Membrane Fatty Acids And Physiological Disorders in Cold Stored ‘Golden Delicious’ Apples Treated with 1-MCP and Calcium Chloride

The present research intents to study the evolution of the skin fatty acids and physiological disorders through cold storage in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples treated with 1-MCP and calcium. Harvested fruit were treated with calcium chloride (Ca), 1-MCP (MCP), Ca+MCP or no treatment (control) then subjected to cold storage at 0.5 ºC for 6 months. Fatty acids composition, Malondialdehyde (MDA) and the physiological disorders bitter pit (BP), superficial scald and diffuse skin browning (DSB) were measured at harvest and after storage plus 7 days shelf-life at room temperature ≈22 ºC. Palmitic acid decreased and linoleic acid increased through time, while oleic and stearic acids had few changes. Unsaturated/saturated fatty acids and MDA increased through time, despite Ca and Ca+MCP were related to lower MDA and lower BP and rotten fruit, after cold storage and shelf-life. In those treatments, the unsaturated/saturated fatty acids were higher, mainly due to higher linoleic acid and lower palmitic acids. Further research is needed to clarify the changes in membrane properties and the effect of some treatments in response to chilling injury through storage.

Testing for sensory threshold in drinking water with added calcium: a first step towards developing a calcium fortified water

Background: Food fortification is an effective strategy that has been recommended for improving population calcium inadequate intakes. Increasing calcium concentration of water has been proposed as a possible strategy to improve calcium intake. The objective of this study was to determine the sensory threshold of different calcium salts added to drinking water using survival analysis. Methods: We performed the triangle test methodology for samples of water with added calcium using three different calcium salts: calcium chloride, calcium gluconate and calcium lactate. For each salt, a panel of 54 consumers tested seven batches of three water samples. Data were adjusted for chance and sensory threshold was estimated using the survival methodology and a discrimination of 50%. Results: The threshold value estimation for calcium gluconate was 587 ± 131 mg/L of water, corresponding to 25% discrimination, for calcium lactate was 676 ± 186 mg/L, corresponding to 50% discrimination, and for calcium chloride was 291 ± 73 mg/L, corresponding to 50% discrimination. Conclusions: These results show that water with calcium added in different salts and up to a concentration of 500 mg of calcium/L of water is feasible. The calcium salt allowing the highest calcium concentration with the lowest perceived changes in taste was calcium gluconate. Future studies need to explore stability and acceptability over longer periods of time.

Earth-Based Mortars: Mix Design, Mechanical Characterization and Environmental Performance Assessment

The incorporation of sustainable materials in the civil construction sector has grown in recent years to minimize environmental impacts. Among these materials, the use of earth, a local raw material that does not require much energy for its processing, appears as an advantageous and promising alternative. Earth mortars stabilized with natural binders, when compared to conventional mortars, can have technological, economic and environmental advantages. The objective of this work was to develop an earth-based mortar stabilized with mineral binders using a 1:3 binder to aggregate mass proportion, and to evaluate its fresh and hardened state properties, as well as its environmental impacts using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with a cradle to gate scope. The selected materials were divided in four groups: (i) cement, hydrated lime, fly ash and metakaolinite (binders), (ii) natural sand and coarse fraction of the earth (aggregates), (iii) calcium chloride and superplasticizer (additives) and (iv) water. In the matrix formulation the clay fraction from earth constituted the majority of the binder. The selection of supplementary cementitious materials as additional binders provided improvements in workability and mechanical properties of the mortar. A mix design was carried out using different cement (5; 7.5 and 10%) and fly ash (11; 13.5 and 16%) mass percentages. The water/binder material ratio, superplasticizer content and calcium chloride content were 0.65; 2% and 1%, respectively. The results showed that an increase in fly ash content combined with a decrease in cement content provided an increase in workability and a decrease in mechanical properties of mortars. Nevertheless, the mechanical performance of the mortars remained above the minimum values prescribed in Brazilian construction codes. From the results analysis it was concluded that partial replacement of cement by fly ash provided greater workability in the fresh state and reduced the environmental impacts of the earth-based mortar.

A Record Ammonia Adsorption by Calcium Chloride Confined in Covalent Organic Frameworks

Ammonia is a vital chemical raw material, but it is also a highly toxic environmenal pollutant. However, its highly effecient uptake and reversible release is a challenge. Herein, we have...