A prototype heat pump dryer has been developed for drying of fruits and vegetables at low temperature and relative humidity to maintain the quality of dried product. Onions, of Nasik red variety were peeled, trimmed and sliced to 2 mm thickness. The onion slices were dried in the heat pump dryer at 35ºC (32 % R.H.), 40ºC (26 % R.H.), 45ºC (19 % R.H.) and 50ºC (15 % R.H.). Samples were also dried in a hot air dryer at 50ºC (52 % R.H.) for comparison. The drying rate increased with increase in drying air temperature, associated with reduced R.H., in the heat pump dryer. Drying took place mainly under the falling rate period. The Page equation, resulting in a higher coefficient of determination and lower root mean square error, better described the thin-layer drying of onion slices than the Henderson and Pabis equation. Heat pump drying took less drying time of 360 min and yielded better quality dried product, with higher retention of ascorbic acid and pyruvic acid and lower colour change, as compared to a hot air dryer at the same drying air temperature of 50ºC.

Food scientists and technologists are actively engaged in examining and developing nanotechnologies for applications such as novel functional ingredients and nutrient delivery systems, safety testing, packaging, and authenticity/authentication at an ever-increasing pace. However, before these new products/technologies are commercialised, rigorous safety testing and risk/benefit analysis are required to ensure that public and environmental concerns are addressed. This review provides an overview of food nanoscience and technology including a brief history, education, definitions pertaining to policy and regulation, and applications. The most recent findings and advances are emphasised, focussing on bioactives' delivery. In addition, proposed directions in the area of nano-based targeting of pathogens for food safety as well as medical foods are discussed. As food nanoscience and technology has been extensively reviewed in recent years, specific case examples will be limited to those reported within the past year.

The aim of this paper is to clarify the identity of food engineering in sciences of food. A short historical description of the evolution of the branch in the Anglo Saxon and the Continental educational systems is given. Furthermore, the distinction of basic definitions such as food science, food science and technology, food technology, and food engineering is made. Finally, the objectives of food engineering within the branch of sciences of food are described.

Technologists and nutritionists are always looking for alternative ingredients to use in their formulations to improve functional and nutritional properties. Therefore, cookies using Chia (Salvia hispanica), a grain with high quality nutrients, were prepared. The nutritional value was determined by measuring the chemical composition, mineral content, and the fatty acid composition (saturated, monunsaturated, polyunsaturated, linoleic and linolenic acids). Data obtained from this chemical analysis was used to estimate the nutrients intake and compare them to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs). Cookies supplemented with chia flour contained signicantly more protein, fat, crude fiber, calcium, zinc, and alpha-linolenic (n-3) acid. It was estimated that the supplemented cookies would contribute to the corresponding DRIs in the range of 8.1-13.8% (children) and 6.5-11.0% (males/females) for calcium; and 14.0-18.0% (children) and 6.4-11.3 (males/females) for zinc. The addition of chia flour to the cookies resulted in a product sensorially acceptable with a better fatty acid profile (lower n-6/n-3). Supplemented cookies would contribute to alpha-linolenic DRI in the range of 65.9-134.5% (children), 49.4-100.9% (males), and 53.9-110.0% (females). Dietary intake of protein, fiber, calcium, zinc, and alpha-linolenic (n-3) acid could be increased by the consumption of sugar-snap cookies supplemented with chia flour.

Escherichia coli O157 detection limits in artificially contaminated beef and cattle faeces samples were determined using Dynabeads anti E. coli O157 immunomagnetic beads, VIDAS-UP, VIDAS-ICE, and real-time PCR (GeneDisc and LightCycler) systems. Dynabeads anti-E. coli O157 immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and the GeneDisc cycler were the most sensitive methods, and could detect an initial 1 CFU in 25g beef samples after 6h of incubation in modified tryptone soya broth with novobiocin (mTSB+n) or buffered peptone water (BPW). The VIDAS-UP method could detect an initial 10 CFU, while VIDAS-ICE and the LightCycler methods could only detect an initial 100 CFU. Higher detection rates were achieved with 18 hour incubations, where an initial 1 CFU in a 25g sample could be detected with all five methods. For cattle faeces enrichments, Dynabeads anti-E. coli O157 IMS could detect an initial 1 CFU after a 6 h incubation in mTSB+n, while the VIDAS-UP and VIDAS-ICE methods could detect an initial 10 CFU and both PCR methods could only detect an initial 100 CFU. Detection rates were lower in BPW, compared to mTSB+n, with thresholds of 100 CFU for VIDAS-ICE, VIDAS-UP and GeneDisc methods, and >100 CFU for the LightCycler method.

