White Pepper Powder Research Articles

Development of Functional Dairy Spread

Aims: The study aimed to develop functional dairy spread that is spreadable at refrigeration temperature and low in fat content. Study Design: Development of functional dairy spread and its analysis. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dairy Technology, Dairy Science College, Hebbal, Bengaluru, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, Karnataka, India. Between June 2023 and April 2024. Methodology: Ingredients for the functional dairy spread were optimized through sensory analysis by a panel using a 9-point hedonic scale. The optimized spread was then analysed for its techno-functional attributes and microbiological quality. Results: The optimized dairy spread contained skim milk powder (14%), whey protein concentrate (4%), and salt (1%), with cream, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, carboxymethyl cellulose, and glycerol monostearate as constant ingredients. The spice blend of ginger, garlic, coriander, and white pepper powder was optimized at 2%. The optimized functional dairy spread had 30.20% fat, 7.46% protein, and 53.2% moisture, with total solids at 47.6% and ash at 2.57%. Acidity was 0.42% LA, viscosity was 123 cP, and the hardness index was 0.47 mm. Water activity was 0.932, spreadability was 1.6 cm/hr, and colour measured at L* 87.32, a* -1.65, b* 16.05. Coliforms, yeast and molds, staphylococci, and lipolytic counts were all nil. Conclusion: The developed product exhibited excellent spreadability at refrigeration temperature and had a low fat content while being functional spread.

INFLUENCE OF WHITE PEPPER POWDER (Piper nigrum L.) VEGETABLE INSECTICIDE ON PEST MORTALITY OF RICE WEEVILS

A reduction in rice quality may result from pest infestations in storage facilities. In addition to being a major pest of rice, the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae L.) is a problem in warehouses. Attacks by rice weevils may result in lower-quality rice. Using white pepper powder as a pesticide is one way to solve this issue. The purpose of this study is to ascertain how white pepper powder, a botanical pesticide, affects rice weevil pest mortality, as well as the optimal dosage and mode of administration. In this study, there were six treatments and four replications in a single factor totally randomized design. The rate at which rice weevil bugs died and the percentage of rice weight loss were the study's parameters. The results showed that the death of rice weevil pests was influenced using white pepper powder. The highest mortality rate was L5 at 52.5%, which is the best dose.

Utilization of Biang Fish (Ilisha elongata) as Raw Material for Flavoring Powder

The prickly fish is a marine fish with a flat body, many fine spines, a flavorful texture, and a delicious and savory taste. This study aims to analyze several formulations of fish meat to determine the chemical composition of the fish-based flavoring powder and other composite materials. The processing ingredients for the flavoring powder are fish meal (60-80%), onion flour, garlic flour, salt, sugar, white pepper powder, and turmeric powder. The research approach includes the manufacture of fish seasoning flavoring powder with various treatments, including control treatment (without fish, F0), the use of 60% prickly fish powder (F1), 70% prickly fish powder (F2), and 80% prickly fish powder (F3). The best results showed that the formulation was 70% fish meal with 35g shallot flour, 25g garlic flour, 30g salt, 6g sugar, 2g white pepper powder, and 2g turmeric powder. Characteristics of the quality of the product of the fish-based flavoring powder have a moisture of 3.61%, protein content of 38.49%, a fat of 3.75%, an ash content of 20.72%, a carbohydrates content of 33.43%, a salt content (NaCl) of 31.43%. This research shows that prickly fish has a high potential to be used as a natural flavoring product as a substitute for MSG in food products.

Intensification of Kalimantan White Pepper (Piper nigrum) Oil Extraction Based on Microwaves and Ultrasonics

White pepper is one of the staple spices of East Kalimantan. In order to boost the competitiveness of white pepper commodities, it is necessary to raise the added value of the commodity by transforming it into high-value goods, such as white pepper oil. This research intends to evaluate the production of local (LPL) white pepper oil (MLP) with commercial white pepper oil (LPK) using different extraction techniques (microwave-assisted hydro distillation, MAHD; and ultrasonic following hydro distillation, US-HD). This experiment also evaluated the effect of extraction factors on oil yield, including microwave power on MAHD, ultrasonic wave power on US-HD, sonication duration on US-HD, and solvent volume. A comparison of the energy usage of both approaches was also conducted in order to identify the most effective approach. The MAHD and US-HD techniques were used to extract 80 grams of dry white pepper powder mixed with aquadest for 90 and 180 minutes, respectively. Specifically for US-HD, the combination of raw materials was sonicated for 3-5 minutes prior to extraction utilizing the HD method. In both MAHD and US-HD, LPK includes more MLP than LPL, according to experimental findings. MLP yield may be increased by the addition of solvent, wave power (micro and ultrasonic), and sonication time. Based on its efficiency and energy consumption, the US-HD approach is superior to the MAHD.

