Electronic tongue measurements as a predictor for sensory properties of vacuum-packed minced beef - A preliminary study.

Changes in meat sensory quality during storage are difficult to assess accurately and objectively. Advanced analytical technologies for sensory assessment could help predict sensory changes. In this study, vacuum-packed (VP) minced beef was incubated at four different temperatures until the end of its quality shelf-life, before conducting instrumental taste analysis with an Insent electronic tongue and analysis of volatile compounds with headspace SPME GC-MS.

Effect of pre-harvest sanitizer treatments on Listeria survival, sensory quality and bacterial community dynamics on leafy green vegetables grown under commercial conditions.

Leafy green vegetables (LGVs) have large surface areas and can be colonized by various microorganisms including pathogens. In this study, we investigated the effect of pre-harvest sanitizer treatments on the survival of inoculated proxy pathogen Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 and the natural microbial community of mizuna, rocket (arugula), red chard and spinach grown under commercial conditions. Electrolyzed water (e-water), peracetic acid (PAA), and 1-bromo-3-chloro-5-dimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) were tested against water controls.

Microbial communities associated with resin canal discoloration in mango fruit.

Resin canal discoloration (RCD) severely impacts the fruit quality of mango, diminishes consumer confidence, and reduces sales, but the biological cause is still unclear. Using next-generation sequencing, the overall microbial community composition of RCD+ and visually healthy mango fruits was determined for the first time to examine the possible role of bacterial and fungal pathogens in RCD. The diversity profile of bacterial and fungal communities was determined using primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions.

Effect of Electric Field Distribution on the Heating Uniformity of a Model Ready-to-Eat Meal in Microwave-Assisted Thermal Sterilization Using the FDTD Method.

Microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) is a novel microwave technology currently used in the commercial production of ready-to-eat meals. It combines surface heating of high-temperature circulation water with internal microwave heating in cavities. The heating pattern inside the food packages in a MATS process depends heavily on the electric field distribution formed by microwaves from the top and bottom windows of the microwave heating cavities.

Effect of Storage Conditions on Shelf Stability of Undiluted Neutral Electrolyzed Water.

Abstract: Neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) is an oxidizing sanitizer that can be made locally on-site; it is often stored in a ready-to-use format to accumulate the large volumes required for periodic or seasonal use. The shelf stability of NEW sanitizer was, therefore, assessed under various storage conditions to guide the development of protocols for its industrial application. To that end, fresh NEW with an available chlorine concentration (ACC) of 480 mg/L, pH 6.

Modulating the Microbiome and Immune Responses Using Whole Plant Fibre in Synbiotic Combination with Fibre-Digesting Probiotic Attenuates Chronic Colonic Inflammation in Spontaneous Colitic Mice Model of IBD.

A probiotic and prebiotic food ingredient combination was tested for synergistic functioning in modulation of the colonic microbiome and remediation of the gastrointestinal immune and inflammatory responses in a spontaneous colitic mouse model. MTCC5856 spores with capability to metabolise complex plant polysaccharides were supplemented with complex whole-plant prebiotic sugarcane fibre (PSCF). The combined and individual efficacies were tested for their influence on the outcomes of chronic inflammation in mutant colitic Winnie mice.

Microbiota Modulating Nutritional Approaches to Countering the Effects of Viral Respiratory Infections Including SARS-CoV-2 through Promoting Metabolic and Immune Fitness with Probiotics and Plant Bioactives.

Viral respiratory infections (VRIs) can spread quickly and cause enormous morbidity and mortality worldwide. These events pose serious threats to public health due to time lags in developing vaccines to activate the acquired immune system. The high variability of people's symptomatic responses to viral infections, as illustrated in the current COVID-19 pandemic, indicates the potential to moderate the severity of morbidity from VRIs.

Anti-Heartburn Effects of Sugar Cane Flour: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects approximately 20% of Australians. Patients suffer a burning sensation known as heartburn due to the movement of acidic stomach content into the esophagus. There is anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of prebiotic sugarcane flour in controlling symptoms of GERD.

