The effect of oregano essential oil on microbial load and sensory attributes of dried meat.

BACKGROUND: Microbial load can be controlled using either synthetic or natural preservatives. Particular interest has been focused on the potential application of plant essential oils as safer additives for meat. However, there is no published research on the use of essential oils during the meat drying process. This study was focused on enhancing the meat drying process by using oregano essential oil (OEO) to inhibit the growth of bacteria and thus obtain a value-added dried meat product. The sensory response from assessors is presented. RESULTS: It was found that the application of OEO in meat was effective in inhibiting Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia coli. After 6 h of drying at 55 °C, 2 mL (0.038 mL L-1 air) and 1.5 mL (0.028 mL L-1 air) of OEO were considered as the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against S. enteritidis and E. coli respectively. Samples treated with 0.75 mL of OEO were more attractive for consumption compared with the control; at a higher concentration of OEO, the sensory quality of the food was affected. CONCLUSION: A value-added dried meat product obtained by using OEO to enhance food safety received an acceptable sensory response from consumers. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of solar drying model for selected Cambodian fish species.

A solar drying was investigated as one of perspective techniques for fish processing in Cambodia. The solar drying was compared to conventional drying in electric oven. Five typical Cambodian fish species were selected for this study. Mean solar drying temperature and drying air relative humidity were 55.6 °C and 19.9%, respectively. The overall solar dryer efficiency was 12.37%, which is typical for natural convection solar dryers. An average evaporative capacity of solar dryer was 0.049 kg · h(-1). Based on coefficient of determination (R(2)), chi-square (χ(2)) test, and root-mean-square error (RMSE), the most suitable models describing natural convection solar drying kinetics were Logarithmic model, Diffusion approximate model, and Two-term model for climbing perch and Nile tilapia, swamp eel and walking catfish and Channa fish, respectively. In case of electric oven drying, the Modified Page 1 model shows the best results for all investigated fish species except Channa fish where the two-term model is the best one. Sensory evaluation shows that most preferable fish is climbing perch, followed by Nile tilapia and walking catfish. This study brings new knowledge about drying kinetics of fresh water fish species in Cambodia and confirms the solar drying as acceptable technology for fish processing.

Recent Trends in the Pre-Drying, Drying, and Post-Drying Processes for Cassava Tuber: A Review.

Cassava tuber is an essential staple crop in tropical regions with versatile applications in the food, feed, and industrial sectors. However, its high moisture content and perishable nature necessitate efficient preservation methods to extend its shelf life and enhance its value. Pre-drying, drying, and post-drying processes play pivotal roles in maintaining the quality and usability of cassava products. This review comprehensively examines the current status and future directions in the pre-drying, drying, and post-drying processes of cassava tuber. Various pre-drying or pretreatment methods and drying techniques are evaluated for their impacts on drying kinetics and product quality. Additionally, challenges and limitations in achieving high-quality processing of cassava flour are identified. Future directions in cassava drying methods emphasize the integration of combined pre-drying and drying techniques to optimize resource utilization and processing efficiency. Furthermore, the adoption of advanced online measurement and control technologies in drying equipment is highlighted for real-time monitoring and optimization of drying parameters. The importance of optimizing existing processes to establish a comprehensive cassava industrial chain and foster the development of the cassava deep-processing industry is emphasized. This review provides valuable insights into the current trends and future prospects in cassava drying technologies, aiming to facilitate sustainable and efficient utilization of cassava resources for various applications.

Adoption of ICT4D and its determinants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify the determinant factors for a better adoption perspective after decades of innovation and dissemination. A systematic review was conducted on published studies that reported adoption rates and determinant factors using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. We used meta-regression and the partial correlation coefficient to estimate the effect size and establish the correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and the adoption of various technologies reported. Fifty-two studies with 32400 participants met the selection criteria and were included in the study. The results revealed an overall pooled adoption rate of 39 %, with the highest adoption rates in developing countries in Africa and South America. Socioeconomic factors such as age, education, gender, and income were found to be the main determinants and should be considered when designing technology for sustainable adoption. The study also found that young farmers were more susceptible to adoption. Moreover, farmers with higher income levels and educational attainment are more likely to use technology linked to agricultural production, market access, and digital advising, implying that high-income farmers with more education are more tech-savvy. However, this does not exclude low-income and low-educated farmers from adopting the technologies, as many models and strategies with socioeconomic considerations were developed. It is one of the reasons behind the underlying enthusiasm for digital agricultural adoption in low and middle-income countries.

