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Abstract Electrical energy generation through Photovoltaic Systems (PV) is a promising strategy to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy sources. However, PV creates a dilemma when considering the competition for cultivation areas with agriculture in a scenario of high need for affordable and high-quality food. On the other hand, the agrivoltaic (Agri-PV) process allows the production of electrical energy by PV, with a consortium production of at least 62% of the traditional planting. This review proposes a comprehensive analysis of trends related to the production and application of bioactive compounds, using the case of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) in an Agri-PV process with the generation of secondary metabolites as an additive for the food industry. The hybrid herb peppermint is grown through vegetative propagation using rhizomes. The location of this plant in the shading area of the PV modules is viable. It can be improved according to PV arrangements used in static or dynamic systems or internally artificially lit greenhouses. In this case, the electricity generated must illuminate with specific LEDs, control photoperiodism, nourish and hydrate the plant to avoid stress. This process makes it possible to generate mixtures of bioactive substances, such as essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation and natural mint extract by solid-liquid extraction. These mixtures can enhance the sensory properties of juices, milk, and fruits, extend the shelf life of food products, and safeguard consumer health.

Copyright of Journal fuer Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Each year, US Army Veterinary Corps officers perform on-site food protection audits of commercial establishments to verify sanitary practices meet Federal and Department of Defense food protection standards. Between 2020 and 2022, national and international COVID-19 mitigation measures restricted US Veterinary Corps officers' ability to perform on-site food protection audits in various locations globally. In the absence of protocols to address this unpredicted circumstance, the US Army Medical Command Deputy Chief of Staff, Force Health Protection-Veterinary Services Directorate, Food Protection Division developed a commercial Food Audit Risk Assessment Decision Tool. This tool is used to assess the risks of commercial food facilities and determine the acceptability of performing virtual audits as temporary replacements for on-site audits. The decision tool is easy to use and instantly identifies risk based on food characteristics, past facility performance, and country of origin. From December 2020 to February 2022, 245 of the 701 commercial establishments affected by COVID-19 were evaluated with the decision tool. The tool provided a risk-based approach to evaluating the need for on-site food establishment audits. Continued research and adjustments should be made to prepare the Food Audit Risk Assessment Decision Tool for future public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for the Department of Defense when attempting to support the necessary feeding systems for troop movements associated with COVID-19 emergency responses and maintain a safe food supply for other DOD beneficiaries. Throughout the pandemic, routine operating processes and systems in the food protection program proved impractical and sometimes insufficient to meet mission requirements. In many cases, food protection policy and procedural requirements were unknown to primary recipients of this support. The Food Protection working group of the Veterinary Services COVID-19 Operational Planning Team solicited lessons learned toward the end of the primary pandemic response to document and improve the DOD's food protection emergency response program. This article summarizes these lessons learned, including analysis and recommended actions to sustain or improve food protection support in response to emergency pandemic situations in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanochitosan composite film containing Nisin (NCH-N) was synthesized by solution cast method. Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared from shrimp shell. Characterizations of the prepared chitosan-nanoparticles were performed using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique. The DLS analysis showed that the average size of chitosan- nanoparticles was 84.8 nm. Antimicrobial properties of edible (NCH-N) solution were also tested against pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, E . faecalis, and eight clinical multidrug resistances K. pneumonia and E. coli. Addition of nisin to film significantly enhances the antimicrobial activity of the film against these tested pathogenic bacteria. This solution was also used as an antimicrobial coating on peaches. Based on the results, the peach coated with the film-forming NCH-N solutions presented a significantly lower amount of microorganisms growth than the uncoated peach, and significantly increased the shelf life of peaches. The color of the peach was not influenced by the films. The similarity of peaks in the spectrum of FTIR films confirms the absence of relevant interaction between the nisin and the polymer. The films were also analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to investigate the surface topography. Nanohitosan