Microwave Processing: Effects and Impacts on Properties of Food and Food Waste

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 7241

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: pharmaceutical technologies and chemistry; green extraction technologies (supercritical carbon dioxide, subcritical water, ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction); production of dry extracts using spray drying technique, physical-chemical, biochemical, and pharmacological analyses of obtained extracts; valorisation of (food, agricultural, industry, marine, communal) waste/byproducts by applying green engineering
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Guest Editor
Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: extraction; medicinal plants; supercritical carbon dioxide; industrial design; phenolic compounds; response surface methodology
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Guest Editor
Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, University of Split, HR-21000 Split, Croatia
Interests: volatile organic compounds (terpenes, norisoprenoids, aliphatic and aromatic compounds, others); glycosidically bound volatiles; chemical biomarkers; chemical biodiversity; gas chromatography and mass spectrometry; organic chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit original articles or reviews to a Special Issue of Foods titled “Microwave Processing: Effects and Impacts on Properties of Food and Food Waste”.

Because it is simple, rapid, and cost-effective, microwave technology is a promising and important technology with various applications in food processing. Additionally, it is recognized as an efficient, environmentally friendly process for the valorization of food waste and food by-products. Therefore, the implementation of the microwave process can represent a significant element of a feasible and sustainable production process. Moreover, this technology can be applied in combination with other processes to improve the process itself and the quality of the product.

Considering the constant improvement and widening of the application of microwave technology, this Special Issue welcomes works from all fields related to the microwave processing of food, food waste, and food by-products.  

The Special Issue will cover, but is not limited to, the following scientific subjects:

  • Microwave processing of different food source;
  • Application of microwave pretreatment;
  • Analyses of the impact of microwave process parameters on food product characteristics;
  • Valorization of food waste and/or by-products;
  • Optimization studies;
  • Application of microwave technology with the goal of improving the properties, quality, and safety of obtained food products;
  • Coupling microwave processing technology with other technologies;
  • Scale-up of the microwave process;
  • New applications of microwave technology.

We encourage you to submit your original articles or reviews, and look forward to receiving your work.

Yours sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Jelena Vladić
Prof. Dr. Stela Jokić
Prof. Dr. Igor Jerković
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microwave processing
  • microwave extraction
  • food
  • food waste
  • valorization of food waste and by-products
  • optimization
  • microwave scale up
  • green technology

