Advances in Distilled Beverages Authenticity and Quality Testing

Given the advent of the consumers and producers demands, researches are focusing lately to develop innovative, cost-effective, progressively complex alcoholic beverages. As alcohol consumption has a heavy impact on social environment and health, fast and safe solutions for industrial application are needed. In this chapter, the recent advances in the field of alcoholic beverages authenticity and quality testing are summarised. Solutions for the online monitoring of the process of distilled beverages are offered and the recent methods for identification of raw material and process formed biomarkers of distilled beverages are presented

Special Beer obtained by Synchronous Alcoholic Fermentation of Two Different Origin Substrates

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage worldwide. Both beer and wine are  recognized since ancient times for their health benefits. Nowadays, these beverages are consumed for its sensory, social interaction, and recently even in culinary dishes. In addition, studies showed the benefits of beer moderate consumption on health. Beer is a low-alcohol beverage and also presents many nutritional properties outlined by its nutritional content rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that come from the raw material (malt and hop). Wishing to attract as many niches of consumers, brewers tend to produce every year new and innovative beers. The purpose of this study was to develop the technology for an innovative special beer. The synchronous alcoholic fermentation of two different origin substrates - wort and grape must - was monitored and their composition was assessed in order to obtain special beer with superior sensory properties. Technological process was developed in the Winery Pilot Station of the UASVM Cluj-Napoca. Special beer was obtained by alcoholic fermentation of hopped dark wort with grape must from the autochthonous Feteasca neagra grapes variety. Second fermentation process was followed by the maturation (3 weeks at 5oC) in order to harmonize sensory qualities. The entire process was monitored considering fermentation and final products physicochemical parameters. The optimized ratio of the two fermentation substrates was of 2.5:3 on primary raw materials - beer wort and grapes must. The process was monitored on optimizing the fermentation process. The best fermentation yield was obtained when lower fermentation extracts were used. This study demonstrated that the simultaneous fermentation of the two substrates with different glucidic origin may proceed under controlled conditions and may be carried out so as to obtain the desired fermentation products with improved sensorial properties and increased health benefits

Monitoring Milk Somatic Cell Counts

The presence of somatic cells in milk is a widely disputed issue in milk production sector. The somatic cell counts in raw milk are a marker for the specific cow diseases such as mastitis or swollen udder. The high level of somatic cells causes physical and chemical changes to milk composition and nutritional value, and as well to milk products. Also, the mastitic milk is not proper for human consumption due to its contribution to spreading of certain diseases and food poisoning. According to these effects, EU Regulations established the maximum threshold of admitted somatic cells in raw milk to 400000 cells / mL starting with 2014. The purpose of this study was carried out in order to examine the raw milk samples provided from small farms, industrial type farms and milk processing units. There are several ways to count somatic cells in milk but the reference accepted method is the microscopic method described by the SR EN ISO 13366-1/2008. Generally samples registered values in accordance with the admissible limit. By periodical monitoring of the somatic cell count, certain technological process issues are being avoided and consumer’s health ensured

Hygiene of Raw Milk from Austrian Spotted, Holstein and Romanian Spotted Breeds, in Three Farms from Central Romania

Analysis strictly medical, objective and impartial demonstrate that none of the foods considered to be basic, it is an ideal food, and milk can have some adverse effects on consumers, if the product is subject to changes caused by the improper welfare and health of the animals, but not least the processing technology. This study aimed the analyzing of raw cow milk related to the quality indicators on hygiene. There were considered the samples collected from three farms of the Central part of Romania, each of 24 samples of raw milk. The cows breed were farm A - Austrian spotted, farm B - Holstein and farm C - Romanian spotted. The parameters investigated here were total bacteria count and somatic cell count. The range of the non-conforming milk samples was 1:5

Microbiological Analysis, Detection of Adulterants and Contaminants in Raw Milk at Farms in Central Romania

Raw milk hygiene strongly depends on the compliance with basic principles of food safety, starting with staff responsibility, farmer, products traceability, sanitation of the entire flow, from farm to consumer. There were studied 800 samples of raw cow milk purchased from the collection centers. The parameters considered here were number of germ cells, somatic cell count, added water and antibiotics residues. Number of germs cells recorded values up to 70 times out of the regulation limit -100000 TNG/mL. There were 48 samples exceeding the value of 400000 SCC/mL, and only 3 of them had improper hygienic conditions due to the value of TNG higher than 100000/mL. No antibiotics or added water was registered