Relationship between the Electrical and Rheological Properties of Potato Tuber Tissue after Various Forms of Processing

The impedance at frequencies of 1-1000 kHz and dynamic bending storage modulus measured by the vibrating reed method were compared for potato tuber tissue, which had been processed by various methods. Raw potato tuber tissue strips were either heated for 30 min up to 100°C or frozen-thawed. Some samples were osmotically dehydrated in a mannitol solution up to a concentration of 0.7 mol/l. The electrical reactance correlated well with the storage modulus of heated or frozen-thawed potato tissues, but not with the storage modulus of the mannitol-treated tissue. The storage modulus appeared to be strongly dependent on the turgor pressure of the cells which was drastically decreased by the heating, freezing-thawing, and osmotic treatments. The electrical properties reflect the cell integrity, and a large difference was observed between the change in impedance after heating or freezing-thawing, and that after the osmotic treatment. A significant change in the electric properties was also observed for a starch suspension at the gelatinization temperature. However, the contribution due to gelatinization did not appear to play an important role in the change of electrical properties of potato tissue by heating.     

Gelatinization mechanism of potato starch

The non-Newtonian behavior and dynamic viscoelasticity of potato starch (Jaga kids red ’90, 21.0% amylose content) solutions after storage at 25 and 4°C for 24 h were measured with a rheogoniometer. The flow curves, at 25°C, of potato starch showed plastic behavior >1.0% (w/v) after heating at 100°C for 30 min. A gelatinization of potato starch occurred above 1.0% at room temperature. A very large dynamic viscoelasticity was observed when potato starch solution (3.0%) was stored at 4°C for 24 h and stayed at a constant value with increasing temperature. A small dynamic modulus of potato starch was observed upon addition of urea (4.0 M) at low temperature (0°C) even after storage at 25 and 4°C for 24 h. A small dynamic modulus was also observed in 0.05 M NaOH solution. Possible models of gelatinization and retrogradation mechanism of potato starch were proposed.     

Osmotic regulation of starch synthesis in potato tubers?

Using potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber discs incubated in a range of mannitol concentrations it has been demonstrated that both sucrose uptake and the conversion of sucrose to starch are sensitive to the osmotic environment of the storage cells. Starch synthesis was optimised at 300 mM but declined sharply at both lower and higher osmotic concentrations. The decline in starch synthesis on either side of optimum was not proportional to the change in mannitol concentration, indicating different inhibitory mechanisms under low and high osmotica. The fraction of the total sucrose converted to starch i.e. the partitioning between sucrose and starch, was also influenced by osmotic environment. The amount of soluble material taken up by the storage cells, but not converted to starch, was maintained under mannitol concentrations (300–400 mM) which inhibited starch synthesis, indicating that sucrose uptake continued during declining starch synthesis. At mannitol concentrations above 400 mM, sucrose uptake was greatly enhanced but no significant change in starch synthesis occurred.     

The effect of ohmic heating on vacuum drying rate of sweet potato tissue

Ohmically heating fruit and vegetable tissue has been shown to increase hot-air drying rate, shift desorption isotherms, and increase juice extraction yields with respect to untreated, conventionally heated, and microwaved samples. The objective of this study was to determine if ohmically heating sweet potato tissue would enhance the vacuum drying rate of these samples with respect to untreated samples. Sweet potato cubes were ohmically heated to three endpoint temperatures using three electrical field strengths and were then placed in a freeze dryer. Moisture content vs. time data were collected and modeled. Results showed that the vacuum drying rates of ohmically heated samples were faster than raw samples for most treatment combinations, and that the maximum reduction of drying time was 24%. Minimal ohmic treatment can result in a significant decrease in vacuum drying time, which could have important economic and product quality implications.     

Rheological and structural properties of starches from γ-irradiated and stored potatoes

Starch was extracted from irradiated and stored potato tubers and the properties were compared to CIPC (chlorpropham) treated tubers. The granule properties and dynamic viscoelasticity in temperature ramp and frequency sweep modes were studied while heating the samples. Starch structural characteristics were investigated by high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Gamma-irradiation of potato tubers at a dosage of 0.1 kGy induced some degradation of starch molecules, resulting in earlier swelling of starch granules, and greater extents of amylose and total carbohydrate leaching. The early swelling phenomenon was also enhanced with tuber storage time. The retrogradation rate and extent for a concentrated starch gel also increased with tuber storage time whereas γ-irradiation delayed the gel retrogradation. Sprout inhibiting methods could be selected based on the specific processing and texture requirements of the end products.     

Investigation of Structural Transformations During the Manufacturing of Expanded Snacks for Reformulation Purposes

In this paper, we investigate the functionality of potato-based ingredients present in indirectly expanded snacks via careful analysis of their transformation during processing. This research is driven by the desire of industry to develop similar snacks for upcoming markets, where the potato-based ingredients are replaced by other starch sources, which are locally available and at a lower cost. For a range of reformulated snacks, the transformations of starchy ingredients are analysed with a wide variety of experimental methods, like DSC, XRD, and XRT. Our analysis shows that ingredients undergo little transformations during extrusion, which is indeed intended to be mild. During frying native tuber starches (potato and tapioca starch) fully gelatinize, while cereal starches show little gelatinization and swelling. Despite the gelatinization of tuber starches, the particulate character of ingredients is retained. Replacement of pregelatinized potato starch with other starches shows little change in structure. The evolution of the structure of the reformulated snacks are analysed with the CDS formalism. We conclude that gel formers and hard fillers present in the analysed formulations had little functionality regarding texture or structure. For texture, it appears to be required that the matrix composes of a bicontinuous structure of soft fillers, namely gelatinized tuber starches and potato dehydrates. Both these ingredients can be replaced by other tuber-starch sources if the aggregation of the two soft fillers can be prevented. Commercial availability of tuber flours can still be an issue.

     

Evaluation of process-induced dimensional changes in the membrane structure of biological cells using impedance measurement

The impact of high intensity electric field pulses, high hydrostatic pressure, and freezing-thawing on local structural changes of the membrane was determined for potato, sugar beet tissue, and yeast suspensions. On the basis of the electrophysical model of cell systems in biological tissues and suspensions, a method was derived for determining the extent of local damage of cell membranes. The method was characterized by an accurate and rapid on-line determination of frequency-dependent electrical conductivity properties from which information on microscopic events on cellular level may be deduced. Evaluation was based on the measurement of the relative change in the sample's impedance at characteristically low (f(l)) and high (f(h)) frequencies within the beta-dispersion range. For plant and animal cells the characteristic frequencies were f(l) approximately 5 kHz and f(h) > 5 MHz and for yeast cells in the range f(l) approximately 50 kHz and f(h) > 25 MHz. The observed phenomena were complex. The identification of the underlying mechanisms required consideration of the time-dependent nature of the processing effects and stress reactions of the biological systems, which ranged from seconds to several hours. A very low but significantly detectable membrane damage (0.004% of the total area) was found after high hydrostatic pressure treatment of potato tissue at 200 MPa. The membrane rupture in plant tissue cells was higher after freezing and subsequent thawing (0.9% of total area for potato cells and 0.05-0.07% for sugar beet cells determined immediately after thawing), which increased substantially during the next 2 h.     

Structural transformations during gelatinization of starches in limited water: combined wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering study

Rice flour (18-25% moisture) and potato starch (20% moisture) were heated with continuous recording of the X-ray scattering during gelatinization. Rice flours displayed A-type crystallinity, which gradually decreased during gelatinization. The development of the characteristic 9 nm small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) peak during heating at sub-gelatinization temperatures indicated the gradual evolution into a stacked lamellar system. At higher temperatures, the crystalline and lamellar order was progressively lost. For potato starch (B-type crystallinity), no 9 nm SAXS peak was observed at ambient temperatures. Following the development of lamellar structures at sub-gelatinization temperatures, B-type crystallinity and lamellar order was lost during gelatinization. On cooling of partially gelatinized potato starch, A-type crystallinity steadily increased, but no formation of stacked lamellar structures was observed. Results were interpreted in terms of a high-temperature B- to A-type recrystallization, in which the lateral movement of double helices was accompanied by a shift along their helical axis. The latter is responsible for the inherent frustration of the lamellar stacks.     

茉莉酸类与植物地下贮藏器官的形成

茉莉酸类化合物（茉莉酸及其衍生物）可能参与了马铃薯,薯蓣,菊芋的块茎,甘薯的块根以及洋葱,大蒜的鳞茎形成,JA及MeJA均可诱导离体下马铃薯块茎的形成和马铃薯髓部细胞的膨大,JA诱导细胞膨大是由于蔗糖积累导致渗透压增加以及细胞壁结构变化,从而使其伸展性增加,纤维素的合成起了重要作用,细胞骨架也是JA诱导细胞膨大所必需的,但迄今为止,尚未确定块茎形成的直接诱导物。     

Impact of microwave heating on the physico-chemical properties of a starch–water model system

The objective of this work was to understand the physico-chemical changes induced in a wheat starch model system as a result of microwave heating. Wheat starch dispersions in water, with final solids content of 33%, 40% or 50%, were heated in a microwave oven. Following heating the samples were stored at 25 °C for up to 120 h and analyzed periodically. Microwave heated gels were significantly different from conduction heated gels in all parameters measured. The differences in properties are a reflection of the differences in the heat and mass transfer of the different modes of heating. The lack of granule swelling and the resulting soft gel are two key observations. The results of this study suggest a different mechanism of starch gelatinization compared to conduction heating. The vibrational motion and the rapid increase in temperature also result in granule rupture and formation of film polymers coating the granule surface.     

茉莉酸类与植物地下贮藏器官的形成

茉莉酸类化合物(茉莉酸及其衍生物)可能参与了马铃薯、薯蓣、菊芋的块茎,甘薯的块根以及洋葱、大蒜的鳞茎形成。JA及MeJA均可诱导离体条件下马铃薯块茎的形成和马铃薯髓部细胞的膨大。JA诱导细胞膨大是由于蔗糖积累导致渗透压增加以及细胞壁结构变化,从而使其伸展性增加,纤维素的合成起了重要作用,细胞骨架也是JA诱导细胞膨大所必需的。但迄今为止,尚未确定块茎形成的直接诱导物。     

Spatial and temporal dynamics of potato tuberworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) infestation in field-stored potatoes

The potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is a major pest of potatoes in fields and traditional storage. A common method of nonrefrigerated storage is to pile potatoes in straw-covered heaps in the field. Tubers may be stored up to 3-4 mo in this manner, until the next harvest. We studied the dynamics of potato tuber moth infestation associated with such field storage in a 12-wk experiment in Israel. We set up six potato heaps, and sampled them for potato tuber moth at different locations at weekly intervals. Potato tuber moth infestation was significantly higher at the perimeter of the heaps than at their center, but it did not differ between bottom, mid-height, and top of the heaps. The proportion of potato tuber moth-infested potato tubers increased from 10 to 65% over the course of the experiment, and the mean number of potato tuber moth larvae per tuber increased from 0.25 to 2.50. Potato tuberworm populations increased sharply after 3, 6, and 9 wk of study, possibly corresponding to successive generations that developed within the heaps. This interpretation is supported by calculations of potato tuberworm generation length based on temperature data. Catches in pheromone traps that were placed near the heaps were not correlated (spatially and temporally) with potato tuberworm densities within heaps, hinting that migration among heaps did not considerably affect within-heap population dynamics. Potato tuberworm levels were not correlated with ambient temperatures, perhaps because of the warm, humid, and constant microclimate within the heaps. We discuss the significance of our findings for control efforts of the potato tuberworm.     

Evidence of the crucial role of sucrose synthase for sink strength using transgenic potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Sink strength of growing potato tubers is believed to be limited by sucrose metabolism and/or starch synthesis. Sucrose synthase (Susy) is most likely responsible for the entire sucrose cleavage in sink tubers, rather than invertases. To investigate the unique role of sucrose synthase with respect to sucrose metabolism and sink strength in growing potato tubers, transgenic potato plants were created expressing Susy antisense RNA corresponding to the T-type sucrose synthase isoform. Although the constitutive 35S CaMV promotor was used to drive the expression of the antisense RNA the inhibition of Susy activity was tuber-specific, indicating that independent Susy isoforms are responsible for Susy activity in different potato organs. The inhibition of Susy leads to no change in sucrose content, a strong accumulation of reducing sugars and an inhibition of starch accumulation in developing potato tubers. The increase in hexoses is paralleled by a 40-fold increase in invertase activities but no considerable changes in hexokinase activities. The reduction in starch accumulation is not due to an inhibition of the major starch biosynthetic enzymes. The changes in carbohydrate accumulation are accompanied by a decrease in total tuber dry weight and a reduction of soluble tuber proteins. The reduced protein accumulation is mainly due to a decrease in the major storage proteins patatin, the 22 kDa proteins and the proteinase inhibitors. The lowered accumulation of storage proteins is not a consequence of the availability of the free amino acid pool in potato tubers. Altogether these data are in agreement with the assumption that sucrose synthase is the major determinant of potato tuber sink strength. Contradictory to the hypothesis that the sink strength of growing potato tubers is inversely correlated with the tuber number per plant, no increase in tuber number per plant was found in Susy antisense plants.     

Rheology of starch–clay nanocomposites

The effects of incorporating various montmorillonite nanoclays into wheat, potato, corn, and waxy corn starch samples were examined by rheology and X-ray diffraction. The nanoclays included the hydrophilic Cloisite Na+ clay as well as the more hydrophobic Cloisite 30B, 10A, and 15A clays. Frequency sweep and creep results for wheat starch–nanoclay samples at room temperature indicated that the Cloisite Na+ samples formed more gel-like materials than the other nanoclay samples. X-ray diffraction results showed no intercalation of Cloisite Na+ clays at room temperature, suggesting that starch granules interacted only with the clay surface and not the interlayer. When the various wheat starch–nanoclay samples were heated to 95 °C, the Cloisite Na+ samples exhibited a large increase in modulus. In contrast, the more hydrophobic nanoclay samples had comparable modulus values to the neat starch sample. These results suggested that during gelatinization, the leached amylose interacted with the Cloisite Na+ interlayer, producing better reinforcement and higher modulus values. X-ray diffraction results supported this interpretation since the data showed greater intercalation of Cloisite Na+ clay in the gelatinized samples. The samples containing wheat and corn starch showed comparable elastic modulus values during gelatinization. However, the potato and waxy corn samples had modulus values that rapidly decreased at higher temperatures.     

A new insight into the gelatinization process of native starches

The gelatinization characteristics of seven different food starches (regular corn, high-amylose corn, waxy corn, wheat, rice, potato, and tapioca) were investigated. Each starch sample type was heated to 35, 40, 45, etc. up to 85 °C at 5 °C intervals, and freeze-dried. The treated samples were analyzed using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). When heated, granules underwent structural changes prior to the visible morphological changes that took place during gelatinization. The nature of these structural changes depended on starch type. These results indicate that the starch gelatinization process is more complex than a simple granular order-to-disorder transition.     

State diagram of potato starch–water mixtures treated with high hydrostatic pressure

Potato starch–water mixture was treated with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) of up to 1.2 GPa, and effect of starch content (10–70% (w/w)) on HHP-gelatinization was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Depending on the treatment pressure and potato starch content, DSC thermograms showed decrease in enthalpy change of heat gelatinization reflecting the progress of HHP-gelatinization and increase in enthalpy change of re-gelatinization of retrograded starch. From the viewpoint of the enthalpy changes, physically modified state of HHP-treated potato starch–water mixtures was classified as follows: no change, partial gelatinization, complete gelatinization, partial gelatinization and retrogradation, and complete gelatinization and retrogradation. A state diagram of potato starch–water mixtures (treatment pressure vs. starch content) was presented.     

