Search Results (256)

Oat milk (OM) has gained popularity as a plant-based dairy alternative; however, conventional filtration-based production removes oat pulp, leading to β-glucan loss and processing waste. This study investigated the effects of particle size reduction by different grinding techniques on the powder properties and in vitro digestion characteristics of oat powder (OP), and it evaluated the applicability of superfine OP to filtration-free OM production. OP was prepared at three particle sizes: coarse, fine, and superfine, using a blender, ultra-centrifugal mill, and ball mill, respectively. Decreasing particle size improved hydration properties, including water absorption capacity, swelling capacity, and water solubility. During in vitro digestion, OP-superfine showed higher dialyzable protein fraction, β-glucan extractability, and digestion extract viscosity than OP-coarse, indicating an enhanced release of proteins and viscosity-contributing soluble components. When applied to OM, OP-superfine increased viscosity, Brix, turbidity, and suspension stability, while particle size had only a minor influence on pH. Sensory evaluation showed that OM prepared with OP-superfine had reduced grittiness and throat-feel intensity while maintaining relatively high sweetness. These findings suggest that superfine grinding is a promising strategy for producing filtration-free OM with improved digestion-related properties, physical stability, and sensory quality. Full article

Proteases, enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in peptides and proteins, have widespread industrial applications, particularly in milk coagulation for cheese production. Microbial enzymes have been employed as alternatives to animal rennet, offering advantages such as cost-effectiveness, availability, and compliance with dietary, cultural, and religious requirements. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is widely employed for microbial enzyme production because of its low operational costs, reduced water and energy requirements, high product concentrations, and the ability to utilize agro-industrial residues as low-cost substrates, thereby contributing to both process sustainability and waste valorization. We report the production and characterization of a novel milk-clotting protease produced by Trichoderma koningii FFT13. The protease was produced by SSF using wheat bran as the substrate, an agro-industrial residue. It was classified as a chymotrypsin-like serine protease and exhibited a specific caseinolytic activity of 9861 U/mg. The enzyme coagulated both reconstituted skim milk and pasteurized whole milk in the presence or absence of calcium. Coagulation was enhanced by increasing temperature, reaction time, enzyme concentration, and calcium levels. Scanning electron microscopy revealed destabilization of casein micelles, their progressive aggregation, and the formation of a well-defined gel network, confirming the effectiveness of the protease in milk coagulation. Therefore, these results demonstrate that the chymotrypsin-like protease from T. koningii is a promising enzyme for milk coagulation, with potential application in cheese production. The enzyme obtained constitutes an alternative to traditional coagulants, overcoming limitations related to animal rennet while potentially offering additional advantages in terms of process sustainability and industrial scalability. Full article

Wasted ice cream products contain many valuable food components, most notably butterfat, which has potential for recovery. Disk bowl centrifugation, widely used in milk processing, has not been previously used with ice cream. In comparison to milk, ice cream has larger variations in fat content, smaller fat globule sizes, and the presence of additives and emulsifiers. An Armfield FT15 lab-scale disk bowl centrifuge was used to separate samples of five ice creams containing 1.25 kg melted ice cream each at temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 80 °C, while incorporating enzymatic digestion from four enzymes to encourage fat separation. Results showed that fat capture from ice cream is aided by enzymatic digestion. Rennet was the most effective enzyme tested. Although some varieties performed better without processing compared to 1 h incubation, all ice creams benefitted from processing after 4 h of incubation, with at least 40% fat (weight basis) and high total recovery. Optimal conditions were found with a 4 h rennet incubation, with four of five ice cream varieties showing greater than 90% fat recovery and a fat concentration of 37% wet basis or higher. Full article

Dairy foods—particularly cheeses produced from raw or minimally processed milk—remain vulnerable to hazards such as Listeria monocytogenes, where delayed laboratory confirmation can expand recalls, increase food waste, and delay outbreak containment. This study proposes a veterinary-aware digital traceability framework that embeds herd health data, milk-quality testing, and inspection outcomes directly into batch-level EPCIS event records. By representing veterinary public health controls as structured, machine-actionable traceability elements, the framework enables automatic logging of mandatory control points, systematic compliance verification, and rule-based risk state transitions within standard EPCIS infrastructures. Using regulation-consistent dairy simulations modeling delayed Listeria detection during maturation, we evaluate the operational impact of event-level causal traceability within the proposed architecture. Compared with conventional time-window recall strategies, provenance-based trace-forward queries reduced recall scope under the evaluated synthetic scenarios. Integrating structured veterinary controls into EPCIS-based traceability systems supports automated regulatory evidence generation and more targeted recall decisions, contributing to improved auditability and reduced food waste in dairy supply chains. Full article

This study investigates the influence of extraction method and solvent on the UV spectral characteristics of extracts obtained from selected agro-industrial waste materials. Conventional maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) were applied using distilled water and 70% (v/v) ethanol as solvents. The analyzed materials included spent coffee grounds, orange peel, rosehip, milk thistle, eucalyptus leaves, and chili pepper. UV spectrophotometric analysis (190–400 nm) was used to compare the absorption profiles of the obtained extracts and to evaluate the effect of extraction conditions on spectral features. The results showed that both solvent type and extraction technique significantly influenced the intensity and shape of the absorption spectra. Ethanol generally resulted in higher absorbance values and more defined spectral features in the 250–350 nm region, while aqueous extracts exhibited stronger absorption in the lower UV range. Overall, UV spectroscopy proved to be a rapid and effective screening tool for evaluating extraction performance and comparing spectral characteristics of complex plant extracts, supporting the valorization of agro-industrial waste. Total phenolic content (TPC) was additionally determined to support the evaluation of extraction efficiency. Full article

The expansion of the global agri-food industry has led to the generation of large volumes of processing by-products that, although traditionally treated as waste, represent valuable sources of bioactive phytochemicals with potential for sustainable valorisation. This review critically examines the integration of fruit, vegetable, cereal, and dairy processing side streams into functional dairy products. Particular attention is given to recent advances in green and emerging extraction technologies, including ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical fluid extraction, with emphasis on their efficiency, environmental performance, and effects on the stability and recovery of phytochemicals. The review also discusses the health-related properties of these bioactive compounds, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic regulatory effects, in relation to their incorporation into milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream matrices. In addition, key barriers to industrial implementation are assessed, including compound stability, sensory constraints, bioavailability, and current regulatory limitations. Beyond direct fortification, the review also considers broader valorisation pathways, such as the biotechnological production of microbial enzymes from agro-industrial biomass, as relevant strategies for supporting circularity. Overall, this review highlights how sustainable extraction approaches and functional dairy innovation can contribute to improving the nutritional value, resource efficiency, and circularity of the dairy sector. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sustainable food habits are essential for reducing the environmental impacts of a food system. We investigated food sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and food waste-related behaviours among Saudi adults and assessed their associations with socio-demographic characteristics and dietary choices, which are subjects that remain under-researched. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 855 Saudi adults (≥18 years) using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated online questionnaire assessing sustainability knowledge, attitudes, food waste behaviours, dietary choices, and socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 29. Results: Overall, 32% of the study population demonstrated adequate sustainability knowledge, 61% expressed positive attitudes towards food sustainability, and 45% demonstrated favourable food waste management. Women were more knowledgeable than men. Participants who possessed a better understanding of food sustainability consumed more vegetables, fruits, and bread and less processed meat. Those with a positive attitude towards food sustainability exhibited higher consumption of red meat, white meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, fruits, bread, and sweet or savoury snacks. Meanwhile, individuals with better food waste behaviours demonstrated significantly lower consumption of legumes, fish, pasta, red meat, white meat, processed meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, fruits, bread, and sweet or savoury snacks. Conclusions: Saudi adults possess limited knowledge of sustainability and suboptimal food waste behaviours despite having relatively positive attitudes. These findings highlight opportunities for intervention. Public education, targeted campaigns, and media communication could enhance sustainability awareness and promote healthier, environmentally sustainable dietary patterns. Full article

Moving toward sustainable energy in small-scale dairies is an indispensable requirement and a significant challenge in developing countries. This study investigates a solar-powered refrigeration system with heat recovery designed to address the energy challenges faced by small-scale dairy farmers in off-grid areas of developing nations. It presents a novel solar-powered refrigeration system with integrated heat recovery, experimentally optimized to simultaneously deliver heating and cooling while valorizing waste heat and synergistically integrating solar energy to establish a decentralized and energy-autonomous milk preservation system for off-grid applications. The proposed system successfully recovers an average of 55% of the heat rejected by the condenser, thereby delivering more than 1000 W of usable thermal energy necessary for milk pasteurization. The experimental findings showed a coefficient of performance of 4.7, representing a 43% improvement over conventional systems, and achieved a Carnot efficiency of 42%. In addition, the system yields an annual energy savings of 3650 kWh and reduces carbon emissions by 971 kg per year for a 50 L unit. These findings underscore the system’s substantial potential to enhance energy efficiency, promote sustainability, reduce spoilage, improve incomes, mitigate carbon emissions, and enhance local milk preservation capabilities within small-scale dairy operations, minimizing reliance on diesel or firewood, particularly in regions that are distant from access to grid energy. Full article

Waste milk (WM) on dairies is commonly fed to pre-weaned calves, raising concerns about antimicrobial drug (AMD) residues and their potential role in selecting for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in their gut microbiota. The current observational study assessed AMD residue prevalence in WM and examined associations with AMR patterns in its bacterial isolates. Over a 10-month period, 40 WM samples were collected from eight dairies across Northern California, Northern San Joaquin Valley, and Greater Southern California. ELISA was used to detect six AMD residues, and bacterial isolates (n = 348), including coliforms, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Staphylococcus aureus, were tested for AMR. Antimicrobial resistance was evaluated using the broth microdilution test, and associations with the presence of residues were analyzed via interval-censored accelerated failure time models. Ceftiofur was the most frequently detected residue (30%), followed by penicillin (5%), florfenicol (5%), and sulfadimethoxine (5%). Resistance varied by bacterial species, with significant associations observed between florfenicol residues and resistance in coliforms (MIC ratio = 2.12; p < 0.01), and between ceftiofur residues and resistance in Streptococcus spp. (MIC ratio = 10.51; p = 0.03). These findings suggest that WM may contain low-level AMD residues linked to elevated AMR, highlighting the need for targeted antimicrobial stewardship practices to mitigate AMR dissemination in dairy calves. Full article

Recycling winery by-products into small ruminant diets is an effective strategy to increase the dairy supply chain’s sustainability. The study aimed to assess the effects of a 12% replacement of alfalfa hay with ensiled black grape pomace (BGP) in a Murciano-Granadina goat diet on yogurt’s technological, nutritional and sensory properties. The yogurt was manufactured across three milk samplings in a pilot plant and stored for 1, 14, and 28 days. Data were submitted to ANOVA testing diet and storage factors and their interaction. Compared to the control diet, both in milk and yogurt, BGP significantly increased fat content and reduced yellowness (b*). The winery by-product also affected the yogurt’s fatty acid profile given the increase in C18:1 trans11 and total CLA isomers, and a decrease in PUFA n-3. A moderate influence on sensory traits was observed, including a higher overall acceptance. The yogurt’s storage time did not affect any of the investigated quality traits. The outcomes suggested that the recycling of the winery by-product into the goat diet could enhance the overall quality of the obtained yogurt, as well as the sustainability and circular economy contributing to achieve a zero-waste strategy in the involved dairy goat supply chain. Full article

