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This study aimed to produce yogurt with Ganoderma lucidum residues and selected probiotic bacteria. To select the most potent GABA-producing strain (GABA - γ-aminobutyric acid), nine probiotic bacteria were subjected to the glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity assay. Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 was selected and used in preparing fresh yogurts, with and without supplementation of Ganoderma residues obtained after water extraction [GW (Ganoderma waste) 2% (w/v)]. A decrease in pH during fermentation and the occurrence of syneresis were investigated. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) viability and anti-Escherichia activity were estimated. Further, the cytotoxic effect of yogurt extracts on the human colon cancer cell line (HCT116) was surveyed. Besides functionality, the sensory attributes were evaluated. The pH values did not significantly change with the GW addition while increasing the LAB counts [up to 9.76 ± 0.11 log colony-forming units (CFU) mL^-1] and the cytotoxic effect on HCT116 cells. Yogurt produced with selected bacteria and GW had the most valuable anti-coli effect against E. coli 0157: H7 and E. coli ATCC 35218 (American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland) (4.81 ± 0.62 and 5.64 ± 0.29 CFU mL^-1, respectively). Although the added GW increased the yogurt functionality, it had a slightly negative effect on the taste and texture of the partially modified recipe. Yogurts fortified with GABA-producing strain and GW could potentially reduce relapse rates of depressive disorders.

This research investigated the effect of different storage temperatures on the compositional changes, physicochemical characteristics, and functional properties of hawthorn berries. Storage at 25 °C resulted in the gradual decrease of the moisture, hardness, sugar, titratable acid, and colour of hawthorn berries. These changes decreased with decreasing storage temperature, and the minimal changes happened at frozen storage (–18 °C). Similarly, the decreasing rate of ascorbic acid, extractable polyphenol (EPP), and flavonoids during storage also decreased with reducing storage temperature (25 °C > 4 °C > –18 °C). Hydrolysable polyphenol (HPP) was relatively stable during the hawthorn storage, and non-extractable proanthocyanidins (NEPA) increased with decreasing temperature. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of EPP and HPP decreased at 25 °C, while polyphenolic oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities decreased. Decreasing the storage temperature can improve the stability of the nutritional properties, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme activity of hawthorn. The specific storage temperature depends on the final processing conditions and the purposes of the hawthorn berries.

Amylases are one of the biotechnologically important enzymes that have multiple applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, textile, detergent, paper and pulp, bioremediation and nano-biotechnology industries. Amylases can be isolated from animals, plants and microbial regions, but nowadays enzymes from prokaryotic species have gained more importance. Among the microbes, amylases from Bacillus cereus have gained considerable demand in various industrial sectors. Growing industrial demand for enzymes compels the availability of enzymes in large quantities that can only be achieved by employing efficient fermentation techniques. Therefore, the current study is aimed at the statistical optimisation of the production conditions for extracellular amylase production from Bacillus strain AS2. In a recent study, the optimum amylase producing AS2 strain was identified on a molecular level, and it was found that it has close relation with the already reported strains of Bacillus cereus. The further enzyme production was optimised by using a statistical optimisation tool. A full-factorial central composite design (CCD) consisting of 53 experiments was designed using six significant variables (incubation period, pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen source and metal ion). The analysis revealed that the optimal media concentrations were 54.34 g·L^–1 starch, 0.63 g·L^–1 CaCl₂, 1 g·L^–1 glycine, pH 7.0, 76 h, and 40 °C, respectively. A 1.23-fold increase in the enzyme yield (1 050 IU·mL^–1·min^–1) was noticed as compared to the original production level. The statistical optimisation approach gives the exact variables that influence the enzyme production and, hence, offers the best way to optimise the bioprocess. The optimised enzyme can be used in industries for various purposes such as de-sizing, de-inking, hydrolysing starch residues, etc.

