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Aim: Processed meats are considered the most consumable products worldwide. However, there are several limitations related to these products such as health and environmental issues, and the high energy, time, and cost needed for their production, thus manufacturers are looking for effective alternatives for processed meats. Mycoprotein can be a useful approach for meat substitution. Introduction: This study’s objective was the partial and total replacement of meat with mycoproteins in the formulation of burgers and to investigate the characteristics of these novel formulations for comparison with the control sample (full meat burger). Methods: Cooking loss, mechanical, physicochemical, nutritional, color, and sensory properties were determined method: Cooking loss, mechanical, physicochemical, nutritional, color and sensory properties were determined. Results: The results indicated that mycoprotein substitution could improve health and nutritional properties as a result of including high-value protein and lower lipid content (mostly unsaturated fatty acids). However, the beef burger had better mechanical properties such as cohesiveness, hardness, springiness, and gumminess compared to mycoprotein-containing burgers. Higher OBC (oil binding capacity) and WBC (water binding capacity) of mycoprotein were responsible for filling the interstitial spaces within the protein matrix and reducing the textural attributes. Thus, using less oil and water in mycoprotein-containing formulations is recommended. Moreover, the cooking loss percentage decreased by increasing the mycoprotein content of burgers, which has economic advantages. According to sensory evaluations, no significant changes (p>0.05) were shown in the overall acceptance and taste scores of the burgers. Conclusions: Mycoproteins are potential compounds to be used as promising ingredients for the complete substitution of meat in the burger. other: noting else

Improper use of antibiotics to treat or prevent infections, and as a stimulant for livestock growth, can affect public health and the dairy industry due to the spread of antibiotic residues in milk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate antibiotic residues in raw and pasteurized milk in Iran. Data were collected through searching the databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SID, and Magiran using the following keywords: "pasteurized milk", "raw milk", "milk", "antibiotic residues", " antibiotic", and "Iran". Finally, 40 eligible studies were selected for the systematic review and meta-analysis. According to the reviewed studies, the prevalence of antibiotic residues in raw and pasteurized milk was 26% (95% CI: 20–33%) and 21% (95% CI: 15-27%), respectively. It seems that the control measures are inefficient in dairy industry and milk collection centers for the presence of antibiotic residues and the time of antibiotic withdrawal during milk delivery. Permanent control of milk in the collection centers by the responsible organizations along with implementation of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system in milk factories can be very effective in reducing antibiotic residues.

Processed meat is one of the most consumed products worldwide. Naturally, production of proteins with animal origins includes limitations such as costs, energy, time, and environmental problems. Thus, replacement of meats by alternative biomaterials such as mycoproteins can be promising. Mycoproteins with hyphal morphologies, including branches and lengths, have close structures to meat and can be a potential alternative for meat products. Therefore, the major objectives of this study included complete replacement of sausage meats by mycoproteins and comparing characteristics of the novel formula with those of meat. In general, physicochemical, microbial, nutritional, and mechanical characteristics of the formulas were assessed. Results showed that the mycoprotein substitution improved the nutritional and health effects due to the higher valuable protein and lower lipid contents. Besides, it had a high content of essential amino acid and unsaturated fatty acid, compared to meat sausage. Absence of yeasts, molds, Salmonella spp., Eshrichia (E.)coli, and Staphiloccocus (S.)aureus verified the effectiveness of the heat treatment and also the effectiveness of the hygienic procedures in both samples. With regard to phycicochemical properties, more contents of moisture and lipids in sausages containing mycoprotein were linked to further water binding capacity (WBC) (P < 0.05) and oil binding capacity (OBC) in them, compared to beef samples. Besides, the mycoprotein sample had lower (P < 0.05) values of carbohydrates, ash, and pH, compared to the beef sample. In contrast, beef sausages had better textural characteristics, such as hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and springiness indexes, compared to mycoprotein sausages. Higher water and OBC values of the mycoproteins led to the filling of the protein interstitial spaces as well as decreasing of the textural attributes. Thus, it resulted in the use of less oil and water in mycoprotein formulations. In conclusion, mycoproteins can be addressed as appropriate replacements for meats in sausages.

Fungi have a very high ability to grow among different food products and can destroy large amounts of food by causing spoilage. Besides, the formation of mycotoxins is a health and economic threaten for food consumption. Furthermore, modern detoxification methods must be economically and eco-friendly appropriate and improve the quality of food products. In this study, new preventive approaches in controlling fungi and mycotoxins that could jeopardize food safety and consumer health were investigated. For this purpose, the green and emerging technologies reviewed, including ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, cold plasma (C.P.), pulsed light (P.L.), ultrasound (U.S.), pulsed electric field (PEF), and high-pressure processing (HPP). Significant reduction in the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi, destruction of the structure of mycotoxins, and the high ability to maintain the nutritional value of food are the main results of the use of these novel technologies.

Background The food industry is developing natural antimicrobial materials for food preservation applications in response to the increasing demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly consumer products. In particular, there is interest in the creation of natural antimicrobial packaging materials to enhance the safety and extend the shelf-life of foods. However, the production of these materials is often challenging because of their low stability during food processing and storage, their interactions with components in foods, and the uncontrolled release of encapsulated active components during storage. Some of these limitations can be overcome by using electrospun antimicrobial hybrid mats, in which natural antimicrobials are trapped within nanofibers fabricated by electrospinning. Scope and approach This review summarizes the principles underlying the formation and application of innovative materials consisting of natural antimicrobials encapsulated within nanofiber structures produced by electrospinning. In particular, the application of these nanocomposite materials to a number of important food groups are critically discussed, including meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetable products. Key findings and conclusions Electrospinning is an effective, straightforward, and cost-effective method to produce fibers with high porosity and surface-to-volume ratio which impede the primary fast release of entrapped compounds and provide their controlled release into the food system. Hence, according to these structural advantages, loading bioactive compounds into electrospun fibers improves their functionality, stability, bioavailability, and controlled release, which makes them a favorable option to be used in several applications including food packaging.

