A Study of adding-effect of floured orange-peels resulting from orange-juice processing on the most important characteristics of biscuits as well as improving the product with xylanase enzyme

Orange is used in the juice industry, yielding important quantities of by products. Orange peel is analyzed for chemical composition and water holding capacity. Data show that, it has high amount of crude fiber, phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity, also it has high level of water holding capacity. Biscuits are prepared from blendes which contain a different proportion (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25)% of orange peel flour are also evaluate for physical and sensory characteristics, chemical composition and rheological properties for this blendes. The sensory evaluation does not show any significant difference between control and that adds with 10% of orange peel flour. Physical parameters, namely, diameter, thickness and spread ratio were tested. The diameter and thickness of orange peel substituted biscuits were decreased, whereas spread ratio of biscuits increase with increasing levels of it. The data reveals that incorporation of orange peel powder in biscuits increase crude fiber, ash, phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity, it decreases the carbohydrate content. Rheological properties of the blended flour show increase in water absorption and stability. Addition of 40ppm xylanase enzyme reduce the hardness value of the sample in general, it also decrease the spread ratio as compared to control samples with no enzyme added. Sensory evaluation results show good overall acceptability scores for the biscuits contain 10% orange peel with and without xylanase.

Improve some of the physical properties of the soil using some organic materials

This study was conducted during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons in Abu-Jarash orchards area in Damascus to identify the effect of improved organic materials as sludge, manure and compost in improving some soil physical characteristics and wheat productivity. Results showed that the three types of organic material affected the physical characteristics of the studied soil. They decreased its bulk density, increased its total porosity and increased its ability of holding water at field capacity. Results also showed that the compost of city wastes was the best in improving soil physical properties. The three organic materials, particularly the sludge increased the total productivity of wheat (Sham3).