Suchergebnisse

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of combination between micro-waves and ultra-sounds in order to determinate their impact on quality parameters, antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds as well as fatty acid composition. The protocol consisted in microwave followed by a sonication treatment of olive paste for 5, 10 and 15 min. Results showed that the total phenolic content of olive oil increased positively with the increasing time of treatment ranging from 356 to ~ 639 mg GAE.kg−1 of olive oil. On the other hand, the fatty acid profiles of all studied oils were determined by GC-FID. Besides, olive oil obtained after 15 min of microwave olive past treatment followed by 10 or 15 min of ultrasound treatment showed that these oils had the highest value of Z-vaccenic (C18:1n-7) + Oleic (C18:1n-9) acids. These results encourage further developments for a combined continuous microwave and ultrasonic conditioning technology to fasten the olive oil extraction, to enhance total phenolic, chlorophyll as well as carotenoid contents and Fatty acid composition.

This review aims to share the history of bees and the use of honey as the only natural sweetener available to mankind for more than 40,000 years. At the same time, the characteristic of the beekeeping sector is presented, highlighting the top honey producers worldwide. The botanical origin of honey is the basis for the characterization of the 14 types of honey presented. Honey standards were analyzed to provide an overview of quality and physico-chemical indices. The data indicated in the national and regional honey standard are identical to the data for the international Codex Alimentarius standard. After the comparative analysis of these 3 sources, no significant deviations were identified. The tendencies of using honey from ancient times as a nutritious food product, as a preservative, as a medicine for treating various diseases and for performing certain rituals, etc. were highlighted. At the same time, the population must be encouraged to consume this incomparable bee product.

Zn(1-x)CuxO (x = 0, 1, 3, 5%) nanocrystals were synthesized via a hydrothermal method at 150°C for 24 h. The structural, morphological, optical and photocatalytic properties of the samples were investigated, and found to be dependent on the content of the copper dopant. The UV photocatalytic activities of Zn(1-x)CuxO nanocrystals were evaluated by the photodecomposition of the methyl orange (MO) dye. The nanocrystals with a Cu content of 5% exhibited the highest UV photocatalytic activity with a photodegradation efficiency of 94% during 120 min as compared to that of pure ZnO with 73%. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of Zn0.95Cu0.05O originates from the better separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs.

This study was designed to optimize maceration (ME) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) parameters (extraction time X1, temperature X2, solvent/mass Ratio X3 and Ethanol concentration X4) of antioxidant activity of Eucalyptus marginata L. leaves' using response surface methodology (RSM). The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The optimal conditions for ME and UAE of antioxidant compounds were: X1 (min) = 88 and 50, X2 (°C) = ~75 and ~79, X3 (ml/g) = 40 and 39.5 and X4 (% of ethanol) = 59.65 and 58.48, respectively. Consequently, these optimized ME and UAE methods have shown a potential application for the efficient extraction of polyphenolic antioxidants from Eucalyptus marginata L. by-products in several industries including nutraceutical and pharmaceutical.

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the perception of corporate social responsibility by corporate executives in the Moroccan context. To do so, we conducted a survey of seventy-four Moroccan corporate executives working in listed companies. Subjects were solicited by e-mail, sending them a questionnaire consisting of 37 items presented in the form of a five-point response scale (Likert scale). Our measurement scale was designed on the basis of Carroll's (1991) theoretical model of social responsibility. The study proposes a scale to measure corporate executives' perceptions of CSR in their company. The results of our study reveal two findings. The first one suggests that Moroccan corporate executives working in listed companies are more concerned about compliance with laws and ethical values than with a true CSR commitment. The second one highlights the fact that CSR commitment is a three-dimensional construct marked by a predominance of ethical-legal and philanthropic practices. The paper states the main conclusions of the study and provides some practical implications.