Carob Origin Classification by FTIR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

The goal of this study was to use Fourier transform mid-infrared （FTIR） spectroscopy for discrimination of samples of pods and seeds of carob from three Moroccan regions. The origin of samples Pods and seeds of carob could be distinguished from their IR spectra and this measurement was used for discriminate analysis. A multivariate analysis procedure based on the combined use of Hierarchical Cluster Aanalysis （HCA） and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis （PLS-DA） was tested and provided good classification results. Three distinctive clusters were recognised, related to the three Moroccan regions. Afterwards, PLS-DA was used for the discrimination and classification of the origin of the various Pods and seeds of carob samples. The results demonstrated that the combined use of FTIR and chemometric analysis （cluster analysis and discrimination by PLS- DA） can be used to rapidly and simply determine the origin of carob pulpe samples.

Effects of carob-bean gum thickened formulas on infants' reflux and tolerance indices

AIM: To examine the effect of carob-bean gum(CBG) thickened-formulas on reflux and tolerance indices in infants with gastro-esophageal reflux(GER). METHODS: Fifty-six eligible infants(1-6 mo old) were randomly allocated to receive for two weeks a formula with either 0.33 g/100 m L(Formula A) or 0.45 g/100 m L(Formula B) of cold soluble CBG galactomannans respectively, or a formula with 0.45 g/100 m L of hot soluble CBG galactomannans(Formula C). No control group receiving standard formula was included in the study. Data on the following indices were obtained both at baseline and follow-up from all study participants: 24 h esophageal p H monitoring indices, anthropometrical indices(i.e., body weight and length) and tolerance indices(i.e., frequency of colics; type and frequency ofdefecations). From the eligible infants, forty seven were included in an intention-to-treat analysis to examine the effects of the two-week trial on esophageal 24 h p H monitoring, growth and tolerance indices. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to examine the research hypothesis.RESULTS: Regarding changes in 24 h p H monitoring indices, significant decreases from baseline to followup were observed in the "Boix Ochoa Score"(i.e., an index of esophageal acid exposure), in the total number of visible refluxes and in all symptoms related indices due to acid reflux only for infants provided with Formula A, while no significant changes were observed for infants provided with Formulas B and C. In addition, the significant decreases observed in two symptoms related p H monitoring indices(i.e., "Symptom index for reflux" and "Percentage of all reflux") for infants provided with Formula A were also found to differentiate significantly compared to the changes observed in the other two groups(P = 0.048 and P = 0.014 respectively). Concerning changes in anthropometric indices, body weight significantly increased among infants provided with Formulas A and C, but not for infants provided with Formula B. As far as tolerance indices were concerned, the numbers of total and diarrheic defecations increased significantly only in infants provided with Formula B and these changes were significantly higher compared to the decreases observed in infants fed with Formulas A and C(P = 0.003 and P = 0.015 respectively. Lastly the number of colics significantly decreased in all infants, irrespective of the tested formula. CONCLUSION: Formula A(i.e., 0.33 g/100 m L of cold galactomannans) was effective in reducing certain p Hmonitoring indices of uncomplicated GER, increased body weight and was well-tolerated by infants.

Utilization of Carob (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i>L.) Extract as Functional Ingredient in Some Confectionery Products

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical and antioxidant activity of carob pod powder and its use in preparing of functional drinks, and some confectionery products. The raw and heated (at 110°C and 130°C/20 min) carob powder was used in preparing of drinks. The concentrate carob drink was used in preparing of some confectionery products. The drying process significantly decreased the moisture and total sugars values in carob powder. The antioxidant activity (was measured by two different assays, which are DPPH radical scavenging activity and FRAP) of heated carob powder drinks was lower than the raw carob powder drink, while total phenolic not affected. The best sensory acceptability was observed with raw carob powder drink at ratio 1:2 (carob powder: water). The concentration process caused significant increase in total phenolic and antioxidant activity of carob drink. According to the sensory evaluation results, the carob concentrate was used in preparation of Toffee, Jelly candy and Turkish delight by 5%, 20% and 10%, respectively. The carob concentrate increased the antioxidant activity of the previous confectionery products. From these results the carob concentrate could be used in preparation of functional and healthy foods.

