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Paper and board are widely used as food contact materials. For such sensitive applications, consumer safety regarding the transfer of chemical components and contaminants to the food needs to be established. Such safety assessments are becoming increasingly challenging not only due to intentionally added substances but also non-intentionally added substances. In the European Union, compliance testing and safety evaluation of paper in food contact are largely based on national legislation and standards. The underlying tests are conventional methods, often overestimating and sometimes underestimating the migration into food. In this article, the relevant standard test methods are contrasted with currently available scientific knowledge. The scientific approaches to develop and identify suitable test methods are critically reviewed. Furthermore, theoretical predictions via mathematical modeling, with the aim to realistically simulate transfer to food, are presented and discussed in comparison with available migration studies with foods. Objectives are to (i) summarize the actual scientific knowledge in the field and draw conclusions regarding the potential and limitations of the existing test methods and (ii) identify research gaps toward a better qualitative and quantitative understanding of transport processes of volatile and non-volatile substances from paper and board into foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Environmental Protection is the property of Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Studies have shown that fluorinated oil repellents are potentially harmful to humans and the environment, and therefore, the development of non-toxic, green, and environmentally friendly oil repellents has become inevitable. Microcrystalline wax is a branched saturated alkane with a molecular weight of 580–700 Da, which has a lower surface tension than edible oil. Herein, microcrystalline wax emulsion (fluorine-free oil repellent) was prepared by mechanical stirring–homogenization, the effects of emulsifier ratio and dosage on the emulsion performance were systematically investigated, and the resultant stable microcrystalline wax emulsions were applied to the paper surface to explore the oil and water resistance and water vapor barrier performance. The results showed that stabilized microcrystalline wax emulsion was obtained at the emulsifier Span-80/Tween-80 ratio of 5:5, and the emulsifier dosage was 20% (relative to the microcrystalline wax). When 6 g/m2 of microcrystalline wax was applied to the surface of starch pretreated paper, the kit rating value of the paper was high, at up to 10/12, the Cobb60 value decreased to 12.5 g/m2, the overall migration of paper was less than 10 mg/dm2, and the water vapor permeability was reduced by 81.9%, which met the requirements of oil and water resistance performance of food packaging paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-cellulose paper-based composites with underwater superoleophobicity and high-wet-strength were developed by casting a barrier layer of bacterial cellulose (BC) on a filter paper substrate. To optimize the pore structure of barrier layer, slow gel process of BC dispersion was conducted via acidification and solvent exchange. 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid was used to improve the wet strength and surface hydrophilicity through the crosslinking reaction between fibers. The underwater oil contact angles are higher than 150° in neutral environment, and slightly decrease under acid and alkali conditions. Combined with the micron-sized pore structure of BC barrier layer, the composite papers show good separation performance of oil-in-water emulsion. A denser BC layer can significantly improve the separation efficiency, but also lead to the reduction of flux. During the gelation of BC barrier layer, the increase in the ethanol/water ratio of the dispersion medium is able to increase the flux without obvious negative impact on the separation efficiency. When the ethanol/water ratio is 80%, the separation efficiency and water flux reach 99.2% and 1320 L m−2 h−1·bar−1 for the emulsified soybean oil with the average size of 13 μm, respectively. This type of all-cellulose composite papers provides a new idea for the fabrication of membrane materials for oil–water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids exert several beneficial effects on human health, some of which are also certified by recent European and U.S. regulations. The goal of the presented work was to develop an innovative methodology to evaluate their content in edible vegetable oils, in order to increase the value of oils from a nutraceutical perspective. The protocol is based on the use of paper spray ionization coupled with tandem mass spectrometry experiments, which allowed the recording of data very quickly and with high specificity. All investigated compounds gained a good linear relation (r2 higher than 0.98). Accuracy values are near 100% for all concentration levels examined, and the repeatability and reproducibility data result lower than 15%, highlighting the consistence of the methodology. The developed approach was successfully applied for the analysis of different real samples, and its robustness was confirmed by comparing the results obtained with those coming from the classical and official methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently synthesis of edible oil for resin formation and using scrap paper as reinforcement for composite fabrication is still not carried out. In this work, acrylate epoxidized mustard oil (AEMO) was used after blending with a crosslinker N-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NVP) to fabricate scrap paper reinforced green composites. Mustard oil (MO), Epoxidized mustard oil (EMO) and acrylate epoxidized mustard oil (AEMO) were characterized using iodine value, oxirane content, acid value, FTIR, NMR and viscosity properties. The composites were fabricated using 50:50 ratio of AEMO: NVP and paper loading of 15%, 30% and 60% along with the neat sample. With an increase in paper loading, there was a significant improvement in mechanical properties giving 158.9, 150, 233, 566.66 and 140% improvement in tensile, young's, flexural strength, flexural moduli and impact strength at 60% loading. The elongation at break showed a value of 20% due to the stiff nature of composite. Biodegradability testing proved an increase in weight loss of composite with time, recording the highest weight loss of 7% for 60% composite sample. Dimensional stability showed excellent result for the neat and lower loaded composite samples. Thermogravimetric and differential scanning colorimetry analysis indicated improvement in thermal stability with higher loading %. Morphological analysis confirmed excellent interfacial adhesion and bonding with higher paper loading %. Dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated a significant rise in storage modulus (E') and loss modulus (E'') and decline in tan δ with broadening of the peak for maximum loading. Chemical resistance was poor for the highest loaded samples with respect to acids and bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple and on-site paper-based analytical device for determine peroxide value. • Needing low amount of samples, solvents, and reagents and does not need glassware and skilled personnel. • A well-defined inverse logarithmic calibration curve is established between color intensity and PV. Peroxide value (PV) is one of the most typically used quality parameters to monitor lipid oxidation. Here, a simple paper-based analytical device (PAD) has been developed to determine PV in vegetable oils. The analysis is based on setting up the iodometric titration, where hydroperoxides in the oil are reacted with excess iodide ions to generate iodine molecules, on the paper substrate. The device is composed of two paper layers acting as reaction and detection zones, aligned in a metallic mold. A well-defined inverse logarithmic calibration curve was established between the measured PV by the official iodometric method (ISO;3960, 2017) and the color intensity of PAD. It offered a working range of 0.01–30.0 meq/Kg. The limit of detection of 0.015 meq/Kg demonstrated enough sensitivity of the method to estimate peroxide value in edible oils. On-site and visual detection, low cost, simplicity, and less solvent consumption are advantages of the proposed device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waste cooking oil is upcycled into N-doped carbon nanosheets, enabling fast Na+/K+ storage by means of surface charge modulation. [Display omitted] • Waste cooking oil was selected as precursor to prepare hard carbon anode materials. • NWCOC650 takes on a porous nanosheet structure with turbo layers. • NWCOC650 has a coexistence storage mechanism of adsorption/intercalation-filling. • Head group (–NH 2) can produce a synergistic effect with N-5/6/Q and graphene. • NWCOC650 exhibits excellent performances for sodium/potassium-ion batteries. Hard carbons are significant in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). However, the structural defects of hard carbons lead to poor rate performance and cycling stability, which need further improvement. The waste cooking oil was used as the precursor to synthesize 3D carbon nanosheets (NWCOC) with amino nitrogen functional groups, multi-layered pores, and expanded interlayer spacing. The excellent electrochemical properties of NWCOC were investigated and it was demonstrated that NWCOC can significantly improve the adsorption of Na+/K+ on hard carbons, substantially enhancing the embedding/de-embedding of Na+/K+, reducing the diffusion distance of ions and electrons, and improving their adaptability to volume changes. In situ XRD and Raman characterization reveal that the Na storage mechanism of NWCOC is mainly based on adsorption/intercalation-filling. Combined with density functional theory, it is shown that the porous structures doped with nitrogen have a greater propensity for ion adsorption, resulting in increased ion capture and storage. As expected, NWCOC650 exhibits high capacities of 489.4 and 388.3 mAh/g in SIBs and PIBs. NWCOC650 displays superior performance in the Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /NWCOC650 full cell, achieving a capacity of 107.84 mAh/g. This work presents a new perspective on the synthesis and mechanisms of high-performance anodes for SIBs and PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel platform of microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) with colorimetric acid-base titration for cooking oil quality evaluation was created and oleic acid was selected as a model analyte. Graphene oxide (GO) was used to modify cellulose paper for improved visualization and increased hydrophobicity of the colorimetric sensor. μPAD with colorimetric acid-base titration was prepared by immobilizing phenolphthalein and primary standard of Na 2 CO 3 on GO-modified cellulose paper and applied for oleic acid detection. The neutralization of oleic acid on the cellulose paper was illustrated by color disappearance from pink to colorless. This platform provided a linearity of (0–2% v/v), covering a cut-off oleic acid level (1.0%) for evaluation of cooking oil quality. This device, designed with 3D-μPAD, created the automatic lateral-flow channel for semi-quantitative analysis of cooking oil without instrumental requirement. The content of oleic acid equated to the number of pink-detection area disappearing. Ultimately, this device was successfully applied for cooking oil quality evaluation in real waste cooking oil samples. [Display omitted] • Colorimetric sensor was prepared for oleic acid determination in waste cooking oil. • GO-modified cellulose paper improved the visualization and hydrophobicity of sensor. • The lateral-flow channel for semi-quantitative cooking oil analysis was created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varaždin pumpkin seed oil is a virgin edible oil obtained by roasting and mechanically pressing dry pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.). The aroma is dominated by a sense of toastiness interwoven with a specific nutty taste without any foreign or rancid smell or taste. It is dark green to black in colour with a reddish glow. It is characterized by fragrant, spicy notes and a well-balanced bouquet. The basic quality chemical parameters of Varaždin pumpkin seed oil monitored over the past eight years show that the proportion of free fatty acids (expressed as oleic) is less than 1%, which indicates good quality of the raw material and the applied oil production technology. The peroxide value is less than 4 mmol O2/kg, which is an indicator of good oxidation stability of the oil during its storage. The average value of the representation of unsaturated fatty acids is more than 80%, and variations in the fatty acid composition are the result of specific climatic conditions occuring in the year of growing and harvesting pumpkins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of dietary fat critically