Sorghum-based porridges are a key component of breakfast meals in South African school feeding programmes. While these meals support learner nutrition and educational outcomes, their effectiveness depends on learner acceptance and the extent of plate waste. This study assessed acceptance and plate waste of two sorghum-based porridges—Mabele (100% sorghum) and Morvite (pre-cooked sorghum, 75–100% depending on flavour, with possible inclusion of soya, cow’s milk, and wheat/gluten)—compared with instant maize meal, Jungle Oats (100% wholegrain oats), within the Tiger Brands Foundation breakfast programme. Patterns of waste and underlying reasons were examined across five provinces. A mixed-methods approach was used in 25 primary schools across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape. Quantitative data were collected through 10-day food waste diaries completed by Volunteer Food Handlers and analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression models. Qualitative data were obtained from 75 semi-structured staff interviews and 25 learner focus groups, analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti version 22. Overall, food waste was low, with “no food waste” reported in over half of the observations. Acceptance of sorghum-based products varied. Morvite was generally well accepted, whereas Mabele was frequently disliked in some provinces. Key drivers of waste included food dislike, poor preparation, bland flavour, and learner absenteeism, with serving conditions and a lack of utensils as secondary factors. Although waste was modest, variability in acceptance of sorghum-based porridges suggests the need to improve preparation quality, flavour, and serving conditions to enhance programme effectiveness. Full article

Milk thistle seed cake, a by-product of silymarin production, contains residual oil with valuable bioactive compounds. This study compared oils extracted using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and Soxhlet extraction. MAE produced higher yields and better preserved polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also generated oils with lower acid and peroxide values, higher total phenolic content, and greater antioxidant capacity. Oxidative stability evaluated by pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) showed longer induction times for MAE-derived oils, indicating improved resistance to oxidation. These trends are consistent with the shorter extraction times and reduced thermal exposure associated with MAE. Overall, MAE proved more effective for recovering high-quality oil from milk thistle seed cake, supporting its use as a valuable resource in waste-to-value applications. Full article

A huge amount of waste is produced annually by the food processing industry which must be valorized into high-value products. Therefore, the aim of this work involves the use of such wastes for production of β-glucans from medicinal basidiomycete strains which are powerful biological response modifiers in several clinical disorders. The production of β-glucans from basidiomycete strains in submerged fermentation was monitored by using monoclonal antibodies of the IgG and IgM classes as well as by Congo red assay in the presence of several agro-industrial waste products such as milk permeate, waste coffee grounds, orange peels and rice husks. Subsequently, these β-glucans were purified by using gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. FTIR analysis of several β-glucans was carried out to investigate their structural properties. The adsorption of β-glucans on microtiter plates was dependent on the temperature as well as on the time period of immobilization for ELISA. These mAbs can be used in a competitive ELISA for detection and quantification of β-glucans from basidiomycete mushrooms. Full article

Neonatal and weaning periods are the most challenging phases for enteric infections in dairy calves. While different approaches are used to minimize calf health issues, the neonatal diet remains the core approach to enhance pre- and post-weaning animal health and performance. This pilot study aimed to evaluate blood biomarkers of inflammation and fecal metabolites in calves supplemented with oligosaccharide mixture (OS) during the preweaning stage. Sixteen newborn Holstein dairy calves (eight females and eight males) were randomly assigned into two groups: control with no supplementation, or treatment with 50 g/day of OS added to the pasteurized waste milk feeding. Both control and OS-treated calves were fed pasteurized waste milk during the preweaning period and weaned at seven weeks of age. Blood and fecal samples were collected weekly. Fecal fatty acid metabolites were downregulated in treated calves compared to control calves (p ≤ 0.05). Markers of inflammation (i.e., haptoglobin) or liver response (i.e., albumin, paraoxonase) did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). Overall, these findings suggest that dietary intervention with oligosaccharides can affect host metabolic pathways. Full article

In this study, the potential use of Epsom salt production waste as a supplementary cementitious material was investigated. This acidic waste was neutralized with lime milk and used to replace up to 25 wt.% of Portland cement. The following research methods were employed: XRD, XRF, SEM, DSC-TG, and isothermal calorimetry. The waste neutralization process was found to proceed consistently, producing a neutral material (pH = 7.5) composed of amorphous silicon compounds with a negligible impurity of crystalline antigorite. Consequently, this material exhibits very high pozzolanic activity. The neutralized Epsom salt production waste accelerates the early hydration of Portland cement and promotes an intense pozzolanic reaction. This new material is a highly effective supplementary cementitious material, capable of replacing up to 25 wt.% of Portland cement without reducing its strength class. Full article