Improvement on wheat bread quality by in situ produced dextran-A comprehensive review from the viewpoint of starch and gluten.

Deterioration of bread quality, characterized by the staling of bread crumb, the softening of bread crust and the loss of aroma, has caused a huge food waste and economic loss, which is a bottleneck restriction to the development of the breadmaking industry. Various bread improvers have been widely used to alleviate the issue. However, it is noteworthy that the sourdough technology has emerged as a pivotal factor in this regard. In sourdough, the metabolic breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids leads to the production of exopolysaccharides, organic acids, aroma compounds, or prebiotics, which contributes to the preeminent ability of sourdough to enhance bread attributes. Moreover, sourdough exhibits a "green-label" feature, which satisfies the consumers' increasing demand for additive-free food products. In the past two decades, there has been a significant focus on sourdough with in situ produced dextran due to its exceptional performance. In this review, the behaviors of bread crucial compositions (i.e., starch and gluten) during dough mixing, proofing, baking and bread storing, as well as alterations induced by the acidic environment and the presence of dextran are systemically summarized. From the viewpoint of starch and gluten, results obtained confirm the synergistic amelioration on bread quality by the coadministration of acidity and dextran, and also highlight the central role of acidification. This review contributes to establishing a theoretical foundation for more effectively enhancing the quality of wheat breads through the application of in situ produced dextran.

Application of surface-modified functional packaging in food storage: A comprehensive review.

Innovations in food packaging systems could meet the evolving needs of the market; emerging concepts of non-migrating technologies reduce the negative migration of preservatives from packaging materials, extend shelf life, and improve food quality and safety. Non-migratory packaging activates the surface of inert materials through pretreatment to generate different active groups. The preservative is covalently grafted with the resin of the pretreated packaging substrate through the graft polymerization of the monomer and the coupling reaction of the polymer chain. The covalent link not only provides the required surface properties of the material for a long time but also retains the inherent properties of the polymer. This technique is applied to the processing for durable, stable, and easily controllable packaging widely. This article reviews the principles of various techniques for packaging materials, surface graft modification, and performance characterization of materials after grafting modification. Potential applications in the food industry and future research trends are also discussed.

What Is Quality Food? The Opinion of Key of the Brazilian Food System.

The aim of the study was to explore the concept of quality food in the opinion of key informants of the food system. This qualitative research included 208 key informants related to the food supply for Brazilian public food services. The participants were grouped into three groups according to their participation in the food system: 1. Food production; 2. Management and marketing; 3. Meal's production process. Key informants answered the following question: "In your opinion, what is quality food?". The answers were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The data analysis resulted in 52 codes grouped into eight categories, expressing the opinion of the study participants about what quality food is: nutritional, sustainable, sensory, hygienic-sanitary, care, regulatory, dependability and symbolic. Nutritional and sustainable dimensions were predominantly considered. The activities carried out in the food system seem to influence the opinion on food quality. The groups linked to food production put more emphasis on the sustainable dimension, followed by the nutritional dimension, while the groups linked to management and marketing and to the meals production process put more emphasis on the nutritional and sensory dimensions. These differences may indicate a difficulty in the transition towards a more sustainable and healthy food system.

Comprehensive fluorescence profiles of contamination-prone foods applied to the design of microcontact-printed in situ functional oligonucleotide sensors.

With both foodborne illness and food spoilage detrimentally impacting human health and the economy, there is growing interest in the development of in situ sensors that offer real-time monitoring of food quality within enclosed food packages. While oligonucleotide-based fluorescent sensors have illustrated significant promise, the development of such on-food sensors requires consideration towards sensing-relevant fluorescence properties of target food products-information that has not yet been reported. To address this need, comprehensive fluorescence profiles for various contamination-prone food products are established in this study across several wavelengths and timepoints. The intensity of these food backgrounds is further contextualized to biomolecule-mediated sensing using overlaid fluorescent oligonucleotide arrays, which offer perspective towards the viability of distinct wavelengths and fluorophores for in situ food monitoring. Results show that biosensing in the Cyanine3 range is optimal for all tested foods, with the Cyanine5 range offering comparable performance with meat products specifically. Moreover, recognizing that mass fabrication of on-food sensors requires rapid and simple deposition of sensing agents onto packaging substrates, RNA-cleaving fluorescent nucleic acid probes are successfully deposited via microcontact printing for the first time. Direct incorporation onto food packaging yields cost-effective sensors with performance comparable to ones produced using conventional deposition strategies.

