Research Publications (Food Safety)

This paper presents the effect of polyphenols on microorganisms inhabiting the human gastrointestinal tract (mainly bacteria belonging to the Lactobacillus genus) and pathogenic microorganisms classified as the most common food contaminants. Plant secondary metabolites have the ability to modulate the growth of many microorganisms.

This study aims to investigate the formation mechanism of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and acrylamide in sesame seeds during roasting. Sesame seeds were roasted at 180, 200, and 220 °C for different time intervals, and changes in the concentration of sucrose, free amino acids, asparagine, 3-deoxyglucosone, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and acrylamide were monitored.

The aroma-active compounds of three Xi baijiu samples (Xijiulan, Y1, Xijiuyinxiangguizhou, Y2 and Xijiuyinzhi, Y3) were analyzed by gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC–O), GC–flame photometric detection (FPD) and odor activity value (OAV). The results indicated that a total of 92 aroma compounds were determined, including 16 sulfur compounds.

Cloudiness, opalescence or a milky appearance in beverages is usually undesirable and lead the consumers to assume that the product is of lower quality. Many different types of formation and entry can lead to cloudiness and these causes can be divided into two major categories: beverage-specific, where the ingredients cause an interaction, and external influences such as process errors or particles interacting with the medium. This study considers two main sources of external influences.

Foodomics is an emerging research field in food science that applies advanced omics technologies to assess relevant aspects related to food and nutrition, with the ultimate goal to improve human health and well-being. Many studies have already shown the tremendous potential of this approach to boost food science research regarding food authentication and traceability, safety issues, improved quality, bioactivity and the action of specific bioactive compounds in diverse biological systems.

With its ability to easily infect each step of food production chain, Salmonella spp. stands as one of the most important foodborne pathogens which impose threats against economy and human health by creating high morbidity and mortality, worldwide.

YE (yeast extract) has been widely used in the flavor industry as the source to produce the high-quality meaty and umami flavors. It is because YE is rich in the savory and mellow constituents and is important precursors to generate aromas via thermal treatment. This study aims to investigate the change of meaty aroma and umami taste in the hydrolyzed YE during the thermal treatment.

Part of sulfur dioxide used to preserve wine reacts with several wine compounds and it is not anymore active and capable of performing its antioxidant and antiseptic functions. In this work, with the aim to decrease the amount of SO2-bound to acetaldehyde, the use of chitosan in pre and post fermentative phases during the production of Aglianico red wine was investigated.

Furan, which has been identified as possibly carcinogenic for humans, can be induced to different food items by thermal treatment. In accordance with the previous studies and risks associated with prevalence of furan in food, it is necessary to be acknowledged of amounts of furan formed in different thermally processed foods for human awareness.

The effect of low-temperature plasma generated at atmospheric pressure was studied in term of reduction of bacterial contamination and influence on nutritional characteristics of allspice (Pimenta dioica). The low-temperature plasma was generated in ambient air using Diffuse Coplanar Surface Barrier Discharge (DCSBD). The bacterial species inoculated on the surface of samples were reduced in dependence on exposure time.

Traditional fermented foods are important sources of probiotics, which attract intensive attentions because of their beneficial effects. The potential of probiotic strains to remove heavy metals have also aroused interest from researchers.

The acrylamide content and color formation (CIE L*, a* and b*) of hazelnuts which processed at different roasting temperatures of 130 °C, 150 °C, 160 °C and 170 °C with roasting time for 15 and 30 min were evaluated. Acrylamide contents of roasted hazelnuts were measured by means of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC).

Pomegranate peel extract (PGE) is a new promising natural alternative control substance with large spectrum of activity against wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. In the present study, PGE was firstly investigated as natural antimicrobial against Listeria monocytogenes both in vitro and on fresh-cut fruits. The in vitro results showed quick and strong bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against five different strains which were almost completely inhibited by the extract.

Active food packaging is currently of high demand in food industries to provide protections to food. Food packaging is not only used to store and protect food from the environment, but also to provide functional values with the incorporation of active agent.

Here we describe the improvement of pesticide residue extraction from tomatoes by an improved QuEChERS method. Through Plackett–Burman design, 4 significant variables out of 11 potential variables were identified that could influence the relative deviation of measurements. The 11 variables were: amount of sample, C18, Na2SO4, NaCl, MgSO4, NaAc, GCB (graphitized carbon black), and PSA (primary–secondary amine); ACN volume; percentage of FA (formic acid); and centrifugation time.

The detection of acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) can render their use as biomarkers and it may provide a chance to fight against food contamination and bacterial pathogens. For this purpose, in this study, an electrochemical biosensor was designed for the detection of AHLs to prevent harmful bacterial activities.

Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are valuable minor compounds in our food with excellent antioxidant properties. Naturally occurring FuFAs are characterised by a central furan moiety with one or two methyl groups in β-/β’-position of the heterocycle (monomethyl- or M-FuFAs and dimethyl- or D-FuFAs).

The aim of the study was to assess the antibacterial properties of bioactive compounds released during the fermentation of goat’s milk by selected bacterial strains that are part of the kefir grain microflora. The material used in the experiments was kefir grain microflora (Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens subsp.

Free and protein-bound Maillard reaction products (acrylamide, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, α-dicarbonyl compounds, N-ε-fructosyllysine, N-ε-carboxymethyllysine and N-ε-carboxyethyllysine) and the reaction precursors (sugars and amino acids) were investigated in bread crust-like systems prepared with different cereal flours. Selected cereals were; whole and refined wheat, whole einkorn, whole rye, whole oat and whole corn.

Abstract

Healthy foods with fresh-like appearances are nowadays demanded by consumers. To satisfy these requirements, the research has been focused on unconventional non-thermal technologies; particularly, in this paper, oxidative technologies (ozone, cold plasma, and ionization) are reviewed. The principles underlying their mechanisms of working, generation methods, and antimicrobial activity are revised.

Activity-guided fractionation based on in vitro assays was used to identify antibacterial components in the residue wasted in the manufacturing process of aged garlic extract (AGE). Antimicrobial activity of the hexane extract of aged garlic-derived residue (AGR) was evaluated against clinically isolated Gram-positive and -negative bacteria including levofloxacin (LVX)-resistant strains.

We examined the initial attachment of E. coli to abiotic surfaces conditioned with cereal extracts. The extracts were water-soluble fractions prepared from flours of barley, quinoa, rice, and wheat. Strains used were E. coli ATCC 8739, E. coli NBRC 3301, E. coli NBRC 3302, E. coli NBRC 13168, E. coli NBRC 13891, and E. coli O157:H7 sakai.

There is a general consensus on the importance of the nomenclature, description, and classification of foods and food groups due to the significant impact in nutritional field, especially in the epidemiological one. Particular attention should be addressed towards composite dishes and food preparations that are widely consumed by the population.