Shelf-life of reduced-fat white chocolate fillings using iota-carrageenan

Regular ArticleThe conservation of traditional chocolate fillings can present some hurdles due to the use of perishable raw matters, physical changes during processing and to the influence of external factors, which tends to shorten shelf-life of traditional filled pralinés to only 3-4 months. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the concentration of iota-carrageenan on chemical, rheological, image analysis and microbial properties of reduced-fat white chocolate fillings during storage time. Two batches of reduced-fat filling were produced using white chocolate, commercial grade sugar, skimmed milk, inverted sugar and iota-carrageenan (at 0.5 % w/w and 1.0 % w/w concentration) and stored at 4 ºC during 12 months. A control batch with no hydrocolloid was also produced. The results presented a decrease in pH, aw and moisture during storage time. The rheological characterization concluded that all formulations presented a shearthinning behaviour and both flow index (n) and consistency (K) were correlated with iota-carrageenan concentration and with storage time. The concentration of iota-carrageenan did not influence the digital image analysis of chocolate fillings, but a shift was observed during storage time, especially at the end. The microbial analysis showed a positive correlation to storage time in the formulation using 1.0 % iota-carrageenan, nevertheless all results were quite acceptable and within the recommended safety valuesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Introdução da tecnologia de congelação

Tese de doutoramento para obtenção do grau de Doutor em Engenharia Agro-industrial, apresentada no Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, sob a orientação da Doutora Isabel Maria Nunes de Sousa"Neste trabalho foi estudada a introdução da técnica de congelação no processamento de queijo de leite cru de ovelha de pasta semi-mole amanteigada, e.g. queijo Serpa. O estudo integrou a monitorização das propriedades físico-químicas e estruturais ao longo da cura e a optimização das variáveis envolvidas no processo de congelação: i) período de cura óptimo para congelar, 28, 35, e 42 dias; ii) tipo de congelação, lenta em câmara de congelação a -20 ºC e rápida em túnel de congelação a -30 ºC; iii) temperatura de congelação, -10 ºC e -20 ºC; e iv) tempo de congelação, de 2 a 12 meses. A partir da evolução dos espectros mecânicos e dos texturogramas obtidos ao longo da cura, observou-se o esperado amolecimento na pasta dos queijos, coincidindo com uma redução no pH e um aumento das fracções azotadas indicadoras de proteólise. Foi estabelecido um modelo para estimar o tempo de cura do queijo Serpa, a partir de parâmetros reológicos, físicos e químicos, utilizando uma regressão linear múltipla (RLM), com um erro estimado de 1,74 dias. Os resultados demonstraram que é possível a congelação deste tipo de queijo a uma temperatura de -20 ºC, por períodos não superiores a 6 meses, com preservação das suas características específicas. Verificou-se ainda que o tipo de congelação (câmara ou túnel de congelação) não influencia as propriedades do queijo e que o tempo de cura óptimo para a introdução da congelação foi o mais longo que foi testado (42 dias).

Effect of freezing on the rheological, chemical and colour properties of Serpa cheese

The effect of freezing on the properties of a raw ewes’-milk semi-soft cheese (Serpa cheese) was studied using small amplitude oscillatory (SAOS) and texture measurements, colour and chemical parameters. The freezing was introduced at three different stages of the ripening process (28, 35 and 42 days), and the cheesesweremaintained frozen for 12 months. Cheeses were submitted to a slow or fast freezingmethod, and to different storage temperatures:-10 and-20 °C (three replicates for each set conditions). Chemical data showed that only the proteolysis indicators exhibited differences between frozen and non-frozen samples; frozen samples showed higher values of NPN than the non-frozen samples, indicating that the freezing process did not prevent the secondary proteolysis of cheese. Frozen samples showed a significantly (P<0·05) stronger structure than the non-frozen, as indicated by hardness. However, the differences between the frozen and non-frozen samples were not significantly for storage modulus (G′1Hz) and loss tangent (tan δ1Hz) (P>0·05). Freezing affected mainly colour parameters: frozen samples were more luminous, and more yellow-green. The results allowed us to conclude that the damages caused by freezing to cheese properties could be minimized if this type of storage is introduced at the end of ripening (42 d) using a freezing temperature of -20 °C

Elemental composition and some nutritional parameters of sweet pepper from organic and conventional agriculture

The increasing demand of organic agriculture (OA) is based on the consumer’s belief that organic agricultural products are healthier, tastier and more nutritious. The effect of OA and conventional agriculture (CA) methods on the elemental compositions of green and red sweet peppers were studied. The highest concentrations of Ca, Cu, K and P occur in peppers from OA in both states of ripeness, with emphasis on Ca and K contents. Furthermore, the principal component analysis (PCA), points out to a clear separation, regarding concentrations, between peppers from OA and CA. The average fruit weight is higher in OA, 141 g versus 112 g in CA. Regarding productivity, CA reaches a value of 30.1 t/ha, 7% higher than the value observed for OA, i.e., 28 t/ha. Peppers from CA, exhibited greater protein content than those which originated from OA, regardless of the ripening stage, but not more ashes. Regarding nutritional ratios, the ripening stage and the production mode, can be important for an adequate choice regarding a more balanced Ca/P ratio, and the studied variety contained high Ca values ranging between 1009 and 1930 mg.kg−1. The PCA analysis also revealed that Mn and Fe are inversely correlated, confirming the importance of the Mn/Fe ratio evaluation in nutritional studies.publishersversionpublishe

Evaluation of gas holes in “Queijo de Nisa” PDO cheese using computer vision

"Queijo de Nisa" is a traditional Portuguese cheese, granted with PDO label, produced with raw ewe's milk in which the aqueous extract of cardoon flower Cynara cardunculus L. is the only coagulant allowed. As in similar cheeses with no use of starter cultures or pasteurisation, the quality and food safety are depending on prevention, high hygienic standards and a proper manufacturing process. This study investigated the use of computer vision as novel method for the evaluation of gas holes in Queijo de Nisa in three different ripening dates (0, 15 and 35 days). A total of 48 samples were produced using cardoon flower from three different origins (C1, C2 and C3) and a commercial vegetable coagulant (C4). The results presented a high correlation between image-dependent attributes and physical-chemical properties during ripening time, especially within the first 15 days of ripening time, where major structural changes were observed inside the Queijo de Nisa cheese. Principal component analysis presented a strong correlation (p < 0.05) between image parameters and the physical-chemical evolution until 15 days. From 15 to 35 days, the evolution of cheeses was mainly depending on structural parameters, like G'1 Hz and hardness. No influence was observed due to the geographical origin of cardoon flower

Evaluation of the impact of high pressure on the storage of filled traditional chocolates

The aim of this study was to evaluate the high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (400MPa for 2.5min and 500MPa for 1min) and storage temperature (4ºC and 20ºC) influence, on the physicochemical, rheological and microbiological properties of filled chocolates during storage time. The results showed that the physicochemical (moisture, Aw and pH) and microbiological parameters (total mesophiles, moulds and yeasts) were particularly affected at 20ºC during storage time (P<0.05). The dynamic rheological parameters (G’ and G’’) were not affected by the pressure or time of HHP treatment, but were affected by the higher storage temperature especially after 180d. The mechanical spectra of chocolate fillings stored at 4ºC was the least affected, when compared with the chocolates stored at 20ºC (0.1MPa/20ºC, 400MPa/20ºC and 500MPa/20ºC)

Assessment of Soil Physicochemical Characteristics and As, Cu, Pb and Zn Contamination in Non-Active Mines at the Portuguese Sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt

This study aimed to evaluate soil physicochemical characteristics (pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, total N, and extractable P and K), and potentially toxic elements (As, Cu, Pb, and Zn), in non-active mines located in the Portuguese sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). A total of 70 sampling sites were surveyed at Aljustrel and Lousal, in areas already rehabilitated, and at São Domingos, where rehabilitation was only beginning. The soils at São Domingos were very heterogeneous, with extreme values for some properties (e.g., minimum soil pH 2.0 and maximum As concentration, 4382.8 mg kg1 dry weight basis (DW)). Aljustrel was the site that presented soils with a higher total As, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentration (median values: 441.5, 545.9, 1396.8, and 316.5 mg kg1 DW, respectively), above the soil quality guidelines values proposed by the Portuguese Environmental Agency (18, 230, 120, and 340 mg kg1 DW, respectively). A principal component analysis identified the most relevant soil properties to explain the data variance, which were the soil pH and Pb total concentration, followed by Cu and Zn total concentrations, allowing a separation of Aljustrel from the other mines. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed very strong associations between Pb and As, markedly found at higher concentrations in São Domingos, whereas Aljustrel had an elevated concentration of As and Pb, but also of Cu and Zn. It is evident the risk that persists in the Aljustrel mine area, which was not alleviated by the “dig, dump, and cover” techniques that were implemented to rehabilitate the areainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of Cynara cardunculus L. flower from Alentejo as a coagulant agent for cheesemaking

The cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) is a mandatory vegetable coagulant for certain Protected Designation of Origin Portuguese cheeses. It grows wild in Portugal and is used without any type of control regarding flower picking or extract preparation, representing some uncertainty in cheese manufacture. The variability in technological properties, in the context of traditional cheese manufacture, of cardoon flower ecotypes from the Alentejo region was evaluated, including milk clotting and proteolytic activities, coagulation properties and potential cheesemaking yield of flower extracts. Multivariate statistics highlighted the variability of flower properties for cheesemaking, but allowed the aggregation of the ecotypes into five groups under the major influence of milk clotting activity and effect on gel firmness and micellar aggregation rate, followed by proteolytic activity. These differences may have an impact on cheese properties and therefore can allow the selection of cardoon flower for the manufacture of different types of cheese

Potentially Toxic Elements’ Contamination of Soils Affected by Mining Activities in the Portuguese Sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt and Optional Remediation Actions: A Review

Both sectors of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portuguese and Spanish, have been exploited since ancient times, but more intensively during and after the second half of the 19th century. Large volumes of polymetallic sulfide ore were extracted in open pits or in underground works, processed without environmental concerns, and the generated waste rocks and tailings were simply deposited in the area. Many of these mining sites were abandoned for years under the action of erosive agents, leading to the spread of trace elements and the contamination of soils, waters and sediments. Some of these mine sites have been submitted to rehabilitation actions, mostly using constructive techniques to dig and contain the contaminated tailings and other waste materials, but the remaining soil still needs to be treated with the best available techniques to recover its ecosystem functions. Besides the degraded physical structure and poor nutritional status of these soils, they have common characteristics, as a consequence of the pyrite oxidation and acid drainage produced, such as a high concentration of trace elements and low pH, which must be considered in the remediation plans. This manuscript aims to review the results from studies which have already covered these topics in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, especially in its Portuguese sector, considering: (i) soils’ physicochemical characteristics; (ii) potentially toxic trace elements’ concentration; and (iii) sustainable remediation technologies to cope with this type of soil contamination. Phytostabilization, after the amelioration of the soil’s properties with organic and inorganic amendments, was investigated at the lab and field scale by several authors, and their results were also consideredinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Study of antibacterial activity of lactococcus lactis against spoilage psychrotrophic bacteria isolated from refrigerated raw milk

Journal of Culture Collections is a journal that is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals which can be found at this site: http://www.doaj.orgEffect of Lactococcus lactis ssp lactis inoculated in UHT skim milk on the proteolytic activity of psychrotrophic strains was studied. The titration of a purified non nitrogenous fraction from refrigerated UHT milk samples, previously inoculated by 106 psychrotrophic strains, showed that Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida were the most proteolytic species. This result has also been confirmed using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of casein fractions extracted from refrigerated and contaminated UHT milk samples. All extracellular proteases of the studied germs revealed a decreasing affinity towards κ, β, and αs1-caseins. This bacterial proteolysis of the UHT milk caseins samples, voluntarily contaminated by each of the studied psychrotrophic strains, was significantly reduced following the addition of 106 CFU/ml Lactococcus, which caused,after 9 days of refrigeration, an appreciable reduction of the number of psychrotrophic germs from a minimum of 100 to 1000 times, depending on the tested strain. Our results suggest that the inhibitory effect of lactic acid bacteria on psychrotrophs is due to acidification or/and bacteriocin like production