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The food industry has been widely regarded as an effective sector due to its contribution to the national economy, job creation, and people's welfare. Malaysia as one effective country in the food industry and leading country in Halal food brand emphasized the importance of food quality in both operation and supply chain. Despite the importance of the Halal food industry to countries' economy including Malaysia, this industry is facing multiple challenges. In addition, halal food literature still in the infant stage despite the rapid growth of this important industry. Therefore, this review study aims to identify the challenges that surrounded the Halal industry worldwide generally and Malaysian firms particularly. This study also aims to identify the potential solution to overcome Halal food challenges. The finding of this study uncovers multiple challenges surrounded the Halal food industry in operation, marketing, and certification processes. This study also suggests that the application of the manufacturing execution system can bring a new insight to overcome Halal food challenges. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a clear understanding of Halal food industry operation and certification and their challenges and explains how MES can improve the efficiency of this industry.

Soils should supply nutrients to the plants in accessible forms, in the right level as well as in the absence of toxic substances. The ability of soils to provide nutrients in these required forms is known as soil fertility. It is very crucial to know a way to estimate the soil fertility and so soil fertility plays a vital role in sustainable agriculture. Soil analysis is used for evaluating the availability of nutrients present in a soil sample. Soil analysis helps the farmers or agricultural producers to identify the needed fertilizers and its quantity that should be supplied to the plant for a profitable crop production. The most commonly used method for soil analysis is chemical analysis but it is time consuming, laborious, high costs processes. With the evolution of applied science, several methods have been discovered for the analysis of soil traits. Spectroscopic methods had shown to be a cost-effective, fast, eco-friendly, nondestructive, and repeatable analytical technique for soil analysis. Our project is to develop a cost effective technique and instrument for the analysis of soils in situ to detect nutrients excess and deficient in the sample. The equipment under development is expected to be a useful addition to increase the profit and reduce the risk of small and medium scale farmers across the world. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) has already developed as a popular as well as rapid method to evaluate the fertility of soil. It is precise to organic as well as inorganic materials present in the soil sample. IR spectrum provides significant information about all chemicals present in the soil sample including macro and micro nutrients. In the agriculture and food industry, spot identification of elements are very important. This can be done using nanomaterials based on optical sensors. We apply spectroscopic methods along with the latest commercially available sensors and computational facilities to develop an economical, user convenient, IT enabled appliance for rapid and effortless soil sample analysis.

Additive manufacturing enables the production of complex structures with emerging approaches showing great promise in the food industry for design customization. Three-dimensional food printing has...

Clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) is an aromatic, perennial herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. The plant is indigenous to tropical areas especially India and West Africa. In Nigeria, it is found in the Savannah and coastal areas. The whole herbs of the plant contain essential oils and it is cultivated for various purposes. The plant is a rich source of eugenol in its essential oil. It is also used in the preparation of tea and infusions. It is also used in the treatment of fungal infections, fever, cold, and cough. Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxy phenol) is a phenolic compound from the class of phenylpropanoids. It is used in the food industry as a preservative, mainly due to its antioxidant property, and flavoring agent. The fresh herb × winter season/environment produced the highest essential oil 2.07 mL/plot with essential oil content 0.41% followed by fresh herb × summer season/environment (M1S2) = 1.68 mL. For the eugenol content, the autumn season/environment was found highly favorable = 74.52% (leaves = 69.024, stem = 74.531, and in inflorescence = 80.012) followed winter season/environment 72.30% (leaves = 71.841, stem 69.389, inflorescence 76.042, mean = 72.42%). These seasons are recommended for harvesting to obtain the optimum benefit for the quality essential oil yield.

One of the major challenges of the food industry is to develop more sustainable processing technologies. To address this change, it is necessary to have more information about available innovative technologies and their effect on different food matrices and processes to ensure efficiency in food chain management. The aim of this research was to increase the understanding of the physical modifications induced by the combination of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment and further drying in carrot and potato tissues by modelling the sorption isotherms and the textural properties. High coefficient of determination up to 0.980 for GAB and 0.977 for BET were obtained confirming the good ability of both models to describe the sorption isotherm of foodstuff. Either BET and GAB classified carrot in a III type shape and potato in II type shape for sorption isotherm. Mechanical properties for carrot and potato considering all PEF treatment and aw levels were reported and fitted by modified Fermi distribution. High coefficient of determination up to 0.995 confirm the ability of Fermi model to describe mechanical properties in relation to water activity (aw).

Background: Edible oils have gained the interest of several industrial sectors for the different health benefits they offer, such as the supply of bioactive compounds and essential fatty acids. Microencapsulation is one of the techniques that has been adopted by industries to minimize the degradation of oils, facilitating their processing. Objective: To evaluate the intellectual property related to patent documents referring to microencapsulated oils used in foods. Methods and Results: This prospective study investigated the dynamics of patents filed in the Espacenet and National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) databases, and it mapped technological developments in microencapsulation in comparison with scientific literature. The years 2015 and 2018 showed the greatest growth in the number of patents filed in the Espacenet and INPI databases, respectively, with China leading the domains of origin, inventors, and owners of microencapsulation technology. The largest number of applications of microcapsules were observed in the food industry, and the foods containing microencapsulated oils were powdered seasonings, dairy products, rice flour, nutritional formulae, pasta, nutritional supplements, and bread. The increase in oxidative stabilities of oils was the most cited objective to microencapsulate oils. Spray drying was the most widely used microencapsulation technique, and maltodextrin, gum arabic, and modified starch were the most widely used wall materials. Conclusion: Microencapsulation of oils has been expanding over the years and increasing the possibilities of the use of microcapsules, but further investments and development of policies and incentive programs to boost this technology need to be made in less developed countries. For future perspectives, the microencapsulation technique is already a worldwide trend in the food industry, enabling the development of new products to facilitate their insertion in the consumer market.

