scholarly journals Expanding the Applicability of an Innovative Laccase TTI in Intelligent Packaging by Adding an Enzyme Inhibitor to Change Its Coloration Kinetics

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 3646
Author(s):  
Cheng-Xuan Lin ◽  
Hao-Hsin Hsu ◽  
Yu-Hsuan Chang ◽  
Shih-Hsin Chen ◽  
Shih-Bin Lin ◽  
...  

Enzymatic time–temperature indicators (TTIs) usually suffer from instability and inefficiency in practical use as food quality indicator during storage. The aim of this study was to address the aforementioned problem by immobilizing laccase on electrospun chitosan fibers to increase the stability and minimize the usage of laccase. The addition of NaN3, as and enzyme inhibitor, was intended to extend this laccase TTI coloration rate and activation energy (Ea) range, so as to expand the application range of TTIs for evaluating changes in the quality of foods during storage. A two-component time–temperature indicator was prepared by immobilizing laccase on electrospun chitosan fibers as a TTI film, and by using guaiacol solution as a coloration substrate. The color difference of the innovative laccase TTI was discovered to be <3, and visually indistinguishable when OD500 reached 3.2; the response reaction time was regarded as the TTI’s coloration endpoint. Enzyme immobilization and the addition of NaN3 increased coloration Km and reduced coloration Vmax. The coloration Vmax decreased to 64% when 0.1 mM NaN3 was added to the TTI, which exhibited noncompetitive inhibition and a slower coloration rate. Coloration hysteresis appeared in the TTI with NaN3, particularly at low temperatures. For TTI coloration, the Ea increased to 29.92–66.39 kJ/mol when 15–25 μg/cm2 of laccase was immobilized, and the endpoint increased to 11.0–199.5 h when 0–0.10 mM NaN3 was added. These modifications expanded the applicability of laccase TTIs in intelligent food packaging.

Author(s):  
S. Bellaga ◽  
L. Ben Haj Said ◽  
K. Allaf

Apple samples were submitted to partially drying prior to freezing. Then, quality assessments were achieved in order to evaluate the quality of these various frozen samples during frozen-storage. Significant positive effects of water content were observed on thaw exudate water and total color difference of dehydrofrozen/thawed apples. Total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content losses were important for samples without any dehydration pretreatment. They noticeably decreased when water content decreased during the whole period of storage. Thus, a partial removal of water prior to freezing is a relevant way to maintain the stability of fruit quality during long-term frozen-storage. Keywords: Apple fruits; dehydrofreezing; frozen storage; color; polyphenol


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1945
Author(s):  
Soraya Mousavi ◽  
Roberto Mariotti ◽  
Vitale Stanzione ◽  
Saverio Pandolfi ◽  
Valerio Mastio ◽  
...  

The extent and conditions of storage may affect the stability and quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). This study aimed at evaluating the effects of different storage conditions (ambient, 4 °C and −18 °C temperatures, and argon headspace) on three EVOOs (low, medium, and high phenols) over 18 and 36 months, analyzing the main metabolites at six time points. The results showed that low temperatures are able to maintain all three EVOOs within the legal limits established by the current EU regulations for most compounds up to 36 months. Oleocanthal, squalene, and total phenols were affected by storage temperatures more than other compounds and degradation of squalene and α-tocopherol was inhibited only by low temperatures. The best temperature for 3-year conservation was 4 °C, but −18 °C represented the optimum temperature to preserve the organoleptic properties. The present study provided new insights that should guide EVOO manufacturers and traders to apply the most efficient storage methods to maintain the characteristics of the freshly extracted oils for a long conservation time.


Author(s):  
Alain Claverie ◽  
Zuzanna Liliental-Weber

GaAs layers grown by MBE at low temperatures (in the 200°C range, LT-GaAs) have been reported to have very interesting electronic and transport properties. Previous studies have shown that, before annealing, the crystalline quality of the layers is related to the growth temperature. Lowering the temperature or increasing the layer thickness generally results in some columnar polycrystalline growth. For the best “temperature-thickness” combinations, the layers may be very As rich (up to 1.25%) resulting in an up to 0.15% increase of the lattice parameter, consistent with the excess As. Only after annealing are the technologically important semi-insulating properties of these layers observed. When annealed in As atmosphere at about 600°C a decrease of the lattice parameter to the substrate value is observed. TEM studies show formation of precipitates which are supposed to be As related since the average As concentration remains almost unchanged upon annealing.


