Novel mango bars using gellan gum as gelling agent: rheological and microstructural studies

This work aimed the development of mango bars, made with fresh mango puree and gellan gum. The influence of gellan concentration as well as the ratio of LA (low-acyl) and HA (high-acyl) gellan on the rheological and microstructural properties of the mango bars was studied. Rheological outcomes showed that both LA and HA, and in mixtures, were able to produce jellified products, within a rather low maturation time. Furthermore, a synergistic effect was observed at different ratios of LA/HA, enabling the production of mango bars with intermediate viscoelastic properties. Higher values of the dynamic moduli were perceived as the LA content increased. Confocal microscopy is in agreement with the rheological results, revealing a weakening of the gel structure with the increasing percentage of HA. Results suggest that 1 g of LA/HA 50/50 per 100 g of puree produces structures with suitable mechanical properties. However, the results need to be correlated to texture and sensory analysis, before proceeding to the next steps of product developmentinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determining the effect of primer mismatches on quantitative PCR accuracy and developing guidance for design of primers with sequence variations

2012 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Although quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a powerful tool for investigating environmental systems, target gene sequences for organisms of interest often are not well known, which has resulted in few reliable primers for many applications. Additionally, the sequences of target genes found in diverse strains often contain sequence variations, and therefore, primer sets containing single or multiple primer-template mismatches are common. However, the detrimental impact of these mismatches on quantification accuracy and amplification efficiency has not been investigated thoroughly. Thus, the research objectives of this study were to elucidate the relationships between primer mismatches and the accuracy of qPCR assays and to develop guidance for designing primers targeting genes displaying sequence variations. The pcrA gene (encoding perchlorate reductase) from Dechloromonas agitata was used as a model system for this study, and a linearized plasmid containing the cloned pcrA gene was used as the qPCR template. A large number of pcrA primers (16 forward and 16 reverse) were designed containing from zero to three mismatches at various locations. Combinations of primers were tested to determine the impact of mismatches on the amplification efficiency, the threshold cycle (CT), and the quantification accuracy. Quantification accuracy was calculated as the percent detected by dividing the quantity measured with mismatch primers by the quantity measured with perfect match primers and multiplying by 100. Single mismatches at the 3' end resulted in quantification accuracies as low as ~3%, and single mismatches at the 5' end resulted in quantification accuracies as low as ~33%. Double and triple mismatches at the 5' resulted in quantification accuracies as low as ~17% and ~2%, respectively. Reductions in quantification accuracy correlated with increases in CT induced by mismatches but not with changes in amplification efficiency. Combining mismatched forward and reverse primers had an impact equivalent to the combined effect of the individual mismatch primers. Analogous qPCR tests were run with three other model genes: celS (encoding family 48 cellulase), C23O (encoding catechol dioxygenase, involved in toluene degradation), and hydA (encoding periplasmic hydrogenase, involved in fermentation). Primers were artificially designed to contain mismatches with these target genes, and results demonstrated that single or double mismatches can have a substantial detrimental impact on quantification accuracy in a broad range of systems. The results of this study indicate that caution must be taken to avoid mismatches when designing qPCR primers targeting genes with sequence variations and the findings serve to guide future design of primers for accurately quantifying genes in environmentally relevant systems

Differences in sensory characteristics among various mango cultivars in the form of fresh sliced mango, mango purée, and mango sorbet

Master of ScienceFood Science Institute, Human NutritionDelores H. ChambersFresh mangoes are highly perishable, and therefore, they are often processed to extend shelf-life and facilitate exportation. Studying the transformation that mango cultivars undergo throughout processing can aid in selecting appropriate varieties for products. In the 1st part of this study, the flavor and texture properties of 4 mango cultivars available in the United States (U.S.) were analyzed. Highly trained descriptive panelists in the U.S. evaluated fresh, purée, and sorbet samples prepared from each cultivar. Purées were made by pulverizing mango flesh, passing it through a china cap, and heating it to 85 °C for 15 s. For the sorbets, purées were diluted with water (1:1), sucrose was added, and the bases were frozen in a batch ice cream freezer. Much of the texture variation among cultivars was lost after fresh samples were transformed into purées, whereas much of the flavor and texture variation among cultivars was lost once fresh mangoes and mango purées were transformed into sorbets. Compared to the other cultivars, Haden and Tommy Atkins underwent greater transformations in flavor throughout sorbet preparation, and processing reduced the intensities of some unpleasant flavors in these cultivars. Tommy Atkins was the only cultivar that had flavor differences from other cultivars when it was in sorbet. Results suggest that cultivar variation is generally not detectable in mango sorbet unless the cultivar has a distinct initial flavor. In the 2nd part of this study, descriptive panelists in Thailand evaluated the flavor and texture properties of fresh samples and purées prepared from 6 cultivars grown in Thailand. Thermal processing had unique effects on the flavor of each cultivar, especially Nam Dok Mai and Chok Anun; Nam Dok Mai significantly decreased in mango identity and peach flavors after processing, whereas Chok Anun significantly increased in sweet, mango identity, and pineapple flavors. Although a slight amount of flavor variation among cultivars was lost because of thermal processing, most of the texture variation was eliminated. Because of significant changes in flavor and texture after heat treatment of mango cultivars, manufacturers should select cultivars for mango purées based on their properties after thermal processing