Extension of Blueberry Shelf-Life with Edible Coatings from Chlorella Vulgaris

Berries are fruits with a particularly high nutritional value and content of bioactive components, which leads to an ever-increasing demand. However, their supply is hampered by their seasonality and sensitivity while being transported and stored. Typically, oxidative reactions, contamination by pathogenic microorganisms, bacteria that induce spoiling, respiratory processes, and poor storage conditions lead to degradation. In the food sector, it is still very difficult to extend the shelf life of berries while retaining their nutritional composition, physical properties, and appealing appearance. Edible coating is an emerging food protection procedure, as it can increase the shelf life of berries, is a sustainable process, and can be safely consumed as part of the product. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of edible coatings developed components derived from microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) on the shelf life of blueberries and compare them with conventional ones. Polysaccharides and proteins were extracted from Chlorella vulgaris and were incorporated into a membrane system that also contained plasticizers and other elements The creation of conventional membranes involved the use of chitosan and potato starch. The created coatings were applied to the berries, which were then analysed for colour, weight loss, content of Total Soluble Solids, Total Acidity, Antioxidant Activity and microbiological growth in order to establish the shelf-life of the product. The coatings made from algae extracts, according to the results of all tests, produced products with excellent quality and long shelf lives

Effect of different disinfecting procedures on the hardness and color stability of two maxillofacial elastomers over time

Objective Disinfection procedures often cause deterioration in a maxillofacial prosthesis. Color and hardness alterations could lead to a replacement of the prosthesis. Material and Methods An experimental chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and a commercial polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) sample were treated with four different disinfection procedures for a period which simulates 1 year of clinical service. The applied disinfection procedures included microwave exposure and immersion in three solutions, sodium hypochlorite, neutral soap and a commercial disinfecting soap. Shore A hardness (∆H) and color differences (∆E) were determined before and after each procedure. All data were analyzed by Two Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc tests at a level of α=0.05. Results The samples presented significant alterations in color and hardness after the different disinfection treatments. The color differences (∆E) were at least eye detectable in all cases and clinically unacceptable in most of the cases, with values ranging from 1.51 to 4.15 and from 1.54 to 5.92 for the PDMS and CPE material, respectively. Hardness was decreased after all the disinfection procedures in the PDMS, while for the CPE, a decrement was observed after disinfection with sodium hypochlorite and neutral soap and an increment after microwave exposure and the disinfection with a commercial antimicrobial agent. The PDMS samples presented greater alterations in color and hardness after disinfection with sodium hypochlorite solution, while the microwave exposure caused negligible effects. The CPE samples were affected most after disinfection when treated with neutral soap, and more slightly when disinfected with sodium hypochlorite solution. Conclusions The disinfection procedures caused alterations in color and hardness of the examined materials. The most suitable disinfection procedure for the PDMS material is microwave exposure, while disinfection with sodium hypochlorite solution is not recommended. The CPE material is suggested to be disinfected with sodium hypochlorite solution and the use of neutral soap is not recommended. Comparing the two materials, the PDMS material is most color stable, while the CPE material presented fewer changes in hardness

Formulation of Enhanced Animal Feed Using Extrusion Processing

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing innovative strategies to enhance the nutritional quality and health benefits of animal feeds. Phytogenic compounds derived from plants have demonstrated various bioactive properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. However, incorporating these compounds into animal feeds while preserving their efficacy poses a challenge due to their sensitive nature. The current study focuses on the formulation of bioactive feed extrudates containing phytogenic compounds through extrusion processing to address this challenge. Specifically, a combination of essential oils from oregano, rosemary, chamomile, and hypericum (EOB) was examined and integrated into the standard feed through a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The bioactive feed formulation was analyzed and compared to the conventional corn flour-based feed before and after the extrusion process. All extrudates were thoroughly evaluated regarding extrusion efficiency, morphology, physicochemical characteristics, bioactivity, and EOB release rate. Results revealed that the bioactive extrudates exhibited satisfying overall behavior concerning stability and mechanical properties. This study reveals the feasibility of creating enhanced feed by incorporating the essential oil blend (EOB) studied in the conventional feed blend through extrusion cooking. These findings contribute significantly to the ongoing efforts towards the replacement of synthetic feed additives through a novel and sustainable approach

Economic Analysis and Sustainability Study of a Coffee Production Process in Line with Circular Economy

The coffee industry is raising environmental concerns around the world due to the high energy consumption and waste produced from processing coffee beans. The highest energy consumption is the roasting stage, which utilizes thermal energy from burning fossil fuels to heat the air to a temperature of around 220 °C. This hot stream is usually vented to the atmosphere. Additionally, the process produces a by-product known as ‘silverskin’, which is commonly discarded to landfills or gets incinerated by most industries as a waste. This by-product has the potential to be exploited for the generation of high value-added products, due to its high content in antioxidant compounds. In this study, energy-saving solutions related to hot stream recycling and the valorization of silverskin by-product were evaluated in the context of sustainability and circular economy. The proposed solutions of the present work include the installation of a heat pump for the pre-roasting of the coffee beans, resulting in a reduction in usage of fossil fuels and the incorporation of innovative extraction techniques for the recovery of valuable compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids. Moreover, an economic analysis of the proposed solutions was carried out with the aim of evaluating the economic feasibility and sustainability of this specific investment project. Finally, scale-up experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of the proposed methodologies in a conventional coffee production line

Supplementation of a Commercial Diet of European Seabass by an Algal Ethanolic Extract of Ulva lactuca

Ulva spp. has been investigated as a feed additive with promising results, while literature concerning the use of its ethanolic extracts on the European seabass diet is scarce. Such extracts have shown promising results towards the reduction of the use of antibiotics and the improvement of the final product quality in the aquaculture industry. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a Ulva lactuca extract of high antioxidant activity as a result of extraction process optimization on the growth performance and flesh biochemical composition of Dicentrarchus labrax. 450 fingerlings were separated into three experimental groups, and fed with supplemented diets at 1% and 3% w/w Ulva extract inclusion for 8 weeks. The specific growth rate of fish subjected to 3% inclusion increased at a rate of ~28% during the trial, while flesh mineral content was found to be ~15% higher than the control population (p0.05). Results of this study indicate that the targeted extraction of bioactive compounds from algae can potentially result in overcoming drawbacks regarding their digestibility and subsequently improve their use in the aquaculture industry