یحیی مقصودلو

Astaxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid pigment belonging to the xanthophyll group, is characterized by the presence of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in its structure. Within oxygenated carotenoid derivatives, it holds the highest concentration. Astaxanthin sources can be categorized into two main groups: natural and synthetic. Extensive research has focused on the recovery of carotenoids, including astaxanthin, from solid by-products of shrimp and crustaceans. This interest stems from its potential applications in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, and animal feed industries, attributed to its notable coloring and antioxidant properties. This study aims to compare the extraction of astaxanthin from the shells of shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) and Gammarus (Pontogammarus maeoticus). Two methods, the traditional soaking method and an ultrasound method utilizing a microemulsion of ionic liquid in water, were employed for the extraction process

The initial step involved the preparation of sample powder using a freeze dryer. Subsequently, the extraction process was initiated by combining the prepared samples with an ionic liquid microemulsion in water, maintaining a 5:1 ratio of solvent to sample. Two distinct methods were employed for extraction: the traditional soaking method conducted at room temperature for 24 hours and the ultrasound method, carried out at ambient temperature, utilizing a power of 60 watts for a duration of 30 minutes. The assessment of astaxanthin extraction was conducted through a spectrophotometer. Various parameters, including astaxanthin extraction amount, total carotenoid amount, extraction efficiency percentage, and antioxidant activity, were scrutinized. The antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH method

The ultrasound method proved to be highly effective in extracting astaxanthin from shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis), yielding a maximum amount of 76.30 ± 1.09 mg/ml. This result highlighted shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) as a superior source for astaxanthin extraction compared to Gammarus (Pontogammarus maeoticus). Moreover, the study demonstrated the superior efficiency of the ultrasound method over the soaking method, with extraction efficiencies for shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) calculated at 95% and 59%, respectively.The total carotenoid content for shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) was measured at 77.98±1.33 ml/g and 79.77±0.46 ml/g using the soaking and ultrasound methods, respectively. Notably, the antioxidant activity of astaxanthin extracted through the traditional soaking method surpassed that of the ultrasound method. However, when compared to the synthetic antioxidant BHT, astaxanthin exhibited lower antioxidant activity at increasing concentrations in both methods.In summary, the ultrasound method demonstrated its superiority in astaxanthin extraction, with shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) emerging as a more favorable source. Despite its lower antioxidant activity compared to BHT, astaxanthin's natural origin and extraction efficiency make it a promising candidate for various applications.

In general, the results of this research showed the importance of waste and new methods in extracting valuable compounds. In the context of extracting astaxanthin from two selected sources, shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) emerged as a superior source compared to Gammarus (Pontogammarus maeoticus). Furthermore, the study highlighted the ultrasound method as a promising alternative to traditional extraction methods, exhibiting superior performance and efficiency. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of sustainable practices and advanced techniques in maximizing the extraction of valuable compounds from natural sources.

 Astaxanthin is a widely used carotenoid pigment in the food industry which is extracted from various natural and synthetic sources. Nowadays, due to the adverse effects of organic solvents green solvents which are non-toxic, non-volatile and environmentally friendly have been proposed. Therefore, this study focuses on comparison of the extraction of astaxanthin from shrimp (Fenneropenaeus merguiensis) and Gammarus (Pontogammarus maeoticus) under soaking conditions for 24 hours with organic solvent (combination of ethanol with ethyl acetate), green solvent (microemulsion of ionic liquid in water) and vegetable oil (sunflower oil). Ionic liquid microemulsion in water is considered a newnovel solvent for astaxanthin extraction. Determination of density, conductivity and diameter were the characteristics of microemulsion test. In extraction,Solvent to sample ratios of 5x, 12.5x and 20x were used for the extraction and compared with the control sample.

merguiensis and P. maeoticus With species approval were procured from Persian Gulf Ecology Research Institute (Iran). Commercial astaxanthin (>98 % purity), α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were procured from Sigma-Aldrich (USA). The HPLC grade ethanol, propanol, ethyl acetate,, tributyl octyl phosphonium bromide, Triton X-100, and n-butanol were obtained from Merck Chemicals Co. (Germany). Refined sunflower oil which was antioxidant-free, was also purchased from Hayat Company (Iran). The shell of F. merguiensis and P. maeoticus were carefully washed with distilled water, then freeze-dried (Christ-Alpha 1–4, LD freeze dryer, Germany) for 48 h at -50 °C. After sieving the powders with a laboratory sieve with a mesh smaller than 15 µm. The obtained powders were kept at Refrigerator. All experiments were done in the Food and Drug Administration Department of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences.

 According to the results, the density of the microemulsion was determined in the range of 0.97151 g/cm3, its diameter was 15.8 nanometers and the conductivity was 312 microsiemens at 27.1°C. The results of astaxanthin extraction with different solvents in the comparison with control solvent were statistically significant (p< 0.05). According to the results obtained from the extraction of astaxanthin from two sources of shrimp and gammarus, shrimp was selected as the source with the highest amount of extracted astaxanthin. The use of green solvent (ionic liquid microemulsion in water) in a ratio of 12.5 times solvent to sample was also chosen as the optimal method. The amount of astaxanthin extracted under optimal conditions was 77.44 ± 1.09 mg/ml. The results of DPPH radical inhibition by extracted astaxanthin using ionic, oily and organic solvents compared to synthetic antioxidant BHT showed that the antioxidant activity increased with increasing the concentration of astaxanthin, but this increase was always lower than BHT.

In general, the results of this research show that the use of microemulsion based on ionic liquids is a suitable alternative to conventional methods in extracting and recovering astaxanthin from natural biological sources.

Nowadays, with the development of technology, following an appropriate diet is of great importance, and different people go on various diets. Moreover, some food intolerance cause people to change their diets inevitably, with celiac disease being one of them. In celiac, which is an autoimmune and hereditary disease, the mucosal mem-brane of the pa-tient small intestine is damaged and inflamed after the consumption of gluten-containing cereal-based products. Accordingly, Rice flour is typically used in the production of gluten-free cake, and given the qualitative defects of gluten-free products, gluten substitutes should be employed. Application of Pickering emulsion (PE) is a way of enhancing the properties viscoelastic of cake. Nowadays, the research about the use of emulsion in the structure of gluten-free products has been expanded to improve its quality features. According to this, one of the practical applications gluten-free food products are important for individuals with celiac disease or gluten-related disorders since they need to follow a strict gluten-free diet. This study provides information on a Pickering emulsion stabilized by soy protein nanoparticles use to boost the physical properties of gluten-free cake batter. Results showed that use of these additives improved the techno-functional properties of the gluten-free cake batter. Therefore, the findings of this study can be use-ful for the production of functional free-gluten food products with health-promoting at-tributes. The aim of this research was to use Pickering emulsion (PE) stabilized by soy protein nanoparticles and xanthan gum in gluten-free cake dough based on Rice flour and monitor its quality indicators during shelf life. Considering the studies conducted so far, PE based on plant proteins like soy protein and microbial polysaccharides like xanthan, has not ever been reported in the preparation of gluten-free cake. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to stabilize PE by soy protein nanoparticles (SPNs), as well as investi-gating its effects on gluten-free rice flour-based cake and evaluation of its quality indica-tors during shelf life.

