48 research outputs found
Novel, edible melanin-protein-based bioactive films for cheeses: antimicrobial, mechanical and chemical characteristics
The cheese rind is the natural food packaging of cheese and is subject to a wide range of
external factors that compromise the appearance of the cheese, including color defects caused by
spoilage microorganisms. First, eight films based on whey protein isolate (WPI) coatings were studied,
of which IS3CA (WPI 5% + sorbitol 3% + citric acid 3%) was selected for presenting better properties.
From the IS3CA film, novel films containing melanin M1 (74 g/mL) and M2 (500 g/mL) were
developed and applied to cheese under proof-of-concept and industrial conditions. After 40 days of
maturation, M2 presented the lowest microorganism count for all the microbial parameters analyzed.
The cheese with M2 showed the lowest lightness, which indicates that it is the darkest cheese due to
the melanin concentration. It was found that the mechanical and colorimetric properties are the ones
that contribute the most to the distinction of the M2 film in cheese from the others. Using FTIR-ATR, it
was possible to distinguish the rinds of M2 cheeses because they contained the highest concentrations
of melanin. Thus, this study shows that the film with M2 showed the best mechanical, chemical and
antimicrobial properties for application in cheese.This work was financially supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) with
financial support from IPCB-CERNAS (UID/AMB/00681/2020) Research Unit Grant from FCT, and
from UIDB/00239/2020 (CEF). Work was supported by UIDB/04046/2020 and UIDP/04046/2020
Centre grants from FCT, Portugal (to BioISI). The work was co-funded by the FEDER, within the
PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. This work is the recipient of a project (PTDC/Bia-
BQM/28355/2017) grant, and Ana Rita Ferraz acknowledges a Ph.D. fellowship (SFRH/BD/135692/2018)
from FCT (Portugal).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Active and Intelligent Packaging with Phase Change Materials to Promote the Shelf Life Extension of Food Products
Active packaging aims to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables using active agents such as Oxygen, Carbon-di-oxide, ethylene scavengers and moisture absorber. Intelligent packaging provides information about the fruits quality inside the package to the customer and this packaging technology detects the internal changes of fruits and vegetables using sensors and indicators. Further to improve the post-harvest storage PCM such as Rubitherm can be used depending on the package box dimension to remove the field heat from the products and maintain its temperature with low variation during transport and display. Gel packs having less weight with PET and PS can also be an alternate method in the packaging. The application of these technologies may lead to a revolution in post-harvest storage, transportation, and further retail sale. This paper reviews the theoretical principles of food packaging and recent developments in packaging technologies using PCMs.
Keywords: Active packaging, Intelligent packaging, Phase change materials, Shelf life extension, Fruit
Case Study of Beira Interior’s Peach (Portugal)
The study intends to investigate the non-renewable energy inputs from fossil fuels, as well as the
emissions resulting from machinery. In addition, warehouse energy inputs are analyzed, mainly
cooling systems of refrigerated chambers where fruits are preserved. This analysis aims to find
opportunities for technological, environmental and best practices improvements. Test scenarios were
analyzed and revealing soil groundcover maintenance is the operation with the largest impact in
the energy consumption of the production process.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Nutritional characteristics and minerals of Lardosa cowpea landraces: a strategic legume species for the future
Cowpeas have been cultivated at least since the 8th century BC. [1; 2]. This grain legume (Vigna
unguiculata L. Walp.), one of Africa's natural food gifts to the world, is characterized by its high
nutritional value, ability to fix nitrogen and great tolerance to drought. The tolerance of this legume
to low fertility soils, high temperatures and scarce water regimes makes this one of the most
resistant crops to adverse edaphoclimatic conditions. It is certainly a very important culture in
southern European countries like Portugal.Cultivar-Rede de competências para o desenvolvimento sustentável e inovação no
setor Agroalimentar (CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Nutritional characteristics and minerals of Lardosa cowpea landraces : a strategic legume species for the future
Cowpeas have been cultivated at least since the 8th century BC. [1; 2]. This grain legume (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.), one of Africa's natural food gifts to the world, is characterized by its high nutritional value, ability to fix nitrogen and great tolerance to drought. The tolerance of this legume to low fertility soils, high temperatures and scarce water regimes makes this one of the most resistant crops to adverse edaphoclimatic conditions. It is certainly a very important culture in southern European countries like Portugal.Cultivar-Rede de competências para o desenvolvimento sustentável e inovação no setor Agroalimentar (CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Nutritional and physicochemical analysis of quince from Cova da Beira region: similarities, differences and particularities
Quince, a fruit from the autumn season of the quince tree (Cydonia oblonga Miller), has a considerable nutritional value (e.g., pectin, vitamins C and B complex, minerals or chlorogenic acids). On the other hand, this fruit is characterized by having a hard, rough-looking pulp with a bitter and astringent taste. Since quince is not consumed raw, is mainly used in the production of jams and marmalades. Despite being easy to grow and weather resistant, its production is often neglected and undervalued. Thus, the study objective was to value quinces from the Cova da Beira region by the physicochemical and nutritional characterization, substantiating by how different production years and localization affect quince varieties properties.CULTIVAR (CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000020)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Novel product using a native breed of sheep (Merino da Beira Baixa): smoked lamb
Merino breed emerged, in the textile industry renowned for their high-quality wool. This work aims to
develop a novel food product. In Castelo Branco the “Merino da Beira Baixa” is part of 3 PDO cheeses and a PGI meat “Amarelo”, “Picante” e “Castelo Branco” and “Borrego da Beira”.The breed has experienced
a decline in influence due to plummeting wool prices and an inability to compete with more productive breeds. This work aims to develop a novel food product using a ancestral breed and technique (smoking).Fusili European Union's Horizon 2020 under grant agreement n.º 101000717.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Effect of controlled atmospheres and environmental conditions on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of sweet cherry cultivar Satin
Sweet cherry is a highly appreciated seasonal fruit with a high content of bioactive compounds;
however, this highly perishable fruit has a relatively short shelf-life period. Here, we
evaluated the evolution of the physicochemical and sensory qualities of sweet cherries (Prunus avium
(L.) cv. Satin) under different storage conditions, namely at a Farmers’ Organization (FO) and in
a Research Centre (RC) under normal and four different conditions of controlled atmosphere for
49 days. Additional parameters were monitored, such as rotten fruit incidence and stem appearance.
Temperature was the factor that most influenced the fruit quality changes over the study time. In fact,
fruits stored at higher mean temperatures showed higher weight loss, higher variation in CIE-Lab
colour parameters, higher firmness loss, and browner and more dehydrated stems and were less
appealing to the consumer. Controlled atmosphere conditions showed a smaller decrease in CIE-Lab
colour parameters and lower weight loss. The incidence of rotting was very low and was always
equal or lower than 2% for all conditions. Thus, RC chamber conditions were able to sustain fruit
quality parameters over 28 days under normal atmosphere conditions and 49 days under controlled
atmosphere conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Orange snacks as a solution for orange surplus in Portugal
In the summer of 2022, Portugal experienced a downfall of the price of oranges, mainly due to
pressure of the agricultural commodity market and the change in trade dynamics in Europe due
to the war in Ukraine. One way to add value to a product is to transform it into something new.CULTIVAR (CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000020) e FUSILIinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Crispy orange: a multi-purpose ready-to-eat snack
Póster premiado no evento IMTFWith the war in Ukraine reshaping world trade, there is now a surplus of orange production in
Europe, affecting the price in Portugal. Algarve is no exception, where producers are offering the
fruit for lack of buyers. An innovative solution is on the agenda: transforming this Mediterranean
diet fruit into a crispy ready-to-eat snack. The crispy orange snack is made exclusively from
dehydrated oranges (and no other ingredients) and is not yet available in the market. Not only can
this product be made from surplus orange production, but it can also be used in a variety of ways,
including as a crunchy, ready-to-eat snack, as an edible cake topper, or even as an ingredient in
beverages such as sparkling and tonic water, or gin. Following development, the product was fully
characterized regarding nutritional value, water activity (aw), microbiology and sensory analysis
with 66 consumers. Interestingly, unlike other orange products such as 100% orange juice, the
crispy orange snack has a high fibre content (10% of the recommended daily dose). This is a major
point as fibre is essential for regulating blood sugar levels. Furthermore, 95.5% of consumers who
tested the product would buy it if it were available.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio