Changes In Quality Attributes Research Articles

Changes in quality attributes of coconut water treated with UV-radiation and nisin during cold storage: Kinetics modelling and shelf-life prediction

Exploring the innovative combination of UV radiation and nisin treatment for enhancing the shelf life and quality of coconut water (CW) offers promising avenues for sustainable beverage processing. This study investigated the effects of UV radiation, nisin, and their combined treatments on the physical and microbiological attributes of coconut water during 20 days of refrigerated storage. The study also aimed to develop mathematical models for tracking changes in coconut water's quality parameters during refrigerated storage and determining its shelf life by integrating quality and microbial metrics. The results revealed that the cold storage period has significant impacts on the physical and microbiological characteristics of coconut water. The combination of UV radiation and nisin resulted in microbiologically stable coconut water, with populations remaining below 106 CFU/mL, for up to 20 days of cold storage. Moreover, a decline in pH over time, particularly in UV and nisin-treated samples, indicated increased acidity by only 15%. Colour analysis showed shifts towards darker and redder hues, accompanied by increases in a*-values. Conversely, b*-values increased in most samples, except for pasteurized coconut water. Additionally, a consistent decrease in antioxidant activity, total phenolic compound, and total flavonoid content was observed in the samples treated with the combination of UV radiation and nisin during storage period, with averages of 50%, 18%, and 20%, respectively. The zero-order model accurately represented most coconut water's properties, exhibiting R2 value of ≥0.85, and the derived reaction rate constants used to predict shelf life. Integration of UV and nisin treatment significantly extended the projected shelf life of coconut water compared to control (untreated CW sample) and individual treatments except thermal treatment, with shelf-life extensions of up to 19.5 days, highlighting the potential of this combination to enhance coconut water's shelf life while maintaining its safety.

Modeling changes in the quality attributes of couscous cooked with ohmic heating

Kinetic studies on the quality alters of couscous are crucial to the suitable design of ohmic heating treatment. Hence, it was targeted to build mathematical models to forecast the changes in quality attributes of couscous cooked using ohmic heating (OH) in the present study. In addition, the average power and total energy for cooking couscous with OH at a voltage gradient of 17 V/cm were determined. Three dissimilar kinetic models—zero, first, and second—were fitted to the data. Our findings showed that, for the ohmic heating system, as cooking time increased, energy consumption increased while heating system efficacy declined. The best model to reflect the changes in color parameters was the second-order model, while the zero-order model best fit the experimental data observed for the cooking loss, moisture content, and weight increase (%). For all TPA parameters, however, neither model yielded the greatest fit.

Drying techniques for precooked hybrid rice to ensure quality of instantized rice

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesDue to the emergence of new hybrid rice cultivars, rice processors must refine their processing protocols to maintain the production of high‐quality products. This is crucial for the instant rice processing industry. Therefore, this study aims to refine current convective heated air‐drying processing methods to suit the new hybrid rice cultivars intended for instant rice production. New strategies to dry cooked rice were investigated. These included drying in a stepwise manner with high (230–200°C) and medium (190–160°C) air temperatures and drying at constant high (200°C) and medium (160°C) air temperatures. Changes in quality attributes of two new long‐grain (LG) hybrid rice cultivars (XL 753 and RT 7521 FP), including rehydration ratios, texture, color, and bulk density, were examined after using the modified drying strategies.FindingsThe percentage points of moisture removed were significantly affected by cultivar type, cooked rice drying air temperatures, and relative humidity (RH) (p < .05). Additionally, the rehydration ratio of instantized rice was significantly influenced by the drying air temperature (p = .0361). The highest rehydration ratio (3.14) was observed for cultivar XL 753, which was dried at a constant air temperature of 160°C and 40% RH, whereas the lowest (2.77) was observed with the same cultivar when dried at a constant air temperature of 200°C and 40% RH. The bulk density and volume increase ratio were impacted by cultivar type (p < .05), while drying air temperature and RH did not have significant effects on the volume increase ratio. Water activity values ranged from 0.53 to 0.56 for both cultivars and were influenced by drying air temperature, while color was affected by RH (p < .05). Textural parameters (hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, and cohesiveness), except resilience and springiness, were significantly affected by cultivar type, while drying air temperature had significant impacts on all textural parameters.ConclusionsPrediction profiler for multi‐attribute optimization using a desirability function approach from JMP suggested the XL753 cultivar, an RH of 20%, and Stepwise High as the drying treatment. Under these settings, the predicted percent point of moisture content loss, rehydration ratio, ΔE value (color), bulk density, hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, and cohesiveness of the models were 36.75, 9.44, 0.33, 2.95 g/mL, 3941.60 g, −14.17 gs, 0.72, and 0.59, respectively. The study provides crucial information for guiding decisions on drying conditions for industrial processing of instantized rice that may yield the most desirable quality attributes. Different rice cultivars may have differences in the quality of instant rice; however, the drying treatment found to work best in this study should be valid for all rice cultivars.Significance of StudyThe study has provided crucial information on the possibility of modifying convective heated air‐drying methods to improve the quality attributes of instant rice made from new hybrid rice cultivars. Information generated from this study may be useful to guide decisions on drying conditions for industrial processing of instantized rice with premium quality.

