Dry-cured ham (DCH) could support the growth of Staphylococcus aureus as a halotolerant bacterium, which may compromise the shelf-stability of the product according to the growth/no growth boundary models and the physicochemical parameters of commercial DCH. In the present study, the behavior of S. aureus is evaluated in sliced DCH with different water activity (a_w 0.861–0.925), packaged under air, vacuum, or modified atmosphere (MAP), and stored at different temperatures (2–25 °C) for up to 1 year. The Logistic and the Weibull models were fitted to data to estimate the primary kinetic parameters for the pathogen Log₁₀ increase and Log₁₀ reduction, respectively. Then, polynomial models were developed as secondary models following their integration into the primary Weibull model to obtain a global model for each packaging. Growth was observed for samples with the highest a_w stored at 20 and 25 °C in air-packaged DCH. For lower a_w, progressive inactivation of S. aureus was observed, being faster at the lowest temperature (15 °C) for air-packaged DCH. In contrast, for vacuum and MAP-packaged DCH, a higher storage temperature resulted in faster inactivation without a significant effect of the product a_w. The results of this study clearly indicate that the behavior of S. aureus is highly dependent on factors such as storage temperature, packaging conditions and product a_w. The developed models provide a management tool for evaluating the risk associated with DCH and for preventing the development of S. aureus by selecting the most appropriate packaging according to a_w range and storage temperature. Full article

In this work, an investigation using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and multivariate statistics was conducted to obtain the lipid fingerprint of Camembert cheese and to explore its correlated variation with respect to X-ray irradiation treatment. A total of 479 lipids, categorized into 16 different lipid subclasses, were measured. Furthermore, the identification of oxidized lipids was carried out to better understand the possible phenomena of lipid oxidation related to this technological process. The results confirm that the lipidomic approach adopted is effective in implementing the knowledge of the effects of X-ray irradiation on food and evaluating its safety aspects. Furthermore, Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) were applied showing high discriminating ability with excellent values of accuracy, specificity and sensitivity. Through the PLS-DA and LDA models, it was possible to select 40 and 24 lipids, respectively, including 3 ceramides (Cer), 1 hexosyl ceramide (HexCer), 1 lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), 1 lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), 3 phosphatidic acids (PA), 4 phosphatidylcholines (PC), 10 phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), 5 phosphatidylinositols (PI), 2 phosphatidylserines (PS), 3 diacylglycerols (DG) and 9 oxidized triacylglycerols (OxTG) as potential markers of treatment useful in food safety control plans. Full article

Surfactants are always added to coating formulations to ensure good adhesion of edible coatings to a product’s surface and to maintain freshness. In this study, the effects of the mix surfactants Tween 20 and Span 80 with different hydrophile–lipophile balance (HLB) values on the film-forming ability, wettability, and preservation capacity of blueberry sodium alginate coating were investigated. The results indicated that Tween 20 obviously ensured favorable wettability and improved the uniformity and mechanical properties of the resulting film. While the addition of Span 80 reduced the mean particle size of the coating, enhanced the water resistance of the film, and helped to reduce blueberry weight loss. A sodium alginate coating with low viscosity and medium HLB could better inhibit the galactose, sucrose, and linoleic acid metabolism of blueberries, reduce the consumption of phenols, promote the accumulation of flavonoids, and thus display superior coating performance. In summary, sodium alginate coating with medium HLB had comprehensive advantages in film-forming ability and wettability and was conducive to the fresh-keeping role. Full article

Stable growth in grain production is a critical challenge to ensure food security in North China Plain (NCP), an area dominated by smallholder farming. Food production and security of NCP largely depend on how smallholders farm their land. This study took Ningjin County of the NCP as an example to describe the characteristics of crop planting structure and the changes in crop production based on household surveys, statistics, various documents, and literature by descriptive statistics, calculation of crop self-sufficiency, and curve fitting, and aimed to reveal crop security and the influencing factors of crop production at the household level. The results were as follows: (1) Wheat and maize sown area accounted for 61.69% and 47.96% of the total sown area of crops during 2000–2020, increasing at a rate of 3.42% and 5.93%, respectively. Their planted areas increased from 27.52% and 15.54% in 2000 to 47.82% and 44.75% in 2020, respectively. (2) The self-sufficiency rate of maize showed a significant upward trend and reached its peak in 2019. the self-sufficiency rate of wheat also showed an increasing trend, from 192.87% to 617.37%, which indicates that wheat and maize can meet food self-sufficiency and the per capita grain yield is in a safe state. (3) The trends on wheat yield and fertilizer initially grew, then decreased, closely resembling an inverted “U”, while the maize yield showed a pattern of increasing first and then basically remaining stable, similar to an “S” shape. A turning point for fertilizer use (550 kg/ha) was identified, indicating the limits of fertilizer use to increase yield. The national agricultural production and environmental protection policies, continuous improvement of crop varieties, as well as the farmers’ traditional practices have significant impacts on crop production. This study will enhance management practices for improved yield, which can support the integrated management of agricultural production in intensive agricultural areas. Full article

