Search Results (6)

Current thermal validation in food engineering commonly depends on rigid, temperature-only endpoints that generate thermal stress and the associated energy cost in the case of high-caliber matrices. To overcome this, this study provides a proof of concept for post-heating cooling inertia as the main kinetic driver of cumulative integrated lethality in mass-transfer-limited geometries (p value framework), followed by separate enzymatic and not microbial (or, e.g., oxidative) degradation following product heat transfer. Time-series and multi-spatial thermodynamic profiling was performed for the commercial validation runs of three pasteurization processes of large-diameter (90 mm) finely minced cooked chicken emulsions packed in polyamide casing. When active heating was stopped at a lower core limit of 71 °C, the thermal cooling inertia led total integrated lethality to increase by more than 216%, leading to an ultimate core p value of 76.87–89.56 min. It systematically exceeded the mandatory food safety limit (p ≥ 40 min) in all spatial coordinates in the forced convection chamber, confirming absolute thermal homogeneity. In a subsequent cold-chain stability challenge at around 70 days (0–4 °C), foodborne pathogens were not detected in the product, and saprophytic microflora was limited below critical spoilage bounds (total viable counts (TVC) and dominant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) progressively increased to 3.7 and 3.5 log10 CFU/g on day 70). The autoxidation pathways for primary and secondary lipids remained low (peroxide at 0.00 mmol/kg and malondialdehyde at less than 0.15 mg MDA/kg). On the other hand, a linear progression of free fatty acids (R² = 0.9673) determined that the single enzymatic lipid hydrolysis is responsible for the final biochemical limiting effect of the sensory lifespan. Shelf life evaluation via rigorous quantitative descriptive analysis showed that all organoleptic attributes remained well above market acceptance criteria until day 70. At the same time, this study supports a scalable, prediction-based thermodynamic paradigm that ensures biological safety and fundamentally optimizes industrial energy use. Full article

Accurate prediction of quality indicators during juice pasteurization is challenged by the intricate coupling between temperature-dependent reaction kinetics and the limited availability of labeled data under laboratory-controlled pasteurization conditions. Here, we present a physics-guided residual learning framework that fuses near-infrared spectroscopy with electronic nose signals for dynamic quality monitoring. A first-order volatilization–saturation kinetic equation is embedded as a physical prior (PIRL), anchoring the prediction to known degradation behavior while reserving the residual learner for data-driven compensation of unmodeled deviations. To further incorporate process control information, a Feature-wise Linear Modulation-inspired conditional modulation (FiLM–ICM) mechanism is deployed, enabling temperature and time to act not as passive covariates but as active modulators that adaptively rescale spectral and olfactory feature responses. Validated on a kiwifruit juice pasteurization dataset under leave-one-trajectory-out cross-validation, the PIRL–FiLM framework consistently outperforms conventional chemometric baselines, achieving R² improvements up to 0.030 and RPD gains exceeding 0.230. This hybrid strategy demonstrates that physical knowledge and data-driven learning are not competing but complementary, offering a robust and interpretable paradigm for process analytical technology under small-sample constraints. This framework offers a practical solution for quality monitoring in scenarios where large-scale labeled datasets are unavailable, such as in laboratory-scale process development and small-batch production. Full article

The paper presents the ‘progressive review’ for high pressure preservation/processing (HPP) (cold pasteurization) of foods and the next-generation high-pressure and high temperature (HPHT, HPT) food sterilization technologies. It recalls the basics of HPP and HPT, showing their key features and advantages. It does not repeat detailed results regarding HPP and HPT implementations for specific foods, available in numerous excellent review papers. This report focuses on HPP and HPT-related issues that remain challenging and can hinder further progress. For HPP implementations, the reliable modeling of microorganisms’ number decay after different times of high pressure treatment or product storage is essential. This report indicates significant problems with model equations standard nonlinear fitting paradigm and introduces the distortion-sensitive routine enabling the ultimate validation. An innovative concept based on the barocaloric effect is proposed for the new generation of HPT technology. The required high temperature appears only for a strictly defined short time period controlled by the maximal pressure value. Results of the feasibility test using neopentyl glycol as the barocaloric medium are presented. Attention is also paid to feedback interactions between socioeconomic and technological issues in the ongoing Industrial Revolution epoch. It indicates economic constraints for HPP and HPT developments and emerging business possibilities. The discussion recalls the inherent feedback interactions between technological and socioeconomic innovations as the driving force for the Industrial Revolution epoch. Full article

