Process and Chemical Engineering

Impact of fluidized bed granulation on structure and functional properties of the agglomerates based on the durum wheat semolina

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Impact of fluidized bed granulation on structure and functional properties of the agglomerates based on the durum wheat semolina Bellocq, Bettina; Cuq, Bernard; Ruiz, Thierry; Duri, Agnès; Cronin, Kevin; Ring, Denis The granulation step determines the production yield and the final characteristics of the agglomerated couscous grains of durum wheat. The objective of the present work was to explore the capability of the fluidised bed technology to produce agglomerates of durum wheat semolina. The impacts of different processing conditions have been investigated on the structure and functional properties of the agglomerates. The size, shape, water content, compactness, and mechanical strength of the granules were measured. The fluidized bed agglomeration process has been found to produce agglomerates of durum wheat with different attributes compared to those produced by granulation using the low shear mixers. The results were discussed in regard to the hydro-textural approach, in order to get a better understanding of the mechanisms and relationships between process, structure, and properties. Two major agglomeration mechanisms contribute to the growth of the wet agglomerates: a fractal-structuring process followed by a phenomenon of densification. By studying the evolution of the compactness, diameter and water content, it was demonstrated that inter granular arrangements led to an expansion followed by a densification of the wet agglomerates. A relationship was proposed to describe the growth using a fluidized bed of the wet agglomerates of durum wheat semolina.

Rice quality profiling to classify germplasm in breeding programs

Thu, 11 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Rice quality profiling to classify germplasm in breeding programs Ferreira, Ana Rita; Oliveira, Jorge C.; Pathania, Shivani; Almeida, Ana Sofia; Brites, Carla The objective of this work was to define a quality space for assessing rice varieties. Eleven long grain varieties, seven commercial and four new advanced lines were assessed to obtain complete quality profile considering appearance, physicochemical parameters, water absorption behaviour, pasting profile and textural attributes. Commercial varieties were chosen to provide the widest variation in properties, applying the variability analysis concepts of the Taguchi method, including Japonicas, Indicas, hybrids and aromatics. Quality parameters were measured in five different dimensions of quality space (totalling 50). Variable reduction techniques were applied to chose 3 parameters in each dimension (totalling 15 quality indicators) that would describe the whole space with greatest orthogonality, accuracy and yet explaining a significant proportion of the whole variance of data. The analysis of the quality space thus defined and similarities between varieties is illustrated with the conclusion of how the 4 new advanced lines perform in terms of quality behaviour, where it is concluded that one of them is very promising as an improvement over European (Indica) towards the behaviour of a pure Guyana (Indica), whereas 3 others have significant shortcomings in various aspects of the quality space compared to all others, albeit their greater closeness to Japonicas.

Influence of granulation process parameters on food tablet properties formulated using natural powders (Opuntia ficus and Chlorella spp.)

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Influence of granulation process parameters on food tablet properties formulated using natural powders (Opuntia ficus and Chlorella spp.) Osorio-Fierros, A.; Cronin, Kevin; Ring, Denis; Méndez-Zavala, A.; Morales-Oyervides, Lourdes; Montañez, Julio C. In this research two natural health supplements, cactus flour (Opuntia ficus) and microalgae biomass (Chlorella spp.) have been examined as novel ingredients to formulate health supplement tablets. The physical and mechanical properties of the pure powders were quantified, and their ability to be tableted directly without additional processing was investigated. High-shear wet granulation (HSWG) was explored to improve the flowability and compression characteristics of the powders. Using an L9 Taguchi experimental design, the effect of critical process parameters of HSWG was examined on quality attributes of tablets. Tablets were successfully formulated without the addition of excipients following wet granulation. Consistent and acceptable quality tablets were produced based on the optimal processing conditions determined by L9 Taguchi design. The tablet tensile strength achieved was 0.91 ± 0.05 MPa with a disintegration time < 30 min and a friability value of 0.05 ± 0.02%. The tablets obtained in the present study are comparable with commercial available natural supplement tablets in terms of disintegration time, friability and tensile strength. The research provided a basis for the potential use of Cactus (Opuntia spp.) and microalgae (Chlorella sp.) powders as novel ingredients for the development of dietary supplements tablets, and to be used as excipients for the production of pharmaceutical tablets.

Quantitative and mechanistic analysis of impact of novel cassava-assisted improved processing on fluid transport phenomenon in humidity-temperature-stressed bio-derived films

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Quantitative and mechanistic analysis of impact of novel cassava-assisted improved processing on fluid transport phenomenon in humidity-temperature-stressed bio-derived films Tumwesigye, Kashub S.; Oliveira, Jorge C.; Sousa-Gallagher, Maria J. Bio-derived films’ realistic performance integrity is ascertained by their resilience in highly-stressful storage conditions, a function of its ability to respond timely and manages fluid barrier appropriately. Bio-derived films’ moisture and temperature sensitivity often posed mass transport challenges, thus decreasing their lifespan. Quantifying bio-derived film mass transport behaviour has been limited to mass transfer representations, which can be imperfect to understand fully mass transport phenomenon. This study reported quantitative and mechanistic analysis of fluid-phase mass transport phenomenon in Simultaneous Release Recovery Cyanogenesis-produced intact bitter cassava (IBC) bio-derived films under stressful conditions. Films were tested for solvent solubility, swelling ratio, sorption and permeability to water vapour and oxygen at 10–40 °C and 10–95% RH. Film’s structural alterations were characterised by their thermal and chemical properties. Modified-BET, Peleg, Oswin models best described sorption data. Temperature-dependence of film water vapour permeability was simulated best by Arrhenius model, while oxygen permeability was influenced highly by crystallinity and RH. Non-organic and organic film-solvent diffusion followed case II and Fickian diffusional patterns respectively. Solvents induced structural changes in IBC films with concentration-dependent diffusion. Cassava bio-derived films’ integrity will depend on the host environment, thus maximum care should be ensured to minimise environment impact during applications. Nonetheless, IBC films hold potential as biomaterials for broad range product use.