Background Climate change constitutes a complex challenge posing an urgent threat to our planet and life and creating an entirely different way of conceptualising the world and our chances to provide safe food within it. There are currently numerous studies dealing with the potential effect of increased temperature, extreme weather events and cascading events on food safety and subsequently human health. In contrast to food safety, the available data on the impact of climate change on food quality, including food spoilage, are very limited. Scope and approach This paper presents an overview of the potential impact of climate change on both food safety and microbial spoilage at various stages of the food chain. Among the different hazards related to climate change, mycotoxin and marine biotoxin contamination, environmental residuals derived from various anthropogenic activities and zoonosis diseases are identified as climatic-driven emerging risks to human life and discussed further in this paper. Global warming is projected to affect all microorganisms, including spoilage bacteria and fungi. Hence, this paper also discusses the potential increased risk of microbial spoilage for bulk dried foods and non-refrigerated processed foods which could be high susceptible to climate change in relation to growth of spoilage organisms. Key-findings and conclusions The paper concludes that climate change requires multidisciplinary approaches to gain in-depth knowledge and identify potential emerging risks. In addition, this paper goes beyond food safety and addresses an overlooked aspect of climate change, namely the microbiological spoilage of foods that may require a high level of preparedness by both the food industry and policy makers.

The modern day food industries are part of a complex agri-food supply chain, where food production has become efficient, yet potentially vulnerable to supply chain risks. The COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to that end. This article measures and identifies the U.S. food manufacturing industries' vulnerability to upstream industries and labor occupations by (i) calculating a food industry's diversification of intermediate input purchases across upstream industries, (ii) quantifying the relative exposure of food manufacturing in a given industry and location to upstream input suppliers and labor occupations, and (iii) estimating each food industry's gross output elasticity of inputs. Among our results, we find the evidence that the animal processing industry's output is relatively vulnerable to production labor which is consistent with the observed disruptions to the meat packing sector during COVID19, which were largely caused by labor issues. Our results may help academics and practitioners to understand food industries' vulnerabilities to upstream industries and labor occupations.

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of bread as substrate for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis, establishing a valorization strategy for surplus bread, repurposing it within the food chain. Methods and Results Surplus bread was fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to produce GABA. Pediococcus pentosaceus F01, Levilactobacillus brevis MRS4, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum H64 and C48 were selected among 33 LAB strains for the ability to synthesize GABA. Four fermentation experiments were set up using surplus bread as such, added of amylolytic and proteolytic enzymes, modifying the pH or mixed with wheat bran. Enzyme-treated slurries led to the release of glucose (up to 20 mg g−1) and free amino acid, whereas the addition of wheat bran (30% of bread weight) yielded the highest GABA content (circa 800 mg kg−1 of dry weight) and was the most suitable substrate for LAB growth. The selected slurry was ultimately used as an ingredient in bread making causing an increase in free amino acids. Conclusions Besides the high GABA concentration (148 mg kg−1 dough), the experimental bread developed in this study was characterized by good nutritional properties, highlighting the efficacy of tailored bioprocessing technologies as means to mitigate food wastage. Significance and Impact of Study Our results represent a proof of concept of effective strategies to repurpose food industry side streams.

Background: Essential oils (EOs) are natural substances that serve as sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Objective: This prospecting aimed to understand intellectual property related to patent documents on EOs and nanotechnology. Methods and Results: The nanotechnology growth curve applied to EOs demonstrated that the period from 2015 to 2017 was the most prominent, with a peak in 2016. China is the dominant country, mainly through research developed in the academic area. The food industry area had the highest number of patents filed, highlighting the preservation line. Ginger essential oil, chitosan and Tween 80 were preferentially used as a core, wall material and an emulsifier, respectively. In the market, the use of EOs is more associated with the pharmaceutical/cosmetics industry. In addition, the food industry market is betting more on products based on hemp oil nanocapsules. Conclusion: EO nanotechnology is promising for the development of sustainable food systems. However, this nanotechnology in Brazil has not yet advanced enough in the food industry, although there are government incentives that may change this paradigm in the future. The profile of the patent documents and the products in the market differ between the application and the types of oils. In addition, there is a gap between the volume of patent documents investigated and the transfer of technology to the commercial sector, but this constitution could be better explored, given the properties of EOs.

Internet of things (IoT) results in massive amount of streaming data, often referred to as “big data”, which brings new opportunities to monitor agricultural and food processes. Besides sensors, big data from social media is also becoming important for the food industry. In this review we present an overview of IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI) and their disruptive role in shaping the future of agri-food systems. Following an introduction to the fields of IoT, big data, and AI, we discuss the role of IoT and big data analysis in agriculture (including greenhouse monitoring, intelligent farm machines, and drone-based crop imaging), supplychain modernization, social media (for open innovation and sentiment analysis) in food industry, food quality assessment (using spectral methods and sensor fusion), and finally, food safety (using gene sequencing and blockchain based digital traceability). A special emphasis is laid on the commercial status of applications and translational research outcomes.

Recent academic research presents a large volume of studies on the organic market from the perspective of consumers’ motivation and purchasing preferences. However, these studies adopt a competitive or cooperative approach, but overlook the institutional complexity of emerging markets. This study aims to investigate the organic food production chain of emerging countries from the perspective of coopetition, taking into account the influence of formal institution agents. We focused our analysis on the chain of the organic food products, with the organic ice-cream producer as the key node of the chain. It is a single-case study conducted through in loco interviews with participants in the organic food products’ chain, along with secondary data. The results show the influence of formal institution agents and non-financial incentives as primary drivers of entrepreneurial strategic decisions. We contributed to the coopetition literature by demonstrating the influence of formal institution agents on value creation and value capture in the organic chain.

As insect farming is becoming more popular in Europe and in the US, the use of food industry by-products in insects’ feed is drawing more attention. However, it is still unclear how to maximise the use of by-products in the feeds while meeting the nutritional requirements and maintaining profitable rearing yields with the current production technology. In this study, we conducted an experiment in Finnish small-scale cricket farming and laboratory conditions to determine whether five diet treatments, including by-product diets with barley mash and turnip rape, modify the overall fresh yield (kg), development time and feed conversion rate of the house crickets (Acheta domesticus). We discovered that the diets differed in the overall fresh cricket yield (kg) but not in the development time or the feed conversion rate of the crickets. The diets with a high proportion of by-product decreased the price of the feed but at the same time reduced the yield. Based on our results, complex by-product diets with the by-product proportion of 20-41% are the most suitable for house cricket rearing.

