Abstract This study evaluated four regression models—Demeyer, simplified Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB), reduced Bizot, and Double-Log Linear (DLL)—to estimate water activity ( ) in fast-ripening salami under industrial production conditions. Three product types (snack, mild, paprika) were monitored over a 20-day ripening period across two batches each. Analytical performance was assessed using two distinct approaches: a laboratory scenario utilizing all measured compositional data, and an industrial scenario where only moisture and water activity were monitored continuously, while other components were estimated via Monte Carlo simulations based on initial batch values. Results indicated that, under laboratory conditions, the DLL model provided the most favorable fit when composition-predicted coefficients were used, while the reduced Bizot and DLL models remained most robust during industrial simulations involving propagated uncertainty. Conversely, the Demeyer model demonstrated the lowest accuracy. Significant batch effects were observed, suggesting that inter-batch variability influences prediction more than model selection, highlighting the necessity of composition-based modeling and uniform mixing.

Egg-white drink (ToTuTM) is an egg-based dairy alternative food in the market that can function as an effective probiotic carrier. In this study, the monocultural fermentation for the production of a probiotic egg-white drink blended with different fruit juices (strawberry, pineapple and peach) by two probiotic bacteria, Lacticaseibacillus casei 01 and Ligilactobacillus salivarius CRL 1328 strains was focused. Both probiotic bacteria strains grew very well in all blended samples. Starting with an initial cell count of around 7.35 logCFU/mL, the cell concentration of L. casei 01 strain reached 9.06 logCFU/mL, 8.97 logCFU/mL, and 8.83 logCFU/mL in the cases of egg-white blended with peach, pineapple and strawberry, respectively at the end of the fermentation process (24 hours). In the case of L. salivarius CRL 1382 strain, the cell counts of all blended samples increased significantly from 5 logCFU/mL to 8.12 logCFU/mL at 8-hour and remained unchanged. The pH values of all samples were in range of pH 3.76-4.07 after 24 hours. Slight changes in the colours of fermented products were detected. The protein profiles of drinks also changed favourably, the density of some proteins in EW, such as ovalbumin, ovomucoid and ovoflavoprotein decreased during fermentation. Rheological parameters exhibited pseudoplastic behaviour when pineapple was added to an egg-white drink and shear thickening fluid when peach and strawberry were incorporated. A total of 17 sensory attributes of 4 fermented samples were analysed by ProfiSens software, and overall, the highest score was counted in the egg-white drink blended with strawberry juice and fermented by Ligilactobacillus salivarius CRL 1328 strain sample. Meanwhile, the blended samples fermented by L. casei 01 strain can be stored in cold conditions for 8 weeks with a very minimal decrease in viable cell count, whereas by L. salivarius CRL 1328 strain, the viability of probiotic cells dropped drastically (about 50 % when storage for 4 weeks). Our results contributed valuable information to the development of probiotic egg-white drinks blended with fruit juices.

Allergenic activity of milk proteins, mainly casein, α-lactalbumin and β-globulin is one of the limiting factors for the dietary intake of dairy foods. Lab-scale experimental results about the development of dairy protein formula with lower allergenic activity by tryptic and microbial hydrolysis of dairy proteins in a successive way were published previously; however, the economic analysis of this bioprocess was not explored. The aim of the present investigation is to perform economic analysis of the proposed process scheme. The mentioned process schemes were developed by the SuperPro Designer software (v. 12, Intelligen, Inc., USA) and concepts from chemical engineering. According to estimated profitability indicators (gross profit, net profit, gross margin, net present value, payback time, return on investment and internal rate of return), it may be considered that successive tryptic and microbial hydrolysis of milk proteins could be a suitable process scheme to produce protein formula with lower allergenic activity in dairy industry.

In the meat industry, significant time is required for curing, which is determined by the rate of salt and water migration within the meat. The aim of our research was to determine the diffusion rate of salt and water during different curing processes by measuring salt and water content at different times. The diffusion coefficients were determined in three curing processes: dry salting (traditional process), wet curing (industry standard process), and wet curing combined with active ultrasound (innovative process). Three theoretical models were examined to describe the diffusion in meat. The salt diffusion coefficient of a cylindrical loin meat sample (80 mm × Ø15 mm) treated with dry salting was found to be 4.22 × 10−10 m2/s, which increased by one-third when wet curing was applied and doubled when active ultrasound with an intensity of 14.1474 W/cm2 and a frequency of 19 kHz was added. The water diffusion coefficient was found to be 2.42 × 10−9 m2/s in the case of dry salting, which decreased by 75–80% when wet curing was applied. In wet curing supplemented with ultrasound, water diffusion decreases less than in traditional wet curing. Our research has confirmed that active ultrasound can be used as a part of a combined treatment to accelerate curing.