Quality attributes of traditional food from blends of rice flour and jaggery syrup under different frying conditions

Traditional foods are indigenous to the locality, and there are no standard preparation steps provided. Ariselu is a deep-fat fried product generally made up of rice flour and jaggery syrup. This study revealed the change in quality attributes of fried ariselu under various thicknesses (4 and 6 mm), frying temperature (150, 170 and 190 °C) and frying time (60, 90, 120 and 150 s). A full factorial design was considered and neural network clustering was employed to find the correlation among the responses obtained. Oil content was found to have an inverse relationship with moisture that increases with an increase in frying conditions. The lightness and yellowness values of ariselu decreased from 44.70 to 26.82 and 28.55 to 11.57, respectively. However, the redness value increased during frying due to increased browning reactions. The thermal properties were determined to analyze the changes in conductivity, resistivity, specific heat capacity and diffusivity during the frying of ariselu. The textural attributes of ariselu indicate an increased hardness value with a rise in frying temperature due to moisture loss in ariselu. The results obtained show that an overall acceptability (OAA) of 4.28/5 was achieved at 170 °C for 150 s with a 6 mm initial thickness. This research focuses on the optimum conditions required for frying ariselu with the desired quality attributes that would help the product establish in the commercial market.

Penentuan Indikator Umur Simpan Minuman Botanikal Berbahan Dasar Jahe Merah dan Bawang Putih

Botanical beverages are made from plant extracts that can be packaged to extend their shelf-life. The shelf-life of foods and beverages can be estimated by mathematical modelling, usually by employing linear equation model. To accurately estimate the shelf-life, it is necessary to determine the indicators. This study aimed to determine the shelf-life indicators of a botanical beverage made from red ginger and garlic which were prepared under boiling condition and packaged in glass bottles at hot condition. The product was stored at 27, 33, and 40°C and their quality attributes comprising sensory, visual consistency, viscosity, pH, and total microbe were observed weekly. The data obtained were mathematically modeled using linear equations to determine the order of the reaction (n) and the rate constant (k) of the change in quality attributes. The coefficient of determination (R2) for the equation of change in quality attributes at 27, 33, and 40°C were 0.19, 0.21, 0.62; 0.10, 0.01, 0.01; 0.02, 0.19, 0.89 respectively for viscosity, pH, and total microbe. The total microbe is the most appropriate quality indicator for estimating shelf-life of this botanical beverage.

Preparation and Characterization of Novel Chitosan Coatings to Reduce Changes in Quality Attributes and Physiochemical and Water Characteristics of Mongolian Cheese during Cold Storage.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating on microbiological, physiochemical, and water characteristics of Mongolian cheese during refrigerated storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coatings, particularly at 1.5%, improved cheese preservation by significantly inhibiting microbial growth, reducing changes in protein and non-protein nitrogen, and preserving pH and titratable acidity. For texture profile analysis (TPA), the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness in O-CMC treatments were significantly more stable than those in the control during storage. In addition, the relaxation component and image of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to analyze the internal water mobility of the cheese during storage. Compared with other treatments, the 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating had the best overall preserving effect during storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating could be used in cheese preservation applications and could extend the shelf life of Mongolian cheese. The cheese coated with 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating ranked the highest in acceptability at the end of the storage period.

