Showing papers by "T.S. Chandra published in 1996"

Effect of Fermentation on the Primary Nutrients in Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)

Abstract: The effect of fermentation using endogenous grain microflora at 30 °C on the primary nutrients in finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is reported. The fermentation decreases the starch and long-chain fatty acid content. The pH drops by 2.1 units, leading to an increase of about 6.5 and 3.7 times in lactic and acetic acid contents, respectively. These are the major organic acids produced during fermentation. The total fat content decreased by about 42.9%, which favorably agrees with total loss in long-chain fatty acid content. The total microbial flora increased rapidly during the first 24 h of fermentation. Controlled fermentation using a mixed-culture inoculum taken from 18 and 48 h fermented millet decreased the fermentation time markedly as measured in terms of pH and titratable acidity. Keywords: Finger millet; Eleucine coracana; natural fermentation; primary nutrients; biochemical changes; carbohydrates; fatty acids

Purification and characterization of xylanase from alkali-tolerant Aspergillus fischeri Fxn1.

Abstract: Alkali-tolerant Aspergillus fischeri Fxn1 produced two extracellular xylanases. The major xylanase (Mr 31000) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion exchange chromatography and preparatory PAGE. Xylose was the major hydrolysis product from oat spelt and birch wood xylans. It was completely free of cellulolytic activities. The optimum pH and temperature were 6.0 and 60 °C, respectively. pH stability ranged from 5 to 9.5 and the t12 at 50 °C was 490 min. It had a Km of 4.88 mg ml−1and a Vmax of 588 μmol min−1 mg−1. The activity was inhibited (95%) by AlCl3 (10 mM). This enzyme appears to be novel and will be useful for studies on the mechanism of hydrolysis of xylan by xylanolytic enzymes.