The influence of pH on the efficacy of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) to predict chlorine disinfection of surrogate bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in oxidant demand free conditions and fresh produce wash water.

Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is commonly used as a rapid measurement of the antimicrobial potential of free chlorine during industrial fresh produce washing. The current study tested the hypothesis that ORP can act as a "single variable" measurement of bacterial (vegetative and endospores) inactivation effectiveness with free chlorine irrespective of the water pH value. This situation has on occasion been assumed but never confirmed nor disproven. Chlorine-dosed pH 6.5 and 8.5 phosphate buffer solutions were inoculated with Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria innocua (L. innocua), or Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) endospores. ORP, free chlorine (FC), and log reduction were monitored after 5 s (for E. coli and L. innocua) and up to 30 min (for B. subtilis spores) of disinfection. Logistic and exponential models were developed to describe how bacteria reduction varied as a function of ORP at different pH levels. Validation tests were performed in phosphate buffered pH 6.5 and 8.5 cabbage wash water periodically dosed with FC, cabbage extract and a cocktail of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The built logistic and exponential models confirmed that at equal ORP values, the inactivation of the surrogate strains was not consistent across pH 6.5 and pH 8.5, with higher reductions at higher pH. This is the opposite of the well-known free chlorine-controlled bacterial inactivation, where the antibacterial effect is higher at lower pH. The validation test results indicated that in the cabbage wash water, the relationship between disinfection efficiency and ORP was consistent with the oxidant demand free systems. The study suggests that ORP cannot serve as a reliable single variable measurement to predict bacterial disinfection in buffered systems. When using ORP to monitor and control the antibacterial effectiveness of the chlorinated wash water, it is crucial to take into account (and control) the pH.

Supercritical carbon dioxide technology in food processing: Insightful comprehension of the mechanisms of microbial inactivation and impacts on quality and safety aspects.

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) has emerged as a nonthermal technology to guarantee food safety. This review addresses the potential of SC-CO2 technology in food preservation, discussing the microbial inactivation mechanisms and the impact on food products' quality parameters and bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the main advantages and gaps are denoted. SC-CO2 technology application causes adequate microbial reductions (>5 log cfu/mL) of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, enzyme inactivation, and improvements in the storage stability in fruit and vegetable products (mainly fruit juices), meat products, and dairy derivatives. SC-CO2-treated products maintain the physicochemical, technological, and sensory properties, bioactive compound concentrations, and biological activity (antioxidant and angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory activities) similar to the untreated products. The optimization of processing parameters (temperature, pressure, CO2 volume, and processing times) is mandatory for achieving the desired results. Further studies should consider the expansion to different food matrices, shelf-life evaluation, bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds, and in vitro and in vivo studies to prove the benefits of using SC-CO2 technology. Moreover, the impact on sensory characteristics and, mainly, the consumer perception of SC-CO2-treated foods need to be elucidated. We highlight the opportunity for studies in postbiotic production. In conclusion, SC-CO2 technology may be used for microbial inactivation to ensure food safety without losing the quality parameters.

Can a Fraction of Flour and Sugar Be Replaced with Fruit By-Product Extracts in a Gluten-Free and Vegan Cookie Recipe?

Certain food by-products, including not-good-for-sale apples and pomegranate peels, are rich in bioactive molecules that can be collected and reused in food formulations. Their extracts, rich in pectin and antioxidant compounds, were obtained using hydrodynamic cavitation (HC), a green, efficient, and scalable extraction technique. The extracts were chemically and physically characterized and used in gluten-free and vegan cookie formulations to replace part of the flour and sugar to study whether they can mimic the role of these ingredients. The amount of flour + sugar removed and replaced with extracts was 5% and 10% of the total. Physical (dimensions, color, hardness, moisture content, water activity), chemical (total phenolic content, DPPH radical-scavenging activity), and sensory characteristics of cookie samples were studied. Cookies supplemented with the apple extract were endowed with similar or better characteristics compared to control cookies: high spread ratio, similar color, and similar sensory characteristics. In contrast, the pomegranate peel extract enriched the cookies in antioxidant molecules but significantly changed their physical and sensory characteristics: high hardness value, different color, and a bitter and astringent taste. HC emerged as a feasible technique to enable the biofortification of consumer products at a real scale with extracts from agri-food by-products.

Predictive modeling of Salmonella spp. growth behavior in cooked and raw chicken samples: Real-time PCR quantification approach and model assessment in different handling scenarios.

The increasing prevalence of Salmonella contamination in poultry meat emphasizes the importance of suitable predictive microbiological models for estimating Salmonella growth behavior. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of chicken juice as a model system to predict the behavior of Salmonella spp. in cooked and raw chicken products and to assess its ability to predict cross-contamination scenarios. A cocktail of four Salmonella serovars was inoculated into chicken juice, sliced chicken, ground chicken, and chicken patties, with subsequent incubation at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C for 39 h. The number of Salmonella spp. in each sample was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Growth curves were fitted into the primary Baranyi and Roberts model to obtain growth parameters. Interactions between temperature and growth parameters were described using the secondary Ratkowsky's square root model. The predictive results generated by the chicken juice model were compared with those obtained from other chicken meat models. Furthermore, the parameters of the chicken juice model were used to predict Salmonella spp. numbers in six worst-case cross-contamination scenarios. Performance of the chicken juice model was evaluated using the acceptable prediction zone from -1.0 (fail-safe) to 0.5 (fail-dangerous) log. Chicken juice model accurately predicted all observed data points within the acceptable range, with the distribution of residuals being wider near the fail-safe zone (75%) than near the fail-dangerous zone (25%). This study offers valuable insights into a novel approach for modeling Salmonella growth in chicken meat products, with implications for food safety through the development of strategic interventions. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study have important implications in the food industry, as chicken juice could be a useful tool for predicting Salmonella behavior in different chicken products and thus reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses through the development of strategic interventions. However, it is important to recognize that some modifications to the chicken juice model will be necessary to accurately mimic all real-life conditions, as multiple factors particularly those related to food processing can vary between different products.

The Knowledge and Practices Toward Food Safety Measures at Home in the Lebanese Community.

Hygienic measures practiced at home are highly related to the occurrence of food-borne diseases during food production, storage, and handling. Contaminated food remains a major cause of several diarrheal diseases, hospitalizations, and spikes in medical expenses. In our current study, we aimed to assess the knowledge of food safety and the food safety and hygiene practices at home among the Lebanese population. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire including two sections. The first section included socio-demographic characteristics of participants, whereas the second section included questions related to practices and knowledge about food safety, divided into five parts; personal hygiene practices, dry and cold storage, sanitizing and cleaning and food intoxication. A total of 1101 Lebanese above 18 years participated and provided their responses to the questionnaire. Overall, the majority of participants had fair knowledge about food safety where 96.8% of the participants answered correctly about preventing microbial growth on food. 77.9% of those participants acquired their knowledge about food safety from articles, workshops, or the internet. Moreover, females, people with children and those who cook for themselves scored significantly higher than others (68.8, 70.6, and 70%, respectively). In comparison to younger participants (67.8%), older participants (50+ and 30-49) scored higher at 69.7% and 68.9%, respectively. Higher scores were obtained for questions related to storing dried foods/meat and poultry products with percentages 91.4 and 87.8%, respectively. However, lower scores were noticed on questions related to washing raw chicken before handling and storing eggs (9.7 and 12.3%, respectively). Altogether, our results revealed the need for directed food safety awareness campaigns at the national level to educate the Lebanese community about domestic food handling practices. We believe these campaigns can significantly reduce related diseases and hospitalizations.

Recent advances in activated water systems for the postharvest management of quality and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Over the last three decades, decontamination management of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs) in the packhouses and along the supply chains has been heavily dependent on chemical-based wash. This has resulted in the emergence of resistant foodborne pathogens and often the deposition of disinfectant byproducts on FFVs, rendering them unacceptable to consumers. The management of foodborne pathogens, microbial contaminants, and quality of FFVs are a major concern for the horticultural industries and public health. Activated water systems (AWS), such as electrolyzed water, plasma-activated water, and micro-nano bubbles, have gained significant attention from researchers over the last decade due to their nonthermal and nontoxic mode of action for microbial inactivation and preservation of FFVs quality. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of recent progress on the application of AWS and their effects on quality attributes and microbial safety of FFVs. An overview of the different types of AWS and their properties is provided. Furthermore, the review highlights the chemistry behind generation of reactive species and the impact of AWS on the quality attributes of FFVs and on the inactivation/reduction of spoilage and pathogenic microbes (in vivo or in vitro). The mechanisms of action of microorganism inactivation are discussed. Finally, this work highlights challenges and limitations for commercialization and safety and regulation issues of AWS. The synergistic prospect on combining AWS for maximum microorganism inactivation effectiveness is also considered. AWS offers a potential alternative as nonchemical interventions to maintain quality attributes, inactivate spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, and extend the shelf-life for FFVs.

Thermomechanical transitions of meat-analog based fried foods batter coating.

This study aimed to characterize the thermomechanical transitions of meat-analog (MA) based coated fried foods. Wheat and rice flour-based batters were used to coat the MA and fried at 180 °C in canola oil for 2, 4 and 6 min. Glass-transition-temperature (Tg) of the coatings were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry, directly after frying or after post-fry holding. Mechanical texture analyzer and X-ray microtomography were employed to assess textural attributes and internal microstructure, respectively. Batter-formulation substantially impacted the Tg of fried foods coating i.e., crust. Tg of fried foods crust were ranged between -20 °C to -24 °C. Tg was positively correlated with frying time and internal microporosity (%), whereas negatively correlated with moisture content. Internal microstructure greatly influenced the textural attributes (hardness, brittleness, crispiness). Post-fry textural stability considerably impacted by Tg. Negative Tg value explains post-fry textural changes (hard-to-soft, brittle-to-ductile, crispy-to-soggy) of MA-based coated products at room-temperature (25 °C) and under IR-heating (65 °C).

Growth and Survival of Escherichia albertii in Food and Environmental Water at Various Temperatures.

Escherichia albertii is an emerging foodborne pathogen that causes diarrhea. E. albertii has been isolated from various foods, including pork and chicken meat, and environmental waters, such as river water. Although many food poisoning cases have been reported, there have been insufficient analyses of bacterial population behaviors in food and environmental water. In this study, we inoculated 2-5 log CFU of E. albertii into 25 g of pork, chicken meat, Japanese rock oyster, Pacific oyster, and 300 mL of well water and seawater at 4°C, 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C, and analyzed the bacterial population behavior in food and environmental water. After 3 days at 4°C, the population of E. albertii strain EA21 and EA24 in foods maintained approximately 4 log CFU/25 g. After 3 days at 10°C, the population of E. albertii strains in pork and oysters maintained approximately 4 log CFU/25 g, and that in chicken meat increased to approximately 5-6 log CFU/25 g. After 2 days at 20°C, E. albertii strains grew to approximately 6-7 log CFU/25 g in pork and chicken meat, and E. albertii strain EA21 but not EA24 grew to 4.5 log CFU/25 g in Japanese rock oyster, E. albertii strain EA21 but not EA24 slightly grew to 3.1 log CFU/25 g in Pacific oyster. After 1 day at 30°C, E. albertii strains grew to approximately 7-8 log CFU/25 g in chicken meat and pork, grew to approximately 4-6 log CFU/25 g in Japanese rock oyster, and 6-7 log CFU/25 g in Pacific oyster. These results suggest that E. albertii survives without growth below 4°C and grew rapidly at 20°C and 30°C in foods, especially in meat. E. albertii strains did not grow in well water and seawater at 4°C, 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C. The population of E. albertii strains in well water and seawater decreased faster at 30°C than at 4°C, 10°C, and 20°C, suggesting that E. albertii has low viability at 30°C in environmental water.

Effect of Air Temperature and Velocity on Listeria monocytogenes Inactivation During Drying of Apple Slices.