In this study, zein/polylactic acid (PLA)/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) nanofibers (NFs) were fabricated to the incorporation of Zenian (Carum copticum) essential oil (ZO) using the electrospinning method for employing in food packaging for the first time. The SEM images of optimal zein/PLA/HPMC/ZO NFs displayed homogeneous morphology. The average diameter of NFs ranged between 718 ± 186 nm and 335 ± 112 nm. Antioxidant activity of ZO-loaded NFs was 68.83 ± 0.1%. The zein/PLA/HPMC/ZO NFs showed inhibiting activity versus S. aureus (15 mm) and E. coli (8 mm) bacteria. Moreover, ZO-incorporated NFs showed better thermal stability than zein/PLA/HPMC nanofibers without ZO. After loading of ZO, zein/PLA/HPMC NFs exhibited higher tensile strength than those of native nanofiber, and MTT test showed no cell toxicity which indicated good biocompatibility. Overall, the zein/PLA/HPMC/ZO NFs endorsed have good properties for application in food packaging.

The film or coating is one of the vital components in food packaging systems; thereby, it is necessary to promote them with potent functions. Nanocomposite films based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) containing Al2O3@SiO2 and Al2O3@TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained by casting techniques. The synthesized materials were characterized by their morphology, size, and structure. Moisture absorption (MA), water vapor permeability (WVP), and gas transmission rate (GTR) were also measured to study the barrier properties of films. According to the results, the core-shell nanoparticles showed a smaller diameter, uniform dispersion, and no accumulation in the film matrix compared to the alumina allotropes (γ-,η-,α-Al2O3). The presence of Al2O3@SiO2 and Al2O3@TiO2 nanoparticles significantly regulated MA, WVP, and GTR compared to the allotropes. The most significant reduction in MA, WVP, and GTR belonged to the γ-Al2O3@SiO2 (2.11%), η-Al2O3@TiO2 (6.09 × 10−10 g/m s pa), and η-Al2O3@TiO2 (0.21 cm3/m2d bar) respectively. To sum up, embedding core-shell nanoparticles within the matrix of polymeric films (CMC) can be a good idea to increase the efficacy of food packaging systems.

Background Active packaging plays an important role in food and seafood preservation in the sector of food safety. The main role of antimicrobial packaging is to prohibit the bacterial and fungal growth. Biopolymers are the main film-forming materials which can be integrated with preservatives and antimicrobial agents, and the edible films containing the additives can be utilized as a substitute to maintain food products. Scope and approach Although different tests including disc and well diffusion assays, viable cell counts, vapor-phase technique, and optical density-based methods are used by microbiologists, no standard methodology has been firmly established to assess the antimicrobial effects of edible films. Hence, this review discusses the strengths and limitations of the published microbial methodologies used for assessing the activity of antimicrobial packaging. Key findings and conclusion The type of active components and materials used to produce edible films are among the most fundamental aspects to select an appropriate evaluation method. Our findings revealed that the disc and well diffusion assays followed by the viable cell count methods are the most common methods for evaluating the antimicrobial activity of edible films.

To stop hunger, reducing food losses is a potential movement towards saving food. A large portion of these losses could be avoided and reduced through the improved food chain in many countries. Raising awareness on how and where food losses occur will help recovering foods such as meat by identifying solutions and convincing people to implement those solutions. This, in turn, will lead to private and public efforts to recover meat that might be otherwise wasted. After highlighting the importance of food saving benefits and relevant statistics, this paper explains the possible ways to reduce meat loss and waste in abattoirs and presents a framework for prevention according to the estimates of meat losses in Iran meat supply. The current article answers the questions of where do we have the meat loss in Iran and what approaches are most successful in reducing losses in the meat industry. The national average loss and waste in meat production are about 300,000 metric tonnes (about 15%). Many segments and players are involved with this huge amount of losses in the meat value chain, a large portion of these losses could be avoided and reduced by about 25% through using by-products with the mechanization of design and manufacturing. The production amount of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is 105,091,000 kg, concluding the major waste (88.33%) of total poultry losses. Ensuring appropriate actions by exploiting the full potential of engaged Iranian associations and institutes is considered to reduce the losses.

In this study, the effects of different concentrations of thymol and astaxanthin on control of Clostridium perfringenes and also microbial, chemical, and organoleptic properties of common and probiotic beef cooked sausages containing two levels of nitrite during storage at refrigerated condition during 45 days were evaluated. Based on findings, control group had significantly higher total volatile base nitrogen (TVB‐N) than nitrite‐, thymol‐, and astaxanthin‐treated samples. At the end of the storage time in control, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value reached 1.96 mg/kg, while the values for treated samples remained lower than 1.63 mg/kg. Final count of lactic acid bacteria decreased approximately 1.67–3.79 log CFU/g in treated samples compared with the control group (p, In heat‐treated meat products such as cooked sausage, probiotics are generally not used because of adverse effect of thermal treatment on their viability and stability. One of the novel techniques to improve nutritional attributes of meat products is integration of Bacillus coagulans, a thermophilic probiotic microorganism. Using some natural derived additives and preservatives such as astaxanthin and thymol is a novel approach to decrease the use of nitrite and extend the shelf‐life of cooked sausages and their safety.

During the past years, there has been a growing interest in the bioproduction of propionic acid by Propionibacterium. One of the major limitations of the existing models lies in their low productivity yield. Hence, many strategies have been proposed in order to circumvent this obstacle. This article provides a comprehensive synthesis and review of important biotechnological aspects of propionic acid production as a common ingredient in food and biotechnology industries. We first discuss some of the most important production processes, mainly focusing on biological production. Then, we provide a summary of important propionic acid producers, including Propionibacterium freudenreichii and Propionibacterium acidipropionici, as well as a wide range of reported growth/production media. Furthermore, we describe bioprocess variables that can have impact on the production yield. Finally, we propose methods for the extraction and analysis of propionic acid and put forward strategies for overcoming the limitations of competitive microbial production from the economical point of view. Several factors influence the propionic acid concentration and productivity such as culture conditions, type and bioreactor scale; however, the pH value and temperature are the most important ones. Given that there are many reports about propionic acid production from glucose, whey permeate, glycerol, lactic acid, hemicelluloses, hydrolyzed corn meal, lactose, sugarcane molasses and enzymatically hydrolyzed whole wheat flour, only few review articles evaluate biotechnological aspects, i.e. bioprocess variables.

Background Nutritional and environmental benefits of mycoprotein verify its beneficial role on the health of humankind in the next decades. Agro-industrial wastes can be used as cheap substrates to decrease the total cost of product. However, fungi may produce toxins or lead to allergic reactions in consumers. Therefore, the study of the safety and nutritional aspects of this product are very important. Results Fusarium venenatum IR372C was cultured on date wastes and ammonium salts in submerge fermentation. The safety and nutritional issues of produced mycoprotein were investigated including allergy tests and analyses of toxins, as well as existence of toxin genes, and content of heavy metals, metals, amino acids and fatty acids. The results showed that fumonisin genes in F. venenatum IR372C remain without any gene expression during 1 week fermentation. Zearalenone and deoxynivalenol cannot be detected in the fermentation medium after 3 weeks. Prick tests on 30 volunteers demonstrated no sensitivities to mycoprotein. The content of lead was 658 μg kg-1 as the highest heavy metal followed by arsenic, cadmium and mercury at 161, 30.57 and 0 μg kg-1 , respectively. Produced mycoprotein includes essential amino acids at appropriate contents and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid was nearly 2:1. Also, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc were found in mycoprotein, which could have health beneficial impacts on consumers. Conclusion This study has provided information on safety aspects of mycoprotein production by F. venentaum IR372C from date wastes. However, further studies with focus on long-term clinical benefits of diets containing mycoprotein are necessary. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Abused refrigerated temperatures are described as unacceptable deviations from the optimal temperature, occurring frequently during transportation of food products. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a serious contaminant of meats and meat products due to its ability to grow at abused temperatures (> 10 °C). The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Carum copticum essential oil for the control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 using laboratory media and minced beef at severe abused refrigerated temperature (15 °C). A comparative quantitative reverse transcription real-time PCR was used to assess effects of temperature and Carum copticum essential oil at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations on bacterial growth and Shiga-toxin gene (stx1A and stx2A) expression. Results indicated that Carum copticum essential oil inhibited growth of E. coli O157:H7 in tryptone soy broth (TSB) media at all sub-MIC values until Hour 48. However, bacterial population increased progressively until Hour 72 at essential oil concentration of 0.75% (ml g−1) and reached 8.6 log CFU g−1 in minced beef. The essential oil at concentration of 0.005% (ml g−1) increased stx gene expression at all times, but increased stx gene expression (0.015%) at Hour 24 in TSB media. The expression rate of stx1A in minced beef decreased progressively (10.39 and 7.67 folds for 0.5 and 0.75%, respectively) and expression of stx2A was variable in minced beef during storage. In conclusion, results from this study have shown that effects of Carum copticum essential oil on growth and virulence gene expression are not necessarily correlated and temperature, essential oil concentration, investigated gene type, and bacterial growth environment (in vivo or in vitro) are effective as well.

Apple pomace is a valuable waste from the apple juice industry with high level of poly phenols and also phytate-free dietary fiber. This research was done to optimize and compare the physical properties of new gluten-free cake based on whole replacement of wheat flour with apple pomace powder using starch and xanthan gum by Mixture Design. The results of chemical analysis of apple pomace flour showed 10% moisture, 1.28% ash, 1.68% fat, 1.25% protein, 56% fiber and 9.62 mg gallic acid/g phenolic compounds. There was a significant difference in the texture of optimized apple pomace cakes in comparison to rice and wheat cakes as control and black samples. The hardness of the wheat flour sample was less than the gluten-free samples. Based on the results of the sensory evaluation, the cake containing apple pomace powder had the highest score in terms of overall acceptance.

Food is the essential need of human life and has nutrients that support growth and health. Gastrointestinal tract microbiota involves valuable microorganisms that develop therapeutic effects and are characterized as probiotics. The investigations on appropriate probiotic strains have led to the characterization of specific metabolic byproducts of probiotics named postbiotics. The probiotics must maintain their survival against inappropriate lethal conditions of the processing, storage, distribution, preparation, and digestion system so that they can exhibit their most health effects. Conversely, probiotic metabolites (postbiotics) have successfully overcome these unfavorable conditions and may be an appropriate alternative to probiotics. Due to their specific chemical structure, safe profile, long shelf-life, and the fact that they contain various signaling molecules, postbiotics may have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive properties, inhibiting abnormal cell proliferation and antioxidative activities. Consequently, present scientific literature approves that postbiotics can mimic the fundamental and clinical role of probiotics, and due to their unique characteristics, they can be applied in an oral delivery system (pharmaceutical/functional foods), as a preharvest food safety hurdle, to promote the shelf-life of food products and develop novel functional foods or/and for developing health benefits, and therapeutic aims. This review addresses the latest postbiotic applications with regard to pharmaceutical formulations and commercial food-based products. Potential postbiotic applications in the promotion of host health status, prevention of disease, and complementary treatment are also reviewed.

