Preliminary Discrimination of Cheese Adulteration by FT-IR Spectroscopy

The present work describes a preliminary study to compare some traditional Romanian cheeses and adulterated cheeses using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). For PLS model calibration (6 concentration levels) and validation (5 concentration levels) sets were prepared from commercial Dalia Cheese from different manufacturers by spiking it with palm oil at concentrations ranging 2-50 % and 5-40 %, respectively. Fifteen Dalia Cheese were evaluated as external set. The spectra of each sample, after homogenization, were acquired in triplicate using a FTIR Shimatsu Prestige 21 Spectrophotometer, with a horizontal diamond ATR accessory in the MIR region 4000-600 cm-1. Statistical methods as PLS were applied using MVC1 routines written for Matlab R2010a. As first step the optimal condition for PLS model were obtained using cross-validation on the Calibration set. Spectral region in 3873-652 cm-1, and 3 PLS-factors were stated as the best conditions and showed an R2 value of 0.9338 and a relative error in the calibration of 17.2%. Then validation set was evaluated, obtaining good recovery rates (108%) and acceptable dispersion of the data (20%). The curve of actual vs. predicted values shows slope near to 1 and origin close to 0, with an R2 of 0.9695. When the external sample set was evaluated, samples F19, F21, F22 and F24, showed detectable levels of palm fats. The results proved that FTIR-PLS is a reliable non-destructive technique for a rapid quantification the level of adulteration in cheese.  The spectroscopic methods could assist the quality control authority, traders and the producers to discriminate the adulterated cheeses with palm oil

Sensory Analysis of a New Generation of Probiotic Drinks with Functional Gastrointestinal Health Impact

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Because it's not clear what’s causing it, treatment focuses on the relief of symptoms. Over the past few years new alternative treatments with multispecies probiotics have been tested. This paper aims to present the results obtained through sensory analysis of a probiotic prototype drink specially designed for people affected by irritable bowel syndrome, made with fruit and vegetable peels that are usually thrown away and added encapsulated probiotic cells. Nine drink prototypes were produced using apples, sugar beets, grapes, carrots peels and water. The obtained samples were analyzed using the nine point hedonic scale test and a panel consisting of 60 potential consumers. Analyzing the data, a recipe meeting most expectations of potential consumers was suggested. The study revealed that the analyzed probiotic prototype drinks can become an alternative to current products on the market, having positive feedback from the sensory analysis panel.Â

Preliminary Discrimination of Butter Adulteration by ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy

The Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR)  was applied for the discrimination of butter samples adulterated with solid fraction of palm oil. For FTIR fingerprinting of butter samples, with or without controlled additions of palm oil as adulterant was firstly obtained, using a Shimatsu Prestige 21 Spectrophotometer, including a horizontal diamond ATR accessory with reflection in the MIR region (3873-690) cm-1.The spiked butter samples including 0 level and seven increasing concentrations of palm fats, up to 50% were fingerprinted and the calibration curve was obtained (n=19). In parallel, the validation was realized using different set of spiked butter samples ranging 1-44.4 % of palm fat (n=7). Finally, an independent set of commercial samples was analized (n=14).Partial least squares (PLS) model was used for statistical data processing in accordance with standard method. The value of the correlation coefficient (R2= 0.977) between actual and predicted values was statistically significant (p<0.001), considering the superposition of  "actual vs predicted†curves. This combined FTIR-PLS evaluation revealed that 3 out of  samples of butter were suspected of adulteration with palm oil, presented values 14 ranging 4-12%.In conclusion, ATR-FTIR methodology may offer an rapid evaluation of  butter samples authenticity. The low value for detection limit (3%palm oil in butter) and the low limit of quantification (9.8% palm oil in butter) confirms that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy  is a sensitive method to identify the adulteration of butter with  palm oil.  Â

FT-IR Studies of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles and Natural Zeolite Materials

An emerging topic of our days is nanoscience and nanotechnology successfully applied in the food industry. Characteristics such as size, surface area and morphology can modify the basic properties and the chemical reactivity of the nanomaterials. The breakthrough of innovative materials, processes, and phenomena at the nanoscale, as well as the progress of new experimental and theoretical techniques for research, supply novel opportunities for the expansion of original nanosystems and nanostructured materials. These study examine two types of nanoparticles, namely cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NP) and natural zeolites. In view of the importance of CeO2 NP in various biological applications, the primary objective of this study is to characterise four samples of CeO2 NP in order to understand the role of the synthesis process in the final product. Nanocrystalline natural zeolites are materials with interesting properties which allows them to be used as adjuvant in many therapies. The characterisation of CeO2 NP and two types of natural zeolites using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is described. Therefore, this study examined two types of nanomaterials, namely cerium oxide nanoparticles and zeolites, for further applications on microorganisms and living cells

New Approach on Sunflower Seeds Processing: Kernel with Several Technological Applications, Husks Package, Different Fat Content Tahini and Halva Properties

Sunflower is the basic oil-crop in Central and Eastern Europe. As sunflower seeds are mainly used for oil production, the most of the kernels available on the market show high oil content (>55%). Consequently, when sunflower kernel paste (tahini) is used in different food products, oil exudation occurs.The aim of current work was to use entirely the sunflower seeds by partially defatting and obtaining different fat content sunflower pastes with multiple food applications, while using the husks for developing an ecological package. Sunflower kernels were industrially roasted in a continuous roasting drum.  Raw and roasted kernels were pressed at pilot plant scale by using a laboratory expeller. Partially defatted sunflower paste was obtained from the press cakes by employing a ball mill. Different fat content tahini samples were obtained by adding the required amount of oil to the partially defatted paste. Tahini samples fat content ranged from 45 to 60%. Tahini and halva were chosen as a study model. Decreasing tahini oil content increased its colloidal stability during storage, a similar trend being noticed when halva samples were stored. Moreover, halva texture analysis and sensory characteristics were assessed for selecting the optimum tahini oil content and thermal treatment. Various sunflower kernel food applications were proposed by obtaining the related prototypes at pilot plant scale: roasted sunflower kernel biscuits, sunflower spreadable cream filled biscuits, hummus, sunflower paste coated in chocolate, sunflower kernel chikki and bars, as well as an innovative ecological package based on the resulting sunflower husks and a starch adhesive.Â

Study of the cheese salting process by dielectric properties at microwave frequencies

[EN] The salting process involves complex phenomena that affect the overall quality of cheese due to its effect on water activity and induced biochemical changes. The permittivity of cheese was analysed throughout the cheese salting treatment in order to relate it to water and salt transport. The salting treatment was carried out using 25% (wily) sodium chloride brine at 4 degrees C. The samples were immersed in a vessel containing the osmotic solution with continuous stirring, for 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480, 720, 900 and 1440 min. Samples were subsequently equilibrated in an isothermal chamber at 4 degrees C for 24 h. Mass, volume, surface water activity, moisture, ion content and permittivity were determined in fresh and salted samples. Permittivity was measured from 500 MHz to 20 GHz, using an openended coaxial probe connected to a Vector Network Analyser. The results showed that measurements at 20 GHz explain the water loss and water flux in the overall product. The state of the electrolytes in cheese can be followed using the ionic conductivity at 500 MHz. A coupled measurement of permittivity at 20 GHz and 500 MHz can predict the chemical species involved in the cheese salting process, and its structural changes. In conclusion, the measurement of permittivity in the microwave range can be used to monitor the salting cheese process. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Programa Estatal de I+D+i orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad AGL2016-80643-R. Author J. Velazquez-Varela thanks the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT) of Mexico for its support. This paper was published under the frame of the European Social Fund, Human Resources Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, project no. POSDRU/159/1.5/S/132765.Velazquez-Varela, J.; Castro Giraldez, M.; Cuibus, L.; Tomás-Egea, JÁ.; Socaciu, C.; Fito Suñer, PJ. (2018). Study of the cheese salting process by dielectric properties at microwave frequencies. Journal of Food Engineering. 224:121-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2017.12.024S12112822

Characterization of Sea Buckthorn Extract and its effect on free and encapsulated Lactobacillus casei

[EN] Probiotics are bacteria that can provide health benefits to consumers and are suitable to be added to a variety of foods. In this research, viability of immobilized Lactobacillus casei in alginate with or without sea buckthorn lipid extract were studied during heat treatment and with an in vitro gastrointestinal model. The characterization of the lipid extract was also done using the UV-Vis spectrometry (UV-Vis), high-performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detection method (HPLC-PDA), gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GS-MS) and Cryo scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). During heat treatment, the entrapped probiotic cells proved high viability (>6 CFU log/g), even at temperatures above 50 degrees C. The rich in monounsaturated fatty acids sea buckthorn fraction improved the in vitro digestion passage regarding the probiotic viability. The survival of the probiotic cells was 15% higher after 2 h in the acidic medium of the simulated gastric fluid in the sample where L. casei was encapsulated with the sea buckthorn extract compared with the samples where no extract was added. Thus, this approach may be effective for the future development of probiotic-supplemented foods as foods with health welfare for the consumers.This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1255 and PN-III-P2-2.1-CI-2017-0056.Pop, O.; Dulf, F.; Cuibus, L.; Castro Giraldez, M.; Fito Suñer, PJ.; Vodnar, D.; Coman, C.... (2017). Characterization of Sea Buckthorn Extract and its effect on free and encapsulated Lactobacillus casei. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 18(12):1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18122513S1151812Coghetto, C. C., Flores, S. H., Brinques, G. B., & Záchia Ayub, M. A. (2016). 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Applications of infrared thermography in the food industry

In the last 20-30 years, the implementation of new technologies from the research centres to the food industry process was very fast. The infrared thermography is a tool used in many fields, including agriculture and food science technology, because of it's important qualities like non-destructive method, it is fast, it is accurate, it is repeatable and economical. Almost all the industrial food processors have to use the thermal process to obtain an optimal product respecting the quality and safety standards. The control of temperature of food products during the production, transportation, storage and sales is an essential process in the food industry network. This tool can minimize the human error during the control of heat operation, and reduce the costs with personal. In this thesis the application of infrared thermography (IRT) was studies for different products that need a thermal process during the food processing. The background of thermography was presented, and also some of its applications in food industry, with the benefits and limits of applicability. The measurement of the temperature of the egg shell during the heat treatment in natural convection and with hot-air treatment was compared with the calculated temperatures obtained by a simplified finite element model made in the past. The complete process shown a good results between calculated and observed temperatures and we can say that this technique can be useful to control the heat treatments for decontamination of egg using the infrared thermography. Other important application of IRT was to determine the evolution of emissivity of potato raw during the freezing process and the control non-destructive control of this process. We can conclude that the IRT can represent a real option for the control of thermal process from the food industry, but more researches on various products are necessary