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We examined the optimization feasibility of frying conditions at 3 phases to produce crisp fried parsnip slices. In the first phase, the time of ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration, time of pre-drying by microwave, and frying pressure were considered as response-affecting factors and Taguchi technique effectively used in analyzing multiple parameters. The impact of process parameters (frying time, thermal driving force, & slice thickness) over the quality fried features parsnip slices (crispness, oil uptake, & optical features) was examined in the second phase. Cooling was performed in different conditions in the third phase. The vacuum frying’s optimal condition to produce fried parsnip slices was determined (parsnip slice thickness of 4.553 mm, ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration (immersed for 60 min in fructose solution), frying at 56.273 °C thermal driving force (146.2 °C) for 2.746 min at 70.1 frying pressure (kPa), & removing surface oil by centrifuging at 1200 rpm for 4 min). In this setting, the breaking force, oil uptake, and total color difference were predicted to be 12.217 %, 21.524 N, and 13.394, respectively. The impact of optimum frying conditions on the frying kinetics of parsnip slices was investigated. According to the findings, the model of Midilli et al. was considered the best.

In this study, an electrochemical sensor was introduced as a simple and fast electro­analytical tool to monitor and sensing of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in food products. The suggested electrochemical sensor is fabricated by modification of paste electrode (PE) by single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as nanocatalyst. The oxidation current of TBHQ was improved by about 2.62 times and its oxidation potential was reduced by about 50 mV after using SWCNTs as conductive catalyst on a carbon paste matrix. The oxidation current of TBHQ showed a linear dynamic range of 0.05 to 390 µM in the sensing process using SWCNTs/PE as the electroanalytical sensor. On the other hand, SWCNTs/PE successfully monitored TBHQ with a detection limit of 10 nM at optimum conditions. The real sample analysis data clearly showed a recovery range of 97.2 to 104.3 %, which is very interesting for a new analytical tool in the food-sensing process.

Black olive has become one of the most prestigious olives processed in the olive industry, and its processing has been increased recently in different countries. The firmness of black olives may be changed by the processing methods, fermentation, and solution salts. In this study, the employment of CaCl2, Ca-acetate, and Ca-lactate during the processing of some Iranian black olive cultivars, including Mari, Zard, Rowghani, Shengeh, Dakal, Dezful, and Fishomi, was evaluated in terms of physicochemical and phenolic compounds and textural attributes. The results showed that Ca-lactate improved the firmness of the Mari cultivar from 1455 to 1765 N/100 g in the pitted olive, and the same trend was obtained for the other cultivars. Ca-acetate improved the black shiny color of the Mari cultivar from 4.36 to 4.85 and the sensorial properties of the black olives, including gustatory and kinesthetic sensations, were improved by using a Ca-lactate solution. The application of calcium salts in the salt-free preservation solutions imparted neither bitterness to the olives nor discoloration. The highest amounts of acid (1.42–1.56%), fructose to mannitol ratio (1–1.2), and phenolic compounds (955–963 mg/kg) were found for the Zard cultivar. Furthermore, the residual content of oleuropein was higher when CaCl2 was employed (357 mg/kg). All of the calcium salts improved the firmness of the black olives, although the maximum firmness was observed for the Ca-lactate. Consequently, the formation of a black shiny color is related to the diffusion of phenolic compounds; however, this needs further investigation to determine which kind of phenolic compound is responsible for its black color.

Background and Purpose: Aflatoxin B1 is one of the main poisonous substances in certain kinds of fungi all over the world. The toxin is a serious health threat to humans and livestock, particularly via DNA damage, and induces multiple cancers. Probiotic agents have confirmed positive beneficial effects in DNA protection against various toxic compounds. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the bio-protective effects of a native Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarumNIMBB003 strain isolated from Iranian one-humped camel milk against AflatoxinB1 (AFB1)-induced genotoxicity damage, based on the micronucleus test as a genotoxicity monitoring method. Materials and Methods: In this study, a human male blood sample was treated and incubated with107, 109, and 1011CFU/mL of viable L. plantarum and IC50 dose ofAFB1alone and in combination. Afterward, assessed the rate of production of the micronucleus in bi-nucleated lymphocytes. It must be noted that a p-value of less than0.05 was considered significantly significant. Results: Based on the findings, the combined treatment of the L. plantarum at 1011 and109CFU/mL dose with 5.33±0.57% of the micronuclei fragments had protective effects and significantly decreased the genotoxicity of AFB1 by 76%. Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be concluded that L. plantarum in 109 CFU/mL had high protective potency against AFB1 genotoxicity. Consequently, the use of local, natural, and native protected compounds with antioxidant effects, such as probiotics agents, is one of the objectives of developing a green strategy in macro-management policies for the discovery and production of new medicines and functional foods with protective/therapeutic effects against nutritional and endogenous DNA toxins

The effects of nitrogen fertilization (NF, 60-100 kg ha-1) and parboiling operation (soaking temperature (SoT, 50-80°C) and steaming time (StT, 10-15 min)) on the protein content (PC), amylose content (AC), gelatinization temperature (GT), hardness value (HV), peak viscosity (PV), trough viscosity (TV), final viscosity (FV), breakdown (BD), setback (SB) point, peak time (PTi), and pasting temperature (PTe) of brown rice were evaluated. Results showed that the GT, HV, FV, and TV were significantly increased by increasing the NF, SoT, and StT levels. An increase in the SoT and StT levels led to a significant reduction in PC, AC, BD, and TV values. The AC (17.13-16.83%) and PV (1605-1588 cP) values were decreased by increasing the NF level, while the PC (8.78-9.46%) and BD (226.9-247.7 cP) values were increased. Rheological parameters of BD (336.4 cP), FV (3608.5 cP), and SB (1843.5 cP) were notably increased using the combined treatment of 100 kg ha-1 NF and of 80°C SoT. The best triple treatments for the improved GT (5.0 °C), HV (19.37 N), as well as FV (3923 cP), and SB (1949 cP) were 60 kg ha-1 NF+80°C SoT+15 min StT, 100 kg ha-1 NF+80°C SoT+15 min StT, and 100 kg ha-1 NF+80°C SoT+10 min StT, respectively.

In the present study, susceptibility of Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus, to un-ionized ammonia (UIA) was studied. Fish with an average weight of 5.52±0.45 g were exposed to different concentrations of un-ionized ammonia (UIA) to determine median lethal concentration (96-h-LC50). The fish were exposed to six different concentrations of UIA (control, 0.16, 0.31, 0.62, 0.94 and 1.25 mg/l UIA). The control group was not challenged with ammonia (0.0008 mg/l UIA). The results showed that the 96-h-LC50 of UIA in Persian sturgeon was 0.46 mg/l. According to 96-h-LC50,mid-term exposure to sub-lethal UIA was examined. In the chronic examination, the fish were exposed to different levels of sub-lethal ammonia; control (0.0008 mg/l UIA), 10% of LC50 (0.05 mg/l UIA), 5% of LC50 (0.025 mg/l UIA) and 1% of LC50 (0.005 mg/l UIA) for 30 days. Final length, final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, daily weight gain and body weigh index decreased significantly in the fish exposed to 0.05 and 0.025 mg/l UIA. According to the results, conversion ratio and condition factor indices were higher in the fish exposed to 0.005 mg/l UIA and control group compared with the fish exposed to 0.05 and 0.025 mg/l UIA.

The search to find simple, cost-effective, environmentally friendly method for synthesising of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has motivated the use of various natural materials. Also, monitoring of sunset yellow (SY) level in foods due to the potential negative side effects is imperative. In this study, tea extract was explored as reducing and stabilizing agent for synthesising of rGO. The rGO modified carbon paste electrode (rGO/CPE) was used as a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the detection of SY. The rGO/CPE, due to the large surface area, showed strong enhancement effect on electrochemical oxidation of SY. Under optimized conditions, linear range between 0.05 and 10 µM with a detection limit of 27 nM could be achieved. The proposed sensor was used to determine the amount of SY in food products with satisfactory results, and the results were in good agreement with the results obtained by UV–Vis spectroscopy.

Proper and systematic management of food industry failures can improve the quality of products and save a lot on the costs of organizations and people's health. One of the conventional methods for risk assessment is the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) which is often performed in a phase or stage. Compared to the combined methods, this method is less accurate due to similar priorities of failure in the evaluation and the lack of consideration of the interaction between risks. The current research has applied an integrated approach based on two techniques, FMEA and Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM), in a multi-stage manner to increase assessment accuracy and ranking of failures. By considering the risks of an industry in an uncertain environment and the causal relationships between failures, this approach can evaluate the industry's risks better than conventional methods. In the research method, the initial prioritization of failures by the FMEA method is used as the input of the multi-stage FCM. The cause-and-effect relationship between the failures is determined by experts and the functional records of the processes, and the FCM is prepared. Since no research evaluates the risks of the malting industry step by step and considers the causal relationships between the risks, the present study has improved risk evaluation in the malting industry by using a multi-stage FCM. The ranking results with the proposed hybrid approach and its comparison with the conventional methods showed that the rating became more accurate, and the multiple priorities were improved. Managers of the malt beverage industry can make effective investment decisions to reduce or better control the risks of this industry by using the results of applying the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was intended to develop yoghurt products incorporated with flaxseed mucilage (FM), flaxseed oil (FO) and free or encapsulated Lacticaseibacillus casei probiotics. FM (0.9%) and sodium alginate (2%) were used as wall materials for encapsulating L. casei. Different physicochemical and sensory properties of the yoghurt, as well as the L. casei survival, were determined during 21 days of storage at 4 °C. Based on the results, FM showed a stimulatory effect on the growth of probiotics and thus, significantly decreased the Log reduction of the probiotics during storage (P < 0.05). Moreover, encapsulating probiotics significantly decreased the Log reduction during storage in comparison with the free bacteria (P < 0.05). Incorporating FM and free probiotics significantly increased the acidity and decreased the pH of the samples; while encapsulating L. casei successfully prevented the acidity increment in probiotic fortified yoghurt products (P < 0.05). The addition of FM significantly improved the water holding capacity of the yoghurt (P < 0.05). Incorporating either free L. casei, FO or FM significantly reduced the flavor and overall acceptance scores; while, the addition of L. casei in the encapsulated form did not significantly alter the overall acceptance scores of the yoghurt samples (P < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]