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This study investigated the suitability of a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system for the classification of frozen-thawed pork loins according to their quality properties. The pork loin slices were frozen at −20, −50, and −70 °C for 1, 2, and 3 months (the 9 freezing conditions). After thawing pork loins at 2 °C, the hyperspectral image was obtained. The photomicrographs of the loins showed that the extracellular spaces were the biggest in the loins frozen at −20 °C for 3 months. The denaturation of myofibrillar proteins measured by the intrinsic tryptophan intensity and surface hydrophobicity was higher in the loins frozen at −20 °C than that of loins frozen at −50 and −70 °C for 2 and 3 months (P < 0.05). The highest and lowest thawing loss was observed in loins frozen at −20 °C for 3 months (9.1 %) and at −70 °C for 1 month (3.6 %), respectively. The classification by the HSI system for 10-class (the 9 freezing conditions and the 1 fresh loin) showed that the highest correct classification (CC%) rates were 83.20 % and 81.82 % in the calibration and prediction sets, respectively, when partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) with pre-processing by baseline offset and second derivative was used. In addition, 93.36 % and 91.92 % of CC in the calibration and prediction sets, respectively, were found in the classification of 4-class (the 3 thawing losses and the 1 fresh loin) with the PLS-DA and read-once-write-many-columnar. This study demonstrates that the HSI system can be used to present information on the quality of frozen-thawed pork loin. • Different frozen storage conditions induce different physicochemical changes. • Frozen storage at −20 °C leads to the highest physicochemical destruction. • A higher amount of thawing loss is observed under frozen storage at −20 °C. • HSI can classify fresh and frozen pork loins with different freezing conditions. • HSI could discriminate the pork loins with different amounts of thawing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh-cut cantaloupe is very perishable due to the mechanical damage and susceptibility to microorganism infections, which limit their shelf life. Cantaloupe is a popular fruit with high moisture content and nutritional value. This study aimed to enhance fresh-cut cantaloupe quality and extend the shelf life by employing soy protein isolates (SPI) coating solutions containing calcium lactate (CaL) and λ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Cold plasma (CP) was used to augment the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the coatings. The coatings were meticulously characterized, and their impact on fresh-cut cantaloupe was assessed through physicochemical and microbiological parameters. The incorporation of CaL and GABA and the CP treatment heightened the antioxidant activity of the SPI coating, resulting in a substantial increase in DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities by 58% and 30%, respectively. Application of the composite coating included a noteworthy 24% reduction in water loss on fresh-cut cantaloupe, maintaining color stability and total soluble solids content. Moreover, the treatment of composite coating effectively controlled microbial growth, ensuring fresh-cut cantaloupe remained in an edible state at the conclusion of the storage period. The coating treatment has extended the shelf life of fresh-cut cantaloupe from 6 d to 10 d at 0 °C. In conclusion, the CP-treated bioactive coating containing CaL and GABA prolonged the shelf life, enhanced nutritional value, and preserved the microbial quality attributes of fresh-cut cantaloupe. • SPI composite coatings were developed to extend the shelf life and maintain the edibility of fresh-cut cantaloupe. • The incorporation of CaL and GABA and the CP treatment heightened the antioxidant activity of the SPI coating. • SPI composite coating was effective in maintaining quality of fresh-cut cantaloupe. • SPI composite coatings effectively controlled bacterial growth on the surface of fresh-cut cantaloupe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Different kinds of soybean proteins were inoculated with Bacillus subtilis BSNK-5. • Release of bioactive peptides and free amino acids improved the nutritional value. • Proteolysis positively enhanced functional activity, reached the highest at 48 h. • BSNK-5 was a strain with potential for enriching spermidine with health benefits. • Excessive proteolysis had a superior correlation with the formation of off flavor. Microbial fermentation emerges as a promising strategy to elevate the quality of soybean proteins in food industry. This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of the biotransformation of four types of soybean proteins by Bacillus subtilis BSNK-5, a proteinase-rich bacterium. BSNK-5 had good adaptability to each protein. Soluble protein, peptides and free amino acids increased in fermented soybean proteins (FSPs) and dominant after 48–84 h fermentation, enhancing nutritional value. Extensive proteolysis of BSNK-5 also improved antioxidant and antihypertensive activities, reaching peak level after 48 h fermentation. Furthermore, excessive proteolysis effectively enhanced the generation of beneficial spermidine without producing toxic histamine after fermentation, and formed the flavor profile with 56 volatiles in 48 h FSPs. Further degradation of amino acids showed a positive correlation with off-flavors, particularly the enrichment of 3-methylbutanoic acid. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for regulating moderate fermentation by BSNK-5 to enabling the high-value utilization of soybean protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of present work was to assess the effects of chitosan (CH) coating in combination with whey protein isolated (WPI) and tarragon essential oil (TEO) on the bacterial (total mesophilic (TMC) bacteria and psychrotrophic (PTC) bacteria), physicochemical (total volatile bases- nitrogen (TVB-N), pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), free fatty acid (FFA)) and sensory properties of Scomberoides commersonnianus muscle during storage at refrigerator (4 ± 1 °C). The fillet were randomly divided into seven lots and subjected to the following treatments by immersion: chitosan (CH), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey protein isolate- TEO (WPI-TEO), chitosan-TEO (CH-TEO), chitosan-whey protein isolated (CH-WPI), chitosan/whey protwin isolated+ TEO (CH/WPI + TEO) and controls, then stored at 4 °C. Results indicated that incorporation of WPI and TEO into the material coating developed active coatings with good antimicrobial agent growth inhibition activity against TMC and PTC bacteria. The coated samples also retarded the increase in the contents of TVB-N, pH, TBARS and FFA during storage. The score less than critical score of 3 was made at day 8 and 12 for fillet coated with control and coated samples except of fillets coated with chitosan, respectively. These results confirmed that the incorporation of essential oils or other biopolymers into edible coatings may improve the deterioration of chilled seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Joint multi-omics analysis to explain the mechanism of tea effect on the quality of stewed beef. • Tea affected metabolic pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid degradation in stewed beef. • Four