hamed hassanzadeh

Edible films and coatings are suitable for fresh, semi-processed foods, and also for processed fruits and vegetables because they can increase their shelf life, protect them from the activity of microorganisms, and ultimately improve their nutritional and sensory value. In addition, edible films and coatings are able to transfer compounds that may have been added to improve the performance of the coating film and better preserve the product or have benefits for the consumer. The present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the structural physicochemical properties of whey protein concentrate smart film containing pomegranate and red grape anthocyanins and zinc oxide nanoparticles.

To prepare nano composite film, 10 grams of whey protein concentrate powder was added to 90 ml of distilled water. At the beginning of the production of the film, the pH was adjusted to pH = 8 with the help of 0.1 normal soda, and in order to better dissolve the isolate, the solution was heated for 30 minutes at 80 degrees Celsius to ensure denaturation. It was then placed on a magnetic stirrer. After cooling the solution, pomegranate and red grape anthocyanins were added to the solution separately according to the statistical plan. The solution was then  homogenized for 10 minutes at 13,000 rpm, and finally zinc oxide nanoparticles were added to the solution according to the statistical plan and homogenized on a magnetic stirrer for 10 minutes, and then in an ultrasound bath to disperse for 10 minutes In the next step, glycerol was added to the 40% of the weight of the dry substance and placed on a rotating magnetic stirrer without heat for 15 minutes. The formed solution was aerated for 10 minutes and 25 ml of it was poured in the center of the plate (8 cm). Then the film was dried in the oven at 38 degrees Celsius and the control film was produced. After preparing the films, the color of the film samples was determined by measuring the color components L* (lightness), a* (red/green) and b* (yellow/blue) using a Hanterlab colorimeter. The thickness of the films was measured by a digital micrometer with an accuracy of 0.001 mm at 10 random points of each film. Finally, humidity, solubility and FTIR measurement tests were also performed for the prepared films. The preparation of whey protein concentrate smart composite film was investigated based on two variables: red grape anthocyanin/pomegranate anthocyanin percentage and copper oxide nanoparticle percentage. Each of which was investigated in five levels and the response surface methodology (RSM) of the central composite design was used. A total of 24 composite films were prepared and their physical and chemical properties were investigated. Also, after analyzing the data, the optimal movies were checked based on optimization and utility function by 11 Design expert statistical software.

By increasing the amount of anthocyanin and zinc oxide nanoparticles, the thickness of the layers increased up to the middle point (0.58-0.89 mm), and the largest increase in thickness was observed in samples with 1.5 cc of anthocyanin and 2% of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Also, films with low concentrations of anthocyanin (0.1-4 cc) and a high percentage of the selected range of zinc oxide (0.2-0.7%) show the highest percentage of solubility. The added zinc oxide nanoparticles increased the solubility of the films. FTIR analysis showed that the interactions between whey concentrate and anthocyanins were probably responsible for the changes in the properties of the composite layers. The utility function for each response was estimated by numerical methods and the general utility function was obtained for the optimal samples of red grape and pomegranate. For the optimal pomegranate, the obtained results include the amount of anthocyanin equal to 2.6 cc, zinc oxide nanoparticles 0.6 (weight/volume), solubility 65.37, thickness 0.64 mm, indices a,  L and bwere. 27.88 0.24 and -2.01, respectively. Finally its total desirability has been reported as 0.58. The utility function for each answer was estimated by numerical methods and the general utility function was obtained for the optimal samples of red grapes such as the optimal pomegranate. For the optimal grape film samples, the obtained results include: the amount of anthocyanin equal to 1.38 cc, 3.4 zinc oxide nanoparticles (weight/volume), solubility 59.83%, thickness 0.83 mm, a, L and b indices were 27.03, 7.05 and 1.92 respectively and, its total desirability was 0.63.

