Structuring dairy systems through high pressure processing

This review highlights the current knowledge on gelation of hydrocolloids induced by high pressure processing (HPP) of dairy products. Pressure-induced gelation of single systems (casein rich, whey protein rich, gelatin, and polysaccharide solutions) as well as rheological and thermo-mechanical effects of HPP on mixture systems are discussed. The mechanism of dairy protein gelation under pressure, their properties and microstructure, and potential application of HPP to improve physical properties of dairy products (cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream) are included. HPP is a promising tool for future manufacturing of structured dairy products with unique sensorial properties.     

Impact of Sludge Floc Size and Water Composition on Dewaterability

In order to observe the impact of different water compositions on sludge dewaterability, assessments of floc sizes using a particle size analyzer and of sludge dewaterability based on the capillary suction time (CST) test were carried out. Synthetic raw water had small floc sizes, and synthetic domestic wastewater had both larger median floc sizes and a better correlation between sludge dewaterability and median floc sizes. The floc size distribution results showed that synthetic raw water is associated with a narrow particle size distribution. In comparison, synthetic domestic wastewater produced a wider distribution. However, the CST values were similar for both waters. Compared to synthetic wastewater, natural wastewater had the largest distribution with generally larger particle sizes.     

Effect of high pressure processing on rheological and structural properties of milk–gelatin mixtures

There is an increasing demand to tailor the functional properties of mixed biopolymer systems that find application in dairy food products. The effect of static high pressure processing (HPP), up to 600 MPa for 15 min at room temperature, on milk–gelatin mixtures with different solid concentrations (5%, 10%, 15% and 20% w/w milk solid and 0.6% w/w gelatin) was investigated. The viscosity remarkably increased in mixtures prepared with high milk solid concentration (15% and 20% w/w) following HPP at 300 MPa, whereas HPP at 600 MPa caused a decline in viscosity. This was due to ruptured aggregates and phase separation as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Molecular bonding of the milk–gelatin mixtures due to HPP was shown by Fourier-transform infrared spectra, particularly within the regions of 1610–1690 and 1480–1575 cm⁻¹, which reflect the vibrational bands of amide I and amide II, respectively.     

Flavor characteristics of rice-grape wine with starch-hydrolyzing enzymes

A brewing process for rice-grape wine, in which rice powder and grapes are concurrently fermented, was developed. Rice powder was mixed with α-glucosidase, glucose isomerase, and yeast, and then incubated for 2 days at 25°C. Then a mixture of ‘Muscat Baily A’ and ‘Campbe Early’ grape must was added to the fermented mixture of rice and maintained at 4°C to allow for complete ethanol fermentation. The rice-grape wine contained 11.6% ethanol, compared to 9.6% ethanol for grape wine. The aroma profile revealed that 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl propyl acetate, and phenethyl acetate were in greater abundance in the rice-grape wine, whereas ethyl hexanoate, diethyl succinate, and ethyl decanoate were more abundant in the grape wine. The esters formed from fatty acids and ethanol increased during 2 years of storage for both wines. An electronic nose analysis revealed no significant difference in the aromas of the rice-grape and grape wine samples.