Real-Time Determination of Structural Changes of Sodium Caseinate-Stabilized Emulsions Containing Pectin Using High Resolution Ultrasonic Spectroscopy

The interactions that lead to structure transitions in oil-in-water emulsions were investigated using high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy. High methoxyl pectin (HMP) was added to the emulsions at various concentrations and the dynamics of aggregation induced by changes in pH were observed. Two independent ultrasonic parameters, velocity and attenuation, were measured as a function of time or pH. At pH 6.8, both velocity and attenuation of sound changed as a function of HMP concentration. During acidification, caused by the addition of glucono-δ-lactone, there were small changes in the overall ultrasonic velocity, but it was possible to relate these changes to the structural changes in the emulsion. The values of ultrasonic attenuation decreased at high pH with increasing amount of HMP, indicating changes in the flocculation state of the oil droplets caused by depletion forces. During acidification at pH 5.4, emulsions containing HMP showed a steep increase in the ultrasonic attenuation, and this pH corresponds to the pH of association of HMP with the casein-covered oil droplets. The adsorption of HMP onto the interface causes a rearrangement of the oil droplets, and the emulsions containing sufficient amounts of HMP no longer gel at acid pH. This is well described by the ultrasonic attenuation changes in the various emulsions. This research demonstrated for the first time that ultrasonic spectroscopy can be employed for in situ monitoring and analysis of acid-induced destabilization of food emulsions.     

Rennet-Induced Aggregation and Curd Formation from Skimmed Milk Powders Prepared under Different Sterilizing Conditions

Heat treatment during the production of skimmed milk powder causes denaturation of proteins, thereby affecting the physicochemical properties of the skimmed milk powder. To understand the effects of heat treatment on the sensitivity of the casein micelles in skimmed milk powders, low heating type (L), normal heating type (N), high heating type (H), and super-high heating type (SH), to reaction with rennet, rennet-induced curd formation was investigated. A well-developed network structure with wide spaces was observed only in the curd derived from the solution of type L skimmed milk powder. SDS–PAGE suggested that there was no difference in the amount of glycomacropeptide generated from κ-casein in the four types of skimmed milk powder, but casein micelles in the solution of type L skimmed milk powder formed aggregates most effectively. These results are discussed with respect to the thermal denaturation of proteins in skimmed milk powder.     

Possible Role of Coryneform Bacteria in Age Gelation of Ultrahigh-Temperature-Processed Milk

Two strains of psychrotrophic, gram-positive, proteolytic bacteria isolated from raw milk were identified as Arthrobacter or closely related coryneform species. We inoculated raw-milk samples with the strains (one strain per sample) and compared rates of gelation after ultrahigh-temperature processing with that of ultrahigh-temperature-processed controls. The trial indicated that either organism could play a role in age gelation of ultrahigh-temperature-processed milk.     

Purification and Properties of a Pectin trans-Eliminase in Erwin aroideae Formed in the Presence of Nalidixic Acid

A strain of Erwinia aroideae produces a remarkable amount of pectolytic enzyme when the organism was induced by nalidixic acid for the bacteriocin production. This pectolytic enzyme was purified approximately 60-fold from the induced medium by carboxymethyl-cellulose and Sephadex G–75 gel column chromatographies after batchwise treatment with carboxymethyl- and diethylaminoethyl-celluloses. The purified enzyme was almost homogeneous on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a molecular weight of about 28,000 to 32,000 was determined for this enzyme. The optimum pH of the enzyme activity was about 8.0 to 8.2. The purified enzyme produced reaction products from pectin and methoxylated pectic acid which had a strong absorption at 235 nm indicating a trans-eliminase reaction. Pectin or pectic acid with higher methoxyl content was a good substrate for this enzyme, while no significant activity was observed when pectic acid was a substrate. The limit of degradation of pectin and pectic acid with higher methoxyl content (90% esterified) by the enzyme were 6.5% and 43%, respectively. It was concluded that the enzyme is a new endo-pectin trans-eliminase from bacterial origin.     

