Osmotic Solution Research Articles

Osmotic Treatment of Orange and Pink Sweet Potato-Mass Transfer Rate and Efficiency

Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are globally cultivated due to its adaptability, high nutritional value, and short growing season, tolerance to high-temperature soils, low fertility, and minimal pest or disease issues, making it a valuable asset to the food industry. Osmotic treatment, a renowned preservation technique requiring mild temperatures and minimal energy, has gained prominence. Over ten years of research at the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad has pioneered the use of sugar beet molasses as an effective osmotic solution for drying different herbs, fruits, vegetables, and meat. This study specifically focused on osmotically treating samples of pink and orange sweet potatoes in sugar beet molasses (80% w/w) to explore the influence of solution temperatures (20°C, 35°C, and 50°C) and osmotic treatment durations (1h, 3h, and 5h) on mass transfer rate and treatment efficiency. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and color correlation analysis were employed to illustrate the connections between different sweet potato samples. Findings indicate that the mass transfer rate peaks at the onset of the process. Particularly with the highest temperature after 1h of osmotic treatment The highest values for RWL and RSG (13.33±0.02, 1.85±0.04 and 11.51±0.02, accordingly) were obtained for both orange ((15.19±0.08 g/(gi.s.w.·s)·105and 4.53±0.06 g/(gi.s.w.·s)·105) and pink sweet potato ((9.91±0.02 g/(gi.s.w.·s)·105 and 3.78±0.04 g/(gi.s.w.·s)·105), respectively. Notably, diffusion is most rapid within the initial three hours, suggesting potential reductions in processing time aligned with these results.

Enhancing physicochemical properties of papaya through osmotic dehydration with various natural sweeteners

Osmotic processes play a crucial role in developing high-quality intermediate moisture food products. This study investigates the role of osmotic dehydration focusing on using natural sweeteners to reduce health risks from refined sugar. Jaggery and honey were used for osmosis of papaya cubes, with a Box-Behnken design to determine optimal conditions: osmosis temperature (30, 40, 50 °C), osmotic solution concentration (40, 50, 60°Brix), and osmosis time (3, 4, 5 h). Simultaneous optimization of these parameters considered responses such as water loss, solid gain, weight reduction, colour change, ascorbic acid content, lycopene content, and phenolic content. The optimized conditions were identified as 49.46 °C, 40°Brix, and 5 h for jaggery osmosed samples and 39.64 °C, 60°Brix, and 4.92 h for honey osmosed samples. Drying the osmosed samples using advanced domestic solar dryer revealed superior quality (total phenolic content and lycopene content) in jaggery osmosed papaya compared to honey osmosed papaya. The study suggests that introducing a new osmotic agent, jaggery, can enhance the nutritional value of osmosed papaya cubes.

The effect of mannitol on postoperative renal function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Mannitol, an osmotic diuretic solution, is commonly utilized in priming cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and can impact kidney function. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of mannitol use during CPB on kidney function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. This randomized, double-blind clinical trial studied 90 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. In the control group (n=45), the prime solution included Ringer's lactate, and in the intervention group (n=45), the prime solution had 200 ml of mannitol 20% and Ringer's lactate. A P-value<0.05 was considered significant. The primary endpoint of this study is renal function. Demographic characteristics and risk factors were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of CPB time, aortic cross-clamp time, length of time connected to mechanical ventilation, 30-day mortality, ICU, and hospital stay time (P>0.05). Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in serum creatinine levels (P=0.53) or BUN levels (P=0.13). The study also found no statistically significant difference in the diuresis rate between the two groups (P=0.10). The present study has shown that adding mannitol to the prime has no effect on kidney function, length of time connected to mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the ICU, or 30-day mortality. Therefore, it suggests that mannitol cannot be used as a preventative strategy for acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery.

