Endogenous factors responsible for the textural characteristics of buckwheat products.
Endogenous factors responsible for the textural characteristics of buckwheat products were studied. An analysis with various buckwheat samples showed that there were variations in protein, starch, amylose and amylopectin contents among the various buckwheat flours examined. The protein contents of the buckwheat flours were significantly negatively-correlated to the starch, amylose and amylopectin contents of buckwheat. A texturometric analysis showed that the springiness of heated-dough made from buckwheat flour was positively correlated to its starch content and amylopectin content, and the springiness and chewiness was negatively correlated to the protein content. Experiments adding isolated buckwheat protein or starch to buckwheat dough confirmed the above-mentioned correlation between texture and components. This study suggests that both the protein and starch present in buckwheat flour may be important factors responsible for the textural characteristics of buckwheat products.
ORGANICALLY GROWN BUCKWHEAT AS A HEALTHY FOOD AND A SOURCE OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) are because of their phenolic substances content resistant to grazing by animals, pests, diseases, UV radiation and unfavourable soil conditions. Buckwheat is sensitive to application of mineral fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers. Buckwheat is as a semi-wild plant suitable for growing without pesticides and artificial mineral fertilisation. All these make buckwheat suitable for production of organically grown foods.
The micro-mechanical behaviour of artificially cemented sand particles under compression and shear
The mechanical behaviour of cemented sands at macro-scale has been widely studied in the past, while there is still a lack of laboratory test data for the micro-mechanical response. Therefore, a series of uniaxial compression and tangential shear tests on artificially cemented sand particles have been conducted using a microscope to observe their behaviour. First, the consistency of cemented particles with different cementing agents is discussed. Three breakage modes are proposed according to the images taken using a microscope camera. A new parameter named ‘local roundness at contact’ is introduced to emphasise the effect of contact morphology on sample strength. Moreover, the effect of bond thickness on the mechanical response of cemented particles has been investigated. Finally, the shear strength parameters of artificially cemented sand samples have been determined for two different sample diameters.