The influence of early lactation on chemical composition and the concentration of antimicrobial proteins of donkey’s milk produced in Cyprus were investigated. Milk samples from 10 female donkeys in their first season of lactation were collected at 7, 15 and 30d postpartum. The average contents of donkey milk gross composition were 1.40% protein, 0.16% fat and 8.74% total solids. Results showed that lactation had a significant negative effect on protein concentration, while total solid concentration showed an increased followed by a decrease. Composition of antimicrobial proteins also showed a significant decreased during lactation period except from lactoferrin which showed an increase. On the other hand, throughout the lactation, pH and fat were constant.

This study was designed to enhance the nutritional quality, antioxidant properties and product utilization potentials of locally produced ‘Igbemo’ rice flour by adding Kersting’s groundnut and lemon pomace. Kersting’s groundnut is an underutilized legume while lemon pomace is a byproduct of lemon utilization; both meant to enhance the protein quality, antioxidant potential and fibre contents of the composite flour. The dependent variables were minerals composition, amino acid profile, antioxidants and antinutrients properties, in-vitro protein digestibility and in-vitro carbohydrate digestibility. The result showed that blends with higher lemon pomace of 10.00 g had the best calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium contents and antioxidant contents, while blends with highest Kersting’s groundnut (20.00 g) had the best zinc content. The anti-nutrients in the blends were generally low and safe for consumption. 

Additions of barley flour alone or with combination of chestnut and acorn flour (30%; 30+5%; 30+10%) were aimed at increasing the dietary fibre content in wheat bread. In this regard, enhancement by acorn flour elevated the dietary fibre by a greater extent (up to 7.80%) compared to barley or chestnut flours. Increasing the proportion of non-traditional raw materials also influenced flour pasting properties during the amylograph test as well as the farinograph and extensigraph properties of nonfermented dough. In contrast to the wheat flour, analysis of Falling Number and Zeleny values showed a decrease in technological potential of flour composites of approximately 30%. Water absorption increased about 2 percentage points, mainly with enhancement by chestnut flour. All the non-traditional raw materials slowed dough development, whilst dough softening degree differed according to actual composition. Dough viscous and elastic properties worsened as shown by a decrease of in energy absorbed, depending on the type and the addition of the non-traditional products. Changes in flour composition were reflected in amylograph viscosity maximum, which became lower with increasing amounnts of chestnt and acorn flour. A significant worsening of the bread specific volume as well as of bread shape (vaulting) corresponded with a partial dilution of the gluten matrix. Compared to the wheat bread, 10% chestnut flour caused bread size to diminish to less than one half of the wheat loaf. Statistically, the principal features were water absorption, dough softening degree and extensigraph energy together with specific bread volume. In terms of wheat flour and bread quality, the influence of barley flour overcame the effects of adding chestnut or acorn flours.

In this study, the retention of vitamin C in fresh broccoli stored at different temperatures (i.e. chiller, room, cooking, and roasting or baking; 5-120oC) was investigated. The thermal stability of vitamin C in broccoli was analysed at 5, 20, 45, 60, 70, 80, 110, and 120oC. The vitamin C content was measured by the indophenol titration method. Vitamin C was affected negatively at all stored temperatures. The degradation of vitamin C was modelled by first-order reaction kinetics and the reaction rate constants were observed as 9.03Ö10−8 and 5.65Ö10−3 s −1 when stored at 5oC and 120oC, respectively. The activation energy was estimated as 74.2 kJ/mol within the temperature range used in this study. The lowest decay of vitamin C was observed during the chilling condition. The data on retention of vitamin C in broccoli could be used to determine their stability, when stored as raw, and when heated at different temperatures.

Traditional Greek yogurt-based salad Tzatziki is one of the most popular ready-to-eat deli salads in Greece. The objective of this study was to estimate the microbial stability of Tzatziki, with and without chemical preservatives, using a rapid method. Determination of the microbial count was carried out using the bioluminescence method (ATP) and traditional microbiological analysis, plate-counting method (CFU) in various batches of the final product of Tzatziki. The results showed that the Tzatziki salad without preservatives initially gave higher relative light units (RLU) values (79,532) than the same salad with preservatives (43,198) because the potassium sorbate and the sodium benzoate, used the in recipe, appeared to suspend the action of microorganisms. After incubation in two different substrates, MacConkey and Sabouraud, the Tzatziki salad without preservatives gave higher RLU values (9,488 and 16,176, respectively) than the salad with preservatives (12,780 and 12,005, respectively). In the two selective substrates, differences appeared between the two methods of microbial count (RLU and CFU). While RLU values were roughly at the same level, the CFU values presented significant differences (p < 0.05). It was also shown that there was a strong correlation (R 2 = 0.93-0.95) between bacterial counts estimated by traditional CFU and ATP methods. As expected, the dominant microbial population in Tzatziki was Lactobacillus spp., originated from yogurt. Coliforms and yeasts were not able to survive in this environment. Generally, according to the results, Greek traditional Tzatziki salad was a microbial stable product and the bioluminescence method could be a rapid method to determine its microbial state. 

Water activity is considered an important factor in assessing the stability of food. Understanding the relationship between water activity and equilibrium moisture content (moisture sorption isotherm) benefits food processing in terms of modeling of drying and estimation of shelf life. In addition, glass transition helps to quantify molecular mobility which helps in determining the stability of food. The aim of this study was to determine the moisture sorption isotherm and thermal characteristics of freezedried tuna. These characteristics will help in determining the monolayer moisture and glassy state of the product, at which food is considered most stable. Moisture sorption isotherm at 20 oC and thermal characteristics (over a wide temperature range i.e. from -90 to 250 oC) of freeze-dried tuna flesh were measured. Isotherm data were modeled by BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) and GAB (GuggenheimAnderson–De Boer) models. The GAB and BET monolayer water values were determined as 0.052 and 0.089 g g−1 dry-solids (dry-basis), respectively. In the case of samples at moisture contents above 0.10 g g−1 (wet basis), DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) thermograms showed two-step state changes (i.e. two glass transitions), one exothermic peak (i.e. molecular ordering) and another endothermic peak (i.e. solids-melting). However, the sample at moisture content of 0.046 g g−1 showed three-step state changes (i.e. three glass transitions). The multiple glass transition could be explained by the natural heterogeneity of tuna flesh and inhomogeneity due to molecular incompatibility of the different compositions. The moisture content did not affect the first glass transition temperature nor the exothermic peak (p>0.05), whereas the third glass transition temperature decreased (i.e. plasticized) with increasing moisture content (p<0.05). The solids-melting peak temperature decreased, and enthalpy increased with decreasing moisture content (p<0.05).