proteins have been identified as potential biomarkers. • Key proteins associated with differential metabolite expression were identified. To better understand the functional mechanism of four types of tea (green tea, black tea, jasmine tea, and dark tea) on the quality of stewed beef, changes in quality characteristics, proteomics, and metabolomics were investigated. Adding these four tea types decreased the pH value, L* value, shear force, and hardness of the stewed beef. Among these groups, black tea (BT) significantly improved the tenderness of the stewed beef. They have substantially impacted pathways related to protein oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid degradation, amino acid degradation, and peroxisomes in stewed beef. The study identified that Myosin-2, Starch binding domain 1, Heat shock protein beta-6, and Myosin heavy chain four are significantly correlated with the quality characteristics of tea-treated stewed beef, making them potential biomarkers. Green tea (GT), black tea (BT), jasmine tea (JT), and dark tea (DT) led to the downregulation of 20, 36, 38, and 31 metabolites, respectively, which are lipids and lipid-like molecules in the stewed beef. The co-analysis of proteomics and metabolomics revealed that differential proteins significantly impacted metabolites associated with carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and other nutrients. This study determined the effects of four types of tea on the quality of stewed beef and their underlying mechanisms, providing valuable insights for applying of tea in meat products. At the same time, it can offer new ideas for developing fresh meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improved quality by salting can be maintained even after repeated freezing-thawing. • Small and intracellular ice crystals form in the salted meat. • Salted proteins form hydrophobic interactions more readily after freezing. • Oxidative stability is decreased by salt which needs to be improved. The influence of various freeze-thaw cycles on the physicochemical and histological properties of lightly salted tuna meat was studied. Enhanced water-holding capacity and springiness were obtained in the salted samples even after repeated freezing-thawing, which was ascribed to the modifications in tissue microstructure, ice crystal morphology, and protein properties. Intracellular and spherical ice crystals were observed in the salted meat, rather than the extracellular and large ice columns in the unsalted counterparts. Proteins in the salted meat were more sensitive to the stresses imposed by freezing-thawing and would form hydrophobic interactions more readily. Excessive freeze-thaw cycles accelerated the discoloration of salted meat, probably due to the decreased oxidative stability by salt. The overall quality properties of lightly salted tuna meat could be better maintained when subjected to no more than three freeze-thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The TMT-labeled proteomic strategy was used to reveal preservation mechanism of film. • Co-pigmentation maintained film antioxidant and antibacterial functions after storage. • Co-pigmented film (PHO) extended shrimp shelf-life longer than natural film (PHR) • PHO affected biochemical pathways which influenced shrimp quality positively. • 7 DAPs were identified as potential biomarkers showing high correlation with quality. In order to investigate the influences of modified RAE-based film on shrimp quality, the proteomic approach was performed to elucidate preservation mechanism. Results showed that the modified RAE-based film kept better shrimp quality compared with natural RAE-based film in terms of determined biochemical parameters and estimated shelf-life. Totally, 49 differentially abundance proteins (DAPs) were identified compared with shrimp without packaging. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the modified RAE-based film could maintain functional DAPs which were mainly distributed in the binding, catalytic activity, etc., and metabolic signaling pathways like melanogenesis signaling pathway were remarkably enriched. Meanwhile, there were 25 DAPs showing close relationship with quality traits, and some of them, such as myosin chains, troponin I and heat shock protein were considered as the potential biomarkers to evaluate shrimp quality deterioration. In conclusion, this study revealed the preservation mechanism of modified RAE-based active film on shrimp quality at the protein molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the important cereals for human life. As people pursue higher quality of life, the requirements of improving the quality of wheat flour also increase accordingly. Global warming exhibits asymmetrically, that is, the warming rate during the night is significantly greater than that during the day. However, the effect of moderate warming on the quality formation of wheat is still unclear. In this study, night warming treatment was carried out at the grain filling stage to clarify the effects of night warming on the accumulation of UPP% (percentage of SDS-unextractable polymeric protein) and micro-structure of wheat gluten, with a strong gluten wheat cultivar Xinong979 and a plain gluten wheat cultivar Tam107 as materials. Results showed that night warming treatment significantly increased the protein content in the grains of the two varieties, accelerated the accumulation rate of UPP%, made the micro-structure of wheat dough more compact and dense and increased the flour processing quality. Quantitative analysis of protein networks showed night warming increased junction density, total protein length and lacunarity of micro-structure of dough in both varieties. Night warming treatment in this study helped the two varieties demonstrate better quality traits in both wheat grain and dough. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Night warming increased the quality-related parameters of two wheat varieties. • Night warming accelerated the accumulation of polymeric protein in different manners. • Night warming made the micro-structure of wheat dough more compact and denser. • Night warming increased junction density and lacunarity of micro-structure of dough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instant sea cucumber has become one popular product due to its convenience to eat, favourable taste and minimal loss of nutrients and bioactive components. However, there was rare information about the water dynamic of instant sea cucumber subjected to multiple freeze-thaw cycles. In this study, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance image (MRI) were employed to investigate the effect of freeze-thaw cycles on water status of instant sea cucumber. Four water populations corresponding to strongly bound water, weakly bound water, immobile water and free water were observed in instant sea cucumber. With the increase of freeze-thaw cycles, the transverse relaxation time of immobile and free water increased, while the peak area of free water decreased significantly. MRI enabled the visualization of water migration of instant sea cucumber during multiple freeze-thaw cycles. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles also led to significant changes of other quality properties including thawing loss, WHC, color parameters, texture and protein content, and enlarge the interspace between fiber network in microstructure. Good correlations between T 22 , A 22 , A 23 and thaw loss, WHC, L *, hardness and collagen content (0.873 ≤ r ≤ 0.958) revealed LF-NMR may be an effective real-time monitoring method of these physicochemical parameters as a non-destructive technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is often discussed as break-through technology for manufacturing. However, currently AM is primarily used for prototyping [2]. Poor quality of components and unreliable predictability and repeatability of properties inhibit its establishment in full-scale production. To achieve process improvement, correlations between influencing parameters and component properties must be understood thoroughly. This paper presents a state of the art research of effect mechanisms during extrusion of thermoplastic polymers in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The influence of machine and material parameters as well as process adjustments on mechanical properties and geometric accuracy is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice was added to reconstituted milk at 5%, 10% and 15% (v/v) to prepare fermented milk (KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 ). Fermented milk without kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice was used as control fermented milk (CFM). Compared with CFM, the viable counts of Streptococcus thermophiles (St) in KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 4.5%, 6.5% and 5.9%, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lb) were increased by 2.9%, 7.1% and 4.3%, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis (Ba) were increased by 9.0%, 11.5% and 10.7%, respectively. The value of initial titratable acidity (TA) of CFM was 82.4°T, the TA values of KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 3.5%, 6.4% and 5.7%, respectively. Compared with CFM (water-holding capacity (WHC) was 79.69%; syneresis value was 324.3 g/kg), WHC of KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 were increased by 2.2%, 14.8% and 7.1%, and the syneresis values were reduced by 9.7%, 11.3% and 10.7%, respectively. The firmness value of CFM, KBFM 5 , KBFM 10 and KBFM 15 was 22.71, 26.84, 27.90, 23.56 g, the cohesiveness value was 126.92, 139.82, 153.56, 132.82 g/s, the consistency value was 13.38, 16.36, 18.38, 14.58 g, and the index of viscosity was 4.93, 7.56, 9.29, 6.16 g/s, respectively. KBFM 10 has highest sensory scores (37.96-maximum 40) which was selected for investigation of volatile compounds and hypoglycemia activity. Thirty-six kinds of volatile compounds were identified in KBFM 10 and thirty kinds in CFM, which were mainly aldehydes, alcohols, acids, ketones, and esters. During 28 day refrigerated storage, the values of α-glucosidase inhibition of CFM was 21.6%, 30.27%, 26.61%, 24.59%, 22.82%. The values α-glucosidase inhibition of KBFM 10 was respectively increased by 28.61%, 34.13%, 38.67%, 36.07%, 37.77%. This study demonstrated that kiwifruit-bitter gourd juice can be added as an active ingredient in milk preparations to provide novel functional dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) is obtained from citric acid and trehalose. • NADES with 10 % H 2 O (v/v) has low viscosity and strong freezing resistance capacity. • A 50 % H 2 O addition leads to the disappearance of the NADES hydrogen bond. • Water-tailored NADES (w/w) can reduce the frozen-thawed damage of mirror carp surimi. • Inhibiting effect of 4 % water-tailored NADES on the surimi quality drop is obvious. The inhibitory effect of water-tailored natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) constructed from citric acid and trehalose with different amounts on the quality deterioration and oxidation of frozen-thawed (F-T) mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) surimi was studied. NADES was obtained by citric acid to trehalose and the effect of moisture addition (v/v) on the structure, physicochemical, and anti-freezing capacity of NADES was assessed. NADES + 10 % H 2 O has relatively low viscosity (25 %) and strong freezing resistance. However, a 50 % H 2 O addition leads to the disappearance of the hydrogen bond. The addition of NADES effectively inhibits water loss, migration, and mechanical damage on F-T surimi. An inhibitory effect of 4 % (w/w) NADES on oxidation was verified by a decrease in carbonyl contents (17.4 %, 8.63 %) and TBARS (37.9 %, 15.2 %) of surimi compared with control (P < 0.05) and sucrose + sorbitol after 5F-T cycles, suggesting the potential of NADES as a cryoprotectant for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Predictive microbial growth models were established on fresh-cut cucumber. • Respiration of cucumber and P. fluorescens was modeled by Michaëlis-Menten equation. • Dynamic change of O 2 and CO 2 was modeled coupling cucumber and microbial respiration. • Coupling model contained Baranyi function succeeded in predicting P. fluorescens growth. • Established coupling models are to further predict shelf life of fresh-cut vegetables. This study established microbial growth models for fresh-cut cucumber packaged with different O 2 transmission rate (OTR) films. Biaxially oriented polyamide/low-density polyethylene (BOPA/LDPE) film (Ⅰ: OTR5, Ⅳ: OTR48) and polyethylene (PE) film (Ⅱ: OTR2058, Ⅲ: OTR3875) were used to construct a passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Mathematic models have been established to account for dynamic variations in the O 2 /CO 2 concentration and their impacts on Pseudomonas fluorescens growth. The coupling models included: 1) respiration models of cucumber and P. fluorescens based on Michaëlis-Menten equation, 2) coupling gas exchange models based on Fick's law that contained models of P. fluorescens growth and respiration, 3) coupling microbial growth models contained respiration and gas exchange models. Coupling model with Baranyi function successfully fitted variations of O 2 /CO 2 concentration and P. fluorescens growth in the two packaging. In addition, quality properties of packed fresh-cut cucumber were determined. The film Ⅳ (OTR48) as a high barrier film showed the highest inhibition of P. fluorescens growth, adequately retained its colour, firmness and total soluble solid (TSS) concentration in contrast to the PE films packaging. The constructed coupling models can be utilized for assessing the shelf life and microbial growth of fresh-cut vegetables with spoilage dominated by pseudomonads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the changes in quality properties and microstructure of pork meat as well as structural variation in myofibrillar proteins (MPs) after low-frequency alternating magnetic field thawing (LF-MFT) with different intensities (1–5 mT). LF-MFT at 3–5 mT shortened the thawing time. LF-MFT treatment significantly influenced the quality properties of meat and notably improved the structure of MPs (P < 0.05), compared to atmosphere thawing (AT). Especially, among the thawing treatments, LF-MFT-4 (LF-MFT at 4 mT) had the lowest values of thawing loss and drip loss, and the least changes in the color and myoglobin content. Regarding the results of rheological properties and micrographs, an optimal gel structure and a more compact muscle fiber arrangement formed during LF-MFT-4. Moreover, LF-MFT-4 was beneficial for improving the conformation of MPs. Therefore, LF-MFT-4 reduced the deterioration of porcine quality by protecting MPs structure, indicating a potential use in the meat thawing industry. [Display omitted] • LF-MFT retained quality properties of pork and structure of MPs better than AT. • LF-MFT-4 had the capacity to hold water, and maintain color. • LF-MFT-4 samples showed a more compact muscle fiber structure. • LF-MFT-4 provided the most stable structure of MPs. • LF-MFT-4 reduced the deterioration of porcine quality with protecting structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonellosis outbreaks caused by Salmonella Enteritidis are usually linked to the consumption of eggs and egg products. To assure egg safety, High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma (HVACP) has demonstrated its efficacy in achieving higher than 105 CFU/egg reduction of this bacteria on the egg's surface. Although no quality changes were found immediately after treatment, there was a lack of knowledge on how the quality of HVACP-treated eggs could evolve during their shelf life, and a six-week quality study was performed in this work. Eggs were treated under two sets of conditions, 0.5 min of treatment within 24 h post treatment and 8.5 min of treatment and no post treatment time were the selected ones. No significant differences were found between untreated and treated eggs regarding albumen and yolk pH, Haugh unit, yolk color, vitelline membrane strength or shell strength. The changes detected during the six weeks of storage at 4 °C were attributed to the natural aging of the eggs and not to the effect of HVACP treatments. These results prove HVACP technology as an effective alternative to current techniques to assure both the safety and quality of eggs during their shelf life. • Packages of 6 eggs were treated with cold plasma to reduce 105 CFU/egg of bacteria. • 0.5 and 8.5 min-treatment and 24 h and no post-treatment were the 2 performed sets. • 102 eggs were treated in each set and kept refrigerated with controls up to 6 weeks. • Haugh unit, pH, yolk color or egg items strength were not affected after treatment. • Change of quality parameters during storage was linked to aging and not treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of skim milk (SM), demineralized whey (DW), whey protein concentrate (WPC40-WPC80), isolated (WPI) and hydrolyzed (WPH) on different parameters of yogurts have been evaluated using SLB95 and Yoflex starters. Addition of whey proteins shortened the fermentation time in yogurts with the exception of WPH, which extended it and presented the highest titratable acidity. WPH increased the Lactobacillus and decreased Streptococcus population in yogurts with SLB95 starter. WPI and WPC80 increased water-holding capacity. WPI and WPC80 yogurts exhibited larger aggregates, compared to the rest ingredients, and be bigger with the SLB95 starter. The volatile compounds differ, though not greatly, among yogurts. [Display omitted] • Whey proteins shortened the fermentation time in yogurts with the exception of WPH. • WPH increased the Lactobacillus and decreased Streptococcus count in SLB95 starter. • WPI and WPC80 increased water-holding capacity. • Yogurts with WPI and WPC80 exhibited larger aggregates. • The volatile compounds differ, though not greatly, among yogurts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, shad (Alosa fallax nilotica) was dried in microwave (360, 720 W), developed heat controlled microwave (50, 70 °C), hybrid microwave (350 W + 50 °C, 350 W + 70 °C) dryers. Drying time, drying rate-rate, effective diffusion, color, hardness, energy consumption (SMER, SEC), exergy energy, energy efficiency, heat-mass transfer value of the drying processes were investigated. The shortest drying process was determined as 450 seconds at 720 W power, while the longest was 414minutes at 50 °C. Effective diffusion values calculated for microwave, temperature controlled microwave and hybrid drying processes are 1.32–9.43 × 10−8 m2/s, 2.43 × 10−8-2.41 × 10−7 m2/s and 8.52 × 10−7-2.76 × 10−6 m2/s, respectively. Has changed between It has been determined that the most suitable drying method in terms of total energy consumption and energy efficiency values is the drying process performed in a temperature-controlled microwave dryer. Exin and Exout values of the temperature-controlled microwave drying process were calculated to vary between 2.20 and 5.16 J/s and 1.82–4.68 J/s, respectively. E xin and E xout values of the hybrid drying process were calculated to vary between 1.94 and 4.84 J/s and 1.70–4.68 J/s, respectively. The heat transfer values calculated for the temperature-controlled drying process varied between 0.104 and 0.00269 W/m2K and the heat transfer values calculated for the hybrid drying process ranged between 0.100 and 0.00270 W/m2K. It was determined that the most suitable drying processes for color characteristics were 360 W and 350 W + 50 °C. For the hardness value, it was determined that the 350 W + 70 °C drying process was statistically more appropriate (P < 0.05). • The effect of temperature controlled microwave dryer in fish drying process. • Determination of the performance of dryers in fish drying processes. • To lead more in-depth research in fish preservation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AEW treatment suppressed P. longanae -induced disease occurrence of fresh longan. • AEW treatment led to higher energy status and ATPase activities in inoculated longan. • AEW treatment maintained the storability and quality properties of inoculated longans. • AEW treatment extended the storage-life of longan by regulating energy metabolism. Longan fruit loses its market value rapidly due to postharvest pathogenic infestation and quality deterioration. Here, we hypothesized that acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) could maintain higher quality of P. longanae -inoculated longans via regulating energy metabolism. Results indicated that AEW reduced fruit disease index and decay incidence. Significantly, AEW treatment retained higher levels of ATP, ADP, and energy charge, and higher activities of Ca2+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase, and H+-ATPase in the membranes of plasma, vacuole, and mitochondria, which maintained the structural and functional integrity of cell membrane. Furthermore, indirectly sustaining cell membrane function via AEW treatment could maintain the storability and quality properties of longans, including keeping higher values of color chromaticity (L *, a *, and b *), higher amounts of vitamin C, total soluble solids, sucrose, and total soluble sugars, lower titratable acid and reducing sugar contents. This work elucidated the potential regulation of AEW on the balance of energy metabolism and fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP) improve the preservation of fresh produce by using favorable levels of gases that remain constant for most of the packaging time. In the present study, a set of experiments were conducted to obtain a suitable EMAP system for feijoa fruits ( Acca sellowiana Berg cv. Quimba) and to develop suitable mathematical models to describe the evolution in firmness and flesh color of the stored fruits depending on the temperature and O 2 and CO 2 concentrations inside the package. The fruits were stored without packaging and packed in polypropylene (PP) bags (unperforated and with 1–3 perforations of 0.225 mm) at 6, 12 and 17 °C and 85% RH. The equilibrium concentration of the gases in the packaging headspace for each EMAP was estimated in advance, using a previously developed model. The effect of different storage conditions on the fruits was determined by evaluating the change in the deterioration index, weight, firmness, color and organic acids. In the different EMAP systems, the storage time of the fruits was significantly increased as compared to those stored without packaging at 17 °C, from 17 to 25–31 days for the EMAP at 12 and 17 °C, and 35–38 days for the EMAP at 6 °C. Based on the changes of the measured properties, the most favorable EMAP configuration was 6 °C and 8.2 kPa of O 2 –5.8 kPa of CO 2 (PP bags with one perforation). With the obtained data, the models to represent changes in the fruit firmness and color were successfully developed, obtaining R 2 adj values of 0.948 for firmness and 0.94-0.95 for the color coordinates L*, a * and b *. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peppers were grown using either pesticide-free or conventional production systems and stored at 8 °C in one of four storage methods, i.e. regular atmosphere (control), cling film (CF), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or a proprietary controlled atmosphere (CA) storage system (Palliflex™, PL) of 2 kPa O 2 + 3 kPa CO 2 . Internal atmospheres created by the MAP were periodically assessed during storage, and O 2 and CO 2 levels in both pecticide-free and conventionally-grown peppers were suitably maintained within recommended limits, 3–5 kPa O 2 + 2–8 kPa CO 2 . Weight loss of peppers stored in PL was lower (<4% at 45 d) than for other treatments in both production systems. After 45 d of storage, peppers stored in PL and control had higher total soluble solids content compared with the CF and MAP treatments in the conventional production system. Titratable acidity and total phenolics content first increased then decreased in all treatments. The contents of ascorbic acid in both pesticide-free and conventionally-grown peppers declined, and β-carotene content increased progressively with storage time. In terms of the production systems, the lowest weight loss and total soluble solids contents were in the pesticide-free production system. Furthermore, the pesticide-free production system had higher titratable acidity, total phenolics and ascorbic acid contents, compared with the conventional production system. The lowest decay incidence was in the conventional production system. In conclusion, the pesticide-free production system could be an alternative production system for pepper growing and PL storage could be used to maintain postharvest quality attributes of peppers up to 45 d both in pesticide-free and conventionally-grown peppers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to investigate the effect of extract from heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan on the physico-chemical properties and to find the appropriate addition level in the emulsion-type pork sausage during cold storage. The pH of treatments with C. sappan extract was significantly lower than control and T1 during cold storage periods ( P < 0.05). Also, the reduction of moisture content, and the increase of cooking loss significantly occurred by the addition of 0.2% C. sappan extract. Also, the texture properties and sensory of sausages containing C. sappan extract were decreased compared to control. Inclusion of the C. sappan extract in sausages resulted in lower lightness and higher yellowness, chroma and hue values. However, the antioxidant, antimicrobial activity, and volatile basic nitrogen in the emulsion-type pork sausages with C. sappan extract showed increased quality characteristics during cold storage. In conclusion, the proper addition level of C. sappan extract was 0.1% on the processing of emulsion-type pork sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model transformation is a key concept in model-driven software engineering. The definition of model transformations is usually based on meta-models describing the abstract syntax of languages. While meta-models are thereby able to abstract from superfluous details of concrete syntax, they often loose structural information inherent in languages, like information on model elements always occurring together in particular shapes. As a consequence, model transformations cannot naturally re-use language structures, thus leading to unnecessary complexity in their development as well as in quality assurance. In this paper, we propose a new approach to model transformation development which allows to simplify the developed transformations and improve their quality via the exploitation of the languages׳ structures. The approach is based on context-free graph grammars and transformations defined by pairing productions of source and target grammars. We show that such transformations have important properties: they terminate and are sound , complete , and deterministic . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ultrasonic-assisted thawing significantly reduced the thawing time of frozen beef. • Product quality was improved by 22 and 22/33 kHz of ultrasonic-assisted thawing. • Frozen beef thawed by these frequency modes can retain more immobilized water. • These frequency modes thawed frozen beef maintained the myofibril structure better. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ultrasonic-assisted thawing at different frequency modes (mono-, dual- and tri-frequency) on the thawing efficiency and quality evaluation of frozen beef. The thawing time, muscle quality, and microstructure of frozen beef were studied. The results showed that ultrasonic-assisted thawing effectively reduced the thawing time by 15.7–45.4% compared with flowing water thawing. For the quality properties of beef tissue, the ultrasound-assisted thawing with the single-frequency of 22 kHz and the dual-frequency of 22/33 kHz showed a higher water holding capacity; meanwhile, shear force values were also significantly decreased, and the tenderness of beef tissue was improved accordingly under such conditions. The microstructure analysis showed that the distribution of beef muscle fibers became closer and more regular. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted thawing treatments at 22 kHz single-frequency and 22/33 kHz dual-frequency have a high potential application value in the thawing industry of frozen beef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important physicochemical properties of meat is its tenderness. The impact of Leek (Allium ampeloprasum) extract and ultrasound on meat quality and molecular weight distribution of Longissimus lumborum muscles was studied. Samples have been treated with ultrasound (100 and 300 W during 10, 20, and 30 min) and Leek-derived exogenous proteases (16.9 and 33.8U/g) simultaneously and separately. The combined effect of enzyme and ultrasound in 10 and 20 min increased the pH value. It was also increased the proteolytic activity of meat. Regarding meat quality, the filtering residues, cooking loss, shear force, and hardness were reduced; water-binding capacity, emulsion capacity, and emulsion stability were improved. The electrophoretic pattern of myofibrillar proteins showed the muscle fibers were severely degraded in the combined treatments. It can be concluded that this process could be used as an alternative to the chemical tenderizing agents in the meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Salamis with similar properties were prepared in a high shear grinder-filler. [•] Energy consumption could be reduced using higher number of knife blades. [•] Raw material temperature affected energy consumption but not product quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Reduced-fat pork patties produced with the addition of Laminaria japonica powder were evaluated for the chemical composition, cooking characteristics and sensory properties. Reduced-fat pork patties containing L. japonica powder had significantly higher moisture, ash, carbohydrate content, yellowness, and springiness than the control sample (P <0.05). Protein and fat contents, energy value, lightness, redness, cooking loss, reduction in diameter, reduction in thickness, hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of the regular-fat (20%) control samples were significantly higher than reduced-fat pork patties containing L. japonica (P <0.05). The sensory evaluations indicated that the greatest overall acceptability in reduced-fat pork patties was attained at a L. japonica concentration of 1 or 3%. Pork patties with fat contents reduced from 20% to 10% and supplemented with 1 or 3% L. japonica had improved quality characteristics that were similar to the control patties containing a fat content of 20%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of gaseous ozone treatment at refrigeration temperatures, on microbial counts (total aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic microorganisms and inoculated Escherichia coli) in culture media and in beef samples were analyzed. The influence of ozone on beef quality properties such as surface color and rancidity was measured. The effect of gaseous ozone (154 × 10−6 kg m−3) in culture media inoculated with E. coli after 3- or 24-h treatment at 0° and 4 °C caused a total inactivation of this microorganism. For beef samples treated with the same gaseous ozone concentration, the highest microbial inhibition was observed at 0 °C and after 24-h exposure, producing a decrease of 0.7 and 2.0 log10 cycles in E. coli and total aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic microorganism counts respectively; however, both the surface color and lipid oxidation of these beef samples were unacceptable. Shorter exposure times (3 h) to the tested ozone concentration at both temperatures (0–4 °C), reduced 0.5 log10 cycles the counts of total aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic microorganisms and 0.6–1.0 log10 cycles the counts of E. coli, without changing the color or producing rancidity in beef. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Low-cost LLBI method can be used to assess of apricot quality during ripening. • Skewness of backscattering region was able to predict the apricot firmness. • Saturation and backscattering regions data were successful in predicting TSS. The maturity level plays an essential role in the quality and shelf life of apricot. The present research aims to investigate the applicability and accuracy of the non-destructive laser light backscattering imaging method to predict the quality properties of apricot during ripening. The backscattering images of apricots were acquired at 650 nm in six stages of ripening. The images were segmented by two different thresholding techniques, and several space domain features were extracted from the segmented images. Artificial neural network (ANN), partial least squares regression (PLSR), and principle component analysis-artificial neural network (PCA-ANN) models were developed to predict the firmness and total soluble solids (TSS) of apricot using each of the extracted image features and their combination as input for the prediction models. Results revealed a high correlation between the extracted features from the backscattering images and the quality parameters of apricot during ripening. Modeling using ANN recorded better performance than PLSR. The highest coefficient of determination (R2) and the lowest root mean squared error (RMSE) of cross-validation were achieved with ANN as R2 CV = 0.974, RMSE CV = 3.482 and R2 CV = 0.963, RMSE CV = 1.146 for firmness and TSS, respectively. The results confirmed that the laser backscattering imaging method was successful in predicting the quality properties of apricot during ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of the addition of kimchi powder on the quality characteristics of meat batter and breakfast sausage. Breakfast sausages were supplemented with freeze dried kimchi powder (FKP) or hot air dried kimchi powder (HKP) at levels of 1% (FKP-1 and HKP-1) or 2% (FKP-2 and HKP-2). The emulsion stability, cooking yield, and apparent viscosity in meat batters improved with increments of kimchi powder (p <0.05). Increased levels of kimchi powder in breakfast sausage decreased the L∗ value, pH, and springiness, and increased the a∗ value, b∗ value, hardness, chewiness, and gumminess (p <0.05). Sensory evaluations indicated that a higher overall acceptability was attained when the kimchi powder was added to breakfast sausage at a level of 2%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a new classification method is proposed based on the radial basis function (RBF) neural network architecture. The method is particularly useful for manufacturing processes, in cases where on-line sensors for classifying the product quality are not available. More specifically, the fuzzy means algorithm is employed on a set of training data, where the input data refer to variables that are measured on-line and the output data correspond to quality variables that are classified by human experts. The produced neural network model acts as an artificial sensor that is able to classify the product quality in real time. The proposed method is illustrated through an application to real data collected from a paper machine. The method produces successful results and outperforms a number of classifiers, which are based on the feedforward neural network (FNN) architecture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In many chemical engineering systems, the classification of product quality characteristics is performed by human experts, due to the absence of measuring devices. The development of mathematical models for such systems is a rather difficult task, since no equations based on first principles can be written. It remains to use black-box modeling techniques, where the qualitative and subjective classifications given by the experts, is the only available information for the output quality variables. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy classifier, which can be used as an adequate and reliable expert system to perform quality classifications. The methodology performs remarkably well in two different cases, showing that it has certain advantages over other black-box modeling techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Different equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging systems (EMAP) were evaluated for cape gooseberry fruits, including a moisture adsorber. Three packages were used: cellulose trays with a cellulose film, polylactic acid (PLA) trays and film, and polyethylene terephthalate trays (PET) with a film of polypropylene (PP). The packages' configuration, perforations, and amount of moisture adsorber were predefined by modeling the gas transfer in the packaging system. The packaged fruits were stored at 6 °C and 75 % RH for 6 weeks. The fruits in the PLA trays without sachets had the maximum shelf life of 42 days, while the fruits in celulose with sachets had a shelf life of 40 days compared to 35 days with the PET/PP trays and 21 days of the control fruits. With similar equilibrium gas levels between the EMAP packages, the higher permeability to water vapor of PLA prevented the formation of condensation with lower dehydration compared to the celulose packages with sachets. • Cellulose and polylactic acid packages were configured for cape gooseberry fruits. • The packages were previously simulated estimating transport of gases and weight loss. • A moisture adsorber was prepared and evaluated to minimize condensation. • The PLA system resulted in 42 days of shelf life compared to 21 days of the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF: 1–2 kV/cm, 20 μs) used alone and combined with carbon dioxide (CO 2 : 70%) and high hydrostatic pressure (HP: 150 MPa, 5 min) on the physicochemical properties and microbiological shelf life of coho salmon under pre- and post-rigor conditions were studied during refrigerated storage (25 days). The PEF + CO 2 + HP treatments reduced color changes in pre-rigor more than in post-rigor salmon. Texture changes of pre- and post-rigor salmon differed between untreated and treated salmon. Combined treatments also effectively reduced the protease and lipase activity of pre-rigor salmon. Collagenase activity of post-rigor salmon remained low in all treatments. Principal component analysis showed a clear difference between pre- and post-rigor states in the evaluated parameters; however, microbiological shelf life increased with PEF + CO 2 regardless of the rigor condition. In conclusion, combined PEF, CO 2 , and HP treatments can improve salmon quality during refrigerated storage and thus extend its microbial shelf life. The current demand for processed seafood that is similar to fresh products has created a new area of development in non-thermal processing technologies. Refrigeration and freezing have been applied for many years to extend the shelf life of seafood products, but there is deterioration regardless of the preservation method. Therefore, the combination of non-thermal processing technologies (PEF + CO 2 + HP) could be applied to a large variety of seafood industries. Seafood products could be treated by PEF combined with CO 2 and HP to further evaluate quality attributes under different rigor conditions during chilled storage and estimate the shelf life of the processed product. • PEF + CO 2 + HP changed pre/post-rigor color and texture during refrigerated storage. • PEF + CO 2 + HP treatments reduced pre/post-rigor pH and enzyme activity in storage. • PCA showed an influence of the rigor condition on salmon parameter changes. • Sample microbiological shelf life improved when applying PEF + CO 2 and not HP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional pasteurization method usually has negative impacts on color, flavor, and bioactive compounds of fresh fruit juice. Therefore, it is critically important to develop novel non-thermal sterilization technologies to overcome these problems. In this study, high pressure processing (HPP) (500 MPa/10 min) and thermal processing (TP) (95 °C/3 min) treatments on pineapple fruit juice were comparatively evaluated by monitoring their influences on microbial counts, physicochemical parameters, bioactive components, antioxidant capacity, and volatile compounds during storage of 28 days at 4 °C. The microbial safety was ensured in both HPP-treated and TP-treated pineapple fruit juice, and further cold storage result showed at least a shelf life of 21 days at 4 °C. Both HPP and TP treatments have significant effects on the turbidity and sedimentation index of pineapple juice. During the shelf life, the sugars, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and sedimentation index of HPP-treated groups exhibited no significant change, while the color, bioactive components, antioxidant capacity, and relative content of volatile compounds in both TP- and HPP-treated groups were remarkably changed. Moreover, the pineapple fruit juice with HPP treatment showed a greater retention of original color, bioactive components, antioxidant activity, and volatile compounds in comparison with TP-treated group. In summary, HPP treatment could not only control the microbes in pineapple fruit juice, but also better retain the qualities of pineapple fruit juice, which provided an effective alternative to conventional thermal processing for production of high quality pineapple fruit juice. • HPP treatment had no significant influence on physicochemical properties of pineapple fruit juice. • HPP-treated pineapple fruit juice retained higher levels of bioactive ingredients and antioxidant capacity. • The aroma composition of HPP-treated pineapple fruit juice was closer to fresh pineapple fruit juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static rheological behaviors of Chinese cabbage have rarely been reported, and the quality are still mostly assessed by empirical methods. This study mainly aimed explore the feasibility of using relaxation characteristics to nondestructively evaluate the cabbage quality. Intact Chinese cabbages (Brassica pekinensis L.) were subjected to comprehensive stress relaxation tests and evaluation under storage conditions (at 10 ± 1 °C, 85 ± 2% RH). The five-element Maxwell models (R 2 > 0.99) were applied to effectively describe the relaxation behaviors of cabbages. Among the parameters of the relaxation model, the values in the first component were significantly higher than those values in the second component. Maxwell model parameters were correlated well with the quality parameters of cabbage. Meanwhile, the firmness, SSC, and crude fiber content could be effectively predicted by relaxation parameters, with the exception of VC content and moisture content. The predictive models of quality properties were effectively validated by t -test and multi-linear regression methods. The results corroborated the relationship between relaxation characteristics and quality properties, which indicated that the stress relaxation test was a feasible and nondestructive method to evaluate and predict the quality properties for Chinese cabbage. • Linear viscoelasticity is also suitable for Chinese cabbage under small strains. • Relaxation behavior could be effectively described by five-element Maxwell model. • Some correlations exist among the parameters of relaxation and quality attributes. • Models consist of viscoelastic parameters could predict the most quality values of Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-frequency ultrasound assisted freezing accelerated the freezing rate. • Increase in the number of ultrasonic frequencies enhanced the cavitation effects. • TUF treated samples retained better quality attributes. • Light microscopy observation was adopted to study the microstructures of frozen fish. This research evaluated the effects of multi-frequency ultrasound assisted freezing (UAF) on the freezing rate, structural characteristics, and quality properties of cultured large yellow croaker. The freezing effects with triple ultrasound-assisted freezing (TUF) at 20, 28 and 40 kHz under 175 W was more obvious than that of single ultrasound-assisted freezing (SUF) at 20 kHz and dual ultrasound-assisted freezing (DUF) at 20 and 28 kHz. The results showed that UAF significantly increased the freezing rate and better preserved the quality of frozen large yellow croaker samples. Specifically, the quality parameters of the TUF-treated samples were closer to those of the fresh samples, with greater texture characteristics, a larger water holding capacity (lower thawing loss and cooking loss), lower K values and lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values. Light microscopy observation images revealed that the ice crystals formed by TUF were fine and evenly distributed, resulting in less damage to the frozen large yellow croaker samples. Therefore, multi-frequency UAF could improve the quality properties of the large yellow croaker samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand the mechanisms of quality changes throughout the sauced beef process, amino acids, color, texture, flavor, digestibility, and proteome changes were investigated. Hierarchical cluster analysis and pairwise comparisons were performed to observe the effect of processing craft on proteomes by using a label-free mass spectrometry methodology. GO enrichment analysis indicated that knead-salting craft mainly affects the structure and interaction of proteins, stewing craft mainly affects the protein structure and metabolic enzyme, sterilizing craft mainly affects the protein turnover and metabolic enzyme. Meanwhile, these craft significantly affected the degradation of proteins, amino acids and fatty acids as indicated by KEGG enrichment analysis. Correlation analyses between differential abundance proteins and quality properties showed that 11 proteins were correlated closely with quality properties. Furthermore, the label-free approach used in this study proved to be a reliable method influencing identifying pivotal proteins for quality characteristics of sauced beef. [Display omitted] • Label-free methodology was performed to observe the effect of processing craft on proteins of sauced beef. • 11 proteins could be potential biomarkers for quality control of sauced beef. • Actin contribute to the formation of tenderness, color, and flavor during processing of sauced beef. • First reported relationship between Myosin-2 and Myosin heavy chain 4 with the color of sauced beef during processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bath and probe ultrasonication influenced chemical composition of young white wine. • Increase of bath temperature performed the great influence on volatile composition. • The selection of probe diameter and amplitude had the most important effect. • Ultrasonication partly influenced phenolic and volatile composition after storage. • Color properties were not affected by ultrasonication after storage. This research aimed to analyze the effects of ultrasound on the quality characteristics of white wine when processed by two different systems, i.e., ultrasonic bath and ultrasonic probe. In this regard, the multivariate statistical analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques were used. Additionally, the efficiency of high power ultrasound (HPU) combined with sulfite and glutathione (GSH) treatments was explored during 18 months of bottle storage. Regarding ultrasonic bath experiment, the higher bath temperature caused the degradation of volatile compounds, precisely esters and higher alcohols, while the ultrasound effect on phenolic composition was much less pronounced. Interestingly, a combination of larger probe diameter and higher ultrasound amplitude showed a milder effect on phenolic and volatile composition in ultrasonic probe experiment. Both, ultrasonic bath and probe experiments did not cause great changes in the color properties. Moreover, implemented ANN models for flavan-3-ols, higher alcohols and esters resulted in the highest prediction values. HPU processing after 18 months of storage did not affect wine color. However, it modified phenolic and volatile composition, with greater effect in wines with lower concentration of antioxidants. In addition, there was no significant difference in the phenolic and volatile composition among sonicated low-sulfite-GSH wine and the one with standard-sulfite content. Therefore, a combined HPU and low-sulfite-GSH treatment might be a promising method for production of low-sulfite wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the high pressure-assisted infusion treatment on the quality properties of mango cubes. Factors studied were: sorbitol concentration (20°Brix, 40°Brix, 60°Brix), calcium lactate concentration (0% w /w, 1%w/w, 2% w /w) and pressure level (0.1 MPa, 300 MPa, 600 MPa). Results showed that process factors not only improved the mass transfer during the infusion process but also the solid gain was restricted by the incorporation of the calcium salt. The synergetic effect of pressure level and the addition of calcium salt preserved the mechanical properties. The tonality and chromaticity parameters of mango cubes were preserved by the antagonistic effect of the pressure level and sorbitol concentration. All microbiological counts were below the detection level. The most effective process was 600 MPa-60°Brix-2% w /w since it produced an 81.9% of inactivation of the polyphenol oxidase enzyme, which will allow preserving the final product. The sensory and nutritional properties of fruit-based products are the main factor, determining the acceptance by consumers. During processing, these properties can be affected by different process factors, so there is a great interest in developing new processing methods that would enable the preservation of the quality properties of the fresh fruit. The present study showed that the application of the high pressure-assisted infusion process could be a promising alternative to preserve the quality of mango cubes. Therefore, based on the results, criteria for commercial production of high-quality mango cubes conserved in a sorbitol solution with adequate safety requirements could be established. • Process factors improved the water loss and weight reduction and decrease of the aw. • The incorporation of the calcium salt hindered the solids gain. • The mechanical properties, chromaticity, and tonality were conserved after processing. • Microbiological counts were below the detection level. • Treatment at 600 MPa-60°Brix-2% w /w allow achieved an 81.9% of inactivation Polyphenoloxidase enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High fiber bread was developed by replacing 20% flour by microfluidized corn bran. • Water content in composite bread formulas significantly influences bread quality. • At the standard water content, the resulting composite bread had poor qualities. • Composite bread with high quality can be made by optimizing water content in dough. Microfluidized corn bran is an excellent source of dietary fiber but has not been used to develop high-fiber bread. To develop such bread, it replaced 18, 20, and 22% of flour in the control white bread formula. At the standard water content, the amount of water required to develop a dough consistency of 500 Brabender Units in farinograph tests, the resulting bread had worse microstructure and textural properties, and much smaller loaf volume than the control bread. Instead of using existing physical, chemical and enzymatic methods to reduce the deteriorating effects of bran, we resolved the issue effectively by optimizing the water content in bread formulas. For the three levels of bran addition, when the water content was increased from its standard values of 38.3, 38.6, 38.8% to 40.8, 41.9, and 44.0%, respectively, the obtained loaves exhibited similar microstructure, specific loaf volume, and textural properties to the control bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]