The reduction of NaCl content in cheeses is nutritionally desirable but quite challenging due to NaCl's key role during cheese production and ripening. We focused on reformulated Dutch-type cheeses ripened for 120 days and their microbiological and sensory characteristics, including of determining organic acids (electrophoresis) and volatile substances (SPME-GC-MS analysis). Experimental batches contained 0.64, 0.90, and 1.19% NaCl or 0.77% NaCl together with 0.33% KCl. The influence of salts on lactose and citrate metabolism (the formation of lactic, acetic, and formic acid, ethanol, diacetyl, acetoin and 2,3-butanediol), proteolysis (the formation of glutamic acid), lipolysis and β-oxidation of fatty acids (the formation of 2-butanone, 2-butanol, hexanal, hexanoic and octanoic acid) was undetected. Contrarily, brining conditions affected the contamination of cheese surfaces with yeasts and halotolerant microorganisms and cheese consistency. While a typical consistency was formed only in the cheeses with 1.19% NaCl acceptable saltiness was declared in the cheeses with the content of salts 0.90% or higher. The partial replacement of NaCl with KCl caused metallic off-taste in the cheeses that ripened longer than Consistent acceptance seems to be the most limiting factor for the tested reformulation appears.

Chicken eggshells are a source of calcium and protein that can be added to restructured meat products, including patties. This study aimed to improve the chemical quality of beef patties with the addition of chicken eggshell nanopowder, including pH, protein content, ash content, fat content, antioxidant activity, calcium, microstructural quality, and identification of amino acid profiles. The method used in this study was a laboratory experiment arranged in a completely randomised design with five treatments: without the addition of chicken eggshell nanopowder as a control, the addition of chicken eggshell nanopowder 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7% (w/w) with five replications. Data were analysed using the analysis of variance. It was followed by Duncan's multi-range test when the differences were significant or very significant. The research results show that the addition of chicken eggshell nanopowder to beef patties had a very significant effect (P < 0.01%) on pH, protein content, ash content, fat content, antioxidant activity, calcium, microstructural quality through scanning electron microscopy, and several amino acids. The addition of 0.7% chicken eggshell nanopowder could improve the chemical quality of the beef patties. The patty matrix was uniform and compact, and the air voids were getting tighter with the addition of chicken eggshell nanopowder, which was increasing based on scanning electron microscopy observations. Moreover, beef patties had various types of amino acids to achieve the best treatment.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different cooking methods (boiling for 5 min and 8 min, microwave cooking for 3.5 min and 6.5 min, and stir-fry for 5 min and 10 min) on wild chard's antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. It was determined that the total phenolic content [1 552.00 ± 299.82 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1, GAE – gallic acid equivalents] increased in 3.5 min in the microwave [2 611.33 ± 311.76 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1] and 5 min in stir-frying [2 434.33 ± 197.75 mg GAE·(100 g)^–1] compared to the raw chard samples (P < 0.05). Two different antioxidant activity determination methods [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)] were used in the study. In both methods, it was determined that antioxidant activity decreased in the 10-min application of stir-frying. In contrast, the antioxidant activity increased by applying 3.5 min and 6.5 min in the microwave (P < 0.05). As a result, it was found that the antioxidant activity and total phenol content of wild chard changed when the cooking method and time were changed.

In this paper, free amino acids, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds in buckwheat of different hull colour were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), respectively. A total of 20 free amino acids, 8 fatty acids, and 6 phenolic compounds were detected in Tartary buckwheat flour and bran. The data on concentrations were subjected to common chemometric analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), to gain better understanding of the differences between the tested samples. Results indicated that most of the free amino acids, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds were higher in bran than in flour, and there is no significant difference in respect to the hull colour. Our results may be helpful for quality control in Tartary buckwheat and its products in the future.

Honey composition is mainly affected by botanical origin, however geographical factors as well as beekeeping practice and storage conditions can also influence its quality. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of geographical origin on physicochemical quality and biological activity of honey. For this reason Polish and Slovak varietal honeys, including per each country: 10 multifloral, 5 tilia, 5 rape, 5 acacia and 5 forest were compared according to their physicochemical parameters (free acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, and colour intensity), sugar profile, diastase activity, as well as antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP tests, as well as photochemiluminescence method). Moreover, total phenolics compounds and flavonoids content were determined. The most significant differences (P < 0.05) between Polish and Slovak counterparts were found for tilia while the lowest for rape honeys. The impact of geographical origin on overall quality of honey was proved by PCA statistical tool.

Current research work was performed to evaluate the antioxidant, antidiabetic, thrombolytic, and cytotoxic potential of Bougainvillea glabra leaf extracts with different solvents. Extraction of leaves was carried out by maceration using solvents of various polarity such as n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol. The highest values of total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed in methanolic extract, such as 58.57% and 29.41%, respectively. Antioxidant potential was measured by DPPH free radical, showing 65.16% scavenging activity in methanolic extract. Similarly, the reducing power of methanolic extract was also measured. Hemolytic activity of B. glabra leaf extracts was evaluated, and maximum percentage lysis was found as 6.86% in chloroform extract. The thrombolytic activity of B. glabra leaf extracts was evaluated against human red blood cells, and the maximum percentage of clot lysis was 59.10% in chloroform extract. Maximum antidiabetic activity (16.20%) was observed in methanolic extract. Overall, the presented results reveal that bogan bail extract is capable of being employed in nutra-pharmaceutical industry.

