The chemical, functional and sensory properties of carob juice compared with grape juice were evaluated. Composition results showed that carob pods contained high concentrations of carbohydrate and phytochemicals, moderate amounts of proteins and fiber, and low amounts of fat and ash. Phytochemical results showed that carob particle and powder juices had significantly higher total phenolic (19.8 and 20.3 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/g, respectively) and tannin (4.3 and 4.5 mg catechin equivalents [CE]/g, respectively) contents than grape juice (6.2 mg GAE/g and 0.43 mg CE/g), while grape juice was higher in IC₅₀ (10.8 mg/mL) than carob particles and powder juices (9.1 and 9.4 mg/mL, respectively). Descriptive results showed minor differences between grape and carob juices. In terms of consumer evaluation, the carob juices were similar to grape juice despite small differences especially in carob particle juice. Although carob juice is not traditionally considered as grape juice, it was found to be of acceptable overall quality.

Carob is produced by the evergreen sclerophyllous trees (Ceratonia siliqua L.), which are considered typical plants of Mediterranean countries. World production is estimated at about 315,000 tons per year. The carob pods are rich in carbohydrates, polyphenolic compounds, and antioxidant and free radical-scavenging compounds and contain low amounts of insoluble dietary fibers, protein, minerals and lipids. Nowadays, the primary uses of the pods are as animal feed. For humans, carob pods have been used primarily in traditional foods such as confectioneries, beverages, bread or pasta in a few countries in the Mediterranean region because of their low price. Carob pods could be expected to produce high-quality juice, which is acceptable to consumers with potential functional food impact. Thus, the present investigation evaluates the functional and sensory properties of newly developed carob juice.

This study was conducted to decrease Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell count and to maximize levels of quality characteristics in red grape juice during ultrasound process using response surface methodology (RSM). The effects of three process parameters (considered as independent variables), namely temperature (25–50C), time (20–40 min) and frequency (0–135 Hz), on the yeast inactivation, total anthocyanin content (TAC), total color difference (TCD), antioxidant activity (AA), polymeric color content (PCC), pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) and total soluble solids (TSS) (considered as dependent variables) were studied based on RSM. The optimum operating conditions for the maximum yeast inactivation and the optimal juice quality characteristics were found to be frequency of 135.0 kHz, temperature of 30.9C and time of 40.0 min. In these conditions, the yeast inactivation, TAC, PCC, AA, TCD, pH, TTA and TSS were 1 cfu/mL, 808.0 mg/g, 67.85%, 0.94 mmol/L, 1.64, 3.47, 977.4 mg citric acid/100 mL and 20.04, respectively.

In recent years, emerging nonthermal methods, such as ultrasound (US), for inactivating microorganisms have been developed in food industries to manufacture natural products. Red grape juice, due to the presence of anthocyanins and flavonoids, has many health-promoting effects. As the nutritive and organoleptic characteristics of grapes decrease during storage and ripening periods because of their high susceptibility to pathogenic infection and physiological deterioration, the use of US method as a potential technology can inactive foodborne spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms and produce juices with organoleptic and nutritional qualities. Moreover, the optimization of US conditions enabled us to shorten the process duration and to reduce the production costs while maintaining the quality at a relatively high level.

Whole pink salmon, undergoing 4 days of spoilage in elevated temperature (10C) seawater, were dissected to determine ethanol content and changes in the aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria flora. Intestinal tract, viscera, coagulated blood, reproductive organs, skin and muscle were analyzed daily for ethanol content using headspace gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The intestinal tract contained 32 ppm ethanol initially, increased eightfold on day 1 and reached 314 ppm on day 3. Most other tissues had ethanol concentrations of <100 ppm. Log aerobic plate counts (APC) were determined only for pink salmon skin and belly cavities, and the flora identified. The APC, which include the enumeration of facultatively anaerobic bacteria, were poorly correlated with ethanol production in pink salmon because the APC were low (∼2 log) for the belly cavity where ethanol concentrations were high. Although the APC were higher (∼5 log) in skin, ethanol concentrations were 3–10 times lower for skin than for the intestinal tract. We suggest aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria may not be the primary source of ethanol in spoiling pink salmon.

Ethanol is recommended as an indicator of preprocessed fish spoilage before canning. In a previous pink salmon spoilage study, which monitored ethanol incidence in the canned product, we demonstrated that ethanol levels were low when whole pink salmon spoiled on ice (1C) in contrast to higher levels for fish stored in temperature-abused (14C) seawater. The present study established that during whole pink salmon spoilage, the ethanol concentration of different tissues varies widely, and the intestinal tract had significantly higher (P < 0.05) ethanol levels than all other tissues studied. Our findings indicate the need to determine the mechanism of formation of ethanol in fish tissues during bacterial spoilage.

The production of fresh pork sausages inoculated with different multi-resistant bacterial strains, isolated from sausage commercially purchased from Brazil, was conducted to evaluate microbial inhibition by lactic acid. The isolates were identified through 16S rDNA region sequencing and the bacteria with antimicrobial multi-resistance profiles were selected. The minimum bactericidal concentration was determined using lactic and acetic acids. Samples were contaminated by Salmonella Typhi, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Paratyphi, Escherichia coli and high counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria. Antibiotic resistance was detected in 21 of the 27 analyzed isolates (six Salmonella spp. and 21 E. coli). In the minimum bactericidal concentration test, lactic acid was more effective than acetic acid in the reduction of the bacterial population. The food matrix inoculated with two bacterial strains (E. coli, Salmonella spp.) was treated with lactic acid at the concentrations of 1.5 and 4.0 M and showed no significant effect on the bacterial population.

Fresh sausages are potential vehicles for pathogenic microorganisms, which are frequently associated with foodborne diseases. Organic acids have been used to improve the microbiological quality of food products including meat. Bacteria were isolated from fresh pork sausages and antibiotic resistance and susceptibility of lactic and acetic acids in vitro of the identified strains were tested. The best results were used to test the functionality in fresh pork sausages inoculated with Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. These results may be applied by local producers of fresh pork sausages.

The purpose of this study was to develop a chocolate product incorporating a potential probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from fermented cocoa beans. L. plantarum was successfully isolated and its identity was 99.9% confirmed via the phenotypic API 50 CHL system, microscopic and biochemical analyses. The organism was then incorporated into dark chocolate confectionery. A reduction in L. plantarum colony count was observed after 3 months storage at 4C from the initial 8 log cfu/g to 6.5 log cfu/g (81.25% survival). Probiotic dark chocolate was found to be more viscous than control dark chocolate (without live cells), but of similar hardness (with the exception of samples on day 56, 70 and 84 of storage), pH, color (L*, a* and b* values) and water activity (A_w). Overall, dark chocolate is suitable for use as a carrier for the potential probiotic L. plantarum isolated from fermented cocoa beans.

The lipid fraction of cocoa butter is believed to contain high levels of protective ingredients. Thus, it is possible to use chocolate as a carrier for probiotics as chocolate was proven an excellent carrier for oral delivery of a probiotic mixture of L. helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum. In this study, dark chocolate was tested as a carrier for the oral delivery of a potential probiotic L. plantarum isolated from fermented cocoa beans. The findings not only demonstrate the feasibility of dark chocolate as a carrier for Lactobacillus species, but also contribute to the search for new strains of Lactobacillus probiotics. This information will be useful in developing and fulfilling the growing demand for functional foods with specific health functions in the future.

Partially purified xylanase was used in whole-wheat bread manufacturing to study its effect on the quality attributes of the bread during storage at room temperature (25 ± 2C) and refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1C). Incorporation of xylanase resulted in reduced water absorption for dough preparation and reduced moisture loss from bread during storage. Addition of xylanase resulted in increased specific volume, increased shelf life, lower firmness during storage, reduced staling and brighter color of bread compared with that prepared without enzyme. Total color difference ΔE increased with storage time, but the extent of increase was lower in xylanase-supplemented bread. Glass transition temperature increased slowly during storage with significant (P < 0.05) enthalpy change. Rate of increase of firmness during storage was lower in xylanase-supplemented bread as compared with control. Xylanase supplementation resulted in improved sensory attributes of bread.

Inadequate rising of dough leading to hardness, reduced volume and grainy mouthfeel results due to presence of bran in whole-wheat bread. Additives are therefore used to overcome this problem. Use of hydrolase in whole-wheat bread results in better color and flavor, softer texture, longer shelf life, fiber-rich nutritious bread. Partially purified microbial xylanase was used in the present study to produce whole-wheat bread with better sensory properties.

Five processing variables comprising mixing time, dough sheet thickness, steaming time, frying temperature and frying time were investigated to determine their effect on oil uptake, cooking quality, textural properties and overall acceptability of instant fried noodles using response surface methodology. Models capable of predicting the quality of instant noodles were derived. Processing variables were found to play a decisive role in determining noodle quality. Higher mixing time was found associated with improved cooked weight but was not much desirable for noodle preparation in laboratory as it resulted in crumblier dough leading to higher oil uptake along with an increase in cooking loss. Thinner noodles contributed to higher overall acceptability and a lower cooking time though increased oil uptake in noodles. For best noodle quality, the optimized values were 4.0 min, 1.2 mm, 6.4 min, 142C, 2.0 min for processing variables mixing time, dough sheet thickness, steaming time, frying temperature and frying time, respectively.

Instant noodle is the most enjoyed product not only in China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia but in developing countries also. Preparation of instant noodles involves many steps, which have been investigated for their effect on the quality and acceptability of the product. Process variables have been found to be associated with the oil uptake, cooking, as well as textural quality, which are the important parameters determining the quality of instant fried noodles. The research implications may be utilized both by industry personnel as well as researchers to monitor the process steps accordingly and attain a better product.

The aims of this study are to investigate the effect of different concentrations of ozone (O₃) on pear fruit quality. “Qiushui” Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. “Qiushui”) were treated with various concentrations of O₃ (2.14, 6.42 and 21.4 mg/m³) at room temperature everyday for 1 h. The pear fruit firmness, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and the antioxidant composition contents (total phenolics and total flavonoids) were investigated every 8 days. Results indicated that O₃ treatment maintained high level of firmness and total soluble solids and also increased the antioxidant enzymes activity of pear fruit during storage. The moderate O₃ (6.42 mg/m³) treatment could significantly induce higher POD activity, inhibit PPO activity and keep high contents of total phenolics and total flavonoids. These results suggest that postharvest application of suitable O₃ treatment (6.42 mg/m³) could enhance antioxidant capacity and keep pear fruit quality.

The presented study showed that treatment with suitable concentration of O₃ (6.42 mg/m³) could delay the decrease of fruit quality, induce higher antioxidant enzyme activities, and keep a higher antioxidant capability of the “Qiushui” pear fruit during storage at room temperature. These results suggest that suitable O₃ treatment is a useful method for maintaining “Qiushui” pear fruit quality and extending their postharvest life; it might have potential application in pear fruit preservation.

In vitro studies indicated that the essential oils lemongrass (LO) inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of LO showed geranial and neral as major compounds. Fruit inoculation trials for three cultivars with LO in biorientated polypropylene modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and commercial treatment (prochloraz and Freshmark bag showed lower disease severity at 25C for 5 days than treatments with stand-alone MAP, LO+Freshmark bag and untreated control. Multivariate canonical variate analysis of the results indicated that the naturally infected avocado cultivars from LO+MAP treatment significantly reduced the incidence of anthracnose, gray pulp, vascular browning, weight loss, loss of fruit firmness and showed acceptable taste, flavor, texture and higher overall acceptance after ripening at 25C followed by cold storage at 10C for 18 days. Thus, the efficacy of combined application of LO in MAP as a suitable alternative to the currently adopted commercial treatment was demonstrated in this investigation.

A novel approach to control postharvest disease anthracnose (C. gloeosporioides), while maintaining fruit quality, has been implemented by the combined application of essential oil and modified atmosphere packaging to three popular avocado cultivars Ryan, Fuerte and Hass. This approach can be used as an alternative for synthetic fungicides, thereby complying with organic requirements, consumer acceptance and reducing environmental pollution.

The by-products generated from industrial filleting of tilapia surimi can be used for the manufacture of surimi. The surimi production uses large amounts of water, which generates a wastewater rich in organic compounds (lipids, soluble proteins and blood). Optimizing the number of washing cycles will contribute to a more sustainable production. A mathematical model of mechanically recovered tilapia meat (Oreochromis niloticus) for the processing of surimi (minced fish washing cycles and tapioca starch addition) based on two quality parameters (texture and moisture) was constructed by applying the response surface methodology (RSM). Each factor had an important effect on the moisture and texture of surimi. This study found that the optimal formulation for producing the best surimi using the by-products of tilapia filleting in manufacturing fish burger were the addition of 10% tapioca starch and three minced fish washing cycles. A microstructural evaluation supported the findings of the mathematical model.

The use of mechanically recovered fish meat (MRFM) for the production of surimi enables the utilization of the by-products of filleting fish. However, the inferior quality of the surimi produced from MRFM in relation to that produced with fillets necessitates the addition of starch; secondly, surimi production consumes a large volume of water. RSM provides a valuable means for optimizing the number of washing cycles and starch amounts utilized in fish burger production. Tapioca starch, widely produced in Brazil, has desirable characteristics (surface sheen, smooth texture, neutral taste and clarity in solution) for use in MRFM-produced surimi.

After 42 days of feeding on either a Huayi formulated diet (HY) or trash fish (TF), the hepatopancreas and gonad quality of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis were compared. The hepatosomatic index (HSI), gonadosomatic index (GSI) and proximate composition of both genders were similar. There were no significant differences in the total collagen content in the hepatopancreas between both dietary treatments, but collagen content was dramatically higher in the ovaries compared to the testes. Diets had no significant effect on the free amino acid content (FAA) of the hepatopancreas and gonads, but gender significantly affected the contents of certain amino acids. Compared to females, the hepatopancreas and gonads of males had significantly higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ΣLcPUFA), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Σn-3PUFA) content as well as DHA/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), n-3/n-6-values.

Trash fish (TF), which are considered as standard food for fattening Eriocheir sinensis in China, have many disadvantages: they vary greatly in nutritional quality, decay rapidly and are not convenient to store over long periods. Thus, alternate supplies of cost-efficient, easily-modified and practical diets are highly preferred. To our knowledge, no study exists that has used formulated diets to find their effects on the product quality of the hepatopancreas and gonads on a commercial scale. The current study showed that the formulated diet could completely replace TF in fattening mitten crab without affecting hepatopancreas or gonad quality, and could provide an answer to the controversy over the use of formulated diets or TF for crab farmers. Various indices in this study also suggested that the hepatopancreas and gonads could be beneficial for human health and would be suitable for processing into different crab products.