TSS Values Research Articles

Investigation of the impact of cold plasma pretreatments, long term storage and drying on physicochemical properties, bioactive contents and microbial quality of 'Keitt' mango

There is heightened demand for dried mango fruits with desired nutritional and physicochemical qualities, microbiologically stable and chemical residue free. This has led to the exploration of innovative preservation technologies for the extension of storability prior to processing. This study investigated the impact of cold plasma (CP) treatment on physicochemical properties and microbial stability in fresh and dried 'Keitt' mango during long term storage. Freshly harvested 'Keitt' mangoes were subjected to: CP treatment (for 5 min (CP5) and 10 min, CP10), dipping in “Chronos Prochloraz” for 30 s (industry practice), and untreated group (control). All samples were stored at 11°C for 30 days, prior to minimal processing and hot air drying at 60°C. Results after 30 days of storage demonstrated that untreated samples (control) had the highest TSS (15.06 ± 0.32 °Brix), while CP10 pretreated samples had the lowest TSS (13.80 ± 0.06 °Brix) value (p ≤ 0.05). In comparison to the fresh samples post storage, all pretreated dried mango slices retained lower total flavanols with CP5 (13.49 ± 1.64 mg GAE 100/g), CP10 (20.12 ± 1.42 mg GAE 100/g) and SMB (23.89 ± 3.35 mg GAE 100/g), but higher than the dried untreated samples (6.68 ± 0.53 mg GAE 100/g). Yellowness (b*) of the fresh pulp (38.53 ± 1.73) increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with the long-term storage (39.88 – 46.74) and drying (55.01 – 64.90). CP pre-treatment combined with drying resulted in ≥ 2 Log reduction in microbial count. This study shows the potential of cold plasma as a pretreatment for extending storability and maintaining the quality of 'Keitt' mangoes.

Potensi Batang Pisang sebagai Media Filter pada Pengolahan Air Limbah Laundry

Banana stems have the potential to be used as filter media in the laundry wastewater treatment process. Laundry wastewater will contain hazardous substances that have the potential to pollute the environment if it is not treated adequately before disposal. Considering the fact that banana stems have a high hygroscopic capacity and cellulose content which is capable of absorbing inorganic chemicals, the use of banana stems as a filter media is considered a realistic option. The research method used is the filtration reactor method, and there are differences in the amount of time invested and the thickness of the banana stem, which can range from 20 to 40 centimeters. There were differences in the decrease in the parameter values of pH, COD, TSS, phosphate, and MBAS with variations in the thickness of the banana stem media. The largest decrease in pH observed occurred at a media thickness of 40 centimeters. Based on the research results, it was found that there was variation in the extent to which parameters were reduced overall. A one-day soak is the most effective way to reduce the severity of these properties. In addition, research findings show that banana stems are not effective enough in processing laundry wastewater.

Agro-waste based biomass residues valorization for effective adsorption of heavy metal.

In this experiment four agro-waste based biomass residues (soybean stover-SSb, buckwheat stover-BWb, Artemisia vulgaris- AVb and Chromolaena odorata-COb) was valorized into low cost amendment called biochar followed by compositional characterization for their application in heavy metal removal. Investigation was carried out on the removal of the most common heavy metal ions including arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, and copper through adsorption on four types of biomass valorised biochar. According to preliminary testing, all the biochar was effective to eliminate a mixture of six heavy metals from the aqueous phase, with the removal of arsenic being the most removed and nickel being the least. In comparison to no biochar treatment, the average removal rate of heavy metal from aqueous solution using four distinct types of biochar was 45.75-62.42% (Cd), 43.64-56.33% (Pb), 41.85-59.73% (Ni), 42.87-60.28% (Zn), 45.64-59.51% (Cu), and 49.02-60.53% (As). The percent decrease of cadmium heavy metal adsorption with increase in maximum contaminant level (MCL) from 1- to fivefold was 20.0 (SSb), 20.7 (COb), 21.6 (BWb), and 22.9 (AVb). The results of the dosage study indicated that As adsorption was the most beneficial on all four types of biochar, whereas Ni adsorption was the least effective. With increase in application rate of biochar the heavy metals adsorption (%) was also increased. Four different agro-waste valorized biochar were used to treat the wastewater, and the physical and chemical changes that occurred both before and after the biochar treatment were noted. There was a drop in the wastewater CODT, CODD, TSS, ammonia, TKN, TP and pH values of 79.7-103.5%, 57.7-81.5, 52.3-68.4%, 1.23-2.23%, 14.1-20.6%, and 1.23-3.03%, respectively. Furthermore, after being passed through a biochar, the wastewater's Zn, Pb, Cd, As, Cr and Cu levels decreased by 3.26-6.15%, 0.06-0.34%, 0.01-0.08%, 2.37-3.65%, 3.95-5.53%, and 2.24-3.34%, respectively at 2.5 and 5.0g/litre of wastewater. Thus, in order to comply with regulations for the disposal of wastewater effluent, the process of valorizing biomass into biochar offered enormous potential for the removal of heavy metals in addition to wastewater treatment.

Comparative Study of Potential Habitats for Two Endemic Grassland Caterpillars on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Based on BIOMOD2 and Land Use Data.

This study has systematically investigated and compared the geographical distribution patterns and population density of G. menyuanensis (Gm) and G. qinghaiensis (Gq), which are endemic to the QTP region and inflict severe damage. Using a method combining the BIOMOD2 integration model (incorporating nine ecological niche models) and current species distribution data, this study has compared changes in potential habitats and distribution centers of these two species during ancient, present, and future climate periods and conducted a correlation test on the prediction results with land use types. The study results indicate that there are differences in geographical distribution patterns, distribution elevations, and population density of these two species. Compared with single models, the integration model exhibits prominent accuracy and stability with higher KAPPA, TSS, and AUC values. The distribution of suitable habitats for these two species is significantly affected by climatic temperature and precipitation. There is a significant difference between the potential habitats of these two species. Gm and Gq are distributed in the northeastern boundary area and the central and eastern areas of the QTP, respectively. The areas of their suitable habitats are significantly and positively correlated with the area of grassland among all land use types of QTP, with no correlations with the areas of other land use types of QTP. The potential habitats of both species during the paleoclimate period were located in the eastern and southeastern boundary areas of the QTP. During the paleoclimate period, their potential habitats expanded towards the Hengduan Mountains (low-latitude regions) in the south compared with their current suitable habitats. With the subsequent temperature rising, their distribution centers shifted towards the northeast (high-latitude) regions, which could validate the hypothesis that the Hengduan Mountains were refuges for these species during the glacial period. In the future, there will be more potential suitable habitats for these two species in the QTP. This study elucidates the ecological factors affecting the current distribution of these grass caterpillars, provides an important reference for designating the prevention and control areas for Gm and Gq, and helps protect the alpine meadow ecosystem in the region.

Drying Strawberry Slices: A Comparative Study of Electrohydrodynamic, Hot Air, and Electrohydrodynamic‐Hot Air Techniques

ABSTRACTThe investigation encompassed an examination of the drying durations, modeling, and quality attributes (color, rehydration capacity, microstructural features, total soluble solid [TSS], and pH values) of strawberry slices subjected to diverse drying methodologies, namely electrohydrodynamic (EHD), EHD‐hot air, and hot air processes. Furthermore, 10 distinct thin‐layer drying models were applied, and their goodness‐of‐fit was assessed to identify the most suitable model for the drying process. This analysis encompassed applying two distinct temperatures (50°C and 55°C), and voltage levels (20 and 30 kV). The EHD method yielded the lengthiest drying durations for the strawberry samples, with hot air and EHD‐hot air drying techniques subsequent in descending order of drying time. The outcomes of the modeling analyses demonstrated that the thin‐layer drying behaviors of used drying methods were best described by the Midilli et al. and Wang and Singh models in terms of their goodness‐of‐fit. A decline in the L* values was noted with the elevation of temperature in the hot air drying method and with the escalation of voltage in the EHD drying. The minimum a* value was detected in the hot air drying method conducted at 55°C. The rehydration capacity of strawberry samples subjected to the EHD and EHD‐hot air combination drying methods (except 20 kV‐55°C) did not exhibit any statistically significant variation in response to different voltage settings. Although the structure of strawberry samples dried with 20 kV application was observed as smoother, cracks occurred on the product surface in other drying applications. In hot air and EHD methods, varying temperature and volt applications did not show a significant effect on TSS and pH values. As a result, it has been seen that EHD technology, which is a promising drying method used in this study, is a suitable method in terms of processing efficiency and consumer acceptability of dried strawberry products.

