High pressure homogenization combined with pH shift treatment: A process to produce physically and oxidatively stable hemp milk.

Hemp milk, an emerging beverage with high nutritional value and low allergenicity, is an attractive alternative to dairy, soy, and nut milks. To obtain a non-thermally processed, physically and oxidatively stable hemp milk, high pressure homogenization (HPH) combined with pH shift treatment was investigated. For hemp milk (4% protein, 5% fat) without pH shift, increasing the homogenization pressure (up to 60 MPa) resulted in a more uniform distribution of emulsion droplets (2.2-2.7 µm). When pH shift was applied prior to HPH, large clusters and aggregates of oil droplets (3.5-8.2 µm) were formed. Interestingly, hemp milk with such interactive structures was remarkably stable, showing negligible phase separation within 3-day storage at 4 °C. Moreover, hemp milk made by combined pH shift and HPH exhibited delayed hydroperoxides (expressed as peroxide value, PV) and malondialdehyde (expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS) production, suggesting the resistance of such emulsion cluster structures to radicals. On the other hand, a significant reduction of microbial population was observed in hemp milk prepared by pH shift combined with HPH. The results indicate that the pH shift + HPH combination treatment may potentially be employed for the production of non-thermally processed hemp milk.

Effect of high pressure processing on dispersive and aggregative properties of almond milk.

BACKGROUND: A study was conducted to investigate the impact of high pressure (450 and 600 MPa at 30 °C) and thermal (72, 85 and 99 °C at 0.1 MPa) treatments on dispersive and aggregative characteristics of almond milk. Experiments were conducted using a kinetic pressure testing unit and water bath. Particle size distribution, microstructure, UV absorption spectra, pH and color changes of processed and unprocessed samples were analyzed. RESULTS: Raw almond milk represented the mono model particle size distribution with average particle diameters of 2 to 3 µm. Thermal or pressure treatment of almond milk shifted the particle size distribution towards right and increased particle size by five- to six-fold. Micrographs confirmed that both the treatments increased particle size due to aggregation of macromolecules. Pressure treatment produced relatively more and larger aggregates than those produced by heat treated samples. The apparent aggregation rate constant for 450 MPa and 600 MPa processed samples were k450MPa,30°C = 0.0058 s(-1) and k600MPa,30°C = 0.0095 s(-1) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that dispersive and aggregative properties of high pressure and heat-treated almond milk were different due to differences in protein denaturation, particles coagulation and aggregates morphological characteristics. Knowledge gained from the study will help food processors to formulate novel plant-based beverages treated with high pressure. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preparación y manejo de las fórmulas infantiles en polvo. Reflexiones en torno a las recomendaciones del Comité de Nutrición de la ESPGHAN / Preparation and handling of powdered infant formulae: comments on the recommendations of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition

Las fórmulas infantiles en polvo no son productos estériles. Se han descrito infecciones graves en recién nacidos y lactantes vulnerables relacionadas con la contaminación de las fórmulas infantiles en polvo. De entre todos los gérmenes contaminantes, adquiere especial relevancia el Enterobacter sakazakii. Por este motivo, la OMS/FAO y la Sociedad Europea de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátricas han elaborado una serie de recomendaciones sobre la preparación y la manipulación de estas fórmulas en polvo, dirigidas tanto a los fabricantes de fórmulas infantiles, como a las instituciones en las que se utilicen estos productos y a los padres que preparan los biberones en casa. Estas recomendaciones y algunas consideraciones sobre el uso de las fórmulas infantiles en polvo constituyen el objetivo de este trabajo de revisión

Powdered infant formulas are not sterile and can contain small numbers of bacteria. Serious infections, especially in newborns and infants at risk, have been attributed to the contamination of these products. Of all the contaminating microorganisms, Enterobacter sakazakii, a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, appears to pose particularly serious risks. For this reason, in recent years, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) have become concerned with this problem and have drawn up a series of recommendations for the preparation and handling of powdered infant formulae, in the attempt to minimize the risk of infections. These recommendations are intended not only for the manufacturers of these products, but for the institutional and home settings, as well. The purpose of this review is to discuss these recommendations and a number of considerations concerning the use of powdered infant formulas