Recommendations for Oil Extraction and Refining Process to Prevent the Formation of Monochloropropane-diol Esters in Sunflower Oil

Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends on 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-Diol Esters in Foods

3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDE) are common food contaminants mainly formed in the edible oil refining process. Due to their potential hazards, 3-MCPDE has become a widespread food safety concern. In this study, CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to conduct a bibliometric analysis on the 3-MCPDE research papers collected in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1998 to 2022. The results showed that the number of research publications on 3-MCPDE has increased rapidly since 2010. Analysis of the hotspots in 3-MCPDE studies showed that more attention has been paid to the exposure assessment, formation mechanism, detection methods, mitigation methods and toxicity, and toxicology of 3-MCPDE. Finally, the future trends of research on 3-MCPDE were analyzed and proposed. The mitigation methods and toxicology studies of 3-MCPDE are still the research hotspots in the future. In addition, nutritional intervention for 3-MCPDE toxicity will be an emerging trend.

Sunflower Oil as a Renewable Resource for Polyurethane Foams: Effects of Flame-Retardants

Currently, polyurethane (PU) manufacturers seek green alternatives for sustainable production. In this work, sunflower oil is studied as a replacement and converted to a reactive form through epoxidation and oxirane opening to produce rigid PU foams. Confirmatory tests such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and hydroxyl value among others were performed to characterize the synthesized polyol. Despite the versatility of rigid PU foams, they are highly flammable, which makes eco-friendly flame retardants (FRs) desired. Herein, expandable graphite (EG) and dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP), both non-halogenated FR, were incorporated under different concentrations to prepare rigid PU foams. Their effects on the physio-mechanical and fire-quenching properties of the sunflower oil-based PU foams were elucidated. Thermogravimetric and compression analysis showed that these foams presented appreciable compressive strength along with good thermal stability. The closed-cell contents (CCC) were around 90% for the EG-containing foams and suffered a decrease at higher concentrations of DMMP to 72%. The burning test showed a decrease in the foam's flammability as the neat foam had a burning time of 80 s whereas after the addition of 13.6 wt.% of EG and DMMP, separately, there was a decrease to 6 and 2 s, respectively. Hence, our research suggested that EG and DMMP could be a more viable alternative to halogen-based FR for PU foams. Additionally, the adoption of sunflower polyol yielded foams with results comparable to commercial ones.

Biscuit Contaminants, Their Sources and Mitigation Strategies: A Review

The scientific literature is rich in investigations on the presence of various contaminants in biscuits, and of articles aimed at proposing innovative solutions for their control and prevention. However, the relevant information remains fragmented. Therefore, the objective of this work was to review the current state of the scientific literature on the possible contaminants of biscuits, considering physical, chemical, and biological hazards, and making a critical analysis of the solutions to reduce such contaminations. The raw materials are primary contributors of a wide series of contaminants. The successive processing steps and machinery must be monitored as well, because if they cannot improve the initial safety condition, they could worsen it. The most effective mitigation strategies involve product reformulation, and the use of alternative baking technologies to minimize the thermal load. Low oxygen permeable packaging materials (avoiding direct contact with recycled ones), and reformulation are effective for limiting the increase of contaminations during biscuit storage. Continuous monitoring of raw materials, intermediates, finished products, and processing conditions are therefore essential not only to meet current regulatory restrictions but also to achieve the aim of banning dietary contaminants and coping with related diseases.