Age Gelation in Direct Steam Infusion Ultra-High-Temperature Milk: Different Heat Treatments Produce Different Gels.

To investigate the gelation process of direct ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk, a pilot-scale steam infusion heat treatment was used to process milk samples over a wide temperature of 142-157 °C for 0.116-6 s, followed by storage at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C. The results of the physicochemical properties of milk showed that the particle sizes and plasmin activities of all milk samples increased during storage at 25 °C, but age gelation only occurred in three treated samples, 147 °C/6 s, 142 °C/6 s, and 142 °C/3 s, which all had lower plasmin activities. Furthermore, the properties of formed gels were further compared and analyzed by the measures of structure and intermolecular interaction. The results showed that the gel formed in the 147 °C/6 s-treated milk with a higher C* value had a denser network structure and higher gel strength, while the 142 °C/6 s-treated milk had the highest porosity. Furthermore, disulfide bonds were the largest contributor to the gel structure, and there were significant differences in disulfide bonds, hydrophobic interaction forces, hydrogen bonds, and electrostatic force among the gels. Our results showed that the occurrence of gel was not related to the thermal load, and the different direct UHT treatments produced different age gels in the milk.

Destabilization of ultra-instantaneous UHT sterilization milk stored at different temperatures.

Ultra-instantaneous UHT (UI-UHT, > 155°C, < 0.1 s) treated milk exhibits higher retention of active protein than regular UHT milk. However, UI-UHT products demonstrate increased susceptibility to destabilization during storage. This study aimed at monitoring the destabilizing process of UI-UHT milk across different storage temperatures and uncovering its potential mechanisms. Compared with regular UHT treatment, ultra-instantaneous treatment markedly accelerated the milk's destabilization process. Aged gel formation occurred after 45 d of storage at 25°C, while creaming and sedimentation were observed after 15 d at 37°C. To elucidate the instability mechanism, measurements of plasmin activity, protein hydrolysis levels, and proteomics of the aged gel were conducted. In UI-UHT milk, plasmin activity, and protein hydrolysis levels significantly increased during storage. Excessive protein hydrolysis at 37°C resulted in sedimentation, while moderate hydrolysis and an increase in protein particle size at 25°C resulted in aged gel formation. Proteomics analysis results indicated that the aged gel from UI-UHT milk contained intact caseins, major whey proteins, and their derived peptides. Furthermore, specific whey proteins including albumin, lactotransferrin, enterotoxin-binding glycoprotein PP20K, and MFGM proteins were identified in the gel. Additionally, MFGM proteins in UI-UHT milk experienced considerable hydrolysis during storage, contributing to fat instability. This study lays a theoretical foundation for optimizing UI-UHT milk storage conditions to enhance the quality of liquid milk products.

Effect of Thermostable Enzymes Produced by Psychrotrophic Bacteria in Raw Milk on the Quality of Ultra-High Temperature Sterilized Milk.

Ultra-high temperature sterilized milk (UHT) is a popular dairy product known for its long shelf life and convenience. However, protein gel aging and fat quality defects like creaming and flavor deterioration may arise during storage. These problems are primarily caused by thermostable enzymes produced by psychrotrophic bacteria. In this study, four representative psychrotrophic bacteria strains which can produce thermostable enzymes were selected to contaminate UHT milk artificially. After 11, 11, 13, and 17 weeks of storage, the milk samples, which were contaminated with Pseudomonas fluorescens, Chryseobacterium carnipullorum, Lactococcus raffinolactis and Acinetobacter guillouiae, respectively, demonstrated notable whey separation. The investigation included analyzing the protein and fat content in the upper and bottom layers of the milk, as well as examining the particle size, Zeta potential, and pH in four sample groups, indicating that the stability of UHT milk decreases over time. Moreover, the spoiled milk samples exhibited a bitter taste, with the dominant odor being attributed to ketones and acids. The metabolomics analysis revealed that three key metabolic pathways, namely ABC transporters, butanoate metabolism, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, were found to be involved in the production of thermostable enzymes by psychrotrophic bacteria. These enzymes greatly impact the taste and nutrient content of UHT milk. This finding provides a theoretical basis for further investigation into the mechanism of spoilage.

