Food Tailoring bilberry powder functionality by processing: effects of preprocessing.

Berry powders are popular as ingredients in a range of food products, where they naturally provide flavor, color, texture, polyphenols, fiber, and other nutrients. The choices regarding processing techniques and conditions influence the quality attrib- utes of berry powders. The aim of this study was to study the effects on bilberry powder functionalities of applying different preprocessing techniques (purée mixing and juice pressing vs. untreated whole berries) prior to hot air drying and milling. Drying of press cake reduced the drying time by 72% and increased the total appar- ent phenolic content of the final powder by 44%, as compared to the powder of dried whole berries. The press cake powder showed an easier flowing behavior than the powders from whole berries and puréed berries. Dispersibility (in water and dairy cream) was 60% higher for powders from whole berries and puréed berries, as com- pared to press cake. The total phenolic content of the dispersed powders was highest for whole berries and puréed berries. Bilberry powder functionality can be modu- lated through the selection of an appropriate preprocessing technique before drying and milling. This tailors the powder properties into food ingredients ready for differ- ent applications, without the need for additives

OXIDATIVE CHANGES OF LIPIDS, PROTEINS AND ANTIOXIDANTS IN YOGURT DURING THE SHELF LIFE

Background: Oxidation processes in milk and yogurt during the shelf life can result in an alteration of protein and lipid constituents. Therefore, the antioxidant properties of yogurt in standard conditions of preservation were evaluated. Results: Total phenols, free radical scavenger activity, degree of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were determined in plain and skim yogurts with or without fruit puree. After production, plain, skim, plain berries and skim berries yogurts were compared during the shelf life up to 9 weeks. All types of yogurts revealed a basal antioxidant activity that was higher when a fruit puree was present but gradually decreased during the shelf life. However, after five-eight weeks, antioxidant activity increased again. Both in plain and berries yogurts lipid peroxidation increased until the seventh week of shelf life and after decreased, while protein oxidation of all yogurts was similar either in the absence or presence of berries and increased during shelf life. Conclusion: During the shelf life, a different behavior between lipid and protein oxidation takes place and the presence of berries determines a protection only against lipid peroxidation

Involvement of ethylene signalling in a non-climacteric fruit: new elements regarding the regulation of ADH expression in grapevine

Although grape berries have been classified as non climacteric fruits, ongoing studies on grape ethylene signalling lead to challenge the role of ethylene in their ripening. One of the significant molecular changes in berries is the up regulation of ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase, EC. 1.1.1.1) enzyme activity at the inception of fruit ripening and of VvADH2 transcript levels. This paper shows that the ethylene signal transduction pathway could be involved in the control of VvADH2 expression in grapevine berries and in cell suspensions. The induction of VvADH2 transcription, either in berries at the inception of ripening or in cell suspensions, was found to be partly inhibited by 1 methylcyclopropene (1 MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene receptors. Treatment of cell suspensions with 2 chloroethylphosphonic acid (2-CEPA), an ethylene releasing compound, also resulted in a significant increase of ADH activity and VvADH2 transcription under anaerobiosis, showing that concomitant ethylene and anaerobic treatments in cell suspensions could result in changes of VvADH2 expression. All these results, associated with the presence in the VvADH2 promoter of regulatory elements for ethylene and anaerobic response, suggest that ethylene transduction pathway and anaerobic stress could be in part involved in the regulation of VvADH2 expression in ripening berries and cell suspensions. These data open new aspects of the expression control of a ripening-related gene in a non climacteric fruit

Antimicrobial properties of berries

Berries, especially their antimicrobial properties, have been studied intensively at VTT over the past ten years in several research projects. In these in vitro studies phenolic berry extracts of common Nordic berries selectively inhibited the growth of harmful bacteria and human intestinal pathogens, without affecting the growth of beneficial lactic acid bacteria

New market perspectives using herbs and berries in organic meat products

The aim of the project is to extend the range of organic meat products by introducing new interesting flavour variants. The novelty is to utilize herbs and berries for biological preservation and to provide the products with a new and interesting flavour profile and appearance. The project is consumerdriven as MAPP will study how ecological consumers relate to a new preservation technology in the form of berries and herbs. They will also study how the consumers relate to the new products by evaluations and when buying the products. Among Danish berries and herbs, AU-IHP will select and produce the cultivars which are to be screened at DMRI for anti-microbial activity and favourable flavour characteristics in meat products. Furthermore, AU-IHP will optimize cultivation and storage conditions, preserving the desired characteristics after harvest in the best possible way. DMRI will combine the selected berries and herbs to obtain the best result. The work includes an investigation of how berries and herbs should be added to the meat products and it must be clarified how different raw materials and meat processing affect the anti-microbial activity. The results from DMRI will be validated at test productions at the two participating plants. Finally, we will document that the selected berries and herbs can guarantee food safety and favourable eating quality throughout the entire shelf-life. Economic estimates for total production costs will be made

Materials and Methods of the Study of Influence of Agrotechnical Methods on Sensory Characteristics of Technical Sorts of Grape

The topicality of using the sensory analysis of berries in enological practice at planning of agrotechnical complex at vineyard to receive the certain style and quality of production was grounded. For study of the influence of agrotechnical methods on sensory characteristics of technical sorts of grape Zagrey and Fragrant, selected by NSC “IVaW named after V.E. Tairov” (Ukraine), there was elaborated the algorithm of research, including field experiment and laboratory sensory analysis. The method of organoleptic analysis of berries, consisted of 20 parameters for assessment of visual, tactile and gustatory properties of pulp, peel and seeds, was approbated. Mathematical processing of experimental data was carried out by the methods of one- and two-factor analysis of variance and analysis of main components in the environment of package of applied programs MS Excell 2010, Statistica Statsoft ver. 7. 0 (Tulsa, USA).The sensory descriptors, characterizing the quality of studied sorts of grape, were determined. It was established, that agrotechnical methods of planting grape bushes influenced the sensory characteristics of berries of studied sorts

Innovative and eco-sustainable processing and packaging for safe and high quality organic products with enhanced nutritional quality. Final report

The main goal of the project has been to develop innovative sustainable processing and packaging technologies to meet the growing consumer demand and boost the manufacturing of safe organic berry products with high nutritional quality and low environmental impact. The aim has been to evaluate technologies to naturally extend the shelf-life of fresh organic berries and to process berries into a wide variety of value added products. Several solutions and technologies for extending shelf life and the overall quality of fresh and processed berry and fruit products have been identified and developed during the three years of the project