Development of Model Equations for Selecting Optimum Storage Parameters for Stored Cabbages

Author(s):  
Musliu Olushola Sunmonu ◽  
O. Chukwu ◽  
Z.D. Osunde ◽  
B.A. Alabadan

A study was carried to develop model equations for selecting optimum storage parameters for stored cabbages in passive evaporative cooling structures.Three sets of four different types of passive evaporative cooling structures made of two different materials; clay and aluminium were designed and constructed as part of the study. One set consists of four separate cooling chambers. Two cooling chambers were made with aluminium container (cylindrical and square shapes) and the other two were made of clay container (cylindrical and square). These four containers were separately inserted inside a bigger clay pot inter-spaced with clay soil of 5 cm (to form tin-in-pot, pot-in-pot, tin-in-wall and wall-in wall) with the outside structure wrapped with jute sack. The other two sets followed the same pattern with interspacing of 7 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The set with 7 cm clearance served as the control in which the interspace soil and the jute sacks were constantly wetted at intervals of between 2 to 4 hours depending on the rate of evaporation with water at room temperature. The other two sets (5 cm and 10 cm interspaced soil) were constantly wetted with salt solution (sodium chloride) at the same interval to keep the soil in moist condition. Freshly harvested matured cabbages were used for the experiments and the temperature and relative humidity were monitored daily. The vitamin A, vitamin E, bacterial and fungal counts of this produce were determined at intervals of three days for a period of 21 days. Mathematical models (using essential regression software package) were developed to predict the vitamin A and vitamin E contents of the stored produce at various conditions considered in the study. Further analysis by optimization process revealed optimum storage conditions for the stored produce using essential regression software package. Optimum values of 8.86IU and 4.03 mg/ml in storage were obtained for vitamin A and vitamin E contents, respectively for stored cabbages at various conditions.

Author(s):  
Musliu Olushola Sunmonu

The need to develop empirical model equations that describe the changes in the nutritional compositions of stored tomatoes under different environmental conditionsA study was carried out to predict and determine the weight and lycopene contents of stored tomatoes. Three sets of four different types of passive evaporative cooling structures made of clay and aluminium were designed and constructed as part of the study. One set consists of four separate cooling chambers. Two cooling chambers were made with aluminium container (cylindrical and square shapes) and the other two were made of clay container (cylindrical and square). These four containers were separately inserted inside a bigger clay pot inter-spaced with clay soil of 5 cm (to form tin-in-pot, pot-in-pot, tin-in-wall and wall-in wall) with the outside structure wrapped with jute sack. The other two sets followed the same pattern with interspacing of 7 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The set with 7 cm interspace served as the control in which the interspace soil and the jute sacks were constantly wetted at intervals of between 2 to 4 hours depending on the rate of evaporation with water at room temperature. The 5 cm and 10 cm interspaced soil were constantly wetted with salt solution (sodium chloride) at the same interval to keep the soil in moist condition. Freshly harvested matured tomatoes (globe variety) were used for the experiments and the temperature and relative humidity inside the cooling chambers were monitored daily . The weight, lycopene contents, bacterial and fungal counts of these produce were determined at intervals of three days for a period of sixteen days. Mathematical models (using essential regression software package) were developed to predict the weight and lycopene contents of the stored produce at various conditions considered in the study. By substituting different values of predictor variables into the model equations, the expected values of weight and lycopene contents of stored tomatoes were predicted. Further analysis was done using a paired sample t-test using SPSS 16.0 computer software package to show the level of significance between the mean of observed and the predicted values for all the models developed. The mathematical models developed are reasonably accurate to predict the storability of fruits and vegetables in passive evaporative cooling structures.


1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghebremeskel ◽  
Burns ◽  
Costeloe ◽  
Burden ◽  
Harbige ◽  
...  

Plasma vitamin A and E, the antioxidant nutrients copper and zinc, and magnesium were investigated in preterm babies. They were fed on their own mother’s breast milk, or a formula with, or without, AA and DHA. Vitamin A (2.4 mg/d) and E (15 mg/d) supplements were also given. Vitamin A and E levels of most of the babies were sub-optimal at birth. The mean concentrations of vitamin E increased in all the groups by the expected date of delivery (EDD) (p < 0.001). Those fed on their mother’s breast milk had the highest value compared with the other groups (p < 0.001). There was an increase in the mean level of vitamin A (p > 0.05) and copper (p < 0.05) and a decrease in zinc (p < 0.05) between birth and EDD. Concentrations of the two vitamins were not different (p > 0.05) between the babies fed on the formula with, and without, AA and DHA. It is concluded that the amount of AA and DHA incorporated in the formula milk did not adversely influence the plasma vitamin A and E of the babies.


