Moisture Distribution Research Articles

Effect of water occurrence in coal reservoirs on the production capacity of coalbed methane by using NMR simulation technology and production capacity simulation

The occurrence of gas and water is a critical factor affecting the production capacity of coalbed methane. Therefore, occurrence and dynamic interaction between gas and water in coal reservoirs need to be studied. T2 spectrum of all the samples were studied by NMR technique at 0, 5, 9, and 28 h of natural evaporation. Then, multifractal model was used to characterize water distribution heterogeneity, and a novel evaluation coefficient was proposed to characterize distribution heterogeneity of water content, the correlation among evaluation coefficient, water distribution heterogeneity and pore structure parameters was analyzed. The results are as follows. In the saturated state, the moisture distribution of three types is heterogeneous. Type A of adsorption pore-developed exhibits strong moisture variation heterogeneity of small pores, in contrast to the uniform moisture variation in large pores. Type B of fracture-developed has the highest coefficient of variation in moisture distribution. The coefficient of variation A1 for moisture content can determine the speed of moisture transport and evaporation in the pore structure. A lower A1 indicates a greater moisture transport volume and faster moisture transport rate over the same time. The coefficient of variation A2 for moisture distribution represents the heterogeneity of moisture content variation in the pore structure. That is, a smaller A2 indicates better heterogeneity in the distribution of moisture content in the pore structure. Numerical simulation indicates the average gas production and the peak gas production time increase and decrease with the initial moisture content (Sgrw) increases, respectively. These findings provide practical guidance for coalbed methane development, especially in optimizing coalbed methane production capacity prediction and improving recovery efficiency.

Distribution characteristics of soil moisture and temperature under different land use types in the deep profile of loess area in northern Shaanxi, China.

Understanding the effects of different land use modes on the spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture and temperature in the deep profile and revealing the regulatory effects of various vegetation covers on regional water and heat resources can provide a theoretical basis for the optimization of land management and vegetation restoration. Taking the advantage of different land use patterns in the Liudaogou watershed in the northern part of Loess Plateau, we monitored soil moisture content as well as temperature in the 0-1000 cm soil layer in 2022 to analyze the temporal variation and vertical profile distribution characteristics of soil moisture and temperature under four land use modes (woodland, grassland, farmland, and wild grassland). The results showed that soil moisture and temperature distributions varied significantly across different land use types. In the growing season (April-October), total soil water storage in the 0-1000 cm soil layer of the four land use types, in a descending order, was as follows: soybean farmland (1393 mm), wild grassland (1374 mm), Caragana korshinkii forest (1218 mm), and alfalfa grassland (557 mm). Soil moisture of C. korshinkii forest and soybean farmland changed obviously in the 0-300 cm soil layer, and that of wild grassland and alfalfa grassland was in 0-500 and 0-200 cm soil layers, respectively, while soil moisture of deep soil layers fluctuated little. The impact of land use modes on soil temperature was primarily manifested in the 0-200 cm soil layer, and the depth was up to 300 cm. The depth of precipitation infiltration replenishment of the four land use modes was approximately 200 cm. The depth of soil moisture depletion was 200 cm in both C. korshinkii forest and alfalfa grassland, and was 100 cm in soybean farmland and wild grassland. Soil hydrothermal processes in the deep profile varied across vegetation types.

Moisture sorption and mechanical properties of polymer-cement waterproofing membranes investigated by LF NMR

