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ABSTRACT: The harvesting, utilization and marketing of indigenous fruits and nuts have been central to the livelihoods of the majority of rural communities in African countries. In this study we report on the content of dietary fiber, minerals and selected organic acids in the pulps and kernels of the wild fruits most commonly consumed in southern Mozambique. The content of soluble fiber in the pulps ranged from 4.3 to 65.6 g/100 g and insoluble fiber from 2.6 to 45.8 g/100 g. In the kernels the content of soluble fiber ranged from 8.4 to 42.6 g/100 g and insoluble fiber from 14.7 to 20.9 g/100 g. Citric acid was found in all fruits up to 25.7 g/kg. The kernels of Adansonia digitata and Sclerocarya birrea were shown to be rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. The data may be useful in selecting wild fruit species appropriate for incorporation into diets.
SpringerPlus. 12/2013; 2(1):88.
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ABSTRACT: Acrylamide is formed via the Maillard reaction between reducing sugars and asparagine in a number of carbohydrate-rich foods during heat treatment. High acrylamide levels have been found in potato products processed at high temperatures. To examine the impact of harvest year, information on weather conditions during growth, that is, temperature, precipitation, and light, was collected, together with analytical data on the concentrations of free amino acids and sugars in five potato clones and acrylamide contents in potato chips (commonly known as crisps in Europe). The study was conducted for 3 years (2004-2006). The contents of acrylamide precursors differed between the clones and the three harvest years; the levels of glucose were up to 4.2 times higher in 2006 than in 2004 and 2005, and the levels of fructose were 5.6 times higher, whereas the levels of asparagine varied to different extents. The high levels of sugars in 2006 were probably due to the extreme weather conditions during the growing season, and this was also reflected in acrylamide content that was approximately twice as high as in preceding years. The results indicate that acrylamide formation is dependent not only on the content and relative amounts of sugars and amino acids but also on other factors, for example, the food matrix, which may influence the availability of the reactants to participate in the Maillard reaction.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 08/2008; 56(15):6180-4. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Potato is one of the world's most widely grown tuber crop, in which starch is the predominant form of carbohydrates. Potatoes can be prepared in many ways: boiled, fried or roasted. Frying and roasting potatoes at high temperatures result in an appetizing crust, but at the same time acrylamide can form. In this study, the concentrations of the acrylamide precursors, asparagine and sugars, were determined in five different Swedish-grown potato varieties, together with the acrylamide content after typical home-cooking procedures; oven-roasting of potato wedges and pan-frying of cubes of boiled potatoes. Pan-frying of boiled potato cubes resulted in higher levels of acrylamide (530-1100 microg/kg) than in the wedges (140-250 microg/kg). Blanching combined with a shorter roasting time was shown to be an efficient way of reducing the acrylamide content in roasted potato wedges, especially in the experiments performed after long-term storage, where the acrylamide content was reduced from 110-260 to 50-140 microg/kg. No correlation was found between precursor content and acrylamide content, and this finding emphasizes the need for further studies on factors affecting acrylamide formation, for example, the availability of precursors at the surface during cooking.
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 04/2008; 52(3):307-12. · 4.30 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) was studied during frying of beefburgers with different fat contents (6.7%, 16.1% and 39%). Beefburgers were fried from the frozen state for 60, 90, 120 s, and until the centre temperature had reached 72 °C (approximately 150 s) in a double-sided pan fryer. The beefburgers were analysed for HCAs with solid-phase extraction and LC/MS detection, and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 1-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (Harman) and 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (Norharman) were detected in all samples. The concentrations of HCAs ranged between 0 and 2.3 ng g−1. The HCAs concentrations were fitted to a first-order reaction model. The amounts of HCAs in beefburgers fried from the frozen state were in the same range as in beefburgers that have reached room temperature before frying. Furthermore, it was found that the formation of HCAs is not only concentration-controlled but also mass transport-controlled and that kinetic models stated in earlier studies fit relatively well our analysed values on HCAs in fried beefburgers.
