Effect of replacing sucrose with tagatose and isomaltulose in Mandarin orange marmalade on rheology, colour, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties

The aim of this study was to make mandarin orange marmalades, in which sucrose is replaced by sweeteners, such as tagatose and isomaltulose, which are non-cariogenic and have a low glycemic index. Analyses of rheology, colour, antioxidant activity, microbiology, and sensory properties were carried out on marmalades on their first day, and after 90, 180, and 360 days of storage. The results showed that marmalades made with healthy sweeteners had a less elastic character and were thinner in consistency than those made with sucrose. Lightness was shown to be highest in mandarin orange marmalades made with tagatose, although colour was stable for 180 days to one year of storage. Tagatose also enhanced the antioxidant activity of these marmalades. All marmalades were microbiologically stable. Finally, marmalades made with tagatose alone scored the highest for global acceptance and intention of buying by consumers

Evolution of mechanical and optical properties of french fries obtained by hot air-frying

The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of frying technique (air-frying and deep oil-frying) and type of pre-treatment (freezing and blanching) on the evolution of mechanical and optical properties of French fries. The results showed that the chromatic parameters, a* and b*, experimented an increase regardless of the frying method. The increase in a* was significantly higher in deep-oil frying as a result of Maillard's reactions. The texture analysis reported a first stage of initial softening related to starch gelatinization followed by a second stage where the maximum force increased due to the gradual formation of a crust, both stages being faster in deep-oil frying. Pre-frozen potatoes presented the highest value of maximum force parameter independent of the type of fryingAuthors would like to thank to the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (PAID-06-09-2876) for the financial support given to this investigation.Heredia Gutiérrez, AB.; Castelló Gómez, ML.; Argüelles Foix, AL.; Andrés Grau, AM. (2014). Evolution of mechanical and optical properties of french fries obtained by hot air-frying. LWT - Food Science and Technology. 57(2):755-760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.02.038S75576057

Potential use of isomaltulose to produce healthier marshmallows

Isomaltulose is a non-cariogenic sugar with a lower glycemic index but with the same caloric value and visual appearance as sucrose. Therefore, isomaltulose could potentially be used to produce healthier candies. In this regard, the aim of this research was to evaluate isomaltulose as a traditional sugar replacer in soft marshmallow type candies, in order to provide added value to these widely consumed products, making it possible to capture a new market niche. 18 formulations were studied combining different sugars (sucrose, glucose syrup, fructose and isomaltulose) and different percentages of gelatine (4, 5 and 6). Analyses of composition (degrees Brix and moisture content), pH and water activity (a(w)), instrumental colour and texture as well as a sensorial analysis were performed. Marshmallows with isomaltulose combined with fructose exhibited the lowest values of pH (4.99-5.14). Moreover, formulations with similar amount of isomaltulose and fructose presented lower instrumental hardness, higher cohesiveness and springiness, and the best sensory acceptance. A PLS multivariate analysis showed a good correlation between instrumental and sensory mechanical parameters. Therefore, instrumental measures of texture could be suitable for discerning an overall preference for marshmallows without using trained panellists. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors thank the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for funding the project PAID 2011-ref: 2012 and the PhD scholarship.Periche Santamaría, A.; Heredia Gutiérrez, AB.; Escriche Roberto, MI.; Andrés Grau, AM.; Castelló Gómez, ML. (2015). Potential use of isomaltulose to produce healthier marshmallows. Food Science and Technology. 62(1):605-612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.12.024S60561262

Influence of preharvest treatments to reduce the seasonality of persimmon production on color, texture and antioxidant properties during storage

[EN] Persimmon production has increased considerably, thanks to techniques for removing astringency whilst maintaining the strong consistency. Currently, the needs of cooperatives are focused on increasing the commercial period. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of preharvest treatments (paclobutrazol (PBZ) and Ethephon to accelerate ripening and GA3 to delay it) on persimmon size, composition, color index (CI), texture and antioxidant properties over 11 days of postharvest storage at 4ºC. The results showed that the size of fruits subjected to preharvest treatment was smaller than in untreated fruit. Moreover, CI of the apical zone was higher in samples of standard ripening throughout the first few days of storage. It is also noteworthy that the treated fruits at the beginning of storage reported greater antioxidant properties. Finally, the evolution of the antioxidants has been fitted with a first-order model to predict their kinetic degradation depending on the persimmon harvest period.The authors thank the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for the PhD scholarship of the author Ruth Martinez Las Heras.Martínez Las Heras, R.; Amigo-Sánchez J.C.; Heredia Gutiérrez, AB.; Castelló Gómez, ML.; Andrés Grau, AM. (2015). Influence of preharvest treatments to reduce the seasonality of persimmon production on color, texture and antioxidant properties during storage. CyTA - Journal of Food. 14(2):333-339. doi:10.1080/19476337.2015.1113204S33333914

Acrylamide formation and quality properties of chitosan based batter formulations

[EN] The potential of chitosan to mitigate acrylamide formation has been already demonstrated. The two main objectives of this study were: 1) to select the most adequate degree of deacetylation (DD) and molecular weight (Mw) of chitosan based on acrylamide mitigation criteria and 2) to evaluate the influence of including chitosan in batter formulations on some important technological parameters of raw batters (flow behavior and water retention capacity) and on some quality properties of fried batters (oil uptake, color and texture). Results in model systems showed that chitosans with higher deacetylation degree (86.5 and 92.8%) achieved a decrease of acrylamide between 44 and 81%, depending on reaction time, compared to the control (without chitosan). Furthermore, acid hydrolysis process of chitosan was found to negatively affect its inhibitory effect on acrylamide formation independently of the molecular weight. Raw chitosan based batter formulations presented higher consistency and water retention capacity than the control; chitosan addition to batters reduced the hardening of the fried samples during the post-frying cooling period. No significant differences in water loss were observed between batters with or without added chitosan; however, chitosan-batter formulations showed lower oil uptake during frying as compared to control samples.The authors thank the gs1:Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for the PhD scholarship given to Mariola Sansano Tomas.Sansano Tomás, M.; Castelló Gómez, ML.; Heredia Gutiérrez, AB.; Andrés Grau, AM. (2016). Acrylamide formation and quality properties of chitosan based batter formulations. Food Hydrocolloids. 66:1-7. doi:10.1016/j.foodhyd.2016.10.019S176

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

Ideal cardiovascular health and inflammation in European adolescents: The HELENA study

Background and aims Inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis and this process seems to appear in childhood. The ideal cardiovascular health index (ICHI) has been inversely related to atherosclerotic plaque in adults. However, evidence regarding inflammation and ICHI in adolescents is scarce. The aim is to assess the association between ICHI and inflammation in European adolescents. Methods and results As many as 543 adolescents (251 boys and 292 girls) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study, a cross-sectional multi-center study including 9 European countries, were measured. C-reactive protein (CRP), complement factors C3 and C4, leptin and white blood cell counts were used to compute an inflammatory score. Multilevel linear models and multilevel logistic regression were used to assess the association between ICHI and inflammation controlling by covariates. Higher ICHI was associated with a lower inflammatory score, as well as with several individual components, both in boys and girls (p < 0.01). In addition, adolescents with at least 4 ideal components of the ICHI had significantly lower inflammatory score and lower levels of the study biomarkers, except CRP. Finally, the multilevel logistic regression showed that for every unit increase in the ICHI, the probability of having an inflammatory profile decreased by 28.1% in girls. Conclusion Results from this study suggest that a better ICHI is associated with a lower inflammatory profile already in adolescence. Improving these health behaviors, and health factors included in the ICHI, could play an important role in CVD prevention

Sustitución de componentes en magdalenas para la eliminación de fuentes de alérgenos

En la sociedad actual, una de las industrias alimentarias más importantes es la de bollería, cuestionada en algunos casos por contener alérgenos