A wide range of drying parameters and methods are used by industry to produce dried apples. To ensure end-product safety and regulatory compliance, it is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of such industrial practices on microbial inactivation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of drying air temperature and velocity on Listeria monocytogenes inactivation during drying of apple slices. Apples (cv. Gala) were cored, sliced as rings (∼6 mm thick), and surface-inoculated with broth-grown culture of an 8-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes to achieve an inoculation level of 8.6 ± 0.3 log CFU/g. Apple rings were dried in batches using dry air in a pilot-scale impingement oven at 60 or 80 °C air temperature and 0.7 or 2.1 m/s air velocity, and sampled every 30 min for bacterial enumeration, water activity (aw), and moisture content analysis. L. monocytogenes reduction increased (P < 0.05) with higher air velocity or higher drying air temperature. By the end of drying, in which the standard moisture content for dried apple slices of <24% wet basis was reached, L. monocytogenes was reduced by 1.8 ± 0.3 and 2.8 ± 0.7 log CFU/g at 0.7 and 2.1 m/s air velocity, respectively, after 180 min at 60 °C. When using 80 °C drying temperature, L. monocytogenes reduction was 5.2 ± 0.5 log CFU/g at both air velocities after 150 min. Therefore, process conditions should be considered in the validation of fruit drying processes, instead of solely relying on product endpoint properties, such as moisture content.

Interventions to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter during chilling and post-chilling stages of poultry processing: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are common bacterial hazards causing foodborne illnesses worldwide. A large proportion of Salmonella and Campylobacter illnesses are attributed to contaminated poultry products that are mishandled or under cooked. Processing interventions such as chilling and post-chill dip are critical to reducing microbial contamination of poultry. A comprehensive search of the literature published between 2000 and 2021 was conducted in the databases Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, and Academic OneFile. Studies were included if they were in English and investigated the effects of interventions against Salmonella and/or Campylobacter on whole carcasses and/or parts during the chilling or post-chill stages of poultry processing. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed using the "meta" package in the R programming language. Subgroup analyses were assessed according to outcome measure reported, microorganism tested, processing stage assessed, and chemical treatment used. The results included 41 eligible studies. Eighteen studies reported results of 28 separate interventions against Salmonella and 31 reported results of 50 separate interventions against Campylobacter. No significant difference (P> 0.05) was observed when comparing the combined mean difference of all interventions targeting Salmonella to the combined mean difference of all interventions targeting Campylobacter or when comparing chilling times within each pathogen subgroup. For analyses examining antimicrobial additives, peroxyacetic acid (PAA) had the largest reduction against Salmonella population regardless of chilling time (P< 0.05). PAA also had the largest reduction against Campylobacter population and prevalence during primary chilling (P< 0.01). Air chilling showed a lower reduction for Campylobacter than any immersion chilling intervention (P< 0.05). Chilling time and antimicrobial used during poultry processing had varying effects depending on the pathogen and outcome measure investigated (concentration or prevalence). High heterogeneity and low sample numbers in most analyses suggest that more high-quality research that is well-designed and has transparent reporting of methodology and results is needed to corroborate the results.

A web-based microbiological hazard identification tool for infant foods.

