How isomaltulose and oligofructose affect physicochemical and sensory properties of muffins?

This article analyses, the replacement of sucrose in muffins with nine different combinations of isomaltulose and oligofructose. Being a structural isomer of sucrose with approx. 50% of sucrose sweetness, isomaltulose is non-cariogenic and with a low glycemic profile but having the same calories as sucrose. Oligofructose is composed of fructose polymers, with a reduced caloric value and prebiotic effect. Specifically, height, percentage of alveoli, water content, Aw , mechanical, and optical properties have been measured along with a sensory evaluation. The results showed that all combinations of sweeteners gave place to softer muffins than control ones. Moreover, isomaltulose caused a darkening of the products likely due to an enhancement of the Maillard reactions. The highest amount of isomaltulose and the absence of sucrose meant the worst score in sweetness and flavor due to the low sweetening powder of isomaltulose.

Cost-Effective Implementation of a Temperature Traceability System Based on Smart RFID Tags and IoT Services.

This paper presents the design and validation of a traceability system, based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and Internet of Things (IoT) services, intended to address the interconnection and cost-implementation problems typical in traceability systems. The RFID layer integrates temperature sensors into RFID tags, to track and trace food conditions during transportation. The IoT paradigm makes it possible to connect multiple systems to the same platform, addressing interconnection problems between different technology providers. The cost-implementation issues are addressed following the Data as a Service (DaaS) billing scheme, where users pay for the data they consume and not the installed equipment, avoiding the big initial investment that these high-tech solutions commonly require. The developed system is validated in two case scenarios, one carried out in controlled laboratory conditions, monitoring chopped pumpkin. Another case, carried out in a real scenario, monitors oranges sent from Valencia, Spain to Cork, Ireland.

From the Laboratory to the Kitchen: New Alternatives to Healthier Bakery Products.

Due to the growing interest in improving the nutritional profile of bakery products, we have dealt with the most recent and relevant contributions regarding potential replacements for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Focusing on the influence of carbohydrates on metabolism, their excess implies obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. However, they are technologically important, since they are responsible for the structure of many bakery products. Regarding of the lipid profile, saturated fats have a great impact on the appearance of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, nature and the food industry offer alternatives to traditional oils/butters with large amounts of omega 3 and other components that can mitigate these problems. Other relevant aspects are related to allergies concerning egg proteins, gluten or even requirements for vegan consumers. Several studies have been performed in this line, replacing eggs with milk serum, different mucilages obtained from legumes or some gums, etc. In conclusion, many papers have been published showing the possibility of successfully replacing (both at technological and sensory levels) less healthy ingredients with others that are nutritionally better. The challenge now is to combine these better components in a given product, as well as to evaluate possible interactions among them.

Physicochemical characteristics of citrus jelly with non cariogenic and functional sweeteners.

In this study the effect of sweeteners with low glycemic index and non-cariogenic characteristics (isomaltulose, oligofructose and tagatose) in jelly prepared with citrus juice has been evaluated considering a citrus jelly formulated with sucrose as reference. The soluble solids, moisture content, pH, water activity, antioxidant capacity, optical and mechanical properties of jelly made using different sweeteners was determined during storage. Besides, mesophilic aerobics and moulds and yeasts was also counted to determine their stability over time. Sensory evaluation of the citrus jelly has also been done. The results showed the antioxidant activity decreased during storage in all formulations. Tagatose increased lightness whereas coordinates a*, b* and chrome of all the jellies prepared using new sweeteners were lower than jellies with sucrose. However, citrus jelly with only oligofructose or tagatose or with the mixture of isomaltulose and tagatose were most closely resembled to the control jelly with respect to mechanical properties. Jelly prepared with the combination of isomaltulose and tagatose in equal proportions obtained the best score in the sensorial analysis.