The effect of polymer/plasticiser ratio in film forming solutions on the properties of chitosan films

In this work physical-chemical properties of chitosan/ glycerol film forming solutions (FFS) and the resulting films were analysed. Solutions were prepared using different concentrations of plasticising agent (glycerol) and chitosan. Films were produced by solvent casting and equilibrated in a controlled atmosphere. FFS water activity and rheological behaviour were determined. Films water content, solubility, water vapour and oxygen permeabilities, thickness, and mechanical and thermal properties were determined. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was also used to study the chitosan/glycerol interactions. Results demonstrate that FFS chitosan concentration influenced solutions consistency coefficient and this was related with differences in films water retention and structure. Plasticiser addition led to an increase in films moisture content, solubility and water vapour permeability, water affinity and structural changes. Films thermo-mechanical properties are significantly affected by both chitosan and glycerol addition. FTIR experiments confirm these results. This work highlights the importance of glycerol and water plasticisation in films properties.This work was supported by National Funds from FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, through project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0016/2011.Authors Joana F. Fundo, Andrea C. Galvis-Sanchez and Mafalda A. C. Quintas acknowledge FCT for research grants SFRH/ BD / 62176 / 2009, SFRH/BPD/37890/2007 and SFRH / BPD / 41715 / 2007, respectively