The present review article investigates the prospective utilisation of quantum dot–polymer nanocomposites in the context of ensuring food safety. The text pertains to the advancement of nanocomposites, encompassing their distinctive optical and electrical characteristics, and their prospective to transform the detection and perception of food safety risks. The article explores diverse methodologies for producing nanocomposites and underscores their potential utility in identifying impurities, microorganisms, and harmful substances in food. The article provides an overview of the challenges and limitations associated with the utilisation of nanocomposites in food safety applications, encompassing concerns regarding toxicity and the necessity for standardised protocols. The review article presents a comprehensive examination of the present research status in this area and underscores the potential of quantum dots–polymer nanocomposites in transforming food safety monitoring and sensing. Full article

Sour meat is a highly appreciated traditional fermented product, mainly from the Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hunan provinces. The flavor profiles of sour meat from goose and pork were evaluated using gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) combined with an electronic nose (E-nose) and tongue (E-tongue). A total of 94 volatile compounds were characterized in fermented sour meat from both pork and goose using GC–IMS. A data-mining protocol based on univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the source of the raw meat plays a crucial role in the formation of flavor compounds during the fermentation process. In detail, sour meat from pork contained higher levels of hexyl acetate, sotolon, heptyl acetate, butyl propanoate, hexanal, and 2-acetylpyrrole than sour goose meat. In parallel, sour meat from goose showed higher levels of 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, n-butyl lactate, 2-butanol, (E)-2-nonenal, and decalin than sour pork. In terms of the odor and taste response values obtained by the E-nose and E-tongue, a robust principal component model (RPCA) could effectively differentiate sour meat from the two sources. The present work could provide references to investigate the flavor profiles of traditional sour meat products fermented from different raw meats and offer opportunities for a rapid identification method based on flavor profiles. Full article

The use of automatic raw milk dispensers for products obtained from Romanian farms can represent an effective method of encouraging the development of short supply chains and promoting sustainable production and consumption systems. There are very few studies in the literature, especially in emerging economies, that analyze consumer perception regarding the use of raw milk dispensers; most of the research is focused on technical aspects regarding how such machines function and food safety, and less on consumers’ perceptions towards them or consumer satisfaction, loyalty, or intention to use them. Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the willingness of Romanian consumers to buy raw milk from vending machines. In this regard, the authors drew a conceptual model to assess the factors that trigger willingness to buy raw milk from vending machines and then implemented a quantitative-based survey among Romanian consumers who buy raw milk from vending machines. The data were analyzed by modeling structural equations with SmartPLS. The results reveal that the generation of consumer willingness to buy raw milk from vending machines depends on how consumers perceive raw milk but also on the product safety, reusability of the milk bottle, and the provenance of the raw milk, as well as the nutritional qualities of the unprocessed raw milk. The paper extends previous studies based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) and deepens the understanding of consumers’ perception towards raw milk dispensers. Furthermore, the results also highlight possible managerial strategies that aim to improve the understanding of consumers. Full article

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the most expensive spice in the world, known for its unique aroma and coloring in the food industry. Hence, its high price is frequently adulterated. In the current study, a variety of soft computing methods, including classifiers (i.e., RBF, MLP, KNN, SVM, SOM, and LVQ), were employed to classify four samples of fake saffron (dyed citrus blossom, safflower, dyed fibers, and mixed stigma with stamens) and three samples of genuine saffron (dried by different methods). RGB and spectral images (near-infrared and red bands) were captured from prepared samples for analysis. The amount of crocin, safranal, and picrocrocin were measured chemically to compare the images’ analysis results. The comparison results of the classifiers indicated that KNN could classify RGB and NIR images of samples in the training phase with 100% accuracy. However, KNN’s accuracy for different samples in the test phase was between 71.31% and 88.10%. The RBF neural network achieved the highest accuracy in training, test, and total phases. The accuracy of 99.52% and 94.74% was obtained using the features extracted from RGB and spectral images, respectively. So, soft computing models are helpful tools for detecting and classifying fake and genuine saffron based on RGB and spectral images. Full article