In this study, Pickering emulsion was prepared from soy protein nanoparticles and xanthan solution 0.1% (w/v). For this purpose, sunflower oil (20%) was gently added to the mixture of xanthan solution (20%) and SPNs (60%), which was sub-sequently agitated using a homogenizer at 11000 rpm. Next, the intrinsic properties of emulsion such as hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity index (PDI) zeta potential, and creaming index of the SPNs and the PE were measured. Furthermore, the emulsifying activity (EA) test was performed according to the method presented by Dalev & Sime-onova (1995) with slight changes. Finally, the qualitative and viscoelastic properties of gluten-free cake-containing emulsion were investigated in comparison with the control sample during shelf life.

The results of this research showed that the presence of soy pro-tein nanoparticles along with xanthan gum caused stability, proper dispersion index, ho-mogeneity of particles, and determining the electrical state of the surface of particles in PE. In fact, the prepared PE had an acceptable dispersity, because the lower the PDI is, the more suitable the dispersity is, and the more homogenous the particles are. The zeta potentials of the SPNs and the PE were equal to -13.166 and -30.696 mV, respectively. The high zeta potential of colloidal particles causes an increase in electrostatic repulsive forces between them, thus raising the system physical stability at pH values above its isoe-lectric point. On the other hand, the emulsion prepared using the SPNs and the xanthan solution showed a higher zeta potential. Generally, xanthan solution is negatively charged at neutral pH, due to the occurrence of acidic groups in the structure of this gum. The presence of negative charge in both the SPNs and the gum elevated the zeta potential of the emulsion. The ability of the emulsion to resist the changes during three weeks showed insignificant phase separation and also with 78% emulsion activity. In addition, the pres-ence of PE (20 mL/100g rice flour) in the formulation of gluten-free cake dough im-proved the viscoelastic properties and quality of the final product during the shelf life of one week. In fact, considering the capability and usage of these emulsions in the food industry, especially the bakery industry, it improved the quality characteristics of cake products for the consumer, such as the specific volume and porosity of the cake, its tex-ture strength, and its shelf life. Pickering emulsion increased the moisture content in the cake, which had a positive effect on the hardness of the sample. Whereas, the volume and porosity decreased in the cake containing Pickering emulsion. On the other hand, the col-or of the sample was better maintained over time by adding emulsion during shelf life.

Based on the results of this research, SPNs improved the PE stability. Fur-thermore, xanthan gum inhibited the aggregation of the oil droplets by increasing the PE consistency and forming a network in the emulsion. The presence of PE in the gluten-free cake batter formulation caused a relative decrease in volume and porosity compared to the control sample by creating a coherent and uniform structure. By maintaining more moisture during the storage period, PE had much better viscoelastic and color characteris-tics compared to the control sample.

AbstractDue to the perishable nature of food, especially vegetables, and the need for long-term storage, freezing is one of the best methods to preserve food, and thawing is often required to use frozen products. The purpose of this study was to use the combined method of defrosting using hot air-infrared radiation on the quality characteristics of defrosted cooked carrot samples. At first, after cutting, the carrot samples were cooked at 75 °C for 30 minutes, and after placing the thermocouple inside the samples, they were frozen at -18°C for 48 hours. Then, the effect of defrosting parameters including air temperature (30 and 40 °C), air velocity (0.5 and 5 ms-1) and infrared power (100 and 300 W) on the quality characteristics of defrosted cooked carrots was investigated and the sample thawed at 25 °C was considered as a control samples. Using this method, the thawing time for the control sample was reduced from 47 min to 6.11 min in the optimal conditions, The minimum amount of ascorbic acid was 2.63 mg100 g-1 for treatment 1 and the maximum for treatment 6 was 5.78 mg100 g-1 . The amount of beta-carotene in the control sample was 29.21 mg100 g-1 in the minimum condition and 49.33 mg100 g-1 in the optimal condition. The highest amount of loss due to defrosting belonged to treatment 8 by 18.32% and the lowest amount belonged to the control sample by 44.7%. The use of combined infrared-hot air method is very suitable for defrosting cooked carrots and in addition to reducing the duration of defrosting, it maintains the quality of the product to a great extent. This method is very cost-effective and its investment and setup costs are small and can be used for various products.

Vegetables are perishable and cultivated seasonally. The aim of this study was to employ a combined thawing through hot air-infrared system, while investigating the effects of temperature, airflow velocity, and infrared radiation power on thawing time and the quality attributes of thawed carrots. In this research, carrot samples, having been washed and shaped using a cylindrical mold measuring 22.5 mm in diameter and 12 mm in height, were subjected to freezing at -18°C for 48 hours. Thawing parameters were air temperature (30°C and 40°C), airflow velocity (0.5  and 5 m/s), and infrared power (100 and 300 watts). The sample thawed at 25°C was control sample. Data analysis showed that reciprocal effect of increasing temperature, power of the radiation source and air flow speed had a significant effect on the thawing time, vitamin C, β-carotene, the thawing loss, and pH (P≤0.05). This system was able to significantly reduce the thawing time this time for the control sample was 47.66 minutes and for the shortest thawing time, the treatment 8 (F5P300T40) was 6.23 minutes. The lowest pH value was related to treatment 7 (F0.5P300T40) 5.81 and the highest value was related to treatment 1(F0.5P100T30) 6.15. The highest amount of β -carotene was related to treatment number 8 (F5P300T40) 48.12 mg/100g and  the lowest amount was related to treatment 5 (F0.5P100T40) 14.03 mg/100g. The highest amount of vitamin C was related to treatment 4(F5P300T30) 12.36 mg/100g and the lowest amount was related to treatment 1(F0.5P100T30) 3.68 mg/100g. . In the thawing loss, the highest amount was related to treatment 1 (F0.5P100T30) 19.7% and the lowest amount was related to the control sample7.44%. . Due to the low start-up cost, shorter process time and favorable quality, hybrid defrosting is widely used in the food industry.

The use of natural active compounds in edible films is a suitable approach for active packaging production. The objective of this study was to investigate physicochemical and antifungal characteristics of soy protein isolate edible films containing eucalyptus tannin extract.

Tannin extract was prepared from eucalyptus leaves and then added to soy protein isolate films in three concentrations of 1, 2.5 and 5%. The antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger was evaluated,, along with the assessment of moisture sorption isotherms using Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB), model permeability to water vapor and antioxidant activity of the films by inhibiting DPPH free radicals.

The fitted moisture absorption experimental data demonstrated that the GAB provided accurate predictions of moisture absorption isotherms with a good fit to the water activity (R2 > 0.92). Based on the results of principal component analysis (PCA), three major components accounted for 96% of the variance of the physicochemical parameters. Antioxidant activity using the DPPH method increased significantly from 6.43 (in the control sample) to 56.92% (in the sample containing 5% tannin), while the vapor permeability decreased particularly at high loading contents of tannin, compared to the control films. Samples containing eucalyptus tannin included good antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger and increasing quantities of tannin in the samples led to significant increases in the inhibition of fungal activity (p < 0.05).

The use of natural additives such as eucalyptus tannin extract in biodegradable films can improve the functional performance of soy protein isolate film and help to increase the shelf life of food products due to their antifungal and antioxidant characteristics.

Dairy products are good sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Proteolytic activity as one of the physiological properties of LAB plays important role in generating the aroma and taste of various cheeses, and reducing their ripening time. Therefore, the identification of multi functional strains can result in introducing novel cultures in order to manufacture the products with desired sensory properties and health-promoting effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proteolytic activity and probiotic properties of some LAB and their ability to produce aromatic compounds.

In this research, the proteolytic activity of three strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus delbruekii, and Lactobacillus fermentum was measured using the well diffusion method in Skim milk agar medium. Also, some safety properties including resistance to antibiotics such as erythromycin, penicillin, clindamycin, gentamicin, vancomycin, tetracycline, ampicillin and chloramphenicol, hemolytic activity and production of biogenic amines and a number of probiotic characteristics including cell surface hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, co-aggregation and antimicrobial activity of these 3 strains were investigated. In addition, the ability to produce two aromatic compounds, diacetyl and acetylene, was evaluated qualitatively.

The diameter of the halos created as a result of the proteolytic activity of L. fermentum, L. delbrueckii and L. lactis subsp. lactis was 29.5, 25 and 15.7 mm, respectively. These strains were resistant to gentamicin and vancamycin and sensitive to chlorphenicol. The studied strains did not show any hemolytic activity and the ability to produce biogenic amines was not observed in them. In L. fermentum, L. delbruekii and L. lactis subsp lactis, the level of cell surface hydrophobicity was 83.33, 62.67 and 8.94%, respectively, and the auto-aggregation rate was 35.68%, 23.61% and 7.16% respectively. All three strains had a relatively high co-aggregation percentage with S. aureus S. typhimurium, L. monocytogenes and E. coli and showed a good antimicrobial effect on the studied pathogens. Also, the highest intensity of color resulting from the production of diacetyl and acetoin was observed in L. fermentum and L. delbruekii, respectively.

In this research, it was found that all three strains are safe and have good probiotic properties. In addition, due to their proteolytic activity, these strains are capable of producing the aromatic compounds of diacetyl and acetoin. In conclusion,, L. lactis subsp lactis, L. delbruekii and L. fermentum bacteria can be used as starter cultures to produce cheeses with a shorter ripening period and health-promoting potential.

In recent years, the production of gluten-free products with good quality is one of the priorities of the food industry to meet the needs of celiac patients. The aim of this research work was to study the effects of MMP on some physico-chemical properties of rice flour-based gluten free batter and cake. MMP was prepared from common millet grain (Pishahang variety) and its physical and functional characteristics were evaluated. Gluten-free batters and low-ratio cakes based on rice flour with three levels of xanthan gum (0, 0.15, 0.3%) and four levels of MMP (0, 5, 10, 15 %) were produced then evaluated for their physico-chemical  and sensory characteristics. The results of physical and functional properties of millet milk powder including bulk density, water absorption and oil absorption respectively 0.652±0.09, 0.615±0.1, and 0.696±0.05 was obtained. Increasing levels of MMP along with xanthan gum increased the viscosity of the batter. The highest viscosity (20 pa.s) was observed in the sample with 0.3% xanthan gum and 15% MMP, which led to a decrease in the volume and porosity of the resulting cakes. Evaluation of the color indices showed the significant effect of MMP on L*, a* and b*. In general, with the increase of MMP, L* and b* decreased and a* increased. The results of sensory analysis for the cake samples showed that with the increase of MMP and xanthan gum, due to the increase in viscosity and decrease in volume, the texture score of the samples decreased, and the highest score was related to the sample with 0.15% gum. It was concluded that the cake sample prepared with 10% MMP with 0.15% xanthan gum was the best treatment in terms of sensory and quality characteristics.

There has been an increasing demand for functional analog meat products due to environmental, human health, and animal welfare concerns. Burger analogs are plant-based products that are designed to mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of meat burgers. They are typically made from a combination of plant-based ingredients such as textured vegetable protein, legumes, grains, and vegetables. The goal of burger analogs is to provide a meat-like experience without using animal-based products.These formulations aim to provide a healthier and sustainable alternative to conventional meat products. The organoleptic properties of burger analogs, including texture, taste, and aroma, are crucial for their acceptance by consumers.Prickly pear (Opuntia stricta) is a fruit from the Cactaceae family that contains various beneficial components, including natural pigments, proteins, fibers, and polysaccharides. Pectic polysaccharides and arabinogalactans are two types of polysaccharides found in prickly pear that have thickening properties and can improve the texture of food products. Moreover, Prickly pear is a nutritious and functional fruit that can provide various benefits when incorporated into the diet or used as an ingredient in food products. To date, no health benefit analog burgers incorporating Opuntia fruit have been developed.This study investigated the effects of adding Prickly pear pulp powder at levels of 0.5-2.5% on the physicochemical, sensory, and textural properties of analog burgers.

Analog burgers were formulated according to Iranian national standards using common ingredients (texturized soy protein, water, canola oil, garlic, dehydrated onion, soy sauce, and guar gum) as a control sample. Mature prickly pear fruits (Opuntia stricta) were collected from west of Mazandaran province in February. The  fruits were washed, peeled, and dried in a forced oven dryer at a temperature of 45 °C. The dried samples were then ground into a powder and stored at 4 °C until further physico-chemical parameters of the  including moisture, pH, ash, protein, lipid, color and total phenolic content. For developing new formulation of analog burgers, the roasted flour was substituted with prickly pear pulp powder at 0.5%, 1.5%, and 2.5% of the base recipe. The average moisture, ash, fat, carbohydrate content, pH, holding capacity, and color of each raw packed burger were measured. The hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of cooked analog burgers were evaluated using a texturometer instrument. Sensory analysis was performed by 10 panelists who judged discrimination scales of color, odor, taste, and texture characteristics. Analysis and sample treatments were repeated at least three times. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (version 19.0), and data were expressed as means ± standard deviation (SD).

The lowest and highest cooking losses were observed in analog burgers with 2.5% pulp powder (21.03 ±0.47%) and the control (22.2 ± 0.63%), respectively. However, moisture retention and juiciness did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) between analog burgers with prickly pear pulp powder and the control. The results indicated that increasing prickly pear pulp powder levels significantly decreased the redness (+a*) parameter and yellowness (+b*) of raw analog burgers. Moreover, a reduction in cooking loss and shrinkage were observed for cooked soy burger samples using prickly pear pulp powder. However, cooked analog burgers with added prickly pear pulp powder showed significantly higher juiciness. The elasticity of the produced analog burgers significantly decreased with an increasing percentage of pulp powder (p <0.05).

The incorporation of prickly pear pulp powder in analog burger formulation resulted in a significant decrease in cooking loss and shrinkage of the cooked burgers, while not significantly affecting moisture retention and juiciness. An increase in prickly pear pulp powder levels in analog burger formulation led to a significant decrease in the redness and yellowness of the raw analog burgers, as well as a decrease in their elasticity. Based on the sensory evaluation and consumers' overall tendency to consume burgers, it is recommended to use 1.5% prickly pear pulp powder in analog burger formulation.

Today, Pickering emulsions, as the most stable type of emulsion, have been widely accepted for use in various food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products. The common use of biopolymers such as proteins and polysaccharides as stabilizing or thickening agents in the formulation of these emulsion systems, due to their inherent functional characteristics, easy preparation, nutritional value, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, encourages researchers to design new hybrid Pickering stabilizers with enhanced functional properties. Therefore, in the present study, the fabrication of sodium caseinate/soy soluble polysaccharides conjugate nanoparticles and the potential of these novel emulsifiers to stabilize the Pickering emulsion was investigated.

