High-pressure and thermal processing of cloudy hawthorn berry (Crataegus pinnatifida) juice: Impact on microbial shelf-life, enzyme activity and quality-related attributes.

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-pressure (HPP, 300/600 MPa for 2 and 6 min) and thermal processing (TP, 65 °C/30 min) on microbial shelf-life, enzyme-activity and quality-attributes of cloudy hawthorn berry juice (CHBJ) after processing and during storage (4 °C). The CHBJ shelf-life was at least 150 days when processed by HPP. No significant difference was observed in pH and titratable acidity (p > 0.05), while HPP significantly increased soluble sugar (p < 0.05) and simulated some fruity aroma compounds which improved the taste and flavor of CHBJ. However, HPP inhabited ineffectively enzyme-activity in comparison to TP, causing significant color changes (ΔE = 4.98 ± 0.03-5.10 ± 0.07) during 30-day storage (p < 0.05). Although particle size increased after HPP treatment, significant increases (68.76%-926.95%) were observed in viscosity (p < 0.05), due to enhanced extractability or modification of pectin induced by HPP, resulting in higher consistency of CHBJ. HPP is promising to extend shelf-life and improve quality-attributes of CHBJ.

Extraction, identification, and quantification of antioxidant phenolics from hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) shells.

Hazelnut shells are the major byproduct of the hazelnut industry. The objectives of this study were to optimize the conditions for extracting phenolics and to identify and quantify the phenolics in hazelnut shells. Preliminary optimization showed that a high recovery of phenolics could be achieved with shell particle size less than 0.5mm when extracted with acetone at 50°C. Response surface experiments showed that a 10g/l liquid to solid ratio, 58% acetone, and 12h extraction time yielded the highest amount of phenolics. Twenty-seven phenolic compounds were identified in hazelnut shells by mass spectrometry. Coumaroylquinic acid, epicatechin gallate, quercetin, and six other phenolics were identified in hazelnut shells for the first time. The most abundant phenolics in hazelnut shells were catechin, epicatechin gallate, and gallic acid, as quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These results can be useful for the development of industrial extraction processes of natural antioxidants from hazelnut shells.

Production of biodiesel from non-edible herbaceous vegetable oil: Xanthium sibiricum Patr.

In this study, Xanthium sibiricum Patr oil, a non-edible oil, was investigated for the first time to produce biodiesel. X. sibiricum Patr has very good environmental adaptability and thus has plenty of wild resources. Its seed has a high oil content (42.34%) which gives potential annual output of 100,000 tons just in China. And the oil acid value is pretty low (1.38 mg KOH/g). Under the optimal conditions, the FAME content and yield of X. sibiricum biodiesel were 98.7 wt.% and 92.0%, respectively. The properties of the biodiesel product were tested and most properties were in accordance with EN 14214-08, ASTM D6751-10 and GB/T 20828-07 standards, except cetane number and oxidative stability. The results indicated that X. sibiricum Patr is a promising species as a biodiesel feedstock in China.

Thermogravimetric characterization of dairy manure as pyrolysis and combustion feedstocks.

Thermogravimetric analysis was used to examine the thermal behavior of dairy manure as a pyrolysis and combustion feedstock. Nitrogen and air were used as purging gases to analyze the pyrolysis and combustion reactions, respectively, and heating rates of 20°C min(-1), 40°C min(-1) and 60°C min(-1) were applied. An Arrhenius model was used to estimate the kinetic parameters (activation energy, reaction order and pre-exponential factor). Results showed four steps for both the pyrolysis and the combustion reactions, with the second step being the most critical one and during which most thermal decomposition of cellulose, hemicelluloses, starch and protein occurred. Thermochemical reactions were determined mainly by temperature. Heating rate influenced the start and the end of the thermal conversions. The activation energies for the two major reaction zones were 93.63 kJ mol(-1) and 84.53 kJ mol(-1) for pyrolysis, and 83.03 kJ mol(-1) and 55.65 kJ mol(-1) for combustion. Knowledge of the thermal behavior of dairy manure provides guidelines for future energy utilization.

Value-added uses for crude glycerol--a byproduct of biodiesel production.