2019 ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
N.Yu. Bobrovskaya ◽  
M.F. Danilov

The criteria of the coordinate measurements quality at pilot-experimental production based on contemporary methods of quality management system and traditional methods of the measurements quality in Metrology are considered. As an additional criterion for quality of measurements, their duration is proposed. Analyzing the problem of assessing the quality of measurements, the authors pay particular attention to the role of technological heredity in the analysis of the sources of uncertainty of coordinate measurements, including not only the process of manufacturing the part, but all stages of the development of design and technological documentation. Along with such criteria as the degree of confidence in the results of measurements; the accuracy, convergence, reproducibility and speed of the results must take into account the correctness of technical specification, and such characteristics of the shape of the geometric elements to be controlled, such as flatness, roundness, cylindrical. It is noted that one of the main methods to reduce the uncertainty of coordinate measurements is to reduce the uncertainty in the initial data and measurement conditions, as well as to increase the stability of the tasks due to the reasonable choice of the basic geometric elements (measuring bases) of the part. A prerequisite for obtaining reliable quality indicators is a quantitative assessment of the conditions and organization of the measurement process. To plan and normalize the time of measurements, the authors propose to use analytical formulas, on the basis of which it is possible to perform quantitative analysis and optimization of quality indicators, including the speed of measurements.


Author(s):  
N.A. Jurk ◽  

The article presents scientific research in the field of statistical controllability of the food production process using the example of bakery products for a certain time interval using statistical methods of quality management. During quality control of finished products, defects in bakery products were identified, while the initial data were recorded in the developed form of a checklist for registering defects. It has been established that the most common defect is packaging leakage. For the subsequent statistical assessment of the stability of the production process and further analysis of the causes of the identified defect, a Shewhart control chart (p-card by an alternative feature) was used, which allows you to control the quality of manufactured products by the number of defects detected. Analyzing the control chart, it was concluded that studied process is conditionally stable, and the emerging defects are random. At the last stage of the research, the Ishikawa causal diagram was used, developed using the 6M mnemonic technique, in order to identify the most significant causes that affect the occurrence of the considered defect in bakery products. A more detailed study will allow the enterprise to produce food products that meet the established requirements.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ehsan Taghavizadeh Yazdi ◽  
Simin Nazarnezhad ◽  
Seyed Hadi Mousavi ◽  
Mohammad Sadegh Amiri ◽  
Majid Darroudi ◽  
...  

The use of naturally occurring materials in biomedicine has been increasingly attracting the researchers’ interest and, in this regard, gum tragacanth (GT) is recently showing great promise as a therapeutic substance in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. As a polysaccharide, GT can be easily extracted from the stems and branches of various species of Astragalus. This anionic polymer is known to be a biodegradable, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and non-carcinogenic material. The stability against microbial, heat and acid degradation has made GT an attractive material not only in industrial settings (e.g., food packaging) but also in biomedical approaches (e.g., drug delivery). Over time, GT has been shown to be a useful reagent in the formation and stabilization of metal nanoparticles in the context of green chemistry. With the advent of tissue engineering, GT has also been utilized for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds applied for both hard and soft tissue healing strategies. However, more research is needed for defining GT applicability in the future of biomedical engineering. On this object, the present review aims to provide a state-of-the-art overview of GT in biomedicine and tries to open new horizons in the field based on its inherent characteristics.