Blood ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 3608-3614 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Livrea ◽  
L Tesoriere ◽  
AM Pintaudi ◽  
A Calabrese ◽  
A Maggio ◽  
...  

Because of continuous blood transfusions, thalassemia patients are subjected to peroxidative tissue injury by the secondary iron overload. In accordance, analysis of serum from 42 beta-thalassemia patients, aged 4 to 40 years, showed that the mean concentrations of conjugated diene lipid hydroperoxides (CD), lipoperoxides evaluated as malondialdehyde/ thiobarbituric acid (MDA/TBA) adducts, and protein carbonyls increased about twofold with respect to control. Ferritin levels were positively correlated with the amount of MDA (r = .41; P = .007) and showed a positive trend with CD (r = .31; P = .07) and protein carbonyls (r = .35; P = .054), as further evidence of the deleterious effects of high tissue iron levels. Marked changes in the antioxidant pattern were also observed in all patients. Evidence is presented of a net drop in the concentration of ascorbate (-44%), vitamin E (-42%), vitamin A(-44%), beta-carotene (-29%), and lycopene (-67%). On the other hand, an increase of uric acid and bilirubin was observed, whereas serum albumin and glutathione were in the normal range in all patients. As a result, the total serum antioxidant potential, measured as trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity appeared significantly decreased by 14%. Serum levels of vitamin E were inversely correlated with ferritin (r = -.45; P = .003), suggesting a major consumption of this antioxidant under iron overload. Nontransferrin bound iron (NTBI) was in the range 4.5 to 54.8 micrograms/dL (mean, 21.8 +/- 13.9). Although NTBI had a positive trend with ferritin (r = .37, P = .03), no clear correlation was found with either MDA or vitamin E. A mild to severe hepatic damage, as assessed by serum transaminases, was shown in 24 of 42 patients. Serum levels of vitamin E (r = -.49, P = .015), vitamin A (r = -.48, P = .016) and lycopene (r = -.47, P = .020), were inversely correlated with the levels of transminases. On the other hand, lipid-soluble antioxidants in thalassemia patients were depleted to the same extent in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected (31 subjects) and in HCV-uninfected (10 subjects), while in the normal range in serum from 30 nonthalassemic patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis. These results point out that the iron-induced liver damage in thalassemia may play a major role in the depletion of lipid-soluble antioxidants. The variations of the parameters evaluated in the present study were not correlated with the age of the patients. Our results suggest that the measurement of peroxidation products, matched with evaluation of antioxidants, may be a simple measure of iron toxicity in thalessemia, in addition to the conventional indices of iron status.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 993
Author(s):  
Su Lee Kuek ◽  
Azmil Haizam Ahmad Tarmizi ◽  
Raznim Arni Abd Razak ◽  
Selamat Jinap ◽  
Maimunah Sanny

This study aims to evaluate the influence of Vitamin A and E homologues toward acrylamide in equimolar asparagine-glucose model system. Vitamin A homologue as β-carotene (BC) and five Vitamin E homologues, i.e., α-tocopherol (AT), δ-tocopherol (DT), α-tocotrienol (ATT), γ-tocotrienol (GTT), and δ-tocotrienol (DTT), were tested at different concentrations (1 and 10 µmol) and subjected to heating at 160 °C for 20 min before acrylamide quantification. At lower concentrations (1 µmol; 431, 403, 411 ppm, respectively), AT, DT, and GTT significantly increase acrylamide. Except for DT, enhancing concentration to 10 µmol (5370, 4310, 4250, 3970, and 4110 ppm, respectively) caused significant acrylamide formation. From linear regression model, acrylamide concentration demonstrated significant depreciation over concentration increase in AT (Beta = −83.0, R2 = 0.652, p ≤ 0.05) and DT (Beta = −71.6, R2 = 0.930, p ≤ 0.05). This study indicates that different Vitamin A and E homologue concentrations could determine their functionality either as antioxidants or pro-oxidants.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 481
Author(s):  
Eunice O. Uzodinma ◽  
Chigozie F. Okoyeuzu ◽  
Nneka N. Uchegbu ◽  
Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala ◽  
Waheed A. Rasaq ◽  
...  

