Influence of sea buckthorn juice addition on the growth of microbial food cultures

The aim of the article was to investigate the effect of sea buckthorn juice addition on the growth of microbial cultures in growth medium and juice mixtures. Pure sea buckthorn juice was found to inhibit the growth of all 11 monitored microbial cultures. Lactobacillus plantarum CCM 7039, Lactobacillus plantarum K816, Lactobacillus brevis CCM 1815 and, to a lesser extent, the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, grew in a growth medium containing a 25 % addition of sea buckthorn juice. Lactobacillus plantarum K816 and Lactobacillus brevis CCM 1815 grew better in this mixture than in pure growth medium. Moreover, we focused on finding a suitable ratio of sea buckthorn and apple juice for Lactobacillus plantarum CCM 7039, leading to malolactic fermentation, which results in an increase in the pH value and an improvement in the sensory properties of juices. The intention was to incorporate the highest possible addition of sea buckthorn juice while maintaining the viability of Lactobacillus plantarum CCM 7039 for malolactic fermentation to occur. The best results were achieved using 40 % sea buckthorn juice. Practical application of the results points to the possibility of preparing a fermented fruit beverage and a dairy product containing sea buckthorn juice. The results of this work extend the current options of sea buckthorn juice processing increasing thus the consumption of healthy juice.

Effect of ambient parameters change on mint leaves solar drying

This study investigates the effect of ambient conditions change on mint leaves solar drying performance and product water activity. Two drying methods, active indirect solar drying (AISD) and open sun drying (OSD) were compared while the experiments were carried out at specific dry climate conditions. During the experimental days, temperature varied from 20 to 30 °C, air relative humidity from 14 to 28.8 % and ambient pressure was around 82 kPa. The effect of air relative humidity change during the day on the rehydration of the product during the drying process was observed. After 7 h of drying, moisture content of mint leaves decreased from 85.29 % to 5.38 % in the AISD and 7.42 % in the OSD system. The 0.97 initial water activity decreased to 0.195 in AISD and 0.79 in OSD. Rehydration during the evening hours caused an increase in product water activity from 0.2 to 0.51. Changes of ambient conditions such as temperature and air relative humidity during the day can significantly affect water activity of dried product due to its rehydration and thus increase the risk of product spoilage.

Theoretical study of lumichrome, 1-methyl-lumichrome and lumiflavin binding ability with thymine

Gas-phase geometry and electronic structure of lumichrome, 1-methyl-lumichrome and lumiflavin in the electronic ground state and their excited states were investigated using the Density Functional Theory. Their binding ability with thymine was estimated for model van der Waals dimers with two intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The influence of hydrogen bonds on their photophysical properties was analyzed. Obtained theoretical data were compared with available experimental absorption and fluorescence spectra.

Thermodynamic prediction of proton and hydrogen atom abstraction in dehydroascorbic acid and its bicyclic form

Conformation analysis of dehydroascorbic acid and its bicyclic form was performed using the density functional theory. For the energetically preferred conformations, ionization potentials (IP) and bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE) were calculated using the B3LYP functional and 6-311++G** basis set. The effects of aqueous solution were estimated using the solvation model based on density (SMD) and the polarizable continuum model (IEF-PCM). The obtained results were compared with available experimental data for reference L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Our calculations indicate that the investigated bicyclic metabolic product of vitamin C can also exhibit limited radical scavenging ability due to the thermodynamically preferred dissociation of tertiary —CH bonds.

Identification of corrosion products on iron artefact from Bratislava castle

Corrosion layers of an iron artefact were characterized to study long-term exposition of iron in Slovakia. The iron artefact from Bratislava castle has been coated with a strong layer of corrosion products and masonry residues. Corrosion products were characterized by different methods including energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and µ-Raman Spectroscopy. Magnetite and goethite on the surface are confirmed typical corrosion products from long-term atmospheric exposure in environment with corrosivity category C-2 (low).