An integrated approach to identify and assess Microbiological Hazards (MHs) and mitigate risks in infant food chains is crucial to ensure safe foods for infants and young children. A systematic procedure was developed to identify MHs in specific infant foods. This includes five major steps: 1) relevant hazard-food pairing, 2) process inactivation efficiency, 3) recontamination possibility after processing, 4) MHs growth opportunity, and 5) MHs-food association level. These steps were integrated into an online tool called the Microbiological Hazards IDentification (MiID) decision support system (DSS), targeting food companies, governmental agencies and academia users, and is accessible at https://foodmicrobiologywur.shinyapps.io/Microbial_hazards_ID/. The MiID DSS was validated in four case studies, focussing on infant formula, fruit puree, cereal-based meals, and fresh fruits, each representing distinct products and processing characteristics. The results obtained through the application of the MiID DSS, compared with identification by food safety experts, consistently identified the top MHs in these food products. This process affirms its effectiveness in systematic hazard identification. The introduction of the MiID DSS helps to structure the first steps in HACCP (hazard analysis) and in risk assessment (hazard identification) to follow a structured and well-documented procedure, balancing the risk of overlooking relevant MHs or including too many irrelevant MHs. It is a valuable addition to risk analysis/assessment in infant food chains and has the potential for future extension. This includes the incorporation of newly acquired data related to infant foods via a semi-publicly hosted platform, or it can be adapted for hazard identification in general food products using a similar framework.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of Salmonella in fresh chicken patties.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) has witnessed rapid development within the context of food safety in recent years. As a means of contributing to these advancements, a QMRA for Salmonella spp. in fresh chicken patties for the general European Union (EU) population was developed. A two-dimensional (Second Order) Monte-Carlo simulation method was used for separating variability and uncertainty of model's parameters. The stages of industrial processing, retail storage, domestic storage, and cooking in the domestic environment were considered in the exposure assessment. For hazard characterization, a dose-response model was developed by combining 8 published dose-response models using a Pert distribution for describing uncertainty. The QMRA model predicted a mean probability of illness of 1.19*10-4 (5.28*10-5 - 3.57*10-4 95 % C.I.), and a mean annual number of illnesses per 100,000 people of 2.13 (0.96 - 6.59 95 % C.I.). Moreover, sensitivity analysis was performed, and variability in cooking preferences was found to be the most influential model parameter (r = -0.39), followed by dose-response related variability (r = 0.22), and variability in the concentration of Salmonella spp. at the time of introduction at the processing facility (r = 0.11). Various mitigation strategy scenarios were tested, from which, "increasing the internal temperature of cooking" and "decreasing shelf life" were estimated to be the most effective in reducing the predicted risk of illness. Salmonella-related illnesses exhibit particularly high severity, making them some of the most prominent zoonotic diseases in the EU. Regular monitoring of this hazard in order to further highlight its related parameters and causes is a necessary procedure. This study not only provides an updated assessment of Salmonella spp. risk associated with chicken patties, but also facilitates the identification of crucial targets for scientific investigation and implementation of real-world intervention strategies.

Interactions between proteins and phenolics: effects of food processing on the content and digestibility of phenolic compounds.

Phenolic compounds have recently become one of the most interesting topics in different research areas, especially in food science and nutrition due to their health-promoting effects. Phenolic compounds are found together with macronutrients and micronutrients in foods and within several food systems. The coexistence of phenolics and other food components can lead to their interaction resulting in complex formation. This review article aims to cover the effects of thermal and non-thermal processing techniques on the protein-phenolic interaction especially focusing on the content and digestibility of phenolics by discussing recently published research articles. It is clear that the processing conditions and individual properties of phenolics and proteins are the most effective factors in the final content and intestinal fates of phenolic compounds. Besides, thermal and non-thermal treatments, such as high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, cold plasma, ultrasonication, and fermentation may induce alterations  in those interactions. Still, new investigations are required for different food processing treatments by using a wide range of food products to enlighten new functional and healthier food product design, to provide the optimized processing conditions of foods for obtaining better quality, higher nutritional properties, and health benefits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Status quo: Levels of Campylobacter spp. and hygiene indicators in German slaughterhouses for broiler and turkey.

Poultry is a common reservoir for Campylobacter and a main source for human campylobacteriosis. With broiler being the predominant poultry for food production, most food safety related research is conducted for this species, for turkey, few studies are available. Although animals are typically colonized at the farm level, the slaughtering process is considered an important factor in re- and cross-contamination. We examined the development of Campylobacter, E. coli and total colony counts (TCC) after several processing steps in three broiler and one turkey slaughterhouses. Whole carcass rinsing and neck skin sampling was applied for broilers resulting in 486 samples in total, while 126 neck skin samples were collected for turkeys. A decrease in the loads of the different bacterial groups along the broiler slaughtering process was observed. Campylobacter mean counts dropped from 4.5 ± 1.7 log10 CFU/ml after killing to 1.6 ± 0.4 log10 CFU/ml after chilling. However, an increase in Campylobacter counts was evident after evisceration before the values again decreased by the final processing step. Although the Campylobacter prevalence in the turkey samples showed a similar development, the bacterial loads were much lower with 1.7 ± 0.3 log10 CFU/g after killing and 1.7 ± 0.4 log10 CFU/g after chilling compared to those of broilers. The loads of E. coli and total colony count of turkey were higher after killing, were reduced by scalding and remained stable until after chilling. This study highlights trends during the slaughtering process in reducing the levels of Campylobacter, E. coli, and total colony counts for broiler and turkey carcasses, from the initial step to after chilling. These results contribute to our understanding of microbial dynamics during meat processing.

