<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for b...<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for bacterial contamination. <strong>Study Design</strong><strong>:</strong> This was analytic cross sectional survey on bacterial contamination of broiler carcasses between different processing systems. <strong>Introduction:</strong> Zambia, like most African and Asian Countries, still practices “live-open non-commercial broiler carcass processing systems” besides the “closed abattoir based systems”. However, shelf life, spoilage and hygiene levels have been postulated to vary based on the type of processing system. Live-open non-commercial processing systems are popular among majority consumers owing to their perceived “freshness”, compared to commercially dressed chickens. In between, consumers have to balance freshness and quality assurance. Ultimately, this becomes inert, remotely but an important public health issue. However, lack of empirical evidence on safety levels to guide consumer product selection leaves them to speculation. It is this need to close this gap that created an impetus for us to undertake this study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Biological samples were collected before carcass wash and after carcass wash alongside a structured questionnaire that gathered risk-associated data. Standard microbiological enumeration methods were used to isolate bacteria and enumerate contamination. <strong>Results:</strong> Broiler carcasses processed from “open” non-commercial systems were more contaminated (45.6%) than “closed-abattoir” commercially processed systems (35%). <em>Escherichia coli</em> were major contaminants (71.3%) and few <em>Salmonella</em> spices (typhi or para-typhi) in 1.3%. Risk analysis indicates washing (method) of carcasses at commercial systems was significantly more risky for contamination than non-commercial ones. Major sources of contamination were “distance from water sources”. Increased volume of slaughters per day (>15,000 birds) for commercial systems accounted for increased cross-contamination, particularly, distance from water source was a ma-jor risk factor for contamination.展开更多
In a context of growing efforts to develop sustainability strategies, energy-related issues occupy central stage in the built environment. Thus, the energy performance of housings has improved radically over the past ...In a context of growing efforts to develop sustainability strategies, energy-related issues occupy central stage in the built environment. Thus, the energy performance of housings has improved radically over the past decades. Yet other types of buildings, in particular commercial centers, haven’t received the same level of interest. As a result, there is a need for effective and practical measures to decrease their energy consumption, both for heating and electricity. The objective of the paper is to demonstrate that it is possible, through coherent strategies, to integrate energy issues and bioclimatic principles into the design process of commercial centers. It analyzes the exemplary case study of Marin Commercial Center (Switzerland). The interdisciplinary approach, based on integrated design strategies, aimed at increasing the energy efficiency while keeping the cost comparable to the market cost. The main design principles include natural ventilation, nighttime cooling with energy recovery and natural lighting, as well as optimization of mechanical systems. The results of the simulations show that Marin Center attains the best energy performance observed so far among Swiss commercial centers. It also meets the Swiss Minergie standard. The paper thus questions traditional design processes and outlines the need for interdisciplinary evaluation and monitoring approaches tailored for commercial centers. Even though most crucial decisions are taken during the early stages, all phases of the process require systematic optimization strategies, especially operating stages. Recommendations include legal measures, in particular in the fields of ventilation and air-conditioning, education, professional development and technology transfer, and financial incentives for the replacement of energy intensive installations.展开更多