Quantum-chemical studies of rutile nanoparticles toxicity II. Comparison of B3LYP and PM6 data

The relation between copper atomic charges and metal-ligand interaction energies obtained by PM6 and DFT-B3LYP methods for cytotoxicity prediction of model rutile nanoparticles [Ti40O124H81]7–, [Ti7O28H26]2–, [Ti2O10H10]2–, [Ti7O30H30]2– and their Cu(II) complexes is investigated. Except for Mulliken charges, very good statistical parameters were obtained for the linear relation between the results obtained by both methods if standard accuracy of quantum-chemical calculations is achieved.

Dimethyl sulfoxide as a strongly coordinating solvent: 3′,4′-dihydroxyflavone-Cu(II)-DMSO system case study

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an aprotic organic solvent widely used in laboratory practice due to its ability to dissolve both polar and nonpolar compounds. However, DMSO is also commonly known as a strongly coordinating solvent, especially towards transition metal containing complexes. In this study, estimation of the coordination ability of DMSO towards the Cu(II) ion was attempted, employing a model system composed of 3′,4′-dihydroxyflavone-Cu(II) complex in the presence of explicit DMSO molecules, using the density functional theory (DFT). Nature of the Cu-DMSO chemical interaction (i.e. Cu-O bonding) was studied within the framework of quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). Impact of DMSO coordination on the charge and spin distribution at Cu(II) ion was inspected using Mulliken population and QTAIM analysis.

Impact of packing density on primary drying rate

This work aimed to determine the effect of packing density on the sublimation rate in a laboratory freeze dryer. Total amount of sublimed water was determined by gravimetric method while a total of seven experiments were performed under the same conditions (pressure, temperature, and drying time), at different configuration of the vials. The experiments confirmed that the higher the packing density, the lower the drying rate, and vice versa, the lower the packing density, the higher the drying rate. The effect of vials packing density was confirmed by experiments using a plastic rack, while the vials were separated and thus the packing density was lower. In this case, the drying rate was more homogeneous, which contributes to the higher quality of the final product.

Determination of carotenoids in flowers and food supplements by HPLC-DAD

Marigold flowers (Tagetes patula and Calendula officinalis) were chosen for analysis because they are the most often used source of lutein and its isomer zeaxanthin for the production of food supplements on the Czech market. Direct extraction and extraction with alkaline hydrolysis were compared to detect free or bound carotenoids. For carotenoid separation, C18 and C30 columns were used. A new method for determination of carotenoid content in food supplements in form of capsules has been developed and validated. All matrices were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). It has been found that alkaline hydrolysis is required for both Marigold flowers and food supplements to release lutein from ester bonds to fatty acids. In Calendula officinalis lutein in the concentration of 807—1472 mg·kg−1 of dry matter was detected. Tagetes patula has been identified as a better lutein source with the content of 5906—8677 mg·kg−1 of dry matter. It has been found that the content of lutein and zeaxanthin in commercial food supplements (Lutein Complex Premium and Occutein Brillant) is consistent with the declared quantity. Linearity of the HPLC-DAD method ranged from 0.1—20 μg·mL−1 with the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.7 mg·kg−1 for lutein in Marigold flowers and 200 mg·kg−1 in food supplements. Repeatability was 2.3 % for lutein in all tested matrices.

Influence of trans-polyoctylene rubber content on styrene-butadiene rubber properties

The study was focused on the investigation of trans-polyoctylene (TOR) influence on cross-linking as well as mechanical and rheological properties of rubber compounds based on styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). SBR was compounded with different proportions of TOR in the concentration range from 0 to 30 phr. Integration of TOR into rubber leads to the prolongation of the optimum curing time and scorch time and thus the decrease of the curing rate. Higher content of TOR led to less viscous rubber due to the plasticizing effect. Cross-link density of vulcanizates was reduced, which correlates with higher elongation at break. Tensile strength and hardness of vulcanizates increased with the increasing TOR content, probably due to the increasing amount of the crystalline phase.