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23 pages, 3650 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Pulsed Electric Field on the Drying Kinetics of Apple Slices during Vacuum-Assisted Microwave Drying: Experimental, Mathematical and Computational Intelligence Approaches

by Mahdi Rashvand, Mohammad Nadimi, Jitendra Paliwal, Hongwei Zhang and Aberham Hailu Feyissa

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 7861; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14177861 - 4 Sep 2024

Viewed by 951

Abstract

One of the challenges in the drying process is decreasing the drying time while preserving the product quality. This work aimed to assess the impact of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment with varying specific energy levels (15.2–26.8 kJ/kg) in conjunction with a microwave [...] Read more.

One of the challenges in the drying process is decreasing the drying time while preserving the product quality. This work aimed to assess the impact of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment with varying specific energy levels (15.2–26.8 kJ/kg) in conjunction with a microwave vacuum dryer (operating at energy levels of 100, 200 and 300 W) on the kinetics of drying apple slices (cv. Gravenstein). The findings demonstrated a notable reduction in the moisture ratio with the application of pulsed electric field treatment. Based on the findings, implementing PEF reduced the drying time from 4.2 to 31.4% compared to the untreated sample. Moreover, two mathematical models (viz. Page and Weibull) and two machine learning techniques (viz. artificial neural network and support vector regression) were used to predict the moisture ratio of the dried samples. Page’s and Weibull’s models predicted the moisture ratios with R² = 0.958 and 0.970, respectively. The optimal topology of machine learning to predict the moisture ratio was derived based on the influential parameters within the artificial neural network (i.e., training algorithm, transfer function and hidden layer neurons) and support vector regression (kernel function). The performance of the artificial neural network (R² = 0.998, RMSE = 0.038 and MAE = 0.024) surpassed that of support vector regression (R² = 0.994, RMSE = 0.012 and MAE = 0.009). Overall, the machine learning approach outperformed the mathematical models in terms of performance. Hence, machine learning can be used effectively for both predicting the moisture ratio and facilitating online monitoring and control of the drying processes. Lastly, the attributes of the dried apple slices, including color, mechanical properties and sensory analysis, were evaluated. Drying apple slices using PEF treatment and 100 W of microwave energy not only reduces drying time but also maintains the chemical properties such as the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity), vitamin C, color and sensory qualities of the product. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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Schematic representation of developed microwave vacuum drying system at DTU. Full article ">Figure 2
Applied ML model (a) artificial neural network structure (b) support vector regression flow chart. Full article ">Figure 3
Drying rate curves for apple slices at (a) 100 W (b) 200 W and (c) 300 W. Moisture ratio curves for apple slices at (d) 100 W (e) 200 W and (f) 300 W. PEF1, PEF2 and PEF3 present the pulsed electric field under specific energy of 15.2, 21.07 and 26.8 kJ/kg, respectively. Full article ">Figure 4
Relation between kinetic parameters of (a) Page’s and (b) Weibull’s models and microwave power. Full article ">Figure 5
Effects of different energy microwave (a) and PEF treatment on (b) antioxidant activity (c) total phenolic content (d) total flavonoid and (e) vitamin C of dried apple slices. Different letters indicate significant differences between sample means (p < 0.05). (TP: phenolic content, TF: total flavonoid content, AA: antioxidant activity, and VC: vitamin C). Full article ">Figure 6
Best statistical parameters of test set for (a) identification of the optimal number of hidden neurons and (b) different transfer functions. Full article ">Figure 7
Comparison of predicted and experimental moisture ratio of training iterations for all experimental conditions. Full article ">

12 pages, 579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of the Addition of Selected Juices on the Content of Aluminum in Tea Infusions and Health Risk Assessment in the Polish Population

by Artur Mazurek and Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 5173; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125173 - 14 Jun 2024

Viewed by 674

Abstract

Tea is a plant rich in compounds that positively impact human health. Still, it also contains large amounts of aluminum, which is toxic to humans and passes into the infusion during brewing. The presented research aims to determine the effect of adding lemon, [...] Read more.