Gelation of Soy Milk with Hagfish Exudate Creates a Flocculated and Fibrous Emulsion- and Particle Gel

Hagfish slime is an ultra dilute, elastic and cohesive hydrogel that deploys within milliseconds in cold seawater from a glandularly secreted exudate. The slime is made of long keratin-like fibers and mucin-like glycoproteins that span a network which entraps water and acts as a defense mechanism against predators. Unlike other hydrogels, the slime only confines water physically and is very susceptible to mechanical stress, which makes it unsuitable for many processing operations and potential applications. Despite its huge potential, little work has been done to improve and functionalize the properties of this hydrogel. To address this shortcoming, hagfish exudate was mixed with a soy protein isolate suspension (4% w/v) and with a soy emulsion (commercial soy milk) to form a more stable structure and combine the functionalities of a suspension and emulsion with those of the hydrogel. Hagfish exudate interacted strongly with the soy systems, showing a markedly increased viscoelasticity and water retention. Hagfish mucin was found to induce a depletion and bridging mechanism, which caused the emulsion and suspension to flocculate, making “soy slime”, a cohesive and cold-set emulsion- and particle gel. The flocculation network increases viscoelasticity and substantially contributes to liquid retention by entrapping liquid in the additional confinements between aggregated particles and protein fibers. Because the mucin-induced flocculation resembles the salt- or acid-induced flocculation in tofu curd production, the soy slime was cooked for comparison. The cooked soy slime was similar to conventional cooked tofu, but possessed a long-range cohesiveness from the fibers. The fibrous, cold-set, and curd-like structure of the soy slime represents a novel way for a cold coagulation and fiber incorporation into a suspension or emulsion. This mechanism could be used to efficiently gel functionalized emulsions or produce novel tofu-like structured food products.     

超声波技术在绿茶浸提中的应用研究

以古丈绿茶为原料,在比较研究绿茶超声波辅助浸提对品质成分的浸出率高于传统水提的基础上,从品质成分浸出率角度对超声波辅助浸提绿茶的浸提时间、温度、茶水比和次数进行了优化筛选,得到了一套适合于绿茶的超声波辅助浸提技术参数。结果表明,采用茶水比1∶15、95℃水温、两次浸提(第一次、第二次水量分别为总水量的8/15、7/15)、每次15 min的超声波辅助浸提技术参数,氨基酸、水溶性蛋白质、茶多酚、水溶性碳水化合物、咖啡碱、简单儿茶素、酯型儿茶素、水浸出物的浸出率分别比传统水提提高23.13%、36.92%、14.88%、24.40%、19.24%、26.45%、10.12%1、2.27%,同时,每次浸提的时间比传统水提缩短15 min。     

超声波协同热水提取铁钉菜多糖的研究

应用超声波技术,研究了液固比、超声波强度、提取时间、提取温度和pH对铁钉菜多糖提取率的影响。结果表明,超声波提取铁钉菜多糖最佳工艺条件为:料剂比为3:100(g:m l),不调pH值,在65℃,超声强度为70%(210w),超声30 m in。     

Functional Glycomic Analysis of Human Milk Glycans Reveals the Presence of Virus Receptors and Embryonic Stem Cell Biomarkers

Human milk contains a large diversity of free glycans beyond lactose, but their functions are not well understood. To explore their functional recognition, here we describe a shotgun glycan microarray prepared from isolated human milk glycans (HMGs), and our studies on their recognition by viruses, antibodies, and glycan-binding proteins (GBPs), including lectins. The total neutral and sialylated HMGs were derivatized with a bifunctional fluorescent tag, separated by multidimensional HPLC, and archived in a tagged glycan library, which was then used to print a shotgun glycan microarray (SGM). This SGM was first interrogated with well defined GBPs and antibodies. These data demonstrated both the utility of the array and provided preliminary structural information (metadata) about this complex glycome. Anti-TRA-1 antibodies that recognize human pluripotent stem cells specifically recognized several HMGs that were then further structurally defined as novel epitopes for these antibodies. Human influenza viruses and Parvovirus Minute Viruses of Mice also specifically recognized several HMGs. For glycan sequencing, we used a novel approach termed metadata-assisted glycan sequencing (MAGS), in which we combine information from analyses of glycans by mass spectrometry with glycan interactions with defined GBPs and antibodies before and after exoglycosidase treatments on the microarray. Together, these results provide novel insights into diverse recognition functions of HMGs and show the utility of the SGM approach and MAGS as resources for defining novel glycan recognition by GBPs, antibodies, and pathogens.     

