Determination of Chokanan mango sweetness (Mangifera indica) using non-destructive image processing technique

The Chokanan mango (Mangifera indica) has a high commercial potential. Its sugar content increases as the colour changes during the maturation process. In this research, the relationship between the sweetness of the Chokanan mango and its mean pixel values in RGB and HSB colour space is analyzed. This information could be utilized in determining the level of sweetness of the Chokanan mango without destroying the fruit. A Keyence machine vision system was employed to capture the images of the mango in RGB and HSB colour spaces. Based on the findings, it could be concluded that hue not only has the highest correlation value (-0.916), but also has the lowest value of the standard deviation at all levels of sweetness compared to other colour components. It is possible to determine sweetness at Level 1 and Level 2 with a 100% success rate and a 87% success rate at Level 3

Quality changes of fresh cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var Reticulatus cv. Glamour) in different types of polypropylene packaging

Consumers today prefer to purchase ready-to-eat, fresh-cut fruit that is readily available at the markets and retailers. They generally select the fresh-cut fruit base on the quality, freshness, nutrition and safety. The effects of packaging condition on fresh-cut Cantaloupe were studied during 18 days of storage at 2°C and 87% RH. Fresh-cut Cantaloupe pieces were packed in a Polypropylene (PP) container. As a control, the container was cover with lid without film, while Sample 1 (S1) was sealed only by a 40 μm PP film and Sample 2 (S2) was sealed with a 40 μm PP film and then adding the lid cover. Changes in colour, firmness Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA) and Total Plate Count (TPC) were evaluated over time. During storage, it was found that the firmness significantly decreased from day 0 until day in all packaging conditions. Color parameters Luminosity (L*) and Chromaticity (C) were significantly change at the significance level of 95% (p<0.05) while hue angle (hab) were not significant (p<0.05) change for all types of packaging. Meanwhile, pH, Titratable Acidity (TA) and Total Plate Count (TPC) were significantly changed over time at the significance level of 95% (p<0.05). The fresh cut cantaloupe packed with the control method showed better appearance and quality as compared to the other treatments after 18 days of storage. These results suggest that the PP container with a lid cover only (control) is suitable to be used for fresh cut cantaloupe during the first 18 days of storage at 2°C

Hydrogen as clean fuel via continuous fermentation by anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodospirillum rubrum

Hydrogen has been considered a potential fuel for the future since it is carbon-free and oxidized to water as a combustion product. Bioconversion of synthesis gas to hydrogen was demonstrated in a continuous fermentation utilizing malate as a carbon source. Rhodospirillum rubrum, an anaerobic photosynthetic bacterium catalyzed water gas shift reaction which was used in this research. The synthesis gas (CO) was used as a source of energy along with tungsten light supplied for growth and bioconversion of the photosynthetic bacteria. The microbial process in fermentation media was carried out in continuous culture to observe the effect of light intensity, agitation and liquid dilution rate on hydrogen production. The maximum hydrogen yield at 500 rpm was 0.65 mmol H2/mmol CO. Desired media flow rate was preferable for high hydrogen production. At 0.65 ml/min media, hydrogen was produced at 7.2 mmol/h. This new approach, use of biocatalyst, can be considered as an alternative method to the conventional Fischer Tropsch synthetic reactions, which were able to convert synthesis gas into hydrogen. Key Words: Hydrogen, syngas, continuous bioreactor, Rhodospirillum rubrum, light intensity, agitation rate and flow rate. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(10) 2004: 503-50

Service quality in UUM sport centre and its impact on UUM students satisfactions

This research aimed to identify the significant relationship between quality of service at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Sport Centre its impact toward UUM students satisfaction by using SERVQUAL model.A field survey of UUM Sport Centre service quality was conducted in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) that located at Sintok, Kedah in which involved UUM students’ participation as the research target group.This study aimed to identifying which dimensions of SERVQUAL model has the greatest influence on UUM student’s satisfaction.The five SERVQUAL dimensions are tangible, responsiveness, assurance, reliability, and empathy as independent variables, while students’ satisfaction is the dependent variable. SERVQUAL model was tested to determine and measure their relationship with UUM student’s satisfaction.Over 200 questionnaires were distributed to respondents through judgment sampling.The finding shows that UUM students tend to be satisfied with UUM Sport Centre service quality whereby the score of mean and the regression indicated that assurance dimension as the highest influences of UUM students’ satisfaction.Therefore, UUM Sport Centre shall response aggressively in positive manner to improve the quality of service provided which focus more on assurance dimension of SERVQUAL. Recommendation for future research was also put forward

Effect of various active packaging system on quality and microbial stability of fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. Var. Reticulates cv. Glamour)

A study was conducted to determine the effect of initial packaging atmosphere by using different packaging system on the quality and microbial stability of fresh-cut Cantaloupe and to investigate the effect of different absorbers. Fresh-cut Cantaloupe was stored in two types of containers; specifically a rigid container and semirigid container. Each of containers was sealed under different conditions. These were Polypropylene (PP) film and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) films. Between the two types of film, Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) film material was shown to have better quality of both containers, being the rigid and semirigid containers. It was found that the physico-chemical properties (firmness, colour, total soluble solid, titratable acidity) of fresh-cut Cantaloupe were maintained over 18 days of storage. Meanwhile,for pH value, there are no significant effects in the storage time for all type of packages. Microbial analysis (total plate count and yeast and mould) were found to increase over storage, but LDPE materials were found to have lower TPC compared to the other package. The packages did not exhibit any effects on the YM counts during the 18 days of storage. For the oxygen, carbon dioxide, respiration rate and ethylene production, the LDPE film materials could maintain the quality of about 11 days with acceptable level of oxygen (above 2%) and a moderate level of carbon dioxide (2%-12%). LDPE shows the lowest value of respiration rate and ethylene production in the rigid and semirigid container. The effects of absorbers were investigated after the selection of the seal package materials for rigid and semirigid containers. Two types of absorbers were used namely, oxygen absorber and ethylene absorber. There were four different conditions created in this experiment. The first container does not contain absorber. The second container contained an oxygen absorber. The third container contained ethylene absorber, and finally, the samples included both types of absorbers, being oxygen and ethylene absorbers. It was found that the physicochemical of fresh-cut Cantaloupe (firmness, colour, total soluble solid, titratable acidity) was maintained over 18 days of storage for all types of conditions in an active packaging system. The microbial analysis (total plate count (TPC) and yeast and mould (YM)) were increased throughout the storage time and the storage can last until day 11 for microbial spoilage. It was found that all types of absorbers able to reduce the oxygen concentration of fresh-cut Cantaloupe but too little of oxygen may cause anaerobic metabolism and production of off flavors and odors. The results showed that the absorbers had reduced the oxygen level of oxygen tremendously (below than 2%). The percentage of carbon dioxide had shown the same amount for both containers (2%-12% of CO2). For respiration rate and ethylene production, the ethylene-oxygen absorbers had shown the lowest value for fresh-cut Cantaloupe for both containers. Therefore, the fresh-cut Cantaloupe packaged with LDPE film was found to maintain the quality and microbial stability up to 11 days of postharvest storage for rigid and semirigid container at 2±1°C. The fresh-cut Cantaloupe packaged with LDPE film can be consumed until day 11. However, the package associated with oxygen and ethylene absorbers can be only being consumed up to day 7

Modified atmosphere storage of minimally processed Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. Reticulatus cv. Glamour)

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. Glamour) is a type of melon which is characterised by its netted surface. This study was conducted to determine the effects of different sealed packaging materials on the changes in quality of fresh-cut Cantaloupe during storage at 2 °C and 87% RH for 18 days. The selection of packaging materials is critical to the development of a modified environment inside the package. The fresh-Cut Cantaloupe fruits (Cucumis melo L. var. Glamour) were packed in Polypropylene (PP) containers and sealed with 40 µm Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) films and Polypropylene (PP) films. For the control sample, a Polypropylene (PP) container was closed using a lid cover (PP) without a sealing film. Sample 1 (S1) consisted of a Polypropylene (PP) container sealed only with a 40 µm PP film and Sample 2 (S2) comprised of a Polypropylene (PP) container sealed with a 40 µm LDPE film. The samples were analysed after storage at 2 °C for 18 days. The Cantaloupe fruits were cut into small cubes of 2 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm. Evaluation parameters include colour, firmness, respiration rate, Total Plate Count (TPC) and Yeast and Mould (YM). Overall for both packages the results indicated that the respiration rate, firmness, Total Plate Count (TPC) and Yeast and Mould (YM) decreased significantly (p 0.05) different. Samples from the packages sealed with LDPE (S2) indicated better appearance and quality.Thus, LDPE is recommended to be used for packaging of fresh-cut Cantaloupe

Effects of active packaging on the physico-chemical properties of fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis Melo L. Var. Glamour)

One of the most well-known active packaging concepts is gas absorbers or scavengers. In this study, modified atmosphere packaging was developed to investigate the physico-chemical properties of fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis Melo L. Var. Glamour) fruit during storage by using oxygen and ethylene absorbers. The freshcut cantaloupes were cut into small cubes and immersed in a calcium lactate solution (1%) prior to packing in polypropylene (PP) container that contained ethylene and oxygen absorbers and sealed with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films. The changes in physico-chemical properties of the packed fruits were determined in terms of colour, pH, texture and total soluble solid (TSS) during storage for 18 days at 2 ºC with 87% relative humidity (RH). No overall significant changes (p<0.05) were observed on the colour and pH properties of the fresh-cut cantaloupes in all packages. The freshcut cantaloupes packed with ethylene absorber in the PP container demonstrated better firmness than ethylene/oxygen absorbers and control packages. The total soluble solid (TSS) of the fruits in the ethylene and ethylene-oxygen absorbers packages were well preserved compare to the control package. These findings indicate that the shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupes was extended to a certain period of time due to the presence of the gas absorbers

Full Length Research Paper - Hydrogen as clean fuel via continuous fermentation by anaerobic photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodospirillum rubrum

Hydrogen has been considered a potential fuel for the future since it is carbon-free and oxidized to water as a combustion product. Bioconversion of synthesis gas to hydrogen was demonstrated in a continuous fermentation utilizing malate as a carbon source. Rhodospirillum rubrum , an anaerobic photosynthetic bacterium catalyzed water gas shift reaction which was used in this research. The synthesis gas (CO) was used as a source of energy along with tungsten light supplied for growth and bioconversion of the photosynthetic bacteria. The microbial process in fermentation media was carried out in continuous culture to observe the effect of light intensity, agitation and liquid dilution rate on hydrogen production. The maximum hydrogen yield at 500 rpm was 0.65 mmol H2/mmol CO. Desired media flow rate was preferable for high hydrogen production. At 0.65 ml/min media, hydrogen was produced at 7.2 mmol/h. This new approach, use of biocatalyst, can be considered as an alternative method to the conventional Fischer Tropsch synthetic reactions, which were able to convert synthesis gas into hydrogen