Baby food is one of the most sensitive foods available, which is closely monitored for carcinogens. In this study, 16 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds were evaluated by using the method of magnetic-solid-phase-extraction and gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry (MSPE/GC-MS). The recovery, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of PAH compounds were 93.4–101.6%, 0.06–1.12, and 0.18–3.38 μg/kg, respectively. The results indicated the mean of total PAHs in all samples was 3.73 ± 0.8 μg/kg, and the mean of Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was 0.29 ± 0.14 μg/kg that were lower than the USA-Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standard level (1 μg/kg, BaP in baby foods). In addition, our results showed that mixed five cereal-based baby food had a maximum mean of ΣPAHs (5.06 ± 0.68 μg/kg) and mixed wheat and date-based baby food had a minimum mean of ΣPAHs (3.03 ± 0.41 μg/kg). The carcinogenic risk due to PAH in the tested baby foods sold in Iran was adequately low, and all examined products were safe for consumers. Therefore, it can be said that the consumption of baby foods does not pose a threat to consumers.

This article has no abstract. DOI: 10.18502/jfqhc.7.3.4142

Introduction. The increasing global consumption of processed meat products has led to certain concerns. For instance, processed meat products are known to contain carcinogen precursor compounds, thus creating the risk of chronic diseases. The present study was performed to estimate the food safety status of processed meat products available in Iran and evaluate the related effective factors. Study objects and methods. 140 samples of seven most popular commercial types of cooked sausages were obtained from four major meat factories (A, B, C and D) in 140 samples were collected from seven most popular commercial types of cooked sausages as follows: beef salami 90%, chicken salami 90%, dry cured sausage 70%, dry cured salami 60%, beef sausages 55%, chicken sausages 55% and Frankfurt sausage 40% (n = 5) from four major meat factories (A, B, C and D) in Tehran. The samples were screened for residual nitrite, ascorbic acid, and nitrosamine contents on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. The results indicated that products from meat factory B had lower residual nitrite content in the samples with high content of meat. Beef salami (90% of meat) and Frankfurt sausage (40% of meat) contained the lowest and highest amounts of residual nitrite on day 0 – 73.99 and 177.42 mg of nitrite per 1 kg of meat, respectively. Results and discussion. Beef salami contained 90% of meat, chicken salami – 90%, dry cured sausage –70%, dry cured salami – 60%, beef sausages – 55%, chicken sausages – 55%, and Frankfurt sausage – 40% (n = 5). Nitrite reduction rates in sausages with a smaller diameter, e.g. Frankfurt sausage, were significantly lower (P < 0.05), compared to salami samples. The difference can be explained by the shorter cooking time. Nitrosamine formation increased during refrigerated storage; however, it was not significant in all samples. During refrigerated storage, nitrosamine formation depended on the level of added nitrite, the amount of residual nitrite, ascorbic acid, pH, and cooking temperature. Ascorbic acid content decreased significantly (P < 0.05) during refrigerated storage. Conclusion. The findings demonstrate significant correlation between the meat content, cooking time, nitrite content, and nitrosamine formation.

Being an important source of human enteric diseases, microbiological safety is one of the major risk concerns in the meat industry. In order to inhibit and inactivate microbial contamination and extend the shelf life of meat products, different procedures have been practiced, including the addition of bacteriocins as proteinaceous antagonistic preservatives. This article discusses the application of bacteriocins which are capable of controlling the growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in meat and meat products. We identify possible ways to improve the performance of bacteriocins ensuring food safety and toxicity. We first provide a brief introduction to the classification of bacteriocins and then discuss their antimicrobial properties and mechanism of action alone and in combination with other hurdles in meat and meat products. Moreover, application methods of bacteriocins in meat products are described and cross-compared, introducing emerging meat products containing bacteriocins. : Despite the existence of many reports related to the application of bacteriocin-producing strains of lactic acid bacteria in meat products, very few review articles have attempted at evaluating the application of bacteriocins in the red meat while observing their antimicrobial mechanism of action as well as evaluating their applications in meat products. The application of these proteins in meat products has received considerable attention; however, there are still some drawbacks and limitations for their application. Characterization, identification, toxicity evaluation and investigating application level of bacteriocins produced by meat borne/non-meat borne bacteria appears to be necessary in order to increase the efficiency of extending shelf life and improving the microbial stability of meat products.

Acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen which could produce during food processing via Maillard reaction between asparagine and reducing sugars at elevated temperatures. In this study, microextraction technique was developed for the quantitative analysis of acrylamide in 24 types of roasted nuts and seeds including almond, pistachio, peanut and hazelnut and roasted seeds including sunflower, pumpkin and watermelon. Dispersive liquid liquid microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (DLLME–GC–MS) used for acrylamide determination in samples. Critical parameters in analysis step were studied and optimized using central composite design. The risk assessment estimation was done by Monte Carlo Simulation. The detection limit and quantitation limit of offered technique were calculated 0.6 and 2 µg/kg, respectively. The recovery percent for acrylamide in samples was higher than 95%. Relative standard deviation was obtained 8.9% (n = 6). The method was showed good linearity (R2 = 0.998) in the range of 5–500 µg/kg. According to the results, acrylamide level in roasted nuts and seeds is variable between 33.36 and 250.90 µg/kg. The highest mean value of acrylamide was found in roasted almond at concentration 176.88 µg/kg and the lowest amount of acrylamide was detected in roasted hazelnuts at concentration 90.61 µg/kg. Divergences in acrylamide amounts in samples were attributed to differences in their composition, roasting time and temperature used in their manufacture. Our results showed that dietary acrylamide exposure through intake of roasted nuts and seeds, is relatively low and the risk of carcinogenicity is considerable.

