Shelf-stable Products Research Articles

Effect of oatmeal and oyster mushroom on the quality and sensory characteristics of pork momo

Consumption of unhealthy snack food with low nutritive value is one of the predisposing factors for most of the metabolic diseases. So, it is require to develop a ready-to-eat shelf stable meat product. Therefore, this research work has been focused on formulation of shelf-stable pork momo. Pork momo recipe was formulated and allotted into two different treatment group, viz. Treatment 1(pork momo with olive oil and oatmeal) and Treatment 2(pork momo with olive oil and dried oyster mushroom) and stored in domestic refrigerator. A gradual increase in the mean pH, TV, TBA number of T1 and T2 were observed with the advancement of storage periods, which differs significantly (p≤0.001) on the 0, 5th, 7th, 10th and 12th day of storage study. The rate of increase was more pronounced in the samples T1 than T2. Sensory scores for appearance, flavour, texture, juiciness and overall acceptability were significantly higher in T2. So, the combined use of olive oil and dried oyster mushroom for development of healthy pork momo was successfully attempted as superior in physico-chemical and sensory attributes.

Development and storage study of reduced calorie aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) based pineapple fruit jam

Fruit jam is a bioactive rich shelf stable food product containing a large amount of sugar. Higher sugar consumption leads to health risks such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension, which presents an urge for jam modification. Therefore, the present work was aimed to develop and characterize a reduced calorie Aloe vera based pineapple (AVP) jam followed by process optimization and storage study. The study showed that the increase of pineapple and sugar concentration during jam making resulted in a decrease in pH but an increase in viscosity and hardness of the AVP jam. The optimized jam (44% pineapple, 25% sugar and 16 min processing time) was obtained by targeting maximum bioactives and desirable textural characteristics using response surface methodology. Optimized reduced calorie jam presented hairy micro-structure, noticeable different from continuous smooth micro-surface of high sugar jam. The storage of jam at temperature of 5, 25, and 35 °C demonstrated a continuous decline in pH, bioactive compounds and prominent color change due to darkening of jam with increase in storage time. Chroma values followed first-order kinetics at higher temperature but linear kinetics at lower temperature. Further, bioactive degradation presented a linear trend at lower temperature but deviated from linearity at higher temperature. The developed reduced calorie AVP jam retained high bioactive properties and was microbiologically safe for at least five weeks of storage without any preservative. Storage of jam at elevated temperature had negative effects on physiochemical properties indicating better stability of jam at lower temperature.

Anisakis spp. Larvae in Deboned, in-Oil Fillets Made of Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Sardines (Sardina pilchardus) Sold in EU Retailers.

Sardina pilchardus and Engraulis encrasicolus are considered the principal target species for commercial fishing in Europe and are widely consumed as semipreserved products. Although they are considered shelf-stable products, if treatment is not correctly applied, their consumption may represent a public health risk in regard to anisakiasis and allergic reactions. Little is known about the prevalence of Anisakis spp. in ripened products. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of Anisakis spp. larvae in deboned, in-oil anchovy and sardine fillets marketed in the EU to assess the influence of processing techniques on the prevalence of larvae. Ninety semipreserved anchovy and sardine products deriving from the Mediterranean Sea or Atlantic Ocean were collected from different EU retailers and examined using chloropeptic digestion to evaluate the presence of larvae and identify them. Thirty nonviable Anisakid larvae-A. pegreffii (30%) and A. simplex (70%)-were found. The frequency of larvae was higher in anchovies (28.8%). The low frequency of parasites found proved that processing technologies can influence the presence of larvae in final products, but it is important that visual inspection is performed only by trained people. The sources of raw materials should be considered in the production flow chart.