Determination of Reference Ultrasound Parameters for Model and Hydrofluoroalkane Propellants Using High-Resolution Ultrasonic Spectroscopy

The aim of this research was to determine the reference ultrasonic velocity (v) and attenuation coefficient (α) for 2H, 3H-perfluoropentane (HPFP), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA-134a) and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-tetrafluoroethane (HFA-227) propellants, for the future purpose of characterising pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) formulations using high-resolution ultrasonic spectroscopy (HRUS). Perfluoroheptane (PFH) was used as a reference material for HPFP. With its velocity and attenuation coefficient determined at 25 °C, HPFP was subsequently used as a reference for HFA-134a and HFA-227. It was found that there is a linear decline in ultrasonic velocity with an increase in temperature. As with HPFP, the ultrasonic velocity of HFA-134a and HFA-227 were successfully calculated at 25 °C. However, the difference in density and viscosity between reference and sample prevented accurate determination of reference attenuation coefficient for the hydrofluoroalkanes. With ultrasonic velocity alone, dispersion concentration and stability monitoring for experimental pMDI formulations is possible using HRUS. However, at this point in time measurement of particle size is not feasible.     

超声法从唐古特大黄根茎中提取大黄降脂素

对超声法从唐古特大黄根茎中提取大黄降脂素的工艺进行研究。最佳提取条件为：室温下用60％乙醇超声60min提取,得率为10．28％。所得产品经TLC、HPLC确定纯度为99．44％,利用IR、UV等分析技术鉴定为大黄降脂素,即3,3’,5'-三羟基4甲氧基芪-3’-β-D-葡萄糖苷。     

An Antisense Pectin Methylesterase Gene Alters Pectin Chemistry and Soluble Solids in Tomato Fruit

Pectin methylesterase (PME, EC 3.1.11) demethoxylates pectins and is believed to be involved in degradation of pectic cell wall components by polygalacturonase in ripening tomato fruit. We have introduced antisense and sense chimeric PME genes into tomato to elucidate the role of PME in fruit development and ripening. Fruits from transgenic plants expressing high levels of antisense PME RNA showed <10% of wild-type PME enzyme activity and undetectable levels of PME protein and mRNA. Lower PME enzyme activity in fruits from transgenic plants was associated with an increased molecular weight and methylesterification of pectins and decreased levels of total and chelator soluble polyuronides in cell walls. The fruits of transgenic plants also contained higher levels of soluble solids than wild-type fruits. This trait was maintained in subsequent generations and segregated in normal Mendelian fashion with the antisense PME gene. These results indicate that reduction in PME enzyme activity in ripening tomato fruits had a marked influence on fruit pectin metabolism and increased the soluble solids content of fruits, but did not interfere with the ripening process.     

Analysis of Solution of Damped Modified-KdV Equation on Dust-Ion-Acoustic Wave in Presence of Superthermal Electrons

Plasma Physics Reports - Nonlinear propagation of dust-ion-acoustic (DIA) waves in an unmagnetized collisional dusty plasma consisting of superthermal electrons, mobile ions and immobile negative...     

