Approximately 200 samples of rice (including white, brown, red, black, basmati and jasmine, as well as wild rice) from several different countries, including the United States, Canada, Pakistan, India and Thailand, were analysed for aflatoxins, ochratoxin A (OTA) and fumonisins by separate liquid Chromatographic methods in two different years. The mean concentrations for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were 0.19 and 0.17 ng g−1 with respective positive incidences of 56% and 43% (≥ the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.002 ng g−1). Twenty-three samples analysed in the second year also contained aflatoxin B2 (AFB2) at levels ≥LOD of 0.002 ng g−1 The five most contaminated samples in each year contained 1.44–7.14 ng AFB1 g−1 (year 1) and 1.45–3.48 ng AFB1 g−1 (year 2); they were mostly basmati rice from India and Pakistan and black and red rice from Thailand. The average concentrations of ochratoxin A (OTA) were 0.05 and 0.005 ng g−1 in year 1 and year 2, respectively; incidences of samples containing ≥LOD of 0.05 ng g−1 were 43% and 1%, respectively, in the 2 years. All positive OTA results were confirmed by LC-MS/MS. For fumonisins, concentrations of fumonisin B1 (FB1) averaged 4.5 ng g−1 in 15 positive samples (≥0.7 ng g−1) from year 1 (n = 99); fumonisin B2 (FB2) and fumonisin B3 (FB3) were also present (≥1 ng g−1). In the second year there was only one positive sample (14 ng g−1 FB1) out of 100 analysed. All positive FB1 results were confirmed by LC-MS/MS.

Canola oil was hydrogenated under selective and nonselective conditions with commercial nickel catalysts. The composition of the hydrogenated oils was characterized by iodine value, fatty acid composition, fnrns-isomer content and cis,cis-methylene interrupted (CCMI) polyunsaturated fatty acids. Selectivity ratios and hydrogenation rates were calculated. Selective conditions resulted in high levels of trans-isomers. Loss of CCMI fatty acids occurred in the early stages of the hydrogenation process. Hydrogenation rates were higher under selective than under nonselective conditions.

Abstract-Multi-criteria decision making methods are extensively used in the decision making problems. Decision making is the activity of a person that helps obtain responses to the questions posed by a stakeholder in a decision process. This study compares the financial performance of seven companies in the banking sector listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for years from 2014 to 2017. The PROMETHEE, AHP and TOPSIS methods are used independently to evaluate the financial performance and to decide on the best performing firm for the four year period. The evaluated ranks are then compared with the actual ranks (based on investments) using Spearman's rank correlation. The calculation of financial performance measures is based on four main criteria and nine sub-criteria. Using the following methods, our study suggests that Punjab National Bank (PNB) has the best financial performance as compared to other companies.

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