The profit margin in the flour milling industry is quite narrow,so high-quality raw materials and efficiency of milling operations are crucial for every company. Many flour mills,especially those which import wheat fr...The profit margin in the flour milling industry is quite narrow,so high-quality raw materials and efficiency of milling operations are crucial for every company. Many flour mills,especially those which import wheat from other countries and have limited storage space for the different varieties or classes of wheat,can not afford to buy low quality wheat. Consequently,a mathematical model which can test the impact and interactions of raw materials,in technical point of view,would be a useful decision-making tool for the milling industry. A flour miller tests wheat for physical and chemical characteristics,cleanness and soundness. The miller also performs experimental milling,if available,to have some idea how the given wheat will behave during commercial milling. Based on these test results,the miller can only guess the commercial milling results such as flour yields and flour ash and protein contents. Thus,the objective of this study was to develop empirical equations to estimate commercial milling results,using the physical,chemical and experimental milling data of the given wheat blend and also,additionally,flour ash and protein specifications of the end-user. This was done by using the actual commercial milling procedures and their wheat physical,chemical,experimental milling data,and other vital data. Data were collected from a commercial mill located in East Asia that had four production lines and used wheat blend combinations from five different wheat classes,i.e. Hard Red Winter (HRW),Dark Northern Spring (DNS),Soft White (SW),Australian Soft (AS),and Australian Standard White (ASW) wheat to produce over 40 different products. The wheat physical and chemical characteristics included test weight,thousand kernel weight,ash and protein contents. The experimental milling data were straight-grade and patent flour yields,along with patent flour ash and protein contents from a Buhler experimental mill. The commercial milling results included the flour yields of patent,first clear,and second clear flours,as well as the ash and protein contents of commercial patent flours. Using multiple linear regression procedures,we have developed empirical equations to be able to estimate the commercial patent flour yields with R2 values above 0.90 for all four production lines,and commercial first clear flour yields with R2 values ranging 0.76 to 0.98,and the commercial patent flour protein contents with R2 values of 0.89 to 0.92. However,the yields of commercial second clear flours and the commercial patent flour ash contents were not able to be estimated with high coefficients of determination (R2 values). We recommend that the empirical equations for estimating commercial milling parameters should be derived using data from each individual flour milling company,for each production line of a given mill,and furthermore,tailored to specific products at a given ash and/or protein contents desired by end-users.展开更多
Identifying the contents of processed food products is essential to correct labelling. In processed foodstuffs, species identification through morphological analysis is difficult. Several factors hinder the identifica...Identifying the contents of processed food products is essential to correct labelling. In processed foodstuffs, species identification through morphological analysis is difficult. Several factors hinder the identification of fish species in processed foods: proteins or other materials subjected to analysis may be denatured during heat treatments;the presence of other ingredients (e.g., olive and other vegetable oils) may interfere with the analysis. Consequently, possible frauds perpetrated by replacing valuable species with less precious ones may go undetected. In most processed samples (e.g. canned products), DNA is degraded into small fragments, which considerably reduces the sensitivity of molecular analysis. The main goal of our research was to develop an analytical method able to identify fish species in highly processed products, such as canned fish. The assay was developed by combining an effective method of DNA recovery from samples with the detection of small-sized sequences of the mitochondrial Cytb gene. This method appears particularly suitable when morphological characterization is difficult, to carry out such as in canned products where DNA is degraded or present in small quantities. We have analyzed 60 samples of seafood commercial products identifying 3 different genera and five different species. All analyzed samples revealed a correct species declaration, for one sample we highlighted important commercial fraud. We also used bio-informatic identification systems for the Sequence Alignment and the construction of phylogenetic tree to better confirm the revealed fraud.展开更多
A new process named CPP (Catalytic Pyrolysis Process) for producing ethylene andpropylene from heavy oil feedstock has been developed. The catalyst CEP was specially designedfor this process, which has bi-functional c...A new process named CPP (Catalytic Pyrolysis Process) for producing ethylene andpropylene from heavy oil feedstock has been developed. The catalyst CEP was specially designedfor this process, which has bi-functional catalytic activities for both carbonium ion reaction andfree radical reaction, so as to maximize the yields of ethylene and propylene. The commercial trialshowed that the yield of ethylene and propylene was 20.37% and 18.23% respectively inmaximum ethylene operation with Daqing AR as feedstock, and the yield of ethylene and propylenewas 9.77% and 24.60% respectively in maximum propylene operation by using the same feedstock.Compared with steam cracker, the feed cost of CPP is much lower for producing ethylene andpropylene.展开更多
