Physico‐chemical and sensory attributes in conjunction with multivariate analysis of two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars after 90 days of storage: an exploratory authentication study

Two cultivars of potato (Spunta and Agria), were studied in terms of their physico‐chemical and sensory characteristics. These cultivars were cultivated in three geographical regions of Greece (Macedonia, North Greece; Thessaly, Central Greece; Peloponnese, South Greece) and were stored for 90 days after harvesting. The physico‐chemical characteristics of the tubers determined, were pH, total acidity, firmness, dry matter and content in Ν, in Κ, P, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe. The sensory characteristics measured for raw tubers of potato after storage, were skin colour, skin brightness, internal colour, surface roughness, odour intensity, moistness, surface wrinkling and stains while the sensory characteristics measured for the boiled tubers of potato were odour intensity, moistness, special taste, sweet taste, aftertaste persistence, metal taste, pastiness, mastication, flavour intensity, elasticity and overall acceptability. The application of multivariate analysis (principal component analysis, cluster analysis and discriminant analysis), revealed a variety of relations between the various parameters and resulted in satisfactory grouping either per geographical region or per cultivar.     

Meat waste treatment methods and potential uses

Meat waste management has been and continues to be one of the most important issues related to pollution management. This was due to the high concentration of meat waste materials like blood, hair, tail, horns and bones, among others that have to be thoroughly and effectively treated prior to their disposal. Methods like aerobic and anaerobic digestion [mesophilic or thermophilic temperatures, composting (windrows, aerated static piles and bins or aerated chambers)] are currently extensively used. Nowadays, the emphasis is on reusing the so‐called waste materials for production processes, i.e. meat and bone meal. The latter was widely recommended and used in animal nutrition as a protein source in place of proteinaceous feeds. However, this approach greatly suffered from Small Bowel Enteroclysis (SBE) occurrence and micro‐organism presence. Heavy metal absorption by means of charred bones appears to be one of the most promising applications of bones apart from other use for production of edible materials. The aim of this review was to summarise most updated references in the field of meat waste treatment and potential uses of treated waste by means of nine informative tables and six figures.     

Application of failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and cause and effect analysis for industrial processing of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) – Part II

Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) model was applied in conjunction with cause-and-effect analysis for the risk assessment of octopus processing ( Octopus vulgaris ). Critical control points were identified and implemented in the cause-and-effect diagram (also known as Ishikawa, tree diagram and fishbone diagram). The main emphasis was put on the quantification of risk assessment by determining the risk priority numbers (RPN) per identified processing hazard. Chemically contaminated product, decomposed raw materials, scombrotoxin presence in the final product, incorrectly labelled product, storage in cans (foreign matter) and defective products, were identified as those with the highest RPN (378, 294, 280, 252, 245 and 144 respectively) and corrective actions were undertaken. Following the application of corrective actions, a second calculation of RPN values was carried out, leading to considerably lower values (below the upper acceptable limit of 130). It is concluded that the incorporation of FMEA analysis within the ISO2200 system of an octopus-processing industry is imperative.     

Presentation and comments on EU legislation related to food industries–environment interactions: sustainable development, and protection of nature and biodiversity – genetically modified organisms

The European Union (EU) legislation regarding sustainable development moves along two distinct lines: the impact of industries (food industries included) on the environment (release of gases and green house effect and the effect of cultivating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the environment. EU voted three communications [ COM(2002)524 , COM(2003)301 , COM(2004)38 ] in an attempt to set an action plan based on technologies to manage pollution, by promoting less polluting and less resource‐intensive products and services and ways to manage resources more efficiently. As such environment‐friendly technologies pervade practically all economic activities and sectors it is anticipated that they will reduce effectively energy and resource consumption thereby creating fewer emissions and less waste. As regards the cultivation and/or importing of GMOs, EU legislation was based on two directives ( E.U. 90/219/EEC, E.U. 2001/18/EC) and four regulations [ Regulation (EC) No. 258/97 , Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 , Regulation (EC) No. 1830/2003 and Regulation (EC) No. 1946/2003 ]. The directives aimed at adopting measures for limited use of GM micro‐organisms, making the procedure for granting consent to the deliberate release and placing on the market of GMOs more efficient and more transparent, making GMO labelling compulsory and thereby enhancing GMOs traceability along the entire food chain.