Sensory and chemical characteristics of tomato juice from fresh market cultivars with comparison to commercial tomato juice

AbstractFlorida tomatoes are primarily produced for the fresh market and have not been widely used in processed tomato products. This study tested six Florida fresh market tomato cultivars (FLA 8083, FLA 8297, FLA 8344, FLA 8570, FLA 8924 and Garden Gem) to determine suitability for juice production. Genetic and environmental‐induced variation was studied, and analyses identified metabolites that influenced the perceptual and hedonic responses of tomato juice. Each cultivar was processed into juice by hot breaking at 86 ˚C for 3.5 minutes and then pasteurization at 121 ˚C for 42 seconds for a shelf stable product. Among the six pilot products, FLA 8344 cultivar had significantly higher soluble solids content and titratable acidity in all three experiments. The pH of each of the tomato juices made from fresh market tomatoes was within or below the typical range for tomato juice. Garden Gem was consistently rated significantly (P ≤ .05) higher for aroma, overall liking, tomato flavour, texture and overall flavour. In all three experiments, tomato juice from a fresh market cultivar simultaneously had the greatest abundance of green‐note volatiles (hexanal, 1‐hexanol, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol, etc) and the lowest abundance of cooked‐note volatiles (dimethyl sulphide, methional and furfural). Consumer acceptance increased as salt concentration increased and while season had minor effects on the chemical composition of the juice, consumers preferred the Spring processed tomato juice over Fall.

Preferences and Consumption of Pigeon Peas among Rural Households as Determinants for Developing Diversified Products for Sustainable Health

Pigeon peas are legumes with a high nutritional value. Existing studies of pigeon peas in Tanzania mainly examine production and marketing, but little has been documented with respect to consumer preferences and the consumption of pigeon peas. This study assesses the preferences surrounding pigeon peas and their consumption as bases for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products for nutrition and income improvement. This study comprised 303 randomly selected farming households. Furthermore, 60 farmers participated in six focus group discussions in the Lindi region. A structured questionnaire and a checklist with guided questions were provided for data collection. The analysis uses SPSS (V.21), with differences between groups established using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The associations were tested using Spearman’s ρ at p < 0.05. The mean pigeon peas consumption during the harvesting and lean seasons was 80 g/person/day and 18 g/person/day, respectively. The frequency of consumption was higher during the harvesting season (92%) than the lean (29%) season. The majority of farmers (91%) preferred to consume the local variety, with 84% of them consuming pigeon peas as stew. Five pigeon pea recipes exist in the area. The farmers identified availability, taste, source of income, and familiarity as the factors determining pigeon pea consumption and preferences. With limited recipes and other barriers limiting consumption, the creation of innovative ideas for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products fitting their consumption preferences is needed.

Nutritional Composition and Physio-Chemical Properties of Peeled and Unpeeled Yam Flour (White Yam, Dioscorea rotundata)

Abstract Objectives The main shelf-stable product of yam is the traditional yam flour (elubo), Yams (Dioscorea spp.) which are regarded as traditional foods are consumed in various ways but majorly consumed as yam flour in the south west region of Nigeria. This study investigated the physical, functional and sensory properties and anti-nutrients contents of peeled and unpeeled yam flour. Methods Yam bought in the popular market production procedures were followed, washing, peeling and slicing, parboiling, steeping. draining, drying, milling, and packaging for peeled yam and unpeeled yam peeling was not included in the process, the two samples were analyzed chemically according to the official methods of analysis described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemist as well as sensory evaluation. Results The results of the study confirmed the significant difference in the micro nutrients content of peeled and unpeeled yam flour in fats and water soluble vitamins respectively (K µg/100 g = 6.97,11.83, Fe(mg/kg) = 95.2, 126.9, minerals content Zn(mg/kg) 13.48, 22.92, Fe(mg/kg) 95.2126.9 and anti-nutrient properties of the ‘Amala’ made from the two products (peeled and unpeeled yam flour) the percentage of Tannin 0.0023, 0.0010 and Hydrocynaide (mg/kg) 0.92, 1.01.The proximate analysis of unpeeled yam four indicated a high value than that of peeled yam flour in protein (2.47, 2.28), fats (1.86, 0.54), ash (3.59, 2.32), and fibre (3.09, 1.31) of both samples respectively but the energy content derived from the ‘amala’ made from unpeeled yam flour is lesser to that of peeled yam flour. Significant exist between the two samples in sensory evaluation of taste, texture, color, mouldability, aroma and general acceptability. Conclusions The result shown that the consumption of unpeeled yam flour can be useful in treatment of nutrient deficiencies diseases. Funding Sources Self.

