Novel Approaches in Food Preservation and Their Impact on the Food System.

The increase in consumer demand for safe, convenient, and fresh food with an extended shelf life is accompanied by an interest in the environmental impacts caused by the food industry [...

Correction: Bigi et al. Waste Orange Peels as a Source of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Their Use for the Development of Nanocomposite Films. 2023, , 960.

In the original publication [...

Waste Orange Peels as a Source of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Their Use for the Development of Nanocomposite Films.

To date, approximately 30-50% of food is wasted from post-harvesting to consumer usage. Typical examples of food by-products are fruit peels and pomace, seeds, and others. A large part of these matrices is still discarded in landfills, while a small portion is valorized for bioprocessing.

Shelf Life Extension and Nutritional Quality Preservation of Sour Cherries through High Pressure Processing.

The present study assessed the effectiveness of high pressure processing (HPP) for the quality maintenance of pitted sour cherries, with special regard to microbial stabilization and the maintenance of color and of chemical-nutritional properties. The HPP treatment (600 MPa for 3 min at 4 °C) was effective at minimizing the initial microbial load, which remained at negligible levels throughout 5 months of refrigerated storage. The color and total phytochemical content of sour cherries were not influenced by the HPP treatment and were maintained at levels comparable with the fresh product for 3 months of refrigerated storage.

Enrichment of wheat flour with Spirulina. Evaluation of thermal damage to essential amino acids during bread preparation.

Microalgae and cyanobacteria represent a sustainable and valuable source of essential amino acids and bio-active molecules (e.g. poly-unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants) which, if added to staple food, could enrich its nutritional profile and the human diet.

Microbiota Survey of Sliced Cooked Ham During the Secondary Shelf Life.

Sliced cooked ham packaged in a modified atmosphere is a popular ready-to-eat product, subjected to abundant microbial contamination throughout its shelf life that can lead to deterioration of both sensorial properties and safety. In this study, the microbial load and the chemical-physical features of cooked ham of five producers were monitored for a period of 12 days after the opening of the packages (i.e.

Domestic Use Simulation and Secondary Shelf Life Assessment of Industrial .

The secondary shelf life (SSL) is defined as the time after package opening during which the food product retains a required level of quality. The SSL, indicated in labels as "best if used within days after opening", could lead to domestic food waste if not correctly evaluated. In this context, the SSL of two brands of industrial shelf-stable pesto products (with an indicated SSL of 5 days) was studied through a domestic use simulation performed in five households under two scenarios simulating real opening and storage conditions.

Effects of Light Exposure, Bottle Colour and Storage Temperature on the Quality of Sweet Wine.

The influence of light exposure, bottle color and storage temperature on the quality parameters of (MdL) sweet wine were investigated. Wine samples bottled in clear-colored (colorless, green and amber) glass were stored under different artificial lighting conditions, in order to simulate the retail environment (one cool-white, fluorescent lamp) and to perform an accelerated test (four and six cool-white, fluorescent lamps). The storage temperature was kept constant (25 °C) for the first 90 days of the experiment and then samples were monitored for up to 180 days at higher temperatures (30, 35 and 40 °C).

Yeasts and Lactic Acid Bacteria for Production: An Assessment of Candidate Strains.

The recovery of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in sourdough fermentation is the first step in the selection of starters with suitable technological aptitude and capable of producing desired aromas and/or aromatic precursors. In this work, two sourdoughs samples (MA and MB) and the derived doughs (samples A and B) were collected from a bakery during artisanal Panettone manufacture. Yeasts and bacteria were isolated at different fermentation steps on selective agar media.

Packaging Solutions to Extend the Shelf Life of Green Asparagus ( L.) 'Vegalim'.

The aim of the study was to assess, through a comparative shelf-life test, the suitability of two packaging materials, namely macro-perforated polypropylene (PP MA) and micro-perforated coextruded polypropylene (PP C), for the quality preservation of green asparagus ( L. 'Vegalim'). Quality of spears was evaluated during 30 days at refrigerated storage by monitoring chemical, physical, and enzymatic parameters as well as sensory descriptors.

Suitability Assessment of PLA Bottles for High-Pressure Processing of Apple Juice.

The aim of the present study is to assess the use of polylactic acid (PLA) bottles as an alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ones for high-pressure processing (HPP) of apple juice. The treatment of PLA bottles at 600 MPa for 3 min did not cause alterations in the packaging shape and content, confirming the suitability of PLA bottles to withstand HPP conditions as well as PET bottles. Quantification of total mesophilic bacterial and fungal load suggested HPP treatment can be effectively applied as an alternative to pasteurization for apple juice packed in PLA bottles since it guarantees microbial stability during at least 28 days of refrigerated storage.

Contribution of Blood Orange-Based Beverages to Bioactive Compounds Intake.

The study aimed at screening the levels of ascorbic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) and total anthocyanins in commercial beverages containing blood orange juice (BOJ), estimating the contribution of these products to the intake of health-promoting compounds and at discussing the actual value of the products on a price/bioactive level basis. Results demonstrate that the reference to BOJ in many beverages is misleading, as inferred from the very low bioactive levels observed. These beverages, in label should refer as "water-based" instead of "fruit-based beverage.

