Search Results (100)

Strawberry leaf extract (SLE) was used in dry fermented sausages, “Salchichón”, to enrich them with antioxidants. The effect of SLE on various characteristics was monitored during ripening and storage. SLE had a slight effect on microbiological characteristics; however, the pH after 3, 14, and 21 days was slightly lower (4.51–4.55) in the samples with higher SLE concentration (0.5% + 1% dextrose). Peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of sausages with SLE and with ascorbic acid (reference antioxidant), at the end of ripening, were similar. SLE acted as a pro-oxidant when the sausage was stored in the light; however, it showed antioxidant activity in the dark and at 50 °C storage conditions. Higher extract concentration reduced redness a* value and increased yellowness b* value in the CIELab colour system. Addition of SLE to dry fermented sausages has no negative effect on the ripening process; however, storage conditions of the final product should be carefully controlled. Sensory analysis of the final product showed that SLE imparts a recognisable herbal odour; however, it did not reduce the overall product acceptability. It may be concluded that SLE may be a promising ingredient for increasing the nutritional quality of fermented sausages. Full article

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence has paved the way for a new approach to reproduce and intelligently generate traditional patterns digitally. This paper focuses on the traditional Chinese phoenix pattern and constructs a “Phoenix Pattern Multidimensional Cultural Gene Model” based on the grounded theory. It summarises seven semantic dimensions covering composition pattern, pixel configuration, colour system, media technology, semantic implication, theme context, and application scenario and divides them into explicit and implicit cultural genes. The study further proposes a control mechanism of “semantic label–prompt–image generation”, constructs a cross-platform prompt structure system suitable for Midjourney and Dreamina AI, and completes 28 groups of prompt combinations and six rounds of iterative experiments. The analysis of the results from 64 user questionnaires and 10 expert ratings reveals that Dreamina AI excels in cultural semantic restoration and context recognition. In contrast, Midjourney has an advantage in composition coordination and aesthetic consistency. Overall, the study verified the effectiveness of the cultural gene model in generating AIGC control. It proposed a framework for generating innovative traditional patterns, providing a theoretical basis and practical support for the intelligent expression of cultural heritage. Full article

The paper presents results of experimental research on tyre–road contact stress distributions, measured indoors for a motorsport slick tyre. The triaxial contact stress distributions have been measured using the complex transducer containing a transversal array of 30 sensing pins covering the entire contact patch width. Wheel displacement in the longitudinal direction was measured using a rotary encoder. The parameters allocated for the experimental programme have included different values of tyre inflation pressure, vertical load, camber angle and toe angle. All measurements were performed at low longitudinal speed in free-rolling conditions. The influence of tyre functional parameters on the contact patch shape and size has been discussed. The stress distributions on each orthogonal direction are presented in multiple formats, such as 2D graphs in which the curves show the stresses measured by each sensing element versus contact length; surfaces with stress values plotted as vertical coordinates versus contact patch length and width; and colour maps for stress distributions and orientations of shear stress vectors. The effects of different parameter types and values on stress distributions have been emphasised and analysed. Furthermore, the magnitude and position of local extreme values for each stress distribution have been investigated with respect to the above-mentioned tyre functional parameters. Full article

Background/Objectives: The colour changes related to inflammation have yet to be quantified despite the fact that the intensification of gingival colour is one of the cardinal signs of gingival inflammation. We aimed to (1) assess the effect of periodontal treatment on gingival colour according to biotype and initial degree of inflammatory severity and (2) identify the relationship between the plaque index and gingival colour and compare the colour of moderately or severely inflamed gums to the colour of gums with mild inflammation. Methods: Forty-three participants with visual signs of inflammation were included in the study. CIELAB colour coordinates were measured using a spectrophotometer at the distal papilla, free gingival margin, middle zone of the attached gingiva, and mucogingival line proximate to the maxillary central incisor pre-treatment and four weeks post treatment with periodontal debridement. Each participant’s gingival biotype, plaque and gingival indices, age, and gender were also recorded. Results: The biotype and plaque index were both found to influence the colour of inflamed gums, albeit only the a* coordinate in two of the zones examined (the distal papilla and free gingival margin). Statistically significant differences were also found between the a* coordinates of participants with and without plaque at the distal papilla and the free gingival margin. The severity of inflammation also influenced the L* coordinates of gingival colour (p < 0.001) in all participants in all four zones examined. Periodontal treatment only affected the L* coordinate of gingival colour at the distal papilla and the free gingival margin. Conclusions: When gingival inflammation occurs, participants with thin biotype and plaque have redder gums, and moderately or severely inflamed gingiva have a visually perceptible darker colour. Periodontal treatment significantly increases the lightness of the distal papilla and the free gingival margin. Further, periodontal treatment creates a perceptible colour change in all zones under study, which is not dependent on either the patient’s biotype or initial severity of inflammation. Clinical Significance. Digital spectrophotometric analysis provides a valuable technological enhancement to quantify gingival colour and record changes in gingival colour during the course of periodontal treatment. Regardless of the initial severity of gingival inflammation, a perceptible increase in the L* coordinate (gums become visibly lighter) can be expected after periodontal treatment. Regardless of the initial severity of inflammation, a perceptible increase in the L* coordinate can be expected (gums become visibly lighter) after treatment. Full article