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1532 KiB  
Article
Optimizing the Integration of Microwave Processing and Enzymatic Extraction to Produce Polyphenol-Rich Extracts from Olive Pomace
by Gabriela A. Macedo, Paula de P. M. Barbosa, Fernanda F. G. Dias, Lauren M. Crawford, Selina C. Wang and Juliana M. L. N. De Moura Bell
Foods 2023, 12(20), 3754; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203754 - 12 Oct 2023
Viewed by 746
Abstract
The integration of green technologies such as microwave- and enzyme-assisted extraction (MEAE) has been shown to improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds while reducing processing time and costs. MEAE using tannase alone (MEAE-Tan), or in combination with cellulase and pectinase (MEAE-Tan-Cel-Pec), was [...] Read more.
The integration of green technologies such as microwave- and enzyme-assisted extraction (MEAE) has been shown to improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds while reducing processing time and costs. MEAE using tannase alone (MEAE-Tan), or in combination with cellulase and pectinase (MEAE-Tan-Cel-Pec), was optimized to produce enriched phenolic and antioxidant extracts from olive pomace. The individual and integrated impact of enzyme concentration, temperature, and pomace/water ratio were determined using a central composite rotatable design. Optimal extraction conditions for MEAE-Tan (60 °C, 15 min, 2.34% of enzyme (w/w), and 1:15 pomace/water ratio) and MEAE-Tan-Cel-Pec (46 °C, 15 min, 2% of enzymes (w/w), in the proportion of 1:1:1, and 1:20 pomace/water ratio) resulted in extracts containing 7110.6 and 2938.25 mg GAE/kg, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was correlated with phenolic acid release, which was enzyme-dependent, as determined with HPLC-DAD analysis. Enzyme selection had a significant impact on the phenolic profile of extracts, with tannase releasing high concentrations of chlorogenic acid and the combined use of enzymes releasing high concentrations of hydroxytyrosol and chlorogenic and ferulic acids. The novelty of this study relies on the integration and optimization of two green technologies (microwave- and enzyme-assisted extraction) to improve the extraction efficiency of bioactive phenolics from olive pomace while reducing processing time and costs. While these techniques have been evaluated isolated, the benefits of using both processing strategies simultaneously remain largely unexplored. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the integration and processing optimization of two environmentally friendly technologies as a promising alternative to treat agro-industrial byproducts. Full article
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16 pages, 1331 KiB  
Article
Microbial Control of Raw and Cold-Smoked Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) through a Microwave Plasma Treatment
by Thomas Weihe, Robert Wagner, Uta Schnabel, Mathias Andrasch, Yukun Su, Jörg Stachowiak, Heinz Jörg Noll and Jörg Ehlbeck
Foods 2022, 11(21), 3356; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213356 - 25 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1897
Abstract
The control of the pathogenic load on foodstuffs is a key element in food safety. Particularly, seafood such as cold-smoked salmon is threatened by pathogens such as Salmonella sp. or Listeria monocytogenes. Despite strict existing hygiene procedures, the production industry constantly demands [...] Read more.
The control of the pathogenic load on foodstuffs is a key element in food safety. Particularly, seafood such as cold-smoked salmon is threatened by pathogens such as Salmonella sp. or Listeria monocytogenes. Despite strict existing hygiene procedures, the production industry constantly demands novel, reliable methods for microbial decontamination. Against that background, a microwave plasma-based decontamination technique via plasma-processed air (PPA) is presented. Thereby, the samples undergo two treatment steps, a pre-treatment step where PPA is produced when compressed air flows over a plasma torch, and a post-treatment step where the PPA acts on the samples. This publication embraces experiments that compare the total viable count (tvc) of bacteria found on PPA-treated raw (rs) and cold-smoked salmon (css) samples and their references. The tvc over the storage time is evaluated using a logistic growth model that reveals a PPA sensitivity for raw salmon (rs). A shelf-life prolongation of two days is determined. When cold-smoked salmon (css) is PPA-treated, the treatment reveals no further impact. When PPA-treated raw salmon (rs) is compared with PPA-untreated cold-smoked salmon (css), the PPA treatment appears as reliable as the cold-smoking process and retards the growth of cultivable bacteria in the same manner. The experiments are flanked by quality measurements such as color and texture measurements before and after the PPA treatment. Salmon samples, which undergo an overtreatment, solely show light changes such as a whitish surface flocculation. A relatively mild treatment as applied in the storage experiments has no further detected impact on the fish matrix. Full article
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11 pages, 1319 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Microwave-Assisted Extraction as a Potential Green Technology for the Isolation of Bioactive Compounds from Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Floral By-Products
by Débora Cerdá-Bernad, João P. Baixinho, Naiara Fernández and María José Frutos
Foods 2022, 11(15), 2335; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152335 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1924
Abstract
The saffron flower stigmas are used for the saffron spice production while the remaining saffron floral by-products, that are a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds, remain underutilized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) through response surface [...] Read more.
The saffron flower stigmas are used for the saffron spice production while the remaining saffron floral by-products, that are a valuable source of natural bioactive compounds, remain underutilized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) through response surface methodology to obtain high value-added compounds from saffron tepals as ingredients with potential application in the food, pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic industries. A central composite design was applied to optimize process variables: temperature, time and ethanol solvent concentration. Extracts were characterized in terms of total phenolic and total flavonoid content, and antioxidant capacity (ORAC and HOSC assays), being the maximum values obtained: 126.20 ± 2.99 mg GAE/g dry matter; 8.05 ± 0.11 mg CE/g dry matter; 6219 ± 246 μmol TEAC/dry matter; 3131 ± 205 μmol TEAC/dry matter, respectively. Results indicated that the optimal extraction conditions were the combination of low temperature (25 °C)—high extraction time (5 min) using ethanol as solvent (100%). MAE revealed to be an efficient technique to isolate bioactive compounds from saffron floral by-products with a low energy footprint. Full article
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14 pages, 1613 KiB  
Article
Physicochemical, Pasting Properties and In Vitro Starch Digestion of Chinese Yam Flours as Affected by Microwave Freeze-Drying
by Linlin Li, Junliang Chen, Danqi Bai, Mengshuo Xu, Weiwei Cao, Guangyue Ren, Aiqing Ren and Xu Duan
Foods 2022, 11(15), 2324; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152324 - 03 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1826
Abstract
Microwave freeze-drying (MFD) is a new freeze-drying technique, which differs from single microwave treatment; it involves simultaneous effects of microwave power, time, and the moisture state applied to the materials. In this study, the effects of MFD under various microwave power densities (0.5, [...] Read more.
Microwave freeze-drying (MFD) is a new freeze-drying technique, which differs from single microwave treatment; it involves simultaneous effects of microwave power, time, and the moisture state applied to the materials. In this study, the effects of MFD under various microwave power densities (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 W/g) on the drying characteristics of Chinese yam slices and the physicochemical, pasting, and thermal properties as well as the starch digestibility of the flour were investigated using conventional hot air drying (HAD) at 50 °C as a control. Compared to HAD, MFD shortened the drying time up to 14.29~35.71%, with a higher drying efficiency at a high microwave power density (1.5 W/g). MFD yam flours provided benefits over HAD products in terms of color, water/oil absorption capacity, and solubility, exhibiting high hot-paste viscosity but low resistant starch content. The content of total starch and free glucose of the yam flour and its iodine blue value were significantly influenced by the drying method and the MFD process parameters (p < 0.05). MFD processing could disrupt the short-range ordered structure of yam starch. Among the MFD flours, samples dried by MFD at 1.5 W/g presented the highest ratio of peak intensity at 1047 and 1022 cm−1 (R1047/1022) value, gelatinization enthalpy, and resistant starch content. These results gave a theoretical foundation for the novel freeze-drying method that MFD applied to foods with a high starch content, enabling the production of a product with the desired quality. Full article
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