Materials and methods:

First, sodium caseinate/soy soluble polysaccharides conjugates (NaCS/SSPS) with a protein/polysaccharide ratio of 9 to 1 were produced through the Maillard reaction using the dry heating method under optimal conditions (temperature of 60 oC and 75% relative humidity ), and after confirming the formation of covalent binding between NaCS and SSPS via attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the conjugate capability to create a stable emulsion was studied, and compared to native biopolymers. Then, to produce NaCS/SSPS conjugate nanoparticles (Pickering stabilizer), ultrasonic pulse treatment was applied (400 W- 28 minute) and two important features of particle size and their wettability were measured. In the following, the potential of Pickering emulsion formation using NaCS/SSPS conjugate nanoparticles was characterized and the stability of obtained emulsions was compared to that of untreated NaCS/SSPS conjugates.

The formation of covalent binding between NaCS and SSPS and structural changes of NaCS during conjugation reaction were detected through attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Increased physical stability against creaming was observed for emulsions stabilized by conjugates when compared with those produced by the native biopolymers. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the thermal stability of NaCS was significantly increased by glycosylation reaction. Based on the dynamic light scattering and contact angle measurements, the ultrasonic treatment led to a significantly decreased particle size and an increase in their wettability, which allowed the creation of a high stable Pickering emulsion. The enhanced wettability of the NaCS/SSPS nanoparticles was achieved by exposing the hydrophobic sections hidden within the conjugate structure.

Owing to the successful fabrication of high stable Pickering emulsion using the hybrid nanoparticles produced by combining two techniques of conjugation and ultrasonic method, it can be suggested to employ NaCS/SSPS conjugate nanoparticles for the manufacture of Pickering emulsion delivery systems for bioactive compounds.

Pomegranate is one of the native fruits in Iran and its consumption has been following an increasing trend especially in developed countries due to its healthy bioactive compounds. In this study, effect of edible coating (Pomegranate peel extract 1% (PPE)), Chitosan Nano Particles 1%, (CSNPs), Pomegranate peel extract loaded with Chitosan and Nano Particle Size (PPE-loaded CSNPs) on ready to eat pomegranate arils during 14 days of storage under refrigerated conditions(5±1) were investigated. pH, total soluble solids (Brix), antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, total anthocyanin, and microbial load were analyzed after 1, 7 and 14 days of storage. The trend of pH changes was the same among different treatments. However according to the results, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds and anthocyanins were higher in the coated pomegranate arils than in the control uncoated sample. Yeasts and molds loads in coated samples and total microbial counts were lower compared with the control. Based on the results of this study, a coating of 1% nano chitosan containing 1% pomegranate peel extract can increase the shelf life of pomegranate arils at refrigerator temperature.

Dairy Spreads are solid and spreadable food products that merely made from milk or milk products that contain 10 to 80% milk fat. samanou is a traditional Iranian dessert that is prepared by cooking a mixture of wheat flour and green malt extract. The aim of this study was to assessment the effect of adding xanthan gum (0, 0.5 and 1%) and chia seed (0, 0.5 and 1%) on physical stability and textural and rheological properties dairy spread containing samanou powder.

In the present study, the frequency sweep rheological test was performed by a rheometer. During this test, first the linear viscoelastic range is determined and then in the frequency range of 0.1 to 100 Hz, temperature of 10 ° C and constant strain of 1%, the rheological properties of the spread including storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G′′) and loss tangent (G′′ /G′) were measured. Emulsion stability was measured using a centrifuge based on oil separation (g). texture evaluation was performed by backward extrusion and spreadability tests with a texture analyzer to determine of firmness (N), cohesievness (N), consistency (Ns) and spreadability (N) parameters.

The results showed that the effect of adding xanthan gum and chia seed flour on increasing the cohesievness, consistency, firmness and reducing the spreadability of the produced spread was significant (p<0.05). Increasing the concentration of xanthan and chia seed flour from zero to 1% increased the cohesiveness and firmness and also redused the spreadability of the produced spread compared to the control sample. The treatment containing 1% xanthan and 1% chia seed flour had the highest firmness and the least spreadability, respectively. spreads containing xanthan were more consistency than spreads containing chia seed flour, so the highest and lowest consistency were in the treatment containing 1% xanthan and without chia seed flour (67.53±12.66 N.s) and the treatment prepared from 1% Chia seeds flour without xanthan of (37.36±17.5 Ns), respectively. The lowest and highest cohesievness were in the treatment containing 0.5% xanthan (-0.05±0.22 N) and the treatment containing 1% xanthan and 0.5% chia seed flour with a score of -0.31±0.39 N respectively. Spreads containing xanthan gum and chia seed flour were more stable than the control sample, so that the control sample had the highest oil separation and the lowest physical stability (0.476±0.13 gr). In frequency sweep test, 1% strain was determined as the best strain corresponding to the linear viscoelastic range. by simultaneous increasing the concentration of xanthan and chia seed flour, the amount G′, G′′ and G′′ /G′ decreased. The presence of chia seed flour in the spread formulation, unlike xanthan gum, increased the amount of G′ and G′′. The maximum amount of G′ and G′′, as a result of the highest elasticity, , consistency and , firmness belonged to the treatment containing 0.5% xanthan and the treatment containing 1% xanthan and 0.5% chia had the lowest amount of G′ and G′′ Dedicated to himself.

application minimum concentrations of xanthan (0.5%) and chia seed flour (0.5%) improved the textural properties of dairy spreads containing samanou powder. Increasing the concentration of chia seed flour, unlike xanthan, weakened the internal bonds and reduced the consistency of the product. The presence of xanthan compared to chia seed flour had a greater effect on preventing phase separation and increasing the stability of dairy spread containing of samanou powder. In all frequency ranges, the amount of storage modulus was greater than the drop modulus, and the spreads produced behaved like a gel viscoelastic solid.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of various parameters such as inlet air temperature, feed concentrate and feed rate on physical and functional properties and production yield of Acid whey powders. Spray dryer system was in pilot scale. Process variables was inlet air temperature (140, 160 and 180 °C), Feed concentrate (30 and 40 %) and feed rate (15 and 22 ml/min).During spray drying some process variable such as atomizer round (18000 rpm), feed temperature (25±1 °C) and nozzle air pressure (4.0 ± 0.1 bar) were fixed. The results showed that powder production yield was influenced by variables and Strength of impact from highest to lowest was respectively for inlet air temperature, feed rate and feed concentrate. Changes in physical and functional properties of powders in relative to the air temperature treatments were high and significant but in relative to the feed concentrate and feed rate was low and often insignificant. Conclusion of results for measured parameters of powders showed that the best variables are, 160 °C for inlet air temperature, 40 % for feed concentrate and 15 ml/min for feed rate.

Nowadays, the use of frozen dough and batter has been considered by both producers and consumers. Frozen dough technology has permeated all baking products, including cakes. However, the freezing process due to the formation of ice crystals can have destructive effects on the structure of the dough and the food. In addition, in the production of frozen bakery products, it is necessary to maintain the quality and improve the shelf life and quality of the final product through various additives. Therefore, in this study, we try to use additives including xylitol (5 and 10%) and xanthan (0.5 and 1%) along with heat-moisture treatment (HMT) in the preparation of frozen cake batter layer formulation.

In this cake, brown rice flour was used to produce a gluten-free cake. Flours were subjected to different heat and moisture treatments. The produced batter is then subjected to freezing and thawing, and finally the physicochemical properties of the batter were investigated.

The highest specific gravity of cake batter belonged to the samples prepared without HMT and the lowest weight belonged to the sample without additives and with HMT treatment. The peak value of the control starch distribution curve was higher than the treated starch and the particle size distribution of the control starch was relatively concentrated. D50 was calculated from starch granules for the control sample of 23.889 μm and the treated sample for 21.344 μm. Therefore, freezing and heat-humidity treatment led to a reduction in the average particle size of starch grains in the batter. The results show that the peak, trough and final viscosity of the samples containing xanthan were significantly higher (P0.05). Trough and peak viscosity increased with the addition of xylitol while decreasing viscosity decreased significantly. Xanthan-containing treatments had significantly higher viscosity. Also, with increasing xanthan concentration, viscosity increased significantly. After freezing and storage for one week, the number of bubbles and bubble uniformity decreased while the bubble size increased compared to freshly controlled batter. HMT process increased the initial (To), peak (Tp) and final (Tc) gelatinization temperature of the treated sample compared to the untreated sample. Addition of xanthan gum increased the viscosity of the batter, therefore, the onset temperature of gelatinization.

In this study, for the first time in Iran, frozen cake batter was produced and its properties were improved by adding xanthan and xylitol and applying heat-moisture treatment. In general, the results showed that by applying heat-moisture treatment and adding xylitol and xanthan, it is possible to reduce the defects related to reducing the quality of frozen cake dough, which can lead to its further use.

Apple is one of the most valuable fruits which is produced and consumed throughout Iran. Fruit processing especially production of dried slices can be considered as a way to increase the value of apples and to prevent wastes. Producing apple slices with proper color and texture has always been one of the goals of producers in this field. In recent years, use of plant extracts has been the interest of many researchers in order to increase the shelf-life of agricultural products. In this study, the effect of grape pomace extracts (0، 100، 200، 300 and 400 ppm) on the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and color of apple slices dried at 47°C in Industrial dryer, 50°C and 60°C in oven were investigated. The results showed, the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (85.97%), Fe reducing power (1.87 absorbance at wavelength of 700 nm) and phenolic content (245/87 mg of gallic acid equivalents in 100 g of dry matter) were achieved using 400 ppm concentration of grape pomace extracts. Also, the highest sensory score of dried apple slices were achieved at 300 ppm concentration of grape pomace extracts. In general, the results of this study indicated that the effect of Grape pomace extracts on the quality of apple dried slices was significantly positive. Concentration of 300 ppm of grape pulp extract has positive effect on the amount of phenolic complex and antioxidant properties of apple slices and its does not affect its taste.

Hydrogels are a three-dimensional network of polymeric matrices with the ability to absorb water through chemical or physical cross-linking. Recently, the development of bio-based hydrogel with the aim of reducing the use of fossil fuel is becoming interested. Wheat filter flour (WFF) is a by-product obtained from air-classification in the modern wheat milling industry. It contains a high level of non-endosperm materials with the ability of water absorption and bio-film making capacity. Nevertheless, hydrogel-based films usually display weak water resistance, flexibility problems, and gas barrier properties. Carvacrol as a phenolic component is used to improve the functional properties of film and reduce the growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.

Hydrogel based films were prepared by casting technique. Six grams of WFF was added to 100 ml of distilled water, the pH of the solution was adjusted near to 10.7 with NaOH solution (1 N). The dispersion was heated up to 85°C,  with gentle stirring at 250 rpm for 30 min.Glycerol (35 g/100g of dry polymer) was then added and stirred for another 15 min. Carvacrol, as an active agent incorporated at two concentrations (5 and 10% (g/100g of dry polymer)) and stirred for another 15 min at 40°C and dried in a forced-air oven at 35± 5°C for 24 h. Physical (density, water-solubility, moisture content), mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties of active hydrogel-based film were determined. Antimicrobial properties of active hydrogel-based were evaluated in the vapor phase by using the micro- atmosphere method and liquid medium (immersion in broth) as a food model system. Statistical analyses were performed on a completely randomized design with the analysis of variance procedure using SAS software.

Increasing the carvacrol concentration in the film making solution led to decreasing the water solubility, moisture content, and hydrophobicity properties of WFF based films. The SEM observations confirmed a porous structure of the active hydrogel-based film. The highest water vapor permeability (1.32×10-10 gm-1s-1Pa-1) and the minimum water solubility (37.01± 0.63%) were observed in hydrogel film with 10% carvacrol. An increase in the concentration of carvacrol produced a greater growth inhibition zone for all microorganisms. The results in vapor phase showed that A.niger exhibited greater sensitivity to carvacrol than other studied bacteria. Hydrogel based films with 5% carvacrol in liquid food model system produced 1.16 and 1.34 log reduction against E. coli and L. monocytogenes, respectively. The greatest antibacterial activity was observed with films containing 10% carvacrol against L. monocytogenes (2.71 log reduction). This work suggested that the WFF hydrogel base film with 10% carvacrol can be used as an active packaging for improving the safety and shelf-life of food products.

Fine wheat powder is a natural polymer that obtained from of pneumatic process in which light particles are not allowed to be used in bakeries despite the presence of nutrients and lead to reduced quality of flour. The purpose of this study was production of emulsion film based on wheat soft powder as a new and inexpensive raw material and investigation of two types lipids (oleic acid and beeswax) at different concentrations (5, 10 and 15%) on physical and mechanical properties of emulsion films. The results showed that by increasing lipid concentration, thickness, turbidity and tensile strength increased. But moisture decreased and elongation at break decreased as compared the control film. Comparison between the lipid concentration showed that increasing the concentration of beeswax compared to oleic acid had more effect on increasing the turbidity value of the emulsion film. Water vapor permeability of emulsion film containing 5% oleic acid (1.82×10-10 g-1m-1s-1pa-1) was lower as compared beeswax film at similar concentrations (2.30×10-10 g-1m-1s-1pa-1). In addition, scanning electron microscopy images showed the surface of 10% oleic acid film was smooth and uniform with smaller pores as compared the control sample which confirm the water vapor permeability results. The results of this study indicated the good capability of fine wheat powder in preparation of emulsion film containing oleic acid and beeswax application in food packaging.

Bread is the main source of nutrients and it is a cheap staple food in the daily diet of people in many parts of the world. One of the most important ways to improve the quality of bread is to ferment cereals and use fruit resources. Cereal fermentation has a well-known potential to improve the nutritional properties of the baked goods. It stabilizes the levels of various bioactive compounds, retards starch retrogradation and increases mineral bioavailability. A diet rich in cereal and fruit-based products could improve human health. Oat grain has a high functional potential due to its composition. This grain is known to be an excellent source of dietary fiber, antioxidants and a well-balanced protein fraction. Jujube fruit is also getting popularized due to the high content of vitamins, phenolic, polysaccharides and natural colorant agents. The quality of available commercially jujube depends on the contents of its bioactive compounds and micronutrients. There is no report about simultaneous application of fermented oat and jujube powder in processing of wheat bread. Accordingly, the aims of this study were to produce a supplemented wheat bread containing these ingredients, and evaluate the textural and antioxidant properties of the product.   