Past, present, and future potential distributions of the African multipurpose tree Detarium senegalense (Fabaceae)

Background and aims – Climate change induces increasing temperatures and drought, with possible profound shifts in species’ presence and distribution. Ecological niche models are widely used to assess plant species responses to climate change. However, such data are scarce for West Africa, particularly for vulnerable multipurpose species. This study focuses on modelling the ecological niche and the conservation status of the multipurpose tree Detarium senegalense to improve insights into its habitat suitability in West Africa under past, present, and future climatic conditions. This will provide an essential basis for setting up global management plans through efficient conservation and ecological restoration policies. Material and methods – The potential distribution of D. senegalense under past, current, and future climate scenarios were assessed using four algorithms including generalized additive models (GAM), generalized linear models (GLM), random forest (RF), and Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt). We also assessed the shift direction of suitable habitats and the conservation status of the species based on IUCN criteria. Overall, 220 occurrences were combined with a set of five bioclimatic variables to run the models. Key results – Models performed well with good values of AUC (0.92) and TSS (0.73). Isothermality (41.10%) and Precipitation of Wettest Month (21.50%) contributed most to the distribution of the species. The distribution of D. senegalense was relatively constant from the past to the present but could decrease in the next decades. In the future, only 17.70% and 13.98% of the areas were predicted to be suitable under respectively ssp245 and ssp585. In protected areas, the suitable areas under ssp245 were estimated at 21.01% with a decrease of 2.50% and 14.60% with a decrease of 8.61% under ssp585 by 2050. The direction of the distribution shifted to the south-east under future climate scenarios. The conservation status assessment of the species is Least Concern (LC). Conclusion – This study improves our understanding of the past, present-day, and future distribution of the species and provides support to better manage the conservation of D. senegalense in West Africa.

Performance Evaluation of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies in Herbal Processing and Extraction Industry

"Due to enormous quantities with hazards and complexity in nature is a big challenge for effective treatment of wastewater from pharmaceutical processes including herbal extraction through conventional methods of distillation. The situation is further aggravated in countries facing high rising population, urbanization, and industrialization resulting in the generation of industrial wastes. The study has been carried out in the herbal extraction industry by conducting stage-wise sampling of ETP based on the conventional method and further coupled with ozonation as an advanced treatment to comply with regulatory standards. Additionally, the same process was studied that implementing the best available technology (BAT) by providing ETP with advanced technology modules such as MBR (membrane bioreactor) + RO + O3 has not only resulted in compliance with standards but also reuse of treated wastewater into the process and utilities has been proved to be techno-economically a viable and sustainable option. Modifying existing aeration tanks and advanced oxidation through ozone injection post-biological treatment has resulted in COD and BOD reduction of 96.42% and 99.0% respectively. Whereas in the case of MBR + RO + O3, the values of pH, BOD, COD, TSS, and sulfide have been observed as 8.32, 2.0 mg.L-1, 14.0 mg.L-1, 1.0 mg.L-1 and 0.0 mg.L-1 respectively and 98% recovery of treated effluent, thus saving 44 KL.day-1 of freshwater resulting into significant financial benefits of Rupees 12.59 acs annually, which otherwise was outsourced through tankers."

Spirulina Platensis as Biocoagulant to Reduce Turbidity and Total Suspended Solids in Domestic Wastewater

It is essential to treat wastewater before it is discharged into water bodies. The wastewater treatment method that is widely used is coagulation using the synthetic coagulant PAC, whose continuous use can harm human health and reduce the pH value of the water. Therefore, wastewater treatment innovation is needed to overcome this problem. This study will examine the potential of Spirulina platensis as a biocoagulant to reduce turbidity and TSS. This research was conducted in 3 stages, starting from the extraction, protein test, and optimum dose test. The results showed that Spirulina platensis has 0.0114375% protein in 20 gr and can reduce the lowest turbidity at doses of 10-5 ml / L and 10-10 ml / L (in 2 injections) with an effectiveness value of reducing turbidity levels by 63.02% and able to reduce the lowest TSS levels at doses 10-10 ml / L (in 2 injections ) with an effectiveness value of reducing levels by 85%. Based on the Wilcoxon test, it was found that the P-value < 0.05, which means that there is a significant difference in TSS values and turbidity between the results before and after Spirulina platensis biocoagulant treatment.

