Food Processing Research Articles

Improving physical stability of microalgae protein-based emulsions under acidic and neutral conditions via carboxymethyl chitosan complexation

The emulsification stability of microalgae protein (MP) is limited to strongly alkaline conditions, restricting its applications in food processing. This study aims to investigate the capability of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) to improve MP's emulsification stability over a wider pH range. Results indicated soluble MP-CMCS complexes formed at pH 2, 4, and 7, while aggregation of the complexes occurred at pH 8. The complexes stabilized emulsions exhibited smaller droplet sizes and higher absolute zeta potential at pH 2, 4, and 7 compared to pH 8. After 2 weeks of storage, emulsions remained stable at pH 2, 4, and 7, with significant delamination at pH 8. Laser confocal microscopy confirmed uniform droplet distribution at pH 2 and 7, with slight fusion at pH 4. The complexes stabilized emulsions exhibited higher viscosity and shear stress than MP stabilized emulsions at pH 2, 4, and 7. The stronger viscoelastic properties and higher storage moduli (G') values of MP-CMCS complexes under acidic and neutral conditions indicated stronger intermolecular interactions compared to alkaline conditions. The increase in G' and loss moduli (G") values for emulsions at pH 8 under stress highlighted the significant impact on network structure strength and viscosity in these emulsions. This study elucidated the binding interactions between MP and CMCS under various pH conditions, and demonstrated a feasible approach to improving MP's emulsification stability over a wider pH range.

Hydrolytic Response of Beta-Amylase to Selected Starches when Adsorptively Immobilized on Agarose Gel

Fermentative microorganisms bring about transformative processes in food, thereby enhancing flavor and appearance indices, inhibiting undesirable components, improving shelf and storage life, as well as improving health and nutritional quality parameters. Traditional methods for identification of fermentative microorganisms involve cultivating and analyzing phenotypic characteristics, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Advanced molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, whole gene sequencing, next generation sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and hyper-spectral imaging offer rapid, cost-effective, and reliable identification of bacteria and fungi cultured on agar plates or in liquid media. Techniques, such as genotyping, examine the DNA sequence to determine the genetic makeup of microorganisms, alongside the grouping of isolates via application of phylogenetic tree similarity indices. Overall, modern molecular techniques have revolutionized the identification of fermentative microorganisms, providing efficient and more elaborate alternatives to traditional methods. In this review work, an attempt is made to examine the historical and analytical trends from the conventional methods to the most recent modern tools for effective identification of industrially-important fermentative microorganisms.

Recent Advances in the Identification and Characterization of Fermentative Microorganisms: An Exploratory Review

Fermentative microorganisms bring about transformative processes in food, thereby enhancing flavor and appearance indices, inhibiting undesirable components, improving shelf and storage life, as well as improving health and nutritional quality parameters. Traditional methods for identification of fermentative microorganisms involve cultivating and analyzing phenotypic characteristics, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Advanced molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, whole gene sequencing, next generation sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and hyper-spectral imaging offer rapid, cost-effective, and reliable identification of bacteria and fungi cultured on agar plates or in liquid media. Techniques, such as genotyping, examine the DNA sequence to determine the genetic makeup of microorganisms, alongside the grouping of isolates via application of phylogenetic tree similarity indices. Overall, modern molecular techniques have revolutionized the identification of fermentative microorganisms, providing efficient and more elaborate alternatives to traditional methods. In this review work, an attempt is made to examine the historical and analytical trends from the conventional methods to the most recent modern tools for effective identification of industrially-important fermentative microorganisms.

Protein stability prediction by fine-tuning a protein language model on a mega-scale dataset.

Protein stability plays a crucial role in a variety of applications, such as food processing, therapeutics, and the identification of pathogenic mutations. Engineering campaigns commonly seek to improve protein stability, and there is a strong interest in streamlining these processes to enable rapid optimization of highly stabilized proteins with fewer iterations. In this work, we explore utilizing a mega-scale dataset to develop a protein language model optimized for stability prediction. ESMtherm is trained on the folding stability of 528k natural and de novo sequences derived from 461 protein domains and can accommodate deletions, insertions, and multiple-point mutations. We show that a protein language model can be fine-tuned to predict folding stability. ESMtherm performs reasonably on small protein domains and generalizes to sequences distal from the training set. Lastly, we discuss our model's limitations compared to other state-of-the-art methods in generalizing to larger protein scaffolds. Our results highlight the need for large-scale stability measurements on a diverse dataset that mirrors the distribution of sequence lengths commonly observed in nature.

Food process contaminants: formation, occurrence, risk assessment and mitigation strategies - a review.

Thermal treatment of food can lead to the formation of potentially harmful chemicals, known as process contaminants. These are adventitious contaminants that are formed in food during processing and preparation. Various food processing techniques, such as heating, drying, grilling, and fermentation, can generate hazardous chemicals such as acrylamide (AA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), monochloropropane diols (MCPD) and their esters (MCPDE) which can be detrimental to human health. Despite efforts to prevent the formation of these compounds during processing, eliminating them is often challenging due to their unknown formation mechanisms. It is critical to identify the potential harm to human health in processed food and understand the mechanisms by which harmful compounds form during processing, as prolonged exposure to these toxic compounds can lead to health problems. Various mitigation strategies, such as the use of diverse pre- and post-processing treatments, product reformulation, additives, variable process conditions, and novel integrated processing techniques, have been proposed to control these food hazards. In this review, we summarize the formation and occurrence, the potential for harm to human health produced by process contaminants in food, and potential mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.

Trends, Recent Advances, and Application of Pulsed Electric Field in Food Processing: A Review

AbstractGenerally, thermal inputs dominate the food processing industry for food preservation. Pulsed electric field (PEF) is one of the most promising nonthermal microorganism‐killing techniques. The most important factors in PEF processing are electric field strength and treatment duration. At the laboratory level, encouraging results are reported; however, industrialization raises the cost of the command charging power supply and the high‐speed electrical switch. In this review, the results of previous experimental studies on PEFs and proposed future research directions in this field are discussed. There is currently no successful PEF processing system for industrial applications. Those who wish to promote the industrial application of the PEF processing system face a significant barrier in the form of the system's high initial cost of installation. Innovative developments in high‐voltage pulse technology will reduce the cost of pulse generation and make PEF processing competitive with thermal processing methods.

Biochar from Co-Pyrolyzed Municipal Sewage Sludge (MSS): Part 1: Evaluating Types of Co-Substrates and Co-Pyrolysis Conditions

With the increasing production of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) worldwide, the development of efficient and sustainable strategies for its management is crucial. Pyrolysis of MSS offers several benefits, including volume reduction, pathogen elimination, and energy recovery through the production of biochar, syngas, and bio-oil. However, the process can be limited by the composition of the MSS, which can affect the quality of the biochar. Co-pyrolysis has emerged as a promising solution for the sustainable management of MSS, reducing the toxicity of biochar and improving its physical and chemical properties to expand its potential applications. This review discusses the status of MSS as a feedstock for biochar production. It describes the types and properties of various co-substrates grouped according to European biochar certification requirements, including those from forestry and wood processing, agriculture, food processing residues, recycling, anaerobic digestion, and other sources. In addition, the review addresses the optimization of co-pyrolysis conditions, including the type of furnace, mixing ratio of MSS and co-substrate, co-pyrolysis temperature, residence time, heating rate, type of inert gas, and flow rate. This overview shows the potential of different biomass types for the upgrading of MSS biochar and provides a basis for research into new co-substrates. This approach not only mitigates the environmental impact of MSS but also contributes to the wider goal of achieving a circular economy in MSS management.

Inhibitory potential of natural antimicrobial compounds against histamine-forming lactic acid bacteria

This work evaluated the potential of natural antimicrobial compounds to prevent histamine formation by inhibiting the microbial growth of Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri and Limosilactobacillus reuteri, bacteria selected for their ability to produce histamine in cheese. Of the evaluated compounds, eugenol, carvacrol, thymol and cinnamaldehyde were the most effective in inhibiting histamine-forming lactic acid bacteria and, therefore, in reducing histamine generation, even at concentrations below the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Carvacrol significantly impacted both microbial viability and the metabolism of bacteria with the inhibition of decarboxylase activity. In the case of L. parabuchneri, the use of 0.7 mg/mL carvacrol (MBC/2) resulted in an 88% reduction in histamine content, and for L. reuteri a 96% reduction was observed by using 0.65 mg/(MBC/2). Therefore, using essential oil components during food processing and preservation would be a good strategy to prevent histamine accumulating in cheese and to, consequently, mitigate its adverse effects.

