Traceability: Perception and attitudes of artisanal cheese producers in Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of artisanal cheese producers (n = 40) in Brazil regarding the implementation of traceability. A questionnaire consisting of 16 statements using a 5-point Likert scale was applied, and descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used for data analysis. The implementation of a traceability system can reduce the number of consumer complaints and the loss of products, in addition to increasing supplier control and process safety, thus protecting health and increasing consumer confidence. However, we did not find consensus on the relationship between implementation of a traceability system and rapid recalls in crisis episodes, or on the reduction in recalls and their negative impact on consumers. Because of the costs that drive implementation of this technology, some artisanal cheese producers do not consider a traceability system as a current reality to monitor their production. We concluded that Brazilian artisanal cheese producers have limited awareness of the impact of traceability implementation, which restricts investments in the system.

Advantages of microfiltration processing of goat whey orange juice beverage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical and functional quality of an innovative goat whey orange juice beverage (GOB) processed by microfiltration. The microfiltration (0.2 µm) of the GOBs had a variation on the feed temperature (20, 30, 40, 50 °C) and were compared to the conventional heat treatment LTLT (63 °C/30 min). Microbiological (aerobic mesophilic bacteria, mold and yeast and lactic bacteria), physicochemical (pH, color, rheology and volatile compounds) bioactive compounds (acid ascorbic, total phenolics) and functional activity (DPPH, ACE, α-amilase and α-glucosidase) analysis were performed. The GOB processed by microfiltration using at least 30 °C presented adequate microbial counts (less than 4, 3 and 4 log CFU/mL, for AMB, molds and yeasts and LAB, respectively). In general, the pH, color parameters, volatile and bioactive compounds were not influenced by microfiltration temperature, but presented a difference from the LTLT processing. The rheological parameters were influenced by MF temperature and the utilization of temperatures of 20° and 30 °C maintained the consistency similar to the LTLT sample, preserving the compounds responsible for the texture. Therefore, it is suggested a processing of GOB by microfiltration using mild temperatures (between 30° and 40 °C) to preserve consistency and also obtain a desirable microbial quality, beyond the preservation of many functional properties and volatile compounds.

Postprandial glycemia in healthy subjects: Which probiotic dairy food is more adequate?

The consumption of probiotic-enriched dairy products has been associated with many health benefits, including anti-hyperglycemic activity. The effect on health is dependent on the type of probiotic culture used and the dairy product consumed. This study evaluated the effect of different probiotic-enriched dairy matrices (Minas Frescal cheese, Prato cheese, and whey dairy beverage) containing Lactobacillus casei on in vitro and in vivo anti-hyperglycemic activity. For this purpose, in vitro anti-hyperglycemic activity was determined by the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and a human study was performed with healthy individuals (n = 15, consumption of bread as a control; bread + Minas Frescal cheese; bread + Prato cheese; bread + dairy beverage) to assess the effects of different probiotic foods on postprandial glycemia. In vitro data showed that Prato cheese presented the highest lipid (36.9 g/100 g) and protein (26.5 g/100 g) contents as well as the highest α-amylase (60.7%) and α-glucosidase (52.6%) inhibition. The consumption of Prato cheese resulted in a lesser increase in blood glucose level (13 mg/dL) compared with the consumption of bread alone (19 mg/dL), Minas Frescal cheese (20 mg/dL), and whey dairy beverage (30 mg/dL), with glycemic indices similar to that observed for the control. The present results demonstrated a good correlation between in vitro and in vivo data, in which the type of dairy matrix affects the anti-hyperglycemic activity. It is concluded that the consumption of probiotic Prato cheese can contribute to the reduction of postprandial glycemia in healthy individuals.

High-intensity ultrasound: A novel technology for the development of probiotic and prebiotic dairy products

High-intensity ultrasound (HIUS) can be used as a mild-preservation technology in dairy products, due to its ability to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms and enzymes. In addition, it can result in physical and chemical alterations in the products and has impact on the probiotic viability and metabolic activity. This review provides an overview of the effects of HIUS on dairy products manufactured with probiotics and prebiotics. Furthermore, it presents perspectives of HIUS application on paraprobiotics and postbiotics products. HIUS has been proven to be a potential technology and its application to fermented dairy products can result in shorter processing time, increased probiotic viability, and products with low lactose content, higher oligosaccharides concentration, less undesirable taste (lower propionic and acetic acids content) and reduced ingredients (no need of prebiotic addition or β-galactosidase inclusion). In cheeses, HIUS can reduce the ripening time and accelerate proteolysis, resulting in products with better sensory, textural and nutritional (bioactive peptides) characteristics. Furthermore, it can change the prebiotic structure, facilitating the access for the probiotics. The impact of the HIUS is highly dependent on the process parameters (frequency, power, processing time, pulse mode and duration), type of probiotic culture and food composition. Therefore, HIUS process parameters must be precisely quantified and controlled. The HIUS can also be applied to the inactivation of probiotic cultures and development of paraprobiotic products or to the improvement in the production of soluble factors (postbiotics) with health effects. Further researches should be conducted to evaluate the efficiency of this methodology in the cases of paraprobiotic and postbiotic products.