Tea is a plant rich in compounds that positively impact human health. Still, it also contains large amounts of aluminum, which is toxic to humans and passes into the infusion during brewing. The presented research aims to determine the effect of adding lemon, Japanese quince, and quince juice to infusions of various types of teas on their aluminum content. It should be emphasized that research on the impact of Japanese quince and quince juices has not yet been published. Exposure to exceeding the safe level of aluminum consumption from tea infusions was also assessed. It has been shown that adding juices that lower the pH of infusions increases the aluminum content by up to 150%. The main factor influencing the increase in the aluminum content in tea infusions with additives is the lowering of the pH value, and other ingredients present in the juices do not have a significant impact. The health risk assessment indicates the possibility of adverse health effects from aluminum consumption, especially from black and green tea infusions with the addition of Japanese quince and lemon juices. It has been shown that quince juice can be recommended as an addition to tea infusions because it causes the smallest increase in aluminum content in the infusion among the juices tested. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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18 pages, 2741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extrusion of Rice and Aronia melanocarpa Pomace: Physical and Functional Characteristics of Extrudates

by Mariya Dushkova, Apostol Simitchiev, Boryana Beleva, Todorka Petrova and Anna Koleva

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 4315; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104315 - 20 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 810

Abstract

In this study, black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice pomace was used to enrich the extrudates from rice in order to create a functional food. A response surface methodology was applied to optimize the physical (expansion ratio, bulk density, moisture content, hardness, [...] Read more.

In this study, black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice pomace was used to enrich the extrudates from rice in order to create a functional food. A response surface methodology was applied to optimize the physical (expansion ratio, bulk density, moisture content, hardness, pellet durability index, and color) and functional (water solubility index, water absorption index) characteristics of the extrudates. A laboratory single-screw extruder was used to produce the extrudates and a full factorial experimental design was applied (N = 3²) to present the effect of the amount of chokeberry pomace (10 and 20%), the feed moisture content (14 and 20%) and the working screw speed (180 min⁻¹ and 220 min⁻¹) of the extruder on the physical and functional characteristics. The results showed that the three factors influenced all studied characteristics. An exception with statistically insignificant effect was the amount of chokeberry pomace on the expansion ratio, pellet durability index, water adsorption index, lightness, redness, and yellowness, the feed moisture content on the water solubility, water adsorption index, redness and yellowness, and the working screw speed on the bulk density and hardness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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13 pages, 1311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Bovine Livers and Hearts Hydrolysates

by Ignė Juknienė, Gintarė Zaborskienė, Agnė Jankauskienė and Irena Mačionienė

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(24), 13142; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132413142 - 11 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1301

Abstract

Our previous research has indicated that bioactive protein hydrolysates derived from porcine by-products possess the potential to be utilized in the production of functional additives and food supplements. The objective of this investigation was to assess the antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics and amino [...] Read more.

Our previous research has indicated that bioactive protein hydrolysates derived from porcine by-products possess the potential to be utilized in the production of functional additives and food supplements. The objective of this investigation was to assess the antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics and amino acid changes in hydrolysates of lyophilized meat of bovine livers and hearts. The relevant enzymes, papain and pepsin, were used to hydrolyze the meat by-products over periods of 3, 6, and 24 h. The antimicrobial properties of all enzymatically digested samples were assessed against Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Typhimurium. Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli, S. aureus subsp. aureus. The assessment of antiradical activity involved the quantification of DPPH• and ABTS•+ absorbance in bovine by-product hydrolysates. The hydrolysates were subjected to amino acid analysis using AccQ Tag technology, which was performed by Waters Corporation in Milford, MA, USA. The bacteria L. monocytogenes had the highest antibacterial activity (inhibition zone) (20.00 ± 0.20 mm) and less against E. coli (10.00 ± 0.10 mm) of bovine heart hydrolysates and were prepared for 24 h with papain. The highest values of ABTS•+ (98.1 ± 0.30%) and of DPPH• scavenging activity (92.56 ± 0.56%) of cationic radicals were evaluated in the bovine liver hydrolysates after the effect of papain for 24 h. Longer hydrolysis time influenced the decrease in free hydrophobic amino acids (Ala, Val, Ile, Leu, Tyr, Phe, Pro, Met). The results confirmed the potential use of bovine liver and heart hydrolysates as functional or biologically active materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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15 pages, 1597 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Meat Analogues from Pea Protein: Effect of Different Oat Protein Concentrates and Post Treatment on Selected Technological Properties of High-Moisture Extrudates