Polyamines are closely associated with environmental stresses and melatonin pretreatment enhances the resistance of fruit to chilling stress. However, a mechanism underlying melatonin-mediated chilling resistance remains to be answered. This research aimed to illuminate whether polyamines would be involved in melatonin-mediated chilling resistance. Therefore, in the experiment, the polyamines conjugated to the plasma membrane from the melatonin-pretreated apricot flesh cell were examined under chilling stress. Chilling resistance was judged by four parameters: fruit browning degree, plasma membrane permeability, malondialdehyde content and plasma membrane protein sulfhydryl level. Results showed melatonin pretreatment led to obvious rises in the levels of non-covalently conjugated spermine and spermidine, and covalently conjugated putrescine and spermidine in the plasma membrane. Methylglyoxyl-bis (guanylhydrazone) pretreatment could inhibit the melatonin-induced increases of non-covalently conjugated spermidine and spermine by inhibiting S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) activity and free spermidine and spermine contents in flesh, coupled with the decrease in chilling resistance. Similarly, phenanthroline pretreatment could inhibit the melatonin-induced increases in covalently conjugated putrescine and spermidine in the plasma membrane through inhibiting transglutaminase (TGase) activity and simultaneously could aggravate chilling damage. The results suggested melatonin pretreatment could enhance chilling resistance by increasing non-covalently conjugated spermidine and spermine, as well as covalently conjugated putrescine and spermidine in the plasma membrane of apricot fruit.

One hundred per cent apple, orange and grapefruit juices were analysed for ascorbic acid (AA) content, total polyphenolic content (TPC), and other parameters: titratable acids (TA), malic acid (MA), citric acid (CA), volatile acid (VA), soluble solids (SS), density, and the content of free amino acid as formol number (FN). Some apple juices on the Czech market contain added vitamin C, and the AA content of such juices (268-632 mg L^-1) is several times higher than that of apple juices without added vitamin C (around 50 mg L^-1). Therefore, the enriched apple juices had a vitamin C content comparable to citrus fruit juices (orange and grapefruit). All contents were compared separately for juices made from concentrate and for directly pressed juices. The effect of the production method was statistically significant (P < 0.05) only for TPC in apple juices, where it was major [473 ± 136 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) L^-1 from concentrate vs. about twice the value of 798 ± 193 mg GAE L^-1 in directly pressed juice], and only to a smaller extent for TA in grapefruit juices (12.5 ± 0.8 g L^-1 from concentrate, which was about 30% more than in directly pressed juice).

Flaxseeds (Linum usitatissimum L.) (FS) and chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) (ChS) contain fatty acids (FA) with beneficial health effect for the human body. Some people often use them as part of boiled or baked dishes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to observe the effect of FS and ChS heat treatments at 40 °C and 150 °C for 20 min on the content of fat, FA, atherogenicity index (AI) and thrombogenicity index (TI), and total antioxidant activity (TAA) in comparison with heat treatments at 20 °C. The content of fat in FS was higher in comparison with ChS (P < 0.05). Similarly, the content of alpha-linolenic acid, oleic acid, polyunsaturated FA, and monounsaturated FA was greater (P < 0.05) in FS when compared with ChS. However, n6 : n3 ratio [n6 – omega 6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), with first double bound on 6^th carbon; n3 – omega 3 PUFA, with first double bound on 3^rd carbon], AI and TI were lower (P < 0.05) in FS in comparison with ChS. The TAA in FS was 37% lower (P < 0.05) compared to ChS, moreover TAA in FS decreased (P < 0.05) at 150 °C in comparison with 20 °C and 40 °C. No effect of different heat treatments was observed on the content of FA or AI and TI in FS and ChS.