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, SENSORY, CHEMICAL, AND MICROBIOLOGY CHARACTERISTICS OF MUNTOK WHITE PEPPER (Piper nigrum Linn.) HARD CANDY

Muntok white pepper is the most recognized commodity of Indonesian in the world. One of the diversified products of white pepper is hard candy. This study aimed to determine the antioxidant activity, chemical, sensory, and microbiology characteristics of Muntok white pepper hard candy. The used experimental design was factorial completely randomized design, with the sucrose – glucose ratio as the first factor with two levels (50:50 and 70:30) and white pepper powder concentration as the second level with three levels (1%, 3%, and 5%). The product selection was based on the hedonic parameters. After getting the selected formulation, some tests were conducted, including antioxidant activity test by DPPH method, proximat analysis, TPC test, sensory evaluation, and energy content calculation. Selected Muntok white pepper hard candy formulation used a 50:50 sucrose – glucose ratio with 1% white pepper addition. It has a moisture content of 3.46%, ash content of 0.89%, fat of 12%, the protein content of 1.95%, reducing sugar of 11.31%, saccharose of 62.93%, TPC of 8x101 colonies/g, low antioxidant activity (IC 50) of 141208.03 mg/L, AEAC of 20.58 mg/100g vitamin C, the percent inhibition of 17.66%, the energy content of 365.44 kcal/100gr. The hedonic test result leads to be like by the panellists (5.57 -7.10 in 10 scales). Its sensory quality test results were leading to golden yellow (8.31), leading to spicy (5.58), no pepper smell (2.86), and leading to the hard texture (4.34). The selected product has confirmed the Indonesian National Standard of hard candy.

Identification of Flour Adulteration in White Pepper Powder Using Hyperspectral Imaging

Identification of Flour Adulteration in White Pepper Powder Using Hyperspectral Imaging

Pre- and postharvest factors affecting quality and safety of Pepper ( Piper nigrum L.)

Abstract The quality and safety of pepper ( Piper nigrum L.) are a function of crop management practices, harvest maturity, harvesting methods and subsequent handling after harvest, including storage conditions and processing methods. The review shows that volatile oil decreases with shade intensity (15–30%). Essential oil, oleoresin, piperine and monoterpenes (thujene, α-pinene, sabinene, limonene, α-phellandrene and linalool) increase with altitude, while β-caryophyllene and total phenol decrease with increase in altitude. Fermentation of ripe pepper fruits forms odorants (butanoic acid, 3-methylindole, and 4-methylphenol) attributing intense faecal/shed-like off-flavour white pepper powder. Low-drying temperature (≤56°C) and duration (≤3 hrs) lead to low bulk density (0.17 g/ml) and low moisture loss (31%). Excessive soaking of black peppercorns prior to mechanical decortication reduces volatile oil and increases moisture content and broken berries. Availability of heavy metals in grinding machines increases the level of heavy metals; Fe (69.8–1147 mg/kg), Pb (21.3–947 μg/kg) and V (64.1–1072 μg/kg) in pepper powder. Storing peppercorns along with other materials enhances cross-contamination of heavy metals; Pb, Cd and Cr. High moisture content (>13%) and farmers’ unawareness resulted in high (2200 to >30000 cfu/g) mycotoxins contamination. Environmental and industrial pollutants such as plasticizers, bisphenol A, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides are also pepper contaminants of high merit. Radiofrequency pasteurization, vacuum-assisted steaming, ethylene oxide fumigation, atmospheric pressure plasma, dry heat sterilization, gamma-irradiation and ultraviolet-C light treatments are among strategies to enhance the quality and safety of pepper. More precautions also have to be taken to regulate the shade, drying temperature and duration, soaking duration, hygienic processing and storage in order to retain quality, minimize the risk of microbial or chemical contaminations and comply with standards.