Optimizing Harvesting Efficiency: Development and Assessment of a Pneumatic Air Jet Excitation Nozzle for Delicate Biostructures in Food Processing.

This study presents a new pneumatic air jet excitation nozzle, specifically designed for food processing applications. The device, which uses compressed air equipment and a precision solenoid valve, controls air discharge through a parametric air jet nozzle. Tests showed that the device could achieve shooting frequencies in the 40-45 Hz range, with operational pressures between 5 and 7 bar. A sensor system was used to measure the force generated by the device at different frequencies and pressures. Using the Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology, we identified optimal cavity designs for 5 and 6 bar pressures. These designs outperformed others in generating uniform force and maintaining consistent vibration voltage behavior. This highlights the efficacy of our approach in enhancing device performance under different conditions. The device's practical application in food processing was demonstrated, particularly in delicate tasks such as the selective harvesting of sensitive crops like coffee fruits. The precise vibrations generated by the device could potentially enhance harvesting efficiency while significantly reducing mechanical damage to plants. The results position the device as a compelling proof of concept, offering an alternative method for exciting biostructures in food processing. This device opens up new possibilities in agricultural and biological fields, providing a non-intrusive and practical approach to manipulating and interacting with delicate, contactless structures, with a specific focus on improving food processing efficiency and quality.

Application of Central Composite Design and Superimposition Approach for Optimization of Drying Parameters of Pretreated Cassava Flour.

The primary goals of this study were to identify the influence of temperature and drying time on pretreated cassava flour, as well as the optimal settings for the factors and to analyze the microstructure of cassava flour. The experiment was designed using the response surface methodology with central composite design and the superimposition approach in order to assess the effect of drying temperature (45.85-74.14 °C) and drying time (3.96-11.03 h) and the optimal drying conditions of the cassava flour investigated. Soaking and blanching were applied as pretreatments to freshly sliced cassava tubers. The value moisture content of cassava flour was between 6.22% and 11.07%, whereas the observed whiteness index in cassava flour ranged from 72.62 to 92.67 in all pretreated cassava flour samples. Through analysis of variance, each drying factor, their interaction, and all squared terms had a substantial impact on moisture content and whiteness index. The optimized values for drying temperature and drying time for each pretreated cassava flour were 70 °C and 10 h, respectively. The microstructure showed a non-gelatinized, relatively homogeneous in size and shape sample with pretreatment soaked in distilled water at room temperature. These study results are relevant to the development of more sustainable cassava flour production.

Chemical and Thermal Treatment for Drying Cassava Tubers: Optimization, Microstructure, and Dehydration Kinetics.

Perishable commodities like cassava necessitate effective postharvest preservation for various industrial applications. Hence, optimizing pretreatment processes and modeling drying kinetics hold paramount importance. This study aimed to optimize cassava pretreatment using the central composite design of a response surface methodology while also assessing microstructure and dehydration kinetics. Diverse chemical and thermal pretreatments were explored, encompassing sodium metabisulfite concentrations (0-4% w/w), citric acid concentrations (0-4% w/w), and blanching time (0-4 min). The four investigated responses were moisture content, whiteness index, activation energy (Ea), and effective moisture diffusivity (Deff). Employing five established drying models, suitability was appraised after optimal pretreatment conditions were determined. The findings revealed that moisture content ranged from 5.82 to 9.42% db, whereas the whiteness index ranged from 87.16 to 94.23. Deff and Ea ranged from 5.06 × 10-9 to 6.71 × 10-9 m2/s and 29.65-33.28 kJ/mol, respectively. The optimal pretreatment conditions for dried cassava were identified by optimizing the use of 1.31% citric acid, 1.03% sodium metabisulfite, and blanching time for 1.01 min. The microstructure indicated that particular chemical and thermal pretreatment configurations yielded particles in the shape of circular and elliptical granules. The logarithmic model provided the most accurate description of the dehydration kinetics, with the highest R2 value (0.9859) and the lowest χ2, RSME, and SSE values of 0.0351, 0.0015, and 0.0123, respectively.

Exploring the potential effect of Achnatherum splendens L.-derived biochar treated with phosphoric acid on bioavailability of cadmium and wheat growth in contaminated soil.

Biochar remediation efficiency could be enhanced through numerous treatments such as acids treatment. Still, there has little work done on H3PO4-treated biochar particularly biochar derived from Achnatherum splendens L. feedstock. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to further explore the potential effect of A. splendens L.-derived biochar treated with H3PO4 on bioavailability of Cd and wheat growth in Cd contaminated soil. Phosphoric acid and untreated biochar each applied at the rate of 1% and 2% to Cd contaminated/spiked soil in pots and having one contaminated/spiked control without biochars amendment. The results show that 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar has the most significant increase in plant height, shoot dry weight, and grain yield of wheat as compared to contaminated control. As compared to contaminated control, maximum improvement in total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance occurred with 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar. The 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar also declined bioavailable Cd in soil by 53%, and its accumulation in shoot and grain by 65% and 90%, respectively, compared to contaminated control. Overall, phosphoric acid-treated biochar most effectively immobilized Cd in soil and reducing its uptake and translocation to grains. Therefore, A. splendens L.-derived biochar treated with phosphoric acid could be successfully utilized for remediation of contaminated soil.

Exploring the potential of moringa leaf extract as bio stimulant for improving yield and quality of black cumin oil.

The history of plants to be utilized as medicines is thousands of years old. Black cumin is one of the most widely examined plant possessing naturally occurring compounds with antimicrobial potential. Foliar application of growth stimulators is a successful strategy to enhance yield and quality in many crops. A field study was planned to apply growth stimulator like moringa leaf extract on black cumin crop grown under field conditions using RCB design with three replications. All other agronomic inputs and practices were uniform. The treatments were moringa leaf extract concentrations (10%, 20%), growth stages (40 days after sowing, 80 DAS, 120 DAS, 40 + 80 DAS, 40 + 120 DAS, 80 + 120 DAS, 40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing) and two controls unsprayed check (i.e. no moringa leaf extract, no water) and sprayed check (no moringa leaf extract + water). Application of 20% moringa leaf extract at stage-7 (40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing) had significantly increased plant height, branches plant-1, essential oil content, fixed oil content, peroxidase value and iodine value of black cumin oil over unsprayed control. Application of moringa leaf extract showed maximum results and improves growth and yield of black cumin when applied at 40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing. As this study was only conducted using moringa leaf extract, it is advisable to conduct an experiment with various bio stimulants along with fertilizer combinations and growth regulators to check their synergistic effects for more reliable and acceptable recommendations in future.

Biochar and urease inhibitor mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions and improve wheat yield in a urea fertilized alkaline soil.

In this study, we explored the role of biochar (BC) and/or urease inhibitor (UI) in mitigating ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) discharge from urea fertilized wheat cultivated fields in Pakistan (34.01°N, 71.71°E). The experiment included five treatments [control, urea (150 kg N ha-1), BC (10 Mg ha-1), urea + BC and urea + BC + UI (1 L ton-1)], which were all repeated four times and were carried out in a randomized complete block design. Urea supplementation along with BC and BC + UI reduced soil NH3 emissions by 27% and 69%, respectively, compared to sole urea application. Nitrous oxide emissions from urea fertilized plots were also reduced by 24% and 53% applying BC and BC + UI, respectively, compared to urea alone. Application of BC with urea improved the grain yield, shoot biomass, and total N uptake of wheat by 13%, 24%, and 12%, respectively, compared to urea alone. Moreover, UI further promoted biomass and grain yield, and N assimilation in wheat by 38%, 22% and 27%, respectively, over sole urea application. In conclusion, application of BC and/or UI can mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions from urea fertilized soil, improve N use efficiency (NUE) and overall crop productivity.

Heavy metals immobilization and improvement in maize (Zea mays L.) growth amended with biochar and compost.

Soil with heavy metals contamination, mainly lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) is a progressively worldwide alarming environmental problem. Recently, biochar has been used as a soil amendment to remediate contaminated soils, but little work has been done to compare with other organic amendments like compost. We investigated biochar and compost's comparative effect on Pb, Cd, and Cr immobilization in soil, photosynthesis, and growth of maize plants. Ten kg soil was placed in pots and were spiked with Pb, Cd, and Cr at concentrations 20, 10, 20 mg kg-1. The biochar and compost treatments included 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% were separately applied to the soil. The crop from pots was harvested after 60 days. The results show that the highest reduction of AB-DTPA extractable Pb, Cd, and Cr in soil was 79%, 61% and 78% with 4% biochar, followed by 61%, 43% and 60% with 4% compost compared to the control, respectively. Similarly, the highest reduction in shoot Pb, Cd, and Cr concentration was 71%, 63% and 78%with 4% biochar, followed by 50%, 50% and 71% with 4% compost than the control, respectively. The maximum increase in shoot and dry root weight, total chlorophyll contents, and gas exchange characteristics were recorded with 4% biochar, followed by 4% compost than the control. The maximum increase in soil organic matter and total nitrogen (N) was recorded at 4% biochar application while available phosphorus and potassium in the soil at 4% compost application. It is concluded that both biochar and compost decreased heavy metals availability in the soil, reducing toxicity in the plant. However, biochar was most effective in reducing heavy metals content in soil and plant compared to compost. In the future, more low-cost, eco-friendly soil remediation methods should be developed for better soil health and plant productivity.

Evaluation of physical properties of rice used in traditional Kyrgyz Cuisine.

Eight staple rice cultivars consumed in Kyrgyzstan were evaluated for physical properties in this study. The dimensions of investigated grains correspond to 5.29-6.99 mm for length, 2.52-3.10 mm for width, and 1.88-2.13 for thickness. Equivalent diameter was in range of 3.14 - 3.47 mm, surface area took 25.35-31.90 mm². The sphericity analysis values varied from 0.480 to 0.559, aspect ratio from 0.39 to 0.55, volume of the grain was measured in range from 16.25 to 22.02 mm3, bulk density values were 0.77-0.87 g/cm3, and solid density from 1.17 to 1.41 g/cm3. The porosity of grain was equal to 28.27-39.83%, thousand kernel weight correspond to 19.67 to 27.15 g, rupture force of grain was measured in range of 63.47-155.50 N, color characteristic varied in parameters L*, a* and b*, 37.58-72.19, -0.22-10.17, and 9.65-21.12, respectively. Optimum cooking time ranged from 19.33 to 33.00 min. The water uptake ratios for 30 min of soaking were 1.21-1.28, 1.18-1.45, and 1.14-1.57 for 30, 45, and 60°C, respectively. While the water uptake ratios for 60 min of soaking were 1.22-1.42, 1.19-1.54, and 1.25-1.75 for 30, 45, and 60°C, respectively. Optimal cooking time showed that imported varieties needed lower interval for full grain cooking compared to the local Kyrgyz varieties. It was found that Kyrgyz rice varieties staying more firm after cooking as compared to imported varieties and therefore more suitable for the local traditional dish such as plov.

The Effect of the Application of Thyme Essential Oil on Microbial Load During Meat Drying.

Meat is a high protein meal that is used in the preparation of jerky, a popular food snack, where preservation and safety are important. To assure food safety and to extend the shelf life of meat and meat products, the use of either synthetic or natural preservatives have been applied to control and eliminate foodborne bacteria. A growing interest in the application of natural food additives for meat has increased. Microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli, contaminate meat and meat products, causing foodborne illnesses. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the meat conservation process. However, the use of essential oils when the meat is being dried has not been deeply studied. In this regard, there is an opportunity to increase the value of dried meat and reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses by applying essential oils during the drying process. In this protocol, we present a novel method of applying thyme essential oil (TEO) during meat drying, specifically in vapor form directly in a drying chamber. For evaluation, we use Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) to detect the number of harmful bacteria in the treated samples compared to raw samples. The preliminary results show that this method is a viable and alternative option to synthetic preservatives and that it significantly reduces microbial load in dried meat.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Cambodian smoked fish.

More than 85% of the population in Cambodia is strongly dependent on agriculture, of which freshwater aquaculture is one of the most important sources of food production. The smoked fish represents an important source of nutrients for Cambodian population; however, it can also lead to excessive intake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A field survey was conducted among selected smoked fish producers near to Tonle Sap river in Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia. The study revealed that maximal limits for benzo[a]pyrene and the sum of four PAHs given by EC 1881/2006 were exceeded 2-50 times. Such burden can lead to increased risk of development of carcinogenic diseases.

Agent Orange footprint still visible in rural areas of central Vietnam.

Levels of polychlorinated dioxins/furans (PCDD/PCDF) in selected environmental samples (soils, sediments, fish, and farm animals) were analyzed from the area of Phong My commune (Thua Thien-Hue province, Vietnam). This area was affected by Agent Orange spraying during the Vietnam war (1968-1971). Whereas PCDD/PCDF content in soil and sediment samples is relatively low and ranges between 0.05 and 5.1 pg WHO-TEQ/g for soils and between 0.7 and 6.4 pg WHO-TEQ/g for sediments, the PCDD/PCDF content in poultry muscle and liver in most cases exceeded the maximum permissible limit of dioxin content per unit fat mass. In some cases of soil and sediments samples, 2,3,7,8-TCDD represented more than 90% of the total PCDD/PCDF, which indicates Agent Orange as the main source.