Prediction of Adaptability of Typical Vegetation Species in Flood Storage Areas under Future Climate Change: A Case in Hongze Lake FDZ, China

China experiences frequent heavy rainfall and flooding events, which have particularly increased in recent years. As flood storage zones (FDZs) play an important role in reducing disaster losses, their ecological restoration has been receiving widespread attention. Hongze Lake is an important flood discharge area in the Huaihe River Basin of China. Previous studies have preliminarily analyzed the protection of vegetation zones in the FDZ of this lake, but the future growth trend of typical vegetation in the area has not been considered as a basis for the precise protection of vegetation diversity and introductory cultivation of suitable species in the area. Taking the FDZ of Hongze Lake as an example, this study investigated the change trend of the suitability of typical vegetation species in the Hongze Lake FDZ based on future climate change and the distribution pattern of the suitable areas. To this end, the distribution of potentially suitable habitats of 20 typical vegetation species in the 2040s was predicted under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 climate scenarios using the latest Coupled Model Intercomparison Project CMIP6. The predicted distribution was compared with the current distribution of potentially suitable habitats. The results showed that the model integrating high-performance random forest, generalized linear model, boosted tree model, flexible discriminant analysis model, and generalized additive model had significantly higher TSS and AUC values than the individual models, and could effectively improve model accuracy. The high sensitivity of these 20 typical vegetation species to temperature and rainfall related factors reflects the climatic characteristics of the study area at the junction of subtropical monsoon climate and temperate monsoon climate. Under future climate scenarios, with reference to the current scenario of the 20 typical species, the suitability for Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn decreased, that for Iris pseudacorus L. increased in the western part of the study area but decreased in the eastern wetland and floodplain, and the suitability of the remaining 18 species increased. This study identified the trend of potential suitable habitat distribution and the shift in the suitability of various typical vegetation species in the floodplain of Hongze Lake. The findings are important for the future enhancement of vegetation habitat conservation and suitable planting in the study area, and have implications for the restoration and conservation of vegetation diversity in most typical floodplain areas.

Performance of High TSS Onion Varieties in Telangana

Field experiments were conducted at Vegetable Research Station, Hyderabad, India during rabi seasons (October–March) of 2019–20, 2020–21 and 2021–22 to study the performance of high TSS varieties of onion in initial evaluation trial, advanced varietal trial-I and advanced varietal trial-II as part of All India Network Research Project on Onion and Garlic. The entries tested were DOGR-HT-1, DOGR-HT-2, DOGR-HT-3, DOGR-HT-4, Agrifound White, PKV White and Bhima Shweta. The predominant colour of all the entries was white and the predominant shape of the bulbs was oval. High amount of uniformity in bulb size was reported by Bhima Shweta and PKV white, while the rest of the entries DOGR-HT-1, 2, 3, 4 and Agrifound White reported average uniformity in bulb size. Among the seven entries tested DOGR-HT-2 reported the highest TSS value (17.77 °Brix) followed by DOGR-HT-3 (15.30 °Brix) and the least TSS value was reported by DOGR-HT-1. Maximum mean bulb weight (100.73 g), marketable yield (49.03 tha-1) and total yield (50.48 t ha-1) was reported by Bhima Shweta and it was followed by PKV White (100.26 g, 48.99 t ha-1 and 50.28 t ha-1). The least average bulb yield (84.31 g), marketable yield (41.09 t ha-1) and total yield (42.34 t ha-1) was reported by DOGR-HT-2 but was at par with DOGR-HT-3 and DOGR-HT-4. Minimum incidence of thrips and purple blotch were noticed in DOGR-HT-4.

