S. M. Abdulkarim

Multivariate statistical analysis treatment of DSC thermal properties for animal fat adulteration

The adulteration of edible fats is a kind of fraud that impairs the physical and chemical features of the original lipid materials. It has been detected in various food, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical products. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is the robust thermo-analytical machine that permits to fingerprint the primary crystallisation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) molecules and their transition behaviours. The aims of this study was to assess the cross-contamination caused by lard concentration of 0.5-5% in the mixture systems containing beef tallow (BT) and chicken fat (CF) separately. TAGs species of pure and adulterated lipids in relation to their crystallisation and melting parameters were studied using principal components analysis (PCA). The results showed that by using the heating profiles the discrimination of LD from BT and CF was very clear even at low dose of less than 1%. Same observation was depicted from the crystallisation profiles of BT adulterated by LD doses ranging from 0.1% to 1% and from 2% to 5%, respectively. Furthermore, CF adulterated with LD did not exhibit clear changes on its crystallisation profiles. Consequently, DSC coupled with PCA is one of the techniques that might use to monitor and differentiate the minimum adulteration levels caused by LD in different animal fats.

Application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), HPLC and pNMR for interpretation primary crystallisation caused by combined low and high melting TAGs

The main goal of the present work was to assess the mechanism of crystallisation, more precisely the dominant component responsible for primary crystal formations and fat agglomerations. Therefore, DSC results exhibited significant effect on temperature transition; peak sharpness and enthalpy at palm stearin (PS) levels more than 40wt.%. HPLC data demonstrated slight reduction in the content of POO/OPO at PS levels less than 40wt.%, while the excessive addition of PS more than 40wt.% increased significantly PPO/POP content. The pNMR results showed significant drop in SFC for blends containing PS less than 40wt.%, resulting in low SFC less than 15% at body temperature (37°C). Moreover, the values of viscosity (η) and shear stress (τ) at PS levels over 40wt.% expressed excellent internal friction of the admixtures. All the data reported indicate that PPO/POP was the major component of primary nucleus developed. In part, the levels of PS should be less than 40wt.%, if these blends are designed to be used for margarine production.

Effect of blending and emulsification on thermal behavior, solid fat content, and microstructure properties of palm oil-based margarine fats.

The ability of palm oil (PO) to crystallize as beta prime polymorph has made it an attractive option for the production of margarine fat (MF). Palm stearin (PS) expresses similar crystallization behavior and is considered one of the best substitutes of hydrogenated oils due to its capability to impart the required level of plasticity and body to the finished product. Normally, PS is blended with PO to reduce the melting point at body temperature (37 °C). Lipid phase, formulated by PO and PS in different ratios were subjected to an emulsification process and the following analyses were done: triacylglycerols, solid fat content (SFC), and thermal behavior. In addition, the microstructure properties, including size and number of crystals, were determined for experimental MFs (EMFs) and commercial MFs (CMFs). Results showed that blending and emulsification at PS levels over 40 wt% significantly changed the physicochemical and microstructure properties of EMF as compared to CMF, resulting in a desirable dipalmitoyl-oleoyl-glycerol content of less than 36.1%. SFC at 37 °C, crystal size, crystal number, crystallization, and melting enthalpies (ΔH) were 15%, 5.37 μm, 1425 crystal/μm(2), 17.25 J/g, and 57.69J/g, respectively. All data reported indicate that the formation of granular crystals in MFs was dominated by high-melting triacylglycerol namely dipalmitoyl-oleoyl-glycerol, while the small dose of monoacylglycerol that is used as emulsifier slowed crystallization rate. Practical Application: Most of the past studies were focused on thermal behavior of edible oils and some blends of oils and fats. The crystallization of oils and fats are well documented but there is scarce information concerning some mechanism related to crystallization and emulsification. Therefore, this study will help to gather information on the behavior of emulsifier on crystallization regime; also the dominating TAG responsible for primary granular crystal formations, as well as to determine the best level of stearin to impart the required microstructure properties and body to the finished products.

Differentiation of Lard from Other Edible Fats by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionisation Detector (GC-FID) and Chemometrics

An UV spectrophotometric area under curve method was developed for the estimation of Levofloxacin Hemihydrate in its mono component tablets. The spectrophotometric method for estimation employed Area under curve method for analysis using 0.1M Sodium Hydroxide as solvent for the drug Levofloxacin Hemihydrate at the wavelength range of 285-295nm. Levofloxacin Hemihydrate obeys Beer’s law in concentration range 10-50µg/ml. The recovery studies ascertained accuracy of the proposed method and the result validated according to ICH guideline. Results of analysis have been valid statistically by recovery studies. The method was successfully for evaluation of Levofloxacin Hemihydrate in tablet dosage form without the interference of common excipients.

