Journal of Food Technology and Nutrition
Year:2010 | Volume:7 | Issue:3 (27)|Papers Count:9

Introduction: The prevalence of diseases related to high fat and low calcium diets have caused the increase of consumers’ demand as well as recommendations of international scientific organizations on consuming low-fat and calcium fortified food products. The main objective of this research is producing a low fat, calcium fortified meat product as a healthy and functional food.Materials and Methods: In this study, a dietary corn bran fiber, named z-trim (1.2% and 1.7%) and calcium gluconate (20% RDA) were used to reduce fat and enrich sausages, respectively. Chemical (fat, protein, moisture, calcium, ash and pH), physical (texture and color) and sensory properties of samples were analyzed.Results: The results indicated a decrease of 34-63% fat and an increase of 88.74-88.82% calcium respectively as compared to control. In addition, the samples which were treated only with z-trim had a softer texture, while a combined treatment of z-trim and calcium gluconate resulted in a product similar to control, in respect of texture.Conclusion: In this study, a new formulation for producing a healthy meat product with lower fat and higher dietary fiber and calcium content as a functional food was introduced.

Introduction: The development of breads with flours of higher extraction rate is of importance due to the health benefits. In bread making, the presence of bran deteriorates the rheological properties of dough, and reduces the texture quality. This research is aimed to investigate the effects of variation in flour extraction rate on dough quality, staling and retrogradation of Lavash breads.Materials and Methods: Three flours with extraction rates of 90%, 85% and 58% were selected. Flours were analyzed for chemical and rheological properties and the staling of breads was measured using Instron Universal Testing Method. The gelatinization and retrogradation of starch in breads were measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).Results: The results indicated that by increasing the extraction rate, quality of flour and bread is reduced due to the presence of bran particles. The results also indicated that the breads produced from flours with higher extraction rate were softer in the first day of storage and the staling rate was slower due to higher water absorbtion. Lower gelatinization and retrogradation in these breads were also observed.Conclusion: Considering the results it was concluded that high extraction rate flours were not suitable for producing Lavash bread due to its negative effects on the total quality.

Introduction: Several factors that might affect the alcoholic fermentation of vinegar production are considered. Addition of suitable supplementary nutrient might accelerate the growth of yeast, increasing the yield and shorten the duration of fermentation stage.Materials and Methods: In this study, the effect of pH (4, 4.5 and 5) on the rate of sugar conversion to alcohol in apple juice by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. The effect of addition of date seed powder was investigated at three different levels (0, 1 and 2%).Results: The results showed that the difference in the rate of sugar conversion to alcohol above mentioned treatments were significant (p<0.05). The rate of sugar conversion to alcohol at pH 4.5 was higher than pH 4 and 5. After the addition of date seed powder, indicated that the difference in growth of yeast and consequently production of ethanol at above mentioned treatments were significant (p<0.05). The rate of sugar conversion to alcohol at the first 48 hour of fermentation was 16.6, 22 and 44% for treatment with 0, 1 and 2% date seed powder respectively.Conclusion: Date seed powder as a suitable supplementary nutrient can accelerate the growth of yeast and production of ethanol.

Introduction: With attention to damages due to dietetic absorption of lead and cadmium, such as disorder in operation of kidney and liver, increasing cordial-coronary disease, anemia, decreasing pregnancy, and most important, increasing spontaneously metal absorption and being one of the important selective food to nourish infants and other age groups, the concentrations of Pb and Cd in raw cow's milk samples, which were taken from different regions of Yazd province, were determined.Materials and Methods: A total of 25 samples of raw cow's milk were obtained on the base of ISO: 707.Measurement of lead and cadmium was carried out by slurry method and Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (ETAAS) with Zeeman basis correction.Results: The mean concentrations were determined in raw milk for Pb (7.2µg/kg) and Cd (0.582µg/kg). Statistical analyses showed that there are no significant differences between lead and cadmium concentrations in raw cow's milk samples from different regions of Yazd province. In all the samples measured lead and cadmium contents, were less than authorized limit by FAO/WHO standard (Pb: 20µg/kg and Cd: 10µg/kg).Conclusion: With respect to the results obtained, It seems that the concentrations of Pb and Cd in raw milk produced in Yazd did not present any major risk to human health (infants and adults).

