Showing papers in "Vidyodaya Journal of Science in 2021"
TL;DR: In this article, an elemental analysis of Ulva fasciata obtained from three locations Mirissa (5°56/40.5// N: 80°27/20.2// E), Point Dondra (5:55/45.7// N : 80°35/02.5/E) and Galle (6°02/01.1// N; 80°12/52.2/E).
Abstract: Seaweeds are a rich source of health beneficial bioactive nutraceuticals and currently, they are under-utilised in Sri Lanka. Thus, this study is to get an idea about the possibility of utilising seaweed in Sri Lankan food industry. In the present study, elemental composition analysis of Ulva fasciata obtained from 3 locations Mirissa (5°56/40.5// N: 80°27/20.2// E), Point Dondra (5°55/45.7//N: 80°35/02.5// E) and Galle (6°02/01.1// N: 80°12/52.2// E) and red algae varieties Gracilaria edulis and Gracilaria sp. obtained from Kalpitiya (8°15/40.8// N: 79°46/33.9// E and 8°13/35.0// N: 79°43/34.8// E) respectively. The elemental analysis was carried using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. The results revealed that the predominant mineral of U. fasciata obtained from the 3 locations and Gracilaria sp. as calcium. While the predominant mineral in G. edulis was potassium. All the 5 varieties have various concentrations of elements such as K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn. Significantly high lead content was observed in U. fasciataobtained from Point Dondra. The elemental compositions showed variations among the same species obtained from different locations. The results also revealed that seaweed is a good source of certain essential and trace minerals.Keywords: Ulva fasciata, Gracilaria edulis, Gracilaria sp., minerals, seaweeds
3 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of age, gender and vowel type on vowel space area in Sinhala language was investigated and the results showed that the formant frequencies were significantly higher for children compared with those of adults.
Abstract: his study was conducted to document the effect of age, gender and vowel type on vowel space area in Sinhala language. Three groups of participants were employed. Group 1 included 20 children, Group 2 included 20 adults and Group 3 consisted of 20 elderly subjects. All the subjects spoke the dialect of central province of Sri Lanka. Words consisting of three Sinhala short vowels /a/, /i/ and /u/ in were recorded. Formant frequencies of vowels were extracted and vowel space area was constructed. The results showed that the formant frequencies were significantly higher for children compared with those of adults. Female subjects had significantly higher formant frequency values than male subjects. Effect of vowel types were also significant on the formant frequencies and vowel space area. Sinhala also follows universal criteria of resonance characteristics and vocal tract constriction.
2 citations
TL;DR: The results of the current study suggested that local mung bean flour could be a potential ingredient to develop food gels with incorporating Kithul flour as novel functional foods.
Abstract: In the present study, proximate and flour properties including thermogravimetric (TGA/DSC) and X-ray defraction (XRD) analysis of whole and dehulled mung bean (Vigna radiata) flours were studied. Moreover, food gels were developed from whole and dehulled mung bean flours with incorporating Kithul palm (Caryota urenus) flour without adding sugar and artificial food additives. According to the proximate analysis, whole Mung bean flour contains (%, dry weight basis); carbohydrates 62.67±0.23, and proteins 29.39±1.52 while hulled mung bean contains (%); carbohydrate 66.27±0.75, and proteins 28.0±4.61 proteins. The TGA/DSC and XRD resulted similar pattern for both whole and hulled mung bean flours. The food gels developed from hulled mung bean flour resulted higher syneresis (18%) than gels from whole mung beans (7%). However, food gels from hulled mung bean flour with incorporated Kithul flour were ranked the highest organoleptic acceptance according to the sensory evaluation. Collectively, the results of the current study suggested that local mung bean flour could be a potential ingredient to developfood gels with incorporating Kithul flour as novel functional foods. The compositional analysis of developed mung bean food gels is in progress.Keywords: food gels, mung bean flour, value-addition, Vigna radiata
1 citations
TL;DR: An attempt was made to reduce the power waste of inductive electrical appliances by connecting a capacitor bank with a variable capacitance in parallel with the appliance and increasing the power factor.
Abstract: Electricity is the primary source of power in most countries including Sri Lanka, and saving or minimising the waste of it has become crucial in facing the world power crisis. Electrical power is wasted in various ways including reactive power waste due to induction and capacitance of appliances, and standby power loss. These two contribute most to the waste. This paper focuses on reducing the reactive power waste of inductive electrical appliances commonly used in home and office by increasing the power factor. An attempt was made to reduce the power waste of inductive electrical appliances by connecting a capacitor bank with a variable capacitance in parallel with the appliance. Optimal capacitance and the power factor are determined using the capacitor bank. Results indicate about 30 percent of power saving could be achieved for fluorescent tube lamps using a power factor correction. A maximum power factor of 0.93 is achieved at the capacitance value of 2.99 F. It is not possible, by this method, to increase the power factor of more capacitive equipment such as CFL bulbs and ceiling fans. In this case, power minimisation could be tried connecting inductors in parallel with the equipment. Power factor and power consumption of home electrical appliances were measured for advising the general public of high power consuming equipment, especially in stand-by mode. To attain a further reduction of power waste it is proposed to measure inductance, capacitance and resistance of appliances using Hendry, Farad and Ohm meter. Total impedance can then be calculated and the power waste could be minimised using appropriatecapacitors and/or inductors.Keywords: reactive power, power factor, power waste, reactive power waste, power minimisation
TL;DR: In this article, the authors aimed to produce Single Cell Protein (SCP) from underutilized, abundantly found marine seaweed Turbinaria sp. using natural yeast from palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) toddy.
Abstract: This study was aimed to produce Single Cell Protein (SCP) from underutilied, abundantly found marine seaweed Turbinaria sp. using natural yeast from palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) toddy. Turbinaria sp. were collected, sun-dried, ground to powder form and Turbinaria solution was made by mixing distilled water and this was used as a growth medium throughout the experiment without adding any supplements. The experiments were performed in a shaking incubator with the fermentation medium of Turbinaria sp. 100 g/L (10%) inoculated with 10 mL natural palmyrah toddy. Fermentation was carried out at 29o C for 72 h and the crude protein content was determined using Kjeldahl apparatus (38.46%). When the growth temperature was optimised at 35o C, crude protein yield obtaine was significantly increased by 1.36 times than the initial non-optimised condition with temperature 27oC. When fermentation time was optimised as 48 h (44.33%), crude protein yield was significantly increased by 1.14 times than the initial fermentation time (24 h-38.55%). When different combinations of Turbinaria sp. media and inoculum ratio (55:05, 50:10, 40:20, 30:30 and 20:40) were used as medium, crude protein yield was significantly increased by 1.44 times (50:10-43.72%) than the initial media inoculum ratio (55:05-30.21%). When initial pH of the media was changed (5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0), significantly higher relative crude protein yield was obtained with the initial pH value 6.0 (Turbinaria medium-90.97%). Amino acid analysis revealed that the SCP produced from the Turbinaria medium had all the essential amino acids with comparatively higher amount of methionine (3.9%) and lower amount of threonine (0.2%). Vitamin B analysis revealed that SCP yield from Turbinaria medium contained thiamin (0.85 mg/100 g) and riboflavin (3.2 mg/100 g). After the optimisation of culture growing conditions and media composition, SCP production from the excessively grown, underutilised seaweed Turbinaria, was significantly increased by 1.13 times (from 38.46 to 43.72%) with palmyrah toddy mix.Key words: crude protein, palmyrah toddy mix, single cell protein (SCP), Turbinaria sp.
TL;DR: In this paper, a leavened food product with a proper porous and better-textured crumb using rice-based composite flour (CF) was formulated using Taguchi orthogonal array by taking three variables (corn flour, finger millet flour, green gram flour) at three levels (0, 5, 10).
Abstract: Well-porous structured leavened food products with a proper texture have a high demand in the dynamic food market. Hence, the current study was focused to formulate a leavened food product with a proper porous and better-textured crumb using rice-based composite flour (CF). Nine CF samples were prepared according to Taguchi’s orthogonal array by taking three variables (corn flour, finger millet flour, green gram flour) at three levels (0, 5%, 10%). Nine dough samples were prepared from each CFsample and subjected to fermentation and gelatinization under 1 kg/cm2 initial air pressure condition.Results revealed that crumb sample prepared from CF4 (Rice: Wheat: Corn: Green gram, 50:40:5:5) showed higher crumb volume, specific volume, lower bulk density and better crumb cellular structure properties which did not significantly different (p>0.05) to CF1 (Rice: Wheat, 50:50). Further, CF4 imparted to have the lowest crumb hardness, gumminess and chewiness. Thus, CF4 was selected as the best CF sample, which yielded a leavened food product with better textural and structural properties.Keywords: composite flour, fermentation, porous-crumb structure, rice flour, Taguchi’s orthogonalarray