With a long tradition of brewing history, Chinese strong-flavour Baijiu (SFB) developed prosperously in the southwest, especially in Luzhou, and has existed for more than 300 years building craftwork and brewing techniques. As a product of the distillation of fermented grains, its production involves many microbial communities. During this time, microbial communities within production have burgeoned and evolved throughout the development history, enhancing unique texture and flavour. Meanwhile, environmental factors are critical constituents in the production, which provide the optimal conditions for processing procedures and various microorganisms, including externally controlled macro-environment and micro-environment of fermentation. By studying the correlation with environmental factors from macro and micro perspectives, we illustrated the bond with environmental symbiotic and holistic patterns of the intrinsic microbial community and fermentation characteristics. This review is essential to study and control the whole ecological conditions of the Baijiu fermentation process, aiming to gain insight into the dynamics of the microorganisms and ensure a traditional fermentation environment for quality control.

We propose a sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of flavonoids as expressed in 'quercetin equivalent' in apple juices. The method is based on the strong emission of the aluminium(III)-quercetin complex at 480 nm with excitation at 420 nm, and it is successfully applied for the determination of flavonoids in commercial apple juices and compared with results obtained in reference spectrophotometric determination. The flavonoid content in commercial apple juices was found to range from 5.53 to 15.55 mg/l quercetin equivalent. The very good agreement between the two methods indicates the suitability of the proposed spectrofluorimetric method for the precise and accurate determination of flavonoids. In addition, the total polyphenol content was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu (FC) method and the antioxidative activity of the tested juices was tested in a DPPH assay and these values were correlated with each other. The obtained profiles of compounds with antioxidative ability lead us to conclude that fruit juice labels based only on fruit % might sometimes misinform consumers.

The post-harvest process at the storage stage is one of the most critical processes for maintaining soybean seed quality. The type of packaging and the type of material stored will affect its shelf life. One type of packaging has specific properties that are different from other types of packaging. Therefore, this study used several types of packaging materials and soybean varieties to determine changes in its quality during storage. The treatments were arranged in a 5 × 4 × 7 factorial experiment in a randomised block design (RBD) with three replications, consisting of totally 140 treatment combinations involving five different types of packaging materials. Water content, the weight of 100 grains, seedling dry weight, electrical conductivity (EC), and germination percentage were assessed monthly. The factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare water content, the weight of 100 grains, EC, germination, and seedling dry weight. A qualitative descriptive analysis method was employed for the temperature and relative humidity of the storage room. The results showed that Grobogan had the lowest germination percentage of 84.85% compared to the other varieties (86.97-90.82%). Plastic sack resulted in the most inferior seed quality (82.00% for plastic sack vs. 88.23-90.17% for the other containers). A more extended storage period of soybean seeds caused a decrease in soybean quality for all varieties and packaging materials. Up to 6 months of storage at room temperature, the quality of soybean seeds remained high, with the lowest germination of 80%.

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) is a common pathogen around the world that can cause disease with symptoms of diarrhoea. We collected all clinical DEC isolates from diarrhoea samples in three sentinel hospitals for active surveillance of foodborne diseases in Huzhou, China, between 2020 and 2022. The isolates were characterised according to demographic characteristics, time distribution, distribution of suspected culprit foods, antimicrobial results of susceptibility testing, analysis of virulence genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing. The positive detection rate was 7.28%, the highest for enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) strains, followed by enterotoxic E. coli (ETEC) strains. The predominant virulence genes were astA/pic in EAEC (57.25%) and estIa/estIb in ETEC (17.94%) strains. The proportion of cases was relatively high in children aged 6 years old (15.27%), and the peak of incidence was between June and September. The rates of drug resistance in DEC were high in Huzhou, and the spectrum of drug resistance was wide. The highest rate of drug resistance was for AMP (63.51%), and multiple drug resistance was common. The household was the leading site of DEC infection, and meat and meat products were the main suspected culprit foods (18.15%). EAEC strains showed 52.4–100.00% sequence identity, and ETEC strains showed 52.2–100.00% sequence identity. All cases of DEC infection in Huzhou were sporadic between 2020 and 2022. Strengthening continuous surveillance will be useful in the risk assessment of foodborne diseases caused by DEC.

