Listeria monocytogenes contamination continues to pose challenges for the food industry and there is demand for effective methods of food preservation and protection that can also be considered clean label. A promising source of antilisterial compounds may be sourced from bacteria that produce novel byproducts. Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified...
2020 and 2021 brought the first reported outbreaks of salmonellosis epidemiologically linked to dry bulb onions in the United States. Outbreak investigations were not able to implicate a specific source of the contamination but speculated that contaminated water was a significant contributor. The Produce Safety Rule established minimum standards for...
Variation in cheese quality due to geographic location is important to cheese producers, consumers, and retailers on a global level. Understanding the impacts of geographic location of cheese plants may be useful to businesses for marketing, cost reduction, and quality improvement. Many aspects of variation due to geography have been...
Seven species of microorganisms indigenous to fish were inoculated into sterile fish muscle, obtained from Sebastodes alutus and Sebastalobus alascanus, and the production of total volatile acids (TVA) and total volatile bases (TVB) was determined during storage at 1 C. No production of TVA and TVB was noted in sterile...
Certain chlorinated insecticides can be identified by electron capture gas-liquid chromatographic (EC-GLC) analysis of the prepared sample before and after treatment with ultraviolet irradiation, Upon U.V. treatment, characteristic degradation products arise from the insecticides investigated. Comparison of the degradation pattern obtained by EC-GLC of unknown and authentic insecticides provides an...
Thermal oxidation of methyl oleate was studied over a range of temperatures from 50 C to 150 C for periods of time up to 30 min. Degradation was quantitatively followed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) and liquid scintillation counting of the products of methyl oleate-U-14C heated under a stream of...
Dimethyl sulfide, acetaldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, furan, 2-furaldehyde, 2-acetyl furan, and ethyl furoate were produced when pureed strawberries were heated to 120° C. for 30 minutes. Shorter heating periods were sufficient to produce the first three compounds. With the exception of acetaldehyde, none of the heat-induced compounds were detected in unheated, pureed...
Studies involving freeze-dried methyl linolenate-gelatin foams indicate that the extent of lipid-protein interaction corresponds to the degree of autoxidation of the lipid fraction. It appears that approximately 11% of the malonaldehyde as defined by the 2-thiobarbituric acid test is firmly bound to the protein. The induction period of autoxidation is...
Pesticide chemists have recognized since the 1940's that ultraviolet light was deleterious to the insecticidal properties of certain compounds. However, it has been only within the last 15 years that a number of photodecomposition products of the chlorinated hydrocarbon
insecticides have been isolated and identified. The degradation of insecticides by...
A threshold pattern for the even-numbered free fatty acids (FFA) in butter depended on chain-length. Butyric acid had the lowest total average flavor threshold (AFT) of the more volatile FFA, and the total AFT values increased as chain-length increased through hexanoic and octanoic acids. A soapy after-taste predominated at and...
Eighty-one microbial species isolated from seafoods and other marine sources were examined to determine the extent of interactions among these species. Spot-plates, cross-plates, and concurrent growth experiments at 7, 15, 20, and 30 C indicated that Lactobacillus species were capable of inhibiting other microorganisms. Lactobacillus species isolated from oysters and...
As the 2008 growing season comes to a close, we prepared this newsletter to provide information on several research projects conducted by OSU faculty and students, address frost concerns from this fall, and showcase the OSU Viticulture & Enology undergraduate program alumni. Dr. Marcus Buchanan has a synopsis of an...
In this issue, our group of winegrape researchers throughout the state has comprised a summary of the statewide incidence and damage caused by Short Shoot Syndrome and mites over the past few years. Be sure to check this out as it provides some interesting information! Also, a vineyard update has...
Winter provides many opportunities for viticulture and enology programming across Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The vines, although dormant, need pruning and the winery operations continue. This month, we’ve decided to focus on important considerations in both the vineyard and winery. An article on pruning operations by Dr. Patty...
Beginning the 2008 Season… It appears that the spring weather we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived! Bud break is commencing, a week or so later than 2007 due to cold weather in most of Western Oregon. With the advent of the growing season, this edition of the OSU Wine...
