Journal of Food Engineering最新文献

This study addresses the accurate estimation of kimchi cabbage mass, as cabbage leaves exhibit size variability and complex leaf structures. Conventional mass estimation methods, which rely solely on external imaging, often overlook leaf gaps. To improve accuracy, we propose an innovative computer vision system utilizing hybrid-view images and detailed saturation analysis. Our system quantifies the impact of leaf gaps on mass using features from the saturation channel of images of bisected cabbage. Our proposed method can be easily integrated into existing workflows and has the potential to improve labor efficiency. Our approach outperforms the conventional method (R² of 0.66 and relative error of 8.68%), achieving a 0.92 R² value and lowering the relative error to 4.22%. This advancement offers a robust solution for the mass estimation of kimchi cabbage and suggests potential applications for other foods and crops with internal voids.

Drying technologies are often utilized to maximize microbial shelf-life stability of probiotics-based foods. However, these processes inadvertently induce stress on microorganisms and reduce probiotic viability. This work sought to develop suitable protection strategies to maintain viability of powdered probiotics in different foods. A formulation platform (set of pre-existing/initial formulation templates for application/adaptation to various products) consisting of six powder formulations was evaluated. Each template combination comprised a probiotic, at least one prebiotic and at least one coating material. The powder particles were small (d₅₀: 4.92 ± 0.09 μm to 9.30 ± 1.09 μm) to ensure optimal incorporation in foods for desirable mouthfeel, while all powders were favorably moisture-stable (a_w: 0.34–0.53) and less susceptible to moisture uptake than their unencapsulated counterpart. At least one species from the platform was able to satisfy the viability and/or functional requirements on various food matrices which thus demonstrated its utility in formulation development.

Natural cork stoppers, renowned for their sealing efficacy in wine bottles, face challenges in gas-tightness due to cork surface irregularities. This study investigates the impact of lubricant coatings (silicone or paraffin emulsions), on cork stopper gas-tightness. These coatings facilitate cork conformity to glass, minimizing gaps at the interface and significantly improving sealing capacity. A small amount of lubricant leads to a two-order-of-magnitude reduction in gas flow. However, careful control of coating is crucial to ensure reliable sealing. Additionally, water absorption by cork is proposed to contribute to sealing by generating expansion forces and softening the cork, enhancing conformity to glass.

This study emphasizes that natural cork stoppers should be viewed as both sealants and membranes. These findings shed light on the importance of surface treatments and water interaction in achieving reliable sealing in cork stoppers, ultimately ensuring the preservation and quality of bottled wine.

State diagram is used to determine the stability of dried and frozen foods during their processing and storage. In this study, state diagram of sardine was developed by measuring the freezing curve, glass line, solids melting line, and maximal-freeze-concentration conditions. Glass transition temperature decreased with the increase in water content and it was adjusted using a modified Gordon-Taylor equation. The glass transition of dry-solids and critical temperature were 184.1 and 12.5^oC, and the model parameter of the modified Gordon-Taylor equation was estimated as 4.2, respectively. Solids melting temperature was modeled by Flory-Huggins equation; and dry-solids melting temperature and Flory-Huggins solids-water interaction parameter were determined as 199.4^oC and 0.956, respectively. Freezing point of fresh sardine was observed as −1.3^oC with ice melting enthalpy of 186.3 kJ/kg, and it decreased with the increase of solids due to the freezing point depression with solutes. Freezing point was adjusted by Chen equation based on Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The ultimate maximal-freeze-concentration temperatures, (T_m′)_u and (T_g′′′)_u were determined as −18.6 and −25.1^oC, respectively and maximal-freeze-concentration solids were estimated as 0.90 g solids/g sample (i.e. un-freezable water 0.10 g water/g sample). This indicated that frozen sardines could be most stable if stored below −25.1^oC, and dried fish stored below its glass transition.

This paper demonstrates, for the very first time, 3D printing of pea-based snacks with tunable texture using the binder jetting (BJT) method, pea flour as the print powder, and an aqueous binder solution. The binding mechanism was studied by performing both Hele-Shaw cell experiments and confocal microscopy on the printed samples. As the pea flour was exposed to an aqueous binder, the starch granules swelled. These granules remained swollen but were further joined by a network of protein-rich bridges as the sample dried. Inclusion of sugar and post-printing baking tended to strengthen the as-printed samples, and the resultant mechanical properties were on par with commercial snacks that are not 3D printed. By controlling the amount of aqueous binder dispensed from the inkjet print heads, more than one order of magnitude differences in compressive strength and modulus were achieved, demonstrating the exciting potential of using 3D printing for texture modulation of plant-based snacks.

