This research was done to optimize the influence of various egg albumin (EA) concentrations of 2, 4, and 6% as a foaming agent and whipping times of 5, 10, and 15 minutes, on physicochemical and antioxidant properties of plum powder produced using response surface methodology (RSM). Physical properties of the foam such as density, porosity, and expansion were determined. After drying and powder manufacturing, physical properties, namely, the water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI), as well as chemical characteristics such as pH, titratable acidity, and browning index, were assessed. Finally, antioxidant capabilities such as the total phenol content (TPC), DPPH scavenging activity, beta carotene, and total flavonoid content (TFC) were measured. According to the findings, both whipping duration and EA concentration had a substantial effect on the foam forming characteristics. Foam expansion increased significantly with EA concentration and whipping time increase, but foam density exhibited an inverse relationship as expected. Increases in EA concentration and whipping duration both raised pH values whereas titratable acidity exhibited an inverse tendency as variable quantity rose. The browning index dropped as EA concentration increased. Antioxidant qualities were retained in dried sample powder as compared with the fresh sample, and they were also altered by variable changes. Overall, a 4% EA concentration for 10 to 15 minutes produced the best dehydration effects with the most antioxidant retention.
Thermoplastic starch composites have attracted significant attention due to the rise of environmental pollutions induced by the use of synthetic petroleum-based polymer materials. The degradation of traditional plastics requires an unusually long time, which may lead to high cost and secondary pollution. To solve these difficulties, more petroleum-based plastics should be substituted with sustainable bio-based plastics. Renewable and natural materials that are abundant in nature are potential candidates for a wide range of polymers, which can be used to replace their synthetic counterparts. This paper focuses on some aspects of biopolymers and their classes, providing a description of starch as a main component of biopolymers, composites, and potential applications of thermoplastics starch-based in packaging application. Currently, biopolymer composites blended with other components have exhibited several enhanced qualities. The same behavior is also observed when natural fibre is incorporated with biopolymers. However, it should be noted that the degree of compatibility between starch and other biopolymers extensively varies depending on the specific biopolymer. Although their efficacy is yet to reach the level of their fossil fuel counterparts, biopolymers have made a distinguishing mark, which will continue to inspire the creation of novel substances for many years to come.
Urea is naturally present in milk, yet urea is added intentionally to increase milk's nitrogen content and shelf life. In this study, a total of 50 Ultra heat treatment (UHT) milk samples were spiked with known urea concentrations (0-5 w/v%). Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with principal component analysis (PCA), discriminant analysis (DA), and multiple linear regression (MLR) were used for the discrimination and quantification of urea. The PCA was built using 387 variables with higher FL > 0.75 from the first PCA with cumulative variability (90.036%). Subsequently, the DA model was built using the same variables from PCA and demonstrated the good distinction between unadulterated and adulterated milk, with a correct classification rate of 98% for cross-validation. The MLR model used 48 variables with p-value < 0.05 from the DA model and gave R2 values greater than 0.90, with RMSE and MSE below 1 for cross-validation and prediction. The DA and MLR models were then validated externally using a test dataset, which shows 100% correct classification, and the t-test result (p > 0.05) indicated that the MLR could determine the percentage of urea in UHT milk within the permission limit (70 mg/mL). In short, the wavenumbers 1626.63, 1601.98, and 1585.5534 cm-1 are suitable as fingerprint regions for detecting urea in UHT milk.