Cider is a fermented drink obtained from apple juice. As a function of the used apple cultivar, cider can be classified in four different categories (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet), distinguished by the attribute of “dryness,” which reflects the sweetness and softness perceived. The dryness level is defined by scales (IRF, NYCA scales) based on the residual sugar, titratable acidity and tannin contents. Despite some adjustments, these scales show limitations in the prediction of actual perceived dryness, as they cannot consider the complicated interrelation between combined chemical compounds and sensory perception. After defining the perceived sensory dryness and its sensory description by using the quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) method, a multivariate approach (PLS) was applied to define a predictive model for the dryness and to identify the chemical compounds with which it was correlated. Three models were developed, based on three different sets of chemical parameters, to provide a method that is easily applicable in the ordinary production process of cider. The comparison between the predicted rating and the relative scales scores showed that the models were able to predict the dryness rating in a more effective way. The multivariate approach was found to be the most suitable to study the relation between chemical and sensory data. Full article

Cheonggukjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean food with potential health benefits. For this reason, Cheonggukjang is consumed in the form of pills in addition to being used as a food ingredient. There are few clinical studies that have evaluated changes in various health indicators through blood and stool tests before and after consumption of Cheonggukjang. In this study, symptoms and hematological changes were analyzed before and after the intake of traditional Cheonggukjang pills containing high-dose (n = 19) or low-dose (n = 20) beneficial bacteria and commercial Cheonggukjang pills (n = 20). Anti-obesity effects and body composition changes were determined before and after Cheonggukjang consumption. Lastly, the changes in microorganisms and short-chain fatty acids in the stool were compared. No changes in obesity and inflammation-related indicators were observed before and after Cheonggukjang consumption. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, associated with obesity, decreased in all three groups after Cheonggukjang consumption, but no statistical significance was indicated. Cheonggukjang contained various BAs, but they did not adversely affect symptoms and hematological changes in the participants. BAs generated during the manufacturing process of Cheonggukjang did not have any adverse effects in this randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Further research is needed in future concerning the anti-obesity effect or regarding changes in the microbiome and short-chain fatty acids in feces. Full article

Background: Encapsulation is a valuable method used to protect active substances and enhance their physico-chemical properties. It can also be used as protection from unpleasant scents and flavors or adverse environmental conditions. Methods: In this comprehensive review, we highlight the methods commonly utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries, along with recent applications of these methods. Results: Through an analysis of numerous articles published in the last decade, we summarize the key methods and physico-chemical properties that are frequently considered with encapsulation techniques. Conclusion: Encapsulation has demonstrated effectiveness and versatility in multiple industries, such as food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the selection of appropriate encapsulation methods is critical for the effective encapsulation of specific active compounds. Therefore, constant efforts are being made to develop novel encapsulation methods and coating materials for better encapsulation efficiency and to improve properties for specific use. Full article

Enzymatic protein hydrolysis is a well-established method for improving the quality of dietary proteins, including edible insects. Finding effective enzymes from natural sources is becoming increasingly important. This study used nuruk extract concentrate (NEC), an enzyme-rich fermentation starter, to produce protein hydrolysate from defatted Tenebrio molitor (also called mealworm, MW). The nutritional, functional, and sensorial properties of the hydrolysate were then compared to those obtained using commercial proteases (alcalase and flavourzyme). The protease activities of the crude nuruk extract (CNE), NEC, alcalase, and flavourzyme were 6.78, 12.71, 11.07, and 12.45 units/mL, respectively. The degree of hydrolysis and yield of MW hydrolysis by NEC were 15.10 and 35.92% (w/w), respectively. MW hydrolysate was obtained using NEC and had a significantly higher free amino acid content (90.37 mg/g) than alcalase (53.01 mg/g) and flavourzyme (79.64 mg/g) hydrolysates. Furthermore, the NEC hydrolysis of MW increased the antioxidant and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, with IC₅₀ values of 3.07 and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively. The enzymatic hydrolysis also improved sensory properties, including umaminess, sweetness, and saltiness. Overall, this study found that the NEC hydrolysis of MW outperformed commercial proteases regarding nutritional quality, sensory attributes, and biological activity. Therefore, nuruk could potentially replace commercial proteases, lowering the cost of enzymatic protein hydrolysis. Full article

This research studied the use of CO₂ LASER microperforation as a pretreatment for the refractive window (RW) drying of apple slices with respect to total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, color ΔE, and product stability under accelerated storage. For this purpose, the processing variables assessed were pore size (200–600 µm), pore density (9–25 pores/cm²), and drying temperature (70–90 °C). As baseline criteria, a comparison with respect to the control without microperforations and samples subjected to conventional tunnel and lyophilization were also considered. The increase in the pore size from 200 to 600 µm resulted in shorter drying times (≤40 min), minimal change in color (ΔE) and loss of TPC, while DPPH was negatively affected by the combined effect of the pore density and the drying temperature. In general, the use of RW with CO₂ resulted in apples of higher quality than those obtained in conventional drying and comparable to those obtained through the use of freeze-drying. Finally, during accelerated storage, quality attributes decreased significantly for samples dried at 90 °C regardless of whether microperforations were used, suggesting that a compromise between drying temperature and pore size must be weighed to reduce processing time and to avoid further quality losses during storage. Full article

The oxidative stability and genotoxicity of coconut, rapeseed and grape seed oils were evaluated. Samples were submitted to different treatments: 10 days at 65 °C, 20 days at 65 °C (accelerated storage) and 90 min at 180 °C. Peroxide values and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were altered as a function of storage time, but their greatest changes were recorded in samples subjected to 180 °C. Fatty acid profiles did not show significant changes from the nutritional point of view. Volatile compounds showed the highest increases at 180 °C for 90 min (18, 30 and 35 fold the amount in unheated samples in rapeseed, grape seed and coconut oils, respectively), particularly due to the increment in aldehydes. This family accounted for 60, 82 and 90% of the total area in coconut, rapeseed and grapeseed oil, respectively, with cooking. Mutagenicity was not detected in any case in a miniaturized version of the Ames test using TA97a and TA98 Salmonella typhimurium strains. Despite the increment in the presence of lipid oxidation compounds in the three oils, they were not compromised from the safety perspective. Full article

Fragrant rice has various flavor types, mainly the popcorn flavor, corn flavor and lotus root flavor. Chinese fragrant rice from China and Thai fragrant rice from Thailand were analyzed. GC-MS was used to determine the volatile compounds of fragrant rice. It was found that there were 28 identical volatile compounds between Chinese and Thai fragrant rice. The key compounds of different flavor types of fragrant rice were obtained by comparing the common volatile compounds. The key compounds of the popcorn flavor were 2-butyl-2-octenal, 4-methylbenzaldehyde, ethyl 4-(ethyloxy)-2-oxobut-3-enoate and methoxy-phenyl-oxime. The key compounds of the corn flavor were 2,2′,5,5′-tetramethyl-1,1′-biphenyl, 1-hexadecanol, 5-ethylcyclopent-1-enecarboxaldehyde and cis-muurola-4(14), 5-diene. By using a combination of GC-MS and GC-O, the flavor spectrogram of fragrant rice was constructed, and the characteristic flavor compounds of each flavor type were identified. It was found that the characteristic flavor compounds of the popcorn flavor were 2-butyl-2-octenal, 2-pentadecanone, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 4-methylbenzaldehyde, 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone, phenol and methoxy-phenyl-oxime. The characteristic flavor compounds of the corn flavor were 1-octen-3-ol, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 3-methylbutyl 2-ethylhexanoate, methylcarbamate, phenol, nonanal and cis-muurola-4(14), 5-diene. The characteristic flavor compounds of the lotus root flavor were 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 10-undecenal, 1-nonanol, 1-undecanol, phytol and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone. The resistant starch content of lotus root flavor rice was relatively high (0.8%). The correlation between flavor volatiles and functional components was analyzed. It was found that the fat acidity of fragrant rice was highly correlated (R = 0.86) with the characteristic flavor compounds, such as 1-octen-3-ol, 2-butyl-2-octenal and 3-methylbutyl-2-ethylhexanoate. The characteristic flavor compounds had an interactive contribution to the production of the different flavor types of fragrant rice. Full article