This study aimed to review the scientific literature on the quality and safety of beef sold in retail, methodologies used for quality evaluation, and proposed interventions for the sector. Bibliographical research was performed in order to identify scientific articles using the electronic databases Ovid, PubMed, Scielo, LILACS, Scopus and Embase. Thirty-three articles were included in the review. Given the different dimensions of the studies, the results were organized into three categories, according to the following approaches: food, environment and handlers; consumers and selection criteria; and intervention strategies for the segment. The applied methodological strategies revealed inadequate conditions and neglect in several processing and operation stages that are fundamental to the maintenance of quality standards. The results confirm a worrying scenario and the presence of risks to consumers. Based on the studies evaluated, it is necessary to emphasize the consumer concern about the importance of the integrated information chain - all stages involved in the production process and meat distribution for retail meat stores. The reported conditions on different studies indicate the need for interventions, with a view to prevention of health risks, continued training of food handlers and transformation of evidenced realities. In this context, it is possible to point out the predominance of diagnostic studies, in contrast with interventional studies focused on the training / qualification of food handlers.

Aroma and flavour represent the key components of food that improves the organoleptic characteristics of food and enhances the acceptability of food to consumers. Commercial manufacturing of aromatic and flavouring compounds is from the industry's microbial source, but since time immemorial, its concept has been behind human practices. The interest in microbial flavour compounds has developed in the past several decades because of its sustainable way to supply natural additives for the food processing sector. There are also numerous health benefits from microbial bioprocess products, ranging from antibiotics to fermented functional foods. This review discusses recent developments and advancements in many microbial aromatic and flavouring compounds, their biosynthesis and production by diverse types of microorganisms, their use in the food industry, and a brief overview of their health benefits for customers.

In recent sustainability transitions research, more attention has been called to dynamic relations between regimes and niches in complex processes of systemic change. In this paper, we provide the case of meat alternative markets, which have been expanding rapidly in Europe and in Northern America. During this expansion, animal-free alternatives are in a contradictory situation. In aiming to carve out market space for these products the aim is to be as similar to meat as possible. In this paper we study how, in Finland, the niche actors have situated themselves within the regime by detaching from the first generation of plant-based foods and attaching to shared rules, materialities and cultural meanings in the meat regime. We discuss how the concepts of detachment and attachment can help in understanding further the transitional pathways created as niches aim to fit-and-transform the rules of the market, and the regime. Highlights • Transition potential of meat alternatives in Finnish food markets is studied. • Detachment from niche products required for mainstreaming meat alternatives. • Attachment to values of meat in everyday food practices anchor the niches to regime. • Practices of de/attachment reconfigure the regime-niche relations in food markets.

Wastewater is of general concern for environmental sustainability. At the industrial level, carbon-laden aqueous streams must be treated and should be valorized to reduce environmental and economic concerns. Lignocellulosic biomass processing (such as hydrolysis, pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction) results in secondary aqueous streams in which a high fraction of the initial carbon content of the biomass is virtually lost; food industry (like breweries and cheese factories) produces streams with a variety of organic load and salinity, which may complicate conventional valorization treatments; biodiesel production leads to glycerol excess in the market, which needs to be valorized. Among other alternatives, aqueous phase reforming (APR) has been proposed as a process driven at relatively mild conditions, able to convert oxygenated molecules into hydrogen. Despite its potential, APR has commonly been investigated with model compounds, and a systematic study on the possible fields of application of this technology is lacking. In the present review, the study of the available literature was focused on the valorization of complex feedstocks, such as real waste streams or synthetic mixtures, showing the outcome derived from laboratory-scale experiments. The results were critically discussed, pointing out the present limitations for the full development of this process and its application to the industrial scale. Despite the challenges of APR, its potential is noteworthy for the development of a circular low-waste economy.

Abstract: Kefir is produced through the fermentation of milk using kefir grain as a starter culture. Kefir grains include heterogeneous microorganisms embedded in a polysaccharide matrix called kefiran which is considered a biofilm; it also has many uses due to its therapeutic values. Kefiran is a microbial exopolysaccharide (EPS) obtained from the flora (acid-lactic bacteria and yeasts) of kefir grains and glucose units, in almost the same proportion. Kefiran has prebiotic nature agitating the growth of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract of the human entity. It extends certain therapeutic benefits by balancing the microbiota in the intestine. This review presents the most recent advances regarding kefir and kefiran, their cultural condition, biological activities, and potential applications in the health and food industries.

The issue of public health and policy communities engaging with food sector companies has long caused tension and debate. Ralston and colleagues’ article ‘Towards Preventing and Managing Conflict of Interest in Nutrition Policy? An Analysis of Submissions to a Consultation on a Draft WHO Tool’ further examines this issue. They found widespread food industry opposition, not just to the details of the World Health Organization (WHO) tool, but to the very idea of it. In this commentary we reflect on this finding and the arguments for and against interacting with the food industry during different stages of the policy process. While involving the food industry in certain aspects of the policy process without favouring their business goals may seem like an intractable problem, we believe there are opportunities for progress that do not compromise our values as public health professionals. We suggest three key steps to making progress.

Wall construction and protective finishes are a vital element in maintaining hygiene regimes in the food industry. Each prospective material brings with it design requirements and design limitations related to its nature, and the intention in this section is to discuss the options available today.

The selection of any ingredient may involve complex analysis of desired functionality, cost, supply, and other critical components. In this analysis, the regulatory considerations cannot be overlooked. Not reviewing ingredient source can cause commercialization difficulties and geometrically increase the difficulty of exportation. Ensuring safety in use is a fundamental expectation for any consumer product, both for consumption and for safe handling in the manufacturer’s plant and in the customer’s plant. Meeting and legally substantiating marketing and labeling claims cannot be an afterthought in the development cycle. Regulatory departments must ensure thorough data and documentation collection from each vendor to legally support any claims made. Product developers, marketing, and regulatory can make great partners. Together they can confirm the benefit of each type of encapsulant as it is weighed against the additional considerations to ensure the best choice is made for a successful customer solution.

