Biological potential and microencapsulation of Cinnamomum cassia essential oil as an alternative for pest control in stored maize

This study proposes a review of biological potential of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) essential oil with a focus on microencapsulation as an alternative to control the occurrence of pests in stored maize grains. Due to the demands on corn productivity, there is the need to improve grain storage processes and conditions, since that in this stage there are quantitative and/or qualitative losses, mainly due to the maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais) and the incidence of mycotoxin-producing fungi (Penicillium crustosum, Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus flavus). The control of these pests is usually carried out with chemical insecticides, which can leave toxic residues in the grain. Therefore, the microencapsulation of essential oils appears as a promising alternative, considering the volatility of aromatic compounds, which are largely responsible for the activity against pests.

SUGGESTION FOR AN OPTIMAL MODEL FOR E.coli, S. aureus AND C. albicans PRESERVATION AT A STORAGE TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 4°C TO -20°C

The low temperature in the storage processes can vary in the range of +4°C to -80°C and even lower, using liquid nitrogen. Depending on this, the time for which we expect the microbial culture to remain viable also changes. Agar slant culture, covered with oil, stab culture, saline suspension, glycerol and DMSO preservation, drying on silica gel, drying on soil, sterile water, lyophilization, cryopreservation, etc. are methods employed for the preservation of microorganisms. However, the choice of method to be used depends on the type of microorganism, the purpose of storage, and duration of preservation. The aim of the study is to compare storage techniques using semisolid agar and cultivation at 4°C and using BHI broth with glycerol and cultivation at -20°C. These are two commonly used and accessible methods for bacteria and yeast preservation. After performing the storage procedure for a total of 18 strains of S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans, we re-cultivated them after two and six months of preservation. From the obtained results, we can conclude that the storage of bacteria at 4°C on semisolid agar for up to 8 weeks is successful, in C. albicans, one of the tested six strains did not survive. After 6 months, another strain of the yeasts did not show growth, as well as one of the sixth E. coli strains. Storing microbes at -20°C with a cryoprotectant has proven to be a more successful method. This was an expected result, and other authors commented that lower storage temperatures provide longer life for microorganisms.

Methodology for Efficient Bitumen Storage with Reduced Energy Consumption

This paper studies the possibility of minimizing energy consumption during 35/50 bitumen storage. Similarly to most bitumen companies, the company with which we collaborated uses fossil fuel to maintain bitumen tanks at 150 °C. The main objective is to optimize energy usage. To achieve this purpose, we tested two new storage processes. One is based on dynamic temperature storage between 140 and 160 °C, and the other on room temperature conditions. This work evaluates the effect of these storage conditions on the quality of 35/50 bitumen, and studies the energy aspect to calculate the energy profit for every storage method. After storage, we have studied short-term and long-term ageing using the Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFOT) and the Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV) tests, respectively. We characterized the samples using needle penetration at 25 °C, the softening point, and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. We observed that the change in physical properties is negligible after the tested storage processes. Chemically, both the storage conditions affected the oxidative behavior acceptably; the carbonyl index was the same in the long term. We conclude that we can store 35/50 bitumen at room temperature conditions, which follow us to save more than three times the energy needs compared to the standard configurations.

Recent Status and Prospects on Thermochemical Heat Storage Processes and Applications

Recent contributions to thermochemical heat storage (TCHS) technology have been reviewed and have revealed that there are four main branches whose mastery could significantly contribute to the field. These are the control of the processes to store or release heat, a perfect understanding and designing of the materials used for each storage process, the good sizing of the reactor, and the mastery of the whole system connected to design an efficient system. The above-mentioned fields constitute a very complex area of investigation, and most of the works focus on one of the branches to deepen their research. For this purpose, significant contributions have been and continue to be made. However, the technology is still not mature, and, up to now, no definitive, efficient, autonomous, practical, and commercial TCHS device is available. This paper highlights several issues that impede the maturity of the technology. These are the limited number of research works dedicated to the topic, the simulation results that are too illusory and impossible to implement in real prototypes, the incomplete analysis of the proposed works (simulation works without experimentation or experimentations without prior simulation study), and the endless problem of heat and mass transfer limitation. This paper provides insights and recommendations to better analyze and solve the problems that still challenge the technology.

Differences in Physicochemical Characters of Fresh-Cut Mango, Mangosteen and Rambutan Due to Calcium Chloride Application

The effect of the application of calcium chloride on the physicochemical changes of fresh-cut tropical fruits during storage processes was evaluated.