Effect of ultrasonic treatment during fermentation on the quality of fortified sweet wine.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential of ultrasonic treatment during fermentation for enhancing the quality of fortified wines with varying time and power settings. Chemical analysis and sensory evaluation were conducted to assess the impact of ultrasonic treatment on wine quality. Results showed that ultrasonic treatment could increase total anthocyanin and total phenol content, reduce anthocyanin degradation rate, and improve color stability. Moreover, ethyl carbamate content was lower in the ultrasonic group after aging compared to non-ultrasonic group. A combination of 200 W for 20 min resulted in higher sensory scores and more coordinated taste, while a combination of 400 W for 40 min produced higher levels of volatile compounds (21860.12 µg/L) leading to a richer and more elegant aroma. Therefore, ultrasound can be used as a potential technology to improve the quality of wine.

Recent Advances and Future Perspectives in the E-Nose Technologies Addressed to the Wine Industry.

Electronic nose devices stand out as pioneering innovations in contemporary technological research, addressing the arduous challenge of replicating the complex sense of smell found in humans. Currently, sensor instruments find application in a variety of fields, including environmental, (bio)medical, food, pharmaceutical, and materials production. Particularly the latter, has seen a significant increase in the adoption of technological tools to assess food quality, gradually supplanting human panelists and thus reshaping the entire quality control paradigm in the sector. This process is happening even more rapidly in the world of wine, where olfactory sensory analysis has always played a central role in attributing certain qualities to a wine. In this review, conducted using sources such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science, we examined papers published between January 2015 and January 2024. The aim was to explore prevailing trends in the use of human panels and sensory tools (such as the E-nose) in the wine industry. The focus was on the evaluation of wine quality attributes by paying specific attention to geographical origin, sensory defects, and monitoring of production trends. Analyzed results show that the application of E-nose-type sensors performs satisfactorily in that trajectory. Nevertheless, the integration of this type of analysis with more classical methods, such as the trained sensory panel test and with the application of destructive instrument volatile compound (VOC) detection (e.g., gas chromatography), still seems necessary to better explore and investigate the aromatic characteristics of wines.

Tipologías de padres y madres según sus prácticas parentales de alimentación: un análisis de perfiles latentes en familias con doble ingreso e hijos adolescentes / Typologies of fathers and mothers according to their parental feeding practices: a latent profi le analysis in dual-income families with adolescent children

Introducción: esta investigación buscó identificar perfiles de padres y madres según sus prácticas parentales de alimentación (PPA) (monitoreo, restricción, modelo y control infantil) y determinar si los perfiles difieren según su satisfacción con la alimentación (SWFoL), interfaz trabajo-familia, calidad de la dieta de padres y madres e hijos/as adolescentes, tipo de trabajo y características sociodemográficas (nivel socioeconómico, género y edad). Método: la muestra fue de 430 familias biparentales con doble ingreso e hijos/as adolescentes de Santiago, Chile. Se utilizaron el Cuestionario Comprensivo de Prácticas Parentales de Alimentación, la Escala de Satisfacción con la Alimentación (SWFoL), el Índice de Alimentación Saludable Adaptado (IAS) y la Escala de Interfaz trabajo-familia (conflicto trabajo y familia y enriquecimiento trabajo y familia). Resultados: el análisis de perfiles latentes mostró cinco perfiles de padres y madres: a) madres y padres con alto control y restricción (32,1 %); b) madres y padres con alto control y muy bajo monitoreo, restricción y modelo (29,5 %); c) madres con alto monitoreo y padres con bajo control y restricción (18,8 %); d) madres y padres con alto monitoreo (14,9 %); y e) madres y padres con alta restricción y modelo (4,7 %). Conclusión: los perfiles difirieron en los puntajes de SWFoL de padres y madres, conflicto familia-trabajo del padre, enriquecimiento trabajo y familia del padre, calidad de la dieta de los tres miembros de la familia y en el índice de masa corporal de las madres. Los resultados sugieren que los padres y las madres utilizan diferentes combinaciones de PPA según las características de sus familias y lugares de trabajo.(AU)