Изучение влияния жирнокислотного состава свинины на процесс ферментации

Introduction. Dry fermented meat products are considered to be fine foods. Their quality depends on a combination of various processes. The composition and properties of raw materials, e.g. fat, play a key role in quality formation. The research objective was to study the fermentation process in fourth-category pork obtained from sows, which contains a lot of highly unsaturated fatty acids. The considerable resources that this raw material can provide require improved technologies.
 Study objects and methods. The research featured two types of pork. The first group included samples made from fourth-category carcasses, i.e. hip muscle tissue and spine fat, in the ratio of 85:15. The second group included control samples made from secondcategory pork that was obtained from young animals. This type of meat is traditionally used for fermented products. The fermentation process was performed using starter cultures for rapid fermentation of StLb 37.03 M (0.1% by weight of raw materials). The samples were fermented at the activation temperatures of the starter cultures for 48 h. After that, the samples were dried at 50°C with shortterm smoke supply for 1 h. The total time of the production cycle was 14 days. The samples were monitored for water activity, pH, weight loss, chemical composition, amount of free fatty acids, secondary and primary oxidation products, color characteristics, and sensory properties during all stages of the process.
 Results and discussion. The content of unsaturated fatty acids was 65.39% of the total amount of fatty acids in the fourth-category pork obtained from sows. In the second-category pork obtained from young animals, it was 59.1%. Water activity, pH, and moistureprotein ratio were within the control criteria for shelf stable products. The analysis of thiobarbituric values and free fatty acids indicated a deeper degradation of the fat part, but their values were comparable to those of the control group. The sensory properties of fourth-category fermented pork were highly evaluated by experts.
 Conclusion. The obtained data proved the possibility of using fourth-category raw materials in the technology of fermented delicatessen products.

Modeling and designing a Listeria monocytogenes control strategy for dry-cured ham taking advantage of water activity and storage temperature

Dry-cured ham is a shelf-stable product that can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes due to post-processing operations, compromising the compliance of zero tolerance policies (e.g. US Listeria rule). The present study quantifies the behavior of L. monocytogenes in sliced Spanish dry-cured ham of different water activity (aw) during storage at different temperatures. Inactivation kinetics were estimated by fitting primary models to the experimental data. The effect of temperature and aw on kinetic parameters was characterized through secondary polynomial models. L. monocytogenes viability decreased in all the assayed conditions, confirming that dry-cured ham is not only listeriostatic but listericidal. The fastest and highest reductions were observed at 25 °C, with 1 Log reduction after 6 and 9 days in Iberian and Serrano ham respectively. The work provides scientifically-based data and models to design a low-cost control measure based on a corrective storage as a post-lethality treatment to enhance the accomplishment of zero-tolerance requirements.

Returns to investment in postharvest loss reduction technologies among mango farmers in Embu County, Kenya

AbstractHorticultural production is a source of livelihood for many smallholder farmers in Kenya. However, the potential is hampered by high postharvest losses estimated at 40%–50% in fruit and vegetables. The losses are attributed to various factors including postharvest handling, lack of storage technologies, lack of processing facilities, and poor market access. Consequently, some farmer groups have resorted to aggregation of their mangoes and engagement in small scale processing of mangoes into shelf stable products that cannot be marketed widely. In order to bridge the lack of capacity of smallholder farmers, the University of Nairobi's postharvest project with support from the Rockefeller Foundation's YieldWise Initiative seeks to upgrade two fruit aggregation centers by creating awareness and providing existing, applicable, and proven postharvest loss reduction technologies such as tunnel solar driers, brick coolers, charcoal, and CoolbotTM cold storage technologies. However, the potential economic impact of the proposed investment is not known. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the potential economic returns to investment in postharvest loss reduction technologies among smallholder mango farmers in Embu County of Kenya. A critical overview on methods employed in analyzing returns to investment in agricultural technologies has been provided. The economic surplus model was used to estimate the potential benefits of the investment. Using the cost–benefit analysis (CBA) approach, a maximum adoption rate of 10% over 10 years, and a 10% discount rate, it was found that the investment was worthwhile. The NPV was US $ 1.3 billion. The IRR and BCR were 28% and 4.29, respectively. Sensitivity analyses showed that the investment is viable at higher adoption and lower discount rates indicating the need to promote the technologies even under more difficult macroeconomic conditions.