Edible coatings incorporating pomegranate peel extract and biocontrol yeast to reduce Penicillium digitatum postharvest decay of oranges.

This study investigated the potential use of two edible coatings, chitosan (CH) and locust bean gum (LBG), which incorporated chemically characterized water pomegranate peel extract (WPPE) or methanol pomegranate peel extract (MPPE) and the biocontrol agent (BCA) Wickerhamomyces anomalus, to control the growth of Penicillium digitatum and to reduce the postharvest decay of oranges. CH and LBG including pomegranate peel extracts (PPEs) at different concentrations were tested in vitro against P. digitatum to determine their antifungal efficacy; at the same time, the tolerance of viable cells of W.

Shelf life assessment of industrial durum wheat bread as a function of packaging system.

This study compared the effect of different packaging systems on industrial durum wheat bread shelf-life, with regard to thermoformed packaging (TF) and flow-packaging (FP). Two TFs having different thickness and one FP were compared by assessing physico-chemical and sensorial properties and volatile compounds of sliced bread during 90days of storage. Texture, a and bread moisture varied according to a first-order kinetic model, with FP samples ageing faster than TFs.

Effect of nitrogen fertilisation on the overall quality of minimally processed globe artichoke heads.

Background: Although nitrogen (N) fertilisation is essential for promoting crop yield, it may also affect the produce quality. Here, the influence of three N fertiliser rates (0 kg ha as a control, 200 kg ha and 400 kg ha referred to as N , N and N respectively) on the overall quality of minimally processed globe artichoke heads was investigated during refrigerated storage for 12 days.

Results: Throughout the storage time, N fertilised samples had higher inulin contents than those unfertilised.

Physical properties and antifungal activity of bioactive films containing Wickerhamomyces anomalus killer yeast and their application for preservation of oranges and control of postharvest green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum.

This study assessed the ability of two bio-based films, obtained from sodium alginate (NaAlg) and locust bean gum (LBG), to protect the viability of Wickerhamomyces anomalus cells and control the growth of Penicillium digitatum. The effect of microbial cell incorporation on physical properties of the developed films was evaluated in terms of barrier, mechanical and optical properties. Furthermore, the application of these two matrices as bioactive coatings was investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy in preserving the postharvest quality of 'Valencia' oranges and inhibiting the growth of P.

Efficacy of the combined application of chitosan and Locust Bean Gum with different citrus essential oils to control postharvest spoilage caused by Aspergillus flavus in dates.

This study reports the efficacy of the combined application of chitosan (CH) and Locust Bean Gum (LBG) in combination with different citrus essential oils (EOs) to inhibit Aspergillus flavus in vitro and on artificially infected dates for a storage period of 12 days. The effect of these treatments on the fruits' sensory characteristics was evaluated to verify the complete absence of off-odours and off-flavours. Bergamot EO was the most effective in reducing mycelial growth, followed by bitter orange EO.

Effect of temperature and some added compounds on the stability of blood orange marmalade.

Unlabelled: Jams and marmalades are often wrongly believed to be stable products, as the degradation of pigments such as anthocyanins, browning reactions, and the formation of sugar degradation products may occur during storage. The paper aims at studying some of the degradation reactions occurring in blood orange marmalade stored at 20 °C and 35 °C. The addition of natural (tea extract) and naturally occurring (ascorbic acid, cysteine, gallic acid) compounds to marmalade was addressed at investigating the possible effect on retarding such phenomena.

Microstructural characterization of multiphase chocolate using X-ray microtomography.

Unlabelled: In this study, X-ray microtomography (μCT) was used for the image analysis of the microstructure of 12 types of Italian aerated chocolate chosen to exhibit variability in terms of cocoa mass content. Appropriate quantitative 3-dimensional parameters describing the microstructure were calculated, for example, the structure thickness (ST), object structure volume ratio (OSVR), and the percentage object volume (POV). Chemical analysis was also performed to correlate the microstructural data to the chemical composition of the samples.

Biological control of peach fungal pathogens by commercial products and indigenous yeasts.

The potential use of the commercial biocontrol products Serenade (Bacillus subtilis QST-713) and Trichodex (Trichoderma harzianum Rifai strain T39) to inhibit the postharvest pathogenic molds Penicillium crustosum and Mucor circinelloides was investigated. Both products exhibited antagonistic activity in vitro against the pathogens, reducing their growth at different levels. In addition, epiphytic yeasts isolated from peaches were identified as Candida maltosa, Pichia fermentans, and Pichia kluyveri by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of internal transcribed spacer regions and screened for antagonistic activity against the same molds.

Role of different factors affecting the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde in heated grape must.

The influence of concentration and water activity (a(w)) on the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde (HMF) in thermally treated grape must was evaluated. Must was cryoconcentrated and then heated to study the pure effect of sugar concentration. Moreover, NaCl was added to the must to lower a(w), maintaining the same sugar concentration, with the purpose of evaluating the pure effect of a(w).