Food Quality Research Articles

Loyalty Toward Shoope-food Delivery Service: The Role of E-Service Quality and Food Quality

Loyalty Toward Shoope-food Delivery Service: The Role of E-Service Quality and Food Quality

TRANSFORMING INDIAN AGRICULTURE THROUGH FARMING INNOVATIONS

Contract farming has existed for a long time, taking different forms, such as a sharecropping contract that was initially regarded as a feudal form of agriculture because the markets were either absent or underdeveloped (Eswaran and Kotwal, 1985). Initially, contract farming was a common practice in developed countries, driven principally by concerns over food safety and quality (Otsuka et al., 2016; Mishra et al., 2018; Bellemare and Bloem, 2018). Glover (1984) describes contract farming as an institutional arrangement with advantages for plantations and smallholder production. Farmers and buyers commonly use contract farming to make advance agreements on volume, specific requirements, delivery, and price.

Metabolic availability of amino acids in humans.

Knowledge of amino acid bioavailability and the effect of combining complementary protein sources are required to determine how to best meet an individual's protein and indispensable amino acid needs. Traditionally, protein quality of foods has been assessed using digestibility data. Digestibility may overestimate bioavailability of some amino acids particularly those more susceptible to heat and processing. The indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method has been validated and applied to determine amino acid bioavailability termed metabolic availability of the first limiting amino acid of a proteinaceous food. The metabolic availability of the limiting amino acid in the test protein is determined as a ratio of the indicator amino acid oxidation response to graded intakes of the test protein compared to the indicator response to a reference protein (crystalline amino acid patterned after egg protein). The IAAO method has also been applied to assess the effect of protein complementation directly in humans on the overall protein quality of the diet. The results demonstrate that protein complementation augments the limiting amino acid supply and increases protein synthesis.

Non-invasive measurement of spoilage of packed fish using halochromic sensor

Purpose This study aims to develop a pH-functional thin-film sensor for non-invasive measurement of spoilage of packed fish. Design/methodology/approach At first, polymers of natural origin such as hydroxy(propyl)methyl cellulose, potato dextrose agar and starch alongside a pH sensitive-mixed indicator formulation were used to produce thin film sensor. The developed thin film sensor was tested for monitoring the spoilage of seafood stored at 4°C. Using ultraviolet-visible and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the halochromic sensor was characterised. In addition, the halochromic response of the thin film was directly correlated to the total volatile base nitrogen emitted by the packaged fish, pH, microbial activity and sensory evaluation. Findings The results suggested the developed biopolymer-based thin film sensor showed different colours in line with the spoilage of the packed fish, which could be well correlated with the total volatile base nitrogen, microbial activity and sensory evaluation. In addition, the thin film sensors exhibited a high degree of biodegradability. The biopolymers-based thin film halochromic sensor has exhibited excellent biodegradability along with sensitiveness towards the spoilage of the packed fish. Originality/value In the future, consumers and retailers may prefer seafood containers equipped with such halochromic sensors to determine the degree of food deterioration as a direct indicator of food quality.

Are the Nutritional Properties of Organic Tomatoes Altered by Single and Combined Microbial Soil Inoculants?: A Multiperspective Approach

AbstractBiologically active compounds are key-important ingredients of tomato fruits, especially those produced by organic agricultural practices. Being biologically effective soil treatments, microbial inoculants can improve soil quality through a variety of mechanisms. Their activity can influence soil properties and plant development, thereby determining the quantity and quality of the crop. However, little research was done on how these inoculants affect the nutritional quality of the tomato fruit and on the antioxidant status of the fruits. This study investigated lycopene content and total antioxidant capacity of organically grown tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. ‘Mobil’) using various types of single and combined bioeffector products in two growing seasons. Single inoculation contained Trichoderma harzianum, plant growth promoting Pseudomonas sp., and phosphorus-mobilizing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains. The combined treatment consisted of biotic Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis strains with abiotic micronutrients of zinc and manganese. Sum of ranking differences method, as a multicriteria optimization method, was used to rank the treatments and identify the ones deviating the least from the reference treatment. The results showed that all microbial soil inoculants positively affected tomato lycopene content. The combined treatment showed significantly higher lycopene content than the Control in both years. We found that weather and climate conditions also greatly influence the total antioxidant capacity. Based on our results, we recommend the use of combined bioeffective treatments to improve the food quality value of tomato fruits.

