Strategies to reduce microbial risk and improve quality of fresh and processed strawberries: A review

Strawberries are one of the most important fruits in the Mediterranean diet and have been widely investigatedfor their nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Concern about the safety of fresh and processed strawberrieshas increased in recent years due to the emergence of several outbreaks of foodborne pathogens linked to theirconsumption. The use of chlorine as a disinfectant has been identified as a concern due to public health issuesand limited efficacy at removing contamination, and preventing cross-contamination. This has led to the de-velopment of novel alternatives to chlorine disinfection and thermal treatments, which include, among others,the use of organic acids, high pressure processing, intense pulsed light, or pulsed electricfields. These tech-nologies do not generally affect the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the product and some of these havebeen reported to stimulate the production of valuable compounds in strawberries and to improve their overallquality.This work forms part of the FRESAFE Research Project (Mitigation Strategies to Reduce the Microbial Risks and Improve the Quality and Safety of Frozen and Ready-to-Eat Strawberries), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (AGL2016-78086-R). This work was also supported by the CERCA Programme of Generalitat de Catalunya. T. Lafarga is in receipt of Juan de la Cierva contract awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (FJCI-2016-29541). I. Aguiló-Aguayo thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and the European Social Fund for the Postdoctoral Senior Grant Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2016-19949)

Bioaccessibility, physicochemical, sensorial, and nutritional characteristics of bread containing broccoli co‐products

The effects of the inclusion of industrial broccoli co‐products namely stalks and leaves into bread on physicochemical and nutritional properties were evaluated. Incorporation of powdered broccoli co‐products at a concentration of 2% (w/w) into bread formulations resulted in decreased weight and specific volumes when compared to the control (p < 0.05). Broccoli‐containing breads showed an increased green hue and a higher crust and crumb color intensity (p < 0.05). Incorporation of broccoli co‐products into bread formulations significantly increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the breads (p < 0.05). The overall acceptance and appearance of the breads were not affected by broccoli incorporation. The phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the three formulations increased after the gastric and intestinal phases of digestion when compared to the initial stage, measured from a methanol:water extract (p < 0.05). Results obtained herein could open novel commercial opportunities for food processors and reduce the amount of food discarded as waste.This work was supported by the CERCA Programme of Generalitat de Catalunya. T. Lafarga is in receipt of Juan de la Cierva contract awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (FJCI-2016-29541). I. Aguiló-Aguayo thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Social Fund for the Postdoctoral Senior Grant Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2016-19949). Authors thank Congelados de Navarra S.A.U (Navarra, Spain) for kindly providing broccoli processing co-products

Optimisation of the pH and boiling conditions needed to obtain improved foaming and emulsifying properties of chickpea aquafaba using a response surface methodology

Chickpea cooking water, also known as aquafaba, generated in our homes is generally discarded as waste. However, this valuable resource contains high quantities of proteins with excellent technofunctional properties. The current paper aimed at optimising the pH and the cooking conditions needed to improve the foaming and emulsifying capacity of aquafaba, as well as the stability of the generated foams and emulsions using a response surface methodology. In general, lowering the pH of the aquafaba using lemon juice and decreasing the chickpea:water ratio during boiling resulted in increased functional properties. The validation tests carried out confirmed the overall adequacy of the response surface models in predicting the functionality of the aquafaba. Moreover, the chickpea cooking water obtained using the optimised conditions was used to develop meringues and mayonnaises, which were compared to those obtained using egg proteins.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The Effect of City Conditions on Youth Violence in Mexico A Spatial Econometric Analysis by Metropolitan Area

Using Mexico s Social Cohesion Survey for the Prevention of Violence and Crime ECOPRED 2014 and the Mexican Intercensal Population Survey CONTEO 2015 this paper analyses the characteristics and environment factors that influence the violent behavior of young people aged 14 to 24 years within the 47 largest Mexican cities The existence of spatial correlation between Mexican cities is corroborated and after controlling for it it is found that factors related to addictions drug use by young people and their families and a violent environment around the young being bullied robbed or having violent friends neighbors coworkers or classmates are positively related to the percentage of young people who shout hit objects hit people carry weapons or have been arrested Public policies to reduce the use of drugs and to improve the environment where young people live mainly in their neighborhoods schools and jobs will have a direct effect on reducing the violent behavior of young people And given the confirmed existence of spatial effects coordinated efforts between nearby cities could multiply the impact of such public policie