influences health. In this consensus document the scientific evidence relating effects of dietary fat quantity and quality on cardiovascular risk is reviewed and recommendations for the Spanish adult population are issued. As a novelty in nutrition guidelines, emphasis is made more on parent foods than on fatty acids per se. In summary, replacing saturated fatty acids (SFA) for monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduces cardiovascular risk. Recent data suggest that SFA proper may be harmful or not depending on the parent food, a reason why an intake threshold is not established, but consumption of foods containing excess SFA, such as butter, some processed meats, and commercial confectionery and fried foods is discouraged. The established threshold of <1 % of energy intake as trans FA, well known to be harmful for cardiovascular risk, is fulfilled in Spain due in part to its present low levels in margarines. MUFA are beneficial or neutral for cardiovascular risk depending on their dietary sources (virgin olive oil versus other fats), and no intake limitations are established. n-6 PUFA are cardioprotective and recommended intakes (5-10 % of energy) are not always fulfilled in the Spanish population, thus increased consumption of their vegetable food sources (seeds, derived oils, and margarines) is encouraged. Marine n-3 PUFA are also cardioprotective and the recommendation stands to eat fatty fish ≥2 servings/weeks to reach intake levels of at least 250 mg/day. Increasing evidence suggests that alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the vegetable n-3 PUFA, is also cardioprotective, but the parent foods (walnuts, soy products, green-leaf vegetables) may provide benefits beyond ALA itself. Finally, low-fat (high carbohydrate, particularly when having a high glycemic index) diets appear to lack cardiovascular preventive effects, while high-fat, high-vegetable fat dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, are protective, a reason why no upper limit on fat intake is established for the Spanish population. This position statement targets dietitians, nutritionists and other health professionals involved in dietary counsel so they can deliver it rightly and according to the last scientific evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The technology outlined here allows for the production of apple seed oil on an industrial scale. It solves the problem of separating seeds from dried apple pomace for oil pressing. The line combines a series of devices used in the processing of cereals, fruit, and vegetables, but its innovation lies in the combination of these devices into one technological line that is adapted to the specificity of the raw material. This is the first technological line for the separation of seeds from apple pomace on an industrial scale. The technology outlined here is in the conceptual phase and requires further research. (1) Background: The effective management of waste and by-products generated in the food industry helps development and implementation of ranges of health-promoting products. The manufacturing of apple juice and cider results in the generation of large quantities of apple pomace. (2) Methods: This paper outlines the concept of a technological process for industrial-scale production of edible oil with a health-promoting fatty acids profile using dried apple pomace as a raw material. (3) Results: Described approach allows for innovative and profitable industrial-scale utilization of the pomace generated from apple juice production. This paper presents a new technological line for apple seed separation intended for oil pressing. (4) Conclusions: The new technological approach could increase the production of apple seed oil. Because of the growing needs in managing post-production waste and by-products, apple seed oil produced from apple pomace on an industrial scale may become a new, attractive product in the functional food market. The fatty acids profile of apple seed oil is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and can beneficially influence health. The technology outlined here is in the conceptual phase and requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review was to look at the impact of agricultural value chain financing on the profitability of edible oil in South Africa. A historical review's aim is to find all narrative evidence which fits the pre-specified eligibility requirements to respond to a particular study question or hypothesis. The research used a historical narrative review as its analysis method. This included compiling and analysing more than 60 online resources relating to various and relevant the value chain financing on profitability from several past research. The research concentrates on some papers that looked at the impact of agricultural value chain financing on profitability, both nationally and internationally. Exploratory studies on the agricultural value chain financing, published from 2012 to 2022, were evaluated. According to the findings, just one paper failed to demonstrate an important association between agricultural value chain financing and profitability, whilst the others showed that agricultural value chain financing had a substantial effect on profitability. However, none specifically addressed the oil industry, indicating the necessity for narrative research to examine the link among agricultural funding and the profitability of the South African edible oil industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed oil is a widely consumed edible oil that contains varieties of beneficial micronutrients such as tocopherols and phytosterols; however, the high acid value due to increased free fatty acid can imperil the oil quality and safety. This paper proposed the enzymatic deacidification for high-acid rapeseed oil and simultaneous production of functional diacylglycerols (DAGs) catalyzed by self-made immobilized lipase CALB@MCM-41-C8. The results indicate that the carrier of molecular sieve MCM-41 exhibited a sufficient surface area of 1439.9 m2/g and a proper pore size of 3.5 nm, promoting the immobilization of lipase CLAB. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the acid value of rapeseed oil was largely decreased from 15.3 mg KOH/g to 1.7 mg KOH/g within 3 h, while DAG content was increased from 1.2% to 40.2%. The antioxidant stability of rapeseed oil was also increased from 4.3 h to 7.6 h after enzymatic deacidification. Besides, the deacidified rapeseed oil exhibited fatty, bitter almond aromas, compared to the picked-vegetable, spicy, and pungent aromas for high-acid oil. Finally, the catalytic stability and applicability of CALB@MCM-41-C8 was validated, thus demonstrating the great potential of CALB@MCM-41-C8 in green refining of edible oils and sustainable synthesis of functional lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The olive oil sector in Italy has a significant socio-economic, environmental, and cultural relevance. However, the environmental impacts of production and consumption models are considerable, mainly due to the demand for large quantities of resources (fuels, chemicals) and to the environmental impacts of residues' disposal. Due to the scarcity of resources and climate change concerns, circular economy principles based on industrial ecology concepts are emerging. In this paper, the principles of circular economy were specifically applied to the olive oil supply chain, to improve the environmental sustainability of the sector. Methods: The production chain of extra virgin olive oil was analyzed using the Life Cycle Assessment method, based on primary data from an oil farm and mill in Southern Italy. The environmental impacts were evaluated through the SimaPro software and the ReCiPe 2016 Mid-point (H) Impact Assessment Method, with reference to the functional unit of 1-L bottle of extra virgin olive oil. Some circular improvement options were investigated, comparing the impacts generated by (i) extra virgin olive oil linear production without valorization of by-products, (ii) extra virgin olive oil linear production with allocation of total impacts to co-products, and (iii) two circular production systems, incorporating improvements such as replacement of diesel with biodiesel and of electricity from the national grid with energy recovered from residues. Results and discussion: The environmental impacts of the business-as-usual production pattern were identified for possible improvements. In all phases of the production chain of organic extra virgin olive oil, the most affected impact categories were human carcinogenic toxicity, marine ecotoxicity, and terrestrial ecotoxicity. As expected, the major contributions to almost all the analyzed impact categories were determined by the agricultural phase (92.65%), followed by the bottling phase (7.13%) and the oil extraction phase (0.22%). The valorization of by-products was considered by widening the system boundaries to ensure the environmental sustainability by developing circular patterns that feedback waste materials to upstream steps of the same process. The environmental impacts resulted lower in almost all the impact categories, with the major benefits gained in the global warming and fossil depletion impact categories. Conclusions: The analysis proved that the reuse of pomace, prunings, and exhausted cooking oil initially considered as waste can bring benefits from an environmental point of view to the larger scale of the economy, by replacing fossil fuels, as well as to the olive oil chain itself, by providing the needed energy for production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cooking oil fume particulate (COFP) produced by indoor cooking can harm human health seriously, and therefore requires urgent monitoring and optimization. In this paper, the kitchen cooking simulation process was established by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based on the fluid dynamics theory. Combined with the user defined function (UDF), the spatial and temporal distributions of COFP and carbon dioxide (CO2) during the cooking process were simulated and analyzed, respectively. Both simulation results were verified using experimental data. Moreover, this paper introduces a COFP concentration correlation function that utilizes the spatiotemporal correlation between COFP and CO2 concentrations during the cooking process. The function is based on the spatiotemporal distribution of CO2 concentration. By comparing it with traditional calculations, the proposed function is shown to achieve a remarkable 70% improvement in efficiency and maintain an accuracy rate exceeding 90%. This enables the rapid analysis and control of COFP concentration through monitoring and analyzing CO2 levels in the kitchen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are considered to be potentially genotoxic and carcinogenic to humans. For non-smoking populations, food is the main source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure. Due to their lipophilic nature, oils and fats rank among the food items with the highest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content. Consequently, the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils is critical for the promotion of human health. This paper reviews sample pretreatment methods, such as liquid-phase-based extraction methods, adsorbent-based extraction methods, and the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) method, combined with detection techniques like mass spectrometry and chromatography-based techniques for accurate quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils since 2010. An overview on the advances of the methods discussed herein, along with a commentary addition of current challenges and prospects, will guide researchers to focus on developing more effective detection methods and control measures to reduce the potential risks and hazards posed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy sources are crucial for the development and growth of economies and civilizations. Solar energy is an alternative energy to generate electrical power. The challenges of solar photovoltaic panels (PV) are the low output power and efficiency and the huge installation area beside PVs need a tracking system for better efficiency. The motivation of this paper is to design an innovative solar sphere system, which is a new concentrated photovoltaic technology that has better performance (efficiency and output power) than the normal conventional solar panel (PV) with a smaller installation area and without any tracking system. This design consists of an acrylic solar sphere entirely filled with cooking oil (sunflower or corn oil) that captures solar radiation and concentrates it on a focal point. The focal point is adjusted over a multi-junction cell that acts as a collector device (concentrator solar cell). This focused solar energy can generate a massive amount of power, which is used to produce more electricity than normal photovoltaic panels. The experiments were carried out in order to discover the best acrylic models or shape designs, which is the sphere, the best materials or media in the sphere, that is oil, the best sphere's size and volume, and that is larger, the best sphere thickness, which at first is lower, the best fluid oil type, which is cooking oil, and finally the best fluid amount or volume inside the sphere, and this is the entire volume. Then, these factors mentioned above are compared with normal photovoltaics (PV) that have the same section area as these shapes. The results revealed that these factors have significant effects on the output power value and efficiency. It has been demonstrated that our innovative concentrated solar sphere system can produce nearly four times the output power or electricity greater than that of a conventional solar panel PV with the same cross-sectional area. This specific sort of compression is crucial because it shows that less space is required to establish this system than it would to install conventional solar panels. The performance of the system per unit of the square area it occupies was compared to the latest generation of flat panel PV available at the market performance; hence, the installation space will be decreased by 40% to 60%. Our system has about twice as much efficiency as solar PV and does not require a tracking system and maintenance. Our technology also has the benefit of not being impacted by extreme temperatures, clouds, dust, and humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a novel combination of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and calcium oxide (CaO) nanocomposite (CaO/CNCs) for the production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil. The filter paper was used as a raw cellulose source to produce the CNCs from the acid hydrolysis of cellulose with sulfuric acid. The as-synthesized CaO/CNC nanocomposite is recyclable and environmentally friendly and was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The optimum process parameters investigated are a 20:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio, 3-weight percent catalyst concentration, 60 °C temperature, and 90 min of reaction time. Under the optimum conditions, a biodiesel yield of 84% was obtained. The CaO/CNC nanocomposite achieved five times reusability, indicating its effectiveness and reusability in the transesterification reaction. The synthesized biodiesel chemical composition was examined using FTIR, GCMS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR, and its properties, including specific gravity, color, flash point, cloud point, pour point, viscosity, sulfur content, sediments, water content, total acid number, cetane number, and corrosion test, were ascertained using ASTM standard practices. The outcomes were determined to fulfill global biodiesel standards (ASTM 951, 6751). Five successive transesterification processes were used to test the regeneration of the catalyst; the first three showed no distinct change, while the fifth cycle showed a reduction of up to 79%. The innovative composite CaO/CNC and used cooking oil are stable, affordable, and extremely successful for long-term biodiesel generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 50 MioT of Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) was collected worldwide in 2020 from domestic and industrial activities, constituting a potential hazard for both water and land environments, and requiring appropriate disposal management strategies. In line with the principles of circular economy and eco-design, in this paper an innovative methodology for the valorisation of WCO as a rejuvenating agent for bitumen 50/70 coming from Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is reported. In particular, WCO or hydrolysed WCO (HWCO) was modified by transesterification or amidation reactions to achieve various WCO esters and amides. All samples were characterised by nuclear magnetic resonance, melting, and boiling point. Since rejuvenating agents for RAP Cold Mix Asphalt require a melting point ≤0 °C, only WCO esters could further be tested. Efficiency of WCO esters was assessed by means of the Asphaltenes Dispersant Test and the Heithaus Parameter. In particular, bitumen blends containing 25 wt% of WCO modified with 2-phenylethyl alcohol, showed high dispersing capacity in n-heptane even after a week, compared to bitumen alone (1 h). Additionally, the Heithaus Parameter of this bitumen blend was almost three times higher than bitumen alone, further demonstrating beneficial effects deriving from the use of WCO esters as rejuvenating agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, the demand for edible oils and fats is growing. Tucumã is a native Amazonian fruit with high lipids content in the pulp and kernel. The pulp oil has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids, mainly β‐carotene, a pro‐vitamin A. Kernel fat has high oxidative stability as it is rich in saturated fatty acids, with a predominance of lauric acid. Tucumã pulp oil and kernel fat can formulate functional fats due to their physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties. This paper aims to provide an overview of intellectual property and academic production about tucumã oil and fat. The increase in scientific production from 2001 to 2020 indicates that the research institutes have expanded interest in tucumã fruit. However, intellectual property using tucumã oil and fat for industrial applications is still modest. Using the selected keyword combinations, nineteen and ten papers related to pulp oil and kernel fat are met, respectively. The United States leads the patents publications related to tucumã fruit, oil, and fat (45%). Most patents are directed to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors (59%), demonstrating the necessity for studies focused on applications in the food industry. Practical Applications: Tucumã pulp oil and kernel fat can be used to formulate functional fats due to their physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties. The tucumã pulp oil has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids, mainly β‐carotene, a pro‐vitamin A. The tucumã kernel fat presents high oxidative stability as it is rich in saturated fatty acids, with a predominance of lauric acid. Most patents are directed to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors, which demonstrate the need for studies focused on the food industry. The small number of patents favors promising partnerships between companies and scientific institutions for the transfer of academic knowledge of new technologies applied in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three research papers studied the effect of storage [[15]], drying and steeping temperatures [[16]], and heat treatment and light exposure [[17]] on phenol content and antioxidant activity. Understanding the importance of extraction optimization processes of bioactive molecules in the food industry is fundamental in the choice of innovative extraction processes involving sustainable procedures and is essential in process design for the isolation of antioxidants, thus preserving their chemical integrity and biological properties. Phenols from I Ruta graveolens i L. and I Artemisia abrotanum i leaves were isolated via UAE and methanol, and they exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities [[13]]. Saifullah et al. [[5]] maximized the extraction via MAE of phenols from lemon myrtle and their antioxidant properties by applying the response surface methodology (RSM). [Extracted from the article]

Sunflower is a major oil crop which produces edible oil with a great importance in human nutrition. The oil content of the sunflower grains is determined genetically but it is influenced by several environmental and technological factors. The technological factors can be controlled by the farmers in view to get higher oil content in the grains, and therefore their influence is important to be known. Starting from this idea, the aim of this paper is to identify the effect of row spacing and plant density on the oil content of the sunflower grains under specific growing conditions of Romania. Research was performed in 2019, 2020, and 2021 in field experiments under rainfed conditions located in four locations, among which one in East Romania, one in South-East Romania and two in South Romania. The experimental factors were the following: Factor A - row spacing, with 3 graduations: a1 = 70 cm; a2 = 60 cm; a3 = 50 cm; Factor B - plant density, with 3 graduations: b1 = 50,000 plants/ha; b2 = 60,000 plants/ha; b3 = 70,000 plants/ha. The obtained data in the specific growing conditions of Romania showed that row spacing and plant density have a small influence on the oil content of the sunflower seeds. Among the two technological parameters, row spacing determined the smallest influence on oil content of the sunflower grains. Increasing of plant densities determined a slight decreasing of the oil content of the sunflower grains. The differences in oil content determined by the row spacing and plant density are not statistically significant in conditions of good water supply of sunflower plants, especially in the period of grain development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oil contains a variety of active substances, which have the functions of strengthening the heart and lowering cholesterol, and can prevent a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases caused by vascular sclerosis edible oil. Based on the logistics model, this paper builds a research model on the influencing factors of consumption and purchase intention and analyzes the coastal areas of camellia oil. Using this model, it makes an empirical analysis and research on the differences in the purchase intention and influencing factors of different consumers of camellia oil. Based on the results of empirical analysis, the main research conclusions of this paper are extracted, including the influencing factors of consumers' camellia oil purchase willingness and the differences in the influencing factors of consumers' camellia oil purchase willingness under different income levels, and put forward some corresponding measures and policy suggestions in a targeted manner. Based on the research model of the influencing factors of purchase intention established by logistic algorithm, this paper analyzes the coastal areas of Chashan oil and finds that the factors affecting consumers' purchase intention are positively related to education and personal monthly income and negatively related to gender. "Educational education" is significant at 1% and has a positive correlation with a coefficient of 0.864; personal income is significant at 5% with a coefficient of 0.762; for gender, it is negatively correlated with a coefficient of -0.259, indicating that other variables remain unchanged. Education can promote consumers' willingness to buy camellia oil, and consumers with higher education are more likely to buy camellia oil. In the same regression prediction model, the regression prediction efficiency of this model is better. In general, this shows that the model in this paper has certain superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue (SI) focused on the novel methods developed using contactless sensors for food, beverages and packaging. The use of traditional methods to evaluate food, beverages, and packaging tends to be time-consuming, labour-intensive, and usually involves high costs due to the need for expensive equipment, regular refill of consumables, skilled personnel and, in the case of sensory evaluation, incentives or payments involved for participants recruitment and/or panelists training and participation. Other papers focus on the use of other specific sensors, such as a low-cost and portable electronic nose (e-nose) to predict aromas and roasting intensity in coffee [[5]] and the use of flexible sensors for monitoring oyster survival rates [[6]]. [Extracted from the article]

Non-renewable nature and continuously increased consumptions of bitumen is a serious challenge for the development of infrastructure, especially for the constructions and maintenances of asphalt pavements. To cope with this situation, some sustainable strategies are needed. Extensive efforts have been made to improve the resilience, sustainability and circularity of asphalt pavements. Among them, the utilisation of bio-based materials is one of the most promising measures. This paper systemically reviewed the state-of-theart knowledge in the development of bio-bitumen. Wood-based oils, waste cooking oils and manure-based bio-bitumen were selected as the review objectives. It was revealed that all bio-based oils currently being used are more suitable for serving as additives like softeners, rejuvenators, or modifiers rather than as alternative of binders. One of the most promising utilisations of biooils is as rejuvenators, potentially antioxidants as well. Incorporating polymers with bio-oils is another feasible practice to improve the performance of biobitumen. Causation should be taken when producing bio-based bitumen since compatibility might have some kind of influence on the performance and this issue should be addressed