The growing season has come to an end and everyone is feverishly trying to harvest fruit before rain and/or frost, depending on the specific vineyard location throughout the state of Oregon. Here at OSU, we’ve been busy over the past few months providing programming to growers and winemakers. During August,...
The growing season is in full swing. As growers are busy doing canopy management in the vineyards and wine makers are preparing for the upcoming vintage, OSU faculty are working hard on their field research trials and extension programs to advance viticulture and enology research and education. We’ve been busy...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder experienced by 10–15% of the global population, manifesting as chronic abdominal pain, bloating and inconsistent bowel habits. The search for effective treatments remains ongoing. One promising contender in this realm is kappa-casein glycomacropeptide (GMP), a milk-derived peptide. Its potential benefits stem...
Whey protein isolate (WPI) and glycomacropeptide (GMP) have shown potential immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we investigated their effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion using both in vitro and in vivo models. In LPS-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages, digested WPI and GMP reduced cytokine expression, while whole GMP increased secretion. The in human...
Seaweeds have gained tremendous recognition as a highly nutritious and sustainable crop. The diverse components of seaweeds are known to exhibit a wide range of bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and cardiovascular health benefits. One such promising seaweed is Pacific dulse (Devaleraea mollis). While it holds great cultivating potential on the...
Whey protein’s potential for bioactivity is well documented, but there is disagreement on the extent to which it may modulate the immune system towards decreased inflammation. Decreased inflammation is generally perceived as a beneficial bioactivity in foods as excessive chronic inflammation is linked to morbidity and mortality.
This thesis first...
The seafood industry has a problem of underutilization of harvested and processed fish. Up to 60% of the weight of the fish is considered a byproduct that is typically made into fishmeal for livestock and aquaculture feed, a low-value and non-food grade product. Two species that make up major fisheries...
Listeria monocytogenes is the third most deadly foodborne pathogen in the United States. The young and elderly, as well as pregnant and immunocompromised people are the population most susceptible to serious illness and death from listeriosis infections.
Unlike most foodborne pathogens, L. monocytogenes does not live a solely enteric lifestyle....
Tropical fruit aromas are prominent in wines like Sauvignon Blanc, one of the most abundant white wines in the United States. With high consumer interest for these aromas, it has become increasingly important to understand the factors that influence the desired tropical fruit aromas in white wines. Understanding the causes...
Sensory stimulation from food-related cues elicits a number of rapid physiologic responses that prepare the gastrointestinal tract for efficient nutrient utilization and help minimize perturbations to metabolic homeostasis. Cephalic phase insulin release (CPIR) is one such response that specifically promotes glucose homeostasis by limiting the rise in blood sugar after...
American hop growers have historically dried hops in the range of 140-155°F/ 60-68°C using deep bed kilns (24 – 32 inches/ 60 – 81 cm), but over the last 10 years they have shifted to lower temperatures (125 -135 °F/ 52 – 57°C) for drying new American aroma cultivars. Reduced...
Bitterness is a common flavor attribute of aged cheese, but excessive levels are a flaw leading to consumer rejection. Bitterness in cheese has been primarily associated with milk casein-derived peptides of medium size (500–3,000 Da) and relative hydrophobicity. Herein, we demonstrate a novel approach for the identification of bitter peptides...
Production of fresh produce takes place outdoors, and therefore, is exposed to many routes of contamination (e.g., soil, contaminated water, manure, etc.) by human pathogens. Although precautions are taken to reduce this risk, pathogens can be regularly introduced to produce handling facilities. To manage the risk of cross-contamination from potentially...
This dissertation investigates the microbial diversity and factors influencing the assembly of microbial communities in kombucha production, using a combination of 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, 16S and ITS rRNA metabarcoding, and traditional culture-based microbiological methods. It also explores the diversity of kombucha starter cultures through shotgun sequencing and metabarcoding...
Pasteurization is an effective method of reducing risks associated with foodborne pathogens in raw milk. Cheese made from raw milk has a higher potential to harbor harmful bacterial pathogens. However, some cheesemakers prefer to use unpasteurized milk to preserve the natural microflora present in the raw milk and to prevent...