This study investigates the impacts of environmental humidity on moisture absorption and mechanical properties of polymer-based waterproofing membranes. Membranes of polymer-CaCO3, polymer-white cement composites and pure polymer were used for measurements after treated in different relative humidities (RHs). Results indicate that the humidity treatment greatly changes the mechanical properties of the membranes and increasing RH from 0 % to 100 % leads to reduction of tensile strength by 60–80 %, which is believed to originate from the plasticizing effect of the absorbed moisture. LF NMR (Low field NMR) enables quantification of moisture distribution in the polymer-filler composites and three types of water, i.e. the water stored inside polymer matrix (O/O water), the water located in interfacial regions between polymer phase and fillers (I/O water), and the free water in air voids are detected with increasing T2 values. The absorbed moisture majorly accumulates in the O/O interfacial region during the humidity treatments with RH of 0∼80 %, which is because of the larger O/O interfacial area compared with the I/O interface. A large amount of free water appears only at RH of 100 %. A core-shell structure of the polymer domains with dry core and moisturized shell, is interestingly found during the moisture absorption process of the membranes, based on the LF NMR measurements using MSE sequence. It is surprisingly found that the drop of tensile strength of the membranes upon moisture absorption is majorly related to the growing shell thickness of the polymer domains whereas the moisture accumulated in the I/O interfacial region plays a minor role.

The Influence of the Morphological Characteristics of Mining-Induced Ground Fissures on the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Soil Moisture

In order to study the influence of fissure morphology on soil moisture-content changes under different fissure types, this study established HYDRUS 2.0 numerical models of stepped fissures and planar fissures with different fissure widths and depths based on the experimental condition parameters obtained from physical simulation tests. Then, we simulated the spatial and temporal variation rules of soil moisture around the fissures. The results showed a high level of agreement between the HYDRUS numerical simulations and actual measurements, indicating that the model accurately reflects the movement of soil moisture near fissures. The study found that ground fissures affected the spatial distribution of soil moisture, leading to an increased rate of moisture loss in the deep soil near the fissure walls. Moreover, larger fissures had greater horizontal and vertical effects on soil moisture. The soil moisture content is lower closer to the fissure walls. As the soil depth increased, the influence of the fissures gradually diminished. For planar fissure with a depth of 50 cm, the soil moisture content was 30.6%, 17.8%, and 8.4% lower at depths of 10, 30, and 50 cm, respectively, compared to a fissure with a depth of 10 cm. For a stepped fissure with a depth of 50 cm, the soil moisture content was 29.2%, 20.9%, and 13.9% lower at depths of 10, 30, and 50 cm, respectively, compared to a fissure with a depth of 10 cm. Under the same conditions of fissure width and depth, stepped fissures exhibit faster moisture loss, and the larger the fissure, the more significant the additional moisture loss compared to planar fissures.

Effect of temperature fluctuations during frozen storage on ice crystal distribution and quality of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

The study constructed a model of temperature fluctuation (TF, −20 °C ∼ -10 °C) during frozen status to build a link between the tilapia fillets muscle of ice crystal morphology, moisture distribution, protein oxidation index and the edible quality. When TF treatment more than 3 times, the brightness, color and hardness of frozen tilapia fillets decreased significantly, and the cooking loss and thawing loss increased significantly. The free and unconjugated water in frozen fish fillets exceeded 97 % and did not change much after 9 times TF. The K and TVB-N values were within the safety standards (K < 60 %, TVB-N < 30 mg N/100 g). The ice crystals in the tissues were significantly increased. Protein carbonyls and Ca2+-ATPase were significantly reduced, and secondary structures were irregular. Network correlation analysis showed that ice crystal morphology was significantly correlated with the color, texture and protein oxidation index of frozen tilapia fillets. The results would provide theoretical approach for the transportation and sales of tilapia industrial enterprises.

Effects of Different Roasting Methods on the Quality of Roasted Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

This study investigated the effects of different roasting methods (45% light wave and 55% microwave roasting, 70% light wave and 30% microwave roasting, 100% light wave roasting, far-infrared roasting, and oven roasting) on the quality of roasted large yellow croaker. The quality was evaluated using sensory evaluation, texture characteristics, color differences, moisture content, and volatile flavor substances. In this context, different roasting methods can affect the color, taste, and flavor of large yellow croaker fish, significantly improving the overall acceptance of roasted fish. The results showed that after 45% light wave and 55% microwave roasting, the elasticity of fish meat was maintained, the hardness of fish meat was reduced, the moisture content and distribution were changed, and the taste was the best. Far-infrared roasting and 45% light wave and 55% microwave roasting had a significant effect on the color of large yellow croaker samples and improved the sensory evaluation score. Forty-six volatile compounds were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. After roasting, the oxidation and Maillard reactions of lipids and proteins were increased, with the 45% light wave and 55% microwave roasting giving the highest variety of volatile flavor substance products.

