seyedeh hoda yoosefian

In this study, an anaerobic digester with pneumatic digester (PMD) was designed to ferment lignocellulosic compounds of wheat and rice straw and was compared with mechanical digester (MD). Ultrasonic pretreatment was performed with time values of 30 min, acid concentration of 1.905 %v/v and bagasse load of 6%. Then acid hydrolysis was performed in 45 min, acid concentration of 2.04 %v/v and temperature of 148.4 °C. Then biomass was poured for fermentation in PMD and MD digesters and the fermentation process took place within 20 days and the sampling sequence was every 5 days. According to the results, the pneumatic digester was able to produce 38.66% more bioethanol than the mechanical digester. H2S, CO and O2 compounds were also measured during fermentation. In the pneumatic digester, the production of H2S and O2 was lower than in the mechanical digester, but the amount of CO production in the pneumatic digester was significantly higher. Also, the amount of produced compounds created 50 fermentation predicted days was examined by the neural network and compared with the actual results. According to the results, it is possible to predict the trend of changes in fermentation compounds by the neural network and make a definite decision to ferment the straw, wheat and rice compounds. Finally, it can be said that with the help of pneumatic digestion system, the amount of harmful compounds produced during the process can be controlled and the amount of bioethanol production can be increased.

In this study was investigated the possibility of converting agricultural lignocellulosic waste to sugar during the ultrasound-acid pretreatment, acid-thermal hydrolysis and cold plasma detoxification. For this purpose, after collecting wheat and rice straw, ultrasound-acid pretreatment (with three different treatments of bagasse load, sonicate time and acid concentration) and then acid hydrolysis (with three different treatments of hydrolysis time, acid concentration and temperature) on biomass were performed. The results of chemical data showed high sugar were released at 30 min time of sonication, bagasse load of 1% and acid concentration of 1.5% and soluble lignin was at its highest level. Also, during acid-thermal hydrolysis, hydrolysis time of 45 min, acid concentration of 1.5% and temperature of 120 ˚C caused further release of sugar and ASL. In addition to the chemical data, the results of FTIR, FESEM and thermal analysis proved that the structures are well disintegrated and the biomass is prepared for the conversion of sugar to bioethanol. Then, cold plasma detoxification method was used to remove such as acetic acid, formic acid and furfural and the results showed that after cold plasma detoxification, acid inhibitory compounds levels were 73, 58 and 78% decreased during 10 min of detoxification, jet distance of 0.5 cm and argon gas to air ratio 0.5. Finally, it can be said that lignocellulosic compounds can be broken down by ultrasonic pretreatment and acid-thermal hydrolysis of structural polysaccharides, and then the toxic inhibitory compounds can be eliminated by cold plasma method to achieve the best results.

Tomato is the second most important crop in the world, which is often consumed freshly. One of the most importance tomato products is paste that considered being the stuffing ingredient in Iranian foods. Therefore, the safety of tomato paste is so important. The aim of this study was diagnosis adulteration in tomato paste. For this purpose, olfactory machine system based on five gas sensors (TGS2600, TGS2620, MQ3, TGS880, TGS2610) was constructed and its potential was evaluated in determining the different levels of pumpkin adulteration in tomato paste (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%). Pure tomato paste detection from adulteration samples was based on the samples smell in the head space and the receipt of smell by sensors. The principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), support vector machine (SVM) and partial least squares (PLS) were used to classify and analyze the extracted features of the sensor response. Results of PCA and PLS indicated that 99 and 94 percent of data variance was covered by two main components. TGS2610 and MQ-3 sensors and TGS880 sensor had the highest and lowest application in detection of tomato paste adulteration. The accuracy of the classification by the LDA method was 79.7%. The polynomial function with accuracy of 77.78% of the training and 76.66% validation in the C-SVM method and the radial base function with a precision of 98.8% of the training and 88.14% of Validation in the Nu-SVM method had the highest classification accuracy. In total, the olfactory machine system had acceptable performance in separation of different levels of adulteration.

