Application of the CIE L*a*b* method for the evaluation of the colour of fried products from potato tubers exposed to C band ultraviolet light

Colour evaluation, using its numerous parameters, is applied to assess qualitative changes of products resulting from the use of specific technological treatment. The study investigates the possibility of using the CIE L*a*b* method to determine selected colour coefficients of fried potato products. Statistical analysis of the results was performed at the assumed significance level of α = 0.05. It was demonstrated that the method proposed (CIE L*a*b*) is effective in evaluating the colour of French fries modified with the use of raw material exposed to ultraviolet radiation in the C band

High Frequency Induction Tube Furnace for Determining Ash Melting Temperature

Praca opisuje problematykę wyznaczania temperatury topliwości popiołu za pomocą indukcyjnego pieca rurowego wykonanego wg autorskiego projektu, realizującego proces spalania (stapiania) próbek popiołu zgodnie z normą z PN-ISO-540:2001. Proces ten jest kontrolowany przez sterownik PLC z zaprogramowanym algorytmem regulacji i stabilizacji temperatury PID, urządzenie wyposażone jest w termoparę typu S oraz system cyfrowej rejestracji i analizy obrazu. Rejestracja obrazu jest niezbędna do wyznaczenia temperatury płynięcia popiołu, wartość ta jest identyfikowana przy zmianie stanu skupienia z stałego w ciekły, próbka popiołu przechodzi z walcowatego kształtu w płynną postać. Prowadzone badania są niezwykle ważne w kontekście spalania biomasy w kotłach, dobór optymalnej temperatury spalania pozwoli przeciwdziałać powstawaniu ceramicznej warstwy na ściankach kotła, która pogarsza jego właściwości eksploatacyjne i w szerszej perspektywie czasu doprowadzi do jego wyłączenia z eksploatacji. Wybrane elektrociepłownie są zobligowane do spalania biomasy w ramach realizacji polityki wzrostu udziału energii odnawialnej w ogólnym bilansie energetycznym, m.in. przez wykorzystanie biomasy. Ponieważ pochodzenie biomasy jest zróżnicowane, stąd również jej skład fizyko-chemiczny jako paliwo jest niejednorodny, dlatego elektrociepłownie muszą określać temperaturę płynięcia popiołu dla poszczególnych partii tego paliwa.The work describes the problem of determining the fusibility of ash using an induction tube furnace made according to the author’s project, carrying out the process of burning (melting) ash samples in accordance with the PN-ISO-540: 2001 standard. This process is controlled by a PLC with a programmed PID temperature regulation and stabilization algorithm, the device is equipped with a S-type thermocouple and a digital image recording and analysis system. Image registration is necessary to determine the ash flow temperature, this value is identified when the state of aggregation changes from solid to liquid, the ash sample passes from a cylindrical shape to a liquid form. The conducted research is extremely important in the context of biomass combustion in boilers, the selection of the optimal combustion temperature will prevent the formation of a ceramic layer on the boiler walls, which deteriorates its operational properties and in the longer term will lead to its decommissioning. Selected combined heat and power plants are obliged to burn biomass as part of the policy of increasing the share of renewable energy in the overall energy balance, including by using biomass. Because the origin of biomass is varied, hence its physico-chemical composition as a fuel is heterogeneous, therefore CHP plants must determine the ash flow temperature for individual batches of this fuel

The Effect of UV-C Stimulation of Potato Tubers and Soaking of Potato Strips in Water on Color and Analyzed Color by CIE L*a*b*

The color of French fries is an organoleptic attribute indicative of this product quality and also a reliable indicator of its safety. The darker the product color, the higher its acrylamide concentration. Acrylamide is an organic compound of the amide group showing neurotoxic and potential mutagenic actions in the human body. The content of acrylamide in fried potato products essentially depends on the contents of reducing sugars in intermediates of French fries’ production. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of UV-C irradiation and the soaking of potato strips in water on French fries’ color. The study was conducted on French fries obtained from tubers of the Innovator variety. The study was performed with the use of a special chamber for UV-C irradiation of biological samples and the CIE L*a*b* model for color analysis. The results of the study demonstrated that UV-C stimulation of potato tubers before processing had a beneficial effect on French fries’ color while the blanching of potato strips and soaking in water at a temperature of 40 °C resulted in the production of French fries lighter in color

Wpływ parametrów naświetlania bulw ziemniaka ultrafioletem w paśmie C na wybrane współczynniki oceny barwy frytek wyznaczone metodą CIE L*a*b

Assessment of the colour with the use of many parameters is used with reference to evaluation of the quality changes of products resulting from application of specific technological treatments. The paper investigates the effect of relations between parameters of irradiation of potato bulbs with UVC on selected coefficients of assessment of the colour of fries determined with CIE L*a*b* method. It was statistically significantly proved that UV-C radiation affected brightness of fries, change in colour, recognition of the difference in colour and intensity of the colour reception. Statistical analysis of results was carried out at the assumed level of significance α=0.05.Ocena barwy, z wykorzystaniem jej wielu parametrów, wykorzystywana jest w odniesieniu do oceny zmian jakościowych produktów, wynikających z zastosowania określonych zabiegów technologicznych. W pracy badano efekty relacji pomiędzy parametrami naświetlania bulw ziemniaka ultrafioletem w paśmie C na wybrane współczynniki oceny barwy frytek wyznaczone metodą CIE L*a*b*. Wykazano statystycznie istotny wpływ naświetlania UV-C na jasność frytek, zmianę barwy, rozpoznawalność różnicy barwy oraz intensywność odbioru barwy. Analizę statystyczną wyników wykonano na założonym poziomie istotności ε = 0,05