by Sara M. Gaber, Dejan Knezevic, Cátia Saldanha do Carmo, Hanne Zobel, Svein H. Knutsen, Stefan Sahlstrøm and Tzvetelin Dessev

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12354; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212354 - 15 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1775

Abstract

The effect of using oat protein concentrates from different sources on the techno/functional properties of pea protein high-moisture extrudates (HME) have been investigated. The oat protein fractions were commercially produced by wet milling (OP) or produced by dry fractionation (OA) in our pilot [...] Read more.

The effect of using oat protein concentrates from different sources on the techno/functional properties of pea protein high-moisture extrudates (HME) have been investigated. The oat protein fractions were commercially produced by wet milling (OP) or produced by dry fractionation (OA) in our pilot plant facilities. The texture cutting force of HME was significantly increased by the inclusion of OP and had higher anisotropy, while addition of OA did not influence the texture. Addition of both oat sources to the pea mixture led to higher water and oil binding ability on both initial dry ingredients and extrudates. The color of the meat analogues was significantly affected by the type of oat added. CLSM image analysis of the extrudates showed that the type of oat used influenced fiber alignment and apparent porosity of the protein network. Post-extrusion treatment with water at 80 °C/20 min of the extrudates significantly reduced the cutting strength of the meat analogues and significantly caused a shift toward a lighter color. The reduction of texture strength of extrudates with OP rendered it similar to cooked chicken samples, while extrudates with OA showed a more resilient fiber strength to the hot water treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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12 pages, 1747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Light Can Induce Accumulation of Nutritional Antioxidants in Black Chokeberry Cell Suspension Culture

by Gergana Krasteva, Tsvetanka Teneva-Angelova, Ilian Badjakov, Ivayla Dincheva, Vasil Georgiev and Atanas Pavlov

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11557; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011557 - 22 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1402

Abstract

Cultivation of plant cells under controlled conditions is a highly effective and fast developing technology that recently was considered as a branch of cellular agriculture. Cellular agriculture is a multidisciplinary approach for sustainable and renewable production of agricultural goods and raw materials at [...] Read more.

