A second nutrition transition seems to be emerging towards more plant-based diets, curbing meat consumption in developed countries at the beginning of the 21st century. This shift suggests that rational arguments tend to influence an increasing number of individuals to adopt vegetarian diets. This work aimed to understand and simulate the impact of different types of messages on the choice to change food diets at the individual level, and the impact of the diffusion of opinions at the collective level. It provided two results: (1) a network of arguments around vegetarian diets is modelled using an abstract argumentation approach. Each argument, formalized by a node, was connected with other arguments by arrows, thus formalizing relationships between arguments. This methodology made it possible to formalize an argument network about vegetarian diets and to identify the importance of health arguments compared to ethical or other types of arguments. This methodology also identified key arguments as a result of their high centrality in being challenged or challenging other arguments. The results of constructing this argument network suggested that any controversy surrounding vegetarian diets will be polarized around such high centrality arguments about health. Even though few ethical arguments appeared in our network, the health arguments concerning the necessity or not of animal products for humans were indirectly connected with ethical choices towards vegetarian diets; (2) an agent-based simulation of the social diffusion of opinions and practices concerning meat consumption is then introduced. The purpose of this simulation was to capture the balance of vegetarian vs. meat-based diets. It contributes to modelling consumer choices by exploring the balance between individual values and external influences such as social pressure, communication campaigns and sanitary, environmental or ethical crises.

This study produced fish mortadella from Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM) of Nile tilapia added with animal fat. Three formulations were developed: M1 (MSM - 89 % and 5 % pork fat), M2 (MSM - 84 % and 10 % pork fat) and M3 (MSM - 79 % and 15 % pork fat). The elaborated products were tested for technological, physical, physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory parameters. The results showed that the fish mortadella were microbiologically stable with a particular texture for an emulsified meat product, attractive colour and characteristic flavour. All formulations met the expected identity and quality requirements. They also achieved good acceptance by the judges, in which formulation M1 may be highlighted for presenting an emulsion stability of 97 %, higher protein content (18.09 %) and lower lipids (16.31 %). In addition, it also reached higher mean scores for texture attributes and purchase intent. Therefore, it is possible to prepare fish mortadellas from tilapia MSM using less animal fat.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of raw chicken meat content on the rheological properties and 3D printability of minced meat mixtures using different concentrations of raw and cooked chicken meat. The meat mass contained yolk, crushed ice, lean raw meat and cooked meat with a high concentration of connective tissue. The concentrations of raw meat added to cooked meat as a percentage of the total weight of meat were 0; 30; 40; 50; 60; 70 and 100. To determine the rheological properties, amplitude sweep and frequency sweep were carried out with a Rheostress RS 300 (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.). Cubes were printed, and the printability and optical impression were evaluated using grades from 1-5. The results showed that rheological properties had a strong influence on the printability of meat mass and it is necessary for G' (storage modulus) at the LVR (linear viscoelastic region) to be higher than 7000 Pa. The complex viscosity |η*| should be higher than 170 Pa, at a shear stress τ = 10 Pa, and a frequency f = 10 Hz used to guarantee sufficient solidity.

Other than the edible oils extracted from the Acrocomia aculeata fruit, there is a growing interest in the palm to generate other high value-added products. Relatively high amounts of carotenoids (up to 378 mg kg-1) have been found in the esculent oils mechanically obtained from the fruit mesocarp. From industrial application perspectives, several processes have been proposed to modify native vegetable oils to yield high functional properties of structured lipids. For interesterified products, the thermal effects of industrial reactors are crucial in reaction mechanisms. The present study has taken into account previously estimated kinetic parameters for the overall disappearances of all-trans β-carotene in the Acrocomia aculeata oil (ko= 2.6 x 10-4 min-1; Ea = 105.0003 kJ mol-1; ΔH = 9.8 x 104 J kg-1) to develop a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) kinetic treatment that obeys first-order kinetics. A system of ordinary dierential equations - mass and energy balances - was solved by the 4th order Runge-Kutta method (GNU Octave software). Under research conditions related to interesterification processing (2 h; 393.15 K), the initial concentration of carotenoids (around 11%) showed no significant decrease. Overall, realistic processing effects and conditions have been assessed, integrating results and knowledge, improving prospects of Acrocomia aculeata as a promising source of high-quality raw material, for producing functional ingredients and food with nutraceutical properties.

Membrane process is an intelligent alternative way of concentration, preferably for organic juices rich in thermolabile natural components. The expectation is to scale up the extraction of desired compounds from agro-industrial wastes through modernized concentration method. Recovery of betalains, phenolic, and antioxidant from beetroot peel extracts was accomplished by nanofiltration membrane (NF 200) at a recirculation flow rate (400 L h-1) and feed temperature (30 ºC) under constant transmembrane pressure (40 bar). Characterization of betaxanthin, betacyanin, phenolic, and antioxidant activity by spectrophotometric analysis revealed that the final samples contain these compounds respectively: 202.25±3.26 mg.L-1, 360.07±8.43 mg.L-1, 987.79±19.18 mg.L-1, 642.06±14.78 mg.L-1 (pure water); 206.62±1.37 mg.L-1, 339.72±2.89 mg.L-1, 972.72±47.49 mg.L-1, 745.97±25.45 mg.L-1 (ethanol-water). Final samples exhibit vivid colour and a considerably large amount of desired compounds compared to crude extracts and could have industrial applications.

