Maintaining the quality of sugarcane juice with blanching and ascorbic acid

The physicochemical changes in fresh sugarcane juice stored at 10 °C were studied by determining juice yield, color, reducing sugar, titratable acidity, viscosity, pH, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), sucrose neutral invertase (SNI) and total microbial count. Results showed that blanching of stems before squeezing effectively prevented degreening and/or browning, and reduced activities of PPO and SNI in fresh sugarcane juice. Added ascorbic acid delayed the increase of reducing sugar, titratable acidity, viscosity and total microbial count, and also prevented degreening and/or browning with reduced PPO and SNI activities in fresh sugarcane juice during storage. Addition of 0.1% ascorbic acid seemed to be more effective than blanching of sugarcane stems, and was able to maintain the quality of fresh sugarcane juice for up to 5 days at 10 °C. Deterioration of fresh sugarcane juice was demonstrated as a rapid increase of titratable acidity and viscosity with a obvious browning.     

Effects of storage temperatures on the antioxidative activity and composition of yam

The effects of storage temperatures on the composition and antioxidative activities of one kind of Taiwanese yam tubers, Tainung No. 1 (TNG1) (Dioscorea alata), were investigated at room temperature (20 ± 8 °C), 17 ± 2 and 10 ± 1.5 °C. Measurements of the antioxidative activities included reducing power and α,α-diphenyl-β-pricryl-hydrazyl radical-scavenging activity. The crude lipid and fibre contents decreased with storage time at all three temperatures, but the reducing sugar contents increased during storage. Both the reducing power and DPPH radical-scavenging activity of TNG1 decreased after 3 and 11 weeks at room temperature and 17 °C, respectively. At 10 °C, significant decline in the reducing power was found after 14 weeks, while the DPPH radical-scavenging activity tended to increase after 7 weeks due to the microbes causing rottenness.     

Cell wall invertase immobilization within calcium alginate beads

Yeast cell wall invertase (CWI) was immobilized within calcium alginate beads. The result of entrapment was the complete immobilization of all the added CWI. Three types of biocatalysts were prepared: CWI-S, CWI-155 and CWI-157. The optimum pH values were 4.5 and 5.0 for free and immobilized invertase, respectively. The optimum temperature was 60 °C, for both free CWI and CWI-S immobilizate. 80 °C was the optimum temperature for CWI-155 whereas the optimum temperature for CWI-157 ranged from 50 °C to 80 °C. Immobilized CWI was more stable than was free CWI above optimum activity temperatures. The activation energies were 32 kJ/mol for free CWI and 45, 21 and 25 kJ/mol for CWI-S, CWI-155 and CWI-157, respectively. The K_m values of free and immobilized CWI-157 were 28.4 mM and 72 mM, respectively. The V_max values were estimated as 4.5 mM/min and 0.42 mM/min, respectively. Immobilized CWI-157 was tested in a batch reactor using 70% sucrose (w/v). Complete sucrose conversion was achieved after 55 h. After 40 consecutive cycles, CWI-157 retained 90% of its activity.     

Sugar metabolism in relation to chilling tolerance of loquat fruit

The relationship between chilling injury and sugar metabolism was investigated in loquat fruit stored at 1 °C for 35 days. No symptoms of chilling injury occurred in the fruit, of ‘Ninghaibai’ cultivar, during the whole storage whereas, in ‘Dahongpao’ fruit, severe chilling symptoms were observed after 20 days of storage at 1 °C. ‘Ninghaibai’ fruit had higher levels of glucose and fructose and higher activities of sucrose hydrolyzing enzymes, such as sucrose synthase-cleavage and invertase, than had ‘Dahongpao’. Furthermore, the chilling resistant ‘Ninghaibai’ fruit also showed higher activities of hexokinase and fructokinase, involved in hexose phoshorylation and sugar signal generation. These results suggest that the higher content of hexoses and activities of hexose sensors were likely part of the mechanism for chilling tolerance of loquat fruit.     