Cultivation of plant cells under controlled conditions is a highly effective and fast developing technology that recently was considered as a branch of cellular agriculture. Cellular agriculture is a multidisciplinary approach for sustainable and renewable production of agricultural goods and raw materials at cellular, rather than organismal, level. However, in contrast to the rapid advance in development of cultured meat and precision fermentation, the production of nutritional supplements from plant cells is still in its infancy. One of the limiting factors, striating commercialization of plant cells for food production, is the low yields of target bioactive metabolites. In this work, the changes in phenolics, anthocyanins and exopolysaccharides accumulation during cultivation of Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott cell suspension cultures in darknessor under illumination (16 light and 8 dark) were investigated. The data showed that the highest contents of total phenolics (8.17 ± 0.39 mg GAE/g DW), total anthocyanins (0.011 ± 0.001 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents/g DW) and antioxidant activities (DPPH—21.36 ± 0.29 µM TE/g DW; TEAC—10.08 ± 0.07 µM TE/g DW; FRAP—34.85 ± 1.47 µM TE/g DW; and CUPRAC—126.74 ± 9.15 µM TE/g DW) were achieved when the cells were grown under illumination (16 light and 8 dark). In contrast, when the culture was grown indarkness, the highest amounts of accumulated dry biomass (8.68 ± 0.35 g/L) and exopolysaccharides production (2.10 ± 0.07 g/L) were reached. The results demonstrated that light can be used as an affordable and highly effective factor to control the production of valuable antioxidants by black chokeberry cell suspension culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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Accumulated dry biomass (A), growth index (B) and cell morphology of Aronia melanocarpa cell suspension culture (light microscopy, Olympus CX23, 40×, bars are 20 µm), grown under light cycles (C) and in darkness (D) for 7 days. The means with different letters differed significantly at p ≤ 0.01. Full article ">Figure 2
Total anthocyanins content (A) and extracellular polysaccharides production (B) by Aronia melanocarpa cell suspension culture cultivated under light cycles and in darkness for 7 days. The means with different letters differed significantly at p ≤ 0.01. Full article ">Figure 3
Hierarchically clustered heatmap of phenolic compounds found in Aronia melanocarpa cell suspension culture cultivated under light cycles (green) and in darkness (red). The Ward method with Euclidean distance was used for data clustering. The samples are organized in columns and the metabolites in rows. The highest (red) and lowest (blue) levels of the compounds are mapped. Full article ">Figure 4
Score plot presenting samples discrimination by the first two principal components of phenolic compounds found in Aronia melanocarpa cell suspension culture cultivated under light cycles (red) and in darkness (blue). Full article ">

14 pages, 3076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling and Optimization of Processes for Craft Beer Production: Malt Mixture Modeling and Mashing Optimization for Lager Beer Production

by Alexander Ivanov, Kristina Ivanova and Georgi Kostov

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11554; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011554 - 22 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2267

Abstract

Beer ranks third in terms of consumption worldwide, and its technology is constantly being improved and perfected. The boom in craft brewing has led to the production of thousands of new types of beer, but most often without scientific justification of the technological [...] Read more.

Beer ranks third in terms of consumption worldwide, and its technology is constantly being improved and perfected. The boom in craft brewing has led to the production of thousands of new types of beer, but most often without scientific justification of the technological decisions made. This paper discusses the approaches to the modeling of the composition of the malt mixture and the mode of lager beer production. A special cubic simplex-lattice design with two replications was used to model the mixture with three malt types: Pilsner, Caramel Pils and Caramel Munich type 2. Models for the main brewing characteristics, i.e., wort extract and color, as well as models for the biological parameters of the mash, i.e., phenolic compound content and antioxidant potential, were developed using different methods. Multi-objective optimization was carried out and a specific mixture was developed for the production of lager beer. The influence of acidulated malt, lactic acid and CaCl₂ additions on the extract yield and malt mash filtration time were established through one-factor experiments. The extract and fermentable sugar yield during individual pauses in the mashing mode was studied with a view to its optimization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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20 pages, 4826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), Raspberry Seed (Rubus idaeus L.), and Ylang-Ylang (Cananga odorata (Lam.) Essential Oils—Towards Hurdle Technologies in the Production of Chocolate Mousse

by Zapryana Denkova, Bogdan Goranov, Denica Blazheva, Teodora Tomova, Desislava Teneva, Rositsa Denkova-Kostova, Aleksandar Slavchev, Rafael Pagán, Pascal Degraeve and Georgi Kostov

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11281; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011281 - 13 Oct 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2577

Abstract

The growing consumer demand for the development of functional foods with a number of benefits for the consumer has led to a considerable increase in the studies focused on examining different natural agents to be included in the composition of newly developed functional [...] Read more.

The growing consumer demand for the development of functional foods with a number of benefits for the consumer has led to a considerable increase in the studies focused on examining different natural agents to be included in the composition of newly developed functional foods. The chemical compositions of the essential oils (EOs) of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), raspberry seed (Rubus idaeus L.), and ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata (Lam.)) were determined using gas chromatography with a mass selective detector (GC-MS). The antibacterial and antifungal activities of these EOs were examined using a high-throughput 96-well microplate bioassay procedure and the MICs of each EO against each test microorganism were determined. The results indicated significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Salmonella abony NTCC 6017, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NBIMCC 1390, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659, Penicillium chrysogenum ATCC 28089, Fusarium moniliforme ATCC 38932, Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015, and Aspergillus flavus ATCC 9643. To explore their potential applications in food preservation, model chocolate mousse food emulsions were prepared that incorporated EOs and/or selected probiotic lactobacilli strains in both free and encapsulated forms. The inclusion of EOs and/or probiotic lactobacilli resulted in enhanced microbial safety and an extended shelf life. Furthermore, the chocolate mousse variants that were biopreserved with the inclusion of probiotic lactobacilli maintained a high viable lactobacillus cell concentration throughout the storage period. As a result, these products would not only be suitable as functional probiotic foods but also as effective delivery vehicles for probiotic lactobacilli. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 2
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Salmonella abony NTCC 6017. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 3
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NBIMCC 1390. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 4
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 5
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 6
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 7
Inhibitory activity of EOs on the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763. (a) peppermint and lavender EOs. (b) raspberry seed and ylang-ylang EOs. Full article ">Figure 8
Biopreservation of CM. (a) control sample–pH. (b) biopreserved sample with peppermint EO–pH. (c) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells sample–pH and viable cells. (d) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells sample–pH and viable cells. (e) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO sample–pH and viable cells. (f) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO sample–pH and viable cells. Full article ">Figure 8 Cont.
Biopreservation of CM. (a) control sample–pH. (b) biopreserved sample with peppermint EO–pH. (c) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells sample–pH and viable cells. (d) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells sample–pH and viable cells. (e) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO sample–pH and viable cells. (f) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO sample–pH and viable cells. Full article ">Figure 9
Organoleptic evaluation of the CM variants. (a) biopreserved with peppermint EO. (b) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells. (c) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells. (d) biopreserved with free lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO. (e) biopreserved with encapsulated lactobacilli cells and peppermint EO. Full article ">

12 pages, 1490 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lipid Composition and Physicochemical Parameters of Flaxseed Oil (Linum usitatissimum L.) from Bulgaria

by Vanya Gandova, Olga Teneva, Zhana Petkova, Ivan Iliev and Albena Stoyanova

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10141; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810141 - 8 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1942

Abstract

Flaxseed oil is a prevalent food supplement. On one hand, vegetable oil is used in the food industry and pharmacy due to its health benefits; on the other hand, it has an application as a lubricant oil. The fatty acid composition of the [...] Read more.

Flaxseed oil is a prevalent food supplement. On one hand, vegetable oil is used in the food industry and pharmacy due to its health benefits; on the other hand, it has an application as a lubricant oil. The fatty acid composition of the investigated oil was determined as follows: the main fatty acids were α-linolenic (57.5%), oleic (17.5%), linoleic (12.5%), palmitic (6.0%), and stearic acid (4.3%). The content of unsaponifiable matter was 1.4%. The total sterol content was determined (0.5%), with identified β-sitosterol (79.7%) as a main component, followed by stigmasterol. The content of tocopherols was found to be 243 mg/kg. The compound γ-tocopherol predominated (68%) in the tocopherol fraction, followed by γ-tocotrienol (32%). Some physicochemical indicators were also determined—density, surface tension, and dynamic and kinematic viscosity—at the following temperatures: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C. The increase in temperature led to a decrease in all indexes and good linear dependence was observed. The determined physicochemical indicators provided information about the stability of flaxseed oil, which is very important considering its use in food and technical products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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17 pages, 4814 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Effect of Bioactive Compound Enrichment Using Rosa damascena Distillation Side Streams and an Optimized Osmotic Treatment on the Stability of Frozen Oyster Mushrooms

by Natalia A. Stavropoulou and Maria C. Giannakourou

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9734; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179734 - 28 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1169

