Yaqin Hu

Effects of chitosan, aqueous extract of ginger, onion and garlic on quality and shelf life of stewed-pork during refrigerated storage

Effects of 1% or 0.5% chitosan (CHI), 10% or 5% aqueous extract of ginger, onion and garlic (GOG) and their composite solutions (1% CHI+10% GOG, 0.5% CHI+5% GOG) on quality and shelf life of stewed-pork were evaluated. Microbiological (total bacterial count), chemical (pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), peroxide value (POV), 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA)) and sensory characteristics were analysed periodically during refrigerated storage at 4 °C for 12 days. CHI and/or GOG treatments retarded the increases in pH, TVB-N, POV, TBA and total bacterial count. CHI showed better antibacteria but weaker antioxidation than GOG. Composite treatment had possible synergistic effect while the high concentration of composite solution (Mix1) had adverse effect on odour and overall acceptance. Mix2, the diluted solution of Mix1, could be a natural promising preservative for the stewed-pork considering the comprehensive effects of antioxidation, antibacteria and sensory quality, which could extend the shelf life for about 5-6 days.

Structural properties of films and rheology of film-forming solutions of chitosan gallate for food packaging.

The chitosan gallates (CG) were obtained by free-radical-initiated grafting of gallic acid (GA) onto chitosan (CS) in this work. The chemical structures of the CG were corroborated by UV-vis, GPC and (1)H NMR analysis. The grafting reaction was accompanied with a degradation of the CS molecule. The shear-thinning flow behavior of CG film-forming solutions (CG FFS) decreased with the grafting amount of GA into CS chain, while the CG FFS grafted at a lower GA value behaved like a networks containing entangled or cross-linked polymer chains with a more elastic behavior. The increasing of GA grafting onto the CS chain led to a reduction of tensile strength, elongation at break and water resistance in the corresponding films, but increases in the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were observed. The microstructure of the film was investigated using scanning electron and atomic force microscope, and the results were closely related to the observed film properties.

Depolymerization of fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from sea cucumber, Pearsonothuria graeffei, via 60Co irradiation.

A method for depolymerization of a novel fucosylated chondroitin sulfate from Pearsonothuria graeffei (fCS-Pg) using (60)Co irradiation in water solution was developed in the current study. Fragments with varying molecular weights were obtained by (60)Co irradiation at different dosages and sample concentrations. The chemical compositions and structures of these fragments were further investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Our results indicated that (60)Co irradiation induced depolymerization via selective breakage of glucuronic acid units in the fCS-Pg backbone, with no obvious influence on sulfated fucose branches under mild conditions. The recommended conditions for fCS-Pg degradation were 2-10% solution concentration and irradiation dosages of 10-50kGy. The anticoagulant activities of the low molecular weight fragments were additionally evaluated. Notably, anticoagulant activities were reduced with decreasing molecular weights. Compared to the native fCS-Pg, low molecular weight fragments displayed significantly decreased anticoagulant activities. Based on the collective findings, we propose that these fragments are potentially applicable as antithrombotic agents with reduced bleeding risk relative to native fCS-Pg.

Ultrasound effects on the degradation kinetics, structure, and antioxidant activity of sea cucumber fucoidan.

The effects of ultrasound on the molecular weight, structure, and antioxidant potential of a fucoidan found in Isostichopus badionotus were investigated. The results showed the molecular weight (Mw) of fucoidan decreased obviously after ultrasound treatment. Higher ultrasonic intensity, lower temperature, and lower fucoidan concentrations led to a more effective sonochemical effect. The kinetic model for fucoidan degradation fitted to 1/M(wt)-1/M(w0) = kt at the tested temperature. The optimized degradation conditions by response surface methodology (RSM) were temperature, 12 °C, and intensity, 508 W/cm². Structural analysis by FTIR and NMR indicated the fucoidan kept the linear tetrasaccharide repeating units as the original polysaccharides after the ultrasound treatment, with only slight destruction of the middle nonsulfated fucose units. Antioxidant activity assay showed the antioxidant activity was slightly improved by the ultrasound treatment. The results suggested that ultrasound treatment is an effective approach to decrease the M(w) of fucoidan with only minor structural destruction.

Integration of lysozyme into chitosan nanoparticles for improving antibacterial activity

Lysozyme was integrated into chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) to improve the antibacterial activity. CS-NPs and chitosan-lysozyme nanoparticles (CS-Lys-NPs) were prepared according to the ionic gelation technique and then characterized by average size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), atomic force microscopy (AFM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), circular dichroism (CD) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Antibacterial properties were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based on observation of the inhibition zone and measurement of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) of CS-NPs and CS-Lys-NPs against E. coli and B. subtilis. The CS-NPs had particle sizes of 476.2-548.1nm, while an increase to ∼488.8 to 613.5nm was observed upon loading with lysozyme. The results suggested that the integration of lysozyme into CS-NPs enhanced the antibacterial activity against E. coli and B. subtilis, which may show great potential for use in the food industry and other applications in the form of direct addition or incorporation into packaging.

