21 research outputs found
Sensorial evaluation of new developed biscuits enriched with organic apple and basil powders: preliminary study
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to harness ingredients obtained from organic farming, in order to develop a new type of biscuits. Based on the original recipe, these were obtained from seeds and hemp flour and enriched with lyophilized organic apple (pieces and powder) and lyophilized organic basil powder. The organic powders were realized in the framework of the SusOrgPlus project at the Research Centre for Studies of Food Quality and Agricultural Products, and biscuits were obtained in the Bakery Pilot Station, both of University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. The consumer acceptance testing was performed on 33 consumers and consists of the evaluation of general appearance, colour, taste, aroma, and consistency (Hedonic 5-point scale). The obtained results showed that the new biscuits enriched with lyophilized apple and basil powders were easily accepted by the consumers
Variation of bioactive compounds in organic Ocimum basilicum L. during freeze-drying processing
Abstract
Common basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), one of the most important aromatic perennial herbs due to its essential oil composition, belongs to Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. Basil is an economically important herb and it is considered one of the finest aromatic herbs, being widely used as flavor in food industry. Basil samples were characterized in terms of chlorophyll content, total polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and volatile oil content. The fresh harvested leaves and the processed powder from leaves were hydro-distilled for 3 h in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The volatile oil was measured and collected for further GC-MS analysis. As drying technology, freeze-drying was used until the samples reached a loss of 85% from the fresh weigh, with the final dry matter content of 95.86%. Variations for the main constituents of volatile oil: 1,8-cineole, linalool, methyl chavicol, eugenol, α-bergamotene, and α-epi-cadinol were observed after processing
Pervaporation of Aqueous Ethanol Solutions Through Pure and Composite Cellulose Membranes
A procedure for synthesis of pure and composite membranes based on cellulose dissolved in NaOH-urea/ thiourea solutions was developed. The phase inversion method was employed for cellulose solution conversion to supported and non-supported membranes. The use of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as precursor in synthesis of composite cellulose membranes produced significant changes in their structure and pervaporation behaviour. The obtained membranes were tested for the pervaporation of ethanol-water system. Pervaporation performances, which were evaluated in terms of total permeate flux, separation factor and pervaporation separation index, strongly depended on TEOS loading, ethanol concentration and operation temperature
Chemical and Biological Profiling of Fish and Seaweed Residues to Be Applied for Plant Fertilization
Brown algae and fish waste contain high-value compounds with potentially beneficial effects on plant growth. Several commercial fertilizer products are currently available, but the characteristics of the materials are usually not well-described. Fish and seaweed residues originating from the Norwegian coast are available, after industrial processing, which may be combined into complete fertilizers exerting additional effects on crop plants (biostimulants). In this study, raw samples of fish and seaweed residues were investigated using ecofriendly technologies (drying, leaching), targeting search and isolation of potential biostimulants, followed by physicochemical characterization (elemental analysis, UV–visible, FT-IR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, electrical conductivity, pH, etc.). Organic solvent extractions were employed to determine the available mineral content, micro- and macro-nutrients, antioxidant compounds, and amino acid content by chemical hydrolysis. The in vitro biotoxicity profile (cell viability, morphology, migration) of the generated extracts was also perused, employing Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) along with sensitive neuronal eukaryotic cell lines N2a58 and SH-SY5Y, to assess their time- and concentration-dependent efficacy as antimicrobials and agents counteracting oxidative stress. The analytical composition of all raw materials showed that they contain important nutrients (K, P, Ca, N) as well as organic compounds and amino acids (Gly, Asp, Glu, Leu, Phe) capable of acting as plant biostimulants. Concurrently, the inherently high conductivity values and salt content necessitated leaching processes, which result in Na+ and K+ decreasing by more than ~60% and justifying further their use in soil treatment formulations. The aforementioned results and assertions, combined with physical measurements (pH, electrical conductivity, etc.) on naturally occurring and dried samples as well as green solvent extracts, formulated a physicochemical profile reflecting well-defined inorganic–organic species that might function as biostimulants. The collective physicochemical and biological properties support the notion that appropriate mixtures of marine organism residues may be efficient fertilizers for crop plants and concurrently possess biostimulant characteristics
Latest Developments in Edible Coatings on Minimally Processed Fruits and Vegetables: A Review
The food industry nowadays is facing new challenges in terms of sustainability and health implications of packaging and processing techniques. Due to their desire for new and natural products coupled with changes in lifestyle, consumers are looking for food products that have been less processed but possess longer shelf life and maintain nutritional and sensorial proprieties during storage. These requirements represent real challenges when dealing with highly perishable food products, such as fruits and vegetables. Thus, in recent years, edible coatings have been intensively developed and studied because of their capacity to improve the quality, shelf life, safety, and functionality of the treated products. Edible coatings can be applied through different techniques, like dipping, spraying, or coating, in order to control moisture transfer, gas exchange, or oxidative processes. Furthermore, some functional ingredients can be incorporated into an edible matrix and applied on the surface of foods, thus enhancing safety or even nutritional and sensory attributes. In the case of coated fruits and vegetables, their quality parameters, such as color, firmness, microbial load, decay ratio, weight loss, sensorial attributes, and nutritional parameters, which are very specific to the type of products and their storage conditions, should be carefully monitored. This review attempts to summarize recent studies of different edible coatings (polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and composites) as carriers of functional ingredients (antimicrobials, texture enhancers, and nutraceuticals) applied on different minimally processed fruits and vegetables, highlighting the coating ingredients, the application methods and the effects on food shelf life and quality
Effects of Marine Residue-Derived Fertilizers on Strawberry Growth, Nutrient Content, Fruit Yield and Quality
An outdoor experiment was performed for six months to evaluate the effects of organic fertilizers obtained from marine residual materials on strawberry plants. Three types of organic fertilizers were used, i.e., cod (Gadus morhua) bone powder, common ling (Molva molva) bone powder, and pellets obtained by mixing small cod bone powder and rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) residues. A tabletop system for strawberry cultivation was designed, in which two bare-root strawberry plants of cultivar ‘Albion’ were planted in a peat substrate in each pot. Five treatments were applied, i.e., cod bone powder (F1), common ling bone powder (F2), small cod bone powder and rockweed residue pellets (FA), chemical fertilizer (E), and a control (C). The number of leaves and their nutrient content, fruit yield and quality characteristics of the strawberries grown using the organic fertilizers were similar or better than those corresponding to treatments E and C. Organic fertilizers derived from the residues of fish and macroalgae could be a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers in strawberry production
Effects Of Processing Treatments In Carotenoids And Vitamin C ContentsFor Different Organic Tomato Varieties
This study investigates the effects of different processing treatments (hot air at 40 and 70 °C with and without blanching or milling) on the carotenoids and vitamin C contents of diverse organic tomato varieties: Citrina, Golden Jubileé, Tigrella, Red Cherry, Red Peach, and Roman Specled. Lycopene was identified in the highest amount, followed by β-carotene. Lutein showed a lower content, which was almost similar in all tomato powders. The high lycopene and β-carotene contents were determined in tomato powders obtained by milling before drying at 70 °C. In powders obtained from tomato dried at 70 °C after blanching and dried, both lycopene and β-carotene appear in lower concentrations than those blanched and dried at 40 °C. This study shows that there were variations in the content of carotenoids that depend on the drying method as well as the processed varieties
Evaluating the quality of marine composts by using humification and spectroscopy: A summary of workshop presentations and learning outcomes from the MARIGREEN_TECB project
This report summarizes the presentations and activities made during a workshop organized under the auspices of the project MARIGREEN_TECB (Training, Exchange, and Capacity Building), which was funded by the third supplementary call of the ERA-NET Cofund on Blue Bioeconomy (BlueBio) program (grant number 346849) .
MARIGREEN_TECB was an extension of MARIGREEN (sustainable exploitation of MARINE resources to promote GREEN plant production in Europe), a project funded by the first supplementary call of the ERA-NET BlueBio program (EU Horizon 2020 grant agreement 817992). MARIGREEN's aim is to valorise poorly utilized residual materials from the blue sector by treating them with suitable technologies such as extraction, composting and biochar impregnation after extraction, and using them in organic agriculture. The project works with available residual material from fishing, the brown algae industry, the mussel industry and organic aquaculture.
The main objective of MARIGREEN_TECB was to improve the understanding of humification during composting of marine raw materials and how to improve the quality of "blue" compost and to gain expertise in FT-IR analysis and spectrum interpretation for humic substances.
MARIGREEN_TECB was a collaboration between NORSØK and USAMV in Bucharest. The workshop was organized by the Research Center for Studies of Food Quality and Agricultural Products at USAMV's campus in Bucharest and was held from 23 to 26 October 2023. The topics for the workshop were chosen because they are directly relevant to the MARIGREEN main project and several of the work packages. However, they also have global relevance. While the focus was on marine-based compost, the methods covered during the workshop are relevant to all types of composts, organic-based fertilizers and soil conditioners. Methods to improve compost quality and improve humification can be applied to compost made with all raw materials. The same applies to evaluation of compost quality by more traditional methods and by FT-IR spectroscopy
Chemical and Biological Profiling of Fish and Seaweed Residues to Be Applied for Plant Fertilization
Brown algae and fish waste contain high-value compounds with potentially beneficial effects on plant growth. Several commercial fertilizer products are currently available, but the characteristics of the materials are usually not well-described. Fish and seaweed residues originating from the Norwegian coast are available, after industrial processing, which may be combined into complete fertilizers exerting additional effects on crop plants (biostimulants). In this study, raw samples of fish and seaweed residues were investigated using ecofriendly technologies (drying, leaching), targeting search and isolation of potential biostimulants, followed by physicochemical characterization (elemental analysis, UV–visible, FT-IR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, electrical conductivity, pH, etc.). Organic solvent extractions were employed to determine the available mineral content, micro- and macro-nutrients, antioxidant compounds, and amino acid content by chemical hydrolysis. The in vitro biotoxicity profile (cell viability, morphology, migration) of the generated extracts was also perused, employing Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) along with sensitive neuronal eukaryotic cell lines N2a58 and SH-SY5Y, to assess their time- and concentration-dependent efficacy as antimicrobials and agents counteracting oxidative stress. The analytical composition of all raw materials showed that they contain important nutrients (K, P, Ca, N) as well as organic compounds and amino acids (Gly, Asp, Glu, Leu, Phe) capable of acting as plant biostimulants. Concurrently, the inherently high conductivity values and salt content necessitated leaching processes, which result in Na+ and K+ decreasing by more than ~60% and justifying further their use in soil treatment formulations. The aforementioned results and assertions, combined with physical measurements (pH, electrical conductivity, etc.) on naturally occurring and dried samples as well as green solvent extracts, formulated a physicochemical profile reflecting well-defined inorganic–organic species that might function as biostimulants. The collective physicochemical and biological properties support the notion that appropriate mixtures of marine organism residues may be efficient fertilizers for crop plants and concurrently possess biostimulant characteristics