Elucidating the effect of various roasting methods on the water-holding capacity and volatile flavor profiles of ultrasound-assisted pickled roast duck meat

The present study investigated the impact of various roasting methods (OV: Oven, AF: Air Fryer, CO: Combined steaming and roasting oven) on the color, water-holding capacity (WHC), texture characteristics, moisture distribution and volatile flavor profile of ultrasound-assisted pickled roast duck. In comparison to the OV and AF roasting methods, the CO roasting method resulted in roasted duck with excellent color, higher WHC, and improved tenderness, as evidenced by the significant increase in myofibrillar fragmentation index value (P < 0.05), the transformation of β-sheet structure into random coil and the reduction in moisture migration. Several characteristic flavor compounds such as benzaldehyde, pentanal, and hexanal were enriched in the CO treatment. The composition of fatty acids corroborated this result. On the other hand, compared to static pickling, duck meat subjected to ultrasound-assisted pickling showed greater improvements in texture and WHC while significantly increasing fatty acid content, playing a crucial role in the formation of roast duck flavor. In addition, ultrasound-assisted pickling increased malondialdehyde formation but did not cause intense lipid oxidation. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted pickling and the CO roasting method effectively improved the color, WHC and promoted the release of volatile flavor compounds in roasted duck. This finding offered new avenues and theoretical references for the development of the roasted duck industry.

Rapid prediction and visualization of safe moisture content in alfalfa seeds based on multispectral imaging technology

Moisture significantly impacts seed sales, storage, and processing. Traditional moisture testing methods are often slow, labor-intensive, and inadequate for the rapid detection demands of modern agriculture, particularly for non-destructive testing of individual seeds. This study applied multispectral imaging to obtain morphological and spectral data from alfalfa seeds at six moisture levels (4 %, 8 %, 12 %, 16 %, 25 %, and 41 %). By integrating algorithms such as Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), and normalized typical discriminant analysis (nCDA) algorithms, classification models were developed to distinguish between safe and unsafe moisture levels. The Results indicated that spectral data alone significantly improved model accuracy and prediction. nCDA visualizations effectively illustrated spatial moisture distribution, highlighting stark color differences between seeds in the safe moisture range (4 %, 8 %, 12 %) and those in the unsafe range (16 %, 25 %, 41 %). BPNN exhibited high model precision, achieving a recognition accuracy rate of 90.1 % for safe and unsafe moisture content. Key wavelengths identified by the Permutation method included 970, 880, 570, and 490 nm. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between germination indicators and spectral data, which strengthened with longer seed storage. These findings confirm the potential of multispectral imaging for assessing the safe moisture content of alfalfa seeds, supporting the development of detection systems for evaluating moisture content in individual seeds. This advancement enables the rapid removal of high-moisture seeds, preventing deterioration during storage.

Long-Term Validation of Aeolus Level-2B Winds in the Brazilian Amazon

The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission ADM-Aeolus was successfully launched in August 2018 by the European Space Agency (ESA). The Aeolus mission carried a single instrument, the first-ever Doppler wind lidar (DWL) in space, called Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument (ALADIN). Aeolus circled the Earth, providing vertical profiles of horizontal line-of-sight (HLOS) winds on a global scale. The Aeolus satellite’s measurements filled critical gaps in existing wind observations, particularly in remote regions such as the Brazilian Amazon. This area, characterized by dense rainforests and rich biodiversity, is essential for global climate dynamics. The weather patterns of the Amazon are influenced by atmospheric circulation driven by Hadley cells and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which are crucial for the distribution of moisture and heat from the equator to the subtropics. The data provided by Aeolus can significantly enhance our understanding of these complex atmospheric processes. In this long-term validation study, we used radiosonde data collected from three stations in the Brazilian Amazon (Cruzeiro do Sul, Porto Velho, and Rio Branco) as a reference to assess the accuracy of the Level 2B (L2B) Rayleigh-clear and Mie-cloudy wind products. Statistical validation was conducted by comparing Aeolus L2B wind products and radiosonde data covering the period from October 2018 to March 2023 for Cruzeiro do Sul and Porto Velho, and from October 2018 to December 2022 for Rio Branco. Considering all available collocated winds, including all stations, a Pearson’s coefficient (r) of 0.73 was observed in Rayleigh-clear and 0.85 in Mie-cloudy wind products, revealing a strong correlation between Aeolus and radiosonde winds, suggesting that Aeolus wind products are reliable for capturing wind profiles in the studied region. The observed biases were −0.14 m/s for Rayleigh-clear and −0.40 m/s for Mie-cloudy, fulfilling the mission requirement of having absolute biases below 0.7 m/s. However, when analyzed annually, in 2022, the bias for Rayleigh-clear was −0.95 m/s, which did not meet the mission requirements.

Quality deterioration of mashed potatoes during the freeze-thaw cycle: From the perspective of moisture and microstructure

This study aimed to simulate cold chain sales temperatures to predict the effects of temperature fluctuations on the physicochemical properties, moisture distribution, microstructure, and flavor of mashed potatoes. The results showed a decline in the hardness and chewability of mashed potatoes alongside the migration of water from bound water states to weakly bound states under freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) conditions. Microstructural analysis indicated that the adhesive forces between proteins and starch granules were weakened, and the structure of mashed potatoes particles was destroyed following FTC. The oxidation and degradation of fat induced by FTC increased the content of key compounds such as octanal and nonanal, thereby contributing to an overall deterioration in the flavor of mashed potatoes. This study elucidates the effects of FTC on water migration, microstructure, and flavor characteristics of mashed potatoes, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for improving the quality of prefabricated frozen mashed potatoes dishes.

Experimental study on the effect of freeze–thaw cycles to the cohesion and moisture content of geogrid reinforced silty clay

The freezing and thawing cycle is one of the primary causes of damage and instability to buildings in seasonal frost regions. During this process, the mechanical properties of soil are affected, leading to settlement, cracking, or deformation of infrastructure. Mitigating or reducing the occurrence of building frost damage in seasonal frost regions has become an important subject of study. Freeze–thaw (F–T) action will influence the distribution of moisture inside the reinforced soil and change the strength of thawing soil, which is closely related to the main influencing factors, such as initial moisture content, compaction degree, reinforced spacing, number of freeze–thaw cycles (FTC), freezing temperature, and effective vertical stress. Cohesion is an important index to determine the shear strength of clay, which is important to analyze the change in cohesion after F–T. Meanwhile, cohesion is closely related to soil moisture content. This study conducted orthogonal experiments on these primary influencing factors (6 factors at 5 levels) through FTC tests, triaxial tests, and moisture content tests to determine the undrained cohesion and moisture content of the clay after FTC, thereby establishing the influence of reinforcement on soil strength under freeze–thaw conditions. Based on the experimental results, SPSS software was used to fit the regression equations of undrained cohesion and moisture content expressed by the main influencing factors at different heights of the clay. Optimization options for the main influencing factors were obtained with Matlab software when the highest undrained cohesion values 6.8, 10.6, 8.9 kPa and lowest moisture content values 24.0%, 24.3%, 26.2% appeared in upper, middle and lower parts of the testing clay structure respectively, in conditions of − 15 °C freezing temperature and 5 times FTC. And determined the optimal combinations of moisture content, reinforcement spacing, compaction density, and vertical load at different heights. Decreasing reinforced spacing in silty clay was beneficial for liquid underwater seepage after F–T. The redistribution of internal moisture in the soil sample strengthened its undrained cohesion, thereby increasing the soil's shear strength. Comparing reinforcement conditions at different locations, it was found that when there were 3 layers of reinforcement with a spacing of 150 mm between them, this spacing was optimal. It played a significant role in improving the soil's shear strength and enhancing its bearing capacity. For reinforced clay itself, the order of the main factors influencing the undrained cohesion of soil after F–T, from high to low, was initial moisture content, reinforced spacing, and compaction degree.

Effect of phosphorylated long‐chain inulin on the quality characteristics of fresh noodles

AbstractIn this paper, phosphorylation was employed to modify long‐chain inulin (PFXL) with the aim of improving the hydrophilicity and stability, thereby enhancing the nutritional value and quality of fresh wheat noodles. The textural characteristics, color, moisture distribution, and microstructure of the fresh noodles, as well as the secondary structure and disulfide bond content of gluten protein, were analyzed. The results indicate a significant enhancement in the quality of fresh noodles with the addition of PFXL. Specifically, the substitution of 6.0% PFXL for wheat flour yielded the highest springiness and whiteness in the fresh noodles. PFXL addition facilitated the transition of tightly bound water to weakly bound and free water within the noodle system, thereby contributing to the softness of the noodles. Furthermore, the introduction of 6% PFXL promoted the formation of a greater number of hydrogen and disulfide bonds, resulting in a higher content of α‐helix and β‐sheet structures. This collective effect served to enhance the overall quality of the noodles. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential applications of long‐chain inulin and offer compelling evidence for the production of high‐quality dietary fiber noodles.

A Ground-Penetrating Radar-Based Study of the Structure and Moisture Content of Complex Reconfigured Soils

To increase the detection accuracy of soil structure and moisture content in reconstituted soils under complex conditions, this study utilizes a 400 MHz ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to examine a study area consisting of loess, sandy loam, red clay, and mixed soil. The research involves analyzing the single-channel waveforms and two-dimensional images of GPR, preprocessing the data, obtaining envelope information via amplitude envelope detection, and performing a Hilbert transformation. This study employs a least squares fitting approach to the instantaneous phase envelope to ascertain the thickness of various soil layers. By utilizing the average envelope amplitude (AEA) method, a correlation between the radar’s early signal amplitude envelope and the soil’s shallow dielectric constant is established to invert the moisture content of the soil. The analysis integrates soil structure and moisture distribution data to investigate soil structure characteristics and moisture content performance under diverse soil properties and depths. The findings indicate that the envelope detection method effectively identifies stratification boundaries across different soil types; the AEA method is particularly efficacious in inverting the moisture content of reconstituted soils up to 3 m deep, with an average relative error ranging from 2.81% to 7.41%. Notably, moisture content variations in stratified reconstituted soils are more pronounced than those in mixed soil areas, displaying a marked stepwise increase with depth. The moisture content trends in the vertical direction of the same soil profile are generally consistent. This research offers a novel approach to studying reconstituted soils under complex conditions, confirming the viability of the envelope detection and AEA methods for intricate soil investigations and broadening the application spectrum of GPR in soil studies.

Analysis of Moisture Migration and Microstructural Characteristic of Green Sichuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) during the Hot-Air Drying Process Based on LF-NMR

To have a deeper understanding on the moisture migration patterns and microstructural changes of Green Sichuan Pepper during the hot-air drying process, the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methodology were adopted to analyze the moisture distribution, migration patterns and microscopic structural changes under different drying temperatures (45, 55 and 65 °C). The LF-NMR scanning results showed that the internal moisture of the Green Sichuan Pepper mainly includes bound water, immobilized water and free water, which can be respectively symbolized by the relaxation time ranges of T21 (0.1–10 ms), T22 (10–500 ms) and T23 (500–10,000 ms). The immobilized water accounts for 83.72% of the internal water, resulting in the significant drying difficulty of Green Sichuan Pepper. During the drying process, the content of immobilized water and free water exhibited a decreasing trend, while the bound moisture content initially increased and then decreased. In addition, the LF-NMR analysis showed that the parameters peak area A2 demonstrated a high correlation with the moisture content of Green Sichuan Pepper, enabling the prediction of moisture content changes during the drying process. Additionally, the SEM results showed that the pore degree and pore density on the pericarp surface of Green Sichuan Pepper perform significant changes during the drying process, which might be a good explanation for revealing some commonly recognized drying phenomena on Green Sichuan Pepper hot-air drying. In summary, the findings presented in the present work provide some new insights into the moisture distribution, migration patterns and microstructural changes of Green Sichuan Pepper, which can offer theoretical guidance for optimizing the drying process of Green Sichuan Pepper.

Ultrasound-assisted process of dough for noodle production: Textural properties, moisture distribution, microstructure and cooking quality

To address certain issues in noodle processing, a self-designed vibrating plate ultrasound equipment was implemented in dough processing. This study investigated the effects of ultrasound on the disulfide bond, secondary structures, and microstructures of noodles, as well as their qualities including texture, tensile strength, and cooking characteristics. The objective was to uncover the underlying mechanisms by which ultrasound assistance enhances dough processing. The findings indicated that ultrasonic treatment enhanced noodle quality, especially under the action of medium-intensity ultrasound treatment (MUS, 330 W; 30 s). After undergoing MUS, the noodles exhibited a notable enhancement in tensile force and stretching distance by 21.2% and 49.3% compared with the control group. MUS treatment facilitated the transformation of loosely bound water to tightly bound water during dough processing. LUS, MUS, HUS treatment led to a notable increase in β-turn and β-sheet contents. Moreover, the microstructure of noodles exhibited enhanced stability and orderliness, characterized by reduced exposed starch particles and smaller pore size. Noodles treated with MUS received the highest sensory scores. Overall, the vibrating plate ultrasonic-assisted dough processing technology demonstrated improvement in the quality of noodles, offering an innovative strategy for enhancing flour product production.

Enhancing brown seaweed Sargassum muticum drying using pulsed electric fields and dehydration pretreatments

The present study on the brown seaweeds Sargassum muticum focused on the application of dehydration by pressing or pulsed electric fields (PEF) pretreatment before three drying processes, namely freeze-drying, air impingement drying, and natural convection in an oven. Both pretreatments permitted to reduce significantly the initial moisture of the seaweeds with a reduction up to 50 %. The structural modifications induced by these pretreatments had a direct impact on the mechanisms of moisture retention and distribution within the seaweeds, which consequently exerted an influence on drying kinetics. The apparent moisture diffusivity for freeze-drying was significantly improved by PEF passing from 2.98 10−9 m2 s−1 to 3.62 10−9 m2 s−1 after a total disintegration. Concerning oven drying by natural convection, a dehydration by pressing will be preferred because the drying time to reach 0.45 kg kg−1 in dry basis was reduced by 61 min with this pretreatment.

Modulating rice digestibility: Mechanisms of ultrasound, oleic acid and moist-heat treatments influence structural, physicochemical and digestive properties

The research compared the combined effect of ultrasound (160 W, 2 min), oleic acid (15%, 11 h), and moist-heat treatment (HMT, 25% moisture content, 110 °C, 2 h) with their individual treatment on rice grains. The results showed that ultrasound treatment created pores and cracks in the rice grains, facilitating an easier penetration for oleic acid to develop amylose-oleic acid complex during HMT. Compared to native raw rice (NR), both single and combined treatments significantly altered the morphology, reduced swelling power and solubility, enhanced hydrophilicity, thus changing the moisture distribution, thermal and pasting characteristics. Notably, the combined treatment of three techniques significantly increased the relative crystallinity, accompanied by the highest digestive resistance, and the content of resistant starch was increased from 20.53% in NR to 31.75%, much higher than the other treatments. These findings provide potential for the manufacturers to rationally and flexibly employ this low digestible rice in health food products.

