Bread texture and saltiness; Buffaloberry functionalities; Garlic and food safety

Examining bread texture and saltiness
Making changes to the texture of bread may affect the saltiness perception and provide a way for food product developers to formulate with less salt, according to a study published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The researchers began by baking wheat bread using different proofing times to let the dough rise. The longer the proof time, the softer the bread was and the larger the pores were. The subjects participating in the study rated the bread made from dough subjected to the longest proofing times (90 and 120 minutes) as more salty even though each bite contained less salt, according to the results. The researchers concluded that a combination of crumb firmness and pore size affected the sodium release from bread, with a larger pore size leading to a softer crumb and faster sodium release. They did add that if the pore size is too large and the texture is too soft, the rate of sodium release is reduced.

The study, “Influence of Texture on the Perception of Saltiness in Wheat Bread,” appeared in the Nov. 13, 2013, issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Buffaloberry exhibits several functionalities
Indigenous people of North America have historically consumed buffaloberry as a food source, but the berry has limited commercial availability. Rich in lycopene and other antioxidants, buffaloberry may hold potential health benefits as well as function as a source of naturally derived food colorants, report researchers from Ohio State University and South Dakota State University.

The researchers used liquid chromatography/mass spectral analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine that the primary carotenoids in buffaloberry are lycopene and methyl apo-6’-lycopenoate and that the fruit contained high total phenolics amounts. Many Native Americans consume the bright red fruit, which grows on and around Native American reservations in the Midwestern United States. The fruit has a tart flavor and is high in sugar, making it a sought-after ingredient in the developing wine industry in South Dakota.

The study, “Variation in Lycopene and Lycopenoates, Antioxidant Capacity, and Fruit Quality of Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea [Pursh]Nutt.),” appeared in the November 2013 issue of Journal of Food Science.

Garlic compounds may aid food safety
Garlic contains a number of compounds that research shows may confer a number of health benefits. New research published shows that two compounds derived from garlic can significantly reduce the contamination risk of a foodborne pathogen in the production of dry infant formula powder.

Cronobacter sakazakii is sometimes present in dry infant formula powder and other fortified foods, and while C. sakazakii infection is rare, it is often fatal for infants. A trace dose of the compounds diallyl sulfide and ajoene was effective in killing the pathogen when tested in the food manufacturing process, remarks Xiaonon Lu, a corresponding author and an assistant professor of food safety engineering at the University of British Columbia. He says that the compounds can be used on food contact surfaces at all stages during food production.

The study, “Investigating Cronobacter sakazakii Responses to Garlic-derived Organosulfur Compounds: A Systematic Study of Pathogenic Bacteria Injury using High-throughput Whole Transcriptome Sequencing and Confocal Micro-Raman Spectroscopy,” appeared online early in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, doi: 10.1128/AEM.03460-13.

Consumers choose nuts for snacking
Nuts are one of the top 10 snack foods in the United States, chosen for their health attributes as well as for being a convenient, on-the-go snacking option, finds The NPD Group.

Health-conscious consumers are eating nuts as a morning snack, but they are also eating them throughout the day as a better-for-you snack. NPD reports that these consumers are more likely seniors and empty nesters, adult females, and those from higher-income households.

Other consumers snack on nuts because they are a convenient grab-and-go food. NPD research shows that 77% of U.S. households have nuts available and 19% of consumers eat nuts at least once in a two-week period. Consumers also eat nuts as an in-home snack as well as incorporate nuts into breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals.

Plant antimicrobials improve edible films
Edible films that are made with plant antimicrobials show promise in helping to control Salmonella Newport contamination of organic bagged leafy greens, according to a study published in Journal of Food Science.

The researchers incorporated carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde, the active compounds in oregano oil and cinnamon oil, respectively, into edible films made from apple, carrot, and hibiscus at 0.5%, 1.5%, and 3.0% concentrations. The leafy green samples (romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, mature spinach, and baby spinach) were washed, dip inoculated with S. Newport (107 CFU/mL), and dried. The samples along with edible film pieces were put into Ziploc^® bags. The contents were mixed and the bags were sealed and stored at 4°C. Tests for enumeration of survivors were taken at days 0, 3, and 7.