Effectiveness of advanced oxidation process for the pretreatment of mixed agrofood industrial wastewater from Nablus City, Palestine

ABSTRACT Food processing industries generate complex effluent with high levels of organic and inorganic contaminants. Without proper treatment, significant operational, environmental, and public health issues may arise. This study aimed to assess the Fenton reaction’s efficacy as an advanced oxidation process (AOP), to treat mixed dairy and slaughterhouse effluent from Nablus city. Bench-scale tests showed inadequate results (45.2% COD removal) because of high pollution levels (COD: 15400 -18,100 mg L−1). Further tests have combined the Fenton process with three pre-treatment methods: (A) coagulant addition, (B) settling, and (C) flocculent application. Fenton’s process with flocculent achieved significant removal of organic (88.4% COD; 84.1% TKN) and inorganic (91.0% TSS; 62.4% TS) contaminants under optimised conditions (H2O2/COD ratio 2:1, H2O2/Fe + 2 ratio 10:1, pH = 3). Treated wastewater from trial (C) let meeting local regulatory standards with COD levels below 2,000 mg/l.

Experimental assessment of the impact of food processing on δ15N values in dietary meat – Implications for paleodietary reconstruction

Stable isotope studies of bone collagen are widely applied in an attempt to understand the history and range of modern human and earlier hominin diets. The nitrogen isotope system has been extensively applied to the human bioarchaeological record to predict dietary protein sources, as nitrogen isotope ratios roughly track the trophic positionality of an organism. While the ratio of nitrogen isotopes in organisms (δ15N) tends to be reflective of trophic position, nitrogen isotope fractionation is complex and subject to many sources of variation. This study explores how human behavior might influence this variation. We experimentally investigated the impact of food-related behaviors on the δ15N dietary proxy, with specific focus on selection and processing of animal food sources. In assessing putrefaction, processing, prey choice, and fuel wood, we saw that these variables generated small shifts of ∼1.5‰ or less in the δ15N values of food items. We conclude that scavenging as a frequent dietary adaptation may be isotopically visible, but the timing of carcass scavenging likely matters. We also posit that prey species and fuel wood species might matter for the patterning of δ15N shifts produced by different types of cooking. The results of this study expand the range of contributing factors to consider when utilizing the nitrogen isotope dietary proxy and open new testable questions about the use of this method in populations where complex food behavior may be common.

Visualizing flow dynamics and restart of Carbopol gel solutions in tube and parallel-plates geometries with wall slip.

The present study examines the impact of slip in Carbopol solutions during the restart flow in pipelines utilizing in situ visualization techniques. Rheological tests were conducted using smooth and hatched parallel plate geometries to obtain the rheological characteristics of the solutions. The behavior of the solutions in the creep tests is compared with those in the experimental unit. Three flow regimes were identified through rheological and experimental setup tests: non-flow, slip, and yielded. The slip regime allowed the establishment of a slip static yield stress value, indicating significant deformation states, and a restart pressure decrease of about 61% when compared to the static yield stress. The flow dynamics under the wall slip effect is captured by velocity profiles, velocity contour maps and velocity gradient. Transient correlations of the scaling law type were determined, with wall slip in proportion to the velocity gradient and wall shear stress. Additionally, the concentration of viscoplastic material in the solution increased the scaling law index. This research seeks to provide valuable findings by quantifying the effects of apparent wall slip through in situ measurements. Such insights are crucial for designing and managing pipeline transport systems that handle yield stress fluids, applicable across various industries including cosmetics, food processing, and the production of waxy oils.

Staphylococcus aureus in Dairy Industry: Enterotoxin Production, Biofilm Formation, and Use of Lactic Acid Bacteria for Its Biocontrol.

