The influence of non-thermal technologies on color pigments of food materials: An updated review.

The color of any food is influenced by several factors, such as food attributes (presence of pigments, maturity, and variety), processing methods, packaging, and storage conditions. Thus, measuring the color profile of food can be used to control the quality of food and examine the changes in chemical composition. With the advent of non-thermal processing techniques and their growing significance in the industry, there is a demand to understand the effects of these technologies on various quality attributes, including color. This paper reviews the effects of novel, non-thermal processing technologies on the color attributes of processed food and the implications on consumer acceptability. The recent developments in this context and a discussion on color systems and various color measurement techniques are also included. The novel non-thermal techniques, including high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, ultrasonication, and irradiation which employ low processing temperatures for a short period, have been found effective. Since food products are processed at ambient temperature by subjecting them to non-thermal treatment for a very short time, there is no possibility of damage to heat-sensitive nutrient components in the food, any deterioration in the texture of the food, and any toxic compounds in the food due to heat. These techniques not only yield higher nutritional quality but are also observed to maintain better color attributes. However, suppose foods are exposed to prolonged exposure or processed at a higher intensity. In that case, these non-thermal technologies can cause undesirable changes in food, such as oxidation of lipids and loss of color and flavor. Developing equipment for batch food processing using non-thermal technology, understanding the appropriate mechanisms, developing processing standards using non-thermal processes, and clarifying consumer myths and misconceptions about these technologies will help promote non-thermal technologies in the food industry.

Emerging nondestructive techniques to quantify the textural properties of food: A state-of-art review.

Texture is an important sensory attribute that drives consumer acceptance of any food material. In recent times consumers' demand for high-quality food urges food industries to provide food with consistent textural properties. However, texture measurement not just requires a trained sensory panel but also a considerable amount of time and effort. On the flip side, human observation could be subjective hence repeatability of the result may not be ensured and/or relied on. Contrary to that, objective methods for texture measurement are reliable and consistent, but are not suitable for in-line application and also destructive in nature. The mentioned crisis has made industries opt for nondestructive texture analysis techniques. In the past decade, considerable research has been carried out on nondestructive texture analysis methods such as micro-deformation, and acoustic and optical techniques, showing feasibility for in-line applications. The current review focuses on the working principles and most recent applications of nondestructive techniques for texture analysis of food products. Moreover, a detailed review of contact and noncontact-type texture measurement has been presented in this article. The literature survey is concluded with future research aspects and challenges involved in the commercialization of the nondestructive texture analysis techniques.

Assessment of physicochemical, rheological, and thermal properties of Indian rice cultivars: Implications on the extrusion characteristics.

The implications of physicochemical, rheological, and thermal properties of seven eminent Indian rice cultivars (PR 114, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, and 127) on the extrusion behavior and physico-functionalities of the extrudates were investigated. The amylose and amylopectin content of the cultivars ranged between 12.72 to 28.86% and 71.14 to 87.28% in addition with protein and crude fat content that varied from 7.05 to 9.15% and 0.49 to 1.17%, respectively. The onset (r = 0.98), peak (r = 0.95), and conclusion (r = 0.98) temperatures of the cultivars were in positive correlation with amylose. Likewise, pasting temperature (r = 0.979), final viscosity (r = 0.91), set back viscosity (r = 0.89), and stability ratio (r = 0.90) of the cultivars demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the amylose content. However, peak (r = - 0.879) and hold viscosity (r = - 0.89) were negatively correlated. The cultivars were extruded at feed moisture of 15%, screw speed of 500 rpm and barrel temperature of 150°C. The extrudates characteristics viz., expansion ratio-1.82 (PR 123); bulk density-184 g/cc (PR 123); specific mechanical energy-262.35 Wh/kg; water absorption index (WAI)-6.26 (PR 122); water solubility index-48.52% (PR 123); hardness-148.63 N (PR 122); and hydration power-284% (PR 122) were viably hyphenated with the physicochemical and rheological behavior of cultivars. The physico-functional characterization of the extrudates in terms of their starch and protein structural indexes, α-amylase susceptibility; water soluble carbohydrates and proteins revealed the possibility of exploring these cultivars as a functionally viable and diverse ingredient for the production of ready-to-eat extrudates.