Use In Food Processing Research Articles

Food processing: The use of non-fouling food grade heat transfer fluids

It is reported that there are some 4000 companies operating high temperature thermal fluid systems in the UK and Ireland. This excludes steam or water based systems. The heat transfer fluids (HTFs) used in food processing are highly refined mineral HTFs that are non-toxic, non-irritating and lack an odour. If an HTF has been certified for use in food processing it carries an HT-1 certificate. HTFs suitable for use in food processing are commonly referred to as ‘non-fouling’ which means as they thermally degrade they produce small carbon particles that are suspended in the HTF. Moreover, the carbon formations are less sticky and this reduces the extent of adhesion to the internal surfaces of an HTF system. The current paper analysed the test reports from 1223 HTF systems and showed that, on average, the carbon residue for food grade HTF was lower than non-food grade HTF. This clearly demonstrates what the non-fouling nature of a food grade HTF. This paper then explored the regulatory, legal and environmental landscape for food grade HTFs. In this area of manufacturing, it is critical that the HTFs used are suitable for incidental contact with food. Other measures put consumer safety at the heart of all operations (i.e., internal company procedures such as hazard analysis and critical control points [HACCP]) and that food is safe for consumer consumption (e.g., external controls such as auditing manufacturers to ensure good quality and distribution practice). The authors introduce the idea that safety could be further enhanced through independent HTF sampling and chemical analysis of HTFs to ensure they are food grade and should be done without any interruption to a manufacturer's production.

Evaluation of Novel Micronized Encapsulated Essential Oil–Containing Phosphate and Lactate Blends for Growth Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella on Poultry Bologna, Pork Ham, and Roast Beef Ready-to-Eat Deli Loaves

Essential oils and their constituents are reported to possess potent antimicrobial activity, but their use in food processing is limited because of low solubility in aqueous systems and volatilization during processing. Two proprietary noncommercial essential oil–containing phosphate blends were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Salmonella enterica cocktail (SC)– and Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)–inoculated deli meat products made from pork, poultry, or beef. Four treatments were tested on restructured cured pork ham, emulsified chicken bologna, and restructured beef loaf: nonencapsulated essential oil with phosphate version 1 at 0.45% of final batch (EOV145; chicken and pork, or EEOV245 beef), micronized encapsulated essential oil with phosphate version 2 at 0.60% of final batch (EEOV260), a 2.0% potassium lactate (PL) control, and a negative control (CN) with no applied antimicrobial agent. Compared with the CN, none of the antimicrobial agents (EEOV260, EOV145, PL) successfully limited Lm or SC growth to <2.0 log cycles over 49 days or 35 days of refrigerated storage, respectively. The PL and EEOV260-treated ham loaves did show Lm growth limiting ability of up to 1 log cycle by days 35 and 42. On formed roast beef, the EEOV260 was able to extend the lag phase and inhibited the growth of Lm in the same manner as the PL. For SC-treated samples, the following effects were observed: in poultry bologna treated with EEOV260, a lag-phase extension was observed through 35 days of storage compared with the other samples. For pork deli loaves, the EEOV260 inhibited growth of SC at days 21 and 28 to the same level of efficacy as PL (0.5 log cycle). In roast beef samples, on day 35, the SC growth was inhibited ca. 0.5 log CFU/g by EEOV260 when compared with the CN. In conclusion the EEOV260 can function to replace PL to limit Salmonella and Lm growth in ready-to-eat deli products. Further testing is needed to ensure consumer acceptability.

Position Bias in Best‐worst Scaling Surveys: A Case Study on Trust in Institutions

AbstractThis paper investigates the effect of items’ physical position in the best‐worst scaling technique. Although the best‐worst scaling technique has been widely used in many fields, the literature has largely overlooked the phenomenon of consumers’ adoption of processing strategies while making their best‐worst choices. We examine this issue in the context of consumers’ trust in institutions to provide information about a new food technology, nanotechnology, and its use in food processing. Our results show that approximately half of the consumers used position as a schematic cue when making choices. We find the position bias was particularly strong when consumers chose their most trustworthy institution compared to their least trustworthy institution. In light of our findings, we recommend that researchers in the field be aware of the possibility of position bias when designing best‐worst scaling surveys. We also encourage researchers who have already collected best‐worst data to investigate whether their data shows such heuristics.

大豆たん白質・デンプン混合ゲルの調味素材としての利用に関する基礎的研究

An 22.5% SPI gel, a 22.5% starch gel, and SPI-starch complexes, that is, 15% SPI-7.5% starch gel and 7.5% SPI-15% starch gel, fabricated by partial substitution of SPI with starch were prepared for use as new ingredients in cooking. The SPI gels were hard and elastic and the SPI-starch mixture gels became softer and more fragile on decreasing the amount of SPI and increasing the amount of starch. When these gels were cooked with water and 10% sucrose solution, their hardness and cohesiveness decreased. In contrast, the SPI gels and the mixture gels prepared by heating in 1% NaCl showed no appreciable physical changes. Furthermore, the weight and physical properties of the mixture gels heated in an "umami" stock (glutamate solution), with higher NaCl concentration and lower pH value, remained constant. The 15% SPI-7.5% starch gels heated in the umami stock were found to be positive for taste. Thus, our results suggest the 15% SPI-7.5% starch gels cooked in the umami stock will have practical use in food processing and cooking in homes.

Investigation of the Germination of Barley and Wheat Grains with a Design of Experiments for the Production of Hydrolases.

The production of hydrolases from cereals has been examined in order to investigate food-derived enzymes as an alternative source to microbial enzymes for the use in food processes. For that, the influence of temperature on the pretreatment, imbibition and germination of barley and wheat grains was determined by measuring the β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase and lipase activities using a design of experiments. The evaluation of the statistical model showed an increase of the β-glucosidase activity with low imbibition and low germination temperature for barley grains and low imbibition and high germination temperature for wheat grains. The maximum β-glucosidase activity in wheat extracts was (585±151) nkat per g of dry mass (dm), while in barley extracts it was (109±15) nkat per g of dm. The maximum β-galactosidase activities in barley and wheat extracts were (34±12) and (63±23) nkat per g of dm, respectively. The maximum lipase activities of (6.7±0.1) and (4.6±4.4) nkat per g of dm in barley and wheat extracts, respectively, were rather low compared to the glycosidase activities. The extracts were also tested for other hydrolase activities (e.g. peptidase and α-amylase activities). The insights obtained enable the basis for the potential use of cereal hydrolases in food processing, which might be attractive to consumers.

Making Cashews Less Allergenic

Tree nuts such as cashews can be dangerous to the many people who are allergic to them. Improved processing methods might help reduce the allergenicity of cashews, according to research presented in the Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry at the American Chemical Society national meeting in San Francisco. The main allergens in cashews are proteins called Ana o 1, Ana o 2, and Ana o 3. Previous work has shown that some of these allergenic proteins are sensitive to strong reducing agents. Now, Christopher P. Mattison and coworkers show that when two of these allergenic proteins are treated with the mild reducing agent sodium sulfite, the antibodies that trigger the allergic reaction are less likely to recognize them. Sodium sulfite is approved for use in food processing and is “generally recognized as safe” by the Food & Drug Administration. The researchers treated aqueous extracts of ground raw and roasted ...

Total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of various solvent extracts from whole wheat and bran

Two wheat varieties grown in Upper and Delta Egypt were compared for their total phenolic content and antioxidant activities. Three solvent systems have been used to prepare the antioxidant extracts from whole wheat and its bran fraction. The three solvent systems included 50% acetone (v/v), 70% methanol (v/v) and 70% ethanol (v/v). Antioxidant activities were tested using DPPH radical scavenging activity and total flavonoid content. The results showed that the extraction solvents and wheat varieties significantly altered the total phenolics and antioxidant activity of whole wheat and bran, and 50% acetone is a recommended solvent for extracting phenolic compounds from the tested wheat and bran. Also data indicated that the bran fraction was rich in total phenolic content and high power for radical scavenging activity than whole wheat. These results showed that wheat bran could be considered as a potential source of antioxidant agent. Therefore, durum wheat variety (Beni-suef-3) showed high level of total phenol contact and antioxidant properties in bran fraction than common wheat variety (Gemiza-9). So, whole meal wheat products maximize health benefits and strongly recommended for use in food processing.