The consumption of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat is growing due to its nutritional benefits and sustainability. However, challenges like a shorter shelf life and increased microbial load of game meat highlight the need to investigate effective preservation techniques. This study investigated the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the quality parameters of wild red deer meat, including pH, color characteristics, microbial load, texture attributes, and protein stability, assessed on different days. Wild red deer meat was treated with pressures ranging from 150 to 600 MPa, followed by storage at 4 °C for up to 14 days. Results showed that HHP at or above 300 MPa stabilized pH and suppressed microbial growth. On Day 1, the control samples had a microbial count of 4.67 log CFU/g, while treatments at or above 500 MPa reduced microbial levels to below 1 log CFU/g. Texture analysis revealed improved tenderness at lower pressures (150–300 MPa) and enhanced firmness at higher pressures. Color parameters, including lightness and redness, were also influenced by HHP, as lightness increased with pressure, while redness decreased at higher pressure levels. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated protein denaturation, especially at ≥300 MPa, with significant degradation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins at ≥500 MPa. These findings suggest that HHP can be an effective method for improving certain quality parameters and extending the shelf life of wild red deer meat up to 14 days of storage, depending on the pressure level applied.

The rapid growth of the human population, the increase in consumer needs regarding food authenticity, and the sub-par synchronization between agricultural and food industry production necessitate the development of reliable track and tracing solutions for food commodities. The present research proposes a simple and affordable digital system that could be implemented in most production processes to improve transparency and productivity. The system combines non-destructive, rapid quality assessment methods, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and computer/machine vision (CV/MV), with track and tracing functionalities revolving around the Internet of Things (IoT) and radio frequency identification (RFID). Meanwhile, authenticity is provided by a self-developed blockchain-based solution that validates all data and documentation “from farm to fork”. The system is introduced by taking certified Hungarian sweet potato production as a model scenario. Each element of the proposed system is discussed in detail individually and as a part of an integrated system, capable of automatizing most production flows while maintaining complete transparency and compliance with authority requirements. The results include the data and trust model of the system with sequence diagrams simulating the interactions between participants. The study lays the groundwork for future research and industrial applications combining digital tools to improve the productivity and authenticity of the agri-food industry, potentially increasing the level of trust between participants, most importantly for the consumers.

The problem of egg substitution to produce a sensory equivalent to egg products in foods where the colloidal properties of egg white are predominant has not yet been solved. The similarity of the proteins in blood plasma makes it a good natural substitute for egg white. To investigate the substitutability, it is practical to use as simple a matrix as possible, which is a solid foam-based food – meringue – in this study. Important techno-functional – texture (fracture force), colour, dry matter content, baking loss - and sensory properties were measured to compare the effect of blood plasma and egg white with a variable protein sugar ratios (protein source : sugar ratio: 1:1, 1:1.5; 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3). The findings highlight blood plasma as an effective egg white substitute in foam-based food products showing similar effect on texture, colour and baking loss. Sensory evaluations revealed a slight preference for egg white meringues, although blood plasma meringues could be equally acceptable to consumers with egg allergies.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of increasing total protein content on the rheological properties of liquid whole eggs. The study fills the gap between fundamental science and industrial application by exploring the potential for developing high-protein, functional egg products for health-conscious consumers and the food industry. Liquid whole egg samples were enriched with different percentages of egg white and whey proteins. Proteins were added either before or after heat treatment, followed by homogenization, to analyze the effects on rheological behavior. Results indicated that whey protein samples exhibit near-Newtonian behavior due to their high solubility and minimal protein interactions, while egg white protein samples, especially at higher concentrations, induce shear thinning behavior and increased viscosity due to their water-binding capacity and partial heat-induced denaturation. Flow behavior index (n) decreased by 62.7 ± 5.7% and 25.2 ± 1.8% for heat treated with 10% added egg white and whey protein samples, respectively; meanwhile, it decreased by 2.64 ± 0.06% for 10% of added egg white protein and increased by 12.0 ± 1.0% for 10% of whey protein when heat treatment was induced prior to protein additions. The findings from this study offer valuable insights for developing functional food enriched with whey and egg white proteins.