Among several fruits, mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), it aroused the interest of producers and consumers due to its attractive sensory characteristics and health beneficial properties (high nutritional value and presence of bioactive substances), thus, this work evaluates the nutritional factors of the flour residue of mangaba processing that is despised by the food industry, and the influence of temperature on its production. The mangaba processing residue was splited in two main groups: in natura sample (control), and other for preparation of flour that was dried at 50 °C and divided into two other groups: treatment A (flour with roasts at 110 °C and 130 °C) and treatment B (flour from drying at 50 °C). The nutritional characteristics of flours were analyzed considering the chemical parameters: pH, titratable total acidity and soluble solids, in addition to the determination of moisture content, total lipids, total dietary fiber and ash, total energy value, antioxidant activity, phytochemical screening, quantification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as technological functional properties (water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), milk absorption index (MAI) and milk solubility index (MSI) and oil absorption index (OAI). The results showed that the bioactive compounds present in the extracts do not have significant properties of acting as free radical kidnappers. The heat treatment, performed in the flour of mangaba processing residues, influenced the nutritional factors and properties of absorption and solubility, which showed statistical differences. These results show that the flour is a viable alternative for the energy enrichment of diets, contributing to the development of new products, the reduction of the disposal of these residues and consequently to the minimization of the environmental impact. Resumo Dentre as diversas frutas a mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), despertou interesse de produtores e consumidores devido às suas características sensoriais atrativas e propriedades benéficas à saúde (elevado valor nutricional e presença de substâncias bioativas), assim, o trabalho avaliar os fatores nutricionais do resíduo da farinha de processamento de mangaba que é desprezado pela indústria alimentícia e, a influência da temperatura na sua produção. O resíduo de processamento da mangaba foi dividido em dois lotes, sendo um deles utilizado para as análises in natura (amostra controle) e o outro para a confecção da farinha que foi seca a 50 °C, e dividida em dois lotes: tratamento A (farinha com torras a 110 °C e 130 °C) e no tratamento B (farinha oriunda da secagem a 50 °C). Analisou-se as características nutricionais de farinhas considerando os parâmetros químicos: pH, acidez total titulável e sólidos solúveis, além da determinação do teor de umidade, lipídios totais, fibra alimentar total e cinzas, valor energético total, atividade antioxidante, triagem fitoquímica, quantificação de compostos fenólicos e flavonoides, bem como as propriedades funcionais tecnológicas (índice de absorção de água (IAA), índice de solubilidade em água (ISA), índice de absorção de leite (IAL) e índice de solubilidade em leite (ISL) e índice de absorção de óleo (IAO). Na análise foi inferido que os compostos bioativos presentes nos extratos não possuem propriedades significativas de agir como sequestradores de radicais livres. O tratamento térmico, realizado na farinha de resíduos de processamento de mangaba, influenciou nos dados dos fatores nutricionais e das propriedades de absorção e solubilidade, os quais apresentaram diferenças estatísticas. Estes resultados credenciam a farinha como uma alternativa viável para o enriquecimento energético de dietas, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de novos produtos, a redução do descarte desses resíduos e consequentemente para a minimização do impacto ambiental.

Since their discovery in 1961, liposomes have mainly been studied and applied to the fields of drug and gene delivery. However, as some research studies have shown, there is the potential for liposome application in the food, beverage, and neutraceutical industries. Unfortunately, to date, these research advances have been stuck in the small-scale phase as large-scale production and manufacturing of liposomes in food and beverages face grave issues that are often more costly to overcome than they are beneficial to the product they are trying to enhance. In this chapter, we will take a look at some of the studies that have been done on liposomes in the food and beverage industry and the problems that have been encountered in large-scale production. We will also take a look at one supplemental liposomal product and how attempts are being made to avoid the difficulties of commercialization.

Edible oleogels are lipid-based solid-like materials composed of a large amount of oil structured by oleogelators to form a three-dimensional network, which have shown promising applications in food industry as saturated and hydrogenated fat substitutes. In this review, recent literatures on the edible oleogels fabricated from polymer gelators (e.g. proteins and polysaccharides) for food applications have been summarized. Common indirect approaches for oil structuring are introduced, including emulsion-templated, foam-templated, and solvent-exchange methods. The possible gelation mechanisms of typical protein- and polysaccharide-based oleogels have been described, and the food applications of polymer oleogels as functional healthy solid fat replacers are discussed. Finally, an outlook for the development of food oleogel systems in future researches is proposed.

Nano-carriers such as colloidal dispersions and polymer systems are exploited progressively as they can be used in numerous applications in the food industry. The most promising colloidal dispersions in this field are nanoemulsions, especially oil-in-water systems. However recently Pickering emulsions and polymer-based systems are becoming increasingly suggested as they are environmentally friendly and surfactant-free, presenting enhanced biocompatibility. The formulation and stability of those systems is highly affected by the type of oil used as the dispersed phase. The present article aims to report the recent progress made in olive oil-based colloidal systems, in terms of formulation, stability, and possible application in the food industry.

Nanotechnology has developed as one of the most ground-breaking scientific fields in the last few decades since it exploits the enhanced reactivity of materials at the atomic scale . The current classification of nanoparticles (NPs) used in foods is outlined in relation to their production and physicochemical characteristics. This review aims at presenting concisely the most popular and widely used inorganic and organic NPs in food industries. Considering that the toxicity of NPs is often associated with their chemical reactivity, a series of in vitro toxicity studies are also summarised, integrating information on the type of NP studies and reported specifications, type of cells used, exposure conditions and assessed endpoints. The important role of the digestive system in the absorption and distribution of nano-formulated foods within the body is affecting the resultant cytotoxicity. Examples of how nano particles and their accumulation within different organs are presented in relation to the consumption of specific foods. Finally, the role of developing human health risk assessments in order to characterise both the potential impact of the hazard and the likelihood or level of human exposure is outlined. Uncertainties exist around risk assessment and exposure assessment of NPs due to limited information on several aspects, including toxicity, behaviour and bioaccumulation. Overall, this review presents current trends and needs for future assessments in toxicity evaluation to ensure the safe application of nanoparticles in the food industry.

During the last years, the use of biosensors in food analysis has gained considerable interest. These analytical devices provide highly selective, sensitive and cost-effective detection of cells, chemical or biochemical compounds that are relevant for food industry. In special, such sensors can be employed to control and monitoring biotechnological processes for food production and transformation. This review provides an overview on the state-of-the-art of electrochemical biosensors with potential use in food bioprocess technology, focusing on those with potential application in fermentation productions.

Introduction. Date press cake is a waste product of date juice making that can lead to potentially serious environmental problems if discarded in large amounts in open areas. Therefore, it needs to be utilized. Our study aimed to investigate the possibilities of using date press cake powder to formulate innovative ready-to-eat products – vegan biscuits and vegan protein bars. Study objects and methods. The food products under study were subjected to a palatability test, a nutritional value evaluation, a texture profile analysis, and a scanning electron microscopy, as well as a microbiological assay performed during 8 months of storage. Results and discussion. The palatability test showed that the biscuits supplemented with 10% date press cake had the best acceptable preference, compared to control, 5 and 15% date press cake samples. Our innovative vegan protein bar scored highest in overall acceptability, flavor, taste, texture, and willingness to buy, compared to the commercial vegan protein bar. Overall, our study showed that both of our products were safe to consume within 8 months. Additionally, our innovative protein bar and fortified biscuits had high proportions of the recommended dietary allowances for most nutrients for adolescents and athletes, especially for vegetarians. Conclusion. Date press cake can be successfully used as a food ingredient to produce new formulations of vegan protein bars. Additionally, it can be used as an alternative ingredient to improve the nutritional quality of vegan biscuits.

Background The very recently released EFSA's scientific opinion on the safety of dried (whole or ground) Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) considering their uses in various food products and the following approval by The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, brought T. molitor into the spotlight. This is EFSA's first opinion on edible insects as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Scope and approach This review aims to summarize existing information regarding the features that may corroborate the sustainability and increase the acceptability of T. molitor larvae as food ingredient. Towards this end, aspects related to rearing and farming conditions, nutrient content and technological approaches for the recovery of protein and lipid fractions are addressed. Special emphasis was posed on their protein techno-functional properties and the development of new T. molitor larva-based food products. Key findings and conclusions The larvae of yellow mealworm are considered among the most promising alternatives to address the predicted deficiency of conventional food protein. Owing to their notable protein, lipid, vitamin, and mineral content, they could serve as future ingredients for industrial purposes (e.g. substitutes of traditional animal sources) bringing environmental and economic advantages. Several methods of T. molitor larvae protein extraction have been studied leading to different characteristics of the final protein preparations. Compared to conventional protein sources the protein fraction of T. molitor has not been much investigated with respect to its physicochemical and techno-functional properties, the knowledge of which is essential to allow their effective inclusion in food formulations.

Franchising is a competitive business strategy to expand the market. In the food industry franchising is considered as a unique strategy to expand its operations in different geographical areas. In India, 15% of the franchises fail in the initial years of their business. This paper aims to identify the challenges faced by the food franchises concerning the Chennai region. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with company executives, academicians and researchers to identify the challenges which pose a great threat to the food franchises. Nine challenges were identified from the data collected. The challenges identified were customer satisfaction, human resource, economic aspect, competition landscape, incorporation, innovation, resource and capabilities, supply chain management and government regulatory measures and ecosystem. Interpretive structural modeling (ISM) method is used to identify the most challenging factor which poses a great threat to the food franchise. The finding reveals that government regulatory measures and ecosystem is the most challenging factor in the franchised food sector.

The food chain is made up of the different stages that the product follows from its origin to its final destination: production, transformation, storage, distribution and consumption. Throughout the chain, the traceability of the food is key to alert of any potential danger, establishing comprehensive food safety, from the beginning to the end, “from farm to fork". The transformation that is taking place in society thanks to the most avant-garde information and communication technologies (ICTs), is also breaking into the food chain, constituting the food industry 4.0, which is available at the service of each link through intelligent systems that allow obtaining safer, higher quality products in less time. Each ICT will offer different development possibilities thanks to its particular characteristics, so that in each link the most appropriate technology will be selected to solve the specific problems posed. This work aims to carry out a review of all these avant-garde tools, describing how thanks to these disruptive technologies, the processes of the food chain are being transformed, increasing, at the same time, the safety and quality of the products obtained and evaluating the possible associated social repercussions. Keywords: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Food Chain, Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Packaging. doi: https://doi.org/10.36825/RITI.09.19.004

BACKGROUND A statistical model was developed in this study to describe lactic acid production through a fermentation process of carrot in a rice bran bed by Lactobacillus plantarum. METHODS Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design was employed to statistically evaluate and optimize the conditions for maximum lactic acid production. RESULTS The significance and interaction of salt concentration, water and initial L. plantarum starter density on final lactic acid content were found. With the use of the developed quadratic model equation, a maximum achieved lactic acid content of 1.35% was obtained in a rice bran bed fermentation process at optimum operating conditions of approximately 2.95% salt, 48.24% water and 2.9 log cfu/g of L. plantarum. After fermentation, the amount of total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity and carbohydrate had increased while the β-carotene in carrot was significantly retained (92.84%). CONCLUSIONS The above results could provide a practical basis for the fermentation process in rice bran bed to produce a delicious and reliable product using L. plantarum strain XK 1.4 which could be a significant contribution to the food industry.

Due to the widespread rejection by children of products with high-fiber content, new approaches to meet the dietary recommendations on fiber intake are necessary. To understand which sensory properties influence this rejection, children's acceptability was examined in high-fiber biscuits and drivers of liking were identified. One hundred and ten Spanish children (6-12 years old) evaluated the overall liking of eight commercial biscuits with variable fiber content and stated their preference. To study the drivers of liking, the samples were characterized through a quantitative descriptive analysis, the determination of the moisture and water activity as well as the instrumental evaluation of texture with a texture analyzer. It was suggested that the addition of fiber in biscuits reduced children's liking ratings. High-fiber samples were sensory and instrumentally described as harder, crispier, and more chewing than the samples with medium and low fiber content. The main sensory driver of liking identified in this study was the soft texture. Despite their hard texture, high- and medium-fiber samples were chosen as the preferred ones for 14% of the children that participated when they included chocolate taste. Drivers of disliking identified in this study were related to the addition of fruit as a filling or as dehydrated pieces. This knowledge about children's acceptability of high-fiber products might be of interest for the food industry with the aim of developing well-accepted products that supply nutritional deficiencies associated with the fiber intake.

