A milk and egg mixture was processed at 96C and 92C with 10 sec hold times and evaluated for nutritional composition, functional characteristics, and shelf-life. The process was more than sufficient to destroy Coxiella burnetti and Salmonella senftenberg which were the most heat resistant organisms of concern in processing this milk and egg mix. The spoilage organisms received 2,200 D and 425 D processes, respectively, which were more than adequate for providing a safe product and extending the shelf life of the product for seven weeks under refrigerated storage conditions. Both sweetened and unsweetened formulations were evaluated. The nutritional profile of the milk and egg mix was improved when dried eggs (solids and liquid proportion equivalent to whole egg) were replaced with dried egg white, cholesterol reduced egg yolk, and skim milk. The fat and cholesterol were reduced between 22 to 33% and 37 to 44%, respectively, in the cholesterol reduced formulation (CRF) as compared to the control formulation (CF). The protein content of the milk and egg mix was not altered by utilization of cholesterol - reduced egg yolk in the CRF as compared to the CF. Addition of beta-galactosidase decreased the lactose up to 96%. The CF were more yellow than the CRF in the mixes and baked gels (p< 0.05). There were also no difference in gel strength between the baked gels made from the two formulations. There were no significant chemical and physical changes over the seven week storage period of the product at refrigerated conditions (p< 0.05). / Master of Science

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of type of milk (whole; nonfat; nonfat, 70% lactose-reduced) and type of egg (fresh, whole egg; egg substitute) on the quality of baked custards. The egg substitute was a combination of dried egg whit e solids, dried low-fat, low-cholesterol egg yolk solids, and xanthan gum. Custard formulations served as prototypes for use in studies conducted in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech. In those studies, the effects of processing parameters on the quality of the custards were examined. The goal of all the studies was to develop shelf-stable lactose-reduced custard mixes that have potential for use in the foodservice industry. In Experiment I, chemical, physical, and sensory characteristics of a dessert type baked custard, made with sucrose, were examined. In Experiment II, the same characteristics were examined for a cheese flavored, entree type custard made without sucrose. Results indicate that use of nonfat and nonfat, 70% lactose-reduced milk in place of whole milk decreased significantly total fat and cholesterol concentrations in both types of custard mixes. Lactose-reduced milk also decreased lactose and increased galactose concentrations. The egg substitute decreased total fat and cholesterol concentrations and increased protein concentration. In general, lactose reduction had little effect on the physical and sensory characteristics of both types of custards, but the egg substitute affected these characteristics. Custards made with the egg substitute had less intense yellow color and greater gel strength than those made with fresh, whole egg. These custards also were less bright and more uneven in color and had weaker egg flavor and aftertaste. Based on results of this study, development of a lactose-reduced custard is feasible. However, additional studies are needed to examine potential for use of the formulations in the foodservice industry. Because the mixes could be used as bases for other types of products, such as custard pies, filled pastries, and quiches, studies that focus on development of those products could help define the niche for the mixes in the foodservice industry. Because of the trend in today1s market for reduced-fat, reduced-cholesterol foods, additional studies could be done to examine the effects of various types of egg substitutes on the quality of the custards. / Master of Science

