Past Processes Research Articles

Processors' understanding of process quality: a qualitative interview study with employees of organic dairies in Germany and Switzerland

PurposeOrganic food processing must include organic principles to be authentic. This qualitative study aims to understand the processors' understanding of organic food processing quality.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on semi-structured expert interviews with eight employees of six purely or partly organic dairies from Germany and Switzerland. Interview themes are (1) quality of organic milk processing in general, (2) assessment of specific processing techniques, (3) product quality of organic milk and (4) flow of information between producer and consumer. The interviews have been audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.Findings(1) Experts prefer minimal processing; some prefer artisanal processing, whilst others stress the advantages of mechanisation. (2) High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurisation and mechanical processing techniques are accepted; ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk processing is partly rejected. (3) Traditional taste and valuable ingredients should be present in the final product. Natural variances are judged positively. (4) Consumers' low level of food technology literacy is challenging for communication.Research limitations/implicationsThe results cannot be generalised due to the qualitative study design. Further studies, e.g. qualitative case analyses and studies with a quantitative design, are necessary to deepen the results.Practical implicationsThe paper shows which processing technologies experts consider suitable or unsuitable for organic milk. The paper also identifies opportunities to bridge the perceived gap between processors' and consumers' demands.Originality/valueThe study shows the challenges of processors in expressing the processors' understanding of process quality.

Impact of foaming conditions on quality for foam-mat drying of Butterfly pea flower by multiple regression analysis

In recent years, the Butterfly pea flower has been increasingly interested in its color and function. However, the preservation of the extract faced many difficulties; therefore, foam drying technology was applied to solve this problem. The study was conducted to determine the effect of foaming conditions, including albumin ratio, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) ratio, and whipping time on foam characteristics. At the same time, the multi-dimensional regression method was also used to determine the most suitable foaming conditions for the following process. The research results showed that all 3 factors strongly influenced the foaming process of pea flower extract. It could be concluded that the most suitable condition for foaming is to use 9.3% albumin, 0.79% CMC and stir for 19 min. Under these conditions, the foam expansion and stability were 584.79% and 96.44% respectively. The powder obtained from the foam drying of Butterfly pea flower extract was also analyzed for quality. The temperature of 65 oC for 4 hrs gave relatively high-quality powder with protein content, anthocyanin and antioxidant activity of 9.89 g/100g, 1.15 mg/g and 87.34% respectively. In conclusion, the foam-mat dried powder from butterfly pea flower extract is suitable for other processing processes, especially in the processing of folk cakes, pasta and bread industry.

Yersinia enterocolitica and Shigella spp. in pasteurized milk

In this study, it was planned to investigate the presence and serotypes of Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica) in various pasteurized milk samples, collected from retail markets in Kırıkkale region, using classical isolation and identification. Pasteurized milk samples were taken for isolation in the study; aseptically, 25 g of the sample was added to 225 ml of Peptone Sorbitol Bile Buyyon (PSBB). 30 s were homogenized and incubated at 10 ° C for 10 days.
 On day 10, the enrichment water was removed from the incubator and thoroughly mixed. From the enrichment water, 0.1 ml in 0.5% saline was transferred to 0.5% KOH and stirred for 2-3 seconds. Decouple one loop to the Mac Conkey plate and one loop to the CIN plate successively. After 1 day of incubation, the CIN plates were examined. Small (1-2 mm in diameter) colonies with a sharp-edged dark red center, the entire edge of which is surrounded by a clear colorless zone, were selected for identification. Colonies showing characteristic features after incubation were identified by a rapid identification system (BBL, Crystal). Y. enterocolitica could not be isolated in 100 of the pasteurized milk samples that were examined, but yeast was detected in 6 milk samples and Shigella spp. were detected in one of the samples.
 The reason why Yersinia spp. could not be isolated in our study, might be that the pasteurization process prevented the reproduction of Yersinia spp., but did not prevent the growth of Shigella spp. It is thought that working with a higher number of samples may increase the isolation rate, and Y. enterocolitica and Shigella spp., which are important sources of infection, should be examined in pasteurized milk.