BACKGROUND The development of lipid-lowering products has become the focus of food industry due to increasing consumer awareness of the relationship between diet and health. Recently, edible oleofoams have drew attention due to their enormous potential in reformulating food products with reduced fat content and unique mouth feel. RESULTS We have developed an edible oleofoam system by whipping oleogel composed of fatty acids mixtures in sunflower oil. The crystal morphology, gelation properties, and foaming properties of these oleogels could be tailored by changing the ratio of stearic acid (SA) and myristic acid (MA). Specifically, SA:MA = 2:8 (2S8M) was demonstrated to have superior foaming capability and foam stability, likely due to the densely packed and uniformly distributed crystals formed at this fatty acid ratio. Small lipid crystals in 2S8M absorbed to the A/O interface more efficiently, and together with the strengthened network established in the bulk phase, helped stabilize the foam structure. As a result, the 2S8M oleofoam showed excellent foaming properties: strong plasticity, significantly increased overrun (up to 63.56 ± 2.58%), and significantly improved foam stability. The XRD results indicated that the diffraction pattern observed for 2S8M samples at d-spacing of 4.20 a and 3.79 a was related to the characteristic peak of β' type crystals, which were responsible for the enhanced foaming capability of 2S8M oleogels. Oleophobic property of 2S8M increased, as indicated by wettability in oil phase, which could possibly drive crystals to the air/oil interface. CONCLUSIONS These results highlighted the importance of lipid crystal morphology in determining the whippability of oleogels. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Wastewater from the food industry is increasingly recognized as a valuable source of energy and as a resource for new products and not as waste. The reutilization and valorization of wastewater contributes to combating water scarcity and to improve the energetic efficiency of treatment facilities. Moreover, it has the added benefit of reducing environmental impact and providing economically interesting added value products. This review discusses the most recent approaches for the valorization of food industry wastewaters of different origins (dairy, brewery, oil mill, fish, meat, among others) and the products obtained, from energetic resources such as biogas and biofuel to the recovery of biopolymers, pigments, phenolic compounds, and other added value products. A critical overview regarding the bottlenecks of large-scale implementation of resource recovery strategies, including up-scaling, quality and quantity of the effluent, legislation, and economic, environmental, and social issues related to the use of products derived from waste, is herein presented.

Purpose This study aims to blockchain facilitate information sharing among different players in the food industry, such as farmers, food suppliers and investors, enabling an effective decision-making process where the information about goods is traceable without any inherent risk. Although blockchain technology is emerging, its use in the food industry needs to be explored from different angles, such as organizations’ policy, adoption strategies and potential technology innovations which could positively impact business processes. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, the authors survey 84 organizations in the food industry. Further, the authors conducted in-depth- interviews with three organizations that applied blockchain technology in the production phase to address the pros and cons of this adaption and discuss how the technology could be improved based on the challenges they faced. Moreover, an overview of current and potential digital transformation uses cases of blockchain technology in the food industry has been provided. Findings The results suggested that perceived efficiency, transparency, standardization and platform development and traceability factors positively influenced intention to use (ITU). Practical implications The adoption of the blockchain cloud solution is neither time-consuming nor expensive; organizations may attempt to predict how regulations or standards will be developed to create a blockchain solution compatible with them. Originality/value This study is among the primary studies investigating the role of blockchain technology in the food sector from the organizations’ viewpoint, highlighting the factors influencing the ITU.

Background The present review examines the printing properties of different animal protein-based food inks/materials used in the production of 3D printed constructs. The review examines their microstructural, colorimetric, printability, rheological and textural properties and investigates how these properties correlate to or are reflected in the characteristics of the printed constructs. These characteristics include their shape and dimensional stability, textural, nutritional, microstructural and sensorial properties. The review also examines the potential for development of animal protein-based special diets for people with special requirements such as for dysphagia patients and geriatrics. A special focus has been given to the application of transglutaminase for the development of 3D fish-based products and the possibility of developing cultured meat-based products. Scope and approach The properties of different food inks and 3D printed constructs based on animal proteins such as beef, poultry, fish, egg, seafood, milk, cheese and dairy ingredients were analysed with emphasis on the studies that were published in the last three years. Studies on the development of special animal protein-based diets and the possibility of 3D printed products based on cultured meat were critically reviewed. Key findings and conclusions 3D food printing offers numerous possibilities for development of tailored animal protein-based structures and products which includes, but is not limited to, extraordinary flexibility in geometries, textures and flavours and customised nutrition. Technology for production of 3D printed meat products necessitates the reduction of particle size of meat and dilution of meaty and savoury flavour and this is generally expected to reduce the value of premium meat products. However, the technology might be a good option for utilization of lower value and tougher cuts and trimmings. Production of 3D printed cultured meat-based products is still at a conceptual stage and a little or no research has been done in this area. Consumer acceptance of 3D printed cultured meat products seems to be less favourable in Western countries like Australia. Technology for the production of several animal protein-based 3D printed products for special dietary requirements such as for dysphagia patients has been optimized and is currently feasible with good success. Fancy shaped 3D printed cheese and egg products may evolve as a new segment of foods with a focus on children, festive occasions and the personal gift market. This review expands our understanding of how the composition of food inks affects the properties of the printed constructs and generates knowledge that will be crucial for optimizing the 3D printed animal products for maximum nutritional and sensory benefits. Extensive research is required to develop unique animal-based products with functional and nutraceutical value to attract consumers. Scientific knowledge is required to decipher the underlying mechanisms of how 3D printing process affects the food microstructure and sensory characteristics and its impact on consumer acceptance that will expand the use of the technology within the food industry.

Carbohydrates are important nutrients in human nutrition due to their energy contribution. Digestibility and Glycemic Index (GI) determination, in vitro and in vivo, can be used to predict the carbohydrates bioaccessibility and its postprandial response. This kind of information can help the food industry, nutritionists, and physicians understand how the human body responds to this macronutrient, and it can be used as a tool to reformulating industrialized foods or manage diets. In this sense, this review aims to describe some methods used to predict carbohydrates bioaccessibility.

Background The already many and further increasing number of label elements make food labels progressively “busy”. The question is whether all these label elements are useful, and impactful, in conveying information to consumers, to help them making easier, safer, and healthier food choices. Scope and approach The scope of this review is food safety and nutrition labelling information. Diverse perspectives are considered on the importance of the label on food and on what type of information finds its mandatory or voluntary way onto the food label. How the information on the food label is read and understood by consumers and how this impacts their purchasing decisions and – eventually – their health, is discussed. Key findings and conclusions It is recommended to do further research on the inferences that consumers make from the use of allergen symbols on food labels; Increase the understanding of the health impact of nutrition-related label elements on the key targets obesity prevalence and NCD (risk factors); Closely monitor the consumer understanding and true health impact of mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling schemes; The food industry to enable “healthier” food choices and (to continue) to reduce levels of added sugars, salt and saturated fats in foods, and discontinue the use of partially hydrogenated oils and fats; Increase the nutrition knowledge of consumers (of all ages), preferably by using e-learning for skill development; and increase the global harmonisation in the use of label elements on foods.

Background Mango (Mangifera indica) is the world most harvested tropical fruit whose processing generates unavoidable amounts of by-products which are rich in valuable compounds. This fact generates a need but also an opportunity to revalorize them with the intention of creating new value-added products to be exploited in food industry encouraging a circular economy. Scope and approach The latest scientific evidence regarding mango by-products application in food industry have been compiled. Food packaging and fat and oil industries are the frameworks where mango by-products are being most explored. However, by virtue of the significance of mango by-products chemical composition, fresh research horizons are being unfolded in other food fields. Industries seeking for the functional foods development and claiming for clean label implementation uncover in mango by-products a niche of possibilities. Key findings and conclusions Components from mango by-products are being postulated as new sources of sustainable packing materials, as well as they can be implemented as active constituents. Mango kernel also offers a distinctive lipid fraction potentially useable in food industry for its technological and health properties. In addition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of mango kernel and peel can be harnessed to replace traditional additives extending shelf-life food products. On the other hand, it should be emphasized the feasibility of bioactive compounds comprised in mango by-products to be envisaged for innovative functional food developments. However, it should be highlighted that mango by-products revalorization is a novel issue in its infancy, thus remain scientific gaps that should be addressed in the future whilst new challenges must be faced.

Background Consumer demand, combined with industry interest, highlights the need to develop foods that have health promoting characteristics beyond basic nutrition. In this regard, Tinospora cordifolia (giloy) (TC), has paved the way in the food industry because of multi-purpose utilization for health care management. Being reservoir of bioactive components, TC has been exploited since ages for its therapeutic properties. Its’ consumption by people in the crude form has limited its utility for disease treatment and management. The greatest approach to avoid any disease is to prevent it thus, application of TC preparations in the development of functional foods would definitely address this issue and broaden the horizon of food market. However, this is relatively a nascent area and there is an urgent need to investigate the mechanisms and interactions between diverse food matrices and TC bioactive components. Scope and approach This review provides comprehensive information on TC and its health-related properties, elucidating the physiological role in human body and focusing its utilization in food industry. Literature is based on the findings of several researches on its protective role against various patho-physiological diseases. The potential of this medicinal plant as a therapeutic agent against SARS-COV-2 virus has also been reviewed. Research needs of food scientists dealing with development of functional foods using TC has also been catered under this review. Key findings and conclusion About 45 active constituents have been isolated from TC and include alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, polysaccharides, and are mainly responsible for its biological roles. These components provide the defense against diseases by several mechanisms viz., modulation of host immune responses via TLR4 dependent pathway, macrophage activation, inhibiting VEGF expression, activating enzyme system generating cyclic AMP, translocation of nuclear transcription factor etc. TC has also been explored in development of functional foods and edible packaging films as antioxidant, antimicrobial, lipase inhibitor and bioactive ingredient. Extensive research is required to investigate the suitable techniques for the stability of TC preparations in food matrix.

A controlled fermentation was conducted to develop and design a bioorganic fertilizer based on three wastes generated by the food industry: olive mill wastewater (OMW), molasses and rice hulls by inoculation with selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), of the species “Lactiplantibacillus plantarum” and “Levilactobacillus brevis” and of the yeast of the species “candida famata”. The fermentation with commercial yeasts and particularly the species of “saccharomyces” produced an unstable fertilizer with a high pH value (6.14).Whereas, the fermentation test with an inoculum composed of 20% yeast and 80% lactic acid bacteria showed a decrease in pH at 4.66 and a maximum enzymatic activity of 43.900 IU/l after 30 h. This combination allowed an appropriate morphological and microbiological quality of the bioorganic fertilizer. To determine with precision, the optimum conditions of this fermentation an optimization design was applied. As a result of experiments and statistical validation of the fitted model, the bioorganic fertilizer with the lowest pH value was achieved after fermentation of 53.2% OMW, 19.1% molasses, 21.3% rice hulls and 6.4% inoculum content. The final pH was able to reach a value of 4.07 with desirability of the order of 99.7%. A fertilizer with the lowest possible pH allowed farmers longer storage periods and required no special storage conditions.

Background The screening of biological hazards, chemical contaminants and allergens in food products is a major concern of food industry since they can cause serious illnesses and even lead to death. Therefore, there is a significant interest in developing low-cost, robust, and rapid detection methods for food safety and quality analysis. Conventional methods provide accurate analytical characteristics, but require well-equipped laboratories, trained personnel, costly reagents, and complicated sample preparation procedures prior to the detection in order to obtain reliable results. Hence, they are not always ideal for on-site food surveillance. Scope and approach This paper discusses the fundamentals of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) and reviews the recent progress in their usage for screening biological hazards, harmful chemical residues, and allergens in food products to systematically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of this technology. It then covers future trends and useful strategies that could be employed in μPADs design and fabrication procedures to address the critical challenges in equipment-free food analysis. Key findings and conclusions μPADs offer promising avenues to revolutionize food safety and quality analysis with merits of equipment-free sample preparation and detection at low-cost. Despite the advancement in the microfluidic technology, the manufacturing of user-friendly sample-to-answer μPADs still requires intensive research studies to be employed for robust and sensitive food safety and quality analysis.

The relevance of the search for alternative plant raw materials to enrich the diets of population throughout the world, including in the Russian Federation, is explained by global mass year-round insufficiency of biologically active nutrients in food. This work is aimed at identifying the most promising food plant species from the list, proposed on basis of long-term observations by staff of Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), by bachelors, studying in direction 06.03.01 (Biology) at Moscow State University of Food Production. The research materials (2016-2018) are fruits of hawthorns, rosehips, quince, eleutherococcuses, medlar, mahonia, spindle tree, yews, sumacs, oaks, red-fruited honeysuckles and needles of coniferous plants. Research results indicate the value of studied raw materials as a whole and its advantages in compared species within the genus of plants. Some recommendations for practical usage were made. The following things have been proposed: separation of fruit pulp and seeds before drying of fruits of Crataegus submollis and more preferable C. punctata; wide plantation cultivation of rosehips Rosa amblyotis and R. oxyodon; non-waste separate application of pericarp and seeds of Cydonia oblonga, Mespilus germanica and Mahonia aquifolium; medicinal use of fruits of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus , and more preferable E. senticosus ; further study of cones of Taxus baccata and T. media; as a spice there is usage of fruits of Rhus typhina ; obtaining unique oils from fruit pulp of Lonicera glehnii, L . ferdinandii, L. maackii and arils of Euonymus europaeus; usage of acorns of Quercus robur, Q. rubra and needles of Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris in feed production. Thus, possibilities of intensifying plant resource usage in the food industry and agriculture were discovered, primarily due to fruits of native introduced species. It is necessary to continue search and further study of the most promising species - sources of alternative plant raw materials.