International Journal of Food Science & Technology 06/2007; 43(1):62 - 68. · 1.26 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We review and analyze the possible advantages and disadvantages of plant-stress-related metabolic and structural changes on applications in the fruit and vegetable processing industry. Knowledge of the cellular and tissue transformations that result from environmental conditions or industrial manipulation is a powerful means for food engineers to gain a better understanding of biological systems in order to avoid potential side effects. Our aim is to provide an overview of the understanding and implementation of physiological and biochemical principles in the industrial processing of fruits and vegetables.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 02/2007; 47(8):749-63. · 4.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The influence of the addition of carbohydrates with different physicochemical properties on weight loss and formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) during the frying of beef burgers was examined. Furthermore, the capability of carbohydrates to bind HAs was tested. Beef burgers containing 1.5% NaCl and 0.3% tripolyphosphate (reference), with the addition of 1.5% carbohydrate, were fried for 5 min at 200 degrees C in a double-sided pan fryer. The beef burgers were analyzed for HAs with solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. 2-Amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenyl-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), and 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (Norharman) were detected in all of the beef burgers. The addition of carbohydrates affected both the weight loss and the formation of HAs during cooking. The formation of HAs could be correlated to depend on both the weight loss and the type of the added carbohydrate. Of the 11 different carbohydrates tested, raw potato starch was most capable of inhibiting the formation of HAs, while potato fiber gave the lowest weight loss and a comparably low amount of PhIP. Wheat bran and potato fiber were found to reversibly bind HAs. It is concluded that adding small amounts of certain carbohydrates may be a simple and effective way of reducing the amount of HAs and can easily be applied in households and commercial preparations of beef burgers.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 01/2005; 52(25):7561-6. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We investigated the role of cold acclimation in carrot plants with respect to its influence on the storage performance of the harvested taproots. The induction of cold acclimation was followed in plants cultivated in a growth chamber under strict climate control and in taproots harvested from two separate field cultivations where the plants had been exposed to the natural variations in climate. Under controlled growth conditions, levels of antifreeze protein (AFP) mRNA were used as a marker for cold acclimation in carrot taproot tissue. Expression of this gene was induced by cold in discs excised from harvested taproots and this induction was clearly affected by the growth temperature of the plants from which the taproots were taken. These in vitro data were consistent with those from field-grown plants. In the cell wall of taproots harvested in year 2000, where the intact plants had frequently been exposed to temperatures below 6 °C, a 36 kDa AFP accumulated to higher levels during storage than in the taproots harvested from plants grown in year 2001, where cultivation temperatures had rarely dropped below 6 °C. The taproots from 2001 exhibited poor storage performance as shown by an earlier increase in relative electrolyte leakage and decrease in dry matter compared to taproots harvested in 2000. The capacity of the AFP to accumulate during storage was consistent with a high storage performance.
Food Research International - FOOD RES INT. 01/2005; 38(1):29-36.
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ABSTRACT: The possibility of predicting the shelf-life of pasteurized carrot juice by isothermal microcalorimetry or change in pH was investigated and compared with traditional plate count results. A small increase in thermal power (2 µW), maximal increase of and acceleration of thermal power all gave rapid, well-correlated results for the shelf-life, as did pH, during accelerated storage. The effect of accelerated storage (17 °C) on the microbial flora of pasteurized carrot juice was also compared with the flora from storage at 8 °C, and it was found that accelerated storage is feasible for the rapid evaluation of shelf-life, but that the microbial flora in the spoilt juice will be different. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 10/2004; 85(2):281 - 285. · 1.44 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Four cultivars of strawberries (Senga Sengana, BFr77111, Elsanta, and Honeoye) were studied for their content of antioxidants, total antioxidant capacity, and low molecular weight carbohydrates in relation to harvest year, ripening stage, and cold storage. For ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid, and total antioxidative capacity, measured in both water-soluble and water-insoluble extracts, there was a 2-5-fold variation among cultivars. Unripe berries contained lower concentrations of chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid and also quercetin and kaempferol compared with riper berries. During cold storage for up to 3 days, relatively few changes in the concentration of the different antioxidants occurred. The concentrations of several investigated parameters were interrelated, for example, for ascorbic acid and water-soluble antioxidant capacity and for ellagic acid and water-insoluble antioxidant capacity. The dominating sugars in strawberries were fructose and glucose, but considerable amounts of sucrose were also present, and their contents varied among cultivars, giving a predicted glycemic index of approximately 81. Verbascose, raffinose, and stachyose were found in only minor amounts. The study shows that the concentration of a number of bioactive compounds in strawberries varied according to cultivar, ripening stage, and storage. This information should make it possible to select strawberries with an optimal content of bioactive compounds.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 06/2004; 52(9):2490-8. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The aroma compounds in broccoli stored in different modified atmospheres were studied. The packaging materials used were oriented polypropylene (OPP), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) containing an ethylene-absorbing sachet. All samples were stored for either 1 week at a constant temperature of 10 degrees C or for 3 days at 4 degrees C, followed by 4 days at 10 degrees C. The atmospheres that developed inside the packaging materials differed significantly. The broccoli samples were analyzed raw and after cooking, with regard to volatile compounds, using gas-phase (headspace) extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-olfactometry. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), hexanal, 3-cis-hexen-1-ol, nonanal, ethanol, and a group of thiocyanates were selected for a detailed study because these compounds cause off-odor and can be used as indicators of stress. Significant differences were found in the aroma profiles of the broccoli samples relative to the packaging materials used for storage. Storage in OPP (14% O(2), 10.5% CO(2)) resulted in most of the off-odors, while storage in LDPE (6% O(2), 7% CO(2)) and PVC (17.9% O(2), 4% CO(2)) was found to maintain the concentration of DMS, DMDS, and DMTS during storage. Heat treatment of the broccoli increased the content of aroma compounds as well as the number of compounds containing sulfur.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 04/2004; 52(6):1607-14. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Growing of vegetables in the field, harvesting, handling in the packing house and storage are events in the lifetime of vegetables that are analysed from the point of view of the complex series of physiological transitions taking place in each of these events. Water is the major factor limiting plant metabolism and plants have developed fascinating mechanisms to cope with this limiting factor. Therefore, water relations (water, pressure and osmotic potential) are used as criteria for discussing plant stress physiology aspects such as osmotic, elastic adjustment and cold acclimation, as well as mechanical stress when the vegetable is harvested and during handling in the packing house. Consequences for the storage potential and quality of the vegetable are discussed. After harvesting, the postharvest cell has the ability to complete a complex series of physiological transitions that will influence vegetable quality andfurther processing operations. Metabolic changes in the cytosol, cell membrane and cell wall are described.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 02/2004; 44(3):139-54. · 4.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The sensory quality of broccoli stored in modified atmosphere packages was studied. Oriented polypropylene (OPP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were used as packaging materials. The LDPE contained an ethylene-absorbing sachet. The samples were stored for 1 week, either at a constant temperature of 10 °C or for 3 days at 4 °C, followed by 4 days at 10 °C. The atmospheres that were developed inside the different packaging materials during storage differed significantly. After storage, the broccoli was evaluated both raw and cooked using a triangle test and a quantitative descriptive analysis. The triangle test showed significant differences in the smell of broccoli stored in different packaging materials after cooking. No differences were detected in the raw broccoli. The quantitative descriptive analysis showed significant differences in the fresh smell and flavour, the chewing resistance, and the crispness, between samples after cooking. Overall, including all the sensory properties studied, broccoli packaged in LDPE (5% O2, 7% CO2) that contained an ethylene absorber was perceived to be the sample most similar to fresh broccoli. There were no differences in weight loss between broccoli stored in the different packaging materials.
Food Quality and Preference - FOOD QUAL PREFERENCE. 01/2004; 15(4):301-310.
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ABSTRACT: Five polymeric films were studied to determine their ability to retain the colour, weight and texture of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica Monterey). The materials were oriented polypropylene (OPP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and two different low-density polyethylenes (LDPE), one of which contained a sachet reported to absorb ethylene. The broccoli was packaged and stored at 4 and 10C for 4weeks. The weight, colour, chlorophyll content and texture were monitored during storage as well as O2 and CO2 concentrations inside the packages. Packaging prolonged the broccoli shelf-life by up to 14days. The shelf-life varied depending on the packaging material and quality parameter considered. The atmosphere was modified inside the packages; however, no package provided the recommended atmosphere (O2 1–2% and CO2 5–10%) for broccoli. Packaging in OPP resulted in the highest CO2 concentration, 6%, while the lowest O2 concentration, 9%, was created in the LDPE package without a sachet for ethylene absorption. Storage in LDPE without ethylene absorber resulted in the overall longest shelf-life. Broccoli stored in PVC deteriorated faster than broccoli packaged in the other materials. The influence of packaging material was greater at the higher temperature.
European Food Research and Technology 12/2003; 218(2):157-163. · 1.57 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Mutagenic/carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HAs) are formed in the crust during the cooking of meat. The influence of cooking loss, time, and temperature on the formation of HAs was investigated in fried beefburgers. 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) were identified in all samples. The amounts of PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx increased with increasing cooking time, and this effect was significant for all three HAs. The pan temperature had a significant effect on the formation of PhIP and 4,8-DiMeIQx. The addition of NaCl/sodium tripolyphosphate to the beefburgers reduced the cooking loss and decreased the formation of PhIP, MeIQx, and 4,8-DiMeIQx. This decrease was significant for MeIQx and 4,8-DiMeIQx. The results clearly show that it is possible to modify cooking practices to minimize the formation of HAs.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 08/2003; 51(15):4472-7. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Folate concentrations in rosehips and commercial rosehip products and factors affecting folate retention during drying were investigated. On the basis of the raw material studied during 3 years, rosehips were shown to be a rich folate source, 400-600 microg/100 g based on dry matter and 160-185 microg/100 g based on the fresh weight (edible part). Rosehips are not often consumed fresh; therefore, drying to produce stable semimanufactures is a crucial step. The degradation of folate was shown to be dependent on the drying time until the water activity was below 0.75. The required drying time was reduced by cutting the rosehips in slices and to some extent also by increasing the temperature. Retention of folate and ascorbic acid was affected by the same factors, and high content of ascorbic acid could provide a possible protection for folate degradation.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 08/2003; 51(15):4291-5. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The appearance and functional properties are primordial in the quality assessment of semifinished fruit and vegetable products. These properties are often associated with shrunken, shriveled, darkened materials of poor rehydration ability after been subjected to air-drying--the most used drying method in the food industry. Fruits and vegetables are cellular tissues containing gas-filled pores that tend to collapse when subjected to dehydration. Collapse is an overall term that has different meanings and scale-settings in the literature depending on whether the author is a plant physiologist, a food technologist, a chemical engineer, or a material scientist. Some clarifications are given in this particular but wide field. The purpose of this work was to make a state-of-the-art contribution to the structural and textural effects of different types of dehydration on edible plant products and give a basis for preventing this phenomenon. The plant tissue is described, and the primordial role of the cell wall in keeping the structural integrity is emphasized. Water and its functionality at macro and micro levels of the cellular tissue are reviewed as well as its transport during dehydration. The effects of both dehydration and rehydration are described in detail, and the term "textural collapse" is proposed as an alternative to structural collapse.