Effect of Preparation Methods on Mechanical Properties of PVA/HA Composite Hydrogel

##正## Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/hydroxyapatite (HA) composite hydrogel specimens were prepared with 15% PVA and 1%,2%, 3%, 4% and 5% HA by repeated freezing-thawing. The tests of static and dynamic mechanical properties were carried out todiscuss the influence of different contents of HA and freezing-thawing cycles on the mechanical properties of PVA/HA compositehydrogel. The results of static mechanical tests showed that the PVA/HA composite hydrogel with 3% HA and ninefreezing-thawing cycles had excellent stress relaxation properties, higher relaxation ratio, lower stress equilibrium value andpresented better properties of creep and recovery. The results of dynamic mechanical test showed that the PVA/HA compositehydrogel with nine freezing-thawing cycles had higher storage modulus and loss modulus, so was the PVA/HA compositehydrogel with 3% HA.     

Induction mechanism of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase in potato tuber and sweet potato root tissues

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR, EC1.1.1.34), the key enzyme in isoprenoid biosynthesis, was purified from microsomes of potato tuber tissue, and a polyclonal antibody and two monoclonal antibodies against the purified enzyme were prepared. HMGR protein content was measured by immunotitration and radioimmunoassay using these antibodies. HMGR activity was very low in the fresh tissues of both potato tuber and sweet potato root. The activity in potato tuber was increased by cutting and further by additional fungal infection of the cut tissues. In sweet potato root tissue, the activity was scarcely increased after cutting alone, but was markedly increased by additional fungal infection or chemical treatment. The HMGR protein contents in both fresh potato tuber and sweet potato root tissues were also very low, and increased markedly in response to cutting and fungal infection. From these results, we proposed a hypothesis on the induction mechanism of HMGR after cutting and fungal infection in potato tuber and sweet potato root tissues.     

Volume regulatory function and sperm membrane dynamics as parameters for evaluating cryoprotective efficiency of a freezing extender

In the past years a series of functional assays has been developed to determine the structural, morphological and functional integrity of the plasma membrane and sperm acrosomal membrane. Cell volume regulation is an important physiological function crucial for the success of cryopreservation. In this study, the effects induced by freezing-thawing were judged by evaluating the functional characteristics of frozen-thawed semen samples submitted to secondary stress such as osmotic challenge or incubation under capacitating conditions, following cryopreservation. Prior to freezing, dog semen samples were diluted in the presence or absence of Equex STM Paste, which contains sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as the active ingredient. Cell volume regulation and capacitation and calcium ionophore-induced membrane dynamics were assessed in freshly diluted and frozen-thawed semen samples by electronic volume measurement and flow cytometry. Cryopreservation led to a disturbance of the volume regulatory function and to a rapid decrease in the proportion of acrosome-reacted live spermaotozoa. Extender containing Equex STM Paste had a protective effect on isotonic cell volume, on regulatory function under hypertonic conditions, and on the proportion of live acrosome-reacted cells. The evaluation of the functional state of sperm submitted to secondary stress after freezing-thawing leads to a more subtle characterization of sperm function and helps improve the cryoprotective efficiency of the extender.     

Inhibition of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in transgenic potatoes leads to sugar-storing tubers and influences tuber formation and expression of tuber storage protein genes.

Transgenic potato plants were created in which the expression of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) was inhibited by introducing a chimeric gene containing the coding region of one of the subunits of the AGPase linked in an antisense orientation to the CaMV 35S promoter. Partial inhibition of the AGPase enzyme was achieved in leaves and almost complete inhibition in tubers. This resulted in the abolition of starch formation in tubers, thus proving that AGPase has a unique role in starch biosynthesis in plants. Instead up to 30% of the dry weight of the transgenic potato tubers was represented by sucrose and up to 8% by glucose. The process of tuber formation also changed, resulting in significantly more tubers both per plant and per stolon. The accumulation of soluble sugars in tubers of antisense plants resulted in a significant increase of the total tuber fresh weight, but a decrease in dry weight of tubers. There was no significant change in the RNA levels of several other starch biosynthetic enzymes, but there was a great increase in the RNA level of the major sucrose synthesizing enzyme sucrose phosphate synthase. In addition, the inhibition of starch biosynthesis was accompanied by a massive reduction in the expression of the major storage protein species of potato tubers, supporting the idea that the expression of storage protein genes is in some way connected to carbohydrate formation in sink storage tissues.