采后黄冠梨果实糖代谢及相关酶活性变化规律

以黄冠梨为试材,研究采后梨果实糖代谢及相关酶活性的变化规律。果实采后即贮于温度0℃、相对湿度85%～95% 的冷库中,分别测定贮藏过程(0～240d)中果实中葡萄糖、蔗糖、总可溶性固形物(TSS)和可滴定酸(TA)的含量以及酸性转化酶(AI)、中性转化酶(NI)、蔗糖合成酶(SS)和蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)的活性。结果表明：在采后贮藏期间,黄冠梨果实中葡萄糖含量与AI、NI 活性均呈先升后降的趋势,且AI 活性出现明显高峰,而蔗糖含量与SS、SPS 活性均逐渐降低。TA 和TSS 含量是果实风味的重要指标,随着贮藏期的延长,TA 含量逐渐下降,而TSS 含量呈升- 降- 升的趋势。果实中蔗糖代谢参与酶的净合成活性与果实中蔗糖的积累密切相关,在采后贮藏期间其活性逐渐降低。     

套袋对清见橘橙果实蔗糖代谢的影响

研究6 种果袋对清见橘橙果实可溶性糖含量及蔗糖代谢关键酶活性的影响。结果表明：不同果袋对清见橘橙果实可溶性糖含量的影响不同,单层果袋显著提高了果实的可溶性糖含量。果实成熟时,套白色单层无纺布袋的果实蔗糖含量最高,套黄色单层袋和白色单层袋的果实果糖含量均最高,套白色单层袋的果实葡萄糖含量最高。单层果袋提高了果实中性转化酶（NI）、蔗糖合酶（SS）和蔗糖磷酸合酶（SPS）的活性,以无纺布袋最为明显,而双层果袋对NI、SS、SPS活性的影响在多数测定点差异不显著。酸性转化酶（AI）活性随着果实的成熟而降低,套袋对AI活性的影响不显著。综上可知,单层果袋通过提高NI、SS、SPS的活性来提高糖含量,因此清见橘橙宜选择具有一定透光率且色泽浅的单层果袋。     

Pasteurization of grapefruit juice using a centrifugal ultraviolet light irradiator

Studies are lacking on the nonthermal pasteurization of liquid foods using UV irradiators that centrifugally form very thin films to overcome the problem of limited penetration depth of UV. Grapefruit juice inoculated with Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae was processed at the following conditions: UV dose 4.8–24 mJ/cm²; treatment time 3.2 s, cylinder rotational speed 450–750 rpm, cylinder inclination angle 15–45°, outlet temperature 11 °C, and flow rate 300 ml/min, and was stored for 35 days. Appropriate dilutions of the samples were pour plated with TSA and TSA + 3% NaCl for E. coli and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and SDA + 5% NaCl for S. cerevisiae. Nonthermal UV processing at 19 mJ/cm², 450 rpm and 15° reduced E. coli in grapefruit juice by 5.1 log₁₀. A dose of 14 mJ/cm² reduced S. cerevisiae by 6.0 log₁₀. Inactivation increased linearly with increasing UV dose. The inactivations at 600 and 750 rpm were similar, and were better than at 450 rpm. The results at 30° and 45° were similar, and were better than at 15°. The occurrence of sublethal injury in either microorganism was not detected. Storing UV processed grapefruit juice at 4 and 10 °C reduced the surviving E. coli to below 1 log₁₀ cfu/ml in 14 days. Processing UV juice reduced the population of S. cerevisiae to less than 1 log₁₀ cfu/ml where it remained for 35 days during refrigerated storage. These results suggest that grapefruit juice may be pasteurized using a nonthermal UV irradiator that centrifugally forms a thin film.     

采后涂膜蔗糖基聚合物对香蕉糖积累及相关酶活性的影响

用0.5%、1%、3%和5%四种浓度的蔗糖基聚合物对巴西香蕉进行采后涂膜处理,研究了其对香蕉蔗糖积累、中性转化酶(NI)、酸性转化酶(AI)、蔗糖合成酶(SS)和蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)的影响.实验结果表明:蔗糖基聚合物处理可延缓香蕉的转化酶和SS活性的下降趋势,推迟并提高了SPS的活性高峰,有利于蔗糖的积累和品质的改善,延长了香蕉的保藏时间.     

