Davide Barbanti

The effect of different convection cooking methods on the instrumental quality and yield of pork Longissimus dorsi

The effect of different cooking methods (natural convection, NC, forced convection, FC and forced convection/steam combined, FC/S) on selected physical properties of cooked pork Longissimus dorsi samples were compared. FC/S treatment was significantly faster (∼19 min) than NC and FC cooking treatments (∼27 min). The overall cook values at the center of all samples (calculated taking into consideration the cooling phase) were comparable and might explain the similar tenderness found among samples that underwent significantly different thermal histories. The weight loss of the FC/S samples was significantly higher than in the other cooking methods while the color of the surface was paler than the NC and FC ones.

Effect of different air/steam convection cooking methods on turkey breast meat: physical characterization, water status and sensory properties.

Turkey breast samples were cooked using a forced convection oven at three relative humidity levels (RH=8, 35 and 88%) at 100°C. Cooking parameters (temperature, cook value, and yield), textural and sensory properties as well as water status of the samples were evaluated. The application of different RH levels resulted in different cooking performances and cooked meat quality. Low steam cooking conditions (RH=35%) significantly increased cooking yield (7% higher than the high steam cooking), moisture content and water-holding capacity and had a positive effect on perceived tenderness, as shown by sensory analysis, where steam cooked samples were perceived as the most tender. The more mobile protons of (1)H T(2) (relaxing at times longer than 1s) in low steam samples were related to the higher perceived tenderness. Low steam cooking allowed for less water consumption, making this process an attractive cooking method as compared to high steam, as it also resulted in higher quality cooked turkey meat.

Effects of alternative steeping methods on composition, antioxidant property and colour of green, black and oolong tea infusions

Cold water steeping is reported to maximise tea health benefits, but requires long infusion time. In this work, the employment of a brief hot infusion step followed by ice addition was evaluated. The comparison of this innovative method with hot and cold steeping was investigated on green, black and oolong teas. Catechins, xanthines and gallic acid content, antioxidant power, total phenolics and colour analysis were evaluated. Hot infusion shown rapid extractive power, but relevant compound degradation. On the contrary, cold infusion extracted higher level of healthy molecules with slow kinetic. The innovative method achieved in short time similar properties of cold infusion in terms of antioxidant power. As for bioactive compounds, such as gallic acid and epigallocatechin gallate, highest values, about double than in hot infusion, were recorded for green and black teas. This steeping method may represent an alternative approach for industrial beverage preparation.

Study and Optimization of a CO2 Sparger for Carbonated Beverages and Beer by Means of CFD Modeling

Abstract In the present work, two different geometries of spargers for beverage carbonation were modeled by means of CFD technique, taking into consideration three different flow rates. The first geometry presented a radial inlet of liquid food while the second one a tangential one. Calculation allowed to study the effect of fluid velocities on mixing and to identify the best solution; mathematical results were then confirmed from a qualitative point of view by experimental tests with both water and apple juice. CFD resulted a very useful technique for in-silico designing, not only for technically-simple parts of plants but also for very complicated ones such as carbon dioxide spargers in which gas and liquid are mixed together.

STUDIES ON INTERACTION BETWEEN NON ENZYMATIC BROWNING REACTION AND LIPID OXIDATION IN FOOD PROCESSING.

It is well known that during food processing involving heat treatments (cooking, baking and frying) non enzymatic browning (NEB) and lipid oxidation can take place. The formation of NEB products leads to a positive influences on lipid stability during storage of foods. In this research work, the evaluation of chemical and physical modifications of oil during fiying of different foods in the presence or absence of NEB products formation was carried out. Furthermore, the influence of the presence of volatiles produced by NEB on reaction lipid oxidation kinetic of fatty food models was evaluated by means of head space gas Chromatographic analysis. The presence of NEB volatiles was able to slow down the kinetic rate and to increase the induction time of lipid oxidation. During fiying of foods, the formation of NEB products led to a low level of oil oxidation in comparison with the oxidation level determined on oil subjected to the same heat treatment without foods.