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 02/2003; 43(4):447-79. · 4.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The effects of agitation and structural differences on osmotic dehydration were investigated. Osmotic dehydration was performed in an agitated vessel at 20 °C using a 50% sucrose solution as the osmotic medium. The impeller's Reynolds number was used for agitation quantification. Samples were separated into inner and outer apple parenchymatic tissue, the intercellular space interconnectivity and aspect ratio (length to width ratio) being higher in inner than outer tissue. Structural differentiation revealed a strong effect on process responses. Solid gain (kg/kg i.m.) was higher in inner than in outer apple parenchymatic tissue independently of agitation level. Water loss (kg/kg i.m.) was lower in inner than outer apple parenchyma at the same Reynolds number. Water loss was higher in the turbulent flow region than in the laminar flow region. Thereby, external mass transfer limitations were verified for our experimental conditions. Solid gain did not show significant differences between laminar and turbulent flow regions. The data indicate that free convection is the mechanism used by the solution in pore penetration, although lack of understanding of this phenomenon at the cell level prevented conclusions from being drawn. Attempts to explain experimental variations revealed indications suggesting the influence of initial bulk density and initial water content on water loss and solid gain.
Journal of Food Engineering.
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ABSTRACT: Dynamic changes in absolute residual PME activity in potato tubers undergoing blanching were analysed with regard to the temperature distribution in the tissue after the treatment. The finite-element technique was used to predict the temperature distribution within the tissue during blanching. The temperature-related behaviour of the enzyme indicated that blanching between 60 and 70 °C induced thermal activation of PME in blanched potatoes. The temperature distribution in the tissue during blanching showed that activation takes place as soon as the tissue reaches an average temperature above 50 °C. However, the temperature dependence of the absolute residual PME activity in the tissue, when blanching at temperatures between 50 and 70 °C, did not follow Arrehenius' law. The degree of PME activity in the blanched tissue was found to depend on the “effective exposure time” to the temperature at which the activation/deactivation of the enzyme takes places. Thermal activation of PME in potato tissue occurred during the first two minutes of blanching. Longer heating times induced rapid deactivation of the enzyme in the tissue.
Journal of Food Engineering.
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ABSTRACT: The shrinkage and increase in density resulting from an osmotic pretreatment were studied for two varieties of strawberries, Honeoye and Dania. Aqueous sucrose solutions (20–85%) and granulated sucrose were used as the osmotic media. A simplified model is presented where the shrinkage factor was correlated to changes in weight. Solids uptake was found to be of great importance for determining the final volume of the strawberries. The two varieties of strawberry correlated well to the proposed model with a correlation coefficient of r2 = 0.8995 for the Honeoye and of r2 = 0.9465 for the Dania. Pretreatment in a 60% (w/w) sucrose solution gave the best result and resulted in an increased density combined with a small decrease in volume. The use of granulated sucrose resulted in the greatest shrinkage. Subsequent thermal processing did not notably change the volume of the pretreated strawberries.
Journal of Food Engineering. 35(2):135-145.
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ABSTRACT: The effect of strawberry invertase on sucrose added during osmotic treatments was investigated. The composition of the sucrose solution used for soaking was significantly influenced by the invertase activity in the strawberries. The drip from the strawberries did not show any invertase activity. Experiments with whole, halved and sliced strawberries showed that the rate of inversion of sucrose in the surrounding medium increased with the extent of division. No further inversion in the osmotic medium was detected after the berries had been removed, which implied that the reaction occurred with in the fruit tissue or at the surface of the fruit. A model for predicting the final composition of sugars in both berries (r2=0.71) and syrup (r2=0.91) is presented.
LWT - Food Science and Technology. 31(6):546-551.
