Mineral and fatty acid profile of high intensity pulsed electric fields or thermally treated fruit juice-milk beverages stored under refrigeration

The influence of High Intensity Pulsed Electric Fields (HIPEF) or Thermal Treatment (TT) on minerals and fatty acids of fruit juice-whole (FJ-WM) or skimmed milk (FJ-SM) beverages was assessed after processing and during chilled storage. Mineral profile of both beverages was characterized by Ca, Zn, Fe, Mg, Cu, and Mn; being Ca the macroelement detected at the highest concentration (3.06–3.17mg/100 mL). Neither HIPEF nor TT significantly affected mineral concentration of the beverages, except Fe, which augmented after HIPEF (300%) or TT (43%). During storage (56 days), mineral content in both bevearges remained highly stable, regardless of the treatment applied. 11 fatty acids were identified in untreated and processed FJ-WM beverages. Palmitic acid was detected at highest concentration (21.83–24.37 mg/100 g of fat). Immediately after HIPEF or TT, most fatty acids remained with no significant changes, only linoleic acid increased (20%) in HIPEF treated beverage. Fatty acid content of HIPEF treated FJ-WM beverages was kept constant along storage; only palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids showed lower concentrations (12–20%) at day 56. Conversely, the concentration of most fatty acids in the heated beverage underwent a significant reduction (7–19%) with time, except palmitic acid, which remained constant. HIPEF can be considered as a potential alternative to conventional pasteurization to obtain stable mixed beverages with significant concentrations of health-related compounds.     

Effect of high pressure treatments on smoked cod quality during refrigerated storage

The effect of high pressure (HP) treatments on microbiological, chemical, textural and sensory characteristics of vacuum-packaged cold-smoked cod refrigerated at 5 °C for 60 d was evaluated. HP at 400, 500 and 600 MPa for 5 and 10 min reduced microbial counts of smoked cod and delayed microbial growth during refrigerated storage. No differences in lipid oxidation estimated as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were observed after pressurization and during refrigeration. Only tryptamine and spermine at very low levels were detected among biogenic amines in smoked cod. High pressure treatments induced a brighter appearance of smoked cod, with higher values of L∗ and b∗, whereas a∗ values decreased with pressurization. HP affected hardness and shear strength of smoked cod, with higher values after treatment, but differences with untreated smoked cod were attenuated during the storage period. No differences in overall appearance and odor of smoked cod were reported after sensory evaluation. The results obtained in the present work point to the usefulness of pressurization of smoked cod at 400 MPa for 10 min or 500 MPa for 5 min to obtain an acceptable product with extended shelf-life. HP might increase the safety and protect the product against possible pathogen contamination during processing.     

Acquisition of pulsed electric fields resistance in Staphylococcus aureus after exposure to heat and alkaline shocks

Staphylococcus aureus cells were exposed to acid (4.5) and alkaline (9.5) pH, hydrogen peroxide (50 μM), sodium chloride (10%), heat (45 °C) and to a cold shock (4 °C) for 2 h and then treated by pulsed electric fields (PEF). Exposing S. aureus cells to acidic, oxidative, hyperosmotic or cold shock conditions resulted in no protection to PEF. By contrast, heat and alkaline shocks increased the resistance of S. aureus cells to PEF, regardless the electric field strength applied, the pH and a_w of the treatment medium and the strain and growth phase investigated. A ΔsigB deletion mutant was also able to develop these cross-resistance responses demonstrating that the σ^B factor is not necessary for the acquisition of resistance to PEF after exposure to heat and alkaline shocks. When cells were recovered in selective medium (with NaCl added) alkaline-shocked, but not heat-shocked cells, also showed higher PEF resistance than control cells. This investigation contributes to increase the knowledge on the factors determining bacterial PEF resistance and may help in the design of new preservation methods involving PEF.     

Effect of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) essential oil on the oxidative and microbial stability of cooked sausage during refrigerated storage

This paper examines the oxidative and microbial stability of cooked sausages, produced with the addition of 10 ppm (NO1) and 20 ppm (NO2) nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) essential oil. Instrumental parameters of color (CIE L*, CIE a* and CIE b*), Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) values, microbial profile and sensory properties of aroma have been determined on the 1st, 30th, 45th, and 60th day of storage. Addition of the nutmeg essential oil had no effect on the color of cooked sausages. At the end of the storage, NO2 sausages had the best oxidative and microbial stability. TBARS values of NO1 and NO2 sausages were 1.21 mg MDA/kg and 0.95 mg MDA/kg, respectively, and were significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared to control (1.53 mg MDA/kg). Total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria was lowest in NO2 sausages (78.3 cfu/g) and highest in control (185 cfu/g). After 45 and 60 days of storage, sensory properties of aroma of NO1 (4.21; 3.92) and NO2 sausages (4.39, 4.28) were better compared to those in control (4.07, 3.25). Hence, the addition of nutmeg essential oil in amount of 20 ppm can be successfully applied in order to extend the shelf life of cooked sausages.     

Single- and multi-cycle high hydrostatic pressure treatment on microbiological quality of mud snail (Bullacta exarata) during refrigerated storage

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing is an industrial technology used for preservation of a wide range of food products, and vacumm-packed mud snails (Bullacta exarata) were HHP processed to ensure food safety and shelf-life stability. The effects of single- and multi-cycle HHP treatment, especially the combination of different intensities, on the microbial behavior and shelf-life extension of B. exarata during subsequent storage were investigated. Total microbial count, psychrophilic microorganisms, Clostridium bacteria, total Enterobacteriaceae and H₂S-producing bacteria were enumerated during subsequent refrigerated storage, and Gompertz model was chosen to predict the shelf-life, growth rate, lag time and generation time. The results showed that the initial microbial load was obviously reduced as the pressure increased. Total Enterobacteriaceae and H₂S-producing bacteria were not detected in multi-cycle HHP processing during refrigerated storage. Moreover, multi-cycle HHP method (B + F) could improve the shelf-life of B. exarata for more than 38 days. The model indicated that the lag time for Clostridium bacteria processed with multi-cycle HHP (B + F) was extended to 24.65 days. Our findings will be of aid for the establishment of general process guidelines, and demonstrated that multi-cycle HHP technology has potential for application in mud snail preservation and processing.     

Effect of blanching followed by refrigerated storage or industrial microwave drying on the microbial load of yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor)

Yellow mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor) are being introduced into Western food products. The effect of blanching, followed by either chilled storage or industrial microwave drying, on microbial counts of the larvae was investigated. Whatever time applied (10, 20 or 40 s), considerable log reductions were obtained after blanching (total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and molds and psychrotrophs), except for aerobic endospores. No major growth was observed during subsequent chilled storage for 6 days. Total viable counts were below 3.5 ± 0.3 log cfu/g for all samples. When blanching for 40 s was followed by industrial microwave drying, drying for 8, 10 or 13 min did not yield larvae with a water activity below 0.60, which is necessary to eliminate all microbial growth. Drying times of 16 or 20 min yielded average water activities of 0.16 and 0.23, respectively. The number of vegetative cells was reduced to a large extent by blanching plus drying, but the number of bacterial endospores only slightly. Total viable counts were maximally 3.4 ± 0.8 log cfu/g for all samples. Bacterial endospores were the most resistant to the processing technologies investigated.     

Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis spores by pulsed electric fields (PEF) in combination with thermal energy II. Modeling thermal inactivation of B. subtilis spores during PEF processing in combination with thermal energy

The application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) can be used to inactivate bacterial endospores if combined with thermal energy. A model was developed in the second part of the study aiming to separate thermal and PEF induced spore inactivation. Therefore thermal inactivation data of B. subtilis spores was obtained by glass capillary method and combined with temperature time profile of the PEF process. The PEF process can be separated in pre heating, PEF treatment and cooling phase. The temperature development in pre heating and cooling phase was simulated based on a theoretical numerical approach, the temperatures in the PEF unit were measured by fiber optic sensors. To evaluate the effect of pH on the inactivation the PEF treatment was performed in Ringer solution (4 mS/cm) at pH 4 and 7. The results of the developed model indicate a thermal and a PEF induced inactivation, where the temperature induced inactivation is slightly higher in acid Ringer solution. The impact of specific energy inputs up to 195 kJ/kg was evaluated, showing an increasing total inactivation of the spores, but also shift towards PEF induced inactivation. Applying an energy input of 195 kJ/kg an inactivation of 4.4 log was obtained in Ringer solution at pH 7, which could be separated in 1.15 log of thermal and 3.25 log of PEF related inactivation. The F-value, typically used to describe thermal spore inactivation processes was calculated for the combined PEF process based on the temperature time profile. The highest F-value determined for the maximum applied energy was 2.43 s, which confirms the low product heat load.     

Microbial shelf-life extension of chilled Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and abalone (Haliotis rufescens) by high hydrostatic pressure treatment

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment on microbial behavior and the shelf-life extension of Coho salmon and abalone during chilled storage at 4 °C. For salmon, HHP treatments were applied at 135, 170, and 200 MPa for 30 s, while abalone treatment consisted of 500 MPa for 8 min and 550 MPa for 3 or 5 min. Spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas spp. and hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria, mainly Shewanella putrefaciens), as well as aerobic mesophilic and psycrophilic microorganisms, were enumerated immediately after treatment and throughout subsequent storage at 4 °C. Results have shown that HHP treatment reduced the initial microbial counts of salmon from 3.16 to 2.2 log units, moreover abalone was reduced from 1.3 log to undetectable levels (<10 CFU g⁻¹). HHP-treatment used for salmon were not sufficient to extend their shelf-life. However, the shelf-life of abalone was extended from 30 (control samples) to >65 days irrespective of HHP treatment applied.