Effect of crude fibre additives ARBOCEL and VITACEL on the physicochemical properties of granulated feed mixtures for broiler chickens.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties (nutrient composition, pH, water content and activity, sorption properties) and mechanical properties (compression force and energy) of granulated feed mixtures with various inclusion levels of crude fibre concentrates ARBOCEL and VITACEL for broiler chickens, i.e. +0.0% (control group - group C), +0.3%, +0.8%, +1.0%, +1.2%. METHODS: The feed mixtures were analyzed for their physicochemical properties (nutrient composition by near-infrared spectroscopy, pH with the use a CP-401 pH meter with an IJ-44C glass electrode, water content was determined with the drying method and activity was determined with the Aqua Lab Series 3, sorption properties was determined with the static method) and mechanical properties (compression force and energy with the use TAHD plus texture analyzer). The Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model applied in the study correctly described the sorption properties of the analyzed feed mixtures in terms of water activity. RESULTS: The fibre concentrate type affected the specific surface area of the adsorbent and equilibrium water content in the GAB monolayer (p≤0.05) (significantly statistical). The type and dose of the fibre concentrate influenced the dimensionless C and k parameters of the GAB model related to the properties of the monolayer and multilayers, respectively (p≤0.05). They also affected the pH value of the analyzed feed mixtures (p≤0.05). In addition, crude fibre type influenced water activity (p≤0.05) as well as compression energy (J) and compression force (N) (p≤0.001) (highly significantly statistical) of the feed mixtures. CONCLUSION: The physicochemical analyses of feed mixtures with various inclusion levels (0.3%, 0.8%, 1.0%, 1.2%) of crude fiber concentrates ARBOCEL or VITACEL demonstrated that both crude fiber types may be used in the feed industry as a feedstuff material to produce starter type mixtures for broiler chickens.

Content of amino acids and biogenic amines in stored meat as a result of a broiler diet supplemented with ß-alanine and garlic extract.

Poultry meat is a highly esteemed product among consumers. However, the emphasis on increasing body weight has led to a rise in the proportion of rapidly shrinking fibers, adversely affecting the quality and shelf life of poultry meat. With a growing awareness of dietetics among consumers, there is an increasing challenge to produce chicken meat that is not only free of antibiotics but also beneficial for dietary and health reasons. Biogenic amines (BA) can serve as indicators of meat freshness and quality. While they play vital roles in the body, excessive consumption of BA can have toxic and carcinogenic effects. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of supplementing feed with garlic extract and ß-alanine (ß-Ala) on the formation of BA and amino acid (AA) levels in the breast and leg muscles of chickens stored under aerobic chilling conditions. The muscles were obtained from chickens fed with garlic extract and ß-Ala in quantities of 0.5 and 2% for each additive, as well as 0.5 and 2% of their combination. Analyses were conducted on d 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 of storage. ß-Ala supplementation increased the proportion of this AA in breast (P < 0.01) and leg muscles (P < 0.01), along with a rise in the proportion of nonessential AA (NEAA; sum of aspartic, aspartic acid, glutamic, glutamic acid, serine, ß-Ala, and proline) (P < 0.01). The levels of BA changed during storage in breast and leg muscles (P < 0.001). The applied diet significantly influenced the formation of putrescine (P = 0.030), phenylethylamine (P = 0.003), agmatine (P = 0.025), and total BA (P < 0.001) in breast muscles. On the 10 d of storage, the breast muscles exhibited the lowest BA index (BAI) in the group, with a diet supplemented with 0.5% garlic extract and 0.5% ß-Ala (P < 0.05). The leg muscles showed a similar BA trend as the breast muscles. These supplements may be utilized in production to augment the protein content of chicken muscles and potentially decrease the BAI index during meat storage.

Characteristics of Oat and Buckwheat Malt Grains for Use in the Production of Fermented Foods.

Malted gluten-free cereal grains and pseudo-cereals are interesting raw materials for producing fermented foods. The aim of the work was to assess selected technological quality characteristics and antioxidant properties of special malts in terms of use in the production of fermented foods. The research material consisted of malts made from oat, buckwheat, and brewing barley. Malting was performed on a microtechnical scale according to the standard scheme for brewing barley grain. The basic quality parameters of cereal grains obtained malts, and laboratory wort were assessed according to methods applicable in brewing. Atypical brewing malts were characterized by parameters such as malt extractability, protein solubilization, diastatic force, mash filtration time, and wort viscosity. The best results, comparable to barley malt, were obtained for naked oat malt. Malted buckwheat grains turned out to be the least biochemically modified, although their use in the production of beer and/or other fermented beverages is supported by the high content of bioactive substances and antioxidant potential. As the malting process of cereal plants improves their antioxidant properties and increases their nutritional value, oat and buckwheat malts can be successfully used to produce gluten-free fermented beverages or as an addition to fermented products, e.g., in baking and confectionery.

Influence of Pre-Treatment and Drying Methods on the Quality of Dried Carrot Properties as Snacks.

The aim of the current research was to evaluate the effect of pre-treatment and drying methods on the properties of dried carrots. Carrots were blanched (B) (1 or 3 min) or osmotic dehydrated (OD) (15 or 30 min) and dried by either convection (CD), microwave-convection (MW-CD), microwave-vacuum (MVD), or freeze-drying (FD). FD carrots showed the highest dry matter content (93.6-95.8%) and the lowest water activity (0.24-0.38). MVD carrots had lower dry matter content (79.5-95.8%) and two times more water activity (0.447-0.637) than FD. The highest color difference (∆E) in relation to raw material was noted in MVD samples (22-35) and the smallest in CD and FD (7-18), mainly due to the increase in brightness of the dried carrot. In general dried MCD carrot samples were characterized by the highest max force (hardness) (21.6-42.5 N; on average 34.7 N) in the breaking test and the lowest hardness was observed in the CD (10.8 N) ones. Pre-treatment and drying caused a significant decrease in the content of carotenoids (2.0-2.7 times) and chlorophyll (2.7-4.5 times) compared to the fresh carrot but a retention or increase in the total content of phenolics and antioxidant activity, especially in microwave-vacuum-dried carrots with an increase of even 2.7-2.9 times compared to raw material. High phenolic content (195.6-277.4 mg GA/100 g d.m.) was found in pre-osmotic dehydrated samples, and lower phenolic content was found in blanched samples (110.7-189.6 mg GA/100 g d.m.). Significantly, the highest average antioxidant activity was found in microwave-vacuum-dried samples (228.9 µmol Trolox/100 g d.m.). The results of this study indicate that microwave-vacuum-drying as an alternative to freeze-drying, including in combination with thermal or osmotic treatment, is very promising for the production of dried carrot snacks.

Effect of pearl guinea fowl eggshell ultrastructure and microstructure on keets hatchability.

Variability in shell structure is an evolutionary mechanism in birds that enables them to adapt to specific environmental conditions. This variability may also occur within the same species under the influence of individual indicators, such as the age or health status of females. While interspecies variation is quite obvious and easy to interpret, the reasons for intraspecies variation remain unclear. In this study, we examined the ultra- and microstructure of guinea fowl eggshells to identify the association between variations in shell structure and hatchability outcomes. We analyzed the visual differences between shells with low (L), intermediate (I), and high (H) external porosity using scale invariant feature transform analysis with NaturePatternMatch software. We found that the external pore image was closely related to the overall porosity of the shell before incubation. The total pore area, total porosity, and diffusion index (GH2O) were highest in group H shells (P < 0.001). Posthatching shells were characterized by an increased diameter and total surface area, decreased pore number (P < 0.001), as well as shortened mammillary layer (P < 0.001) and decreased total consumption of mammillary knobs (P < 0.001). The porosity indices of posthatching H shells had intermediate values between L and I. Although the effect of shell structure parameters on hatching was not confirmed, we assumed that all categories (L, I, and H) of shells were ideal for incubation. This suggests that the shell structure adapts to the metabolic rate of developing embryos; however, differences in shell structure affect the duration of incubation and synchronization of hatching. Both L and H shells showed delayed and prolonged hatching. Therefore, we recommended that guinea fowl eggs with different external porosity parameters should be incubated separately for better hatching synchronization. Differences in GH2O between L, I, and H eggs suggest that the shell porosity characteristics of guinea fowl eggs may be a key determinant of the rate of water loss during storage before incubation.

Analysis of ultrastructure and microstructure of blackbird (Turdus merula) and song thrush (Turdus philomelos) eggshell by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray computed microtomography.

The unique structure of the egg allows for efficient reproduction on land. Although the functions of the egg are ensured by the concomitant cooperation of all its structures, the eggshell also plays a significant role. Apart from maintaining an aqueous environment within the egg along with controlled gas exchange, the color and pigmentation pattern of eggshell contributes to identification and protection. As a result of all these functions, the structure, shape, and pigmentation of eggshell greatly vary across the class of birds, and understanding these three variability-determining factors may aid in better interpretation of evolutionary mechanisms. In this study, we analyzed for the first time the structure, mineral composition, and characteristics of the pigmentation of blackbird (Turdus merula) and song thrush (Turdus philomelos) eggshells. The shell of blackbird eggs is much thicker compared to the shell of song thrush eggs which is due to a much thicker crystalline and palisade layers. In both species, strongly elongated mammillary knobs are observed, which create a large space between the mineralized shell and the egg membranes. The blackbird egg shell has a higher water vapor conductivity which is due to the larger diameter of the circle and the surface area of individual pores. The primary compound entering the mineral composition of the shell in both species is CaCO3 however, the thrush egg shells contained more Mg in all layers except the crystalline layer, and S in the crystalline and palisade layers. The two species clearly differ in the size and distribution of pigment spots on the eggshell. We suppose that the differences in shell structure and pigmentation presented in this study may in the future provide a basis for explaining the reasons for the much lower reproductive efficiency of song thrush compared to blackbird.

Characteristics of Dough Rheology and the Structural, Mechanical, and Sensory Properties of Sponge Cakes with Sweeteners.

Changes in the rheological properties of dough, as well as the microstructural, mechanical, and sensory properties of sponge cakes, as a function of the substitution of sucrose in a formulation with maltitol, erythritol, and trehalose are described. Moreover, the relationship between the examined properties was investigated. The replacement of sucrose with maltitol or trehalose did not affect the consistency index, whereas erythritol caused a decrease in its value. X-ray tomography was used to obtain the 2D and 3D microstructures of sponge cakes. All studied sweeteners caused the sponge cakes to have a typical porous structure. Erythritol and maltitol resulted in about 50% of the pores being smaller than 0.019 mm2 and 50% of the pores being larger than 0.032 mm2. Trehalose resulted in a homogeneous microstructure, 98% of whose pores were similar in size (0.019 to 0.032 mm2). The sponge cakes with polyols had a higher structure index than did the trehalose and sucrose samples. There were also significant differences in color parameters (lightness and chromaticity). The crust of the sponge cake with sweeteners was lighter and had a less saturated color than the crust of the sponge cake with sucrose. The sponge cake with maltitol was the most similar to the sponge cake with sucrose, mainly due to the mechanical and sensory properties. Trehalose led to the samples having high adhesiveness, which may limit its application as a sucrose substitute in sponge cake. Sensory properties were strongly correlated to cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and springiness and did not correlate to the 2D and 3D microstructures. It was found that 100% replacement of sucrose allows for a porous structure to be obtained. These results confirm that it is not the structure, but most of all the flavor, that determines the sensory perception of the sponge cakes.

Edible coatings as osmotic dehydration pretreatment in nutrient-enhanced fruit or vegetable snacks development: A review.