Influence of amyloglucosidase in bread crust properties

Enzymes are used in baking as a useful tool for improving the processing behavior or properties of baked products. A number of enzymes have been proposed for improving specific volume, imparting softness, or extend the shelf life of breads, but scarce studies have been focused on bread crust. The aim of this study was to determine the use of amyloglucosidase for modulating the properties of the bread crust and increase its crispness. Increasing levels of enzyme were applied onto the surface of two different partially bake breads (thin and thick crust bread). Amyloglucosidase treatment affected significantly (P<0.05) the color of the crust and decreased the moisture content and water activity of the crusts. Mechanical properties were modified by amyloglucosidase, namely increasing levels of enzyme promoted a decrease in the force (Fm) required for crust rupture and an increase in the number of fracture events (Nwr) related to crispy products. Crust microstructure analysis confirmed that enzymatic treatment caused changes in the bread crust structure, leading to a disruption of the structure, by removing the starchy layer that covered the granules and increasing the number of voids, which agree with the texture fragility.Authors acknowledge the financial support of Spanish Ministry of Economy and Sustainability (Project AGL2011-23802), the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), Generalitat Valenciana (Project Prometeo 2012/064) and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC). R. Altamirano-Fortoul would like to thank her grant to CSIC. The authors also thank Forns Valencians S. A. (Spain) for supplying commercial frozen partially baked breads.Altamirano Fortoul, RDC.; Hernando Hernando, MI.; Molina Rosell, MC. (2014). Influence of amyloglucosidase in bread crust properties. Food and Bioprocess Technology. 7(4):1037-1046. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1084-xS1037104674Altamirano-Fortoul R, Hernando I & Rosell CM (2013) Texture of bread crust: puncturing settings effect and its relationship to microstructure. Journal of Texture Studies. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4603.2012.00368.x .Altamirano-Fortoul, R., Le Bail, A., Chevallier, S., & Rosell, C. M. (2012). Effect of the amount of steam during baking on bread crust features and water diffusion. Journal of Food Engineering, 108, 128–134.Altamirano-Fortoul R & Rosell CM (2010) Alternatives for extending crispiness of crusty breads. In Proceedings of International Conference on Food Innovation, FoodInnova, 25–29 October 2010, Valencia, Spain. ISBN978-84-693-5011-.9.Arimi, J. M., Duggan, E., O’sullivan, M., Lyng, J. G., & O’riordan, E. D. (2010). Effect of water activity on the crispiness of a biscuit (crackerbread): mechanical and acoustic evaluation. Food Research International, 43, 1650–1655.Castro-Prada, E. M., Primo-Martin, C., Meinders, M. B. J., Hamer, R. J., & Van Vliet, T. (2009). Relationship between water activity, deformation speed, and crispness characterization. Journal of Texture Studies, 40, 127–156.Esveld, D. C., Van Der Sman, R. G. M., Van Dalen, G., Van Duynhoven, J. P. M., & Meinders, M. B. J. (2012). Effect of morphology on water sorption in cellular solid foods. Part I: Pore Scale Network Model. Journal of Food Engineering, 109, 301–310.Goedeken, D. L., & Tong, C. H. (1993). Permeability measurements of porous food materials. Journal of Food Science, 58, 1329–1331.Gondek, E., Lewicki, P. P., & Ranachowski, Z. (2006). Influence of water activity on the acoustic properties of breakfast cereals. Journal of Texture Studies, 37, 497–515.Guerrieri, N., Eynard, L., Lavelli, V., & Cerletti, P. (1997). Interactions of protein and starch studied through amyloglucosidase action. Cereal Chemistry, 74, 846–850.ICC. (1994). Standard methods of the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology. Vienna: Austria.Heenan, S. P., Dufour, J. P., Hamid, N., Harvey, W., & Delahunty, C. M. (2008). The sensory quality of fresh bread: descriptive attributes and consumer perceptions. Food Research International, 41, 989–997.Heiniö, R. L., Nordlund, E., Poutanen, K., & Buchert, J. (2012). Use of enzymes to elucidate the factors contributing to bitterness in rye flavor. Food Research International, 45, 31–38.Hug-Iten, S., Escher, F., & Conde-Petit, B. (2003). Staling of bread: role of amylose and amylopectin and influence of starch-degrading enzymes. Cereal Chemistry., 80(6), 654–661.Jakubczyk, E., Marzec, A., & Lewicki, P. P. (2008). Relationship between water activity of crisp bread and its mechanical properties and structure. Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 58(1), 45–51.Luyten, A., Pluter, J. J., & Van Vliet, T. (2004). Crispy/crunchy crusts of cellular solid foods: a literature review with discussion. Journal of Texture Studies, 35, 445–492.Potter, N. N., & Hotchkiss, J. H. (1998). Food dehydration and concentration. In N. N. Potter & J. H. Hotchkiss (Eds.), Food Science (5th ed.). New York: Aspen Publishers.Primo-Martin, C., Van de Pijpekamp, A., Van Vliet, T., Jongh, H. H. J., Plijter, J. J., & Hamer, R. J. (2006). The role of the gluten network in the crispness of bread crust. Journal of Cereal Science, 43, 342–352.Primo-Martin, C., Sozer, N., Hamer, R. J., & Van Vliet, T. (2009). Effect of water activity on fracture and acoustic characteristics of a crust model. Journal of Food Engineering, 90, 277–284.Roudaut, G., Dacremont, C., & Le Meste, M. (1998). Influence of water on the crispness of cereal-based foods: acoustic, mechanical, and sensory studies. Journal of Texture Studies, 29, 199–213.Roudaut, G., Dacremont, C., Pamies, B. V., Colas, B., & Le Meste, M. (2002). Crispness: a critical review on sensory and material science approaches. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 13, 217–227.Rojas JA (2000) Uso combinado de hidrocoloides y alfa-amilasa como mejorantes en panificación. Dissertation PhD Thesis. Universidad Politécnica de ValenciaRosell, C. M. (2007). Vitamin and mineral fortification of bread. In B. Hamaker (Ed.), Technology of functional cereal products. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing Ltd.Rosell, C. M. (2011). The science of doughs and bread quality. In V. R. Preedy, R. R. Watson, & V. B. Patel (Eds.), Flour and breads and their fortification in health and disease prevention (pp. 3–14). London: Academic.Rosell CM, Altamirano-Fortoul R & Hernando I (2011) Mechanical properties of bread crust by puncture test and the effect of sprayed enzymes. In: Proceedings of 6th International Congress Flour. Bread’11, 8th Croatian Congress of Cereal Technologist, 12–14 October 2011, Opatija, Croatia. ISSN 1848–2562.Sahlström, S., & Brathen, E. (1997). Effects of enzyme preparations for baking, mixing time and resting time on bread quality and bread staling. Food Chemistry, 58, 75–80.Sharma K & Singh J (2010) Enzymes in baking industry. Panesar, P.S.; Marwaha, S.S and Chopra, H.K. (Eds), Enzymes in food processing, fundamentals and potential applications, IK International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India.Stokes, D. J., & Donald, A. M. (2000). In situ mechanical testing of dry and hydrated breadcrumb in the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Journal of Materials Science, 35, 599–607.Tsukakoshi, Y., Naito, S., & Ishida, N. (2008). Fracture intermittency during a puncture test of cereal snacks and its relation to porous structure. Food Research International, 41, 909–917.Van Benschop CHM, Terdu AG & Hille JDR (2012) Baking enzyme composition as SSL replacer. Patent No.US2012164272.Van Eijk JH (1991) Retarding the firming of bread crumb during storage. Patent No. US5023094.Van Hecke, E., Allaf, K., & Bouvier, J. M. (1998). Texture and structure of crispy-puffed food products—part II: mechanical properties in puncture. Journal of Texture Studies, 29, 617–632.Vanin, F. M., Lucas, T., & Trystram, G. (2009). Crust formation and its role during bread baking. Trends in Food Science and Technology, 20, 333–343.Van Nieuwenhuijzen, N. H., Primo-Martin, C., Meinders, M. B. J., Tromp, R. H., Hamer, R. J., & Van Vliet, T. (2008). Water content or water activity: what rules crispy behavior in bread crust? Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56, 6432–6438.Van Oort, M. (2010). Enzymes in bread making. In R. J. Whitehurst & M. Van Oort (Eds.), Enzymes in food technology (2nd ed.). Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell.Vidal, F.D., Guerrety, A.B. (1979) Antistaling agent for bakery products. Patent No. US54160848.Wählby, U., & Skjoldebrand, C. (2002). Reheating characteristic of crust formed on buns, and crust formation. Journal of Food Engineering, 53, 177–184.Würsch, P., & Gumy, D. (1994). Inhibition of amylopectin retrogradation by partial beta-amylosis. Carbohydrate Research, 256, 129–137.Xiong, X., Narsimhan, G., & Okos, M. R. (1991). Effect of composition and pore structure on binding energy and effective diffusivity of moisture in porous foods. Journal of Food Engineering, 15, 187–208

Observing the temperature dependent transition of the GP2 peptide using terahertz spectroscopy

The GP2 peptide is derived from the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2/nue), a marker protein for breast cancer present in saliva. In this paper we study the temperature dependent behavior of hydrated GP2 at terahertz frequencies and find that the peptide undergoes a dynamic transition between 200 and 220 K. By fitting suitable molecular models to the frequency response we determine the molecular processes involved above and below the transition temperature (TD). In particular, we show that below TD the dynamic transition is dominated by a simple harmonic vibration with a slow and temperature dependent relaxation time constant and that above TD, the dynamic behavior is governed by two oscillators, one of which has a fast and temperature independent relaxation time constant and the other of which is a heavily damped oscillator with a slow and temperature dependent time constant. Furthermore a red shifting of the characteristic frequency of the damped oscillator was observed, confirming the presence of a non-harmonic vibration potential. Our measurements and modeling of GP2 highlight the unique capabilities of THz spectroscopy for protein characterization.Yiwen Sun, Zexuan Zhu, Siping Chen, Jega Balakrishnan, Derek Abbott, Anil T. Ahuja and Emma Pickwell-MacPherso

Positronium as a probe in natural polymers: decomposition in starch

Ortho-positronium (o-Ps) is used as a probe in positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) experiments, to characterise the behaviour of free volumes in natural starch samples, as a function of temperature (T). Up to about 540 K, the o-Ps intensity, I3, remains constant at 26.2% while its lifetime, $\tau$3, is found to increase linearly. Both parameters undergo a decrease above this T, due to the onset of decomposition, which results in a shrinking of the sample pellets. The results indicate that the glass transition temperature should be above 501 K. Data from thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA) measurements are well described by supposing a first order process for the survival probability (p) of the starch lattice, with an activation energy, Eact = (1.52 ± 0.05) eV, and a frequency factor, ln(k0, s-1) = 25.3 ± 0.4. In the decomposition region, the PALS data show the unexpected correlation ($\tau$3n)3 = I3n, linking the normalised values of $\tau$3, $\tau$3n, and of I3, I3n. This is explained by considering that the changes in I3 with T arise from those in the surviving volume fraction of the lattice, p, whereas the changes in 3 reflect the shrinking of the radius of the free volumes, the latter decreasing in proportion to p1/3. Quantitative approaches on these bases lead to satisfactory fitting of all PALS data, yielding an activation energy, Eact = (1.53 ± 0.03) eV, and frequency factor, ln(k0, s-1) = 25.4 ± 0.2, in excellent agreement with the values derived from TGA

Long-term variability of supratidal coastal boulder activation in Brittany (France)

High-energy supratidal coastal boulder deposit (SCBD) dynamics were investigated on Vierge Island and Pors Carn Point, north and south of western Brittany, France, respectively. Morphological changes induced by boulder transport and quarrying were quantified using high-resolution topographic survey data taken between 2012 and 2017. Additional in-situ wave parameters and water levels were also recorded over this period (2014-2017) in order to compute the maximum water levels and assess the relationship between SCBD morphological changes and specific hydrodynamic conditions. During extreme water levels (for maximum water levels exceeding a one in ten year event), SCBDs were broadly reworked (up to 40% of the total volume). During lower intensity events, for which maximum water levels were still very high, morphological changes represented 1% to 5% of the total volume. These morphological and hydrodynamic observations were then used to calibrate a chronology of SCBD activation events based on 70 years of hindcast winter maximum water levels. These long-term time-series showed great interannual variability in SCBD activation but no significant long-term trend. Winter-frequency SCBD activation was better correlated to the WEPA index (r = 0.46) than the NAO index (r = 0.1). Therefore, the WEPA index can be considered to be a more significant climate proxy for assessing storm-related geomorphic changes in the temperate latitudes of the N-E Atlantic basin (36 degrees-52 degrees N), including the Brittany coast. The potential of SCBDs as a morphological storm proxy for macrotidal high-energy rocky coasts is addressed