Due to the dissemination of airborne conidia and spores, molds can contaminate various surfaces. In the food industry sector, their presence and development can have health and economic implications. In order to control these undesirable microorganisms, various approaches can be used but the main one relies on the use of disinfectants. The objective of this review is to report the existing studies on the effect of various disinfectant molecules (i.e., sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, ethanol and other alcohols, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and quaternary ammonium compounds) on the inactivation of fungal spores. These studies were sorted depending on the targeted fungal species. Noteworthy, in the food industry, four log and three log reductions are required to claim a fungicidal activity for suspension (European Standard 1650, 2019) and surface (European Standard 13697/IN1, 2019) treatments, respectively. Most of the presented studies concerned Penicillium and Aspergillus species (44 and 31% of the literature, respectively). In general, for a given disinfection procedure, ascospores were more resistant than conidia, and Aspergillus conidia were more resistant than Penicillium ones. However, the variability of encountered molds (e.g. species, strains, physiological state) and disinfection procedures (e.g. molecules, concentrations, contact time) affected the efficacy of disinfectants.

Background As a critical topic of international concern, food safety has received great attention in recent years. The hazardous substances (such as antibiotics, heavy metal ions, food additives, and foodborne bacteria) in foodstuffs would cause threat to human health and economic losses in food industry. Despite of high sensitivity, accuracy, and reliability of conventional techniques for analysis of food contaminants, they often require complicated apparatus, well-trained personalized operation, and laborious and time-consuming procedure. In this regard, new sensing strategies for convenient, fast, and sensitive detection of food contaminants should be developed for food safety. Scope and approach Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), as a large category of porous crystalline materials, could be used as efficient platforms for constructing diverse chemosensors and biosensors, for their high porosity, adjustable compositions or structures, and good stability. A variety of MOFs, MOFs-based composites, and MOFs-based derivatives show excellent fluorescence (FL), chemical functionality, and strong bioaffinity toward probes (DNA, aptamers, or antibodies), exhibiting great potentials as FL emitters, electrode materials, or platforms of biosensors for selective and sensitive detection of hazard analytes in foodstuffs. By coupling with different determination techniques such as FL, electrochemical (EC), photoelectrochemical (PEC) or surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy methods, MOFs-based materials have shown promising applications for detecting diverse analytes. Furthermore, the current challenges and future developments of MOFs-based materials for analysis of food contaminants have been discussed. Key findings and conclusions Although some reviews on the applications of MOFs in food packing and food safety have been documented, this comprehensive review will provide new insights to the construction of chemosensors and biosensors with MOFs-based materials for determination of food contaminants toward food safety monitoring.

Alpha-amylase is one of the most employed enzymes in the food industry because of its capacity to degrade starch, improving the organoleptic and nutritional properties of food products. Thus, it is very important to develop novel industrial production processes for its production. A submerged fermentation process using Aspergillus oryzae was optimised to modulate the most important factors affecting alpha-amylase production. Flour mill waste, an abundant worldwide agro-industrial residue, was used as substrate due to its starch-rich composition. This residue was able to avoid catabolite repression during the fermentation, acting as a slow-release substrate. The process optimization led to a maximum yield of alpha-amylase production of 14076 ± 2346 U/L. The secretome of the fungi in the tested conditions was analysed by LC-MS, showing that two isoforms of alpha-amylase (amy-1 and amy-3) were produced. Finally, a two-step process was developed to purify alpha-amylase, consisting of fractional precipitation using (NH4)2SO4 followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The purification allowed a four-time concentration of alpha-amylase, with an eleven-time purification factor and 65 % recovery and a reduction of the proteolytic activity to 14%.

Emerging technologies are being constantly improved, giving rise to new processes capable of promoting greater nutritional preservation and improved technological characteristics, in addition to the benefits related to energy efficiency. Ultrasound treatment has stood out among the non-thermal technologies, due to several benefits related to microstructural changes and microbial inactivation. The study of this technology is particularly important in dairy products, which represent one of the most important segments of the food industry and have a wide range of products developed from different processes. It has been shown that depending on the applied ultrasound treatment intensity (combination of frequency, power, processing time and sample volume) and the resulted temperature, the treatment may exert opposite effects on the food products, such as inactivation/stimulation of microorganisms and enzymes. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to contextualize the different applications and mechanism of action of ultrasound in milk and dairy products, approaching the technological benefits from the microbiological point of view.

The application of natural colorants is increasing in the food industry because they are considered safer and healthier than some synthetic pigments. Natural colorants can improve the organoleptic properties of foodstuffs, provide additional benefits such as enhance their nutritional value and/or extend shelf-life. Plants, fungi, bacteria or algae naturally produce different natural colorants, including carotenoids. These compounds are classified into two main groups: pure hydrocarbon carotenes (α- and β-carotenes, lycopene) and oxygenated derivatives of xanthophylls (lutein, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, fucoxanthin, cryptoxanthin, etc.). Carotenoids have been related with beneficial properties like antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor or antimicrobial, so they are a natural and healthy alternative to the use of synthetic colorants. Thus, it is critical to optimize their extraction, by utilizing novel and green techniques, and their stability through encapsulation processes. This chapter aims to review natural sources of carotenoids, strategies to efficiently extract and produce them and their potential application as food colorants.

It is increasingly essential for food manufacturers to have food safety certification. Little is known about certification in the Welsh food industry. This study aimed to explore perceptions of Welsh manufacturers regarding the drivers, benefits and barriers to obtaining certification. Focus groups with manufacturers and stakeholders (