Food Scientists and Technologists (FS&T) need diverse skills in the globalized food and drink sector: Food-specific or scientific / technical skills and generic or intuitive soft skills. This study determined how satisfied FS&T students were with overall improvement, and in key technical and soft skills, based on their university work; and if satisfaction was linked to geography, degree in progress, anticipated degree, anticipated work place or anticipated job responsibility. An on-line survey was completed by 267 students in over 20 countries using a 5-point Likert scale to evaluate satisfaction. Responses were analyzed by the Friedman or Kruskal Wallis tests for more than two groups, otherwise by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank or Mann-Whitney tests. There were no differences in Overall Satisfaction with technical and soft skills training. Among soft skills, training in Working with Others and Being Responsible were more often rated “Excellent” and students were more satisfied with their training than with Solving Problems, Communication and Positive Attitude. Students anticipating a job with high responsibility were more satisfied with overall soft skill training and with 3 of the 5 specific soft skills. Among technical skills, students were more satisfied with improvement in basic sciences (Microbiology, Chemistry, Processing, Safety), and those in Northern Europe were more satisfied with overall technical training. These data show variations in perception and/or efficacy of technical and soft skill training in Food Science programmes and underline the need for separate attention to the incorporation of soft skill training into the design of FS&T courses.

Many minimally processed foods depend on a combination of inhibitory factors to reduce the hazard of foodborne illness. Therefore, inactivation of Listeria innocua was studied according to a 24 factorial experiment designed to draw conclusions about temperature (52.5 °C and 65.0 °C), pH (4.5 and 7.5), water activity (aw=0.95 and 0.99) and solute type (NaCl and glycerol) effects. Three different recovery media were used to assess injured cells. Survival data were fitted with a Gompertz-based model and kinetic parameters (shoulder, maximum inactivation rate – kmax, and tail) were estimated. Results showed that shoulder was affected by temperature, pH and combined effects; kmax was influenced by all factors and their combinations; and tail was affected by aw, temperature and aw/pH combination. Results demonstrated the potential occurrence of microbial cross-protection survival techniques between the various stresses, e.g. heat and osmolarity. Indeed, this work clearly established that, to avoid hazards, Listeria inactivation must be evaluated with a maximum of environmental factors that undergo alterations. Only thus, appropriate food preservation treatments can be developed and consequently, the safety of food products can be assured.

Dairy yogurts are common food products consumed by people all over the world. Due to the simple process, many people have made their own natural yogurt at home. The fermentation due to the starter culture causes the textural properties of dairy yogurt. However, the literature is surprisingly scarce on the topic of starter culture interactions in the development of textural properties of dairy yogurt. This study investigated the interaction effect of three common starter cultures, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles, on the viscosity of homemade yogurt. Using Design Expert software, a 10-run mixture model experiment was designed to examine the textural properties developed by single or multiple inoculation of these starter cultures. All yogurt formulations reached the isoelectric point of milk and had pHs in the range 3.97 to 4.32. Yogurt formulations with L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus resulted in viscosities which were similar to commercial yogurt viscosity (1.77 Pa·s), while L. bulgaricus resulted in yogurt with a lower viscosity. Based on the mixture model, L. acidophilus had most influence on the yogurt viscosity, followed by S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus. In conclusion, L. acidophilus can be used as a single starter culture or combined with other starter cultures to develop high viscosity homemade yogurt. A Combination of S. thermophilus and L. acidphilus can also be used to develop high viscosity yogurts. However, L. bulgaricus should not be inoculated alone or become a dominant ratio in multiple starter culture inoculation as it will decrease the overall homemade yogurt viscosity.

This review is a presentation of data gathered on the interactions of several polyphenolics (i.e., phenolic acids, stilbenes, flavonoids) with lipid bilayers of different lipid compositions. These polyphenolics have been investigated through a combination of fluorescence spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, to detect changes in membrane fluidity. Among the investigated phenolic acids, the least polar phenolic acid, p-coumaric acid, has the greatest effect on lipid membrane structure. It appears to have a greater ability to cross membranes by passive transport than more polar phenolic acids. On the other hand, among the flavonoids that have been studied, the anthocyanins cyanidin-3-glucoside and its aglycone are inactive. All of the flavonols tested, except for epigallocatechin-3-gallate, promote small decreases in membrane fluidity. Computer simulation of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra for flavonoids indicated two or three regions in the phosphatidylcholine/ phosphatidylserine (2.4:1) membrane with different fluidity characteristics. The effects of the different flavonoids are correlated to their structural characteristics, whereby even the difference in one -OH group can be important, as can the number of H-bonds they form. The role of membrane composition and flavonoid structure in these interactions with lipid membranes are of great importance for bioavailability of these compounds and for their biological effects in an organism.

Acha is a less utilized cereal grain in Africa. Scaling up of the processing technology of acha seeds is desirable if accurate information on effect of processing on its properties is available. This study investigated the effect of cooking duration on the chemical and physical properties of acha seeds. Cooking times (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 minutes) at 100°C were used. The volume, length, breadth, thickness, porosity, density, sphericity, aspect ratio, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate were determined using standard methods. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p = 0.05. The results obtained revealed that varietal difference had a significant effect on volume, length, breadth, thickness, true density, bulk density, porosity, sphericity and aspect ratio. The moisture content, ash, protein, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity varied from 8.80 - 56.17 %, 0.32 - 1.87%, 1.92 - 11.50%, 0.29 - 1.58%, 0.32 - 2.81%, 40.94 - 76.26%, 1.66 -2.97 kJkg−1K −1 , 0.26 -0.43 Wm−1K −1 and 0.85 x 10−7 - 1.17 x 10−7 ms−2 respectively, as significantly influenced by cooking time. Cooking for 7.5 minutes was appropriate using the moisture uptakes and thermal properties as criteria.

Wheat and cassava composite breads are generally associated with volume and textural defects in contrast with the traditional wheat based variants. Efforts to mitigate this challenge through use of synthetic additives have been unsuccessful owing to safety concerns. The objective of this study was to explore Grewia venusta mucilage as a potential natural additive in wheat-cassava composite bread production. Sweet cassava flour was used to replace wheat flour at 100: 0 (control), 90:10, 80:20 and 70:30% ratios in bread making. Aqueous extract of G. venusta stem bark was oven dried (50±3 °C), milled and added at 0, 1.0 and 2.0% (w/w) to the flour mixtures. These, along with other conventional inputs were mixed, and used to produce bread. Proximate compositions, physical and sensory properties of the bread loaves were evaluated. Cassava flour inclusion resulted in significant (P≤0.05) decrease in the protein content of the control from 18.1% to 12.1% (90:10%), 11.5% (80:20%) and 9.9% (70:30%). Addition of mucilage marginally increased the protein and dietary fibre contents of the loaves. Loaves containing 1-2% mucilage were more regular in shape with smoother crust than those without mucilage. Cassava flour addition at 10%, 20% and 30% decreased loaf height from 6.0 cm to 5.8 cm, 5.7 cm and 5.5 cm, as well as loaf volume from 815.5 cm3 to 783.1 cm3 , 776.8 cm3 and 744.5 cm3 , respectively. Mucilage inclusion resulted in increased heights and volumes of the loaves and reduced weights of loaf fragments upon slicing. The mucilage significantly improved the texture of the bread loaves.

Nowadays, consumers demand high quality food products with an extended shelf-life without chemical additives. Edible coatings (EC) containing natural compounds are a promising preservation technology for raw seafood without compromising fresh-like appeal and nutritional content. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of Thunnus obesus skin gelatin-based EC containing Codium spp. or Fucus vesiculosus extracts on raw tuna preservation. Three gelatin-based EC (gelatin (5 %) + glycerol (25 %); gelatin (5 %) + Codium spp. (1 %) + glycerol (25 %); gelatin (5 %) + Fucus vesiculosus (1 %) + glycerol (25 %)) were applied directly on the surface of tuna fillets. Functional properties of gelatin and gelatin-based EC containing seaweed extracts were also studied. The gelatin was extracted by an acid-swelling process in the presence/absence of pepsin, followed by subsequent heating/refrigeration, after a pre-treatment with NaOH. The type of acid, temperature and concentration of NaOH greatly influence the process yield. The higher extraction yield was achieved using acetic acid in the presence of pepsin by subsequent refrigeration, especially when skins were previously treated with NaOH (0.2 M). Tuna quality was assessed over 12 days of storage at 4 ± 1 °C in terms of chemical and microbial indices. Results showed that tuna skin gelatin-based EC avoids tuna deterioration. Microbial growth, assessed by total viable counts, and total volatile basic nitrogen were maintained below the maximum limits recommended, contrarily to the control. Additionally, the use of EC increased the stability of red colour during storage.