Physical Features of Some Selected Nigerian Maize Cultivars

A morphological characteristic feature of one hundred Nigerian maize cultivars was established. This repository sought a baseline upon which Nigerian maize cultivars could be classified based on kernel morphology, germinating properties such as shoots length and percent of growth. Out of all the maize cultivars, forty eight were classified as Dent maize, five were found to be Pop maize, thirteen were Waxy maize and six were also classified as Sweet maize while fourteen were found to be Floury and Flint maize respectively. The information would serve as reference for the selection of appropriate Nigerian maize cultivars for specific use in food processing and allied industries.

Sinapic Acid and Its Derivatives: Natural Sources and Bioactivity

Sinapic acid is widespread in the plant kingdom (fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, oilseed crops, and some spices and medicinal plants) and as such is common in the human diet. Derivatives of sinapic acid are characteristic compounds in the Brassicaceae family. Sinapic acid shows antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-anxiety activity. 4-Vinylsyringol (a decarboxylation product of sinapic acid) is a potent antioxidative and antimutagenic agent which suppresses carcinogenesis and the induction of inflammatory cytokines. Sinapine (sinapoyl choline) is considered to be an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor which might have therapeutic applications in various disease treatments. Mainly due to their antioxidative activity, these compounds have been suggested for potential use in food processing, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industry, and this review aims to summarize current knowledge on the natural sources, chemistry, and biological activity of these substances.

Actividad antimicrobiana de Weissella confusa y sus metabolitos frente a Escherichia coli y Klebsiella pneumoniae

Summary The kinetic of antimicrobial activity of Weissella confusa and their metabolites against E. coli, and K. pneumoniae, (two pathogens causing foodborne illness) was evaluated, in order to know the possible use in food processing. W. confusa was produced by batch fermentation using MRS commercial substrate. Three fermentations, of 6 hours at 33 °C, without aeration, stirring continuously (100 rpm) were performed. Every hour of fermentation, three biological substances, W. confusa with their metabolites (W + W10b), W. confusa free cells metabolites (W), and metabolite (W10b) were separated, and subsequently the antimicrobial activity against pathogenic E. coli and K. pneumoniae was measured. Statistically significant differences between treatments and fermentation time were found. Treatment (W) against E. coli, showed the greatest antimicrobial activity, it was obtained between the fourth and sixth hours of fermentation (2.45 cm diameter average inhibition). In treatments W and W + W10b against K. pneumoniae, statistically significant differences between them were not found. The antimicrobial activity was shown between the fourth and fifth hour of fermentation. W. confusa and W10b have antimicrobial activity against E. coli and K. pneumoniae, suggesting that W and W10b could be used as an alternative to biopreservation or bioprotection of fresh and proces

Technological and Bioactive Functionalities of Canola Meal Proteins and Hydrolysates

Canola meal proteins have been credited with some technological food functional abilities, including foaming, water absorption, solubility, gelling, emulsifying, and foaming properties, despite the presence of other nonprotein moieties in the preparations studied to date. Unfortunately, these proteins have found limited practical use in food processing, presumably due to their poor solubility in aqueous systems at neutral pH. Consequently, canola meal proteins are undervalued as food ingredients. There is, however, high potential to improve the value of canola meal proteins via modification, especially by enzymatic hydrolysis to improve their solubility, and, hence, many of these functional properties. Enzymatic hydrolysis can also be employed to generate nutritionally functional hydrolysates and bioactive peptides. The most studied bioactive properties of canola protein hydrolysates was found to be the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and antioxidant activities, whereas others such as the antimicrobial and anticancer properties have been less investigated. Therefore, this review looks into some of the studies carried out on canola proteins and gives an insight to the future research needs.

