Control of ice crystal nucleation and growth during the food freezing process

Freezing can maintain a low-temperature environment inside food, reducing water activity and preventing microorganism growth. However, when ice crystals are large, present in high amounts, and/or irregularly distributed, irreversible damage to food can occur. Therefore, ice growth is a vital parameter that needs to be controlled during frozen food processing and storage. In this review, ice growth theory and control are described. Macroscopic heat and mass transfer processes, the relationship between the growth of ice crystals and macroscopic heat transfer factors, and nucleation theory are reviewed based on the reported theoretical and experimental approaches. The issues addressed include how heat transfer occurs inside samples, variations in thermal properties with temperature, boundary conditions, and the functional relationship between ice crystal growth and freezing parameters. Quick freezing (e.g., cryogenic freezing) and unavoidable temperature fluctuations (e.g., multiple freeze–thaw cycles) are both taken into consideration. The approaches for controlling ice crystal growth based on the ice morphology and content are discussed. The characteristics and initial mechanisms of ice growth inhibitors (e.g., antifreeze proteins (AFPs), polysaccharides, and phenols) and ice nucleation agents (INAs) are complex, especially when considering their molecular structures, the ice-binding interface, and the dose. Although the market share for nonthermal processing technology is low, there will be more work on freezing technologies and their theoretical basis. Superchilling technology (partial freezing) is also mentioned here.     

Determination of the protein content in brine from salted herring using near-infrared spectroscopy

Near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy in the spectral range of 1000-2500 nm, was measured directly on brine from barrel salted herring, to investigate the potential of NIR as a fast method to determine the protein content. A principal component analysis performed on the NIR spectra shows two groups, separating the first 100 days of storage from the storage time exceeding 100 days. A partial least-squares regression model between selected regions of the NIR spectra and the protein content yields a correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a prediction error (RMSECV) of 0.25 g/100 g. The results clearly indicate that NIR spectroscopy has a potential as a fast and noninvasive method for assessing the protein content in brine from barrel salted herring, which again may be used as an indicator for the ripening quality of barrel salted herring.     

Ergonomics in Design Processes: The Journey from Ergonomist toward workspace designer

The aim of this article is to study the learning processes that take place in an interactive research project, which involved university researchers as well as ergonomic practitioners. The project simultaneously developed and tested a new framework—designated Workspace Design—for intervention in workplace design processes in companies. The basic idea in Workspace Design was that ergonomists should take a new role and apply new participatory methods when involved as consultants. The course of the project was evaluated by the application of social learning theory. The goal was to find out if and why the ergonomic practitioners had learned to practice the new concept by themselves. The results confirm that learning to some extent took place with help from two different mechanisms: learning by interacting and learning by practicing. Three factors are of crucial importance to the successful transfer of a new framework to ergonomic practitioners: 1) the practitioners must take part in developing and testing the framework and the subsequent interpretation of results, 2) they must have the opportunity to practice the framework in the daily consultancy setting and then reflect on their experiences, and 3) their consultancy organization must be committed to adopt the new framework. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Identification of fat,protein matrix,and water/starch on microscopy images of sausages by a principal component analysis-based segmentation scheme

A color-based segmentation scheme applied to microscopy images of cryosectioned sausages is proposed. The segmentation scheme is capable of segmenting three different levels on the microscopy images: the fat particles, the protein matrix, and water/starch. The method is based on principal component analysis. A user-friendly program was developed for the manual segmentation of a selection of image pixels by microscopists. Principal component models based on the manually classified pixels are then used to segment fat, protein matrix, and starch/water on microscopy images. The program can also be used as a training tool for microscopists.     

The panel of egg allergens, Gal d 1-Gal d 5: Their improved purification and characterization

Egg proteins represent one of the most important sources evoking food allergic reactions. In order to improve allergy diagnosis, purified and well-characterized proteins are needed. Although the egg white allergens Gal d 1, 2, 3 and 4 (ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme) are commercially available, these preparations contain impurities, which affect exact in vitro diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to set up further purification protocols and to extend the characterization of the physicochemical and immunological properties of the final batches. The egg white allergens Gal d 1-4 were purified from commercial preparations, whereas Gal d 5 (alpha-livetin) was purified from egg yolk. The final batches of Gal d 1-5 consisted of a range of isoforms with defined tertiary structure. In addition, the IgE binding capacity of the purified egg allergens was tested using allergic patients' sera. The allergen batches will be further used to set up allergen specific diagnostic assays and to screen a larger collection of patients' sera.     