Postharvest quality of arazá fruit during low temperature storage

Arazá (Eugenia stipitata Mc Vaugh) fruits at breaker stage of maturity were stored at 7, 10, 12, or 20 °C and 85-90% RH for 2 weeks, with or without an additional simulated shelf-life period (3 days at 20 °C and 70% RH). Some half-yellow (turning) arazá fruit were also stored at 7 or 12 °C. Respiration rate, ethylene production, quality traits and physiological disorders and decay were monitored. Arazá fruit of both stages of maturity showed a climacteric pattern of ripening, with the maximum levels of respiration being reached after 5 days at 20 °C for breaker fruit, while half-yellow fruit ripened totally after one day. Weight loss was the most limiting quality trait for arazá fruit. Chilling injury symptoms included skin scald (only at 7 °C), uneven ripening (at 7 or 10 °C, including uneven softening during storage, particularly in breaker fruit), and slight acidification at 7 °C. Decay in the post-storage shelf-life periods (mainly Gloesporium sp.) was particularly high after storage at 7 °C in breaker fruit. The storage of breaker arazá fruit at 12 °C is recommended because this prevents chilling injury and flesh acidification, and allows normal fruit ripening during a post-storage shelf-life at 20 °C, as revealed by the lower organic acids (mainly malic) content and increased sugar (glucose, fructose and sucrose) content.     

1-MCP处理对不同期采收的阿克苏富士苹果在采后贮藏期糖代谢的影响

以阿克苏富士苹果为试材,通过测定在贮藏过程中(0~150d),果实蔗糖、葡萄糖、果糖和山梨醇含量,以及蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)、蔗糖合成酶(SS-S、SS-C)、酸性转化酶(AI)、中性转化酶(NI)和山梨醇脱氢酶(SDH)的活性,研究采后苹果果实糖代谢及相关酶活性的变化规律并分析了1-MCP处理对它们的影响。结果表明:在采后贮藏期间1-MCP处理在一定程度上抑制了贮藏过程中富士苹果果实蔗糖、葡萄糖、果糖和山梨醇含量的增加,且对不同采收期果实酶活性的影响效果不同,果实中蔗糖、山梨醇含量以及SDH活性呈下降趋势,果糖含量、葡萄糖含量、与SPS、SS-S活性呈先下降后上升趋势,AI与NI在贮藏过程中出现明显峰值,且1-MCP处理可以显著提高这一峰值。     

Heat resistance of Neosartorya fischeri in various juices

Heat resistance of Neosartorya fischeri was studied in three different juices (apple, pineapple and papaya). The optimum heat activation temperature and time for the ascospores of the N. fischeri (growth for 30 days at 30 °C) was 85 °C for 10 min. Of the three juices tested, apple juice exhibited maximum 1/k values at 80, 85 and 90 °C (208.3, 30.1 and 2.0 min, respectively). The 1/k values for papaya juice (129.9, 19.0 and 1.9 min) and pineapple juice (73.5, 13.2 and 1.5 min) decreased with acidity and °Brix/acidity (ratio) level. The Z^* values for apple, papaya and pineapple juices were 5, 5.5 and 5.9 °C, respectively. The sterilization F values (4-log reduction) for apple, pineapple and papaya juices were 56.3, 38.0 and 7.2 s, respectively. Considering the thermal treatments commercially applied to pineapple (96 °C/30 s) and apple juices (95 °C/30 s), it is concluded that such treatments will not guarantee that less than 1 ascospore in each set of 10³ packs survive. Only the treatment applied to papaya juice (100 °C/30 s) will be sufficient because the F value is less than 30 s.     

Biocatalytic production of lactose ester catalysed by mica-based immobilised lipase

Enzyme immobilisation technology is an effective means to improve sugar ester production through the employment of biocatalysts. In the present study, immobilisation of Candida rugosa (CRL) lipase onto amino-activated mica is performed via covalent bonding (namely Amino-CRL) and the cross-linking of lipases into nano-reactors through physical adsorption (namely NER-CRL). Free and immobilised lipases were tested for their esterification activities. Specific activities for Amino-CRL and NER-CRL increased by 2.4 and 2.6-fold, respectively, upon immobilisation. Extending this work, immobilised lipases have novel capabilities in the synthesis of sugar esters. The optimised conditions for sugar fatty acid ester syntheses are 48 h at 2:1 of molar ratio of lactose sugar to capric acid at 55 °C. Furthermore, a high operational stability with half-lives of over 13 and 10 runs was achieved for NER-CRL and Amino-CRL, respectively, indicating the efficiency of the immobilisation process.     

Inactivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in pineapple, grape and cranberry juices under pulsed and continuous thermo-sonication treatments

Pineapple, grape and cranberry juice were thermo-sonicated (24 kHz, 400 W, 120 μm) at 40 °C, 50 °C and 60 °C during 10 min at continuous and pulsed mode. Inactivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was tested from 0 to 10 min; color and pH were measured. Survivor’s curves were fitted with Weibull distribution, four parameter model and modified Gompertz equation. The acoustic energy (AE) was also calculated. S. cerevisiae was inactivated in the treatments at 60 °C, with the continuous mode being more effective. Grape juice showed total inactivation (7-log) after 10 min. Results showed that pH and color changed significantly (p < 0.05); ultrasound may promote chemical reactions and extract some components. The modified Gompertz equation showed the best fit. Energy analysis showed that pineapple juice (4287.02 mW/ml) required a higher amount of energy; grape juice showed the lowest value (3112.13 mW/ml). Ultrasound represents a viable option for juice pasteurization.     

Cell wall invertase immobilisation within gelatin gel

Yeast cell wall invertase (CWI) was immobilised within 10% gelatin hydrogel. The result of entrapment was the complete immobilisation of all the added CWI. The activity of immobilised biocatalyst was 93 ± 3 U/g, with activity yield of 30%. The optimum pH was in range of 4.5–5.0 for free and immobilised biocatalyst. The optimum temperature was 60 °C for both free and gelatin immobilised CWI. Immobilised CWI was more stable than free CWI above optimum activity temperatures. The K_m of free and immobilised CWI was 35.10 ± 2.99 mM and 71.45 ± 3.23 mM, respectively. The V_max values were estimated as 8.23 ± 0.24 mM/min and 0.121 ± 0.002 mM/min, respectively. Immobilised CWI was tested in a batch reactor using 50% sucrose (w/v). After 70 consecutive cycles gelatin immobilised CWI retained 75% of its original activity.     

Physical, chemical and microbiological changes in stored green asparagus spears as affected by coating of silver nanoparticles-PVP

Silver nanoparticles have recently gained increasing interests due to their antimicrobial activities in food processing applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles-PVP coating on weight loss, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, crude fiber, color, firmness and microbial qualities of asparagus spears stored at 2 and 10 °C. Asparagus samples were first sanitized with 100 mg l⁻¹ sodium hypochloride solution for 15 min. They were then immersed in coating solution containing silver nanoparticles for 3 min at room temperature. During 25-day storage at 2 or 10 °C, the coated asparagus demonstrated lower weight loss, greener color and tender texture compared with the control samples. The growth of microorganism was significantly hindered by the coating. Based on comprehensive comparison and evaluation, asparagus spears coated by silver nanoparticles could be kept in good quality for 25 days at 2 °C and for 20 days at 10 °C.     

Survival of human derived Lactobacillus plantarum in fermented cereal extracts during refrigerated storage

The aim of this study was to investigate the survival of a potentially probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum strain in barley, wheat and barley malt extracts. The extracts were produced from three flour/water suspensions, i.e., 5%, 20%, 30% w/w. After inoculation, the cultures were incubated for 24 h at 37 °C, and were subsequently stored at 4 °C for up to seventy days. The lactic acid and reducing sugar concentrations at the beginning of storage were significantly different between the fermented media, ranging from 0.5 g/L to 17 g/L and from 0.8 g/L to 6.5 g/L respectively, while the pH ranged between 2.9 and 3.4. It was observed that the cells survived much better in the malt extracts compared to barley and wheat extracts during refrigerated storage. Based on the results from a study using model media and supplemented cereal extracts it was derived that this was most likely due to their higher sugar concentration and the presence of protective unidentified compounds, albeit the fact that the malt extracts contained higher amounts of lactic acid.     

