@article{lafountain_johanningsmeier_breidt_stoforos_price_2022, title={Effects of a brief blanching process on quality, safety, and shelf life of refrigerated cucumber pickles}, ISSN={["1750-3841"]}, DOI={10.1111/1750-3841.16112}, abstractNote={Refrigerated pickles are characterized by crisp, crunchy texture, opaque flesh, and fresh flavor. Typically produced without a thermal process, microbial safety relies on preventive controls, brine composition, and sufficient hold time prior to consumption. We hypothesized that brief blanching of whole cucumbers prior to pickling could provide an additional hurdle for pathogenic microbes without negatively impacting finished product quality. Blanch treatments (15, 90, or 180 s) in 80°C water were conducted in duplicate on two lots of cucumbers prior to cutting into spears, acidifying, and storing at 4°C. Enumeration of total aerobes, lactic acid bacteria, and glucose-fermenting coliforms was conducted for fresh and blanched cucumber. Texture, color, cured appearance development, and volatile compound profiles were analyzed for fresh and blanched cucumber and corresponding pickle products during refrigerated storage. The 90 s blanch consistently achieved a minimum 2-log reduction in cucumber microbiota and a predicted 5-log reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 up to 1.1 mm into the cucumber fruit. Blanching had no impact on tissue firmness during refrigerated storage for 1 year (p > 0.098). There were no differences in flavor-active lipid oxidation products (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and (E)-2-nonenal, and consumers (n = 110) were unable to differentiate between control and 90 s blanched cucumber pickles stored for 62 days. Exocarp color and mesocarp opacity were preserved by the blanching treatment, potentially extending product shelf life. This method offers processors an option for reducing the risk of microbial contamination while maintaining the quality attributes associated with refrigerated cucumber pickles. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Refrigerated pickles do not undergo thermal processing, which can leave them vulnerable to microbial contamination. This study illustrates that adding a brief blanching step in refrigerated pickle processing can reduce indigenous microbiota without negatively impacting quality attributes. This blanching process could assist pickled vegetable manufacturers in providing additional safeguards for consumers while maintaining a high-quality product.}, journal={JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE}, author={LaFountain, Lisa J. and Johanningsmeier, Suzanne D. and Breidt, Frederick, Jr. and Stoforos, George N. and Price, Robert E.}, year={2022}, month={Mar} }
 @article{stoforos_rezaei_simunovic_sandeep_2021, title={Enhancement of continuous flow cooling using hydrophobic surface treatment}, volume={300}, ISSN={["1873-5770"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2021.110524}, DOI={10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2021.110524}, abstractNote={This study examined the effect of hydrophobic-surface treatment of tubular heat exchangers on cooling of viscous foods, namely sweet potato puree, banana puree, and cheese sauce. For the foods tested, cooling efficiency was compared between two identical tube-in-tube stainless-steel heat exchangers either untreated or treated with a hydrophobic chemical coating, Aculon. The average overall heat transfer coefficient, U, was calculated and compared between the two heat exchangers. Cooling of banana puree was improved when using the Aculon-treated heat exchanger, revealing a U of 115 W/(m2·K) compared to 105 W/(m2·K) for the untreated heat exchanger. Cheese sauce cooling was influenced the most, with a U value of 187 W/(m2·K) for the Aculon-treated heat exchanger, compared to 133 W/(m2·K) for the untreated case. Finally, Aculon-treatment showed no difference in the cooling of sweet potato puree, with U of 193 W/(m2·K) and 195 W/(m2·K) for the untreated and the Aculon-treated heat exchangers, respectively.}, journal={JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING}, author={Stoforos, George N. and Rezaei, Farzad and Simunovic, Josip and Sandeep, K. P.}, year={2021}, month={Jul} }
 @article{stoforos_simunovic_2018, title={Computer-aided design and experimental testing of continuous flow cooling of viscous foods}, volume={41}, ISSN={["1745-4530"]}, DOI={10.1111/jfpe.12913}, abstractNote={Abstract Computer‐aided studies, comprising computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer models, were used to simulate continuous flow cooling of viscous foods. Initially, model validation studies were conducted, giving a good correlation between simulation results and experimental data on cooling of sweet potato puree. Additional computer‐aided studies were performed to compare cooling efficiency of two different flow configurations, with the product flowing within the inner tube and the annulus of a tube‐in‐tube heat exchanger, respectively. Cooling of sweet potato puree was significantly improved for the annular product flow compared with the other case, resulting in a bulk temperature at the exit of the heat exchanger lower by 12 ± 4 °C. Therefore, the simulation results indicate that annular product flow could potentially improve cooling efficiency by 25% for sweet potato puree, due to the increased heat transfer to the environment. Practical applications During cooling of viscous foods, such as fruit and vegetable purees, laminar flow, and low thermal conductivity lead to a nonuniform, slow cooling process resulting in degradation of food quality. Improvement and optimization of the cooling process in a tube‐in‐tube heat exchanger, with an implementation of annular flow for the product, could potentially result in (1) enhancement of cooling efficiency, (2) reduction of cooling‐related product quality losses, and (3) improvement of sanitary conditions, by eliminating condensation formation.}, number={8}, journal={JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING}, author={Stoforos, George N. and Simunovic, Josip}, year={2018}, month={Dec} }
 @article{stoforos_farkas_simunovic_2016, title={Thermal mixing via acoustic vibration during continuous flow cooling of viscous food products}, volume={100}, ISSN={["1744-3571"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.fbp.2016.07.008}, abstractNote={During conventional continuous flow cooling of viscous foods, laminar flow and low thermal conductivity lead to a wide temperature distribution within the product, resulting in non-uniformity, slow cooling processes and degradation of final food quality. It was hypothesized that continuous flow cooling would be enhanced by equalizing the temperature profile (thermal mixing) during cooling. In this study, a computer-controlled frequency, audio transducer amplifier was used to impose transversal vibration motion on a 180° bend pipe and generate thermal mixing of viscous foods, such as sweet potato puree, banana puree, apple sauce and cheese sauce, at the temperature range of 110–60 °C. Applying vibration at the maximum amplifier volume and 20 Hz, the resonance frequency of the unit, the initial radial temperature distribution of 3–20 °C was reduced to a temperature difference of 0–4 °C, for all the food products. Although parameters such as the magnitude of the initial temperature difference and the gel formation at the pipe wall, which occurs during the cooling of these kinds of food materials, need to be controlled better for future applications of this method.}, journal={FOOD AND BIOPRODUCTS PROCESSING}, author={Stoforos, George N. and Farkas, Brian E. and Simunovic, Josip}, year={2016}, month={Oct}, pages={551–559} }