Dry Food Research Articles

Safety assessment of the substance amines, di-C14-C20-alkyl, oxidised, from hydrogenated vegetable oil, for use in food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of amines, di-C14-C18-alkyl, oxidised, renamed by the Panel as amines, di-C14-C20-alkyl, oxidised, from hydrogenated vegetable oil. The substance amines, bis(hydrogenated tallow alkyl) oxidised, consisting of the same components, but originating from tallow, is currently authorised as FCM substance No 768. The vegetable-sourced substance is intended to be used at up to 0.1% w/w as antioxidant and/or stabiliser in the manufacture of polyolefin food contact materials (FCM) and articles intended for contact with dry, aqueous and acidic foods. The substance is a mixture consisting of linear N,N-dialkyl hydroxylamines and their corresponding amine, nitrone and oxime derivatives, as well as further components: tert-N-oxides, secondary amides and carboxylic acids. Specific migration was tested from polyethylene samples in 10% ethanol and 3% acetic acid for 2 h at 100°C followed by 10 days at 60°C. None of the non-authorised components were detected to migrate at detection limits (LoD) in the range 0.003-0.029 mg/kg. The LoD of authorised carboxylic acids was 0.35 mg/kg. The Panel reassessed the genotoxicity studies carried out on FCM No 768 and evaluated two new bacterial reverse mutation tests on the nitrone and oxime derivatives as well as new (qualitative/quantitative) structure-activity relationship (Q)SAR analyses on other components. The Panel concluded that the substance did not raise a concern for genotoxicity. The Panel concluded that the substance is not of safety concern for the consumers if it is used as an additive at 0.1% w/w in the manufacture of polyolefin FCM intended to be in contact with foods simulated by food simulants A, B, C and E, except for infant formula and human milk, for storage above 6 months at room temperature and below, including hot-fill conditions and heating up to 100°C for 2 h.

Poultry meat preservation with citric acid obtained from the fermentation of wheat straw by Aspergillus niger

Wheat straw is a highly abundant waste material that can be utilized as a carbon source in various fermentation processes. This study aimed to generate citric acid using Aspergillus niger from wheat straw and to evaluate its preservative potential in fresh poultry meat samples. Wheat straw samples were dried, pulverized, and chemically pretreated. The obtained wheat straw slurry (100 g L-1) was saccharified at 50 °C using cellulases obtained from Trichoderma viride. The hydrolyzed substrate was then subjected to fermentation by Aspergillus niger at 35 °C, 180 rpm, and pH=5 for 7 days. The citric acid generated was determined via the HPLC technique. Poultry meat was obtained and treated by soaking in different concentrations (1, 2, and 3%) of citric acid (n=4). The treated samples were then stored in sterile plastic bags for 14 days at 4 °C. Total Bacterial Count (TBC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), TVB-N, and TBARS were determined as storage progressed, and pH, TTA, and sensory evaluation were carried out. The highest citric acid obtained was 14.15 g L-1 which resulted in a percent yield of 26.18%. Treatment of meat with 3% citric acid had the lowest TBC and TCC of 2.55 and 0.34 Log10 CFU g-1 after 7 days of storage respectively. There were significant differences in the TBC and TCC observed within the treatments (P<0.05) as observed. T-VBN and TBARS reduction during storage was most evident in meat samples treated with 3% citric acid, retaining acceptability of 31.22 mg 100 g-1 and 0.74 mg kg-1, respectively at day 10. The 2% citric acid treatment had the best sensory attributes (16) on day 7. Findings from this study show that treatment with 2% citric acid and above showed promising results in extending the shelf-life of fresh poultry meat samples.

Design and Construction of a Controlled Temperature Food Product Dryer Based on a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Drying food products using traditional methods relying on sunlight takes a relatively long time, especially with unpredictable weather conditions. Essentially, artificial drying using heat-based equipment provides several advantages, including: independence from weather conditions, adjustable drying capacity, controlled temperature, no need for extensive space, controlled drying conditions, and guaranteed and uniform drying quality. Therefore, this design aims to create a food drying apparatus with PLC control. PLC is used as the controller for this drying apparatus, allowing automatic drying of certain types of food. In this design, we connect a DC motor to rotate the drying cylinder with a PLC device by creating a ladder diagram and determining the inputs and outputs in the CX-Programmer application. The design utilizes three inputs and two outputs. It is important that the I/O is readable by the PLC so that the system operates according to the programmed instructions.