Background Foodborne diseases can be highlighted as one of the most significant health concerns among the last decades. Probiotic food products can be considered as the promising approaches for modulating of gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota due to their interactions within the GIT. However, no comprehensive review regarding the involved mechanisms in inhibiting foodborne pathogens in foods by probiotics, besides their interaction is available. Scope and approach The current article provides an overview considering the interactions between probiotics and pathogens in hosts as well as in foods aiming to gain insights regarding relevant properties to be used in further developments of probiotic-based food products. Key findings and conclusions The interaction between probiotics and pathogens in foods and in the hosts and different mechanism of probiotics in control of enteric pathogens colonization were reviewed in the current study. While the mechanisms of action correlated with probiotic strains in the GIT are diverse and well-studied, their interactions with pathogens in foods is overlooked. Revealing how probiotic strains interact with foodborne pathogens in foods is of key relevance in a contemporary context that demand the development of more robust formulations. Although several mechanisms such as production of substances such as organic acids, bacteriocins, and hydrogen peroxide have been suggested regarding probiotics actions in food matrices, still substantial challenges exist concerning the molecular mode of their antimicrobial action. Additionally, it is required to comprehend the appreciate dose, species, and a combination of probiotics in controlling the pathogens.

This study aimed to evaluate the fate of Listeria monocytogenes in water microcosm and rainbow trout fillet under salinity stress of 0% and 30% NaCl at refrigerator temperature (4 ± 2 ℃). Bacterial culturability was studied by standard culture and colony count method. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) of 16 S rRNA gene was used to detect viability of non-culturable bacteria. Also, the qualitative expression of pathogenic genes ( hly and inlA) was studied using RT-PCR. The results showed that bacteria in water microcosm lost their culturability at 13 days under 0% salinity (starvation or distilled water) and at 27 days under 30% salinity; however, bacteria in rainbow trout fillet remained culturable under 0% and 30% NaCl. RT-PCR of 16 S rRNA gene was positive for all treatments during the period of this study, indicating the entering of L. monocytogenes into the viable but non-culturable state in water microcosm under 0% and 30% NaCl. Also, viable but non-culturable L. monocytogenes retained the expression of hly and inlA genes. So, it could be concluded that L. monocytogenes in viable but non-culturable state can cause serious health problems and further investigation is necessary to elucidate the effects of other processing and storage conditions (light, dark, smoking, etc.) on behavior of L. monocytogenes in smoked and salted fish.

Background Polystyrene (PS) is extensively used in diverse forms for packaging of many food products such as meat, dairy and bakery products. There is a potential migration of styrene monomer from PS packages into the foods which are in contact with them. Scope and approach This study aims at reviewing the representative styrene migration from PS packages material into the correspondence foods and discusses the addressed parameters affecting the styrene migration. The analytical methods for detecting styrene monomer in food products and PS packaging materials is also covered in this study. The possible safety and health issues related to the styrene monomer migration will be covered too. Key findings and conclusions: The quality of PS packaging material in terms of their styrene monomer residue level and the storage conditions of foods can greatly affect styrene migration. Also, the food characteristics such as fat content, pH, etc. can significantly affect styrene migration. Although styrene monomer is considered as a non-toxic compound, its migration into the foods can downgrade sensorial properties as well as resulting in health problems. In some cases, the presence of styrene in foods can make carcinogenic, hematological, cytogenetic, and neurotoxic issues.

This cross‐sectional study attempts to determine the rancidity and quality of discarded oils in fast food restaurants. Samples of the discarded frying oils were collected randomly from 50 fast food restaurants in Tehran, Iran. Their physicochemical properties were assessed and compared to the standard values. The means (±SD) of the physicochemical indicators of the rancidity in the discarded oils were as follows: peroxide value, 3.06 (0.51) (mEq/kg); free fatty acids content, 1.52 (2.26) (%); p‐anisidine value, 57.63 (4.02) (mEq/kg); total oxidation value, 64.53 (4.15); total polar compounds (TPC), 20.19 (1.02) (%); viscosity, 107.87 (2.35) (cp); and red color, 9.64 (0.84). Positive correlations were found between the TPC, viscosity, and red color (p ≤ 0.01) of the oil samples. The majority of discarded oil from fast food restaurants were overdegraded containing hazardous secondary oxidative products, and also, the consumption of nonstandard frying oil has increased in fast food restaurants. Policymakers should develop guidelines to determine whether and when frying oils should be discarded and consider the consumption of overdegraded oils as a public health hazard.

Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is an important species in aquaculture worldwide. Post-mortem changes during cold storage reduce the quality of shrimp and shorten its shelf life...