Alkoxide-based solvent dyeing: a feasible strategy for pollution minimization and sustainable approach for the reactive dyeing of cellulosic materials

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of substituting the conventional inorganic alkalis (Na2CO3) with different organic alkoxide5s to explore the potential of replacing aqueous dyeing medium with environmentally friendly solvents like ethanol (EtOH). The study aimed to assess the dyeing characteristics, such as exhaustion, fixation, fastness qualities, physical properties, and environmental implications when EtOH and water were present, while also examining the impact of alkoxides. Time-gated Raman spectra provide insights into the allomorphic forms of cellulose-II after the alkoxide pretreatment, which significantly influences the overall reactivity of cellulose fibers and their dye absorption capabilities. Notably, organic alkoxide pretreated dyeing demonstrated improved color strength, exhaustion, and fixation efficiency compared to Na2CO3 pretreatment, as one of the work’s key findings. For instance, the conventional dyed fabric exhibits 3.4 times lower color strength than alkoxide-based (RR239 + C2H5ONa 3 g/L + EtOH) dyeing, showing substantial potential for upscaling at commercial level as it requires no chemical auxiliaries (such as NaCl and Na2CO3). Importantly, the alkoxide pretreatment does not significantly alter the physical, mechanical and fastness properties of the fabrics, which are comparable to both the pristine and aqueous dyed fabrics, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy experiments. The effluent’s color intensity resulting from dyeing with C2H5ONa + EtOH (3 g/L) is approximately 24 times lower (250 Pt/Co) in comparison to the aqueous dyeing using 40 g/L of NaCl and 20 g/L of Na2CO3 in an aqueous medium (6154 Pt/Co). Apart from the color intensity, alkoxide pretreatment and EtOH-based dyeing drastically reduce the COD, BOD, TDS, TSS and total hardness values, which could have cost-saving implications for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

Analysis of Active Compounds in Hawthorn Species Widespread in Northwestern Syria

The research was conducted during the year 2022 to estimate the most important active compounds in the different plant parts of some types of hawthorns (Crataegus L.) widespread in northwestern Syria (Aronia, Yellow Azarolus, Red Azarolus, and Monogyna). The plant material was collected during the growth period. Flavonoids were estimated in the dry matter of the leaves, flowers, and fruits of the studied hawthorn types, vitamin C in the dry flowers and fresh fruits, carotenoids in the dry fruits, total acidity (TA%), and total soluble solids (TSS%) in the fresh fruits. The results showed that the value of flavonoids in the leaves reached 29.66, 15.76, 14.42, and 14.66 mg/g DM in the studied hawthorn types Monogyna, Aronia, Red Azarolus, and Yellow Azarolus, respectively. The leaves outperformed the flowers and fruits in their flavonoid content in most types, as the average flavonoid content of the leaves, flowers, and fruits in the different types was 18.60, 17.71, and 10.90 mg/g DM, respectively. The highest value of flavonoids (29.66 kg/g) was in the leaves of the Monogyna type, and the lowest value (6.23 mg/g) was in the fruits of the Red Azarolus type. As for vitamin C in the dried flowers of the different types, its value reached 1018.6, 917.5, 814.9, and 799.1 mg/100g, while the value of vitamin C in fresh fruits was 11, 8.14, 7.04, and 6. 53 mg/g, in Monogyna, Aronia, Yellow Azarolus and Red Azarolus, respectively (in dried flowers and fresh fruits). The Monogyna type outperformed the other types of vitamin C content, whether in dried flowers or fresh fruits. As for carotenoids, the values were 0.202, 0.077, 0.093, and 0.156 mg/cm³, respectively, for the types Monogyna, Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, and Aronia. The Monogyna type outperformed the other types in the carotenoid content of its fruits. As for the total acidity, the Red Azarolus type outperformed the other types. The total acidity values were 2.54, 1.94, 1.8, and 0.46% for Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, Aronia, and Monogyna, respectively. Finally, there were no significant differences between the total soluble solids content of the fruits of the different types, as the TSS values reached 24.60, 23.33, 21.27, and 20.97%, in the Red Azarolus, Yellow Azarolus, Monogyna, and Aronia types. Respectively.

Evaluating the vulnerability of Tetracentron sinense habitats to climate-induced latitudinal shifts.