Design of a High-Voltage Pulse Generator in a Pulsed Electric Field for the Pasteurization Process of Randu Honey

Realized a high-voltage pulse generator (HVPG) in a pulsed electric field (PEF). The honey pasteurization process with a PEF uses short electrical pulses to honey nectar through electrodes directed at a stirring rod, which deactivates spores and fungi. The PEF is a non-thermal technology for honey preservation. PEF is applied for vessels with a capacity of 80 liters to support micro, small, and medium enterprises; they have yet to make it so far. This study aimed to produce an HVPG design in randu honey preservation by controlling treatment time and specific input energy requirements. The modulation uses pulse width modulation (PWM) on a 50% duty cycle microcontroller. The first pasteurization was through a heating process for 60 minutes, followed by testing the effectiveness of PEF by adjusting the suitability of the processing time for 60 minutes. Measurement of the treatment time after the pasteurization process shows that the average voltage and current used are 25kV~40kV and 0.3A. The electric field strength sent to the stir bar is 0.33kV/cm. During the pasteurization process of randu honey, the temperature setting is gradually increased to 70°C, with the heating process for 60 minutes, and the process stops. The honey process continues to apply PEF for the temperature decreases to 24°C in the honey liquid. This aims to deactivate the spores and herbs without causing loss of the sensory and physical properties of the honey liquid.

Effects of pasteurization on the physicochemical, sensory properties and microbiological quality of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) wine during storage

Introduction: In the beverage sector, pasteurization is combined with another means of preservation such as concentration, acidification to extend product shelf-life by inactivating all non-spore-forming pathogenic bacteria and the majority of vegetative spoilage microorganisms, as well as inhibiting or stopping microbial and enzyme activity. The main objective of this study was to focus on the effect of pasteurization and storage on the physical, antioxidant, and microbiological properties of red beetroot (beta vulgaris l.) wine. Method: After fermentation in 10 days, the red beetroot wine was either pasteurized at 700C in 10 minutes or unpasteurized before storing at 40C in different time (1 month, 2 months). Physicochemical properties and microbiological quality of beetroot wine were analyzed to study effect of pasteurization and storage on those properties of beetroot wine. Results: Physical properties like pH, total dissolved solids content were significantly affected by pasteurization (higher pH and higher TTS in pasteurized samples than in unpasteurized samples) but they were not affected by storage time in this project. After fermentation, the TPC of red beetroot wine was lost but it kept unchanged after pasteurization. Vitamin C of the wine sample was lost after pasteurization only when storage. Pasteurization and 2 month-storage caused significant reduction on antioxidant capacity of red beetroot wine. Sensory quality of beetroot wine was not affected by pasteurization but it was in the case of storage. Microorganism quality of wine was acceptable for consumption. Pasteurization process is effective in increasing shelf life of red beetroot wine but does not significantly affect its nutritional and sensory values.

Optimization of pasteurization process of the ready-to-drink beverage from Hong Quan (Flacourtia jangomas) fruit by response surface methodology

Optimization of pasteurization process of the ready-to-drink beverage from Hong Quan (Flacourtia jangomas) fruit by response surface methodology