A model-based study of the dehydration kinetics of pretreated cassava flour

The investigation of the dehydration kinetics of cassava tubers is crucial for understanding their role as raw materials and semi-finished products in the food industry. This knowledge is particularly important for achieving the desired attributes of cassava flour as a dry food product. The primary aims of this investigation were to examine the impact of different pretreatment methods applied to cassava pulp and identify the most suitable mathematical model for characterizing the drying kinetics of cassava flour. The cassava pulp was subjected to some pretreatments that included soaking and blanching. The application of a pretreatment soaking method using distilled water has shown the capability to decrease the duration of the drying process. The Wang and Singh model produced the highest coefficient of determination values ranging from 0.9535 to 0.9937 and the lowest sum square error values ranging from 0.0171 to 0.0213 across all processed cassava flour. In the cassava drying industry, knowing about the influence of soaking and blanching on the dehydration kinetics of the cassava flour can help set the proper process parameters.

Effect of Solar Dryer and Direct Open Sun Drying Methods on Drying Air Temperatures and Moisture Content of Fish Bayad (Bagrus bayad )

Effect of Solar Dryer and Direct Open Sun Drying Methods on Drying Air Temperatures and Moisture Content of Fish Bayad (Bagrus bayad )

Experimental study on moisture diffusivity, activation energy, and mathematical modeling of drying kohlrabi under different solar drying methods

AbstractThe assessment and enhancement of any drying system for optimal drying processes relies on critical parameters, namely moisture diffusivity and activation energy. In this study, medicinally beneficial kohlrabi of 40‐mm diameter and 6‐mm thickness samples were dried under three different drying methods, namely open sun drying (OSD), natural air‐circulation mode (NACM) single slope direct solar dryer (SSDSD), and forced air‐circulation mode (FACM) SSDSD. The experimental results showed that the drying chamber operating temperature and air velocity played significant roles in the moisture diffusion process and activation energy required to dry the kohlrabi sample. The FACM exhibited the highest average moisture diffusivity values at 7.29 × 10−10 m2/s, surpassing both NACM (5.65 × 10−10 m2/s) and OSD (3.28 × 10−10 m2/s). The activation energy needed for the drying process was the lowest in FACM at 27.44 kJ/mol, followed by NACM at 31.37 kJ/mol and OSD at 35.29 kJ/mol. This is due to the uniform temperature distribution and high airflow rate in the case of FACM. Additionally, 10 thin‐layer models were tested for all three experimental conditions. The statistical analysis showed that for OSD and NACM, the Midilli et al. model, and for FACM, the Page model was best suited for representing drying kinetics with lowest χ2 and root mean square error and highest R2 values. Furthermore, the energy and exergy assessment guaranteed an evaluation of the solar drying system's efficiency.Practical applicationsThis research provides valuable insights into optimizing solar drying methods for kohlrabi preservation. Understanding how temperature and air velocity influence moisture diffusivity and activation energy allows practitioners to enhance drying efficiency. Forced air‐circulation mode (FACM) single slope direct solar dryer (SSDSD) emerges superior, with higher moisture diffusivity and lower activation energy. The study also identifies appropriate drying kinetics models for each method, aiding the accurate prediction of drying behavior. Emphasizing efficiency, the research highlights FACM's superior thermal efficiency and natural air‐circulation mode's higher exergetic efficiency. These insights empower practitioners to make informed decisions, potentially improving agricultural product preservation, reducing energy consumption, and promoting sustainability. Moreover, the research's findings hold significant implications for industrial food processing and preservation applications, suggesting the direct implementation of optimized solar drying techniques in large‐scale settings for kohlrabi and similar agricultural products.

Color, antioxidant and nutritional composition of dehydrated country bean (Lablab purpureus) seeds using solar drying techniques and pretreatments in Bangladesh

