Organoleptic Quality Of Foods Research Articles

Bio-protection in oenology by Metschnikowia pulcherrima: from field results to scientific inquiry.

Finding alternatives to the use of chemical inputs to preserve the sanitary and organoleptic quality of food and beverages is essential to meet public health requirements and consumer preferences. In oenology, numerous manufacturers already offer a diverse range of bio-protection yeasts to protect must against microbiological alterations and therefore limit or eliminate sulphites during winemaking. Bio-protection involves selecting non-Saccharomyces yeasts belonging to different genera and species to induce negative interactions with indigenous microorganisms, thereby limiting their development and their impact on the matrix. Although the effectiveness of bio-protection in the winemaking industry has been reported in numerous journals, the underlying mechanisms are not yet well understood. The aim of this review is to examine the current state of the art of field trials and laboratory studies that demonstrate the effects of using yeasts for bio-protection, as well as the interaction mechanisms that may be responsible for these effects. It focuses on the yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima, particularly recommended for the bio-protection of grape musts.

Optimization of the mixture of groundnut, palm, stearin, and sesame oils subjected to heat treatment and evaluation of their lipid quality

The mixing of edible oils makes it possible to prevent lipid oxidation and preserve the nutritional and organoleptic quality of food. This study was conducted to determine the optimized blend ratio of groundnut (Arachis hypogea), olein, stearin, and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) oils, to limit thermal oxidation of their lipids. The augmented simplex lattice design was used to study the effect of the edible oils (peanut, palm olein, palm stearin, and sesame oils) on the responses; peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid value, p-Anisidine value, iodine value, free fatty acid content, and total oxidation. The optimized blending oil proportions of peanut, olein, sesame, and stearin oils, were: 33.23%, 23.23%, 15.85%, and 27% respectively. Under this optimum condition, the following quality parameters were obtained: 1.75% oleic acid for the free fatty acid; 6.15 meq/kg for the peroxide value; 1.16 meq MDA/Kg for the thiobarbituric acid value; 55.39 g I2/100 g for the iodine value, 4.45 for the p-Anisidine value, and 19.85 for the total oxidation value. The resulting desirability was equal to 1. Thus, our results for the optimization indicate that the combination of oil makes it possible to best preserve the chemical quality of the lipids during heat treatments.

Effect of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Spice on Nutrititional, Microbial Content of Moin-Moin and Efficacy of Spice Against Selected Foodborne Pathogens

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) impacts flavor, organoleptic quality of foods and contributes to the preservation of foods. Moin-moin is an indigenous food made from beans (Vigna unguiculata) and highly perishable. This study investigated the effect of turmeric spice on quality of moin-moin, and the efficacy of turmeric on selected foodborne pathogens. Three samples were prepared with (0; 2.5 and 5g) of turmeric. Nutritional, microbial, sensory and efficacy of spice against microorganisms were performed. Moisture content ranged from (1.35 to 1.48%), protein (38.9 to 44.9%), ash (6.2 to 7.4%), fat (11 to 11.8%) and fibre (6.9 to 7.7%). TVC of samples for day zero was (3.1 to 6.8 x 105CFU/g); Enterobacteriaceae (1.1 to 2.1x105CFU/g); Staphylococcal (2.7 to 4.6 x105CFU/g); and Coliform (6.4 to 8.3x105CFU/g). After 48 h, sample with 5g of spice and refrigeration had reduced microbial load. Moin-moin with 2.5g of turmeric was generally accepted and considered the best sample. Turmeric spice was observed to be more effective against Salmonella spp. Conclusively, addition of turmeric to moin-moin was able to reduce the microbial load and improve the shelf-life of the product.

Direct Contact Ultrasound in Food Processing: Impact on Food Quality

Consumers' demand for “minimally processed” products that maintain the “fresh-like” characteristics has increased in recent years. Ultrasound (US) is a non-thermal technology that enhances mass and energy transfer processes resulting in improved food quality. A new method of applying US to food without using a liquid or gaseous medium for the propagation of acoustic waves has recently been under research. It is known as direct contact US, since the food is directly placed on a plate where the transducers are located. In this type of systems, the main effect is not cavitation but acoustic vibration, which encourages mass and energy transfer processes due to the “sponge effect.” Furthermore, as the product is not immersed in a liquid medium, the loss of hydrophilic nutritional compounds is reduced; systems such as these can thus be more easily implemented on an industrial level. Nevertheless, the very few studies that have been published about these systems mainly focus on dehydration and freezing. This article summarizes published research on the impact of direct contact US in nutritional and organoleptic quality of food in order to assess their potential to meet new market trends.

Lactobacillus plantarum 299V improves the microbiological quality of legume sprouts and effectively survives in these carriers during cold storage and in vitro digestion.

Probiotics improve consumers' health and additionally may positively influence the microbiological and organoleptic quality of food. In the study, legume sprouts were inoculated with Lactobacilllus plantarum 299V to produce a new functional product ensuring the growth and survival of the probiotic and high microbiological quality of the final product. Legume sprouts, which are an excellent source of nutrients, were proposed as alternative carriers for the probiotic. The key factors influencing the production of probiotic-rich sprouts include the temperature (25°C) of sprouting and methods of inoculation (soaking seeds in a suspension of probiotics). Compared to the control sprouts, the sprouts enriched with the probiotic were characterized by lower mesophilic bacterial counts. In the case of fresh and stored probiotic-rich sprouts, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) accounted for a majority of total microorganisms. The Lb. plantarum population was also stable during the cold storage. The high count of LAB observed in the digest confirmed the fact that the studied sprouts are effective carriers for probiotics and ensure their survival in the harmful conditions of the digestive tract in an in vitro model. Enrichment of legume sprouts with probiotics is a successful attempt and yields products for a new branch of functional foods.

Application of pretreatment methods on agricultural products prior to frying: a review.

Frying is one of the methods of processing foods, which imparts flavour, taste, colour and crispness in the fried foods. In spite of an increase in the demand for fried foods by consumers all over the world, the danger posed by consuming too much fat is still a challenge. Many researchers have put forward many ideas on how to reduce the oil uptake and improve the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of foods during frying. Several pretreatment techniques applied to food materials prior to frying have been investigated by researchers in a bid to reduce the oil uptake and improve the quality parameters of fried foods. Therefore, this review focuses on the various pretreatment methods and the recent novel methods like ultrasound, infrared, superheated steam drying, microwave technique and pulsed electric field applied to foods prior to frying and its effects on the qualities of fried foods. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Oxidative stabilization of RBD palm olein under forced storage conditions by old Cameroonian green tea leaves methanolic extract

BackgroundLipid oxidation is responsible for the deterioration of the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of foods. It also leads to the formation in these products of compounds which are harmful for the consumer's health. The synthetic antioxidants used by industries in order to solve this problem are also prone to be toxic and quite volatile at high temperatures. On the other hand, the trend among researchers to replace the synthetic antioxidants with natural ones is increasing because of their potential health benefits. In this study, old Cameroonian green tea leaf methanolic extracts were added in palm olein and its efficiency in delaying the oxidation of oil under forced storage conditions was assessed. MethodsThe plant material was extracted with methanol and its total phenolics content evaluated by colorimetry, followed by the qualitative identification of some phenolic antioxidants by HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS. After preliminary antioxidant studies, the extract was added in oil at concentrations that ranged from 200 to 1800ppm. Oil containing butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and oil without antioxidant served as positive and negative controls, respectively. The oxidative stability of these oil samples was evaluated by determining their oxidation induction times on Rancimat (at 110°C) and measuring their oxidative state by the Schaal oven test method during 30days of storage at 70°C. Here, oil samples were collected every 10days and their peroxide, p-anisidine, total oxidation, thiobarbituric acid, iodine values as well as changes in their linoleic acid profile gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detector (GC/FID) were evaluated. ResultsThe outcomes showed the total phenolics content of the extract to be 53.5mg GAE/g. Gallic acid, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin gallate were the phenolic antioxidants detected. The induction times of palm olein supplemented with the extract (200–1800ppm) were found to be in the range of 24.8–28.9h, while those of control and oil containing BHT were 20.1 and 22.7h, respectively. The extracts, at all concentrations, were also found to be efficient like butylated hydroxytoluene in inhibiting the oxidation of palm olein during 30days of storage at 70°C. ConclusionThe investigations showed that old Cameroonian green tea leaves are a viable source of natural antioxidants for delaying palm olein oxidation.

Bacteriophage cocktail significantly reduces or eliminates Listeria monocytogenes contamination on lettuce, apples, cheese, smoked salmon and frozen foods

ListShield™, a commercially available bacteriophage cocktail that specifically targets Listeria monocytogenes, was evaluated as a bio-control agent for L. monocytogenes in various Ready-To-Eat foods. ListShield™ treatment of experimentally contaminated lettuce, cheese, smoked salmon, and frozen entrèes significantly reduced (p < 0.05) L. monocytogenes contamination by 91% (1.1 log), 82% (0.7 log), 90% (1.0 log), and 99% (2.2 log), respectively. ListShield™ application, alone or combined with an antioxidant/anti-browning solution, resulted in a statistically significant (p < 0.001) 93% (1.1 log) reduction of L. monocytogenes contamination on apple slices after 24 h at 4 °C. Treatment of smoked salmon from a commercial processing facility with ListShield™ eliminated L. monocytogenes (no detectable L. monocytogenes) in both the naturally contaminated and experimentally contaminated salmon fillets. The organoleptic quality of foods was not affected by application of ListShield™, as no differences in the color, taste, or appearance were detectable. Bio-control of L. monocytogenes with lytic bacteriophage preparations such as ListShield™ can offer an environmentally-friendly, green approach for reducing the risk of listeriosis associated with the consumption of various foods that may be contaminated with L. monocytogenes.

Enzymatic and acid conversion of new starches from improved orphan crops: prospects for renewable materials uses in food and non-food industries.

The enzymatic and acid hydrolysis have converted eight new starches into a range of chain lengths mainly including glucose, maltose, and maltodextrins as observed on TLC plates, irrespective to the starch variety and treatment. Results of the enzymatic hydrolysis have highlighted the possibility of the use of V4 and V64, which can be labelled as “dietary fibres”, to enhance the organoleptic qualities of foods and for fibre fortification of low-calorie products. Concerning V66 and V69, they have much relevant in food, textile and pharmaceutical applications. The acid hydrolysis showed that V73 is the best starch in the chemical industry for making environment-friendly products such as plastics. Because starch is a natural component that degrade quickly in normal composting condition, the whole studied starches could be advised for various utilizations in the food, textile, paper, biofuel, pharmaceutical and plastic industries for sustainable development.

Antifungal activity of essential oils and their combinations in in vitro and in vivo conditions

Natural additives are in demand for the control of microbial growth in foods. Several natural compounds including essential oils (EOs) are being explored for food uses. In the present investigation, the antifungal activity of cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, peppermint and clove EOs and their combinations was evaluated against 12 species of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and Rhizopus in in vitro and tomato fruit system (in-vivo). The EOs were able to inhibit complete growth of tested fungi at or below 0.6% level and 80 μL of EOs (except peppermint oil) in in vitro condition and tomato system, respectively. The fractional inhibitory studies showed either additive or indifferent effect by combining eugenol and peppermint, and indifferent or antagonist effect by combining the cinnamaldehyde and clove in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The findings may be useful for application of these EOs in foods, but their effects on organoleptic quality of foods need to be investigated.

The Preservative Effects of Two Local Nigerian Spices on the Shelf Life of fried Bean Cake Snacks

Spices and herbs have been reported to be potent sources of natural antioxidants. Spices are known to impact flavour and improve overall organoleptic quality of foods. The use of naturally occurring materials like spices as preservatives has been proved to be a promising alternative to the use of chemicals. The effects of Aframomum danielli and Zingiber officinale crude extract on the storability of fried bean cake snacks were investigated. Proximate and sensory analyses of the snack were also assessed. The fried bean cakes were spiced with 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1% of both spices, the untreated sample was also prepared making a total of 11 samples. Proximate analyses revealed that moisture ranged from 0.85-1.05%, protein 80.00-78.70%, fat 2.09-1.08%, ash 1.50-1.30%, fibre 2.00-1.80%, carbohydrate 10.25-12.75% and dry matter 3.52-2.30%. Sensory evaluation shows that there was no significant difference (p<0.5) among the treated and untreated samples in terms of all the sensory attributes evaluated. Storage stability test also indicated the preservative effects of the incorporated extracts on spoilage microorganisms at ambient temperature when compared to the control sample. There was, with respect to concentration of extract added, little significant difference in preservative effect between samples preserved with alligator pepper and ginger extracts. Conclusively, the fried bean cake snacks treated with 0.2% and 0.4% of both spices were more acceptable generally and stable than the ones treated with 0.6 and 0.8% of both spices. The fried bean cake snacks treated with 1% of both spices were unacceptable in terms of all the sensory attributes evaluated.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS APPLIED IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN POLAND

The new approach of food producers to food quality of agricultural products is coming out of aggravation of health safety requirements and producer’s responsibility for its products as well as increasing customer’s demands and expectations concerning health safety and organoleptic quality of food. In Poland like in other EU countries legal regulations concerning production and trade in food are applicable, including also laws introducing obligation to implement and apply some quality management systems. Obligatory quality management systems in enterprises of food industry include: Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Accession of Poland to the European Union had a very significant impact on the condition of implementation and implementing obligatory quality management systems in the food industry. From 1 May 2004 to 1 August 2008, the number of enterprises of the food industry which applied obligatory quality management systems grew significantly. The most advanced level of implementation and application of the GHP, GMP and HACCP was observed in large and medium-sized enterprises.

Structure of D-Fructosamine Hydrochloride and D-Fructosamine Hydroacetate

D-Fructosamine derivatives are key intermediates of the early Maillard reaction and have been a subject of numerous studies in food and health sciences due to their implication in the nutritional and organoleptic quality of foods, as well as to complications in diabetes and renal disease. We report the crystal structure analyses of 1-deoxy-β -D-fructopyranos-1-ylamine hydrochloride (1) and -hydroacetate (2) salts. The carbohydrate rings adopt the normal 2C5 pyranose chair conformation in 1 and 2. Bond lengths and valence angles in 1 and 2 compare well with the average values from related pyranose structures. There are two conformationally nonequivalent molecules in the asymmetric unit in 1. All hydroxyl and ring oxygen atoms, ammonium groups, and chloride ions in 1 are involved in an extensive three-dimensional hydrogen bonding network. The hydrogen bonding network in 2 is formed by one type of infinite chain with attached antidromic cycles.

Historical Perspective of the Maillard Reaction in Food Science

Maillard's paper of 1912 describing the reaction between amino acids and sugars is both innovative and visionary. It provides original and still-valuable data on the chemistry of a new reaction and foresees its involvement in many scientific and biological domains, even in human pathology. This paper was ignored by the scientific community until 1941. In 1948 the Maillard reaction was definitely recognized as being responsible for the browning and loss of nutritive value of heated milk powders. There was then a continuous increase in papers on the chemistry of this complex reaction to identify its various pathways: in food science, to evaluate the influence of reaction parameters (pH, T degrees , time, sugar reactivity, concentration of the reagents, water activity, glass transition temperature) on the evolution of the reaction and on changes in food quality; in nutrition, to quantify the loss of bioavailability of essential amino acids; on the metabolism of the reaction products and on the physiological effects of the ingested Maillard reaction products. The significant scientific advances and the key persons and pioneers who contributed much to the understanding of the Maillard reaction are presented. The food industry is directly concerned with the occurrence of this reaction in processed foods and contributed significantly by its own research to understanding the phenomena and to optimizing the processes and conditions of food preparation in order to preserve the nutritional, safety, and organoleptic qualities of foods.

When is a vitamin NOT a vitamin?

Vitamin C is well known in a nutritional context for being one vital component of the mixed diet we all need for survival. But vitamin C also has value in influencing the organoleptic qualities of foods.