Food Science and Technology International最新文献

Salmonella spp. are one of the most common causes of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide. Disinfectants are widely used in the food industry to reduce pathogen contamination, but the increase in antimicrobial resistance has reinforced the global need for effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. In addition, Salmonella Heidelberg, an emergent serotype, has been described as highly persistent in facilities of poultry production chain. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the action of electrochemically activated water (ECAW), a biocide produced from water, salt, and electricity, against aerobic bacteria, including S. Heidelberg, experimentally inoculated in chicken breasts. Chicken breasts fragments (2 g) were inoculated by immersion in the bacterial inoculum solution and then were left in a petri dish for 10 min to allow microbial attachment. Fragments were treated by immersion in ECAW (treated group) or 0.1% sterile peptone water solution (control group) at 25 °C for 10 min. After, chicken breasts slices were transferred to sterile tubes and were incubated at 7 °C and at three contact times of 5, 30, and 60 min to simulate chiller environment. The average reduction was 1.07 log₁₀ CFU/g after treatment, and the bacterial counts decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing contact time. These results demonstrate the potential use of this technology in chicken slaughter plants.

The development of a plant-based ice cream using an alternative protein together with açaí and jabuticaba peel flour is a way of meeting the demands for plant-based products and valuing the Brazilian biodiversity. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the rheological and technological characterization of plant-based ice cream of the açaí and jabuticaba peel flour with faba bean protein. Eight formulations were prepared using different concentrations of açaí and jabuticaba peel flour preparation (25%-40%), faba bean protein concentrate (FBPC) (8.5%-20%) and coconut oil (5%-10%). The study revealed that protein concentration having a significant impact on rheological properties. Formulations with high FBPC presented resistance to melting, less overrun and increased the hardness, while moderate levels, especially below 10%, presented characteristics equivalent to the control ice cream (4% faba bean protein), similar to the conventional commercial dairy ice cream. Based on these results, the ideal formulation would have 40% of açaí preparation, 8.5% of FBPC and 6.35% of coconut oil. These findings contribute to understand the complex interactions between the composition and physical characteristics of ice cream with faba bean protein and tropical fruits, aiming to improve its technological properties.

The aim of this study is to assess the impacts of chitosan (CH) coating with oregano essential oil (OEO) and thyme essential oil (TEO) (0.5%-1.0%; v/w) on the foodborne pathogens and physicochemical parameters of beef burger during refrigerated storage. Preliminary experiment (in vitro) demonstrated that 0.5% OEO and TEO were inhibited all or some of S. aureus, S. Typhimurium, and E. coli O157:H7. On day 30, the E. coli O157:H7 of burger coated with CH + OEO and TEO (1%; w/v) declined by 4 and 5 log₁₀ CFU g^-1, respectively, S. Typhimurium and S. aureus decreases (4,5-6 log₁₀ CFU g^-1) when compared to the control sample. The quality parameters of beef burger were also enhanced after the coating treatment of CH and essential oils (EOs), including pH value, TBARS, and TVB-N in burger during storage (4 °C/30 d). Besides, CH + EOs coating also reduced the deterioration of the sensory attributes of beef burger, including color, odor, and overall acceptability. The chitosan coatings with EOs have superior mechanical qualities than the control sample, also, the structure of the films was evaluated by SEM. In conclusion, CH coating with EOs (OEO, ETO; 1%) regarded as a successful strategy to improve the quality and prolong the shelf life of beef burger.

The inactivation of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, using a commercial UV light processing unit, in tropical fruit beverages (pineapple, blackberry, star fruit, soursop, mango, passion fruit, naranjilla, tamarind, hibiscus, and sour guava) was evaluated. Also, the effect on carotenoid content and microbial spoilage indicators (aerobic mesophilic bacteria and molds and yeasts counts) of UV light exposure (delivered UV dose: 14 mJ/cm² at 25 °C automatically adjusted by measuring the UV transmittance through the liquid) compared to thermal pasteurization (71.1 °C for 3 s) in a mango beverage was analyzed. A > 5 log reduction of E. coli was achieved in the pineapple, star fruit, soursop, mango, passion fruit, naranjilla, and tamarind beverages. The treatments did not significantly influence (p > 0.05) microbial spoilage indicators nor the carotenoid content in the mango beverage. Thus, the commercially used UV processing conditions evaluated are not suitable for the safety assurance of all tropical fruit beverages and, based on the spoilage and bioactive compound tested, both thermal and nonthermal approaches may be equally used in a mango beverage.

This study investigates lactic acid as a sustainable alternative to sodium hypochlorite for apple sanitization in juice production, along with the addition of Lacticaseibacillus casei as a biopreservative. Lactic acid showed superior effectiveness in reducing microbial contamination, achieving reductions of 2.64 log CFU/mL for mesophilic aerobes, 2.41 log CFU/mL for molds and yeasts, and 2.41 log CFU/mL for Enterobacteriaceae. Notably, lactic acid-treated juice remained coliform-free for 11 days, with a significant delay in spoilage compared to sodium hypochlorite treatment. Combined with L. casei, the absence of coliforms was maintained over a 20-day refrigerated storage, suggesting a synergistic effect that enhances safety. Additionally, L. casei retained high viability in the lactic acid-treated juice, with counts of 6.48 log CFU/mL, confirming its potential as a biopreservative. The treatment lowered the juice pH, further inhibiting microbial growth and contributing to enhanced microbiological stability. This approach emphasizes the effectiveness of natural biopreservatives in fruit juice preservation, a focus often limited to animal-based products.