Dielectric barrier discharge plasma delayed the textural hardening of bamboo shoots by regulating cell wall metabolism

Postharvest bamboo shoots may undergo a hardening process even under low-temperature storage. Dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBDP) is a promising non-thermal preservation technology, which reportedly delays senescence and improves the texture of plants. The influences of DBDP treatment on the changes of quality attributes, cell wall components, and cell wall modifying enzymes in Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) shoots were investigated. DBDP treatment improved the shelf life, texture, and energy level while decreasing the cell membrane permeability, malondialdehyde content, and hydrogen peroxide contents of bamboo shoots. DBDP treatment obtained a higher ratio of water-soluble pectin to CDTA-soluble pectin contents as well as lower levels of cellulose and hemicellulose contents by regulating the cell wall modifying enzymes, inhibiting the self-assembly of pectin gels and cellulose-xyloglucan networks. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that DBDP treatment slightly destabilized the cell wall and inhibited secondary cell wall formation. The results showed that DBDP treatment inhibited the hardening process and maintained a better texture of bamboo shoots under low-temperature storage.

Proteomics and metabolomics profiling of meat exudate to determine the impact of postmortem aging on oxidative stability of beef muscles.

The objective of this study was to characterize the major proteomes and metabolites in beef exudate and determine their relationship to color and oxidative quality of beef muscles. Beef loin (LD) and tenderloin (PM) muscles were cut into sections, individually vacuum-packaged, and aged for 9, 16 and 23days at 2°C. Following aging, beef exudates were collected and analyzed for both proteomics and metabolomics profiles. Proteome analysis indicated clustering by muscle types, while metabolomics profiling further clustered the samples based on the aging periods. The PM exudate had a greater concentration of oxidative enzymes, while the LD exudate contained more glycolytic enzymes. Greater lipid, nucleotide, carnitine and glucoside metabolites were observed in LD and 23d exudates. HSP70 and laminin proteins, together with glucosides metabolites, were correlated to muscle oxidative stability. The results indicated that meat exudate could be a viable analytical matrix to determine changes in quality attributes of meat with aging.

Effects of vacuum-steam pulsed blanching (VSPB) and storage on β-carotene, color, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity and volatile profiles of dried carrots

The effect of different vacuum-steam pulsed blanching (VSPB) and storage conditions on the changes in quality attributes of dried carrots were investigated. The fingerprints of volatile profiles of carrots stored in the presence of oxygen and the absence of light were constructed. The principal component analysis and similarity analysis were used to analyze the differences between samples. Drying of carrots subjected to VSPB resulted in 59.9–69.7, 31.89–39.10, 25.67–48.62 (DPPH), and 36.40–44.33% (FRAP) reduction in β-carotene, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity, respectively. The values of parameter a*, parameter b*, β-carotene, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity decreased after storage. The Weibull model accurately described the degradation kinetics of chemical components. Fingerprint allowed to identify and evaluate the differences in the types and contents of volatile compounds of dried carrots subjected to VSPB and storage. The findings of this study indicate that proper blanching conditions allow for obtaining high-quality dried carrots and improve their storage stability.

An Empirical Model for Predicting the Fresh Food Quality Changes during Storage.