In the present study, controlled fermented oat containing selected LAB isolated from oat sourdough (as starter culture) was used to produce supplemented wheat bread. Crumb hardness, porosity, specific volume, overall acceptability and antioxidant activity in wheat bread containing fermented oat, jujube powder and their mixture were investigated in comparison with the control (wheat bread). All the experiments were done in triplicates. A complete randomized design with the least significance difference (LSD) post-hock was also used to statistical analysis of the data at p < /em>< 0.05 by SPSS (version 20) software.  

The highest amount of crumb hardness was observed in the sample containing mixture of controlled fermented oat and jujube powder, meanwhile the lowest amount of hardness was belonged to the control sample. The results of specific volume showed an inverse relationship between the values ​​of hardness and specific volume, and the lowest specific volume was observed in sample containing controlled fermented oat along with jujube powder. The highest amount of specific volume was also observed in the control sample. The porosity of all the produced breads was also significantly (p < /em><0.05) higher than the control sample, and the highest porosity was observed in the sample containing controlled fermented oat. The amount of produced gaseous compounds and carbon dioxide during fermentation affect the porosity of the produced bread. Furthermore, water retention capacity is also involved in increase in bread specific volume. Water reduces the stiffness of protein structures and allows better air to enter the dough texture and more specific volume of the product. Wheat breads containing controlled fermented oat + jujube powder and jujube powder (alone) had the highest antioxidant activity, and the control sample had the lowest antioxidant activity. During fermentation, the amount of phenolic compounds or flavonoids increases, and fermentation also causes the synthesis or release of various compounds that have antioxidant properties. Characterization of wheat bread containing the optimal formulation of controlled fermented oat and jujube powder didn’t show significant effect on the overall acceptability of the product. The presence of fiber in fortified breads is likely to increase water uptake, which in turn increases water retention capacity, reduces dough stability and increases overall acceptability. Fruits and whole grains are rich in phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds. Application of phenolic compounds in bread processing, in addition to improve antioxidant properties, affects the physicochemical properties of the dough and the quality characteristics of the produced bread due to various interactions with flour compounds such as gluten and starch. Accordingly, the combined use of plant-rich resources such as jujube powder and fermented oat, which are rich in minerals and micronutrients, can be used to improve the nutritional and quality characteristics of the supplemented wheat bread as a simple and efficient method. Due to the adverse effects of chemical additives and improvers, the importance of providing natural alternatives such as fermented substrates and plant resources in wheat bread processing is quite necessary. The best alternatives for this purpose include sourdough and fiber-rich plant. Wheat bread containing a mixture of controlled fermented oat and jujube powder had the highest crumb hardness and the lowest specific volume. Antioxidant activity in all samples was significantly higher than the control sample and wheat bread containing a controlled fermented oat and jujube powder with 90.52% had the highest amount of antioxidant activity. According to the results, controlled fermented oat and jujube powder, as functional ingredients, may be successfully incorporated into the wheat bread with positively effects on its quality characteristics.

Centrifugal force for separating different whey's from main product is one of the most practical and industrially methods for producing concentrated yoghurt and different cheese. In this research chemical characteristic of two main products (concentrated yoghurt and low fat labneh cheese) and related by-products (two kind of acid whey's) were investigated. Result of three industrial batch showed, high amount of nutrient is in acid whey's. Average of dry matter, protein, fat, lactose and total ash for yoghurt whey respectively were 6.13, 0.71, 0.22, 3.58 and 0.54 and for labneh cheese whey respectively were 6.56, 0.95, 0.30, 3.64 and 0.58. Also, the results of the measurements indicate high amount of Ca and P is in yoghurt whey (99 and 60 mg/100g) and cheese whey (101 and 69 mg/100g). Nutrient losses for all compound (lactose, Fat, protein, ash, Ca and P) were remarkable and these loss for yoghurt whey was lower than cheese whey. Among the all compound highest level of loss was for lactose and lowest level was for fat. Concentrated dairy product have a high nutritional value but there is considerable amount of nutrient in related by-products. This will need to be using new methods and formulation for producing new products. Centrifugal force for separating different whey's from main product is one of the most practical and industrially methods for producing concentrated yoghurt and different cheese. In this research chemical characteristic of two main products (concentrated yoghurt and low fat labneh cheese) and related by-products (two kind of acid whey's) were investigated. Result of three industrial batch showed, high amount of nutrient is in acid whey's. Average of dry matter, protein, fat, lactose and total ash for yoghurt whey respectively were 6.13, 0.71, 0.22, 3.58 and 0.54 and for labneh cheese whey respectively were 6.56, 0.95, 0.30, 3.64 and 0.58. Also, the results of the measurements indicate high amount of Ca and P is in yoghurt whey (99 and 60 mg/100g) and cheese whey (101 and 69 mg/100g). Nutrient losses for all compound (lactose, Fat, protein, ash, Ca and P) were remarkable and these loss for yoghurt whey was lower than cheese whey. Among the all compound highest level of loss was for lactose and lowest level was for fat. Concentrated dairy product have a high nutritional value but there is considerable amount of nutrient in related by-products. This will need to be using new methods and formulation for producing new products. Centrifugal force for separating different whey's from main product is one of the most practical and industrially methods for producing concentrated yoghurt and different cheese. In this research chemical characteristic of two main products (concentrated yoghurt and low fat labneh cheese) and related by-products (two kind of acid whey's) were investigated. Result of three industrial batch showed, high amount of nutrient is in acid whey's. Average of dry matter, protein, fat, lactose and total ash for yoghurt whey respectively were 6.13, 0.71, 0.22, 3.58 and 0.54 and for labneh cheese whey respectively were 6.56, 0.95, 0.30, 3.64 and 0.58. Also, the results of the measurements indicate high amount of Ca and P is in yoghurt whey (99 and 60 mg/100g) and cheese whey (101 and 69 mg/100g). Nutrient losses for all compound (lactose, Fat, protein, ash, Ca and P) were remarkable and these loss for yoghurt whey was lower than cheese whey. Among the all compound highest level of loss was for lactose and lowest level was for fat. Concentrated dairy product have a high nutritional value but there is considerable amount of nutrient in related by-products. This will need to be using new methods and formulation for producing new products. Centrifugal force for separating different whey's from main product is one of the most practical and industrially methods for producing concentrated yoghurt and different cheese. In this research chemical characteristic of two main products (concentrated yoghurt and low fat labneh cheese) and related by-products (two kind of acid whey's) were investigated. Result of three industrial batch showed, high amount of nutrient is in acid whey's. Average of dry matter, protein, fat, lactose and total ash for yoghurt whey respectively were 6.13, 0.71, 0.22, 3.58 and 0.54 and for labneh cheese whey respectively were 6.56, 0.95, 0.30, 3.64 and 0.58. Also, the results of the measurements indicate high amount of Ca and P is in yoghurt whey (99 and 60 mg/100g) and cheese whey (101 and 69 mg/100g). Nutrient losses for all compound (lactose, Fat, protein, ash, Ca and P) were remarkable and these loss for yoghurt whey was lower than cheese whey. Among the all compound highest level of loss was for lactose and lowest level was for fat. Concentrated dairy product have a high nutritional value but there is considerable amount of nutrient in related by-products. This will need to be using new methods and formulation for producing new products. Centrifugal force for separating different whey's from main product is one of the most practical and industrially methods for producing concentrated yoghurt and different cheese. In this research chemical characteristic of two main products (concentrated yoghurt and low fat labneh cheese) and related by-products (two kind of acid whey's) were investigated. Result of three industrial batch showed, high amount of nutrient is in acid whey's. Average of dry matter, protein, fat, lactose and total ash for yoghurt whey respectively were 6.13, 0.71, 0.22, 3.58 and 0.54 and for labneh cheese whey respectively were 6.56, 0.95, 0.30, 3.64 and 0.58. Also, the results of the measurements indicate high amount of Ca and P is in yoghurt whey (99 and 60 mg/100g) and cheese whey (101 and 69 mg/100g). Nutrient losses for all compound (lactose, Fat, protein, ash, Ca and P) were remarkable and these loss for yoghurt whey was lower than cheese whey. Among the all compound highest level of loss was for lactose and lowest level was for fat. Concentrated dairy product have a high nutritional value but there is considerable amount of nutrient in related by-products. This will need to be using new methods and formulation for producing new products.