Exploring the changing process of the geographical distribution pattern of Tetracentron sinense Oliv. and its main influencing factors since the last interglacial period can provide a scientific basis for the effective protection and management of the species. The MaxEnt model was used to construct the potential distribution areas of T. sinense in different periods such as the last interglacial (LIG), the last glacial maximum (LGM), the mid-Holocene (MID), and the current and future (2050s and 2070s). On the premise of discussing the influence of dominant environmental factors on its distribution model, the suitable area changes of T. sinense under different ecological climate situations were quantitatively analyzed. (1) The AUC and TSS values predicted by the optimized model were 0.959 and 0.835, respectively, indicating a good predictive effect by the MaxEnt model; the potential suitable areas for T. sinense in the current period are mainly located in Southwest China, which are wider compared to the actual habitats. (2) Jackknife testing showed that the lowest temperature in the coldest month (Bio6), elevation (Elev), seasonal variation coefficient of temperature (Bio4), and surface calcium carbonate content (T-CACO3) are the dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of T. sinense. (3) From the last interglacial period to the current period, the total suitable area of T. sinense showed a decreasing trend; the distribution points of T. sinense populations in mid-Holocene period may be the origin of the postglacial population, and Southwest China may be its glacial biological refuge. (4) Compared with the current period, the total suitable area ranges of T. sinense in China in the 2050s and 2070s decreased, and the centroid location of its total fitness area all migrated to the northwest, with the largest migration distance in 2070s under the SSPs 7.0 climate scenario. Temperature was the principal factor influencing the geographical distribution of T. sinense. With global warming, the range of T. sinense suitable areas will show a shrinking trend, with a shift toward higher-latitude regions. Ex situ conservation measures could be taken to preserve its germplasm resources.

Development of Value-added Ready-to-serve Beverage Based on Garcinia pedunculata: A Super Fruit

Garcinia pedunculata is an indigenous plant and a seasonal fruit of Assam, North-east India with therapeutic potential. The aim of the present study was to develop a value-added RTS beverage to derive optimum commercial benefit to the local growers of Assam. The study was conducted with the following objectives- to develop and standardize RTS beverage from Garcinia pedunculata, to evaluate its organoleptic acceptability, to analyze its nutritional composition and shelf-life stability. Three variations of garcinia RTS beverages were formulated in the study viz., R1, R2 and R3 along with a control (C) and in each variant, different flavours such as chilli powder, jeera powder and ajwain powder were added. Using the standard 9-point hedonic scale, the RTS beverages were evaluated for their acceptability by 30 semi-trained panelists considering their sensory attributes. Also, the nutritional profiles were assessed and shelf-life estimation was done. The results revealed that garcinia RTS (R2 formulation) had maximum sensory attributes which was selected for further analysis and storage study. The TSS and pH value was recorded as 10 and 1.68 respectively which increased during storage. R2 reported a total sugar content of 24.68 g/100 g, Fe- 3.60 mg/100 g, K- 256.56 mg/100 g and vitamin C- 24.65 mg/100 g. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) in R2 was reported to be 161.20 mg GAE/100 g and 312.86 mg CE/100 g respectively. DPPH and FRAP assay recorded the values of 59.31 (%inhibition) and 4.13 µmol Fe (II/g) respectively in R2. The shelf-life studies indicated no visible microbial growth but presence of colony formation was recorded. Thus, RTS beverage prepared from Garcinia pedunculata is highly nutritious and can be commercialized as micronutrient enriched value added drink, thereby making it available throughout the season, which shall further help in sustainable economic status of the local growers.

Effect of pasteurization time and temperature on the physico-biochemical properties of soursop (Annona muricata L.) juice