carefully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐Carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, can alleviate the deficiency of this vitamin prevalent worldwide. Earlier research studies have addressed the extraction of β‐carotene at relatively low temperatures (up to 70°C) due to its perceived instability at higher temperatures, as a result of which extraction rates recorded are relatively low. This study models the net rate of β‐carotene extraction by considering both extraction and degradation kinetics. The model developed, which accounts for degradation occurring in solid and extract phases, has been experimentally validated for the extraction of β‐carotene from freeze‐dried carrot powder into sunflower oil over a range of temperatures 90–150°C. This study also gives insights into the application of sunflower oil as a carrier for β‐carotene during cooking and food processing, by monitoring and modeling the thermal degradation and isomerization of β‐carotene at temperatures up to 220°C. The modeling of extraction kinetics shows that it is possible to achieve viable extraction rates by employing temperatures in the range (90–150°C) for relatively short times (<5 min). The degradation kinetics shows that almost 75% of the β‐carotene can survive heating at 180°C for 10 min—indicating the possibility of using β‐carotene enriched edible oils for frying. This study also reports on the formation of three isomers of β‐carotene identified using HPLC: trans‐, 9‐cis, and 13‐cis. The reaction network model developed in this study was able to account for the transient variation of the concentration of all three isomers. Practical Application: β‐Carotene is a precursor of vitamin A and its consumption can potentially alleviate the deficiency of this vitamin prevalent worldwide. This study validates a model for the extraction of β‐carotene in sunflower oil, which takes into account extraction as well as degradation occurring during extraction, so that a rational method is available for the design of efficient extractors for this purpose. This paper also establishes the thermal stability of β‐carotene under frying conditions by quantifying its thermal degradation as well as isomerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the self-sufficiency rate of domestic vegetable oil is still low. As an important oil crop in China, rapeseed contributes to nearly 50% of the oil production of domestic oil crops, and it plays a vital role in ensuring national edible oil supply security. Since the "No. 1 central document" for 2012 first proposed the comprehensive deployment of agricultural science and technology strategy, the rapeseed industry has made great progress with scientific and technological support. The "No. 1 central document" for 2023 clearly proposes to further promote the soybean and oilseed production capacity improvement project, take coordinated steps to support the rapeseed industry, promote rice-oil rotation, and vigorously develop winter idle fields. This paper systematically figured the development status of rapeseed industry from 2012 to 2022, summarized the scientific and technological progress within this sector, and analysed the current challenges and prospects. Finally, policy suggestions were put forward to support the sustainable development of rapeseed industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this study, an attempt has been made to collect the research that has been done on the construction and design of the H2O2 sensor. So far, many efforts have been made to quickly and sensitively determine H2O2 concentration based on different analytical principles. In this study, the importance of H2O2, its applications in various industries, especially the food industry, and the importance of measuring it with different techniques, especially portable sensors and on-site analysis, have been investigated and studied. Design/methodology/approach: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very simple molecule in nature, but due to its strong oxidizing and reducing properties, it has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, medical, environmental, mining, textile, paper, food production and chemical industries. Sensitive, rapid and continuous detection of H2O2 is of great importance in many systems for product quality control, health care, medical diagnostics, food safety and environmental protection. Findings: Various methods have been developed and applied for the analysis of H2O2, such as fluorescence, colorimetry and electrochemistry, among them, the electrochemical technique due to its advantages in simple instrumentation, easy miniaturization, sensitivity and selectivity. Originality/value: Monitoring the H2O2 concentration level is of practical importance for academic and industrial purposes. Edible oils are prone to oxidation during processing and storage, which may adversely affect oil quality and human health. Determination of peroxide value (PV) of edible oils is essential because PV is one of the most common quality parameters for monitoring lipid oxidation and oil quality control. The development of cheap, simple, fast, sensitive and selective H2O2 sensors is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a refrigerant cooling method using an inner tube in a storage tank to improve the cooling performance and thermal uniformity during the storing of edible oil. With a prototype of an oil tank in Central Grain Reserve of Zhenjiang, the experimental oil tank was built in a scale of 50:1. Both natural and manual cooling experiments were carried out for the experimental tank. The manual cooling process involved two supplying modes for the refrigerant tube (top and bottom) and four different refrigerant temperatures (10 ℃, 12 ℃, 14 ℃, 16 ℃). The experimental results show that, compared with natural cooling, manual cooling can effectively reduce the temperature difference and thermal stratification between upper and lower layers. The temperature difference is 6.79 ℃, 1.93 ℃, and 3.67 ℃ for the natural cooling, manual top supplying, and manual bottom supplying mode, respectively. Furthermore, for the two manual modes, the cooling efficiency of bottom supplying is 21.4% higher than that of the top supplying, and the average oil temperature drops by 0.8–1 ℃. Based on experimental results, different working conditions (20, 40, and 60 ml/s) were simulated to determine the optimal flow rate for bottom supplying mode. The simulation results indicate that the low flow rate (20 ml/s) corresponds to the best thermal uniformity, and the maximum temperature has no obvious change under different flow rate conditions. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the flow rate to improve cooling efficiency considering the rising energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A large proportion of waste cooking oil (WCO) is currently being generated worldwide, which has led to crucial problems in its waste management due to absence of a proper disposal procedure. Most scholars mainly spotlight on the biodiesel production from WCO as alternative, despite the fact that there are other applications that require attention. Although WCO do not exist as polymers in nature, they are precursors for monomer chains which contain beneficial functional group to act as reactant. Triglycerides, which result from the esterification of glycerol with three fatty acids, are the major components of WCO. These triglycerides have a number of reactive sites, including ester groups and double bonds, providing a variety of opportunities for chemical modification, then polymerize to produce high molecular weight hydrocarbons. This review paper highlights the chemical processes required to produce polyurethane (PU), epoxy, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAS), acrylic, and alkyd resins polymers from WCO. The reaction initiator, catalyst, crosslinker, and others reagent used for the reaction process to convert into different functional monomer were summarized. As a result, WCO can be considered as a potential waste that can be used as a renewable polymer precursor to replace those are currently derived from petroleum hydrocarbons. [Display omitted] • The majority of polymeric materials used today are based on non-renewable feedstocks. • Usage of the waste has been proposed as a cost-effective alternative that also solves disposal issues. • Waste cooking oil (WCO) can transform into diverse monomers, generating high molecular weight hydrocarbons (long polymeric chain) with various applications. • The review highlights WCO as key raw material, chemically processed for renewable polymers like polyurethane, epoxy, polyhydroxyalkanoates, acrylic, and alkyd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of fault detection in data collection in wireless sensor networks, this paper combines evolutionary computing and machine learning to propose a productive technical solution. We choose the classical particle swarm optimization (PSO) and improve it, including the introduction of a biological population model to control the population size, and the addition of a parallel mechanism for further tuning. The proposed RS-PPSO algorithm was successfully used to optimize the initial weights and biases of back propagation neural network (BPNN), shortening the training time and raising the prediction accuracy. Wireless sensor networks (WSN) has become the key supporting platform of Internet of Things (IoT). The correctness of the data collected by the sensor nodes has a great influence on the reliability, real-time performance and energy saving of the entire network. The optimized machine learning technology scheme given in this paper can effectively identify the fault data, so as to ensure the effective operation of WSN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the biometric field, vein identification is a vital process that is constrained by the invisibility of veins as well as other unique features. Moreover, users generally do not wish to have their personal information uploaded to the cloud, so edge computing has become popular for the sake of protecting user privacy. In this paper, we propose a low-complexity and lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) and we design intellectual property (IP) for shortening the inference time in finger vein recognition. This neural network system can operate independently in client mode. After fetching the user's finger vein image via a near-infrared (NIR) camera mounted on an embedded system, vein features can be efficiently extracted by vein curving algorithms and user identification can be completed quickly. Better image quality and higher recognition accuracy can be obtained by combining several preprocessing techniques and the modified CNN. Experimental data were collected by the finger vein image capture equipment developed in our laboratory based on the specifications of similar products currently on the market. Extensive experiments demonstrated the practicality and robustness of the proposed finger vein identification system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue cracking has hitherto been a crucial constraint on the development of reclaimed asphalt pavements attributed to the performance of rejuvenated asphalt binder. Therefore, it is extremely significant to evaluate the fatigue performance of rejuvenated asphalt precisely and objectively and to improve the fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt binders. With preceding research in our group, this paper investigated the fatigue properties of waste rubber/oil (WRO) rejuvenated asphalt and universal rejuvenated asphalt by dynamic shear rheometer test (DSR). The applicability of common fatigue life evaluation indexes and the response to internal and external influences on the fatigue performance of rejuvenated asphalt were analyzed. It is demonstrated that Np20 corresponding to the mutagenesis of phase angle is physically significant and independent of the parameters including rejuvenator type, loading mode and loading level, which was recommended as the evaluation index for fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt in this paper. The fatigue performance of both WRO and universal rejuvenated asphalt is found to decrease with loading frequency and loading level, but the fatigue life of WRO rejuvenated asphalt is comparatively superior to the latter, particularly at high loading frequencies and levels. Influenced by waste tire crumb rubber (WTCR), increasing the proportion of WTCR can improve the fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt. When compared to other rejuvenated asphalt, RWRO@55 rejuvenated asphalt shows better fatigue performance and its fatigue life rebounds at high loading frequency. Consequently, the recommended mastic–oil ratio is 5:5. However, when the rheological recoverability compensation is considered, the fatigue lifetime evaluation of rejuvenated asphalt will be changed significantly, and therefore the fatigue performance evaluation of rejuvenated asphalt should consider the influence of rheological recoverability to develop a comprehensive evaluation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]