Synbiotic supplementation with prebiotic green banana resistant starch and probiotic Bacillus coagulans spores ameliorates gut inflammation in mouse model of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Purpose: The research goal is to develop dietary strategies to help address the growing incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This study has investigated the effectiveness of green banana resistant starch (GBRS) and probiotic Bacillus coagulans MTCC5856 spores for the amelioration of dextran-sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice.

Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed standard rodent chow diet supplemented with either B.

Dataset of volatile compounds in fresh and stored cut watermelon () under varying processing and packaging conditions.

Headspace volatile data for fresh and stored cut watermelon measured by solid phase microextraction gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (SPME GC-MS) and also proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) are reported [1]. Eight different processing and packaging storage treatments were applied to fresh and stored cut watermelon including varying the processing treatments (with vs. without post-cut sanitation spray), headspace gas composition (ambient vs.

Spoilage microbial community profiling by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of modified atmosphere packaged live mussels stored at 4C.

There is little information on the microbial communities associated with modified atmosphere (MA)-packaged live mussels. There is also a dearth of information on how pre-packaging depuration modifies the microbial communities and spoilage of live mussels. Amplicon sequencing was used to describe spoilage microbial succession in MA-packaged live mussels during storage at 4 °C.

Synbiotic Supplementation Containing Whole Plant Sugar Cane Fibre and Probiotic Spores Potentiates Protective Synergistic Effects in Mouse Model of IBD.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a chronic inflammatory disorders with increasing global incidence. Synbiotic, which is a two-point approach carrying probiotic and prebiotic components in mitigating inflammation in IBD, is thought to be a pragmatic approach owing to the synergistic outcomes. In this study, the impacts of dietary supplementation with probiotic MTCC5856 spores () and prebiotic whole plant sugar cane fibre (PSCF) was assessed using a murine model of IBD.

Control of microbes on barley grains using peroxyacetic acid and electrolysed water as antimicrobial agents.

The extent and type of microbial growth on barley grain is a key determinant of malt quality for beer production, as problematic microbial products can persist into the brewing process and impact beer quality. Microbial composition on malting barley grain are influenced by field growth, storage and malting conditions. The present study investigated the efficacy of electrolysed water (EW) with free chlorine concentrations of 5, 50, 100 and 500 ppm, as well as peroxyacetic acid (PAA) at 100 and 500 ppm, as pre-steep treatments to control microbes on grains during the malting process.

Comparison of cation-exchange capillary columns used for ion chromatographic separation of biogenic amines.

The selectivity for 15 biogenic amines and amino acids shown by three capillary cation-exchange columns, IonPac CS19, CS12A and CS17 (250 × 0.4 mm ID, all from Thermo Fisher Scientific), exhibiting medium, medium low and ultra-low hydrophobicity, and either carboxylic or mixed carboxylic/phosphonic acid functional groups, was investigated. A mixed mode retention mechanism was revealed with ion-exchange, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions contributing to retention of polar organic molecules on these phases.

High sensitivity deep-UV LED-based z-cell photometric detector for capillary liquid chromatography.

A new high sensitivity deep-UV LED photometric detector with a z-type flow cell (45 nL or 180 nL) for miniaturised and portable capillary liquid chromatography (LC) was designed and fabricated to overcome sensitivity limitations due to short pathlength in on-capillary detectors. The new detector has a 10 mm geometric pathlength and uses high intensity light-emitting diodes (LED) as light sources in the deep-UV range (254 nm and 280 nm). No optical reference was necessary due to the low drift in the signal.

Seafood spoilage microbiota and associated volatile organic compounds at different storage temperatures and packaging conditions.

Seafood comprising of both vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic organisms are nutritious, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, essential vitamins, proteins, minerals and form part of healthy diet. However, despite the health and nutritional benefits, seafood is highly perishable. Spoilage of seafood could be as a result of microbial activity, autolysis or chemical oxidation.

Evaluation of spoilage potential and volatile metabolites production by Shewanella baltica isolated from modified atmosphere packaged live mussels.