This study aimed to determine the effect of pasteurization time and temperature on soursop juice characteristics. Soursop (Anonna muricata L.), a climacteric fruit, is a high source of natural antioxidants and contains polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme, which causes browning and can reduce the phenol content in fruit which can reduce antioxidant activity. The pasteurization process was carried out to inactivate PPO in soursop juice production. Soursop juice was prepared from soursop fruit pulp pasteurized at temperatures (56, 62, 68, 74, and 80 oC) for various pasteurization times (5, 10, and 15 minutes). Time and temperature of pasteurization had a significant effect (ρ < 0.05) on physical characteristics (Total Soluble Solid/TSS, viscosity, pH, and colour), polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity, antioxidant activity, and microbial population. Pasteurization at 62 ˚C for 5 minutes can maintain antioxidant activity with the greatest total phenol of 85.45 ± 3.5 mg GAE/100 g, total flavonoid of 71.38 ± 6.9 mg QE/100 g, and antioxidant activity of 76.91 ± 0, 33%. Pasteurization at 80 ˚C for 15 minutes can reduce the total number of bacteria from 350 ± 24 CFU/mL to 54 ± 22 CFU/mL, which has a TSS value of 13.73 ˚brix, viscosity of 928.67 mPa, pH of 4.40, a total colour change of 0.556, and has the lowest PPO enzyme specific activity of 0.0005 U/mg with enzyme inactivation of 93%.

Indeks Ekologi dan Kepadatan Komunitas Cerithidea Spp. di Perairan Pengudang dan Dompak

Macrozoobenthos is a group of benthic organisms measuring more than 1 mm that plays a crucial role in the process of decomposition and mineralization of organic material in aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of this observation was to determine the ecological index and density of macrozoobenthos in Pengudang and Dompak Waters. This observation was conducted from May 26-27, 2024 in the waters of Pengudang and Dompak using the survey method. Determination of sampling points is done by random sampling of 20 points each line transect. Macrozoobenthos measurements using 1x1m quadrant transect. The results showed that Pengudang waters had a higher species density with an average value of 13 (medium) compared to Dompak with an average of 0.03 (low). The diversity index ranged from 0.36-1.05, with Pengudang showing higher values. The uniformity index in Pengudang was 0.50 (medium), and in Dompak 0.17 (low). The dominance index was higher in Dompak (0.84) than Pengudang (0.40). Water quality parameters showed that temperature, salinity and pH were within safe limits, but TSS values in Dompak exceeded quality standards, indicating higher sedimentation levels.

Returning to the Wilderness: Potential Habitat Suitability of Non-Native Pet Birds in South Africa.

The global trade of non-native pet birds has increased in recent decades, and this has accelerated the introduction of invasive birds in the wild. This study employed ensemble species distribution modelling (eSDM) to assess potential habitat suitability and environmental predictor variables influencing the potential distribution of non-native pet bird species reported lost and sighted in South Africa. We used data and information on lost and found pet birds from previous studies to establish and describe scenarios of how pet birds may transition from captivity to the wild. Our study revealed that models fitted and performed well in predicting the suitability for African grey (Psittacus erithacus), Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), Green-cheeked conure (Pyrrhura molinae), Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), and Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), with the mean weighted AUC and TSS values greater than 0.765. The predicted habitat suitability differed among species, with the suitability threshold indicating that between 61% and 87% of areas were predicted as suitable. Species with greater suitability included the African grey, Cockatiel, and Rose-ringed parakeet, which demonstrated significant overlap between their habitat suitability and reported lost cases. Human footprint, bioclimatic variables, and vegetation indices largely influenced predictive habitat suitability. The pathway scenario showed the key mechanisms driving the transition of pet birds from captivity to the wild, including the role of pet owners, animal rescues, adoption practices, and environmental suitability. Our study found that urban landscapes, which are heavily populated, are at high risk of potential invasion by pet birds. Thus, implementing a thorough surveillance survey is crucial for monitoring and evaluating the establishment potential of pet species not yet reported in the wild.

Preserving plum perfection: Buckwheat starch edible coating with xanthan gum and lemongrass essential oil

