Search

The problem of food waste in food service is recognized in the scientific community. A reduction in this phenomenon is necessary for the sustainable development of the food service industry. However, the issue of the influence of various characteristics of food service establishments (FSEs) on food waste has still not been studied sufficiently. The aim of this research was to assess the impact of the type of FSE, type of customer service, time in business of the FSE, and average daily number of consumers served on measures taken in FSE in relation to ready meals in the context of food waste. Survey research was conducted in 131 FSEs. It was found that the different groups of dishes that were prepared in excess and not served to consumers are most often stored in refrigerated conditions until the following day. The management of unserved dishes was correlated with business time and the type of FSE. Dishes like cold and hot snacks, in particular, were more often made available to employees in establishments with shorter time in business. In restaurants and small food service outlets/cafés, discarding was more often indicated as the management method for these types of dishes. The majority of food service establishments were not able to sell half portions. In conclusion, there is great potential to reduce food waste in food service establishments, but education of both staff and customers is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, new plant-based foods and drinks have been developed to meet the growing demand for animal-derived alternatives, particularly dairy products. This study investigates the impact of lactic acid fermentation on the organic acids and sugars in oat and buckwheat beverages developed using Lactobacillus johnsonii K4 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus K3, which are potential probiotics. The fermented samples were analyzed for pH changes, bacterial viability, and the concentration of organic acids and sugars over 15 days. The results indicated significant variations in bacterial colony counts, with L. johnsonii K4 showing the highest initial growth. Over 15 days, pH levels decreased, with the most acidic conditions observed in buckwheat beverages. Notably, fermentation led to a significant increase in acetic acid concentration and a reduction in malic acid levels, particularly in buckwheat samples. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of fermentation in enhancing the nutritional profile and shelf-life of plant-based beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food production is connected with a negative effect on the environment as it is linked with the utilisation of natural resources such as fresh water and with the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). It is, therefore, very important to prevent the wastage of food at all food chain stages. Special attention should be paid to the phenomena which burden the environment in an unjustified way. One such example may be the waste of final products at the stage of retail sale objects. The purpose of the present paper was to estimate the effect of wasted food in the selected network of the retail sale on the environment with the application of water footprint indicator and CO2 emission. On the grounds of the collected data, the participation of food withdrawn from the trade, the reasons for the mentioned phenomenon and the size of the wasted food products and those donated to charities were established. Based upon such data, the level of CO2 emission and the water print of the products which have not been utilised according to their destination were estimated. In spite of the fact that the animal origin products were characterised by a small participation in the weight of the unsold food (ca. 13.34% annually), they constituted the main source of CO2 emission and water footprint estimated from the food waste. It was calculated that the annual turnover and waste of the products only in one trade network was connected with the unjustified emission of ca. 12 thousand tonnes of CO2 and 13 million m3 of water footprint.

Cronobacter spp. are considered opportunistic pathogens in all age groups, especially in premature babies, children with low birth weight, the elderly and immunocompromised people. Currently, the genus Cronobacter includes seven species: C. sakazakii, C. malonaticus, C. turicensis, C. muytjesii, C. universalis, C. dublinensis and C. condimenti. The first three species of Cronobacter have been associated with clinical infections of newborns and premature babies. Cronobacter bacterial infections can cause neuritis, encephalomyelitis, the formation of abscesses and cysts of the brain leading to hydrocephalus and necrotizing enterocolitis. Often infected with Cronobacter spp. are rare, the mortality rate is very high, as well as the costs associated with temporarily treating post-infection complications. Cronobacter spp. due to the production of capsule and biofilm, high thermotolerance is resistant to drying and survival loads in milk replacers and other products with water activity. Cronobacter spp. isolated from milk replacers used for the initial feeding of infants, with vegetables, cereals, potatoes, spices, meat, fish, cheese, tofu, rice, pasta, chocolate, tea and abiotic surfaces in a hospital, with medical products and equipment. Under the Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005, Cronobacter spp. should be absent in thirty 10 g samples of infant formulas and infant dietetic powders intended for infants up to 6 months old. The subject of the study is the assessment of the occurrence the hazard caused by Cronobacter in food in the light of applicable requirements.

Recently, there has been worldwide growth in consumer nutrition awareness, which has resulted in a market-driven increase in the demand for "functional food", which, in addition to traditional nutrients, also contains ingredients with specific properties that have a beneficial effect on human health. One of the types of functional food is so-called "probiotic food", which includes, for example, frozen desserts. These products appear attractive to the consumer because of their sensory, nutritional and refreshing qualities. Due to progress in science, genetics, the acquisition of new sources of probiotic microorganisms and new plant varieties, the beneficial effects of the characteristic metabolites of the microbiome—so-called postbiotics—and also aspects of NGPs (Next Generation Probiotics), work is under way to optimize the technology used during the production of such products. At the same time, there is an observed market-based increase in the supply of new formulations based only on plant-origin materials with different technological modifications, including prebiotic enrichment, which allows for the production of a synbiotic product. Therefore, the objective of this study is a narrative review, in combination with the authors' own experiments, concerning the impact of various factors on functional, plant-origin frozen desserts, from the point of view of maintaining their quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid fermentation is one of the oldest and most commonly used methods of bioconservation. This process is widely used for food preservation and also for a production technique that relies on the metabolism of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to convert carbohydrates into lactic acid. This fermentation imparts unique flavors and texture of foods, extends their shelf life, and can offer health benefits. There are both traditional and new microorganisms involved in the lactic acid fermentation of food. The current review outlines the issues of fermented foods. Based on traditional fermentation methods, a broad panorama of various food products is presented, with the microorganisms involved. The methods of both traditional fermentation (spontaneous and back-slopping) as well as the importance and application of starter cultures in mass food production are presented. Currently, based on the results of scientific research, the health-promoting effect of fermented foods is becoming more and more important. This is due to the presence of probiotic microorganisms that are naturally presented or may be added to them, as starter cultures or additives, and from the presence of prebiotics and postbiotics. New innovative methods of using probiotic microorganisms open up new and broad perspectives for fermented functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zywnosc is the property of Polish Society of Food Technologists - Scientific Publishing 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.)