Substantiating the feasibility of processing the secondary product obtained after osmotic dehydration of dried apricots

The object of research is the production technology of dried apricots by the method of osmotic dehydration and the derived products that are formed in the process. An improved technology for processing the secondary product of apricot production has been proposed, which is based on increasing the osmotic pressure in the cells of plant raw materials by increasing the concentration of dry substances. The improved technology involves the use of the process of osmotic dehydration in a 70 % sugar solution with a temperature of up to 55±5 °C as an alternative to the blanching process. This provides a reduction in drying time to 1 hour due to the partial transition of water from the fruit cells into the sugar solution. The spent osmotic solution contains biologically valuable substances. The mass fraction of dry substances in the spent solution decreased by 17.4 %. It was found that spent osmotic solutions contain 15.87±0.05 mg/100 carotenoids, which cause their orange color. Color stability is likely caused by the acidity of the osmotic solution (pH=3.7±0.05). As a result of hydrolysis, sucrose, which was the main component of the osmotic solution before dehydration of apricot fruits, is partially inverted into glucose (21.41±0.05) and fructose (19.99±0.05 g/100 g). Fortified sugar had a light beige color, pure without stains and impurities, sweet taste, and aroma of apricot. The jelly-like soft drink, made on the basis of a derivative product formed during the production of dried apricots, had a sweet taste, a slight aroma of apricot. The color of the meal is cream. Light straw-colored jelly, sweet in taste, with a faint aftertaste and aroma of apricot, had a jelly-like uniform consistency that can be cut. The study showed the possibility of practical application of derived products, which are usually disposed of, for production

Standardization of Process Variables for the Development of Osmo-dehydrated Coconut Haustorium

Background: Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is considered a highly valuable and beneficial perennial crop in our country. The basal portion of the coconut embryo enlarges during germination and forms a spongy structure, haustorium, which is an excellent source of essential nutrients. Since consumer preference is shifting towards healthy food and processed coconut products have immense scope in this sector, the study was conducted to standardize the process variables for osmo-dehydration of coconut haustorium and to evaluate the nutritional qualities of the osmo-dehydrated product. Methods: The present study involved the development of osmo-dehydrated coconut haustorium by standardizing the process variables, viz., osmotic solution concentration and immersion time. Mass transfer, physical, biochemical and sensory parameters were analysed to evaluate the nutritional qualities and consumer acceptance. Result: The results on biochemical properties revealed that an increase in concentration and time of immersion increased TSS, total sugar, reducing sugar, ash and mineral content. The process variables were standardized for the development of osmo-dehydrated coconut haustorium with optimum mass transfer characters, better nutritional qualities and consumer acceptance, which has application in the food industry.

A promising strategy for conservation of endemic plant Euonymus koopmannii

Abstract. Gubaidullin N, Kali B, Tussipkan D, Manabayeva SA. 2024. A promising strategy for conservation of Central Asian endemic plant Euonymus koopmannii. Biodiversitas 25: 3114-3120. Cryopreservation of endemic plants is necessary to safeguard the biodiversity and genetic resources of unique species that may face extinction due to climate change or human activities. This process enables the long-term preservation of their genetic information and ensures the possibility of restoring these species. Euonymus koopmannii Lauche is, known as E. nanus var. turkestanicus, is a native to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. The E. koopmannii is listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan and has ecological importance in soil stabilization and its decorative value. This study aims to contribute to the conservation efforts of E. koopmannii by establishing an effective cryopreservation protocol for its meristems. This study has identified for the first time an optimized cryopreservation protocol for E. koopmannii meristems involving specific treatment durations and osmotic solutions. The protocol resulted in a significantly higher survival rate (60%) when meristems were precultured with 0.3 M sucrose, treated with Plant Vitrification Solution 2 for 30 min., and regenerated on a medium with 20 g/L sucrose. Secondly, a comparative analysis of cryopreserved regenerates with a control group has revealed that cryopreservation negatively impacted the plant height but significantly increased the number of meristem shoots and roots. This finding highlights the trade-off between growth and root development in cryopreserved plants. Thirdly, the presented optimization of the cryopreservation protocol provides valuable insights for the preservation and regeneration of E. koopmannii meristems. It emphasizes the critical importance of precise treatments and the composition of the nutrient medium to achieve successful cryopreservation and subsequent recovery of plants in tissue culture. This research provides essential information for conserving E. koopmannii, shedding light on the intricate balance required to apply cryopreservation techniques effectively.

Effect of Osmotic Dehydration in Tomato Juice on Microstructure of Garlic and on Drying Using Different Methods

This study investigates the effects of osmotic dehydration on garlic clove halves using a low-pH osmotic solution with ascorbic acid, concentrated tomato juice, and basil extract (45° Brix). Samples, both dehydrated and fresh, were subjected to various drying methods. Physical properties, such as CT scan analysis, texture profile analysis (TPA), porosity, and density, were examined. Additional parameters like energy consumption, specific energy consumption, moisture content, water activity, and color change were evaluated. Osmotic dehydration reduced moisture content by over 7.5%. The specific energy consumption for microwave vacuum drying (MVD) was 95 kJ/g for osmotically dehydrated samples compared to 118 kJ/g for non-dehydrated samples. Drying times decreased by 24 min for MVD and 15% for microwave convective drying (MCD). The Weibull model best fit the drying kinetics, with R2 values above 0.99 and RMSE below 0.03 for all methods. TPA tests showed no significant impact of osmotic dehydration on hardness, though drying methods significantly affected hardness, ranging from 49 N to 707 N. Color change was higher for osmotically dehydrated samples, reaching 37.09 for OD-CD compared to 29.78 for CD.

Determining the possibility of making mulberry wine by using the osmotic dehydration process

This study aimed to determine the possibility of using osmotic dehydration in the production of mulberry wine. Mulberry fruits (Mórus nígra L.) were mixed with 70 % sucrose solution and osmotic dehydration was carried out (τ=1 h, t=50±5 °C). At the stage of active fermentation, the osmotic solution separated from the fruits was added to the must (10 % by mass). Partially dehydrated mulberry fruits were infused for 12 hours in water at a temperature of 10–15 °C. The formed must was separated from the fruits, mixed with an osmotic solution, and a solution formed during pressing of dehydrated fruits. The mixture was fermented at 20±2 °C for 20 days under static conditions. At the end of fermentation, the young wine was kept at a temperature of 3–5 °C for 1 month. A second transfusion was performed, and its quality indicators were analyzed. It was established that the osmotic solutions formed during the osmotic dehydration of black mulberry fruits contain 42.60±0.25 mg/100 g of anthocyanins, which makes them an effective basis and additive for giving wine the desired sensory characteristics. The high content of anthocyanins in wine (35.8±0.5 mg/100 g) provides for its stable red-ruby color. As a result of hydrolysis, sucrose, which was the main component of the osmotic solution before mulberry dehydration, is transformed into glucose (27.74±0.05 g/100 g) and fructose (28.60±0.05 g/100 g). This significantly increases its biological value and gives the wine a harmonious taste characteristic of fruit wines. The wine made on the basis of mulberry fruit processing products is rated at 7.5 points. It had a pleasant taste and color, but a poorly developed aroma. Mulberry wine was classified as semi-dry because it had a low alcohol content (6±0.5 %), a low concentration of sugars (13.0±0.5 g/dm3), and a high concentration of volatile acids (1.4±0.5 g/dm3)

Modifications on the Processing Parameters of Traditional Pineapple Slices by Stabilized Sound Pressure of Multiple Frequency Ultrasonic-Assisted Osmotic Dehydration

This study investigated the practical feasibility of synergistically and optimally applying ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD) practices for the pineapple slice picking process (in sugar osmotic solution), with potential implications for improving current practices. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different treatment conditions of single (40 and 80 kHz)/multiple (40/80 kHz) frequencies, output powers (300, 450, and 600 W), and treatment time (5–40 min) at 30, 45, and 60 °Brix applied, respectively, on the pineapple slices picking process. The sound pressure of the UA was also measured to confirm that it provided the corresponding effect stably under different conditions. The ideal UAOD operating condition for pineapple slices is a 45 °Brix sugar osmotic solution, with frequency multiplexing at 40/80 kHz and an output power of 450 W for 25 min, which yields the optimal solids gain (SG) rate of 7.58%. The above results of this study indicated that UAOD could improve the accelerated quality transfer of pineapple slices and enhance the final product quality, thereby increasing the efficiency of the dehydration process and saving processing costs and time.

Seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhances seed germination and seedling physiological traits of Coronilla varia L. under water stress.

