Open Access

Article

Article ID: 2273

by Nelum Piyasena, Nimanthi Weerakoon, Nishantha Edirisinghe, Mahasen Ranatunga, Sarath Abeysinghe, Upesha Siriwardhane

Probe - Food Science Research, Vol.6, No.1, 2024;86 Views, 0 PDF Downloads

Tea ( Camellia sinensis ) is widely known for its health benefits. A vast array of biologically active compounds is present in tea, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, alkaloids, caffeine, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Tea phenolic constituents, which are the predominant biologically active constituents in tea, have a variety of beneficial health effects and have been widely utilized in the food industry. Consequently, on the nutraceutical and health markets, green tea extracts gained more attention. This study investigated the extraction of polyphenols from green tea of four different tea cultivars using an environmentally friendly approach and quantified the total polyphenol and caffeine contents, catechins, including (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (+)-catechin, epicatechin gallate (ECG), and (-)-epicatechin (EC) of each tea extract as well as green tea. The extraction efficiency of total polyphenol, caffeine, and catechin concentrations differed significantly among tea cultivars. Total polyphenol and caffeine contents, as well as individual catechin contents, were found to be significantly varied among the tea cultivars. Tea cultivars with high total polyphenol content could potentially be utilized in total polyphenol extraction.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 2244

by Lyhour Hin, Chan Makara Mean, Meng Chhay Kim, Chhengven Chhoem, Sreynich Pha, Sovanndy Yut, Rathana Soeun, Lytour Lor

Probe - Food Science Research, Vol.6, No.1, 2024;38 Views, 0 PDF Downloads

Drying is commonly applied for preserving both freshwater and marine products for long-term use. In Cambodia, solar dryer domes (SDD) are constructed for large-scale processing, but the impacts of operation and maintenance on their lifespans are not well understood. Thus, this study aimed to (1) explore the characteristics of using SDDs and (2) determine the prospects and challenges related to the use of solar dryers for aquatic products. The study was conducted between March and July 2024 through a survey targeting fish processors that utilized SDDs and agreed to participate in the interviews. Because the number of SDDs available nationwide is small (< 25 units), the total sample size selected for the survey was only 8. The interviews were carried out in 4 provinces, focusing on topics such as annual processing production, SDD operation and maintenance (O&M), and additional sources of energy to support the system. The results show that SDDs were used not only for drying fresh fish but also for drying smoked fish and shrimp. Dried fish production was the largest (145.2 tons/year), 8.8–11.7 times greater than other production. With SDDs, products could be dried year-round, but gas heating systems were required to provide additional heat inside SDDs during cold seasons or cloudy days. Electrical fans were also added because of insufficient air circulations that might create moisture under the roofs. All the respondents were willing to continue using SDDs, expand production, and use their own budget to make more installations in case additional grid electricity was not required. It can be concluded that with the use of solar dryers, and fish/shrimp processing can be done at a large scale, but improvements in air circulation are needed to enhance the system’s effectiveness and efficiency. Furthermore, additional O&M training should be provided to ensure higher efficiency.

Open Access

Article

Article ID: 2250

by Silvana Demarchi, Sergio Adrian Giner, Ricardo Martín Torrez Irigoyen

Probe - Food Science Research, Vol.6, No.1, 2024;30 Views, 0 PDF Downloads

Quinoa is a nutritionally valuable pseudocereal due to the favorable amino acid profile of its proteins compared to other seeds and grains. The goal of this study was to investigate the soaking kinetics of quinoa seeds. Experimental curves of moisture content versus time were obtained for a water temperature range of 20 ℃ to 70 ℃. Regarding the soaking process empirical equations such as Peleg, Weibull, and Exponential and an unsteady state diffusional model with a strict internal control of the mass transfer rate. Calculations by empirical models were markedly accurate for water uptake with r 2 higher than 0.95 and RMSE values lower than 0.09. On the other hand, the complete analytical solution, which involves an infinite convergent series for constant diffusivity ( D eff ) and constant radius ( R 0 ), provided a reliable prediction of soaking kinetics. Values of the diffusion coefficient (around 10 −11 m 2 /s) are within the ranges expected for food rehydration at similar temperatures. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor were calculated by an Arrhenius type-equation. The values determined were E a = 9.1 kJ mol − 1 K − 1 and, D 0 = 3.861 × 10 −10 m 2 s −1 , respectively with an r 2 value lower than 0.8.