Evaluation of alternative preservation treatments (water heat treatment, ultrasounds, thermosonication and UV-C radiation) to improve safety and quality of whole tomato

Previously optimised postharvest treatments were compared to conventional chlorinated water treatment in terms of their effects on the overall quality of tomato (‘Zinac’) during storage at 10 °C. The treatments in question were water heat treatment (WHT = 40 °C, 30 min), ultrasounds (US = 45 kHz, 80 %, 30 min), thermosonication (TS =40 °C, 30 min, 45 kHz, 80 %) and ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C: 0.97 kJ m−2). The quality factors evaluated were colour, texture, sensorial analysis, mass loss, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, peroxidase and pectin methylesterase enzymatic activities, and microbial load reduction. The results demonstrate that all treatments tested preserve tomato quality to some extent during storage at 10 °C. WHT, TS and UV-C proved to be more efficient on minimising colour and texture changes with the additional advantage of microbial load reduction, leading to a shelf life extension when compared to control trials. However, at the end of storage, with exception of WHT samples, the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of treated samples was lower than for control samples. Moreover, sensorial results were well correlated with instrumental colour experimental data. This study presents alternative postharvest technologies that improve tomato (Zinac) quality during shelf life period and minimise the negative impact of conventional chlorinated water on human safety, health and environment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Invited presentation at the International Conference on Soil-Structure Interaction: Calculation Methods and Engineering Practice

Given the problems associated with sampling cohesionless soils there is movement towards the use of high quality in-situ tests either to derive soil parameters for use in conventional design me-thods or through the use of empirical design correlations. This paper describes a field test of a model vertically loaded footing tested at a dense sand test site. The ultimate capacity and load-displacement response at working stresses are shown to be predicted reasonably accurately using simple tech-niques which use the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) cone resistance qc as an input parameter

Effect of sonication on colour, ascorbic acid and yeast inactivation in tomato juice

Power ultrasound is recognised as a potential non-thermal technique to inactivate micro-organisms pertinent to fruit juices. In this study tomato juice was sonicated at different amplitude levels (24.4–61.0 μm) at a constant frequency of 20 kHz for treatment times (2–10 min) and pulse durations of 5 s on and 5 s off. Hunter colour values (L*, a* and b*), pH, °Brix, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and yeast inactivation were measured. No significant differences (p < 0.05) in pH, °Brix or titratable acidity were observed. Regression modelling was used to investigate the main effects of amplitude level and treatment time. Prediction models were found to be significant (p < 0.05) with low standard errors and high coefficients of determination (R2). Model predictions for critical quality parameters of Hunter colour values (L*, a* and b*), ascorbic acid and yeast inactivation were closely correlated with the experimental results obtained

A field investigation of vertical footing response on sand

This paper presents the results from an experimental programme that studied the factors affecting the bearing resistance of shallow footings in sand. In particular, the tests considered the effects of the footing width and embedment depth on the pressure-settlement response. By comparing the results with field tests on full-scale footings, simple correlations between the bearing pressure mobilised at normalised settlement levels of 5% and 10% of the footing width and the Cone Penetration Test qc value were studied. These correlations were found to be independent of footing size, embedment depth and sand state, although they were affected by creep. The rate of mobilisation of the footing resistance at low settlements was found to be strongly dependent on the initial soil state and the previous loading history. A simple nonlinear elastic soil model was found to adequately predict this response.Other funderJournal websitehttp://www.geotechnicaljournal.comSustainable Energy IrelandAertech LtdPublisher requires the journal URL to appear on the record: http://www.geotechnicaljournal.com - AV 10/8/2010 ke, jo - AL 26/08/1