Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Chooraehong) fruit underwent a respiratory climacteric during ripening. However, the rate of ethylene production was low, reaching a maximum of approximately 0.7 μl kg−1 h−1 at the climacteric peak when the surface color was 30 to 40% red. Ripening was accompanied by a loss of galactose and arabinose residues from the cell wall. The content of uronic acid and cellulose in the wall changed only slightly during ripening. The average molecular weight of a cell wall hemicellulosic fraction shifted progressively toward a lower molecular weight during ripening. Total β‐galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) activity increased 50‐fold from the immature green to the red ripe stage. No polygalacturonase (EC 3.2.1.15) activity was detected at any stage of ripeness. Thus, the loss of galactose and arabinose residues from the cell wall, as well as the observed modification of hemicelluloses during ripening, seem to be unrelated to active polygalacturonase. Soluble polyuronide content remained relatively constant at approximately 60 μg (g fresh weight)−1 as fruit ripended.

In this study, a 40% ethanol extract of Chinese yam flour (Dioscoreae rhizoma), containing 177 +/- 58 microg/mL of dioscin, was tested in order to evaluate its pharmacological effects on the gastrointestinal tracts of Sprague-Dawley rats. Via the ingestion of the Chinese yam extract, the secretion of gastric acid was suppressed in the rats, and gastrointestinal motility increased by as much as 10%. The fecal quantity of rats fed on the Chinese yam extract also increased, by more than 40% as compared with that of the controls. The Chinese yam extract was found not to affect the growth of normal intestinal bacteria. However, a great deal of lactose-fermenting bacteria was observed in the fecal samples of rats fed for 6 weeks on 2% Chinese yam extract. This finding would appear to suggest that Chinese yam extract not only induces an improvement in digestive capability, but also affects the conversion of some intestinal flora to helpful bacteria. Our serochemical analyses indicated that serum glucose, neutral lipid, and total cholesterol levels were reduced to some degree by long-term feeding on Chinese yam extract. This finding bolsters the notion that Chinese yam extract may prove helpful as a digestion-aiding agent for patients suffering from hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia.

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Effects of plasticizer concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% glycerol) and solvent types (1% acetic and 1% lactic acid) on internal quality of eggs coated with 2% chitosan solution were evaluated during 5 wk of storage at 25 °C. In comparison of plasticizer concentrations, eggs coated with chitosan dissolved in acetic acid containing 2% glycerol showed significant reduction in weight loss compared with the noncoated eggs during 5 wk of storage. At 2% glycerol, the Haugh unit and yolk index values suggested that chitosan‐coated eggs can be preserved for at least 3 wk longer than the control noncoated eggs during 5 wk of storage at 25 °C. Use of acetic acid rather than lactic acid as a chitosan solvent was more advantageous in view of shelf‐life extension of eggs.

Quality attributes of packaged and unpackaged vegetables generally decreased nonlinearly during storage at 10°C or ZO"C, and most of the decrease was greater at 20°C than at 10°C. Packaging reduced weight loss of green beans and spinach kept at 20°C; and reduced chlorophyll loss of green beans at 10°C and of spinach at 20°C. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) benefited by packaging of green beans and spinach kept at 10°C. Packaging had an effect on thiamin (vitamin Br) of only spinach held at 10°C and 20°C and had no effect on riboflavin (vitamin Bz). Loss of these quality attributes appears to be enhanced with water loss.