Roasted Wheat Germ: A Natural Plant Product in Development of Nutritious Milk Pudding; Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties

Wheat germ has been recognized as an economical source of high-quality plant proteins and bioactive compounds for food fortification. Thus, it can be used for valorization of food products as a feasible strategy to enhance the nutritional quality and reduce wheat milling waste. In this research roasted wheat germ (RG) was added in formulation of egg-free milk pudding to enhance its nutritional value and the effects of RG particle size (125, 210 and 354 μm) and quantity (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%) on the quality, nutritional and sensory properties of the resulting pudding were investigated. Reducing the particle size of RG significantly altered its chemical composition but had no significant effect on its antioxidant activity. Increasing the level of RG in the pudding, reduced pH and syneresis while increased dry matter content, hardness, cohesiveness and gumminess of the product. The quantity of RG had more effects on physicochemical properties of the puddings than changing the particle size. Based on the sensory evaluation results, the most acceptable sample was obtained by addition of 7.5% RG with a particle size of 125 μm.

Amaranth selective hydrolyzed protein influence on sourdough fermentation and wheat bread quality

Amaranth selective hydrolyzed protein (ASPH) may improve sourdough properties and bread quality. In this regard, this study focused on investigating the influence of protein hydrolysates on sourdough fermentation and bread properties. Based on the findings, ASPH further increased Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth in sourdough compared with amaranth protein isolates and amaranth flour. ASPH at 5 g/kg resulted in sourdough with higher pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) after 20 h of fermentation at 30°C. The prepared sourdough using APH (S-ASPH) at 3 g/kg increased the specific volume (4.57 ml/g) and TTA (4.76 ml) while decreasing water activity, hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the bread (S-ASPH-B) compared with the control. Moreover, transition temperature and enthalpy reduced whereas sensory properties and shelf life represented an increase with S-ASPH addition. Overall, the obtained data indicated the improvement of bread quality by S-ASPH sourdough.

Safety of Food and Food Warehouse Using VIBHISHAN

Food is one of the integral parts of human life making the quality of food one of the prime factors in its selection for consumption. In order to maintain the food quality, it must be taken care of from the very first step where its quality may be affected, that is, warehouses. Food safety and safety of its warehouses is one of the major concerns, because many people lose their lives due to poor food quality. A robot that can ensure the safety of both food and warehouse can be one of the possible solutions, because taking care of huge warehouses is a tedious task and sometimes food present inside the warehouse gets unnoticed and thus get contaminated. Also safety of warehouses from intruders can be done by a robot, in any condition where it is difficult for human beings. This robot would be cheap and efficient and also make sure of safety, keeping the food intact and ensuring its fine quality.

Antioxidant Activity of Lactobacillus plantarum DY-1 Fermented Wheat Germ Extract and Its Influence on Lipid Oxidation and Texture Properties of Emulsified Sausages

The nutrient compositions and in vitro antioxidant activities of water-soluble extract from Lactobacillus plantarum DY-1 fermented wheat germ and its effect on the lipid oxidation and texture properties of emulsified sausages were investigated. The optimal hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity of 72.8 ± 2.9% was demonstrated for fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) by terms of the fermentation conditions as follows: fermentation time of 26 h, fermentation temperature of 35°C, initial pH of 3.0, solid to liquid ratio of 1/10, and inoculum amount of 0.48 g. The enhancement in FWGE content could improve the oxidation stability of emulsified sausages by retarding the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARSs) during 7 days of storage at 4°C. However, a higher FWGE content (2.14%) resulted in 78% of increase in cooking loss (p<0.05) and 41.4% of decrease in hardness (p<0.05) of emulsified sausages. It was suggested that the biotransformation of wheat germ with lactic acid bacteria could improve its nutritional quality and functional properties.