Recently, the development of nanoparticle pigments has attracted interest in chemical preparation due to their potential functional properties, such as phosphate-based pigments. The present research focuses on the feasibility of synthesising the BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ pigment under hydrothermal conditions. The effect of the microstructural features of ceramic pigments (the crystalline structure, morphology, and particle size) on their optical properties (colour and reflectance) was also studied. The BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ compound was prepared in different fluid media, including water and NaOH solutions (0.5–1.0 M), at several reaction temperatures (170–240 °C) and intervals (6–48 h). The single-phase BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ did not crystallise without by-products (BaCr₂O₁₀, BaCr₂(PO₇)₂) in water and the alkaline solutions, even at 240 °C for 48 h; in these fluids, the ionic Cr³⁺ species oxidised to Cr⁶⁺. In contrast, the BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ single-phase crystallisation was favoured by adding urea as a reductant agent (25.0–300.0 mmol). Monodispersed BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ fine particles with a mean size of 44.0 nm were synthesised at a low temperature of 170 °C for 6 h with 0.5 M NaOH solution in the presence of 50.0 mmol urea. The phosphate pigment particle grew to approximately 62.0 nm by increasing the treatment temperature to 240 °C. A secondary dissolution–recrystallisation achieved after 24 h triggered a change in the particle morphology coupled with the incrementation of the concentration of NaOH in the solution. The pyrophosphate BaCr₂(P₂O₇)₂ pigments prepared in this study belong to the green colour spectral space according to the CIELab coordinates measurement, and exhibit 67.5% high near-infrared (NIR) solar reflectance. Full article

Thermochromic materials have attracted interest in textile applications, particularly in printing and dyeing processes. However, their thermochromic properties and impact on fabric comfort remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the thermochromic properties of printed fabrics with green-to-brown transitions and evaluates their comfort attributes. In the present study, a thermochromic dye paste was applied to nylon/cotton medium-weight fabric via screen printing process. The brown pigment paste was applied first, followed by the thermochromic olive green dye. The printed fabrics were tested for thermochromism, morphology, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and comfort properties. Comfort properties were assessed via air permeability, water vapour permeability, and moisture management tests. The results show reversible colour changes from green (25 °C) to brown (40 °C), with increasing lightness (L*) and shifting green–red coordinates (−a*). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed uniform dye dispersion, and the FTIR validated the presence of thermochromic pigments. The printed fabrics showed a reduction in air permeability from 40.2 mm/s to 0 mm/s, while water vapour permeability decreased by 62.50% compared to the pristine fabric due to the coating layers. The overall moisture management properties of the printed fabric remained similar to those of the unprinted fabric, with a grade of 1. These findings highlight the potential of thermochromic textiles for adaptive camouflage, particularly in military uniforms, contributing to the advancement of intelligent textiles with enhanced thermal responsiveness. Full article

Carotenoids are part of a diverse group of isoprenoid compounds. Due to the many properties they possess, they may become an alternative to synthetic additives in various industrial sectors. The increase in consumer demand and awareness determines research into extracting them from plants, algae and microorganisms. The extraction of carotenoids from plants is an inefficient method and generates additional production costs. On the other hand, the carotenoid potential of microorganisms, especially among yeasts, has not been fully exploited. The diversity of yeast species and strains influences the extraction of many fractions of carotenoids, including the less known ones such as thorulene and tholuradine. The developed adaptability of yeast enables the optimisation of their culture, which facilitates the understanding of their metabolic pathways. At the same time, the coordination of carotenoid and lipid synthesis may prevent their degradation or the loss of their bioactive properties. Application research has been conducted mainly in the feed industry, where their colouring and antimicrobial or immunomodulating properties are used. In the medical and pharmaceutical fields, there is not much research due to safety restrictions and the necessity of the high purity of the fractions. This review also highlights the overlooked aspect of carotenoids’ biodegradability, which is required to exploit the bioactive properties of microbial carotenoids. Full article