This study investigated the potential of laser light backscattering imaging (LLBI) for detecting water addition in apple juices. Commercial 100 % clear and cloudy apple juices were diluted at various levels (5-50 % v/v). Backscattering images were acquired by a laser vision system equipped with a 12-bit camera and laser diodes emitting at six wavelengths in the range of 532-1064 nm. Multispectral data was extracted by signal approximation with Cauchy distribution function (M1) and first-order descriptive parameters (M2). Support vector machine (SVM) was used and the hyperparameters were optimized to maximize model performance. Coefficients of M1 achieved better classification accuracy and prediction of dilution level than those of M2. The classification accuracy increased with reduced number of output classes for both clear and cloudy juice. The binary classification of non-diluted (original juice) and diluted samples obtained the highest performance with accuracy above 87.80 %. The radial kernel utilizing M1 yielded the highest accuracy (60.00-95.00 %) for clear juice, while the polynomial kernel using M1 obtained the highest accuracy (67.50-97.56 %) for cloudy juice. Prediction of adulteration level showed the best performance with radial and polynomial kernel on clear and cloudy juice, respectively. Validation achieved R2 = 0.615 for clear and R2 = 0.930 for cloudy juice. The results show that the proposed technique can detect adulteration and predict dilution level of apple juices.

In our experiment, the effect of electrical and CO2 stunning on pork meat quality attributes was studied. A total of thirty PIC337 female pigs were allocated to two equal groups which were stunned electrically (50 Hz, 210 V, 2.6 A, 15 s) or by CO2 (85 V% CO2, 15 V% O2, 90 s) and slaughtered at a commercial slaughterhouse. For 24 h post mortem, the carcass m. gluteus medius (GM) was used to evaluate meat quality attributes such as pH, color, hardness, water holding capacity (WHC), and total pigment content, and meat classification was also carried out. The CO2 stunning resulted in muscle with significantly lower pH (p < 0.01) and poorer water holding capacity (p < 0.05) compared to electrical stunning. The GM of pigs stunned electrically showed significantly increased lightness (L*) and redness (a*) (p < 0.05) compared to CO2-stunned. The time course of development of rigor mortis was similar for both stunning methods. Pale, soft, exudative (PSE) or dark, firm, dry (DFD) meat defects were not observed. Based on total pigment content, stunning methods did not significantly affect the amount of removable blood.

The present study discusses the technofunctional properties (color, texture) of grilled chicken with both objective (colorimeter, texture profile) analysis and subjective (sensory) analysis. Besides them, the total content of potentially carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs) was also monitored by the applied grilling time–temperature combinations. The same samples were analyzed during the heat treatment of chicken breast samples for 5–15 min at 150–230 °C on an electric contact grill. The grilling variables included the effect of skin cover. Among the structural parameters, hardness exhibited a significant difference between the groups of skin-covered and not-covered ones, and in this case, a linear connection was also found with the time and temperature values, respectively. The structural parameters obtained by sensory and instrumental analysis were compared to each other. In addition, the structural parameters were compared to the color ones (sensory, color according to the CIELAB system: brightness, redness, and yellowness) and to the total HCA content. In the case of closed grilling, sensory-evaluated parameters such as juiciness and tenderness showed a strong negative correlation to instrumentally measured hardness (R = −0.879; −0.749) and chewiness (R = −0.872; −0.718) due to the water loss from the increase in grilling temperature and time. The total HCA content positively correlated to chewiness (R = 0.789). The sensory color parameter and the brightness had a strong connection with juiciness (R = 0.738; 0.723), hardness (R = −0.795; −0.706), and chewiness (R = −0.843; −0.818); redness showed positive correlation to cohesiveness (R = 0.764) and chewiness (R = 0.829). Accordingly, juiciness and chewiness showed a connection to the total HCA levels, which makes it possible to carry out further research on instrumental and sensory parameters that may predict the formation of hazardous amounts of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is defined by the outcome of interconnected metabolic factors that directly increase the prevalence of obesity and other metabolic diseases. Currently, obesity is considered one of the most relevant topics of discussion because an epidemic heave of the incidence of obesity in both developing and underdeveloped countries has been reached. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2023 report, 38% of the world population are presently either obese or overweight. One of the causes of obesity is an imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure, where nutritional imbalance due to consumption of high-calorie fast foods play a pivotal role. The dynamic interactions among different risk factors of obesity are highly complex; however, the underpinnings of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia for obesity incidence are recognized. Fast foods, primarily composed of soluble carbohydrates, non-nutritive artificial sweeteners, saturated fats, and complexes of macronutrients (protein-carbohydrate, starch-lipid, starch-lipid-protein) provide high metabolic calories. Several experimental studies have pointed out that dairy proteins and peptides may modulate the activities of risk factors of obesity. To justify the results precisely, peptides from dairy milk proteins were synthesized under in vitro conditions and their contributions to biomarkers of obesity were assessed. Comprehensive information about the impact of proteins and peptides from dairy milks on fast food-induced obesity is presented in this narrative review article.