Author(s):  
Johannes Klement

AbstractTo which extent do happiness correlates contribute to the stability of life satisfaction? Which method is appropriate to provide a conclusive answer to this question? Based on life satisfaction data of the German SOEP, we show that by Negative Binomial quasi-maximum likelihood estimation statements can be made as to how far correlates of happiness contribute to the stabilisation of life satisfaction. The results show that happiness correlates which are generally associated with a positive change in life satisfaction, also stabilise life satisfaction and destabilise dissatisfaction with life. In such as they lower the probability of leaving positive states of life satisfaction and increase the probability of leaving dissatisfied states. This in particular applies to regular exercise, volunteering and living in a marriage. We further conclude that both patterns in response behaviour and the quality of the measurement instrument, the life satisfaction scale, have a significant effect on the variation and stability of reported life satisfaction.


Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Andrew Oakey ◽  
Tim Waters ◽  
Wanqing Zhu ◽  
Paul G. Royall ◽  
Tom Cherrett ◽  
...  

The concept of transporting medical products by drone is gaining a lot of interest amongst the medical and logistics communities. Such innovation has generated several questions, a key one being the potential effects of flight on the stability of medical products. The aims of this study were to quantify the vibration present within drone flight, study its effect on the quality of the medical insulin through live flight trials, and compare the effects of vibration from drone flight with traditional road transport. Three trials took place in which insulin ampoules and mock blood stocks were transported to site and flown using industry standard packaging by a fixed-wing or a multi-copter drone. Triaxial vibration measurements were acquired, both in-flight and during road transit, from which overall levels and frequency spectra were derived. British Pharmacopeia quality tests were undertaken in which the UV spectra of the flown insulin samples were compared to controls of known turbidity. In-flight vibration levels in both the drone types exceeded road induced levels by up to a factor of three, and predominant vibration occurred at significantly higher frequencies. Flown samples gave clear insulin solutions that met the British Pharmacopoeia specification, and no aggregation of insulin was detected.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 478
Author(s):  
Stefania Toscano ◽  
Valeria Rizzo ◽  
Fabio Licciardello ◽  
Daniela Romano ◽  
Giuseppe Muratore

The aim of the study was to assess, through a comparative shelf-life test, the suitability of two packaging materials, namely macro-perforated polypropylene (PP MA) and micro-perforated coextruded polypropylene (PP C), for the quality preservation of green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. ‘Vegalim’). Quality of spears was evaluated during 30 days at refrigerated storage by monitoring chemical, physical, and enzymatic parameters as well as sensory descriptors. PP C kept headspace composition close to suggested values for fresh green asparagus. Total color difference increased during the storage and it was highly correlated with chlorophyll-a and carotenoids, however, sensory color perception did not change significantly until 22 days of storage. PP C maintained ascorbic acid concentrations close to the initial levels, limited total phenolic compound loss to 24% (45% in PP MA), determined an increase of 72% in fiber content and small changes in lignin value; enzymatic changes were significantly inhibited. Significant sensorial differences were detected after 22 days of storage, with PP C performing better than PP MA. PP C film was confirmed as the best choice, limiting weight loss and maintaining a fresh-like appearance during 30 days of storage, thus allowing an extension in postharvest life.


Coatings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Salimian ◽  
Roohollah Haghpanahan ◽  
Abul Hasnath ◽  
Hari Upadhyaya

The photometric properties of an radio frequency (RF)-based sputtering plasma source were monitored through optical spectroscopy. The colour of the plasma source was deduced based on conventional chromaticity index analysis and it was compared to the direct spectral data plots of the emission peaks to investigate the possibility of characterising the plasma based on its specific colour and exploring the potential of defining a new method by which the plasma sputtering process can be addressed based on the plasma colour parameters. The intention of this investigation is to evaluate the possibility of simplifying the monitoring and assessment of the sputtering process for applied scientists operating plasma sputter deposition systems. We demonstrate a viable potential for this technique in terms of providing information regarding the stability of the plasma, chamber pressure, and plasma power; however, further work is underway to verify and assess a relationship between the quality of the thin film coating and the colour characteristics of the deposition plasma. Here, we only focus on the feasibility of such an approach and demonstrate interesting observations. We observed a linear relationship between the colour functions and the plasma power, while the stability of the sputtering plasma can be assessed based on the plasma colour functions. The colour functions also follow a unique pattern when the working gas pressure is increased.


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