Nowadays, food production has the challenging mission to encourage the growth of the rural economy assuring long term sustainability of their natural resources. The qualification of human resources and the generation of new knowledge are the main pillars that give sustainability to agribusiness. Animal protein production is one of the branches of the agribusiness sector. Swine production is recognized as an activity of high pollution potential, producing a large quantity of waste. This study aimed to identify the activities developed in partnership among academic, research and extension institutes in a midsize company of the agribusiness sector, more specifically a swine farm (São Roque Farm) in its sustainable restructuring. An exploratory and quantitative research was developed, which comprehended literature reviews, data collection and analysis of documents from the São Roque Farm. It was considered the period that includes the beginning of the sustainable restructuring of the property (2003) until December 2011. During the analysis of the Sustainable Restructuring Project, special attention was given to the readjustment of the wastewater treatment system and to the energy management and carbon credits, being innovative and pilot projects in the state of Santa Catarina. For this purpose, technologies and knowledge are being developed and applied in treatment of three routes: gaseous, liquid and solid. This pilot project allowed the development of applied studies at undergraduate, masters and PhD level and the main results achieved are the improvement of understanding and the achievement of technical and financial benefits by connecting agribusiness, academia and government research institutions.

To determine differences in quality parameters between different types of tea elaborated in Argentina, water extract, crude fibre, caffeine, total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, sorption isotherms and colour parameters (L, a, b) were determined. Fifty-one industrial samples of commercially available teas including green tea, semifermented tea, black tea and black tea sub-product (BTSP) were used for this study.Water extract contents were significantly higher in black tea and green tea (40.3% and 40.7% w/w, respectively), while semifermented tea and BTSP showed higher levels of crude fibre (22.3% and 20.4% w/w, respectively). Caffeine contents of black teas (2.7% w/w) were significantly higher than in the other types of tea. Green teas revealed the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds and the major antioxidant activities (14.9 g GAE/100g dm and 30.0 g AAE/100g dm, respectively). The results also highlighted significant differences (p<0.05) in colour values between the different types of tea.

A team of several faculty members and graduate students at Universidad de las Amricas Puebla is improving engineering design teaching and learning by creating richer learning environments that promote an interactive classroom while integrating formative assessment into classroom practices by means of Tablet PCs and associated technologies. Learning environments that are knowledge-, learner-, community-, and assessment-centered as highlighted by the How People Learn framework, have been developed. To date, the redesign of the undergraduate course entitled Introduction to Engineering Design has signicantly (p<0.05) increased student participation; formative assessment and feedback are more common and rapid; and instructors are utilizing the information gained through real-time formative assessments to tailor instruction to meet student needs. Particularly important have been opportunities to make student thinking visible and to give them chances to revise, as well as opportunities for "what if" thinking.

Olive mill wastes are signicant environmental problem especially in Mediterranean areas where they are generated in huge quantities in a short period of time. They are phytotoxic materials because of their high phenol, lipid and organic acid concentrations, but these wastes also contain valuable resources that could be recycled such as a large proportion of organic matter and a wide range of nutrients. The effluent from olive oil mills contains a large amount of polyphenols that have antioxidant properties. The market value of these antioxidants is high and they are commonly used in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutics and chemical industries. For the management of olive mill wastewater (OMW) and other olive residues, various treatment methods can be used. Many scientists work on more efficient and cheaper treatment alternatives. Due to the great variety of compounds in the waste, several technologies to remove the harmful compounds for the environment should be used single or together. Some of the most used OMW treatments are drying / evaporation, forced evaporation, thermal treatment, centrifugation-ultraltration, electrocoagulation, composting, lagooning, adsorption, powdered activated carbon, filtration, sand filtration, membrane filtration, ultrafiltration, precipitation / flocculation, distillation, electrolysis, co-composting, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as ozonation, hydrogen peroxide / ferrous iron oxidation (the so-called Fentons reagent). Several OMW treatment technologies have been developed aiming at the removal of the main toxic organic compounds. A lot of factors must be considered to choose the treatment methods among them the investment, required area, specic training of the workers, noise and odour emissions and seasonality of production.

High protein yoghurt was made from whole milk, fortified with egg white (30% v/v) and skim milk powder at 12% (w/v). Different yoghurt mixes, with albumin content of 15%, 30% and 45% (v/v), were prepared. The control was made from whole milk, fortified with skim milk powder at 12% (w/v). The blended premixes were pasteurized at 74ºC for 4 seconds, cooled and then inoculated with 3% (w/v) Direct Vat Set yoghurt starter culture at 45ºC. After fermentation for 3 hours in a water bath maintained at 46+-1C, product was cooled to 5ºC and then stored for 24 hours. The effect of the fortification on physico-chemical and sensory properties was investigated. Protein content increased to 8.50% at 45% egg white utilization. Susceptibility to wheying was reduced in egg-white fortified samples, without signicant difference in sensory attributes of the test samples compared to the control. Sensory analysis showed that yoghurt fortified with 45% egg white was organoleptically acceptable. The yoghurt was rated as having better sensory appeal as compared to the control.