Physicochemical composition, lipid oxidation, and microbiological quality of ram mortadella supplemented with Smallanthus sonchifolius meal

Process and quality parameters of convective dried yacon: Influence of ethanol treatment

Yacon is a highly perishable tuberous root, rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Convective drying preceded by ethanol treatment (ET) is an alternative for increasing shelf life in a shorter process. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ET and temperature (50 °C and 70 °C) on quality parameters (fructan retention, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, shrinkage, color and microstructural parameters) and process parameters (drying time, drying kinetics, and energy consumption) in the convective drying of yacon slices. The ET induced structural alterations in the tissues and cells that aids in the reduction of drying time up to 28.00 %. ET resulted in an increase in effective diffusivity and leaded to noteworthy reduction in energy consumption (up to 22.72 %). The quality parameters such as color, shrinkage, and total phenolic content showed no significant differences among the treatments. The use of ethanol promoted highest preservation of antioxidant activity; however, it caused degradation of FOS. The ethanol pretreated drying at 50 °C was the better condition for lower consumption and preservation of quality parameters as total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and fructan retention, but the samples dried at 50 °C were the ones with the highest fructan retention (55.11 ± 2.19 %).

Antioxidant effect of blueberry flour on the digestibility and storage of Bologna-type mortadella

The aim of the study was to add blueberry flour (BF) to Bologna-type mortadella as a natural antioxidant and to evaluate its activity during in vitro digestion and refrigerated storage. Five treatments of mortadella were prepared: without antioxidant, with sodium erythorbate and with the addition of three levels of BF: 0.05 %, 0.075 % and 0.1 %. Twenty-three phenolic compounds were quantified in blueberry fruits and twenty-eight in BF, with prevalence of chlorogenic acid. The presence of BF did not affect the proximal composition of the mortadella, but it had a small effect on pH, hardness (texture profile) and instrumental color, as well as reduced lipid oxidation during refrigerated storage (2-8 °C) for 90 days. During in vitro digestion, the addition of BF increased the content of total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of mortadella (p < 0.05), among all simulated stages. At a concentration of 0.05 %, BF can be used as a synthetic antioxidant substitute in Bologna-type mortadella, enhancing the use of blueberry fruits in the form of flour and enriching the product with natural antioxidants.

Effect of nanocomposite alginate-based film incorporated with cumin essential oil and TiO2 nanoparticles on chemical, microbial, and sensory properties of fresh meat/beef

The environmental problems of synthetic plastics in food packaging have led researchers to synthesize biodegradable films. In this study, nanocomposite alginate‐based films containing TiO₂ nanoparticles (1%) and cumin essential oil (CEO, 2%) were fabricated and the potential of these films to protect beef from chemical [pH, total volatile base nitrogen (TVBN), peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA)] and microbial [total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, and Pseudomonas spp.] spoilage was evaluated during 24 days of storage (4°C). The active films significantly induced the reduction in lipid oxidation, microbial growth, and TVBN values, improved the sensory attributes of treated samples, maintained the redness of meats for a longer time, and increased the shelf life of beef from 4 to 16 days. The results of this study showed that TiO₂/CEO alginate‐based nanocomposite film has a great potential for application in meat and meat products.