Edible coatings (ECs) are thin layers applied on food to protect it and improve quality. They are made from bio-based materials such as polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, or their composites. The incorporation of functional agents, such as bioactive compounds, vitamins, or antimicrobials into the EC, has been investigated to control the shelf life of many food products from horticulture ones to processed food. Osmotic dehydration (OD) as a mild technology may also positively impact the availability of innovative fruit snacks and consequently influence consumer health. Combination of the EC with the OD aims to remove water through the semipermeable membrane while limiting the transfer of solutes from the dehydrated tissue and in the opposite direction from the osmotic solution to the food. The development trend of the snack market is expanding, especially with health-promoting properties. Consumers pay increasing attention to quality of food and its beneficial effects on health. This review attempts to provide the advancement of recent studies on the application of the EC before the OD of different fresh or fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. A fundamental theory related to the methodology of creating the EC, their composition, and the influence on the physicochemical properties of products that are osmo-dehydrated to a medium water content or additionally dried to a low water content have been described. Efforts have been exerted to introduce hydrocolloids used in the production of the EC, including new sources of biopolymers such as agricultural waste and by-products. The perspectives of using ECs in the technology of producing pro-healthy snacks are emphasized.

Influence of Tea Brewing Parameters on the Antioxidant Potential of Infusions and Extracts Depending on the Degree of Processing of the Leaves of Camellia sinensis.

The polyphenol content of tea depends on the growing region, harvest date, the production process used, and the brewing parameters. In this study, research was undertaken that included an analysis of the influence of the brewing process parameters on the content of total polyphenols (Folin-Ciocalteu), epigallocatechin gallate (HPLC), and antioxidant activity (against DPPH radicals) of fresh tea shrub leaves grown from Taiwan and of teas obtained from them (oolong, green in bags, and green loose from the spring and autumn harvest). The antioxidant potential was determined in the methanol and aqueous extracts, as well as in infusions that were obtained by using water at 65 or 100 °C and infusing the tea for 5 or 10 min. The highest content of total polyphenols and epigallocatechin gallate was found in green tea extracts from the spring harvest. However, in the case of infusions, the highest content of these compounds was found in green tea in bags. Steaming at 100 °C for 10 min, turned out to be the most favourable condition for the extraction. Oolong tea, brewed at 100 °C for 5 min was characterised by the highest antioxidant activity against stable DPPH radicals.

Development of a High-Fibre Multigrain Bar Technology with the Addition of Curly Kale.

The aim of this study was to find the effect of kale and dietary fibre (DF) on the physicochemical properties, nutritional value and sensory quality of multigrain bars. A recipe of multigrain bars was prepared with the addition of fresh kale (20% and 30%) and DF preparations (apple, blackcurrant, chokeberry and hibiscus). The bars were baked at 180 °C for 20 min. These snack bars, based on pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseed and wholegrain oatmeal, are a high-calorie product (302-367 kcal/100 g). However, the composition of the bars encourages consumption. In addition to the ability to quickly satisfy hunger, such bars are rich in many natural ingredients that are considered pro-health (high fibre content (9.1-11.6 g/100 g), protein (11.2-14.3 g/100 g), fat (17.0-21.1 g/100 g, including unsaturated fatty acids), carbohydrates (20.5-24.0 g/100 g), as well as vitamins, minerals and a large number of substances from the antioxidant group. The addition of kale caused a significant increase of water content, but reduction in the value of all texture parameters (TPA profiles) as well as calorific values. The content of polyphenols was strongly and positively correlated with the antioxidant activity (r = 0.92). In the bars with 30% addition of kale (422 mg GA/100 g d.m.), the content of polyphenols was significantly higher than based ones (334 mg GA/100 g d.m.). Bars with the addition of the DF were characterized by a higher antioxidant activity, and the content of carotenoids, chlorophyll A and B and polyphenols. High sensory quality was demonstrated for all (from 4.8 to 7.1 on a 10-point scale). The addition of fibre preparations was also related to technological aspects and allows to create attractive bars without additional chemicals.

The Effect of Pre-Treatment (Blanching, Ultrasound and Freezing) on Quality of Freeze-Dried Red Beets.

This paper presents the influence of blanching, ultrasonic processing and freezing conditions on selected physical properties of freeze-dried red beet, i.e., water activity, structure, porosity and shrinkage. Red beets subjected to a selected pre-treatment using its various parameters were frozen by three methods and then freeze-dried. Ultrasound reduced the water activity of samples. Blanching in water reduced shrinkage and improved porosity. In addition to the type of pre-treatment applied, the quality was also affected by freezing conditions before drying. Combined freezing resulted in the highest shrinkage and the lowest porosity and water activity. Slowly frozen samples were characterized by the best porosity.

Physical and Sensory Properties of Japanese Quince Chips Obtained by Osmotic Dehydration in Fruit Juice Concentrates and Hybrid Drying.

Japanese quince has high health value, but due to its taste and texture, it is difficult to eat raw. The use of innovative drying methods to produce dried snack foods from these fruits may be of interest to producers and consumers. The physicochemical and sensory properties of 3 mm slices of Japanese quince fruit (with skin, without seeds) obtained by osmotic pre-treatment in chokeberry and apple juice concentrates, and with the use of convection (convective drying, C-D), freeze-drying (F-D), and convection-microwave-vacuum drying (hybrid) are assessed. The methods of drying osmo-dehydrated slices do not affect the dry matter content. In most dried quince, the water activity is 0.40 or lower. Pre-osmotic dehydration and drying have a significant impact on the mechanical and acoustic properties of quince chips. Sensory attractive chips emit loud acoustic emission (AE) during the breaking test. Chips that are osmo-dehydrated in a mixture of chokeberry juice concentrate and sucrose and dried by a hybrid method are attractive. They have a dark red color given by chokeberry concentrate and a slight sweet (with a slight sour-bitter) taste. The sensory evaluation was useful for determining the quality of the chips in terms of their texture (crispness) tested by mechanical methods. Their sensory ratings (overall desirability as weight of color, taste, crispness, and flavor) are high and similar (from 3.8 to 4.1). The use of innovative drying methods with pre-osmotic treatment allows obtaining dried material with properties comparable to those obtained by the F-D method, but in a much shorter time, i.e., with lower energy and using a simple method.

The Use of Antioxidant Potential of Chokeberry Juice in Creating Pro-Healthy Dried Apples by Hybrid (Convection-Microwave-Vacuum) Method.

The visible trend in the development of the snack market focuses on the use of innovative technologies such as low-temperature or hybrid processes that allow the preservation of native ingredients of raw plant materials. In addition, the high antioxidant potential of, for example, chokeberry fruit can be used to support technological processes and create new products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of using chokeberry juice concentrate as a component of an osmotic solution to enrich apple samples with natural bio-ingredients and obtain dried apples with increased content of ingredients with antioxidant properties; pro-healthy apple chips. The research material consisted of apples that underwent osmotic dehydration in solutions of sucrose or sucrose and chokeberry juice concentrate and then were dried by the freeze-drying or the hybrid method. The freeze-drying was more beneficial for maintaining the vitamin C content, while the use of the hybrid method resulted in the preservation of more polyphenolic compounds. The sensory evaluation indicated the need to modify the composition of the osmoactive solution. Due to the use of chokeberry juice concentrate, the content of vitamin C, polyphenols, and the antioxidant activity of dried apples was increased.

Influence of Pear Variety and Drying Methods on the Quality of Dried Fruit.

In this study, the impacts of two different pear cultivars, "Conference" and "Alexander Lucas", on the kinetics and the final quality of samples dried by convection (CD) and microwave-convection (MCD) methods, were investigated. The quality of dried material was evaluated by the analysis of water activity, porosity, color, acoustic emission (AE) and mechanical and sensory properties. The required drying time to obtain 0.2 kg H2O/kg dry solid (d.s.) was longer for "Conference" than "Alexander Lucas" and was 20 min by CD and 5 min by MCD. The pear cultivar, in conjunction with the drying method (CD or MCD), affected the number of AE events and the work of breaking. The CD pear of the "Conference" cultivar was characterized by higher force, higher breaking work and stronger AE relative to the CD pear of the "Alexander Lucas" cultivar. There were no differences in taste or overall quality, but the hardness was higher for the CD "Conference" pear. A principal component analysis showed that panelists preferred dried fruit with good taste and overall quality but lower hardness. A positive correlation was found between the number of acoustic events and sensory hardness; thus, an acoustic method can be useful for effectively evaluating the texture of dried pears. These results show that the dried pear slices that generated fewer AE events upon breaking were perceived as better by the panelists.