In the current investigation, the potential utility of cinnamaldehyde obtained from cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark powder in enhancing the antioxidant capacity of dark chocolates was evaluated. To this end, the effects of conventional solvent extracts (CSE) and supercritical fluid extracts (SFE) on total phenolic contents, physical and sensory attributes of cinnamaldehyde-enriched chocolates were determined over the course of 60 days of storage. The addition of 0.5% nutraceutical_SFE and 1% nutraceutical_CSE extracts significantly increased the total phenolic contents of the chocolates to 15.62 ± 0.35 mg GAE/g and 13.31 ± 0.26 mg GAE/g in T₂ and T₁, respectively. In terms of texture (hardness), 0.5% extract resulted in softer chocolates (64.87 ± 2.41 N) as compared to the control (70.91 ± 2.83 N). At storage termination, colorimetric results revealed a whitening of the chocolate surface that resulted in incremental increases in L* and b*, whereas a* exhibited a declining trend. Moreover, the sensory results showed a better hedonic response for the enriched products. Taken together, cinnamaldehyde enrichment is beneficial for both the functional as well as oxidative stability of chocolates. Chocolate, as the most commonly craved food product, is gaining much attention from the manufactures as a potential vehicle for the delivery of functional health benefits. In this study, we used cinnamaldehyde and maltitol (sugar replacer) to prepare functional chocolates with a special emphasis on diabetic patients, an approach that will open new horizons for innovative product development. We also optimised and characterised the extraction conditions for bioactive components using green extraction technology, i.e. a supercritical fluid extraction technique which is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

The present study aimed to evaluate the Clostridium spp. counts in corn silage, raw milk and Kaşar cheese and to identify the clostridial isolates causing a late-blowing defect (LBD) potential using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lactate-fermenting clostridial spores (LFCS) were determined by the most probable number method (MPN) in 14 samples of corn silage, 12 samples of raw milk and 20 samples of Kaşar cheese. 181 isolates were obtained from MPN gas-positive tubes. Gram staining, catalase and oxidase activity, anaerobic development tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging showed that 95 isolates were typical clostridial bacteria. Sixty-six isolates could maintain viability during the passage and stock stages. A confirmatory identification technique was then performed using MALDI-TOF MS. The results revealed that (49 out of 66 isolates) of bacteria were correctly identified as 38 (77.55%) Clostridium sporogenes, 6 (12.24%) Clostridium butyricum, 3 (6.12%) Clostridium beijerinckii, 1 (2.04%) Clostridium bifermentans and 1 (2.04%) Clostridium sartagoforme. This study determined that clostridial isolates that cause LBD can be identified successfully and quickly by MALDI-TOF MS, a novel method for detecting anaerobic bacteria.

The research was performed to investigate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure low temperature (HHPLT) on Listeria innocua in Ringer's solution (RS) and raw milk (RM). The physicochemical properties of RM were studied at 300 MPa and 10 °C. Compared with the control, protein and lipase activities were reduced at HHPLT in RM. The L-values (luminance) of LHPLT applied RM were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased for colour Pressure application at 300 MPa for 90 min totally inactivated L. innocua at –20 °C in both RS and RM. L. innocua showed resistance to low pressure (200 MPa) in RM. Overall, increasing the pressure with applications at –20 and –30 °C resulted in a higher (P < 0.05) inactivation of L. innocua than at 10 and 20 °C. HHPLT applications to frozen RM resulted in the retention of textural characteristics.

This study was designed to determine the effect of storage duration and processing conditions on pasting characteristics of Ofada rice and to determine the optimum pasting parameters for the production of boiled and mashed rice. The interactions of variables (storage, soaking, parboiling and drying) were studied using response surface methodology and pasting responses (final viscosity, trough, setback viscosity, breakdown, pasting temperature and pasting time) were analysed. The coefficient of R² and adequate precision ranged between 0.994-0.7374 and 26.825-5.375, respectively, which indicate good fitness of the model. Parboiling temperature, drying temperature and storage duration significantly influenced the pasting properties of grain as revealed by positive coefficients in the model. The pasting requirements for boiled rice are storage of paddy for nine months, soaking for two days and 19 h, parboiling at 90.42°C and drying at 30°C, while for mashed rice storage of paddy for one month followed by soaking for five days, parboiling at 80°C and drying at 54.22°C are required.

