A method and system for soaking corn and providing masa made from the corn with reduced moisture variations. In one aspect, the method comprises several steps. A first step comprises introducing a first batch of corn and a second batch of corn into a soak tank, providing a combined batch of corn. A second step comprises recirculating water in the soak tank to reduce a spatial temperature gradient in the combined batch of corn. In a second aspect, the system comprises a soak tank, a recirculation conduit and a recirculation conveyor. The soak tank comprises: a top portion, bottom portion, sidewall, recirculation outlet, and recirculation inlet. The recirculation outlet provides a removed stream of water, and the recirculation inlet enables the removed stream of water to be reintroduced to the soak tank, providing recirculation water. The recirculation conduit provides fluid communication from the recirculation outlet to the recirculation inlet.

The present invention relates to a method for modifying the resistance profile of a spinach plant to Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae, comprising introducing a WOLF allele or a resistance-conferring part thereof into the genome of said spinach plant, or modifying an endogenous WOLF allele in the genome of said spinach plant. A WOLF allele encodes a CC-NBS-LRR protein that comprises in its amino acid sequence: the motif MAEIGYSVC at its N-terminus, and the motif KWMCLR for alpha-type WOLF proteins or HVGCVVDR for beta-type WOLF proteins. The invention relates to the WOLF alleles referred to in Table 3. The invention further provides a method for selecting a spinach plant comprising a novel WOLF gene that confers resistance to Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae in a spinach plant and a method for identifying a WOLF allele that confers resistance to one or more pathogenic races of Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae in a spinach plant and to primers for use in these methods.

The present invention relates to an antioxidant ingredient with low calorie content obtainable by a process that comprises the following steps: (a) selecting as raw material at least one fruit and/or plant material with high antioxidant content, greater than 6 g/100 g dry matter; (b) obtaining juice and pulp by means of grinding, squeezing and/or pressing the raw material; (c) extracting sugars from the pulp obtained in the preceding step in order to produce a pulp with low calorie content; (d) dehydrating the pulp by means of a method selected from air drying, low-temperature drying with application of vacuum and/or freeze-drying; and (e) milling the pulp in order to produce the antioxidant ingredient with low calorie content. Likewise, the invention relates to the process for obtaining said ingredient and to the use thereof for the production of functional foods.

The present invention relates to a Lactuca sativa seed designated 45-175 RZ. The present invention also relates to a Lactuca sativa plant produced by growing the 45-175 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the lettuce cultivar, represented by lettuce variety 45-175 RZ.

Raw fruits or vegetables are pre-treated prior to atmospheric frying. Pre-treatment includes application of a pulsed electric field to the raw products followed by slicing and immediate blanching in a water solution of above 160 F. in a turbulent environment. The pulsed electric field utilizes vertically oriented electrodes to treat the products. The treated food products can then be atmospherically fried at a low oil temperature to a shelf stable moisture content to produce fried crisps having an appealing light color and crunchy texture despite a high amount of reducing sugars, sucrose, starch, and/or solids present in the raw material.

Methods for producing an activated pectin-containing biomass composition are provided. The method includes (A) mixing a starting pectin-containing biomass material comprising an insoluble fiber component and an insoluble protopectin component with an aqueous solution of an alcohol to form a mixture; (B) activating the starting pectin-containing biomass material to form an activated pectin-containing biomass material comprising the insoluble fiber component and a soluble pectin component by subjecting the starting pectin-containing biomass material to (i) an activating solution formed by adding acid to the mixture to adjust the pH of the mixture within the range from at or about 0.5 to at or about 2.5 and (ii) heat to a temperature greater than at or about 40 degrees Celsius; and (C) applying mechanical energy either (i) to the mixture of step A), (ii) during the activating of step B), or (iii) to the mixture of step A) and during the activating of step B); and (D) separating the activated pectin-containing biomass material from the mixture; wherein during the method the alcohol present in the mixture is at or greater than about 40 weight percent based on the total weight of the mixture. Activated pectin-containing biomass compositions are also provided.

A method for producing an avocado food product with a reduced instance of pathogens, the method comprising: (a) removing the pip and peel from an avocado leaving the flesh of the avocado; (b) macerating the avocado flesh; (c) exposing the avocado flesh to an atmosphere comprising steam for a predetermined time; wherein the steam is generated at or greater than about atmospheric pressure.

Provided is a strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri and use thereof. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can significantly increase neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine level in peripheral blood, recover the hormone levels, for example testosterone and so on in peripheral blood of rat, normalize abnormal abundances of Blautia genus and Turicibacter genus, Oscillospira genus and Bifidobacterium genus in intestinal flora of rat affected by high-fat high-starch diet, show good tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and quickly colonize in intestinal, significantly improve pathological damages of tissues such as liver, duodenum and so on, and increase triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in serum and oral glucose tolerance of rat with metabolic syndrome caused by high-fat high-starch diet. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can be used for preventing, relieving or treating metabolic disorder, such as metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and mental diseases related to metabolic syndrome such as anxiety, depression and so on.

Provided is a strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri and use thereof. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can significantly increase neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine level in peripheral blood, recover the hormone levels, for example testosterone and so on in peripheral blood of rat, normalize abnormal abundances of Blautia genus and Turicibacter genus, Oscillospira genus and Bifidobacterium genus in intestinal flora of rat affected by high-fat high-starch diet, show good tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and quickly colonize in intestinal, significantly improve pathological damages of tissues such as liver, duodenum and so on, and increase triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in serum and oral glucose tolerance of rat with metabolic syndrome caused by high-fat high-starch diet. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can be used for preventing, relieving or treating metabolic disorder, such as metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and mental diseases related to metabolic syndrome such as anxiety, depression and so on.

An agglomerate product comprises a significant percentage of whole grain materials. A whole grain dry component comprising its native starch form is agglomerated with other dry components to provide agglomerates that are highly dispersible agglomerates, which comprise a dry blend substantially comprising whole grains. The agglomerates can be added to modify beverages such as milk products to produce a ready-to-drink beverage that provides a minimum of about to 1 serving of whole grains per 8-ounce serving.