Food texture design by 3D printing: a review

An important factor in consumers’ acceptability, beyond visual appearance and taste, is food texture. The elderly and people with dysphagia are more likely to present malnourishment due to visually and texturally unappealing food. Three-dimensional Printing is an additive manufacturing technology that can aid the food industry in developing novel and more complex food products and has the potential to produce tailored foods for specific needs. As a technology that builds food products layer by layer, 3D Printing can present a new methodology to design realistic food textures by the precise placement of texturing elements in the food, printing of multi-material products, and design of complex internal structures. This paper intends to review the existing work on 3D food printing and discuss the recent developments concerning food texture design. Advantages and limitations of 3D Printing in the food industry, the material-based printability and model-based texture, and the future trends in 3D Printing, including numerical simulations, incorporation of cooking technology to the printing, and 4D modifications are discussed. Key challenges for the mainstream adoption of 3D Printing are also elaborated on.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phytopharmacological strategies in the management of type 2 diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease which corresponds to 90% of the worldwide cases of diabetes, mainly due to epigenetic factors such as unhealthy lifestyles. First line therapeutic approaches are based on lifestyle changes, most of the time complemented with medication mostly associated with several side e ects and high costs. As a result, the scientific community is constantly working for the discovery and development of natural therapeutic strategies that provide lower financial impact and minimize side e ects. This review focus on these nature-based therapeutic strategies for prevention and control of T2DM, with a special emphasis on natural compounds that present pharmacological activity as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, lipase, and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development, characterisation, and consumer acceptance of an innovative vegan burger with seaweed

This work was funded by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the scope of the project MARE (UIDB/04292/2020 and UIDP/04292/2020) and the project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET. This study was financially supported by ProReMar project (MAR-04,03,01-FEAMP-0380) funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund under the Operational Program Mar 2020/Nacional.What consumers choose when purchasing food is of most importance to promote sustainability. The consumption of more sustainable foods should be stimulated, for example, by using more sustainable ingredients and by consumer education. Therefore, an innovative and highly nutritious vegan burger with seaweed (VBS) was developed using sustainable ingredients, such as pulses—grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)—and the seaweed Dulse (Palmaria palmata L.) from aquaculture. VBS was analysed for its physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics, including antioxidant activity (DPPH, TPC) and fatty acid and mineral element profiles. Shelf life and consumer acceptability were determined. The VBS was shown to be a source of protein (8.01 ± 0.14% fresh weight (FW)), fibre (5.75% FW), and mineral elements, such as P, Fe, rich in Mg, Mn, and Cu, while having low sodium content. Moreover, it presents a low sugar content. Furthermore, no antioxidant activity was detected. The pasteurised and vacuum-packed product had a shelf life of 90 days and was well accepted by consumers (64.0% acceptance). It may be concluded that an innovative VBS, nutritionally rich and with a shelf life of 90 days, was developed and well accepted by consumers, which is a good addition to a rich and diverse diet.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality assessment of chilled and frozen fish: mini review

Fish is a very perishable food and therefore several storage strategies need to be employed to increase its shelf-life, guaranteeing its safety and quality from catch to consumption. Despite the advances in modern fish storage technologies, chilling and freezing are still the most common preservation methods used onboard. The present review aims to summarize strategies to increase the shelf-life of fresh (chilled) and frozen fish, as whole, gutted, or fillet, involving the assessment of different traditional cooling and freezing conditions of di erent fish species caught in different locations. Although there are other factors that influence the fish shelf-life, such as the fish species and the stress suffered during catch, storage time and temperature and the amount of ice are some of the most important. In addition, the way that fish is stored (whole, fillet, or gutted) also contributes to the final quality of the product. In most studies, whole chilled and frozen fish present longer shelf-life than those preserved as gutted and filleted. However, it should be noted that other factors related to the organism, capture method, and transport to the preparation/processing industry should be considered for shelf-life extension.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development and optimization of high-protein and low-saturated fat bread formulations enriched with lupin and microalgae

Increased consumer awareness of healthier foods is driving the growth in the functional bread market. In view of this potential, three bread formulations were developed using various types of flour enriched with microalgae. The multigrain breads were composed of lupin and rye (F–R), lupin and spelt (F–S), and lupin, oats, and carob (F-OC) enriched with a mixture of Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris White and C. vulgaris Smooth (4:1)). All breads were high in protein and low in saturated fat. Response surface methodology (RSM) following a central composite design (CCD) was used to evaluate the effect of selected technological parameters, namely water content (64.6–94.6% (w/w of flours)) and microalgae concentration (1.9–3.9% (w/w of flours)) on color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall sensory acceptance of the products. Only water content was found to affect the bread's sensory scores, especially texture, with higher water content increasing bread acceptance. This study allowed the development and optimization of three novel multigrain bread formulations enriched with microalgae that met the requirements of “rich in proteins” and “low in saturated fats” claims.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of microalgae as natural colorant for pastry and confectionary products

Modern consumers demand the replacement of synthetic colorants with natural alternatives. Microalgae can serve as an alternative source for these colorants since they hold significant amounts of pigments. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of using microalgae biomass and extracts as natural colorants for pastry and confectionary products. The application of different biomass and levels of Chlorella vulgaris (White, Honey, and a mixture of both) was evaluated in brioche-type breads as egg substitute to confer the typical yellow coloration to the product. A mixture of 1% Chlorella vulgaris (White: Honey [1:1]) showed potential as egg substitute, having minimal impact on the physical–chemical, microbiological, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of the products. Hydroalcoholic Tetraselmis chuii extracts were applied in fondant at a concentration of 0.05%, providing a green coloration with minimal impact on the quality of the product. This study supported the potential of using microalgae, biomass, and extracts, as alternative natural colorants in pastry and confectionary products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Depositional sequences and ammonoid assemblages in the upper Cenomanian-lower Santonian of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)

A clear relationship exists between eustatic sea-level rises and falls recorded as cyclical depositional sequences and ammonite faunas during the Cenomanian-Santonian in the Iberian and West Portuguese basins. Most of the faunal turnovers correlate with stratigraphic intervals related to marine transgressions, maximum flooding of the shelf (locally associated to anoxic events), and marine regressions. Specifically, within each depositional sequence, three distinct and identical events of morphological change occur, involving ammonoids belonging to different groups. Transgressive sediments are characterized by moderately ornamented, inflated and evolute morphologies, which are replaced by smooth, involute and compressed oxycones (the most hydrodynamic shells) during maximum flooding (and to a lesser extent at the early highstand) of the sequences. The latter morphologies in turn are replaced by coarsely ornamented and evolute shells during late highstands. We conclude that ammonoid faunal analysis can be used to trace sea-level changes and provides an additional tool for sequence stratigraphy

Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction to study dental structures in Cretaceous crocodylomorphs

Synchrotron radiation X-ray microdiffraction (SR-μXRD) has been applied for the first time as a fundamental method of analysis to unveil crocodilian teeth growth and development. Teeth from a fossil crocodylomorph from the Upper Cretaceous site of Lo Hueco (Spain) and a modern crocodylian from the living species Crocodylus niloticus have been analysed. Both samples have been studied through Polarized Light Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy, Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, and SR-μXRD. Significant differences have been found in hydroxyapatite (HA) crystallite sizes and texture, and the evolution of these two features along teeth depth. The main differences observed in crystallite size are related to postdepositional processes and/or the environmental and functional pressures of teeth during crocodylomorph life, very different from that of the modern specimen. Regarding the crystalline texture in the tooth enamel, it can be linked to teeth functionality during crocodilian life, causing the directed growth of HA crystallites due to the mechanical stress to which they are subjectedThis work was funded by the projects PGC2018-099405-B-100 (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades); HAR2017- 82755-P, HAR2016-78036-P, HAR2016-74846-P, HAR2017-83004-P, CGL2015-66604, CGL2015-68363 and MAT2015-67593-P (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain); and 201860E127 (CSIC

Lockdown measures and relative changes in the age-specific incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain

During the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in 2020, Spain implemented an initial lockdown period on March 15 followed by a strengthened lockdown period on March 30 when only essential workers continued to commute to work. However, little is known about the epidemic dynamics in different age groups during these periods. We used the daily number of COVID-19 cases (by date of symptom onset) reported to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network (RENAVE) among individuals aged 15-19y through 65-69y. For each age group g, we computed the proportion PrE(g) of individuals in age group g among all reported cases aged 15-69y during the pre-lockdown period (March 1-10, 2020) and the corresponding proportion PrL(g) during two lockdown periods (initial: 25 March-3 April; strengthened: 8-17 April, 2020). For each lockdown period, we computed the proportion ratios PR(g)= PrL(g)/PrE(g). For each pair of age groups g1,g, PR(g)>PR(g) implies a relative increase in the incidence of detected SARS-CoV-2 infection in the age group g compared with g for the lockdown period vs. the pre-lockdown period. For the initial lockdown period, the highest PR values were in age groups 50-54y (PR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.12,1.30) and 55-59y (PR=1.19; 1.11,1.27). For the second lockdown period, the highest PR values were in age groups 15-19y (PR=1.26; 0.95,1.68) and 50-54y (PR=1.20; 1.09,1.31). Our results suggest that different outbreak control measures led to different changes in the relative incidence by age group. During the initial lockdown period, when non-essential work was allowed, individuals aged 40-64y, particularly those aged 50-59y, had a higher relative incidence compared with the pre-lockdown period. Younger adults/older adolescents had an increased relative incidence during the later, strengthened lockdown. The role of different age groups during the epidemic should be considered when implementing future mitigation efforts