Abstract

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is the second most widely cultivated mushroom worldwide but has a short shelf-life due to its high moisture content. Osmodehydrofreezing, including a step of osmotic dehydration (OD) prior to freezing, can be applied to extend product shelf [...] Read more.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is the second most widely cultivated mushroom worldwide but has a short shelf-life due to its high moisture content. Osmodehydrofreezing, including a step of osmotic dehydration (OD) prior to freezing, can be applied to extend product shelf life and preserve its quality characteristics. In this study, the effect of glycerol concentration (30–50%), temperature (30–50 °C), and immersion time (20–190 min) on mass transfer properties (WL, SG, a_w, %moisture content, salt intake) and important quality indices (color and texture) was investigated. Experiments were conducted using a Box–Behnken Design with three factors at three levels, second order equations were used to describe all measured parameters (following the Response Surface Methodology principles), and preselected desirability functions were used to set the acceptability criteria for optimization. The optimized conditions were found to be 38.7 °C, 30% glycerol, and 130 min of immersion time. To maximize OD effect, an initial step was investigated, using the side streams of rose flowers distillation (ODR samples), aiming at enriching samples with bioactive compounds. Frozen OD and ODR samples demonstrated a significant improvement in color and texture retention, and suffered from a reduced drip loss after thawing, compared to their untreated counterparts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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15 pages, 3960 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nutritional Quality and Overall Acceptability Optimization of Ultra-Fast Air-Superchilled Golden Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) Using the Response Surface Methodology

by Vladimir D. Kitanovski, Stefan G. Dragoev, Hristo N. Nikolov, Desislava B. Vlahova-Vangelova and Dessislav K. Balev

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9504; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179504 - 22 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1059

Abstract

Temperatures below the cryoscopic point help to partially freeze most of the water in the fish muscle tissue. This reduces water activity and makes the remaining free water hardly accessible to microorganisms. The objective of this study was to determine the best process [...] Read more.

Temperatures below the cryoscopic point help to partially freeze most of the water in the fish muscle tissue. This reduces water activity and makes the remaining free water hardly accessible to microorganisms. The objective of this study was to determine the best process regime of ultra-fast air-superchilling, giving us the optimal quality of golden rainbow trout. Two hundred and thirty-four live golden rainbow trout (Oncorchynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) (18 groups of 13 fish in a group) were caught and immediately stunned by an electric current (P = 42 W). The stunned fish was placed in styrofoam cans and covered with flaked ice. The sensory analysis, total nitrogen volatile bases (TVB-N), total number of microorganisms (TVC), and presence of biogenic amines were determined. According to the optimized values for TVB-N, TVC, and sensory scores, giving us a better quality of ultra-fast air-superchilled golden rainbow, the process regime has been found at the following parameters: air temperature T = −11.3 °C; airflow velocity υ = 6.5 m s⁻¹; and packaging layer thickness D = 79.2 μ. The superchilled golden rainbow trout processed by this regime has the lowest degree of proteolytic degradation, delayed development of the microflora, and retains the best possible sensory properties and freshness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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A flowchart of the optimization of the process of golden rainbow trout air-jet superchilling. Full article ">Figure 2
Influence of variables on quality and safety parameters condition of ultra-fast air superchilled golden rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) stored for 21 days at temperatures from −2 to −3 °C; (a) Impact on TVB-N content; (b) Impact on total viable counts (TVC) formation; (c) Impact on established comlex sensory score of grilled fish. Full article ">Figure 2 Cont.
Influence of variables on quality and safety parameters condition of ultra-fast air superchilled golden rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) stored for 21 days at temperatures from −2 to −3 °C; (a) Impact on TVB-N content; (b) Impact on total viable counts (TVC) formation; (c) Impact on established comlex sensory score of grilled fish. Full article ">Figure 3
Significance of variables on quality and safety parameters condition of ultra-fast air superchilled golden rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) stored for 21 days at temperatures from −2 to −3 °C; (a) Significance on TVB-N content in muscle tissue; (b) Significance on total viable counts (TVC) formation; (c) Significance on established complex sensory score of grilled fish. Full article ">Figure 3 Cont.
Significance of variables on quality and safety parameters condition of ultra-fast air superchilled golden rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) stored for 21 days at temperatures from −2 to −3 °C; (a) Significance on TVB-N content in muscle tissue; (b) Significance on total viable counts (TVC) formation; (c) Significance on established complex sensory score of grilled fish. Full article ">Figure 4
Graphical three-dimensional image of complex optimum of the two examined variables: the air temperature (T) and the airflow velocity (υ) at ultra-fast air-superchilling of the golden rainbow trout (Oncorchynchus mykiss, Stevanovski). Full article ">Figure 5
Overlay plot of optimized values for three examined variables: the air temperature (T); the airflow velocity (υ); and the packing layer thickness (D) at ultra-fast air-superchilling of the golden rainbow trout (Oncorchynchus mykiss, Stevanovski). Full article ">Figure 6
HPLC chromatogram proving the absence of biogenic amines in air jet impingement superchilled golden rainbow trout (Oncorchynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) after 21 days of storage from −2 to −3 °C. Full article ">