Flavored milk is a growing category for dairy products; however, it is a perishable product that is subject to microbial spoilage which can lead to a negative consumer experience and lead to lost sales. Flavored milk processors communicated unique spoilage events related to their products, including color loss of strawberry...
Lactose intolerance is a common food intolerance that occurs because of a post-weaning deficiency of lactase, an enzyme that cleaves the glyosidic bond of lactose. About 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance are abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea. ~25% of the world’s population...
Aroma is one of the major components that determines the quality of wine and consumer acceptability. Fruitiness is a highly desirable aroma quality in white wines and has been well accepted by consumers across the globe. Tropical fruit aroma has been substantially studied in Sauvignon Blanc wines due to its...
Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) is a single-stranded DNA virus that causes grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD). Symptoms of GRBD include red discoloring of leaf margins and red veins on the underside of the leaves. GRBD affects the plant's metabolism and photosynthetic pathways, and disrupts carbon translocation and chlorophyll concentrations....
Fish sauce is a fermented condiment made primarily from anchovies and is popularly used in Asian countries as it provides unique salty and umami flavor. Its consumption is no longer limited to Southeast Asian countries, but extended to Europe, United States and Canada as a condiment in their food. Fish...
It is estimated that for every 1 kg of cheese produced, approximately 9 kg of whey is created. For smaller producers something needs to be done to keep it out of water ways and potentially to valorize it. However, access to efficient secondary whey processing to isolate protein and lactose...
Starch is a significant component of the human diet and the glucose produced through its digestion provides a critical source of energy. When starch enters the mouth, salivary α-amylase hydrolyzes it into maltooligosaccharides (MOS, degree of polymerization [DP] 3-20) and maltopolysaccharides (MPS, DP >20). Previous studies have found that humans...
When a person is tasting wine, they first evaluate the appearance and then the aroma. The smell of wine is a crucial part of tasting and the aromas emanating from the wine should be pleasant. Aroma quality perceived in wine is determined by multiple interactions of the components found in...
Cheese has been produced since ancient times and continues to be an important nutrient-dense staple in many diets around the world. Cheese quality is of high importance to consumers, and it is important for cheese producers to establish process controls to prevent and control cheese spoilage. Fungal spoilage is of...
First recorded as a problem in 2003, wildfire smoke has been found to affect wine grapes and lead to alterations to a wine’s flavor profile. Smoke can carry organic volatile compounds over vast distances, which can then be deposited on grapes and are absorbed into the grape’s cells. These compounds...
The biotransformation of hop aroma via yeast is a prominent topic in the brewing industry with considerable interest placed on how yeast can enhance volatile thiol production during wort fermentation. Three potent thiols are known contributors to tropical qualities in wine and beer aroma, specifically 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH), 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA),...
Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus) is one of the most abundant fisheries on the American west coast. However, these fish are historically underutilized due to quality issues resulting from fillet softening that occurs as a result of both endogenous and exogenous (Myxosporidian parasite infection) cathepsin protease action during either storage (cathepsin...
Cold soaking is a technique used during red winemaking to alter the aroma, flavor, and phenolic content of a wine. However, cold soaking does not come without risk, as this process can result in the production of spoilage compounds such as acetic acid and ethyl acetate if excessive growth of...
Oregon strawberries are known for their high quality, intense flavor, sweetness, and rich red color. With optimal weather conditions, including rainy and mild seasons, Oregon has one of the best strawberry farming environments. Amongst the factors for a suitable strawberry farming environment, soil significantly influences strawberry growth and quality. The...
Naked barley is a rich source of fiber and phytonutrients but is not widely consumed by humans. The author contends that increasing population-wide consumption of wholegrain naked-barley would accrue a net positive public health benefit by helping to increase total fiber and phytonutrient consumption. Many of the leading causes of...
The overall goal of this study was to utilize apple pomace, the byproduct from juice processing, as a renewable source of fiber to create sustainable packaging using molded pulp technology. The goal was accomplished through two studies: 1) to modify apple pomace fibers for increasing relative cellulose composition and improving...