Background: this research was designed to identifying profiles of parents according to their food parenting practices (FPFP) (monitoring, restriction, modeling and child control) and to determine whether the profiles differed according to their satisfaction with food-related life (SWFoL),work-family interface, diet quality of parents and adolescent type of work and sociodemographic characteristics (socioeconomic level, genderand age). Methods: the sample consisted of 430 two-parent dual-income families with adolescent in Santiago, Chile. The Comprehensive questionnaire of Parental Eating Practices, Satisfaction with Food-related Life scale (SWFoL), Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and Work-Family Interface Scale (work-family conflict and work-family enrichment) were used. Results: latent profile analysis showed five profiles of fathers and mothers: a) mothers and fathers with high control and restraint (32.1 %); b) mothers and fathers with high control and very low monitoring, restriction and modeling (29.5 %); c) mothers with high monitoring and fathers with low control and restriction (18.8 %); d) mothers and fathers with high monitoring (14.9 %); and e) mothers and fathers with high restraint and modeling (4.7 %). Conclusions: the profiles differed in fathers’ and mothers’ SWFoL scores, fathers’ work-family conflict, fathers’ work-family enrichment, diet quality of all three family members, and mothers’ body mass index. The results suggest that fathers and mothers use different combinations of FPP according to the characteristics of their families and workplaces.(AU)

Quantum dots as advanced nanomaterials for food quality and safety applications: A comprehensive review and future perspectives.

The importance of food quality and safety lies in ensuring the best product quality to meet consumer demands and public health. Advanced technologies play a crucial role in minimizing the risk of foodborne illnesses, contamination, drug residue, and other potential hazards in food. Significant materials and technological advancements have been made throughout the food supply chain. Among them, quantum dots (QDs), as a class of advanced nanomaterials with unique physicochemical properties, are progressively demonstrating their value in the field of food quality and safety. This review aims to explore cutting-edge research on the different applications of QDs in food quality and safety, including encapsulation of bioactive compounds, detection of food analytes, food preservation and packaging, and intelligent food freshness indicators. Moreover, the modification strategies and potential toxicities of diverse QDs are outlined, which can affect performance and hinder applications in the food industry. The findings suggested that QDs are mainly used in analyte detection and active/intelligent food packaging. Various food analytes can be detected using QD-based sensors, including heavy metal ions, pesticides, antibiotics, microorganisms, additives, and functional components. Moreover, QD incorporation aided in improving the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of film/coatings, resulting in extended shelf life for packaged food. Finally, the perspectives and critical challenges for the productivity, toxicity, and practical application of QDs are also summarized. By consolidating these essential aspects into this review, the way for developing high-performance QD-based nanomaterials is presented for researchers and food technologists to better capitalize upon this technology in food applications.

Integrating density functional theory and chemical ionization mass spectrometry techniques to assess benzophenone derivatives in food packaging: implications for enhancing food quality and safety.

Benzophenone and related derivatives are widely used as photoinitiators for food packaging to cure inks or lacquers with ultraviolet (UV) light on cardboard and paper. However, there are concerns about the potential health risks of their migration into food. Knowing the physical and chemical properties of benzophenone and its derivatives could play a significant role in their quantification and analysis using chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CI-MS) methods. These parameters are evaluated using B3LYP/6-311++** density functional theory (DFT) implemented on Gaussian code. Ion-molecule chemistry through the selection of reagent ions, reaction energetics and kinetics, thermodynamic stability, and reactivity of molecules deemed to foster VOC identification and quantification via CI-MS techniques. The VOCs under study are expected to undergo exothermic reactions from H3 O+ , NH4 + , NO+ , and O2 + ions, except endothermic proton transfer from NH4 + to 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2,3,4-trihydroxy benzophenone. These compounds possess less proton affinities than NH3 and are least stable in their protonated forms. The DFT computed properties provide the basis for developing reliable and accurate methods to detect and measure the presence of benzophenone and its derivatives in packaging materials and food products.

