Polyfunctional sugar-free white chocolate fortified with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG co-encapsulated with beet residue extract (Beta vulgaris L.)

Chocolate is a worldwide consumed food. This study investigated the fortification of sugar-free white chocolate with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG microcapsule co-encapsulated with beet residue extract. The chocolates were evaluated for moisture, water activity, texture, color properties, melting, physicochemical, and probiotic stability during storage. Furthermore, the survival of L. rhamnosus GG and the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds were investigated under in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Regarding the characterization of probiotic microcapsules, the encapsulation efficiency of L. rhamnosus GG was > 89 % while the encapsulation efficiency of phenolic compounds was > 62 %. Chocolates containing probiotic microcapsules were less hard and resistant to breakage. All chocolates had a similar melting behavior (endothermic peaks between 32.80 and 34.40 °C). After 120 days of storage at 4 °C, probiotic populations > 6.77 log CFU/g were detected in chocolate samples. This result demonstrates the potential of this matrix to carry L. rhamnosus GG cells. Regarding the resistance of probiotic strains during gastric simulation, the co-encapsulation of L. rhamnosus GG with beet extract contributed to high counts during gastrointestinal transit, reaching the colon (48 h) with viable cell counts equal to 11.80 log CFU/g. Finally, one of our main findings was that probiotics used phenolic compounds as a substrate source, which may be an observed prebiotic effect.

Performance of nanofiltration process during concentration of strawberry juice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microfiltration and nanofiltration of strawberry juice. Processes performance was evaluated in terms of resistances-in-series, flux decline modeling and extract quality (maintenance of the phenolic compounds). The results obtained showed that concentration polarization is the main resistance to permeate flux in nanofiltration process, representing around 95% of the total resistance. Microfiltration process suffered more influence of the concentration polarization and fouling, next to 47% for both resistances. For all the processes, Hermia's pore blocking models presented good fitting, with R² over 0.85. The same behavior was observed for a conjugated model which provided a realistic description (R² > 0.76). Also, nanofiltration process allowed phenolic compounds maintenance, demonstrating the efficiency of this process for strawberry juice concentration.

Concentration of skim milk by reverse osmosis: characterization and flow decline modelling

Abstract In this paper the physicochemical characteristics and the flow decline occurring during the reverse osmosis of skim milk, were analysed. The flow decline was evaluated using the resistances in series, the blocked pore models and a second conjugated model that combined the blocked pores with the development of a filter cake. The main resistance found was the concentration by polarization, which was mainly influenced by the complete blocking of the pores. The conjugated model was capable of predicting the flow decline of the process. With respect to the physicochemical properties, more than 98% of the lactose, protein, oils and fats were retained, demonstrating the efficiency of the process.