This document investigates the effects of drying temperature on the degradation kinetics of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in tomatoes during the drying process. It studies ascorbic acid degradation in whole tomatoes that underwent caustic peeling (with or without prior osmotic pretreatment) as well as halved tomatoes at drying temperatures of 50, 60, and 70°C. The degradation rates were found to depend on both the sample pretreatment and drying temperature, with lower degradation observed in osmotically pretreated whole tomatoes and higher degradation in halved tomatoes. Increasing the drying temperature also increased the degradation rates.
OPTIMIZATION OF SOME MINERAL CONTENTS OF DRIED OSMO-PRETREATED GREEN BELL PEP...Oyeniyi Samuel
This document summarizes a study that used Response Surface Methodology to optimize the mineral content of dried osmotically pretreated green bell peppers. Bell peppers were treated with varying concentrations of salt solutions for different durations, then dried. The mineral contents of magnesium, potassium, and manganese were analyzed. Optimization found the maximum magnesium content was 29.18 mg/100g with 25% salt solution for 180 minutes, maximum potassium was 46.13 mg/100g with 5% salt for 60 minutes, and maximum manganese was 10.96 mg/100g with 15% salt for 150 minutes. Pretreated dried peppers had higher mineral contents than untreated dried peppers.
This study investigated the effects of salinity on the growth, chlorophyll content, and ion accumulation of Nitraria schoberi. Plants were exposed to different levels of salinity (0, 86, 160, 204, and 246 mM NaCl). The first treatment of 86 mM NaCl produced the best growth and highest chlorophyll content. Higher salinity levels decreased growth and increased chlorophyll degradation. Sodium and chloride ion concentrations increased with salinity, while potassium, calcium, and magnesium decreased. Overall, N. schoberi performed best under low salinity of 86 mM NaCl.
Water activity and different instruments to determine AwAbel Jacob Thomas
This presentation includes water activity, its importance, equations, food sorption isotherm, different instruments to determine the water activity of a food product.
The Effect of Using Some Treatments on Reduction of Acrylamide Formation in P...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) multidisciplinary peer-reviewed Journal with reputable academics and experts as board member. IOSR-JESTFT is designed for the prompt publication of peer-reviewed articles in all areas of subject. The journal articles will be accessed freely online
Water activity and types of food based on water activitySaptadeep Sanyal
Water activity is a measure of available water in a food and is important because it determines microbial growth. It is defined as the ratio of vapor pressure of water in a food to vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Foods with water activities below 0.6 inhibit mold growth, increasing shelf life. Controlling water activity through addition of solutes like salt or sugar allows some foods to be stored without refrigeration as intermediate moisture foods.
Development of a Bioactive Food Additive for Controlling of Fungal GrowthIJEAB
Fresh foods have a great importance in human nutrition. However, they are marketed with greatly reduced shelf life mainly due to fungal spoilage. In this work, cell wall degrading enzymes produced by Trichoderma asperellum T00 (TCWDE) were immobilized onto cashew gum polysaccharide (CGP) in order to evaluate the potential use of this material as food additive aiming to increase the shelf life by inhibiting fungal growth. Results from factorial design (32) evidenced that the best conditions for TCWDE immobilization was achieved with 20 min of reaction using 1 mmol L-1 of NaIO4. On these conditions it was observed 91% of retention yield for NAGase (30.1 ± 0.38 U mL-1), 41% for chitinase (0.67 ± 0.05 U mL-1), and 24% for β-1,3-glucanase (0.017± 0.001 U mL-1). CGP/TCWDE was effective for growth inhibition of Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium sp. and the inhibition mechanism seems to involve changes in the cell wall of those microorganisms. Finally, the CGP/TCWDE presented high stability after drying, maintaining enzymatic and biological activity after 200 days of storage at room temperature (25 ºC).
Biodegradation of dichlorovos (organophosphate pesticide) in soil by bacteria...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that investigated the potential for microbial isolates to biodegrade the organophosphate pesticide dichlorvos in contaminated agricultural soil. A bacterial consortium composed of four strains (Proteus vulgaris, Vibrio sp., Serratia sp., and Acinetobacter sp.) was isolated from soil contaminated with dichlorvos. Both the consortium and individual strains were able to use dichlorvos as their sole carbon source and remove it from the soil. The consortium achieved greater removal of dichlorvos from soil amended with NPK fertilizer compared to NH4NO3 or KH2PO4. The results indicate that these bacterial isolates have potential for bioremediating soils contaminated
Everyone knows water activity is related to microbial growth. But how can you use that knowledge to your advantage in formulation, specification, production, and packaging? In this 30 minute webinar, learn:
-what you need to know about how water activity predicts microbial growth
-how to use specific organism aw limits relevant to your industry in setting your specs
-how to use different formulation techniques (including humectants, films, coatings) to hit the water activity you need
-why you should consider hurdle technology to address certain challenges
OPTIMIZATION OF SOME MINERAL CONTENTS OF DRIED OSMO-PRETREATED GREEN BELL PEP...Oyeniyi Samuel
This document summarizes a study that used Response Surface Methodology to optimize the mineral content of dried osmotically pretreated green bell peppers. Bell peppers were treated with varying concentrations of salt solutions for different durations, then dried. The mineral contents of magnesium, potassium, and manganese were analyzed. Optimization found the maximum magnesium content was 29.18 mg/100g with 25% salt solution for 180 minutes, maximum potassium was 46.13 mg/100g with 5% salt for 60 minutes, and maximum manganese was 10.96 mg/100g with 15% salt for 150 minutes. Pretreated dried peppers had higher mineral contents than untreated dried peppers.
This study investigated the effects of salinity on the growth, chlorophyll content, and ion accumulation of Nitraria schoberi. Plants were exposed to different levels of salinity (0, 86, 160, 204, and 246 mM NaCl). The first treatment of 86 mM NaCl produced the best growth and highest chlorophyll content. Higher salinity levels decreased growth and increased chlorophyll degradation. Sodium and chloride ion concentrations increased with salinity, while potassium, calcium, and magnesium decreased. Overall, N. schoberi performed best under low salinity of 86 mM NaCl.
Water activity and different instruments to determine AwAbel Jacob Thomas
This presentation includes water activity, its importance, equations, food sorption isotherm, different instruments to determine the water activity of a food product.
The Effect of Using Some Treatments on Reduction of Acrylamide Formation in P...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) multidisciplinary peer-reviewed Journal with reputable academics and experts as board member. IOSR-JESTFT is designed for the prompt publication of peer-reviewed articles in all areas of subject. The journal articles will be accessed freely online
Water activity and types of food based on water activitySaptadeep Sanyal
Water activity is a measure of available water in a food and is important because it determines microbial growth. It is defined as the ratio of vapor pressure of water in a food to vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Foods with water activities below 0.6 inhibit mold growth, increasing shelf life. Controlling water activity through addition of solutes like salt or sugar allows some foods to be stored without refrigeration as intermediate moisture foods.
Development of a Bioactive Food Additive for Controlling of Fungal GrowthIJEAB
Fresh foods have a great importance in human nutrition. However, they are marketed with greatly reduced shelf life mainly due to fungal spoilage. In this work, cell wall degrading enzymes produced by Trichoderma asperellum T00 (TCWDE) were immobilized onto cashew gum polysaccharide (CGP) in order to evaluate the potential use of this material as food additive aiming to increase the shelf life by inhibiting fungal growth. Results from factorial design (32) evidenced that the best conditions for TCWDE immobilization was achieved with 20 min of reaction using 1 mmol L-1 of NaIO4. On these conditions it was observed 91% of retention yield for NAGase (30.1 ± 0.38 U mL-1), 41% for chitinase (0.67 ± 0.05 U mL-1), and 24% for β-1,3-glucanase (0.017± 0.001 U mL-1). CGP/TCWDE was effective for growth inhibition of Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium sp. and the inhibition mechanism seems to involve changes in the cell wall of those microorganisms. Finally, the CGP/TCWDE presented high stability after drying, maintaining enzymatic and biological activity after 200 days of storage at room temperature (25 ºC).
Biodegradation of dichlorovos (organophosphate pesticide) in soil by bacteria...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that investigated the potential for microbial isolates to biodegrade the organophosphate pesticide dichlorvos in contaminated agricultural soil. A bacterial consortium composed of four strains (Proteus vulgaris, Vibrio sp., Serratia sp., and Acinetobacter sp.) was isolated from soil contaminated with dichlorvos. Both the consortium and individual strains were able to use dichlorvos as their sole carbon source and remove it from the soil. The consortium achieved greater removal of dichlorvos from soil amended with NPK fertilizer compared to NH4NO3 or KH2PO4. The results indicate that these bacterial isolates have potential for bioremediating soils contaminated
Everyone knows water activity is related to microbial growth. But how can you use that knowledge to your advantage in formulation, specification, production, and packaging? In this 30 minute webinar, learn:
-what you need to know about how water activity predicts microbial growth
-how to use specific organism aw limits relevant to your industry in setting your specs
-how to use different formulation techniques (including humectants, films, coatings) to hit the water activity you need
-why you should consider hurdle technology to address certain challenges
The document summarizes a study that examined the effect of salt stress on the total lipid composition of two banana varieties: dwarf and tall. The study found that salt stress influenced the lipid composition differently between the two varieties. For the dwarf variety, triglyceride and diglyceride levels were not affected by increasing salt concentration, but monoglycerides and free fatty acids were more influenced. For the tall variety, triglycerides were absent even in control plants not exposed to salt stress, and membrane lipids seemed less affected than in the dwarf variety. The results indicate that the lipid composition of the tall variety is less sensitive to salt stress than the dwarf variety.