Stability of milk proteins subjected to UHT treatments: challenges and future perspectives.

Ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatments are of high economic relevance for food industries because they contribute to extending the shelf life of food products and facilitating their distribution. In the dairy segment, UHT treatments are applied to a wide range of products containing variable protein amounts. In this sense, the changes in the molecular structure of milk proteins induced by the severity of UHT treatments may lead to fouling in equipment during processing or sedimentation and/or gelation during storage. Nowadays, these concerns are even more relevant due to the increasing demand for UHT-treated high-protein beverages. This review will discuss the two main strategies used by industries to increase the stability of milk proteins during and/or after UHT treatments: (i) addition of chelating agents and (ii) use of polysaccharides. Moreover, the challenges and opportunities associated with promising strategies to improve the stability of milk proteins during and/or after UHT treatments will be covered in this review. The information compiled will be useful to guide researchers and industries in developing more stable UHT dairy products in harmony with consumers' demands.

2-Heptanone, 2-nonanone, and 2-undecanone confer oxidation off-flavor in cow milk storage.

Flavor sensation is one of the most prevalent characteristics of food industries and an important consumer preference regulator of dairy products. So far, many volatile compounds have been identified, and their molecular mechanisms conferring overall flavor formation have been reported extensively. However, little is known about the critical flavor compound of a specific sensory experience in terms of oxidized off-flavor perception. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the variation in sensory qualities and volatile flavors in full-fat UHT milk (FFM) and low-fat UHT milk (LFM) samples under different natural storage conditions (0, 4, 18, 25, 30, or 37°C for 15 and 30 d) and determine the main component causing flavor deterioration in the FFM and LFM samples using sensory evaluation, electronic nose, and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). In addition, the Pearson correlation between the volatile flavor components and oxidative off-flavors was analyzed and validated by sensory reconstitution studies. Compared with the LFM samples, the FFM samples showed a higher degree of quality deterioration with increased storage temperature. Methyl ketones of odd carbon chains (i.e., 2-heptanone, 2-nonanone, 2-undecanone, 2-tridecanone, and 2-pentadecanone) reached a maximum content in the FFM37 samples over 30 d storage. The combined results of the Pearson correlation and sensory recombination study indicated that 2-heptanone, 2-nonanone, and 2-undecanone conferred off-flavor perception. Overall, the present study results provide potential target components for detecting and developing high-quality dairy products and lay a foundation for specific sensory flavor compound exploration in the food industry.

Phylogenetic characterization and biodiversity of spore-forming bacteria isolated from Brazilian UHT milk.

Among the milk contaminating microorganisms, those which are able to form heat-resistant spores are concerning, especially for dairy companies that use ultra-high temperature (UHT) technology. These spores, throughout storage, can germinate and produce hydrolytic enzymes that compromise the quality of the final product. This study evaluated 184 UHT milk samples from different batches collected from seven Brazilian dairy companies with a possible microbial contamination problem. The bacteria were isolated, phenotypically characterized, clustered by REP-PCR, and identified through 16S rDNA sequencing. The presence of Bacillus sporothermodurans was verified using biochemical tests (Gram staining, catalase and oxidase test, glucose fermentation, esculin hydrolysis, nitrate reduction, and urease test). According to these tests, none of the isolates presented typical characteristics of B. sporothermodurans. In sequence, the isolates, that presented rod-shapes, were submitted to molecular analyses in order to determine the microbial biodiversity existing among them. The isolates obtained were grouped into 16 clusters, four of which were composed of only one individual. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the sequences obtained from the 16S rDNA sequencing and some reference strains of species close to those found using BLAST search in the NCBI nucleotide database. Through this tree, it was possible to verify the division of the isolates into two large groups, the Bacillus subtilis and the Bacillus cereus groups. Furthermore, most isolates are phylogenetically closely related, which makes it even more difficult to identify them at the species level. In conclusion, it was possible to assess, in general, the groups of sporulated contaminants in Brazilian UHT milk produced in the regions evaluated. In addition, it was also possible to determine the biodiversity of spore-forming bacteria found in UHT milk samples, thus opening up a range of possible research topics regarding the effects of the presence of these microorganisms on milk quality.

Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer biosensor for measuring activity of a protease secreted by Pseudomonas fluorescens growing in milk.

Bacterial proteases are sporadic contributors to milk spoilage, reducing the quality of ultra-heat treated (UHT) milk and other dairy products. Current methods for measuring bacterial protease activity in milk are insensitive and too slow to be used in routine testing in dairy processing plants. We have designed a novel bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based biosensor to measure the activity of proteases secreted by bacteria in milk. The BRET-based biosensor is highly selective for bacterial protease activity compared with other proteases tested, notably including plasmin, which is abundant in milk. It incorporates a novel peptide linker that is selectively cleaved by P. fluorescens AprX proteases. The peptide linker is flanked by green fluorescent protein (GFP2) at the N-terminus and a variant Renilla luciferase (RLuc2) at the C-terminus. Complete cleavage of the linker by bacterial proteases from Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 65, leads to a 95% decrease in the BRET ratio. We applied an azocasein-based calibration method to the AprX biosensor using standard international enzyme activity units. In a 10-min assay, the detection limit for AprX protease activity in buffer was equivalent to 40 pg/mL (≈0.8 pM, 22 µU/mL) and 100 pg/mL (≈2pM, 54 µU/mL) in 50% (v/v) full fat milk. The EC50 values were 1.1 ± 0.3 ng/mL (87 µU/mL) and 6.8 ± 0.2 ng/mL (540 µU/mL), respectively. The biosensor was approximately 800x more sensitive than the established FITC-Casein method in a 2-h assay, the shortest feasible time for the latter method. The protease biosensor is sensitive and fast enough to be used in production settings. It is suitable for measuring bacterial protease activity in raw and processed milk, to inform efforts to mitigate the effects of heat-stable bacterial proteases and maximise the shelf-life of dairy products.

Influence of storage time on protein composition and simulated digestion of UHT milk and centrifugation presterilized UHT milk in vitro.

The centrifugation presterilizing UHT (C-UHT) sterilization method removes 90% of the microorganism and somatic cells from raw milk using high-speed centrifugation following UHT treatment. This study aimed to study the changes in protein composition and plasmin in the UHT and C-UHT milk. The digestive characteristics, composition, and peptide spectrum of milk protein sterilized with the 2 technologies were studied using a dynamic digestive system of a simulated human stomach. The Pierce bicinchoninic acid assay, laser scanning confocal microscope, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and AA analysis were used to study the digestive fluid at different time points of gastric digestion in vitro. The results demonstrated that C-UHT milk had considerably higher protein degradation than UHT milk. Different processes resulted during the cleavage of milk proteins at different sites during digestion, resulting in different derived peptides. The results showed there was no significant effect of UHT and C-UHT on the peptide spectrum of milk proteins, but C-UHT could release relatively more bioactive peptides and free AA.

Proteolytic activity and heat resistance of the protease AprX from Pseudomonas in relation to genotypic characteristics.

AprX is an alkaline metalloprotease produced by Pseudomonas spp. and encoded by its initial gene of the aprX-lipA operon. The intrinsic diversity among Pseudomonas spp. regarding their proteolytic activity is the main challenge for the development of accurate methods for spoilage prediction of ultra-high temperature (UHT) treated milk in the dairy industry. In the present study, 56 Pseudomonas strains were characterized by assessing their proteolytic activity in milk before and after lab-scale UHT treatment. From these, 24 strains were selected based on their proteolytic activity for whole genome sequencing (WGS) to identify common genotypic characteristics that correlated with the observed variations in proteolytic activity. Four groups (A1, A2, B and N) were determined based on operon aprX-lipA sequence similarities. These alignment groups were observed to significantly influence the proteolytic activity of the strains, with an average proteolytic activity of A1 > A2 > B > N. The lab-scale UHT treatment did not significantly influence their proteolytic activity, indicating a high thermal stability of proteases among strains. Amino acid sequence variation of biologically-relevant motifs in the AprX sequence, namely the Zn2+-binding motif at the catalytic domain and the C-terminal type I secretion signaling mechanism, were found to be highly conserved within alignment groups. These motifs could serve as future potential genetic biomarkers for determination of alignment groups and thereby strain spoilage potential.

The effects of packaging type and storage temperature on some of UHT milk quality indexes.

The objective of the present study was to illustrate the changes in physicochemical properties in ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk packed into a pouch and Tetra Brik during storage. UHT milk samples were kept at 5 and 25 °C for 3 months and regularly analyzed monthly. During storage, significant increases (p < 0.05) in titratable acidity (TA), water-soluble nitrogen (WSN), and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) when UHT milk was packed into pouch versus Tetra Brik and stored at 25 versus 5 °C. Neither type of packaging nor storage temperature affect pH values during storage. Spore-forming bacterial (SFB) count was always higher in UHT milk packed into pouch versus Tetra Brik. Refrigerated storage kept UHT milk without detectable SFB compared to UHT milk held at 25 °C. Pouch packages were responsible for the migration of phthalate derivatives [dimethyl phthalate "DMP", diethyl phthalate "DEP", dibutyl phthalate "DBP", and di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate "DEHP"] into milk with significantly greater levels than milk filled into Tetra Brik. The total sensory scores were decreased significantly during storage, which was more pronounced in UHT milk filled into pouch versus Tetra Brik or stored at 25 °C versus 5 °C. It is concluded that UHT milk filled into Tetra Brik stored at 5 and 25 °C is better in terms of quality and safety indexes than such filled into a pouch.

Bisphenol determination in UHT milk and packaging by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry.

This study evaluates the use of paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS) for rapid determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) in UHT milk and milk packaging. The packages were analyzed by cutting the cartons into triangular shapes and submitting them to PSI-MS analysis. The milk samples were subjected to a simple liquid-liquid extraction and the supernatant was deposited onto a triangular paper that was subsequently used for PSI-MS analysis. In milk, BPS and BPA levels ranged from 60.0 to 150.8 ng mL-1. The LOD and LOQ values were 1.5 and 4.8 ng mL-1 for BPA, and 4.8 and 16.0 ng mL-1 for BPS, respectively. Linearity was R2 > 0.98 for both compounds. Precision values were below 20%, and recoveries close to 100%. The PSI-MS can be used as a simple, rapid, and accurate methodology to determine bisphenols in milk and milk packaging.

MALDI-TOF-MS and in-depth dynamic simulations on the molecular forces determining the stability of the 4-hydroxybenzoic acid - ß-Casein complex following UHT-like treatment.

Previous work has suggested the ability of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HBA) to bind to ß -casein following ultra high temperature-like processing (UHT) in model aqueous systems. The present work confirmed directly, using MALDI-TOF-MS, the presence of covalently bound 4HBA following UHT-like treatment. In subsequent molecular dynamics simulations, the 3D structure of the ß -casein molecule was modified so that the meta-C of 4HBA ring and the side chain amino group of lys32 were linked covalently. Such simulations further indicated that the covalent addition of the phenolic compound had impacted the protein density and solvent accessibility. Hydrogen bond analysis between lys32 and the remainder of the protein structure revealed that the covalent complexation supported the formation of additional hydrogen bonds. These increased from potentially 9, in the single protein molecule, to 51 in the complex with 4HBA. However, the persistence of hydrogen bonds was reduced, leading overall to decreased stability and increased protein flexibility.

Immunogold Labeling of Milk Proteins at Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Milk intended for human consumption is subjected to technological treatments to ensure its safety and storage stability. These treatments deeply modify some of its structural and nutritional characteristics. Principal modifications involve proteins that partly adsorb onto the membrane of milk fat globules upon homogenization or whey proteins that undergo denaturation and aggregation during thermal treatments. Transmission electron microscopy is a powerful approach to investigate milk ultrastructure, due to its high-resolution power. Immunogold labeling of ß-lactoglobulin and ß-casein proteins represents a sophisticated approach to examine their structure and localization following technological processes such as homogenization and UHT treatment. However, liquid milk is a very challenging matrix because of its complex multiphasic nature. To preserve both ultrastructure and antigenicity, and to obtain an efficient labelling in liquid milk samples, some precautions shall be adopted in fixation, embedding, and labeling steps as here reported.

Tobacco use and uncontrolled hypertension among Indian men: Insights from the National Family He alth Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-2016.

