Industrial applications of selected JFS articles

Abstract

Edible coatings are a topic I always find of great interest. The technology behind them is fascinating, but I often wonder if their proposed applications meet the criteria for a successful commercial purpose. Also, this terrible COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many shortcomings in the food supply chain—the major one being safety of frontline food production workers but, also, deficiencies in the storage supply chain. Edible coatings could be one way to address some concerns. This issue of the Journal contains a review article, “Recent Advances in the Use of Edible Coatings for Preservation of Avocados” by Franciela Garcia and Gabriel Davidov-Pardo that provides helpful information. As stated in the article, avocados are a fruit whose shelf-life is jeopardized by rapid ripening and fungal diseases which heighten the necessity for postharvest treatments. The use of refrigeration during storage and transport helps delay the ripening process and phytopathogen growth but it is not enough to diminish the problem, especially once avocados are placed in ambient temperatures. The authors say that fungicides are effective in controlling fungal prevalence, but their possible adverse environmental and human health effects have spurred interest in finding safer, natural substitutes. The reviewers use this paper to explore recent advances in the use of edible coatings as a safe alternative to preserve and extend avocados shelf-life. According to the review, edible biopolymer coatings are a type of biodegradable primary packaging made from biological compounds like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and other polymers. Coatings are considered non-active if they only form a physical barrier, separating avocados from their immediate environment, controlling gas and moisture transfer. Active coatings can contain supplementary ingredients with additional properties like antioxidant and antifungal activity. These coatings have potential in extending avocado shelf-life, replacing synthetic fungicides and reducing economic losses from avocado spoilage. As reported by the authors, avocados are a tropical fruit that is consumed and produced all around the globe. Their significant economic impact, high nutritive composition, and taste make them a valuable commodity with high consumer demand. Hass avocados account for 80% to 95% of total harvested avocados, making them the most important commercialized cultivar. They cite statistics that relate worldwide: in 2017, 5.92 million metric tons of avocados were produced, about a 52% increase from the year 2000. The top two avocado-producing countries are Mexico and Dominican Republic, followed by others like Peru, Indonesia, and Colombia. Due to the long journeys that avocados can travel from their country of production to their country of consumption, adequate preservation techniques are essential to ensure their quality and longevity. About 20% of avocados were reported to have spoiled at the retail level in 2012, resulting in substantial economic losses. In part, the fruit's natural climacteric nature is to blame for the rapid loss of firmness that shortens the consumer acceptability period to only a couple of days once ripe. Moreover, fungal prevalence adversely affects fruit quality. Persistent fungal disease is a battle that farmers, growers, and the industry must find a way to overcome. This review article addresses the physicochemical challenges that jeopardize avocado viability to justify the need for postharvest treatments and details edible coating treatments of avocados with potential to extend avocado shelf-life and replace fungicide use. This issue also contains an article on “Application of natural-based nanocoatings for extending the shelf life of green bell pepper fruit” by Zormy Nacary, Correa-Pacheco, María Luisa Corona-Rangel, Silvia Bautista-Baños, and Rosa Isela Ventura-Aguilar. This study presents the results of the application of nanocoatings based on chitosan and chitosan-thyme essential oil as an antibacterial agent against P. carotovorum on green bell pepper during 12-day storage period. Other highlights in this issue of the Journal include food safety governance in Saudi Arabia; anti-obesity effect of Liupao tea extract; dielectric properties of Mexican sauces; and sensitivity of oat protein solubility to ionic strength. The operating environment for food safety interventions in nations such as Saudi Arabia, with limited local agricultural productivity, high reliance on foreign food imports, and observance of Islamic laws, is challenging for the national control and regulatory institutions, since compliance to the mandatory food safety regulations and the local religious Halal standards must be ensured. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the recently restructured food safety governance in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of its food imports control. Specifically, the nature of the food imports, the organization of the food safety governance and the current control practices of imported food, in consideration of food safety and Halal requirements, are analyzed through a triangulation of data and information from secondary sources (academic literature review and gray literature search) and primary sources (direct consultation of field experts). The reviewers say that the vulnerabilities and challenges still to be addressed by the local food industry and the public sector are discussed, with implications for national and international field practitioners and policymakers of countries facing similar challenges. P 16–30 Liupao tea (LPT) is traditional dark Chinese tea. These researchers investigated the effect of LPT extract on high-fat-diet-induced obese mice. Their