) was used as the source of Fe. All treatments resulted in notable enhancements in agronomic characteristics such as grain oil contents, harvest index, biological yield, number of capsule formations, technical stem length, plant height, as well as physiological parameters including fluorescence yield (Ft), quantum yield (YII), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), electron transport rate (ETR), and chlorophyll contents. The results of this study suggested that the application of 3.5% to flax during the bud initiation and capsule filling stages increases the seed yield, yield attributes, and oil contents. In conclusion, foliar spray of Fe could enhance the yield of linseed crops.

Genetic analysis and exploration of major effect QTLs underlying oil content in peanut.

AhyHOF1, likely encoding a WRI1 transcription factor, plays critical roles in peanut oil synthesis. Although increasing the oil content of peanut to meet growing demand has long been a primary aim of breeding programs worldwide, the mining of genetic resources to achieve this objective has obviously lagged behind that of other oil crops. In the present study, we developed an advanced recombinant inbred line population containing 192 F9:11 families derived from parents JH5 and KX01-6. We then constructed a high-resolution genetic map covering 3,706.382cM, with an average length of 185.32cM per linkage group, using 2840 polymorphic SNPs. Two stable QTLs, qCOA08_1 and qCOA08_2 having the highest contributions to genetic variation (16.1% and 20.7%, respectively), were simultaneously detected in multiple environments and closely mapped within physical intervals of approximately 2.9Mb and 1.7Mb, respectively, on chromosome A08. In addition, combined analysis of whole-genome and transcriptome resequencing data uncovered a strong candidate gene encoding a WRI1 transcription factor and differentially expressed between the two parents. This gene, designated as High Oil Favorable gene 1 in Arachis hypogaea (AhyHOF1), was hypothesized to play roles in oil accumulation. Examination of near-inbred lines of #AhyHOF1/#Ahyhof1 provided further evidence that AhyHOF1 increases oil content, mainly by affecting the contents of several fatty acids. Taken together, our results provide valuable information for cloning the favorable allele for oil content in peanut. In addition, the closely linked polymorphic SNP markers within qCOA08_1 and qCOA08_2 loci may be useful for accelerating marker-assisted selection breeding of peanut.

The Thermal Conductivity and Matric Potential (Moisture Tension) Relationships for Soils of Different Gypsum Content

The soil samples have been taken from a soil profile at the Research Station of College of Agriculture in the University of Tikrit at a longitude of 430 38- 23= in the east and at a latitude of 340 48- 40= in the north. The samples were taken from the surface horizon with a gypsum content of 62 g.kg-1 (G1) and also from the subsurface horizon of 443g.kg-1 (G7) gypsum content. Different gypsum content samples were prepared as G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6 that have Gypsum contents of 106, 153, 202, 245, and 337 g.kg-1 respectively. These samples were prepared by mixing the surface soil samples with the soil of gypsic horizon. The prepared soil samples were wetted by water spraying to two thirds the field capacity levels (0.25 kg.kg-1). Then they incubated for two months in order to make soils homogeneity in addition to moisture distribution in soil. The plastic rings of 10.4 cm diameter and 10 cm heights were drilled from the middle to fix the sensor of heat flux of thermometer plug. The size and height of the soil to be placed in the plastic ring was calculated based on the area A and height h of ring and then the mass of the soil (m) was calculated based on the value of the bulk density. The samples were oven dried at 70° degree until the weight of samples were fixed to obtain the completely dry soils. The amount of water to be added per sample was calculated based on the moisture characteristics curve and by the tensions specified in this study (0.1, 5, 15, 33 and 100) kPa. The moisture was converted to a depth of water and then soil samples were wetted in a light spraying manner with continuous flipping and the thermometer sensors were fixed up and down the heat flux sensor and then six readings per replication were recorded. The time from one reading to another was 60 seconds and their rate was extracted. Based on the results of the experiment, it can be concluded that by the fixation of moisture tension, the thermal conductivity values of the soil decreased with the increased soil content of gypsum, as the G3 treatment with gypsum content 15% gave the highest significant value while the least significant average value of thermal conductivity values at the G7 treatment with gypsum content was 43%. The increase in gypsum from 25% at G5 to 30% and 44% in G6 and G7 successive treatments did not significantly affect the values of the soil’s thermal conductivity averages. The overlap point of the relationship between soil gypsum content and thermal conductivity was found at G3 and G4 that have gypsum content of 15% and 25% respectively. The average of gypsum decreases the thermal conductivity values of the soil with increased moisture tension values, as the tension gave 0.1 kPa a significant increase in the values of the average thermal conductivity from the rest of the tensions and for all treatments while the least significant average of thermal conductivity values at tension was 100 kPa.

Analysis of oil synthesis pathway in Cyperus esculentus tubers and identification of oleosin and caleosin genes

The tubers of the widely distributed Cyperus esculentus are rich in oil, and therefore, the plant is considered to have a high utilization value in the vegetable oil industry. Oleosins and caleosins are lipid-associated proteins found in oil bodies of seeds; however oleosins and caleosins genes have not been identified in C. esculentus. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing and lipid metabolome analysis of C. esculentus tubers at four developmental stages to obtain the information on their genetic profile, expression trends, and metabolites in oil accumulation pathways. Overall, 120,881 non-redundant unigenes and 255 lipids were detected; 18 genes belonged to the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), malonyl-CoA:ACP transacylase (MCAT), β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KAS), and fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase (FAT) gene families involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, and 16 genes belonged to the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), diacylglycerol acyltransferase 3 (DGAT3), phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT), FAD2, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT) gene families playing important roles in triacylglycerol synthesis. We also identified 9 oleosin- and 21 caleosin-encoding genes in C. esculentus tubers. These results provide detailed information on the C. esculentus transcriptional and metabolic profiles, which can be used as reference for the development of strategies to increase oil content in C. esculentus tubers.

Effect of freshwater and wastewater irrigation on buildup of toxic elements in soil and maize crop.

Untreated wastewater is routinely used for agricultural activities in water-stressed regions, thereby causing severe ecological risks by various pollutants. Hence, management strategies are needed to cope with the environmental issues related to wastewater use in agriculture. This pot study evaluates the effect of mixing either freshwater (FW) or groundwater (GW) with sewage water (SW) on the buildup of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil and maize crop. Results revealed that SW of Vehari contains high levels of Cd (0.08mg L-1) and Cr (2.3mg L-1). Mixing of FW and GW with SW increased soil contents of As (22%) and decreased Cd (1%), Cu (1%), Fe (3%), Mn (9%), Ni (9%), Pb (10%), and Zn (4%) than SW "alone" treatment. Risk indices showed high-degree of soil-contamination and very-high ecological risks. Maize accumulated considerable concentrations of PTEs in roots and shoot with bioconcentration factor > 1 for Cd, Cu, and Pb and transfer factor > 1 for As, Fe, Mn, and Ni. Overall, mixed treatments increased plant contents of As (118%), Cu (7%), Mn (8%), Ni (55%), and Zn (1%), while decreased those of Cd (7%), Fe (5%), and Pb (1%) compared to SW "alone" treatments. Risk indices predicted possible carcinogenic risks to cow (CR 0.003 > 0.0001) and sheep (CR 0.0121 > 0.0001) due to consumption of maize fodder containing PTEs. Hence, to minimize possible environmental/health hazards, mixing of FW and GW with SW can be an effective strategy. However, the recommendation greatly depends on the composition of mixing waters.

A new early-ripening soybean variety of the northern ecotype Civil

The data on morphobiological features and the main indicators of quality of the grain variety Civil are presented. The results of competitive testing are given, and the adaptability of the variety to different conditions of cultivation is shown. The need to develop early-ripening soybean varieties for agricultural production in the northern regions of Russia is noted, since the varieties with a growing season of 110-125 days do not ripen. Breeding work on soybean varieties was carried out at the experimental site under field conditions. The soil of the experimental field is gray forest heavy loam with a humus content of 4.1, close to neutral (with a soil solution reaction of 5.7), with a high content of mobile phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. The new variety Civil has a growing season of 83-105 days. The soybean variety of the northern ecotype Civil (breeding number 116 4/7-1sk) was bred by multiple individual selection in a hybrid population of F3-F8 obtained from the offspring of Chera-1 x SOUTH 30. The variety has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation since 2022 for the Central region (3). The new variety is characterized by early maturity, high yield, its potential yield exceeds 3.8 tons of grain/ha. The Civil variety differs from the zoned varieties by an increased oil content. The fat content in soybean seeds of this variety reaches 24%, which is 1.8% higher than that of the SibNIIK 315 standard variety. The inclusion of a new early maturing soybean variety of the northern ecotype Сivil in the soil and climatic conditions of the midland will contribute to the promotion of the crop in the northern regions of Russia.

Determination of biochemical indicators of winter rape seeds under different growing conditions

Purpose. To determine the biochemical indicators of seed quality of winter rape varieties grown under different conditions. Methods. During the research, the following methods were used: laboratory, calculation and statistical, to prepare conclusions – analysis and synthesis. Results. According to the results of laboratory studies, biochemical indicators of the quality of seeds of winter rape varieties, grown in different conditions, were established, namely: the content of oil, “crude protein” and glucosinolates. Meteorological conditions during the vegetation period of plants of the corresponding soil and climate zone have a significant influence on the quality indicators of seeds. Based on the results of the research, it was established that in 2022, compared to 2020, the biochemical indicators of winter rapeseed were higher. The increase in yield by 1.6 t/ha in the Steppe zone, 1.1 t/ha – Forest-Steppe, 1.4 t/ha – Polissia ensured an increase in oil content by 2.4% – Steppe, 6.6% – Forest-Steppe, 6.7% – Polissia and oil collection per hectare by 0.74 t/ha – Steppe and Polissia, 0.62 t/ha – Forest-Steppe. For the content of “crude protein”, a decrease in the index was observed, namely: by 3.1% in the Steppe zone, 5.8% in the Forest-Steppe and 5.0% in the Polissia in 2022 compared to 2020. Meteorological conditions of the research years in the corresponding soil and climatic zones had an influence on the content of glucosinolates. For the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones, the indicators were identical and amounted to 0.7%, 0.8% (Polissia), while in 2021, for the Steppe and Polissia zones, the content of glucosinolates in rapeseed was 0.8% and 0.9% more, compared to the indicators obtained in other years of research. Conclusions. It was established that, on average, for 2020–2022, the total oil content in seeds of rape was 46.2% – Steppe, 47.5% – Forest-Steppe, 47.8% – Polissia; “crude protein” content – 19.6% – Steppe, 18.4% – Forest-Steppe, 17.9% – Polissia; the content of glucosinolates was 0.7% in the Steppe and Forest-steppe zones, 0.8% in the Polissia; oil collection in the Steppe zone 1.31 t/ha, Forest-Steppe – 1.16 t/ha, Polissia – 1.33 t/ha; protein collection per hectare is 0.54 t/ha in Steppe, 0.44 t/ha in Forest-Steppe and 0.48% in Polissia. Growing conditions over the years of research in the corresponding zone affect the formation of biochemical indicators of winter rapeseed.

Microwave heating instead of blanching to produce low-fat French fries

Blanching pretreatment is necessary for preparing French fries, but it causes water consumption and nutrient outflow. This work was aimed to investigate the effects of microwave (MW) pretreatment instead of blanching on the quality of fries, evaluated via changes to microstructure and crust characteristics. First, MW pretreatment could inactivate polyphenol oxidase in fresh-cut potato strips to inhibit enzymatic browning. Subsequently, the fries after proper MW pretreatment (60 s) had a golden appearance and better texture. As compared with the blanching process, the oil content of the fries obtained by MW pretreatment was decreased sharply from 41.3% to 18.1%. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that MW pretreatment significantly altered the crust and internal microstructure of fries. Specially, it was found that the MW pretreatment made the fries form a thicker “protective crust” (1.81 μm), which was crucial to prevent oil adsorption during the frying and improve texture. Industrial relevanceBlanching is a traditional thermal processing technique that was once widely used in French fries around the world. However, blanching has some drawbacks, such as slow heat conduction, long processing time, substantial loss of soluble nutrients, massive water wastage, and even increased oil content of the fries. Meanwhile, MW heating is known for its high efficiency. The fries obtained with proper MW pretreatment are of good quality, but the oil content is drastically reduced compared to conventional blanching pretreatment. So, the above findings may provide helpful information to guide effective strategies for applying MW heating instead of blanching in the preparation of fried potato foods.

Low temperature simulation of ammonia refrigeration based on dissipative molecular dynamics

To solve the problem of heat resistance of the oil film in the evaporator pipe-line of the ammonia refrigeration system, it is extremely important to study the interaction mechanism of the oil/ammonia system. The method of dissipative molecular dynamics is used to simulate the oil/ammonia flow state at different temperatures and concentrations, and the mechanism of its interaction was analyzed. It was also found that various parameters are greatly affected by temperature in the research process, the linear relationship of temperature on various parameters was quantitatively calculated. The oil/ammonia system were divided into emulsion and layered liquid. The oil phase (or ammonia phase) with low percentage at low temperature all exists in the form of droplets. The oil-ammonia interfacial tension first increases and then decreases with the increase of oil content. At the same temperature, the interfacial tension reached its maximum when the oil content was 70%. The oil percentage of 30% concentration was the phase inversion point. When the oil percentage was 30-70%, the oil and ammonia two-phases were stratified, and the oil adhered to the surface of the pipe wall. Therefore, the heat transfer performance of the system was the worst when the oil content was 30-70%. As the temperature increased, the interaction parameter aij decreased significantly. The linear relationship between ? and 1/T was very consistent with the Flory-Huggins mean field theory. This linear equation provided a basis for subsequent related research.