Use of Logistic Regression for Prediction of the Fate of Staphylococcus aureus in Pasteurized Milk in the Presence of Two Lytic Phages

The use of bacteriophages provides an attractive approach to the fight against food-borne pathogenic bacteria, since they can be found in different environments and are unable to infect humans, both characteristics of which support their use as biocontrol agents. Two lytic bacteriophages, vB_SauS-phiIPLA35 (phiIPLA35) and vB_SauS-phiIPLA88 (phiIPLA88), previously isolated from the dairy environment inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. To facilitate the successful application of both bacteriophages as biocontrol agents, probabilistic models for predicting S. aureus inactivation by the phages in pasteurized milk were developed. A linear logistic regression procedure was used to describe the survival/death interface of S. aureus after 8 h of storage as a function of the initial phage titer (2 to 8 log₁₀ PFU/ml), initial bacterial contamination (2 to 6 log₁₀ CFU/ml), and temperature (15 to 37°C). Two successive models were built, with the first including only data from the experimental design and a global one in which results derived from the validation experiments were also included. The temperature, interaction temperature-initial level of bacterial contamination, and initial level of bacterial contamination-phage titer contributed significantly to the first model prediction. However, only the phage titer and temperature were significantly involved in the global model prediction. The predictions of both models were fail-safe and highly consistent with the observed S. aureus responses. Nevertheless, the global model, deduced from a higher number of experiments (with a higher degree of freedom), was dependent on a lower number of variables and had an apparent better fit. Therefore, it can be considered a convenient evolution of the first model. Besides, the global model provides the minimum phage concentration (about 2 × 10⁸ PFU/ml) required to inactivate S. aureus in milk at different temperatures, irrespective of the bacterial contamination level.Staphylococcus aureus is one of the pathogenic bacteria considered a threat to food safety. Worldwide, it has a particular relevance to the food-processing industry because of the ability of some strains to produce heat-stable enterotoxins and other virulence factors responsible for staphylococcal food poisoning (14, 18). The ability of S. aureus to grow in different foodstuffs over a wide range of temperatures (10 to 45°C), pHs (4.5 to 9.3), and NaCl concentrations (up to 15%) explains its incidence in foods subjected to manipulation throughout the manufacturing process (1). Milk and dairy products have often been involved in several episodes of staphylococcal food poisoning (6). Food handlers and cattle are usually the main source of dairy product contamination, as humans and animals are the primary reservoirs for staphylococci (28).S. aureus contamination can be avoided by heat treatment of food, but recontamination postpasteurization can occur if the hygienic conditions are inadequate. Alternative approaches to control S. aureus populations in dairy products, such as the use of bacteriocinogenic strains (24) and, more recently, bacteriophages (8), have been tested. Bacteriophages, as well as bacteriocins, are regarded as natural antibacterial agents since they are able to infect and lyse specific undesired target bacteria without disturbing the normal microbiota (19). Among the advantages of using phages as biocontrol strategies in foods, their ubiquity in the environment, their history of safe use, and their high host specificity can be quoted (10). Likewise, their potential use as biopreservatives in several food systems has recently been reviewed (13).Factors affecting S. aureus growth and survival in foods (physicochemical characteristics of the products and conditions associated with food processing, storage, and distribution) have been studied, and mathematical models have been developed to estimate the microorganism''s response (5, 30). However, the effect of lytic phages on S. aureus growth in milk has not been described by predictive models so far. There are several physical parameters which may influence bacterial inhibition by phages in milk. Among them, temperature is the first choice to be studied, as this parameter is always involved in milk processing and can easily be subjected to manipulation without markedly affecting the typical organoleptic characteristics of milk.In this regard, probabilistic models have been widely used to describe the survival/death interface as a function of environmental hurdles (22, 23), and the positions of these limits are of interest in establishing conditions for product stabilization. A procedure of forward or backward stepwise regression with some criteria to include or reject dummy or quantitative explanatory variables, their quadratic terms, or their interactions is included in most of the standard statistical software packages (11, 12).The aim of the present work was to determine the effectiveness of a cocktail of two lytic phages, selected according to its wide host range (9), at reducing S. aureus contamination in pasteurized milk, using different environmental conditions, such as different temperatures, initial bacterial viable counts, and initial phage titers. For this purpose, the survival/death interface was deduced using a logistic regression model.