It is widely recognized that the quality of fruits and vegetables can be altered during transportation and storage. Firmness and loss of weight are the crucial attributes used to evaluate the quality of various fruits, as many other quality attributes are related to these two attributes. These properties are influenced by the surrounding environment and preservation conditions. Limited research has been conducted to accurately predict the quality attributes during transport and storage as a function of storage conditions. In this research, extensive experimental investigations have been conducted on the changes in quality attributes of four fresh apple cultivars (Granny Smith, Royal Gala, Pink Lady, and Red Delicious) during transportation and storage. The study evaluated the weight loss and change in firmness of these apples varieties at different cooling temperatures ranging from 2 °C to 8 °C to assess the impact of storing at these temperatures on the quality attributes. The results indicate that the firmness of each cultivar continuously decreased over time, with the R2 values ranging from 0.9489-0.8691 for red delicious, 0.9871-0.9129 for royal gala, 0.9972-0.9647 for pink lady, and 0.9964-0.9484 for granny smith. The rate of weight loss followed an increasing trend with time, and the high R2 values indicate a strong correlation. The degradation of quality was evident in all four cultivars, with temperature having a significant impact on firmness. The decline in firmness was found to be minimal at 2 °C, but increased as the storage temperature increased. The loss of firmness also varied among the four cultivars. For instance, when stored at 2 °C, the firmness of pink lady decreased from an initial value of 8.69 kg·cm2 to 7.89 kg·cm2 in 48 h, while the firmness of the same cultivar decreased from 7.86 kg·cm2 to 6.81 kg·cm2 after the same duration of storage. Based on the experimental results, a multiple regression quality prediction model was developed as a function of temperature and time. The proposed models were validated using a new set of experimental data. The correlation between the predicted and experimental values was found to be excellent. The linear regression equation yielded an R2 value of 0.9544, indicating a high degree of accuracy. The model can assist stakeholders in the fruit and fresh produce industry in anticipating quality changes at different storage stages based on the storage conditions.

Changes in quality attributes of pulsed light treated dehydrated onion shreds during storage

Processing of dehydrated onion shreds involves contamination during peeling, chopping, and dehydration. Pre-treatments such as blanching, dipping and soaking in chemical solutions reduce the contamination prior to dehydration. Post dehydration treatments include thermal and non-thermal technologies. Hot water blanching in presence of CaCl2 as pre-treatment followed by pulsed light of 2208 ± 0.5 J·cm−2 (2100 V, 120 s) as post-dehydration treatment is employed. Further, the microbial quality and other attributes were assessed during the storage at 25, 30, and 37 °C. The population for aerobic mesophiles and yeasts & molds crossed 5 and 4 log CFU∙g−1, respectively after 30, 27, 19 days of storage at 25, 30, and 37 °C, respectively. Browning index, pyruvic acid, total phenols and flavonoids were most sensitive among the color parameters and bioactive compounds degraded during storage. After 30 days of storage at 25 °C, there was reduction of 82% in ascorbic acid, 39% in pyruvic acid, 93% in thiosulphinate, 50% in total phenolics, and 52% in total flavonoids content of the shreds. At 37 °C, the rate of bioactive degradation was higher and the retention in bioactives after 19 days was 24, 56, 35, 35, and 52% of ascorbic acid, pyruvic acid, thiosulphinate, total phenolics, and total flavonoids content, respectively. The pyruvic acid, ascorbic acid, phenolic and flavonoid content in the onion shreds degraded following first order kinetics, whereas thiosulphinates followed zero order degradation. The shelf-life of the pulsed light decontaminated dehydrated onion shreds was 30, 27, 19 days at 25, 30, and 37 °C, respectively. Pulsed light treatment is recommended for dehydrated onion shreds as an effective technology for microbial inactivation.

Tapioca starch-based films containing oregano, Vietnamese mint, and curry leaf essential oils for food packaging applications

Sustainable food packaging made from starch is a viable alternative to the usage of petrochemical-based plastics. The incorporation of additives, particularly essential oils, into the starch film can potentially improve the mechanical properties and enhance its functionality. The present work investigated the effects of the incorporation of different types and concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1%; v/v) of essential oils (EOs) from oregano, Vietnamese mint (VEO), and curry leaf on the mechanical and optical properties of starch films. Additionally, the quality attributes of strawberries wrapped using the films during storage were investigated in terms of weight loss, colour changes, and firmness. It was observed that the incorporation of EOs into the starch films improved the elongation at break, especially at higher concentrations. These films became slightly yellowish and more opaque. Besides, the changes in quality attributes of strawberries wrapped with starch/EOs films were the lowest as compared to the unwrapped strawberries and the strawberries wrapped with starch films. Starch films incorporated with 1% (v/v) VEO were the most effective films due to relatively high flexibility and low stiffness, apart from the ability to decrease the changes in quality attributes of strawberries. To conclude, the starch/EOs films have great potential for food packaging applications.