Probiotic Prato cheese attenuates cigarette smoke-induced injuries in mice

The efficacy of probiotic Prato cheese against the inflammatory and oxidative damage in mice organs induced by cigarette smoke exposure was investigated. Forty C57BL/6 male mice were assigned to four groups: (CS) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed regular chow; (CS + C) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily conventional cheese ad libitum; (CS + PC) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily probiotic (Lactobacillus casei-01) cheese ad libitum; and a control group (C) exposed to ambient smoke-free air and fed regular chow. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), blood, gut and liver homogenates were used for biochemical assays. The (CS + PC) group exhibited fewer BAL leukocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and BAL and gut lipid peroxidation than the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, which had findings similar to the (C) group. Probiotic cheese consumption did not change the red blood cell count, but lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in plasma, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and peroxynitrite expression were observed compared to the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, with findings similar to the (C) group. These results suggest that probiotic Prato cheese consumption reduced oxidative stress in the lungs, gut, and liver.

Probiotics in Goat Milk Products: Delivery Capacity and Ability to Improve Sensory Attributes

Dairy foods, particularly those of bovine origin, are the predominant vehicles for delivery of probiotic bacteria. Caprine (goat) milk also possesses potential for successful delivery of probiotics, and despite its less appealing flavor in some products, the use of goat milk as a probiotic carrier has rapidly increased over the last decade. This review reports on the diversity, applicability, and potential of using probiotics to enhance the sensory properties of goat milk and goat milk-based products. A brief conceptual introduction to probiotic microorganisms is followed by an account of the unique physicochemical, nutritive, and beneficial aspects of goat milk, emphasizing its advantages as a probiotic carrier. The sensory properties of probiotic-enriched goat milk products are also discussed. The maintenance of probiotic viability and desirable physicochemical characteristics in goat milk products over shelf life is possible. However, the unpleasant sensory features of some goat milk products remain a major disadvantage that hinder its wider utilization. Nevertheless, certain measures such as fortification with selected probiotic strains, inclusion of fruit pulps and popular flavor compounds, and production of commonly consumed tailor-made goat milk-based products have potential to overcome this limitation. In particular, certain probiotic bacteria release volatile compounds as a result of their metabolism, which are known to play a major role in the aroma profile and sensory aspects of the final products.

Processing raspberry-flavored whey drink using ohmic heating: Physical, thermal and microstructural considerations

The effect of ohmic heating processing (10, 100, 1000 Hz - 25 V;45, 60, 80 V - 60 Hz until 65 °C-30 min) on physical (color, rheology, particle size diameter), thermal (differential scanning calorimetry, DSC), physicochemical (time domain nuclear magnetic resonance, TD-NMR) and microstructural (optical microscopy) properties of raspberry-flavored whey drink was investigated. The samples were submitted to an ohmic system and conventional pasteurization (65 °C-30 min). Both processing led to increases in the color parameters (C*, h* and ∆E*) in the first 30 min. For the treatments, 10 Hz-25 V and 1000 Hz-25 V, more viscous, and consequently increased D[4,3] and D[3,2] values were observed, and similar results were obtained for the DSC behavior. The microstructure confirmed aggregation of cell structure in those configurations (10 Hz and 1000 Hz-25 V). OH, parameters for both ohmic configurations have an impact in all the evaluated parameters for raspberry-flavored whey drink, which can be interesting for the dairy industry.

Yogurt and whey beverages available in Brazilian market: Mineral and trace contents, daily intake and statistical differentiation

Mineral and trace elements (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Mn) in commercial strawberry-flavored yogurts and fermented whey beverages in Brazil were investigated. K, Ca, Na, Mg and Fe concentrations ranged from 1.6 to 1.4, 1.4 to 1.1, 0.74 to 0.68, 0.16 to 0.11, and 0.01 mg g-¹ for yogurts and whey beverages, respectively. Similar concentrations of the minerals were observed for both products, except Mg (0.16 mg g-¹ in yogurts and 0.11 mg g-¹ in whey beverages). Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Pb was found below the detection limit (21.4 to 94.1 μg g^-1), demonstrating safety levels for consumption. Regarding the mineral daily intake, consumption of 100 g of the product has relevance for calcium in infants (>40%) and children between 4 and 8 years (>13%), and a greater contribution of yogurt over whey beverage was observed. PLSDA model suggested that Mg analytical determination should be performed to ensure the identity of the product.

Ultrasound processing of fresh and frozen semi-skimmed sheep milk and its effects on microbiological and physical-chemical quality

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound treatment on the microbiological quality, protein and free amino acid profile of fresh and frozen stored semi-skimmed sheep milk. Milk was treated as fresh or frozen and stored up to one, three and six months. Output power time and pulse time were the parameters combined to design four different ultrasound (US) treatments: power 78 W and duration 6 min (US1); power 78 W and duration 8 min (US2); power 104 W and duration 4 min (US3) power 104 W and duration 6 min (US4). Pulse duration was of 4 s for each treatment. Sample US1 was discarded due to non effectiveness of US treatment, while other samples showed interesting results. Also, it was verified a frost effect on microorganisms in all samples which were frozen before treatment. No relevant change was reported on amino acid profile. The study showed promising results: the ultrasound treatment inactivated or eliminated the studied contaminant bacteria in semi-skimmed sheep milk, while maintained acceptable amount of lactic bacteria, which could be advantageous for dairy products processing.

Completion task to uncover consumer's perception: a case study using distinct types of hen's eggs

The choice and consumption of eggs are made considering a consumers' multidimensional perception, and their understanding becomes essential to the production targeting and the products' success in the market. In this context, this work aimed to verify the consumers' perception about the distinct types of hens' eggs, using a projective technique of completion task combined with presentation of images. A hundred consumers (n = 100) evaluated the main factors, both positive and negative, involved at the purchase time of eggs besides estimating their price. Between the positive factors that guide the eggs' consumption and purchase, the category with highest mention of terms was "Health," whereas negatively it was highlighted the category "Price." Concerning the perception of price, the results showed that the factory farm white eggs' value was the one that least differed from the average market price, possibly due to the nearness and familiarity with this variety. The methodology of completion task combined with presentation of images proved as being a practical and efficient tool to capture the consumers' perception of eggs, capable of providing valuable information to the ones involved in the production chain and commercialization of these products.

Guava flavored whey-beverage processed by cold plasma: Physical characteristics, thermal behavior and microstructure

The present study aimed to compare the physicochemical (pH), physical (rheology parameters and particle size), microstructure (optical microscopy) and thermal properties (differential scanning calorimetry) of guava flavored whey-beverages submitted to cold plama technology in different processing time (5, 10, and 15 min) and gas flow (10, 20, and 30 mL min^-1) conditions with a conventional pasteurized product. Whey beverages treated by cold plasma presented higher pH values, lower consistency and lower viscosity, and a flow behavior index similar to Newtonian fluids. Milder cold plasma conditions resulted in whey beverages with higher pH, lower viscosity and consistency, and similar particle distribution and microstructure compared to the pasteurized product. In contrast, more severe processing conditions resulted in a higher particle surface area ([D 3,2]) and smaller particles (~10 μM), due to the decrease in the number of larger particles (1000 μM), cell rupture, the formation of cell fragments, and higher viscosity and consistency. The treatments did not affect the thermal properties (enthalpy and bound water) of any sample.

Chemical, sensory, and functional properties of whey-based popsicles manufactured with watermelon juice concentrated at different temperatures

The effects of the concentration of watermelon juice at different temperatures (45, 55, or 65 °C) on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics, antioxidant capacity, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of whey-based popsicles were investigated. Total phenolic content, lycopene, citrulline, VOCs, melting rate, instrumental colour, antioxidant capacity, and the sensory characteristics (hedonic test and free listing) were determined. The temperature led to a significant decrease in bioactive compounds (total phenolics, lycopene, and citrulline). The popsicle manufactured with reconstituted watermelon juice concentrated to 60 °Brix at 65 °C presented higher antioxidant capacity and was characterized by the presence of alcohols, aldehydes and ketones and presented a similar acceptance to the untreated popsicle (except for flavour). It is possible to combine whey and concentrated watermelon juice for the manufacture of bioactive-rich popsicles, using the concentration temperature of 65 °C as a suitable processing condition for potential industrial applications.

Development of a Checklist for Assessing Good Hygiene Practices of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables Using Focus Group Interviews

This study aimed to develop a checklist for good hygiene practices (GHP) for raw material of vegetable origin using the focus groups (FGs) approach (n = 4). The final checklist for commercialization of horticultural products totaled 28 questions divided into six blocks, namely: water supply; hygiene, health, and training; waste control; control of pests; packaging and traceability; and hygiene of facilities and equipment. The FG methodology was efficient to elaborate a participatory and objective checklist, based on minimum hygiene requirements, serving as a tool for diagnosis, planning, and training in GHP of fresh vegetables, besides contributing to raise awareness of the consumers' food safety. The FG methodology provided useful information to establish the final checklist for GHP, with easy application, according to the previous participants' perception and experience.

Dynamic profiling of different ready-to-drink fermented dairy products: A comparative study using Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA), Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Progressive Profile (PP)

Despite the several differences in ingredients, processes and nutritional values, dairy foods as yogurts, fermented milks and milk beverages are widely accepted worldwide, and although they have their sensory profiling normally covered by descriptive analyses, the temporal perception involved during the consumption are rarely considered. In this sense, the present work aimed to assess the dynamic sensory profile of three categories of fermented dairy products using different temporal methodologies: Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS), Progressive Profiling (PP), Temporal CATA (TCATA), and compare the results obtained. The findings showed that the different sensory characteristics among the products are basically related to their commercial identity. Regarding the methods, all of them collected the variations between samples with great correlation between data. In addition, to detect differences in intensities, TCATA showed to be the most sensitive method in detecting textural changes. When using PP, a balanced experimental design considering the number of attributes, time intervals, and food matrix must be weighed. The findings are of interest to guide sensory and consumer practitioners involved in the dairy production to formulate/reformulate their products and help them choosing the most suitable dynamic method to temporally evaluate them.

What are the cultural effects on consumers' perceptions? A case study covering coalho cheese in the Brazilian northeast and southeast area using word association

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regional diversity aspects related to consumers' perceptions of coalho cheese, with Brazilian Northeast and Southeast consumers (n=400, divided equally in each area) using Word Association (WA) task. Different perceptions were detected for both Northeast and Southeast consumers, and among 17 categories elicited for describing coalho cheese, only 7 categories (positive feeling, social aspects, sensory characteristic, dairy product technology, negative feeling, and lack of quality standard) presented significant differences in the frequency of mention according to chi-square per cell approach. The application of the discriminant technique Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) indicated that the categories "Social", "Accompaniment", "Manufacturing method" were the main responsible for differentiating consumers' perceptions of both areas. Overall, the main dimensions involved in the consumers' perceptions of coalho cheese from different Brazilian regions were identified, thus obtaining comprehensive insights that can be used as a guideline for coalho cheese producers to develop marketing strategies considering the intra-cultural differences.

Whey-grape juice drink processed by supercritical carbon dioxide technology: Physicochemical characteristics, bioactive compounds and volatile profile

The effect of supercritical carbon dioxide technology (SCCD, 14, 16, and 18MPa at 35±2°C for 10min) on whey-grape juice drink characteristics was investigated. Physicochemical characterization (pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids), bioactive compounds (phenolic compounds, anthocyanin, DPPH and ACE activity) and the volatile compounds were performed. Absence of differences were found among treatments for pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, total anthocyanin and DPPH activity (p-value>0.05). A direct relationship between SCCD pressure and ACE inhibitory activity was observed, with 34.63, 38.75, and 44.31% (14, 16, and 18MPa, respectively). Regards the volatile compounds, it was noted few differences except by the presence of ketones. The findings confirm the SCCD processing as a potential promising technology to the conventional thermal treatment.

Assessment of antioxidant activity, lipid profile, general biochemical and immune system responses of Wistar rats fed with dairy dessert containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5

The viability and survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal in probiotic dairy dessert was assessed. In addition, the effects of regular consumption of the dessert (5g/day) on the lipid profile, immune system, and antioxidant/biochemical status of Wistar rats were also evaluated after 2weeks of treatment. Adequate counts of L. acidophilus La-5 were observed regards the viability and gastrointestinal conditions. The probiotic dairy dessert was efficient in reducing the LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol and increased the HDL-cholesterol in serum. Aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, heat shock proteins, immune system responses, and blood-cells counts (monocyte, lymphocyte, neutrophil and leucocyte) were not affected (p>0.05) after 15days of treatment. Overall, the probiotic dairy dessert may be a viable alternative to enhance the blood lipid profile and could be used to improve the antioxidant defenses.