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In this study, we analysed the potential use of dried strawberry leaves and calyces for the production of nanoparticles using inorganic iron compounds. We used the following iron precursors FeCl3 × 6H2O, FeCl2 × 4H2O, Fe(NO3)3 × 9H2O, Fe2(SO4)3 × H2O, FeSO4 × 7H2O, FeCl3 anhydrous. It was discovered that the content of polyphenols and flavonoids in dried strawberries and their antioxidant activity in DPPH and FRAP were 346.81 µM TE/1 g and 331.71 µM TE/1 g, respectively, and were similar to these of green tea extracts. Microimages made using TEM techniques allowed for the isolation of a few nanoparticles with dimensions ranging from tens of nanometres to several micrometres. The value of the electrokinetic potential in all samples was negative and ranged from -21,300 mV to -11,183 mV. XRF analyses confirmed the presence of iron ranging from 0.13% to 0.92% in the samples with a concentration of 0.01 mol/dm3. FT-IR spectra analyses showed bands characteristic of nanoparticles. In calorimetric measurements, no increase in temperature was observed in any of the tests during exposure to the electromagnetic field. In summary, using the extract from dried strawberry leaves and calyxes as a reagent, we can obtain iron nanoparticles with sizes dependent on the concentration of the precursor.

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Due to their different properties compared to other materials, nanoparticles of iron and iron oxides are increasingly used in the food industry. Food technologists have especially paid attention to their ease of separation by magnetic fields and biocompatibility. Unfortunately, the consumption of increasing amounts of nanoparticles has raised concerns about their biotoxicity. Hence, knowledge about the applicability of iron nanoparticle-based materials in the food industry is needed not only among scientists, but also among all individuals who are involved in food production. The first part of this article describes typical methods of obtaining iron nanoparticles using chemical synthesis and so-called green chemistry. The second part of this article describes the use of iron nanoparticles and iron nanoparticle-based materials for active packaging, including the ability to eliminate oxygen and antimicrobial activity. Then, the possibilities of using the magnetic properties of iron nano-oxides for enzyme immobilization, food analysis, protein purification and mycotoxin and histamine removal from food are described. Other described applications of materials based on iron nanoparticles are the production of artificial enzymes, process control, food fortification and preserving food in a supercooled state. The third part of the article analyzes the biocompatibility of iron nanoparticles, their impact on the human body and the safety of their use.

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Calcium is an element that performs many important functions in the human body. A study was conducted on the use of a pulsed electric field (PEF) to enrich cells of Lactobacillus rhamnosus B 442 in calcium ions. The highest concentration of calcium ions in bacterial cells (7.30 mg/g d.m.) was obtained at ion concentration of 200 µg/ml of medium and with the use of the following PEF parameters: field strength 3.0 kV/cm, exposure time 10 min, pulse width 75 ms and 20 h of culturing after which bacteria were treated with the field. Cell biomass varied in the range from 0.09 g/g d.m. to 0.252 g/g d.m., and the total number of bacteria ranged from 1010 CFU/ml to 1012 CFU/ml. Microscope photographs prove that calcium ions were situated within the cells of the bacteria, and electroporation contributed to an increase in the effectiveness of the ion bioaccumulation process. Samples containing calcium and subjected to electroporation displayed intensive fluorescence. The significance of this research was the possibility of using probiotic bacteria enriched with calcium ions for the production of functional food in subsequent studies.

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The following strains of bacteria: Lactobacillus rhamnosus B 442, Lactobacillus rhamnosus 1937, and Lactococcus lactis JBB 500 were enriched with magnesium ions using Pulsed Electric Fields. The potentially probiotic strains were added to the mixture in the DVS process and applied for the production of ice cream which were then analyzed physicochemically and microbiologically. Results showed that addition of bacteria enriched with magnesium did not change chemical parameters of the ice cream and did not affect the freezing process, meltability, and hardness. No significant differences were noted in colour of the samples. The ice cream with addition of bacteria enriched with magnesium had higher adhesiveness. The results of viability determination showed that the total number of microorganisms in the ice cream was higher than in the starter cultures. Viability of the bacteria enriched with magnesium in the obtained ice cream was lower in comparison to the control samples.

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Determining thawing times of frozen foods is a challenging problem as the thermophysical properties of the product change during thawing. A number of calculation models and solutions have been developed. The proposed solutions range from relatively simple analytical equations based on a number of assumptions to a group of empirical approaches that sometimes require complex calculations. In this paper analytical, empirical and graphical models are presented and critically reviewed. The conditions of solution, limitations and possible applications of the models are discussed. The graphical and semi--graphical models are derived from numerical methods. Using the numerical methods is not always possible as running calculations takes time, whereas the specialized software and equipment are not always cheap. For these reasons, the application of analytical-empirical models is more useful for engineering. It is demonstrated that there is no simple, accurate and feasible analytical method for thawing time prediction. Consequently, simplified methods are needed for thawing time estimation of agricultural and food products. The review reveals the need for further improvement of the existing solutions or development of new ones that will enable accurate determination of thawing time within a wide range of practical conditions of heat transfer during processing.