Effects of Meat and Phosphate Level on Water-Holding Capacity and Texture of Emulsion-Type Sausage During Storage

This paper was designed to verify the influence of phosphate on water-holding capacity （WHC） and texture of emulsiontype sausage prepared with pre-rigor meat, ageing meat or frozen meat. Pre-rigor pork, ageing pork and frozen pork were pre-blended with five levels of phosphate and made into emulsion-type sausage. The yield, hardness and total expressible fluid （TEF） were measured with texture profile analysis machine and pressiometer when emulsion-type sausage was produced. Meanwhile, hardness and purge loss （PL） were measured during 30 d storage. As emusion-type sausage made by pre-rigor meat, higher yield and relatively stable hardness could be found. It indicated that increasing of phosphate level caused an alleviatable effects in increasing of hardness when emulsion-type sausage made by pre-rigor meat, but opposite effects made by ageing meat or frozen meat. The distribution of PL of emulsion-type sausage was found to be affected by phosphate addition. Significant decrease of PL could not be obtained by increasing of phosphate level during storage. Pre-rigor meat improved WHC and texture of emulsion-type sausage. Problem of WHC and texture of emulsiontype sausage during storage could not be resolved by single use of phosphate at relatively higher level （3%） of NaCl.

Study on Quantitative Model of Karst Drainage Basin Water-Holding Based on Principal Component Analysis: A Case Study of Guizhou, China

In Karst drainage basins, there are the ground water and underground water exchanging frequently, and the shortage of water resources due to having the special double aquifer mediums and unique surface and subsurface river systematic structure. This paper is to select 20 research sampling areas coming fromGuizhouProvince, and according to the spectral characteristics of the catchment water-holding mediums and vegetations, and using the remote sensing technique, extract the watershed vegetation index. According to the principle of principal component analysis, using the software of Spss and Matlab is to analyze the impacts of watershed vegetation type on the catchment water-holding ability, and establish the principal component analysis function. Studies have shown that: 1) the watershed vegetation coverage rate plays an important role in Karst basin water-holding ability;2) the catchment water-holding ability is the comprehensive reflection and manifestation of the Catchment Water-storing Capacity (CWC);3) it is much better effects and higher accuracy to monitor/forecast the catchment water-holding volume by using the vegetation indices.

Effect of Substituting Plantation Species for Native Shrubs on the Water-holding Characteristics of the Forest Floor on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Although the forest floor plays important roles in water-holding and nutrient cycling, there is not enough knowledge of the functional changes of the forest floor resulting from changes in vegetation. To evaluate the effect on the hydrological properties of forest floor by the substitution of plantation species for native coppice, we selected four species substituting plantations and one native coppice （secondary native broad-leaved forest, dominated by Quercus liaotungensis and Corylus heterophylla var. sutchuenensis） （QC） as a comparison forest. The substituting plantations were Cercidiphyllum japonicum （Cj）, Pinus tabulaeformis （Pt）, Pinus armandi （Pa）, Larix kaempferi （Lk）. These were established in 1987 with a stocking density of approximately 2500 stem ha -1 . Thickness and the amount of floor in coniferous plantations were significantly higher compared to secondary native broad-leaved forest and pure broad- leaved plantation. The maximal water-holding capacity of the floor showed the same trend as thickness and amount of litter. Main contributors to the difference in hydrological characteristics in the plantations were the quantity of forest floor and the maximal water holding capacity per unit weight of the floor. The relationships between water absorption processes, water absorption rate and the immersion time for litter, fitted to logarithmic and exponential regressions, respectively. Water absorption processes differed significantly between the various plantations and different decomposition floor horizons. Water absorption characteristics were influenced by leaf structure in various tree species and the degree of decomposed litter. Our results showed that litter amount in coniferous plantations were significantly higher than in deciduous broad-leaved plantation. This suggests that a large amount of nutrients are held in the litter horizon, delaying return to the soil and utilization by plants. At the same time, maximal water-holding capacity of the forest floor in F [fermentation] and H [hummus] horizons was significantly higher than that in L [fresh litter] horizon. Therefore, improving litter transformation from L horizon to F and H horizons by promoting forest floor environment would be one of the best methods for plantation management.

Low-temperature combined with high-humidity thawing improves the water-holding capacity and biochemical properties of Portunus trituberculatus protein

This study compared the effects of conventional thawing methods(water immersion thawing(WIT,(25±1)℃),natural air thawing(AT,(25±1)℃,relative humidity(RH(65±2)per cent),refrigerator thawing(RT,4℃,RH(80±2)per cent)and low-temperature(LT)combined with high-humidity thawing LT,-1℃to 1℃(LT-1-1),2-4℃(LT2-4),5-7℃(LT5-7)and 8-10℃(LT8-10),RH>95 per cent)on the water-holding capacity,lipid oxidation and biochemical properties of Portunus trituberculatus(P.trituberculatus)myofibrillar protein.The results showed that WIT and AT significantly decreased the water-holding capacity while dramatically increasing lipid oxidation,protein oxidation and degeneration,resulting in serious P.trituberculatus quality deterioration.High humidity was beneficial for P.trituberculatus\.ha\A/\ng.The thawing time of P.trituberculatus under the conditions of LT2-4 was only 39.39 per cent of that of conventional air thawing at 4℃(RT),and the LT2-4 samples not only maintained better water-holding capacity but also had an obviously reduced degree of lipid oxidation,protein oxidation and denaturation.Thawed samples LT2-4 and LT5-7 provided better maintenance of P.trituberculatus quality than the LT-1-1 and LT8-10 samples.The best quality was exhibited after thawing at 2-4℃.The levels of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances,carbonyl content and surface hydrophobicity observably decreased in these samples,while the total sulfhydryl contents dramatically increased compared to those of conventionally thawed samples,indicating lower lipid oxidation and protein oxidation.Moreover,the Ca2+-ATPase activity of the sample thawed at 2-4℃(2.06 μmol Pi/mg prot/h)was markedly higher than that of samples subjected to WIT and AT.The product qualities observed after thawing at-1℃to 1℃,5-7℃and 8-10℃under LT were comparable to that observed by RT.Considering its thawing efficiency and product quality,LT is a suitable method for the thawing of P.trituberculatus,and the ideal thawing conditions were LT at 2-4℃.

Novel Gluten-Free Amaranth and Oat Flour Cookies Fortified with Soybean Hulls

Soybean hulls, an abundant byproduct of soybean processing, contain rich phytochemicals, fibers, proteins, and minerals. Currently soybean hulls are primarily used as animal feeds. For value-added soybean hull utilization, 25% soybean hulls were substituted for amaranth or whole oat flour (WOF) in novel gluten-free cookies. Composition, nutritional values, water-holding capacities, correlation between properties, and pasting and rheological properties of soybean hulls, amaranth, and WOF were appraised in comparison to wheat flour. Water loss, cookie texture, and geometrical properties of the cookies were examined. The results disclosed that soybean hulls, amaranth and WOF contain higher protein content, minerals, fiber, special amino acids, and critical vitamins (C and K) than wheat flour. Considerably higher total amino acid content was found in soybean hulls (18.33%) than wheat flour (12.77%). Water-holding capacities increased by replacing amaranth and WOF with soybean hulls. Soybean hulls exhibited higher rheological elastic properties than amaranth, WOF and wheat flours. The soybean hulls utilized in amaranth or WOF cookies greatly improved their nutritional value, the water retention and moisture content along with acceptable physical properties when compared to wheat flour cookies. This study explored the feasibility and potential of utilizing soybean hulls with amaranth and WOF in gluten-free bakery products and other food applications.

