The current trends in packaging technology are focusing on the development of functional materials that interact with the environment and with the food, playing an effective role in the preservation of quality. In particular, the so-called active packaging technologies were developed as a response to the market needs for minimally treated foodstuffs, in order to preserve their freshness and fl avours by regulating the gas composition of the packaging headspace through active scavengers. One of the most promising approaches for this technology is the incorporation of active scavengers into a polymeric matrix. Nevertheless, the design and the production of a functional and effi cient active fl exible package can be diffi cult to realize because of the complexity of the system. This work was thus focused on the production and the analysis of monolayer polyester fi lms containing an oxygen scavenger. The active fi lm was obtained by adding the active phase into a polyethylene terephthalate matrix during the extrusion process. The barrier properties of the fi lms were investigated by means of conventional permeability measurement, to assess their activity with respect to oxygen. Additionally, the oxygen absorption of the active samples was analysed by an innovative oxygen meter system, in order to determine their scavenging capacity and reaction kinetics. The analysis of colour was carried out on packaged fresh apple slices, to verify if the active fi lms produced were able to limit the oxidation processes on a sensitive food. Finally, the optical properties of the samples were investigated through haze measurements.
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the grain legumes more interesting for its nutritional value and genetic improvement in order to resistance to Aschochyta rabiei, seeds weight and adaptation to mechanical harvesting. The aim of this research was the agronomic and qualitative characterization of 15 cultivars of chickpea. During the cultural cycle resistance and sensitiveness to Aschochyta rabiei were analyzed. At harvesting, grain yield and yields components were registered. Moreover, proximate composition, fatty acids content and saturated/unsaturated ratio of grain samples were determined. Cultivars with high 1000 seeds weight showed a more favourable oleic acid content and unsaturated/saturated ratio but those with smooth seeds had a higher content in linolenic acid. All cultivars showed high values of polyunsaturated fatty acids (42.9-56.2%), inferior of monounsaturated (29.5-36.1%) and low of saturated (10.0-22.9%). Black chickpea (2.9) had the lowest unsaturated/saturated ratio, while the highest was noticed for cv. Visir (7.46). Cultivars with small and smooth seeds showed a better proteins content. These results showed availability of seeds with favourable characteristics useful for different utilization. In particular, the cultivars with small and smooth seeds, usually not preferred by consumers, seem to be interesting for processing in nutritional foods and dietetics.Keywords: Cicer arietinum, dietetics, fatty acids, grain yield, nutritional value, proximate composition, GC/MS.
اﻟﺤﻤﺺ ﻻﺻﻨﺎف اﻟﻐﺬاﺋﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻤﻴﺰات دراﺳﺔ
An aqueous decoction of mango (Mangifera indica L.) stem bark (MSB) has been developed in Cuba on an industrial scale to be used as a nutritional supplement, cosmetic, and phytomedicine, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and immunomodulatory properties. The concentration of major and trace elements was determined for 16 varieties of MSB belonging to two cultivars and grown in Cuba in the same soil (red ferralytic). Plants were classified into two groups, according to the tree age (12 and 26 year olds) and were analyzed for As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Pb, Se, and Zn content by means of ICP-AES technique. Experimental data were processed by ANOVA and principal component analysis in terms of elements, variety, and plant age, to choose the most adequate varieties for industrial purposes.
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