Water activity is a measure of available moisture in a food and is defined as the ratio of the water vapor pressure of the substance to the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Foods with a water activity greater than 0.95 are at risk for microbial growth. Water activity can be reduced through methods like drying, canning, freezing to control spoilage and extend shelf life of foods.
Water activity is a measure of available moisture in a food and is defined as the ratio of the water vapor pressure of the substance to the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Microbial growth and food spoilage is prevented when water activity is below 0.95. Various methods are used to control water activity and preserve foods, including drying, canning, freezing, and adding solutes or salt which lower available moisture content.
Effect of Temperature and Moisture on Degradation of Herbicide Atrazine in Ag...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract— Degradation rate and degraded products, deethylatrazine (DEA), deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and atrazine-2-hydroxy (HA), of herbicide atrazine in agricultural soil were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. When treating soils for 60d at 25°C, the degradation rate of atrazine increased with the moisture from 5 to 20%. The degradation was fitted one-order kinetic equation and degradation rate constant (k) and Half-life (T1/2) were obtained. T1/2 decreased by 3–4 folds with the increasing temperature from 5 to 35°C and moisture from 5 to 20%. The species and content of the degraded products increased with the temperature and moisture. When treating soil for 60d, the sum content of three degraded products, DEA, DIA and HA is 3–6.8 times greater than atrazine residue. An updated metabolism pathway of atrazine in soil was presented.
BIODEGRADATION OF GASOIL BY FUNGAL ISOLATES FROM PETROLEUM CONTAMINATED SOILS AL-kitab university -IRAQ
This document summarizes a study on the biodegradation of gasoil (diesel) by fungal isolates from petroleum contaminated soils. Two fungal strains, Aspergillus sp. and Alternaria sp., were isolated from diesel polluted soils in Ramadi, Iraq. These strains were grown in media containing varying concentrations of diesel (0.5-5%) and incubated for 14 days. Biodegradation was assessed using gas chromatography. Results showed the fungal isolates were able to degrade components of diesel over time, with shorter chain compounds (C9) degraded most and concentrations of longer chains (C16, C17, C21) decreasing. Alternaria sp. showed slightly higher degradation ability than Asperg
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Fungi (Candida Tropicalis and Aspergillus ...IJEABJ
Used engine oil is a petroleum or synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use, is contaminated by physical and chemical pollutants. These pollutants are harmful to humans, animals and plants following exposure. Evaluation of the effectiveness of fungi in bioremediation of used engine oil (UEO) contaminated soil was investigated. Fungi were isolated from soil samples obtained from automobile workshops in Mgbuka-Nkpor, Nigeria. The isolates were screened for UEO biodegradation potentials in mineral salt broth. They were identified using the cultural and microscopic characteristics and confirmed using the 18SrRNA gene sequence. The effectiveness of the isolates in bioremediation of UEO contaminated soil was also investigated using bioaugmentation technique. A total of 8 fungal isolates were obtained from this study. Two that showed the highest extent of biodegradation of UEO in the screen flasks were identified and confirmed as Candida tropicalis and Aspergillus clavatus. At the end of the experimental period, oil contaminated soil inoculated with the mixed culture of the isolates (C. tropicalis and A. clavatus) showed the highest reduction in concentration of UEO (95.42%). Higher biodegradation rate and shorter half-life of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was observed in soil microcosm containing the isolates, when compared to the uninoculated control. Therefore fungi such as C. tropicalis and A. clavatus isolated from automobile workshops can facilitate the bioremediation of UEO contaminated soil.
This study investigated the effects of different bulking agents (newspaper vs onion peels), waste load sizes (2 kg vs 6 kg), and use of a starter culture on kitchen waste composting. The composting was conducted in parallel using two in-vessel systems over 30 days. Onion peels were found to produce mature compost faster than newspaper, with a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 10 achieved within 16 days. A smaller 2 kg waste load size resulted in composting completion in half the time compared to the 6 kg load size. Adding a starter culture of various bacteria and fungi did not accelerate the composting process compared to the control without starter culture.
Enzymes activity and content of antioxidants in leaves of halophytes from sal...Innspub Net
The purpose of the given study was to investigate characteristics of antioxidant system and other biochemical indices of some salt resistans species growing on saline soils of Georgia. Activity of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) and nitrate reductase, also low molecular antioxidants (proline, ascorbic acid, soluble phenols, anthocyanins and carotenoids), and of content of total proteins, chlorophylls, and soluble carbohydrates has been investigated in leaves of salt resistnt plants-Salsola soda L.-opposite-leaved saltworth, Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.-salt cedar, Chenopodium album L.-goosefoot, Artemisia lerchiana (Web.)-sagebrush, Achillea biebersteinii (Afan.)-allheal and Adonis bienertii (Butkov ex Riedl.)-pheasant's eye-growing coastwise and in surroundings of Kumisi Lake (East Georgia, lower Kartli), in order to study the influence of salinization level on the studied parameters. Spectrophotometrical, gazometrical and titration methods has been used for investigations. Increase of salinity induced activation of peroxidase, rise of proline and total proteins content in leaves of eu-and crynohalophytes (saltworth, goosefoot, salt cedar). Activation of catalase and peroxidase, also increase of the content of anthocyanins, phenols, total proteins and soluble carbohydrates was mentioned in leaves of glyco halophytes (sagebrush, allheal, peasant's eye) under the same conditions. Activation of peroxidase and increase of the content of total proteins seemed to be the uniting mechanism for adaptation to high level salinization among the studied species..
— The present study was conducted to evaluate the plant growth, physiological and biochemical changes of neem under different salinity levels (4, 8, 10 and 12 dS/m) which have multipurpose use in agroforestry. Growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate, proline and total phenol were investigated 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after treatment imposition. The results revealed that salinity caused significant differences in all the growth parameters and the maximum reduction were observed when plants were exposed to high salinity (12 dS/m) level and minimum were in control treatments. It was found that total dry matter and relative water content were reduced 72% and 40% in 12 dS/m compared to control plants at 120 DATI, respectively. By increasing saliniy 0 to 12 dS/m, the chlorophyll (the photosynthetic pigment) and carbohydrate (the photosynthetic product) content decreased, but increased the level of proline (an amino acid) and total phenol content (an antioxidant) in different days. The highest accumulation of free proline and total phenol content was recorded in 10 dS/m treatment and it was 77% and 59% greater than control plant, respectively. These findings suggest that though growth and biochemical parameters of neem were affected by salt stress, but all the plants survived in different salinity levels. Among all different salinity levels, neem can performed better up to 10 dS/m salinity level could be due to better antioxidant system of neem to cope up with oxidative damage to stressed plants.
The Effect of Surface Temperature and Salinity of Ocean Water on Carbon Dioxi...Vignesh Rajmohan
The varying temperatures and salinities of ocean water from around the world might play a role in the amount of CO2 that can be absorbed by that part of the ocean. If patterns could be found to those amounts and the carbon dioxide dissolution limit, then one could create a diagram of the world’s oceans and display where the most carbon dioxide could be absorbed, which also leads to where the most damage will be caused because of the maximum amount of ocean acidification. To test this question, solutions with various salinities (28, 34 and 38 ppt) were prepared. Dry ice was added to the solutions to find the maximum CO2 dissolution by identifying or measuring the pH using the pH indicator. Then the acidic solution was neutralized using baking soda and weighed to quantify the amount of baking soda dissolved. Then those steps are repeated at these temperatures (40, 57, 70 and 80 F) for each salinity to understand the dependency of temperature. Then using the data, plots are made to locate the maximum acidification by carbon dioxide in the oceans of the world. In general, the results stated that as salinity rises, the amount of carbon dioxide that can be absorbed by the ocean rises. As the temperature reaches a medium temperature at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the ocean water reaches its highest absorption potential. As temperatures get farther away from about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the carbon dioxide absorption potential decreases.
The document summarizes research on the biodegradation kinetics of three nitrogen-substituted naphthalenes (1-aminonaphthalene, 2-aminonaphthalene, and 1-amino-2-methylnaphthalene) under aerobic conditions in flooded soil. The researchers found that mineralization of the compounds proceeded in two phases - an initial fast phase followed by a slower second phase. Sorption of the compounds onto the soil followed hyperbolic isotherms described by the Langmuir model. Initial mineralization rates obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics and were directly proportional to aqueous concentrations, reaching a maximum at 100 μg/g soil slurry. The second phase mineralization rates were
Phosphate and nitrate removal from aqueous solution by carbonated and uncarbo...Alexander Decker
This study investigated the potential for using Monodora myristica shell to remove phosphate and nitrate from wastewater. Four types of shells were tested: untreated raw, treated raw, untreated carbonated, and treated carbonated. The shells were added to solutions containing phosphate and nitrate at concentrations of 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. The solutions were tested over 5 hours. The results showed the shells had no ability to remove phosphate. However, they were effective at removing nitrate, with the untreated carbonated shell achieving the greatest reduction from 231 mg/L to 28.57 mg/L using 10% shell concentration after 3 hours. In general, higher shell concentrations produced better nitrate removal.