Integrative experimental and computational analysis of the impact of KGM's polymerization degree on wheat starch's pasting and retrogradation characteristics

This study investigated the influence of Konjac Glucomannan (KGM) with varying degrees of polymerization (DKGMx) on the gelatinization and retrogradation characteristics of wheat starch, providing new insights into starch-polysaccharide interactions. This research uniquely focuses on the effects of DKGMx, utilizing multidisciplinary approaches including Rapid Visco Analysis (RVA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), rheological testing, Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR), and molecular simulations to assess the effects of DKGMx on gelatinization temperature, viscosity, structural changes post-retrogradation, and molecular interactions. Our findings revealed that higher degrees of polymerization (DP) of DKGMx significantly enhanced starch's pasting viscosity and stability, whereas lower DP reduced viscosity and interfered with retrogradation. High DP DKGMx promoted retrogradation by modifying moisture distribution. Molecular simulations revealed the interplay between low DP DKGMx and starch molecules. These interactions, characterized by increased hydrogen bonds and tighter binding to more starch chains, inhibited starch molecular rearrangement. Specifically, low DP DKGMx established a dense hydrogen bond network with starch, significantly restricting molecular mobility and rearrangement. This study provides new insights into the role of the DP of DKGMx in modulating wheat starch's properties, offering valuable implications for the functional improvement of starch-based foods and advancing starch science.

Unlocking the potential of rice bran oil body as fat replacement in cookies: single and double crosslinked binary emulsion-filled gels based on lutein-loaded rice bran oil body emulsion.

Rice bran oil body is rich in nutritional value, which is a byproduct of rice processing. The aim of this study is to develop a novel emulsion-filled gel with lutein-loaded rice bran oil body and investigate its functionality as a fat replacer in cookies. The effects of incorporating structured oil body in the form of emulsion-filled gel instead of butter in cookies with a ratio of 0, 10, 20 and 50 wt% formulation were determined by measuring appearance, texture, thermodynamic properties, moisture distribution and microstructure. The results demonstrated the relationship between geometry, moisture and structure. The 20 wt% emulsion-filled gel substitution ratio yielded mobility and distribution abilities of melted fat and sugar in the cookies that were closest to those of butter. The addition of emulsion-filled gel increased the L* value and decreased the a* value, while the b* value of the cookie increased due to the advanced delivery of lutein by oil body. By controlling the addition ratio, the texture of the cookies can be adjusted. Starch granules were separated due to colloidal particles, reducing saturated fat content and decreasing cookie gelatinization enthalpy. The fat coating on starch particles enhanced the binding capacity of free water, improving air entrapment and forming a constrained gluten network structure. These findings provide a theoretical basis for rice bran oil body as a novel substitute for butter in the development of healthy, high-quality cookies. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Thermally Induced Moisture Flow in a Silty Sand under a 1-D Thermal Gradient

Thermally induced moisture flow in unsaturated soils involves complex coupled thermal–hydro processes with the moisture flow in both the vapor and liquid phases. The accurate measurement of the moisture flow in unsaturated sands remains a challenging task due to low moisture migration, the temperature effect on moisture sensors, and the gravity effect on moisture flow. This study aims to accurately measure transient moisture flow, heat transfer, and thermal conductivity in a silty sand with 35% non-plastic fines in a closed heat cell with a controlled 1-D temperature gradient. The heat cell consists of two temperature-controlled heat exchanger plates, heat flux sensors, moisture sensors, thermocouples, and thermal conductivity sensors. The soil moisture sensors were calibrated in the test soil at room temperature and then at elevated incremental temperatures. Soil samples compacted at various initial moisture contents were tested under a constant 1-D temperature gradient of 4 °C/cm. Soil moisture redistribution, temperature, and thermal conductivity profiles were determined from the test results. Transient temperature responses indicated that a lower initial moisture content led to a higher temperature drop after reaching the peak, or a more concaved temperature profile in a steady state due to enhanced moisture migration driven by the temperature gradients. Dry soils exhibited uniform thermal properties, while moist soils showed varying thermal conductivity profiles. A critical moisture content was identified when the maximum moisture migration occurred. Thermal conductivity in soils increased with the distance from the heat source due to thermally induced moisture migration. These findings provide valuable insights into coupled moisture–heat flow dynamics in unsaturated sands.