A sustainable Short Food Supply Chain (SFSC) requires collaboration among all actors, which nowadays is facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICT). However, not all SFSC stakeholders network with others in this way, and it is not clear what will draw them to ICT interaction. A simple, user-friendly website, the SMARTCHAIN Innovation Platform, evolving since March 2019, may facilitate interaction and cooperation among SFSC stakeholders. This article presents the Platform's development and evaluates its efficacy and impact by analysing data from Google Analytics (GA) and other sources. Primary Platform features promote communication and information sharing: these are the 1) Innovation Hubs in 9 European countries, 2) Inventories including 150 SFSC innovations and 50 SFSC initiatives, 3) Resources databases of Publications and Weblinks, and 4) Training section. GA showed that visitors to the Platform increased slowly in the 16 months since its start, and the number of page views increased with the amount of time on the Platform. The most visited page of the Platform was the information-providing Innovation Inventory. Most Platform users were in partner countries of the SMARTCHAIN project, but not all Innovation Hubs had high numbers of users. Most users arrived at the Platform by direct link, but LinkedIn was the most important originating social network. Taken together, these data suggest growth potential for an easy-to-use website that provides useful and up-to-date information but little inclination for SFSC stakeholders to use an online Platform for communication.

Maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster Aiton subsp. atlantica) is rich in polyphenols with known bioactive properties which are beneficial for human health. However, biological activities of bark extracts depend on the type of polyphenols extracted and the characteristics of these extractives depend on several factors such as the type of solvents used. The influence of the extraction solvent on the composition and consequently on the properties of the extracts has been poorly described. Thus, in this study the influence of the extraction solvent (water, ethanol and ethanol-water (50/50 v/v%)) on the antibacterial and anticancer properties of P. pinaster bark samples were evaluated. LC-DAD-MS profiling of the different extracts was also carried out to study their polyphenol composition. Results show that extraction solvent must be carefully chosen with respect to foreseeing use of bark extracts, since ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts displayed the greatest antibacterial activity whereas water extracts showed increased anticancer properties.

Creativity and innovation in culinary research have gained steady academic interest over the last decade. The scholastic interest in creative innovation ranges from its artistic value to culinary creations, gastronomic experiences, and food science and technology. Creative innovation is important for food enterprises to succeed in a highly competitive market. In the context of the New Nordic Cuisine, entrepreneurs and chefs are constantly challenged to bring something new to the dining table. In this context, the processes of creative innovation remain under researched, particularly in the use of seaweed. As such, using the example of seaweed, a relatively new food in the New Nordic Cuisine, the objective of this corpus based study was to explore creative innovation from a systems integral approach, in order to uncover salient themes that contribute the processes of creative innovation in culinary research, and bringing new foods to market. For a corpus driven study, we built a small corpora of interviews with chefs, and food entrepreneurs. We enquired after what inspired and motivated them when faced with a challenge of bringing a relatively new food to market, or in creating new dishes with new available food technologies. The results suggested that food technology plays a critical role in creative innovation, and the resulting new dishes that can be presented to customers. They also suggested that seaweed in the New Nordic Cuisine is an emerging food concept, and that it is embedded in a social and cultural history and familiarity of the Nordic people.

The partial lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia pushed people to work from and spend more time at home. During this unprecedented time, many people pursued new hobbies in gardening, which proved to enhance physical and mental health. With anxieties regarding food insecurity, food gardens became a new urban trend. With a relatively tiny space available, it is possible to make an urban food garden in the front yard of a house using various cultivation techniques to maximize space. However, the implementation of food gardens in urban houses is quite challenging due to limited space. Then, we reflect on the practical process and personal benefits gained from developing a tiny food garden at home. The tiny food garden could produce a variety of vegetables and herbs, such as the spinach family, lettuce, Asian greens, the tomato family, eggplants, the basil family, mint, rosemary, moringas, and butterfly-pea flowers. It may support a household with few amounts of fresh emergency food in the worst scenario during the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides, developing a tiny food garden at home may also provide co-benefits such as enhanced subjective well-being, increased appreciation of food and the environment, motivating others to start gardening at home, and great personal satisfactions of consuming home-grown food. With all these socio-ecological co-benefits, home food garden must be integrated as a strategy to achieve urban sustainability and increase household food resilience.

