Biomedical subjects

Erwan Engel

Publications and source records attributed to Erwan Engel.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Comprehensive combinatory standard correction: a calibration method for handling instrumental drifts of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems.

The current work describes a new method, the comprehensive combinatory standard correction (CCSC), for the correction of instrumental signal drifts in GC-MS systems. The method consists in analyzing together with the products of interest a mixture of n selected internal standards, and in normalizing the peak area of each analyte by the sum of standard areas and then, select among the summation operator sigma(p = 1)(n)C(n)p possible sums, the sum that enables the best product discrimination. The CCSC method was compared with classical techniques of data pre-processing like internal normalization (IN) or single standard correction (SSC) on their ability to correct raw data from the main drifts occurring in a dynamic headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. Three edible oils with closely similar compositions in volatile compounds were analysed using a device which performance was modulated by using new or used dynamic headspace traps and GC-columns, and by modifying the tuning of the mass spectrometer. According to one-way ANOVA, the CCSC method increased the number of analytes discriminating the products (31 after CCSC versus 25 with raw data or after IN and 26 after SSC). Moreover, CCSC enabled a satisfactory discrimination of the products irrespective of the drifts. In a factorial discriminant analysis, 100% of the samples (n = 121) were well-classified after CCSC versus 45% for raw data, 90 and 93%, respectively after IN and SSC.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2006

Sensitivity to allyl isothiocyanate, dimethyl trisulfide, sinigrin, and cooked cauliflower consumption.

The consumption of cauliflower consumers has been related to the olfactory and gustatory sensitivities to potentially objectionable flavor compounds in this vegetable. Based on the ascending concentration series method of limits, a first experiment was designed to develop rapid tests dedicated to estimate individuals' olfactory thresholds for allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) and gustatory thresholds for sinigrin (SIN). The best compromise between rapidity and reliability was obtained with two replications of a four-alternative forced choice (AFC) at six ascending concentrations (6x2x4-AFC) for both AITC and DMTS, and with a 6x1x4-AFC for SIN. In a second experiment, sensitivity to SIN, AITC and DMTS was determined on 267 participants divided into three cauliflower consumer target groups: non-, medium- or high consumers. The non-consumers were significantly more sensitive to SIN and AITC than were the medium and high consumers. No effect of consumer's sensitivity to DMTS was observed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Influence of the spatial organization of the perimysium on beef tenderness.

The spatial distribution of the intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) in four types of beef muscle (Biceps femoris, Infraspinatus, Longissimus thoracis, and Pectoralis profundus) was examined using histology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The surface and the length of the IMCT and the surface of the myofiber bundles were evaluated by image analysis. The texture of the cooked meat from these muscles was measured both instrumentally by a compression test and by sensory analysis. The relationship between muscle structure and meat texture was studied by general discriminant analysis. The models obtained could assign correctly up to 87% of the samples to two tenderness classes. Histology and MRI provided complementary information about the microscopic and macroscopic IMCT structures, respectively. Both were necessary to predict sensory tenderness whereas only the MRI measurements were necessary to predict instrumental toughness. Tough muscles had smaller MRI myofiber bundles (0.7-1 mm radius) than tender muscles.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Flavor-active compounds potentially implicated in cooked cauliflower acceptance.

The aim of the present study was to determine the flavor-active compounds responsible for the "sulfur" and "bitter" flavors of cooked cauliflower potentially implicated in cauliflower rejection by consumers. Eleven varieties of cauliflower were cooked and assessed by a trained sensory panel for flavor profile determination. Among the 13 attributes, the varieties differed mainly according to their "cauliflower odor note" and their "bitterness". Various glucosinolates were quantified by HPLC and correlated with bitterness intensity. The results showed that neoglucobrassicin and sinigrin were responsible for the bitterness of cooked cauliflower. Application of Dynamic Headspace GC-Olfactometry and DH-GC-MS showed that allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and methanethiol (MT) were the key odorants of cooked cauliflower "sulfur" odors. Moreover, these volatile compounds corresponded to the main compositional differences observed between varieties. Finally, AITC, DMTS, DMS, MT, sinigrin, and neoglucobrassicin were shown to be potential physicochemical determinants of cooked cauliflower acceptance.

Brassica↗