Research on Water Conservation Function of Typical Forests in Jinyun Mountain

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the relationship between different forest types and water conservation function. [Method] Based on field survey and experimental analysis, water conservation function of four typical forest stands in Jinyun Mountain of Chongqing was explored, including conifer-broadleaved mixed for- est, evergreen broad-leaved forest, bamboo forest and shrub forest. [Result] The re- sults showed that the order of saturated water storage capacity of soil in four forest stands was shrub forest （266.48 mm） 〉 conifer-broadleaved mixed forest （190.40 mm） 〉 evergreen broad-leaved forest （186.80 mm） 〉 bamboo forest （174.80 mm）; the order of maximum water-holding capacity of litter was shrub forest （8.06 mm） 〉 conifer-broadleaved mixed forest （4.71 mm） 〉 evergreen broad-leaved forest （4.32 mm） 〉 bamboo forest （3.34 mm）; the order of canopy interception in various forest stands was conifer-broadleaved mixed forest （16.15%） 〉 evergreen broad-leaved for- est （14.70%） 〉 bamboo forest （12.64%）. [Conclusion] The study had great signifi- cance to rational manage forest resources, improve water environment and realize scientific management and use of water resources.

Water holding effect of subalpine dark coniferous forest soil in Gongga Mountain, China

Because of the distinction of soil property and humus content, soil water content is not ideal to indicate whether it is suitable to the growth of plant. Mainly based on the PF-a numerical value denoting the water regime of soil and connected with the growth of plant, the study combined the moisture percentage of soil with PF to research in quantity the interrelation between the moisture percentage and PF in different succession phases of subalpine dark coniferous forest in Gongga Mountain. The results showed that: (1) In the same PF value, the moisture percentage in humus horizon increased gradually with the devel-opment of the succession of the dark coniferous forest; The moisture percentage of over-mature forest was the highest and>mature forest>half-mature forest>young growth forest; (2) With the increase of soil depth, the soil bulk density increased and the moisture percentage decreased, but the difference in the percentage of moisture was not notable in different succession phases. (3) In different succession series, the vegetation affected the soil water characteristics by increasing the soil organic matter, improving the soil construction, receding the soil bulk density and enhancing the soil porosity; (4) The humus horizon of the dark coniferous forest soil has the highest water holding capability in this region.

Occurrence and Characterization of Pale,Soft,Exudative-Like Broiler Muscle Commercially Produced in China

Pale, soft, exudative-like （PSE-like） broiler muscle is a growing problem for meat industry all over the world. However, limited studies have been made to assess broiler meat quality in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and incidence of PSE-like broiler muscle commercially produced in China. A total of 1 274 Pectoralis muscles of Arbor Acre broiler were randomly obtained from the processing line to determine the commercial incidence of PSE-like muscle based on color. Furthermore, broiler Pectoralis muscles selected from the 1 274 muscle samples were classified as PSE-like muscle （L＊〉53, n=33） and normal muscle （L＊〉48 and L＊=53, n=33） to assess meat quality. It was determined that PSE-like muscle had lower muscle pH values, lower water-holding capacity （WHC）, lower sarcoplasmic protein solubility, and lower total protein solubility than the normal muscle did. SDS-PAGE profile also showed that bands of approximate 96 and 24 kDa in sarcoplasmic protein and myofibrillar protein varied between these two groups, suggesting partial denaturation of sarcoplasmic proteins and precipitation on myofillarments. Correlation analysis showed that L＊ values have significant correlation with WHC and protein solubility. Furthermore, the distribution of L＊ values exhibited a normal curve with range varying from 42.70 to 58.37. It was considered that approximately 23.39% of the population was PSE-like muscle. These results suggest that PSE-like meat can represent a significant portion of commercially processed broiler breast meat in China and that the L＊ value measurement could be used to sort broiler meat quality using a cut-off point.

