Oscillatory water sorption dynamics of bread crust

Step-wise and oscillatory gravimetric sorption experiments were used to study the equilibrium and dynamic water sorption behavior of bread crust. Water uptake kinetics is strongly related to crispness retention of composite products consisting of a dry crispy part and a more humid and soft part. We show that oscillatory sorption experiments of bread crusts could be very well described by a Fickian diffusion model. Many essential features, such as the shape of the oscillatory sorption curves, and the dependency of water sorption rates on time, time-interval between successive step-wise changes in relative humidity, and particle size are understood now to a great detail.     

Effect of rice wax on water vapour permeability and sorption properties of edible pullulan films

Edible films were prepared using various ratios of pullulan and rice wax. Freestanding composite films were obtained with up to 46.4% rice wax. Water vapour barrier properties of the pullulan film were improved with increased addition of rice wax. Moisture sorption isotherms were also studied to examine the impact of rice wax on the water sorption characteristics of the film. The Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) and Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) sorption models were tested to fit the experimental data. The models gave a good fit up to the water activity (a_w) of 0.55 for BET and a full range of a_w from 0.12 to 0.95 for GAB (R² ? 0.98). Changes in the sorption parameters, particularly such as the decrease in monolayer moisture content (Mo), reflect the trend of reduced hydration capacity with increased addition of rice wax, providing useful information on water activity conditions to achieve stability for the composite films.     

Modeling rehydration of porous food materials: I. Determination of characteristic curve from water sorption isotherms

Scarce use of physically based models for simulating foodstuff rehydration is related, inter alia, to difficulties in determining their hydraulic characteristic curve (water content vs. matric potential under equilibrium conditions). Its direct determination is not feasible for foodstuffs as it requires extended contact time with water to reach equilibrium that may cause microbial spoilage, swelling and physical destruction of the sample. To circumvent these difficulties, an alternative indirect method for determining the characteristic curve over the entire water-content range is proposed. It is based on the hypothesis that the end-parts of this curve, the air-entry value and saturated water content for the wet-end and water sorption isotherm for the dry-end, are relatively easily determined. The predicted characteristic curve was successfully verified for a model food material by comparing it with an independently measured values. Then, it was utilized for simulated rehydration by solving the Richards equation.     

Study of water sorption behaviour of pectins using a computerised elution gas chromatographic technique

The moisture sorption isotherms of apple and citrus pectins using a computerised inverse gas chromatographic (IGC) method were constructed at 25, 30, 40 and 50°C. Sorption isotherm data are calculated from a single injection of water with the aid of a personal computer and a program developed to perform data handling. Thus sorption isotherms are constructed in < 3 h. Good agreement was observed between moisture sorption isotherms of apple and citrus pectins obtained with the computerised IGC method and the gravimetric static method.     

Effect of protein concentration on the surface composition,water sorption and glass transition temperature of spray-dried skim milk powders

The effects of dilution of protein content in skim milk (34–8.5% protein content), by lactose addition, on the surface composition, water sorption property and glass transition temperatures of spray-dried powders were investigated. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of spray-dried powders showed preferential migration of proteins toward the surface of the milk particles whereas the lactose remained in the bulk. Sorption studies showed that the lower protein concentration in milk powders is linked to an increased water adsorption property and lowering of water activity (a_w) for lactose crystallization. Analysis of glass transition temperature (T_g) of the powders sorbed at different humidities showed no distinct change in T_g values, indicating the dominant effect of lactose on the glass transition temperature of all the powders.     

Modeling of ohmic heating patterns of multiphase food products using computational fluid dynamics codes

Modeling of the thermal behavior of multiphase food products with various electrical conductivities under ohmic heating has been a challenge. Distortion of electric field due to heterogeneous food properties and electrical conductivity distribution should be taken into consideration for accurate prediction of the thermal performance of ohmic heaters. The objective of this study was to model ohmic heating pattern of solid–liquid food complex that contain three different solid particles with substantially different electrical conductivities and 3% NaCl solution. The solid food samples used in this experiment were potato, meat, and carrot, which are less conductive than carrier medium. The transient heating patterns of each solid food and carrier medium were simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes with user defined functions (UDFs) for electric field equations. The predicted temperature values were in good agreement with the experimental data with the maximum prediction error of 6 °C. Hot spots existed on the continuous phase in zones perpendicular to the solid cubes and cold spots were in between the particles where the current density lacks. CFD model prediction of detailed thermal profiles of multiphase food mixtures under the static ohmic heating will assist in designing of a continuous flow ohmic heater with pursuit of heating uniformity, furthermore, ensuring food safety and quality.     

Determination of the upper temperature limit of water loss by food systems

A method for estimation of the upper temperature limit of water loss by food systems during preservation (drying, baking, extrusion, smoking, etc.) is proposed. These temperatures are related to the lower and higher critical solution temperatures, which were shown to depend on the chemical structure of system components. A determination method for the lower and higher critical solution temperatures in the plasticization curves obtained by calorimetry was developed.     

程序升温大体积进样在HRGC-HRMS法测定食品中PCDD/F的应用

目的通过优化程序升温蒸发进样口的相关参数,建立测定食品中多氯代二苯并二噁英和多氯代二苯并呋喃(PCDD/Fs)的程序升温大体积进样高分辨气相色谱-高分辨质谱(HRGC-HRMS)方法。方法食品样品提取、净化分离和浓缩按《GB/T 5009.205-2007食品中二噁英及其类似物毒性当量的测定》规定进行,待测试样进样15μL,应用HRGC-HRMS结合同位素稀释技术测定其中PCDD/Fs。结果最佳条件为进样口初始温度115℃,蒸发相温度140℃,蒸发相吹扫流速为5 mL。大体积进样所获得的待测物峰面积及S/N存在显著增加(P0.05)。结论程序升温大体积进样方式能显著提高食品基质中PCDD/Fs的检测能力,有助于保证食品安全风险评估结果的准确可靠。     

A study on thermal stability of lycopene in tomato in water and oil food systems using response surface methodology

Thermal processed tomato‐food products rich in Z‐lycopene isomers have demonstrated higher bioactivity compared to fresh products which contain mainly all‐E‐lycopene isomer. The objectives of this study were to optimise processing conditions for production of tomato products rich in Z‐lycopene isomers in water and oil systems. The results showed that the optimal conditions for water and oil systems were temperature 120 °C, heating time 2.14 h, and the percentage of Z‐lycopene isomers content was 51 ± 1% and 57 ± 2%, respectively. The ratio of tomato extract to oil/water had no influence on the Z‐lycopene formation. Therefore, from these results it can be concluded that the combination of high temperature and relatively short heat treatment time could improve formation of Z‐lycopene isomers or degradation of Z‐isomers is lower during tomato processing .These research results could be useful in assisting the industry to improve processing technology, nutritional value and health‐benefits of tomato‐based foods.