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Xylobiose (XB), a xylose dimer, is a low-calorie sweetener with prebiotic activity. Unlike its well-defined biosynthesis and production methods, its sensory characteristics have not been well investigated. This study aims to identify the relative sweetness and sensory profile of XB. XB was prepared as an aqueous solution, and its relative sweetness (RS) compared to 5% sucrose was determined using the 2-alternative forced choice method. The sensory profile was identified by 10 trained panelists using descriptive analysis. The RS of XB was determined to be 0.34. XB was characterized by its yellowness, corn aroma and flavor, and its (scorched rice) candy flavor. The persistence of sweetness of XB was similar to that of sucrose, but its onset of sweetness was slower. When XB was mixed with sucrose at a ratio of 7:93, the mixture exhibited a similar sensory quality to that of sucrose, thereby making it a useful sucrose complement.

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This study aimed to develop a specific and sensitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (RT-PCR-ELISA) for detecting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Eight sets of primers and biotinylated probes designed in the ORF2-ORF3 overlapping region of HEV were tested for sensitivity. The ability of nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and RT-PCR-ELISA to detect HEV was compared. RT-PCR-ELISA was 10-100 times more sensitive than nested RT-PCR and could detect 0.01 ng/μl HEV in swine stool samples. In terms of specificity, RT-PCR-ELISA did not falsely detect HEV when other viruses such as hepatitis A virus, rotavirus, norovirus genotype I, norovirus genotype II, and Feline calicivirus were present. Therefore, RT-PCR-ELISA appears to be a sensitive and specific method for detecting HEV.