Protective effect of selenium-polysaccharides from the mycelia of Coprinus comatus on alloxan-induced oxidative stress in mice

We investigated the effect of selenium-polysaccharide (SPS) isolated from selenium-enriched mycelia of Coprinus comatus on hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activities in diabetic mice. Compared with untreated diabetic mice, the administration of SPS for 20 days caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in blood glucose levels. Simultaneously, the alteration in lipid metabolism was partially attenuated as evidenced by decreased serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels and by increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) concentration in diabetic mice (p < 0.05). In addition, the SPS caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the activities of enzymic antioxidants and the levels of non-enzymic antioxidants in liver and kidney of diabetic mice. Furthermore, the effects of SPS was more potent than that of polysaccharide (PS) from mycelia of C. comatus at the same dose.     

Aseptically packaged UHPH-treated apple juice: Safety and quality parameters during storage

Ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) at 300 MPa and 4 °C inlet temperature were used to preserve apple juice, and shelf-life evaluation of aseptically packaged juice was investigated. After processing Tetra Brik containers were stored at temperatures of 4, 10, 20 and 30 °C during 60 days. In this article, the effect of processing on the spoilage inactivation was evaluated after processing and during the storage trial. Non-germinated and germinated spores were found in the UHPH-treated juice, being an inactive population during storage. Patulin content was also not modified by UHPH processing, but a significant decrease was observed during storage at 30 °C (P < 0.05). Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and pectinmethylesterase (PME) activity was not found after UHPH-processing and during storage.A kinetic study of post-processing quality loss was conducted. Vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, total polyphenols and color change were measured during storage study and were used to model the UHPH-treated apple juice shelf-life. Loss of vitamin C was correlated with the hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) accumulation (0.59, P < 0.05). A limiting quality parameter was polyphenolic content. UHPH-treated apple juice stored at 4 °C was found to show a shelf-life for about 21 months by preserving the color characteristics of the juice with low HMF accumulation. From 15 °C changes in quality parameters were more evident.     

Effect of enterocin AS-48 in combination with high-intensity pulsed-electric field treatment against the spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus diolivorans in apple juice

Enterocin AS-48 was tested in apple juice against the cider-spoilage, exopolysaccharide-producing strain Lactobacillus diolivorans 29 in combination with high-intensity pulsed-electric field (HIPEF) treatment (35 kV/cm, 150 Hz, 4 μs and bipolar mode). A response surface methodology was applied to study the bactericidal effects of the combined treatment, with AS-48 concentration and HIPEF treatment time as process variables. At subinhibitory bacteriocin concentrations, microbial inactivation by the combined treatment increased as the bacteriocin concentration and the HIPEF treatment time increased (from 0.5 to 2.0 μg/ml and from 100 to 1000 μs, respectively). Highest inactivation (4.87 logs) was achieved by 1000 μs HIPEF treatment in combination with 2.0 μg/ml AS-48. While application of treatments separately did not protect juice from survivors during storage, survivors to the combined treatment were inactivated within the following 24 h of storage, and the treated samples remained free from detectable lactobacilli for at least 15 days at temperatures of 4 °C as well as 22 °C. The combined treatment could be useful for inactivation of exopolysaccharide-producing L. diolivorans in apple juice.     

Changes of radical-scavenging capacity and ferrous reducing power in chub mackerel Scomber japonicus and Pacific saury Cololabis saira during 4 °C storage and retorting

To clarify the effects of freshness of raw fishes and boil-retort process on the antioxidant activities, we determined stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity and ferrous reducing power in the ethanol extract solution of chub mackerel Scomber japonicus and Pacific saury Cololabis saira meat before and after retort process (115 °C for 80 min). The antioxidant activities in boiled (mizu-ni) and canned fish were also investigated. The mizu-ni can products contain only fish meat and little salt. The radical-scavenging capacity was increased about ten times in chub mackerel and about six times in Pacific saury by the retort treatment. Both antioxidant activities of raw chub mackerel meat increased during 10 days storage at 4 °C. On the other hand, the increasing of antioxidant activity in the stored and retorted meat was observed until four days storage. In the case of mizu-ni canned products, the antioxidant activities were high in common-grade cans rather than high-grade cans. Almost the antioxidant activities shown in this study were correlated with absorbance at 245 nm. We consider that the results about differences of antioxidant activities between raw and retorted fishes or fresh and several day stored fishes are useful for the food functions and safeties.