Food Science Commons^™

Controlling Brochothrix Thermosphacta As A Spoilage Risk Using In Package Atmospheric Cold Plasma, Apurva Patange, Daniela Boehm, Carmen Bueno-Ferrer, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

Brochothrix thermosphacta is a predominant spoilage microorganism in meat and its control in processing environments is important to maintain meat product quality. Atmospheric cold plasma is of interest for control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in foods. This study ascertained the potential of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) for control of B. thermosphacta in response to key parameters such as treatment time, voltage level, interactions with media composition and post treatment storage conditions. Challenge populations were evaluated as suspensions in PBS, as biofilms in meat model medium and surface attached on raw lamb chops under MAP.

ACP treatment …

Polyphenolic Content And Antioxidant Capacity Of White, Green, Black, And Herbal Teas: A Kinetic Study, Emer Shannon, Amit Kumar Jaiswal, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Articles

Camellia sinensis teas, and tisanes derived from herbs or fruit, are rich in polyphenolic, antioxidant compounds. This study compared the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and caffeine content of teas (black, green, white, chamomile, and mixed berry/hibiscus) over a range of infusion times (0.5–10 mins) at 90°C. Green, followed by black tea, respectively, had the greatest TPC (557.58 and 499.19µg GAE/g), TFC (367.84 and 325.18µg QE/g), FRAP (887.38 and 209.38µg TE/g), and DPPH radical scavenging capacity (1233.03 and 866.39µg AAE/g). Caffeine content per cup (200mL) in black, green, …

Humic Acid And Trihalomethane Breakdown With Potential By-Product Formations For Atmospheric Air Plasma Water Treatment, Chaitanya Sarangapani, Peng Lu, Patrice Behan, Paula Bourke, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

Over the past century chlorine has been widely used as an oxidant in water and wastewater treatment. Chlorine’s efficacy is demonstrated for microbial inactivation of a wide variety of pathogens along with oxidation of various chemical contaminants. However, the potential formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), such as trihalomethane, is a concern [1]. DBPs, including trihalomethanes, can be formed as a consequence of the reaction of chlorine with natural organic matter (NOM) present in both surface and ground water [2]. NOM comprises of two fractions; humic substances (HS), which are composed of humic acids, fulvic acids, and non-humic substances (non-HS), which …

Quantification Of Trace Metals In Infant Formula Premixes Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Yash Dixit, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Infant formula is a human milk substitute generally based upon fortified cow milk components. In order to mimic the composition of breast milk, trace elements such as copper, iron and zinc are usually added in a single operation using a premix. The correct addition of premixes must be verified to ensure that the target levels in infant formulae are achieved. In this study, a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system was assessed as a fast validation tool for trace element premixes. LIBS is a promising emission spectroscopic technique for elemental analysis, which offers real-time analyses, little to no sample preparation and …

Quantification Of Copper Content With Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy As A Potential Indicator Of Offal Adulteration In Beef, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Yash Dixit, David Geulen, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an emerging technique in the field of food analysis which provides various advantages such as minimal sample preparation, chemical free, rapid detection, provision of spatial information and portability. In this study, LIBS was employed for quantitative analysis of copper content in minced beef samples spiked with beef liver over three independent batches. Copper content was determined with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS) in order to obtain reference values for modelling. Partial least square regression (PLSR) was performed to build a calibration and validation model. A calibration model with a high Rcv2 of 0.85 …

Feasibility Of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (Libs) As An At-Line Validation Tool For Calcium Determination In Infant Formula, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Yash Dixit, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

In this study, a 150 mJ laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system was assessed to determine calcium content in infant formula (IF) samples. LIBS is a promising emission spectroscopic technique for elemental analysis, which offers advantages over conventional methods such as real-time analyses, little to no sample preparation and ease of use. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of LIBS as an at-line tool for IF manufacturing. To this end, IF mixtures with varying content of calcium were prepared over a range (approx. 1.5–7 mg/g of calcium) selected to be in conformity with the guidelines provided by …

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (Libs) For Food Analysis: A Review, Maria Markiewicz-Keszycka, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Yash Dixit, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Background Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an atomic emission spectroscopic technique which uses a focused pulsed laser beam to generate plasma from the material. The plasma contains atoms, ions and free electrons which emit electromagnetic radiation as the plasma cools down. The emitted light is resolved by a spectrometer to form a spectrum. Recently, LIBS has become an emerging analytical technique for characterisation and identification of materials; its multi-elemental analysis, fast response, remote sensing, little to no sample preparation, low running cost and ease of use make LIBS a promising technique for the food sector.

Scope and approach The present …

Advances In Control Of Food Mixing Operations, Patrick J. Cullen, Serafim Bakalis, Carl Sullivan

Articles

Mixing is a ubiquitous unit operation within the food industry and employed not only to combine multiple ingredients, but also to control reactions and modify the structure of foods. Failure of the mixing process may result in poor quality, organoleptic or functional attributes of foods along with product safety concerns. The industry is increasingly adopting automation and advanced control strategies such as Process Analytical Technology. Sensors can provide both insights into the complex mechanisms of mixing along with effective control. Here we discuss some recent advances in the control of food mixing operations.

Evaluation Of Chemical Immersion Treatments To Reduce Microbial Populations In Fresh Beef, Ahmed Kassem, Joseph Meade, James Gibbons, Kevina Mcgill, Ciara Walsh, James Lyng, Paul Whyte

Articles

The aim of the current study was to assess the ability of a number of chemicals (acetic Acid (AA), citric acid (CA) lactic acid (LA), sodium decanoate (SD) and trisodium phosphate (TSP)) to reduce microbial populations (total viable count, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) on raw beef using an immersion system. The following concentrations of each chemical were used: 3 & 5% for AA, CA, LA, SD and 10 & 12% for TSP. Possible synergistic effects of using combinations of two chemicals sequentially (LA +CA and LA +AA) were also investigated. L*, a* and b* values …

The Effect Of Carbon Monoxide Pretreatment Exposure Time On The Colour Stability And Quality Attributes Of Vacuum Packaged Beef Steaks, Lauren Anne Van Rooyen, Paul Allen, Sarah Crawley, David I. O'Connor

Articles

The effect of 5% CO pretreatments prior to vacuum packaging of beef striploin steaks (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum, LTL) on quality attributes, primarily colour stability was investigated. The aim was to determine the optimum pretreatment that would induce the desirable red colour, while allowing discoloration to occur by the end of a 28-day display period (2°C), so as to not mask spoilage. A range of pretreatment exposure times (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15 and 24h) were applied to steaks using a gas mixture of 5% CO, 60% CO2 and 35% N2. The 5h CO pretreatment exposure time achieved the …

Quantification Of Rubidium As A Trace Element In Beef Using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Yash Dixit, Maria Piedad Casado-Gavalda, Raquel Cama-Moncunill, Xavier Cama-Moncunill, Patrick J. Cullen, Carl Sullivan

Articles

This study evaluates the potential of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) coupled with chemometrics to develop a quantification model for rubidium (Rb) in minced beef. A LIBSCAN 150 system was used to collect LIBS spectra of minced beef samples. Beef liver was used to spike the Rb levels in minced beef. All samples were dried, powdered and pelleted using a hydraulic press. Measurements were conducted by scanning 100 different locations with an automated XYZ sample chamber. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to develop the calibration model, yielding a calibration coefficient of determination (Rc2) of 0.99 and a root …

The Potential Of Atmospheric Air Cold Plasma For Control Of Bacterial Contaminants Relevant To Cereal Grain Production, Agata Los, Dana Ziuzina, Daniela Boehm, Patrick J. Cullen, Paula Bourke

Articles

The aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD ACP) against bacteria associated with grains quality and safety. ACP inactivation efficacy was tested against biofilms formed by different strains of E. coli, Bacillus and Lactobacillus in grain model media and against B. atrophaeus endospores either in grain media or attached on abiotic surfaces. Effects were dependent on bacterial strain, media composition and mode of ACP exposure. ACP treatment for 5min reduced E. coli spp., B. subtilis and Lactobacillus spp. biofilms by >3 log10, whereas insignificant reductions were achieved for B. atrophaeus. …

Facilitating Smart Haccp Strategies With Process Analytical Technology, Fintan Moran, Carl Sullivan, Kevin Keener, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

The critical feature to any food management system, be it safety or quality focused, is timely and accurate product and process data. The HACCP framework is one of a systematic preventive approach that addresses hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. The PAT initiative is a framework which also aims to change product assurance from end-product testing to preventive control through timely measurements of critical product and process parameters. The continued emergence of sensitive yet affordable sensors capable of direct measurement of biological, chemical and physical risks associated with foods during production, processing or over their …

The Application Of Carbon Monoxide In Meat Packaging Needs To Be Re-Evaluated Within The Eu: An Overview, Lauren Anne Van Rooyen, Paul Allen, David I. O'Connor

Articles

Carbon monoxide (CO) has many value-added benefits in meat packaging due to its colour stabilising effects and enhancement of meat quality attributes. The regulation of CO within meat packaging varies worldwide and remains a topical and controversial issue. CO is prohibited in the EU for use in meat packaging mainly due to fears it may mask spoilage therefore misleading consumers. The issue of consumer acceptance of CO was not considered. This article reviews the most pertinent literature to assess if the problems associated with the prohibition have been addressed. Applying CO pretreatments prior to vacuum packaging enhances colour while allowing …

