Nila Ghasemkhani

Advances in food packaging technology are required for implementation in novel food processes. Nonthermally processed food products have unique quality parameters compared to conventional food products processed by thermal treatment. Therefore, nonthermal processes have new requirements of processing and packaging to protect the quality of nonthermally processed foods. The conventional packaging design and materials should be changed accordingly for nonthermally processed foods. Critical protective barrier properties of packaging materials must remain to prevent chemical, physical, or microbial degradation of the contents after nonthermal processing. In this paper the critical role of information carried by packaging materials is discussed to make a new product produced by a novel process (Pulsed Electric Field, High pressure processing, antioxidant films and coatings, Irradiation, Active packaging) attractive to consumers.

High pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal technology used in the food industry because of its capacity to preserving most of the nutritional, sensory and functional properties of the processed food products and diminish the microbial load. HPP maintains the nutritional value and quality of food and therefore does not result in any undesirable changes associated with thermal processing. This thechnology is an emerging nonthermal technology that can ensure the same level of food safety as heat pasteurization and produces fresher-tasting, minimally processed foods. Processing aims to prolong the shelf life while the original sensory and nutritional properties are maintained as high as possible within the constraints put forward by microbial safety. There is a relationship between pressure induced changes on proteins, fats and selected quality parameters in different foods. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of HPP on the proteome and gain further insights into how this impacts on nutritional properties of food products.

The specific effects of chilling and freezing are meat tenderness and texture, drip production, meat colour and appearance and odor and flavor. Low temperatures are required during carcass storage to prevent microbial spoilage. Cold shortening or cold toughening depends on the difference between hot carcass and environmental temperatures. Carcass size and degree of fatness are other factors that influence carcass temperature decline. Most concern during storage, distribution and retail display of meat and meat products is the minimum growth temperature for a microorganism. Domestic refrigeration and freezing significantly improves the texture, juiciness and aroma of meat. This paper discusses the effects of chilling and freezing on the quality of meat.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a heterogeneous family and they are associated with various plant and animal niches and play a key role in the production of fermented foods and beverages The lactic acid bacteria used in a variety of ways, including food production, health improvement and production of macromolecules, nzymes and metabolites. Species-to-species variation in the number of pseudogenes as well as genes directing nutrient uptake and metabolism reflects the adaptation of LAB to food matrices and the gastrointestinal tract. Genomic analyses of multiple members of the lactic acid bacteria, at the genus, species, and strain level, have now elucidated many genetic features that direct their fermentative and probiotic roles. This review is based on the genomic content of LAB that is responsible for the functional and ecological diversity of these bacteria and highlights some of the findings from these analyses in the context of the numerous roles the LAB play.