Food powder liquid extracts obtained from fruits and vegetables can be manufactured using spray drying technologies while maintaining the quality attributes that are required by the industrial sector. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maltodextrin and spray drying process conditions on sugarcane juice powder. A central composite design was used with a response surface analysis of four factors: (A) maltodextrin (10-20%), (B) inlet air temperature (130-150 °C), (C) outlet air temperature (75-85 °C) and (D) atomization speed (22,000-26,000 rpm). Moisture, hygroscopicity, solubility, effective recovery and formation of deposits on the walls presented significant differences (P<0.05) with respect to all factors, while, for water activity, no statistical differences were observed. The optimization of the factors found for the drying operating conditions were: (A) 20%, (B) 130 °C, (C) 75 °C and (D) 22,000 rpm, respectively.

The blackberry is a fragile fruit with a high degree of decomposition, which limits its shelf life. The effect of an edible coating (EC) based on cassava starch, whey protein, beeswax, chitosan, glycerol, stearic acid, and glacial acetic acid on the shelf life of fruit stored at 4 C was evaluated. The physical, chemical, physical, microbiological, and sensorial quality was evaluated, comparing with a fresh control fruit. The EC had a positive effect on the physicochemical and sensorial properties (mainly in texture, flavor, and aromas), due to the reduction of physiological processes, whereas the color changes are mainly due to anthocyanin losses. After 10 days of storage, weight losses were 39.6% lower and firmness was 81.4% higher; while chitosan reduced the mold and yeast count. The EC increased the useful life of the Andean blackberries by 100%.

Every year the world loses about 50% of fruits and vegetables post-harvest and in the supply chain. The use of biodegradable coatings and films with antioxidant properties has been considered an excellent alternative to extend the shelf life of food. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop a coating based on yam (Dioscorea rotundata L.) starch-containing lime, fennel, and lavender essential oils to extend the shelf life of strawberries (Fragaria vesca l.). The tensile properties, barrier properties (water vapour permeability (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP)), moisture content, water-solubility, absorption capacity, water contact angle, optical properties, the antioxidant activity of the resultant starch-based coatings were evaluated. After that, the active properties of the coatings were assessed on strawberries inoculated with Aspergillus niger during 14 days of storage at 25 °C. The results showed that the incorporation of essential oils improved the elongation and WVP and provided antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity in the films. In particular, the essential oil of lime showed higher antioxidant activity. This fact caused the unwanted modification of other properties, such as the decrease in tensile strength, elastic modulus and increase in OP. The present study revealed the potential use of lime, fennel, and lavender essential oils incorporated into a polymeric yam starch matrix to produce biodegradable active films (antioxidant and antimicrobial). Obtained films showed to be a viable alternative to increase the shelf life of strawberries and protect them against Aspergillus niger.

The 17th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop (IHIW) organizers conducted a Pilot Study (PS) in which 13 laboratories (15 groups) participated to assess the performance of the various sequencing library preparation protocols, NGS platforms and software in use prior to the workshop. The organizers sent 50 cell lines to each of the 15 groups, scored the 15 independently generated sets of NGS HLA genotyping data, and generated "consensus" HLA genotypes for each of the 50 cell lines. Proficiency Testing (PT) was subsequently organized using four sets of 24 cell lines, selected from 48 of 50 PS cell lines, to validate the quality of NGS HLA typing data from the 34 participating IHIW laboratories. Completion of the PT program with a minimum score of 95% concordance at the HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 loci satisfied the requirements to submit NGS HLA typing data for the 17th IHIW projects. Together, these PS and PT efforts constituted the 17th IHIW Quality Control project.

Potatoes with pulp coloration, have a large number of antioxidant compounds, new varieties with agronomic and nutritional properties have been developed, from which the diploid potato cv Primavera was selected, a process of vacuum frying was applied. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the process conditions on the snacks quality of potatoes. Response surface methodology was used by a central composite design, with independent variables: ΔT (Toil-Tboiling point water) (°C), vacuum pressure (25-70 kPa), frying time (240-420 s) and dependent variables: antioxidant capacity, peroxides index, moisture, aw, texture, color, fat content for potato chips and polar compounds inside the frying oil. The results for the optimization process were: vacuum pressure = 59.4 kPa, ΔT = 50.8 °C and t =420 s. The optimization allowed to obtain a diploid potato snack with good quality 2538 Manuela Gallon Bedoya et al.