Microstructure, composition and their relationship with molecular mobility, food quality and stability

Food stability is a critical parameter for both consumers and producers, since it assures safety, nutritional, and sensorial quality of foodstuffs, and at the same time maximizes shelf-life. For a long time, water activity, aw, was considered a determinant parameter in food stability and physical properties. This concept was challenged with the revolutionary approach to the study of food systems using the glass transition concept. Recently, scientific research suggests that molecular mobility is a fundamental approach to fully attain food physical properties and stability. Current literature suggests that stability can only be fully grasped if molecular mobility and structure are taken into consideration; that is, an appropriate understanding of the behavior of food products requires knowledge of its composition, structure, and molecular dynamics, through the three-dimensional arrangement of the various structural elements and their interactions. Food systems are complex mixtures of water, biopolymers, low-molecular weight ingredients, and colloid particles, and the molecular mobility between these different components reflects on the stability of such systems, determining the physical state, microstructure, and composition, which impacts food characteristics. Particularly, food water content, location, and interactions with other components are critical in microbial growth, degradation reactions, and sensorial aspects. Understanding changes in water location and mobility represents a significant step in food stability knowledge, once that water availability profoundly affects chemical, physical, and microbiological quality of foods.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Thermosonication applied to kiwi juice processing: anti-listerial effect and quality retention

info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Thermal and non-thermal Cantaloupe melon juice pasteurization: Assessment of the impact of ozone exposure on microbiological, physicochemical and bioactive characteristics

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Effect of gaseous ozone process on cantaloupe melon peel: assessment of quality and antilisterial indicators

Fruit waste parts, particularly peel, are abundant sources of bioactive compounds. To be included in the formulation of value-added foods, peel needs to be transformed and subjected to a preservation process. Therefore, this study seeks to assess the effect of ozone on the quality and antilisterial indicators of cantaloupe melon peel paste, aiming at obtaining a product with the potential to be used as a food additive. Ozone was bubbled during 30 and 60 min, and some physicochemical characteristics (soluble solids content, pH and colour), bioactive compounds (total phenolics, chlorophylls and vitamin C) and antioxidant activity were analysed. Peel was also inoculated with Listeria innocua, used as a treatment efficiency indicator. The results indicated that, although ozone negatively affected antioxidant activity, it positively influenced all bioactive compounds analysed. An L. innocua reduction of 1.2 log cycle was achieved after ozone exposure. Ozone should be exploited as a promising technology to assure the quality/safety of cantaloupe melon peel. Indeed, if melon peel is conveniently converted into a suitable form that can be used as a food ingredient, this will promote the valorisation of waste materials with the consequent reduction of industrial by-products and new perspectives for market opportunities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impact of UV-C radiation on melon peel

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Effect of ultrasonication, thermosonication and ultraviolet irradiation on the quality of strawberies (fragaria anannassa) and red bell peppers (capsicum annuum L.)

The objective of this work was to study the effect of ultrasonication, thermosonication and UV-C irradiation on the quality attributes of strawberries (Fragaria anannassa) and red bell peppers (Capsicum annuum, L.). Thermosonication studies were carried out at 50ºC and 65ºC. Control water treatments at the same temperatures were conducted. The analysed quality factors were colour and texture for both products, in addition to anthocyanins content in the case of strawberries. Results showed that UV-C constituted a harmless treatment, with little or no effect on color, texture or anthocyanins content. Ultrasonication caused small colour changes and no significant effects on texture of both products. Thermosonication at 65ºC resulted in undesirable changes of color, anthocyanins and texture of strawberries, and color of red bell peppers. When compared to water treated samples, thermosonicated ones showed higher texture retention. This effect was much more pronounced on red bell peppers

Impact of ozone processing on microbiological, physicochemical, and bioactive characteristics of refrigerated stored Cantaloupe melon juice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of ozone treatment on microbiological decontamination (intrinsic microflora and inoculated Listeria innocua) and some physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of Cantaloupe melon juice, also during refrigerated storage. To determine adequate ozone exposure, the survival curve of L. innocua was previously assessed. A thermal treatment was also performed seeking comparison with ozone treatment impact. After ozone exposure, L. innocua was not detected in juice samples, while thermal pasteurization allowed a reduction of 5.2 ± 0.2 log cycles. Although ozone reduced the intrinsic microflora loads, this reduction was higher for heat‐treated samples. Vitamin C was highly retained in ozone‐treated juices (68%), when compared with the pasteurized ones (39%). After 13 days of storage, ozone allowed the retention of the most quality parameters analyzed and, therefore, it can be considered as a promising alternative to traditional pasteurization of Cantaloupe melon juice. Practical applications The actual consumers' demand for high‐quality food standards has launched research to alternative and milder nonthermal processes, which have gained increasing attention and importance in the fruit juice industries. Ideally, preservation and/or processing of foods should involve technologies that prevent undesirable microbial survival and minimize quality attributes changes and nutrient losses. Thermal treatments are conventionally used to attain such targets; however, the content and the biological activity of the most health‐related compounds are dramatically reduced. In this context, and particularly in the beverages industries, ozone has been exploited due to its potential for inactivating spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, while being effective in overall quality retention of the products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio