Food Science Notes Learn how glass transition temperature is a key factor in frozen foods Frozen systems within the food industry rely strongly on the glass transition temperature (Tg‘) in order to maintain their quality in fresh-like conditions and expand storage life. In this post, we will learn how this value is key to food scientists and how it allows the identification of the stability of food quality during processing and storage. Freezing of foods has been in use by humanity for centuries. Initially, however, this phenomenon relied on winter frosts. Farmers, fishermen, and trappe ..read more

Food Science Notes How IFST just helped me boost my research? Communicating your research among other scientists working in the same field and receiving good feedback in the form of an award is one of the best experiences I have ever felt. It is surely not an easy thing, but certainly it makes you feel like you are doing progress and that an academic career is in fact worth it. The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) made this occurrence possible, and I just want to share how helpful this institution is for young food science graduates that are willing to also boost their researc ..read more

Food Science Notes What is 1H-NMR and how cool is it for the food sector? Would you imagine being able to determine where a vegetable has been harvested, if it is fraudulent, or even genetically modified by just analysing a tiny amount of it? The truth is that, you actually can! Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is the way. In this article we will discuss how this physical phenomenon operates, and how it is being implemented in the food sector. Briefly, NMR is explained as a physical phenomenon in which atomic nuclei within a sample (1H and 13C are the most common nuclei targeted in food scie ..read more

Food Science Notes Fiber Fueled Fiber Fueled is a bold new plant-based plan that challenges popular keto and paleo diets, from an award-winning gastroenterologist. The benefits of restrictive diets like paleo and keto have been promoted for more than a decade, but as a renowned gastroenterologist, Dr Will Bulsiewicz, or “Dr B,” illuminates in this groundbreaking book, the explosion of studies on the microbiome makes it abundantly clear that elimination diets are in fact hazardous to our health. What studies clearly now show is that gut health is the key to boosting our metabolism, balan ..read more

Food Science Notes What is titanium dioxide and why has it been re-evaluated? EFSA has updated its safety assessment of the food additive titanium dioxide (E-171), following a request by the European Commission in March 2020. The updated evaluation revises the outcome of EFSA’s previous assessment published in 2016, which highlighted the need for more research to fill data gaps. Prof Maged Younes, Chair of EFSA’s expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF), said: “Taking into account all available scientific studies and data, the Panel concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer b ..read more

Food Science Notes Cow’s milk allergy or lactose intolerance? When we think about milk, it’s difficult not to imagine a bowl of cereals or a simple glass of milk. However, have you ever wondered how many foods do also contain it? Milk and/or its components are widely spread across all kinds of foods.  Dips and salad dressings, chewing gum, paté, tuna fish, and sausages are some of the surprising foods that commonly contain milk or its components (e.g. milk proteins like casein). It’s hard to imagine, but milk is everywhere! The question is, has it always been around? The answer is ..read more

Food Science Notes What is kombucha and why is it good for your gut Who would argue that tea is not good for your health? Tea is, in fact, reported as the oldest medicine in history. Well, there’s something similar that’s even better, kombucha! Join me in this blog post to discover what is it, how is produced, and why is reported to be good for your gut. Kombucha is a beverage obtained by the fermentation of tea and sugar by a symbiotic association of bacteria and yeasts forming a “tea fungus”. This refreshing beverage tasting like sparkling apple cider is often produced in the home by ..read more

Food Science Notes What is furan and why is it in baby foods? Well, I don’t have a baby! Fine, but I’ll stop you there, dear reader, since furan is a cause of concern for everybody, and not only babies. Although a vital hazard to infants and babies, furan is still a toxic and carcinogenic compound to humans! But why not first discuss what furan is? This is just a tiny molecule formed by thermal degradation of carbohydrates, dissociation of amino acids, and oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, every thermal process in the food industry may be directly involved with this compou ..read more

Food Science Notes Meet the cold plasma technology Can you imagine a technology capable of disinfecting surfaces, packaging, food contact surfaces or even food itself? Well, stop imaging. Cold plasma exists, is innovative, and offers some interesting benefits for the food sector. But, what is indeed the cold plasma technology? After lockdowns and restrictions due to COVID-19, I am sure that almost every person has had more time for themselves. In my case, I took advantage of being at home by creating this website, getting interested in physics and watching TV shows. Regarding the TV shows, I ..read more

Food Science Notes Learn how glass transition temperature is a key factor in frozen foods Frozen systems within the food industry rely strongly on the glass transition temperature (Tg‘) in order to maintain their quality in fresh-like conditions and expand storage life. In this post, we will learn how this value is key to food scientists and how it allows the identification of the stability of food quality during processing and storage. Freezing of foods has been in use by humanity for centuries. Initially, however, this phenomenon relied on winter frosts. Farmers, fishermen, and trappe ..read more