Leuconostoc carnosum 4010 has the potential for use as a protective culture for vacuum-packed meats: culture isolation,bacteriocin identification,and meat application experiments

A new culture, Leuconostoc carnosum 4010, for biopreservation of vacuum-packed meats is described. The culture originated from bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) naturally present in vacuum-packed meat products. Approximately, 72,000 colonies were isolated from 48 different vacuum-packed meat products and examined for antibacterial activity. Bacteriocin-producing colonies were isolated from 46% of the packages examined. Leuc. carnosum was the predominant bacteriocin-producing strain and Leuc. carnosum 4010 was selected for further experiments because it showed strong antilisterial activity without producing any undesirable flavour components in meat products. For identification of the bacteriocins produced, partial purification was carried out by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, and cation exchange chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed two bands with inhibitory activity corresponding to molecular sizes of 4.6 and 5.3 kDa. N-terminal amino acid sequencing showed that Leuc. carnosum 4010 produced two bacteriocins highly similar or identical to leucocin A and leucocin C. Application experiments showed that the addition of 10(7) cfu/g Leuc. carnosum 4010 to a vacuum-packaged meat sausage immediately reduced the number of viable Listeria monocytogenes cells to a level below the detection limit and no increase of L. monocytogenes was observed during storage at 5 degrees C for 21 days. The results presented demonstrate that Leuc. carnosum 4010 is suitable as a new protective culture for cold-stored, cooked, sliced, and vacuum-packed meat products.     

Reduction of salt in pork sausages by the addition of carrot fibre or potato starch and high pressure treatment

The combined effect of high pressure processing (HPP) (400, 600 and 800MPa) and carrot fibre (CF) and potato starch (PS) on low salt (1.2%) pork sausages was investigated and compared with high (1.8%) salt sausages. Sausages had a marked increase in whitening with increasing content of fibre or starch, pressure level, and process temperature. The degree of redness was mainly affected by pressure level and heat treatment. An important finding regarding salt reduction was that the use of starch or fibre had more impact on textural properties than the level of salt since Young's modulus and strain at fracture were mainly affected by formulation and HPP. Water binding capacity of low salt sausages was improved to the same level as high salt sausages with HPP and addition of CF or PS particularly by the addition of PS which produced sausages with better sensory properties than CF. The sensory analysis showed that this approach is promising for producing low salt sausages.     

Effect of high pressure, temperature, and storage on the color of porcine longissimus dorsi

The color of pork longissimus dorsi high pressure (HP) treated at 200 to 800MPa at 5 and 20°C for 10min was determined to a high degree by pressure level and to a lesser degree by temperature. Severe color changes appeared up to a threshold pressure at 400MPa. HP treatment at 20°C compared to 5°C resulted in meat, which was less red and slightly lighter. Storage at 2°C for 6days had no effect on lightness due to no further protein denaturation, but meat HP treated above 300MPa became significantly less red and more yellow within the first day of storage. Reflectance spectra showed that a short-lived ferrohemochrome myoglobin species was formed during HP treatment at 300 to 800, but transformed into a brown, ferric form of the pigment within the first day of storage. This explains the observed changes in the redness and yellowness after one day of storage.     

High pressure effect on the color of minced cured restructured ham at different levels of drying, pH, and NaCl

Color changes of minced cured restructured ham was studied considering the effects of high pressure (HP) treatment (600 MPa, 13 °C, 5 min), raw meat pH₂₄ (low, normal, high), salt content (15, 30 g/kg), and drying (20%, 50% weight loss). Raw hams were selected based on pH₂₄ in Semimembranosus, mixed with additives, frozen, sliced, and dried using the Quick-Dry-Slice® process. Meat color (CIE 1976 L*a*b*) and reflectance spectra were measured before and after HP treatment. HP significantly increased L*, decreased a*, and decreased b* for restructured ham dried to 20% weight loss, regardless of salt content and pH₂₄. L* and a* were best preserved in high pH/high salt restructured ham. HP had no effect on the color of restructured ham dried to 50% weight loss. HP had no effect on the shape of reflectance curves, indicating that the pigment responsible for minced cured restructured ham color did not change due to HP.     

26—THE RÔLE OF WATER IN THE SETTING OF WOOL: A STUDY OF SETTING AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 100°C: PART I: DEGREE OF SET

Permanent setting of wool fabrics can be achieved by setting in steam autoclaves at temperatures above 100°C. An account is given in this paper of experiments performed on a laboratory scale and on full-scale equipment in which fabrics were set in rolls. One of the main problems in this kind of process is to ensure an even setting throughout the roll. Temperature and moisture regain are rate-determining factors in steam-setting, so a study was made of the temperature and moisture-regain changes in the different parts of the roll during heating up and subsequent steaming. The degree of set also depends on the steaming time and acidity of the cloth, but these factors are more easily controlled.

The investigation shows that the steam-setting of wool-containing fabrics imparts a very high degree of permanent set and that reproducible and even setting may be achieved, provided that all treatment variables are kept under close control. Of all the parameters studied, the moisture regain seems to be the most important.