The present study was conducted to develop non-cereal starch extruded products. The effects of feed moisture (15-21%), temperature (130-170 °C) and screw speed (120-160 rpm) were evaluated on the physical and functional properties of extruded snacks using response surface methodology. Feed moisture and screw speed increased the bulk density and hardness of extruded snacks. Significant decreases in water absorption index and increases in water solubility index were observed with increases in extrusion temperature. The best conditions were determined by numerical optimization. The optimized value for non-cereal snacks for feed moisture is 18.22%, temperature 155.96 °C, screw speed 142.75 rpm and, desirability is 0.75. Verification of results showed decent agreement between the responses of experimental values at certain optimum conditions and the predicted values.

The contamination of fresh produce with antibiotic-resistant bacteria is of particular concern as they are often eaten raw and can be a source for foodborne diseases. Tetracyclines have been largely used in humans, animals and plants which might have accelerated microbial resistance to them. Enterococci and Escherichia coli can be used as indicators to monitor contamination of the fresh produce with tetracycline-resistant bacteria. The investigation related to this issue is very scarce in Oman. This study aimed at identifying tetracycline-resistant enterococci and E. coli in fresh produce at the market place. Thirty-one enterococci and ten E. coli were isolated from local (Oman) and imported fruits and vegetables (N= 105). Using the standard Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, resistance to tetracycline was found in 6 (19 %) enterococci, isolated from cucumber, lettuce and radish, and 5 (50 %) E. coli, obtained from cabbage, lettuce and radish. Genetic analysis revealed the presence of tetracycline resistance genes, tet(A) and tet(K), in E. coli and tet(K), tet(L) and tet(M) in enterococci, including Enterococcus sulfureus, Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus casseli avus and Enterococcus faecalis. The integron integrase IntI 1 gene, which is known to facilitate the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria, was detected in 2 isolates of E. coli. These results demonstrated the capability of fresh produce to act as a potential source for disseminating tetracycline or possibly other antibiotic-resistant bacteria through the food chain. Thus, control strategies are needed to reduce exposure of the public to such microorganisms.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of the addition of swine skin on the technological characteristics of mortadella formulations produced on industrial scale. The effects of concentrations of swine skin (1.5 to 5.5 %) and sodium chloride (2 to 3 %) on total protein, total fat, starch, moisture, water activity, sodium, pH and texture profile (hardness, adhesiveness, elasticity, cohesiveness and chewiness) were evaluated and compared to a mortadella formulation without swine skin addition. The mortadella formulations with addition of 3.5 to 5.5 % swine skin and 2 to 2.5 % sodium chloride are in accordance with Brazilian legislation and provided an increase of approximately 12 % in protein content, a decrease of 14 % in sodium content and a water activity less than 0.9488. The swine skin and sodium chloride provided stability to the mortadella and influenced its texture, mainly in hardness, elasticity and chewiness.

This research aims to examine the effects of fermentation time on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of green coconut water kefir in order to determine the optimal fermentation time based on the resulting sensory attributes. There were four fermentation time treatments (12, 24, 36, and 48 hours), each with five replications. The materials used were green coconut water and 5% kefir grains. Physical analyses included pH and viscosity, while the chemical analyses included total dissolved solids (TDS), alcohol content, water content, protein content and fat content. Sensory attributes included sourness, soda sensation, sour aroma, viscosity and turbidity. The results showed that fermentation time had significant effects on pH, TDS, alcohol content, water content, protein content and the sensory attributes of green coconut water kefir. Viscosity and fat content were not affected by fermentation time. The ideal fermentation time was 12 hours resulting in a pH level of 4.6, viscosity of 0.09, TDS of 3.8° Brix, alcohol content of 1.16%, water content of 97.14 %, protein content of 6.64 % and fat content of 1.17%. Sensory evaluation found a low level of sourness, low soda sensation, high sour aroma, high viscosity and low turbidity.

Conditions influencing Bacillus cereus growth and cereulide production, such as temperature and pH, were evaluated at varying incubation periods. The growth and cereulide production at different temperatures and pH values ranging from 10 to 40 ºC and 5.0 to 8.5, respectively showed that the temperature from 20 to 30 ºC and at pH from 6.0 to 7.0 gave the optimum growth and cereulide production by B. cereus SA105. pH below 6.0 resulted in reduced growth and cereulide production. Cereulide production increased along with the incubation period, and maximum cereulide titre (ng/mL) of 1219.1±8.90 was obtained after 6 days of incubation at 30 ºC and pH 6.5 under static conditions. There was no quantifiable toxin at incubation temperatures of 10 and 40 ºC by B. cereus SA105. This work further reveals that B. cereus growth and cereulide production was significantly affected by temperature and pH in relation to the incubation period. Furthermore, the findings of this study will serve as a means for reducing the diversity of emetic toxin-producing B. cereus population in food and food products, thus preventing food poisoning.