The use of plastic packaging to cover food faces many challenges due to reasons such as non-degradation and migration of toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A, alkylphenol, octylphenol, phthalates, lead, etc. Therefore, other coatings have been focused in the food industry, which can be called edible composite films, which are considered as one of the basic ways to control the physiological, microbial and physicochemical changes of food. Films containing gelatin have good mechanical resistance and this substance can be used in the production of edible film due to its gelling properties (the presence of proline and hydroxyproline amino acids). Gelatin can form an edible layer to protect against desiccation, light and oxygen. However, gelatin films have relatively poor mechanical properties and water resistance. Adding compounds including plant essential oils is one of the ways to improve the physicochemical properties of gelatin layers to strengthen their structure. However, gelatin film has poor antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and is therefore not suitable for packaging perishable food and meat products.The use of plant essential oils in biodegradable films improves the antimicrobial, antioxidant and permeability effects of hydrophilic films. On the other hand, the combination of essential oils with films reduces the loss of volatile compounds of essential oils during storage, so the essential oil remains in a high concentration and for a longer time on the surface of the food product.In order to reduce the consumption of antibiotics, chemical additives and preservatives, natural antimicrobial substances can be used in the composition of these packages. In recent years, in research related to the production and evaluation of edible films, plant essential oils such as clove, cinnamon, ginger, and basil essential oils have received much attention for microbial protection, delaying chemical and microbial spoilage, and reducing food waste. In general, essential oils are volatile natural compounds that are secondary metabolites of GRAS-listed plants. The essential oils obtained from different plants have extensive antioxidant properties, which are related to the presence of hydrogen-containing groups in their chemical structure. Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial and herbaceous plant, with straight roots and many branches, and has the highest amount of volatile compounds, including camphor, alpha and beta thujone. Among the spices, sage is often used in pharmaceuticals as a spice that has an essential oil with good antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The purpose of this research is to investigate the antioxidant properties of sage essential oil in the production of gelatin film with sage essential oil.In recent years, many studies have been conducted on natural preservatives. Researchers have demonstrated the use of plant essential oils to protect all types of food against spoilage and disease causing microorganisms. The name salvia is derived from the Latin word meaning to heal. This plant has received special attention since ancient times, it is the most valuable medicinal type of dark mint and has important therapeutic properties. Sage is used in traditional medicine as an effective medicine to treat the effects of insect bites, anti-poison and tonic to strengthen the soul, body and prolong life and as a tonic, anti-rheumatic and chronic pain reliever, antimicrobial, anti-bloating and pain reliever. In terms of its chemical composition, sage leaves contain volatile essential oil, saponin and a bitter substance called picrosalvin with the property of facilitating digestion, diuretic, astringent and stopping the growth of bacteria and organic acids. Sage essential oil is amber and is very rich in terms of camphor content, and the amount of essential oil and the amount of cineole in the essential oil is the highest during the flowering and opening of the flower. The amount of cineole in the essential oil is about 25% in the essential oil of fresh dried branches. In the Middle Ages, sages of traditional European medicine used sage to treat constipation, cholera, colds and gout diseases, chronic rheumatism, Alzheimer's, liver disorders, epilepsy, nervous vertigo and paralysis, and to strengthen muscles. So far, several species of the genus Salvia, for example S. sclarea, S. hypoleuca, S. officinalis, S. syriaca, have been studied and identified and researched. Almost all types of sage are used in traditional medicine. Since ancient times, the leaves of the sclera plant have been used as a tonic and anticonvulsant. The conducted research considers the presence of some compounds in the essential oil of these plants, such as thujone, cineol and camphene, to be responsible for the antimicrobial, antioxidant and possibly anti-cancer properties of sage.

The tests performed in this research include physical and chemical tests (solubility, water vapor permeability, thickness and turbidity), mechanical tests (elongation to breaking point, tensile strength and Young's model), measurement of antioxidant property and antimicrobial activity. All experiments were performed in three replicates (3 subjects) in a completely randomized design. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and average comparison of data were performed based on Tukey's test using Minitab18 software at a confidence level of 95%.

