José M. Barat

Reducing salt in processed meat products.

Abstract: Sodium intake exceeds the nutritional recommendations in most industrialised countries. The main concern for such high levels is that dietary intake of sodium, from all sources, influences blood pressure levels in significant sectors of population contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. So, it is highly recommended by health authorities to reduce the salt content in foods and limit the consumption of salted foods and foods processed with salt (sodium). However, a global approach is necessary to reduce the salt content in meat products, considering its significant technological roles in meat processing. This chapter reviews the latest advances for sodium reduction in meat products.

Low-salt Foods: Types and Manufacture

There is a worldwide concern regarding the high dietary intake of sodium that, in most cases, considerably exceeds nutritional recommendations. Most industrialized countries and their health authorities are trying to progressively reduce the salt content in processed foods. The task is not easy to achieve due to the technological relevance of salt during processing and its effects on the final product quality, especially with respect to the typical salty taste. Different approaches have been used for the reduction of salt in foods, and these are summarized in this manuscript.

Functionalized Silica Nanomaterials as a New Tool for New Industrial Applications

Abstract In this chapter, we report on the diverse applications of silica-based nanomaterials relevant for the food industry. The encapsulation of food ingredients and nutraceuticals and their use as antimicrobial agents and sensors has been explored. In the case of food ingredients, controlled-release materials responsive to pH changes and enzymes (i.e., proteases or esterases) are the main approximation. For antimicrobial agents, the materials are able to modulate the activity of the biocide, increasing the duration of the active substances. Also, an increase of the biocide activity up to ninefold and a broadening of the activity spectra have been observed for a capped material. Finally, due to their present relevance in the sensors area, we review examples of nanogated silica materials and optoelectronic noses.

Drying: Principles and Types

Drying is one of the oldest methods used for food preservation. Drying reduces the water activity of food and lowers the rate of spoilage reactions. Water transfer during drying is due to the gradients in water activity. The process is characterized by using an airstream, which is usually heated before coming into contact with food. The drying process is affected by product and process variables, which influence the water transfer rate in the product and air. There are many types of dryers, which are adapted to the characteristics of each product to be dried.

Meat and Fish Spoilage Measured by Electronic Tongues

Monitoring of meat and fish spoilage by electronic tongues (e-tongue) is a particular application that has been developed at a later stage in comparison with the analysis of other types of foods of liquids. The reason for this delay has been the difficulty of finding measuring methods able to achieve a good contact between the electrodes of the tongue and the samples in order to obtain a good reproducibility of the results. In this chapter we report an overview of work devoted to the use of potentiometric, voltammetric, or impedance spectroscopy electronic tongues in the monitorization of fish or meat spoilage.