The Influence of Food Quality and Service Quality on Repurchase Intention Through Customer Satisfaction

The Influence of Food Quality and Service Quality on Repurchase Intention Through Customer Satisfaction

Pre-treated glassy carbon electrode sensor for food dye erythrosine: A voltammetric study

A straightforward and extraordinarily sensitive technique for the determination of erythrosine using a pre-treated GCE sensor was presented. The electrochemical measurements were examined utilizing cyclic voltametric technique. The pre-treated sensor displayed exceptional catalytic activity towards the electrochemical oxidation of erythrosine in alkaline phosphate buffer, specifically at a pH of 11.6. The pre-treated GCE sensor facilitated the determination of erythrosine within the linear range with a detection limit of 0.8 µM and limit of quantification of about 2.8 µM respectively. A favorable recovery from samples such as jam, cake, jellies, and ice candy indicate the applicability of the proposed technique for food quality trails. The technique demonstrates remarkable reproducibility and has proven to be highly dependable for the analysis of erythrosine in food samples. The same technique can also use to administer other food colorants which are consider to be carcinogenic to the human health.

Current Perspectives on the Development of Food Packaging in Local Agri-Food Systems: an Integrative Review

Objective: This study aims to consolidate a theoretical framework on the development of food packaging within the context of family farming and local agri-food systems, focusing on a critical analysis of the existing literature. Theoretical Framework: The study addresses active and intelligent packaging, new bioactive materials, and biopolymers, focusing on food quality and safety. It also explores strategic design, environmental impact, food waste, emerging trends, consumer behavior, circular economy, and the role of packaging in territorial sustainability and local food entrepreneurship. Method: The methodology consisted of applied, exploratory, and descriptive research, using longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. An integrative review was conducted, initially including 755 articles indexed in databases such as "Periódicos CAPES", "Web of Science", "Scopus", and "Science Direct", of which 47 texts were selected based on the "PRISMA 2020" protocol. The analysis of the selected articles was supported by the "Parsifal" tool, generative artificial intelligence solutions "SciSpace-Copilot" and "ChatGPT-4", and the "VOSviewer" software for graphical-bibliometric analyses. Results and Discussion: The importance of technological innovations in packaging was identified, highlighting sustainable practices and the challenges to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of agri-food products. Research Implications: The study emphasizes the need for innovations in packaging design to enhance competitiveness, as well as the importance of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate technical, environmental, and consumer aspects. Originality/Value: It contributes to the literature by mapping technological innovations in packaging and their applications in local agri-food systems, providing insights into the integration between technology, sustainability, and food systems.

Flexible dual-mode ammonia-impedance sensing patch (FDP) based on Ti3C2Tx MXene/graphene material and symmetric structure

The pursuit of simple, cost-effective, and efficient flexible ammonia sensors is an area of keen interest. This study aimed to create a highly sensitive, affordable flexible sensing patch (FDP) for immediate ammonia and impedance monitoring. Using a laser direct writing technique, symmetrical graphene patterns were crafted onto commercial kapton tape. These patterns were folded in half, allowing the lower layer to serve as an impedance sensor and the upper layer as an electrode for ammonia detection. The modified Ti3C2Tx MXene solution was introduced as the sensitive layer in response to ammonia gas, and we also explored how varying thicknesses of this sensitive layer affected the response results. Notably, the results highlighted that FDPs with two thicknesses (50 μL solution) offered optimal ammonia detection. With a detection limit of 150 ppb, impressive sensitivity (18.08%/ppm), exceptional linearity (0.996), and stability within the 0.5 ppm–20 ppm range, the overall performance of the FDP surpassed that of most reported ammonia sensor devices based on graphene materials. FDP was able to better characterize the shelf life of lamb at a cost of no more than $1.5. This study provides solutions for rapid ammonia detection and food quality assessment.

Extraction, characterization, and utilization of mung bean starch as an edible coating material for papaya fruit shelf-life enhancement.

This research was aimed to investigate the utilization of mung bean starch as an innovative edible coating material to enhance the shelf-life of cut papaya fruits. The study focused on the extraction process of mung bean starch and its subsequent characterization through various analyses. Particle size (142.3 ± 1.24 nm), zeta potential (-25.52 ± 1.02 mV), morphological images, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and thermal stability (68.36 ± 0.15°C) were assessed to determine the mung bean starch properties. The functional properties, such as bulk density (0.51 ± 0.004 g/cm3) and tapped density (0.62 ± 0.010 g/cm3), angle of repose (21.61°), swelling power (12.26 ± 0.25%), and minimum gelation concentration (4.01 ± 1.25%), were examined to detect its potential as a coating base material. Subsequently, the prepared mung bean starch coating solution (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%) was applied to papaya fruits and the coated fruits' physicochemical characteristics evaluated during storage. These characteristics encompassed color, weight loss, pH shifts, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C content, fruit firmness, microbial analysis, and sensory attributes. The results revealed that starch coating on papaya maintained its color, reduced weight loss, preserved vitamin C, and delayed firmness loss, enhancing shelf-life when compared to control sample. These findings demonstrated the effectiveness of mung bean starch coatings in preserving papaya fruits. The research made a significant contribution to the use of mung bean starch as a potential coating material for improving the shelf-life of papaya fruits. This finding has great promise for the field of food preservation and quality control.