Combination of low energy and high energy methods were studied as alternative process to individual spontaneous emulsification and ultrasonication for production of stable nanoemulsions in order to reduce the synthetic surfactant requirement. A three-step procedure was used: The dispersed oil phase containing hydrophilic surfactant (Tween 80) was titrated into an aqueous phase for formation of nanoemulsion by spontaneous method. Then, it was homogenized by a high shear homogenizer and sonicated to form final stable nanoemulsions. Influence of orange oil to sunflower oil ratio, surfactant emulsion ratio (SER), ultrasonication (US) time and temperature and high shear homogenization (HSH) time on particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of nanoemulsions were determined. Orange oil/sunflower oil ratio, SER, US time and temperature and HSH time all had an appreciable effect on nanoemulsion formation, particle size distribution and stability. Translucent nanoemulsions (70 nm) was obtained under following specific conditions: 10 wt% oil phase (7 wt% orange oil + 3 wt% sunflower oil), 2 wt% SER (Tween 80), 5 min HSH and 10 min US in an ice bath. The selected nanoemulsion was stable for 35-day storage at ambient temperature. These findings demonstrate that stable orange oil nanoemulsions can be produced from food-grade ingredients using combined processing operations (spontaneous homogenization, HSH and US homogenization) and low synthetic surfactant concentration. This study provides important information for design and application of essential oil nanoemulsion-based delivery systems in food, beverage and other applications.

In this study, we applied the D-optimal mixture design method to optimise prebiotic sausage formulation with inulin, konjac (Amorphophallus konjac L.), and starch. Also, we investigated the effect of each component indi- vidually as well as their mixtures on cooking characteristics, texture, colour and sensory properties of prebiotic sau- sages. The results of this study revealed that the increase in inulin content in the formulations of sausages led to lower frying loss, and increased water holding capacity (WHC), lightness, and overall acceptability. The incorporation of konjac increased the cooking yield, hardness, cohesiveness, redness, and yellowness. On the other hand, konjac added into the sausage formulation decreased overall acceptability. The mixtures of inulin, konjac, and starch improved the cooking characteristics and overall acceptability of the sausages without significant negative effect on the color or sensory properties. The results of the study clarified that the optimum amounts of inulin, starch, and konjac were 2.09; 2.76; and 0.146 %, respectively. The obtained results make it possible to use the combination of these components to produce prebiotic sausage.

Cereal products as the main group of food diet have most important effect on human health. Acrylamide as a dangerous toxic compound has highly potential to be form in carbohydrates and proteins-rich foods at high temperature. In this research, we have successfully analyzed the amount of acrylamide in the important group of cereal products. Efficient, sensitive and selective microextraction technique has been applied to extract acrylamide from cereal samples. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been employed as powerful analytical instrument in the quantitation step. Parameters on the extraction procedure were studied and optimized using central composite design. The calibration curves showed high linearity (R2 = 0.998) in the range of 1–500 ng g−1. Limit of detection and limit of quantitation were obtained 0.6 ng g−1 and 2 ng g−1, respectively. The average acrylamide levels for wafer, traditional flat bread, biscuit, cracker, cake, cookie and industrial leavened bread were 233.94, 218.26, 200.67, 190.50, 186.39, 156.10 and 100.22 ng g−1 respectively. The acrylamide content in all tested sample was higher than 100 ng g−1. Wafer samples showed the highest amount of acrylamide. The composition of cereal sample and baking time and temperature have directly affected on acrylamide level in sample.

Aflatoxin M1 is an oxidative metabolite of aflatoxin B1 formed in liver and excreted into milk, urine and faeces of dairy cattle and other mammalian species. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aflatoxin M1 in Group 2B because of its potential to get bioactivated to a mutagen analogous to aflatoxin B1. Risk assessments are undertaken to guide food regulators and scientists in risk management processes, such as the legislative levels or guideline targets for mycotoxins in food supplies. Using existing international resources for hazard data and local exposure data, and based on cancer potency as the endpoint, the risk of exposure to aflatoxin M1 in milk for the Iranian population was calculated considering various scenarios. During 2014-2015, 518 samples were collected from the market and tested for aflatoxin M1 contamination by HPLC-FLD. The most probable scenarios calculated as mean occurrence multiplied by the mean consumption in consumers of milk, and for maximum level allowed for aflatoxin M1 in milk with 99 percentiles of milk consumption showed the risk of 0.08 and 0.72 additional liver cancer cases per year for the Iranian population, respectively. Thus, our study reveals a low risk and that the current maximum limit of 100 ng/l for aflatoxin M1 in milk, heat treated milk and flavoured milk is sustainable.

Introduction: Mycotoxin producing fungi are major contributors to food contamination and many epidemics in humans and animals. The adverse effects of the use of chemical preservatives have led to a special focus on the use of natural compounds, especially plant derivatives. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal properties of herbal essential oils of Cinnamon, Clove, Thymes, and Zataria multiflora, Cumin, and Caraway on the growth of Aspergillus ochraceus. Materials and Methods: Briefly, the presence of mycotoxin producing gene was investigated using PCR. Furthermore, production of mycotoxin in a medium with high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (FLD) was evaluated. Ingredients of essential oils were determined using GC/MS. The amount of antifungal activity of essential oils was assessed by disc diffusion and well diffusion method. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by macrodilution method. Results: Gene presence and mycotoxin production were confirmed by PCR and HPLC-FL. Among all studied essential oils, Cinnamon with MIC and MFC of 0.078 μl / ml exhibited the greatest effect on A. ochraceus growth as compared to other essential oils. Conclusion: This study indicated that essential oils have an effective role on controlling A. ochraceus growth and have shown promising to be a good bioactive natural preservative in food industry.

Side effects of fat intake and consumers’ awareness have forced the food industry to produce healthier food. In recent years, non-fat yogurt has increasingly been consumed all over the world. In this study, the effect of adding a mixture of inulin, whey protein isolate, modified starch with different levels (0.3, 0.5 and, 1%) and gelatin (0.2%) on biochemical (pH, titratable acidity (TA), and Redox potential), rheological, and sensory properties of non-fat set yogurt was investigated. The samples containing higher levels of whey protein were better treatments regarding biochemical, sensory and rheological properties. The highest syneresis was observed in control yogurts and the samples with 1% inulin, whereas no syneresis was observed in samples containing 1% starch or 1% whey protein. Overall, the yogurts containing 1% whey proteins, 0.5% modified starch, 0.3% inulin, and 0.2% gelatin showed the most desirable characteristics of non-fat yogurt.

In this study, the ability of various lactic acid bacteria was assessed in removing benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) from contaminated phosphate buffer saline (PBS). Response surface methodology (RSM) was performed using Box-Behnken design to investigate the effect of four independent variables including pH (5–7), incubation time (1–24 h), cell density (107–109 cfu/mL), and initial BaP concentration (5–15 mg/kg) at three levels to evaluate in vitro removal of BaP as response. The results showed that all the tested strains were able to remove BaP from PBS and this reduction was entirely strain-specific. Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 followed by Lactobacillus casei TD10 exhibited the lowest binding ability while the highest binding rate was related to Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus PTCC 1737, Lactobacillus casei TD4, and Lactobacillus brevis TD3, respectively. Cyclohexane washing weakened BaP-bacteria complex, while this complex was not significantly changed by PBS washing. The results showed that BaP binding rate was influenced by pH, cell density, time, and BaP concentration in linear and quadratic manners. Moreover, there were interactions between cell density and time as well as between time and BaP concentration. The highest BaP-binding rate by L. acidophilus LA-5 was 10 ppm of BaP concentration, pH = 5, cell density of 109 cfu/mL, and an incubation period of 24 h. It can be concluded that a range of pH, time, and microbial population is required to obtain maximum binding efficiency for BaP based on the concentration of the toxin and the species of the bacteria.

Essential oils, as extracted compounds from plants, are volatile and aromatic liquids which their unique aromatic compounds give each essential oil its distinctive essence. Fungi toxins can induce various adverse health effects like allergy, cancer, and immunosuppression. Moreover, fungal spoilage impacts pharmaceutical and food industries economic state. A drop in the utilization of synthetic compounds as food prophylaxis has occurred due to several factors such as hygiene agents' alerts and stricter legal regulations. Therefore, the applications of natural substances such as essential oils have increased in recent years. Oregano, cinnamon, thyme, rosemary, fennel, clove, palmarosa, and eucalyptus have been the highest employed essential oils against mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins in studies conducted in the past decade. Essential oils inhibit fungi growth and mycotoxin synthesis via diverse pathways including modified fungal growth rate and extended lag phase, disruption of cell permeability, disruption of the electron transport chain and manipulating gene expression patterns and metabolic processes. In the present review, we will investigate the implications and efficacy of essential oils in preventing the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi, eliminating mycotoxins and their mechanism of actions conducted in the last decade. HighlightsThe most investigated toxigenic genera are Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium Spp.AB1, AG1, OTA and AB2 are the most frequently studied toxinsOregano, cinnamon and thyme are mostly exploited EOs on toxigenic fungi & mycotoxinsOregano, thyme & cinnamon are the most significant antifungals on toxigenic generaCinnamon, oregano & cinnamaldehyde are the fittest antimycotoxins on DON, OTA & AFB1.

BACKGROUND Lead (Pb2+ ) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and can be found in various quantities in the environment. The five native probiotic bacteria and inulin were used to assess in vitro lead nitrate and lead acetate binding capacities, as well as removal potentials. RESULTS The highest decrease in media pH was seen for samples containing a combination of Lactobacillus paracasei IRBC-M 10784, lead nitrate and inulin (5.30 ± 0.012). The presence of inulin in the environment accelerated decreases in the pH of all samples with no significance. In all groups, lead nitrate-containing samples included maximum pH decreases. From the highest to the lowest, the ability of lead removal was linked to Lactobacillus acidophilus PTCC-1932 (88.48%), Bifidobacterium bifidum BIA-7 (85.32%), Bifidobacterium lactis BIA-6 (85.24%), Lactobacillus rhamnosus IBRC-M 10782 (83.18%) and L. paracasei IRBC-M 10784 (80.66%). Most species included the highest decrease in lead nitrate. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis demonstrated that various functional groups (hydroxyl, carboxylic, carbonyl, amino and amide binds) on the bacterial cell wall were involved in lead ion binding during incubation. Principal component analysis of the FTIR results showed differences with respect to treated groups and control groups. CONCLUSION The results obtained in the present study reveal that the simultaneous use of native probiotics and inulin can be an effective and safe approach for removing various toxic substances, especially Pb. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

As many consumers concerns about using synthetic materials to maintain foods' quality and safety, we developed an active packaging based on sage seed gum (SSG) and Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil (ZEO). Pre-test studies indicated that 0.8% SSG would be optimum for film preparation based on casting procedure. In the next step, 1 to 6% ZEO was incorporated into the film-forming solution. Increasing ZEO concentration significantly decreased tensile strength and elastic modulus without considerable alteration in elongation at break (P < 0.05). Antioxidant activity of ZEO-contained films dose-dependently increased from ~0% (a film without ZEO) to 38.53% (a film containing 6% ZEO). The active films also conferred excellent antimicrobial activity against four histamine-producing bacteria with the highest effect on Enterobacter aerogenes. Increasing ZEO concentration resulted in a gradual increment of total color difference (ΔE*) and opacity. SEM images illustrated improved films' structure homogeneity due to ZEO addition. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that ZEO might increase the thermal stability of low molecular weight SSG polymers. ZEO incorporation decreased hydroxyl bonds and increased ester bonds based on FTIR curves. Moreover, it declined moisture content and total solubility and improved water vapor and oxygen barrier properties. Consequently, the use of SSG films containing ZEO is proposed for food packaging applications.

One of the most important challenges in the food industry is to provide healthy and safe food. Therefore, it is not possible to achieve this without different processes and the use of various additives. In order to improve safety and extend the shelf life of food products, various synthetic preservatives have been widely utilized by the food industry to prevent growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. On the other hand, consumers' preference to consume food products with natural additives induced food industries to use natural-based preservatives in their production. It has been observed that herbal extracts and their essential oils could be potentially considered as a replacement for chemical antimicrobials. Antimicrobial properties of plant essential oils are derived from some main bioactive components such as phenolic acids, terpenes, aldehydes, and flavonoids that are present in essential oils. Various mechanisms such as changing the fatty acid profile and structure of cell membranes and increasing the cell permeability as well as affecting membrane proteins and inhibition of functional properties of the cell wall are effective in antimicrobial activity of essential oils. Therefore, our objective is to revise the effect of various essential oils and their bioactive components against Listeria monocytogenes in meat and poultry products.

Four quantification methods based on absolute (model Ⅰ), relative (model Ⅱ) and normalized approaches (models Ⅲ and Ⅳ) were developed to estimate the percentage of chicken substitution in beef burgers using TaqMan real-time PCR. The cytochrome b (cytb) and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) regions were used for the chicken identification and normalization of assay results, respectively. The plotted curves of four models using the reference chicken-beef mixtures represented the linear correlation (0.9962-0.9995), and the acceptable amplification efficiencies (98.60%-110.12%) within the range of recommended values. The results of validation plan using the model samples (mixtures and burgers prepared with chicken meat or chicken paste in beef meat) showed the better trueness parameters for model mixtures in models Ⅲ and Ⅳ (−0.12% to −18.03%) in comparison with models Ⅰ and Ⅱ (−5.11% to −43.95%). Also, an over-estimation of chicken adulteration in model burgers was quantified by models Ⅰ and Ⅱ (with trueness 99.18% to 170.19%), while the normalized models gave a more accurate estimation of chicken percentage (with trueness −0.26% to −1.29%). The developed TaqMan-qPCR assay could reliably quantify 0.01% of chicken meat in chicken-beef mixtures without any cross-reactivity. Finally, the normalized approaches as validated models recognized the mislabeling in some commercial hamburger brands.

Totally forty samples (23 brands) of different types of edible oils including frying oil (n = 14), blended oil (n = 13), sunflower oil (n = 6), corn oil (n = 5) and canola oil (n = 2) from Iran's market were analyzed for PAHs content by a High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detector. Also, the Health risk assessment in the adults and children consumers were estimated by the calculating margin of exposure (MOE) and the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) in the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. Approximately all of the samples contained different amounts of PAHs, while concentrations of BaP, PAH 4, PAH 8 and PAH 13 were reported as 0.90–11.33, 3.51–84.03, 7.41–117.12 and 129.28–19.54 μg/kg, respectively. Light polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons corresponded to 65% of total PAHs while the remaining 35% belonged to heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Based on BaP content, 12 samples were above the standard limits (2 μg/kg) which set by the Standard Organization of Iran and the European Union, whereas 15 samples exceeded maximum limit 10 μg/kg set for PAH 4 established by EU. Percentile 95% of MOE in the adults due to ingestion of sunflower, corn, frying and blended oils were determined as 4.10E+5; 4.05E+5; , 2.17E+5, 2.33E+5, respectively and in the children due to ingestion of sunflower oil, corn oil, frying oil and blended oil were calculated as 5.38E+4, 4.49E+4, 2.86E+4, 3.37E+4. Regarding the percentile of 95% ILCR in the adults due to ingestion of sunflower oil, corn oil, frying oil and blended oil were reported as 4.5E-6, 4.17E-6l, 5.20E-6, 4.93E-6 and also this value in the children in the same rank order of products can be summarized as 3.43E-5, 3.94 E−5, 3.17E-5, 3.76E-5. The rank order of edible oils investigated based on MOE was sunflower oil > corn oil > blended oil > frying oil; and based on ILCR, frying oil > blended oil > sunflower oil > corn oil. The health risk assessment according to MCS method indicated that adults and children are not at considerable health risk; MOE ≥ 1E+4 and ILCR

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an overview of different aspects of inulin functionality in meat and poultry products.Design/methodology/approachSeveral studies on the physiochemical, textural and sensorial effects of inulin incorporated in meat and poultry products as fat replacer and texture modifier were reviewed.FindingsInulin is a plant-derived carbohydrate composed of fructose units and glucosyl moieties at the end of the chain that exhibits unique nutritional and technological benefits. Among its main healthy characteristics, it has been reported to reduce the risk of colon cancer, arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity, to maintain low levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in serum and stimulate the immune system. As a functional food ingredient, it can be used in various foods as a fat replacer, improves water-holding capacity and emulsion stability, as well as modifying the texture and viscosity of foods. Incorporation of inulin into meat and poultry products can be beneficial in producing low-fat products with desirable texture and sensory attributes.Originality/valueThere are limited reviews regarding the application of inulin in meat and poultry products. In this review, chemical composition and physicochemical properties of inulin, its health effects and various effects of inulin incorporation into meat and poultry products including, physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics of these products are discussed.