The results showed that the films that contained carvacrol were more effective against S. Newport than the films made with cinnamaldehyde. The researchers also learned that the films were most effective for iceberg lettuce, perhaps due to differences in the plant tissue morphology and hydrophobicity. They say that these films show potential for use by the leafy greens industry but that sensory evaluation of the leafy greens should be studied.

The study, “Apple, Carrot, and Hibiscus Edible Films Containing the Plant Antimicrobials Carvacrol and Cinnamaldehyde Inactivate Salmonella Newport on Organic Leafy Greens in Sealed Plastic Bags,” appeared online early in Journal of Food Science, doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.12318.

Menus need more flavor diversity
Foodservice operators continue to offer products featuring familiar flavors that consumers have come to enjoy. But to generate new interest and drive more sales, they also need to understand how trending flavors can bring new life to classic menu offerings, reports Technomic Inc.

Technomic’s consumer research shows that 73% of consumers say that if they try and like a menu item with an innovative flavor, they would be highly likely to return and purchase the same menu item. Since the foodservice business sector is competitive, flavor diversity and being aware of the up-and-coming flavors is the key to help foodservice operators differentiate their menu offerings from other operators, says Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President of Technomic. The company also reports that 54% of consumers say they prefer hot or spicy sauces, dips, and condiments, up from 48% in 2011, 37% of consumers are driven to try new flavors, and 41% of consumers say that new flavors can influence them to visit a restaurant. A top trend that Technomic notes is flavor synergy.

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What’s new with food companies
• Almond Board of California has launched a consumer advertising campaign, Crunch On, in national print, broadcast, and online outlets.

• Autocrat has acquired Coffee Extracts & Ingredients.

• Barry Callebaut has opened a chocolate processing factory in Eskisehir, Turkey.

• Bio Springer recently relocated its office operation in Montreal, Canada, to Milwaukee, Wis.

• Bob’s Red Mill has announced plans to expand its production and distribution facilities to meet customer demand.

• Cargill has been granted a U.S. patent for the use of its Xtend^® sucromalt sweetener in foods and beverages.

• Clif Bar & Co. is building a bakery facility in Twin Falls, Idaho.

• The AOAC Research Institute has certified the DuPont™ BAX^® System as a Performance Tested Method^SM for detecting Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in beef trim and ground beef.

• DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products Company LLC has partnered with Symrise for the use of Zemea^® USP propanediol as a carrier for compounded flavors.

• Firmenich has opened a new encapsulation facility in Indonesia.

• The Venezuelan Popular Power Ministry of Health has approved Ganeden Biotech’s GanedenBC30 for use in food applications.

• Indena will produce and commercialize Pharmatoka’s cranberry extract in Japan, South Korea, China, India, and Russia.

• SCS Global Services has certified Kemin’s rosemary production as sustainably grown.

• Kerry Group has opened a new Kerry Regional Development & Application Centre in Dubai, UAE.

• Silliker, a Mérieux NutriSciences company, has opened an analytical lab in Querétaro, Mexico.

• DQS has certified Symrise as a “green company” for meeting global environmental standards of the Global Conformance Program.

• Symrise Scent & Care has opened a laboratory for the synthesis and catalysis of new molecules, and it will investigate ways to conduct the processes with less environmental impact.

• Synergy Flavors recently opened its corporate headquarters, Innovation Center, and manufacturing plant in Wauconda, Ill.

• Taiyo’s Sunfiber manufacturing facility in Aurangabad, India, has achieved Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000 certification.

• The European Commission has approved TIC Gums’ TICAmulsion for use in foods and beverages in Europe.

• Virginia Dare and Soarary have launched a sustainability initiative in Madagascar to improve the vanilla market.

 

Karen Nachay,
Senior Associate Editor
[email protected]