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known pathogen capable of producing enterotoxins during bacterial growth in contaminated food, and the ingestion of such preformed toxins is one of the major causes of food poisoning around the world. Nowadays 33 staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) and SE-like toxins have been described, but nearly 95% of confirmed foodborne outbreaks are attributed to classical enterotoxins SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and SEE. The natural habitat of S. aureus includes the skin and mucous membranes of both humans and animals, allowing the contamination of milk, its derivatives, and the processing facilities. S. aureus is well known for the ability to form biofilms in food processing environments, which contributes to its persistence and cross-contamination in food. The biocontrol of S. aureus in foods by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their bacteriocins has been studied for many years. Recently, LAB and their metabolites have also been explored for controlling S. aureus biofilms. LAB are used in fermented foods since in ancient times and nowadays characterized strains (or their purified bacteriocin) can be intentionally added to prolong food shelf-life and to control the growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Regarding the use of these microorganism and their metabolites (such as organic acids and bacteriocins) to prevent biofilm development or for biofilm removal, it is possible to conclude that a complex network behind the antagonistic activity remains poorly understood at the molecular level. The use of approaches that allow the characterization of these interactions is necessary to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that govern the inhibitory activity of LAB against S. aureus biofilms in food processing environments.

Remarks on the functional morphology of the earliest mammals

AbstractThe earliest mammals are characterized by a series of derived characters when compared to their synapsid predecessors. In comparison to non-mammalian synapsids, these features include highly efficient teeth, a small body size, a parasagittal limb posture, as well as a reduced number of ribs and girdle elements and light-weighted tails. We argue that the mammalian body construction and its functionality are constituted by a set of partially interrelated morphological traits, including akinetic skulls, tooth anatomy, and food processing; body size, locomotor speed, and tail reduction; the posture of the body and the construction of the girdle elements; as well as body torsion and rib reduction. By discussing these features from a biomechanical view, we demonstrate that high speed was the most important evolutionary advantage of the small earliest mammals over their larger synapsid ancestors, as well as over dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic.

Biotechnological Innovations Unleashing the Potential of Olive Mill Wastewater in Added-Value Bioproducts

Byproducts and wastes from the food processing industry represent an important group of wastes generated annually in large quantities. It is important to note that the amount of this waste will increase with industrialization, and effective solutions must be found urgently. Many wastes that cause environmental pollution are evaluated by their low-tech conversion into products with little economic value, such as animal feed and fertilizer. Therefore, the evaluation of food processing waste using effective recycling techniques has become an interesting subject with increasing population, ongoing biotechnological studies, and advances in technology. The conversion of food waste into biotechnological products via fermentation is a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economical method in line with the principles of green chemistry. This approach promotes the reuse of food waste by supporting the principles of a circular economy and offers sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels and synthetic chemicals. This contributes to reducing the carbon footprint, preserving soil and water quality, and providing economic sustainability through the production of high-value products. In this study, the properties of olive mill wastewater, an important and valuable waste in the olive oil industry, its environmental aspects, and its use in biotechnological applications that integrate green chemistry are evaluated.

ANALISIS SANITASI LINGKUNGAN DAN KEBERADAAN VEKTOR TIKUS DI PANTI ASUHAN AL-ISTIKLAL

Environmental sanitation is an effort to monitor and control environmental elements such as clean water and waste, personal hygiene in public places, clean and healthy food processing, and the absence of hazardous substances in the air. This research aims to identify and analyze environmental conditions and the presence of rat vectors at the Al-Istiklal Orphanage, Pekanbaru City. This research uses an observation approach and in-depth interviews to examine current conditions. Five informants were research subjects. The research results show that the sanitary conditions at the Al-Istiklal orphanage are still poor, as shown by SPAL: many piles of rubbish smell bad and do not have lids; rubbish at the orphanage is not sorted before being thrown away and burned; some rooms in the orphanage were not sorted before being burned; and Some rooms have an outdoor and adjoining kitchen, and the windows do not open. Several mice were found in the orphanage. Orphanages must pay more attention to environmental sanitation issues, such as SPAL, food processing, waste processing, and residential density, as well as the presence of rat vectors.

Dehydration of Onion Slices for Food Processing Application Using IoT based Smart Solar Drying System

Abstract Indian onion producers experience significant economic losses as a result of the unpredictable fluctuations in onion prices during the harvesting and post-harvest stages. In order to address these difficulties and increase farmers' earnings, the transformation of onions into value-added goods such as onion paste, onion powder, onion sauce, and onion oil has emerged as a possible option. The objective of this project is to create a smart solar drying system based on IoT technique specifically designed for the dehydration of recently harvested red onions. In April 2023, a series of five experimental tests were carried out, examining the effects of different onion slice thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 4mm, with intervals of 0.5mm. Each trial consisted of running the dryer for a duration of 9 hours, specifically from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, throughout the daylight hours for three consecutive days. The experiment involved evaluating different drying characteristics, such as moisture content on dry and wet bases, shrinkage ratio, and thermal efficiency. The drying time required to achieve a 10% moisture level (w.b.) was reduced by 30.19%, 16.98%, 11.32%, and 3.77% when comparing a 4mm slice thickness to thinner alternatives of 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, and 3.5mm, respectively. The dryer had a superior thermal efficiency of 27.89% when the thickness was 2mm, in contrast to 19.50% when the thickness was 4mm. Significantly, onions that were dehydrated from slices measuring 2mm and 2.5mm in thickness shown exceptional suitability for the production of powdered onion.

Recent Advances in Non-Contact Food Decontamination Technologies for Removing Mycotoxins and Fungal Contaminants

Agricultural food commodities are highly susceptible to contamination by fungi and mycotoxins, which cause great economic losses and threaten public health. New technologies such as gamma ray irradiation, ultraviolet radiation, electron beam irradiation, microwave irradiation, pulsed light, pulsed electric fields, plasma, ozone, etc. can solve the problem of fungal and mycotoxin contamination which cannot be effectively solved by traditional food processing methods. This paper summarizes recent advancements in emerging food decontamination technologies used to control various fungi and their associated toxin contamination in food. It discusses the problems and challenges faced by the various methods currently used to control mycotoxins, looks forward to the new trends in the development of mycotoxin degradation methods in the future food industry, and proposes new research directions.

A comprehensive Review of Food Dehydration and Its Application in Aquatic Food Products

Dehydrated foods are the most stable food in the food preservation realm. Food dehydration is preferred as the most effective and intricate process within the realm of food processing. Employing methods such as hot air/heated surfaces, this method reduces the water content from various food items, consequently reducing their water activity and make the food item more stable. The primary objective is to hinder microbial growth and enzyme activity, thereby extending the shelf-life. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that the dehydration process can potentially compromise both the quality and nutrition. This necessitates a thoughtful approach in the design and operation of dehydration equipment. Various dehydration methods have been developed based on the nature of food and to attain the desired physico-chemical, nutritional, and sensory alterations.

More than floors and domes – contexts around ovens in the late neolithic of the Central Balkans

Even though ovens are the most prominent feature in the Vinča culture houses, they have often been neglected in the archaeological publications. Usually, only the information about their location or number of floors is provided, but more detailed descriptions are missing. This is also influenced by their poor preservation in the archaeological record, as parts of their upper structure are often missing. But, although fully preserved ovens represent quite a rarity, contexts surrounding them are usually filled with different categories of artefacts and architectural features. These complex contexts that include ovens, offer plethora of information about different socio-economic phenomena in the Late Neolithic of the Central Balkans. Therefore, ovens should be perceived as more than just fire installations for food processing and house heating, as they can offer insight into household organization and symbolic aspects of the Neolithic life. Additionally, ovens located in the outdoor spaces can provide information about settlement organization and social dynamics on a larger scale. In this paper, different contexts around ovens are presented and interpreted – from functional, economic, social, and symbolic perspective.

Regulatory decentralization and food safety: evidence from China

AbstractIt is not clear, a priori, whether a centralized or decentralized institutional arrangement is better at providing public goods. This study investigates how decentralization of regulatory authority affects public good provision, focusing on food safety. Using a natural experiment that transfers food safety regulatory authority over the food processing and manufacturing sector from provincial to city‐level governments, we find a 51% decrease in the average number of food safety incidents within cities that experienced the decentralization reform. Decentralization reduces food safety incidents by rectifying information asymmetry in food safety regulations and by increasing local food safety laws and regulations. Additional analyses show that decentralization primarily improves the food safety of larger and more experienced firms, and it has not harmed the total revenue of large‐scale food processing and manufacturing firms. Our study demonstrates the importance of information available to regulatory authorities in food safety regulation and highlights the role of local information in the decentralized provision of public goods.