Establishment of an Effective Refining Process for Moringa oleifera Kernel Oil

This study systematically established the most effective refining process for Moringa oleifera (MO) kernel oil. Acid degumming (20.33 ± 1.37 ppm) removed significantly greater phosphorus than water degumming (31.18 ± 0.90 ppm). Neutralization was more effective than deodorization in decreasing the acid (0.06 mg KOH/g) and p-Anisidine (p-AV, 0.36 ± 0.03) values of the oil. Besides improving its color properties, acid-activated bleaching earth Type B was better than Types A and C in decreasing the oil’s p-AV (0.43 ± 0.02), acid value (3.96 ± 0.02 mg KOH/g), and moisture content (0.01 ± 0.00% w/w). The selected refining stages successfully produced MO kernel oil with acceptable peroxide value (PV, 1.66–3.33 meq/kg), p-AV (1.05–1.49), total oxidation value (TOTOX, 4.38–8.15), acid value (0.03 mg KOH/g), moisture content (0.01% w/w), phosphorus content (1.28–1.94 ppm), iodine value (80.79–81.03), oleic acid (79.52–79.65%), and tocopherol content (65.26–87.00 mg/kg).

Effect of Silk Sericin Content on the Electrospun Silk Nanofibrous Membrane Property

Aims: Research of the effect of silk sericin content on the morphology and structure of electrospun silk nanofibrous membrane. Background: Silk sericin has significant influence on the silk solution and regenerated silk-based materials property, while few reports were found to investigate. Objective: We'll know the effect of silk sericin content on the morphology and structure of electrospun silk nanofibrous membrane. Methods: Four degumming conditions (none degumming, boiling water degumming, 0.05 % Na2CO3 degumming, 0.5 % Na2CO3 degumming) were carried out a systematic investigation in terms of silk sericin content after degumming, regenerated silk nanofibrous membrane morphology (SEM) and structure property (FTIR, XRD). Result: The results show that 0.5 % Na2CO3 degumming results poor spinnability. The solution derives from none degumming and boiling water degumming present high viscosity, leading to a hard silk nanofiber fabrication process. The silk nanofiber from the 0.05 % Na2CO3 degumming shows easier fabrication process and better nanofiber morphology. Conclusion: We successfully prepared silk nanofiber membrane with different sericin content. The sericin content significantly affects the spinnability and subsequent nanofiber morphology. Higher sericin content leads to poor solution spinnability and numerous droplets on resulting nanofiber membrane. Additionally, the sericin can both existence of structural silk I and silk II, which will favor to the increase of mechanical property.

Effect of Phospholipase A1-Catalyzed Degumming on Oryzanol, Tocopherols, and Tocotrienols of Dewaxed Rice Bran Oil

The effect of phospholipase A1-catalyzed degumming on the phosphorus content, the retention rate of oryzanol, and total tocopherols and tocotrienols of dewaxed rice bran oil was investigated with comparison to water degumming and citric acid degumming. The fatty acid composition of dewaxed rice bran oil was also studied by gas chromatography. The phosphorus content of dewaxed rice bran oil after phospholipase A1-catalyzed degumming could be decreased from 332.5 mg·kg−1 to 9.3 mg·kg−1 with the citric acid dosage of 0.10%, high shearing rate of 23000 rpm, chelation time of 60 min, NaOH dosage of 1.5 mole equivalent to the amount of citric acid, reaction temperature of 50°C, and total water dosage of 2.5%, while the phosphorus content of dewaxed rice bran oil after water and acid degumming was 120.5 mg·kg−1 and 66.4 mg·kg−1, respectively. The retention rate of oryzanol and total tocopherols and tocotrienols was 97.58% and 96.81% for phospholipase A1-catalyzed degumming, 91.44% and 85.98% for water degumming, and 92.85% and 87.75% for acid degumming. There was no obvious change in fatty acid composition. The results indicated that phospholipase A1-catalyzed degumming was an effective method since it could decrease the phosphorus content to the required level and provide high retention rate of oryzanol and total content of tocopherols and tocotrienols without obvious change of fatty acid composition.

X-ray test on passion fruit seeds submitted to different aryl removal methods

Passion fruit seeds present germination problems which are mainly attributed to growth regulating substances present in aryl. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of passion fruit seeds submitted to different aryl removal methods by the X-ray test compared to the traditional viability and vigor tests. Seeds extracted from giant yellow passion fruit were purchased from a local market and then subjected to the following aryl removal techniques: water degumming, sand rubbing, mechanical blending, fermentation and virgin lime. After aryl removal, the seeds were submitted to a physiological quality evaluation by the moisture degree, germination, first germination count, germination speed, and seedling length, and also a physical quality evaluation by X-ray test. The treatments using fermentation and virgin lime were harmful to the seeds and the aryl removal techniques of passion fruit seeds by means of degumming in water, sand friction and mechanically with a blender presented the best results. The X-ray test was efficient in identifying mechanical damage and deformations in passion fruit seeds.