Biodiesel is a promising alternative, and renewable, fuel. As its production increases, so does production of the principle co-product, crude glycerol. The effective utilization of crude glycerol will contribute to the viability of biodiesel. In this review, composition and quality factors of crude glycerol are discussed. The value-added utilization opportunities of crude glycerol are reviewed. The majority of crude glycerol is used as feedstock for production of other value-added chemicals, followed by animal feeds.

Fluidized-bed gasification of dairy manure by Box-Behnken design.

Application of excessive animal manure to the land may cause some environmental problems such as eutrophication of surface waters, degradation of ground water quality, and threats to human health. This paper reports an experimental study on the technology of biomass gasification to treat animal waste by analysing the effects of key operating parameters on gasification. In this research, dairy manure from the University of Nebraska dairy farm was first collected and dried, and then gasified in a fluidized-bed, laboratory-scale gasifier to generate syngas. The effects of three parameters, namely temperature, steam to biomass ratio (SBR) and the equivalence ratio (ER), on the gasification were described by a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Results showed that increasing the temperature favoured the formation of all three combustible gases, but the composition of each gas behaved differently according to the changing parameters. The lower heating value of the syngas varied from 2.0 to 4.7 MJ m(-3), indicating gasification could be used as a waste management option to produce bioenergy, and potentially reduce problems associated with the disposal of animal waste.

Pretreatment of corn stover with twin-screw extrusion followed by enzymatic saccharification.

Pretreatment of biomass before subjecting it to enzyme saccharification is crucial with regards to facilitating access of enzyme to biomass. Extrusion, as a continuous and cost-effective pretreatment method, combines heating with high shear and mixing opening cell walls at the microscopic scale, thus largely increasing the specific surface area (SSA) of biomass for enzyme adsorption. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of extrusion as a pretreatment method and the underlying factors ruling the improvement of sugar yields. The optimum glucose, xylose, and combined sugar recoveries were 48.79%, 24.98%, and 40.07%, respectively, at 27.5% moisture content and 80 rpm screw speed. These yields were 2.2, 6.6, and 2.6 times higher than those for untreated corn stover. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystallinity index was not a good indicator of sugar yield. However, scanning electron microscopy showed that the cellulose network was exposed due to the destruction of the lignin sheath. The Langmuir adsorption model was shown to be an effective tool for the estimation of the SSA of corn stover. The SSA of pretreated samples was significantly amplified over the control, revealing that extrusion can open the cell wall at the microscopic scale, which was especially favorable on sugar yields.

Extrusion cooking with glucose supplementation of fumonisin-contaminated corn grits protects against nephrotoxicity and disrupted sphingolipid metabolism in rats.

SCOPE: Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin found in maize and maize-based foods. It causes animal diseases and is a suspected risk factor for cancer and birth defects in humans. Extrusion cooking reduces FB1 concentrations in maize however toxicity caused by unknown degradation or FB1-matrix reaction products might persist. METHODS AND RESULTS: To test the efficacy of extrusion to reduce FB1 toxicity, Fusarium verticillioides fermented corn (= maize) grits (Batch-1= 9.7 ppm FB1; Batch-2= 50 ppm FB1) were extruded without (Batch-1E; Batch-2E) or with 10% glucose supplementation (Batch-1EG; Batch-2EG). FB1 concentrations were reduced 64% (Batch-2E) to 94% (Batch-1EG) after cooking. When the uncooked and processed grits were fed (50% w/w in rodent chow) to rats for up to 8 weeks, FB1 intakes averaged 354, 103, and 25.1 çg/kg body weight/day for Batch-1, Batch-1E and Batch-1EG and 1804, 698, and 222 çg/kg body weight/day for the Batch-2, Batch-2E and Batch-2EG, respectively. Nephrotoxicity including apoptotic lesions and elevated sphingoid base concentrations decreased in a dose-dependent manner in groups fed Batch-1, Batch-1E, Batch-2, Batch-2E, or Batch-2EG and was absent in the Batch-1EG group. CONCLUSION: Extrusion cooking, especially with glucose supplementation, is potentially useful to reduce FB1 concentrations and toxicity of FB1-contaminated maize.

Production and selected fuel properties of biodiesel from promising non-edible oils: Euphorbia lathyris L., Sapium sebiferum L. and Jatropha curcas L.

