The Evaluation of Roasted Lentils (L. culinaris L.) Quick Meals as An Alternative to Meat Dishes

Despite the health-promoting benefits, the consumption of lentils in East Europe is low, attracting researchers' interest in solving the problem. The aim of this study was to develop an alternative to animal proteins for nutrient-dense plant-based quick meals using roasted lentils as the primary raw material, performing sensory analysis, and evaluating the content of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. The consumption of legumes in Latvia is also low, even though most respondents associate the use of legumes with a healthy choice. Roasted lentil quick meals can deliver 15.6% and 26.2% of the reference intake for protein. Furthermore, one-third of the amino acids (AAs) are essential AAs. AA values in prepared quick meals make them promising alternatives to meat products. One portion of ready-roasted lentils with Bolognese sauce provided above 15% of the daily reference intake of thiamin and vitamin B9. One portion of a ready-quick meal of tomato soup with roasted lentils and roasted lentils with Bolognese sauce provided 20.3% and 25.6% of iron, according to daily reference intake. Further studies on the bioavailability of quick meals must be conducted to claim they can replace meat nutritionally.

Screening for Antifungal Indigenous Lactobacilli Strains Isolated from Local Fermented Milk for Developing Bioprotective Fermentates and Coatings Based on Acid Whey Protein Concentrate for Fresh Cheese Quality Maintenance

The demand for healthy foods without artificial food additives is constantly increasing. Hence, natural food preservation methods using bioprotective cultures could be an alternative to chemical preservatives. Thus, the main purpose of this work was to screen the indigenous lactobacilli isolated from fermented cow milk for their safety and antifungal activity to select the safe strain with the strongest fungicidal properties for the development of bioprotective acid whey protein concentrate (AWPC) based fermentates and their coatings intended for fresh cheese quality maintenance. Therefore, 12 lactobacilli strains were isolated and identified from raw fermented cow milk as protective cultures. The safety of the stains was determined by applying antibiotic susceptibility, haemolytic and enzymatic evaluation. Only one strain, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei A11, met all safety requirements and demonstrated a broad spectrum of antifungal activity in vitro. The strain was cultivated in AWPC for 48 h and grew well (biomass yield 8 log10 cfu mL−1). L. paracasei A11 AWPC fermentate was used as a vehicle for protective culture in the development of pectin-AWPC-based edible coating. Both the fermentate and coating were tested for their antimicrobial properties on fresh acid-curd cheese. Coating with L. paracasei A11 strain reduced yeast and mould counts by 1.0–1.5 log10 cfu mL−1 (p ≤ 0.001) during cheese storage (14 days), simultaneously preserving its flavour and prolonging the shelf life for six days.

Variation in the Fatty Acid and Amino Acid Profiles of Pasteurized Liquid Whole Hen Egg Products Stored in Four Types of Packaging

Simple Summary

Getting the packaging right in a competitive landscape such as the food industry is essential. Packaging along with its ability to preserve the nutritional composition of products during shelf-life must also be robust, tamper-proof, and leak-free. Various types of packaging are currently used for marketing purposes, which play a role in safety and convenience, efficiency, and consumer information. The preservation of liquid whole egg products (LWEPs) quality is ensured by the application of materials such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and Tetra Rex (TR). To date, however, due to limitations in scientific evidence concerning the quality analysis and deterioration mechanism of LWEP during refrigerated storage, no unambiguous conclusions regarding the benefits of one packaging over another are possible to draw. The acquired results revealed the remarkable advantage of PET over other packaging materials in the ability to maintain polyunsaturated fatty acids and amino acid levels during 35 days of LWEP storage. In turn, the moisture loss induced by exfoliation of the internal polymer layers presented in TR and the hydrophilic nature of the ethylene vinyl alcohol layer in Doypack (stand-up pouches) was the main factor that caused substantial fluctuations in the level of fatty acids and amino acids during storage.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the ability of high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, Tetra Rex^® Bio-based packaging, and Doypack (stand-up pouches) packaging to maintain the nutritional quality and safety of liquid whole egg products for 35 days of refrigerated storage. High-grade hen eggs were used for the preparation of liquid whole egg products (LWEPs). The conformity of eggs quality to grade A was supported by the initial screening of the raw materials’ physical–chemical attributes, which remained unchanged during the 25 days of storage. The obtained results indicated that the content of fatty acids in LWEPs was affected by both storage time and packaging material. However, the better preservation of monounsaturated fatty acids was achieved by polyethylene terephthalate, followed by high-density polyethylene packaging. Meanwhile, a statistically significant advantage of polyethylene terephthalate over other packaging materials was also confirmed regarding the maintenance of polyunsaturated fatty acids during 35 days of LWEPs storage. Relative fluctuations in the number of fatty acids in Tetra Rex^® Bio-based and Doypack-stored LWEPs revealed their disadvantages manifested by exfoliation of composite layers, which perhaps was the main cause of extensive moisture loss. Overall, due to superior barrier properties, polyethylene terephthalate packaging demonstrated better preservation of amino acids. Only as much as a 2.1% decrease was observed between the initial value and the 35th day of LWEP storage. From a microbiological standpoint, all materials demonstrated the ability to ensure the microbiological safety of products during 35 days of storage, as the maximum allowed limit of 10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ was not exceeded.

Application of Edible Coating Based on Liquid Acid Whey Protein Concentrate with Indigenous Lactobacillus helveticus for Acid-Curd Cheese Quality Improvement

Edible coatings as carriers for protective lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can enhance hygienic quality to dairy products. Thus, the aim of this study was to improve the quality of artisanal acid-curd cheese by applying liquid acid whey protein concentrate based edible coating with entrapped indigenous antimicrobial Lactobacillus helveticus MI-LH13. The edible fresh acid-curd cheese coating was composed of 100% (w/w) liquid acid whey protein concentrate (LAWPC), apple pectin, sunflower oil, and glycerol containing 6 log10 CFU/mL of strain biomass applied on cheese by dipping. The cheese samples were examined over 21 days of storage for changes of microbiological criteria (LAB, yeast and mould, coliform, enterobacteria, and lipolytic microorganism), physicochemical (pH, lactic acid, protein, fat, moisture content, and colour), rheological, and sensory properties. The coating significantly improved appearance and slowed down discolouration of cheese by preserving moisture during prolonged storage. The immobilisation of L. helveticus cells into the coating had no negative effect on their viability throughout 14 days of storage at 4 °C and 23 °C. The application of coating with immobilised cells on cheeses significantly decreased the counts of yeast up to 1 log10 CFU/g during 14 days (p < 0.05) of storage and suppressed growth of mould for 21 days resulting in improved flavour of curd cheese at the end of storage. These findings indicate that LAWPC-pectin formulation provided an excellent matrix to support L. helveticus cell viability. Acting as protective antimicrobial barrier in fresh cheeses, this bioactive coating can reduce microbial contamination after processing enabling the producers to extend the shelf life of this perishable product.

Case Study: Free Lunch Meals Provision during the Remote Learning Conditions

School meals for grade 1 to 4 pupils in Latvia are financed by the government, but with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and following the remote learning process, there were problems related to the delivery of these meals for pupils. The current situation in Latvia has been exacerbated again due to the spread of the pandemic; there is a great necessity to find well-thought-out solutions to ensure school lunches outside the school. The aim of this study was to develop recommendation-based one-week food packs for grade 1 to 4 pupils, providing the necessary amount of nutrients and energy. Four food packs were designed to provide five-day lunch meals for pupils, preparing a warm lunch at home. Protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, carbohydrates, sugar, dietary fiber, sodium, salt and calcium content of meals were analyzed according to standard methods. During the project, the most appropriate solution for food packs was explored. The four designed food packs will provide support to municipalities, because the composition of food packs complies with the nutrition and energy value regulation and does not exceed the planned budget. Parents will receive the developed recipe book in addition to a one-week food pack.