Introduction: Drying influences physicochemical and quality characteristics of products. In this research, date palm, as an important, Iranian agricultural crop, has been studied during drying process.Materials and Methods: Date palms (V. Barhee) in khalal stage, with and without skin, were dried as single layer at the different air temperatures of 60, 70 and 80°C and air velocity of 1.5 m/s in a cabinet dryer. A numerical model was developed to simulate two-directional moisture transfer during single layer drying of dates in the base of Fick’s second law of diffusion by finite difference method on MATLAB software.Results: The predicted water loss content was validated by comparison with the experimental values (r>0.99). The results indicated that this model, firstly, describes well the mechanisms of moisture diffusion in a two-dimensional transfer during drying of date palms and, secondly, it is appropriate to be applied for prediction of moisture profiles and water loss during drying.Conclusion: The numerical, developed may be used to predict the moisture transport phenomena of date palm during drying, in order to control the process and produce high quality products.

Introduction: The industry often searches for ways to yield the maximum edible, wholesome product from the meat or poultry carcass. The mechanical separation process is a technology that industry uses to obtain more usable product from bones from which the muscle has been removed. These products referred to as “mechanically separated chicken meat or MSCM”. MSCM is employed as an ingredient in the formulation of sausages in Iran.Materials and Methods: In this research, 50 samples of MSCM were collected during the separation process in sausage factories in Tehran. The samples were transferred to laboratory immediately in refrigerated condition. Microbial conditions of MSCM in accordance with the standard of Iran were analyzed. The microbial parameters were consisted of enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci, E. coli, aerobic colony count and detection of Salmonella.Results: The results indicated that 27 samples were conforming to the standard while 23 did not.Conclusion: Therefore the application of MSCM might be recommended only for heat treated meat products.

Introduction: In order to develop low-calorie semi-hard biscuits, fat was reduced 5 to 50 percent based on flour weight and diacetyltartaric esters of monoglycerids (DATEM) was added at the concentrations of 0.42 to 0.99 percent of the weight of the flour as emulsifier.Materials and Methods: After producing the biscuits in the pilot, fat content, dimensions, weight, density and texture were considered in order to evaluate the effects of various levels of emulsifier on the mentioned parameters.Results: The results which were analyzed by response surface method (RSM) showed that fat reduction decreases the size and weight of the biscuits (p£0.05) and the role of DATEM is more significant in some characteristics namely texture which causes less hardness of fat-reduced biscuits (p£0.05). Thickness and density of the biscuits were affected by both factors (p£0.05). Biscuits were also evaluated by 35 non-trained panelists and the results indicated that by choosing the optimum levels of fat reduction (28 percent of flour weight) and DATEM (0.71 percent of flour weight) acceptable biscuits can be produced.Conclusion: DATEM might be used in the biscuit formulation and this emulsifier has positive effects on some quality factors of the final product such as texture, width, thickness, weight and density. Also by using the proper concentration of this emulsifier, production of low fat biscuits is achievable.

Introduction: Yogurt is a fermented dairy product which is a popular product throughout the world. It has been known as a healthy product during recent years because of its high amount of calcium and protein. This product is produced with different concentrations of fat but due to increasing demand for consumption of low fat and nonfat products especially for people with cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidemia, it is preferred to use nonfat milk for production of these products. It is obvious that full fat yogurts might have a better texture and flavor therefore in order to make these characteristics in low fat and non fat products, the application of suitable fat replacers and additives is essential.Materials and Methods: In this study corn starch and gelatin in two different concentrations (0.5 and 1%) were used for production of non fat yogurt. The chemical properties of the produced yogurts consisting of dry matter, ash, acidity, pH and synersis were measured 1, 7 and 15 days after production and compared to the control (nonfat yogurt without these additives).Results: The results showed that yogurts produced with starch and 0.5% gelatin had a better texture and flavor than the control sample. Chemical properties of these yogurts were acceptable however the addition of 1% gelatin did not produce satisfactory results.Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that stabilizing agents might be employed to improve the quality of non fat set yogurt.