Prediction of Piperine content in white pepper by NIR spectroscopy using Partial Least Square (PLS) method

Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the prime spices and has great potential in improving the Indonesian economy. Pepper has an identity compound that has a spicy and savory taste that is piperine. Piperine is usually measured using a chemical method, which is time-consuming and rather high cost. So in this study, a faster method using NIRS is assessed to predict the piperine content of white pepper. Fifty samples of white pepper powder (30 grams each) were prepared for the reflectance and piperine measurements. The reflectance of samples were measured by FT-NIR spectrometers at wavelengths of 1000-1500 nm, and the piperine content of samples was determined by the chemical method. For the data processing, the NIR spectra were processed by several NIR data pretreatments to improve the accuracy of prediction, and the piperine content was calibrated by using the PLS method. The results of this study showed that the piperine content of white pepper powder could be predicted well using 7 factors of PLS without NIR data pretreatment with the statistical evaluation values of r(0.91), CV(4.68%), RPD(1.67), and consistency(80%).

Effect of particle size of white pepper to yield and quality of oleoresin produced by using an ultrasonic-assisted extraction method

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of particle size of white pepper to yield and quality of oleoresin produced using Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction (UAE) method. White pepper from Bangka Belitung and South Sulawesi were ground using a milling machine and sifted to produce white pepper powder with a particle size of 30, 60, and 100 mesh. The samples (200 g each) were dissolved in ethanol (1:4) and subjected to UAE method to obtain oleoresin. The UAE was carried out using an ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz and an amplitude of 90% for 75 minutes. For comparison, the maceration extraction method was applied for 7 hours. The product of oleoresin was then subjected to vacuum evaporation to reduce ethanol solvent. The yield of oleoresin was calculated and the quality of oleoresin such color and piperine content was measured using colorimeter and GCMS, respectively. The results show that the particle size significantly affects the yield of oleoresin. The smallest particle size (100 mesh) gives the highest yield of oleoresin. The yield of oleoresin produced by UAE was not significantly different from maceration. The UAE method produced higher piperine content (7.51-11.91%) than the maceration extraction method (3.08-8.02%). The color of oleoresin produced by UAE method was similar to maceration.

Influence of garlic and pepper powder on physicochemical and sensory qualities of flavoured rice noodle

This research aimed to investigate the effect of dried garlic powder (DGP) and dried white pepper powder (DWPP) on physicochemical and sensory properties and to develop a garlic-pepper flavoured purple rice noodle (GPFRD). The garlic-pepper powder (GPP) aroma found to be comprised of pine, garlic, onion, citrus and woody characteristic. The 78 g of DGP and 20 g of DWPP provided high sensory rating score of pepper aroma (5.9 ± 0.1) and overall aroma (5.6 ± 0.2) with a high content of beta-caryophyllene (0.101 ± 0.04 mg/g powder), limonene (0.069 ± 0.02 mg/g powder), allicin (10.48 ± 0.18 mg/g powder) and piperine (0.71 ± 0.11 mg/g powder). The cooked GPFRD mixed with garlic-pepper at 2% possessed the good quality of physical and chemical properties with sensory rating score. The GPFRD using 2% of GPP provided preference rating score in the range of 6.0–6.7 with consumer acceptance at 82.0% and purchase intention at 74.0%. Consequently, the optimum ratio of DGP and DWPP provided a better spice mix for aroma, flavour, with some bioactive compound aspects. A suitable amount of GPP can provide the preferable properties of flavoured purple rice noodles.

Effect of Drying on β-Carotene, α Carotene, Lutein and Zeaxanthin Content in Vegetables and Its Application for Vegetable Seasoning

