Effect of liquid whey protein concentrate-based edible coating enriched with cinnamon carbon dioxide extract on the quality and shelf life of Eastern European curd cheese.

Fresh unripened curd cheese has long been a well-known Eastern European artisanal dairy product; however, due to possible cross-contamination from manual production steps, high moisture content (50-60%), and metabolic activity of present lactic acid bacteria, the shelf life of curd cheese is short (10-20 d). Therefore, the aim of this study was to improve the shelf life of Eastern European acid-curd cheese by applying an antimicrobial protein-based (5%, wt/wt) edible coating. The bioactive edible coating was produced from liquid whey protein concentrate (a cheese production byproduct) and fortified with 0.3% (wt/wt, solution basis) Chinese cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum cassia) CO2 extract. The effect of coating on the cheese was evaluated within package-free (group 1) and additionally vacuum packaged (group 2) conditions to represent types of cheeses sold by small and big scale manufacturers. The cheese samples were examined over 31 d of storage for changes of microbiological (total bacterial count, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and molds, coliforms, enterobacteria, Staphylococcus spp.), physicochemical (pH, lactic acid, protein, fat, moisture, color change, rheological, and sensory properties). The controlled experiment revealed that in group 1, applied coating affected appearance and color by preserving moisture and decreasing growth of yeasts and molds during prolonged package-free cheese storage. In group 2, coating did not affect moisture, color, or texture, but had a strong antimicrobial effect, decreasing the counts of yeasts and molds by 0.79 to 1.55 log cfu/g during 31 d of storage. In both groups, coating had no effect on pH, lactic acid, protein, and fat contents. Evaluated sensory properties (appearance, odor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability) of all samples were similar, indicating no effect of the coating on the flavor of curd cheese. The edible coating based on liquid whey protein concentrate with the incorporation of cinnamon extract was demonstrated to efficiently extend the shelf life of perishable fresh curd cheese, enhance its functional value, and contribute to a more sustainable production process.

Supplementation with liquid whey and ACIDAL® ML in drinking water affect gut pH and microflora and productive performance in laying hens.

1. As the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has been banned in many regions, there has been an on-going search for possible alternative compounds, such as prebiotics and organic acids. 2. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of liquid whey (LW) and organic acid (ACIDAL® ML) supplementation on performance, eggs characteristics, gut pH and health status in laying hens. 3. Seven hundred and fifty, Isa Brown chicks were randomly assigned to five treatments groups (n = 150) and each treatment had five replicates of 30 birds each. The birds were reared for 48 weeks. The treatments were administered in the drinking water at doses of: 250 ml/l of LW (Lacto25), 500 ml/l of LW (Lacto50) or 1 ml/l of ACIDAL® ML (Aci). A positive control group (T+) was treated with 500 mg/l of Tetracolivit (an antibiotic). The negative control group (T-) did not receive any treatment in the drinking water. 4. Administration of LW or ACIDAL® ML in the drinking water reduced (P < 0.05) the pH in the crop, proventriculus, ileum and caeca, as well as total coliform bacteria and E. coli, but increased Lactobacillus spp. in the ileum and caecum, compared to the negative control. 5. Oviposition was earlier in the birds in both the Lacto50 and Aci groups. The weight of birds at first lay and point of lay in the four treated groups was higher than those in negative control group. Furthermore, egg production was increased by 10.44% in birds receiving Lacto25, but the weight and quality traits were unaffected, while the egg shell ratio was higher in the Aci group compared to the other treatments. 6. The data indicated that addition of LW or ACIDAL® ML improved hens' performance by modifying gut pH and microflora.

An integrated bio-process for production of functional biomolecules utilizing raw and by-products from dairy and sugarcane industries.