Water stress can adversely affect seed germination and plant growth. Seed osmopriming is a pre-sowing treatment in which seeds are soaked in osmotic solutions to undergo the first stage of germination prior to radicle protrusion. Seed osmopriming enhances germination performance under stressful environmental conditions, making it an effective method to improve plant resistance and yield. This study analyzed the effect of seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) on seed germination and physiological parameters of Coronilla varia L. Priming treatments using 10% to 30% PEG enhanced germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and seedling mass and reduced the time to reach 50% germination (T50). The PEG concentration that led to better results was 10%. The content of soluble proteins (SP), proline (Pro), soluble sugars (SS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in Coronilla varia L. seedlings increased with the severity of water stress. In addition, under water stress, electrolyte leakage rose, and peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities intensified, while catalase (CAT) activity increased at mild-to-moderate water stress but declined with more severe deficiency. The 10% PEG priming significantly improved germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and time to 50% germination (T50) under water stress. Across the water stress gradient here tested (8 to 12% PEG), seed priming enhanced SP content, Pro content, and SOD activity in Coronilla varia L. seedlings compared to the unprimed treatments. Under 10% PEG-induced water stress, primed seedlings displayed a significantly lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage than their unprimed counterparts and exhibited significantly higher CAT and POD activities. However, under 12% PEG-induced water stress, differences in electrolyte leakage, CAT activity, and POD activity between primed and unprimed treatments were not significant. These findings suggest that PEG priming enhances the osmotic regulation and antioxidant capacity of Coronilla varia seedlings, facilitating seed germination and seedling growth and alleviating drought stress damage, albeit with reduced efficacy under severe water deficiency.

Determination of the antioxidant potential of processing products of osmotically dehydrated chokeberry fruits and beer enriched with them

The demand for functional and health products, as well as the depletion of traditional raw materials, encourages the use of new types of resources. Aronia melanocarpa is a non-traditional plant raw material that has significant potential but is almost never used in the food industry. The aim of this study is to determine the antioxidant potential of processed products of osmotically dehydrated chokeberry fruits and beer enriched with them. The object of the study is the processing products of osmotically dehydrated chokeberry fruits and beer enriched with them. Chokeberry fruits were dehydrated by osmotic dehydration and drying, ground into powders, and their antioxidant properties were determined. Osmotic solutions and fresh fruits were analyzed for flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Three experimental samples of beer were produced using traditional technology (K) and with the addition of 6 % (D1) and 10 % (D2) osmotic solutions separated from partially dehydrated fruits. An organoleptic analysis of beer was carried out and its antioxidant activity was determined. The results showed that when using osmotic dehydration, the loss of flavonoids was significantly less (29.74 mg K/100 g) than when using the traditional drying method (39.13 mg K/100 g). When applying the proposed regime of fruit dehydration, about 70 % of anthocyanins are retained. While the traditional method preserves only 59 % of these pigments. The sugar solution on the surface of the fruit prevents significant loss of antioxidant compounds. This explains the higher antioxidant activity (9.86 mmol Trolox/100 g) in samples dehydrated using osmotic dehydration. Adding a chokeberry osmotic solution to beer in an amount of 6–10 % leads to an increase in its antioxidant activity by 9–16 mmol Trolox/100 g

Study of the quality indicators of the osmotic solution obtained after dehydration of apricot fruits

This study is designed to determine the feasibility of using osmotic solutions formed after dehydration of apricot fruits for sugar fortification. The purpose of the study is to analyze the quality indicators of osmotic solutions obtained as a result of osmotic dehydration of apricot fruits and to develop a rational direction for their further use. The subject of the study was apricot fruits (Prunus armeniaca) of the Aurora variety and enriched sugar. It is proposed to enrich sugar with a derivative product formed during the production of candied fruits using the method of osmotic dehydration and drying from apricot fruits. The results of the study showed that, according to organoleptic indicators, the osmotic solution formed after the production of candied apricot fruits corresponded to the raw material. The mass fraction of dry substances in the osmotic solution is reduced by 25,24 %, and sucrose by 20,3 % due to dilution with cell juice of apricot fruits. The osmotic solution had a fairly high color, probably due to saturation with carotenoids, the concentration of which is 15,87 mg/100 ml. Due to the addition of osmotic solutions, the color of sugar increases by 87.3 units. ICUMSA, however, the sugar solution is transparent, without insoluble sediment, mechanical and other impurities. In addition, sugar is enriched with carotenoids, the mass concentration of which is 1.13 mg/100 g. The analysis showed that the addition of osmotic solutions to sugar does not entail a deterioration in their microbiological composition. A model has been developed for the rational processing of apricot fruits and the use of waste osmotic solutions, which can become the basis for sugar enrichment technology

Sourcebook update: RBC hemolysis studies using a simple modified blood film technique.

Water movement across the cell membrane is crucial, with red blood cells (RBCs) experiencing the flow of water in both directions at a rate of approximately 100 times their volume per second. This process typically results in no net water flow due to an equal balance of water movement in opposite directions, a phenomenon known as osmosis, driven by water potential or impermeant solute concentration. Understanding osmosis is essential for both physiology and medical practice, yet its complexity may not be effectively conveyed to the students through traditional teaching methods. This study presents a novel approach to observing the osmotic effect on RBCs using a simple, modified blood film technique. Aimed at enhancing educational understanding of cellular behavior in different osmotic environments, this method provides a practical hands-on learning experience. By applying various osmotic solutions to prepared blood films and observing the resultant morphological changes in RBCs under a microscope, this technique allows for direct visualization of osmosis in action.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study presents an innovative teaching approach for understanding osmosis and its effects on red blood cells. Using a simple, modified blood film technique, students can visually observe and engage with the dynamic process of osmosis. This hands-on method enhances learning, making complex physiological concepts accessible and practical. Ideal for resource-limited settings, it bridges theoretical knowledge and practical application, transforming physiology education.

Effect of different ultrasound conditions and other parameters on solids gain, water loss, and properties of osmotically dehydrated carrots

AbstractOsmotic dehydration (OD) of carrots was studied by varying the OD conditions (ultrasound as pretreatment [USP], ultrasound‐assisted OD [USOD], and OD without ultrasound [no treatment]), solute concentration (50, 60, and 70°Brix) and solid‐to‐solution ratio (1:3, 1:4, and 1:5). The osmotically dehydrated carrots obtained from the different combinations were then analyzed for solid‐gain (SG) and water loss. Color and texture measurements along with carotenoid content were also studied. Among the different solid‐to‐solution ratios (1:3, 1:4, and 1:5), samples dehydrated with 1:4 yielded the best result for different tests. USOD samples (1:4) gave significantly (p &lt; 0.05) better results for water‐loss (68.74%) and SG (16.57%) as compared to SG of USP (12.46%) and SG of non‐treated samples (11.6%). USOD samples underwent the least amount of color change but had significantly higher values of hardness (240.38 N) than other treatments. The yield of total carotenoids was also significantly (p &lt; 0.05) higher in the USOD samples (22.30 mg/100 g) when compared with USP (18.27 mg/100 g) and non‐treated samples (13.94 mg/100 g). The better quality of products from USOD treatment in terms of color, texture, and nutrition can make it a popular choice in the food industry for various applications.Practical applicationsOsmotic dehydration (OD) is a useful technique to preserve the nutritional and sensory qualities of carrots and extend its shelf life. OD is a time‐consuming process and the rate of mass transfer from foods can be increased when OD is combined with other processes. Ultrasound (US) processing is a non‐thermal process that can be used to increase the mass transfer rate during the OD process. In the present work, US was applied as a pretreatment before carrying out the OD process and during the OD process, that is, US was applied in the osmotic solution after putting the carrot slices to see which method was better in increasing the mass transfer rate and preserving the quality of the dehydrated carrots. The findings will help in deciding the proper way for US to be applied for the OD process for carrots and can be extended to other fruits and vegetables.

Allulose‐crystallized fruits: Effect of non‐thermal air‐drying and UV‐A light dehydration of osmotic solutions

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to confirm the suitability of allulose to produce crystallized fruits under nonthermal conditions and the suitability of UV‐A light dehydration to concentrate the osmotic solutions. Mangoes and apples were subjected to osmotic drying with either sucrose or allulose, which was followed by an air‐drying step at room temperature to further concentrate the crystallized fruits. There was no significant difference in the dehydration kinetics parameters between the two sugars in each crystallized fruit. Color evaluations showed that allulose was able to better preserve the color of the original raw fruits in the final crystallized samples. Electron microscopy images suggested a more uniform diffusion of allulose as compared to sucrose for both fruits. Similarly, liquid chromatography and infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed the successful absorption of both sugars into both fruits, with allulose having a final higher concentration in both mango and apple (51.7 ± 5.6% and 70.8 ± 7.7% w/w, respectively) as compared to sucrose (48.6 ± 2.9% and 58.3 ± 3.4% w/w, respectively). UV‐A light dehydration showed to be able to increase the recovery of the sugars from osmotic solutions better than in conditions without UV‐A light exposure. When only air flow was used, it was possible to remove 85.3 ± 4.6% and 78.6 ± 0.6% of the original moisture in the sucrose and allulose solutions, respectively. In contrast, under UV‐A light dehydration, the percentage of the original water removed from the sucrose and allulose solutions was 95.2 ± 1.8% and 83.1 ± 1.9%, respectively.Practical applicationsThere is an increasing trend toward producing foods that are healthier for the general population. The use of rare sugars like allulose offers a promising alternative to accomplishing this. In addition, it has become imperative to develop processes that are more sustainable. The use of air‐drying at room temperature can represent an effective approach to develop more sustainable food manufacturing processes. More specifically, the use of UV‐A light dehydration (which is a non‐thermal food dehydration technique) for the recovery of solutes or the concentration of osmotic solutions can also represent an effective aid in this type of processes.

Combination of Osmotic Dehydration and Further Drying to Improve the Quality of Dried Carrots

The food industry needs carrots as a processed product for dry products using drying technology to maintain product quality. The aim of the research was to examine the effect of osmotic dehydration temperature with ternary solution on the quality of carrots. The treatments studied were osmotic media temperatures of 25°C and 50°C combined with oven drying and infrared until the water content reached ±10%. Parameters measured after osmotic dehydration were loss of water and increase in solids, quality parameters after further drying were water content and post-storage quality parameters were carotenoids and rehydration test. The dehydration treatment resulted in a reduction of water of 27.25%-44.24% and addition of solids of 15.37%- 18.31%. The initial water content of carrots before osmotic treatment was 90%, the water content after osmotic at 25°C was 65.72% and 50°C was 63.29%. Combination of osmotic with oven requires 22-24 hours of drying time while infrared requires 8- 10 hours of drying time. The best carotenoid value was osmotic dehydration at 25°C followed by an oven or infrared with a value of 32.95(mg/100g)–31.94(mg/100g). Whereas at 50°C the rehydration values were in the range 271.14%-301.42% Keywords: Carrots, Infrared drying, Osmotic dehydration, Osmotic solution, Oven drying

Shelf-Life Enhancement Applying Pulsed Electric Field and High-Pressure Treatments Prior to Osmotic Dehydration of Fresh-Cut Potatoes.

From a quality standpoint, it is desirable to preserve the characteristics of fresh-cut potatoes at their peak. However, due to the mechanical tissue damage during the cutting process, potatoes are susceptible to enzymatic browning. This study pertains to the selection of the appropriate osmotic dehydration (OD), high pressure (HP), and pulsed electric fields (PEF) processing conditions leading to effective quality retention of potato cuts. PEF (0.5 kV/cm, 200 pulses) or HP (400 MPa, 1 min) treatments prior to OD (35 °C, 120 min) were found to promote the retention of the overall quality (texture and color) of the samples. The incorporation of anti-browning agents (ascorbic acid and papain) into the osmotic solution improved the color retention, especially when combined with PEF or HP due to increased solid uptake (during OD) as indicated by DEI index (2.30, 1.93, and 2.10 for OD treated 120 min, non-pre-treated, HP pre-treated, and PEF pre-treated samples, respectively). PEF and HP combined with OD and anti-browning agent enrichment are sought to improve the quality and microbial stability of fresh-cut potatoes during refrigerator storage. Untreated fresh-cut potatoes were characterized by color degradation from the 2nd day of storage at 4 °C, and presented microbial growth (total viable counts: 6 log (CFU)/g) at day 6, whereas pre-treated potato samples retained their color and microbiologically stability after 6 days of cold storage (total viable counts, <4 log(CFU)/g).