Validation of a Restructured Beef Jerky Product and Process to Reduce Pathogen Loads and Improve Shelf Stability in Ethiopia

ObjectivesAnimal-sourced foods (ASFs), such as meat, provide nutrients that are beneficial for physical and cognitive development, especially in developing countries. Despite Ethiopia containing Africa’s largest inventory of livestock, market structure and inefficiencies in livestock and meat industries contribute to low-per capita consumption of meat. The combination of extensive periods of fasting from ASFs, knowledge gaps in hygienic handling and sanitation, lack of infrastructure and preservation, and weakly enforced food safety regulations contribute food safety risks in an already protein-deficient population. The objective of this study is to develop a dried beef jerky procedure that will reduce pathogen loads in meat, improve shelf stability, and increase access to ASFs in Ethiopia.Materials and MethodsChallenge studies were performed to validate a restructured jerky production process for control of five serotypes of Salmonella enterica (Saint Paul, Anatum, Typhimurium, Newport, Dublin) and three strains of E. coli O157:H7, within the constraints of equipment and ingredients available in Ethiopia. A traditional Ethiopian spice mixture was added to lean ground beef (94% lean, 6% fat), and in separate trials apple cider vinegar and pureed raisins were incorporated at varying percentages of the overall weight. The ground meat mixture was formed into strips and dehydrated to achieve aw of less than 0.70 for shelf stability and samples were plated for enumeration before and after drying. A consumer taste panel was conducted with treatments (0% and 15% raisin inclusion) to determine the acceptability of Ethiopian consumers. Sixteen Ethiopian consumers (10 men and 6 women) were asked to answer study-related questions and evaluate jerky products on visual appeal, texture, off-flavor, and overall liking on a 10-point hedonic scale.ResultsVinegar inclusion negatively impacted log CFU reductions of S. enterica as the control demonstrated significantly higher (P = 0.04) reductions than treatments including vinegar at 0.5, 1, and 2%. Including 15% raisins (w/w) in the meat and spice mixture resulted in an increased (P < 0.0001) log CFU reduction of S. enterica (5.41 CFU/g) versus the control (4.44 CFU/g) and all treatments achieved greater than 6-log CFU/g reduction of E. coli O157:H7.ConclusionIncluding raisins reduces S. enterica loads versus the control and all formulations exceeded a 6.0 log CFU/g reduction of E. coli O157:H7, in a restructured beef jerky product. A restructured jerky product could provide butchers with an additional marketing avenue and opportunity to reduce waste and pathogen loads in beef. Ethiopian consumers would also have an option for a commercially available, shelf-stable product which could provide additional protein to their diet that is easy to store and transport.

Effects of Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted Osmotic Dehydration and Edible Coating on the Recovery of Anthocyanins from In Vitro Digested Berries.

Berry fruits, such as strawberries and blueberries, are rich sources of anthocyanins. Several studies have been made on the impact of non-thermal treatments on safety, shelf-life and nutritional characteristics of such products, but the effects of these processes on anthocyanin stability during digestion in the gastrointestinal tract are still not completely clear. The aim of this study was to assess the recovery of anthocyanins after simulated gastrointestinal digestion of (1) strawberry samples, pre-treated with pulsed electric field (PEF) at 100 or 200 V·cm−1, prior to osmotic dehydration (OD), and (2) blueberry samples coated with chitosan and procyanidin. After digestion, a significantly higher content of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and malvidin-3-O-glucoside was quantified by LC-MS/MS in processed strawberry and blueberry samples, compared with the controls. The highest recovery of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was detected in digested strawberry samples osmotically dehydrated with trehalose. The recovery of malvidin-3-O-glucoside was highest in digested blueberries coated with chitosan and stored for 14 days, compared with untreated samples or samples coated with chitosan and procyanidin. Our study shows the potential of mild PEF treatments combined with OD, or the use of edible coating, to obtain shelf-stable products without substantially affecting the composition or the stability of anthocyanins during digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Development of an Oxygen Sensitive Model Gel System to Detect Defects in Metal Oxide Coated Multilayer Polymeric Films

Metal oxide coated multilayered polymeric pouches provide a suitable alternative to foil-based packaging for shelf-stable products with extended shelf-life. The barrier performance of these films depends upon the integrity of the metal oxide coating which can develop defects as a result of thermal processing and improper handling. In this work, we developed a methodology to visually identify these defects using an oxygen-sensitive model gel system. Four pouches with different metal oxide coatings: MOA (Coated PET), MOB (SiOx -coated PET), MOC (Overlayer-AlOx -Organic-coated PET), MOD (Overlayer-SiOx -coated PET) were filled with water and retort-processed for 30 and 40 min at 121 °C. After processing, the pouches were cut open, dried and subsequently filled with a gel containing methylene blue that changes color in the presence of oxygen. The pouches were then stored at 23 and 40 °C for 180 and 90 days, respectively. Defects were identified by observing the localized color change from yellow to blue in the packaged gel. These observations were confirmed through measurement of oxygen and water vapor transmission rates, as well as SEM and CLSM analyses. The MOC pouches showed the least change in barrier properties after thermal processing. This was due to crosslinking in the organic coating and protection provided by the overlayer. The melting enthalpy of all films increased significantly (P < 0.05) after sterilization. This may increase the brittleness of the substrates after processing. Findings may be used to improve the barrier performance of metal oxide coated polymeric films intended for food packaging applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, we developed a methylene blue-based, oxygen-sensitive model gel system to identify defects in metal oxide coated polymeric structures induced by thermal processing and mechanical stresses. We also performed a comprehensive analysis of these defects through CLSM and SEM. The gel system and methodology developed may be useful in the design and development of high barrier metal oxide coated films.

Characterization of quality changes of whole super sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata Sturt.) during thermal sterilization for shelf-stable products

본 연구에서는 상온 저장이 가능하며 별도의 처리 없이 바로 섭취할 수 있는 통초당옥수수를 위한 최적 살균법을 도출하고 저장기간동안 최적 살균된 초당옥수수의 품질인자를 분석하였다. 살균 시 유통기한 확보 및 초당옥수수의 고유한 특징인 아삭한 식감이 가열처리에 의하여 감소되는 것을 최소화 하기 위해 비가열 전처리 공정으로서 알코올 세척을 도입하였으며, 냉점은 초당옥수수의 속대와 중심 사이로 하였다. 초당옥수수의 표면은 알코올 세척을 통하여 1 log CFU/g 이상을 감소시킨후 F121.1=4분을를 만족하도록 가열하여 25 ℃ 인큐베이터에서 9개월간 저장하면서 대조군으로서 일반적인 증숙의 방법으로 가열한 초당옥수수의 품질과 비교하였다. 알코올 처리 및 가열 살균한 초당 옥수수의 조직감은 대조군의 조직감 대비 30%이내를 유지하여 최소 464.50±103.35 g에서 최대 514.50±81.83 g값을 나타내었으며, 당도는 샘플 간의 차이가 다소 있었으나 최소 28.83±1.05%에서 최대 34.36±0.42%값으로 대조군에 대비하여 30% 이내 당도를 유지하였다. 초당 옥수수 겉표면 황색도는 대조군 대비 5% 이상 향상되어 최대 34.36±0.42값을 나타내었으며, 미생물 검사에서는 일반세균과 진균류가 저장 9개월동안 검출되지 않았다. 이러한 연구결과는 가열살균한 초당옥수수의 품질변화가 최소화되면서 6개월 이상의 상온유통이 가능한 최적 살균 방법을 도출하였으며, 이에 따라 가열에 의하여 식품 본연의 조직감 감소를 최소화하면서 상온유통이 가능한 살균제품에 이용될 수 있다.

Extrusion of a Curcuminoid-Enriched Oat Fiber-Corn-Based Snack Product.

Extruded snack products were made from an oat fiber-corn flour matrix fortified with 1.5% (w/w) curcuminoids (750mg curcuminoids/100 g) to improve the solubility and stability of curcuminoids. The effects of extruder feed moisture content (21%, 28%, and 35%) and screw speed (200 and 300 rpm) on the extrusion parameters and physical properties of final snacks were investigated. Curcuminoids lost during extrusion and curcuminoids loss during subsequent drying of extrudates were analyzed, to separate the losses occurring in each unit process. Drying post extrusion (at 50°C for 4hr) was essential to obtain a crunchy shelf stable product (5% moisture). Curcuminoids loss during extrusion was from 17% to 84%, with high loss for the extrusion with low feed moisture content (21%). A further curcuminoids loss of 4% to 44% occurred during drying, with much higher loss for the extrudate with high moisture content. Total curcuminoids retained after extrusion and drying was 12% to 41% (59% to 88% loss), equivalent to 180 to 616 mg curcuminoids retained per 100 g snack, levels within recommended daily dose. Curcuminoids retained after drying was stable during 80 days of storage at 25°C. The results highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of each unit process separately (for example, extrusion and drying) on the stability of curcuminoids for the development of healthier extruded snacks. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Extruded snacks products were developed by fortifying the snacks with oat fiber and curcuminoids in order to address the need for a healthy ready to eat food products. Some extrusion characteristics were selected to produce snack products which have favorable properties in terms of consumer acceptance.

Validation of a Restructured Beef Jerky Product and Process to Reduce Pathogen Loads and Improve Shelf Stability in Ethiopia

ObjectivesAnimal-sourced foods (ASFs), such as meat, provide nutrients that are beneficial for physical and cognitive development, especially in developing countries. Despite Ethiopia containing Africa’s largest inventory of livestock, market structure and inefficiencies in livestock and meat industries contribute to low-per capita consumption of meat. The combination of extensive periods of fasting from ASFs, knowledge gaps in hygienic handling and sanitation, lack of infrastructure and preservation, and weakly enforced food safety regulations contribute food safety risks in an already protein-deficient population. The objective of this study is to develop a dried beef jerky procedure that will reduce pathogen loads in meat, improve shelf stability, and increase access to ASFs in Ethiopia.Materials and MethodsChallenge studies were performed to validate a restructured jerky production process for control of five serotypes of Salmonella enterica (Saint Paul, Anatum, Typhimurium, Newport, Dublin) and three strains of E. coli O157:H7, within the constraints of equipment and ingredients available in Ethiopia. A traditional Ethiopian spice mixture was added to lean ground beef (94% lean, 6% fat), and in separate trials apple cider vinegar and pureed raisins were incorporated at varying percentages of the overall weight. The ground meat mixture was formed into strips and dehydrated to achieve aw of less than 0.70 for shelf stability and samples were plated for enumeration before and after drying. A consumer taste panel was conducted with treatments (0% and 15% raisin inclusion) to determine the acceptability of Ethiopian consumers. Sixteen Ethiopian consumers (10 men and 6 women) were asked to answer study-related questions and evaluate jerky products on visual appeal, texture, off-flavor, and overall liking on a 10-point hedonic scale.ResultsVinegar inclusion negatively impacted log CFU reductions of S. enterica as the control demonstrated significantly higher (P = 0.04) reductions than treatments including vinegar at 0.5, 1, and 2%. Including 15% raisins (w/w) in the meat and spice mixture resulted in an increased (P < 0.0001) log CFU reduction of S. enterica (5.41 CFU/g) versus the control (4.44 CFU/g) and all treatments achieved greater than 6-log CFU/g reduction of E. coli O157:H7.ConclusionIncluding raisins reduces S. enterica loads versus the control and all formulations exceeded a 6.0 log CFU/g reduction of E. coli O157:H7, in a restructured beef jerky product. A restructured jerky product could provide butchers with an additional marketing avenue and opportunity to reduce waste and pathogen loads in beef. Ethiopian consumers would also have an option for a commercially available, shelf-stable product which could provide additional protein to their diet that is easy to store and transport.

Effect of barrel temperature and blending ratio on the sensory and physical properties of cassava-extruded snacks

Cassava is one of the most important food crops in Uganda. Despite its potential for processing into various value-added shelf-stable products, there are limited processed cassava products on the U...

Processing and evaluation of osmodried mango slices – A micronutrient rich food

Osmotic dehydration is a novel technique for the production of shelf stable, nutritious and tasty products. Mango is a fruit which is highly relished in both raw and processed form. Various studies have indicated that pretreatment of fruits prior to osmotic dehydration improved the quality of the product. Hence, an attempt was made to study the effect of various pretreatments in the quality characteristics of osmo dried fruits. Two varieties of mango namely Bangalora and Pairi were selected for the study. The fruits were washed, peeled, destoned and cut to slices. The slices were given four pretreatments viz., soaking the fruit slices in a solution of citric acid, citric acid + KMS, ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid + KMS for 30 min. After pretreatment the fruit slices were soaked in the osmotic agent (sugar syrup) for 18 h followed by dehydration, cooling and packing. The dried fruit slices were packed in metallised polypropylene packs and subjected to shelf-life studies for a period of 180 days. Analysis of the physio-chemical qualities, microbial and sensory qualities of the fruit slices during storage, indicated that the osmo dried fruit samples pretreated with ascorbic acid +KMS and citric acid + KMS had retained highly acceptable qualities.

The Effects of Storage Temperature on the Aroma of Whole Bean Arabica Coffee Evaluated by Coffee Consumers and HS-SPME-GC-MS

Although from a food safety point, coffee is considered a shelf-stable product, changes in volatiles over time due to out-gassing and chemical reactions lead to perceivable differences in coffee aroma and “freshness”. Previous studies have looked at the impact of storage conditions on ground or brewed coffee. This study seeks to answer the question of how coffee consumers perceive the smell of coffee grounds of whole beans that have been stored under different conditions: freezer vs. room temperature for 9 weeks compared to a newly roasted control (stored for 1 day). Green beans from the same production lot were roasted to two different levels to also evaluate the impact of roast level on aroma changes. Using projective mapping (PM) followed by ultra-flash profiling (UFP), 48 coffee consumers evaluated, using only smell, 6 different freshly ground coffee samples presented in blind duplicates. In parallel, the profiles of 48 previously reported important coffee volatiles were measured by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) to relate chemical changes to perceivable sensory aroma changes. Overall, consumer product maps mimicked the instrumental measurements in that the lighter roast coffees showed smaller changes due to storage conditions compared to the dark roast samples. Consumers also perceived the frozen dark roast samples to be more similar to the newly roasted control than the samples stored at room temperature.

Understanding Traditional Meat Processing Knowledge among the Borana Pastoralist of Northern Kenya

Indigenous knowledge on food preparation is an activity practised in almost all agricultural production system. Amongst the Borana pastoralist of Northern Kenya, milk and meat production are the cornerstone of livelihood, and more often abundance occurs without possibility of immediate consumption, triggering the need to preserve surplus for future consumption. The objective of this paper is to document and understand traditional meat preparation knowledge amongst Borana pastoralist’s women of Northern Kenya.The method of collecting information included in-depth interviews and participant observations to document meat preparation skills and knowledge of Borana people as appertains to traditional food ways. It was observed that methods of traditional meat processing and preparation included different forms of drying, use of heat and storage in fat. Fourteen traditional meat products and seven preservation techniques were documented. Drying and deep frying were the major form of meat preservation. Women skillfully put a lot of effort in all stages of meat preparation to produce an end product that is not only shelf stable but traditional products that are appreciated and nutritious. It was observed that only four of the products are currently in use, an indication of steady decline in meat handling knowledge and preparation.

Effect of drying methods on the retention of bioactive compounds in African eggplant.

African eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum L.) are a rich source of bioactive compounds and functional constituents that are beneficial to human health. However, the short shelf life of these vegetables can be a major cause of postharvest losses especially during peak harvesting season. Drying is one of the most convenient technologies for the production of shelf stable food products. However, drying can lead to considerable loss of the available bioactive compounds due to thermal degradation depending on the drying method and temperature conditions. This study investigated the effect of four drying methods (solar, oven, vacuum, and freeze) on the retention of total phenolics, beta‐carotene, antioxidant capacity, and lycopene in five African eggplant (S. aethiopicum) accessions (sangawili, manyire green, S00047A, AB2, and aubergine blanche). Samples were dried up to ~10% moisture content. The fresh and dried samples were analyzed for total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, beta‐carotene content, and the lycopene content. In the fresh state, beta‐carotene, total phenolic content, and free radical scavenging activity ranged between 14.75 ± 0.50 and 29.50 ± 0.77 mg/100 g db, 751.21 ± 1.73 and 1,363.95 ± 2.56 mg/100 g GAE db, and 99.58 and 325.61 mg/ml db IC 50 value, respectively. The accession S00047 showed highest total phenolic content and lowest IC 50 value in the fresh samples. The results also showed that total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and beta‐carotene contents were significantly (p < .05) affected by drying method and drying temperature with freeze‐drying presenting the highest retention. Overall, 36.26%s–95.05% (total phenolics) and 31.44%–99.27% (beta‐carotene) were retained during freeze‐drying. Lycopene was only detected in the dried samples of the accession manyire green but absent in all the fresh samples of all the accessions. This study demonstrates that freeze‐drying was the most effective in retaining the highest bioactive compounds in African eggplants.