The study investigated an integrated bioprocessing of raw and by-products from sugarcane and dairy industries for production of non-digestible prebiotic and functional ingredients. The low-priced feedstock, whey, molasses, table sugar, jaggery, etc., were subjected to transglucosylation reactions catalyzed by dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides MTCC 10508. HPLC analysis approximated production of about 11-14 g L-1 trisaccharide i.e. 2-α-D-glucopyranosyl-lactose (4-galactosyl-kojibiose) from the feedstock prepared from table sugar, jaggery, cane molasses and liquid whey, containing about 30 g L-1 sucrose and lactose each. The trisaccharide was hydrolysed into the prebiotic disaccharide, kojibiose, by employing recombinant ß-galactosidase from Escherichia coli. The enzyme ß-galactosidase achieved about 90% conversion of 2-α-D-glucopyranosyl-lactose into kojibiose. The D-fructose generated by catalytic reactions of dextransucrase was targeted for catalytic transformation into rare sugar, D-allulose (or D-psicose), by treating the samples with Smt3-D-psicose 3-epimerase. The catalytic reactions resulted in the conversion of ~ 25% D-fructose to D-allulose. These bioactive compounds are known to exert a plethora of benefits to human health, and therefore, are preferred ingredients for making functional foods.

Restructured low-fat cooked ham containing liquid whey fortified with lactulose.

BACKGROUND: Current health concerns have driven consumers to request products with nutritional and physiological advantages, which can be achieved by using prebiotic ingredients. Lactulose is a prebiotic with excellent functional properties and can be easily incorporated into meat products through the addition of liquid whey. This study investigated the technological and sensorial quality of restructured cooked ham elaborated without liquid whey added (control) and with liquid whey containing different contents (0, 30, 60 and 100 g kg-1 ) of lactulose. RESULTS: Liquid whey did not change any technological or sensorial characteristics of the product, but the general acceptability decreased due to addition of lactulose. Samples with higher lactulose concentrations had lower moisture content, pH and refreezing loss and increased carbohydrate content. Control and whey added samples had higher lightness and lower intense color than samples with lactulose. Liquid whey additions with higher lactulose content increased hardness and chewiness of the samples. CONCLUSION: Restructured cooked hams formulated with liquid whey and 30 g kg-1 of lactulose had minimal effects on the technological properties and sensory characteristics and, due to the possible benefits conferred by the prebiotic, is a potential alternative to provide meat products with prebiotic activity. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Liquid Whey Protein Concentrates Produced by Ultrafiltration as Primary Raw Materials for ThermalDairy Gels.

The aim of this work is to study the gelation properties of liquid whey protein concentrates (LWPC) produced by ultrafiltration (UF) as raw material for thermally induced gels intended for food applications. LWPC thermal gelation was performed using different types of LWPC (non--defatted, defatted and diafiltered) of different protein mass fractions and pH. Most of the produced gels showed viscoelastic behaviour. Non-defatted LWPC gave stronger heat-induced gels with a more cohesive microstructure, a higher water holding capacity and also higher elastic modulus (G') and viscous modulus (G''). Gel properties were not improved in products with lower content of non-protein compounds. As expected, the increase in protein mass fraction positively influences protein interactions. However, the pH is responsible for the equilibrium between attraction and repulsion forces in the gel components that influence gel hardness and water holding capacity.

The Influence of Whey Protein Isolate on the Quality Indicators of Acidophilic Ice Cream Based on Liquid Concentrates of Demineralized Whey.

The use of liquid whey concentrates in the composition of ice cream, especially in combination with other powdered whey proteins, is limited due to their understudied properties. This article shows the main rheological and thermophysical characteristics of ice cream mixes, as well as color parameters, microstructure, analysis of ice crystals and quality indicators of ice cream during storage. The most significant freezing of free water (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in the temperature range from the cryoscopic temperature to -10 °C. The microscopy of experimental ice cream samples based on hydrolyzed whey concentrates indicates the formation of a homogeneous crystalline structure of ice crystals with an average diameter of 13.75-14.75 µm. Microstructural analysis confirms the expediency of using whey protein isolate in ice cream, which ensures uniform distribution of air bubbles in the product and sufficient overrun (71.98-76.55%). The combination of non-hydrolyzed whey concentrate and 3% whey protein isolate provides the highest stability to preserve the purity and color intensity of the ice cream during storage. The produced ice cream can be classified as probiotic (number of Lactobacillus acidophilus not lower than 6.2 log CFU/g) and protein-enriched (protein supply from 15.02-18.59%).

Effect of a Co-Feed Liquid Whey-Integrated Diet on Crossbred Pigs' Fecal Microbiota.