The effect of adding berry fruit juice concentrates and by-product extract to sugar solution on osmotic dehydration and sensory properties of apples.

Osmotic dehydration (OD) of apples caused a reduction of normalized water content (NWC) and an increase of normalized solids gain (NSG), independently of the kind of osmotic solution. The use of 22°Brix osmotic solutions with the addition of fruit concentrates or bilberry extract resulted in only slight reduction in the NWC in the samples, i.e. by about 15 and 20%, respectively after 6 and 24 h, against a value up to 80% in case of 65°Brix use. Similarly, larger NSG was achieved at higher solution concentrations, but the differences were smaller. In the case of the use of 80% bilberry press cake extract the NSG was very low but NWC was relatively high. Such a low concentration of slightly concentrated fruit juices is not effective for dehydration of apples, but it may be sufficient to enrich the fruit with the desired colorants. This higher concentration of osmotic solution and a larger addition, especially of the concentrate of chokeberry juice, significantly affected the color changes of dehydrated apples. The apple dehydrated in mixture of 65°Brix sucrose and 15% chokeberry juice concentrate solution exhibited the highest sensory parameters. The addition of berry fruit juices and extract was able to improve the apple sensory quality after 24 h OD in comparison with sucrose solution. Ethanol extract was a good osmotic agent, but not accepted due to taste and overall quality. However, the addition of the extract can be successfully used in conjunction with a sugar solution.

Dried strawberries as a high nutritional value fruit snack.

The purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of using a chokeberry juice concentrate as a component of osmotic solution and convection-microwave-vacuum drying applying to obtain dried pro-health-promoting strawberries. The research material was Honeoye strawberries, which were dehydrated in sucrose and sucrose with chokeberry juice concentrate addition, and then subjected to microwave-convection-vacuum or freeze-drying. Analyses were conducted to determine the influence of the applied processes on vitamin C content, total polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties in dried fruit. Study results confirmed the possibility of using a chokeberry juice concentrate as a component of the osmotic solution, especially with regard to polyphenolics content and antioxidant activity. In addition, convection-microwave-vacuum drying was shown to be a promising technology for the production of dried strawberries, with high pro-health potential and acceptable sensory qualities.

Structure influence on mechanical and acoustic properties of freeze-dried gels obtained with the use of hydrocolloids.

The influence of the structure formed by the type of hydrocolloids (low-methoxyl pectin, the mixture of xanthan gum, and locust bean gum, and mixture of xanthan gum, and guar gum) and the aeration time (3, 5, 7, and 9 min) on textural properties of freeze-dried gels were investigated. The hardest texture generating the strongest acoustic emission was obtained by freeze-dried pectin gel, characterised by the lowest porosity and the largest pore diameter. Aeration time significantly affected mechanical and acoustic properties of the pectin gel lyophilisate. No effect of gel aeration time on tested characteristics of samples with mixture of hydrocolloids was observed. Strong positive correlations between acoustic energy as well as the maximum force and work and negative ones between porosity and pore diameter indicate that greater resilience and stronger acoustic emission of freeze-dried gels was caused by the reduction of porosity and the increase in the pore size of the material. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The research is expected to show the phenomenon of structure formation when preparing and freeze-drying gels and explain the influence of the process parameters (time of aeration, the type of hydrocolloids) on the formation of the internal structure and physical properties of a dried product, especially mechanical and acoustic properties. This achievement will contribute to the development of the science of food and human nutrition, especially within the context of the popular research on aerated diet products. The expected result will be the ability to develop a new technology for producing food with a delicate texture, using the phenomenon of sublimation. As a result, designing changes in the structure of freeze-dried fruit gels with a delicate structure will be possible due to the choice of ingredients and aeration parameters in order to develop innovative food characterised by favorable nutritional, health and functional properties, which will be attractive for the consumers.