Ripening agents

Ripening Agent. A new potential use for vanillin is as a ripening agent to increase the yield of sucrose in sugarcane by the treatment of the cane crop a few weeks before harvest. 

Uses. Chemical intermediate in the manufacture of polyethylene, ethylene oxide, ethylene dichloride, and ethyl benzene used as a fruit and vegetable ripening agent... 

Misoprostol (Cytotec) is a prostaglandin Ej analogue that is being evaluated as a cervical ripening agent. It also is used in the treatment and prevention of peptic ulcer disease (see Chapter 40). Clinical trials show that misoprostol is an effective agent for both cervical ripening and labor induction. It appears to be as effective as dinoprostone and is much less expensive. 

A Cheddar-type cheese retains 48% of total solids of milk, 96% casein, 4% soluble proteins, 94% fat, 6% lactose, 6% H20, 62% calcium, 94% vitamin A, 15% thiamin, 26% riboflavin, and 6% vitamin C (National Dairy Council 1979). The lactose content varies in freshly prepared cheeses and decreases rapidly during ripening, completely disappearing in four to six weeks. The enzymes and ripening agents responsible for the rate and extent of fat and protein breakdown are fully discussed in Chapter 12, and vitamin variation is discussed in Chapter 7. 

Vanillin itself has some bacteriostatic properties and therefore has been used in formulations to treat dermatitis. Hydrazones of vanillin have been shown to have a herbicidal action similar lo that of 2.4-D, and the zinc salts of dithiovanillic acid. A new potential use for vanillin is as a ripening agent to increase the yield of sucrose in sugarcane by the treatment of the cane crop a few weeks before harvest... 

A number of species of Penicillium are useful in the arts. Penicillium roqueforti is the principal ripening agent of Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton cheeses. It possesses blue-green globular conidia 4 to S/u in diameter. 

Bacitracin. This polypeptide antibiotic and its zinc salt were both found to have considerable activity as sugarcane ripening agents. Efforts are now being made to obtain material in a form usable for agricultural purposes so that advanced block testing can be carried out. 

A. Cheese Ripening Agents Assessment of Contribution to Ripening... 

A. CHEESE RIPENING AGENTS ASSESSMENT OF CONTRIBUTION TO RIPENING... 

Significant side effects are those associated with its abortifacient properties and other smooth muscle contraction effects, e.g., diarrhea and abdominal pain. Misoprostol also is an effective cervical ripening agent (by vaginal application) for the induction of labor. Other unlabeled uses include the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage and, with mifepristone, termination of pregnancy. 

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