Within the evolving regulatory landscape of the European Union concerning animal by-product (ABP) management within the circular economy framework, this study explores the concurrent objectives of safeguarding public health and environmental integrity and maximizing final product value. Anaerobic digestion (AD) emerges as a holistic solution for ABP management, addressing sanitation concerns while enhancing end-product quality. Through laboratory-scale experimentation, the AD process applied to four substrates—poultry manure, swine manure, cattle manure, and food waste—is scrutinized. Prior to AD, pasteurization at 70 °C for 60 min ensures microbial safety. Subsequently, four experimental AD cycles compare pasteurized and unpasteurized substrates. Results highlight the efficacy of pasteurization in sanitizing final products across all substrates, emphasizing its pivotal role in product safety. However, pasteurization’s impact on system performance varies. While enhancing biogas yield from animal waste notably, its influence on food waste biogas production is less pronounced, indicating substrate-specific dynamics. This study offers insights into optimizing ABP management strategies, emphasizing the interplay between pasteurization, substrate characteristics, and AD performance. Such insights are crucial for advancing sustainable practices in the circular economy paradigm, balancing environmental stewardship with economic viability. Full article

While cancer is one of the most documented diseases, how normal cells become cancerous is still debated. To address this question, in the first part of this review, we investigated the long succession of theories of carcinogenesis since antiquity. Initiated by Hippocrates, Aristotle, and Galen, the humoral theory interpreted cancer as an excess of acid, the black bile. The discovery of the circulation of blood by Harvey in 1628 destroyed the basis of the humoral theory but revived the spontaneous generation hypothesis which was also promoted by Aristotle. In 1859, the theory of microbes promoted by Pasteur demonstrated the irrelevance of this last theory and contributed to the emergence of the germ cancer theory, opposed to the cellular theory of cancer, in which cancer was supposed to be caused by microbes or transformed cells, respectively. These theories were progressively refined by the notions of initiation, promotion, and progression thanks to advances in mutagenesis and cellular proliferation. In the second part of this review, recent discoveries and paradigms in carcinogenesis, notably the role of the protein ATM, a major actor of the stress response involved in both mutagenesis and cellular proliferation, were discussed to better understand the current state of the art of carcinogenesis. Full article

Ecosystem services (ES)-related decision-making is important to promote sustainable conservation and urban development. However, there is limited information regarding the use of ES research in a planning context. We explored this gap between ES research and planning practice by evaluating whether and to what extent the ES concept is explicitly used in planning and decision-making processes. This paper selected 101 pieces of target literature, reviewed their research status and characteristics, discussed the motivation and interests, and summarized the research content. In particular, we discussed the contributions that demonstrated the significance of incorporating ES into planning and achieved beneficial results. A series of abstract strategic methods and quantitative methodological approaches were used for subsequent reference research. The ES concept existed earlier than the perception in early-stage planning documents, while its practical application was superficial, with insufficient depth, which was a challenge worthy of attention. To identify the research paradigm in previous planning related to ES, we found that ES analyses for planning were largely theory-inspired, rather than practice-inspired, and used the Schön–Stokes model of the wicked and tame to theorize problems in socio-ecological systems. Our study highlighted that Pasteur’s paradigm may be an essential and useful research style for maintaining and improving ES in socio-ecological practice. Full article