Safety evaluation of glucose oxidase from Penicillium chrysogenum

Glucose oxidase (β-d-glucose:oxygen 1-oxidoreductase; EC 1.1.2.3.4) is used in the food and beverage industry as a preservative and stabilizer and is commonly derived from the fungus Aspergillus niger. Although the safety of glucose oxidase preparations from A. niger is well-established, the use of preparations derived from other fungal species is of interest; however, an assessment of their safety is warranted. Here, we report on the safety of a glucose oxidase preparation derived from the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum (designated as PGO) for commercial use in food processing, as well as an ingredient in food. In a repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study conducted in rats, PGO was without compound-related adverse effects at doses of up to 15,600U/kg body weight/day, equivalent to 193mg total organic solids/kg body weight/day. In addition, PGO was non-genotoxic in a series of genotoxicity tests, including a bacterial reverse mutation test, an in vitro mammalian chromosomal aberration test, and a combined in vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test and comet assay. The results of these studies support the safe use of PGO in food for human consumption.

Supercritical fluid extraction of carotenoids and chlorophylls a, b and c, from a wild strain of Scenedesmus obliquus for use in food processing

Faster and more selective extraction methods are urged to recover food-grade pigments and antioxidants from microalgae – which do not resort to food-incompatible and environment-unfriendly solvents. Hence, this study ascertained the influence of pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate and a polar co-solvent upon the yields of carotenoids and chlorophylls in supercritical fluid extraction of Scenedesmus obliquus biomass. The highest carotenoid yield was attained at 250bar and 60°C. The yields of chlorophylls, when using plain CO2, increased slightly with pressure, but decreased with temperature and CO2 flow rate; the highest yield of chlorophyll a was at 4.3gCO2min-1, whereas ethanol as co-solvent increased all yields except that of chlorophyll c. The highest ratio of total carotenoids to chlorophyll a was reached at 250bar and 60°C. A remarkable selectivity was observed under these operating conditions, which may enable easy separation and purification of the aforementioned pigments.

Determination of phenolic acid concentrations in wheat flours produced at different extraction rates

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the distribution of phenolic acids in wheat flours produced from five milling extraction rates ranging from 60% to 100% in four cultivars sown in two locations in the 2008–2009 season. Considerable variation was observed in free and bound phenolic acids, and their components in flours with different extraction rates. Most phenolic acids, including the component ferulic, were present in the bound form (94.0%). Ferulic (51.0%) was the predominant phenolic acid in wheat grain, and caffeic (22.8%) and p-coumaric (17.6%) acids were abundant. The phenolic acids and their components were all significantly influenced by effects of cultivar, milling, location, and cultivar × milling interaction, with milling effect being the predominant. The proportions of phenolic compounds varied considerably among milling extractions and cultivars, and their levels depended on both initial grain concentrations and on selection of milling extraction that was incorporated into the final product. The grain phenolic acid concentrations determined ranged from 54 μg g−1 in flour produced at 60% extraction rate to 695 μg g−1 in flour produced at 100% extraction rate, indicating their higher concentrations in bran associated with cell wall materials. Therefore, wholemeal wheat products maximize health benefits and are strongly recommended for use in food processing.

Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Insecticidal Activities of the Essential Oil from the Pistacia terebinthus L. Spp. Palaestina (Boiss.) (Anacardiaceae)

Essential oil (EO) was hydrodistillated using a Clevenger-type apparatus and chemically determined using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The analysis of the EO from the leaves of the Pistacia terebinthus has indicated that α-pinene (19.97%), sabinene (15.43%), β-pinene (8.57%) and terpinen-4-ol (9.65%) are the major compounds of the oil in concern. In the antibacterial disc diffusion assay, EO revealed a broad spectrum activity on the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when compared with the standard antibiotics. Likewise, in the insecticidal assay, significant activity was observed on two important pest insects, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Tribolium castaneum. A 100% mortality was found at 160 μL/L air dose for T. castaneum at 48-h and A. obtectus at 72-h exposure periods, respectively. Practical Applications Various parts of the Pistacia terebinthus L. belonging to the Anacardiaceae family are edible and contribute significant benefits with invaluable potentialities to the Mediterranean life. Leaves of this tree are consumed as either fresh or cooked. The biological potential of the essential oil (EO) from the leaves of P. terebinthus L. grown in the Eastern Mediterranean region has not been assessed so far. The present assays indicated that the EO of P. terebinthus contains bioactive compounds against bacteria and pest insects suggesting its potential use in food processing and preservation.

Formulated products containing a new phytase from Schyzophyllum sp. phytase for application in feed and food processing

A new formulated product containing high yield of phytase from Schizophyllum sp., an important mushroom used for medicinal studies, was developed for application in feed industries and for future use in food processing. The enzyme presented a high activity yield 55.5 U/mL and 6240 U/gds in liquid and solid formulated product, respectively. It showed a good shelf-life in concentrated product, retaining 67.8% of its activity after 60 days of storage at room temperature and 90% of the activity was maintained in the liquid formulation after the same period. Powder bioformulated product maintained 77% of its activity after two months of storage, without the addition of chemical additives, which was named as a new bioformulated product containing high quantities of phytase. After separation and concentration steps, enzyme stability was monitored in two forms: liquid and solid. The liquid product was stable with the presence of manitol and polyethylene glycol at 1% (w/v), while solid product was the most stable product without the presence of chemical additives.

Continuous hydrolysis of modified wheat gluten in an enzymatic membrane reactor

The low solubility of wheat gluten is one of the major limitations to its use in food processing, and enzymatic hydrolysis has been found to be an effective way to prepare more soluble bioactive peptides from gluten. The aim of this study was to prepare bioactive peptides from modified wheat gluten (MWG) in a continuous enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) that allowed rapid separation of low-molecular-weight peptides from hydrolysates, thus avoiding the disadvantages of batch reaction such as inefficient use of enzymes, inconsistent products due to batch-to-batch variation, substrate-product inhibition, low productivity and excessive hydrolysis. Wheat gluten was modified to decrease its lipid and starch contents in order to prevent membrane fouling. The optimal working conditions for Alcalase to hydrolyse MWG in the EMR were a substrate concentration of 20 g L(-1) , an enzyme/substrate ratio of 0.03, an operating pressure of 0.04 MPa, a temperature of 40 °C and a pH of 9. The operating stability of the EMR (including residual enzyme activity, productivity and capacity) was high. The permeate fractions showed antioxidant activities that were mostly due to low-molecular-weight peptides. A simple theoretical kinetic model was successfully applied to the enzymatic hydrolysis of MWG in the EMR. Modification of wheat gluten made the continuous enzymatic membrane reaction more efficient and the EMR proved to be an effective means of producing peptides with particular properties and bioactivities. The permeate fractions (mainly < 1000 Da) were homogeneous and stable and also showed strong antioxidant activities.

Characterization and thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with epoxidized soybean oil for food packaging

The use of phthalates in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) formulations has been questioned by their potential toxicity and high migration to foodstuff. Phthalates can be replaced by other harmless and environmentally friendly plasticizers, such as epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO), which has been also proved an efficient stabilizer for PVC helping to prevent degradation during processing. Formulations based on PVC with different amounts of ESBO (from 30 to 50 wt%) were fully characterized showing good compatibility and a clear increase in thermal stability. An evaluation of the use of ESBO for PVC stabilization in commercial lids was carried out by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). ESBO was detected in all materials and their thermal stability was highly dependent on the plasticizer concentration. Most of them showed a significant increase in thermal degradation temperatures, permitting their use in food processing at high temperatures without risk of degradation.

Brazilian consumer views on food irradiation

Abstract This study investigated the consumer attitude to food irradiation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, through a qualitative research perspective. Three focus groups were conducted with 30 consumers, responsible for food choices and purchases. Both irradiated and nonirradiated food samples were served in the sessions to motivate the discussion and elicit the participants´ knowledge, opinions, feelings and concerns towards the irradiation process. Reactions were similar among the groups and differences between the irradiated and the nonirradiated samples were hardly perceived. When provided with positive information about irradiation and its benefits to foods and human health, many people still remained suspicious about the safety of the technology. Risk perception seemed to be related to unease and lack of knowledge about nuclear power and its non-defense use. Participants claimed for more transparency in communication about risks and benefits of irradiated foods to the human health, especially with respect to the continued consumption. Industrial relevance Irradiation is an emerging food processing technology, which has been gaining interest by food technologists, producers and manufacturers all over the world in the last decades. Irradiation is suitable for disinfestation, microorganism load reduction or sterilization, assuring the safety, as well as having benefits in the shelf-life of foodstuffs. Food irradiation is approved in many countries and its use in food processing is endorsed by several reputed authorities, such as FAO and USDA. Despite the approval and recommendation, this technology still remains underutilized not only in Brazil, but also in other countries. The main reason appears to be the consumer concerns and doubts about the use of radiations in food processing. To develop communication strategies in promotion of irradiated foods it is necessary to investigate consumer attitudes, knowledge, opinions, as well as fears, with respect to the use of radiation in food processing. It is well-known that consumer views on technology may vary from a culture to another. So, findings from consumer research in a country may certainly not reflect the consumer views in other countries. In this sense, Brazilian studies focused on consumer views on food irradiation are necessary to gain understanding on how the local market accepts the technology. Brazil is one of the most important food producers in the world and an emerging consumer market with a population of about 184 million people. Food irradiation is regulated in Brazil since 1973, but to date only a few food ingredients are subjected to irradiation. The wide use of irradiation in food processing would favor Brazilian producers in the quality and safety assurance of food products, both for the local market and for exports.

Starch–cassia gum interactions: A microstructure – Rheology study

We present for the first time the interactions of starch and cassia gum – a novel galactomannan recently approved for use in food processing. Viscoelastic, pasting and microstructural characterization of various starches (waxy; high amylose; normal; cross-linked waxy corn starch; potato starch) containing different levels of the cassia gum was carried out. Significant changes were observed in the morphology of granule remnants formed during gelatinization in the starch pastes prepared with and without the addition of cassia gum. The freeze-dried starch–cassia gum pastes presented a shrunken and tight arrangement of the starch granule remnants, when studied by scanning electron microscopy. A significant reduction in the granule remnant size was also calculated using laser diffraction particle size analysis. The extent of interaction with cassia gum differed significantly among the various starch types. All the unmodified corn starches recorded an increase in peak viscosity at all levels of the cassia gum addition. An increase in the final viscosity of these starches was also observed by the addition of cassia gum, with high amylose and normal corn starch showing the maximum. Similarly, the extent of breakdown and setback viscosity also differed among the different starch types. Ranges of dynamic rheological measurements (temperature, time and frequency sweeps) were performed within the viscoelastic zones. Rheological parameters, such as storage modulus ( G′), loss modulus ( G″) and the gelatinization temperature ( T gel), of the corn starches during the heating cycle were observed to increase, when cassia gum was present at lower levels. The starch–gum systems also exhibited higher tan δ values during both the heating and the cooling cycles, indicating the dominance of the viscous modulus. The G′ and G″ of all the corn starch gels containing cassia gum showed higher values throughout the frequency sweep range. However, the increase in G′ and G″ of different starches was not always consistent with the increase in cassia gum levels. The changes in rheological behaviour during storage of the starch gels, aged on the plate of the rheometer and then studied through time sweeps at 5 °C and frequency sweeps at 25 °C, suggested that the starch gels containing cassia gum had less pronounced changes in the rheological parameters than had their control counterparts.