Cubing machines in food processing have evolved over the years, which have made products like Star®, Knorr®, and Chicken® bouillon cubes become commercially available today, even in many parts of Africa. On the other hand, the fermented mesquite seed “okpeye” food condiment, traditionally produced by well-trained artisans and widely utilised in Nigeria, requires further product development in order to compete with bouillon cubes. Quality comparisons between the cubed “okpeye” condiment and commercially available bouillon cube products have not yet been reported. Therefore, cubing fabrication/costing and machine performance on African fermented “okpeye” condiment quality attributes, compared with commercial bouillon types, were done. The processing of mesquite seeds into the “okpeye” condiment resembled those of artisans. Bouillon cube products involved the Star®, Knorr®, and Chicken® types. Quality attributes involved proximate, micronutrient, phytochemical, and microbial aspects. Results showed that the throughput capacity of a cubing machine increased with an efficiency of 48 condiment cubes/min, forming properly without separation. Across all studied samples, the protein, ash, moisture, crude fat, crude fibre, and carbohydrate contents were in the range of 1.45–42.50%, 5.29–6.75%, 8.50–12.29%, 2.56–18.54%, 2.45–3.19%, and 18.16–25.56%, respectively. The protein, fat, moisture, calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese contents of “okpeye” condiment were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of bouillon cubes. Fair amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and E were found, with the “okpeye” condiment higher in vitamin E. Besides the flavonoids (0.12–0.18%), alkaloids (0.08–0.15%), saponins (0.19–0.55%), and tannins (0.69–0.93%) present, the microbial loads were similar (p > 0.05) across all samples. Indeed, the “okpeye” condiment can be cubed, and by quality attribute, it competes favourably, and very promising substitute to commercial bouillon cubes.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 483
Author(s):  
Olaf Sommerburg ◽  
Susanne Hämmerling ◽  
S. Philipp Schneider ◽  
Jürgen Okun ◽  
Claus-Dieter Langhans ◽  
...  

Rationale: Cystic fibrosis (CF), caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, leads to impaired pancreatic function and therefore reduced intestinal absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins especially in patients with CF developing pancreatic insufficiency (PI). Previous studies showed that CFTR modulator therapy with lumacaftor-ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) in Phe508del-homozygous patients with CF results in improvement of pulmonary disease and thriving. However, the effects of LUM/IVA on plasma concentration of the lipid soluble vitamins A and E remain unknown. Objectives: To investigate the course of plasma vitamin A and E in patients with CF under LUM/IVA therapy. Methods: Data from annual follow-up examinations of patients with CF were obtained to assess clinical outcomes including pulmonary function status, body mass index (BMI), and clinical chemistry as well as fat-soluble vitamins in Phe508del-homozygous CF patients before initiation and during LUM/IVA therapy. Results: Patients with CF receiving LUM/IVA improved substantially, including improvement in pulmonary inflammation, associated with a decrease in blood immunoglobulin G (IgG) from 9.4 to 8.2 g/L after two years (p < 0.001). During the same time, plasma vitamin A increased significantly from 1.2 to 1.6 µmol/L (p < 0.05), however, levels above the upper limit of normal were not detected in any of the patients. In contrast, plasma vitamin E as vitamin E/cholesterol ratio decreased moderately over the same time from 6.2 to 5.5 µmol/L (p < 0.01). Conclusions: CFTR modulator therapy with LUM/IVA alters concentrations of vitamins A and vitamin E in plasma. The increase of vitamin A must be monitored critically to avoid hypervitaminosis A in patients with CF.


Author(s):  
P. G. Wright

SynopsisBeginning with fundamental results obtained by Mason for the effect of self-cooling on the evaporation of drops, and by Fuchs for the diffusional retardation of evaporation for small droplets of any radius, explicit expressions for the effect of the transport of heat on the rate of quasi-stationary growth or evaporation, are discussed.The simplest algebraic formulation of the results lends itself to interpretation as expressing a resistance to evaporation, the total resistance being the sum of four resistances in series. Two of these resistances, one to diffusion and one to the conduction of heat, are offered by the gaseous phase in bulk; and there are two corresponding resistances at the interface. Corrections are formulated for the effect of the heating of the droplet by radiation. These corrections may be expressed as a (finite) resistance in parallel with the other two resistances to the transfer of heat. Simplified equations are obtained for the evaporation of a liquid whose latent heat of vaporization is very large.Some remarks are made on the formation of a monodisperse aerosol by the growth of smaller droplets. Integrated expressions are obtained for particular cases of the evaporation of a droplet over a finite period of time.


Zoo Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarra Freel ◽  
Elizabeth Koutsos ◽  
Larry J. Minter ◽  
Troy Tollefson ◽  
Frank Ridgley ◽  
...  

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