Microwave assisted fluidized bed drying of bitter gourd: Modelling and optimization of process conditions based on bioactive components

Bitter gourds were dried under varied drying conditions in a microwave assisted fluidized bed dryer, and the process was optimized using response surface methodology. Microwave power, temperature and air velocity were used as process variables for drying and the process parameters were varied between 360 and 720 W, 40–60 °C and 10–14 m/s, respectively. The responses determined for deciding the optimal criteria were vitamin C, total phenolics, IC50, total chlorophyll content, vitamin A content, rehydration ratio, hardness and total color change of the dried bitter gourd. Statistical analyses were done by using response surface methodology, which showed that independent variables affected the responses to a varied extent. The optimum drying conditions of 550.89 W microwave power, 55.87 °C temperature, and 13.52 m/s air velocity were established for microwave assisted fluidized bed drying to obtain highest desirability for the dried bitter gourd. At optimum conditions, validation experiment was done to ensure the suitability of models. Temperature and drying time plays an important role in the deterioration of bioactive components. Faster and shorter heating led to the greater retention of bioactive components. Taking the aforesaid results into consideration, our study recommended MAFBD as a promising technique with minimum changes in quality attributes of bitter gourd.

Optimization of lyophilized microencapsulated phenolic extract concentration for enrichment of yoghurt and effect on chemical parameters, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and sensory quality under storage

• Lyophilized microencapsulated phenolics utilized for enrichment of yoghurt. • Sensory acceptability, bioactive and chemical characteristics were compared. • Higher bioactive compounds observed in enriched yoghurt than normal yoghurt. • 2% enriched yoghurt showed higher sensory acceptance besides higher bioactives. In this study lyophilized microencapsulated phenolic extract powder (MPE) from peel of wild pomegranate fruit was utilized for enrichment of yoghurt. From different treatments, treatment (T 4 ) enriched with 2(%) MPE was found best on the basis of sensorial attributes. The significant increase ( p < 0.05) in yoghurt bioactive compounds and various antioxidant properties were observed after incorporation of 2(%) MPE. Changes in various characteristics were recorded at different storage intervals (0, 7 and 14 days). After 14 days of storage enriched yogurt retained higher phenolics (96.52%), flavonoids (97.72%), radical scavenging activity (95.85%), metal chelating activity (96.53%), FRAP (96.22%) and reducing power (94.49%) besides higher colour scores and sensory acceptability. Hence yoghurt could also be kept safe for 14 days under refrigeration temperature (4–7 °C) conditions in polystyrene cups with minimum changes in quality attributes. This study suggests that functional and antioxidant properties of yoghurt can be enhanced significantly by MPE enrichment without sensorial alterations, with maximum retention of bioactive compounds, thus product could be utilized commercially. The study also concluded that enriched yoghurt had higher phenolics and antioxidant activity which could open a new way towards the consumption of functional food.

Post-harvest quality changes and shelf-life determination of washed and blanched sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima)

Sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) is a native European brown macroalga with the potential to become a vital part of the green transition of the food industry. Knowledge of the sugar kelp shelf-life is essential to designing the food supply chain to ensure safe and high-quality food. Establishing a single-compound quality index (SCQI) of freshness would be useful for the industry. However, information is currently lacking on how different post-harvest treatments affect the shelf-life of sugar kelp, even though it is important knowledge for manufacturers, authorities and consumers. The objective of this study was to establish the shelf-life of refrigerated sugar kelp following five post-harvest treatments and evaluate the effect of these treatments on changes in quality attributes (sensory, microbial, chemical and physical) during storage to select the SCQI. The post-harvest treatments included washing in sea water, washing in potable water, blanching for 2 min in sea water or potable water and untreated sugar kelp. Based on sensory analysis, the refrigerated (+ 2.8°C) shelf-lives for sugar kelp from all treatments were seven to 9 days. The end of the sensory shelf-life correlated with the development of &amp;gt;7 log (CFU g−1) aerobic viable counts, suggesting this attribute can be used as a SCQI to evaluate the shelf-life of sugar kelp. The microbiota was dominated by putative spoilage organisms from the Pseudoalteromonadaceae and Psychromonadaceae families. Untreated and washed sugar kelp continued to respire and consume carbohydrates up to 5 days post-harvest, indicating respiration rates may be used to determine freshness of non-blanched kelp. Favorable organoleptic properties, e.g., sweetness and umami, decreased during storage and coincided with a reduction in water-soluble mannitol and free glutamic acid. Both blanching treatments changed texture and color and reduced iodine and vitamin C contents while retaining components such as fucoxanthin, chlorophyll a and β-carotene. This study provides crucial documentation of quality changes during the post-harvest storage period of sugar kelp, including information about sugar kelp spoilage and nutrient changes, which would facilitate the development of best practices for manufacturers using sugar kelp in their production of food.

Melatonin treatment maintains the quality of cherry tomato by regulating endogenous melatonin and ascorbate-glutathione cycle during room temperature.

Changes in quality attributes, ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, and melatonin (MLT) synthesis were evaluated in cherry tomato fruit treated with MLT solution at 0.1 mM during storage at room temperature for 16 days. According to the results, the MLT treatment was beneficial to maintaining fruit quality as indicated by the declines in weight loss, fruit decay, and titratable acid (TA), accompanied by the maintenance of fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS) as well as TSS/TA ratio. Also,theMLT treatment not only effectively inhibited oxidative damage via reducing relative electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content,but also improved antioxidant capacity via stimulating AsA-GSH cycle. Moreover, the MLTtreatmentpromoted endogenous MLT synthesis by upregulating the expressions of biosynthetic genes consisting of SlTDC, SlT5H, SlSNAT, and SlASMLT. Thus, our results suggested that the MLT treatment might be involved in maintaining quality in cherry tomato fruit during room temperature by promoting antioxidant capacity and enhancing endogenous MLT. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As a typical climacteric fruit, cherry tomato fruit ripen rapidly and are easily infected by various pathogenic fungi during storage under ambient conditions, which leads to short storage life and a decrease in economic value. The results showed that the application of MLT maintained cherry tomato quality via improving antioxidant capacities and enhancing endogenous MLT. Therefore, MLT treatment could become a promising postharvest strategy for quality maintenance in cherry tomatoes during room storage.

Evaluation of the composition and quality of watermelon and mango juices fermented by Levilactobacillus brevis, Lacticaseibacillus casei and Pediococcus pentosaceus and subsequent simulated digestion and storage

SummaryThis study evaluated the composition of watermelon and mango juices fermented by Levilactobacillus (L.) brevis, Lacticaseibacillus (La.) casei and Pediococcus (P.) pentosaceus and subsequently simulated in vitro digestion and storage (4°C for 35 days). After fermentation (24 h), the microorganisms grew (~9 log CFU mL−1) and fermented watermelon (FWJ) and mango juice (FMJ) became more red and yellow, respectively. DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid)) free radical scavenging capacities significantly increased in L. brevis and La. casei FMJ. After in vitro digestion, all the strains except La. casei in FMJ significantly decreased (P &lt; 0.05), and P. pentosaceus survival was 2.4 and 4.5 times higher in FWJ and FMJ, respectively, than as pure culture. After storage, cell counts remained above 7 log CFU mL−1, and no changes in quality attributes, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were recorded in P. pentosaceus FMJ. Thus, watermelon and mango are suitable matrices for lactic acid bacteria.

