Application of compression test in analysis of mechanical and color changes in grapefruit juice powder as related to glass transition and water activity

Physicochemical and structural properties of grapefruit juice powder were studied as affected by water activity. Powdered juice was obtained by freeze-drying and equilibrated at different water vapor pressure atmospheres in order to give samples with water activity in the range of 0-084 The mechanical properties of the powder were measured by confined compression tests and the compressed samples, which presented uniform surface and thickness, were subjected to color analysis The maximum force attained during the compression tests and the color coordinates could be quantified with good reproducibility. The results were related to water activity and to glass transition temperature The occurrence of mechanical changes in the powder was shown to precede significant color changes with increasing water activity. Considering the susceptibility to stickiness, the stability limit was observed at T-T(g) approximate to 2 degrees C, with a high degree of mechanical changes being detected at T-Tg 16 degrees C, whereas for significant color changes this critical temperature difference was around 32 degrees CAuthors thank the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) for the financial support throughout the projects AGL2002-01793 and AGL 200505994. Vania R. N. Tells acknowledges the support of the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) as an external grant (Proc. BEX 4452/06-2).Telis, VRN.; Martínez Navarrete, N. (2010). Application of compression test in analysis of mechanical and color changes in grapefruit juice powder as related to glass transition and water activity. Food Science and Technology. 43(5):744-751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2009.12.007S74475143

On dimensional dependence of interaction of light and nano structures

We analyze the role of overlap function, oscillator strength, and joint optical density of states in causing GaAs/AlGaAs nanowires to absorb nearly two orders of magnitude more light compared to the same material in bulk

Qualidade nutricional e esverdeamento pós-colheita de tubérculos de cultivares de batata

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características físico-químicas, a qualidade nutricional e a suscetibilidade ao esverdeamento pós-colheita de tubérculos de cultivares de batata. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com cinco repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de 11 cultivares (Ágata, Ambra, Annabelle, Asterix, Atlantic, Cupido, Daisy, Fontane, Innovator, Markies e Voyager). As cultivares Ágata, Ambra, Annabelle, Cupido e Voyager apresentam tubérculos com polpa de menor firmeza (6,82 a 8,25 N) e baixos teores de matéria seca (14,46 a 17,57%), carboidratos (10,97 a 12,51%) e amido (10,21 a 12,26%), adequados para o mercado fresco, a preparação de massas e o uso culinário. Já as cultivares Atlantic, Fontane e Innovator apresentam polpa firme (9,14 a 9,55 N) e elevados teores de matéria seca (19,68 a 21,63%), carboidratos (14,49 a 15,90%) e amido (14,29 a 15,74%), adequados para fritura. As cultivares Asterix e Markies apresentam teores intermediários dessas características e são indicadas para o preparo de massas e fritura. As cultivares Innovator e Markies apresentam melhor qualidade nutricional, com elevados teores de minerais (P, K, Mg, Cu e Mn) e de proteína, enquanto as cultivares Ágata e Ambra apresentam menor qualidade nutricional e proteica. A cultivar Voyager apresenta maior esverdeamento pós-colheita que as cultivares Annabelle, Fontane, Markies, Ambra e Atlantic