A new kind of solvent for deacidification of distillate oils was introduced in this paper. After successful laboratory study this technology had been applied in commercial scale successfully. Compared to traditional c...A new kind of solvent for deacidification of distillate oils was introduced in this paper. After successful laboratory study this technology had been applied in commercial scale successfully. Compared to traditional caustic wash of distillate oils, this technology has a lot of merits, such as the broad range of distillates to be processed, low caustic consumption, recycle of deacidifying agent, absence of waste caustic discharge, and low equipment revamp expenses, which can have promising perspectives for exploitation and application of this technology.展开更多
文摘<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for bacterial contamination. <strong>Study Design</strong><strong>:</strong> This was analytic cross sectional survey on bacterial contamination of broiler carcasses between different processing systems. <strong>Introduction:</strong> Zambia, like most African and Asian Countries, still practices “live-open non-commercial broiler carcass processing systems” besides the “closed abattoir based systems”. However, shelf life, spoilage and hygiene levels have been postulated to vary based on the type of processing system. Live-open non-commercial processing systems are popular among majority consumers owing to their perceived “freshness”, compared to commercially dressed chickens. In between, consumers have to balance freshness and quality assurance. Ultimately, this becomes inert, remotely but an important public health issue. However, lack of empirical evidence on safety levels to guide consumer product selection leaves them to speculation. It is this need to close this gap that created an impetus for us to undertake this study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Biological samples were collected before carcass wash and after carcass wash alongside a structured questionnaire that gathered risk-associated data. Standard microbiological enumeration methods were used to isolate bacteria and enumerate contamination. <strong>Results:</strong> Broiler carcasses processed from “open” non-commercial systems were more contaminated (45.6%) than “closed-abattoir” commercially processed systems (35%). <em>Escherichia coli</em> were major contaminants (71.3%) and few <em>Salmonella</em> spices (typhi or para-typhi) in 1.3%. Risk analysis indicates washing (method) of carcasses at commercial systems was significantly more risky for contamination than non-commercial ones. Major sources of contamination were “distance from water sources”. Increased volume of slaughters per day (>15,000 birds) for commercial systems accounted for increased cross-contamination, particularly, distance from water source was a ma-jor risk factor for contamination.
文摘In a context of growing efforts to develop sustainability strategies, energy-related issues occupy central stage in the built environment. Thus, the energy performance of housings has improved radically over the past decades. Yet other types of buildings, in particular commercial centers, haven’t received the same level of interest. As a result, there is a need for effective and practical measures to decrease their energy consumption, both for heating and electricity. The objective of the paper is to demonstrate that it is possible, through coherent strategies, to integrate energy issues and bioclimatic principles into the design process of commercial centers. It analyzes the exemplary case study of Marin Commercial Center (Switzerland). The interdisciplinary approach, based on integrated design strategies, aimed at increasing the energy efficiency while keeping the cost comparable to the market cost. The main design principles include natural ventilation, nighttime cooling with energy recovery and natural lighting, as well as optimization of mechanical systems. The results of the simulations show that Marin Center attains the best energy performance observed so far among Swiss commercial centers. It also meets the Swiss Minergie standard. The paper thus questions traditional design processes and outlines the need for interdisciplinary evaluation and monitoring approaches tailored for commercial centers. Even though most crucial decisions are taken during the early stages, all phases of the process require systematic optimization strategies, especially operating stages. Recommendations include legal measures, in particular in the fields of ventilation and air-conditioning, education, professional development and technology transfer, and financial incentives for the replacement of energy intensive installations.
