High resolution solid state NMR spectroscopy of foods

The general principles of the application of high resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy in food science are presented in a simplified way to become easily familial to the reader. Some preliminary introductory notes about the chemical properties of the foods in the solid-state are also reported. The principal applications have been reviewed mainly focussing the potentiality of these investigations, which are routine tools for resolving technological problems in food industry. Some selected examples of application of high resolution solid-state NM

Did colonization matter for growth? An empirical exploration into the historical causes of Africa's underdevelopment

We investigate the impact of 20th--century European colonization on growth in Africa. We find that in the 1960--88 period growth has been faster for dependencies than for colonies; for British and French colonies than for Portuguese, Belgian and Italian ones; and for countries with less economic penetration during the colonial period. On average, African growth accelerates after decolonization. Proxies for colonial heritage add explanatory power to growth regressions and make indicators for human capital, political and ethnic instability lose significance. Colonial variables capture the same effects of a sub--Saharan dummy and reduce its significance when jointly included in a cross sectional regression with 98 countries

High resolution solid state NMR spectroscopy of foods

The general principles of the application of high resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy in food science are presented in a simplified way to become easily familial to the reader. Some preliminary introductory notes about the chemical properties of the foods in the solid-state are also reported. The principal applications have been reviewed mainly focussing the potentiality of these investigations, which are routine tools for resolving technological problems in food industry. Some selected examples of application of high resolution solid-state NM

Did colonization matter for growth? An empirical exploration into the historical causes of Africa's underdevelopment

We investigate the impact of 20th--century European colonizationon growth in Africa. We find that in the 1960--88 period growth has beenfaster for dependencies than for colonies; for British and Frenchcolonies than for Portuguese, Belgian and Italian ones; and for countrieswith less economic penetration during the colonial period. On average,African growth accelerates after decolonization. Proxies for colonialheritage add explanatory power to growth regressions and make indicatorsfor human capital, political and ethnic instability lose significance.Colonial variables capture the same effects of a sub--Saharan dummy andreduce its significance when jointly included in a cross sectionalregression with 98 countries

Solid-state 13C CP MAS NMR spectroscopy of mushrooms gives directly the ratio between proteins and polysaccharides

The solid-state 13C CP MAS NMR technique has the potential of monitoring the chemical composition in the solid state of an intact food sample. This property has been utilized to study mushrooms of different species (Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus pulmunarius, and Lentinula edodes), already characterized by chemical analyses for protein and dietary fiber components. Solidstate 13C CP MAS NMR spectroscopy reveals a large difference in the ratio between the glucidic and the proteic resonances probably depending on the mushroom species. An accurate inspection by model compounds and suitable mixtures of proteins and saccharides gives a methodology to interpret these experimental data. A good correlation (R2 = 0.93; R2 = 0.81) has been obtained by comparing the NMR data with the results of the chemical analyses. The results suggest the possibility to perform a taxonomic study and/or a nutritional study on the basis of the ratio between protein and polysaccharide levels determined by NMR or chemical methodologies