Water activity is the moisture content of the food which is available for microbial growth.By controlling water activity the food can be preserved for longer duration
The document summarizes a study that investigated the tolerance of various fungal strains isolated from soils irrigated with industrial wastewater in Faisalabad, Pakistan towards heavy metals chromium and lead. The study found that the growth rate of the fungal isolates decreased with increasing concentrations of chromium and lead. Some isolates were tolerant, some were moderately tolerant, and some were sensitive to the metal concentrations tested. The most tolerant isolates included some strains of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium. These tolerant isolates could potentially be used for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites in the future.
In order to assessing whether algae can reduce the pollution concentration of the effluents by
absorbing the nutrients, it is found that effluents can effectively be treated by employing algal organisisms such
as Oscillatoria and Stigeoclonium species and these organisms are frequently found in the polluted waters and
they were recorded as pollution tolerant forms. In the laboratory procedures out of the several media tested
Modified CHU No. 10 medium was found to be quite suitable for both the test organisms. It was found that up to
87% and 85% of phosphate uptake was achieved by Oscillatoria and Stigeoclonium respectively with 13% and
16% increase of D.O. in the effluents by the tenth day. In case of organic matter Oscillatoria removed 73% and
Stigeoclonium 70% up to tenth day
This document summarizes a study that analyzed the tolerance potential of different Aspergillus species to heavy metals. Soil samples were collected from agricultural areas irrigated with contaminated water near Kasur, Pakistan. Fungi were isolated from the soil and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus. The tolerance of these fungi was tested by measuring growth in the presence of varying concentrations of chromium and lead. Results showed variation in tolerance levels between fungal isolates, with some being tolerant, moderately tolerant, or sensitive. The soil was also analyzed to determine heavy metal contamination levels.
Agricultural and food chemistry sudeb mandal acsDr Sudeb Mandal
Photo-degradation of Hexythiazox in Different Solvent Systems under the Influence of Ultraviolet Light and Sunlight in the Presence of TiO2, H2O2, and KNO3 and Identification of the photo-metabolites
ABSTRACT- Laccase is multicopper oxidases that are widely distributed among plants, insects, fungi and bacteria. Pollution increased with the
time day by day, laccase is an oxido-reductase which plays a significant role in remediation. These enzyme catalyze and one-electron oxidation of a
wide variety of organic and inorganic substrate including mono-, di-, and poly-phenols, amino-phenols, metho-oxyphenols, aromatic amines, and
ascorbate, with the concomitant four electron reduction of oxygen to water. Present study on their use in several industrial application, includes dye
decolorization, detoxification of environmental pollutants and revalorization of waste and waste water etc. this review helps to understand the properties
of these improvement enzymes for efficient utilization for its biotechnological and environmental applications. Now we provide a brief discussion
of this interesting group of enzymes, increase knowledge of which will promote laccase based industrial process in future.
Keywords: Laccase, Biodegradation, Bioremediation and Dye decolorization
Effect of temperature, time, and material thickness on the dehydration proces...fstdesk.com
This research article studied the effect of temperature, time, and thickness on the dehydration process of tomatoes. Experiments were conducted drying tomato slices at different temperatures and times. Mathematical models were developed to predict mass loss during drying based on temperature and time. The optimal drying conditions were found to be 60°C, with the lowest thickness level, and shorter drying time, in order to avoid losses and maintain product quality during dehydration.
This document summarizes a study that investigated the effect of moisture content on the preservation of chemically pretreated and canned tomato puree over eight months. Three samples (A, B, C) were concentrated to different solid content levels via evaporation and preserved using sodium meta-bisulphite. Sample C, with the highest moisture content of 90.63% and lowest solid content of 9.37%, showed no bacterial growth, color change, or decrease in weight over eight months. Samples A and B showed color changes from red to brown and significant decreases in weight. The study found sample C's moisture content and pH levels provided the best conditions for long-term preservation without quality deterioration.
Applications of Ultrasound to modify and dried fruitsPoojaHorti
This document discusses applications of ultrasound to modify and improve dried fruits. It begins with definitions of ultrasound and discusses fruits that are suitable for drying. It explains that ultrasound drying can reduce energy consumption and drying times for fruits compared to conventional drying methods. Various ultrasound drying methods are described, including ultrasound-assisted convective drying, osmotic dehydration, vacuum drying, and freeze drying. Case studies demonstrate how ultrasound pretreatments and drying can increase the drying rate of fruits like strawberries, improve the quality of dried fruits, and retain polyphenols in apples. The conclusion is that ultrasound is effective for accelerating fruit drying processes and maintaining fruit quality compared to conventional drying.
The document summarizes a study that examined the effect of salt stress on the total lipid composition of two banana varieties: dwarf and tall. The study found that salt stress influenced the lipid composition differently between the two varieties. For the dwarf variety, triglyceride and diglyceride levels were not affected by increasing salt concentration, but monoglycerides and free fatty acids were more influenced. For the tall variety, triglycerides were absent even in control plants not exposed to salt stress, and membrane lipids seemed less affected than in the dwarf variety. The results indicate that the lipid composition of the tall variety is less sensitive to salt stress than the dwarf variety.
Water activity is a measure of available moisture in a food and is defined as the ratio of the water vapor pressure of the substance to the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Foods with a water activity greater than 0.95 are at risk for microbial growth. Water activity can be reduced through methods like drying, canning, freezing to control spoilage and extend shelf life of foods.
Water activity is a measure of available moisture in a food and is defined as the ratio of the water vapor pressure of the substance to the vapor pressure of pure water at the same temperature. Microbial growth and food spoilage is prevented when water activity is below 0.95. Various methods are used to control water activity and preserve foods, including drying, canning, freezing, and adding solutes or salt which lower available moisture content.
Effect of Temperature and Moisture on Degradation of Herbicide Atrazine in Ag...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
Abstract— Degradation rate and degraded products, deethylatrazine (DEA), deisopropylatrazine (DIA) and atrazine-2-hydroxy (HA), of herbicide atrazine in agricultural soil were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. When treating soils for 60d at 25°C, the degradation rate of atrazine increased with the moisture from 5 to 20%. The degradation was fitted one-order kinetic equation and degradation rate constant (k) and Half-life (T1/2) were obtained. T1/2 decreased by 3–4 folds with the increasing temperature from 5 to 35°C and moisture from 5 to 20%. The species and content of the degraded products increased with the temperature and moisture. When treating soil for 60d, the sum content of three degraded products, DEA, DIA and HA is 3–6.8 times greater than atrazine residue. An updated metabolism pathway of atrazine in soil was presented.
BIODEGRADATION OF GASOIL BY FUNGAL ISOLATES FROM PETROLEUM CONTAMINATED SOILS AL-kitab university -IRAQ
This document summarizes a study on the biodegradation of gasoil (diesel) by fungal isolates from petroleum contaminated soils. Two fungal strains, Aspergillus sp. and Alternaria sp., were isolated from diesel polluted soils in Ramadi, Iraq. These strains were grown in media containing varying concentrations of diesel (0.5-5%) and incubated for 14 days. Biodegradation was assessed using gas chromatography. Results showed the fungal isolates were able to degrade components of diesel over time, with shorter chain compounds (C9) degraded most and concentrations of longer chains (C16, C17, C21) decreasing. Alternaria sp. showed slightly higher degradation ability than Asperg
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Fungi (Candida Tropicalis and Aspergillus ...IJEABJ
Used engine oil is a petroleum or synthetic oil that has been used and as a result of such use, is contaminated by physical and chemical pollutants. These pollutants are harmful to humans, animals and plants following exposure. Evaluation of the effectiveness of fungi in bioremediation of used engine oil (UEO) contaminated soil was investigated. Fungi were isolated from soil samples obtained from automobile workshops in Mgbuka-Nkpor, Nigeria. The isolates were screened for UEO biodegradation potentials in mineral salt broth. They were identified using the cultural and microscopic characteristics and confirmed using the 18SrRNA gene sequence. The effectiveness of the isolates in bioremediation of UEO contaminated soil was also investigated using bioaugmentation technique. A total of 8 fungal isolates were obtained from this study. Two that showed the highest extent of biodegradation of UEO in the screen flasks were identified and confirmed as Candida tropicalis and Aspergillus clavatus. At the end of the experimental period, oil contaminated soil inoculated with the mixed culture of the isolates (C. tropicalis and A. clavatus) showed the highest reduction in concentration of UEO (95.42%). Higher biodegradation rate and shorter half-life of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) was observed in soil microcosm containing the isolates, when compared to the uninoculated control. Therefore fungi such as C. tropicalis and A. clavatus isolated from automobile workshops can facilitate the bioremediation of UEO contaminated soil.
This study investigated the effects of different bulking agents (newspaper vs onion peels), waste load sizes (2 kg vs 6 kg), and use of a starter culture on kitchen waste composting. The composting was conducted in parallel using two in-vessel systems over 30 days. Onion peels were found to produce mature compost faster than newspaper, with a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 10 achieved within 16 days. A smaller 2 kg waste load size resulted in composting completion in half the time compared to the 6 kg load size. Adding a starter culture of various bacteria and fungi did not accelerate the composting process compared to the control without starter culture.
Enzymes activity and content of antioxidants in leaves of halophytes from sal...Innspub Net
The purpose of the given study was to investigate characteristics of antioxidant system and other biochemical indices of some salt resistans species growing on saline soils of Georgia. Activity of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) and nitrate reductase, also low molecular antioxidants (proline, ascorbic acid, soluble phenols, anthocyanins and carotenoids), and of content of total proteins, chlorophylls, and soluble carbohydrates has been investigated in leaves of salt resistnt plants-Salsola soda L.-opposite-leaved saltworth, Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.-salt cedar, Chenopodium album L.-goosefoot, Artemisia lerchiana (Web.)-sagebrush, Achillea biebersteinii (Afan.)-allheal and Adonis bienertii (Butkov ex Riedl.)-pheasant's eye-growing coastwise and in surroundings of Kumisi Lake (East Georgia, lower Kartli), in order to study the influence of salinization level on the studied parameters. Spectrophotometrical, gazometrical and titration methods has been used for investigations. Increase of salinity induced activation of peroxidase, rise of proline and total proteins content in leaves of eu-and crynohalophytes (saltworth, goosefoot, salt cedar). Activation of catalase and peroxidase, also increase of the content of anthocyanins, phenols, total proteins and soluble carbohydrates was mentioned in leaves of glyco halophytes (sagebrush, allheal, peasant's eye) under the same conditions. Activation of peroxidase and increase of the content of total proteins seemed to be the uniting mechanism for adaptation to high level salinization among the studied species..
— The present study was conducted to evaluate the plant growth, physiological and biochemical changes of neem under different salinity levels (4, 8, 10 and 12 dS/m) which have multipurpose use in agroforestry. Growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate, proline and total phenol were investigated 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after treatment imposition. The results revealed that salinity caused significant differences in all the growth parameters and the maximum reduction were observed when plants were exposed to high salinity (12 dS/m) level and minimum were in control treatments. It was found that total dry matter and relative water content were reduced 72% and 40% in 12 dS/m compared to control plants at 120 DATI, respectively. By increasing saliniy 0 to 12 dS/m, the chlorophyll (the photosynthetic pigment) and carbohydrate (the photosynthetic product) content decreased, but increased the level of proline (an amino acid) and total phenol content (an antioxidant) in different days. The highest accumulation of free proline and total phenol content was recorded in 10 dS/m treatment and it was 77% and 59% greater than control plant, respectively. These findings suggest that though growth and biochemical parameters of neem were affected by salt stress, but all the plants survived in different salinity levels. Among all different salinity levels, neem can performed better up to 10 dS/m salinity level could be due to better antioxidant system of neem to cope up with oxidative damage to stressed plants.
The Effect of Surface Temperature and Salinity of Ocean Water on Carbon Dioxi...Vignesh Rajmohan
The varying temperatures and salinities of ocean water from around the world might play a role in the amount of CO2 that can be absorbed by that part of the ocean. If patterns could be found to those amounts and the carbon dioxide dissolution limit, then one could create a diagram of the world’s oceans and display where the most carbon dioxide could be absorbed, which also leads to where the most damage will be caused because of the maximum amount of ocean acidification. To test this question, solutions with various salinities (28, 34 and 38 ppt) were prepared. Dry ice was added to the solutions to find the maximum CO2 dissolution by identifying or measuring the pH using the pH indicator. Then the acidic solution was neutralized using baking soda and weighed to quantify the amount of baking soda dissolved. Then those steps are repeated at these temperatures (40, 57, 70 and 80 F) for each salinity to understand the dependency of temperature. Then using the data, plots are made to locate the maximum acidification by carbon dioxide in the oceans of the world. In general, the results stated that as salinity rises, the amount of carbon dioxide that can be absorbed by the ocean rises. As the temperature reaches a medium temperature at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the ocean water reaches its highest absorption potential. As temperatures get farther away from about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the carbon dioxide absorption potential decreases.
The document summarizes research on the biodegradation kinetics of three nitrogen-substituted naphthalenes (1-aminonaphthalene, 2-aminonaphthalene, and 1-amino-2-methylnaphthalene) under aerobic conditions in flooded soil. The researchers found that mineralization of the compounds proceeded in two phases - an initial fast phase followed by a slower second phase. Sorption of the compounds onto the soil followed hyperbolic isotherms described by the Langmuir model. Initial mineralization rates obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics and were directly proportional to aqueous concentrations, reaching a maximum at 100 μg/g soil slurry. The second phase mineralization rates were
Phosphate and nitrate removal from aqueous solution by carbonated and uncarbo...Alexander Decker
This study investigated the potential for using Monodora myristica shell to remove phosphate and nitrate from wastewater. Four types of shells were tested: untreated raw, treated raw, untreated carbonated, and treated carbonated. The shells were added to solutions containing phosphate and nitrate at concentrations of 2.5%, 5%, and 10%. The solutions were tested over 5 hours. The results showed the shells had no ability to remove phosphate. However, they were effective at removing nitrate, with the untreated carbonated shell achieving the greatest reduction from 231 mg/L to 28.57 mg/L using 10% shell concentration after 3 hours. In general, higher shell concentrations produced better nitrate removal.
Water activity is the moisture content of the food which is available for microbial growth.By controlling water activity the food can be preserved for longer duration
The document summarizes a study that investigated the tolerance of various fungal strains isolated from soils irrigated with industrial wastewater in Faisalabad, Pakistan towards heavy metals chromium and lead. The study found that the growth rate of the fungal isolates decreased with increasing concentrations of chromium and lead. Some isolates were tolerant, some were moderately tolerant, and some were sensitive to the metal concentrations tested. The most tolerant isolates included some strains of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium. These tolerant isolates could potentially be used for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites in the future.
In order to assessing whether algae can reduce the pollution concentration of the effluents by
absorbing the nutrients, it is found that effluents can effectively be treated by employing algal organisisms such
as Oscillatoria and Stigeoclonium species and these organisms are frequently found in the polluted waters and
they were recorded as pollution tolerant forms. In the laboratory procedures out of the several media tested
Modified CHU No. 10 medium was found to be quite suitable for both the test organisms. It was found that up to
87% and 85% of phosphate uptake was achieved by Oscillatoria and Stigeoclonium respectively with 13% and
16% increase of D.O. in the effluents by the tenth day. In case of organic matter Oscillatoria removed 73% and
Stigeoclonium 70% up to tenth day
This document summarizes a study that analyzed the tolerance potential of different Aspergillus species to heavy metals. Soil samples were collected from agricultural areas irrigated with contaminated water near Kasur, Pakistan. Fungi were isolated from the soil and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus. The tolerance of these fungi was tested by measuring growth in the presence of varying concentrations of chromium and lead. Results showed variation in tolerance levels between fungal isolates, with some being tolerant, moderately tolerant, or sensitive. The soil was also analyzed to determine heavy metal contamination levels.
Agricultural and food chemistry sudeb mandal acsDr Sudeb Mandal
Photo-degradation of Hexythiazox in Different Solvent Systems under the Influence of Ultraviolet Light and Sunlight in the Presence of TiO2, H2O2, and KNO3 and Identification of the photo-metabolites
ABSTRACT- Laccase is multicopper oxidases that are widely distributed among plants, insects, fungi and bacteria. Pollution increased with the
time day by day, laccase is an oxido-reductase which plays a significant role in remediation. These enzyme catalyze and one-electron oxidation of a
wide variety of organic and inorganic substrate including mono-, di-, and poly-phenols, amino-phenols, metho-oxyphenols, aromatic amines, and
ascorbate, with the concomitant four electron reduction of oxygen to water. Present study on their use in several industrial application, includes dye
decolorization, detoxification of environmental pollutants and revalorization of waste and waste water etc. this review helps to understand the properties
of these improvement enzymes for efficient utilization for its biotechnological and environmental applications. Now we provide a brief discussion
of this interesting group of enzymes, increase knowledge of which will promote laccase based industrial process in future.
Keywords: Laccase, Biodegradation, Bioremediation and Dye decolorization
Effect of temperature, time, and material thickness on the dehydration proces...fstdesk.com
This research article studied the effect of temperature, time, and thickness on the dehydration process of tomatoes. Experiments were conducted drying tomato slices at different temperatures and times. Mathematical models were developed to predict mass loss during drying based on temperature and time. The optimal drying conditions were found to be 60°C, with the lowest thickness level, and shorter drying time, in order to avoid losses and maintain product quality during dehydration.
This document summarizes a study that investigated the effect of moisture content on the preservation of chemically pretreated and canned tomato puree over eight months. Three samples (A, B, C) were concentrated to different solid content levels via evaporation and preserved using sodium meta-bisulphite. Sample C, with the highest moisture content of 90.63% and lowest solid content of 9.37%, showed no bacterial growth, color change, or decrease in weight over eight months. Samples A and B showed color changes from red to brown and significant decreases in weight. The study found sample C's moisture content and pH levels provided the best conditions for long-term preservation without quality deterioration.
Applications of Ultrasound to modify and dried fruitsPoojaHorti
This document discusses applications of ultrasound to modify and improve dried fruits. It begins with definitions of ultrasound and discusses fruits that are suitable for drying. It explains that ultrasound drying can reduce energy consumption and drying times for fruits compared to conventional drying methods. Various ultrasound drying methods are described, including ultrasound-assisted convective drying, osmotic dehydration, vacuum drying, and freeze drying. Case studies demonstrate how ultrasound pretreatments and drying can increase the drying rate of fruits like strawberries, improve the quality of dried fruits, and retain polyphenols in apples. The conclusion is that ultrasound is effective for accelerating fruit drying processes and maintaining fruit quality compared to conventional drying.