In this research, all mechanical parameters were significant (p<0.05) and the highest amount of tensile strength, elongation at break point and Young's model in the treatment was 2.5%. In the treatments of the films, the lowest solubility and permeability were observed in concentrations of 3.75% and 2.5% of essential oil, respectively. In the experiment, the turbidity of the 2.5% and 3.75% treatments was not significant (p > 0.05) and at the concentration of 1.25% essential oil, it had the highest value and thickness of 0.05 mm. The addition of plant essential oils was also significant on the antioxidant properties of edible films (p<0.05). Antimicrobial activity of the film was measured by disk diffusion method. In this experiment, the largest inhibition zone diameter in the concentration of 3.75% essential oil was related to Staphylococcus aureus with the average inhibition zone diameter of 11.11 mm. The average inhibition zone diameter for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli was reported as 8.27 mm and 4.45 mm, respectively.

The results of this research showed that adding sage essential oil with a concentration of 3.75% to the gelatin film, in addition to preventing the growth and proliferation of bacteria, has enough power to increase the shelf life of perishable

Spirulina is the general name of filamentous, multicellular and blue-green microalgae, of which the two genera Arthrospira and spirulina are the most important foods. This algae is the most common and widely used species that has been studied and investigated in many fields, especially food and medical industries. Chemical analysis of spirulina microalgae shows that it is an excellent source of some macronutrients and micronutrients. Spirulina is rich in nutrients, vitamins, amino acids, minerals and fatty acids that are very important for health. The cell cover of spirulina is made of a thin hydrocarbon membrane that is very quickly digested by gastric juice, for this reason spirulina is completely digestible and is one of the richest food sources available. By adding spirulina, the nutritional properties of dairy products will be improved and they will have a better texture, appearance and color than before because spirulina can be used as a stabilizer and add 1 to 1.5% of spirulina powder to dairy products. Like cheese, it reduces water and moisture in it, which makes it softer and is directly related to increasing its shelf life. The dairy industry is one of the most polluted industries that contains elements such as phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon, etc., which microalgae use to completely remove pollutants such as phosphorus, nitrogen, etc., which become spirulina blue green algae. The use of nutrients in the dairy industry and the reduction of organic load are lower so that the water can be used.

To minimize the use of antibiotics, additives, and chemical preservatives , it is possible to incorporate natural antimicrobial substances into packaging. Recent studies focusing on developing and evaluating edible films have highlighted the effectiveness of essential oils like clove, cinnamon, ginger, and basil in protecting against microbial growth, preventing food spoilage (both chemical and microbial), and reducing food waste. Films containing gelatin display impressive mechanical strength, making them suitable for edible film production due to their ability to form a gel-like structure, which is attributed to the presence of certain amino acids like proline and hydroxyproline. Taking into account the plentiful availability and affordability of thyme, oregano, and sage essential oils in our country, as well as the low cost of gelatin, this particular composition of film has yet to be extensively researched and could serve as a model for widespread implementation in the food industry.

In this study, we investigated the impact of various concentrations of thyme, oregano, and sage essential oils on thr properties of the resulting gelatin-based films. The study examined different concentrations of essential oil ranging from minimum 0% to highest 4% as the independent variable. The dependent variables included a range of physicochemical tests such as solubility, water permeability, thickness, opacity, and color parameters, as well as mechanical tests including elongation to breaking point, tensile strength, and Young's model. The study utilized a mixed experimental design known as simplex lattice and employed Design Expert13 software for experimental design, analysis of variance, diagram creation, and examining the interactions between variables.

In this research, the highest tensile strength (12 MPa), elongation at break point (26%) and Young's modulus (80 MPa) were found in high concentrations of oregano essential oil (4%). Among the treatments, the lowest solubility was in the high concentration of oregano essential oil in the mixture (4% area) and the lowest vapor permeability was in the area of low concentration of oregano essential oil in the mixture. The difference in the amount of turbidity of the resulting films was not significant, although it was the highest in the lowest concentration of oregano essential oil. The highest amount of thickness was obtained in the concentration of oregano essential oil in the region of 4%, which was statistically significant. By increasing the concentration of essential oil thyme in the mixture, the hue angle, whiteness index and saturation decrease, and its highest amount is in the area of 4% oregano and sage. The changes of a* and b* parameters have a trend similar to color indicators, but in relation to L*, the concentration of essential oils has no effect on the changes of this parameter.

The results of this research showed that adding a high concentration of oregano essential oil to the gelatin film compared to thyme and sage essential oils produced films with sufficient strength that have the highest efficiency and desirable characteristics compared to thyme and sage essential oils. It has a flower and can be used as a suitable coating for food protection by delaying the oxidation of lipids, mechanical properties and favorable color changes.

Considering the ever-increasing frauds in honey production and the huge price difference between natural honey and nutritional honeys and the lack of a national standard for it, a laboratory study and investigation to determine the physicochemical characteristics of the product with the aim of spreading the production of a healthy product, according to the standard And informing consumers is very important. Six authentication features including sucrose, sugar before hydrolysis, fructose to glucose ratio, diastase, proline and hydroxymethylfurfural were tested. Also, the parameters of humidity, free acidity and electrical conductivity, which have a great impact on the diagnosis of honey quality, were measured. In this research, the effect of factors such as the type of region, the type of nutrition and the time of honey harvesting on the authenticity factors of honey according to the Iranian standard has been investigated. The results of the test on honey samples obtained from feeding with sugar syrup showed that if a lower concentration of sugar syrup is used (2 parts of sugar and 3 parts of water) and the harvesting time is observed, only the parameters of sucrose, sugar before hydrolysis, the ratio of fructose to Glucose and in some areas proline do not fall within the permitted range of the natural honey standard. In addition, except for the characteristic of sucrose, other characteristics did not have much difference with the allowed amount. However, the amount of sucrose in the best conditions was about 15, which is much higher than the standard limit of natural honey. On the other hand, by changing the way of feeding and choosing longer periods of time and fewer meals for the bees, the bees will be given the opportunity to collect nectar and will do more processing on the honey. The resulting honeys were called semi-nourished honey, whose characteristics were much closer to natural honey. The range of sucrose of the samples of the second harvest varied in the range of 8.5-10.5% by weight, and the ratio of fructose to glucose and reducing sugars were within the standard permissible range. Diastasis values were within the standard range except in Golpayegan region; probably due to geographical conditions and vegetation. Even though the amount of proline was found to be lower than that of natural honey, it was within the allowed standard range. According to the obtained results, taking into account the best conditions in terms of sugar syrup concentration, feeding method and harvesting time, sucrose parameters, fructose to glucose ratio and in some cases proline were affected and their values were within the permissible limits of the national standard. They are not suitable for natural honey. For the sucrose of feeding honeys with sugar at least 12%, the ratio of fructose to glucose at least 0.8 and proline at least 170 ppm is suggested.

In this research, three different types of hydrocolloids (chitosan ,tragacanth, hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose) 2 % on the basis of flour weight and three different kinds of emulsifiers (lecithin, glycerol mono stearate, propylene glycol) 1 % on the basis of flour weight, were added in different proportions to sponge cake's formulation  in order to assay quality indicators of cake. Bulk density, true density, aw (water activity), moisture, amylose content, texture analysis, microbial growth and colour (hue, chroma) were used as quality indices during cake's shelf life period (12 weeks). Colour, aw and firmness did not significantly affect by any of hydrocolloids and emulsifiers and they affected only by the storage time. HPMC and lecithin had the most effect on decreasing true density and bulk density respectively. Results indicated that chitosan was the most effective hydrocolloid for retention of moisture in cakes. The amylose content increased by increasing lecithin during the six weeks and PG had significant effect in last three weeks of storage time. Lecithin also significantly affected the Fmax, so the cake's with high levels of lecithin in formulation had tender crust, and hardness decreased during the first six weeks of shelf life. No microbial growth was reported in addition of different proportions of hydrocolloids and emulsifiers. Except of lecithin, two other emulsifiers had no significant effect on Chroma index in comparison with control cakes.