The country bean (Lablab purpureus), is a significant contributor of dietary protein and other essential components in human nutrition. Because of its elevated moisture content, it is susceptible to rapid decay, leading to losses after harvesting. The utilization of solar drying has attracted significant attention as a tactic to minimize nutrient depletion in dried goods and enhance their longevity. This study employed four solar drying techniques, namely long chimney, short chimney, box solar drying and open sun drying, along with pretreatments such as potassium metabisulfite, potassium-sodium tartrate, citric acid and ascorbic acid. The objective was to determine an effective solar drying method, combined with pretreatment, that can maintain the color and nutritional qualities of dried country bean seeds. The treatment combinations were organized in a factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was conducted at a significance level of 5 % (p < 0.05). Results revealed that box solar dryer having the highest drying efficiency, retained the highest β-carotene (82.94 %), vitamin C (90.15 %), protein (96.48 %), fat (11.63 %), and ash (90.50 %) with maximum DPPH radical scavenging activity (lowest IC50 209.49 μg/ml) compared to other driers. Besides, country bean seeds have noteworthy proximate compositions, antioxidant activity, and bioactive components treated with 1 % potassium metabisulfite. Furthermore, the country bean seeds dehydrated in box solar dryer after 1 % potassium metabisulfite treatment received the highest acceptance score on the five-point Hedonic scale (4.83–4.89 out of 5.00) and color appearance and the similar trend was further supported by principal component analysis. Thus, it can be inferred that using a box solar dryer with a 1 % potassium metabisulfite pretreatment is a feasible method for preserving the color and nutritional value of country bean seeds and reducing postharvest losses.

Impacts of Meat preservation on public health and economy

The meat preservation has positive effect on economy due to it prolongs the shelf life of the meat and also improve public health due to inhibition growth of microorganisms. In meat preservation Methods there is different methods that are being used for meat preservation. Since the man started to utilize the meat, he started to preserve it for later uses. Means of meat preservation that are used for meat preservation as meat Drying, meat Canning, meat Smoking, meat Freezing, meat Chilling, meat Curing, meat Salting, meat Fermentation and meat Pickling and meat Irradiation. Meat drying is the oldest meat preservation method that is still being used. Meat drying is also known as dehydration. Bacteria and enzymes only multiply at a certain level of moisture content, in meat drying we reduce the moisture content to 10-20% by weight and hence the enzyme remain inactivated. In the past meat was dried by sun meat drying method but now oven and dehydrators in practice. Now it’s easy to dry the meat at home with the help of stove and oven. By process, firstly, cut the meat into thin narrow meat strips then boil meat strips at high temperature that’s the bacteria could be killed, after boiling for 5-10 minutes’ bake in the oven. Through this method of meat preservation we can preserve meat for 1-2 months in the air tight containers.

L-proline Interaction with Methyl Linoleate Oxidation Products Formation in Dry System and at Temperatures: For Understanding in Low-Moisture Foods

Dry and low-moisture foods could experience a significant loss in nutritional value due to the process of methyl linoleate oxidation. L-proline could interact with lipid oxidation products, potentially modifying their formation and reaction path. However, there was a lack of research on the interaction between L-proline and methyl linoleate oxidation products in dry and low-moisture food matrices, which was a concern given the potential impact on food safety and nutrition. To address this knowledge gap, a study investigated the interaction between L-proline and the oxidation products of methyl linoleate in a dry system. The study examined the formation of methyl linoleate oxidation products such as conjugated dienes, hydroperoxide, and hexanal in the absence and presence of varying moles of L-proline at different temperatures. The formation of conjugated diene, hydroperoxide, and hexanal was analyzed using UV spectrometer analysis, xylenol orange, and DNPH derivatization HPLC-UV analysis. The results showed that adding proline to methyl linoleate samples stabilized conjugated diene and decreased hydroperoxide and hexanal levels as temperature increased, compared to the control sample. This suggests that L-proline effectively interacted with methyl linoleate oxidation products and altered their formation and oxidation path in the dry system. Overall, this study provided a basis for significantly enhancing understanding of the reactions between L-proline and methyl linoleate oxidation products in dry and low-moisture foods, offered practical implications for the food industry, and paved the way for future research.

Drying Performance and Economic Analysis of a Greenhouse Solar Dryer for Tomatoes

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the drying performance and economic feasibility of a Greenhouse Solar Dryer for Tomatoes. With a focus on small-scale tomato drying, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the greenhouse in comparison to traditional sun drying methods. Additionally, the economic analysis sought to determine the investment attractiveness of the greenhouse dryer by considering the initial investment, operational costs, and potential revenue generation. Methodology: The methodology involved conducting drying experiments using the Greenhouse Solar Dryer for Tomatoes under existing weather conditions. The dryer's components include the steel frame, greenhouse plastic cover, and concrete floor. The temperature and relative humidity contributed to the environment inside the greenhouse that facilitated the drying process. Moisture content measurements were taken at regular intervals to assess the drying kinetics and effectiveness of the greenhouse. Economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the project's financial viability, considering initial investment, revenue generation, and operational costs. Findings: The findings revealed that the Greenhouse Solar Dryer outperformed sun drying methods, achieving higher temperatures and faster drying times for tomatoes. Specifically, the greenhouse reached maximum temperatures of 38.4 °C and 45.5 °C on the first and second days, respectively, leading to a moisture content of 14.9% wet basis within 11 hours on the second day. In contrast, sun drying resulted in a significantly higher moisture content of 37.9% at the same time, highlighting the effectiveness of the greenhouse. Economic analysis demonstrated that the project had a payback period of 1.6 years, indicating its attractiveness as an investment opportunity for farmers. Unique Contribution to theory, practice and policy: This study makes a unique contribution to knowledge by providing empirical evidence of the drying performance and economic viability of a Greenhouse Solar Dryer for Tomatoes. By demonstrating the effectiveness of the greenhouse in achieving faster drying times and lower moisture content compared to sun drying methods, the study underscores the potential of solar drying technologies in small-scale agricultural settings. Additionally, the economic analysis offers valuable insights into the financial feasibility of adopting greenhouse dryers, particularly for farmers seeking to enhance their income through value-added tomato products.

EFFECT OF ELASTIN HEDROLYSES ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND SOME OXIDATION INDICATORS IN COLD-STORED GROUND BEEF

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of elastin hydrolysates extracted from bovine skin on the chemical composition and some indicators of oxidation in minced beef stored in refrigeration at a temperature of 2 °C for a period of 12 days. The study included 6 treatments T1 (without addition), T2 addition (1000 ppm) of elastin hydrolysates per kg of meat, T3 addition (500 ppm) of elastin hydrolysates per kg of meat, T4 addition (1000 ppm) of collagen hydrolysates per kg of meat, T5 addition (500 ppm) of collagen hydrolysates per kg of meat and T6 addition of the antioxidant BHA (0.01) per kg of meat. the transactions were stored by cold storage for periods 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days, and some chemical tests were conducted for them, The results of this study showed that treatments to which elastin hydrolysate was added showed a significant improvement in the chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat and ash) of ground beef stored in cold storage compared to the control treatment. It also showed a significant decrease (P&lt;0.01) in oxidative stress indicators through a decrease in TBA values in chilled ground beef compared to the control treatment. We conclude that the addition of elastin hydrolysate to minced meat stored in cold storage at different storage periods improved the chemical composition of the meat and achieved high antioxidant effectiveness through a decrease in oxidation indicators represented by a decrease in the TBA value. And improve the water holding capacity of WHC, From the above, this study aimed to know the effect of elastin hydrolysate in maintaining chemical properties and reducing oxidation and thus prolonging the period of cold preservation of meat.

Unveiling the Future of Meat Packaging: Functional Biodegradable Packaging Preserving Meat Quality and Safety.

Meat quality and shelf life are important parameters affecting consumer perception and safety. Several factors contribute to the deterioration and spoilage of meat products, including microbial growth, chemical reactions in the food's constituents, protein denaturation, lipid oxidation, and discoloration. This study reviewed the development of functional packaging biomaterials that interact with food and the environment to improve food's sensory properties and consumer safety. Bioactive packaging incorporates additive compounds such as essential oils, natural extracts, and chemical substances to produce composite polymers and polymer blends. The findings showed that the incorporation of additive compounds enhanced the packaging's functionality and improved the compatibility of the polymer-polymer matrices and that between the polymers and active compounds. Food preservatives are alternative substances for food packaging that prevent food spoilage and preserve quality. The safety of food contact materials, especially the flavor/odor contamination from the packaging to the food and the mass transfer from the food to the packaging, was also assessed. Flavor is a key factor in consumer purchasing decisions and also determines the quality and safety of meat products. Novel functional packaging can be used to preserve the quality and safety of packaged meat products.

Analysis Of The Design And Construction Of A Water Spinach (Ipomoea Aquatica) Vegetable Drying Chamber With A Spiral Type Heater

The food drying process is an innovative method to change the process of reducing the water content of fresh food products of plant origin to slow down the emergence and growth of unwanted microorganisms. This heating system has four heating elements, where the heating elements used have a power of 1200W because each heating element has a power of 300W. During the drying process, it is known that the average air temperature in the drying room is higher when using solar energy compared to a heating system. The average temperature measurement during the day is 38°C. The measurement results tend to be constant, with an average of 34°C for 7 hours using the heating system. The battery voltage shows an increase every hour. At 08:30 am the battery voltage was 12.3V, and until 16.00 the voltage was 13.57V. This dryer is sourced from solar energy because using solar for drying requires a longer time, namely 8 hours (08.30-16.00), compared to using a heating system for 7 hours.

Comparison of different drying technologies for kiwifruit pomace: Changes in physical characteristics, nutritional properties and antioxidant capacities

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of different drying technologies including microwave drying (MD), vacuum microwave drying (VMD), sun drying (SD), vacuum drying (VD), hot air drying (HAD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD) on the physical characteristics, nutritional properties and antioxidant capacities of kiwifruit pomace in order to realize by-product utilization and improve energy efficiency. Results showed that both MD and VMD significantly reduced drying time by >94.6%, compared to traditional thermal drying which took 14–48 h. MD exhibited the highest content of soluble dietary fiber (9.5%) and the lowest energy consumption. Furthermore, VMD resulted in the highest content of vitamin C (198.78 mg/100 g) and reducing sugar (73.78%), and the antioxidant capacities ranked only second to VFD. Given the financial advantages and product quality, VMD was suggested to be advantageous technology in actual industrial production.

Effects of Different Natural Drying Methods on Drying Characteristics and Quality of Diaogan apricots

Drying is one of the best methods to preserve the quality of fresh fruits and prolong their shelf life. This study focuses on Prunus armeniaca L. cv. ‘Diaogan’ (commonly known as Diaogan apricot) sourced from Xinjiang, China to explore the impact of two natural drying methods (shade drying and open-air drying in the rocky desert) on the drying kinetics, color, textural characteristics, microstructure, chemical properties, and antioxidant capacity of Diaogan apricots. The experimental results indicate that throughout the natural drying process, the time required for open-air drying in the rocky desert was reduced by 26.47% compared to shade drying. The L*, a*, and b* values of the shade- and ventilation-dried Diaogan apricots were higher than those sun-dried in the rocky desert, exhibiting a lower color difference (ΔE) than apricots dried through rocky desert sun drying. Specifically, the ΔE for shade-dried Diaogan apricots was 19.66 ± 0.24. The Diaogan apricots dried in the rocky desert exhibited greater hardness, lower elasticity, stronger adhesiveness, and higher chewiness compared to those dried in the shade, with the hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness being, respectively, 14.71%, 18.89%, and 35.79% higher. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed that the high temperatures experienced during open-air drying in the rocky desert caused rapid dehydration of the Diaogan apricot’s skin, leading to clogging and crust formation in the flesh pores, along with deformation or tearing of the tissue structure, ultimately resulting in poor rehydration ability. After drying, there was a significant increase in the soluble solids in the Diaogan apricots, whereas titratable acidity, total phenols, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant capacity were significantly decreased (p &lt; 0.05). In summary, the quality of dried Diaogan apricots post-drying is dependent on the natural drying method employed, with shade drying resulting in superior quality of Diaogan apricots compared to open-air drying in the rocky desert. This study offers fundamental data and serves as a theoretical reference for the industrialized production of apricots.

Dietary intervention for a growing Australian Kelpie with intestinal lipid malabsorption

AbstractA 12‐week‐old male Australian Kelpie was referred for nutritional consultation after being diagnosed with autosomal recessively inherited intestinal lipid malabsorption (ILM). At the timepoint of referral, the dog's bodyweight was below the ideal growth curve, the faecal quality was poor and the patient received a pancreatic enzyme supplement. The patient's diet at referral was based on a commercial dry food for all age groups and contained approximately 20% fat in dry matter (DM). We formulated a highly digestible homemade diet with a low‐fat content (10% DM) while meeting the recommendations for linoleic acid, α‐linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which supported the nutritional requirements of a growing dog with impaired fat absorption. The diet was adapted according to the different growth phases.To our knowledge, this is the first case report highlighting the nutritional management of an Australian Kelpie with ILM. After diet adaptation, the patient reached his growth potential.

Drying and Tempering Influence on the Milling Quality of Parboiled Rice

Rice occurrence and dealings are features of the tradition of Bangladesh’s populace. However, their experience of parboiled paddy for domestic consumption is limited. Proper drying and tempering are very important for maximum milling output. The study was conducted to investigate the drying and tempering influence on the milling quality of parboiled paddy. The sample size of the paddy was 36 kg as per treatment. In the case of T1 (daily 4 hours sun drying) and T2 (daily 5 hours sun drying), 1-hour drying and 1/2 hour tempering were maintained, and for T3 (daily 4 hours sun drying) and T4 (daily 5 hours sun drying), 1-hour drying, and 1-hour tempering were maintained. The temperature of the paddy sample was varied from 18 °C to 42 °C in five treatments. Drying over three days at different time intervals led to reduced moisture content (from 23.42% to 9.24%), resulting in increased kernel hardness for reduced breakage during milling. The highest kernel strength after three days of drying was found to be 50.65 N/m for T4. The relative humidity, day temperature, air flow velocity, and solar radiation varied from 48% to 78%, 24 °C to 29 °C, 0.00 to 0.70 m/s, and 64450 to 108100 lux, respectively. Based on milled rice, the best milling output and head rice recovery were found to be 20.51 kg and 19.80 kg, respectively, for T4. The lowest quantity of broken rice was 0.50 kg found for T1 and T4, respectively. The lowest quantity of loss was 1.10 kg for T2, and the lowest quantity of husk and bran was 6.88 kg for T4. Results showed that among the five treatments, 5 hours of sun drying daily, maintaining the procedure of 1-hour drying and 1-hour tempering until the moisture content is reduced to 10% (T4), is more effective for increasing milling recovery.

Fabrication and characterization of pullulan/tapioca starch-based antibacterial films incorporated with Litsea cubeba essential oil for meat preservation

Active packaging is a novel technology that utilizes active materials to interact with products and the environment, improving food shelf life. The purpose of this work was to fabricate a multifunctional film using Litsea cubeba essential oil (LC-EO) (1 %, 3 %, 5 %, and 7 %) as the active ingredient and pullulan(P)/tapioca starch (TS) as the carrier material. Adding essential oil improves the films properties, such as barrier ability, anti-oxidant, and antibacterial activity. However, tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB) were slightly reduced from 28.94 MPa to 11.29 MPa and 15.36 % to 12.19 %. The developed PTS3% films showed the best performance in mechanical properties, especially EAB (14.26 %), WVP (3.26 %) and OP (3.13 %), respectively. The inhibitory zone diameters in the agar-well diffusion test were 18.59 mm for Staphylococcus aureus and 17.32 mm for Escherichia coli. Further study was conducted to compare the preservation effects of film with low-density polyethylene bag (LDPE) on chilled beef. Remarkably, PTS3% film decreased the bacterial population in beef meat while maintaining the pH, color, texture, and TBARS levels within an acceptable range for ten days of storage at 4 °C rather than in a low-density polyethylene bag. The outcomes indicated the potential of PTS3% films in food packaging applications.

Realization and Experimental Study of a Forced Convection Solar Dryer

Post-harvest losses represent a significant cause of food insecurity worldwide. These losses not only affect the availability of food, but they also impact the economic stability of farmers and communities dependent on these crops. Food drying presents itself as a viable solution to reduce these post-harvest losses and ensure greater availability of food for human consumption. It is in this context that our work on the creation of an indirect solar dryer with forced convection, integrating an automatic temperature control system, takes place. This study consisted of creating a prototype and subsequently carrying out drying experiments on onions in order to evaluate the performance of the device. Our experiments took place from October 25 to October 29, 2023 at Joseph KI-ZERBO University. After 8 hours of drying, only 12% of the initial mass of the onions remained. The solar thermal collector presented an efficiency of 62%. And a drying efficiency, estimated at 17% with an average sunshine of 600W/m2.

Protocatechuic acid as an inhibitor of lipid oxidation in meat

Lipid oxidation is the principal driver of meat and meat product deterioration during shelf life, causing the loss of fresh meat color, flavor, and aroma. Currently, synthetic antioxidants are used to prevent oxidation, but increasing consumer demand for natural ones leaves the industry with few alternatives. In this study, protocatechuic acid (PCA), known to have high antioxidant activity, was evaluated as a potential inhibitor of meat lipid oxidation. For this purpose, the antioxidant capacity and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activity of PCA were evaluated in vitro, and a set of four experiments was conducted, treating minced meat with water (control), lactic acid (LA), rosmarinic acid (RA) and PCA, at different concentrations (1–12 mg mL−1), depending on the experiment. The potential antioxidant effect of PCA when applied to meat cubes was also evaluated, as well as the potential of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a delivery system for PCA. The in vitro results showed that PCA is a potent antioxidant and an effective LOX inhibitor at 1 mg mL−1. PCA effect on meat lipid oxidation prevention was dose-dependent, and at 2 mg mL−1, it inhibited color change by 50% and lipid peroxidation by up to 70% when compared to water-treated samples, performing better than RA at 0.25 mg mL−1. These results suggest that PCA is a promising molecule to the meat industry as a natural preservative for meat and meat products directly or in a formulation.