A comparative study on the composition, biodiesel production and fuel properties of non-edible oils from Euphorbia lathyris L. (EL), Sapium sebiferum L. (SS), and Jatropha curcas L. (JC) was conducted. Under optimal conditions, the FAME content and yield of the three oils were greater than 97.5 wt.% and 84.0%, respectively. The best biodiesel was produced from EL due to its high monounsaturation (82.66 wt.%, Cn: 1), low polyunsaturation (6.49 wt.%, Cn: 2, 3) and appropriate proportion of saturated components (8.78 wt.%, Cn: 0). Namely, EL biodiesel possessed a cetane number of 59.6, an oxidation stability of 10.4 h and a cold filter plug point of -11 °C. However, the cetane number (40.2) and oxidative stability (0.8 h) of dewaxed SS kernel oil (DSSK) biodiesel were low due to the high polyunsaturation (72.79 wt.%). In general, the results suggest that E. lathyris L. is a promising species for biodiesel feedstock.

Reduction of fumonisin B1 in corn grits by twin-screw extrusion.

UNLABELLED: This study was designed to investigate the fate of fumonisins in flaking corn grits during twin-screw extrusion by measuring fumonisin B1 (FB1) and its analogs with a mass balance approach. Food grade corn grits and 2 batches of grits contaminated with FB1 at 10 and 50 µg/g by Fusarium verticillioides M-2552 were processed with or without glucose supplementation (10%, w/w) with a twin-screw extruder. Extrusion reduced FB1 in contaminated grits by 64% to 72% without glucose and 89% to 94% with added glucose. In addition, extrusion alone resulted in 26% to 73% reduction in the levels of fumonisin B2 and fumonisin B3, while levels of both mycotoxins were reduced by >89% in extruded corn grits containing 10% glucose. Mass balance analysis showed that 38% to 46% of the FB1 species detected in corn extruded with glucose was N-(deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl)-FB1, while 23% to 37% of FB1 species detected in extruded corn grits with and without added glucose was bound to the matrix. It was also found that the hydrolyzed form of FB1 was a minor species in extruded corn grits with or without added glucose, representing <15% of the total FB1 species present. Less than 46% of FB1 originally present in corn grits could be detected in the fumonisin analogues measured in this study. Research is needed to identify the reaction products resulting from extrusion processing of fumonisin-contaminated corn products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Twin-screw extrusion is widely used in food industry for its versatility. This technology may reduce the level of fumonisins in corn particularly with added glucose.

Enhanced anthocyanin extraction from red cabbage using pulsed electric field processing.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on anthocyanin extraction from red cabbage using water as a solvent. Mashed cabbage was placed in a batch treatment chamber and subjected to PEF (2.5 kV/cm electric field strength; 15 micros pulse width and 50 pulses, specific energy 15.63 J/g). Extracted anthocyanin concentrations (16 to 889 microg/mL) were determined using HPLC. Heat and light stabilities of the control and PEF-treated samples, having approximately the same initial concentrations, were studied. PEF treatments enhanced total anthocyanin extraction in water from red cabbage by 2.15 times with a higher proportion of nonacylated forms than the control (P < 0.05). The heat and light stabilities of the PEF-treated samples and control samples were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Practical Application: An innovative pretreatment technology, pulsed electric field processing, enhanced total anthocyanin extraction in water from red cabbage by 2.15 times. Manufacturers of natural colors can use this technology to extract anthocyanins from red cabbage efficiently.

Biodegradation characteristics of starch-polystyrene loose-fill foams in a composting medium.

The structures and biodegradabilities of loose-fill foams, containing starch and polystyrene at ratios of 70:30 and 80:20, were evaluated using a laboratory composting system. Each formulation was foamed (extrusion expanded) using either 0.2% azodicarbonamide or 0.25% citric acid as the chemical blowing agent. Biodegradability, a measure of the quantity of material mineralized, was expressed as the percentage of CO(2) in the exhaust gas eluted from the individual chambers. The CO(2) generation peaked after about 15 days of composting, and then decreased. The rate and amount of CO(2) eluted depended on the starch content in the foams. Similarly, there were significant differences in the rates and quantities of CO(2) emissions for the foams blown with azodicarbonamide versus citric acid. At the end of the composting tests, the remaining foam material had fibrous and crumbly textures, presumably consisting primarily of polystyrene. FTIR and NMR spectra of the foams, taken after 39days of composting, did not reveal the spectral features of starch, thereby confirming the decomposition of the starch.