This study aims to develop a multigrain probiotic biscuit and evaluate the effect of erythritol as a sugar replacer on the rheological properties of dough, along with the physicochemical and organoleptic properties of biscuits. The higher viscoelasticity of dough was observed at a 25% sugar replacement level with erythritol, and the calorific value of biscuits was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced from 415.12 to 404.69 Cal/100 g with increasing in the sugar replacement from 0% to 75%. The biscuits with higher concentrations of erythritol showed reduced water activity (a_w) and higher hardness values. From Pearson's correlation analysis, it was observed that the probiotic viability had a positive relation with moisture, fat, energy, a_w, and diameter and a negative association with the protein and fiber content of biscuits. The 25% replacement of sugar with erythritol showed a higher probiotic count (> 7 log CFU/g) and improved physicochemical and sensory properties during the storage period, which was further confirmed by the principal component analysis. So, it was recommended that the partial replacement of sugar with erythritol up to 25% is desirable for developing low-calorie bakery products without any alteration in the functional groups and improving the internal structure of the biscuits.

Grape skin is a wine by-product with a high fiber and phenolic compound content, with potential application as an ingredient in food products. This work aimed to study the hedonic and sensory perception of the consumer using the Check-all-that-apply about cereal bars made with grape skin flour (GSF) obtained from wine residue. Grape skin flour with different granulometric ranges (coarse and fine) was added to the cereal bars in different proportions (10, 15, and 20%) to replace the oat flakes present in the formulation. Sensory acceptance results showed that all bars had good acceptance scores (>6.42) and presented different sensory profiles. The cereal bar containing 15% of coarse GSF had good sensory acceptance with attributes "few dark spots," "light color," and "softer," with desirable sensory characteristics and from the nutritional point of view with high fiber content and bioactive compounds and it was considered the best formulation. Therefore, the incorporation of wine by-products in cereal bars showed excellent acceptability and the possibility of insertion in the market.

This study aimed to improve the gel quality of golden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus) sausage by adding sugarcane nanocellulose (SNC) and using high pressure combined with a two-stage heat treatment. The gel strength, textural properties, protein secondary structure, water states, and microstructure were analyzed and compared. The results indicated that the heat treatment was beneficial to stabilizing the protein gel structure, increasing the gel strength and textural quality, and reducing the cooking loss. High-pressure treatment resulted in a decrease of α-helix and an increase of β-sheet in the protein, forming a dense gel structure, which enhanced the gel strength and the percentage of bound water. The superior hydrophilicity of nanocellulose and its cross-linking with protein increased the percentage of bound water in the gel, which improved the water-holding capacity and mechanical properties. Therefore, the best gel quality was obtained by adding nanocellulose and treating it with high pressure combined with two-stage heating.

This study examined the feasibility of applying surface dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (SDBDCP) to partially hydrogenate crude soybean oil. The oil sample was treated for 13 h using SDBDCP at 15 kV with 100% hydrogen gas under room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Fatty acid composition, iodine value, refractive index, carotenoid content, melting point, peroxide value, and free fatty acids content (FFA) were investigated during SDBDCP treatment. Analysis of fatty acid composition demonstrated an increase in the content of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (from 41.32% to 55.3%) and a decrease in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (from 58.62% to 40.98%), which resulted in a reduction of the iodine value to 98.49 over the treatment time. Also, the fatty acid profile indicated that the total detected level of trans-fatty acids was very low (0.79%). After a 13-h treatment, the samples showed a refractive index of 1.4637, melting point of 10 °C, peroxide value of 4.1 meq/kg, and FFA content of 0.8%. In addition, the results revealed a 71% decline in the carotenoid content of the oil sample due to the saturation of their double bonds. Therefore, these findings suggest that SDBDCP can be effectively used for hydrogenation along with bleaching oil.

The use of microalgae as a source of food and pharmaceutical ingredients has garnered growing interest in recent years. Despite the rapid growth of the nutraceutical market, knowledge about the potential of bioactive molecules from microalgae remains insufficient. The present study aimed to investigate the biotechnological potential of the green microalga Desmodesmus armatus isolated from a semi-arid region of Brazil. The algal biomass was characterized in terms of gross biochemical composition, exopolysaccharide content, enzymatic inhibition capacity, and antioxidant, antibacterial, and hemolytic activities from solvents of different polarities (water, ethanol, acetone, and hexane). D armatus biomass had 40% of crude protein content, 25.94% of lipids, and 25.03% of carbohydrates. The prebiotic potential of exopolysaccharides from D armatus was demonstrated, which stimulated the growth of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum bacteria strains. Moreover, the enzyme inhibition capacity for the proteases chymotrypsin (34.78%-45.8%) and pepsin (16.64%-27.27%), in addition to α-amylase (24.79%) and lipase (31.05%) was confirmed. The antioxidant potential varied between the different extracts, with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl sequestration values varying between 17.51% and 63.12%, and those of the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) method between 6.82% and 22.89%. In the antibacterial activity test, only the ethanolic extract showed inhibition against Listeria sp. (at minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] = 256 µg mL^-1). This fraction also presented the highest significant levels of hemolysis (31.88%-52.45%). In summary, the data presented in the study suggest the presence of biocompounds with biotechnological and nutraceutical potential in the D armatus biomass. Future studies may evaluate the inclusion of this biomass in foods in order to increase their biological value.