Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing Bacillus cereus spore inactivation in spices and herbs: Thermal and non-thermal sterilization approaches.

The presence of Bacillus cereus in spices and herbs has posed a detrimental effect on food safety. The absence of thorough testing, comprehensive reporting, and vigilant surveillance of the illness has resulted in a significant underestimation of the true prevalence of foodborne illness caused by B. cereus.

Effect of cyclic vacuum-steam blanching on the quality characteristics and functional properties of Malabar spinach (Basella alba) dried by non-water infrared refractance window drying.

In the present work, an effluent-free novel method including cyclic vacuum steam pulsed blanching (VSPB) pretreatment and non-water infrared refractance window drying (non-water IR-RWD) was employed to explore its effect on enzyme inactivation, drying behavior, quality and functional properties of dried Malabar spinach. The highest inactivation of peroxidase (90.23 %) and polyphenol oxidase (94.

Pathway-dependent Metallosupramolecular Polymerization Regulated by Ligand Geometry.

Understanding structure/property correlations in self-assembly is a key but challenging requirement for developing functional materials. Herein, we explore the importance of ligand geometry to fine-tune photophysical properties (MMLCT vs. MLCT excited states) and self-assembly pathways in metallosupramolecular polymerization.

Pulsed vacuum drying of fruits, vegetables, and herbs: Principles, applications and future trends.

Pulsed vacuum drying (PVD) is a novel vacuum drying method that has demonstrated significant potential in improving energy efficiency and product quality in the drying of foods and agricultural products. The current work provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest advancements in PVD technology, including its historical development, fundamental principles, and mechanistic aspects. The impact of periodic pulsed pressure changes between vacuum and atmospheric pressure on heat and moisture transfer, as well as structural changes in foods at micro- and macro-scales, is thoroughly discussed.

Revealing the mechanism of post-harvest processing on rose quality based on dynamic changes in water content, enzyme activity, volatile and non-volatile metabolites.

Existing studies on post-harvest processing of edible roses have mainly focused on processing techniques and physicochemical properties of the final dried products, with limited studies on how changes in metabolites during processing affect the quality of these products. This study investigated changes in water content and status, enzyme activity, phenolic compounds, and volatile and non-volatile compounds during processing and revealed the mechanisms by which post-harvest processing (drying without blanching (WBD) and drying with blanching (BD)) affects the quality of dried roses by establishing their correlations. Results showed that the blanching reduced the relative content of free water and water activity, thus reducing the subsequent drying time and enzyme activity.