The research focused on the fabrication of composite coatings using buckwheat starch (BS) and xanthan gum (XG) with incorporation of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil (LEO) with varying concentration (0.75 %, 1.0 % and 1.25 % (w/v). BS was extracted from buckwheat groats (Fagopyrum esculentum) and its physico-chemical characteristics were determined. BS showed spherical and polygonal morphology and its XRD pattern was similar to starch extracted from other cereal sources. The amount of reducing sugar, starch and amylose content in extracted BS were 0.99 ± 0.33 %, 86.32 ± 0.22 % and 21.02 ± 1.89 % respectively, which indicates that BS is a suitable base material for the formation of edible coatings. XG was mixed with BS in different ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1) to optimize the best ratio of combination for composite coatings. The coating with a ratio of 2:1 was very smooth and was chosen for incorporation of LEO and the coatings physical, functional, mechanical, thermal and micro-structural characteristics were examined. The coating S5 with 1.25 % (w/v) concentration of LEO showed the best results with least moisture content (MC), minimum water vapor permeability (WVP) and maximum contact angle value. Moreover, the S5 formulation had the highest antioxidant (73.3 %) ability and maximum antimicrobial efficiency with inhibition zones of 22.09 ± 0.06 mm and 28.65 ± 0.14 mm against S. aureus and E. coli respectively. The coatings were then coated on plum fruit, and various parameters like weight loss, pH, shrinkage and TSS were calculated every 4th day during the 20 days of refrigeration period. The coated plums' ripening pace was delayed by the S5 formulation which improved moisture retention, maintained the plums' TSS value and overall pH. Therefore, composite coatings made up of BS, XG and 1.25 % (w/v) can be used as a cost-effective bio-active coating material for plum preservation under refrigeration conditions.

Development and characterization of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) flower juice from spray dried powder

This study intended to use Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) double petaloid in producing a powder used in formulating a stable, nutritious and antioxidant rich juice. The butterfly pea powder (BPP) was produced through spray drying and it had a recovery of 87.8%. The antioxidant activity of BPP ranged from 52.1 to 61.9% and its anthocyanin content was 24.0 mg/L. The physico-chemical analysis of the BPP obtained a mean pH of 4.86, %TSS value of 29.2% and mean %TA of 0.023%. The proximate composition of BPP was 0.08% moisture content, 0.004% crude fat, 0.003% crude protein, 0.83% crude fiber, 0.58% crude ash and a total of 98.5% carbohydrates. Three formulations were used in the production of Butterfly pea juice (BPJ) with varying BPP content as follows: 0.01 g BPP/ml (BPJT1), 0.02 g BPP/ml (BPJT2) and 0.03 g/ml of water (BPJT3). The constant amounts of calamansi (Citrofortunella microcarpa) and sugar were used for all three formulations. It was observed that BPJT3 is the most preferred formulation. Kramer's test performed at the 5% level of significance showed a significant difference between the BPJ treatments. As for the overall acceptability of the three formulations, BPJT1 and BPJT2 were “liked moderately” while BPJT3 was "liked much". The Kruskal-Wallis test at α=0.05 showed no significant difference between the general acceptability of the formulas with a P-value of 0.099. The antioxidant activity of BPJ ranged from 46.4% to 50.1% and its anthocyanin content was 18.6 mg/L. The physicochemical analysis of butterfly pea juice (BPJ) obtained an average pH of 2.95, a %TSS value of 10.4% and a mean %TA of 0.029%.

Optimization of coffee vinegar production from cherry Pulp as by product of arabica coffee processing

Abstract The current high consumption of coffee globally has an impact on the abundance of by-products of coffee processing in the form of cherry pulp which are considered waste and cause environmental problems. The waste from arabica coffee is potential economic value products such as fermented vinegar because of its rich nutrients. The aim of this research was to determine the optimal conditions for acetic acid fermentation and the influence of yeast concentration and nitrogen sources fermented for 60 days. The research was carried out in two stages of fermentation using the Orleans method. Anaerobic alcohol fermentation (20 days) followed by aerobic acetic acid fermentation (40 days). A Randomized Block Factorial Design was used with 2 factors, namely yeast concentration (S15% and S210%) and NPK (N10g, N25g, and N310g), repeated 3 times. Observations on alcoholic fermentation were carried out every 5 days for 20 days regarding ethanol levels. Meanwhile, in acetic acid fermentation, 2.5% vinegar starter was added for each treatment and observations were made every 10 days for 40 days regarding the yield, acetic acid content, pH value and total dissolved solids. The results showed that the highest formation of acetic acid was obtained on day 30 of fermentation. The highest acetic acid content was obtained in the treatment S210%: N25g of 5.27%, pH value of 3.46, TSS value of 0.49 °Bx with a total yield of 42.93%. This is in line with the ethanol content previously formed on day 20 of 11.04% in the same treatment. This value meets the quality standards for fermented vinegar according to SNI 01-4371-1996 by at least 4%.