The Use of E-Peroxone to Neutralize Wastewater from Medical Facilities at a Laboratory Scale

The treatment of medical wastewater by the peroxone (AOP) and electro-peroxone (E-peroxone) processes was analyzed. The E-peroxone process is based on the production of hydrogen peroxide electrochemically from an O2 and O3 gas mixture produced in sparged ozone generator effluent using graphite-polytetrafluorethylene cathodes. The electrogenerated H2O2 reacts with sparged ozone to produce hydroxyl radicals. All advanced oxidation processes presented in this study effectively removed chemical oxygen demand (COD) by up to 87%. The use of E-peroxone showed 15% better results in COD reduction than conventional peroxone. The research suggests that E-peroxone is more sufficient at removing pollutants in wastewater than peroxone. Hence, E-peroxone was found to be more cost-effective than AOP in this case

Dental Pulp Stem Cell-Derived Secretome and Its Regenerative Potential

The therapeutic potential of the dental pulp stem (DSC) cell-derived secretome, consisting of various biomolecules, is undergoing intense research. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo studies, most DSC secretome-based therapies have not been implemented in human medicine because the paracrine effect of the bioactive factors secreted by human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) is not completely understood. In this review, we outline the current data on the hDPSC- and SHED-derived secretome as a potential candidate in the regeneration of bone, cartilage, and nerve tissue. Published reports demonstrate that the dental MSC-derived secretome/conditional medium may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases, neural injuries, cartilage defects, and repairing bone by regulating neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and angiogenic processes through secretome paracrine mechanisms. Dental MSC-secretomes, similarly to the bone marrow MSC-secretome activate molecular and cellular mechanisms, which determine the effectiveness of cell-free therapy. Many reports emphasize that dental MSC-derived secretomes have potential application in tissue-regenerating therapy due to their multidirectional paracrine effect observed in the therapy of many different injured tissues

The concept of a construction solution of a robot for harvesting strawberries

Strawberry fruit products are of high commercial and consumption value, while difficult to harvest due to their very low mechanical strength and difficulties in identifying them within the plants. Therefore, robots harvesting strawberries should connect four subsystems: vision of detection, delivery arm (manipulator), effector (harvesting head), and finally- a platform increasing the working space adapted to the size of the farm. The presented work of the conceptual working section of a combine for harvesting strawberry fruit from crops, carried out in rows or cultivation ridge, from cultivation on field and/ or under covers will meet the requirements for: work productivity, quality of harvested fruit, reduction of the amount of pollution. To requirements have been met, the developed concept of constructions adopted the principle of operation during the first phase of the harvesting (in the natural distribution of fruit within the plants of strawberries) and the working of the work arm head (based on image analysis, initially general, and in the last phase of detailed) maneuvering in surrounded by harvested fruit and machine

High Frequency Induction Tube Furnace for Determination of Ash Melting Temperature

The article describes the designed and manufactured tube furnace intended for, inter alia, determining the melting temperature of ash conforming to the standard of ISO-540:2001. The possibility of digital sample observation and several programs controlling the obtainable temperature enable to determine the test cycle in any case (convenient for the researcher). Reduction of testing time allows for the analysis of the observed phenomena, as well as more detailed research plan of samples, where substantial changes have been demonstrated

Characterization of Biological Properties of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Grown on an Electrospun Poly(<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-lactide-<i>co</i>-caprolactone) Scaffold

Poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLCL) electrospun scaffolds with seeded stem cells have drawn great interest in tissue engineering. This study investigated the biological behavior of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) grown on a hydrolytically-modified PLCL nanofiber scaffold. The hDPSCs were seeded on PLCL, and their biological features such as viability, proliferation, adhesion, population doubling time, the immunophenotype of hDPSCs and osteogenic differentiation capacity were evaluated on scaffolds. The results showed that the PLCL scaffold significantly supported hDPSC viability/proliferation. The hDPSCs adhesion rate and spreading onto PLCL increased with time of culture. hDPSCs were able to migrate inside the PLCL electrospun scaffold after 7 days of seeding. No differences in morphology and immunophenotype of hDPSCs grown on PLCL and in flasks were observed. The mRNA levels of bone-related genes and their proteins were significantly higher in hDPSCs after osteogenic differentiation on PLCL compared with undifferentiated hDPSCs on PLCL. These results showed that the mechanical properties of a modified PLCL mat provide an appropriate environment that supports hDPSCs attachment, proliferation, migration and their osteogenic differentiation on the PLCL scaffold. The good PLCL biocompatibility with dental pulp stem cells indicates that this mat may be applied in designing a bioactive hDPSCs/PLCL construct for bone tissue engineering