Its about use of Osmotic dehydration in food processing, its principle, factors affecting OD, advantages and disadvantages of OD process, impact of OD on quality properties of fruits
Optimization of some mineral contents of dried osmo-pretreated green bell pep...AZOJETE UNIMAID
A study to optimize three mineral contents (magnesium, potassium and manganese) of dried osmo-pretreated green bell pepper was done using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Five levels of osmotic solution concentration (A) (5% (w/w), 10% (w/w), 15% (w/w), 20% (w/w) and 25% (w/w)) of common salt and osmotic process durations (B) (60 min, 90 min, 120 min, 150 min and 180 min) were considered. After osmotic dehydration, all pre-treated and some control (unpre-treated) samples were dried at a constant temperature of 50˚C in a fabricated cabinet dryer. RSM under central composite design in Design Expert 8.0.3 computer software package was used to design the experiment, analyse data, optimize the process and present all results with 2-dimesional and 3-dimensional plots. From results obtained, optimized combinations were selected on the basis of their desirability values which were 0.931, 0.432 and 1.00 for magnesium, potassium and manganese respectively. From the desirability values on the response surface plots, the optimum (maximum) value of magnesium was found to be 29.18 mg/100g at osmotic process duration of 180 min and osmotic solution concentration of 25% (w/w); for potassium, the optimized value was 46.13 mg/100g at osmotic process duration of 60 min and osmotic solution concentration of 5% (w/w); while the optimized value for manganese was 10.96 mg/100g at osmotic process duration of 150 min and osmotic solution concentration of 15% (w/w). Dried pre-treated products had values closer to fresh samples than control (dried unpre-treated) samples for all the three mineral contents considered.
Influence of varietal difference on qualities of osmosized tomato in the sout...Alexander Decker
This study investigated the effect of varietal difference on the qualities of osmosized tomato. Three tomato varieties (Ibadan-Local, Roma-VF, and Koledowo) were subjected to osmotic pretreatment in solutions with varying sugar, salt, temperature, and time. Water loss and solid gain were measured. Results showed that water loss and solid gain varied between varieties due to genetic differences. Ibadan-Local generally had the highest water loss, while Koledowo's thick skin impeded moisture migration. A pretreatment of 45g sugar, 15g salt, 50°C was found to produce the highest water loss, lowest solid gain, and best qualities for drying and storage. Vari
Influence of varietal difference on qualities of osmosized tomato in the sout...Alexander Decker
This document discusses a study that investigated the effect of varietal differences on the qualities of osmotically dehydrated tomatoes in Southwestern Nigeria. Three common tomato varieties (Ibadan-Local, Roma-VF, and Koledowo) were subjected to osmotic pretreatment using sugar and salt solutions under varying conditions. The water loss and solid gain of the varieties were measured and statistically analyzed to determine the effect of variables like solution concentration, temperature, and time. The results showed that varietal differences significantly impacted the water loss and solid gain, with Koledowo variety having the lowest values due to its thicker skin restricting moisture migration. The study aimed to identify pretreatment conditions that optimize qualities for different varieties
Study On dehydration of Papaya Slices Using Osmotic Dehydration Mediated Hot ...iosrjce
This document summarizes a study on the dehydration of papaya slices using osmotic dehydration mediated by hot air oven drying. Papaya slices were treated with sucrose solutions at concentrations of 50, 55, and 60°Brix at 50°C for 30 minutes, then dried in an oven at 70°C. Treating slices with 60°Brix sucrose solution resulted in better rehydration properties, texture, color, and taste compared to lower concentrations. Various quality attributes of the treated slices were evaluated including moisture content, rehydration ratio, proximate analysis, sensory evaluation, and microbiological analysis. The results showed that osmotic pretreatment followed by drying helped preserve nutrients and sensory qualities of the
This study evaluated the effects of ultrasound pretreatment on osmotic dehydration of mango cubes. Mangoes were cut into cubes and some samples received ultrasound pretreatment before being subjected to osmotic dehydration in a 45° Brix sucrose solution at 65°C. Samples were analyzed for water loss, solid gain, and effective diffusion coefficients over time. Results showed that ultrasound pretreatment increased water loss, solid gain, and the effective diffusivity of water and solids compared to samples without pretreatment. Modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry was also used to characterize changes in the food matrix, such as increases in glass transition temperature, with decreasing moisture content.
EFFECT OF HEAT SHOCK TREATMENT AND ALOE VERA COATING TO CHILLING INJURY SYMTO...Repository Ipb
This summarizes a document about the effect of heat shock treatment and aloe vera coating on chilling injury symptoms in tomatoes. The study found that both heat shock treatment and aloe vera coating were effective at reducing chilling injury symptoms at lower storage temperatures (5C), as seen through reduced ion leakage. Heat shock treatment for 20 minutes was the most effective at reducing ion leakage and delaying the climacteric peak compared to longer heat shock times. Both treatments and lower storage temperatures significantly affected tomato quality parameters like weight loss, solid soluble content, and firmness, but there were no significant differences between the individual treatments.
1. Degreening is a process used to accelerate color change in citrus fruits from green to orange/yellow by treating them with low concentrations of ethylene gas. This makes the fruits more visually appealing and marketable.
2. Ethylene causes chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid accumulation, changing the fruit color. Optimal conditions for degreening acid lime include temperatures around 25°C, humidity above 80%, and ethylene concentrations between 5-15 ppm applied in pulses.
3. Degreening acid lime increases respiration and juice content while decreasing firmness, acidity, and vitamin C over time in storage. It improves color development and storage shelf life if done properly.
This document summarizes a study that evaluated the effectiveness of a charcoal evaporative cooler (CEC) for storing dwarf ger marglobe tomato fruits compared to storage in a household fridge (HHF) and at room temperature as a control. Thirty-six tomato fruits were divided among the three storage methods. The CEC maintained the lowest weight loss, decay severity, and color changes in the fruits compared to the HHF and control over a 10-day storage period. Sensory evaluation also found the fruits stored in the CEC had the highest acceptability ratings. The results suggest the CEC is effective at extending the shelf life of tomatoes and could be adopted by small farmers and households.
This document summarizes a study that investigated the effects of different home storage conditions and preservation techniques on the chemical constituents of tomatoes. Tomatoes were subjected to three post-harvest treatments: without preservative (control), preserved with groundnut oil, and preserved with salt. The samples were then stored under different conditions for 8 weeks. Chemical analyses found that the total soluble solids, insoluble solids, pH, sugar, salt, ascorbic acid and ash contents decreased in fresh and dehydrated samples over time, while acidity increased. Powdered tomato samples maintained their chemical constituents best over the 8-week period. The results suggest that powdering is an effective preservation technique worthy of further investigation.
Effects of Different Home Storage Conditions and Preservation on Some Chemica...IOSR Journals
This document summarizes a study that investigated the effects of different home storage conditions and preservation techniques on the chemical constituents of tomatoes. Tomatoes were subjected to three post-harvest treatments: without preservative (control), preserved with groundnut oil, and preserved with salt. The samples were then stored under different conditions for 8 weeks. Chemical analyses found that the total soluble solids, insoluble solids, pH, sugar, salt, ascorbic acid and ash contents decreased in fresh and dehydrated samples over time, while acidity increased. Powdered tomato samples maintained their chemical constituents best over the 8-week period. The results suggest that powdering is an effective preservation technique worthy of further investigation.
This document discusses the use of ultrasound in fruit drying. It begins by explaining the need for efficient food preservation methods. Ultrasound-assisted drying has benefits over traditional drying like lower energy use and faster drying times while maintaining quality. Various ultrasound-assisted drying methods are described, including convective, osmotic, vacuum, and freeze drying. The document concludes that ultrasound is an effective tool for food processing and preservation, though more research is still needed to fully understand its effects on fruits.
CHEMICAL PROCESSING OF YAM AND POTATO FOR STORAGE PURPOSES.pptxOKORIE1
THE OPTIMIZATION AND CHEMICAL PROCESSING OF YAM AND POTATO IS REQUIRED SO AS TO ENSURE THE SAFE PRESERVATION OF THESE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. THIS HELPS IN THE UNITED NATIONS AGENDA FOR FOOD SUSTAINABILITY
This study evaluated different sanitation methods on the quality of fresh cherry and plum salad over 10 days of storage at 4°C. The fruit was minimally processed and packaged under modified atmosphere. Using UV-C radiation and 10g/L ascorbic acid (Treatment 2) was most effective in reducing microbial growth, maintaining antioxidant compounds and sensory quality compared to water (Control) or ascorbic acid alone. Treatment 2 reduced mesophilic bacteria by 1.15 log CFU/g and psychrotrophic bacteria by 1 log CFU/g versus the Control after 10 days. It also better preserved color, phenolic content, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity over time. This combinated treatment shows potential as an environment
Define the term post harvest ? What are effects of post harvest treatments ?Shahzadinida
Post harvest treatments encompass a range of practices applied to crops after harvesting to preserve quality and prolong shelf life. These methods include cleaning, sorting, cooling, packaging and storage among others.