Electrospinning is used to produce multi compound nanofibers with enhanced physicochemical properties. As a promising technology, it is considered as the most potent methods for industrial development due to its humble mechanism and several applicable polymers. Accordingly, the present study investigated electrospinning of three polymers including polyvinyl alcohol / Chitosan / Sodium caseinate to bring enhanced thermal resistance multi compound nanofibers.

First, the operating factors including needle to collector distance, polymer concentration, and high-voltage were evaluated after performing various of preliminary experiments. Then, based on the D-Optimal mixture design (Design of experiments (DOE), Ver 10), electrospinning was carried out at a distance of 12 cm, voltage of 16 kV, and a flow rate of 0.5 ml/h with different ratios of three polymeric solutions (Polyvinyl alcohol, Chitosan, and Sodium Caseinate). The morphology and diameter of nanofibers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy images, and according to the results, three samples were selected based on differences in diameter (low, medium, and high). Therefore, the physicochemical properties of these samples plus a chitosan-free sample were investigated using X-ray diffraction (to determine crystallographic structure), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (to observe chemical changes) and Thermogravimetric analysis (to determine the nanofiber's thermal stability).

Nanofibers of Polyvinyl alcohol / Chitosan / Sodium Caseinate were successfully electrospun with mean diameters in the range from 121 nm to 192 nm. The nanofibers 622 (i.e. 60% polyvinyl alcohol, 20% chitosan and 20% sodium caseinate), 811 (i.e. 80% polyvinyl alcohol, 10% chitosan and 10% sodium caseinate), and 721 (i.e. 70% polyvinyl alcohol, 20% chitosan and 10% sodium caseinate) exhibited the thickest, the medium size, and the thinnest sample, respectively. The observed decrease of peak intensity in nanofibers X-ray diffraction pattern was attributed to the sharp decrease in the semi-crystalline structure of Polyvinyl alcohol in combination with chitosan and Sodium Caseinate polymers, which is due to the formation of hydrogen bonds and crystalline-amorphous phase compatibility. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that all the polymers were fully dispersed in the nanofibers. The Thermogravimetric analysis results also showed that despite the higher initial decomposition temperature of chitosan free sample (i.e. 703), the presence of chitosan improves thermal stability, resulted in thermal changes occurring over a wider temperature range.

Owing to the successful electrospinning and the appropriate physicochemical properties of the nanofibers as with proper thermal resistance, it can be propounded to employ chitosan, Polyvinyl alcohol, and specially Sodium Caseinate electrospun nanofibers for implementing in sever thermal circumstances and nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds (like the ones with hydrophobic nature).

Rosemary is an evergreen and aromatic plant of the mint family, which has many antioxidant and medicinal properties. Nowadays, to increase the quantity of extraction and improve the quality of essence, the plant is dried and then the extraction process is performed. Thus, new and combined methods for drying of plants containing essence have been studied. Different drying methods such as hot air, microwave, microwave- vacuum, sun and freeze drying have been studied by many researcher to dry rosemary and the quality of the extracted essence and the kinetics of mass transfer have been investigated. Drying by means of infrared is considered for many agricultural products but this method has not been applied to rosemary until now. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetics of drying and the effect of infrared drying on the volume, color and quality of essence of rosemary leaves. Our specific target was modeling of the infrared drying process and compare it with other drying methods.

In this study, the geometric properties of rosemary leaves were measured by Mitutoyo Micrometer. Then, by using electromagnetic radiation in the range of infrared spectrum (100, 200 and 300watts) freshly prepared leaves of rosemary were dried. After essence extraction by clevenger method, the volume of extraction and components were determined by GC/MS and according to the power of infrared wavelength were evaluated by completely randomized design. The quality of dried rosemary and essences were also studied by ImageJ software, and color parameters a*, b*, L*, chroma (C*), browning index, total color difference and Hue angle, were calculated by completely randomized design. In addition, drying curves, effective diffusivities and activation energy determined by using moisture measurement data.

According to the results of analysis of variance and Duncan's Multiple Range test at 5% level, it was observed that with increasing the power of the infrared lamp in the drying process, color parameters like L, b, Chroma and BI in dried rosemary decreased and ΔE, A and Hue angel increased. Analysis of variance and comparison of Duncan's mean at 5% level showed that increasing the infrared power has a significant effect on reducing the volume of essence. In the case of essence color, it was perceived that with increasing the power of the infrared lamp, the color parameters like A, L and Hue angel decreased and b, BI and Chroma increased. Furthermore, increasing the infrared power in the drying process of rosemary has a significant effect on reducing the volatile compounds of rosemary essence. Effective diffusivities varied from 33.3×9.10-9 to 1.0907×10-8. The activation energy was also determined as 30.243 kW/kg. To predict the rosemary drying trend by using eight models, regression modeling was performed through MATLAB software (version 2016). Results showed that, Midilli model for the power of 200 and 300 watts and Verma model for the power of 100 watts, due to high correlation coefficient index and low standard error, were two suitable models for evaluation of Drying kinetic and prediction of drying process.

Increasing infrared power during drying process of rosemary leaves decreases the efficiency of essence extraction. Moreover, increasing the infrared power has a significant effect on reducing the active ingredients like cineol and Beta-Pinene in essence. The color of dried rosemary and extracted essence are affected by infrared radiation power and varies with increasing the power. Rising the infrared radiation power results in an increase in the effective diffusivity coefficients. Also, it can be concluded that, midilli and verma are two best models for prediction of drying trend of rosemary.

Beji Barsaq is a traditional cake in Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, and Lorestan cities, made of wheat flour, oil, sugar, eggs, low-fat milk, rose water, baking powder, and various spices (cumin, fennel, and turmeric). The present study aimed to produce a low-fat Beji Barsaq cake with soy protein concentrate (SPC) at the optimal level (3%) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at the level of 0.3, 0.7, and 1%. The rheological analysis results of dough samples showed a significant increase in their viscosity and consistency with increasing fat substitutes. At the constant level of SPI, the amounts of moisture content, specific volume, porosity, and brightness were significantly increased with increasing CMC levels. In contrast, the fat content was significantly decreased. Moreover, stiffness, cohesiveness, and springiness of the cake samples enhanced with increasing CMC levels at constant SPC level. However, this increase in springiness was not significant. After seven days of storage at room temperature, the stiffness of cake samples increased, and their cohesiveness and springiness decreased significantly, which was attributed to the products’ staleness. Sensory analysis results of cake samples showed that T4 sample (%50% fat replaced with 3% SPC+0.7% CMC ) had the best overall acceptability according to opinion of panelists.