Spray drying is often used in combination with agglomeration to produce powders with good functional properties, yet the mechanistic understanding of this agglomeration is limited. This research is a fundamental study into the binary collision dynamics underlying agglomeration, identifying specific collision outcome regimes. A sessile single drying droplet was subjected to collisions with glass beads. For maltodextrins with a dextrose equivalent of 6, 21 and 38, collisions were performed at different time points in the drying process. A shift in the collision outcome was observed during drying. The transition from merging as sole collision outcome to a regime where also sticking and bouncing were observed was linked to the locking point of the drying droplet. The sticking regime was observed from 0.75 to 1.5 t_collision/t_lock. This indicates that precise timing of the collisions between drying droplets and dry fines is needed to optimize the agglomeration within a spray dryer.

Current nondestructive methods for evaluating the texture quality of leafy vegetables have limitations due to their complicated leafy structure. In this study, a promising solution was proposed using 3D scanning technology to nondestructively assess the texture quality of leafy vegetables, and the harvested cabbages were chosen as the experimental samples. The cabbages were scanned to extract the morphological traits, especially for surface features of vein distribution. Results demonstrated that morphological traits exhibited better correlations with texture indices compared to traditional compression features. Texture indices were well predicted based on the XGBoostR algorithm with high R² values of over 0.89 and low RMSE values. The texture quality of cabbages at different harvesting times analyzed by linear discrimination analysis also showed well-discriminative results with an accuracy exceeding 98.3%. These results successfully indicated that 3D scanning technology was effective in evaluating the texture quality of cabbages, showcasing its potential in the nondestructive texture evaluation of leafy vegetables.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful tool for rapid and sensitive detection of pesticide residues in food, and the applied potential regulated SERS technique can be endowed with a higher sensitivity. In this work, we developed an electrochemical-surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-SERS) sensor for the rapid detection of acetamiprid (AAP) in vegetables. AuNPs/ITO were prepared via in-situ electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on an indium tin oxide (ITO) both as a SERS substrate and working electrode. By adding AAP into an in-situ Raman electrolytic cell with an applied electrochemical potential (+0.3 V), the SERS intensity was enhanced by 4-fold and the characteristic signal was linearly related to the concentration of AAP. Under the optimal conditions, the EC-SERS method exhibited a linear detection range from 0.05 to 50 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD, 3S/M) of 0.02 μM. Simultaneously, based on density functional theory (DFT), the adsorption characteristics of AAP on AuNPs/ITO were studied in the presence of electric field. The method was finally confirmed by HPLC-MS for the detection of real samples, revealing its potential application in food safety.

Long-term consumption of hydrogenated palm kernel oil (HPKO) in whipped-frozen products has been linked to harmful health effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of beeswax oleogel as a partial replacement for HPKO in whipped cream. The effect of substitution rate on the lipid crystallization behavior, whipping characteristics, and foam stability of whipped creams was investigated. As the oleogel replaced 30–90% HPKO, the solid fat content decreased, and the growth pattern of the fat crystals shifted from two-dimensional disc-like to one-dimensional linear. Particle size distribution and microrheology analysis revealed that 30% or 60% oleogel substitution facilitated partial coalescence of fat, leading to in a higher elasticity index in emulsions. These results promoted overrun, firmness, and homogeneous bubbles in whipped creams. However, an oleogel substitution rate of 90% resulted in an excessively low overrun and collapse of foam structure. This study proposes an effective solution for constructing a frozen-aerated system that enhances fat partial coalescence and improves foam performance.

The development of coffee bean porosity during roasting was captured for a Kenyan Arabica coffee roasted under different constant inlet air temperature conditions in a pilot-scale spouted bed roaster. Coffee bean porosity was characterised using X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (Micro-CT). These data demonstrated a significant increase in coffee bean porosity of up to 60% during roasting. The coffee's intrinsic physical properties were also analysed to identify the relationship between porosity, thermophysical properties (density, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity) and common process indicators (colour, mass, moisture, volume). Implications for heat transfer during roasting are also discussed. As Micro-CT, pycnometry and thermal properties analysers are not readily available tools, correlation of costly analytical methods with rapid discriminative tests are presented, allowing developers to utilise more accessible characterisation techniques to inform modulation of their processes and products. The data-driven approach to map coffee's physicochemical development during roasting provides comprehensive data that could be used to calibrate mechanistic or kinetic models. These physics-driven models could then be used as routine equations nested in heat and mass transfer simulations for developers to predict coffee's thermal evolution and subsequent physical transformation during roasting.