Wheat flour is one of the most important sources of nutrients, and it is widely consumed worldwide as a raw ingredient in bread and other pastries. High heavy metal concentrations in the consumed wheat products could induce higher health risks. This study evaluated the heavy metal concentrations in the most available foreign and domestic wheat flour in Sulaimani, Kurdistan Iraq. The wheat flour samples were collected from different locations, and the heavy metal concentration was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The mean values in wheat flour samples were roughly within the permissible limit set by Iraqi standard (IQS), GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) (GCC – Gulf Cooperation Council), Codex, and FAO/WHO. Heavy metals were detected in the descending order copper (Cu) > lead (Pb) > arsenic (As) > chromium (Cr) > nickel (Ni) > cadmium (Cd) > cobalt (Co). The results showed that wheat flour samples from the Sulaimani markets were slightly contaminated with Ni, and one domestic wheat flour sample with Pb was probably linked to fertiliser and soil contamination. It is concluded that wheat flour could be a source of chronic exposure to toxic heavy metals such as nickel and lead, resulting in adverse health issues later. Consequently, regular monitoring of soil contamination, water quality, and use of recommended levels of fertilisers and pesticides in the agricultural areas of Sulaimani are recommended.

This study aimed to investigate the variations in nutritional composition among different breeds of cattle in Guizhou. Specifically, this study selected Guanling, Weining, Sinan, Wuchuan, and Simmental cattle as experimental subjects. Assessing the nutritional quality of the longissimus dorsi muscle involves evaluating various parameters, including ultimate pH (pHu), meat colour, water-holding capacity, shear force, protein and fat content, levels of organic acids and amino acid composition. The study's findings indicated notable variations among the muscles of different cattle breeds tested. Guanling, Wuchuan, and Simmental cattle exhibited the highest water-holding capacity, while Wuchuan cattle displayed the highest shear forces. Guanling cattle and Simmental cattle had the highest levels of protein and fat. Weining cattle and Simmental cattle demonstrated the highest concentrations of lactic acid and oxalic acid. Guanling cattle exhibited the highest total amino acid and essential amino acid content. Moreover, Guanling cattle and Weining cattle showed the highest lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values, indicating lighter meat colour, while Weining cattle had the highest redness (a*) value, indicating redder meat colour. No significant differences among the five cattle breeds were observed in pHu and propionic acid content. These results provide a theoretical basis and serve as a data reference for assessing the suitability of different beef varieties for various processing purposes.

This study was conducted to evaluate the sufficiency of food safety practices in a catering company. The presence of some pathogenic and indicator bacteria was monitored in the samples collected from raw materials, food, food contact surfaces and workers' hands and various steps of the tas kebab (a Turkish meat stew) and salad processing lines. Bacillus cereus was found in ready-to-eat (RTE) tas kebab and RTE salad, while Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from RTE salad. Furthermore, it was observed that RTE salad contained coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus without staphylococcal enterotoxin production. The swab samples obtained from cutting board surfaces, knives and workers' hands contained high counts of total aerobic bacteria and some samples were contaminated with coliforms and coagulase-positive/negative staphylococci. The presence of B. cereus and L. monocytogenes in RTE foods is a serious threat to public health, especially in the catering business. Preventing the presence of toxin-producing bacteria in RTE food is a fundamental action. Also, the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in RTE salad and B. cereus in RTE tas kebab/salad samples showed insufficient cleaning/disinfection practices. As a result, hygiene practices and regular monitoring in the catering business are necessary for food safety.

This study aims to evaluate the influence of the surface/volume granule ratio of amaranth, corn, and potato starches on the rheological properties of pastes and gels obtained at 5 and 10% solids concentration through granulometry, scanning electron microscopy, rotational, and dynamic rheological measurements. The granule size distribution and the surface/volume ratio drove the rheological behaviour as a function of temperature and concentration. At a concentration of 10%, the consistency index of corn starch (CS) paste was 147.25 Pa·sⁿ (n – flow behavior index), a higher value compared to pastes from potato starch (PS), 86.54 Pa·sⁿ, and amaranth starch (AS), 44.48 Pa·sⁿ. The lowest values of the loss angle tangent (Tan δ) in CS (0.052 and 0.035) at both solids concentrations suggested a better gel conformation. Noticeable changes in consistency index and storage modulus were observed in CS. A theoretical analysis of the surface/volume ratio change showed that CS reached a 2.2 value, much lower than the 4.5 and 5.8 values for PS and AS, respectively. These findings provide additional criteria for the food industry when choosing starches with suitable rheological behaviour as a function of surface/volume granule ratio and solids concentration.

The article presents the results of homogeneity assessments for selected food mixes based on computer image analysis. The study was conducted on müsli and condiment mixes standardly available on the consumer market. A total of 40 different ready-for-use products were analysed. Collected samples from three package of each product were placed in a special chamber and then photographed. Photographs were then subjected to computer image analysis to acquire information on the percentage content of individual components. Homogeneity assessment was based on the contents of a selected component called tracer and the coefficient of variation (CV). Lower CV values (3.02-27.31%) and thus better homogeneity was observed for condiment mixes as compared to müsli mixes (3.57-59.15%). Fourteen of twenty condiment mixes had adequate (acceptable at CV ≤ 10%) mixing degree. For the müsli, only six of the tested mixes had appropriate homogeneity. The presented results are a preliminary to developing an image-based methodology for determining the uniformity of granular dry food mixes.

The roasting coffee process is the compilation of time-temperature-dependent physical and chemical transformations induced by heat. Through the study of the time-temperature curve, the correct definition of the degree of roasting of coffee is an area of active and non-trivial research, which intervenes in obtaining consistent roasting profiles reflected in the acceptability of the drink perceived by consumers. This paper used the methodology of response surfaces (RSM) with the central composite design (CCD). A consumer study was conducted with 104 individuals, each tasting 13 cups of specialty coffee from Cauca-Colombia. Predictive equations for acidity and body perception were obtained. The roasting profile points in charge, turning point, yellow, brown, first crack, and drop step were included. Mathematical models predict the acidity and body perceptions by integrating the roasting profile points characteristics of coffee. The Cauca coffee beans produced using the optimied conditions contribute to obtaining a roasting time/temperature of 468 s at 192 °C, respectively, with acidity (9/15) and body (5.5/15) in the (0–15) intensity consumer's perception scale.

A traditional Czech bakery white bread product is commonly made with directly mixed dough with the addition of yeast. In order to be able to reduce the salt content of the final product without compromising its acceptability to consumers, the dough was prepared with the addition of pre-ferments and wheat sourdoughs. The aim was to deepen the flavour background of the product and thus have a positive effect on its sensory properties. Wheat sourdoughs were prepared and tested using starter cultures and matured under different conditions. The resulting products were tested both sensorially and by means of precise physical methods.

Aquatic foods such as fish, shrimp, and shellfish are important human nutrient sources. However, aquatic foods spoil quickly during processing and storage due to spoilage bacteria and endogenous enzymes. Ultra-high-pressure (UHP) technology, as an advanced non-thermal treatment method, is an effective preservation technique for aquatic foods. The mechanism of UHP technology is to destroy non-covalent bonds by UHP, which leads to the change of cell membrane permeability and the destruction of high-level structure of proteins, making apoptosis and enzyme inactivation. The technology can effectively sterilise and preserve food's colour, taste and nutritional value. The paper provides an introduction to the working principles, types, sources and equipment and describes the progress of the research and application of UHP technology in pascalisation, enzyme inactivation, parasite inactivation and quality modification of aquatic products. Potential limitations and prospects of the technology are also outlined. We hope to lay the theoretical groundwork for using this technique in aquatic product processing and provide guidance for its application in industrial production.

Two different morphologies of nanocellulose – cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with different contents were added to emulsified sausages to replace pork back fat in different proportions (10%, 30%, and 50%), and the colour, emulsion stability, texture characteristics and dynamic rheological behaviour of emulsified sausages were analysed. The results indicate substituting fat with nanocellulose led the L* (lightness) and a* (redness) values increased and the b* (yellowness) values decreased of the emulsified sausages. Increasing nanocellulose concentration improved the emulsion stability of the sausages. In terms of emulsion stability, the use of CNFs outperformed CNCs, especially for samples substituted with 50% fat. In terms of texture, emulsified sausages where CNCs replaced fat showed lower hardness, viscosity, and chewiness compared to those with CNFs. The dynamic rheological results indicated that when the fat replacement levels were 10% and 30%, samples using CNFs as fat substitute had slightly higher storage modulus (G') values than those using CNCs. However, for 50% fat replacement, samples using CNFs as fat substitute had significantly higher G' values than those using CNCs, which demonstrates that higher CNFs concentrations are more conducive to the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.

In this study, the primers and the probe were designed, and a completely new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol for detecting the invA gene of Salmonella in food was optimised and validated in-house. The inclusivity test used 76 different Salmonella isolates with no false-negative results. The exclusivity was tested using 45 non-Salmonella microorganisms with no false-positive results. The method was also successfully applied while examining five different artificially contaminated food categories. The results were compared to the standard method (ISO 6579-1) and two previously validated real-time PCR methods. The developed assay is sensitive and specific for rapidly detecting Salmonella in food.