What is the best additive to use at the ensiling of sugarcane SP81-3250?

Our objective was to determine the best additive to use for the ensiling of sugarcane SP81-3250 based on the nutritional properties and aerobic stability of the silages. The additives evaluated were (1) and (2): salt (NaCl) at rates of 1.0 or 2.0 kg/100 kg fresh sugarcane (as-is basis), respectively; (3) and (4): quicklime (CaO) at rates of 1.0 or 2.0 kg/100 kg fresh sugarcane, respectively; (5) and (6): commercial inoculants Silobac (R) and Maize All (R); and a control treatment. The addition of quicklime reduced the NDF and ADF contents of the silages by 11% compared with the control treatment, but did not increase the digestibility. On the other hand, after 24 h of in vitro fermentation, the application of 1.0 and 2.0% salt reduced the gas production by 34.15 and 33.55 mL/g OM, respectively, and the IVOMD was reduced 5.74 and 5.90%, respectively, compared with the untreated silage. Moreover, the addition of quicklime elevated the pH of the sugarcane silages, with a trend towards an increase in the DM recovery. In contrast, the bacterial inoculants did not alter the pH values, but there was an upward trend for a DM recovery. After the silos were opened, the silages that were treated with salt (independent of the dose) and 1.0% quicklime exhibited greater stability. We recommend applying 1.0 kg of quicklime to each 100 kg of sugarcane at the time of ensiling to improve the nutritional characteristics of sugarcane silage variety SP81-3250.

Thermal and spectroscopic studies of the antioxidant food additive propyl gallate

Literature mentions propyl gallate (PG) as a non-toxic synthetic antioxidant that can be used as a food additive due to its high tolerance to heat. It is important to understand the thermal properties and to identify the decomposition products of this substance, since it has been reported to be thermally stable at temperatures as high as 300 °C. Simultaneous thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), differential scanning calorimetry-photovisual (DSC-photovisual), coupled thermogravimetry-infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) analyses and spectroscopic techniques were used to study the food additive PG. The TG-DTA curves, which were performed with the aid of DSC-photovisual, provided information concerning the thermal stability and decomposition profiles of the compound. From the TG-FTIR coupled techniques, it was possible to identify n-propanol as a possible volatile compound released during the thermal decomposition of the antioxidant. A complete spectroscopic characterization in the ultraviolet, visible, near and middle infrared regions was performed in order to understand the spectroscopic properties of PG.