Search Results (288)

Demand for camel milk products is growing in Morocco and worldwide, creating opportunities to strengthen the livelihoods of populations living in arid regions through the development of camel-based dairy value chains. In addition to their economic potential, such value chains may contribute to sustainability by supporting food systems adapted to arid environments, promoting the use of locally resilient livestock species, and enhancing the socio-economic viability of vulnerable rural communities. This exploratory qualitative study investigates urban consumer behavior related to dairy consumption with a specific focus on the potential integration of camel milk products into local dietary habits. To capture nuanced consumer perspectives, gender-segregated focus-group discussions were conducted in three Moroccan cities using a semi-structured questionnaire on dairy consumption habits. Key factors examined included milk types, product preferences, purchasing locations, consumption frequency and willingness to include camel products in the household diet. The results indicate that camel milk is rarely consumed outside areas where camels are raised. Nevertheless, participants expressed interest in several camel milk-based products, particularly fermented milk and spreadable cheeses. This interest was primarily driven by perceptions of camel milk as a healthy product and by its association with traditional food practices. These findings suggest that expanding camel milk consumption in urban markets could support more sustainable and territorially rooted dairy systems by linking consumer demand with production models suited to dryland conditions. This study indicates promising market opportunities for the development of camel milk products in urban areas, particularly if challenges related to pricing strategies, distribution network, and region-specific supply chains are strategically managed. Full article

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) for artisan dairy products promote rural development, cultural preservation, and consumer trust but face challenges not found in mainstream chains. This study focuses on queso Tenate, a traditional cow-milk cheese from central Mexico, and examines how its SFSC organisational structure influences its capacity to ensure food safety, quality consistency, market delivery, and viability. Using a single-case exploratory design, the study applies the Viable System Model (VSM) as a diagnostic framework to map systemic functions within an artisan dairy enterprise. Data were collected through VSM-informed interviews and observations of production and retail practices. The findings show that food safety, quality performance, and market delivery reliability are structurally mediated by systemic coherence, not product characteristics alone. While strong relational coordination and shared identity sustain viability, several functions—particularly coordination, audit, and intelligence—remain person-dependent. This study identifies structural implications for strengthening regulatory coordination and monitoring practices without undermining relational management or artisan identity. The primary contributions are as follows: (i) extending SFSC research through a systemic diagnosis of an artisan dairy chain in an emerging economy; (ii) linking VSM-based organisational study to food safety, quality consistency, and market performance; and (iii) positioning VSM as a conversational tool for SFSC viability. Limitations include the single-case design, reliance on qualitative data, and absence of longitudinal measurements. Future research should compare VSM applications across multiple SFSCs, integrate quantitative analyses, and explore its use as a management tool. The study highlights the role of systemic coherence in ensuring SFSC sustainability and cultural embeddedness. Full article

Background: Fermented dairy foods, such as yogurt and cheese, contain bioactive components that differ from those in non-dairy foods, but their associations with depression and dementia risk in later life remain unclear. Methods: We analyzed data from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, a community-dwelling cohort of adults aged 70–90 years, to examine associations between dairy intake and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15), psychological distress (Kessler-10), and incident depression (physician diagnosis or antidepressant use) and dementia (DSM-IV criteria). Intake of yogurt, cheese, and non-fermented milk was assessed at baseline using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Longitudinal associations were examined using Fine–Gray competing-risks models that accounted for death; cross-sectional associations were also assessed. Results: Among 966 participants (mean age: 78.3; 55.5% women), compared with no consumption, higher yogurt intake (one standard serving) was significantly associated with lower depressive symptom scores (adjusted β: −0.37 and −0.39 for quartiles 3–4 (mean: 88.5–164 g/day), and so was low-fat cheese intake (mean: 13.2 g/day) (adjusted β: −0.35). Over a mean follow-up of 3.3 years, 120 incident cases of depression and 68 deaths occurred: higher yogurt intake and low-fat cheese consumption (versus non-consumption) were associated with lower risk of depression (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratios 0.41 [95% CI 0.19–0.88] and 0.40 [0.21–0.78], respectively). No significant associations were observed for psychological distress, cognition, or incident dementia (a mean follow-up of 5.2 years, 100 incident cases, and 153 deaths); no associations were observed for regular cheese or milk intake. Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential role for fermented dairy foods, particularly yogurt and low-fat cheese intake, but not non-fermented milk, in mental well-being in later life. Full article

