O estufamento de embalagens a vácuo de carnes refrigeradas, também conhecido como blown pack, é atribuído a bactérias psicrófilas e psicrotróficas, dentre as quais fazem parte algumas espécies de clostrídios, enterobactérias e bactérias lácticas. A capacidade desses microrganismos crescer em temperaturas de refrigeração adequadas torna um desafio o seu controle pela indústria. O Brasil é um dos grandes produtores de carne bovina no mundo e apesar da importância que a indústria de carne representa para o país, existem poucos estudos sobre as possíveis causas da deterioração do tipo blown pack. A importância deste trabalho fundamenta-se na escassez de pesquisas sobre esse problema que afeta a indústria de carne. O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi avaliar a presença dos principais microrganismos envolvidos na deterioração tipo blown pack, com ênfase em clostrídios, enterobactérias e bactérias láticas. Assim, o método Terminal- Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, disponível no laboratório de Biologia Molecular do CENA-USP, foi empregado por permitir um diagnóstico rápido e preciso para detecção de microrganismos. Foram analisadas 15 amostras de carne bovinas refrigeradas, embaladas a vácuo e estufadas, provenientes de frigoríficos dos estados de São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul e Goiás. Os cortes utilizados para as análises foram contrafilé, músculo, alcatra, cupim, picanha e filé de costela. As amostras apresentavam características de deterioração tipo blown pack dentro da data de validade, com períodos armazenamento variando de 30 a 120 dias. Foram identificadas as espécies Clostridium algidicarnis, Clostridium gasigenes, Clostridium putrefaciens, Clostridium frigidicarnis, Lactobacillus sakei, Hafnia alvei e Serratia liquefaciens pela técnica T-RFLP, que se mostrou uma excelente ferramenta de identificação microbiana nas amostras de carne. Devido à alta prevalência de enterobactérias nas amostras de carnes detectadas pela técnica de T-RFLP, foram realizadas análises convencionais com isolamento e identificação de enterobactérias, a fim de confirmar a presença destes microrganismos viáveis e cultiváveis nas amostras. As espécies de enterobactérias cultivadas e identificadas foram H. alvei, Ser. liquefaciens, Citrobacter braakii, Pantoea sp e Yersinia enterocolitica, sendo esta última potencialmente patogênica e de interesse em saúde pública. Observou-se que a H. alvei foi a espécie predominante nas amostras avaliadas, tanto pela técnica de T-RFLP como pelas análises microbiológicas convencionais. Com o objetivo de complementar os resultados, foram realizadas análises convencionais de cultivo visando o isolamento de Clostridium estertheticum e Clostridium gasigenes nas amostras de carne. A técnica de PCR foi empregada com a finalidade de identificação dos isolados obtidos. / The distension of the packaging of vacuum packed chilled meat, also know as blown pack, is assigned to psichrophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, among which are part some clostridium, enterobacteria and lactic bacteria.The ability of these microorganisms to grow at refrigeration temperatures makes it an appropriate challenge its control by the industry. Brazil is a major producer of beef in the world and despite the importance of the beef industry represents for the country, there are few studies on the possible causes of deterioration of blown pack type. The importance of this work is based on the dearth of research on this problem that affects the meat industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of the main microorganisms involved in the deterioration blown pack type, with emphasis on clostridia, enterobacteria and lactic bacteria. Thus, the method-Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism, available at Molecular biology laboratory of CENA-USP, was used to allow a rapid and accurate diagnosis for the detection of microorganisms. We analyzed 15 samples of beef chilled, vacuum packed wich abundant gas production, refrigerators from the states of São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás cuts used for the analysis were striploin, shin, rump, hump, cop of rump and cube roll. The samples showing signs of deterioration such blown pack within the shelf life, with storage periods ranging from 30 to 120 days. Were identified Clostridium algidicarnis, Clostridium gasigenes, Clostridium putrefaciens, Clostridium frigidicarnis, Lactobacillus sakei, Hafnia alvei and Serratia liquefaciens by TRFLP technique, which proved an excellent tool for microbial identification in meat samples. The high prevalence of enterobacteria in samples of meat detected by the technique of TRFLP analysis was performed with conventional isolation and identification of enterobacteria, in order to confirm the presence of viable and culturable microorganisms in the samples. The species of enterobacteria were identified and cultivated H. alvei, Ser. liquefaciens, Citrobacter braakii, Pantoea sp. and Yersinia enterocolitica, the latter being potentially pathogenic and interest in public health. It was observed that H. alvei was the predominant species in the samples evaluated by both the T-RFLP technique and by conventional microbiological tests. In order to complement the results were analyzed conventional cultivation and isolation of Clostridium estertheticum and Clostridium gasigenes in meat samples. The PCR technique was employed for the purpose of identification of isolates.