Under the current commercial practice, live mussels only have 10days' shelf-life. Observed spoilage indices reduce consumers' acceptance, palatability and shelf-life of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) live mussels. The aims of this study are to isolate specific spoilage bacteria from modified atmosphere packaged live mussels, evaluate isolates for microbial spoilage indices using qualitative methods and volatile metabolites production.

Miniaturised electrically actuated high pressure injection valve for portable capillary liquid chromatography.

A miniaturised high pressure 6-port injection valve has been designed and evaluated for its performance in order to facilitate the development of portable capillary high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The electrically actuated valve features a very small size (65 × 19 × 19mm) and light weight (33g), and therefore can be easily integrated in a miniaturised modular capillary LC system suited for portable field analysis. The internal volume of the injection valve was determined as 98 nL.

Report: Potential of nano-emulsions as phytochemical delivery system for food preservation.

Nature is a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals. These plant based compounds have rich scope as antioxidants, antimicrobial compounds and food preservatives and so for long time to be used in meat, fruits, vegetables and processed food items, either as added preservative or as coating material in various food applications, but the major limitation is their limited solubility in a food grade medium. Nano-emulsion is a best choice as a medium having vast area of application.

Innovative processes and technologies for modified atmosphere packaging of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology has been commercially viable since the 1970s. Currently, MAP is extensively used worldwide to preserve the quality and extend the shelf-life of whole fresh fruits and vegetables, but is also increasingly used to extend the shelf-life of minimally processed fresh fruit and vegetables. This review discusses new processes and technologies that can be used to improve quality preservation and consumer acceptability of minimally processed produce where high respiration rates and challenging degradation processes operate.

Optimizing Prednisolone Loading into Distiller's Dried Grain Kafirin Microparticles, and In vitro Release for Oral Delivery.

Kafirin microparticles have potential as colon-targeted delivery systems because of their ability to protect encapsulated material from digestive processes of the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The aim was to optimize prednisolone loading into kafirin microparticles, and investigate their potential as an oral delivery system. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to predict the optimal formulation of prednisolone loaded microparticles.

Application of electrolysed oxidising water as a sanitiser to extend the shelf-life of seafood products: a review.

Electrolysed oxidising water (E.O. water) is produced by electrolysis of sodium chloride to yield primarily chlorine based oxidising products.

Performance of a New 235 nm UV-LED-Based On-Capillary Photometric Detector.

In this work, for the first time, a sub-250 nm light-emitting diode (LED) is investigated as a light source for optical detection in chemical analysis. A 235 nm deep ultraviolet-light-emitting diode (UV-LED) is employed within an on-capillary photometric detector and applied in capillary ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) for the detection of common ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing anions (here, iodide, nitrate, and nitrite). This investigation focused on fundamental properties of UV-LEDs, in particular, emission spectra, radiometric power, effective heat dissipation with a passive heat sink, and energy conversion.

Structural properties and digestion of green banana flour as a functional ingredient in pasta.

Gluten free pasta was made from raw banana flour in combination with vegetable gums and protein for comparison to pasta similarly made from wheat flour. After cooking, it was found that the banana flour pasta was less susceptible to alpha-amylase digestion compared to conventional wheat flour pasta. Release of glucose by alpha-amylase digestion followed first order kinetics with an initial rapid rate of digestion and a subsequent second slower phase.

Miniaturised medium pressure capillary liquid chromatography system with flexible open platform design using off-the-shelf microfluidic components.

Trends towards portable analytical instrumentation of the last decades have not been equally reflected in developments of portable liquid chromatography (LC) instrumentation for rapid on-site measurements. A miniaturised medium pressure capillary LC (MPLC) system with gradient elution capability has been designed based on a flexible modular microfluidic system using primarily off-the-shelf low cost components to ensure wide accessibility to other analysts. The microfluidic platform was assembled on a breadboard and contained microsyringe pumps and switch valves, complemented with an injection valve and on-capillary detectors, all controlled by a PC.