This study assessed the potential effect of a co-feed liquid whey-integrated diet on the fecal microbiota of 14 crossbred pigs. The experimental design was as follows: seven pigs were in the control group, fed with a control feed, and seven were in the experimental group, fed with the same control feed supplemented daily with liquid whey. The collection of fecal samples was conducted on each animal before the dietary treatment (T0) and one (T1), and two (T2) months after the beginning of the co-feed integration. In addition, blood samples were collected from each pig at the same time points in order to evaluate the physiological parameters. Taxonomic analysis showed a bacterial community dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria phyla that populated the crossbred pig feces. The diversity metrics suggested that the co-feed supplementation affected some alpha diversity indexes of the fecal microbiota. In addition, the differential abundance analysis at the genus level revealed significant differences for various genera, suggesting that the liquid whey supplementation potentially influenced a part of the bacterial community over time. Spearman's correlations revealed that the differential abundant genera identified are positively or negatively correlated with the physiological parameters.

Characterization of the Nero Siciliano Pig Fecal Microbiota after a Liquid Whey-Supplemented Diet.

The utilization of dairy by-products as animal feed, especially in swine production, is a strategy to provide functional ingredients to improve gut health. This study explored the potential effect of a liquid whey-supplemented diet on the fecal microbiota of eleven pigs belonging to the Nero Siciliano breed. Five pigs were assigned to the control group and fed with a standard formulation feed, whereas six pigs were assigned to the experimental group and fed with the same feed supplemented with liquid whey. Fecal samples were collected from each individual before the experimental diet (T0), and one (T1) and two (T2) months after the beginning of the co-feed supplementation. Taxonomic analysis, based on the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA, showed that pig feces were populated by a complex microbial community with a remarkable abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes phyla and Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Treponema genera. Alpha and beta diversity values suggested that the experimental diet did not significantly affect the overall fecal microbiota diversity. However, analysis of abundance at different time points revealed significant variation in several bacterial genera, suggesting that the experimental diet potentially affected some genera of the microbial community.

Different genotype and a liquid whey-supplemented diet influence the resilience of pigs through immune-modulation and anti-inflammatory response.

This study evaluated (i) whether weight gain and levels of inflammatory and immune markers including white blood cells (WBC), serum haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, albumin, and globulin fractions change between the Nero Siciliano pig breed and the crossbreed Landrace x Large White (LxLW) reared under the same environmental and farming conditions; and (ii) whether a liquid whey diet supplementation affects the investigated parameters in both genotypes. In this study, 10 crossbreed LxLW and 10 Nero Siciliano pigs were given control feed, representing the control groups (CTRC and CTRNS), whereas 10 crossbreed LxLW and 10 Nero Siciliano pigs were given control feed supplemented with liquid whey for 2 months, representing the experimental groups (WC and WNS). From each pig, body weight and blood were collected before experimental diet supplementation (T0), and one (T1) and two (T2) months after the start of the diet supplemented with whey. The white blood cell count (WBC), serum haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, total proteins, albumin and globulin fraction concentration were assessed. Two-way analysis of variance showed an increasing trend of body weight both in the control and experimental groups of the two pig genotypes throughout the monitoring period (p < 0.01) without a significant effect of genotype and diet (p > 0.05). The concentration of haptoglobin, ß1- and ß2-globulins was affected by pig genotype, diet supplementation, and time (p < 0.01). The values of WBC, C-reactive protein, albumin, α-globulins, and A/G ratio were affected by diet supplementation (p < 0.01) and time (p < 0.01) without an influence of genotype (p > 0.05). Nero Siciliano pigs showed lower levels of haptoglobin, ß1-globulin, and ß2-globulin compared to crossbreed LxLW. Nero Siciliano pigs and crossbred LxLW fed with liquid whey showed lower levels of WBC, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, α-, ß1-, and ß2-globulins and higher values of albumin compared to control groups. The results reinforced the hypothesis that autochthonous breeds possess higher resilience to farming conditions when compared to allochthonous breeds. Moreover, an immune-modulatory and an anti-inflammatory power of liquid whey dietary supplementation is suggested probably thanks to its content in natural bioactive substances including anti-inflammatory cytokines and anti-oxidative factors.

A low cost instrumentation system to analyze different types of milk adulteration.

In this paper, the design of a complete instrumentation system to detect different types of milk adulteration has been reported. A simple to use indicator type readout device is reported which can be used by milk community people. A low cost microcontroller based automatic sensing system is also reported to detect 'synthetic milk', which has been reconstructed after adulterating the milk with 'liquid-whey'.