15 pages, 2483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microbiological, Physicochemical, Organoleptic, and Rheological Properties of Bulgarian Probiotic Yoghurts Produced by Ultrafiltered Goat’s Milk

by Mariya Dushkova, Siyka Kodinova, Velichka Yanakieva, Apostol Simitchiev, Zapryana Denkova and Nikolay Menkov

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7986; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137986 - 7 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1917

Abstract

In this experimental work, the microbiological, physicochemical, organoleptic, and rheological properties of yoghurts produced by ultrafiltered goat’s milk using two volume-reduction ratios and three probiotic starters were studied. It was established that the dry matter, fats, proteins, count of lactic acid bacteria, titratable [...] Read more.

In this experimental work, the microbiological, physicochemical, organoleptic, and rheological properties of yoghurts produced by ultrafiltered goat’s milk using two volume-reduction ratios and three probiotic starters were studied. It was established that the dry matter, fats, proteins, count of lactic acid bacteria, titratable acidity, and dynamic viscosity increased and the pH decreased with the rise of the volume-reduction ratio during ultrafiltration. All yoghurts exhibited Bingham plastic flow behaviour. We recommend using a volume-reduction ratio of 3 and MZ₂f + Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-87 to produce probiotic Bulgarian yoghurts with the highest dry matter contents (23.02%), protein contents (10.20%), fat contents (9.80%), number of viable lactic acid cells (9.34 logN), viscosity (4.99 Pa·s at shear rate of 1.22 s⁻¹), and organoleptic properties and the highest score (15) in the range of this experiment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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Current Progress Regarding Cordyceps militaris, Its Metabolite Function, and Its Production

by Yu-Chieh Chou, Ting-Hsuan Sung, Shi-Jing Hou, Darin Khumsupan, Shella Permatasari Santoso, Kuan-Chen Cheng and Shin-Ping Lin

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114610 - 27 May 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4766

Abstract

Cordyceps militaris is a valuable medicinal fungus which has been widely used as a traditional medicine in East Asia. Compared to the well-known medicinal fungus C. sinensis, C. militaris can produce similar fermented metabolites with various biological activities, but it requires a [...] Read more.

Cordyceps militaris is a valuable medicinal fungus which has been widely used as a traditional medicine in East Asia. Compared to the well-known medicinal fungus C. sinensis, C. militaris can produce similar fermented metabolites with various biological activities, but it requires a shorter culture time and simpler culture conditions, and therefore, it has attracted increasing attention in recent years. The purpose of this review was to organize the current studies regarding metabolite production from C. militaris relative to their biological functions. We combined findings of metabolite production to correlate with different fermentation modes to obtain a full view of production processes used to yield the product. While research on C. militaris fermentation is not uncommon to date, its high value still highlights the importance of developing more modern fermentation processes for industrial production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Processing and Preservation Technologies: Advances and Applications)

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