Porous starch granules are becoming of great interest such as non-toxic absorbents, owing to their great absorption capacity derived from the major specific surface area. Pores can protect sensitive elements as oils, minerals, vitamins, bioactive lipids, food pigments such as beta-carotene and lycopene that are sensitive to light, oxidation or high temperature. Alpha-amylases from Bacillus and glucoamylases from Aspergillus niger have the strongest hydrolytic ability toward starch. Ultrasonic treatments have been reported to produce modified starch. In the last years, the effects of sonication on the starch microstructures and properties have been studied. It was shown that the C–C bonds of starch granules were destroyed, and hollows or pores were formed on the surface and inside the granules. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to identify a suitable starch (corn or wheat) to carry and protect iron ions. The enzyme having a fixed concentration of 0.1% within a fixed period of 36 hour, was added to the starch solutions in three different steps - after, simultaneously and before - the ultrasound processes. The power of the ultrasound was 350 watt for 10 minutes. Iron ions (Iron Ammonium Sulfate (II)) were added to the porous corn and wheat starches in concentrations of 40, 60 and 80 ppm.  

The ability of water and oil adsorptions were measured in the produced corn and wheat porous starches. The microstructures of porous starches were revealed by using Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM). After adding iron ammonium sulfate (II) to the porous starches of corn and wheat, the amount of iron ions absorbed and the type of bonds formed between starch and iron ions were determined by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS software and the mean comparison test at 5% probability level and in the form of factorial test.  

The hydration capacity in processed wheat starch was lower than corn starch due to the differences in granular structure of wheat and corn starch. The hydration capacity in native wheat and corn starches was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the processed forms. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed between the three steps of adding enzyme (e after, simultaneously and before the ultrasound processes). According to the results, the oil adsorption capacity in the processed starches was more than that of the native forms. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows that the native corn and wheat starch granules appeared without any clear of fissures, fractures and pores. The corn and wheat starches which were treated by the enzyme after (step 1), simultaneously (step 2) and before (step 3) the ultrasound change and lose their smooth surfaces and become uneven. The surface of corn granules in group 2 and 3 have less pores and porosities with more laminated. In simultaneously processes (phase 2) the ultrasound causes the enzyme to be inactivated. In phase 1, it can be concluded that the ultrasound helps the enzyme performance in creating the porosities and cavities. The wheat granules in step 1, 2 and 3 have a lot of damage on the surface and it is likely that the surface of the wheat granule is more resistant to enzyme penetration than the corn. The results of the ICP test show that processed corn starch has significantly (P <0.05) greater ability to absorb iron ions than processed wheat starch. Also, corn starch had a significant difference in iron uptake in the step 1 than steps 2 and 3 (P <0.05), but the data of the second and third steps did not differ significantly (P> 0.05). Hydroxyl groups of D-glucose units in starch granules bond with iron ions and FTIR spectrums give drop at 575 (cm-1) wavelengths. This study showed that enzymatic treatment and ultrasound led to the native corn starches convert to porous starches. The corn starch is more suitable than the wheat because the wheat is more resistant and the cavities were rarely formed. The corn porous starch is a suitable carrier for iron ions.

Recently there has been a growing interest toward the utilization of sonication considering its high efficiency and accessibility. High power ultrasound waves make sinusoidal moves through the liquid environment and create unstable vacuum bubbles which are growing in size till disrupt. Their disruption lead to the creation of spots of very high velocity and temperature. The large particle and molecules located near this spots degrade and produce particles or molecules of smaller size. It is generally accepted that ultrasonic degradation of polymers in solution is of mechanical nature rather than thermal in origin, and that the stresses induced in polymer molecule are caused by the friction forces generated by the relative movement of the molecules of solvent and polymer as a result of the collapse of cavitation bubbles. In this research, the effect of different ultrasound power and temperature on the oat starch properties was investigated.

Extracted oat starch with determined chemical composition was sonicated by using a 20 kHz ultrasound probe at 150 and 350 W power at 25 and 50 ̊C for 10 min. Sonicated oat starches were recovered by centrifugation and drying. Afterward, the various chemical and physical properties of native and sonicated oat starch such as solubility, swelling power, thermal properties, textural properties, water and oil absorption capacity and retrogradation were investigated. under different combination of heat and sonication power were investigated.

Ultrasound treatment had significant effect on oat starch properties. The results indicated that increasing the power and temperature, enhance the effect of ultrasound on different oat starch properties. Swelling power, solubility, gel clarity, and gelatinization temperature parameters were significantly increased due to the higher power and temperature of sonication. Retrogradation of sonicated starch samples was significantly lowered as compared to naïve oat starch samples. Gels prepared from sonicated oat starch had significantly softer texture compared to the native oat starch gels. These changes could be mainly due to disruption of amorphous and weaker crystalline structures and also the degradation of high molecular weight molecules to molecules of smaller size. Swelling power, solubility, gel clarity and gelatinization temperature were increased while the reverse trend was observed for gel hardness and retrogradation. This changes could be mainly due to the destruction of amorphous and weak crystalline structure of starch granules.

These results declared that oat starch properties would be affected by ultrasound treatment, And as compared to the control, it’s revealed that the effect of higher power and higher temperature were more pronounce that lower temperature and lower powers. Finally, regarding the proper characteristics of starches modified under the sonication condition of 350 W power at 50 ̊C (e.g. soft and stable structure of gel with low tendency toward retrogradation and opacity), this treatment is recommended as the optimum condition.

Evaluation of probiotic and antifungal properties of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from different sourdoughs is so important to prepare microbial cultures for fermentation industries. In the present study, a predominant LAB was isolated from oat sourdough through the back-slopping process, and then it was identified using PCR. Subsequently, probiotic properties of the LAB isolate (including resistance to acid and bile, antibacterial effect, auto and co-aggregations capabilities, antibiotic susceptibility and hemolytic activity), as well as its antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger were studied. Sequencing results of the PCR products led to the identification of Pediococcus pentosaceus as predominant LAB isolated from oat sourdough. The survival rate of the LAB isolates after continuous acid and bile treatment was 59.80% in comparison with the control. The antibacterial effect of the LAB on Bacillus cereus was also significantly (p<0.05) higher than the other studied food-borne pathogenic agents. Crude cell-free supernatant (CFS) of the LAB completely inhibited the growth of B. cereus, but reduced the growth of Salmonella enterica by 65.68%. Meanwhile, naturalized CFS of the LAB had no inhibitory effect on these bacteria. Furthermore, the LAB isolates had a proper co-aggregation with Escherichia coli, and showed resistance towards streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid and vancomycin antibiotics. The LAB isolates had no hemolytic activity, and its antifungal effect on A. niger was also approved. Accordingly, P. pentosaceus isolate has proper potential to use as probiotic or preservative microbial culture in fermentation industries.