Blockchain Empowered: Revolutionizing Agro-Based Supply Chain Management

Agriculture, the mainstay of rural India, provides livelihoods to 70% of the rural populace. However, it is beleaguered by supply chain inefficiencies, leading to losses of up to 5.99% in cereals and a whopping 60% yield loss for farmers. The prevailing supply chains are often shrouded in obscurity, with a scant 6% of businesses having complete visibility. This lack of transparency culminates in inefficient processes and potential delays in order fulfilment, engendering customer dissatisfaction and financial losses. The emergence of blockchain technology, however, offers a beacon of hope. Blockchain provides a transparent platform where all stakeholders can access and verify the movement of goods. This transparency not only bolsters customer trust but also enhances their satisfaction levels. Moreover, blockchain technology optimises inventory management and logistics, thereby reducing waste and boosting productivity. These enhancements translate into substantial cost savings. The advent of blockchain could revolutionise agricultural supply chains in India. By providing a transparent and efficient system for tracking the movement of goods, blockchain could eliminate many of the current inefficiencies. This would not only lead to increased profits for farmers but also ensure that consumers have access to fresh and high-quality produce. Furthermore, the use of blockchain could also promote sustainable farming practices by making it easier to track and verify the use of environmentally friendly methods. In conclusion, blockchain technology has the potential to transform the agricultural sector in India, making it more efficient, transparent, and sustainable. Keywords— Blockchain, Agriculture Supply chain management, Agriculture-based industries, Traceability, Smart contracts, Food quality monitoring, Sustainability.

Overnutrition, Hyperinsulinemia and Ectopic Fat: It Is Time for A Paradigm Shift in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes

The worldwide incidence of prediabetes/type 2 has continued to rise the last 40 years. In the same period, the mean daily energy intake has increased, and the quality of food has significantly changed. The chronic exposure of pancreatic β-cells to calorie excess (excessive energy intake) and food additives may increase pancreatic insulin secretion, decrease insulin pulses and/or reduce hepatic insulin clearance, thereby causing chronic hyperinsulinemia and peripheral insulin resistance. Chronic calorie excess and hyperinsulinemia may promote lipogenesis, inhibit lipolysis and increase lipid storage in adipocytes. In addition, calorie excess and hyperinsulinemia can induce insulin resistance and contribute to progressive and excessive ectopic fat accumulation in the liver and pancreas by the conversion of excess calories into fat. The personal fat threshold hypothesis proposes that in susceptible individuals, excessive ectopic fat accumulation may eventually lead to hepatic insulin receptor resistance, the loss of pancreatic insulin secretion, hyperglycemia and the development of frank type 2 diabetes. Thus, type 2 diabetes seems (partly) to be caused by hyperinsulinemia-induced excess ectopic fat accumulation in the liver and pancreas. Increasing evidence further shows that interventions (hypocaloric diet and/or bariatric surgery), which remove ectopic fat in the liver and pancreas by introducing a negative energy balance, can normalize insulin secretion and glucose tolerance and induce the sustained biochemical remission of type 2 diabetes. This pathophysiological insight may have major implications and may cause a paradigm shift in the management of type 2 diabetes: avoiding/reducing ectopic fat accumulation in the liver and pancreas may both be essential to prevent and cure type 2 diabetes.

Simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of two dyes with the same color from food samples by dual gel electro-membrane and determination by spectrophotometric method

In this study, the dual gel electromembrane extraction (G-EME) method coupled with UV–Vis spectrophotometry was developed to monitor the trace amount of Tartrazine (Tt) and auramine O (AO) in food samples. These dyes have different acidic and basic properties, but their colors are the same. The main driving forces of the dual G-EME are electro-migration and electroendosmosis (EEO). Tt as acidic and AO as basic analyte from 10 mL aqueous sample solution (pH 5.27) with a voltage of 65 V and a time of 29 min were extracted into 600 µL acidic (pH 9) and basic (pH 4) acceptor solution after passing through the agar membrane. The parameters, including the agar gel concentration (% w/v), the thickness of the agar gel, the pH of the gel, and the acceptor phases were optimized by one factor at a time also the design of the Experiment program was used to analyze and optimize the parameters such as the pH of the donor phase, voltage, time and stirring rate. Under the optimal conditions, the linear range for both dyes Tt and AO was 0.05–2.0 μg mL−1 with R2 > 0.99, the detection limits were 0.0256 and 0.0310 μg mL−1 and % recovery 85.0–111 and 91.7–112 respectively. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of Tt and AO in food samples. This novel approach offers a sensitive and accurate way to monitor the presence of these dyes in food products, which can be crucial for ensuring food safety and quality control.

FRESHNets: Highly Accurate and Efficient Food Freshness Assessment Based on Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Food freshness classification is a growing concern in the food industry, mainly to protect consumer health and prevent illness and poisoning from consuming spoiled food. Intending to take a significant step towards improving food safety and quality control measures in the industry, this study presents two models based on deep learning for the classification of fruit and vegetable freshness: a robust model and an efficient model. Models’ performance evaluation shows remarkable results; in terms of accuracy, the robust model and the efficient model achieved 97.6% and 94.0% respectively, while in terms of Area Under the Curve (AUC) score, both models achieved more than 99%, with the difference in inference time between each model over 844 images being 13 seconds.

Improving The Quality of Sanitation in The Popcorn Production Process at UMKM Ziqma Production

Ziqma Production is an Micro, Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) that produces snacks with a superior product, popcorn. The pop corn production process at Ziqma is still simple and does not yet implement quality control management and food safety. Therefore, the aim of this activity is to provide education about implementing sanitation to improve the quality of the production process. This program was implemented on August 3 2023. The activities consist of three stages, namely coordination with partner, counseling about CPPOB principles, and implementation of the use of production sanitation equipment according to Cara Produksi Pangan Olahan yang Baik (CPPOB) principles. The result of this activity is that Zigma workers know the theory about sanitation. Apart from that, be able to use sanitary equipment, such as aprons, masks, gloves and head coverings. It is hoped that after this activity, all workers can implement sanitation so that the quality of popcorn products can be maintained.

A General Strategy for Food Traceability and Authentication Based on Assembly-Tunable Fluorescence Sensor Arrays.

Food traceability and authentication systems play an important role in ensuring food quality and safety. Current techniques mainly rely on direct measurement by instrumental analysis, which is usually designed for one or a group of specific foods, not available for various food categories. To develop a general strategy for food identification and discrimination, a novel method based on fluorescence sensor arrays is proposed, composed of supramolecular assemblies regulated by non-covalent interactions as an information conversion system. The stimuli-responsiveness and tunability of supramolecular assemblies provided an excellent platform for interacting with various molecules in different foods. In this work, five sensor arrays constructed by supramolecular assemblies composed of pyrene derivatives and perylene derivatives are designed and prepared. Assembly behavior and sensing mechanisms are investigated systematically by spectroscopy techniques. The traceability and authentication effects on several kinds of food from different origins or grades are evaluated and verified by linear discriminant analysis (LDA). It is confirmed that the cross-reactive signals from different sensor units encompassing all molecular interactions can generate a unique fingerprint pattern for each food and can be used for traceability and authentication toward universal food categories with 100% accuracy.

Nutrition and chronic musculoskeletal pain: A narrative review and directions for temporomandibular disorder research and management.

Recent evidence suggests neuro-immune mechanisms may link dietary patterns to chronic painful conditions (CPC). In the research field of oro-facial pain (OFP), studies focuses primarily on dietary mechanical limitations due to pain and dysfunction. This narrative review aimed to overview the role of nutrition on CPC, with emphasis on temporomandibular disorder (TMD), enlightening OFP researcher on dietary assessment possibilities and providing directions for studies in the field of OFP and nutrition. A PubMed database search was performed using the MeSH and non-MeSH descriptors: "temporomandibular joint disorder"; "orofacial pain"; "musculoskeletal pain"; "chronic pain disorders"; "nutrition"; "diet"; "dietary therapy"; "dietary intake" and "inflammation". No time restrictions were applied. Literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and clinical and pre-clinical trials were included. Exogenous oxidants from unhealthy dietary patterns may contribute to peripheral and central pro-inflammatory immune signalling leading to peripheral and central sensitization. Furthermore, diets rich in bioactive compounds are suggested to contribute to pain management of CPC. High dietary intake of ultra-processed foods impacts the quality of the diet and shows adverse health outcomes. In this context, the role of nutrition on TMD remains overlooked. Considering diet may influence CPC, allied with the scarcity of studies evaluating the role of nutrition on TMD, well-designed clinical trials based on dietary assessments and measurements capable of evaluating food quality, UPF consumption and nutrient adequacy-added to serum nutrient levels evaluation-are suggested.

Simultaneous determination of pigments of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaf for quality inspection using hyperspectral imaging and multi-task deep learning regression approaches

Rapid and accurate determination of pigment content is important for quality inspection of spinach leaves during storage. This study aimed to use hyperspectral imaging at two spectral ranges (visible/near-infrared, VNIR: 400–1000 nm; NIR: 900–1700 nm) to simultaneously determine the pigment (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids) content in spinach stored at different durations and conditions (unpackaged and packaged). Partial least squares (PLS), back propagation neural network (BPNN) and convolutional neural network (CNN) were used to establish single-task and multi-task regression models. Single-task CNN (STCNN) models and multi-task CNN (MTCNN) models obtained better performances than the other models. The models using VNIR spectra were superior to those using NIR spectra. The overall results indicated that hyperspectral imaging with multi-task learning could predict the quality attributes of spinach simultaneously for spinach quality inspection under various storage conditions. This research will guide food quality inspection by simultaneously inspecting multiple quality attributes.

Potential of polyphenols from Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume on enhancing the quality of starchy food during frying.

The increasing concerns about health have led to a growing demand for high-quality fried foods. The potential uses of Ligustrum robustum (Rxob.) Blume, a traditional tea in China, as natural additives to enhance the quality of starchy food during frying was studied. Results indicated that L. robustum polyphenols extract (LREs) could improve the quality of fried starchy food, according to the tests of color, moisture content, oil content, texture property, and volatile flavor. The in vitro digestion results demonstrated that LRE reduced the final glucose content from 11.35±0.17 to 10.80±0.70mmol/L and increased the phenolic content of fried starch foods from 1.23±0.04 to 3.76±0.14mg/g. The appearance and polarizing microscopy results showed that LRE promoted large starch bulges on the surface of fried starchy foods. Meanwhile, X-ray diffraction results showed that LRE increased the intensity of characteristic diffraction peak of fried starch with a range of 21.8%-28%, and Fourier transform infrared results showed that LRE reduced the damage to short-range order structure of starch caused by the frying process. In addition, LRE increased the aggregation of starch granules according to the SEM observation and decreased the enthalpy of starch gelatinization based on the differential scanning calorimetry results. The present results suggest that LREs have the potential to be utilized as a natural additive for regulating the quality of fried starchy food in food industries. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The enhancement of L. robustum polyphenols on the quality of starchy food during frying was found, and its mechanisms were also explored. This work indicated that L. robustum might be used as a novel economic natural additive for producing high-quality fried foods.

Impact of rice straw mulching on water consumption and productivity of orange trees [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]

Due to the adverse effect of global climate change on agricultural water management, maintaining soil moisture in the root zone is essential for optimal crop productivity. For effective irrigation, we used organic mulching to increase the yield and water productivity (WP) of Valencia orange in arid/desert climates. Here, the effect of rice straw mulching and irrigation rates [100, 85, and 70% of evapotranspiration reference (ETc)] on nutrient contents, quality, and yield of orange trees was evaluated. Under field conditions, the application of straw mulch significantly increased the concentration of some essential elements and photosynthetic pigments but reduced proline contents in orange leaves. Soil mulching significantly increased fruit and inflorescence retention, and resulted in a higher number and weight of fruit on branches, without compromising their taste or texture, compared to the treatment without mulching. Both irrigation and mulching also affected crop productivity and water use efficiency (WUE). This was evident when yield/fed increased by 22.7–23.8, 20.7–31.5, and 6.2–16.9% under mulching at 100, 85, and 70% ETc, respectively, compared to traditional conditions at 100% ETc without mulch. Although the maximum WUE under rice straw mulch was 5.72–5.84 kg/m3 at 70% ETc, it was 5.31–5.40, and 4.57–4.64 kg/m3 at 85, and 100% ETc, respectively. Organic mulching showed superior results with respect to increasing yields and WP, while saving 15.4% water and comparable benefit/cost with the traditional irrigation when orange trees were irrigated with 85% ETc. Together, this study could be a promising strategy for climate change adaptation and sustainable water management.