results showed that LPT extract could reduce body weight and significantly alleviate liver damage and fat accumulation. They also found that LPT could decrease the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increase the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the liver. The researchers say that their work verified that LPT extract possessed an anti-obesity effect and alleviated obesity-related symptoms, including lipid metabolism disorder, chronic low-grade inflammation, and liver damage, by modulating lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. P 215–227 Bell peppers are part of an overall healthy diet because of their nutritional and antioxidant values. Currently, Mexico is one of the main suppliers of this fruit in the international market. In 2018, the country produced 619,721 tons, of which 146,854 were exported. But this crop can be affected by diseases, such as soft rot caused by different phytopathogens, among them the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum, which causes a decrease in the production and quality of fruit like tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. These researchers investigated a solution for extending fruit storage by using chitosan and chitosan-thyme essential oil nanocoatings for the preservation of green bell pepper. According to the results, the weight loss of the fruit remained almost constant over the storage days for the different formulations. A decrease in fruit firmness and an increase in the respiration rate and ascorbic acid content until day eight with a decrease at the end of the storage period were observed. The results of the application of nanocoatings based on chitosan and chitosan-thyme essential oil as an antibacterial agent against P. carotovorum on green bell pepper during 12-day storage period suggest that nanoparticle-based coatings can be a natural option for the preservation of fruit quality during ripening. P 95–102 The dielectric properties and, specifically, the complex relative permittivity of foods are key elements for the design of pasteurization processes with high frequency electromagnetic waves. Mexican sauces are recognized worldwide for their flavor and nutritional properties. In this study, the researchers looked at the complex permittivity of four of the most representative sauces of Mexican cuisine (chipotle chili, habanero chili, red and green sauces). This work provides the dielectric properties of Mexican sauces at different temperatures and their penetration depths in the microwave range, which are key information for further microwave-assisted pasteurization processes and for getting safer sauces to consumers. This research supplies suggestions about what frequency for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications is the best for microwave-assisted pasteurization according to the penetration depth of the electromagnetic wave in the sauces and microwave dielectric heating speed of the sauces. P 112–119 Oat is a cereal crop with a long history of human consumption due to its soluble fiber β-glucan, high content of unsaturated fatty acids, and health benefits. Besides the common consumption as meal and flakes, oat protein has recently received increased attention as people are seeking alternatives to animal-based protein products. The researchers explored the solubilization behavior of oat protein in response to altering ionic strength and pH. Due to their prevalent usage in food, sodium chloride and sodium phosphate were specifically studied. Suspensions of oat protein isolate were treated with two kinds of common salts (sodium chloride NaCl; sodium phosphate NaP) at different ionic strengths. The results demonstrate that ionic strength and ion species play a crucial role in oat protein solubility, and the ionic effect can be modified by changing the pH. The researchers state that the application of appropriate salt concentrations is vitally important to the manufacture of oat protein-based food products. P 78–85 Brewing is the final and key step in the production of the coffee beverage. Extraction related metrics such as the total dissolved solids, percentage extraction yield of solutes, and brew temperature are widely believed to govern the flavor and corresponding consumer acceptance of the resulting brew, as summarized in the industry standard “Coffee Brewing Control Chart.” In this study, the researchers investigated how these three factors affected consumer acceptance of a medium roast, single-origin coffee and whether consumer preference segmentation would be observed based on these variables. This research informs the way coffee brewers can manipulate brew strength and extraction of drip brew coffee for optimal consumer acceptance; and justifies a reform of the standard “Coffee Brewing Control Chart” in its representation of an “ideal” coffee, as the group uncovered two consumer preference segments with different positive and negative sensory drivers of liking. P 194–205 Chocolate has specific rheological behavior during oral processing that delivers its distinct sensory characteristics. When incorporating functional or flavoring ingredients into chocolate, these properties must be maintained to meet consumer expectation. Water-soluble and fat-soluble ingredients have a potential effect on the properties of chocolate and successfully adding functional supplements in this medium can have challenges. In this study, the researchers investigated the effect of functional or flavoring ingredients on chocolate microstructure, mouthfeel, and flavor release during oral processing. Participants were classified by their oral processing “pattern”: a chewing preference, a sucking preference, and a mixed group who had a preference for both chewing and sucking. P 177–183 James Giese, jhgiese@gmail.com