This study investigated the effect of a 2% lactic acid and 2% ascorbic acid mixture, applied via a spray method, on the quality of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat stored under vacuum packaging at 4 ± 1 °C for 21 days. A total of 48 semimembranosus muscle steaks were used, divided into two groups: 24 treated with the acid mixture and 24 non-treated controls. Key parameters, including the pH, instrumental color, bacterial counts, texture profile analysis, and protein degradation (sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins) using sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were assessed on different days. Treated samples exhibited significantly lower aerobic plate counts (p < 0.05) compared to controls. No significant differences in pH were found between the groups, except on day one (p < 0.05). Over time, texture analysis revealed a significant reduction in hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness in both groups, with treated samples showing greater tenderness. Importantly, the lactic acid and ascorbic acid treatment did not adversely affect the color attributes of the meat. This method shows potential for improving the microbiological safety of venison without compromising its quality, making it a promising preservation technique for the meat industry.

Determining and applying ‘good’ postharvest and quality control practices for otherwise highly sensitive fruits, such as sour cherry, is critical, as they serve as excellent media for a wide variety of microbial contaminants. The objective of this research was to report two series of experiments on the modified atmosphere storage (MAP) of sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L. var. Kántorjánosi, Újfehértói fürtös). Firstly, the significant effect of different washing pre-treatments on various quality indices was examined (i.e., headspace gas composition, weight loss, decay rate, color, firmness, soluble solid content, total plate count) in MAP-packed fruits. Subsequently, the applicability of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics was investigated to detect the effect of various storage conditions (packed as control or MAP, stored at 3 or 5 °C) on sour cherries of different perceived ripeness. Significant differences were found for oxygen concentration when two perforations were applied on the packages of ‘Kántorjánosi’ (p < 0.01); weight loss when ‘Kánorjánosi’ (p < 0.001) and ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ (p < 0.01) were packed in MAP; SSC when ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ samples were ozone-treated (p < 0.05); and total plate count when ‘Kántorjánosi’ samples were ozone-treated (p < 0.01). The difference spectra reflected the high variability in the samples, and the detectable effects of different packaging. Based on the investigations with the soft independent modelling of class analogies (SIMCA), different packaging and storage resulted in significant differences in most of the cases even on the first storage day, which in many cases increased by the end of storage. The soft independent modelling of class analogies proved to be suitable for classification with apparent error rates between 0 and 0.5 during prediction regardless of ripeness. The research findings suggest the further correlation of NIR spectroscopic and reference parameters to support postharvest handling and fast quality control.

The application of hurdle approach using high hydrostatic processing (HHP) with bioactive compounds (BACs) to preserve meat quality is promising due to safety, improved well-being, and easier acceptance by customers compared to the use of synthetic preservatives. This study was designed to investigate the influence of natural phenolic BAC carvacrol (CARV) at 500 and 1000 ppm combined with HHP(300 and 600MPa) on the quality attributes of chicken meat after being vacuum-sealed and kept at 4 ± 0.5 °C for 28 days. The HHP showed a significantly higher pH rate (P<0.05), increased L* and b* value, decreased a* values, and reduction in water holding capacity (WHC) compared to unpressurized control meat with/without CARV. Reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) indexes was perceived in meat supplemented with CARV, and low level of HHP (300 HHP) whereas significantly increased lipid oxidation was witnessed with HHP 600 MPa. At day 28, an increase in aerobic mesophilic counts (AMCs) was observed in all meat samples. However, reductions of about 0.6, 0.8, and 1.1 log in AMCs were seen in meat treated with 600HHP-No CARV, HHP300-CARV 500 ppm, and 600HHP-CARV 1000 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, despite the overlapping aroma pattern between meat containing CARV and control groups, the electronic nose was able to discriminate control from samples subjected to HHP. The current results demonstrate that the addition of CARV improved the conservation effects of HHP with less oxidative deterioration of fresh chicken meat during chilling storage. Keywords: Bioactive compounds; High hydrostatic processing; Chicken meat; Lipid oxidation; Microbiological properties

AbstractWith growing attention to health and lifestyle changes, functional foods have become crucial and in demand. These foods are a rich source of probiotics and prebiotics, but most probiotic products are dairy-based, making them inappropriate for people with lactose intolerance or milk protein allergies. Nevertheless, egg white offers a viable substitute and is considered one of the best sources of functional proteins. As an alternative food matrix, they come highly recommended for those who are hypersensitive to dairy products or who follow a high-protein diet, such as athletes. In this context, egg-white drink with different carbohydrate sources, including monosaccharide (fructose) and oligosaccharide (fructooligosaccharide), was fermented by Lacticaseibacillus casei 01. After 24 h of fermentation, the total cell count was higher than 8 log10 CFU mL−1 thus, the egg white drink was suitable for L. casei 01 to grow. Additionally, the survival of L.casei 01, the pH value, and the rheological properties of fermented beverages within three weeks of refrigerated storage were also investigated. Throughout the storage period, the control samples exhibited considerably lower cell count and higher pH values compared to the samples with carbohydrate sources, also, samples containing the same carbohydrate source showed no noticeable changes. Viscosity measurements of the studied samples showed a shear thickening behaviour during the time.

The viability of probiotics is strictly influenced by the production, storage, and digestion, while microencapsulation is a technology that can protect them against harsh environments. In this study, the impact of different core-to-wall ratios and wall material formulations on physical properties and the cell number of the microcapsules were investigated. The samples with core-to-wall ratio 1:1 have a significantly higher cell number, encapsulation efficiency, and bulk density than samples with core-to-wall ratio 1:1.5. The yields of the encapsulation method were changes in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, core-to-wall ratios and formulation have a significant effect on the cell number of the microcapsules during the in vitro SGJ test, whereas time, core-to-wall ratios, and formulation have a similar influence in the in vitro SIJ test. Moreover, probiotic apple juices stored at 4 °C for 6 weeks kept the highest cell number at the end. Furthermore, probiotic apple juices fortified by microcapsules coated with WP:DWP 1:1 in core-to-wall ratio 1:1 and stored at 4 °C for 4–8 weeks exhibited a significantly lower pH value. In summary, both whey proteins and denatured whey proteins are as good as coating material for microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum 299v strains. These microcapsules have high potential in the production of probiotic apple juice even by fermentation or fortification methods.

Fruit juice and wine are important beverages that are consumed all over the world. Due to their constantly increasing demand and high value, fruit juice and wine are one of the most frequent targets of adulteration. Since adulterated foods are proven to have harmful effects on health, several approaches have been utilized for the detection of fruit juice and wine adulteration. Based on the requirement for sample destruction, analytical techniques to assess food authenticity can be classified into 2 main categories, i.e., destructive and non-destructive techniques. This paper provides an overview on the principle of adulteration detection, its application and performance, and the advantages and limitations of various analytical techniques. Destructive approaches, such as physicochemical methods, isotope analysis, elemental analysis, chromatographic techniques, and DNA-based techniques, are reviewed. Furthermore, non-destructive approaches, including spectroscopic-based techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic technique, electronic techniques, and imaging-based techniques, are discussed.

A coating solution was developed by blending cassava starch at different levels (2%, 3% and 4% w/v) with gelatin and plasticizers to maintain the quality of eggs during 4 weeks of storage (25 +/- 1 degrees C, 60-65% RH). This study suggests the rapid techniques of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and laser-induced diffuse reflectance imaging for determining the internal quality of eggs. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed that the coatings were effective in protecting eggshells. During storage, coated eggs had lower weight loss and albumen pH, higher Haugh unit and yolk index than control eggs (p < 0.05). These factors are the most common parameters in assessing egg quality. Among the coating formulas, the 4% starch coating had significantly higher effectiveness from the 3rd week of storage. The results indicated that the coating solution containing 4% starch could maintain the egg quality up to 28 days. Furthermore, the NIR spectra were used to develop prediction models for the investigated quality attributes using partial least squares regression (PLSR). Models were created using 3 preprocessing methods of standard normal variate (SNV), first derivative (lD) and second derivative (2D). The PLSR-SNV model achieved the best prediction for weight loss (R-2 = 0.883, RPD = 2.920), Haugh unit (R-2 = 0.756, RPD = 2.025), and yolk index (R-2 = 0.807, RPD = 2.276). Laser scattering was successfully used to detect the egg quality change during storage by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) at wavelengths of 532 nm and 780 nm. The descriptive attributes extracted from intensity profiles showed significant effects of storage time, treatment and their interaction. This research highlighted the promising application of NIR and laser-induced diffuse reflectance imaging for inline control of egg quality at room temperature.