Some Properties of Probiotic Yoghurt Ice Cream Supplemented with Carob Extract and Whey Powder

In this study, some properties of probiotic yoghurt ice cream supplemented with carob extract and whey powder and viability of L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium BB-12 on ice-cream were investigated. For this purpose 6 different ice cream was produced with different ratios whey powder and carob extract. The viable probiotic bacteria counts were determined on 1st, 7th, 30th, 60th and 90th days of storage. Addition of carob extract and whey powder significantly affected all properties of ice-creams. Results showed that the most positive effect on physical, sensory and microbiological properties was observed on sample D which produced with 1% carob extract and 1% whey powder addition.

Effect of Cytokinins on the Micropropagation of Carob(Ceratonia siliqua L.)through Shoot Tip Culture

In order to determine the most suitable cytokinin for the micropropagation of carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.), the effect of four cytokinins: BAP, zeatin, kinetin and 2-iP, was tested on explants derived from young seedlings of seven days. Organogenesis is better in the presence of BAP (0.5 mg/l), while buds growth is favored by zeatin (0.5 mg/l). The combination of the most suitable cytokinin (BAP at 0.5 mg/l) with IBA improves the caulogenesis when the concentration of this latter is low (0.1 mg/l);high concentrations of IBA have an inhibitory effect on elongation and neoformation of shoots and leaves. The multiplication and growth of shoots are more favorable on WPM medium in the presence of BAP (0.5 and 1 mg/l) alone or combined with 0.5 mg/l with GA3, while rooting is mainly favored by IBA, especially at 2 mg/l.

Towards Include Preservation of Vitamins in Fenugreek and Carob Seeds by the Instant Controlled Pressure-Drop Process (DIC Process)

Fenugreek and carob seed were germinated in the dark for 4 days and 15 days respectively. The two species are rich in vitamins A, B1, B3, B8. Germination promotes the increase in their concentrations. To ensure preservation and increased bioavailability of the vitamins, it is necessary to apply a DIC of 30s to 400 kPa making it possible to support the cellular expansion and the decontamination of germinated seeds. Vitamin A content in germinated carob seed increased by 82.54%, which is not the case for fenugreek. A decrease in vitamin A concentration of 4 μg/100 g of dry matter. DIC increase vitamin B1, B3 and B8 in germinated fenugreek seeds. A slight decrease of B vitamins in germinated carob seed after treatment with DIC has been noticed. This loss can be explained by the low bioavailability caused mainly by the botanical structures of the seeds.

<i>In Vitro</i>Propagation of Mature Carob Trees (<i>Ceratonia siliqua</i>L.) from the Axillary Buds

The influence of tree age and the effect of growth regulators on the micropropagation of the carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) from the axillary buds of mature trees have been described. Significant differences (P < 0.005) in results are obtained in the stages of initiation, multiplication, and rooting according to their response to the various concentrations of different growth regulators examined, namely BA, IBA, AG3. The use of 0.5 mg/l BA and 0.2 mg/l IBA was the most favorable for shoots neoformation. The leafy shoots are propagated in MS medium with BA at a concentration of 1.5 mg/l. The addition of gibberellic acid at 0.2 mg/l in the culture medium allows a good elongation and development of the shoots of the carob. The effect of the age of the plant material used has shown that explants taken from mature carob trees have a low capacity for bud sprouting and shoot proliferation compared to those taken from juvenile trees. Rooting has been successful when the plant material used is taken from young trees on an MS medium containing 2 mg/IBA, with an average number of 3 to 4, roots 1 to 2 cm long, then for the adult material, no rooting was observed. Based on these tests, it appears that micropropagation of the carob from the axillary buds is feasible, but additional work must be done to root this recalcitrant material.

