Canola oil/candelilla wax oleogel improves texture, retards staling and reduces in vitro starch digestibility of maize tortillas.

BACKGROUND: Maize tortilla staling is a major drawback that affects its commercialization and consumption, and so novel methods for retarding staling are continuously being explored. The present study evaluated the effect of adding a canola oil/candelilla wax oleogel (CWO; 0. 2, 4 and 6 g 100 g-1 ) to a basic masa formulation (water, 60 g 100 g-1 ; nixtamalized maize flour, 40 g 100 g-1 ) on the texture, staling and in vitro starch digestibility of maize tortillas made using a hot plate (200 °C). RESULTS: Textural analysis showed that CWO reduced hardness and increased the tensile strength of tortillas. Fourier transform infrared analysis indicated that the retrogradation of starch chains, quantified in terms of the intensity ratio 1047/1022, was reduced by oleogel incorporation. In vitro starch digestibility tests showed that tortillas containing CWO had lower readily digestible and slowly digestible starch fractions compared to the control tortilla without oleogel. CONCLUSION: The formation of amylose-lipid inclusion complexes and the formation of an oily physical barrier around starch granules were postulated as mechanisms underlying the reduced starch digestibility. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pentachlorophenol sorption in nylon fiber and removal by immobilized Rhizopus oryzae ENHE.

This study describes pentachlophenol (PCP) sorption in nylon fiber in which Rhizopus oryzae ENHE was immobilized to remove the chemical compound. The experimental sorption data were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models using non-linear error functions to fit the experimental data to the three models. Results showed that the isotherm obtained from the data fitted the three models used. However, the g parameter from Redlich-Peterson model showed that the isotherm obtained approaches the Freundlich model. This support reached the sorption equilibrium concentration at 3mg PCPg(-1)nylon. To study PCP removal capability by R. oryzae ENHE and to eliminate the error caused by PCP sorbed by the nylon fiber during its quantification, nylon fiber at PCP equilibrium sorption concentration was used to immobilize R. oryzae ENHE. It was found that this fungus grew within nylon fiber cubes in presence or not of PCP, even when PCP caused growth inhibition. Maximum biomass accumulated into nylon cubes without PCP was of 32 mg biomass g(-1)nylon and into nylon cubes at PCP equilibrium concentration was of 18 mg g(-1)nylon. The results showed that R. oryzae ENHE immobilized into nylon fiber removed 88.6% and 92% of PCP in cultures with 12.5 and 25 mg PCPL(-1), as initial concentration, respectively. This is the first work to report that a zygomycete, such as R. oryzae ENHE, immobilized into nylon fiber kept its potential to remove PCP.

Inhibitory concentrations of 2,4D and its possible intermediates in sulfate reducing biofilms.

Different concentrations of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4D) and its possible intermediates such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4DCP), 4-chlorophenol (4CP), 2-chlorophenol (2CP) and phenol, were assayed to evaluate the inhibitory effect on sulfate and ethanol utilization in a sulfate reducing biofilm. Increasing concentrations of the chlorophenolic compounds showed an adverse effect on sulfate reduction rate and ethanol conversion to acetate, being the intermediate 2,4DCP most toxic than the herbicide. The monochlorophenol 4CP (600 ppm) caused the complete cessation of sulfate reduction and ethanol conversion. The ratio of the electron acceptor to the electron donor utilized as well as the sulfate utilization volumetric rates, diminished when chlorophenols and phenol concentrations were increased, pointing out to the inhibition of the respiratory process and electrons transfer. The difference found in the IC(50) values obtained was due to the chemical structure complexity of the phenolic compounds, the number of chlorine atoms as much as the chlorine atom position in the phenol ring. The IC(50) values (ppm) indicated that the acute inhibition on the biofilm was caused by 2,4DCP (17.4) followed by 2,4D (29.0), 2CP (99.8), 4CP (108.0) and phenol (143.8).