In plant based food with dark-green, yellow and orange color, beta (β)-carotene, alpha (α)-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are predominating carotenoids contributing to an eyesight improvement. Among food preservation methods, drying using cabinet hot air dryer is one of the most cost-effective options and therefore, this investigation was aimed to study the carotenoids content in vegetables after drying and optimize the vegetable seasoning product. Based on customer survey, carrot, pumpkin, Chinese kale and long coriander were selected for the experiment, accessibility and have met the requirement of final moisture content, less than 10%. Our results demonstrated that drying period of sliced carrots and pumpkins was 360 min, while in Chinese kale and long coriander was 240 min. Amounts of carotenoids in carrot and long coriander were greatly remaining after drying. Drying of Chinese kale had little effect on carotenoids content. While, dried pumpkin may cause a major loss of β-,α-carotene and lutein content over 50%. Regarding to development of vegetable seasoning powder, Just about right and Hedonic 9 point tests were used for a sensory evaluation. The optimal seasoning formula consisted of 66. 8% mixed dried ground vegetables, 13.4% sugar, 8.8% salt, 6.7% garlic powder, and 4.3% white pepper powder. The overall acceptability of the product was rated as moderately liked, containing β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin content as 178.04±3.39, 58.81±1.83, 158.89±4.16, 0.98±0.01 μg/g, respectively (vitamin A approximately 29.67 μg RE/g). Fortification of vegetable seasoning powder for daily consumption may improve the eye vision and reduce the rate of vitamin A deficiency.

Detection of Corn and Whole Wheat Adulteration in White Pepper Powder by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

White pepper is a high-value commodity that is a target for adulteration, leading to loss of quality and encroachment on the rights and interests of consumers. Therefore, it is imperative to develop fast and reliable methods for detecting white pepper powder adulteration. The present paper investigated the feasibility of using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for quantifying adulteration (including whole wheat flour and corn flour) in white pepper powder. Partial least squares (PLS) calibration models were developed. Results showed that the standard error of calibration (SEC) and prediction (SEP) were 0.788% and 0.920%, respectively.

Larvicidal activity of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing scorpion neurotoxin AaIT or B.t.i toxin Cyt2Ba against mosquito larvae and formulations for enhancing the effects

To assess the larvicidal effects of recombinant Escherichia coli expressing scorpion neurotoxin AaIT or Bacillus thuringiensis subsp israelensis (B.t.i) toxin Cyt2Ba against the second instar larvae of Culex pipiensquinquefasciatus and Aedes albopictus and compare different formulations for their larvicidal effects. The AaIT- or Cyt2Ba-coding sequences were cloned into pET28a(+) and the recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3). After induction with IPTG, the recombinant proteins expressed by the recombinant E. coli were detected and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, respectively. The larvicidal activity of the bacterial suspension was tested at different concentrations against mosquitoes. The effective engineered bacteria were prepared into dry powder with different formulations, and their larvicidal activity was tested. AaIT and Cyt2Ba proteins were successfully expressed in E. coli. The recombinant AaIT protein showed no virulence to the mosquito larvae. The suspension of the recombinant E. coli expressing Cyt2Ba protein exhibited a stronger killing effect on Aedes albopictus larvae than on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus larvae at 48 h (P<0.001) with LC50 of 3.00×106 cells/mL and 1.25×107 cells/mL, respectively. The dry powder of the engineered bacteria formulated with yeast extract, wheat flour or white pepper powder at the mass ratio of 1:1 showed the strongest killing effect on mosquito larvae (P=0.044), and the formulation with white pepper powder produced a stronger killing effect than formulations with yeast extract or wheat flour (P=0.002). The B.t.i Cyt2Ba protein expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) shows a good larvicidal activity against mosquitoes, and appropriate formulations of the engineered bacteria can enhance its efficiency in mosquito control.

시중 판매 후추의 오염도 및 회분식 광펄스 처리에 의한 살균 효과

시중에서 판매되고 있는 후추 29종을 수거하여 오염도를 조사한 결과, 전통시장에서 구입한 후추는 일반세균 <TEX>$10^6-10^7$</TEX>, Bacillus <TEX>$10^4-10^5$</TEX>, 효모와 곰팡이 <TEX>$10^2$</TEX> 이하의 오염도를 보였고, 유기농 제품으로 판매되는 후추의 경우에는 일반세균 <TEX>$10^4$</TEX>, Bacillus <TEX>$10^2-10^3$</TEX>, 효모는 <TEX>$10^1$</TEX> 이하의 오염도를 나타내었다. 대형마트에서 판매되고 있는 후추는 낮은 오염도를 나타내었으나 일부에서는 일반세균이 <TEX>$10^3$</TEX> 정도의 오염도를 보였다. 전압 1,000 V, 펄스수 5 pps, 시료와 램프사이의 거리 4 cm의 조건에서 10분간 광펄스 처리하였을 경우 통후추는 1.45-1.55 log, 흑후추분말과 백후추분말은 0.8-0.85 log의 사멸율을 나타내었다. 살균 용기의 차이에 따른 살균율에는 유의적인 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 광펄스에 의한 후추의 살균율은 오존처리나 감압방전프라즈마 살균 등 다른 비가열 살균방법에 비해서는 높은 사멸율을 보여 산업적 적용 가능성을 보였으나, 추가적인 연구를 통해 살균 효과를 높일 수 있는 방법이 제시되어야 할 것으로 판단된다. Twenty-nine pepper products commercially available in the market were collected and investigate for contamination levels. Pepper products purchased from traditional markets had a degree of contamination of <TEX>$10^6-10^7CFU/g$</TEX> aerobic bacteria, <TEX>$10^4-10^5CFU/g$</TEX> Bacillus sp., and less than <TEX>$10^2CFU/g$</TEX> yeast and molds. Organic pepper showed a degree of contamination of <TEX>$10^4$</TEX> aerobic bacteria, <TEX>$10^2-10^3$</TEX> Bacillus sp., and less than <TEX>$10^1$</TEX> yeast and molds. Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment of 10 min (1,000 V, 5 pps and 4 cm sample-to-lamp distance) showed a bacterial death rate of 1.45-1.55 log for whole peppers, and of 0.8-0.85 log for black and white pepper powder. The sterilization rate using IPL was higher than that using other non-thermal sterilization methods, such as ozone treatment or low-pressure discharge plasma sterilization, indicating that the IPL sterilization method may find potential application in the industry. However, further studies may need to be conducted to enhance the effect of sterilization.

Development of a Stable Isotope Dilution LC–MS/MS Method for the Alternaria Toxins Tentoxin, Dihydrotentoxin, and Isotentoxin

For the Alternaria toxins tentoxin, dihydrotentoxin, and isotentoxin, a stable isotope dilution LC-MS/MS method was first developed. Triply deuterated internal standards were prepared via total synthesis and introducing the labels in the last step before cyclization. Method validation was carried out by using potato starch, tomato puree, and white pepper powder as blank matrices. For the three toxins the limits of detection ranged from 0.10 to 0.99 μg/kg. The inter-/intraday relative standard deviations of the method were below 8.8%, and the recoveries ranged between 98 and 115%. Although cyclic peptides are known to show only negligible fragmentation, a low limit of detection was achieved with the optimization of mass spectrometry parameters and cleanup on C18-phenyl SPE columns providing a more selective binding of these phenyl-containing cyclic peptides. The method was applied to 103 food samples including bread, cereals, chips, juice, nuts, oil, sauce, seeds, and spices. Of these, 85% were contaminated with tentoxin and 55% were contaminated with dihydrotentoxin, whereas isotentoxin was not quantifiable. Maximal concentrations of tentoxin and dihydrotentoxin were 52.4 and 36.3 μg/kg, respectively, and were both detected in paprika powder.

Ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction of piperine from white pepper

An ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction (ILUAE) method has been developed for the effective extraction of piperine from white pepper powder. A series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids differing in composition of alkyl chain and anion were evaluated for extraction efficiency. The results indicate that both the characteristics of anions and cations have remarkable effects on the extraction efficiency. In addition, the ILUAE procedure was also optimized on some ultrasonic parameters, such as ultrasonic power, extraction time and solid–liquid ratio. Compared with the conventional heat-reflux extraction (HRE) and regular UAE, the optimized approach gained the highest extraction efficiency (from 1.950% to 3.577%) within the shortest extraction time (from 2 h to 30 min). Furthermore, the developed method was validated by the recovery, correlation coefficient ( R 2), and reproducibility (relative standard deviation (RSD), n = 3). Average recoveries of piperine were between 93.5% and 98.7% at spiking levels 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg mL −1 with RSD lower than 5%. The developed method is linear at concentrations within the tested interval, with R 2 at 0.9994.

Characterization of Odorants Causing an Atypical Aroma in White Pepper Powder (Piper nigrum L.) Based on Quantitative Measurements and Orthonasal Breakthrough Thresholds

Application of the aroma extract dilution analysis on an extract of white pepper powder showing an intense fecal, cowshed-like off-flavor revealed 3-methylindole (fecal, swine-manure) and 4-methylphenol (fecal, horse-like) with the highest flavor dilution (FD) factors among the 22 odor-active compounds detected. In addition, high FD factors and/or undesirable odor qualities suggested 3-methylphenol (phenolic), butanoic acid (cheese-like), and 2- and 3-methylbutanoic acid (cheese-like) as well as pentanoic acid and hexanoic acid (cheese-like odors) as contributors to the malodor. Although the intensities of the off-note were clearly different in 50 commercial samples of white pepper, quantitation of 3-methylindole and 3- and 4-methylphenol as well as of the five short-chain acids by means of stable isotope dilution assays showed similar concentrations in most of the samples. Storage of a freshly ground white pepper powder for up to 7 months revealed a significant decrease in the typical odor qualities of white pepper and an increase in the fecal odor note with storage time. Because the concentrations of the odorants mentioned above were not much changed during storage, possibly very volatile odorants, such as alpha-pinene, which are able to mask the malodor, are lost during storage of, in particular, pepper powders. On the basis of odor activity values, which were calculated using breakthrough thresholds, in particular, 3-methylindole, 4-methylphenol, 3-methylphenol, and butanoic acid could be suggested as the main sources of the fecal off-flavor.

乾燥食品等の形状および成分の放射線殺菌に及ぼす影響

The effect of dry condition of food materials such as spices or herbs with grain or powder were investigated for inactivation of microorganisms by gamma-rays or electron-beams. Radiation sensitivities on endospores ofBacillus pumilusandB. cereusat polished rice, whole black pepper and glass fiber filter dried with additives of 2% peptone + 1% glycerin were almost equivalent, and D10 values of gamma-rays were obtained to be 1.8-2.2 kGy forB. pumilusand 1.2-1.3 kGy forB. cereus, respectively. However, D10 value was decreased to 1.6 kGy forB. pumilusand 1.0 kGy forB. cereusin white pepper powder, and increased significantly as 2.6 kGy forB. pumilusand 1.8 kGy forB. cereusin senna herb powder. In the case ofB. megaterium, Enterobacter cloacaeandEscherichia coli, D10values were increased at all of food materials even in white pepper powder compared with glass fiber filter with additives. These results are indicating that glycerin and related radical scavengers in food components protect the bacteria such asB. megaterium, Ent. cloacaeandE. colimore significantly from effects of radiation thanB. pumilusorB. cereus. The increase of radiation resistance of these bacteria should be responsible also to the amount of oxygen penetration in bacterial cells which dried at different conditions. On the irradiation of electron-beams, radiation resistance of all of bacteria increased more significantly than gamma-rays which depending to dose rate effects on bacteria. However, increase of radiation resistance was not observed atAspergillus oryzaein all of food materials at different dry conditions.

Lipolytic activity of white pepper powder at high temperatures in a nonaqueous system

AbstractWhite pepper is added as a spice to goose fat in the food industry (particularly in the liver pâté industry) and causes the development of undesirable flavors. In the present study, we demonstrate that white pepper exhibits lipolytic activity when reacted with goose fat in a hydrophobic system. Temperature and pH dependence measurements suggested that two enzymes or isoenzymes with optimal temperatures at 55 and 85°C, and with optimal pH at 7 and 9, are involved. Wet sterilization of the white pepper irreversibly inactivates its lipolytic activity. Dehydration, destroyed while remoistening, recovered the catalytic activity of the pepper. The reaction obeys classical Michaelis‐Menten kinetics at 85°C.

Effect of Nasal Mucosa Irritation on Airway Resistance

In order to investigate the effect of the nasopulmonary reflex on the regulation of airway resistance, the nasal mucosa was stimulated with white pepper powder and the change in airway resistance was evaluated in 13 totally laryngectomized patients and 39 normal subjects. The results were then analyzed to clarify whether there was any difference in the pattern of the change in airway resistance between the two groups. In totally laryngectomized patients, airway resistance often diminished significantly after stimulation. In normal subjects, on the other hand, a significant increase in airway resistance was often observed. The above results suggest that stimulation of the mucosa of the upper airway causes dilation of the trachea and bronchi accompanied by a decrease in airway resistance in laryngectomized patients. The stimulation presumably dilates the trachea and bronchi in normal subjects as well, but the effect of the dilation appears to be overpowered by the constriction of the larynx and, as a result, an increase in airway resistance is observed. 4