Assessment of several typical physical properties of reclaimed farmland filled with Yellow River sediment in Jining, China

Land subsidence caused by underground coal mining is one of the most prominent environment problems in China. The reclamation of mining subsidence land with Yellow River sediment was considered to be feasible, but its effectiveness needs to be verified. An integrated reclamation technology with Yellow River sediment was evaluated using a comparison of actual crop production soil profile analysis in Jining City, China. The results indicated that reconstructed soil profile of the reclaimed farmland was less effective in retaining water and in supporting plant growth than that of the unaltered farmland. Some measures are proposed, such as reducing the drainage velocity to allow sedimentation and retention of the clay and silt, changing the techniques of filling the Yellow River sediment and increasing the organic matter content in the soil layers to improve the capacity to retain water in the reclaimed farmland.

The Scavenging of Free Radical and Oxygen Species Activities and Hydration Capacity of Collagen Hydrolysates from Walleye Pollock(Theragra chalcogramma) Skin

Fish skin collagen hydrolysates （FSCH） were prepared from walleye pollock （Theragra chalcogramrna） using a mixture of enzymes, namely trypsin and flavourzyme. The degree of hydrolysis of the skin collagen was 27.3%. FSCH was mainly composed of low-molecular-weight peptides and the relative proportion of 〈1000Da fraction was 70.6%. Free radical and oxygen species scavenging activities of FSCH were investigated in four model systems, including diphenylpicrylhy-drazyl radical （DPPH）, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide model, and compared with that of a native antioxidant, reduced glutathione （GSH）. FSCH was also evaluated by water-absorbing and water-holding capacity. The results showed that FSCH was able to scavenge free radical and oxygen species significantly and to enhance water-absorbing and water-holding capacity remarkably. Therefore FSCH may have potential applications in the medicine and food industries.

Effects of Biochar and Super Absorbent Polymer on Substrate Properties and Water Spinach Growth

Most previous researches have focused on biochar application in agricultural soils; however, limited information is available concerning the effects of biochar amendment on greenhouse substrate properties. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate effects of wheat straw biochar （0-160 mL L-1） and super absorbent polymer （SAP, 0.8 g L-1） on physical and chemical properties of a substrate based on spent pig litter compost and the growth of water spinach （Ipomoea aquatica Forsk）. Total porosity, water-holding capacity~ pH and electrical conductivity （EC） of the substrate significantly increased with increasing biochar rates, especially in the substrate without SAP. The values of pH and EC were significantly lower in the substrate with SAP than those without SAP at the high biochar application rates （100-160 mL L-l）. The germination rates of water spinach decreased with increasing biochar rates when biochar was added alone （76.9%-83.7%）, whereas the rates increased to 83.6%-85.8% when biochar was added in combination with SAP. Growth parameters of water spinach and nutrient uptake by shoots and roots increased with increasing biochar rates and reached the maximum values at the biochar rate of 100 mL L-1. There were significant cubic relationships between the uptake of nutrients （N, P, and K） and biochar rates, both with and without SAP addition. In order to avoid negative effects on plant growth, the biochar application rate should be controlled at an optimal level （100 mL L-1 ）. The SAP addition not only enhanced the positive effects of biochar application on the properties of the substrate, but also inhibited the excessive rise of pH and EC following biochar additions, which led to better plant growth and enhanced nutrient uptakes by water spinach.

Incorporation of Biochar Carbon into Stable Soil Aggregates:The Role of Clay Mineralogy and Other Soil Characteristics