Introductio: 

Active anti-microbial packages, metal nanocomposites are a new generation of packages with nano structure, which are produced by direct combination of metal nanoparticles with base resin. This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of whey protein concentrate smart film containing pomegranate and red grape anthocyanins and zinc oxide nanoparticles.

permeability to water vapor, antioxidant properties, antimicrobial properties by disk diffusion method and differential scanning calorimeter test were performed on the prepared films. Agar diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial effects of the film.

By increasing the percentage of zinc oxide nanoparticles and anthocyanin in the film, the percentage of solids in the film increased. The antioxidant activity of active films increased significantly with the increase of anthocyanin content of the films. The highest antioxidant activity with a significant difference (p<0.05) was attributed to the film sample with 2.6 cc extract. According to the data obtained from the DSC test, with the addition of anthocyanins, the temperature of 290 and the glass transition have changed to some extent, and on the other hand, it can be concluded that the addition of nanoparticles to the film can reduce the glass transition temperature.

In general, this study showed that anthocyanins and zinc oxide nanoparticles have the potential to be used to prepare films based on bioactive whey concentrate with improved physicochemical properties and biological properties such as antioxidant properties when used in appropriate concentrations.

Rainbow salmon is one of the species with commercial value and is one of the farmed fish belonging to cold and clear waters, and it is of great importance in terms of having optimal nutritional compounds. For this purpose, to extract protein from fish by pH-shift method, (pH = 3.5) acid treatment and (pH =10.5) alkaline treatment were used, and two groups of acid and alkaline treatments were at the levels of 0.5%, 1% and 1.5%. It was added to cow's milk and then physicochemical characteristics such as moisture percentage, pH, acidity, protein content, fat content, microbial count, textural properties (hardness, cohesiveness, stickiness, chewability and gumminess), color and sensory indicators ( (such as smell, taste, texture, consistency and overall acceptance) of the cheese samples were evaluated. The results showed that by adding different percentages of acid and alkaline treatment protein, moisture content and acidity, fat, redness index (a*) and lightness (L*) of the samples decreased and protein and pH of the cheese samples enriched significantly increased (P≤0.05). Also, the count of coliforms was less than the defined limit, and the total amount of forms in samples enriched with acid treatment was lower than alkaline treatment. In the samples of cheese enriched with acid and alkaline treatment protein, the degree of hardness, stickiness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewability of the samples increased significantly. Iranian white cheese is one of the most important and widely consumed milk dairy products, and in order to enrich and improve its physicochemical, sensory and textural characteristics, various methods are used. Among the proteins of rainbow salmon, it is more interesting due to its favorable nutritional characteristics.

According to the increasing demand of advanced societies for the consumption of functional foods, especially in dairy products, the use of natural-based materials such as plant essences in the field of enriching food products with their antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, as well as the use of wheat germ powder as a rich source of dietary fibers and vitamins and minerals and their effects on the viability of starter bacteria (due to their prominent role in improving human health) are seem to be necessary. Investigating the effects of using processed essential oils and wheat germ powder simultaneously in yogurt is considered in this research. Sensory, physicochemical characteristics and bacterial conting of set yogurt including Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, were tested during the storage period to study the simultaneous effect of plant essential oils and sprouted wheat powder. The essential oils used included tarragon and thyme with different proportions and at three levels (400, 1200, 2000 microliters per liter of yogurt). Yogurt physicochemical tests such as acidity and water holding capacity, hedonic sensory test, rheology test (apparent viscosity) and microbial count tests were conducted to check the viability of starter bacteria in yogurt during the 14-day storage period. Based on the results obtained from the analysis of variance of the tested samples, the concentration of essential oil significantly (p<0.05) reduced the acidity and viability of starter bacteria of the product, but it had not a significant effect on the viscosity the sensory characteristics. In this regard, thyme and wheat germ powder showed a negative and unfavorable effect, especially in high concentrations.