Storage potential of Eugenia uniflora Lam. seeds incubated in different osmotic solutions and temperatures

ABSTRACT: The ex situ conservation of recalcitrant seeds has been one of the biggest challenges in seed technology. Different strategies have emerged in recent years and among these strategies, osmotic conditioning at controlled temperatures has shown excellent results. Therefore, the objective of this research was to store recalcitrant seeds of E. uniflora through osmotic conditioning in order to reduce the metabolism of these seeds and extend their storability. The seeds were stored at temperatures of 10 and 25 °C in PEG solutions at 0.0 (water), -0.5, -1.0, -1.5, and -2.0 MPa, as well as without moistening, for 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. There was a reduction in metabolism in the treatments with PEG, and seed viability was maintained after 18 months at 25 °C and -1.5 MPa.

Microwave Frequency Dependent Dielectric Properties of Blood as a Potential Technique to Measure Hydration

Tissue dehydration is known to have adverse effects on health and is highly challenging to characterize in vitro due to the complexity of the cell/tissue organisation. There have been a large number of studies reporting the dielectric properties of animal and human tissue explants or bodily fluids such as urine or blood over a wide frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 GHz. However, variations in blood composition involving the cell type, haematocrit (HCT) protein levels, ionic conductivity, electrolyte or glucose concentration will affect the dielectric measurements. The present study examined the effects of physiological osmotic solutions with NaCl (280 mOsmol/kg to 300 mOsmol/kg), HCT (35% to 50%) and albumin (3.5 g/dl to 5.5 g/dl) isolated from bovine blood on the dielectric properties measured at frequencies spanning from 0.5 GHz to 20 GHz using an open-ended co-axial probe. Measurements demonstrated linear correlations between permittivity and loss factor of blood solutions with varying HCT levels, albumin or osmolality such that a high protein concentration reduced the dielectric response in a dose-dependent manner. Whilst the spectral trends for the permittivity response to HCT and albumin were similar in a concentration-dependent manner, the loss factor profile was influenced by osmolality of the solution. In summary, we characterized the dependence of the microwave dielectric properties of blood on HCT, albumin and osmolality. The dielectric measurement technique has the potential to determine hydration levels for future diagnostic and therapeutic devices.

Determination of the mechanisms of resistance of Helianthus annuus L. to drought using the osmopriming method

The purpose of the study is to assess the physiological and antioxidant parameters of sunflower seedlings under osmopriming. Two series of experiments were carried out aimed at: 1) establishing the viability of seeds; 2) assessment of physiological parameters of seedlings. Each experiment included a group of control samples grown under conditions of sufficient moisture and four impact groups exposed to varying levels of osmotic stress. The intensity of accumulation of lipid peroxidation products and the rate of accumulation of reactive oxygen species were determined based on the reaction of malondialdehyde with thiobarbituric acid. Catalase activity was determined photocolorometrically by the interaction of hydrogen peroxide with potassium iodide, the content of chlorophylls a (Cl a) and b (Cl b), carotenoids (Car) - spectrophotometrically in an acetone extract. It has been established that as a result of increasing moisture deficiency, the energy of seed germination decreases in proportion to the increase in the concentration of the osmotic solution. When stress increases to 3.5 atm, seed germination decreases by 29%, and to 8 atm – by 64%. A linear relationship was revealed between the inhibition of the photosynthetic system and the stress factor of moisture deficiency, expressed in a decrease in Cl a by 60% relative to the control with osmopriming of 8 atm. It has been established that a slight decrease in the moisture supply of the substrate causes oxidative stress of cells, as evidenced by a linear increase in malondialdehyde with increasing moisture deficiency. At the same time, antioxidant protection is provided by the enzyme catalase, the concentration of which increases with increasing drought, while low-molecular carotenoids have an indirect effect on the provision of protective antioxidant mechanisms - there is a trend of increasing Cl a + Cl b / Car with a decreasing Cl a / Cl b.