films were smooth and homogeneous. With the addition of nisin to nanochitosan films, the film became more uniform and homogeneous. The incorporation of nisin into edible nanochitosan films or coatings may be an attractive and convenient method for biopreservation of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During recent decades, the complexation of organic ligands toward several metal ions of s-p and d-block has been applied as a plan to enhance its antioxidant performance. Due to their wide range of beneficial impacts, coordination compounds are widely used in industries, specifically in the medicinal and pharmaceutical fields. The activity is generally improved by chelation consequently knowing that the characteristics of both ligands and metals can lead to the development of greatly active compounds. Chelation compounds are a substitute for using the traditional synthetic antioxidants, because metal chelates present benefits, including a variety in geometry, oxidation states, and coordination number, that assist and favor the redox methods associated with antioxidant action. As well as understanding the best studied anti-oxidative assets of these compounds, coordination compounds are involved in the free radical scavenging process and protecting human organisms from the opposing effects of these radicals. The antioxidant ability can be assessed by various interrelated systems. The methodological modification offers the most knowledge on the antioxidant property of metal chelates. Colorimetric techniques are the most used, though electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is an alternative for metallic compounds, since color does not affect the results. Information about systems, with their benefits, and restrictions, permits a dependable valuation of the antioxidant performance of coordination compounds, as well as assisting application in various states wherever antioxidant drugs are required, such as in food protection, appropriate good-packaged foods, dietary supplements, and others. Because of the new exhaustive analysis of organic ligands, it has become a separate field of research in chemistry. The present investigation will be respected for providing a foundation for the antioxidant properties of organic ligands, future tests on organic ligands, and building high-quality antioxidative compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption of food systems worldwide, with most governments taking severe containment measures to curb the spread. This resulted in unpredicted negative impacts of the agri-food supply chains coupled with food price inflations. Ultimately, this affected the food security and urban livelihoods for most households, who are dependent on urban markets for food supply. This study examined the implications of the pandemic on food prices and commodities supplies to urban markets conducted through structured interviews. A review of the secondary data was also conducted to show the trends of commodity prices over the last 5 years. The high inflation of commodity prices with a decline in sales volumes was reported by most traders (97%) with decreases in supply quantities. Changes in the consumption behaviour in households was reported by consumers (75%), with 65% experiencing reduced food diversity at home. Households adopted varied coping mechanisms, including reduced food portions (52%), reduced food varieties (44%) and skipping meals (32%). Market prices increased by an average margin of 13.8% for grains and pulses with price decline observed for cabbages (−30.8%) and Irish potatoes (−19.4%). The findings may inform policymakers of additional future shock and pandemic control protocols, whose actions would assure food protection of urban livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules linked by α, α‐1,1‐glycosidic bond. It is present in a wide variety of organisms, including bacteria, fungi, insects, plants, and invertebrate animals. Trehalose has distinct physical and chemical properties that have been investigated for their biological importance in a range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic species. Emerging research on trehalose has identified untapped opportunities for its application in the food, medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. This review summarizes the chemical and biological properties of trehalose, its occurrence and metabolism in living organisms, its protective role in molecule stabilization, and natural and commercial production methods. Utilization of trehalose in the food industry, in particular how it stabilizes protein, fat, carbohydrate, and volatile compounds, is also discussed in depth. Challenges and opportunities of its application in specific applications (e.g., diagnostics, bioprocessing, ingredient technology) are described. We conclude with a discussion on the potential of leveraging the unique molecular properties of trehalose in molecular stabilization for improving the safety, quality, and sustainability of our food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Trabajo Social is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The applications of metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs) in the sustainable development of agriculture and food security have received greater attention in recent years in the science community. Different biological resources have been employed to replace harmful chemicals to reduce metal salts and stabilize MNPs, i.e., green methods for the synthesis have paid attention to the nanobiotechnological advances. This review mainly focused on the applications of green synthesized MNPs for the agriculture sector and food security. Because of the novel domains, the green synthesized MNPs could be helpful in the different areas of agriculture like plant growth promotion, plant disease, and insect/pest management, fungicidal agent, in food security for food packaging, for increasing the shelf life and protection from spoilage, and other purposes. The global scenario of the recent studies on the applications of green synthesized MNPs, particularly in sustainable agriculture and food security, is comprehensively discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During recent decades, the complexation of organic ligands toward several metal ions of s-p and d-block has been applied as a plan to enhance its antioxidant performance. Due to their wide range of beneficial impacts, coordination compounds are widely used in industries, specifically in the medicinal and pharmaceutical fields. The activity is generally improved by chelation consequently knowing that the characteristics of both ligands and metals can lead to the development of greatly active compounds. Chelation compounds are a substitute for using the traditional synthetic antioxidants, because metal chelates present benefits, including a variety in geometry, oxidation states, and coordination number, that assist and favor the redox methods associated with antioxidant action. As well as understanding the best studied anti-oxidative assets of these compounds, coordination compounds are involved in the free radical scavenging process and protecting human organisms from the opposing effects of these radicals. The antioxidant ability can be assessed by various interrelated systems. The methodological modification offers the most knowledge on the antioxidant property of metal chelates. Colorimetric techniques are the most used, though electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is an alternative for metallic compounds, since color does not affect the results. Information about systems, with their benefits, and restrictions, permits a dependable valuation of the antioxidant performance of coordination compounds, as well as assisting application in various states wherever antioxidant drugs are required, such as in food protection, appropriate good-packaged foods, dietary supplements, and others. Because of the new exhaustive analysis of organic ligands, it has become a separate field of research in chemistry. The present investigation will be respected for providing a foundation for the antioxidant properties of organic ligands, future tests on organic ligands, and building high-quality antioxidative compounds.

Due to the peculiarities of the chemical composition, edible fats easily undergo changes during storage when exposed to sunlight and other types of radiation, which reduces their quality and biological value. This article examines the effect of light on the quality of food products and the processes occurring during the oxidation of food. To protect against solar radiation, tinted glasses are used, their efficiency being low. The authors proposed transparent protective films of indium tin oxide (ITO), which block UV and IR radiation, as well as electromagnetic fields. A method for producing oxide films on large-scale and complex surfaces is considered. The properties of ITO films to block UV and IR radiation can be used to protect food products by covering the glass container in which the product is stored with an ITO film. The acid and peroxide values of sunflower oil in glass containers both protected with films of indium tin oxide and unprotected ones are studied. When the product is stored under glass with a transparent ITO film, the acid value and peroxide value increased more slowly than without the protective film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays food safety and protection are a growing concern for food producers and food industry. The stability of food-grade materials is key in food processing and shelf life. Pickering emulsions (PEs) have gained significant attention in food regimes owing to their stability enhancement of food specimens. PE can be developed by high and low-energy methods. The use of PE in the food sector is completely safe as it uses solid biodegradable particles to stabilize the oil in water and it also acts as an excellent carrier of essential oils (EOs). EOs are useful functional ingredients, the inclusion of EOs in the packaging film or coating formulation significantly helps in the improvement of the shelf life of the packed food item. The highly volatile nature, limited solubility and ease of oxidation in light of EOs restricts their direct use in packaging. In this context, the use of PEs of EOs is suitable to overcome most of the challenges, Therefore, recently there have been many papers published on PEs of EOs including active packaging film and coatings and the obtained results are promising. The current review amalgamates these studies to inform about the chemistry of PEs followed by types of stabilizers, factors affecting the stability and different high and low-energy manufacturing methods. Finally, the review summarizes the recent advancement in PEs-added packaging film and their application in the enhancement of shelf life of food. [Display omitted] • Pickering emulsion stabilized essential oil is focused and reviewed. • Detailed methods for Pickering emulsion are characterized. • Applications in food packaging and promising prospects of Pickering emulsion in biopolymer films are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety and health conditions are global issues that are primarily caused by insufficient nutrition or contaminated food, which have enormous social, economic, and public health implications. Foodomics study mainly involves nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics, and nutritional epigenetics, which help in finding the correlation between genetic variation and nutrient‐driven epigenetic alterations that are suggested as a primary challenge to nutritional needs. Micro‐ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are non‐coding RNA molecules that have recently gained in popularity as a result of their critical roles in gene regulation and nutritional studies. In this commentary, the relevance of miRNAs to human nutrition is discussed. This study emphasizes the importance of dietary miRNAs based on numerous independent studies, which have explained the unique characteristics of dietary miRNAs in terms of gene expression regulation mechanism. There is an urgent requirement of measurement techniques to detect miRNA in food and evolutionary samples. These techniques may be helpful to find even low levels of miRNAs because of their high susceptibility and selectivity. There is a desperate requisite to evaluate the impact of dietary supplement compounds on circulating and tissue miRNAs. Food science studies in humans may aid in the identification of novel biomarkers and other necessary mode of action of certain dietary compounds, with the goal of facilitating how nutrients and bioactive components can influence miRNAs and enforce biological effects. Practical applications: Dietary microRNAs may be helpful to find even the low levels of miRNAs due to their high susceptibility and selectivity. There is also desperate need to evaluate the impact of dietary supplement compounds effect on circulating and tissue miRNAs. There is also requirement for new analytical tools to study the role of gene regulations and nutrition in different diseases. The quality of dietary miRNAs should be investigated, particularly the exogenous types which are used as high doses in food supplements. It would also be of great interest to use antagomir technology in food science research, in addition to omics technology. Dietary miRNAs may also aid in the identification of novel biomarkers. These are some of the practical applications of dietary miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In this study, antibacterial effects of whey protein coating with Mentha aquatica L. essential oil on Escherichia coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Iranian white cheese were investigated. Materials and Methods: Mentha aquatica L. essential oil was extracted using Clevenger apparatus. Mentha aquatica L. essential oil was added to each whey protein coating solution at 0.5, 1 and 1.5% concentrations. Whey protein treatment included cheese, bacteria and whey protein with no Mentha aquatica L. essential oil. Control treatment only included cheese and bacteria with no Mentha aquatica L. essential oil and whey protein. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration were assessed for the bacterial species. Antibacterial properties of the designed active coating system against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae were assessed using direct cell counting and disk diffusion methods. Results: Mentha aquatica L. essential oil at 1.5% concentration at the end of Day 15 of storage at 4 °C inhibited growth of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae up to 100, 64 and 18%, respectively. To achieve the highest growth inhibition of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1.5, 1 and 1% of the essential oil were used to preserve organoleptic properties of the cheese. Conclusions: Use of whey protein coating with 1.5% essential oil included no adverse effects on organoleptic, sensory and appearance characteristics of the cheese. Whey protein coating with Mentha aquatica L. essential oil inhibited growths of Escherichia coli completely and Enterobacter partially in Iranian white cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consortia of Streptomyces spp. (colonies 169, 194, 165 and 130) used in this study are an efficient producer of secondary metabolites like chitinases and antifungal compounds, which may help in the protection of surplus food from spoilage. Qualitative screening for chitinase production and taxonomy of these colonies were undertaken in our previous studies. In the current study, GC–MS analysis of extract produced from the consortia of Streptomyces strains was done for the identification of antifungal compounds. Treatment of surplus food with activated consortia of Streptomyces spp. has protected powdered food for a month, whereas fresh food (unpowdered) was preserved for two days. A control sample of surplus food (untreated) was kept to check the contamination, which resulted in the growth of three fungi (FP-1, FG-1, and FB-1). Taxonomic characterization of fungi and identification of toxic compounds produced from them were done by ITS amplification and GC–MS analysis, respectively. The study shows that the secondary metabolites from Streptomyces spp. have the potential to protect the food from mycotoxin contamination. Based on literature reports, this is for the first time that bioactive compounds and chitinases produced from Streptomyces are being used for the protection and management of surplus food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) can cause severe infections in humans, leading to serious diseases and dangerous complications, such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Although cattle are a major reservoir of STEC, the most commonly occurring source of human infections are food products (e.g., vegetables) contaminated with cow feces (often due to the use of natural fertilizers in agriculture). Since the use of antibiotics against STEC is controversial, other methods for protection of food against contaminations by these bacteria are required. Here, we propose a validation system for selection of bacteriophages against STEC contamination. As a model system, we have employed a STEC-specific bacteriophage vB_Eco4M-7 and the E. coli O157:H7 strain no. 86-24, bearing Shiga toxin-converting prophage ST2-8624 (Δstx2::cat gfp). When these bacteria were administered on the surface of sliced cucumber (as a model vegetable), significant decrease in number viable E. coli cells was observed after 6 h of incubation. No toxicity of vB_Eco4M-7 against mammalian cells (using the Balb/3T3 cell line as a model) was detected. A rapid decrease of optical density of STEC culture was demonstrated following addition of a vB_Eco4M-7 lysate. However, longer incubation of susceptible bacteria with this bacteriophage resulted in the appearance of phage-resistant cells which predominated in the culture after 24 h incubation. Interestingly, efficiency of selection of bacteria resistant to vB_Eco4M-7 was higher at higher multiplicity of infection (MOI); the highest efficiency was evident at MOI 10, while the lowest occurred at MOI 0.001. A similar phenomenon of selection of the phage-resistant bacteria was also observed in the experiment with the STEC-contaminated cucumber after 24 h incubation with phage lysate. On the other hand, bacteriophage vB_Eco4M-7 could efficiently develop in host bacterial cells, giving plaques at similar efficiency of plating at 37, 25 and 12 °C, indicating that it can destroy STEC cells at the range of temperatures commonly used for vegetable short-term storage. These results indicate that bacteriophage vB_Eco4M-7 may be considered for its use in food protection against STEC contamination; however, caution should be taken due to the phenomenon of the appearance of phage-resistant bacteria.

Limited information exists regarding adulteration of Halal-certified food by substances forbidden under Islamic law (Haram substances). This study was conducted using forensic laboratory testing to investigate the prevalence of this type of adulteration. In this large-scale survey of Halal-certified food products randomly collected from markets in Thailand, 4,829 food samples from 10 food groups were tested in the laboratory for four potentially Haram substances: porcine DNA, porcine fatty acids, ethanol, and hydroxyproline (gelatin). No samples were adulterated with porcine DNA or fatty acids. However, 62 samples (approximately 1.3%) were positive for ethanol (.0.5% for non–naturally fermented products and .1% for naturally fermented products). The hydroxyproline concentration in the samples was compared with that of a negative control. Gelatin, as indicated by the presence of hydroxyproline, was the major suspicious substance found in these products. Further investigations are required to determine whether the gelatin is of Halal origin. These results from this first large-scale postmarket surveillance of Halal-certified food products for forbidden substances reveals the important role of forensic laboratory testing for supporting Halal supervision and certification. These findings provide useful information for government agencies seeking to encourage Halal compliance by food enterprises and for Muslim consumers and Halal food importers and exporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry is advancing at a rapid pace and consumer sensitivity to food safety scares and food fraud scandals is further amplified by rapid communication such as by social media. Academia, regulators, and industry practitioners alike struggle with an evolving issue regarding new terms and definitions including food fraud, food authenticity, food integrity, food protection, economically motivated adulteration, food crime, food security, contaminant, adulterant, and others. This research addressed some of the global need for clarification and harmonization of commonly used terminology. The 150 survey responses were received from various food‐related workgroups or committee members, communication with recognized experts, and announcements to the food industry in general. Overall food fraud was identified as a "food safety" issue (86%). The food quality and manufacturing respondents focused mainly on incoming goods and adulterant‐substances (<50%) rather than the other illegal activities such as counterfeiting, theft, gray market/diversion, and smuggling. Of the terms included to represent "intentional deception for economic gain" the respondents generally agreed with food fraud as the preferred term. Overall, the preference was 50% "food fraud," 15% "economically motivated adulteration" EMA, 9% "food protection," 7% "food integrity," 5% "food authenticity," and 2% "food crime." It appears that "food protection" and "food integrity" are terms that cover broader concepts such as all types of intentional acts and even possibly food safety or food quality. "Food authenticity" was defined with the phrase "to ensure" so seemed to be identified as an "attribute" that helped define fraudulent acts. Practical Application: Food Fraud—illegal deception for economic gain using food—is a rapidly evolving research topic and is facing confusion due to the use of different terms and definitions. This research survey presented common definitions and publication details to gain insight that could help provide clarity. The insight from this report provides guidance for others who are harmonizing terminology and setting the overall strategic direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Packaging is an integral part of the protection of food from unwanted changes during storage, processing and transportation. There are several reasons for the spoilage of food, such as oxidation, microbial attack, UV light, etc. UV rays can cause serious photochemical damage and physical, chemical, and biological changes in food. Therefore, UV-ray protection is obligatory to restrict food oxidation in the presence of sun or artificial light. The UV-light protection of the food packaging can be achieved by adding a filler/additive into the packaging materials having strong UV-light absorption capacity in the wavelength range of 200-400 nm. The UV light barrier material absorbs, reflects, or scatters the incident UV light, thus reducing the transmittance of UV radiation via packaging film. Several types of UV-barrier materials have been introduced into the packaging system recently. This systematic review discussed the recent advancement in the UV-barrier packaging material used in the food packaging sector. The systematic approach involved scanning 1723 articles from several sources, including 82 from PubMed, 108 from Scopus, and 97 from Web of Science. After the screening process, 54 articles meeting the eligibility criteria were included in this study. The evaluation involved a bias assessment using a modified MASTARI protocol, revealing a majority of studies with "low" or "moderate" risk. We discussed the various types of UV-barrier materials used and then briefly debated the fabrication of packaging materials. The up-to-date application of various types of UV-barrier packaging materials in the food regime is also covered. Finally, the challenges, safety aspects, and environmental impact of the packaging material are debated, which could be suitable in developing a UV-light protective packaging material to improve the life span of packed food. • UV-barrier materials and its role in food packaging was discussed. • UV rays can cause serious photochemical damage and biological changes in food. • UV-light protection can be induced by adding a filler/additive into the packaging materials. • UV-light barrier packaging can maintain food quality, ensure safety, and improve shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview is provided of the current technological strategies (also at the nanoscale level) recently involved in plant and/or food protection. In addition, the potential use of natural and sustainable substances, instead of traditional synthesized molecules or chemical‐based compounds, is addressed both with respect to packaging systems and novel pesticide formulations. In this context, nanotechnological approaches represent promising strategies for the entire agriculture industry chain, from the field to consumers. Traditional plant protection strategies are often insufficient and the application of chemical‐based pesticides has negative effects on animals, humans and the environment. Novel greener tools could represent efficient alternatives for the management of plant diseases using promising strategies; the use of nanotechnologies allows the promotion of the more efficient assembly and subsequent release of environmentally sustainable active principles, limiting the use of chemicals in terms of economic losses. At the same time, new sustainable, antimicrobial and antioxidant systems have been rapidly promoted and investigated in the food packaging sector as a valid eco‐friendly possibility for improving the safety and quality of food products and reducing and/or limiting the environmental impact with respect to traditional materials. Together, the scientific community and the growing interest of consumers have promoted the development of new edible and eco‐friendly packaging that reduces waste and any environmental impact. In this context, the aim is to provide evidence of the usefulness of strategies aiming to limit agrochemicals, as well as the potential of nanomaterials, in sustainable plant and food protection for agriculture management and the packaging sector. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An allelic exchange method was used to clone the enterocin A in an E. faecalis strain. • Recombinant E. faecalis does not require inductors to express enterocin A. • The modified strain was active against S. aureus, L. monocytogenes and E. faecalis. • The modified enterococcal strain reduced two-log of Listeria counts in co-culture. • The improved strain is useful in food due to its metabolic and antibacterial traits. Abstract The genus Enterococcus occurs as native microbiota of fermented products due to its broad environmental distribution and its resistance to salt concentrations. Enterococcus faecalis F, a non-pathogenic strain isolated from a ripened cheese, has demonstrated useful enzymatic capabilities, a probiotic behavior and antibacterial activity against some food-borne pathogens, mainly due to peptidoglycan hydrolase activity. Its use as a natural pathogen-control agent could be further enhanced through the production of a bacteriocin, e.g. Enterocin A, because of its remarkable antilisterial activity. In this work, a markerless allelic insertion method was used to obtain an enterococcal strain capable of producing a functional enterocin. Agar diffusion tests showed that the recombinant strain was active against Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria monocytogenes and the pathogenic strain E. faecalis V583. When grown in liquid culture together with L. monocytogenes , it attained a two-log reduction of the pathogen counts in lesser time relative to the native strain. Because the DNA construction is integrated into the chromosome, the improved strain avoids the use of antibiotics as selective pressure; besides, it does not require an inductor because of the inclusion of a constitutive promoter in the construction. Its technological and antibacterial capabilities make the improved E. faecalis strain a potential culture for use in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial and temporal information processing provide a foundation for higher cognitive functions. The survival of animals depends on integrating spatial and temporal information to organize behavior. In general, previous research has focused on only one source of information processing; however, there is evidence to support a convergence in the processing of egocentric-spatial and temporal information within a cortico-striatal system of structures. The current study evaluated the contributions of the dorsocentral striatum (DCS) to egocentric-spatial and temporal (within the seconds-to-minutes range) processing of information using a food protection task. Long-Evans rats received unilateral NMDA lesions of the DCS followed by testing in a food protection task. Performance in this task is mediated by the motivation of the animal to consume a food item, their perception of the time required to consume a food item, their sensory ability to process egocentric cues, and their motor ability to evade an incoming conspecific. Unilateral DCS lesions were shown to impact both spatial and temporal characteristics of food protection. These results suggest that the DCS may be a critical structure for the integration of egocentric-spatial and temporal information within the interval timing range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysts based on titanium dioxide (TiO 2) were widely applied to solve environmental problems such as water and air pollution treatment. Currently, the application of these compounds for food packaging is increasing. This study prepared silver (Ag) doped TiO 2 photocatalyst (Ag/TiO 2) for the decomposition of gas ethylene (Eth), which is the main factor that causes fruits to over-ripen and damage or decay. It found that the doping of Ag could improve the optical property and light adsorption ability of Ag/TiO 2 photocatalyst, which directly enhanced the photocatalytic decomposition of Eth performance. Under visible light, Ag/TiO 2 could depredate 91.2% of Eth, while the removal performance by using the original TiO 2 was 43.9%. The increased initial concentration of Eth from 5 to 30 ppm could inhibit the photocatalytic efficiency of Ag/TiO 2 from 98.6 to 69.2%. Besides, the relative humidity and gas flow rate are roles in the Eth decomposition process. The recycling experiment confirmed that Ag/TiO 2 had good reusability with a slight loss in photocatalytic performance (18.6%) after ten cycles tested. The future protective application of Ag/TiO 2 for food protection during storage and transportation is discussed. This work provides a potential method to remove gas ethylene, reduce the ripening process and extend the shelf life of fruits. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since recently, the food industry has been faced with serious problems regarding pest-infested food commodities and deregistration of many chemical biocides by the EU Biocide Directive. These conditions have created an urgent need for a physical method of protecting food against pests. Therefore, a vacuum packing machine was used for laboratory testing of the effectiveness of vacuum packaging on the mortality of the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius) at different temperatures and exposure times. There were significant differences in the susceptibility to low pressure (vacuum) between the adult insects of both tested species: T. castaneum was approximately 10 times more susceptible to low pressure than S. granarius. A higher temperature significantly shortens the vacuum exposure time necessary to reach 100% mortality in the tested beetles under a constant low-pressure value (1 kPa). The lethal times (LT99) foradult T. castaneum were 15.1 h at 25°C and 30.8 h at 15°C. The lethal times (LT99) for adult S. granarius were 160.1 hours at 25°C and 274 h at 15°C.