These days, consumers' concerns about the toxic and carcinogenic effects of artificial additives and their desire for healthy foods encourage manufacturers to use natural, healthy additives and produce functional foods. In fact, the most common way to develop functional foods is to enrich food products with bioactive compounds during production. Many bioactive compounds contain antioxidant, antimicrobial, flavoring, coloring, nourishing and therapeutic properties that are widely used in the food industry. Bioactive compounds have many health benefits, but their many disadvantages, including high organoleptic effect due to the bitterness and spicy taste of some compounds, low solubility, stability and bioavailability, limit their use in food and on the other hand Many of these compounds are sensitive to heat and are lost during food processing. Therefore, to overcome these challenges and improve the performance and high bioavailability of natural bioactive compounds, researchers have proposed their encapsulation as a suitable solution that this can be classified to micro-encapsulation and nano-encapsulation based on nanoparticles size. Although the current use of nanoemulsions in food products is relatively limited, these colloidal systems have significant potential for application in several fields. Nanoemulsions have long been popular because of their widespread use in drugs, pesticides, cosmetics, food, dyes, and environmental applications. Applications of nanoemulsion systems in the food industry can be attributed to their role in the formulation of foods and beverages with beneficial compounds encapsulated such as coenzyme Q1, lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A , D3, E, phytosterols and isoflavones. Nanoemulsion-based carrier systems must be compatible with the food matrix and have minimal impact on the organoleptic properties of the food, such as taste, appearance, and texture. In general, the encapsulation may promote the protection and sustainable delivery of active compounds in food formulations, improve the stability of these compounds during processing and storage, and may also help control and maintain the release of natural compounds in food matrices, therefore, provides their effect for a longer period of time. In the food industry, nanoemulsions have been studied for the encapsulation, stabilization, and delivery of compounds such as flavorings, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, preservatives, and nutrients. Therefore, this study summarizes the recent advances in the use of nanoemulsions of bioactive compounds as a natural additive in various food products, including oil-based products, dairy products, meat products and juices. According to the results, the application of natural bioactive compounds in the form of nanoemulsions in the formulation of these food products has led to the improvement of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, bioavailability and sensory and nutritional properties of fortified foods.

Garlic extract, due to its high volatility and its effects on organoleptic properties, has limitations for direct use in food products, and therefore it is better to encapsulate it in one of the different methods and then use it in food formulations. In recent years, many methods have been used to encapsulate bioactive compounds in the food industry. Nanocapsulation can highly protect the essential oils against degradation or oxidation and may increase dispersibility in aqueous media, reduce adverse interaction with food components, and it generally do not affect antimicrobial activity of essential oils. Water-in-oil emulsions are used to encapsulate hydrophilic bioactive compounds, and the number of studies conducted on this type of emulsion is less than that of oil-in-water nanoemulsions. In this research, it has been tried to surrounding garlic extract by surfactant and forms a water in oil nanoemulsion and its physicochemical and antimicrobial properties are measured in order to be used in suitable food formulations.

In this study, nanoemulsions containing garlic extract were produced by high energy method (ultrasound bath) and the effect of different percentages of the extract on droplet size, antimicrobial properties, release kinetics, and viscosity were investigated. Encapsulation efficiency was determined by comparing the total area under the peaks of the nanoemulsions and not emulsified mixture headspace in gas chromatography. The release of volatile compounds of garlic oil was recorded during storage time by gas chromatography. Microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration. TGA and FT-IR were also used to evaluate the thermal resistance and to study the functional groups and to confirm the presence of the compounds used in the formulation of the prepared nanoemulsions, respectively.

Drop size varied from 62 to 302 nm for nanoemulsions based on volume fraction. Microbial results showed that water-in-oil nanoemulsions in high concentrations of garlic extract had antimicrobial properties and a stronger effect against gram-positive bacteria. In general, in all nano-emulsions, with increasing the volume fraction (percentage of garlic extract) from 5 to 25 %, the viscosity increased from 50 to 150 cp. Examination of viscosity changes at different temperatures showed that the activation energies for samples with different volume fractions (garlic extract) were not significantly different. Also, the release rate of volatiles increases with increasing volume fraction in nanoemulsion formulations and storage temperature.Keywords: Nanoemulsion, Garlic extract, Release kinetics, Encapsulation efficiency, Antimicrobial properties

Active packaging systems for food have more benefits and performance than conventional packaging which are designed only as a barrier to protect food against the external environment. Most active packages contain antimicrobial compounds. Since these particles may be swallowed with food when using active packaging, the food safety aspects should be considered and the migration of nanoparticles from packaging to food surfaces should be controlled. In addition, these particles can also cause respiratory and skin problems due to their ability to be released into the environment. Most active packaging systems contain antimicrobial compounds that are released at the food surface as microorganisms grow and multiply, therefore prevent the growth of germs and spoilage of food. The severity of this effect depends on the nature of the antimicrobial agent. Among these, nanocomposite systems have been designed with antibacterial properties which include antimicrobial agents at the nanoscale. They are able to expand the level involved in the reaction between food and antimicrobial components due to increasing surface to volume ratio. Therefore, these systems play a more effective role in increasing the shelf life of food compared to similar compounds.

IIn order to determine the best sowing date for forage Sorghum in eastern regions of Hormozgan coastal strip, an experiment was conducted for two years as a strip plot in RCBD at Agricultural Research Station of Minab. Sowing dates (including 7 and 23 Oct., 6 and 22 Nov., 6 and 22 Dec., 21 Mar., 4 and 21 Apr. and 20 May) were as main plot and three Sorghum cultivars [Speedfeed (SPF), KFS1 and KFS2] were as subplot. Forage yield responses such as number of harvest per year, fresh forage yield per year, fresh forage yield per harvest, plant height, crude protein content and dry matter percentage were measured. The highest number of harvest per year was observed in SPF cultivar planted at 7 Oct. (8.2), and 6 Nov. and Dec. (7.2) and the lowest in KFS1 cultivar planted at 21 Mar. (2.5) and 4 Apr. (1.5 harvest). The maximum fresh forage yields was obtained for KFS2 planted on 21 Mar. (176.7 t/ha), for KFS1 planted on 23 Oct. (113.0 t/ha) and for SPF planted on 21 Apr. (173.7 t/ha). The highest crude protein content (~20%) was observed in sowing dates of 7 Oct., 20 May and 23 Oct.; sowing date of 22 Nov. had the lowest crude protein content (13.4%). The best sowing dates for coastal regions of Hormozgan for KFS2 and SPF as high yielding cultivars of this trial with 176.5 and 173.5 t/ha/yr fresh forage, were 21 Mar. and 21 Apr., respectively.

Stability of yield and other important characters of eight short day onion genotypes (Behbahan, Padook, Ramhormoz, Iranshahr and Brazjan landraces, Primavera and Texas Early Grano cultivars and  Behbahan bred onion) were studied using a randomized complete block design with four replications at Behbahan, Minab and Iranshahr Agriculture Research Stations for two years (2012-14). Genotype × environment interaction (GEI) was evaluated through GGE biplot. Using polygones for grouping of environments based on total yield showed that each location was considered as a mega environment. In Behbahan, Minab and Iranshahr locations, Texas Early Grano, Brazjan landrace and Primavera cultivar produced the highest total yield respectively. In regard to marketable yield two mega environments were identified. The first mega environment contains Minab and Iranshahr, the second mega-environment only contained Behbahan. According to the GGE biplot analysis of the ideal environment, it was concluded that Iranshahr and Minab were closest to the ideal environment for bolting and bulb doubling, respectively. For total and marketable yield Behbahan was closest to the ideal environment. Iranshahr and Behbahan was nearest to ideal environment for bulb dry matter percentage. Evaluation of genotypes through average environment coordinate indicated that Texas Early Grano was the best genotype in term of total yield and performance stability. Based on marketable yield, bulb doubling and bolting and performance stability, Primavera was the best genotype.