The pine cone is an important forest product for the Portuguese economy. However, it is associated with environmental impacts, such as the generation of waste and the increased risk of forest fires. The objective of this research is to valorise waste from the production of Pinus pinaster Aiton in the form of natural dyes. The pine cone extracts were characterised in different alkaline solutions (1%, 5% and 10% NaOH) in order to evaluate the dyeing process on cotton knitwear, using the CIELab coordinates. The dyed samples were also subjected to light and water fastness tests. The extracts showed an increase in solids content with increasing alkalinity and a reduction in antioxidant content. The phenol content increased in the extract with 5% but decreased with the 10% concentration. All the dyes expressed a pink colour but with different shades. About the L* coordinate (luminosity), the colours became lighter as the NaOH increased. In the a* coordinate, all the samples had a reddish colour, and, in the b* coordinate, all the samples had a yellowish colour. About light and water fastness, all the samples lost colour, but in the water test, it was not noticeable. Full article

The Tempranillo grape variety is the most widely cultivated red grape cultivar in Spain. However, it has been observed that this variety may not always exhibit the optimal colour properties in warm climates such as Andalusia (southern Spain). Several strategies have been proposed to enhance productivity and resilience to stress or improve the quality of both grapes and wines. The foliar application of agricultural plant extracts has been identified as a highly effective method of promoting the synthesis of secondary metabolites in the grapevine. The objective of the current research was to analyse the incidence of foliar application of different extracts from winemaking by-products (grape stems: GS, grape pomaces: GP and wine lees: WL) on Tempranillo grapevine leaves, studying the impact on the quality of the resulting wines. The oenological and colour characteristics of the wines were assessed to evaluate the impact of these extracts on wines during the winemaking process. The detailed composition of the wines revealed that GS and WL extracts led to significant differences in wine colour properties. Wines derived from grapes treated with both extracts exhibited heightened colour intensity, accompanied by discernible alterations in CIELab coordinates, with lower L* and higher a* and C*ab values in comparison to CT. These results are encouraging, and the foliar application of GS extracts at veraison appears to be a feasible alternative to enhance the colour of wines from red grape cultivars with colour difficulties in warm climates. Full article

Defatted grape seed meal (DGSM) is a residue obtained from grape pomace and is an important source of protein. The aim of this study was to select peptides with optimal antioxidant and colour properties, obtained using enzymes of different origins and proteolytic character, for application in winemaking. For this purpose, the assay was performed using novo-ProD (NP), alcalase (AL), novozym (NZ), pepsin (PE), flavourzyme (FZ), and papain (PA) enzymes. The peptide percentage, peptide yield, molecular size of the peptide fractions, total amino acid, peptide content, antioxidant activity, and CIELAB colour coordinates of the hydrolysates were determined. The peptide hydrolysates obtained using PE showed the significantly (p < 0.05) highest percentages of peptides (93%), amino acid content (188 mg aa/g hydrolysate), and lightness (L*, 70.3). On the other hand, NP peptide hydrolysates displayed the significantly (p < 0.05) highest antioxidant activity (154 µmol TE/g hydrolysate) and peptide yield (39%). Regarding molecular weight (MW), PE led to hydrolysates with a lower proportion of low-MW peptides (MW < 1 kDa). In conclusion, the peptide hydrolysates obtained by NP and PE exhibited the greatest chemical characteristics for further application, both separately and combined in targeted hydrolysis, as colour stabilisers and antioxidant capacity enhancers in warm climate winemaking. Full article

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a medicinal and edible cash crop that is widely cultivated worldwide. However, the genetic diversity of safflower germplasm resources and the reasons for the variations in safflower flower colour remain unclear. In this study, we used a combination of agronomic traits and Indel markers to assess the genetic diversity of 614 safflower germplasm resources. The results showed that most of the evaluated agronomic traits had high variability. The mean values of the Shannon’s information index (I) and polymorphism information content (PIC) in 50 pairs of Indel markers were 0.551 and 0.296, respectively. The population structure, neighbour-joining phylogeny, and principal coordinate analyses classified all genotypes into four subgroups, and 214 safflower core germplasms were constructed. Multiple analyses of genetic diversity parameters, range conformity, and the percentage of variance difference showed that the core germplasm did not differ significantly and could represent the original germplasm better. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that flavonoid synthesis-related genes, including CHS, F3H, ANS, and BZ1, were differentially expressed in different coloured safflowers. Most significantly, different genes and metabolite compounds in white safflowers were enriched upstream from the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway to the production of naringenin, whereas those in red safflowers were concentrated in the downstream pathway from eriodictyol. Meanwhile, the preliminary quantification of anthocyanins and carotenoids extracted from red, orange, and white types of safflower showed that the level of both anthocyanins and carotenoids were highest in red types. This work provides new insights into the formation of different safflower flower colours and in the conservation and management of safflower germplasm. Full article