Resistant Starch Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity Independently Of The Gut Microbiota, Laure B. Bindels, Rafael R. Segura Munoz, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Valentin Mutemberezi, Inés Martínez, Nuria Salazar, Elizabeth A. Cody, Maria I. Quintero-Villegas, Hatem Kittana, Clara G De Los Reyes-Gavilán, Robert J. Schmaltz, Giulio G. Muccioli, Jens Walter, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, have reached epidemic proportions in industrialized nations, and dietary interventions for their prevention are therefore important. Resistant starches (RS) improve insulin sensitivity in clinical trials, but the mechanisms underlying this health benefit remain poorly understood. Because RS fermentation by the gut microbiota results in the formation of physiologically active metabolites, we chose to specifically determine the role of the gut microbiota in mediating the metabolic benefits of RS. To achieve this goal, we determined the effects of RS when added to a Western diet on host metabolism in mice with …

Negative Binomial Mixed Models For Analyzing Microbiome Count Data, Xinyan Zhang, Himel Mallick, Zaixiang Tang, Lei Zhang, Xiangqin Cui, Andrew K. Benson, Nengjun Yi

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology enable researchers to collect a large volume of metagenomic sequencing data. These data provide valuable resources for investigating interactions between the microbiome and host environmental/clinical factors. In addition to the well-known properties of microbiome count measurements, for example, varied total sequence reads across samples, over-dispersion and zero-inflation, microbiome studies usually collect samples with hierarchical structures, which introduce correlation among the samples and thus further complicate the analysis and interpretation of microbiome count data.

Results: In this article, we propose negative binomial mixed models (NBMMs) for detecting the association between the microbiome and …

Profile Of Polyphenol Compounds Of Five Muscadine Grapes Cultivated In The United States And In Newly Adapted Locations In China, Zheng Wei, Jianming Luo, Yu Huang, Wenfeng Guo, Yali Zhang, Huan Guan, Changmou Xu, Jiang Lu

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Polyphenol compositions and concentrations in skins and seeds of five muscadine grapes (cv. “Noble”, “Alachua”, “Carlos”, “Fry”, and “Granny Val”) cultivated in the United States (Tallahassee-Florida, TA-FL) and South China (Nanning-Guangxi, NN-GX and Pu’er-Yunnan, PE-YN) were investigated, using ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC Triple TOF MS/MS). Fourteen ellagitannins were newly identified in these muscadine grapes. The grapes grown in NN-GX accumulated higher levels of ellagic acid, methyl brevifolin carboxylate, and ellagic acid glucoside in skins, and penta-O-galloyl-glucose in seeds. In PE-YN, more flavonols were detected in skins, and higher contents of flavan-3-ols, ellagic acid, …

A Critical Assessment Of The “Sterile Womb” And “In Utero Colonization” Hypotheses: Implications For Research On The Pioneer Infant Microbiome, Maria Elisa Perez-Muñoz, Marie-Claire Arrieta, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, Jens Walter

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

After more than a century of active research, the notion that the human fetal environment is sterile and that the neonate’s microbiome is acquired during and after birth was an accepted dogma. However, recent studies using molecular techniques suggest bacterial communities in the placenta, amniotic fluid, and meconium from healthy pregnancies. These findings have led many scientists to challenge the “sterile womb paradigm” and propose that microbiome acquisition instead begins in utero, an idea that would fundamentally change our understanding of gut microbiota acquisition and its role in human development. In this review, we provide a critical assessment of the …

The International Scientific Association For Probiotics And Prebiotics (Isapp) Consensus Statement On The Definition And Scope Of Prebiotics, Glenn R. Gibson, Robert W. Hutkins, Mary Ellen Sanders, Susan L. Prescott, Raylene A. Reimer, Seppo J. Salminen, Karen Scott, Catherine Stanton, Kelly S. Swanson, Patrice D. Cani, Kristin Verbeke, Gregor Reid

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective …

Epidemiological Investigation Of Candida Species Causing Bloodstream Infection In Pediatric Small Bowel Transplant Recipients, Mallory J. Suhr, João Carlos Gomes-Neto, Nabaraj Banjara, Diana F. Florescu, David F. Mercer, Peter C. Iwen, Heather E. Hallen-Adams

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Small bowel transplantation (SBT) can be a life-saving medical procedure. However, these recipients experience high risk of bloodstream infections caused by Candida. This research aims to characterize the SBT recipient gut microbiota over time following transplantation and investigate the epidemiology of candidemia in seven pediatric patients. Candida species from the recipients’ ileum and bloodstream were identified by internal transcribed spacer sequence and distinguished to strain by multilocus sequence typing and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Antifungal susceptibility of bloodstream isolates was determined against nine antifungals. Twenty-two ileostomy samples harbored at least one Candida species. Fungemia were caused by Candida parapsilosis …