Measurement in Primary School Mathematics and Science Textbooks

The research is supported by Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spain) who finances the research project PGC2018-095765-B-I00 (PROFESTEM).The STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) approach to education has acquired considerable prominence among teachers in recent years. Putting forward integrated proposals is nonetheless complex and many educators opt to implement the ones set out in textbooks. We consequently deemed it worthwhile to analyse how content common to mathematics and science is addressed in primary school textbooks with a view to determining whether the approaches adopted complement one another and are compatible with STEM education. More specifically, in light of the importance of measurement in both areas of learning and in everyday life, we describe the meaning of mass and volume found, in two publishers’ textbooks. Based on the components of the meaning of measurement and deploying content analysis techniques, we analysed the explanations and tasks set out in these mathematics and science books to identify the similarities and differences in the handling of those magnitudes in the two subjects. Our findings showed the proposals for teaching mass to pursue similar objectives in the earliest grades, addressing matters that could be included in STEM proposals. On the contrary, inconsistencies were detected in the distribution of volume measurement-related content, as well as in the strategies, units and tools used in the two areas.Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spain) PGC2018-095765-B-I0

Bioaccessibility of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of fresh or minimally processed modern or traditional lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) varieties

Modern city lifestyle is characterized by an increased demand for fresh or minimally processed foods. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), mainly iceberg lettuce, is the main vegetable used during the manufacture of fresh-cut salads. The current study evaluated the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ten fresh and minimally processed lettuce varieties. The phenolic content of selected lettuce samples varied significantly among varieties. Although a higher phenolic content was observed in modern lettuce varieties, when compared to the traditional ones (except for the landrace Francès 219/855), the antioxidant capacity of modern and traditional lettuce varieties was similar. Minimal processing followed by storage for a 7-day period led to an increased phenolic content in varieties Rutilaï RZ, Abago RZ, Maravilla LS044, Francès 219/855, Negre borratger 386/935, and D’hivern LS008, supporting the hypothesis that wounding can induce the accumulation of phenolic compounds in lettuce leaves. For example, the total phenolic content of Francès 219/855 after processing and storage increased from 8.3 to 11.3 mg/100 g (p < 0.05). Accumulation of phenolic compounds after minimal processing was not observed in all the studied samples, suggesting that this effect could be matrix-dependant. The amount of bioaccessible polyphenols was higher after minimal processing and storage. Indeed, the amount of bioaccessible polyphenols after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion of fresh or minimally processed Pelikan lettuce was calculated as 32.6 or 43.3 mg/100 g respectively (p < 0.05), suggesting that the increased amount of polyphenols caused by processing and storage can also lead to a higher amount of bioaccessible phenolic compounds.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Potential of pulse‐derived proteins for developing novel vegan edible foams and emulsions

Chefs around the world strive to go beyond ordinary and garnish dishes with edible foams and emulsions, generally made using proteins derived from soy or animal sources. However, the increasing number of consumers following a vegan diet has led to a higher demand for novel foods formulated using plant-derived proteins. The current study evaluated the functional properties of proteins obtained by alkaline solubilisation from common pulses. Water- and oilholding capacities varied within the ranges 2.39–6.78 and 3.46–6.37 g of water or oil per g or protein concentrate, respectively. Emulsifying capacity and stability was higher at pH values 2.0 and 10.0. A similar trend was observed for foaming capacity and stability. Proteins isolated from fava beans showed the highest foaming capacity, calculated as 56.7 ± 2.9 and 56.7 ± 2.7% when measured at pH 2.0 and 10.0, respectively (P < 0.05). Overall, studied proteins showed potential for their use in edible foams, emulsions and other innovative products.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio