Experimental data and modeling of the thermodynamic properties of bread dough at refrigeration and freezing temperatures

Methods for the Modification and Evaluation of Cereal Proteins for the Substitution of Wheat Gluten in Dough Systems

The substitution of wheat gluten in the food industry is a relevant research area because the only known treatment for celiac disease is abstinence from this protein complex. The use of gluten-free cereals in dough systems has demonstrated that the viscoelastic properties of gluten cannot be achieved without the modification of the protein fraction. The quality of the final product is determined by the ability of the modification to form a matrix similar to that of gluten and to reach this, different methods have been proposed and tested. These procedures can be classified into four main types: chemical, enzymatic, physical, and genetic. This article provides a comprehensive review of the most recent research done in protein modification of cereal and pseudocereals for gluten substitution. The reported effects and methodologies for studying the changes made with each type of modification are described; also, some opportunity areas for future works regarding the study of the effect of protein modifications on gluten-free products are presented.

Quality changes and freezing time prediction during freezing and thawing of ginger

Effects of different freezing rates and four different thawing methods on chemical composition, microstructure, and color of ginger were investigated. Computer simulation for predicting the freezing time of cylindrical ginger for two different freezing methods (slow and fast) was done using ANSYS (®) Multiphysics. Different freezing rates (slow and fast) and thawing methods significantly (P < 0.05) affected the color and composition of essential oil in ginger. Fresh ginger was found to contain 3.60% gingerol and 18.30% zingerone. A maximum yield of 7.43% gingerol was obtained when slow frozen gingers when thawed by infrared method. Maximum zingerone content of 38.30% was achieved by thawing slow frozen gingers using infrared-microwave method. Microscopic examination revealed that structural damage was more pronounced in slow frozen gingers than fast frozen gingers. Simulated freezing curves were in good agreement with experimental measurements (r = 0.97 for slow freezing and r = 0.92 for fast freezing). Slow freezing damaged ginger's cellular structure. Data obtained will be helpful in selecting appropriate thawing method to increase desirable essential oil components in ginger. Computer simulation for predicting freezing time may help in developing proper storage system of ginger.

Effect of temperature abuse on frozen army rations. Part 1: Developing a heat transfer numerical model based on thermo-physical properties of food

Numerical simulation was carried out to predict the effect of external temperature conditions on thermal behavior of frozen US military rations, during storage and transportation. An army breakfast menu box containing beefsteaks, concentrated orange juice, peppers & onions, French toast, and Danishes, was selected for conducting this study. Thermo-physical properties of each food item were characterized using their composition and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Apparent heat capacity method was used to account for the latent heat of phase change during simulation of thawing and freezing. Numerically simulated results were experimentally validated using a gel-based model food system and the food items in the menu box. The average deviation between numerically predicted temperature and experimentally measured temperature for the model food system was approximately 1°C and for the targeted food items the deviation ranged from 2°C to 5°C, depending on the food item.