Insights into the potential mechanism of liquid nitrogen spray freezing's influence on volatile compounds in surimi gels with different cross-linking degrees: Focus on oxidation, protein structure, intermolecular force and free amino acid alterations.

This study revealed the variations in odor characteristics and underlying mechanisms of different cross-linked surimi gels under liquid nitrogen (LN) spray freezing. The results demonstrated that LN spray freezing had an essential effect on the gels' odor. The odor changes in the -80 °C LN spray freezing group were closer to the control group, while -35 °C LN spray freezing treatment had the greatest impact on the aroma quality of gels. Freezing reduced gels' texture properties, intensified lipid and protein oxidation, altered protein conformation, increased surface hydrophobicity and hydrophobic interactions. These changes affected the gels' odor characteristics, leading to a reduction in fish aroma and an increase in fishy and oil odors after freezing. These tendencies were more pronounced at -35 °C LN spray freezing with lower cross-linking degrees, and reducing the freezing temperature to -80 °C and increasing the cross-linking degree to 62.99% mitigated the extent of deterioration in gel flavor quality.

Changes of physicochemical and functional properties of processed cheese made with natural cheddar and mozzarella cheeses during refrigerated storage.

The present study aimed to investigate changes of physicochemical and functional properties of the processed cheeses (PCs) made with Cheddar (PC1), Mozzarella (PC2) and both of them at a ratio of 1:1 (PC3) during storage at 4 °C for 4 months. The results showed that the type of natural cheese used affected the composition of PCs with lower fat content in PC2 due to the lower fat content of Mozzarella cheese used. PC2 with lower fat content showed decreased meltability and oil leakage compared with PC1 and PC3. The stretchability of all the samples significantly (P < 0.05) decreased during storage, and PC1 showed lower stretchability. This was confirmed by increased protein hydrolysis of all the samples during the storage with a higher level of proteolysis in PC1, leading to decreased stretchability of PCs. Further low-field nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated more entrapped water in cheese due to moisture migration into the cheese matrix that might squeeze the fat globules to aggregate, causing more fat leakage during later stages of storage. This was evidenced by microstructural analysis showing different extents of increase in fat particle sizes and decrease in free serum in all the PC samples over the storage time. Therefore, the present study provides further understanding of the mechanism of quality change of PC during refrigerated storage as affected by proteolytic properties and composition of natural cheese used.

Exploring the microbiome of coffee plants: Implications for coffee quality and production.

Coffee stands as one of the world's most popular beverages, and its quality undergoes the influence of numerous pre- and post-harvest procedures. These encompass genetic variety, cultivation environment, management practices, harvesting methods, and post-harvest processing. Notably, microbial communities active during fermentation hold substantial sway over the ultimate quality and sensory characteristics of the final product. The interaction between plants and microorganisms assumes critical significance, with specific microbes assuming pivotal roles in coffee plant growth, fruit development, and, subsequently, the fruit's quality. Microbial activities can synthesize or degrade compounds that influence the sensory profile of the beverage. However, studies on the metabolic products generated by various coffee-related microorganisms and their chemical functionality, especially in building sensory profiles, remain scarce. The primary aim of this study was to conduct a literature review, based on a narrative methodology, on the current understanding of the plant-microorganism interaction in coffee production. Additionally, it aimed to explore the impacts of microorganisms on plant growth, fruit production, and the fermentation processes, directly influencing the ultimate quality of the coffee beverage. Articles were sourced from ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using specific search terms such as "coffee microorganisms", "microorganisms-coffee interactions", "coffee fermentation", "coffee quality", and 'coffee post-harvest processing". The articles used were published in English between 2000 and 2023. Selection criteria involved thoroughly examining articles to ensure their inclusion was based on results about the contribution of microorganisms to both the production and quality of the coffee beverage. The exploration of microorganisms associated with the coffee plant and its fruit presents opportunities for bioprospecting, potentially leading to targeted fermentations via starter cultures, consequently generating new profiles. This study synthesizes existing data on the current understanding of the coffee-associated microbiome, its functionalities within ecosystems, the metabolic products generated by microorganisms, and their impacts on fermentation processes and grain and beverage quality. It highlights the importance of plant-microorganism interactions in the coffee production chain.

Biomimetic leaves with immobilized catalase for machine learning-enabled validating fresh produce sanitation processes.

Washing and sanitation are vital steps during the postharvest processing of fresh produce to reduce the microbial load on the produce surface. Although current process control and validation tools effectively predict sanitizer concentrations in wash water, they have significant limitations in assessing sanitizer effectiveness for reducing microbial counts on produce surfaces. These challenges highlight the urgent need to improve the validation of sanitation processes, especially considering the presence of dynamic organic contaminants and complex surface topographies. This study aims to provide the fresh produce industry with a novel, reliable, and highly accurate method for validating the sanitation efficacy on the produce surface. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using a food-grade, catalase (CAT)-immobilized biomimetic leaf in combination with vibrational spectroscopy and machine learning to predict microbial inactivation on microgreen surfaces. This was tested using two sanitizers: sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The developed CAT-immobilized leaf-replicated PDMS (CAT@L-PDMS) effectively mimics the microscale topographies and bacterial distribution on the leaf surface. Alterations in the FTIR spectra of CAT@L-PDMS, following simulated sanitation processes, indicate chemical changes due to CAT oxidation induced by NaClO or H2O2 treatments, facilitating the subsequent machine learning modeling. Among the five algorithms tested, the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling partial least squares discriminant analysis (CARS-PLSDA) algorithm was the most effective for classifying the inactivation efficacy of E. coli on microgreen leaf surfaces. It predicted bacterial reduction on microgreen surfaces with 100% accuracy in both training and prediction sets for NaClO, and 95% in the training set and 86% in the prediction set for H2O2. This approach can improve the validation of fresh produce sanitation processes and pave the way for future research.

Effects of sensory combination on crispness and prediction of sensory evaluation value by Gaussian process regression.

Crispness contributes to the pleasantness and enjoyment of eating foods and is popular with people of wide ages in many countries. Hence, a quantitative evaluation method for crispness is required for food companies developing new food products. In this study, the effects of different sensory combinations on crispness were investigated through sensory evaluation, and a Gaussian process regression model was used to predict the evaluation values of crispness. First, four crispness descriptors in Japanese were selected, and sensory evaluations were conducted with ten participants using commercially available snack foods under three different sensory combinations of force, vibration, and sound to confirm the effects of the three senses. An instrumental system also measured force, vibration, and sound for snack foods under the same conditions. The Gaussian process regression model determined the relationship between the sensory and measurement data and predicted the sensory evaluation values from the measurement data. Cross-validation verified that the Gaussian process regression model accurately predicted the food texture evaluation values from the measurement data even in conditions with different sensory components.

Recent advancements in the utilization of ultrasonic technology for the curing of processed meat products: A comprehensive review.

Curation meat products involves multiple stages, including pre-curing processing (thawing, cleaning, and cutting), curing itself, and post-curing processing (freezing, and packaging). Ultrasound are nonthermal processing technology widely used in food industry. This technology is preferred because it reduces the damages caused by traditional processing techniques on food, while simultaneously improving the nutritional properties and processing characteristics of food. The utilization of ultrasonic-assisted curing technology has attracted significant attention within the realm of meat product curing, encouraging extensive research efforts. In terms of curing meat products, ultrasonic-assisted curing technology has been widely studied due to its advantages of accelerating the curing speed, reducing nutrient loss, and improving the tenderness of cured meats. Therefore, this article aims to comprehensively review the application and mechanism of ultrasound technology in various stages of meat product curing. Furthermore, it also elaborates the effects of ultrasonic-assisted curing on the tenderness, water retention, and flavor substances of the meat products during the curing process. Besides, the implication of the ultrasound in the processing of meat curation plays a potent role together with other technologies or methods. The use of ultrasound technology in the process of meat curation was analyzed, which might be a theoretical insight for the industrialization prospects of the meat product.