文摘The profit margin in the flour milling industry is quite narrow,so high-quality raw materials and efficiency of milling operations are crucial for every company. Many flour mills,especially those which import wheat from other countries and have limited storage space for the different varieties or classes of wheat,can not afford to buy low quality wheat. Consequently,a mathematical model which can test the impact and interactions of raw materials,in technical point of view,would be a useful decision-making tool for the milling industry. A flour miller tests wheat for physical and chemical characteristics,cleanness and soundness. The miller also performs experimental milling,if available,to have some idea how the given wheat will behave during commercial milling. Based on these test results,the miller can only guess the commercial milling results such as flour yields and flour ash and protein contents. Thus,the objective of this study was to develop empirical equations to estimate commercial milling results,using the physical,chemical and experimental milling data of the given wheat blend and also,additionally,flour ash and protein specifications of the end-user. This was done by using the actual commercial milling procedures and their wheat physical,chemical,experimental milling data,and other vital data. Data were collected from a commercial mill located in East Asia that had four production lines and used wheat blend combinations from five different wheat classes,i.e. Hard Red Winter (HRW),Dark Northern Spring (DNS),Soft White (SW),Australian Soft (AS),and Australian Standard White (ASW) wheat to produce over 40 different products. The wheat physical and chemical characteristics included test weight,thousand kernel weight,ash and protein contents. The experimental milling data were straight-grade and patent flour yields,along with patent flour ash and protein contents from a Buhler experimental mill. The commercial milling results included the flour yields of patent,first clear,and second clear flours,as well as the ash and protein contents of commercial patent flours. Using multiple linear regression procedures,we have developed empirical equations to be able to estimate the commercial patent flour yields with R2 values above 0.90 for all four production lines,and commercial first clear flour yields with R2 values ranging 0.76 to 0.98,and the commercial patent flour protein contents with R2 values of 0.89 to 0.92. However,the yields of commercial second clear flours and the commercial patent flour ash contents were not able to be estimated with high coefficients of determination (R2 values). We recommend that the empirical equations for estimating commercial milling parameters should be derived using data from each individual flour milling company,for each production line of a given mill,and furthermore,tailored to specific products at a given ash and/or protein contents desired by end-users.
文摘Identifying the contents of processed food products is essential to correct labelling. In processed foodstuffs, species identification through morphological analysis is difficult. Several factors hinder the identification of fish species in processed foods: proteins or other materials subjected to analysis may be denatured during heat treatments;the presence of other ingredients (e.g., olive and other vegetable oils) may interfere with the analysis. Consequently, possible frauds perpetrated by replacing valuable species with less precious ones may go undetected. In most processed samples (e.g. canned products), DNA is degraded into small fragments, which considerably reduces the sensitivity of molecular analysis. The main goal of our research was to develop an analytical method able to identify fish species in highly processed products, such as canned fish. The assay was developed by combining an effective method of DNA recovery from samples with the detection of small-sized sequences of the mitochondrial Cytb gene. This method appears particularly suitable when morphological characterization is difficult, to carry out such as in canned products where DNA is degraded or present in small quantities. We have analyzed 60 samples of seafood commercial products identifying 3 different genera and five different species. All analyzed samples revealed a correct species declaration, for one sample we highlighted important commercial fraud. We also used bio-informatic identification systems for the Sequence Alignment and the construction of phylogenetic tree to better confirm the revealed fraud.
文摘A new process named CPP (Catalytic Pyrolysis Process) for producing ethylene andpropylene from heavy oil feedstock has been developed. The catalyst CEP was specially designedfor this process, which has bi-functional catalytic activities for both carbonium ion reaction andfree radical reaction, so as to maximize the yields of ethylene and propylene. The commercial trialshowed that the yield of ethylene and propylene was 20.37% and 18.23% respectively inmaximum ethylene operation with Daqing AR as feedstock, and the yield of ethylene and propylenewas 9.77% and 24.60% respectively in maximum propylene operation by using the same feedstock.Compared with steam cracker, the feed cost of CPP is much lower for producing ethylene andpropylene.
文摘A new kind of solvent for deacidification of distillate oils was introduced in this paper. After successful laboratory study this technology had been applied in commercial scale successfully. Compared to traditional caustic wash of distillate oils, this technology has a lot of merits, such as the broad range of distillates to be processed, low caustic consumption, recycle of deacidifying agent, absence of waste caustic discharge, and low equipment revamp expenses, which can have promising perspectives for exploitation and application of this technology.