Alcoholic and aqueous extracts were obtained from red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) by different methodologies to evaluate their cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Alcoholic extracts (MFP, MSd, SFP, SDP, SSd) from fresh red sweet pepper (FP) and dry pulp (DP) and seed (Sd) were obtained by maceration (M) and Soxhlet (S) equipment using methanol as extraction solvent; whereas aqueous extracts (LFP, LSd) were obtained by decoction followed by lyophilization (L). Human tumoral cell lines from breast (MCF-7 and SKBr3), prostate (PC3) and cervix (HeLa), and fibroblasts (as control) were used to determine the cytotoxic properties by the MTT assay. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were determined by DPPH and disc diffusion method, respectively. The extracts SDP and SFP showed the higher cytotoxic activity. The SDP extract had a significant (P < 0.05) in-vitro effect on HeLa (1.9 ± 1.4 µg/mL) and PC3 (< 1 µg/mL) cells with a moderated impact on fibroblasts (26.1 ± 1.2 µg/mL); whereas, SFP had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on MCF-7 cell line (2.1 ± 1.2 µg/mL) with a moderated impact on fibroblasts (25.9 ± 1.0 µg/mL). The higher antioxidant activity was found for MFP (80.3 ± 0.2%) and SFP extracts (75.5 ± 0.5%). Mild antimicrobial activity was only observed for alcoholic extracts. The results showed the potential of red sweet pepper (C. annuum L.) as a source of antioxidant and cytotoxic compounds, and suggest the need of further studies to isolate and characterize the bioactive compounds that impart those properties. 

The aim of the study was to dry zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) by two different methods (convective hot-air (CHD) and microwave-assisted drying (MWD)). The effect of air temperature (60, 70 and 80°C), microwave (MW) power (180, 360, 540 W) and sample thickness (5 and 10 mm) on some drying characteristics of zucchini were investigated. Thirteen mathematical models available in the literature were fitted to the experimental moisture ratio data. The coefficients of the models were determined by non-linear regression analysis. It was determined that the model that fits the moisture ratio data the best varies at different drying conditions. Increasing drying temperature and MW power and reducing sample thickness improved the drying rate and drying time. Drying in microwave has reduced the drying time by 52-64% for zucchini. It was found that the effective moisture diffusivities increased with increasing temperature and MW power. MWD samples had better rehydration ratios compared to ones dried only in tray drier for 5 mm thickness.

This comparative study investigated some physical, milling and cooking properties of four new rice varieties (FARO 44, FARO 52, FARO 60 and FARO 61) in Nigeria. The varieties were processed into white rice and their properties analyzed separately using standard procedures. Results showed that paddy length, paddy-length-to-width-ratio, equivalent diameter, sphericity, grain volume, aspect ratio, thousand paddy grain weight, milled rice length, milled rice width, milled rice length to width ratio, milling recovery, head milled rice, broken milled rice, L*, a*, b*, elongation ratio, cooked-rice-lengthto-breadth ratio, water uptake ratio and cooking time were significantly different (p<0.05) for all the varieties. Milling recovery was found to vary from 65.3 to 68.33%; with FARO 60 having the highest head milled rice. It was observed that FARO 44 had the longest cooking time, elongation ratio and cooked rice length/breadth ratio while FARO 61 was found to have the highest water uptake ratio. There was significant positive correlation (r = 0.824) between percentage head milled rice and milling recovery while negative correlation existed between cooking time and L* (r = - 0.711). This information could be exploited by rice processors in the post-harvest processing of the varieties.