Aggregation and structure play key roles in water-holding capacity and stability of soils.In this study,the incorporation of carbon(C) from switchgrass biochar into stable aggregate size fractions was assessed in an Aridisol(from Colorado,USA) dominated by 2:1 clays and an Alfisol(from Virginia,USA) containing weathered mixed 1:1 and 2:1 mineralogy,to evaluate the effect of biochar addition on soil characteristics.The biochar was applied at 4 levels,0,25,50,and 100 g kg^(-1),to the soils grown with wheat in a growth chamber experiment.The changes in soil strength and water-holding capacity using water release curves were measured.In the Colorado soil,the proportion of soil occurring in large aggregates decreased,with concomitant increases in small size fractions.No changes in aggregate size fractions occurred in the Virginia soil.In the Colorado soil,C content increased from 3.3 to 16.8 g kg^(-1),whereas in the<53 μm fraction C content increased from 5.7 to 22.6 g kg^(-1) with 100 g kg^(-1)biochar addition.In the Virginia soil,C content within aggregate size fractions increased for each size fraction,except the>2 000 μm fraction.The greatest increase(from 6.2 to 22.0 g kg^(-1)) occurred in the 53–250 μm fraction.The results indicated that C was incorporated into larger aggregates in the Virginia soil,but remained largely unassociated to soil particles in the Colorado soil.Biochar addition had no significant effect on water-holding capacity or strength measurements.Adding biochar to more weathered soils with high native soil organic content may result in greater stabilization of incorporated C and result in less loss because of erosion and transport,compared with the soils dominated by 2:1 clays and low native soil organic content.

Impacts of Soil Additives on Crop Yield and C-Sequestration in Post Mine Substrates of Lusatia,Germany

Opencast lignite mining in the Lusatia region of Germany has resulted in large scale landscape disturbances, which require suitable recultivation techniques in order to promote plant growth and establishment in the remaining nutrient-poor substrates with low water-holding capacity. Thus, the effects of two commercial soil additives （CSA）, a hydrophilic polymer mixed with volcanic rock flour and bentonite （a-CSA）, and digester solids from biogas plants enriched with humic acids and bentonite （b-CSA）, on soil organic carbon （SOC） storage, plant yields and root biomass were assessed after cultivating perennial crops （Dactylis 9lornerata L.） in monoculture and Helianthus annuus L.-Brassica napus L. in crop rotation systems. The CSA were incorporated into the top 20 cm soil depth using a rotary spader. The results indicated that a-CSA led to a significant increase in plant yield during the first year, and improved root biomass in the following year. As a result, SOC stocks increased, especially in the 0 10 cm soil layer. No significant sequestration of additional SOC was observed on b-CSA-amended plots at the end of both years. Bulk density values decreased in all treatments under the monoculture system. It can be concluded that application of a-CSA enhanced soil water availability for plant uptake and consequently promoted plant growth and organic carbon sequestration. The relative enrichment of organic matter without effects on water-holding capacities of b-CSA treatments suggested that it was not suitable for rapid land reclamation.

Evaluating Fertilization Effects on Soil Physical Properties Using a Soil Quality Index in an Intensive Rice-Wheat Cropping System

Soil quality assessment has been suggested as an effective tool for evaluating sustainability of soil and crop management practices.The objective of this study was to develop a sensitive soil quality index(SQI) based on bulk density(BD),water-holding capacity(WHC),water-stable aggregates(WSA),aggregate mean weight diameter(AMWD),total organic C(TOC) and C input to evaluate the important rice-wheat cropping system on an Inceptisol in India.A long-term experiment has been conducted for 18 years at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research,Modipuram,India.The treatments selected for this study were comprised of a no-fertilizer control and N,P and K fertilizers(NPK) combined with Zn and S fertilizers(NPK+ Zn+S),farmyard manure(NPK+FYM),green gram residues(NPK+GR) and cereal residues(NPK+CR),laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications.Soil samples were collected and analyzed for BD,WHC,WSA and TOC.Correlation analysis revealed that both rice and wheat yields signi?cantly increased with the increases in AMWD,TOC and C input,but decreased with the increase in BD.The SQI values were then generated based on regression analysis of BD,WSA,AMWD,TOC and C input with rice and wheat yields for the 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil layers,respectively.Regression analyses between crop yields and SQI values showed a quadratic type of relation with the coeffcient of determination(R^2) varying from 0.78 to 0.89.With regard to soil sustainability,applying crop residues to both rice and wheat could maintain soil quality for a longer period,whereas the highest yields of both the crops were recorded in the NPK+Zn+S treatment.The regression equations developed in this study could be used to monitor soil quality in a subhumid tropical rice-wheat cropping system.