ESPP presentation to EU Waste Water Network, 4th June 2024 “EU policies driving nutrient removal and recycling
and the revised UWWTD (Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive)”
Authoring a personal GPT for your research and practice: How we created the Q...Leonel Morgado
Thematic analysis in qualitative research is a time-consuming and systematic task, typically done using teams. Team members must ground their activities on common understandings of the major concepts underlying the thematic analysis, and define criteria for its development. However, conceptual misunderstandings, equivocations, and lack of adherence to criteria are challenges to the quality and speed of this process. Given the distributed and uncertain nature of this process, we wondered if the tasks in thematic analysis could be supported by readily available artificial intelligence chatbots. Our early efforts point to potential benefits: not just saving time in the coding process but better adherence to criteria and grounding, by increasing triangulation between humans and artificial intelligence. This tutorial will provide a description and demonstration of the process we followed, as two academic researchers, to develop a custom ChatGPT to assist with qualitative coding in the thematic data analysis process of immersive learning accounts in a survey of the academic literature: QUAL-E Immersive Learning Thematic Analysis Helper. In the hands-on time, participants will try out QUAL-E and develop their ideas for their own qualitative coding ChatGPT. Participants that have the paid ChatGPT Plus subscription can create a draft of their assistants. The organizers will provide course materials and slide deck that participants will be able to utilize to continue development of their custom GPT. The paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus is not required to participate in this workshop, just for trying out personal GPTs during it.
Travis Hills' Endeavors in Minnesota: Fostering Environmental and Economic Pr...Travis Hills MN
Travis Hills of Minnesota developed a method to convert waste into high-value dry fertilizer, significantly enriching soil quality. By providing farmers with a valuable resource derived from waste, Travis Hills helps enhance farm profitability while promoting environmental stewardship. Travis Hills' sustainable practices lead to cost savings and increased revenue for farmers by improving resource efficiency and reducing waste.
Current Ms word generated power point presentation covers major details about the micronuclei test. It's significance and assays to conduct it. It is used to detect the micronuclei formation inside the cells of nearly every multicellular organism. It's formation takes place during chromosomal sepration at metaphase.
hematic appreciation test is a psychological assessment tool used to measure an individual's appreciation and understanding of specific themes or topics. This test helps to evaluate an individual's ability to connect different ideas and concepts within a given theme, as well as their overall comprehension and interpretation skills. The results of the test can provide valuable insights into an individual's cognitive abilities, creativity, and critical thinking skills
The ability to recreate computational results with minimal effort and actionable metrics provides a solid foundation for scientific research and software development. When people can replicate an analysis at the touch of a button using open-source software, open data, and methods to assess and compare proposals, it significantly eases verification of results, engagement with a diverse range of contributors, and progress. However, we have yet to fully achieve this; there are still many sociotechnical frictions.
Inspired by David Donoho's vision, this talk aims to revisit the three crucial pillars of frictionless reproducibility (data sharing, code sharing, and competitive challenges) with the perspective of deep software variability.
Our observation is that multiple layers — hardware, operating systems, third-party libraries, software versions, input data, compile-time options, and parameters — are subject to variability that exacerbates frictions but is also essential for achieving robust, generalizable results and fostering innovation. I will first review the literature, providing evidence of how the complex variability interactions across these layers affect qualitative and quantitative software properties, thereby complicating the reproduction and replication of scientific studies in various fields.
I will then present some software engineering and AI techniques that can support the strategic exploration of variability spaces. These include the use of abstractions and models (e.g., feature models), sampling strategies (e.g., uniform, random), cost-effective measurements (e.g., incremental build of software configurations), and dimensionality reduction methods (e.g., transfer learning, feature selection, software debloating).
I will finally argue that deep variability is both the problem and solution of frictionless reproducibility, calling the software science community to develop new methods and tools to manage variability and foster reproducibility in software systems.
Exposé invité Journées Nationales du GDR GPL 2024
Unlocking the mysteries of reproduction: Exploring fecundity and gonadosomati...AbdullaAlAsif1
The pygmy halfbeak Dermogenys colletei, is known for its viviparous nature, this presents an intriguing case of relatively low fecundity, raising questions about potential compensatory reproductive strategies employed by this species. Our study delves into the examination of fecundity and the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) in the Pygmy Halfbeak, D. colletei (Meisner, 2001), an intriguing viviparous fish indigenous to Sarawak, Borneo. We hypothesize that the Pygmy halfbeak, D. colletei, may exhibit unique reproductive adaptations to offset its low fecundity, thus enhancing its survival and fitness. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive study utilizing 28 mature female specimens of D. colletei, carefully measuring fecundity and GSI to shed light on the reproductive adaptations of this species. Our findings reveal that D. colletei indeed exhibits low fecundity, with a mean of 16.76 ± 2.01, and a mean GSI of 12.83 ± 1.27, providing crucial insights into the reproductive mechanisms at play in this species. These results underscore the existence of unique reproductive strategies in D. colletei, enabling its adaptation and persistence in Borneo's diverse aquatic ecosystems, and call for further ecological research to elucidate these mechanisms. This study lends to a better understanding of viviparous fish in Borneo and contributes to the broader field of aquatic ecology, enhancing our knowledge of species adaptations to unique ecological challenges.
The technology uses reclaimed CO₂ as the dyeing medium in a closed loop process. When pressurized, CO₂ becomes supercritical (SC-CO₂). In this state CO₂ has a very high solvent power, allowing the dye to dissolve easily.
Describing and Interpreting an Immersive Learning Case with the Immersion Cub...Leonel Morgado
Current descriptions of immersive learning cases are often difficult or impossible to compare. This is due to a myriad of different options on what details to include, which aspects are relevant, and on the descriptive approaches employed. Also, these aspects often combine very specific details with more general guidelines or indicate intents and rationales without clarifying their implementation. In this paper we provide a method to describe immersive learning cases that is structured to enable comparisons, yet flexible enough to allow researchers and practitioners to decide which aspects to include. This method leverages a taxonomy that classifies educational aspects at three levels (uses, practices, and strategies) and then utilizes two frameworks, the Immersive Learning Brain and the Immersion Cube, to enable a structured description and interpretation of immersive learning cases. The method is then demonstrated on a published immersive learning case on training for wind turbine maintenance using virtual reality. Applying the method results in a structured artifact, the Immersive Learning Case Sheet, that tags the case with its proximal uses, practices, and strategies, and refines the free text case description to ensure that matching details are included. This contribution is thus a case description method in support of future comparative research of immersive learning cases. We then discuss how the resulting description and interpretation can be leveraged to change immersion learning cases, by enriching them (considering low-effort changes or additions) or innovating (exploring more challenging avenues of transformation). The method holds significant promise to support better-grounded research in immersive learning.
The debris of the ‘last major merger’ is dynamically youngSérgio Sacani
The Milky Way’s (MW) inner stellar halo contains an [Fe/H]-rich component with highly eccentric orbits, often referred to as the
‘last major merger.’ Hypotheses for the origin of this component include Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE), where the progenitor
collided with the MW proto-disc 8–11 Gyr ago, and the Virgo Radial Merger (VRM), where the progenitor collided with the
MW disc within the last 3 Gyr. These two scenarios make different predictions about observable structure in local phase space,
because the morphology of debris depends on how long it has had to phase mix. The recently identified phase-space folds in Gaia
DR3 have positive caustic velocities, making them fundamentally different than the phase-mixed chevrons found in simulations
at late times. Roughly 20 per cent of the stars in the prograde local stellar halo are associated with the observed caustics. Based
on a simple phase-mixing model, the observed number of caustics are consistent with a merger that occurred 1–2 Gyr ago.
We also compare the observed phase-space distribution to FIRE-2 Latte simulations of GSE-like mergers, using a quantitative
measurement of phase mixing (2D causticality). The observed local phase-space distribution best matches the simulated data
1–2 Gyr after collision, and certainly not later than 3 Gyr. This is further evidence that the progenitor of the ‘last major merger’
did not collide with the MW proto-disc at early times, as is thought for the GSE, but instead collided with the MW disc within
the last few Gyr, consistent with the body of work surrounding the VRM.
The debris of the ‘last major merger’ is dynamically young
Artículo científico
1. Ascorbic acid degradation kinetics in tomatoes at different
drying conditions
P.H.M. Marfil, E.M. Santos, V.R.N. Telis*
UNESP - Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 15054-000, S~ao Jose´ do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
Received 21 May 2007; received in revised form 25 October 2007; accepted 6 November 2007
Abstract
High temperatures and long drying times used in hot air drying can negatively affect the nutritional quality of the final product. It is generally
observed that, if ascorbic acid is well retained, other components are also well retained. Hence, ascorbic acid can be taken as an index of nutrient
quality of foods. The interest in dried tomato has increased since its use as ingredients for pizza and various vegetable and spicy dishes has
became popular. Tomatoes are usually dried in slices or halves, after seeds and parenchyma removal with a resulting large amount of wastes
and an important nutrient loss. The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of drying temperatures on ascorbic acid degradation
kinetics in caustic-peeled whole tomatoes (with or without osmotic pre-treatment) and in halved and drained tomatoes. The degradation rates
were dependent on samples treatment before drying, as well as on drying temperature. Lower degradation rates were observed in osmotically
pre-treated whole tomatoes, whereas higher degradation rates occurred in halved tomatoes. Increasing drying temperature led to higher
degradation rates.
Ó 2007 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Convective drying; Osmotic dehydration; Vitamin C; Weibull model
1. Introduction
The interest in dried tomato products is increasing since
their use as ingredients for pizza and various vegetable and
spicy dishes became popular. Nevertheless, high temperatures
and long drying times found in hot air drying can negatively
affect the nutritional quality of final product. An osmotic de-
hydration step prior to air drying of fruits and vegetables has
been suggested by a number of authors to yield good quality,
fully dehydrated or intermediate moisture products of im-
proved stability (Alvarez et al., 1995; Nieto, Salvatori, Castro,
& Alzamora, 1998; Nsonzi & Ramaswamy, 1998; Sankat,
Castaigne, & Maharaj, 1996).
Up to the present moment, drying of whole tomatoes has
not yet been the object of an intensive study. The only use
for whole tomatoes is in caustic peeling technique in canned
tomato. Azoubel and Murr (2004), Shi, Le Maguer, Wang,
and Liptay (1997) studied osmotic drying of whole tomatoes
without complete peeling. With the purpose of reducing resis-
tance to mass transfer, the authors punched small holes in
tomato skin with a needle, what would be impracticable in
industrial scale.
Shi et al. (1997) investigated the osmotic dehydration
of whole tomatoes submitted to chemical and physical pre-
treatments to increase skin permeability. Lewick, Le, and
Pomaran´ska-Lazuka (2002) studied the effect of calcium chlo-
ride and osmotic dehydration on the kinetics of tomato drying
and on product rehydration properties. In these studies the os-
motic dehydration was carried out in sucrose/water solutions,
but according to Bohuon, Collignan, Rios, and Raoult-Wack
(1998), the use of ternary sucrose/NaCl/water solutions present
some advantages in osmotic dehydration, such as higher levels
of dehydration without over-salting the product, as well as the
possibility of increasing the total solute concentration without
attaining the saturation limits. In fact, Telis, Murari, and
Yamashita (2004) showed that, during osmotic dehydration
of tomato quarters in sucrose/NaCl aqueous solutions, the
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ55 17 3221 2255.
E-mail address: vanianic@ibilce.unesp.br (V.R.N. Telis).
0023-6438/$34.00 Ó 2007 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2007.11.003
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1642e1647
www.elsevier.com/locate/lwt
2. NaCl diffusivities increased with decreasing sucrose concen-
tration, whereas sucrose diffusivities were higher when solu-
tions with lower NaCl concentrations were used, reinforcing
the interactive character of salt/sugar in osmotic dehydration.
In modern food technology, the trend is to maximize nutri-
ents retention during processing and storage. The increasing
interest in the antioxidant activity of lycopene e the most
abundant carotenoid in tomatoes e has been promoting several
research activities on fresh tomato and tomato products
(Chang, Lin, Chang, & Liu, 2006; Shi, Le Maguer, Kakuda,
Liptay, & Niekamp, 1999; Tavares & Rodriguez-Amaya,
1994). On the other hand, it is generally observed that, if
ascorbic acid is well retained, other nutrients are also well
retained. Hence, ascorbic acid can be taken as an index of
nutrient quality of foods (Gregory, 1996). Ascorbic acid is
known to be a labile vitamin that lose activity due to a number
of factors, including pH, moisture content, oxygen, tempera-
ture and metal ion catalysis (Uddin, Hawlader, & Zhou, 2001).
Several works concerning ascorbic acid degradation in
foods have suggested first order decay kinetics and the Bige-
low equation has been applied in modeling (Uddin, Hawlader,
Ding, & Mujumdar, 2002; Vieira, Teixeira, & Silva, 2001). It
is common to characterize first order reactions in terms of D
and z values (thermal death time concept). Singh and Lund
(1984) developed a mathematical model to describe the ascor-
bic acid degradation in stored apple as function of temperature
and water activity. Akinyele, Keshinro, and Akinnawo (1990)
investigated nutrient losses during and after processing of
pineapples and oranges and a number of authors studied vita-
min C degradation in various foodstuffs (Prado, Chandra, &
Bicalho, 1995; Vieira, Teixeira, & Silva, 2000; Yamashita,
Benassi, & Kieckbusch, 1999).
In drying process, the loss of ascorbic acid is affected spe-
cially by high temperatures. According to Zanoni, Peri, Nani,
and Lavelli (1999), degradation rate of vitamin C in tomatoes,
at 80 and 110
C, was dependent of temperature and moisture
and vitamin C was not detected in samples dried at 110
C to
50% of moisture. Nevertheless, these authors found a 10%
residue of vitamin C in samples dried at 80
C until 10% of
moisture. Erenturk, Gulaboglu, and Gultekin (2005) investi-
gated degradation kinetics of ascorbic acid during air drying
of whole rosehip. These authors found that temperature depen-
dency could be described by Arrhenius relationship, while the
activation energy and reaction rate constant could be determined
as functions of moisture content. Goula and Adamopoulos
(2006) determined a mathematical model for the rate of vitamin
C loss in a drying process of tomato halves and tomato pulp.
They observed that the reaction constant depended on moisture
content of the product, in addition to temperature. Furthermore,
the maximum rate constant was observed when the moisture
content was between 65 and 70%. These effects were expressed
by a linear relationship between temperature, moisture content
and natural logarithm of rate constant.
Tomatoes are usually dried in slices or in halves. In the last
case, seeds and parenchyma are removed and discarded with
a resulting large amount of wastes and an important nutrient
loss. Drying whole tomatoes, submitted to a chemical pre-
treatment in sodium hydroxide solution to withdraw the
skin, would be a feasible alternative to reduce the volume of
solid wastes, and could also contribute to decrease the rates
of nutrients loss, although with an important increase in or-
ganic and chemical pollution of wastewaters.
Based on the above considerations, the objective of this
work was to investigate the effects of drying temperatures
on ascorbic acid degradation kinetics in caustic-peeled whole
tomatoes (with or without osmotic pre-treatment in NaCl/
sucrose solution) and in halved and drained tomatoes, at the
same drying conditions.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Raw material
Ripe fresh tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) of
industrial, pear-shaped type were purchased at local market.
The fruits were sorted visually for color, size and physical
damage and rinsed in fresh water. Whole tomatoes were sub-
mitted to caustic peeling by immersion in a NaOH solution
(6 g NaOH/100 g solution) at 30
C for 30 min (Santos, Mar-
fil, Telis-Romero, Telis, 2005). Halved tomatoes were not
peeled but had seeds and parenchyma manually removed.
2.2. Osmotic treatment
Sucrose (food grade) and NaCl (analytical grade) dissolved
in distilled water were used as osmotic agents. Whole peeled
tomatoes were immersed in a NaCl/sucrose solution (10 g
NaCl/100 g solution and 35 g sucrose/100 g solution), for
60 min, at 30
C, maintaining a 1:10 (w/w) tomato/solution
ratio (Telis et al., 2004). The treated samples were drained
for 1 min, rinsed with fresh running water to withdraw excess
solution and slightly wiped with an absorbent paper.
2.3. Convective drying
Drying was accomplished with air velocity of 1 m/s, at 50,
60 and 70
C. In general, food is dried at 60
C, a temperature
level that provides sufficiently high rates of water removal and
results in products without excessive loss of nutrients and with
pleasant texture. The other temperatures were chosen in order
to deviate in Æ10
C from the central level.
The equipment was a pilot scale tray drier with parallel air-
flow, which consists of an airflow rate control system, a drying
air heating section and a drying chamber. Once the desired op-
eration conditions were achieved, the tomatoes were inserted
into the dryer cabinet. The initial moisture contents were
determined gravimetrically using a vacuum oven at 60
C
for 48 h, and drying kinetics was determined by weighing
samples at regular time intervals.
2.4. Ascorbic acid analysis
At regular time intervals, three tomatoes were removed
from the dryer, cut and grounded, and a sample of 25 g was
1643P.H.M. Marfil et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1642e1647
3. homogenized with 50 g of the extraction solution (2 g oxalic
acid/100 g solution). An aliquot of 20 g was taken and diluted
to 50 ml with the extraction solution in a volumetric flask and
then vacuum filtered. Aliquots of 10 ml of the filtrated were
taken for titration with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (0.01 g/
100 g solution). The titration end point was detected visually
and all analyses were conducted in duplicated (Benassi
Antunes, 1988).
In order to improve the uniformity of drying conditions of
all samples in the dryer, the drying tray was rotated at each
time that samples were removed from the tray to be subjected
to ascorbic acid analysis.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Drying kinetics
In the present work, the Page model (Eq. (1)) was used to
fit experimental data of moisture content versus drying time.
The parameters of the model were calculated by non-linear
regression ( p 0.05) and the results can be seen in Table 1.
The correlation coefficient (R2
) and the sum of squared resid-
uals, SSR (Eq. (2)), were considered to evaluate the quality of
fittings.
M ¼
X
X0
¼ expðÀktn
Þ ð1Þ
SSR ¼ S
ÀÀ
Mexp À Mpred
Á2Á
ð2Þ
In Eq. (1), M (dimensionless) is the ratio between the moisture
content at time t (X ) and the initial moisture content (X0), and
k and n are the Page drying coefficients, which determine the
precise shape of the drying curve. While neither of these pa-
rameters have a direct physical significance, empirical regres-
sion equations have been developed relating both parameters
to drying conditions and raw material moisture content (Hos-
sain Bala, 2002; Queiroz, Gabas, Telis, 2004; Wang,
2002).
As expected, results showed that temperature was the main
variable affecting drying kinetics. Higher drying temperatures
led to lower drying times necessary to attain certain moisture
content. The osmotic pre-treatment also contributed for de-
creasing drying times of whole peeled tomatoes (Table 1).
The parameter n in the Page model is a behavior index,
related to the dependence of drying rate on the drying time.
Table 1 shows that n values increased with drying temperature
and were higher for halved tomatoes. When n 1 the drying
rate increases with time and contributes to reducing the neces-
sary drying time.
3.2. Ascorbic acid degradation kinetics
The average vitamin C content of fresh, whole tomatoes
was of 4.00 Æ 0.30 mg ascorbic/g dry matter (that corresponds
to 20.5 Æ 3.5 mg ascorbic/100 g fresh matter), whereas after
caustic peeling, this content felt to 3.36 Æ 0.56 mg ascorbic/g
dry matter, representing a decrease of about 16.0% in the
nutrient content. On the other hand, the osmotic treatment
in NaCl/sucrose solutions caused additional degradation of as-
corbic acid, reducing its content to 2.19 Æ 0.24 mg ascorbic/g
dry matter: a decrease of 35.0% in relation to peeled tomatoes
non-submitted to osmotic treatment. Probably, the reduction
of ascorbic acid content observed during osmotic dehydration
is related to the extraction of vitamin C by the osmotic solu-
tion. Similar results were obtained by Abushita, Daood, and
Biacs (2000) when analyzing the content of this nutrient in
tomatoes. Sablani, Opara, and Al-Balushi (2006), using the
same analytical method in tomatoes soon after harvesting,
found values of about 28 mg ascorbic/100 g fresh matter.
These authors, studying the vitamin C loss during storage,
found that, after a week at 25
C, ascorbic acid content was
reduced to 22 mg/100 g fresh matter.
Toor and Savage (2005) determined the major antioxidants
and antioxidant activity in different fractions (skin, seeds and
pulp) of three tomato cultivars and observed that skin fraction
of all cultivars had significantly higher levels of ascorbic acid
than pulp and seed fractions. These authors pointed out that re-
moval of skin and seeds of tomatoes during home cooking and
processing results in a significant loss of major antioxidants,
since according to their results these parts of the fruit contains
43% of the total ascorbic acid.
Table 1
Page parameters for tomato drying curves at different conditions
Sample Drying
temperature (
C)
K (hÀ1
) n Drying
time (h)*
SSR R2
Tomato halves 50 0.17 Æ 0.01 1.01 Æ 0.02 16.73 0.003 0.998
60 0.18 Æ 0.01 1.20 Æ 0.02 10.20 0.001 0.999
70 0.21 Æ 0.02 1.35 Æ 0.08 7.09 0.011 0.992
Whole peeled tomatoes 50 0.19 Æ 0.02 0.83 Æ 0.05 27.79 0.015 0.985
60 0.20 Æ 0.03 0.89 Æ 0.07 20.56 0.042 0.965
70 0.18 Æ 0.02 1.09 Æ 0.04 12.55 0.009 0.993
Osmotically pre-treated,
whole peeled tomatoes
50 0.14 Æ 0.00 0.96 Æ 0.01 17.90 0.001 0.999
60 0.22 Æ 0.00 0.85 Æ 0.01 16.81 0.0003 0.999
70 0.26 Æ 0.01 0.92 Æ 0.01 10.52 0.001 0.999
*Drying time necessary to attain 50% moisture (wb) estimated using Eq. (1) with parameters k and n from Table 1.
1644 P.H.M. Marfil et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1642e1647
4. Considering as reference the ascorbic acid content at the
beginning of air drying process, degradation curves were
obtained for each drying temperature and samples treatment.
Fig. 1 shows the results obtained for peeled, whole tomatoes.
Similar plots (Figs. 2 and 3) were obtained for halved toma-
toes and osmotically treated, peeled, whole tomatoes, respec-
tively. A great dispersion of data was detected, but this could
be attributed to the complexity and heterogeneity of natural
samples, as well as to the practical difficulty of assuring uni-
form drying conditions in the tray dryer during long time
periods. Even though, it is possible to observe a clear trend
of faster degradation of ascorbic acid with increasing drying
temperature.
The solid lines included in Figs. 1e3 represent the adjust-
ment of the Weibull model, given by Eq. (3), to experimental
data.
Ct
C0
¼ exp À
t
a
b
!
ð3Þ
In Eq. (3), symbols Ct and C0 refer, respectively, to ascorbic
acid concentration at a certain time, t, and at the zero time
of air drying, while a and b are the fitting parameters of the
model.
Eq. (3) was originally presented in 1939 by W. Weibull to
describe the collapse of stressed materials. Since then it was al-
ready successfully applied to describe kinetics of chemical, en-
zymatic or microbiological degradation processes, which also
lead the system to collapse. The parameter a can be interpreted
as a kinetic reaction constant and represents the characteristic
time to collapse, or specifically, the time when concentration
Ct attains a value corresponding to 36.8% (1/e) of C0. The con-
stant b represents a behavior index and, when b ¼ 1, the model
is reduced to a first order kinetics, with a constant degradation
rate. When b 1 the reaction rate increases with time and the
degradation curve assumes a sigmoidal shape. On the other
hand, if b 1 the reaction rate decreases with time and degra-
dation rate higher than the exponential is observed at the
process beginning (Cunha, Oliveira, Oliveira, 1998). Manso,
Oliveira, Oliveira, and Frias (2001) obtained good results
describing vitamin C degradation in orange juice and non-
enzymatic browning kinetics by the Weibull model.
Eq. (3) was fitted to experimental data by non-linear regres-
sion and the quality of the adjustment was evaluated through
the statistical parameters R2
and SSR. Except for tomato
halves fitting of Eq. (3) to ascorbic acid degradation curves
gave better results when adopting b ¼ 1, i.e. assuming a first
order decay kinetics. This result is in agreement with the
works of Erenturk et al. (2005) and Goula and Adamopoulos
(2006), which had also observed a first order decay for ascor-
bic acid degradation. Nevertheless, for tomato halves, b was
greater than unity, indicating higher degradation rates at the
end periods of drying. This fact could be related to the drying
behavior of tomato halves, which was also different from that
observed for whole tomatoes, as shown in Table 1. The n
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
1,2
Ascorbicacid(Ct/C0)
Time (hours)
Fig. 1. Ascorbic acid degradation curves for whole peeled tomatoes at different
drying temperatures (-, Tair ¼ 50
C; B, Tair ¼ 60
C; , Tair ¼ 70
C). The
solid lines correspond to the adjustment of the Weibull model.
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
1,2
Ascorbicacid(Ct/C0)
Time (hours)
Fig. 2. Ascorbic acid degradation curves for halved tomatoes at different dry-
ing temperatures (-, Tair ¼ 50
C; B, Tair ¼ 60
C; , Tair ¼ 70
C). The
solid lines correspond to the adjustment of the Weibull model.
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
1,2
Acidascorbic(Ct/C0)
Time (hours)
Fig. 3. Ascorbic acid degradation curves for osmotically treated, peeled whole
tomatoes at different drying temperatures (-, Tair ¼ 50
C; B, Tair ¼ 60
C;
, Tair ¼ 70
C). The solid lines correspond to the adjustment of the Weibull
model.
1645P.H.M. Marfil et al. / LWT - Food Science and Technology 41 (2008) 1642e1647
5. values for Page model were also greater than unity only for to-
mato halves.
The parameter a was dependent on temperature and on the
samples treatment. The temperature dependence could be
described by an Arrhenius type equation (Eq. (4)), as shown
in Fig. 4, where plots of ln a versus the reciprocal of drying
temperature in absolute degrees resulted in straight lines.
Higher a values indicate lower degradation rates or, in other
words, longer time to the nutrient collapse. Fig. 4 shows that
drying of whole tomatoes led to a better retention of ascorbic
acid and this retention was improved by the osmotic treatment.
ln a ¼ ln A À
Ea
RT
ð4Þ
Erenturk et al. (2005) observed that the raising of temperature
decreased the retention of vitamin C for fruits cut into pieces,
especially at the beginning of the drying. When surface area
exposed to air was increased, loss of vitamin C also increased.
This also was observed to increasing oxygen content in the
aireCO2 mixtures used as a drying medium. The results
showed that the degradation of vitamin C could be reduced
by using an inert gas.
In Eq. (4), the parameter Ea is the activation energy, R is the
universal gas constant, 8.314 J/mol K, and A is the linear plot
interception with vertical axis. Higher activation energies
indicate a greater temperature dependence of the reaction
rate. Except for drying of osmotically treated, whole peeled to-
matoes at 50
C, Eq. (4) resulted in good fitting to the Weibull
parameter a. This assay was repeated twice and the results
were practically the same, what reduced the probability of
experimental error. A possible explanation would be that
combination of osmotic treatment with the long drying time
necessary to dry the samples at the low temperature (50
C)
accelerated the ascorbic acid degradation.
The slopes of the obtained plots for drying of whole toma-
toes with or without osmotic pre-treatment were similar, show-
ing a similar dependency on temperature, whereas the slope of
the plot corresponding to halved tomatoes was smaller. As
expected, the lower exposition to oxygen in case of whole
tomatoes was able to retard ascorbic acid degradation.
Conclusions
Caustic peeling reduced the initial content of ascorbic acid
in about 16.0%, whereas osmotic pre-treatment reduced this
initial content in about 45.0%. The ascorbic acid degradation
rates during drying were dependent on samples treatment
before drying, as well as on drying temperature. Although
caustic peeling and osmotic pre-treatment caused a significant
reduction in the initial ascorbic acid content of the product,
during drying lower degradation rates were observed in osmot-
ically pre-treated whole tomatoes, whereas higher degradation
rates occurred in halved tomatoes. Higher drying temperatures
increased vitamin C degradation rates. It must be considered,
however, that the increase in ascorbic acid retention may not
compensate the greater costs and longer processing times
due to peeling and osmotic treatment.
Acknowledgements
Authors thank CNPq (Proc. 502883/03-0 and PIBIC) for
financial support.
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