Enhancement of the gelation properties of hairtail (Trichiurus haumela) muscle protein with curdlan and transglutaminase.

The effects of curdlan in combination with microbial transglutaminase on the gelling properties of hairtail muscle protein were investigated. When curdlan of 4g/100g paste was combined with transglutaminase at a concentration of 0.4units/g meat paste, the gel strength, water holding capacity and the whiteness of the heated gel were improved. Textural profiles, such as hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, guminess and chewiness, reached their peaks as well. The increased band intensity of cross-linked proteins, accompanied by weakened myosin heavy chain, was observed from the SDS-PAGE pattern, indicating that curdlan might activate the formation of more ε-(γ-glutamyl) lysine cross-links induced by transglutaminase, especially at the level of 0.4units/g paste, leading to a denser gel matrix.

Analysis of the tenderisation of jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) meat by ultrasonic treatment using response surface methodology.

Due to its unique structure, jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) meat is sensitive to heat treatment, which makes the traditional squid products taste tough and hard. This study aimed to tenderise jumbo squid meat through ultrasonic treatment. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to predict the tenderising effect of various treatment conditions. According to the results of RSM, the optimal conditions appeared to be a power of 186.9 W, a frequency of 25.6 kHz, and a time of 30.8 min, and the predicted values of flexibility and firmness under these optimal conditions were 2.40 mm and 435.1 g, respectively. Protein degradation and a broken muscle fibre structure were observed through histological assay and SDS-PAGE, which suggests a satisfactory tenderisation effect.

Identification of a highly sulfated fucoidan from sea cucumber Pearsonothuria graeffei with well-repeated tetrasaccharides units

Sea cucumber fucoidan is a major bioactive component of sea cucumber. The structures of fucoidans have significant influences on their biological activities. The present study clarified the delicate structure of a fucoidan from Pearsonothuria graeffei. Fucoidan was obtained after papain digestion and purified by ion chromatography. The carbohydrate sequence of fucoidan was firstly determined by negative-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ES-MS) with collision-induced dissociation of the oligosaccharide fragments, which were obtained by mild acid hydrolysis, and completed by NMR for assignment of the anomeric conformation. It was unambiguously identified as a tetrasaccharide repeating unit with a backbone of [ → 3Fuc (2S, 4S) α1 → 3Fucα1→ 3Fuc (4S) α1 → 3Fuc#7 × 10#]n. The glycosidic bonds between the non-sulfated and 2,4-O-disulfated fucose residues were selectively cleaved, and highly ordered oligosaccharide fragments with a tetrasaccharide repeating unit were obtained. The highly 4-O- and 2, 4-di-O-sulfated polysaccharide deserves further developments for Pharmacia use.

Effect of three cooking methods on nutrient components and antioxidant capacities of bamboo shoot (Phyllostachys praecox C.D. Chu et C.S. Chao)

Three cooking methods, namely boiling, steaming, and stir-frying for 5 to 10 min, were used to evaluate the effect on nutrient components, free amino acids, l-ascorbic acid, total phenolic contents, and antioxidant capacities of bamboo shoots (Phyllostachys praecox). Results showed that boiling and stir-frying had a great effect on the nutrient components and they decreased the contents of protein, soluble sugar, and ash, and caused a great loss in the total free amino acids (decreased by 38.35% and 34.86%, respectively). Significant differences (P<0.05) in free amino acids were observed in the samples cooked by different methods. Stir-fried bamboo shoots had a high fat content which increased by 528.57% because of the addition of edible oil. After boiling, the L-ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents were significantly reduced, while steaming increased total phenolic content by 3.98% and stir-frying well-preserved L-ascorbic acid (78.87% of its previous content). Results of the antioxidative property study showed that stir-frying could increase antioxidant capacities of bamboo shoots. It is concluded that stir-frying is more suitable for bamboo shoots because it could obtain the maximum retention of antioxidant capacities.

The effect of curdlan on the rheological properties of restructured ribbonfish (Trichiurus spp.) meat gel.

The influence of curdlan at different levels, as well as the method of addition, on the viscoelastic characteristics of ribbonfish meat gel was investigated. From a small amplitude oscillatory shear analysis (SAOA), a variety of viscoelastic parameters were established and identified to measure the intensity of the interactions between curdlan and protein in the fish meat gel network structure. The results of water holding capacity, texture, sensory property and microstructure analyses were strongly in agreement with the rheology data, suggesting that SAOA might be an appropriate method for the industrial assessment of the quality of fish meat gel. Additionally, the recombination mechanism of the complex system formed by the fish protein and curdlan was also clarified. Compared with the irreversible curdlan gel samples, the addition of reversible curdlan gel to the fish meat gel formed a much denser cross-linked interpenetrating structure, which led to a more stable and ordered three-dimensional gel complex.