Optimization and economic evaluation of industrial gas production and combined heat and power generation from gasification of corn stover and distillers grains.

Thermochemical gasification is one of the most promising technologies for converting biomass into power, fuels and chemicals. The objectives of this study were to maximize the net energy efficiency for biomass gasification, and to estimate the cost of producing industrial gas and combined heat and power (CHP) at a feedrate of 2000kg/h. Aspen Plus-based model for gasification was combined with a CHP generation model, and optimized using corn stover and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as the biomass feedstocks. The cold gas efficiencies for gas production were 57% and 52%, respectively, for corn stover and DDGS. The selling price of gas was estimated to be $11.49 and $13.08/GJ, respectively, for corn stover and DDGS. For CHP generation, the electrical and net efficiencies were as high as 37% and 88%, respectively, for corn stover and 34% and 78%, respectively, for DDGS. The selling price of electricity was estimated to be $0.1351 and $0.1287/kWh for corn stover and DDGS, respectively. Overall, high net energy efficiencies for gas and CHP production from biomass gasification can be achieved with optimized processing conditions. However, the economical feasibility of these conversion processes will depend on the relative local prices of fossil fuels.

Adding value to carbon dioxide from ethanol fermentations.

Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) from ethanol production facilities is increasing as more ethanol is produced for alternative transportation fuels. CO(2) produced from ethanol fermentation processes is of high purity and is nearly a saturated gas. Such highly-concentrated source of CO(2) is a potential candidate for capture and utilization by the CO(2) industry. Quantity, quality and capture of CO(2) from ethanol fermentations are discussed in this review. The established and emerging value-added opportunities and markets for CO(2) from ethanol plants also are reviewed. The majority of CO(2) applications are dedicated to serving carbonated beverage and food processing and preservation markets. Beyond traditional merchant markets, the potential for exploring some fresh and profitable markets are discussed including carbon sources in chemical industries for the following: enhanced oil recovery; production of chemicals, fuels, and polymers; and production of algae-based biofuels through CO(2) fixation by microalgae.

Steam-air fluidized bed gasification of distillers grains: Effects of steam to biomass ratio, equivalence ratio and gasification temperature.

In this study, thermochemical biomass gasification was performed on a bench-scale fluidized-bed gasifier with steam and air as fluidizing and oxidizing agents. Distillers grains, a non-fermentable byproduct of ethanol production, were used as the biomass feedstock for the gasification. The goal was to investigate the effects of furnace temperature, steam to biomass ratio and equivalence ratio on gas composition, carbon conversion efficiency and energy conversion efficiency of the product gas. The experiments were conducted using a 3x3x3 full factorial design with temperatures of 650, 750 and 850 degrees C, steam to biomass ratios of 0, 7.30 and 14.29 and equivalence ratios of 0.07, 0.15 and 0.29. Gasification temperature was found to be the most influential factor. Increasing the temperature resulted in increases in hydrogen and methane contents, carbon conversion and energy efficiencies. Increasing equivalence ratio decreased the hydrogen content but increased carbon conversion and energy efficiencies. The steam to biomass ratio was optimal in the intermediate levels for maximal carbon conversion and energy efficiencies.

Reduced toxicity of fumonisin B1 in corn grits by single-screw extrusion.

Corn grits spiked with 30 microg/g fumonisin B1 and two batches of grits fermented with Fusarium verticillioides (batch 1 contained 33 microg/g, and batch 2 contained 48 microg/g fumonisin B1), which were extruded by a single-screw extruder with and without glucose (10%, dry weight basis) supplementation were fed to rats. Control groups were fed uncontaminated grits. Extrusion with glucose more effectively reduced fumonisin B1 concentrations of the grits (75 to 85%) than did extrusion alone (10 to 28%). With one exception, the fumonisin B1-spiked and fermented extrusion products caused moderately severe kidney lesions and reduced kidney weights, effects typically found in fumonisin-exposed rats. Lesions in rats fed the least contaminated grits (batch 1) after extrusion with 10% glucose were, however, significantly less severe and not accompanied by kidney weight changes. Therefore, extrusion with glucose supplementation is potentially useful for safely reducing the toxicity of fumonisins in corn-based products and studies to determine the optimal conditions for its use are warranted.

Morphological and structural properties of two-phase coaxial jet electrosprayed BSA-PLA capsules.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was encapsulated with poly (lactide) (PLA) using a two-phase coaxial jet electrospray technique in which two immiscible liquids were injected separately through two concentrically located and electrified capillary needles under a sufficiently strong electric field. BSA acted as the driving liquid due to its high electrical conductivity, while the high viscosity of the PLA and low interfacial tension of the PLA and BSA solutions favoured the formation of stable cone-jets. The morphology of the particles was changed from irregular to fully spherical with smooth surfaces when the PLA concentration increased from 1 to 5%. The effects of the PLA concentration and flow rate and applied voltage on particle size were statistically significant. Particle size increased as PLA concentration increased from 2 to 3.5% and decreased as the applied voltage was increased from 15 to 19 kV. No BSA melting peak was detected in DSC plot and BSA exhibited an amorphous or disordered-crystalline state in the PLA micoparticles, while FTIR results indicated that the secondary structure of the BSA was preserved.

Reduction of fumonisin B1 in corn grits by single-screw extrusion.

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of extrusion in reducing fumonisin B1 in corn flaking grits in the presence and absence of glucose. In addition, degradation products of fumonisin B1 during extrusion were identified and quantitated with a mass balance approach. Uncontaminated clean corn grits, grits spiked with 30 microg/g fumonisin B1, and grits fermented with Fusarium verticillioides M-2552 (40-50 microg/g fumonisin B1) were extruded in the presence and absence of glucose (10%, w/w) using a single-screw extruder. Extrusion decreased fumonisin B1 by 21-37%, whereas the same process with added glucose further decreased fumonisin B1 by 77-87%. LC-fluorescence and LC-MS showed that most fumonisin in the extruded samples without added glucose was the fumonisin B1 form, whereas the main degradation product in grits extruded with glucose was N-(deoxy- d-fructos-1-yl)fumonisin B1. The formation of hydrolyzed fumonisin B1 was not significant during extrusion. Results suggest that extrusion in the presence of glucose may reduce fumonisin B1 in corn grits significantly.

Electrosprayed bovine serum albumin-loaded tripolyphosphate cross-linked chitosan capsules: synthesis and characterization.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-loaded tripolyphosphate (TPP) cross-linked chitosan capsules were prepared using an electrospraying technique, in which a sufficiently strong electric field was applied to overcome the surface tension of a droplet. A comprehensive investigation was conducted on the effects of concentrations of initial chitosan and TPP solutions, flow rate and BSA/chitosan weight ratio on the physical properties of the mixtures; the morphology, size and yield of the capsules; BSA encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading capacity (LC); and in vitro release. A high voltage was required to obtain a continuous and stable spray for the mixtures with a high viscosity at high chitosan concentration. The capsules were spherical in shape. Capsule size increased with increasing flow rate, but did not change significantly (p < 0.05) with increases in concentrations of chitosan and TPP. Increasing concentrations of chitosan and TPP solutions increased the yields, while yields decreased with increases in the flow rate. EE and LC increased with increasing chitosan concentration, BSA/chitosan weight ratio and TPP concentration and decreased with increasing flow rate. High EE enhanced the BSA release rate, while a high degree of cross-linking slowed its release.

Electrospray encapsulation of water-soluble protein with polylactide. I. Effects of formulations and process on morphology and particle size.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was encapsulated with poly (lactide) (PLA) using an electrospray technique in which a sufficiently strong electric field was applied to overcome the surface tension of a droplet and to produce small particles. The influences of PLA solvent type, PLA solution concentrations; the viscosity, electrical conductivity and surface tension of PLA solutions and PLA/BSA emulsions; and the applied voltage and flow rate on the morphology and size of the BSA-loaded PLA particles were examined. 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) was a better solvent for PLA than dichloromethane. Spherical electrosprayed particles, with smooth surfaces, were observed with both solvents. The electrical conductivity increased and particle size decreased when acetone was mixed with DCE as PLA solvent. However, the particles were no longer spherical. The size of the particles increased and shape became spherical as PLA concentration was increased from 1-3%. Increasing the concentration to 4% resulted in the formation of a mixture of beads and fibres. Particle size decreased as applied voltage was increased from 10-15 kV and increased as flow rate was increased from 0.5-3 ml h(-1).