A novel dual-color fluorescent sensor with two pKas for on-site detection of pH in food.

Tracking pH fluctuations in food samples is important for ensuring food freshness. Fluorescent probes have been widely applied as promising tools for the on-site detection of pH changes; however, most of them can be applied only at either lower or higher pH ranges because their response structures commonly have a single acid dissociation constant (pKa). To address this problem, we designed a fluorescent sensor, called HMB, containing a methylpiperazine group with two pKa values, which exhibited a unique dual-color response to pH changes over a wide pH range. Furthermore, the HMB-based test strips are easily prepared and used as portable labels for the visual monitoring of food spoilage that results in microbial and anaerobic glycolytic pathways in real food (such as cheese and shrimp). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fluorescent pH sensor with two pKa values, and we expect that this work will inspire more sensor designs for food quality control.

Combining thermosonication microstress and pineapple peel extract addition to achieve quality and post-acidification control in yogurt fermentation.

This work investigated the effects of the combined use of thermosonication-preconditioned lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with the addition of ultrasound-assisted pineapple peel extracts (UU group) on the post-acidification potential, physicochemical and functional qualities of yogurt products, aimed at achieving prolonged preservation and enhancing functional attributes. Accordingly, the physical-chemical features, adhesion properties, and sensory profiles, acidification kinetics, the contents of major organic acids, and antioxidant activities of the differentially processed yogurts during refrigeration were characterized. Following a 14-day chilled storage process, UU group exhibited acidity levels of 0.5-2 oT lower than the control group and a higher lactose content of 0.07 mg/ml as well as unmodified adhesion potential, indicating that the proposed combination method efficiently inhibited post-acidification and delayed lactose metabolism without leading to significant impairment of the probiotic properties. The results of physicochemical analysis showed no significant changes in viscosity, hardness, and color of yogurt. Furthermore, the total phenolic content of UU-treated samples was 98 µg/mL, 1.78 times higher than that of the control, corresponding with the significantly lower IC50 values of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of the UU group than those of the control group. Observations by fluorescence inverted microscopy demonstrated the obvious adhesion phenomenon with no significant difference found among differentially prepared yogurts. The results of targeted metabolomics indicated the proposed combination strategy significantly modified the microbial metabolism, leading to the delayed utilization of lactose and the inhibited conversion into glucose during post-fermentation, as well as the decreased lactic acid production and a notable shift towards the formation of relatively weak acids such as succinic acid and citric acid. This study confirmed the feasibility of thermosonication-preconditioned LAB inocula, in combination with the use of natural active components from fruit processing byproducts, to alleviate post-acidification in yogurt and to enhance its antioxidant activities as well as simultaneously maintaining sensory features.

How do small dams alter river food webs? A food quality perspective along the aquatic food web continuum.

Damming of rivers poses a significant threat to freshwater ecosystems. Previous studies about the impact of damming on river ecosystems have mostly focused on large dams, with the impact of small dams largely unknown. Further, while the impacts of dams on aquatic communities have been widely studied, the effect on energy flow across river food webs remains unclear. In recent years, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid analysis (LC-PUFA) has emerged as a promising technique for assessing food quality and trophic interactions. In this study, LC-PUFA was applied to explore the nutritional effects of small dams on river food webs. A field investigation was conducted at upstream and downstream areas of three small dams in the headwaters of Dongjiang River, China, to evaluate the impact of small dams on the nutritional quality of basal food sources, and their consequent impacts on aquatic consumers and trophic links. Basal food sources (i.e., submerged leaves, macrophytes and periphyton) and aquatic consumers (i.e., macroinvertebrates and fish) were collected, and their fatty acid (FA) composition was measured. Our results showed that periphyton, rather than submerged leaves and macrophytes, was the primary high-quality food source for aquatic consumers, providing them with LC-PUFA, irrespective of whether sites were upstream or downstream. Damming the streams induced changes in aqueous nutrient concentrations (TP, PO4-P, DIN, and TN) from upstream to downstream of the dams, leading to significant variation in periphyton FA content. Compared with periphyton collected at downstream sites, periphyton at upstream sites contained higher LC-PUFA, but lower short-chain PUFA. Differences in periphyton LC-PUFA between the upstream and downstream areas of dams were reflected in the FA profiles of invertebrate grazers and filterers, and further transferred to fish. Furthermore, decreased periphyton nutritional quality at the downstream of the dams was one of the reasons for the simplification of stream food webs. Our results indicated that small dams negatively affected food webs, emphasizing the importance of high-quality food sources for stream ecosystems. We suggest that the trophic integrity of river food webs hinges on the dietary availability of periphyton supplying physiologically highly required nutrients for consumers and must thus not be compromised by damming of streams or other alterations.