Engineering the Production of Major Catechins by Escherichia coli Carrying Metabolite Genes of Camellia sinensis

A mimicked biosynthetic pathway of catechin metabolite genes from C. sinensis, consisting of flavanone 3 hydroxylase (F3H), dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR), and leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LCR), was designed and arranged in two sets of constructs: (a) single promoter in front of F3H and ribosome-binding sequences both in front of DFR and LCR; (b) three different promoters with each in the front of the three genes and ribosome-binding sequences at appropriate positions. Recombinant E. coli BL (DE3) harbouring the constructs were cultivated for 65 h at 26°C in M9 medium consisting of 40 g/L glucose, 1 mM IPTG, and 3 mM eriodictyol. Compounds produced were extracted in ethyl acetate in alkaline conditions after 1 h at room temperature and identified by HPLC. Two of the four major catechins, namely, (−)-epicatechin (0.01 ) and (−)-epicatechin gallate (0.36 mg/L), and two other types ((+)-catechin hydrate (0.13 mg/L) and (−)-catechin gallate (0.04 mg/L)) were successfully produced.

Physico-chemical properties of Moringa oleifera seed oil enzymatically interesterified with palm stearin and palm kernel oil and its potential application in food

BACKGROUND High oleic acid Moringa oleifera seed oil (MoO) has been rarely applied in food products due to the low melting point and lack of plasticity. Enzymatic interesterification (EIE) of MoO with palm stearin (PS) and palm kernel oil (PKO) could yield harder fat stocks that may impart desirable nutritional and physical properties. RESULTS Blends of MoO and PS or PKO were examined for triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, thermal properties and solid fat content (SFC). EIE caused rearrangement of TAGs, reduction of U3 and increase of U2 S in MoO/PS blends while reduction of U3 and S3 following increase of S2 U and U2 S in MoO/PKO blends (U, unsaturated and S, saturated fatty acids). SFC measurements revealed a wide range of plasticity, enhancements of spreadability, mouthfeel and cooling effect for interesterified MoO/PS, indicating the possible application of these blends in margarines. However, interesterified MoO/PKO was not suitable in margarine application, while ice-cream may be formulated from these blends. A soft margarine formulated from MoO/PS 70:30 revealed high oxidative stability during 8 weeks storage with no significant changes in peroxide and p-anisidine values. CONCLUSION EIE of fats with MoO allowed nutritional and oxidative stable plastic fats to be obtained, suitable for possible use in industrial food applications.

Storage stability, color kinetics and morphology of spray-dried soursop (Annona muricata L.) powder: effect of anticaking agents

ABSTRACT Soursop is a tropical fruit that undergoes postharvest deterioration rapidly. Conversion into powder is an ave nue to value-add the fruit as it helps to reduce postharvest losses. Although powder production is not complicated, studies have shown that caking is a common problem often associated with fruit powders. Thus, an addition of a food additive is needed to improve the storage stability of powders. In this study, soursop powder was produced by spray-drying an enzyme-liquefied soursop puree incorporated with either tricalcium phosphate (TCP) or calcium silicate (CS), at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% w/w). The control was considered powder without the addition of anticaking agent. Storage stability of the powder packed in aluminum-laminated polyethylene (ALP) pouches was examined at conventional (25 ± 1°C) and accelerated (38 ± 1°C) temperatures for 91 days until lumpiness was observed. Statistical analysis showed that the addition of anticaking agent significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the process yield of powder (7.2%). The moisture content, water activity, density, and water solubility index of the powder were significantly affected by storage time, storage temperature, and concentration of the anticaking agents. The critical moisture content, Xc, for control and powder incorporated with either TCP or CS was 0.07 g H2O/g ds. The total color difference (ΔE) of the powder increased throughout the storage period, followed by a zero-order kinetic reaction. Kinetics-derived Arrhenius model showed that the activation energy (Ea) of color change ranged between 6.5 and 17.3 kJ/mol. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the freshly spray-dried powder was composed of spherical particles with smooth surfaces but these particles tended to agglomerate and form liquid bridges after storage for 91 days. Overall, TCP and CS exhibited a protective effect by lowering moisture adsorption and improved the glass transition temperature of the powder.