gboma is a leafy vegetable commonly consumed in Benin, which plays an important role in food security. This study assessed the handling and preservation practices as well as quality attributes of gboma along the supply chain in Southern Benin. A survey among 785 people (285 producers, 180 whole salers/retailers, and 326 consumers) living in four Departments of Benin was conducted to evaluate the consumption frequency, the transportation mode, the preservation methods and quality attributes of gboma during purchasing. The survey revealed that, in general, gboma sauce is consumed twice to three times a month in all the departments covered. Different practices, including humidification, were used to preserve the leaves during selling. Traditional baskets or old clothes were used for the transportation and storage of gboma. Important quality attributes mostly used by actors during purchasing were freshness and color followed by physical damage and, to a lesser extent, weight and leaf surface at different degrees. gboma is currently sold in informal markets; however, improving handling and selling practices could preserve the freshness of this leafy vegetable that could then be placed in conventional supermarkets. Thereby, the selling and consequently the production level will increase, with positive impact on the income of producers.

The use of natural products in sausages has become a new trend for health reasons. A natural product that could be incorporated into sausages is an extract of the senduduk (Melastoma malabathricum L.) leaf. Senduduk is an abundant shrub herb in Indonesia. This kind of plant is mostly used as a traditional medical remedy and as an ingredient in some culinary recipes. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of an aqueous extract of senduduk leaf (SLE) on the antioxidant, antimicrobial and physicochemical properties of beef sausage. Four treatments were used: ingredients consisting of beef, vegetable oil, skim milk, tapioca, salt, phosphate, ice cubic, garlic, pepper, dan nutmeg as a Control; the Control ingredients plus 0.01% of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT); the Control ingredients plus 0.83% of SLE (SLE-1), and the Control ingredients plus 1.1% of SLE (SLE-2). All ingredients of each formula were homogenously blended and the sausage mix was cooked. The addition of BHT and SLE affected the proximate composition, with the moisture content decreasing as the duration of chilled storage increased. The addition of SLE lowered the pH and aw value and both tended to increase during chilled storage. SLE also enhanced the WHC of the sausages which increased in value during chilled storage. The addition of BHT and SLE could increase the antioxidant activity of the sausages as indicated by scavenging DPPH free radicals. SLE in sausages could inhibit microbial growth during chilled storage. It can be summarized that the addition of an aqueous extract of senduduk could improve the physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of beef sausages.

Blended learning refers to the use of conventional face-to-face learning experiences in combination with online education resources and practices. An increase in enrolments and a more diverse student body has intensified the demand to develop first-year teaching and learning pedagogies. Food science and technology lecturers must facilitate constructive learning in order to develop student skills, including critical thinking, teamwork, and self-directed learning. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate student perceptions of collaborative and blended learning. Students were exposed to various technology-enhanced pedagogical tools and face-to-face teaching strategies such as online academic journal reflections, video screencasts, group assignments, food processing practicals, and group crossword puzzles. A mixed-method survey consisting of multiple-choice, a 5-point Likert scale, and open-ended qualitative questions was administered via Blackboard. A total of 133 students were registered for the module, and 72.1% (n = 96) completed the survey. In this study, respondents felt they were prepared to complete the online group assignments (82%), which illustrates that they could learn the course material through collaboration. Moreover, 87% of the students agreed that they could keep up with the coursework in the blended format. Students recommended that there should be more lecture designed video screencasts, and they should be offered more opportunities to do oral presentations in this module. The respondents positively received collaborative and blended learning. The findings of this study, in general, affirm the merits of incorporating blended and collaborative learning in food science and technology curricula.

Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme that can be found in all parts of pineapple plant varieties. Pineapple crown (PC) has higher bromelain activity than other pineapple wastes such as peels and leaves. This study isolated bromelain from one variety of PC, namely Honi, and determined the optimum drying temperature as well as concentration of ammonium sulphate to obtain the best bromelain characteristics such as protein content, unit activity and specific activity. Honi PC was dried at various drying temperatures (35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 °C), and then extracted and purified using ammonium sulphate in various concentrations (20, 40, 60, and 80%), in order, to get bromelain. Furthermore, the yield of isolated bromelain was calculated and the protein content, unit activity and specific activity of bromelain characterised. The highest yield of crude bromelain (CB) was achieved at 35 °C. However, the highest protein level, unit activity and specific activity of CB were achieved at 55 °C (p < 0.05). Purification of CB using concentrations of ammonium sulphate in the range 40 to 80% resulted in a higher protein level (p < 0.05). The highest unit activity and specific activity of bromelain were achieved at a 60% concentration of ammonium sulphate (p < 0.05). 55 °C and 60% were the optimum drying temperature and concentration of ammonium sulphate respectively to achieve the best characteristics (2.16% protein level, 1.61 U/mL unit activity and 0.75 U/mg specific activity) for bromelain isolated from Honi PC. Honi PC isolated bromelain was shown to inhibit the browning reaction on apple fruits. The agroindustry waste product, Honi PC, has potential as a future alternative bromelain source.

Coffee is a popular beverage, and it contains caffeine, a psychoactive substance. Consuming coffee may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the association between the reduced risk of developing AD and the consumption of coffee is controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review and quantitative synthesis meta-analysis that included dose-response analysis on the relationship between the consumption of coffee and the risk of developing AD. Based on PRISMA guidelines, we analysed standard databases of journals published between January 1999 and May 2020. We included the two population-based cohort studies and one case-control study. All studies included looked at the association between consuming many cups of coffee, the amount of coffee consumed in milligrams per day and the risk of developing AD. The systematic literature review and meta-analysis had 1670 participants with follow-up years that ranged from 5 to 21. The consumption of moderate or 3-5 cups per day reduces the risk of developing AD. The pooled relative risk and 95% confidence interval of the 3 included studies were 0.63 (0.3, 1.54). Dose-response curve analysis appears to be U-shaped. The results of the forest plot showed that there is low heterogeneity between the studies. Plotting the funnel plot and the Galbraith plot demonstrated publication bias of the three included studies. More prospective and long-term studies have to be conducted in other countries to determine the exact risk of developing AD.

The coffee of Arabica Kintamani is one of the most popular coffees in the world due to its specific taste. The quality of coffee beans depends on the post-harvest and processing method. Dry processing and wet processing are the most popular methods used and each process produces different quality coffee beans. The objective of this research was to study and analyze various processing methods of coffee beans and to determine the best processing method to apply by the farmers and processors. This research consisted of three processing methods for the coffee namely dried processing (natural); wet processing; and semi-wet processing (honey). The research used a randomized complete design with one factor and five replications. The study showed that dry processing (natural) produced good quality coffee beans compared with wet or semi-wet processing, with significantly higher polyphenols content of 40.80 ± 0.053 mg GAE g−1 , approximately the same caffeine content (1.19 ± 0.016 %), significantly higher antioxidant activity (% DPPH) 89.53 ± 0.229 % with an EC50 equal to 102.44 ± 0.130 mg L−1 , similar lightness 13.63 ± 8.281 and a significantly lower moisture content of 7.54 ± 0.474 %. This indicated that dry processing could be used as an alternative processing method by farmers and processors due to it being easier, cheaper, with more efficient water use as well as giving a product contained the highest levels of polyphenols and antioxidant activity that are good for human health.