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops in Iran and is grown commercially in every state in the country. Tomatoes are climacteric in nature and climacteric fruits submitted to gamma irradiation exhibit a delay of ripening. In the specific case of tomatoes, irradiation generally delays ripening when the treatment is applied at the pre-climacteric stage. Mechanical properties are very important quality property in tomato. Determination of the storage time effect on the evolution of this quality is a desirable objective for producers, distributors and marketing agencies, who need reliable firmness measuring instruments for commercial purpose. Previous studies carried out by different researchers show that impact techniques can be used to evaluate firmness of fruits successfully. Quick and nondestructive methods for measuring texture are critical for controlling postharvest quality of crops and fruits. Polymer films are ubiquitous in the food industry, fulfilling a range of functions including a significant role in reducing food waste. Also, it can be possible to extend shelf-life with some coatings, including polymer films.
In this study, tomatoes were irradiated in Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. For irradiation of samples, cobalt 60 (Gamma Cell 220) was used. The samples were irradiated with doses of 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5 and 1 kG, then transferred to the laboratory and kept in a refrigerator at 6 ± 1 ° C and 65 ± 4% relative humidity for 21 days. In order to pack, polyethylene film with medium density (thickness of 0.3 mm and depth and width, respectively, 6.5 and 19 cm) were obtained from the Iranian Polymer Research Institute. Experiments were performed on samples coated with polyethylene film in 7 days intervals. Acoustic tests were performed using Impact Test System. The system was covered with aluminum chamber and inside with wood and clouds. The system was internally equipped with the sample location on the floor, the impact mechanism and the receiver of the signal. In this audio excitation system, samples were taken with the help of a blow. By applying a blow to the sample surface, the audio signal was sent to the sample and then measured by a receiver placed at a distance of 7 mm from the sample. The experiments were performed every 7 days. During the experiment period, the physical and mechanical properties of the samples were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS.20 software. Correlation between hit parameters and firmness of penetration test were checked out using regression in Excell .2013 software, and predicted a suitable model for determining the firmness of tomato.
The results showed that after 21 days of storage time, the amount of mass and density for irradiated sample with a 0.5 kGy dose in polyethylene film compared to control sample (uncoated) decreased to 22.53 and 12.34 %, respectively, and had more resonant frequency to 26.58%. Also, irradiated sample with a 0.5 kGy dose in polyethylene film compared to samples irradiated with doses of 1 kg and non-irradiated samples in polyethylene film had higher modulus of elasticity and firmness to 37.74, 26.48 % and 25% and 18.12%, respectively. The maximum penetration force in destructive testing had strong relationship with the parameters obtained from Acoustic test such as resonant frequency, Strength index and Modulus of elasticity with a correlation coefficient to 0.893, 0.913 and 0.886, respectively. Combination of polyethylene film with 0.5 kG irradiation on the changes in mass and volume, strength coefficient, resonance frequency, elasticity modulus and rigidity obtained from the impact test have the best results. Also, combination of polyethylene coating and 21-day storage time on mass and volume changes, strength coefficient, resonant frequency, elasticity modulus and stiffness from the impact test reduced the storage performance. According to the results of this study, by irradiation of a sample of tomatoes with a 0.5 kG and using a polyethylene film, it can be stored with a slight change in stiffness and texture for a period of 21 days, and possibly more, which causes increase the shelf-life in the warehouse, reduce storage costs in the warehouse by conventional methods and increase the possibility to export. As a summing up, irradiation in combination with Polyethylene films is a good way to preserve tomatoes tissue and Acoustic textures is a useful way to be replaced with Penetration test

Wheat as the most main food for the world and a strategic product has a major role in people's food supply. Average of wheat growing areas in Iran is 6.65 million hectares and more than 374 thousand hectares of wheat annually in Lorestan province is planted. In this study, conventional methods in the measurement of crop losses, John Deere and Behroozi-Lar method as proposed approaches was considered and the real waste of dry land wheat harvest, in 2011 in central part of the Khorramabad Township, in the center of Lorestan province, was measured. Using three Factors-factorial design, in field sampling, pre-harvest losses (normal), cutting platform Losses, unit pounding Losses, the unit separate and distinguishable Losses (end of combine) was measured and total farm losses were also determined. For statistical analysis of data, SPSS software was employed and for comparison of means, Duncan's test was used. The results showed that the average wheat harvest losses in Khorramabad has been 5.21% including 0.65% normal losses and 4./56% losses of combine.

Energy consumption in Iran is a subject of debate. Some may think that oil is cheap in Iran and thus no need for this kind of research. This simple minding is erroneous first because Iran subsidizes billion dollars each year for the imported diesel fuel specially for agricultural use and second because energy studies reveal the degree of professionally using the technology. We can easily find the shortcomings in our mechanization problems. With the upcoming WTO, you have to produce as cheaply as possible to be able to sustain your agriculture. This is not possible without knowing the ways and means of reducing energy consumption. Having the above subjects in mind, this paper is the first of its kind in Iran to be published and hoping not the last. Data was gathered from 150 farmers in an agricultural area near the capital, Tehran. The area although may not be a representative of the arable lands in the country but serves as a good example for the problems that we may face in the future research works . To compare the gathered data on fuel consumption through questioners, the energy coefficients had to be calculated. Two methods of calculation is described. The experimental data then compared with the calculation results and literature references. Statistical analysis was run on five different farm sizes and for 3 major tillage implements that is moldboard plow, disk and land plane. The effect of farm size on tillage energy as well as the experimental and calculated energy coefficient for the tillage implements was compared. High fuel consumption (direct energy) was realized.