Submitted by Maria Medeiros (maria.dilva1@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-09-25T11:56:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MARCOS ANTÔNIO AMARAL LINS - TESE (PPGEP) 2013.pdf: 2840885 bytes, checksum: 13b6f2695a2ffd6be9d615430752bc2d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-25T11:56:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARCOS ANTÔNIO AMARAL LINS - TESE (PPGEP) 2013.pdf: 2840885 bytes, checksum: 13b6f2695a2ffd6be9d615430752bc2d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-07-05 / Para muitos gêneros alimentícios, o processo de transferência de calor é essencial para se chegar à condição de consumo humano. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o fenômeno da difusão transiente de calor em alimentos pastosos contidos em recipientes cilíndricos. O estudo apresenta soluções para a equação de difusão com condição de contorno do primeiro tipo. Foram desenvolvidas ferramentas analíticas (otimizador acoplado à solução analítica) para a descrição da difusão de calor em produtos pastosos com as formas mencionadas. As ferramentas analíticas foram validadas através de dados obtidos por simulação numérica tanto para o cilindro infinito quanto para o finito. Os erros cometidos com as ferramentas desenvolvidas no cálculo da difusividade térmica aparente para os dados simulados são aceitáveis quando o sensor de temperatura é colocado na região mais interna do cilindro. Os resultados obtidos para a difusividade térmica aparente de agar gel, purê de tomate e creme custard são compatíveis com os resultados encontrados na literatura para esses produtos. O software Finite Cylinder First Kind foi desenvolvido, validado e aplicado aos dados do purê de tomate, creme custard e agar gel para várias posições no interior do cilindro finito onde estes gêneros alimentícios se encontravam. Todos os resultados obtidos por otimização e simulação tiveram uma excelente concordância com os resultados experimentais. O método numérico se mostrou mais eficiente do que o analítico, na descrição do processo de difusão de calor nos produtos estudados, devido sua versatilidade de permitir a obtenção da solução da equação de difusão considerando a difusividade térmica variável com a temperatura local. / For many foodstuffs, the process of heat transfer is essential to reach the condition human consumption. The present work aims to study the phenomenon of transient diffusion of heat in pasty foodstuffs contained in cylindrical containers. The study presents solutions for the diffusion equation with boundary condition of the first kind. Analytical tools were developed - optimizer coupled to the analytical solution - to describe the diffusion of heat into products with the forms mentioned. Analytical tools were validated using data obtained by numerical simulation for both the cylinder the infinite and finite. The tools developed minimize errors in calculating the thermal diffusivity for the simulated data are acceptable when the temperature sensor is placed in the innermost region of the cylinder. The results obtained for the thermal diffusivity of agar gel, tomato puree and cream custard are consistents with the results found in the literature for these products. The software finite cylinder first kind was developed, validated and applied to data of tomato puree, cream custard and agar gel for various positions within the finite and infinite cylinder filled with these foodstuffs. All results obtained by simulation and optimization had an excellent agreement with the experimental results. The numerical method is more efficient than the analytical description of the heat diffusion process in the products, due to their versatility that allows obtaining the solution of the diffusion equation considering the thermal diffusivity varies with local temperature.

Total soluble solids (TSS) is a reliable indicator of melon eating quality, with a minimum standard of 10% recommended. The state of Australian melon production with respect to this quality criterion was considered within seasons, between growing districts and over seasons. It was concluded that improvement in agronomic practice and varietal selection is required to produce sweeter melons. The scientific literature addressing melon physiology and agronomy was summarised, as a background to the work that is required to improve melon production practices in Australia. The effect of source sink manipulation was assessed for commercially grown and glasshouse grown melon plants. The timing of fruit thinning, pollination scheduling, the application of a growth inhibitor and source biomass removal were assessed in relation to fruit growth and sugar accumulation. Results are interpreted against a model in which fruit rapidly increase in weight until about two weeks before harvest, with sugar accumulation continuing as fruit growth ceases. Thus treatment response is very dependant on timing of application. For example, fruit thinning at 25 days before harvest resulted in further fruit set and increased fruit weight but did not impact on fruit TSS (at 9.8%, control 9.3%), while thinning at 5 days before harvest resulted in a significant (Pless than 0.05) increase in fruit TSS (to 10.8%, control 9.3%) and no increase in fruit weight or number. A cost/ benefit analysis is presented, allowing an estimation of the increase in sale price required to sustain the implementation of fruit thinning. The effect of irrigation scheduling was also considered with respect to increasing melon yield and quality. To date, recommended practice has been to cause an irrigation deficit close to fruit harvest, with the intent of 'drying out' or 'stressing' the plant, to 'bring on' maturity and increase sugar accumulation. Irrigation trials showed that keeping plants stress-free close to harvest and during harvest, facilitated the production of sweeter fruit. The maintenance of a TSS grade standard using either batch based (destructive) sampling or (non-invasive) grading of individual fruit is discussed. On-line grading of individual fruit is possible using near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), but the applicability of the technique to melons has received little published attention. Tissue sampling strategy was optimised, in relation to the optical geometry used (in commercial operation in Australia), both in terms of the diameter and depth of sampled tissue. NIR calibration model performance was superior when based on the TSS of outer, rather than inner mesocarp tissue. However the linear relationship between outer and middle tissue TSS was strong (r2 = 0.8) in immature fruit, though less related in maturing fruit (r2 = 0.5). The effect of fruit storage (maturation/senescence) on calibration model performance was assessed. There was a negligible effect of fruit cold storage on calibration performance. Currently, the agronomist lacks a cost-effective tool to rapidly assess fruit TSS in the field. Design parameters for such a tool were established, and several optical front ends compared for rapid, though invasive, analysis. Further, for visualisation of the spatial distribution of tissue TSS within a melon fruit, a two-dimensional, or hyper-spectral NIR imaging system based on a low cost 8-bit charge coupled device (CCD) camera and filter arrangement, was designed and characterised.