Building 3D Statistical Shape Models of Horticultural Products

A method to build a 3D statistical shape model of horticultural products is described. The framework consists of two parts. First, the surfaces of the horticultural products, which are extracted from X-ray CT scans, are registered to obtain meaningful correspondences between the surfaces. In the second part, a statistical shape model is built from these corresponded surfaces, which maps out the variability of the surfaces and allows to generate new, realistic surfaces. The proposed shape modelling method is applied to 30 Jonagold apples, 30 bell peppers, and 52 zucchini. The average geometric registration error between the original instance and the deformed reference instance is 0.015 ± 0.011 m m for the apple dataset, 0.106 ± 0.026 m m for the bell pepper dataset, and 0.027 ± 0.007 m m for the Zucchini dataset. All shape models are shown to be an excellent representation of their specific population, as they are compact and able to generalize to an unseen sample of the population.     

Zusammensetzung der Muskulatur unbehandelter Pangasien (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pangasianodon hypophthalmus</Emphasis>) und Zander (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sander lucioperca</Emphasis>)

We investigated the composition of muscle tissue from 30 untreated striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and 40 untreated pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). The analyzed fillets had a mean moisture level of 77.5 % in striped catfish and 78.7 % in pikeperch. The mean level of protein content was 19 % in striped catfish and 20.5 % in pikeperch; the pH was 6.5 in striped catfish and 6.8 in pikeperch. Our data provide a first basis on a legal opinion concerning fishery products that are suspected to contain high amounts of added water. These data can also be used for the calculation of added water regarding the regulation of the European Union (EU) No 1169/2011, provision of food information to consumers.     

A collaborative study of a method for the enumeration of probiotic bifidobacteria in animal feed

An enumeration method to be used as an official control method in the framework of Council Directive 70/524/EEC for probiotic bifidobacteria used as feed additives was validated. Seventeen laboratories in 11 European Countries carried out a collaborative study. A spread plate method following BS ISO 15214:1998 using four different agars, Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS), acidified MRS, MRS with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and a selective bifidobacteria medium, was validated. Precision data in terms of repeatability (r) and reproducibility (R) of the method for each medium using different feeding stuffs with a high and a low inoculation level were determined. Bifidobacteria were present in the samples as a single component or in mixtures with other probiotics. The enumeration of bifidobacteria on all agars showed a relative standard deviation of repeatability (RSD(r)) between 1.2% and 6.3% and a relative standard deviation of reproducibility (RSD(R)) between 2.6% and 8.7%. MRS agar was preferred, followed by acidified MRS and MRS+TTC agar. The selective bifidobacteria medium gave similar counts as the MRS media. For routine analysis, the use of MRS agar with supplementation of cysteine hydrochloride (the selective bifidobacteria medium without antibiotics) is recommended. Depending on the presence and concentration of other probiotics such as enterococci, lactobacilli and pediococci, acidified MRS or MRS+TTC agar is recommended. The selective bifidobacteria medium was selective for bifidobacteria.An official control method for enumeration of probiotic bifidobacteria as a single component and in mixtures with other probiotic microorganisms in feeding stuffs was validated. The methodology is not applicable to mineral feed. The results are intended for consideration for adaptation as CEN and ISO standards.     

Microrheology: new methods to approach the functional properties of food

Three configurations have been developed to improve the understanding of structural element interactions in food material during deformation. The three configurations combine an inverted confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) and a cell that can apply to the sample a specific deformation: continuous shear, linear oscillatory shear and biaxial extension (compression).In the continuous shear and oscillatory shear configurations (OSCs), a zero-velocity plane is created in the sample by moving two plates in opposite direction, maintaining stable observation conditions of the structural behaviour under deformation. The OSC allows simultaneous application of CSLM and diffusing wave spectroscopy, a multiple light scattering technique. The third configuration (compression configuration) allows observation at a stagnation point during rheometric measurements. The configurations accept semi-liquid products (dressing, sauces, dairy products, etc.) for investigations in area such as aggregation, gelation, interactions at interface, coalescence, break-up.     

Infrared Heating as a Disinfestation Method Against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sitophilus oryzae</Emphasis> and Its Effect on Textural and Cooking Properties of Milled Rice

Infrared (IR) heating method against rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) in an egg stage was investigated. A kinetic model was developed to describe insect mortality in a temperature range of 40–60 °C. Effects of IR heating temperature (50–60 °C) and exposure time (1–3 min) on insect mortality and quality attributes of the treated rice were evaluated. The optimized condition obtained by means of the response surface method was used to analyze rice quality before and after IR treatment with storage. The results showed that the 0.5th-order thermal death kinetic equation was the most suitable model, and the S. oryzae eggs had less heat tolerance than the adults and some other species. Mortality achieved 100 % after 2 min for all temperatures. Both IR heating parameters significantly affected the treated milled rice qualities. The minimal changes in rice quality before and after storage could be obtained using optimized temperature and exposure time of 53.6 °C and 1.2 min, respectively.     

Physiological relevance of food grade microcapsules: Impact of milk protein based microcapsules on inflammation in mouse models for inflammatory bowel diseases

In order to increase beneficial effects of bioactive compounds in functional food and dietary supplements, enormous efforts are put in the technological development of microcapsules. Although these products are often tailor‐made for disease susceptible consumer, the physiological impact of microcapsule uptake on the respective target consumer has never been addressed. The present study aimed to assess the relevance of this aspect by analyzing the impact of milk protein based microcapsules on experimental inflammatory bowel disease. Long‐term feeding of sodium caseinate or rennet gel microcapsules resulted in significant alterations in the intestinal microbiota of healthy mice. In TNFΔARE/wt mice, a model for chronic ileal inflammation, rennet gel microcapsules resulted in further increased splenomegaly, whereas ileal inflammation was unchanged. In IL10^?/? mice, a model for chronic colitis, both types of microcapsules induced a local increase of the intestinal inflammation. The present study is the first to demonstrate that, independent of their cargo, microcapsules have the potential to affect the intestinal microbiota and to exert unprecedented detrimental effects on disease‐susceptible individuals. In conclusion, the impact of microcapsule uptake on the respective target consumer groups should be thoroughly investigated in advance to their commercial use in functional food or dietary supplements.     

Dry-pasteurization of egg albumen powder in a fluidized bed. II. Effect on functional properties: gelation and foaming

Dry‐pasteurization of egg albumen (EA) powder in a fluidized bed was studied in two experiments. Experiment 1 consisted of two different temperatures (90 and 130 °C) and experiment 2 of two air moisture levels (high and low). Powders were processed from 10 min to 3 h. The reference treatment was traditional pasteurization at 90 °C for 21 h. The fluidized bed treatment effects on gel texture, water‐holding capacity (WHC), protein binding, gel colour, foaming capacity, foam stability and surface pressure were evaluated. Gels of EA powders treated at high temperature and high air moisture levels exhibited higher stress, strain and WHC values than gels of untreated EA powder. The gel colour became significantly darker, greener and less yellow by fluidized bed treatment. Foaming and surface activity properties were un‐affected by the treatments, however, foam stability against liquid drainage correlated positively with surface pressure.     

Parameter identification and modeling of the biochemical methane potential of waste activated sludge

Anaerobic digestion is widely used in waste activated sludge treatment. In this paper, partial least-squares (PLS) is employed to identify the parameters that are determining the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of waste activated sludge. Moreover, a model is developed for the prediction of the BMP. A strong positive correlation is observed between the BMP and volatile fatty acids and carbohydrate concentrations in the sludge. A somewhat weaker correlation with COD is also present. Soluble organics (sCOD, soluble carbohydrates and soluble proteins) were shown not to influence the BMP in the observed region. This finding could be most-valuable in the context of application of sludge pretreatment methods. The obtained model was able to satisfactory predict the BMP.