New fermented almond milks were developed, using different potentially probiotic bacteria, in order to meet the current demand for healthy, versatile non-dairy products. An in vitro digestion/Caco2 cell model was used to evaluate the effect of both non-fermented and fermented almond milks on the mitochondrial enzymatic activities of enterocytes. Moreover, macrophages were challenged with the in-vitro digested samples and the production of pro-inflammatory biomarkers TNF-α and IL-6 was quantified. Enzymatic activities of cell cultures seemed to be stimulated by the exposure to both fermented and non-fermented almond milks. Both biomarkers decreased (p< 0.05) in fermented almond milks with either B. bifidum or B. longum. Results showed that fermented almond products favored the energetic metabolism of enterocytes and had a lower inflammatory response than non-fermented almond milk, suggesting its benefits for the management of allergies/intolerances. Moreover, the fermentation process enhanced the uptake of iron by Caco-2 cells, especially when using L. rhamnosus and either B. bifidum or B. longum as starters, thus improving the product bioactivity. Therefore, new nondairy fermented products with functional properties were developed, which might be positioned as alternatives to cow-milk products for sensitized groups of population (allergic and/or intolerant to cow milk or anemic population, among others).

Several types of equipment have been used to predict dough behaviour during breadmaking. The complexity of requirements means that no device is able to predict all the properties, and therefore, new tests are released continuously. The Chopin Mixolab mixes the dough at different temperatures, allowing the study of dough mixing properties, weakening, gelatinization, gel stability and retrogradation in one test. The objective of this work was to study the suitability of the Mixolab to predict rheological properties and breadmaking quality of local wheats. Flour was obtained from 29 wheat samples from different genotypes and environments. The correlation of results from traditional analyses (test weight, protein content, sedimentation volume, wet gluten, Falling Number, Alveograph and Farinograph) with Mixolab parameters was studied. The properties of two different bread types were compared with all these parameters. Stability and water absorption values from the Farinograph were highly correlated with the respective Mixolab parameters. It was concluded that wheat samples could be sorted by mixing properties in similar order independently of which method was used. Beyond that, gluten strength estimators obtained from these three rheological methods and the sedimentation volume test were highly correlated. Whilst the correlation of Mixolab parameters with pan loaf volume was not as high as traditional ones, Mixolab developing time, stability and C5 were the best correlated with the most important hearth bread characteristics. Studies performed by other researchers, using wheats from diverse origins, found different results. The need for empirical rheology evaluation with local wheat samples was proved.

The effect of incorporating alum in the clarification stage of raw juice in sugarcane processing on the juice quality and sucrose loss was investigated. Alum was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes of cane juicing. One portion of the cane juice was used for With Pretreatment Treatment (WPT) while the other portion constituted No Pre-treatment (NPT) juice. Alum at levels of 0 mg L−1 , 50 mg L−1 , 100 mg L−1 and 150 mg L−1 was incorporated in both intermediate and hot liming clarification processes in each of the two cane juice portions. Sugar concentration (sucrose, glucose and fructose), ◦Brix, pH, colour, settling performance (initial settling rates (ISR), final mud volume (MV∞), and turbidity) and residual aluminium ion concentration were evaluated. Any significant variations (p < 0.05) in these parameters were assessed. The study found significantly lower (p < 0.05) sucrose losses in clarified juice from intermediate liming of WPT after alum treatment than in the rest of the clarified juices. Colour and turbidity in the pre-treated cane juice of intermediate liming was reduced by 36.9% and 98.1%, respectively at 150 mg L−1 alum level. An initial settling rate of 260 ml min−1 in WPT cane juice of intermediate liming at 150 mg L−1 alum level resulted in the most compact final mud volume of 10.3%. The residual aluminium concentration (0.025 to 0.048 mg L−1 ) in alum treated clarified juices was lower than the natural aluminium concentration (0.088 mg L−1 ) in untreated cane juice. This study showed the potential for the use of alum in cane juice clarification to improve on clarification efficiency and lower sucrose loss.

In the traditional deductive approach in teaching any engineering topic, teachers would first expose students to the derivation of the equations that govern the behavior of a physical system and then demonstrate the use of equations through a limited number of textbook examples. This methodology, however, is rarely adequate to unmask the cause-effect and quantitative relationships between the system variables that the equations embody. Web-based simulation, which is the integration of simulation and internet technologies, has the potential to enhance the learning experience by offering an interactive and easily accessible platform for quick and effortless experimentation with physical phenomena. This paper presents the design and development of a web-based platform for teaching basic food engineering phenomena to food technology students. The platform contains a variety of modules (“virtual experiments”) covering the topics of mass and energy balances, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. In this paper, the design and development of three modules for mass balances and heat transfer is presented. Each webpage representing an educational module has the following features: visualization of the studied phenomenon through graphs, charts or videos, computation through a mathematical model and experimentation. The student is allowed to edit key parameters of the phenomenon and observe the effect of these changes on the outputs. Experimentation can be done in a free or guided fashion with a set of prefabricated examples that students can run and self-test their knowledge by answering multiple-choice questions.

The influence of plasticizer type (glycerol and sorbitol), its content (starch:plasticizer ratio of 1:0.15; 1:0.20; 1:0.25 and 1:0.30) and the relative humidity conditions (43, 58, 75 and 85%) on the mechanical properties of cassava starch films was studied. Both plasticizers seemed to integrate homogeneously in the film matrix. The incorporation of different concentrations of plasticizers affected the mechanical properties of the cassava starch films. Plasticizer ratio directly influenced the force values of the films, they showed significant flexibility when the plasticizer proportion was increased in the formulation. Under conditions of low relative humidity, sorbitol produced films more resistant to puncture than glycerol. Qualitatively, all the films were less brittle when the plasticizers were incorporated.

Valorization of knowledge produced in research units has been a major challenge for research universities in contemporary societies. The prevailing forces have led these institutions to develop a “third mission”, the facilitation of technology transfer and activity in an entrepreneurial paradigm. Effective management of challenges encountered in the development of academic entrepreneurship and the associated valorization of knowledge produced by universities are major factors to bridge the gap between research and innovation in Europe. The need to improve the existing institutional knowledge valorization processes, concerning entrepreneurship and business development and the processes required were discussed. A case study was designed to describe the institutional knowledge valorization process in a food science and technology research unit and a related incubator, during a five year evaluation period that ended in 2012. The knowledge valorization processes benefited from the adoption of a structured framework methodology that led to ideas and teams from a business model generation to client development, in parallel, when possible, with an agile product/service development. Although academic entrepreneurship engagement could be improved, this case study demonstrated that stronger skills development was needed to enable the researcher to be more aware of business development fundamentals and therefore contribute to research decisions and the valorisation of individual and institutional knowledge assets. It was noted that the timing for involvement of companies in the research projects or programs varied with the nature of the research.

The last two decades have seen attempts to replace non biodegradable, synthetic food packaging films with alternatives made from biopolymers. The objective of the present work was to evaluate sensory quality of tea leaf and culinary tastemaker powder when sealed in pouches based on starch films. Films were developed from corn starch and a functional polysaccharide (FP) from amylose (AM), methylcellulose (MC), and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), using a casting technique. Pouches were stored inside a secondary package (plastic jar) under ambient condition for 90 days. Sensory attributes of the stored food samples were evaluated (tea in liquor form) and the scores analysed by fuzzy logic. Results were compared with similarly stored foods but using market available poly-pouches as packaging material.
For tea and tastemaker in general, the relative importance of the sensory attributes under consideration was assessed as: aroma (Highly important) > taste (Highly important) > colour (Highly important) > strength (Important) for tea, and taste (Highly important) > aroma (Highly important) > colour (Important) > appearance (Important) for tastemaker. Among the three films that were developed, the highly important sensory attributes of aroma and taste were maintained as ‘Very good’ when the foods were packed in starch–HPMC/AM film. When the products were packed in market-available polypouches they exhibited similar attributes. With the exception of ‘Very good’ maintenance of the colour of tastemaker by the commercial pouch, irrespective of film and food, the colour and strength/appearance were retained in the ‘Good’-‘Satisfactory’ range. The overall sensory score of tea was also maintained as ‘Very good’ in starch-HPMC film.