In Poland, two species of the genus Anagallis can be found in segetal communities: scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis L.) and blue pimpernel (Anagallis foemina Mill.). A. arvensis usually has brick-red flowers and is a common weed in arable crops. Meanwhile, A. foemina, with blue flowers, is considered a species at risk of extinction in Poland. Flower colour is not a determinant of species affiliation, as there is a form of Anagallis arvensis f. azurea with blue flowers; thus, it is very difficult to specify the species identity of plants with blue flowers based on the negligible differences in morphology. Therefore, for the determination of species affiliation, the presence of two deletions within the intron of the chloroplastic gene trnL in A. arvensis and their absence in A. foemina were confirmed. The genetic similarity and population structure were established based on DNA polymorphism markers identified via the ISSR (inter simple sequence repeat) and SRAP (sequence-related amplified polymorphism) methods. UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) analyses revealed that red-flowered (A. arvensis) and blue-flowered (A. foemina) plants were grouped into two separate groups. Within the A. foemina group, two subgroups were distinguished: the first subgroup included genotypes from the Lublin Upland (LU) and Volhynian Polesie (VP), while the second subgroup consisted of genotypes from Western Volhynian Upland (VU). The within-group genetic diversity of A. arvensis was greater than the diversity within the A. foemina subpopulations. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and STRUCTURE were also used to group samples according to species affiliation and collection site. The results obtained confirm that A. foemina populations in the study area are fragmented and isolated, which may lead to a decrease in their adaptability to environmental changes, reduced reproductive rates, and increased mortality. Full article

This study evaluated the influence of infrared laser radiation produced by a CO₂ laser, performing under different engraving parameters, on the colour changes and chemical composition of a beech wood surface. The results showed that the lightness clearly decreased with increasing laser power and density. At the highest laser power and the highest raster density, the ΔL* value was 51.3. The values of coordinates a* and b* moderately increased up to a raster density of 5 mm⁻¹; then, with a subsequent raster density increase, the values of these coordinates decreased again. However, the coordinate values were positive in all cases. Even the lowest laser power and raster density resulted in conspicuous discolouration or even a completely new colour compared to the original (ΔE = 10) of the beech wood surface. Further increases in the laser power and raster density resulted in progressively pronounced colour differences and a darker brown colour of the surface. The ATR-FTIR chemical analysis of the beech wood surface revealed that discolouration was mainly caused by heat-induced processes associated with the degradation of carbonyl groups (C=O) in lignin and hemicelluloses. The splitting of C=O bonds induced changes in the content of chromophores responsible for the natural wood colour and for the engraving-related discolouration. The study demonstrates that the amount of energy supplied onto the wood surface by a laser beam using diverse combinations of radiation parameters can be represented by a single variable: the total irradiation dose. The functional relation detected between this variable and the colour differences may serve as a basis for using a controlled laser beam for targeted wood surface discolouration to improve the quality of patterns transferred onto a wood surface. Knowledge of this relation will enable the targeted setting of the laser parameters during engraving so that the laser beam can be used as a tool for transferring high-quality patterns onto wood surfaces. Full article

This study critically investigates the aluminium chloride–based colorimetric determination of the total flavonoid content (TFC) of honey. Following a comprehensive review of the recent literature reporting the use of the assay in the determination of TFC in honey, 10 honeys of different botanical origins were investigated using the colorimetric method alongside an artificial honey that was used as a control. Using spiking experiments, this study demonstrates that the flavonoid concentrations commonly found in honey are too low for a direct measurement and thus some of the TFC data reported in the literature might more likely be a reflection of the honey’s inherent colour rather than a product of the coordination complex formed specifically between flavonoids and Al³⁺ ions. This paper highlights the importance of correct blanking and suggests alternative approaches to the traditional TFC assay for honey to ensure analysis results that are truly reflective of honey’s TFC. Full article

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of strawberry seed oil addition to rabbit feed on slaughter performance traits, meat quality traits and plasma cholesterol and triglycerides of purebred Termond White rabbits (n = 24). The experiment used young rabbits born to 6 does. From each litter, two rabbits were randomly assigned into one of the two groups. In each group (2 × n = 12; 6♂, 6♀), the animals were fed a complete pelleted feed. Rabbits from the experimental group received feed enriched with a 1% addition of strawberry seed oil. Animals were slaughtered on day 84. Rabbits fed with pellets with the addition of strawberry oil were characterized by a higher hind part and head and liver weight compared to the rabbits from the control group (p ≤ 0.05). The addition of strawberry seed oil significantly increased the pH of matured meat and affected the colour coordinates of the meat by increasing their values (p ≤ 0.05). The tested oil reduced the values of meat texture parameters such as springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness (p ≤ 0.05). The tested oil impacted the level of HDL, which was higher in the experimental group, as well as lowered the triglyceride level. The addition of strawberry seed oil was proven to significantly increase the linoleic acid content in rabbit meat (p ≤ 0.05). Full article