Development of Functional Synbiotic Flavored Fermented Skim Milk Drinks Supplemented with Doum (Hyphaene thebaica L.) and Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) Fruits Powder for Nutritional, Antimicrobial and High Antioxidant Activities

The present study was carried out to make new healthy synbiotic flavored fermented skim milk drinks (SFFSD) supplemented with either Doum (Hyphaene thebaica L.) or Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) fruits powder for nutritional, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The HPLC analysis showed higher phenolic and flavonoid content in Doum extract than that of Carob. The antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extracts of both Doum and Carob against foodborne pathogens showed that the most sensitive indicators were Bacillus cereus, C. albicans and S. aureus, followed by T. mentagrophyte and E. coli wherein, the diameter of clear zones was, 29, 27, 24, 23 and 13 mm, respectively. While no effect was noticed against Aspergillus flavus. On the other hand, the methanolic extract of Carob fruit exhibited only a weak antibacterial effect against B. cereus (20 mm). Six treatments of SFFSD were made using both Doum or Carob fruit powder as prebiotic and Lactobacillus paracasei as probiotic bacteria. The added levels from Doum were 2%, 4% and 6%, while that added from Carob were 5%, 10% and 15%. Adding Doum and Carob powder increased the containing of minerals;Ca, K, Mg and iron compared with control. Both viscosity and viability of L. paracasei for the SFFSD were increased with increasing the added levels from either Doum or Carob, compared with the control. Samples of SFFSD containing Carob powder, show superior sensory for all parameters and total score points during storage period, especially at a level of 10%. It seems evident that samples supplemented with Doum powder were also acceptable.

Determination of Polyphenols Content in Carob Pulp from Wild and Domesticated Moroccan Trees

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) fruit pulp from 12 wild and 8 domesticated trees from 15 Moroccan localities were investigated for their polyphenols contents: total polyphenols content (53.22 - 118.04 mg and 57.46 - 183.31 mg), total flavonoids (1.41 - 4.83 mg and 1.62 - 7.46 mg) and condensed tannins (1.47 - 7.36 mg and 1.85 - 6.66 mg) in one carob fresh pulp for wild and domesticated trees, respectively. Fruit pulp from trees in the same region shows variable contents in polyphenols, flavonoids and condensed tannins.

Image analysis of Moroccan carob seeds(Ceratonia siliqua L.)revealed substantial intraspecific variations depending on climate and geographic origin

Background:The carob tree(Ceratonia siliqua L.)is one of the most iconic tree species of the Mediterranean region,with valuable economic,ecological and cultural value.Carob has been exploited around the Mediterranean region since antiquity and has been regarded as an important component of natural habitats and traditional agroecosystems.Several studies have focused on its morphological,biochemical,and genetic diversity.However,less is known about the intraspecific variation of seed traits.In this regard,and as an overall objective,we intend to evaluate the amplitude and the expression of intraspecific variations of carob seed traits at different ecological scales ranging from individual trees to different geographical landscapes.In addition,we investigated how the climate along the study area affects the extent of carob seed variability.Using image analysis techniques,we measured seven traits related to the size and the shape of 1740 seeds collected from 18 populations of spontaneous C.siliqua distributed along a latitudinal transect in Morocco under different bioclimatic conditions.Results:The morphometric analysis of carob seed showed the effectiveness of adopted approach to highlight the amount and the amplitude of intraspecific variation according to geographic and climatic factors.Seed trait analysis revealed high intraspecific variability,explained by differences between and among carob populations and geographic zones.Seed area,perimeter,length,and width showed the largest variability between geographic zones.However,circularity,aspect ratio,and seed roundness showed higher variability at the tree level.Finally,our results show that seed traits vary depending on altitude and climate condition.Conclusions:Revealing the amount and the structure of intraspecific traits variability of carob seed provides interesting insights to understand the mechanisms underlying trees adaptation to various environmental and ecological conditions.Therefore,intraspecific variation of seed traits should be integrated into trait‑based functional ecology to assess plant species responses to environmental changes.

毒死蜱在豆角、辣椒和土壤中的残留动态

采用GC测定方法,对毒死蜱在广州和海口两地的豆角、辣椒及土壤中的残留动态进行了评价。两年的试验结果表明,毒死蜱在广州豆角中的半衰期为4.30d,在豆角土壤中的半衰期为6.02d,在辣椒中的半衰期为3.99d,在辣椒土壤中的半衰期为7.21d;毒死蜱在海口豆角中的半衰期为4.45d,在豆角土壤中的半衰期为6.34d,在辣椒中的半衰期为4.78d,在辣椒土壤中的半衰期为8.21d。毒死蜱在正常使用剂量下,有效成分在两地豆角、辣椒和土壤中的最终残留量均低于0.5mg/kg。

食品品质改良剂：亲水胶体的性质及应用（之二）──植物籽胶

食品品质改良剂：亲水胶体的性质及应用（之二）──植物籽胶王卫平，冯建军（英国Ａ．ＢＲＡＮＷＥＬＬ＆ＣｏＬＴＤ，ＣＭ１６４ＡＥ）（中国食品发酵工业研究所，北京，１０００２７）植物的籽实体是传统的亲水胶体来源之一。植物的种子内大多储有淀粉，但也有许多植物...

响应面法优化角豆中D-松醇的提取工艺

以角豆粉为原料,以水为提取溶剂,采用冷凝回流提取的方法,考察料液比、提取温度、提取时间、提取次数对D-松醇提取得率的影响。通过单因素实验和响应面实验对D-松醇的提取工艺进行优化。得到D-松醇的最佳提取工艺为:料液比为1∶6(g/m L),提取温度60℃,提取时间2 h,提取次数2次,在此工艺下D-松醇的提取得率可以达到5.91%。

磁场辅助冻结对豆角贮藏品质的影响

以豆角为研究对象,采用不同磁场强度(0 Gs、4.6 Gs、9.2 Gs、18 Gs、36 Gs)辅助豆角速冻后,放在-18℃的冰箱进行70天贮藏。每隔10天分别对豆角的失重率、可溶性固形物、膜透性、叶绿素、硬度及咀嚼度进行了测定,分析不同磁场强度对豆角品质影响的变化规律。实验发现在磁场辅助速冻延缓了豆角细胞的衰老进程,保持了豆角的新鲜感,并在36 Gs的磁场辅助速冻贮藏条件下豆角的膜透性增大了6.27%,叶绿素含量减小了0.021 mg/g,综合比较36 Gs的磁场辅助速冻优于其他强度磁场辅助速冻。

响应面优化发酵提纯角豆粉提取液D-松醇的工艺研究

以角豆粉为原料,利用酿酒酵母发酵提纯角豆提取液中的D-松醇。以总糖利用率为响应值,通过单因素实验、Plackett-Burman实验和响应面分析实验,对酿酒酵母发酵工艺进行优化。苯酚硫酸法测定发酵液总糖含量。结果表明,最佳发酵的工艺条件为:当加菌量为0.8mg/mL,发酵时间为60h,初始糖浓度为70mg/mL。此条件下总糖利用率为85.1%,与理论值86.6%接近,表明实际测量值与理论值之间拟合度良好。总糖含量由69.2%降至10.3%,且D-松醇纯度由发酵前的8.8%提高到53.9%,此研究对D-松醇的开发应用有重要意义。

低硫角豆浆液作为碳源对化石燃料进行生物脱硫的优化

对角豆浆液中硫沉淀的过程进行了优化.根据2个因素的Doehlert分布进行了统计设计,研究了氯化钡质量分数0～0.5％和曝光时间6～36 h对角豆浆液中硫酸盐去除效果的影响.试验结果表明：去除角豆浆液中的硫酸盐的最佳条件为氯化钡质量分数0.5％、曝光时间21 h.生物脱硫（BDS）技术可使用工农业中的废料作为替代碳源.

温室豆角枯萎病的综合防治技术研究

介绍了豆角枯萎病的病原、症状、传播途径,并综述了其防治方法。

检疫性害虫石榴螟的危害及鉴定

石榴螟(Ectomyelois ceratoniae(Zeller))是一种严重危害石榴、柑橘、枣椰子等植物的重要害虫。本文介绍了该虫的寄主、危害、形态特征及生物学特性等内容,并与近缘种番荔枝螟做了鉴定比较。该虫在我国尚未有分布报道,应加强检验检疫措施,以防止其入侵我国。