Effects of ripening conditions on the texture of Gouda cheese

Summary The effects of ripening temperature, type of packaging film and storage period before packaging were related to the degree of proteolysis and the texture of Gouda cheese, so as to determine the optimum ripening conditions. Gouda cheeses from a local plant were subjected to different ripening conditions. A factorial design of 2³× 5 was used, where the three factors selected in two levels were: (1) time of storage before packaging, 4 and 10 days, (2) ripening temperature, 10 and 20 °C and (3) plastic film, BK1 and BK5 (Grace, Quilmes, Argentina). Ripening time was a fourth factor analyzed; sampling times were 15, 25, 35, 49 and 70 days after production. Cheeses traditionally ripened (without packaging) were also analyzed. Water content and pH were determined. Nonprotein nitrogen (soluble in 12% trichloracetic acid (TCA)) was quantified by the Kjeldhal method. Cheese texture was analyzed by compression and relaxation tests which were done by using an Instron Universal Testing Machine (Instron Corp., Canton, MA, USA). The pH and water content of cheeses which ripened at 20 °C were lower than the corresponding ones ripened at 10 °C. Only ripening time and temperature had a significant effect on water content, nonprotein nitrogen concentration and rheological parameters. Results show that texture properties of Gouda cheese ripened in plastic films with low gaseous permeability are similar to those of traditionally ripened Gouda. Texture development was accelerated by increasing the storage temperature.     

Gel Textural Characteristics of Corn,Cassava and Yam Starch Blends: A Mixture Surface Response Methodology Approach

Blends of native starches can be used to obtain special sensory properties avoiding the use of chemically modified starches. The mixture design approach was used to analyze the textural properties (hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and gumminess) of gels obtained with different proportions of yam, corn and cassava starches (6% total solids) and related to microstructural characteristics. Maximum limits of 60% yam starch and 70% corn starch and minimum level of 30% cassava starch were fixed to minimize syneresis under storage. Hardness, adhesiveness and gumminess increased with the proportion of corn starch in the blends. The lowest values of hardness corresponded to the blends containing higher proportions of cassava starch, that has the lowest amylose content. Corn starch was the component that less contributed to cohesiveness. The characteristic high cohesiveness of cassava starch pastes (related to its higher amylopectin content) was reduced when it was mixed in adequate proportions with yam and/or corn starches. Gels containing only yam starch presented syneresis values close to 40% after 24° h storage at 4°C; the decrease of the maximum level of yam starch to 60% as well as the inclusion of cassava starch in the blends reduced weight losses. Disadvantages found in gels containing individual starches, such as exudate in yam and corn starch gels, and excessive cohesiveness in cassava starch gels, are minimized improving their possible applications, when blends are used.     

AFM assessment of the surface nano/microstructure on chemically damaged historical and model glasses

Surface chemical damage on selected historical glasses from 13th to 19th centuries was evaluated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Nano- and microstructure, roughness and topography of ancient glass samples have been compared with those of model glasses prepared by conventional melting at the laboratory with similar compositions to those most frequently found in historical glass pieces. The results obtained allow discussing the chemical degradation mechanisms in terms of the acid and/or basic chemical attack carried out by the combination of gaseous pollutants and environmental humidity. Even though deep corrosion features escape to the observation order of magnitude of the AF microscope used, the AFM technique proves to be quite useful for the study and evaluation of the most common surface pathologies of historical glasses with different compositions once submitted to natural weathering.     

Modeling of chlorine effect on floc forming and filamentous micro-organisms of activated sludges

Chlorination is the most economical, non-specific method to control the excessive growth of filamentous micro-organisms causing bulking in activated sludge systems in the treatment of food industrial wastewaters; it was one of the first methods used to control filamentous bulking and is still widely employed. Considering that chlorination affects both floc-forming and filamentous micro-organisms and leaves undesirable disinfection by-products, it is necessary to define the adequate doses to control bulking, minimizing the effect on floc-forming bacteria.In the present work the effect of biomass concentration and type of micro-organism on chlorine decay kinetics was evaluated; the inactivation of either a filamentous (Sphaerotilus natans) or a floc-forming (Acinetobacter anitratus) micro-organism due to chlorination was also analyzed.For chlorine decay assays, the samples were treated in a batch system with sodium hypochlorite ranging between 9.8 and 56.6 mg Cl(2) (gVSS)(-1). Respirometric assays were used to evaluate the effect of chlorine on micro-organisms respiratory activity; in these cases, sodium hypochlorite doses ranged between 2.5 and 18 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1).A model that allowed to predict simultaneously chlorine consumption and respiratory activity decay for both micro-organisms as a function of time was proposed. The model includes three coupled differential equations corresponding to respiratory inhibition, readily organic matter oxidation by chlorine and chlorine decay. The rate of chlorine decay depended on both, type and concentration of the micro-organisms in the system. Chlorine consumption rate due to S. natans was 2-4 times faster than A. anitratus. Using the proposed model initial critical chlorine doses (the lowest initial dose that leads to a total inhibition of the respiratory activity) were calculated for both micro-organisms and values of 11.9 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1) for S. natans and 4.5 mgCl(2) (gVSS)(-1) for A. anitratus were obtained. These critical doses indicated that in non flocculated pure cultures, floc-former bacteria A. anitratus was more susceptible to chlorine action than S. natans.     

Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes type1 355/98 (85) in meat emulsions as affected by temperature,pH, water activity,fat and microbial preservatives

The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of temperature (10–30 °C), fat content (20–50%), sodium chloride (2.5–5.0%) and preservative concentrations: sodium nitrite (0–150 ppm), lactic acid (50–500 mM) and nisin (0–100 IU/g (international units per gram)) on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in a meat emulsion system.Individual and simultaneous effects of the parameters were tested and the results were mathematical modeled; inhibition indexes were calculated in each case. The addition of 7.5% NaCI inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes at 20 and 30 °C, however, at 10 °C, microbial counts reached approximately 10⁶ CFU/g. The addition of 50 mM of lactic acid to obtain a pH ≤ 5 inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes. The combinations of lactic acid with sodium nitrite or with nisin showed an enhancement of the inhibitory effect. However, considering the low toxicity of nisin, the combination of lactic acid (50 mM) and nisin (20 IU/g) would be more acceptable in the prevention of the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.