Relación entre el conocimiento de los padres del etiquetado nutricional y el consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados con el estado nutricional de niños de 6 a 12 años / Relationship between parents' knowledge of nutritional labeling and the consumption of ultra-processed foods with the nutritional status of children aged 6 to 12 years

Fundamentos: La prevalencia del exceso de peso infantil ha ido incrementando cada año, lo cual está relacionado con diversos factores entre ellos se encuentra consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados. El objetivo fue determinar la relación existente entre el conocimiento de los padres acerca del etiquetado de información nutricional (etiquetado nutricional y al etiquetado frontal) y el consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados con el estado nutricional de escolares de 6 a 12 años. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo, observacional y transversal, en una muestra total de 255 padres y escolares. Se aplicaron dos cuestionarios para determinar el conocimiento del etiquetado nutricional de los padres y un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados. Se hicieron mediciones antropométricas a los escolares. Resultados: Del total de los padres que participaron el 65,10% tenía un nivel de conocimiento bajo del etiquetado de información nutricional y el 80% un nivel de conocimiento deficiente del etiquetado frontal. Respecto a los escolares el 35,29% tuvieron un alto consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados, en el IMC se encontró que un 60,78% presentaban exceso de peso; acerca del perímetro abdominal (PAB) un 39,61% tenían un alto o muy alto riesgo cardio metabólico. Además, se encontró una relación significativa entre el conocimiento del etiquetado de información nutricional y el PAB (p<0,05), también se encontró una significancia estadística (p<0,01) entre el IMC y el PAB. Conclusiones: Existe relación significativa entre el conocimiento de etiquetado nutricional de los padres y el consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados sobre el estado nutricional de los escolares de 6 a 12 años. (AU)

Background: The prevalence of childhood excess weight has been increasing each year, which is related to various factors, including the consumption of ultra-processed foods. The objective was to determine the relationship between parents' knowledge about nutritional information labeling (nutritional labeling and front labeling) and the consumption of ultra-processed foods with the nutritional status of schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. Methods: A quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study was carried out in a total sample of 255 parents and schoolchildren. Two questionnaires were applied to determine parents' knowledge of nutritional labeling and a frequency of consumption of ultra-processed foods questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were made to the schoolchildren. Results: Of the total number of parents who participated, 65.10% had a low level of knowledge of nutritional information labeling and 80% had a poor level of knowledge of front labeling. Regarding schoolchildren, 35.29% had a high consumption of ultra-processed foods, in the BMI it was found that 60.78% were overweight; Regarding PAB, 39.61% had a high or very high cardio-metabolic risk. In addition, a significant relationship was found between knowledge of nutritional information labeling and PAB (p<0.05), and a statistical significance (p<0.01) was also found between BMI and PAB. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between parents' knowledge of nutritional labeling and the consumption of ultra-processed foods on the nutritional status of schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. (AU)

Perovskite Nanocrystals: Superior Luminogens for Food Quality Detection Analysis.

With the global limited food resources receiving grievous damage from frequent climate changes and ascending global food demand resulting from increasing population growth, perovskite nanocrystals with distinctive photoelectric properties have emerged as attractive and prospective luminogens for the exploitation of rapid, easy operation, low cost, highly accurate, excellently sensitive, and good selective biosensors to detect foodborne hazards in food practices. Perovskite nanocrystals have demonstrated supreme advantages in luminescent biosensing for food products due to their high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield, narrow full width at half-maximum PL, tunable PL in the entire visible spectrum, easy preparation, and various modification strategies compared with conventional semiconductors. Herein, we have carried out a comprehensive discussion concerning perovskite nanocrystals as luminogens in the application of high-performance biosensing of foodborne hazards for food products, including a brief introduction of perovskite nanocrystals, perovskite nanocrystal-based biosensors, and their application in different categories of food products. Finally, the challenges and opportunities faced by perovskite nanocrystals as superior luminogens were proposed to promote their practicality in the future food supply.

Recent advances in the use of composite titanium dioxide nanomaterials in the food industry.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) nanomaterials have attracted significant attention due to their good biocompatibility and potential for multifunctional applications. In the last few years, there has been growing interest in the use of TiO2 nanomaterials in the food industry. However, a systematic review of the synthesis methods, properties, and applications of TiO2 nanomaterials in the food industry is lacking. In this review, we provide a summary of the synthesis and properties of TiO2 nanomaterials and their composites, with a focus on their applications in the food industry. We also discuss the potential benefits and risks of using TiO2 nanomaterials in food applications. This review aims to promote food innovation and improve food quality and safety.

Food quality shapes gradual phenotypic plasticity in ectotherms facing temperature variability.

Organisms exhibit reversible physiological adjustments as a response to rapidly changing environments. Yet such plasticity of the phenotype is gradual and may lag behind environmental fluctuations, thereby affecting long-term average performance of the organisms. By supplying energy and essential compounds for optimal tissue building, food determines the range of possible phenotypic changes and potentially the rate at which they occur. Here, we assess how differences in the dietary supply of essential lipids modulate the phenotypic plasticity of an ectotherm facing thermal fluctuations. We use three phytoplankton strains to create a gradient of polyunsaturated fatty acid and sterol supply for Daphnia magna under constant and fluctuating temperatures. We used three different fluctuation periodicities to unravel the temporal dynamics of gradual plasticity and its long-term consequences for D. magna performance measured as juvenile somatic growth rate. In agreement with gradual plasticity theory, we show that in D. magna, fluctuation periodicity determines the differential between observed growth rates and those expected from constant conditions. Most importantly, we show that diet modulates both the size and the direction of the growth rate differential. Overall, we demonstrate that the nutritional context is essential for predicting ectotherm consumers' performance in fluctuating thermal environments.

Critical review and recent advances of emerging real-time and non-destructive strategies for meat spoilage monitoring.

Monitoring and evaluating food quality, especially meat quality, has received a growing interest to ensure human health and decrease waste of raw materials. Standard analytical approaches used for meat spoilage assessment suffer from time consumption, being labor-intensive, operation complexity, and destructiveness. To overcome shortfalls of these traditional methods and monitor spoilage microorganisms or related metabolites of meat products across the supply chain, emerging analysis devices/systems with higher sensitivity, better portability, on-line/in-line, non-destructive and cost-effective property are urgently needed. Herein, we first overview the basic concepts, causes, and critical monitoring indicators associated with meat spoilage. Then, the conventional detection methods for meat spoilage are outlined objectively in their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, we place the focus on the recent research advances of emerging non-destructive devices and systems for assessing meat spoilage. These novel strategies demonstrate their powerful potential in the real-time evaluation of meat spoilage.

Recent advances in reinforced bioplastics for food packaging - A critical review.

Recently, diversifying the material, method, and application in food packaging has been massively developed to find more environment-friendly materials. However, the mechanical and barrier properties of the bioplastics are major hurdles to expansion in commercial realization. The compositional variation with the inclusion of different fillers could resolve the lacking performance of the bioplastic. This review summarizes the various reinforcement fillers and their effect on bioplastic development. In this review, we first discussed the status of bioplastics and their definition, advantages, and limitations regarding their performance in the food packaging application. Further, the overview of different fillers and development methods has been discussed thoroughly. The application of reinforced bioplastic for food packaging and its effect on food quality and shelf life are highlighted. The environmental issues, health concerns, and future perspectives of the reinforced bioplastic are also discussed at the end of the manuscript. Adding different fillers into the bioplastic improves physical, mechanical, barrier, and active properties, which render the required protective functions to replace conventional plastic for food packaging applications. Various fillers, such as natural and chemically synthesized, could be incorporated into the bioplastic, and their overall properties improve significantly for the food packaging application.

Desarrollo y validación de la puntuación de calidad alimentaria en el ELSA-brasil / Development and validation of the food quality score in ELSA-Brasil

Introducción: la epidemiología nutricional busca comprender la relación entre el consumo de alimentos y la ocurrencia de enfermedades.Durante la pandemia de COVID-19, el Estudio Longitudinal de Salud del Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) utilizó un Cuestionario de Frecuencia de Alimentos(CFA) reducido para comparar la calidad de la dieta en diferentes etapas de la cohorte.Objetivo: desarrollar y validar un índice creado a partir de un score (o puntuación) de calidad alimentaria (SCA) utilizando el CFA del ELSA-Brasil.Métodos: estudio transversal realizado entre agosto de 2020 y marzo de 2021 con 4262 participantes. Para cada categoría de frecuencia deconsumo de alimentos indicadores de alimentación saludable y no saludable, se otorgó una puntuación. La validez y la fiabilidad se estimaronmediante el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson, el análisis de componentes principales (ACP) y la alfa de Cronbach. Se realizaron pruebaspara verificar las diferencias entre las características individuales y la SCA.Resultados: el ACP indicó una variabilidad total del 42,5 %. Las mujeres y los individuos con mayor edad, actividad física e ingreso per cápitaobtuvieron un valor de SCA más alto, mientras que aquellos que reportaron un mayor consumo de alcohol y tabaquismo obtuvieron una puntuaciónmás baja. La alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,47.Conclusión: la SCA mostró una validez y confiabilidad satisfactorias y se asoció con datos socioeconómicos y de estilo de vida. Por lo tanto, esuna herramienta útil para comparar la información dietética, contribuyendo a los futuros análisis en epidemiología nutricional.(AU)

Introduction: nutritional epidemiology seeks to understand the relationship between food consumption and the occurrence of diseases. Duringthe COVID-19 pandemic, the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) used a reduced Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) to comparediet quality between cohort stages.Objective: to develop and validate an index created using a food quality score (FQS) using the FFQ of ELSA-Brasil.Methods: a cross-sectional study carried out between August 2020 and March 2021 with 4262 participants. For each frequency of consumptionof healthy and unhealthy food markers, a score was given. Validity and reliability were tested using Pearson’s correlation, principal componentanalysis (PCA) and Cronbach’s alpha. Tests were performed to verify differences between individual characteristics and FQS.Results: the PCA indicated a total variability of 42.5 %. Women and individuals with higher age, physical activity and per capita income had ahigher FQS, while those who reported higher consumption of alcohol and being smokers had a lower score. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.47.Conclusion: the FQS showed a satisfactory validity and reliability and was associated with socioeconomic and lifestyle data. Therefore, it is auseful tool for comparing dietary information, thus contributing to nutritional epidemiology.(AU)

In Situ Growth of Conductive Metal-Organic Framework onto Cu2O for Highly Selective and Humidity-Independent Hydrogen Sulfide Detection in Food Quality Assessment.

The sensitivity of chemiresistive gas sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) has been inherently affected by ambient humidity because their reactive oxygen species are easily hydroxylated by water molecules, which significantly reduces the accuracy of the gas sensors in food quality assessment. Although conventional metal organic frameworks (MOFs) can serve as coatings for MOSs for humidity-independent gas detection, they have to operate at high working temperatures due to their low or nonconductivity, resulting in high power consumption, significant manufacturing inconvenience, and short-term stability due to the oxidation of MOFs. Here, the conductive and thickness-controlled CuHHTP (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene)-coated Cu2O are developed by combining in situ etching and layer-by-layer liquid-phase growth method, which achieves humidity-independent detection of H2S at room temperature. The response to H2S only decreases by 2.6% below 75% relative humidity (RH), showing a 9.6-fold improvement than the bare Cu2O sensor, which is ascribed to the fact that the CuHHTP layer hinders the adsorption of water molecules. Finally, a portable alarm system is developed to monitor food quality by tracking released H2S. Compared with gas chromatography method, their relative error is within 9.4%, indicating a great potential for food quality assessment.