Background: Tobacco use is a modifiable risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases, of which hypertension is a major killer. Uncontrolled hypertension (UHT) is a major public health concern that exerts a financial and service burden on the health system. Aim: The current analysis aimed to determine the association between tobacco use and UHT among Indian males. Material and Methods: Data from the 4th National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of 1,04,120 men aged 15-54 years were used. We estimated the adjusted prevalence ratio for having UHT among reported tobacco users and non-users. Results: The prevalence of UHT was the lowest (41.02%) among those who did not consume tobacco in any form. Among tobacco users, those smoking tobacco had the highest prevalence (53.53%) of UHT followed by those using both smoked and smokeless forms of tobacco (43.84%) and those using only smokeless forms of tobacco (42.26%). Factors significantly associated with UHT were alcohol consumption (aPR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.19-1.43), belonging to the richer wealth quintile (richest quintile- aPR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.05-1.38), being overweight (aPR: 3.14, 95% CI: 2.35-4.21), and being obese (aPR: 2.89, 95% CI: 2.12-.94). Higher educational status was significantly protective against UHT (aPR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.63-0.88). Conclusions: Tobacco use is significantly associated with hypertension in Indian men. Addressing tobacco control and prevention of UHT remain the cornerstones for achieving the SDG target 3.4 by 2030, which aims to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by a third by 2030 relative to 2015 levels.

Maillard reaction products and amino acid cross-links in liquid infant formula: Effects of UHT treatment and storage.

The formation of Maillard reaction products, including Amadori compounds (determined as furosine), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), α-dicarbonyl and furfural compounds, as well as amino acid cross-links (lysinoalanine and lanthionine) was investigated in direct (DI) and indirect (IN) UHT-treated experimental liquid infant formula (IF) during storage at 40 °C. IN-IF had higher concentrations of all investigated compounds compared to DI-IF and low pasteurized IF. IN UHT treatment induced significantly higher concentrations of α-dicarbonyl compounds (glyoxal, methylglyoxal, 3-deoxyglucosone and 3-deoxygalactosone) compared to DI, which facilitated increased formation of AGEs (N-Ɛ-(carboxymethyl)lysine, methylglyoxal- and glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolones) in unstored IFs. During storage for 6 months, concentrations of furosine and AGEs increased while α-dicarbonyl compounds decreased. Principal component analysis indicated that differences between IN-IF and DI-IF disappeared after 2 months of storage. IN-IF had higher concentrations of lysinoalanine and lanthionine and lower concentrations of available lysine and arginine than DI-IF indicating higher loss of protein quality in IN-IF.

Sensory Description and Consumer Hedonic Perception of Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) Milk.

Sensory characteristics of products play an essential role on the consumer' s acceptability, preference and consuming behavior choice. The sensory profiles and consumer hedonic perception for 14 UHT milk products using sensory quantitatively descriptive analysis and a 9-point hedonic scale were investigated in this study. There were significant differences in the sensory attributes intensity and liking scores among the organic whole milk, ordinary whole milk, low-fat milk, and skimmed milk (p < 0.05). Skimmed milk samples had lowest intensity scores of typical milk aroma, taste flavor and texture attributes, as well as had the lowest overall liking scores. Whole milk samples had higher sensory intensity scores than low-fat milk samples, even though no significant differences of overall liking scores were observed between whole milk and low-fat milk. Furthermore, the relationship between the sensory attribute and overall liking was demonstrated according to correlation analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis. Overall liking increased significantly with the increasing of sweet, after milk aroma, protein-like, mellow and thick, while decreased significantly with the enhancement of cowy, cooked and whey (p < 0.05). These findings presented a potential strategy for identifying the key sensory attributes responsible for liking score differences among different kinds of UHT milk products.

Colloidal stability of milk: reinterpretation of alcohol test results by digital microscopy.

In this research communication we propose a new approach by portable digital microscopy with a 200× objective to improve the visualization of microparticles of pasteurized milk submitted to the alcohol test. Not only did the method reduce the subjectivity of the readings, but also generated high resolution images of the microparticles, which allows the creation of a specific image pattern for each type of final product. In comparison to a control pasteurized milk treatment, the results confirmed the effect and the specificity of added salts (sodium citrate, disodium phosphate or their combination) on the stability of the milk to the alcohol test. Finally, the mixture of stabilizing salts of citrate/phosphate provided the highest degree of stability to pasteurized milk among the treatments studied.

