This book explores the interrelations between food, technology and knowledge-sharing practices in producing digital food cultures.
Digital Food Cultures adopts an innovative approach to examine ...representations and practices related to food across a variety of digital media: blogs and vlogs (video blogs), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, technology developers’ promotional media, online discussion forums and self-tracking apps and devices. The book emphasises the diversity of food cultures available on the internet and other digital media, from those celebrating unrestrained indulgence in food to those advocating very specialised diets requiring intense commitment and focus. While most of the digital media and devices discussed in the book are available and used by people across the world, the authors offer valuable insights into how these global technologies are incorporated into everyday lives in very specific geographical contexts.
This book offers a novel contribution to the rapidly emerging area of digital food studies and provides a framework for understanding contemporary practices related to food production and consumption internationally.
High hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal pasteurization technology which has already been applied in the food industries. Besides maintaining the food safety and quality, HPP also ...has potential applications in the enhancement of the health benefits of food products. This study examines the current progress of research on the use of HPP in the development of health foods. Through HPP, the nutritional value of food products can be enhanced or retained, including promotes the biosynthesis of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the food materials, retains immunoglobulin components in dairy products, increases resistant starch content in cereals, and reduces the glycemic index of fruit and vegetable products, which facilitates better control of blood glucose levels and decreases calorie intake. HPP can also be utilized as a hurdle technology in combination with existing processing technologies for the development of low-sodium food products and the maintenance of microbial safety, thereby lowering the risk of triggering cardiovascular disease. Additionally, HPP can be used to enhance the diversity of probiotic food products. Appropriate sporogenous probiotics can be screened and added to various high-pressure processed food products as a certain bacterial count is still retained in the products after HPP. As HPP causes physical damage to the structures of food products, it can also be used as a synergistic extraction technology to enhance the extraction efficiency of functional components, thereby reducing extraction time. By applying HPP in the extraction of functional components from food waste, the production costs of such components can be effectively reduced. This study provides a summary of the mechanisms by which HPP enhances the health benefits of food products and the current progress of relevant research. HPP possesses huge potential in the development of novel health foods and may provide an abundance of benefits to human health in the future.
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•HPP has potential applications in the enhancement of the health benefits of food products.•The nutritional value of food material and products can be enhanced or retained by HPP.•HPP can be a hurdle in combination with existing processing for the development of low-sodium food products.•HPP causes physical damage to the foods, enhance the extraction efficiency of functional components.
Cold plasma technology is an efficient, environmental‐friendly, economic and noninvasive technology; and in recent years these advantages placed this novel technology at the centre of diverse studies ...for food industry applications. Dried food ingredients including spices, herbs, powders and seeds are an important part of the human diet; and the growing demands of consumers for higher quality and safe food products have led to increased research into alternative decontamination methods. Numerous studies have investigated the effect of nonthermal plasma on dried food ingredients for food safety and quality purposes. This review provides critical review on potential of cold plasma for disinfection of dried food surfaces (spices, herbs and seeds), improvement of functional and rheological properties of dried ingredients (powders, proteins and starches). The review further highlights the benefits of plasma treatment for enhancement of seeds performance and germination yield which could be applied in agricultural sector in near future. Different studies applying plasma technology for control of pathogens and spoilage micro‐organisms and modification of food quality and germination of dried food products followed by benefits and current challenges are presented. However, more systemic research needs to be addressed for successful adoption of this technology in food industry.
The functional food sector has shown tremendous growth in recent years with the application of probiotic bacteria as "food additives". The utilization of probiotic bacteria in food presents many ...challenges related to their growth, survival, viability, stability and functionality in food processing, storage and consumption as well as changes of sensory characteristics of probiotic foods. Although dairy foods are currently the most common food carrier to deliver probiotics, an increasing number of non-dairy food matrices exhibit potential for delivery of probiotics. This review provides more recent insight into the emergence of non-dairy probiotics products, the interactions between probiotics and different food matrices and the challenges in developing such products. Some of the technical issues are also reviewed and discussed. These issues include the efficacy of probiotic bacteria in non-chilled, low pH or high water activity foods; the potential loss of bacterial viability, additionally unwanted fermentation and changes of the sensory characteristics of food products which may result in poor microbiological quality and low acceptability to consumers.
The food industry is advancing at a rapid pace and consumer sensitivity to food safety scares and food fraud scandals is further amplified by rapid communication such as by social media. Academia, ...regulators, and industry practitioners alike struggle with an evolving issue regarding new terms and definitions including food fraud, food authenticity, food integrity, food protection, economically motivated adulteration, food crime, food security, contaminant, adulterant, and others. This research addressed some of the global need for clarification and harmonization of commonly used terminology. The 150 survey responses were received from various food‐related workgroups or committee members, communication with recognized experts, and announcements to the food industry in general. Overall food fraud was identified as a “food safety” issue (86%). The food quality and manufacturing respondents focused mainly on incoming goods and adulterant‐substances (<50%) rather than the other illegal activities such as counterfeiting, theft, gray market/diversion, and smuggling. Of the terms included to represent “intentional deception for economic gain” the respondents generally agreed with food fraud as the preferred term. Overall, the preference was 50% “food fraud,” 15% “economically motivated adulteration” EMA, 9% “food protection,” 7% “food integrity,” 5% “food authenticity,” and 2% “food crime.” It appears that “food protection” and “food integrity” are terms that cover broader concepts such as all types of intentional acts and even possibly food safety or food quality. “Food authenticity” was defined with the phrase “to ensure” so seemed to be identified as an “attribute” that helped define fraudulent acts.
Practical Application
Food Fraud—illegal deception for economic gain using food—is a rapidly evolving research topic and is facing confusion due to the use of different terms and definitions. This research survey presented common definitions and publication details to gain insight that could help provide clarity. The insight from this report provides guidance for others who are harmonizing terminology and setting the overall strategic direction.
Across the globe, people are challenging the agro-industrial food system and its exploitation of people and resources, reduction of local food varieties, and negative health consequences. In this ...collection leading international anthropologists explore food activism across the globe to show how people speak to, negotiate, or cope with power through food. Who are the actors of food activism and what forms of agency do they enact? What kinds of economy, exchanges, and market relations do they practice and promote? How are they organized and what are their scales of political action and power relations? Each chapter explores why and how people choose food as a means of forging social and economic justice, covering diverse forms of food activism from individual acts by consumers or producers to organized social groups or movements. The case studies embrace a wide geographical spectrum including Cuba, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Mexico, Italy, Canada, France, Colombia, Japan, and the USA. This is the first book to examine food activism in diverse local, national, and transnational settings, making it essential reading for students and scholars in anthropology and other fields interested in food, economy, politics and social change.
The National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods developed guidelines for conducting challenge studies on pathogen inhibition and inactivation studies in a variety of foods. The ...document is intended for use by the food industry, including food processors, food service operators, and food retailers; federal, state, and local food safety regulators; public health officials; food testing laboratories; and process authorities. The document is focused on and limited to bacterial inactivation and growth inhibition and does not make specific recommendations with respect to public health. The Committee concluded that challenge studies should be designed considering the most current advances in methodologies, current thinking on pathogens of concern, and an understanding of the product preparation, variability, and storage conditions. Studies should be completed and evaluated under the guidance of an expert microbiologist in a qualified laboratory and should include appropriate statistical design and data analyses. This document provides guidelines for choice of microorganisms for studies, inoculum preparation, inoculum level, methods of inoculation, incubation temperatures and times, sampling considerations, and interpreting test results. Examples of appropriately designed growth inhibition and inactivation studies are provided.
The recent rise in awareness of safe food and changing consumer attitudes have brought many innovations in packaging technology. Consumers are increasingly demanding natural food colorants such as ...carotenoids, betaines, anthocyanins and chlorophylls rather than synthetic dyes for food applications. As a result, smart packaging based on natural colorants and biopolymers has been introduced as the latest technology in the food packaging field. Smart products not only protect food from environmental hazards, but also send real-time signals (colorimetric, chemical, or electrical) to consumers for changes in the packaging environment and food quality.
This paper reviewed the pH-sensitive smart packaging films based on natural food colorants and biopolymers and key applications in the food industry. Technological aspects associated with the natural colorant-based pH-responsive packaging films, biopolymer-based smart packaging, and the importance of natural colorants compared with synthetic dyes are discussed. The most commonly used colorimetric indicators indicating changes in pH, the application of smart food packaging films in real food systems, and the trend of future research were investigated.
Based on natural food colorants, smart packaging monitors the qualitative properties of foods in real-time, including freshness, microbial growth, and chemical changes in the product, through visual changes and quantification of pH changes in the food. It provides a fast and reliable inline assessment of food quality and safety. Nevertheless, future studies should consider commercially sustainable key points such as consumer acceptance and trust, cost, regulatory considerations (i.e. labeling) and multifunctional performance of smart films.
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•Smart packaging systems based on natural food colorants were reviewed and described.•Natural colorants are good alternatives to synthetic dyes for smart packaging.•Natural colorants can be used as markers in colorimetric sensors/indicators.•Smart packaging informs consumers of the state of the packaged product in real-time.•The pH-sensing films may be useful as smart eco-friendly packaging materials.
In recent years, research on food packaging is gaining momentum, primarily being driven by consumer preferences to food quality and food safety. Also, as food packaging plays a pivotal role in ...product selection at retail outlets, the interest on developing novel strategies in food packaging is on the rise. One such concept with huge potential in the food industry is intelligent packaging.
The focus of this work is to provide an up-to-date information on intelligent tools such as indicators (thermal indicators, leak indicators, freshness indicators, pH indicators), sensors, radio frequency identification tags and other essential aspects of intelligent packaging systems as reported in literature and those that have gained commercial value for applications in the food supply chain.
Emphasizing the potential of intelligent packaging, a range of products, including muscle-based foods, and fruits and vegetables are discussed. Importantly, this work highlights research needs, particularly in terms of applications for liquid foods, which are the most perishable commodities.
•Intelligent packaging can contribute to food waste reduction.•They are tools for consumer selection of safe foods at retail-level.•Concepts for indicating/sensing quality are explained with product-wise examples.•Research need for intelligent tools for liquid foods is emphasized.
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