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13 pages, 5554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enzymic Deactivation in Tender Coconut Water by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

by Alice Zinneck Poça D’Água, Priscila Alves da Silva, Alessandra Lopes de Oliveira and Rodrigo Rodrigues Petrus

Processes 2024, 12(6), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061071 - 23 May 2024

Viewed by 695

Abstract

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) are target enzymes in the processing of tender coconut water (TCW). This study primarily evaluated the combined effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) and mild temperatures on the PPO and POD deactivation of TCW. A [...] Read more.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) are target enzymes in the processing of tender coconut water (TCW). This study primarily evaluated the combined effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) and mild temperatures on the PPO and POD deactivation of TCW. A factorial design was performed to investigate the effect of temperature (in the range of 35 to 85 °C), pressure (75 to 370 bar), and holding time (13 to 47 min) on the enzymic deactivation, physicochemical parameters, and color of the TCW. The percentages of reduction in PPO activity ranged from 3.7 to 100%, and POD ranged from 43.4 to 100%. The pH values of the freshly extracted and processed TCW were 5.09 and 4.90, and the soluble solids content were 5.5 and 5.4 °Brix, respectively. The holding time (t) had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.1) on the total color variation. As for the reduction of PPO activity, the temperature (T) and the interaction between pressure (P) and t had a significant effect. None of variables (P, T, or t) affected (p > 0.1) the POD reduction, pH, and soluble solids variation. The combination of SC-CO₂ and mild temperatures is a promising intervention in the enzymic stabilization of TCW. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 3598 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Direct-Contact Ultrasonic and Far Infrared Combined Drying on the Drying Characteristics and Quality of Ginger

by Zhenhua Feng, Minmin Zhang, Lanping Guo, Rencai Shao, Xiao Wang and Feng Liu

Processes 2024, 12(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12010098 - 1 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1267

Abstract

In this study, the effects of ultrasonic power, drying temperature, and slice thickness on the drying rate, chromatism, water migration law, gingerol content, flavor, and antioxidant activity of ginger were investigated by using a direct-contact ultrasound and far infrared combined drying technology. The [...] Read more.

In this study, the effects of ultrasonic power, drying temperature, and slice thickness on the drying rate, chromatism, water migration law, gingerol content, flavor, and antioxidant activity of ginger were investigated by using a direct-contact ultrasound and far infrared combined drying technology. The results showed that compared with single far infrared drying, direct-contact ultrasound and far infrared combined drying accelerated the free water migration rate of ginger (7.1~38.1%), shortened the drying time (from 280 min to 160 min), reduced the loss of volatile components in ginger, and significantly increased the antioxidant activity of ginger (p < 0.05). Furthermore, after ultrasound intervention, the gingerol content decreased in slices of 4 mm thickness (0.1226 ± 0.0189 mg/g to 0.1177 ± 0.0837 mg/g) but increased in slices of 6 mm thickness (0.1104 ± 0.0162 mg/g to 0.1268 ± 0.0112 mg/g). This drying technology has a certain reference significance for the drying process of ginger slices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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22 pages, 2734 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Effects of Infrared and Hot Air Oven Drying Methods on Drying Behaviour and Colour Parameters of Red Delicious Apple Slices

by Oldřich Dajbych, Abraham Kabutey, Čestmír Mizera and David Herák

Processes 2023, 11(10), 3027; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11103027 - 20 Oct 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1565

Abstract

This present study investigated thin-layer drying characteristics of dried apple slices for a range of temperatures from 40 °C to 80 °C at a constant drying time of 10 h under infrared (IR) and hot air oven (OV) drying methods. The fresh apples [...] Read more.

This present study investigated thin-layer drying characteristics of dried apple slices for a range of temperatures from 40 °C to 80 °C at a constant drying time of 10 h under infrared (IR) and hot air oven (OV) drying methods. The fresh apples were cut into a cylindrical size of thickness of 8.07 ± 0.05 mm and a diameter of 66.27 ± 3.13 mm. Fourteen thin-layer mathematical models available in the literature were used to predict the drying process. The goodness of fit of the drying models was assessed by the root mean square error (RMSE), chi-square (χ²), coefficient of determination (R²) and modelling efficiency (EF). The results showed that the lightness and greenness/redness of the dried sample, total colour change, chroma change, colour index, whiteness index, bulk density, final surface area and final volume significantly (p-value < 0.05) correlated with the drying temperature under IR. Under OV, however, only the final surface area and bulk density of the dried samples showed significant (p-value < 0.05) with the drying temperature. Shrinkage values for OV and IR methods showed both increasing and decreasing trends along with the drying temperatures. The Weibull distribution model proved most suitable for describing the drying processes based on the statistical validation metrics of the goodness of fit. In future studies, the combined effect of the above-mentioned drying methods and other drying techniques on apple slices among other agricultural products should be examined to obtain a better insight into the drying operations and quality improvement of the final product for preservation and consumer acceptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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21 pages, 18456 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of High-Voltage Electric Field on Thawing Kinetics and Quality Characteristics of Frozen Beef

by Yu Tian and Changjiang Ding

Processes 2023, 11(9), 2567; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092567 - 27 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1492

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of high-voltage electric field (HVEF) thawing technology on the thawing rate, water retention characteristics, microstructure, and nutritional composition of thawed beef. Compared with the control group, in which thawing occurred under natural conditions, the experimental group, in which [...] Read more.

This study investigated the impact of high-voltage electric field (HVEF) thawing technology on the thawing rate, water retention characteristics, microstructure, and nutritional composition of thawed beef. Compared with the control group, in which thawing occurred under natural conditions, the experimental group, in which beef was thawed under HVEF (12 kV, 16 kV, 20 kV, 24 kV, 28 kV), showed a significantly shorter thawing time, and the higher the voltage was, the faster the thawing rate. The total loss rate of thawed beef reached its minimum value of (54.2 ± 0.62) % at 28 kV, and the water retention of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group (p < 0.05). Therefore, it can be concluded that HVEF thawing enhances the water retention ability of beef. In a color comparison, it was evident that the color of the beef thawed by HVEF was significantly better than that of the control group. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that thawing beef by HVEF can reduce the damage to the myofibril structure. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) showed that beef thawed by HVEF had a significantly increased bound water content. According to the determination of malondialdehyde content, beef thawed by HVEF had a reduced degree of lipid oxidation; the content at 16 kV was 2.4 mg/kg, and the degree of lipid oxidation was the lowest. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed that the absorption peak positions of the beef samples did not show significant changes under different conditions. However, the absorption peak intensity in the experimental group was generally higher than that in the control group. Examination of the protein secondary structure via infrared spectroscopy revealed that, compared with the control group, HVEF thawing transformed the proteins from an ordered structure to a disordered structure. The increase in disordered structure reduced the fiber gap of the sample and improved the water retention of the beef. The above experimental results indicate that HVEF thawing can improve the water-holding capacity of the sample and reduce the thawing damage to the quality of the sample. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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12 pages, 1024 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Treatment of Commercial Sweetener Solutions Modulates the Metabolic Responses in C57BL/6 Mice during a 24-Week-Long Exposition

by Elizabeth Nieto-Mazzocco, Elena Franco-Robles, Adriana Saldaña-Robles, Neith Pacheco and César Ozuna

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2445; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082445 - 14 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1166

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment (TT: 121 ± 2 °C, 15 min) on the composition of commercial sweeteners diluted in water (10 °Brix). Additionally, we evaluated the impact of this TT on metabolic responses in [...] Read more.

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment (TT: 121 ± 2 °C, 15 min) on the composition of commercial sweeteners diluted in water (10 °Brix). Additionally, we evaluated the impact of this TT on metabolic responses in C57BL/6 mice during a 24-week treatment. The sweeteners included in this study were sucrose (SC), glucose-63 (GLU63), agave syrup (AS), sucralose (SUC), and steviol glycosides (STG). HPLC analysis showed changes in the concentration of simple sugars of GLU63 and AS after TT. Importantly, in all sweeteners, TT modulated metabolic responses in mice. The mice drinking thermally treated sweetener solution showed an increase of 10–13% (p < 0.05) in food intake (AS, SUC, and STG), beverage intake (2–21%; SC and GLU63), weight gain (38%; SUC), energy (10–13%; AS, SUC, and STG), glucose levels (11–17%; SC and STG), GLP-1 (30%; SC) and insulin (88%; AS) release, and the generation of protein carbonyl (SC) and malondialdehyde (all sweeteners tested) compared to mice drinking solution without TT. In conclusion, TT of sweetener solutions accentuates the metabolic responses of healthy mice, which can be related to overweight and its comorbidities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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11 pages, 769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Treatment on Corn Starch Properties

by Mayara L. Goiana and Fabiano A. N. Fernandes

Processes 2023, 11(7), 1966; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071966 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1262

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology on some physicochemical and structural properties of corn starch. Amylose content, solubility, water absorption index, turbidity, structural relationships, and surface morphology were measured at 100, 200, and 300 Hz excitation frequencies [...] Read more.

This study evaluated the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technology on some physicochemical and structural properties of corn starch. Amylose content, solubility, water absorption index, turbidity, structural relationships, and surface morphology were measured at 100, 200, and 300 Hz excitation frequencies and at 10 and 20 min exposure times. The plasma treatment at 200 Hz and 20 min promoted the most significant modifications in amylose content, solubility, the water absorption index, and surface morphology. Turbidity did not change significantly. The surface of the granule became smoother with the presence of pores. Slight changes were observed in the ordered structure of starch. Plasma changed several physicochemical properties, significantly decreasing the amylose to amylopectin ratio. Plasma treatment at 200 Hz is recommended to increase the amylopectin content in starches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 2372 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Physical and Sensory Attributes of Date-Based Energy Drink Treated with Ultrasonication: Modelling Changes during Storage and Predicting Shelf Life

by Mohammad Fikry, Yus Aniza Yusof, Alhussein M. Al-Awaadh, Syahrul Anis Hazwani Mohd Baroyi, Nashratul Shera Mohamad Ghazali, Kazunori Kadota, Shuhaimi Mustafa, Hazizi Abu Saad, Nor Nadiah Abdul Karim Shah and Saleh Al-Ghamdi

Processes 2023, 11(5), 1399; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051399 - 5 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2208

Abstract

Sonication is a relatively new and eco-friendly method used to extend the shelf life of food products. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasonication and thermal treatments on the physical and sensory properties of an energy drink made from dates during [...] Read more.

Sonication is a relatively new and eco-friendly method used to extend the shelf life of food products. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasonication and thermal treatments on the physical and sensory properties of an energy drink made from dates during cold storage at 4 °C. The study compared the effects of ultrasonication for 20, 30, and 40 min at 50% amplitude with thermal treatment at 90 °C for 5 min, aiming to model the changes in properties of processed drinks over time and predict their shelf life by integrating quality attributes. The results showed that total soluble solids (TSS) and electrical conductivity (EC) were not affected by cold storage and did not differ significantly between sonicated, thermally processed, and untreated samples. However, significant differences in pH; L*, a*, and b* values; Chroma; and sensory attributes were detected among the sonicated, thermally processed, and untreated samples. The sensory properties of the sonicated samples for 30 and 40 min and the thermally processed samples remained acceptable for up to 21 days. The study also found a positive correlation between the pH and the sweetness of the drink, as well as between the L* value and the appearance of the drink. Based on these findings, the zero-order model was able to accurately describe the real values of pH, colour characteristics, and sensory properties. Furthermore, the predicted shelf life of the drink sonicated for 40 min was longer than that of the control and thermally processed drinks, based on the colour change and pH of the drink. These results could be beneficial for beverage manufacturers seeking to control the quality properties of their products during processing and storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 1422 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Using Box–Behnken Design Coupled with Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Rapeseed Oil Expression Parameters under Heating and Freezing Conditions

by Cimen Demirel, Abraham Kabutey, David Herák, Aleš Sedlaček, Čestmír Mizera and Oldřich Dajbych

Processes 2022, 10(3), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10030490 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3671

Abstract

The effect of heating and freezing pretreatments on rapeseed oil yield and the volume of oil energy under uniaxial compression loading was investigated. Four separate experiments were carried out to achieve the study objective. The first and second experiments were performed to determine [...] Read more.

The effect of heating and freezing pretreatments on rapeseed oil yield and the volume of oil energy under uniaxial compression loading was investigated. Four separate experiments were carried out to achieve the study objective. The first and second experiments were performed to determine the compression parameters (deformation, mass of oil, oil yield, oil expression efficiency, energy, volume of oil and volume of oil energy). The third and fourth experiments identified the optimal factors (heating temperatures: 40, 60 and 80 °C, freezing temperatures: −2, −22 and −36 °C, heating times: 15, 30 and 45 min and speeds: 5, 10 and 15 mm/min) using the Box–Behnken design via the response surface methodology where the oil yield and volume of oil energy were the main responses. The optimal operating factors for obtaining a volume of oil energy of 0.0443 kJ/mL were a heating temperature of 40 °C, heating time of 45 min and speed of 15 mm/min. The volume of oil energy of 0.169 kJ/mL was reached at the optimal conditions of a freezing temperature of −36 °C, freezing time of 37.5 min and speed of 15 mm/min. The regression model established was adequate for predicting the volume of oil energy only under heating conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Technologies in Food Science, 2nd Edition)

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