Raw Products Research Articles

Analysis of the Coupling Coordination between the Ecosystem Service Value and Urbanization in the Circum-Bohai-Sea Region and Its Obstacle Factors

In light of the tremendous pressure for improving urbanization levels and expanding construction land on ecosystems, regional sustainable development is premised on the coordinated development of the ecological environment and urbanization. This paper focuses on the Circum-Bohai-Sea Region and assesses the ecosystem service value (ESV) and urbanization level using the equivalence factor and entropy-weighted TOPSIS methods. Based on these assessments, it examines the coupling coordination between the ESV and urbanization as well as the obstacles to this coordination, utilizing the coupling coordination degree model, spatial autocorrelation model, and obstacle model. The results revealed several key findings. First, the Circum-Bohai-Sea Region experienced a continuous improvement in the urbanization level from 2005 to 2020, which presented a “center–periphery” spatial pattern. Overall, the ESV exhibited an N-shaped trend, namely, initially increasing, then decreasing, and then rapidly increasing. The ESV per unit of area exhibited a spatial difference, with the boundary of Baoding and Cangzhou as the dividing line. The ESV per unit of area in the northern parts was higher than that in the southern parts. Second, the degree of the coupling coordination between the ESV and urbanization exhibited an inverted U-shaped trend, initially increasing and then slightly decreasing. It also exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, with the degree of the coupling coordination in the northern parts being higher than that in the southern parts and that in the central parts being higher than those in the eastern and western parts. Additionally, the ESV showed a significant spatially positive correlation with urbanization. H-H clusters were predominantly found in central and southern Liaoning Province, while L-L clusters were primarily located in southern Hebei Province and western Shandong Province. Third, the obstacle factors remained stable during the study period. The top five obstacles in the ESV system were the water resource supply, nutrient cycling maintenance, raw material production, aesthetic landscape, and food production. Moreover, the top five obstacles in the urbanization system were the number of college students per 10,000 people, population density, number of health technical personnel per 10,000 people, per capita road area, and proportion of secondary and tertiary industry output values.

Staphylococcus aureus Isolated From Traditional Artisanal Raw Milk Cheese from Southern Brazil: Diversity, Virulence, and Antimicrobial Resistance Profile

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the primary pathogenic agents found in cheeses produced with raw milk. Some strains of S. aureus are enterotoxigenic, possessing the ability to produce toxins responsible for staphylococcal food poisoning when present in contaminated foods. This study aimed to genotypically characterize, assess the antimicrobial resistance profile, and examine the enterotoxigenic potential of strains of S. aureus isolated from artisanal colonial cheese. Additionally, a bacterial diversity assessment in the cheeses was conducted by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The metataxomic profile revealed the presence of 68 distinct species in the cheese samples. Fifty-seven isolates of S. aureus were identified, with highlighted resistance to penicillin in 33% of the isolates, followed by clindamycin (28%), erythromycin (26%), and tetracycline (23%). The evaluated strains also exhibited inducible resistance to clindamycin, with nine isolates considered multidrug-resistant (MDR). The agr type I was the most prevalent (62%) among the isolates, followed by agr type II (24%). Additionally, ten spa types were identified. Although no enterotoxins and their associated genes were detected in the samples and isolates, respectively, the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene (lukS-lukF) was found in 39% of the isolates. The presence of MDR pathogens in the artisanal raw milk cheese production chain underscores the need for quality management to prevent the contamination and dissemination of S. aureus strains.

Optimization of Feed Ration Cost in Dairy Cattle by Genetic Algorithm

Feeding animals is one of the important problems of those dealing with livestock breeding. In order for animals to live a healthy life, they need to have adequate and balanced nutrition. Providing nutrients from cheaper sources has an important place in animal husbandry. In this study, it was aimed to prepare low-cost feed rations for dairy cattle with Genetic Algorithm (GA). In the experiments, a milk yield of 20 and 25 Kg with 3.5% fat was targeted, taking as reference dairy cattle with a body weight of 450 to 600 Kg in the 10th lactation week. GA's results were compared to the National Dairy Council's raw milk production cost in June 2023, yielding an approximately 20% gain in feed cost.

Research for the selection of taste corrigents, filter materials and primary packaging for oral solution with magnesium salts

The aim. Theoretically and experimentally, justify the choice of excipients for a combined oral solution with organic magnesium salts. Determine the compatibility of filter materials of three types. Select single-dose primary packaging for the developed oral solution and confirm its suitability during the relevant studies. Materials and methods. Organoleptic, physicochemical, and pharmaco-technological methods were used in the investigation. All methods meet the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine and the European Pharmacopoeia. Organoleptic methods indicated the taste of the medicinal speciality behind the methods of O.I. Tentsova and I.A. Egorov. Physicochemical methods were used to determine pH, colour, density, and quantitative amount of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Pharmaco-technological methods were used to determine the properties of filter materials and primary packaging. Results. A sweetener and a flavouring agent for an oral solution with magnesium salts were selected based on the research. Saccharin sodium was selected as a sweetener in the amount of 0.15 %. «Cherry» in the amount of 0.4 % and «caramel» in the amount of 0.2 % were selected as flavouring agents. As a result of experiments, the suitability of filter materials made of сapron, nylon and polyethersulfone was proven. This is determined by the constancy of the main quality indicators of the drug 24, 48 and 72 hours after filtration. The suitability of the single-dose primary packaging in the process of storing the oral solution has been studied and proven. In the work, polymer ampoules of the «Moplen EP 2S 12 B» brand and the «Purell HP 371P» brand were used. The conducted research allows us to create a competitive domestic drug that will be technologically simple and convenient in administration and will also be distinguished by relatively low raw material costs and production. Conclusions. Based on theoretical and experimental studies, auxiliary substances, such as sweeteners and flavouring agents, were selected for the combined magnesium-containing drug. The suitability of filter materials for the combined oral solution was investigated and confirmed. The suitability of single-dose primary packaging of two types was selected and experimentally proven

Radiation shielding properties of heavy-weight concrete and heavy-weight geopolymer concrete incorporating nano-ZnS

The population growth and the subsequent increase in energy demand for buildings require the widespread use of sustainable materials in the construction industry. Therefore, geopolymer concretes (GPC) are expanding with the ability to emit less greenhouse gases (GHG) compared to conventional concrete. In this study, the effect of adding different content of Zinc sulfide nanoparticle (nano-ZnS) 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 % by weight of cement on density (ρ), compressive strength, gamma ray radiation protection characteristics, and microstructure based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) is investigated in heavy-weight concrete (HWC) and heavy-weight geopolymer concrete (HGC). The results have shown that nano-ZnS nanoparticles improve the strength and gamma ray shielding properties of HWC and HGC by modifying the microstructure so that by adding the optimal amount of 6 % nano-ZnS, the maximum compressive strength for HWC and HGC was obtained by 57.4 and 41.5 %, respectively. In addition, the highest linear attenuation coefficient (µ)was obtained with the addition of 4.5 % nano-ZnS for HWC and HGC, 12.8 and 8.9 %, respectively.Furthermore, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the three phases of raw material production, transportation and concrete production has revealed that HGC has emitted 41.5 % less CO2 compared to HWC. In general, HGC in the presence of the optimal amount of nanoparticles has shown a more visible improvement in compressive strength and gamma ray shielding properties. In addition, HGC as an environmentally friendly material, has significantly reduced the emission of CO2.

Peningkatan Keterampilan Produksi dan Pemasaran Produk Unggulan Madu di Desa Margacinta, Kabupaten Pangandaran, Jawa Barat

Margacinta Village has abundant tourism potential, one of which is natural honey bee cultivation. Honey farmers in Margacinta Village are organized into the Taruna Karya Honey Farmer Group. During the harvest season, the honey produced by farmers is abundant (60 to 80 liters, but during the rainy season, honey farmers in Margacinta Village have the potential to experience crop failure, this clearly threatens the economy of honey farmers in Margaacinta Village. The implementation of this service is to develop tourism with the concept of agro-eduwisata. Development is carried out in several stages, starting from education, training, and practice for honey farmers, establishing mini ecosystems as a source of bee feed and agro-educational destinations, and marketing on various platforms. The service was carried out in response to community problems in Margacinta Village, so that the purpose of this service was to improve the economy of the community in general, the Taruna Karya Farmer Group in particular. The targeted outputs are the formation of honey village agro-tourism, the publication of the Apiscerana honey bee cultivation module, the existence of standard packaging standards for raw products, marketing of local products and honey village agro-tourism packages, the formation of mini bee ecosystems, and honey extraction using machine extractors so that the honey obtained is of higher quality.

Analisis Kelayakan Finansial dan Non Finansial Usaha Agroindustri Kopi

The Casim Coffe business is a coffee processing business located in Karang Pring village and uses coffee beans as its main raw material. Every year coffee beans always experience price increases which cause business disruptions. This study aims to analyze the financial and non-financial feasibility of the Cash Coffee business. The financial aspect is seen from the four criteria, namely NPV, IRR, PI or Net B/C and Payback Period. The NPV value obtained is IDR 366,069,410, the IRR value obtained is 26.79%, the B/C value obtained is 2.03, and the payback period is 2 years and 2 months. On the non-financial aspects seen from technical aspects, legal aspects, social and economic aspects, environmental aspects, market aspects. The results of the study show that Casim Coffe's business is feasible from a financial and non-financial perspective, except for the environmental aspect where Casim Coffe's business needs to process liquid waste so as not to damage the surrounding environment. The results of the sensitivity analysis conducted on Casim Coffe's business show that Casim Coffe's business is sensitive to changes in raw material prices and product sales prices.

Evaluation of Rhododendri Mollis Flos and its representative component as a potential analgesic.

Rhododendri Mollis Flos (R. mole Flos), the dried flowers of Rhododendron mole G. Don, have the ability to relieve pain, dispel wind and dampness, and dissolve blood stasis, but they are highly poisonous. The significance of this study is to explore the analgesic application potential of R. mole Flos and its representative component. According to the selected processing methods recorded in ancient literature, the analgesic activities of wine- and vinegar-processed R. mole Flos, as well as the raw product, were evaluated in a writhing test with acetic acid and a formalin-induced pain test. Subsequently, the HPLC-TOP-MS technique was utilized to investigate the changes in active components before and after processing once the variations in activities were confirmed. Based on the results, rhodojaponin VI (RJ-Vl) was chosen for further study. After processing, especially in vinegar, R. mole Flos did not only maintain the anti-nociception but also showed reduced toxicity, and the chemical composition corresponding to these effects also changed significantly. Further investigation of its representative components revealed that RJ-VI has considerable anti-nociceptive activity, particularly in inflammatory pain (0.3mg/kg) and peripheral neuropathic pain (0.6mg/kg). Its toxicity was about three times lower than that of rhodojaponin III, which is another representative component of R. mole Flos. Additionally, RJ-VI mildly inhibits several subtypes of voltage-gated sodium channels (IC50 > 200μM) that are associated with pain or cardiotoxicity. In conclusion, the chemical substances and biological effects of R. mole Flos changed significantly before and after processing, and the representative component RJ-VI has the potential to be developed into an effective analgesic.

LC-MS/MS profiling of Tipuana tipu flower, HPLC-DAD quantification of its bioactive components, and interrelationships with antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity: in vitro and in silico approaches

BackgroundFabaceae plays a crucial role in African traditional medicine as a source of large number of important folk medication, agriculture and food plants. In a search of potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory candidates derived from locally cultivated plants, the flowers of Tipuana tipu (Benth.) Lillo growing in Egypt were subjected to extensive biological and phytochemical studies. The impact of the extraction technique on the estimated biological activities was investigated.MethodsThe flowers were extracted using different solvents (aqueous, methanol, water/methanol (1:1), methanol/methylene chloride (1:1), and methylene chloride). The different extracts were subjected to antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) and anti-inflammatory (COX-2 and 5-LOX) assays. The methanol extract was assessed for its inhibitory activity against iNOS, NO production, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (NF-KB, TNF-R2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The composition-activity relationship of the active methanol extract was further investigated using a comprehensive LC–QTOF-MS/MS analysis. The major identified phenolic compounds were further quantified using HPLC-DAD technique. The affinity of representative compounds to iNOS, COX-2, and 5-LOX target active sites was investigated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations.ResultsThe methanol extract exhibited the highest radical scavenging capacity and enzyme inhibitory activities against COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes with IC50 values of 10.6 ± 0.4 and 14.4 ± 1.0 µg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited iNOS enzyme activity, suppressed NO production, and decreased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In total, 62 compounds were identified in the extract including flavonoids, coumarins, organic, phenolic, and fatty acids. Among them 18 phenolic compounds were quantified by HPLC-DAD. The highest docking scores were achieved by kaempferol-3-glucoside and orientin. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations supported the docking findings.ConclusionThe flower could be considered a potentially valuable component in herbal medicines owing to its unique composition and promising bioactivities. These findings encourage increased propagation of T. tipu or even tissue culturing of its flowers for bioprospecting of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Such applications could be adopted as future approaches that benefit the biomedical field.

Different wavelengths of LED irradiation promote secondary metabolite production in Pycnoporus sanguineus for antioxidant and immunomodulatory applications.

Pycnoporus sanguineus is a fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota that has many applications in traditional medicine, modern pharmaceuticals, and agricultural industries. Light plays an essential role in the metabolism, growth, and development of fungi. This study evaluated the mycelial growth and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in P. sanguineus fermentation broth (PFB) cultured under different wavelengths of LED irradiation or in the dark. Compared to the dark cultures, the dry weight of mycelia in red- and yellow-light cultures decreased by 37 and 35% and the yields of pigments increased by 30.92 ± 2.18mg and 31.75 ± 3.06mg, respectively. Compared with the dark culture, the DPPH free radical scavenging ability, ABTS+ free radical scavenging capacity, and reducing power of yellow-light cultures increased significantly, and their total phenolic content peaked at 180.0 ± 8.34μg/mL. However, the reducing power in blue-light cultures was significantly reduced, though the total phenol content did not vary with that of dark cultures. In LPS- and IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, nitrite release was significantly reduced in the red and yellow light-irradiated PFB compared with the dark culture. In the dark, yellow-, and green-light cultures, TNF-α production in the inflamed RAW 264.7 cells was inhibited by 62, 46, and 14%, respectively. With red-, blue-, and white-light irradiation, TNF-α production was significantly enhanced. Based on these results, we propose that by adjusting the wavelength of the light source during culture, one can effectively modulate the growth, development, and metabolism of P. sanguineus.

Analytical monitoring of milk production in Ukraine

Introduction. The dairy industry is socially oriented, and its products should provide Ukrainian consumers with high-quality and nutritious dairy food products. Together with the products of other processing branches of the agro-industrial complex, these are the basis of ensuring food security. Among the branches of the food industry, the dairy industry ranks fourth in terms of the volume of industrial products sold. The population's well-being depends not only on the effective development of the dairy industry but also on reducing social tensions. The article aims to analyze the state of milk production by category of farms in Ukraine. The research process applied the methods of comparison, analysis, theoretical generalization, and logical generalization. The dialectical research method became the methodological basis. The article analyzes the dynamics of milk production in all categories of farms and finds out that there was a significant decrease in it due to military operations, the deterioration of the state of cattle feeding, the increase in the cost of raw material production due to the increase in prices for electricity, fuel, and logistics services was established. The main problems of the dairy industry are substantiated by the low level of technological equipment of dairies, outdated equipment, underdevelopment of the market infrastructure, low level of supply of raw materials and capacity utilization, low quality of final products of dairy industry enterprises; limitation of the possibility of broad differentiation of the assortment due to the low quality of raw materials; decrease in demand for processing products due to the low purchasing power of the population of the region, in particular rural areas; high level of competition from powerful enterprises equipped with modern equipment and technologies. In the raw materials market, district-scale enterprises face significant competition from leading enterprises in large cities, which can offer higher purchase prices to agricultural producers. Conditions for increasing the volume of milk production in modern conditions are proposed and substantiated. Keywords: production indicators, milk, dairy industry, annual yield, cattle.

Improvement of Quality Characteristics and Shelf Life Extension of Raw Chicken Meat by Using Black Mulberry Leaf (Morus nigra L.) Extracts

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of different concentrations of black mulberry leaf extract (BMLE) on the microbial quality, lipid oxidation, biogenic amine content, color stability, and sensory attributes of raw chicken meat during a 12-day chilled storage period. The raw chicken meat was treated with 0.1% BHT (positive control), 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% BMLE, and the outcomes were then compared to the results obtained from raw chicken meat with no additive (control). In comparison to the control group, the inclusion of BMLE resulted in a decrease (P<0.05) in pH and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), as well as an improvement in redness (a∗) (P<0.05). The addition of BMLE significantly extended the shelf life of raw chicken meats compared to the control, as it limited microbiological development and lipid oxidation during storage (P<0.05). Additionally, the BMLE exhibited the most potent inhibitory impact on the buildup of these four BAs (tyramine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine) in raw chicken samples at the 12-day storage period (P<0.05). Despite the 0.5% BMLE groups’ lowest results for microbial counts, TBARS, and biogenic amines, the concentration of 0.3% BMLE proved to be the most advantageous in terms of sensory acceptability. These findings suggested that BMLE, rather than artificial chemicals, could be utilized in raw chicken products as a promising natural antioxidant and antibacterial agent.

IDENTIFICATION OF SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM AND SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS IN THE IMPORTED FROZEN POULTRY

Salmonellosis, a zoonotic illness caused by Salmonella spp., is mostly transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw animal products, particularly poultry meat. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis are the predominant strains responsible for human infection. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium infection in frozen imported poultry using a triplex PCR technique. A total of 110 samples were chosen using the cluster sampling technique from the Ibrahim Khalil border throughout the summer and autumn of 2023. Following the cultivation of the meat samples in enrichment and selective media, suspicious colonies were obtained. Subsequently, DNA extraction was conducted, and the Salmonella isolates were identified using triplex PCR. Three (3) sets of primer pairs were utilised to target the invA gene for the Salmonella genus, the prot6 gene for the S. enteritidis serovar, and the fliC gene for the S. typhimurium serovar. The prevalence of Salmonella infection in frozen poultry meat was 12% (13 out of 110 samples). Among the contaminated samples, 38% (5 out of 13) were recognised as S. enteritidis and 30% (4 out of 13) were recognised as S. typhimurium. The findings of this finding suggest that frozen poultry meat pose a significant danger for zoonotic infections caused by S. typhimurium. and S. enteritidis.

A Characterization of Biological Activities and Bioactive Phenolics from the Non-Volatile Fraction of the Edible and Medicinal Halophyte Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.).

Although the biochemical composition and biological properties of the volatile fraction of the halophyte sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) have been largely described, little is known about its polar constituents and bioactivities. Here, a hydromethanolic extract of Crithmum maritimum (L.) leaves was fractionated, and the fractions were evaluated in vitro for antioxidant (using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP bioassays), anti-inflammatory (inhibition of NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages), antidiabetic (alpha-glucosidase inhibition), neuroprotective (inhibition of acetylcholinesterase), and skin-protective (tyrosinase and melanogenesis inhibitions) activities. Polar fractions of the extract were rich in phenolics and, correlatively, displayed a strong antioxidant power. Moreover, fractions eluted with MeOH20 and MeOH80 exhibited a marked inhibition of alpha-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.02 and 0.04 mg/mL, respectively), MeOH60 fractions showed a strong capacity to reduce NO production in macrophages (IC50 = 6.4 μg/mL), and MeOH80 and MeOH100 fractions had strong anti-tyrosinase activities (630 mgKAE/gDW). NMR analyses revealed the predominance of chlorogenic acid in MeOH20 fractions, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid in MeOH40 fractions, and 3-O-rutinoside, 3-O-glucoside, 3-O-galactoside, and 3-O-robinobioside derivatives of quercetin in MeOH60 fractions. These compounds likely account for the strong antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of sea-fennel polar extract, respectively. Overall, our results make sea fennel a valuable source of medicinal or nutraceutical agents to prevent diabetes, inflammation processes, and oxidative damage.

Bacterial Metabarcoding of Raw Palm Sap Samples from Bangladesh with Nanopore Sequencing.

The traditional practice of harvesting and processing raw date palm sap is not only culturally significant but also provides an essential nutritional source in South Asia. However, the potential for bacterial or viral contamination from animals and environmental sources during its collection remains a serious and insufficiently studied risk. Implementing improved food safety measures and collection techniques could mitigate the risk of these infections. Additionally, the adoption of advanced food analytical methods offers the potential to identify pathogens and uncover the natural bacterial diversity of these products. The advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, particularly nanopore sequencing, offers a rapid and highly mobile solution. In this study, we employed nanopore sequencing for the bacterial metabarcoding of a set of raw date palm sap samples collected without protective coverage against animals in Bangladesh in 2021. We identified several bacterial species with importance in the natural fermentation of the product and demonstrated the feasibility of this NGS method in the surveillance of raw palm sap products. We revealed two fermentation directions dominated by either Leuconostoc species or Lactococcus species in these products at the first 6 h from harvest, along with opportunistic human pathogens in the background, represented with lower abundance. Plant pathogens, bacteria with the potential for opportunistic human infection and the sequences of the Exiguobacterium genus are also described, and their potential role is discussed. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of mobile laboratory solutions for food safety purposes in low-resource areas.

Simulasi Sistem Dinamik Pada Air Minum Dalam Kemasan Cup di Perusahaan Tirta Sasmita

The industry is experiencing rapid growth, as evidenced by the many new companies emerging. To remain competitive, companies must have a strong strategy. Tirta Sasmita Company, an integrated company with Pamulang University, which focuses on the production of Bottled Drinking Water (AMDK), faces fluctuations in the production of AMDK cups every month. Data shows an average production output of 8,430 units, with an average fluctuation of 8.33% every month in 2022. This study aims to understand the dynamic behavior of AMDK cup production and the factors that influence it. In the simulation using Anylogic 8.8. In general, the stages of solving problems using the dynamic system method are formulating the problem, identifying existing data in the production system, processing the data obtained, formulating the model mathematically, simulating the model that has been designed and obtaining results from the simulation. The results of the research show that the simulation shows that the increase in sales by implementing the optimistic scenario is quite significant, namely, in 2027 the average sales will increase by 120,892 cups or 2,518 cartons every month. Factors that influence each other in the production of AMDK cups include raw materials, production processes and sales. Therefore, the optimistic scenario is worth considering as it promises higher sales projections

Effect of size reduction methods on raw and microwave-parboiled white sorghum and their physico-chemical, functional, rheological, and structural characteristics

There is a growing trend to ameliorate local flour sources to substitute wheat flour. Sorghum grain's nutritional profile is comparable to that of wheat but it is gluten-free and can be consumed by celiac patients. They can be used to provide much-needed healthy alternatives to the grain industry. Hammer, burr, and ball mills were utilized for polished raw and parboiled sorghum flour production to study the effect of various milling techniques on sorghum flour properties. The physico-chemical, functional, rheological, and structural attributes of the different milled white sorghum flours were analyzed. The highest recovery of sorghum flour was from the ball mill 97.46 ± 0.48% and 97.43 ± 0.26% for raw and microwave parboiled sorghum flour, respectively. The particle size of the flour samples produced by the hammer mill have lower geometric mean diameters (raw - 64.26 ± 1.26 μm, and microwave parboiled - 108.93 ± 1.92 μm) than those obtained using other mills. Considering that, particle size is a major determinant of quality. While porosity increased, bulk and true density decreased at higher particle. There is a less significant difference in proximate composition among the samples. The crystallinity value of raw samples follows the order ball mill (BA) (34.08%) > burr mill (BU) (31.54) > hammer mill (HM) (28.96%), and microwave parboiled samples follow the order parboiled ball mill (PBA) (13.58%) > parboiled burr (PBU) (12.86%) > parboiled hammer (PHM) (11.25%). The thermal, and pasting characteristics of the polished raw and microwave-parboiled white sorghum flours were considerably influenced by the type of mills.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antimicrobial resistances reveals the effect of the production chain in reducing resistant lactic acid bacteria in an artisanal raw ewe milk PDO cheese

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant public health threat, with the food production chain, and, specifically, fermented products, as a potential vehicle for dissemination. However, information about dairy products, especially raw ewe milk cheeses, is limited. The present study analysed, for the first time, the occurrence of AMRs related to lactic acid bacteria (LAB) along a raw ewe milk cheese production chain for the most common antimicrobial agents used on farms (dihydrostreptomycin, benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin and polymyxin B). More than 200 LAB isolates were obtained and identified by Sanger sequencing (V1-V3 16S rRNA regions); these isolates included 8 LAB genera and 21 species. Significant differences in LAB composition were observed throughout the production chain (P ≤ 0.001), with Enterococcus (e.g., E. hirae and E. faecalis) and Bacillus (e.g., B. thuringiensis and B. cereus) predominating in ovine faeces and raw ewe milk, respectively, along with Lactococcus (L. lactis) in whey and fresh cheeses, while Lactobacillus and Lacticaseibacillus species (e.g., Lactobacillus sp. and L. paracasei) prevailed in ripened cheeses. Phenotypically, by broth microdilution, Lactococcus, Enterococcus and Bacillus species presented the greatest resistance rates (on average, 78.2 %, 56.8 % and 53.4 %, respectively), specifically against polymyxin B, and were more susceptible to dihydrostreptomycin. Conversely, Lacticaseibacillus and Lactobacillus were more susceptible to all antimicrobials tested (31.4 % and 39.1 %, respectively). Thus, resistance patterns and multidrug resistance were reduced along the production chain (P ≤ 0.05). Genotypically, through HT-qPCR, 31 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and 6 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were detected, predominating Str, StrB and aadA-01, related to aminoglycoside resistance, and the transposons tnpA-02 and tnpA-01. In general, a significant reduction in ARGs and MGEs abundances was also observed throughout the production chain (P ≤ 0.001). The current findings indicate that LAB dynamics throughout the raw ewe milk cheese production chain facilitated a reduction in AMRs, which has not been reported to date.

Evaluation of Blue Honeysuckle Berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) Dried at Different Temperatures: Basic Quality, Sensory Attributes, Bioactive Compounds, and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity.

This study aims to comprehensively investigate the effects of hot-air dehydration on the quality of blue honeysuckle berries (Lonicera caerulea L.). The results demonstrated that drying with hot air at 40-65 °C for 7-72 h resulted in blue honeysuckle berries with a moisture content of 0.21-1.10 g H2O/g dry weight. Generally, low to medium temperatures (40-55 °C) showed a better effect on the quality than high temperatures (60-65 °C). Specifically, drying at 40 °C exclusively resulted in better retention of cuticular wax, the best sensory appearance, and the highest total phenolic content. Drying at 45 °C and 50 °C resulted in the highest antioxidant capacity and the optimal sensory flavor. Drying at 55 °C led to the highest soluble solid/acid ratio, ascorbic acid concentration, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin. The work introduces an innovative raw berry product and provides a comprehensive practical and theoretical framework for convective dehydration of blue honeysuckle berries.

Analysis of the thermal performances of uninsulated and bio-based insulated compressed earth blocks walls: from the material to the wall scale

The lively international debate on the future of the built environment has placed emphasis on the possibilities offered by bio and geo-based building materials. Among these, raw earth-based materials offer several advantages associated to their reusability and low embodied energy.Nowadays, several companies are basing their production lines on prefabricated raw earth products, as is the case of compressed earth blocks (from now on CEBs). CEBs are commercialized for the construction of massive vertical envelopes, characterized by a high thermal inertia. Nevertheless, in order to compete with conventional building materials, it is also necessary to guarantee a high thermal resistance.In this work, this issue was solved by the design and testing of full-scale uninsulated and bio-based thermal insulated CEB walls. In this way, the thermal performance of CEB walls can be increased to meet the high energy requirements currently adopted in European Countries. Furthermore, the choice of bio-based insulations represents the main novelty of the study, aimed at finding hygrothermal compatible solutions at a low environmental cost.More in detail, this work reports the results of the thermal and physical material characterization of CEBs and of two innovative bio-based thermal insulations (lime hemp and sugarcane bagasse panels), and compare them with measurements made on full-scale uninsulated and insulated CEB walls. For this purpose, the walls are tested inside a double-room climatic chamber where they are subjected to variable temperatures on their two faces, reproducing typical indoor and outdoor conditions during summer and winter conditions in a continental climate.Results show the enhancement of thermal performances of compressed earth blocks walls when thin layers of bio-based thermal insulations are added. The thermal resistance of weakly bio-based insulated CEB walls is found to be nine times (for the sugarcane bagasse insulated CEB wall) and four times (for the lime hemp insulated CEB wall) higher than that of uninsulated CEB walls. Moreover, the addition of the insulation layers enhances the time lag and the decrement factor values of CEBs walls.