The cheese maturation process involves complex physicochemical and structural changes that directly influence its final quality and consumer acceptance. The development of non-destructive and rapid analytical techniques is therefore essential for monitoring these changes and optimizing quality control strategies. This study evaluated the potential of dielectric spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as tools to predict properties associated with the quality of Swiss-type cheese during the maturation process. The cheese samples were matured for 60 days, and NIR profiles (900–1700 nm), dielectric profiles (40¹–10⁶ Hz) and physical characteristics (color and texture) were obtained every 15 days. Based on these data, models were developed to predict the maturation time (days) and physical properties using partial least squares regression (PLSR). The performance of the model was evaluated using the determination coefficient ($R^2$) and the root mean square error (RMSE). The results showed that dielectric spectroscopy provided a better fit for all the parameters evaluated ($R_{\mathrm{day}}^2=0.999$, $R_{L^{*}}^2=0.912$, $R_{a^{*}}^2=0.983$, $R_{b^{*}}^2=0.982$, and $R_{\mathrm{firmness}}^2=0.625$), with prediction errors of ${\mathrm{RMSE}}_{\mathrm{day}}=0.219$, ${\mathrm{RMSE}}_{L^{*}}=1.184$, ${\mathrm{RMSE}}_{a^{*}}=0.163$, ${\mathrm{RMSE}}_{b^{*}}=0.308$, and ${\mathrm{RMSE}}_{\mathrm{firmness}}=91.094$. In conclusion, dielectric spectroscopy combined with PLSR showed slightly superior performance to predict maturation time and physical changes in Swiss-type cheese. Full article

Cheese whey, a low-value by-product of cheese production, has gained renewed attention within the transition toward sustainable and circular food systems. Despite posing environmental challenges due to its high biochemical and chemical oxygen demand, whey retains a substantial proportion of milk nutrients, notably high-quality proteins that can be converted into bioactive peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides have been shown to modulate key biological pathways, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, nitric oxide bioavailability, oxidative stress balance, and inflammatory signaling, providing mechanistic plausibility for cardioprotective and immunomodulatory effects. However, the translation of promising in vitro and animal findings into consistent human health outcomes remains constrained by variability in peptide composition, processing conditions, bioavailability, and study design. This narrative review critically synthesizes current evidence on the functional properties of whey-derived peptides, with particular emphasis on cardiovascular and immunomodulatory outcomes across experimental models. In addition, the review situates whey upcycling within the Portuguese agro-food context, highlighting regional cheese production as both an environmental challenge and an opportunity for sustainable innovation. By integrating mechanistic evidence with sustainability-driven valorization strategies, this review aims to clarify the translational potential of whey-derived peptides as functional food ingredients. Full article

Ionizing radiation is a non-thermal sanitization technique used in the food field to eliminate bacteria, molds, insects and other microbes, resulting in delayed spoilage and extended shelf life. In this work, mozzarella cheese was irradiated with X-rays at a dose of 3.0 kGy, and irradiation-induced lipid modifications were evaluated through a comprehensive analysis of the mozzarella lipid fingerprint. To this aim, an optimized microwave-assisted extraction method associated with UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis was used for reliable and accurate lipid identification in the controls and in irradiated samples. The outcomes demonstrated that the X-ray dose employed in this investigation did not cause the formation of new lipid molecules. However, lipidomic chemometric modeling, including partial least squares-discriminant analysis, enabled the discrimination of irradiated versus non-irradiated samples and the selection of five ceramides, eight hexosyl ceramides, four sphingomyelins, one phosphatidylethanolamine, one cholesterol ester, ten oxidized triacylglycerols, and one oxidized diacylglycerol as potential markers of treatment. Finally, an artificial neural network was developed to accurately model the entire pattern in omics data in relation to the treatment. This developed analytical workflow allows for expanding knowledge on the effects of this technology and could have interesting applications in food safety traceability and control plans. Full article

In this research, cattle manure, macroalgae, and cheese whey were mixed in various proportions (cattle manure:macroalgae:cheese whey ratios of 50:30:20, 30:20:50 and 20:50:30) and subjected to co-digestion under laboratory conditions at two different digestion temperatures (30 and 45 °C). The modified Gompertz and first-order kinetic models were used to predict biomethane potentials. The highest experimental biochemical methane potential of 0.373 Nm³CH₄/kgVS was obtained from Mixture-2 at 45 °C, while the lowest, 0.154 Nm³CH₄/kgVS, was achieved with Mixture-1 at 30 °C. Feedstock rates in the mixture and digestion temperature significantly influenced the biochemical methane potential (p < 0.05). Cheese whey was observed to positively contribute to increasing biomethane potential. Increasing the whey ratio in the mixture from 20% to 50% resulted in a 62.5% increase in biomethane production. While R² values for the modified Gompertz model ranged from 0.993 to 0.999, those of the first-order model varied between 0.968 and 0.984. Of the two kinetic models employed for estimating biomethane potentials, the modified Gompertz model yielded values closer to the experimental biomethane potentials. Full article

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are widely used in food systems; among them, bacteriocin-producing strains have attracted attention for their potential in the biopreservation of dairy products. This study started from the detection of bacteriocin-encoding genes in eight probiotic Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides strains, previously isolated, identified, and characterized for antimicrobial activity. Results confirmed the presence of bacteriocin genes across the strains, with Ln.F5 harboring both mesB and lcnA genes, and three other strains, including the Ln.M14 strain, exclusively carrying the lcnA gene. The two strains, Ln.F5 and Ln.M14, were used, in single and mixed cultures, for the first time, as adjunct cultures in a model cheese. Their impact against Listeria spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, and Brochothrix thermosphacta, and on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), during ripening and storage, was evaluated. Results showed high viability (9.2 Log CFU/g) of Leuconostoc spp. in model cheese, up to 60 days of storage, and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles of the re-isolated bacteria confirmed the survival of the added strains. Furthermore, results indicated the inhibition of E. coli and Listeria spp. started from the 15th day of ripening in samples differently inoculated with the two Leuconostoc strains. Listeria spp. was completely inhibited starting from 15 days by Ln.M14, in single culture. The complete inhibition of S. aureus, M. luteus, and B. thermosphacta was detected after 30 days of ripening in samples differently inoculated with Ln.F5 and Ln.M14. The VOC analyses revealed more complex aromatic profiles in samples inoculated with Leuconostoc strains, which, along with the development of cheese eyes, confirmed the effect of the Leuconostoc strains in enhancing quality traits of cheeses. Full article

Previous research showed that a strain of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, isolated from goat’s raw milk cheese, was effective in slowing down the growth and reducing the maximum concentration of L. monocytogenes when evaluated in a milk model; furthermore, the extent of inhibition was dependent on the milk’s initial pH. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to determine whether the growth of L. monocytogenes in goat’s pasteurized milk cheese during maturation could be approximated from growth data obtained in the milk model medium, either in monoculture or in coculture with L. mesenteroides, and if so, (2) to model a milk-to-cheese conversion factor (Cf) for L. monocytogenes growth rate. Challenge tests were conducted by inoculating L. monocytogenes in monoculture and in coculture with L. mesenteroides in goat’s pasteurized milk adjusted at initial pH levels of 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5. The process of cheesemaking continued, and cheeses were ripened at 12 °C for 12 days. Each experimental growth curve was adjusted to a pH-driven dynamic model where the microbial maximum growth rate is a function of pH. As observed in the milk model medium, in coculture with L. mesenteroides, the optimum growth rate (μ_opt) of L. monocytogenes in maturing cheese was affected by the initial pH of milk: the lowest rate of 0.863 ± 0.042 day⁻¹ was obtained at the initial pH 5.5, in comparison to 1.239 ± 0.208 and 1.038 ± 0.308 day⁻¹ at pH 6.0 and 6.5, respectively. Regardless of the milk’s initial pH, L. mesenteroides did not reduce the maximum load of L. monocytogenes in maturing cheeses, as it did in the milk medium. On the contrary, at the milk’s initial pH of 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5, L. mesenteroides was able to decrease, on average, 2.2-fold, 1.5-fold, and 1.9-fold the μ_opt of L. monocytogenes in both milk medium and cheese, without significant differences between matrices. Following such validation in goat’s cheese, the square root of milk-to-cheese Cf for L. monocytogenes was estimated as 0.751 (SE = 0.0108), and the type of culture (monoculture and coculture) was not found to affect Cf (p = 0.320). In conclusion, this work validated the pre-acidification of milk as an efficient strategy that, when combined with the use of a protective culture, can synergically enhance the control of L. monocytogenes in cheese. Full article

The advancement of automated driving technologies offers potential safety and efficiency gains, yet safety remains the primary barrier to higher-level deployment. Failures in automated driving systems rarely result from a single technical malfunction. Instead, they emerge from coupled organizational, technical, human, and environmental factors, particularly in partial and conditional automation where human supervision and intervention remain critical. This study systematically identifies safety failures in automated driving systems and analyzes how they propagate across system layers and human–machine interactions. A qualitative case-based analytical approach is adopted by integrating the Swiss Cheese model and the SHELL model. The Swiss Cheese model is used to represent multilayer defensive structures, including governance and policy, perception, planning and decision-making, control and actuation, and human–machine interfaces. The SHELL model structures interaction failures between liveware and software, hardware, environment, and other liveware. The results reveal recurrent cross-layer failure pathways in which interface-level mismatches, such as low-salience alerts, sensor miscalibration, adverse environmental conditions, and inadequate handover communication, align with latent system weaknesses to produce unsafe outcomes. These findings demonstrate that autonomous driving safety failures are predominantly socio-technical in nature rather than purely technological. The proposed hybrid framework provides actionable insights for system designers, operators, and regulators by identifying critical intervention points for improving interface design, operational procedures, and policy-level safeguards in autonomous driving systems. Full article

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has emerged as a pivotal non-destructive analytical technique within the cheese industry, offering rapid and precise insights into the chemical composition and quality attributes of various cheese types. This review explores the evolution of NIR spectral sensors, highlighting key technological advancements and their integration into cheese production processes as well as final products already in markets. In addition, the review discusses challenges such as calibration complexities, the influence of sample heterogeneity and the need for robust data and interpretation models through spectroscopy coupled with AI methods. The future potential of NIR spectral sensors, including real-time in-line monitoring and the development of portable devices for on-site analysis, is also examined. This review aims to provide a critical assessment of current NIR spectral sensors and their impact on the cheese industry, offering insights for researchers and industry professionals aiming to enhance quality control and innovation in cheese production, as well as authenticity and fraud studies. The review concludes that the integration of advanced NIR spectroscopy with AI represents a transformative approach for the cheese industry, enabling more accurate, efficient and sustainable quality assessment practices that can strengthen both production consistency and consumer trust. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tallaga cheese is an artisanal form of traditional Egyptian soft white Damietta cheese, characterized by high moisture, elevated salinity, and a limited shelf life, which collectively increase its vulnerability to microbial contamination. Typically produced from raw or minimally heated cow or buffalo milk, Tallaga cheese represents a relevant model for studying emerging food safety challenges. Methods/Results: This study revealed marked variability among commercial samples and, unexpectedly, a general absence of typical lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such as Lactococcus spp. Instead, enterococci, microorganisms increasingly associated with antimicrobial resistance and virulence traits, emerged as the dominant LAB group, with the detection of Enterococcus faecium strains posing particular concern for dairy safety. To address these challenges, the antimicrobial potential of isolated LAB was evaluated against Latilactobacillus sakei (CECT 906). Twelve bacteriocin-producing strains were identified: ten Enterococcus faecalis, one E. faecium, and one Lactococcus lactis. Enterococci demonstrated robust tolerance to stress conditions, including high salt concentrations, emphasizing their persistence in dairy environments. Given the relevance of controlling resistant and potentially virulent strains such as E. faecium, the bioprotective capacity of two bacteriocinogenic L. lactis strains (IPLA 1064 and AHRI ST9) was assessed using a laboratory-scale cheese model. Both strains effectively inhibited E. faecium AHRI CH4, achieving reductions of 2.6 and 3.6 log units (99.9%). Conclusions: These findings underscore the relevance of bacteriocin-producing L. lactis as natural biopreservatives to mitigate emerging threats related to antimicrobial-resistant food-borne pathogens in dairy products. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic low-grade inflammation and nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin D deficiency, have emerged as important contributors to Metabolic syndrome (MetS) pathogenesis but remain underexplored. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the associations between dietary intake, vitamin D status, and inflammatory biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein -CRP- and ferritin) in patients with MetS. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 141 adult MetS patients at a Mexican hospital. Clinical, anthropometric, dietary (using a validated food frequency questionnaire), and biochemical data including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, CRP, ferritin, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were collected. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL, and high inflammation as CRP ≥ 3 mg/L. Logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were used to analyze associations. Mediation analysis assessed whether vitamin D deficiency mediated the link between dietary intake and high CRP or ferritin. Results: Patients with elevated CRP had significantly lower serum vitamin D levels (14.0 ± 5.1 vs. 22.1 ± 7.0 ng/mL; p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed vitamin D deficiency (adjusted OR 7.1; 95% CI 2.5–19.4; p < 0.001) and hyperferritinemia (ferritin ≥ 200 μg/L; aOR 8.0, 95% CI 3.5–18.2, p < 0.001) as predictors of high CRP. Conversely, hyperferritinemia was predicted by vitamin D deficiency (aOR 24.69; 95% CI 3.76–162.16; p = 0.001), elevated CRP (aOR 5.06; p = 0.014), Hb (aOR 63.23; p < 0.001), and inversely by grade 2 obesity (aOR 0.11; 95% CI 0.02–0.60; p = 0.03), confirming bidirectional CRP-ferritin associations and hyperferritinemia as an inflammation marker rather than iron overload indicator. Although Hb > 14.3 g/dL associated with hyperferritinemia, it did not independently predict CRP in multivariate analyses. Frequent consumption of vitamin D-rich foods (milk, fish, Manchego and Oaxaca cheese) was associated with lower inflammation. Mediation analysis confirmed that vitamin D deficiency mediated dietary intake-CRP and dietary intake-ferritin links (Sobel test p < 0.05). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is a key mediator linking inadequate dietary vitamin D intake to systemic inflammation in MetS. Nutritional strategies emphasizing vitamin D repletion and consumption of vitamin D fortified foods may effectively reduce chronic inflammation and improve metabolic outcomes. Full article

The use of natural antimicrobials and advanced sensor technologies is increasingly explored to improve the safety and quality of dairy products like cheese. The current work evaluated the effect of sodium alginate edible films enriched with oregano essential oil (EO) on the microbial spoilage of Feta cheese and the fate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes during storage. Samples were inoculated with approximately a 4 log CFU/g of pathogens and subsequently wrapped with edible films containing EO or left without, serving as controls. Samples were stored under aerobic and vacuum conditions at 4 and 12 °C. Microbiological analyses, pH, and sensory attributes were monitored during storage, while multispectral imaging (MSI) devices were used for rapid, non-invasive quality assessment. EO films moderately suppressed spoilage and pathogen survival, particularly under aerobic conditions. The MSI spectral data coupled with machine learning models provided reasonable results for the estimation of yeast and mould populations, with the best models coming from aerobic conditions, from benchtop-MSI data, with R² = 0.726 and RMSE = 0.426 from the Neural Networks model, and R² = 0.661 and RMSE = 0.696 from the LARS model. The results highlight the combined potential of natural antimicrobial films and MSI-based sensors for extending Feta cheese shelf life and enabling rapid, non-destructive monitoring, respectively. Full article

Iodine deficiency is the leading preventable cause of neurological damage worldwide. Dairy foods represent an important dietary iodine source. This study aimed to assess iodine concentration in milk, ricotta cheese, and yogurt, and to evaluate their contribution toward the recommended daily iodine intake. Whole pasteurized milk (WM; n = 12), partially skimmed pasteurized milk (PM; n = 21), skimmed pasteurized milk (SM; n = 7), ricotta cheese (RC; n = 26), whole yogurt (WY; n = 13), and low-fat yogurt (LY; n = 15) were purchased in local stores. Samples were analyzed through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for iodine quantification. After removing outliers, the final dataset comprised 11 WM, 19 PM, 7 SM, 26 RC, 13 WY and 15 LY samples. Data were investigated through a mixed model with iodine concentration as the dependent variable, product type as fixed effect, and brand as random effect. Low-fat yogurt exhibited the greatest estimated iodine concentration (293.76 µg/kg), while SM and WM exhibited the lowest (211.92 and 197.63 µg/kg, respectively). Based on these results, a serving of milk (250 g) would provide 31.82–39.08% of the average daily iodine requirement, a serving of ricotta (125 g) 21.66%, and a yogurt jar (125 g) 21.54–24.11%. These findings confirm the nutritional relevance of dairy products as primary iodine sources. Full article