Effect of storage process on nutritive properties of preterm human milk

Freeze storage and pasteurization of human milk are common treatments in milk banks. However, thermal treatment changes milk quality for preterm infants? nutrition. Therefore, this paper aimed to examine preterm human milk's nutritional profile and antioxidant potential after storage, pasteurization, and after supplementation with a fortifier. The effects of storage processes were estimated on the mature preterm milk of 30 breastfeeding women. Total proteins, lipids, and lactose were determined after thermal processing and supplementing mature preterm milk with a fortifier. The ferric-reducing antioxidant potential method and lipid peroxidation inhibition assay determined the antioxidant capacity. Protein concentration decreased after frozen storage and pasteurization (p<0.05). Pasteurization further reduced the lipid concentration after freezing. The ferric-reducing antioxidant potential decreased after thermal treatments (p<0.05). Supplementing mature milk with a fortifier increased the concentration of proteins, lipids, and lactose. Our findings demonstrated that storage and pasteurization processes affect preterm human milk's basic nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity. To ensure adequate nutrition for preterm infants with preterm human milk, supplementation, especially with high concentrations of proteins and lipids, is necessary after thermal treatments.

Effect of pasteurization on color, ascorbic acid and lycopene of crushed tomato: A computational study with experimental validation

Pasteurization of crushed tomato in glass bottles was evaluated using a multiphysics model, aiming to understand the temperature profiles and quality losses during the heating and cooling stages of the process. In order to rigorously simulate the pasteurization process, a finite element model was built using experimentally measured product and heat transfer parameters (thermal conductivity, density, specific heat, and convective heat transfer coefficient) and the kinetics of thermal degradation of the quality parameters (color, lycopene and ascorbic acid). The developed model was successfully validated by considering both the temperature profile (R 2 = 0.99) and quality losses (relative differences <10%). After validation, equivalent thermal processes were simulated at three temperatures (80, 90 and 100 °C). Numerical results revealed that the process at 100 °C provided the best retention of quality compared to the 80 and 90 °C processes. For the three quality parameters evaluated, color ( a* value), lycopene and ascorbic acid, for 100 °C, retention values of 92.25, 74.76 and 83.68% were obtained, while for the 80 °C treatment, the retentions were 65.60, 18.35 and 36.13%, respectively. • A multiphysics model was built to study crushed tomato in glass bottle pasteurization. • The microbial inactivation during cooling was greater than 50% of the total P-value . • Coldest point was located on axial axis at 38.5% of the total height for all cases. • The best retention of quality was provided by the treatment at 100 °C. • The developed model can be used to design and optimize protocols for pasteurization.

Design of a Honey Pasteurization Machine Based on Touch Screen User Interface to Control Honey Content Using the Pugh Method

Pasteurization of honey in Honey Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is generally carried out by conventional methods through a thermal process. This method has risks because heating of more than 75°C causes nutritional degradation of the quality of honey. Non-thermal pasteurization is an alternative to the thermal method, although it does not use temperature to deactivate microbes. Based on several studies, PEF technology is a sustainable food processing, ensuring microbial stability with lower treatment temperatures and minimal side effects. LPPD UNS has developed a hone pasteurization machine but due to the long operating time, this developed engine experienced process instability. Therefore, the design of a pasteurization machine using PEF technology for further development is important. This research aims to redesign the pasteurization machine using PEF technology to provide significant value that UI design and systems are considered through several criteria. The emergence of several alternative development redesigns for pasteurization machines. it is necessary to select alternative designs using Pugh's method. The results of the design, the machine is designed with a stirring speed of 20rpm, 25rpm, and 30rpm and the PEF intensity of 25kV, 30kV, and 35kV. Modification of this design is expected so that process instability can be resolved and proper treatment can be obtained in the honey pasteurization process.

Physicochemical characteristics of Palmyrah bottled toddy and their effect on storage

In the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka, the cloudy whitish toddy is obtained by tapping young or matured inflorescence of both female and male palmyrah palm (Borassus flabellifer), preserved them by using pasteurization techniques and then sold. In the present study, the effect of heat and storage period on the physicochemical characteristics as well as nutritional and mineral content of fresh and preserved toddy were determined. Preserved toddy showed a significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher alcohol (%) 3.80(±0.07), acidity (%) 0.60(±0.07), turbidity (NTU) 2,694.50 (±0.07), relative density 1.01 (±0.07) and total solid (g/L) 58.22 (±0.07) while the total soluble solids (obrix) 5.93(±0.07) and pH 3.43 (±0.07) showed significantly lesser values compared to the fresh toddy. However, there was no significant (P&gt;0.05) difference in protein 1.42(±0.01) g, fat 0.02(±0.00) g, iron 11.9(±0.3) mg, phosphorus 0.64(±0.04) mg, calcium 13.5(±0.5) mg and magnesium 5.3(±0.5) mg/100 mL. During pasteurization, total sugar and ascorbic acid content were significantly (P&lt;0.05) decreased from 3.04(±0.06) to 2.80(±0.01) g/100 mL and 3.0(±0.01) to 2.1(±0.01), respectively. When pasteurized toddy was stored at room temperature, there were no significant differences between the storage period of twelve months in alcohol 2.9(±0.60), acidity 0.5(±0.10), TSS 7.9(±0.6), pH 3.6(±0.01) and TS 69.4(±9.3). In conclusion, the physicochemical characteristics of palmyrah bottled toddy were not influenced by the pasteurization process and period of storage of twelve months.

Application of egg white hydrolysate (EWH) to improve frothing functionality of pasteurized liquid egg in large quantity production

Sterilized Liquid Eggs (SLE) are convenient for the baking process by minimizing the food safety risks of fresh eggs. Although these advantages were encouraging, the thermal effects of the pasteurization process had a negative impact on the functionality of the egg whites, thus making them unattractive to the food industry. Therefore, our previous study found that adding 1–5% egg white hydrolysate (EWH) contributed to the foaminess and stability in SLE. This primary purpose of this study was to confirm the feasibility of applying the optimum concentration of EWH for simultaneous evaluation and shelf life for batch production of SLE. The physical characteristics of the foam were analyzed by adding 1 ± 0.2% of EWH to SLE, and it was found that the foam with 1% EWH had better stability (low drainage), better viscosity, and similar distribution of foam bubbles size in the microstructure. No Salmonella infection has been found during the shelf life of 7 days. In addition, the highest overall acceptability has obtained using the large quantity produced SLE with 1% EWH to produce spoon cookies, followed by sensory evaluation. The cross-sectional height of the cookie and the distribution of holes in the structure were in line with those of the non-sterilized liquid egg white (NSLE). Hence, adding 1% EWH was found to the optimum concentration, which provides good foaming performance and stability of SLE. This study conveys a positive assessment to SLE producers and potential users, as it will increase their profitability economically while meeting the market challenges.

PENGARUH KOMBINASI PROSES TERMAL DAN JENIS KEMASAN TERHADAP MUTU CIMPLUNG SINGKONG SIAP SAJI

Cassava cimplung is a traditional processed food made from cassava which is boiled in coconut sap water. Cassava has not been widely produced in ready-to-eat packaging as a selling value food. This is because cimplung is a semi-wet food so it easily spoils and does not last long. In an effort to maintain the quality of cassava cimplung, in this study a thermal pasteurization process was carried out with variations in the length of 10 minutes and 15 minutes and the use of EVOH (Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol) and boilpack packaging. Quality parameters observed included texture, pH, color, and brix content for 6 weeks of storage. The aims of this study were 1) To determine the effect of packaging type on the quality of cassava cimplung, 2) To determine the effect of pasteurization time on the quality of cassava cimplung, and 3) To determine the interaction effect of packaging type and pasteurization duration on the quality of cassava cimplung. The results of this study were 1)The treatment of the type of packaging was significantly different on the value of texture, pH, and color but was not significantly different on the brix content of cassava cimplung, 2) Pasteurization time treatment was significantly different to color value but not significantly different to texture, brix content, and pH of cassava cimplung, and 3) The interaction between the type of packaging and the duration of pasteurization was not significantly different on all quality parameters of cassava cimplung

Combination system of pulsed ohmic heating and 365-nm UVA light-emitting diodes to enhance inactivation of foodborne pathogens in phosphate-buffered saline, milk, and orange juice

This study developed and investigated the combination system of pulsed ohmic heating (POH) and ultraviolet A light-emitting diode (UVA-LED) to enhance inactivation of pathogens in phosphate-buffered saline, milk, and orange juice. When Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium (6–8 log CFU/ml) in samples were subjected to the simultaneous combination of POH and UVA-LED at 50–65°C, the reduction levels increased >1 log CFU/ml compared with each treatment alone. After pathogens in PBS were subjected to the combination treatment at 65°C (50 s), the degree of intracellular ROS generation and lipid peroxidation were increased approximately 1.6 times than each treatment alone. Moreover, propidium iodide uptake values, which indicated cell membrane damage, for E. coli O157:H7 were 0.92, 14.22, and 19.92 after UVA-LED, POH, and their combination treatment, respectively. Therefore, the combination of POH and UVA-LED may possibly be applied as an effective hurdle technology for food safety. Industrial relevanceIt was identified that the combination treatment induced the generation of intracellular ROS; thereby causing lipid peroxidation and cell membrane damage of pathogens. However, the combination system has no effect on DNA damage of pathogens. In addition, there was no significant difference in the content of vitamin and malondialdehyde in milk and orange juice before and after the combination treatment. Thus, this research provides a fundamental database for the applicability of the combination system of POH and UVA-LED to the pasteurization process in the food industry.

Unveiling the impact of durum wheat protein quantity and quality on textural properties and microstructure of cooked pasta

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThis study investigated the impact of protein quantity and gluten strength on mechanical properties and microstructure of cooked pasta using texture analyzer and scanning electron microscopy. Three Canadian durum varieties with wide range of gluten strength at four protein levels were selected.FindingsFour distinct microstructures were characterized for cooked pasta. Pasta with firm texture exhibited compact and dense protein networks, while that with soft texture showed open, coarse, and heterogeneous structures. Protein content was the dominant factor in determining pasta firmness, the impact of gluten strength on pasta texture depends on protein content and cooking time. Greater impact from gluten strength was observed when pasta was overcooked.ConclusionsThe relative contribution of protein quantity and quality in cooked pasta texture depends upon the ranges of protein content, gluten strength, and degree of cooking.Significance and NoveltyThis study unveiled the impact of wheat protein content and gluten strength on textural and microstructural properties of pasta at three cooking times. Results generated from this study provide guidance for durum breeding programs, durum milling, and pasta processing industry in setting protein content and gluten strength targets to ensure pasta quality.

Hydrogen-Rich Water Can Restrict the Formation of Biogenic Amines in Red Beet Pickles

Fermented foods are considered the main sources of biogenic amines (BAs) in the human diet while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the main producers of BAs. Normal water (NW) and hydrogen-rich water (HRW) were used for preparing red beet pickles, i.e., NWP and HRWP, respectively. The formation of BAs, i.e., aromatic amines (tyramine, 2-phenylethylamine), heterocyclic amines (histamine, tryptamine), and aliphatic di-amines (putrescine), was analyzed in both beet slices and brine of NWPs and HRWPs throughout the fermentation stages. Significant differences in redox value (Eh7) between NWP and HRWP brine samples were noticed during the first and last fermentation stages with lower values found for HRWPs. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), yeast–mold, and LAB counts were higher for HRWPs than NWPs for all fermentation stages. Throughout fermentation stages, the levels of all BAs were lower in HRWPs than those of NWPs, and their levels in brines were higher than those of beets. At the end of fermentation, the levels (mg/kg) of BAs in NWPs and HRWPs were, respectively: tyramine, 72.76 and 61.74 (beet) and 113.49 and 92.67 (brine), 2-phenylethylamine, 48.00 and 40.00 (beet) and 58.01 and 50.19 (brine), histamine, 67.89 and 49.12 (beet) and 91.74 and 70.92 (brine), tryptamine, 93.14 and 77.23 (beet) and 119.00 and 93.11 (brine), putrescine, 81.11 and 63.56 (beet) and 106.75 and 85.93 (brine). Levels of BAs decreased by (%): 15.15 and 18.35 (tyramine), 16.67 and 13.44 (2-phenylethylamine), 27.65 and 22.7 (histamine), 17.09 and 21.76 (tryptamine), and 21.64 and 19.5 (putrescine) for beet and brine, respectively, when HRW was used in pickle preparation instead of NW. The results of this study suggest that the best method for limiting the formation of BAs in pickles is to use HRW in the fermentation phase then replace the fermentation medium with a new acidified and brined HRW followed by a pasteurization process.

Monte Carlo simulation model predicts bactofugation can extend shelf-life of pasteurized fluid milk, even when raw milk with low spore counts is used as the incoming ingredient.

Bacterial spores from raw milk that survive the pasteurization process are responsible for half of all the spoilage of fluid milk. Bactofugation has received more attention as a nonthermal method that can reduce the presence of bacterial spores in milk and with it the spoilage of fluid milk. The objective of this work was to determine the effectiveness of bactofugation in removing spores from raw milk and estimate the effect the spore removal could have on shelf-life of fluid milk. The study was conducted in a commercial fluid milk processing facility where warm spore removal was performed using one-phase bactofuge followed by warm cream separation and high temperature, short time pasteurization. Samples from different stages of fluid milk processing with and without the use of bactofuge were tested for total plate count, mesophilic spore count, psychrotolerant spore count (PSC), and somatic cell count. Results were evaluated to determine the count reductions during different stages of fluid milk processing and compare counts in fluid milk processed with and without bactofugation. Bactofugation on average reduced the total plate count by 1.81 ± 0.72 log cfu/mL, mesophilic spore count by 1.08 ± 0.71 log cfu/mL, PSC by 0.86 ± 0.59 log cfu/mL, and somatic cell count by 135,881 ± 43,942 cells/mL. Psychrotolerant spore count in final pasteurized skim milk processed with and without bactofugation was used to predict the shelf-life of the pasteurized skim milk using the Monte Carlo simulation model. Although PSC in the initial raw milk was already low (-0.63 ± 0.47 log cfu/mL), the predicted values from the simulation model showed that bactofugation would extend the shelf-life of pasteurized skim milk by approximately 2 d. The results of this study will directly help fluid milk processors evaluate the benefits of using bactofugation as an intervention in their plants, and also demonstrate the benefits of using mathematical modeling in decision making.

DEKONTAMINASI BAKTERI PADA PENENTUAN KUALITAS BAKU MUTU AIR UNTUK PRODUKSI SIRUP COKELAT

Determining the quality of water for raw materials in the food industry environment which is important and must be considered to facilitate the production process. Water quality standards in the production process of the food industry must meet the requirements of drinking water standards that meet microbiological, physical, and chemical standards. The results of water quality testing that have a high total bacterial value will cause poor product quality and affect the shelf life of the product. In this study, the methods of determining the status of water quality used that were the STORET and the pollutant index method. This study examined one variable and four attributes that affect the assessment of water quality for raw materials. The variable tested was the total content of bacteria. The attributes studied were water clarity, color, pH, and temperature. Bacterial decontamination on water quality standards was carried out by using the pasteurization process with parameter index values in segment I (0.50), segment II (0.55), segment III (0.55). The STORET method had a score of (0) which meant that the status of the water quality standard met the standard for using as raw material for chocolate syrup production. The results of the alternative hypothesis showed that there was a significant difference between water quality before and after the pasteurization process.

Production of lactic acid from pasta wastes using a biorefinery approach

A total of 398 kt of pasta waste (PW), generated during the production process of pasta, were produced in 2021. Due to its chemical composition and practically zero cost, PW has already been studied as a raw material for the production of lactic acid (LA) through fermentations. The main objective of this article was to improve the economic viability of the process by replacing commercial enzymes, necessary for starch hydrolysis in PW, with raw enzymes also produced from wastes. Enzyme synthesis was achieved through solid-state fermentation (SsF) of wheat bran by Aspergillus awamori or Aspergillus oryzae at various moisture contents. The maximum amylase activity (52 U/g dry solid) was achieved after 2 days of fermentation with A. awamori at 60% of moisture content. After that, the enzymes were used to hydrolyse PW, reaching 76 g/L of total sugars, 65 g/L of glucose and a yield of 0.72 gglu/gds with the enzymes produced by A. awamori. Subsequently, the hydrolysate was fermented into LA using Bacillus coagulans A559, yielding 52 g/L and 49 g/L with and without yeast extract, respectively. Remarkably, compared to the process with commercial enzymes, a higher LA yield was reached when enzymes produced by SsF were added (0.80 gLA/gglu). Furthermore, the productivities between the two processes were similar (around 3.9 g/L/h) which highlights that yeast extract is not necessary when using enzymes produced by SsF.

Are Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) the Main Mechanism by Which Copper Ion Treatment Degrades the DNA of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Suspended in Milk?

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causal agent of paratuberculosis. This pathogen is able to survive adverse environmental conditions, including the pasteurization process. Copper, a well-studied metal, is considered an important antibacterial tool, since it has been shown to inactivate even MAP in treated milk through unknown mechanisms. The aim of the present study is to show the effect of copper ions, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in response to oxidative stress, on the damage to MAP DNA when exposed to a copper ion challenge in cow's milk. Spiked milk with different MAP bacterial loads was supplemented with blocking agents. These were either the copper chelators ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and batocuproin (BCS) or the ROS quenchers D-mannitol, gallic acid and quercetin. The DNA protection, MAP viability and ROS production generated after exposure to a copper challenge were then measured. In a bacterial load of 104 cells mL-1, blocking effects by both the copper chelators and all the ROS quenchers offered significant protection to MAP DNA. In a concentration of 102 cells mL-1, only D-mannitol and a mix of quenchers significantly protected the viability of the bacteria, and only at a concentration of 106 cells mL-1 was there a lower production of ROS when supplementing milk with gallic acid, quercetin and the mix of quenchers. Based on these findings, it may be concluded that MAP DNA damage can be attributed to the combined effect of the direct copper ions and ROS generated. Nevertheless, taking into account the antioxidant environment that milk provides, the direct effect of copper could play a prominent role.

Prevalence of foodborne and zoonotic viral pathogens in raw cow milk samples.

Foodborne and zoonotic viral pathogens are responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. These viruses can be transmitted through foods such as dairy products to humans and cause several acute and chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and profile of different foodborne and zoonotic viruses in raw cow milk samples. We collected 492 raw cow milk samples from local dairy markets in Qazvin, Iran. Then we evaluated the presence of hepatitis A virus, noroviruses, rotavirus, astrovirus, bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in samples using conventional and nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methods. We found that 34.95, 7.72, 25.81, 14.63, 66.86, 12.80 and 21.34% of raw milk samples were contaminated with norovirus GI, norovirus GII, hepatitis A virus, rotavirus, astrovirus, BLV and TBEV viruses, respectively. Interestingly, the samples collected from the city's south area revealed a higher prevalence of foodborne and zoonotic viruses. Astrovirus and its combination with norovirus GI were the most prevalent virus profiles. Also, the highest correlations were observed among the presence of rotavirus and hepatitis A viruses (0.36) and TBEV and norovirus GII (0.31). Considering the prevalence rate and virus profiles of different foodborne and zoonotic viruses in raw milk samples, hygiene practices and the pasteurization process are strongly suggested to be conducted throughout the cow milk production chain and in dairy industries to prevent infections with these pathogens.