The aim of this study was to prepare thin polymer layers able to give a color change response to oxygen. Thin layers were prepared with different polymers and dyes. The rate of photocatalytic reduction of a dye and the rate of the color change response to oxygen were studied. To verify oxygen sensitivity of a prepared layer, oxygen absorbers were used to create anaerobic conditions. The effect of visible light irradiation on a prepared layer was examined as well. Influence of glycerol content on the kinetics of the photocatalytic reduction and the color change response was studied. Considering both reactions, the glycerol content of 1 % was found to be the most suitable. Methylene blue in prepared layer was reduced 48 s after previous UVA irradiation with intensity of 0,1 mWcm-2. The color change response to oxygen is readily distinguished by the naked eye within 20 minutes.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been manufactured and used in differentapplications for several decades, including food packaging materials. During the last 20 yearsthese compounds have been acknowledged as hazardous for humans and the environment, anddifferent regulations on PFAS have been established on both national and international levels.Companies started to phase-out long-chain PFAS, including both PFOA and PFOS, around 20years ago. Since PFAS are persistent, this cause concerns both for our health and theenvironment, as well as possible PFAS contamination in new products due to the recycling ofmaterials. The aim of this study was to find an effective method to extract PFAS from differentfood packaging materials; analyze the samples for their extractable organofluorine (EOF)content using combustion ion chromatography; as well as analyze targeted PFAS in the samplesusing ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The findingsof this study suggest that none of the selected samples had EOF contents above the Danishindicator value of 20 mg/kg dw TOF set to determine whether PFAS has been intentionallyadded to a material, and that only two samples exceeded the limit of detection for EOF. Atakeaway bowl made out of 100% sugarcane contained the highest EOF content while the outerpackaging of a cereal box contained the second highest EOF. Both PFOA and PFOS, alongwith other long-chain PFAS were detected in a majority of the samples. The lowest total PFASconcentrations when analyzing for targeted PFAS was detected in the sugarcane take awaybowl. The highest total PFAS concentration was detected in an egg carton, followed by theouter packaging of a cereal box (same as above) and the outer box of a waffle mix. The targetedPFAS was detected in almost all samples, with PFNA and 6:2 diPAP being the most frequentlydetected PFAS. PFCAs, PFSAs, FTSAs, FOSAAs and PAPs were detected in a majority of thesamples. The highest concentrations were measured for diSAmPAP in a majority of thesamples. Mass balance calculations of the sugarcane bowl showed that the targeted PFAS onlyaccounted for 0.04% of the extractable organofluorine content. In conclusion, none of thesamples displayed EOF contents higher than the Danish indicator value, suggesting that noneof the samples were intentionally treated with PFAS. However, targeted PFAS analysis of thesesamples showed that they still contain PFAS, that could be further recycled along with therecycling of paper and board food packaging materials. Considering the persistence of PFASand that these compounds can remain in the recycling chain, with the risk of also being releasedinto the environment, it is of importance that PFAS is not introduced in any of the stages in apaper or board containers life cycle.

<p>  </p> <p>Fouling is a severe problem for food processing equipment, including heat exchanger, filtration system, etc., which can decrease heat transfer efficiency, increase pressure drop, and affect food quality and safety. To ensure process efficiency and product quality, regular cleaning is necessary. On manufacturing lines in the food industry, cleaning is usually performed by cleaning-in-place (CIP) operations, which mainly comprise water rinse, alkaline wash and acid wash steps. Although CIP can ensure uniform cleaning of equipment, lower costs associated with labor and plant downtime, and improve personnel safety, it consumes large amounts of energy, chemicals and water and thus affects the environmental sustainability.</p> <p>Microbubbles (MBs) are fine gas bubbles with very different physicochemical properties from millimeter-sized bubbles, including longer residence time in liquid, higher mass transfer rate, larger surface-area-to-volume ratio, and generation of free radical when bubbles collapse. In addition, MBs feature hydrophobic liquid-gas interface, allowing hydrophobic and amphipathic substances to attach to and spread on bubble surfaces. MBs have been used in cleaning processes, such as oil flotation and fresh produce washing; however, their applications in CIP operations in food processing have not been explored.</p> <p>The objective of this dissertation is to develop a novel CIP operation with the incorporation of MBs for cleaning of food processing equipment. MBs were incorporated into rinsing water to clean milk deposit fouled on heat transfer surface. A computational fluid dynamics model was built to predict the contact frequency of MBs with deposit and further identify the flow conditions that provided maximum MB-deposit contact. Moreover, MBs were confirmed to be able to attach to milk deposit by microscopic imaging. Rinsing with MB-incorporated water noticeably enhanced the deposit removal at Re of 4392 and 5403, by 27−31%. For cleaning of microfiltration membrane reversibly fouled by palm oil-in-water emulsions as model wastewater, although adding MBs into alkaline wash increased the membrane flux recovery by 235%, increasing the crossflow velocity of MB-incorporated liquid did not guarantee the enhancement in cleaning performance. Lastly, a MB-assisted full CIP process was tested on an ultrafiltration system used for milk concentration. MB-assisted CIP showed an increased cleaning efficiency with up to 72% higher flux recovery than conventional CIP, and alkaline wash with MBs added was the major step accounting for enhanced protein removal.</p> <p>Overall, this dissertation proves the effectiveness of MBs in cleaning of different types of food deposits, and provides groundwork knowledge of MB incorporation into CIP operations for different food processing equipment. The results are expected to guide the scale-up of MB-assisted CIP processes that can reduce the water and chemical usage in food manufacturing sectors, ultimately improving both economic and environmental sustainability of the food industry.</p>

This thesis has an approved one-year embargo applied to it. Please, refer to the corresponding forms, and please, so not publish immediately until the embargo has been sorted out. The thesis contains two unpublish papers and patents pending. Thank you! / Conventional single-use plastic packaging has contributed significantly to the health and well-being of our society but also negatively impacted our environment due to its persistence after use. Since recycling is not a complete solution, rapidly biodegradable materials like thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends offer a more sustainable alternative. Additionally, to stave off the premature breakdown of starch-containing materials as well as extend the shelf life of enclosed foods, microbial control strategies need to be developed. To overcome the inherent brittleness of TPS, this work explores the potential of xylitol and erythritol as melt plasticizers for waxy corn starch (̴100% amylose). Characterizations revealed that both xylitol and erythritol can gelatinize and plasticize starch under 25% wt. Particularly, xylitol demonstrated superior plasticizing and compatibilizing effects, leading to a ductile TPS packaging film with uncharacteristically high elongation at break (EB, 422% ± 48%). The ductile TPS was blended with up to 70% Ecovio bioplastic without requiring compatibilizers and retaining much of its EB value (298 ± 24%). Using xylitol as a melt plasticizer also enhanced the mechanical and hydrophobic qualities of the TPS/Ecovio film as well as its oxygen permeability and puncture extension. Furthermore, polymerized curcumin copolymer (PCEG) was investigated as a grafted coating onto the developed TPS/Ecovio® blend. The antimicrobial activity of PCEG and PCEG coating film was evaluated against foodborne bacteria. The polymerized curcumin by itself demonstrated antimicrobial activity against the gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli BL21 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01, as well as the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, the PCEG-coated films showed surface inhibition of Glutamicibacter soli (IAI-3), a gram-positive bacterium making polymerized curcumin copolymer coatings a suitable approach to add antimicrobial features in thermoplastic starch composites for biodegradable food packaging. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Canada's Zero Plastics initiative represents a commitment to the environment while upholding the advancements in food safety and public health that come with single-use food packaging. Achieving this balance demands the creation of novel materials. These materials should mimic the qualities of synthetic polymers but have the added ability to decompose naturally in the environment upon reaching the end of their utility. A significant challenge in this effort is preventing the premature degradation of starch-containing packaging materials. Moreover, extending the shelf life of the food they enclose is equally crucial. To solve this paradox, the development of microbial control strategies becomes imperative. This study highlights the antimicrobial potential of a polymerized curcumin copolymer (PCEG) as a coating on a blend of thermoplastic starch (TPS)/xylitol/Ecovio®, creating an innovative packaging film. The curcumin copolymer coating exhibited antimicrobial properties, suggesting its potential use in thermoplastic starch composites for biodegradable food packaging.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The presence of mineral oils in dry foodstuff was found to originate from the packaging materials, namely, paperboard manufactured from recovered fibres, and these oils subsequently migrate to the foodstuff via the vapour phase. The presence of mineral oils in food is of concern as it originates from the use of paper products not originally intended for food contact applications, i.e., before the paper is subjected to a suitable recycling process. These mineral oils consist of technical grade compounds which may contain aromatic compounds and other components with unknown toxicological effects. Although the related authorities are currently considering the safe and legal limits of these contaminants in foodstuffs, as well as establishing a standardised test method for monitoring mineral oils in food and packaging materials, paperboard manufacturers wish to ensure that their products are safe for food contact applications. Since recycling is unavoidable, particularly from an ecological and economical point of view, one of the proposed solutions the industry is focussing on is the use of a functional barrier towards mineral oils – be it an inner bag as a direct food-contact surface, or a barrier coating directly applied on the inner side of the paperboard. In this study, a permeation test method was established, and developed, to evaluate the transmission rate of a volatile organic compound, acting as a mineral oil simulant, through model paper and plastic packaging materials. This was correlated to the transmission rate of actual mineral oil through the packaging materials, and therefore used as a highly accelerated tool to characterise packaging materials in relation to their barrier properties. The test method, referred to as the “heptane vapour transmission rate,” was subsequently used to derive the required transport parameters’ characteristics of each of the tested materials, which enabled an evaluation of the potential shelf-life of the packaged product. This research demonstrated that barrier-coated paperboards have the ability to behave in the same way as, and often even better than, commercial plastic films, towards the migration of mineral oil. Detailed information on the interaction between the packaging materials and mineral oil simulant, n-heptane, was acquired from gravimetric sorption. Insight was obtained into a material’s ability to function as a mineral oil barrier. It was established that the quick and easy permeation method was sufficient for evaluating packaging materials as potential mineral oil barriers, and resulted in the determination of transport parameters that were higher than that obtained by sorption. The obtained transport parameters could therefore be considered a worst case scenario when predicting the package content shelf-life. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is voorheen bevind dat die teenwoordigheid van mineraalolies in droë voedsel afkomstig is van die verpakkingsmateriaal, naamlik karton, wat vervaardig is van herwonne papierprodukte, en daarna migreer die olies na die voedsel deur die gasfase. Die teenwoordigheid van hierdie mineraalolies in kos wek groot kommer aangesien dit afkomstig is van papierprodukte wat nie oorspronklik bedoel is vir voedselkontak voor die herwinningsproses nie. Die olies bestaan uit industriële graad mineraalolies wat moontlik aromatiese verbindings asook ander komponente bevat waarvan die toksiekologiese effekte onbekend is. Terwyl die betrokke owerhede tans besig is om die veilige en wettige grense van hierdie kontaminante in voedsel te oorweeg, asook die vestigting van 'n gestandaardiseerde toetsmetode vir die kontrole van mineraalolies in die voedsel-verpakkingsmateriaal-kombinasie, wil karton- en papiervervaardigers graag verseker dat hul produkte veilig is vir voedselkontak. Siende dat herwinning onvermydelik is vanuit 'n ekologiese en ekonomiese oogpunt, is een van die voorgestelde oplossings in die bedryf om te fokus op die gebruik van 'n funksionele keerfilm ten opsigte van mineraalolies, wat ‘n sakkie binne-in die karton, wat dien as die direkte kos-kontakoppervlak, of 'n keerlaag, wat direk aangewend word op die binnekant van die karton, kan behels. Hierdie studie ondersoek die daarstel en deursypelingsontwikkeling van 'n toetsmetode om die oordragtempo van 'n vlugtige organiese verbinding, wat optree as 'n mineraalolie simulant, deur middel van model papier- en plastiekverpakkingsmateriale, te evalueer. Dit stem ooreen met die oordragtempo van werklike mineraalolies deur die verpakkingsmateriaal en kan dus gebruik word as 'n hoogs versnelde instrument om verpakkingsmateriale te karakteriseer met betrekking tot hul keereienskappe. Die toetsmetode, die sogenaamde "heptaangasoordragtempo," is vervolgens gebruik om die vereiste oordragparameters af te lei wat kenmerkend is van elk van die geëvalueerde verpakkingsmateriale en wat sodoende gebruik kon word om die potensiële raklewe van die verpakte produk te bepaal. Hierdie navorsing het getoon dat kartonprodukte met ‘n keerlaag die vermoë het om dieselfde op te tree as kommersiële plastiekfilms en dikwels selfs beter, ten opsigte van die migrasie van mineraalolies. Gedetailleerde inligting oor die interaksie tussen die verpakkingsmateriale en mineraalolie simulant, n-heptaan, is verkry vanaf gravimetriese sorpsie. Dit gee insig in 'n materiaal se vermoë om te funksioneer as 'n mineraalolie-keermiddel. Daar is vasgestel dat die vinnige en maklike deurwerking metode voldoende is vir die evaluering van verpakkingsmateriale as potensiële mineraalolie-keermiddels, en verleen oordragparameters wat hoër is as dié verkry deur sorpsie. Hierdie oordragparameters kan dus as 'n ergste scenario vir die voorspelling van die raklewe van ‘n verpakte produk beskou word.

<p>Poli(mlečna kiselina) (PLA) predstavlja jedan od najpopularnijih komercijalnih biorazgradivih polimera. Iako može da zameni neke od najče&scaron;će kori&scaron;ćenih sintetskih polimera, neka njegova svojstva (lo&scaron;a barijerna, termička i mehanička) jo&scaron; uvek predstavljaju prepreku u &scaron;iroj primeni, posebno za pakovanje hrane. Jedan od najsavremenijih načina prevazilaženja nedostataka u svojstvima biopolimera predstavljaju nanotehnologije.<br />U ovom radu ispitan je uticaj dodatka različitih koncentracija hidrofobnih nanočestica silicijum (IV) oksida (od 0.2 mas.% do 5 mas.%) pripremom uzoraka u rastvoru, i rastopu na toplotna, mehanička, i barijerna svojstva PLA. Morfolo&scaron;ke karakteristike uzoraka nanokompozita snimljene su pomoću skenirajuće elektronske mikroskopije (SEM). Ostvarena je izuzetno dobra disperzija i distribucija hidrofobnih čestica silicijum (IV) oksida koje su u malim udelima dodavane u poli(mlečnu kiselinu). Dobra disperzija i distribucija hidrofobnih čestica silicijum (IV) oksida ostvarena je kako pripremom nanokompozita metodom u rastvoru, tako i metodom u rastopu.<br />Toplotna svojstva PLA i pripremljenih nanokompozita proučavana su primenom diferencijalnog skenirajućeg kalorimetra (DSC), dok je stepen kristalnosti određen rasipanjem X zraka pod &scaron;irokim uglom(WAXD). Mehanička svojstva su ispitivana da bi se odredio uticaj dodatka nanočestica SiO2 na prekidnu čvrstoću i izduženje čistog PLA. Iako su prilikom pripreme materijala metodom u rastvoru, pobolj&scaron;anja mehaničkih i barijernih svojstava postignuta pri udelima silicijum (IV) oksida u rasponu od 0,2 do 5 mas.%, najznačajnija pobolj&scaron;anja postignuta su za najmanje udele nanočestica (0,2 mas.% i 0,5 mas.%). Pobolj&scaron;anja mehaničkih i barijernih svojstava nanokompozita, primenjenih metodom u rastopu, su registrovana i za udele silicijum (IV) oksida od 0,2 do 3 mas.%.<br />Takođe je ispitana mogućnost primene pripremljenog nanokompozita na osnovu poli(mlečne kiseline) i silicijum (IV) oksida za pakovanje prehrambenih proizvoda na primeru pakovanja svežeg svinjskog mesa (M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum). Ispitivanjem uticaja materijala za pakovanje svežeg mesa u vakuumu, na parametre tehnolo&scaron;kog (pH, boja), senzorskog, i mikrobiolo&scaron;kog kvaliteta mesa, utvrđeno je da su PLA kao i nanokompoziti na osnovu PLA sa različitim udelima silicijum (IV) oksida, pogodni za vakuum pakovanje i skladi&scaron;tenje svežeg svinjskog mesa.</p> / <p>Poly(lactic acid) presents one of the most popular bio-polymers for diverse applications. However, the use of PLA as food packaging material is limited due to poor barrier and mechanical properties. These properties could be improved by incorporation of nanoparticles into polymer matrix.<br />In this work neat PLA films and PLA films with different percentage of hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles (0,2 wt.% to 5 wt.%) were prepared by solution casting and melt blending methods. Several procedures were used to characterize the influence of different silica content on dispersion (SEM), crystalline behavior (WAXD), thermal stability (DSC, TGA), mechanical and barrier properties. It is shown that the applied techniques and selection of specific hydrophobic spherical nanofiller provide a good dispersion and distribution of silica nanoparticles in poly(lactic acid) for both film preparation methods.<br />Characteristics of films prepared by solution casting method showed improvements in mechanical and barrier properties for all loadings of nanofiller but the most significant improvements were achieved for lowest silica content (0,2 wt.% and 0,5 wt.%) The improvements in material characteristics (mechanical and barrier) for melt blending method were also achieved (for concentrations from 0,2 wt.% to 3 wt.%).<br />After film preparation, selected cuts of M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were packed in prepred films of polymer nanocomposites, and the shelf-life characterisation was conducted on technological, sensory and microbiological paramethers of quality. After shelf-life characterisation it can be concluded that polymer nanocomposites based on PLA and silica nanoparticles could be used for packaging od fresh pork meat in vacuum.</p>

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar a potencialidade dos revestimentos comestíveis à base de Fécula de mandioca e pectina com e sem adição de óleo de buriti para aplicação em melancia e melão minimamente processados, visando a extensão da vida de prateleira destes produtos. A qualidade do óleo de buriti adicionado aos revestimentos comestíveis foi comprovada através do parâmetros físico-químicos; densidade: 1021 kgm-3; índice de acidez: 1,59 % em ácido oleico; índice de peróxido: 6,20 meqKg-1 e viscosidade cinemática: 41,3 mm²s-1. A caracterização dos principais ácidos graxos presentes no óleo de buriti foi realizada por métodos espectroscópicos de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear de Prótons (1H-RMN) e Espectroscopia de Infravermelho com Transformada de Fourier (FTIR). O ácido oleico (78%) foi o componente majoritário na composição do óleo de buriti. Os revestimentos comestíveis foram elaborados com 3% de fécula de mandioca ou 3% de pectina, 1% de glicerol ou 1% óleo de buriti, 2,5% de gelatina, 0,5% de ácido cítrico e 0,5% ácido ascórbico, os frutos minimamente processados foram revestidos utilizando a técnica de imersão. Os frutos revestidos foram analisados em relação ao pH, sólidos solúveis totais, acidez titulável e contagem microbiana ao longo de 10 dias de armazenamento. Os pH dos frutos revestidos variaram entre 5,35-5,76 para o melão e (4,52-5,49) para a melancia ao longo do tempo de armazenamento. Os teores de sólidos solúveis totais da melancia (7,6-9,6 °Brix) e do melão (7,2-8,6 °Brix) minimamente processados se mantiveram constantes para todos os revestimentos testados. A acidez titulável da melancia e do melão variou de 0,11 à 0,20 % e de 0,06 a 0,14 % em ácido cítrico, respectivamente. Os revestimentos comestíveis apresentaram eficiente barreira para permeabilidade de vapor, sendo que película à base de fécula proporcionou menor média de perda de massa da melancia (2,32%) e o revestimento fécula/óleo para o melão (3,39%). A população microbiana aeróbica e mesófila foi crescente ao longo do período de armazenamento em todos os revestimentos e no controle em ambos os frutos. Ao final dos 10 dias de armazenamento, a melancia apresentou crescimento de bactérias cerca de 9,0 log UFCmL-1, sendo o mesmo valor na população de bolores e leveduras. Os revestimentos fécula e pectina/óleo proporcionaram menor população de bactérias, aproximadamente 7,8 log UFCmL-1. O melão apresentou maiores valores de população de bactérias em comparação com a melancia no revestimento fécula e controle; 10,1 e 9,7 log UFCmL-1, v respectivamente. A contagem de bolores e leveduras também foi maior nos revestimentos fécula e fécula/óleo, aproximadamente 9,0 log UFCmL-1. Conclui-se que o óleo de buriti neste trabalho não apresentou atividade antimicrobiana nos revestimentos comestíveis presentes nos frutos. Os revestimentos comestíveis fécula e pectina proporcionaram à melancia condições adequadas para o consumo até o oitavo dia após o processamento. Entretanto no melão, apenas o revestimento pectina e pectina/óleo garantiram estabilidade microbiológica ao consumo até o quarto dia de armazenamento. / The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of cassava starch and pectin-based edible coatings with and without addition of buriti oil for application in minimally processed watermelon and melon, aiming to extend the shelf life of these products. The quality of the buriti oil added to the edible coatings was confirmed by physicochemical parameters; Density: 1021 kgm-3; Acidity index in oleic acid: 1.59%; Peroxide index: 6.20 meqKg-1 and kinematic viscosity: 41.3 mm²s-1. The characterization of the main fatty acids present in the buriti oil was performed by spectroscopic methods of Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Oleic acid (78%) had the major percent composition in the buriti oil. The edible coatings were prepared with the concentration of 3% cassava starch or 3% pectin, 1% glycerol or 1% buriti oil, 2.5% gelatin, 0.5% citric acid and 0.5% ascorbic acid, the minimally processed fruits were coated using the immersion technique. The coated fruits were analyzed for pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and microbial counts over 10 days of storage. The pH of the coated fruits varied between 5.35 and 5.76 for melon and 4.52 and 5.49 for watermelon over the storage time, respectively. The total soluble solids contents of minimally processed watermelon (7.6-9.6 ° Brix) and melon (7.2-8.63 ° Brix) remained constant for all evaluated coatings. The titratable acidity of watermelon and melon ranged from 0.11 to 0.20% and from 0.06 to 0.14% in citric acid. The edible coatings presented an efficient barrier for vapor permeability, being the starch-based film provided a lower average loss of watermelon mass (2.32%) and starch/oil coating for melon (3.39%). The aerobic and mesophilic microbial population was increasing over the storage period in all coatings and control in both fruits. At the end of the 10 days of storage, the watermelon had a bacterial growth of about 9 log UFCmL-1, the same value for mold and yeast population. The starch and pectin/oil coatings provided a lower bacterial population of approximately 7.8 log UFCmL-1. The melon presented higher values of bacterial population in comparison with the watermelon in the starch and control coating; 10.15 and 9.7 log UFCmL-1, respectively. The mold and yeast counts were also higher in the starch and oil coatings, approximately 9 log UFCmL-1. It is concluded that the buriti oil in this work didn’t present antimicrobial activity in the edible coatings present in the fruits. The edible coatings starch and pectin provided the watermelon suitable conditions for consumption until the eighth day after processing. However, for the melon, only pectin and pectin/oil coating ensured microbiological stability for consumption up to the fourth day of storage.

<p>Multiple studies have demonstrated atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) as an effective non-thermal technology for microbial decontamination, surface modification, and functionality alteration in food processing and packaging. ACP constitutes charged particles, such as positive and negative ions, electrons, quanta of electromagnetic radiation, and excited and non-excited molecules, which corresponds to its predominant reactive properties. However, in many of these applications, the interactions between plasma and the components in food matrix are not well-understood. The <b>overall goals</b> of this dissertation were to 1) evaluate the interactions between high voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) and microbes in liquid and semi-solid food; 2) investigate plasma transfer into semi-solid foods and determine the relationship between microbial inactivation and plasma transfer; 3) explore the interactions between plasma and proteins. </p> <p>The first study explored the microbial (<i>Salmonella</i> <i>enterica</i> serovar Typhimurium, <i>S</i>. <i>enterica</i>) inactivation efficacy of HVACP. The physicochemical interactions between HVACP and biomolecules, including an enzyme (pectin methylesterase, PME), vitamin C and other components in orange juice (OJ) under different conditions was also evaluated. Both direct and indirect HVACP treatment of 25 mL OJ induced greater than a 5 log reduction in <i>S</i>. <i>enterica</i> following 30 s of treatment with air and MA65 gas with no storage. For 50 mL OJ, 120 s of direct HVACP treatment followed by 24 h storage achieved <i>S</i>. <i>enterica</i> reductions of 2.9 log in air and 4.7 log in MA65 gas. An indirect HVACP treatment of 120 s followed by 24 hours storage resulted in a 2.2 log reduction in air and a 3.8 log reduction in MA65. No significant (<i>P </i>< 0.05) Brix or pH change occurred following 120 s HVACP treatment. HVACP direct treatment reduced vitamin C content by 56% in air and PME activity by 74% in air and 82% in MA65. These results demonstrated that HVACP can significantly reduce <i>Salmonella</i> in OJ with minimal quality degradation.</p> <p>The second study in this dissertation examined the penetration process of plasma into semi-solid food and the resulting microbial inactivation efficacy. Agar gels of various densities (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2%) with a pH indicator were inoculated with <i>S</i>. <i>enterica</i> (10⁷>CFU) and exposed directly (between the electrode) or indirectly (adjacent to the plasma field created between the two electrodes) to 90 kV at 60 Hz for up to 1.5 h. A long treatment time (1.5 h) caused sample temperature to increase 5~10 °C. The microbial analysis indicated a greater than 6 log₁₀ (CFU) reduction (both with air and MA65) in the zone with a pH change. Inactivation of bioluminescence cells in the plasma penetrated zone confirmed that the plasma, and its generated reactive species, inactivate microbial as it penetrates into the gel. A two-minute HVACP direct treatment with air at 90 kV induced greater than 5 log₁₀ (CFU)<i> S</i>. <i>enterica </i>reduction in applesauce. <em></em></p> <p>The third study investigated the interactions between HVACP and protein, using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The physicochemical and structural alteration of BSA and its reaction mechanism, when subjected to HVACP, were investigated. After treating 10 mL of BSA solution (50 mg/mL) at 90 kV for 20, 40, or 60 min, we characterized structural alteration and side-group modification. FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and circular dichroism analysis indicated protein unfolding and decreased secondary structure (25 % loss of α-helix, 12% loss of β-sheet) in HVACP treated BSA. Average particle size in the protein solutions increased from 10 nm to 113 µm, with a broader distribution after 60 min HVACP treatment indicating protein aggregation. SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometer analysis observed a formation of new peptides of 1 to 10 kDa, indicating that the plasma triggered peptide bond cleavage. Chemical analysis and mass spectrometer results confirmed the plasma modifications on the side chains of amino acids. This study reveals that HVACP treatment may effectively introduce structural alteration, protein aggregation, peptide cleavage, and side-group modification to proteins in aqueous conditions, through several physicochemical interactions between plasma reactive species (reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species) and the proteins. This finding can be readily applied to other plasma-protein studies or applications in the food system, such as enzyme inactivation or protein-based film modifications.</p>

Como líder mundial nas exportações de carne bovina, o Brasil vem se adequando às exigências dos mercados internacionais, investindo na aplicação de novos padrões de produção e comercialização. Entre as tecnologias desenvolvidas e aplicadas pela indústria de carnes, principalmente na Europa e nos Estados Unidos, a embalagem em atmosfera modificada visa a manutenção da qualidade durante a comercialização da carne in natura, centralizando as operações, rotulagem e distribuição do produto, além de estender a vida útil. Baseado no exposto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito dos sistemas de embalagens a vácuo e em atmosfera modificada sobre parâmetros de qualidade de carne de bovinos machos inteiros e fêmeas de descarte. Músculos Longissimus thoracis e Longissimus lumborum de ambos os sexos foram porcionados em bifes, embalados a vácuo e em três tipos de atmosferas modificadas (75%O2/25%CO2; 60%CO2/0,2%CO/39,8%N2 e 40%CO2/0,4%CO/59,6%N2) e estocados sob refrigeração a 2 °C por um período de 28 dias. Foram avaliadas características de cor, pH, oxidação lipídica e protéica, índice de fragmentação miofibrilar, colágeno total; força de cisalhamento e perda de peso por cocção. Atmosferas contendo CO melhoraram a estabilidade da cor da carne in natura ao longo do período experimental, resultando em bifes de cor vermelha desejável. Bifes embalados em atmosfera com O2 e vácuo apresentaram menor estabilidade da cor. Não houve interferência dos tipos de embalagem no pH da carne, no entanto, foram observados maiores valores nos bifes de macho inteiro comparado aos de fêmea de descarte. A estabilidade oxidativa, lipídica e protéica, da carne foi drasticamente afetada pela presença de O2 na embalagem, observando-se um processo oxidativo acelerado comparado às embalagens anóxicas. Os bifes apresentaram amaciamento gradual como corroborado pelas análises de força de cisalhamento e índice de fragmentação miofibrilar nos diferentes sistemas de embalagens, porém, atmosferas contendo CO favoreceram um processo acelerado do amaciamento da carne quando comparadas ao vácuo e atmosfera com alto O2. O teor de colágeno total e as perdas de peso por cocção dos bifes não foram afetados pelos diferentes sistemas de embalagem e o período prolongado de estocagem. Houve correlações significativas (p<0,05; 0,01; 0,0001) entre determinados parâmetros de qualidade da carne para ambos os músculos e sexos. / As a world leader in beef exports, Brazil has been adapting to the demands of international markets, investing in the application of new patterns of production and marketing. Among the developed and applied technologies by the meat industry, mainly in Europe and the United States, modified atmosphere packaging is designed to ensure quality during the marketing of fresh beef, centralizing operations, labeling and distribution of the product and extends life. Based on the foregoing, the present study was to evaluate the effect of vacuum packaging systems and modified atmosphere on quality parameters of meat from bulls and cows. Longissimus thoracis and Longissimus lumborum of both sexes were portioned into steaks, vacuum-packed in three types of modified atmospheres (75%O2/25%CO2, 60%CO2/0.2%CO/39.8%N2 and 40%CO2/0.4%CO/59.6%N2) and stored under refrigeration at 2ºC for a 28 days period. Were evaluated characteristics like color, pH, lipid and protein oxidation, myofibrillar fragmentation index, total collagen, shear force and cooking loss. Atmospheres containing CO have improved color stability of fresh beef during the trial period, resulting in a beef with the desirable red. Steaks packaged in atmosphere with O2 and vacuum had a lower color stability. There was no interference of the packaging types in the pH of meat, however, higher values were observed in all male beef compared to the females of discard. The oxidative stability, lipidic and proteic of meat, has been drastically affected by the presence of O2 in the pack, observing an accelerated oxidation process compared to anoxic packaging. The steaks showed gradual tenderization as corroborated by shear force and myofibrillar fragmentation index analysis, in different packaging systems, however, atmosphere containing CO favored an accelerated process of tenderization of the flesh when compared to vacuum and high-oxygen atmospheric. The total collagen content and the cooking losses by the steaks were not affected by different packaging systems and the long time of stocking. There were significant correlations (p < 0.05, 0.01, 0.0001) between certain parameters of meat quality for both muscles and sexes.