In Vitro Digestion and Colonic Fermentation of UHT Treated Faba Protein Emulsions: Effects of Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Thermal Processing on Proteins and Phenolics.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) protein is a new plant protein alternative source with high nutrient content especially protein and phenolic compounds. The present study investigated physicochemical properties, phenolic content, antioxidant potential, and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production during in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation of faba bean hydrolysates and oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. Results indicate that the enzymic hydrolysates of faba proteins exhibited higher protein solubility, increased electronegativity, and decreased surface hydrophobicity than native faba protein. O/W emulsions showed improved colloidal stability for the faba protein hydrolysates after ultra-high temperature processing (UHT). Furthermore, UHT processing preserved total phenolic content, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging abilities while decreasing total flavonoid content and ferric reducing power. Besides, the release of phenolic compounds in faba bean hydrolysates (FBH) and emulsions (FBE) improved after intestinal digestion by 0.44 mg GAE/g and 0.55 mg GAE/g, respectively. For colonic fermentation, FBH demonstrated an approximately 10 mg TE/g higher ABTS value than FBE (106.45 mg TE/g). Total SCFAs production of both FBH and FBE was only 0.03 mM. The treatment of FBH with 30 min enzymatic hydrolysis displayed relatively higher antioxidant capacities and SCFAs production, indicating its potential to bring more benefits to gut health. Overall, this study showed that enzymic hydrolysis of faba proteins not only improved the colloidal emulsion stability, but also released antioxidant capacity during in vitro digestibility and colonic fermentation. Colonic fermentation metabolites (SCFAs) were related to the degree of hydrolysis for both FBH and FBE. Additional studies are required to further elucidate and differentiate the role of phenolics during faba protein processing and digestion stages in comparison to contributions of peptides, amino acids and microelements to digestion rates, antioxidant capacities and colonial SCFA production.

Explore Gastric Lipolysis and Lipid Oxidation of Conventional versus Pasture-Based Milk by a Semi-dynamic In Vitro Digestion Model.

Research on gastric lipolysis of commercial cow's milk with different fatty acid (FA) compositions is scarce. Gastric lipase exhibits specificity for the sn-3 chain position of triacylglycerols, whose structure is influenced by milk FA composition. Therefore, during gastric digestion of conventional (C) vs pasture-based (P) milk, differences may occur on lipolysis, which has impact on free FA available, influencing their absorption/metabolism rate and physiological hormonal responses. Those two milk types were subjected to the INFOGEST semi-dynamic digestion model. Five gastric emptying points were analyzed for oxidative degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and individual free FA. The relative release of medium-chain FA (C8:0-C12:0) was higher than that of longer-chain FA (C14:0-C18:0), and a linear increase in markers of PUFA oxidative degradation occurred along gastric digestion. Quantitatively, C8:0, C18:2n-6, C18:3n-3, and CLAc9t11 were higher (P < 0.001) in P milk when compared with C milk.

Are They Careful Enough? Testing Consumers' Perception of Alternative Processing Technologies on the Quality of Organic Food.

Given the increasing public interest in how ingredients are processed and the growing demand for organic food products, it is critical to understand consumers' expectations about the process-related quality of organic products. Consumers perceive organic food to be nutritious, healthy and either natural or less processed, as they are afraid of the loss of nutritional, organoleptic and sensory properties of the food products. However, alternative food processing technologies might generate healthy and safe food options with nutritional quality properties. Simplified communication schemes might help to overcome this barrier for the consumer. The main objective of this study is to propose a working definition of "careful processing" for organic products and test its consistency through an experiment, while being used to rate different processing methods by consumers. Results show that the proposed definition allows the consumer to consistently rate alternative processing technologies. Consumers tend to score alternative processing technologies such as pulsed electric fields and microwaves as less careful, supporting the idea that organic consumers want as little man-made interference in their food products as possible. Results show that a simple but effective definition of careful processing may help consumers to distinguish more organic food products from conventional ones, no matter which communication scheme is used.