Changes in quality attributes of pulsed light and thermally treated mixed fruit beverages during refrigerated storage (4 °C) condition

The effect of batch pulsed light (PL) irradiation (3000 J cm−2) on the shelf-life of the beverage blend comprising apple ber (Indian jujube), carambola (star fruit), and black table grapes was investigated. The equivalent thermally treated beverage (90 °C|5 min) exhibited greater stability from microbial and enzymatic spoilage but retained 27% less antioxidants and 14% less vitamin C than PL-treated juice. Thermally and PL-treated blends possessed sensory scores of 5.8 and 7.2, respectively. The beverage's microbial shelf-life (population ≤ 6-log10 cfu/mL) was extended to 45 days at 4 °C after the PL treatment. The PL exposure did not alter the pH and soluble solids during storage. The PL-treated juice, after 45 days, was placed on par with the freshly prepared juice by the sensory panel. The PL-treated juice preserved 61% more antioxidants, 38.8% more phenolics, and 68.2% more vitamin C than the thermally pasteurized beverage after 45 days of refrigerated storage. Industrial relevanceWhile the fruit processing industry demands microbial safety and enzymatic stability, today's consumer demands juices of high nutritional quality. This study utilizes under-explored fruits like apple ber (Indian jujube) and carambola (star fruit) to make a shelf-stable mixed fruit beverage. This study will help the industry understand the potential of PL treatment in accomplishing microbial safety, enzymatic stability, and nutritional quality, along with the utilization of under-explored fruits.

Effect of processing on bioactive profile, minerals, and bitterness‐causing compounds of Kinnow jam

The current research was performed to check the effect of processing and storage duration on the physicochemical and bioactive profile of Kinnow jam. Both native and processed Kinnow jams were stored for a period of 75 days at 4°C. Processing of Kinnow jam significantly affects the mineral and bioactive profile. Due to the effect of debittering treatment, the concentration of different minerals decreased. Processed jam showed a higher amount of phenolics (74.69 mg GAE/100 g) as compared to natural jam (73 mg GAE/g). Storage duration results in an increment in bitterness-causing compounds in jam however, the rate of increase in bitter compounds was observed lower in case of treated jam (0.32–0.58 μg/g) as compared to natural Kinnow jam (0.92–1.99 μg/g). Total phenolic content (TPC) (31.46%–35.45%) and pH (2.5%–2.71%) of the jam were decreased, whereas total soluble solids (TSS) (1.39%–1.52%) and titratable acidity (TA) (8.33%–10.78%) were increased during storage. Results of the present investigation showed changes in quality attributes of jam during the storage period (75 days). In spite of the reduction in valuable parameters, processed jam retained an acceptable sensorial score up to 60 days. Novelty impact statement Despite the health benefits derived from the consumption of Kinnow fruit, little scientific information is available in the literature on Kinnow-based processed products. As Kinnow is a seasonal fruit with limited shelf life, therefore, it could be processed in the form of jam to make it available even in the off-season. Processing of treated Kinnow to prepare jam with less bitterness-causing compounds will attract the attention of fruit processing industries.

Cold plasma from flexible and conformable paper-based electrodes for fresh produce sanitation: Evaluation of microbial inactivation and quality changes

Two types of cold plasma generating paper-based electrodes (CPPE) made with flexible metallized paper were developed to decontaminate fresh produce. As opposed to conventional rigid volume dielectric barrier discharge electrodes currently used for in-package plasma generation for which voltage increases as a function of thickness, two flexible CPPE configurations based on surface dielectric barrier discharge provided high local concentrations of plasma with less voltage which was independent of the thickness of the package. For decontaminating E. coli and Listeria innocua, a circular design for spinach and a kirigami and origami based two-cone design for tomato were used. Generation of ozone and other reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by both CPPE were identified. Activation of the circular CPPE for 10 min reduced E. coli by 4.6 ± 0.6 log CFU per spinach leaf and 4.6 ± 0.5 log CFU per tomato, whereas for Listeria innocua the reductions were 4.8 ± 1.7 log CFU per spinach leaf and 2.0 ± 0.4 log CFU per tomato, respectively. No changes in quality attributes were observed in the post-treated tomatoes, while surface browning was observed on spinach leaves. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the innovative CPPE for in-package sanitation of fresh produce and its impact on quality. Package conformability, surface properties, and bacterial characteristics played important role in overall inactivation efficacy.