Given the many significant roles that bacteria play in modern food manufacturing, it is crucial that we have a fundamental understanding of how bacterial communities assemble and behave in the food manufacturing environment. The focus of this dissertation was to investigate both the spatial and temporal distributions of microbial communities...
The human senses can be used as analytical tools to evaluate many different aspects of our daily lives. The use of our senses through organoleptic methods offers unique and powerful insights into the characteristics of different stimuli. Due to the unique function of the different sensory organs we use to...
Ample research has demonstrated the largely untapped potential of bioactive peptides (BAPs) for treating systematic chronic inflammation (SCI). Protein hydrolysates are the mixture of peptides resulting from the hydrolytic breakdown of a protein. Numerous hydrolysates contain BAPs and exert beneficial effects in both in vitro and in vivo models. In...
The fermentation of honey-based musts has been a feature of civilization for millennia. Typically comprised of 75-90% (w/w) simple (i.e. fermentable) sugars, the glucose and fructose present are readily fermented by either pitched or adventitious micro-organisms. Nevertheless, despite its venerable heritage, honey-based fermentations are prone to inconsistency, and it is...
Kombucha is a traditional fermented beverage that has become increasingly popular in the United States due to its perceived health benefits and unique flavor profiles. The drivers of kombucha flavor have not been fully characterized, at least in part because it is produced using a complex microbial community, leading to...
Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen frequently associated with food processing environments. Its presence is particularly concerning in facilities handling minimally processed and ready-to-eat foods. Recent outbreaks associated with fresh produce, such as packaged salads and mushrooms, highlight the need to better understand and control these pathogens in environments that...
Wine taste and mouthfeel are essential factors that determine consumer acceptance, consumer preference, and wine quality. The three taste descriptors, sweet, sour, and bitter, are well understood and routinely appearing in wine sensory. In contrast, information related to mouthfeel sensations is still relatively limited. Winemakers have worked hard to craft...
Prebiotics are a subset of dietary fiber that is growing in demand within the food industry. The health benefits of prebiotics have been well established, leading to the increase in its incorporation into various food products. Given the importance of prebiotics as functional ingredients, it is important to understand their...
Milk is the first source of nutrition for all mammalian neonates. The complex matrix that constitutes milk has evolved to provide optimal nutrition for the newborn, for each species, respectively. Milk fat, originating in mammary epithelial, forms lipid droplets which are stabilized in the aqueous environment by bioactive polar lipids...
Rework is a common practice in the dairy industry as a way for processors to minimize waste while recovering costs for dairy products that are unsaleable. The regulations available for reworking fluid dairy products only outline product eligibility requirements with a focus on repasteurization of the products containing rework as...
Raw milk microbiome is important to food safety and security. However, understanding the complexities of how the dairy farm environment may affect the microbiome is difficult. Since there are a variety of operating parameters for dairy farmers to use on their farms, each farming environment is unique. What makes the...
Whey protein is a functional food comprised of numerous bioactive peptides and proteins, including glycomacropeptide (GMP), a hydrophilic casein peptide that separates with the whey fraction during cheesemaking. GMP has a unique amino acid composition, making it a viable nutritional therapy in disorders where certain amino acids are implicated, while...
Wine is particularly vulnerable to infection by Brettanomyces bruxellensis during or shortly after malolactic fermentation (MLF). While different methods and techniques enable winemakers to prevent wine spoilage due to this organism, no single intervention is universally sufficient. Moreover application of sulfur dioxide, the most commonly used of these methods, is...
The primary goal of this research was to determine the concentration and composition of nucleotides, as nucleoside monophosphates and nucleobases, in the underutilized reproductive organs (milt and roe) of Alaska pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) and yellowfin sole (Limanda aspera). Changes in concentrations of these nucleotides and nucleotide analogs were observed with...
Brewers' spent grain (BSG), the byproduct from beermaking, is a good source of protein and dietary fiber and may be utilized as a functional ingredient for food applications such as bakery goods. Starch-based film is well-known for its safety, edibility, and renewability. Starch films with the incorporation of cellulose nanofiber...
Beer brewing, broadly speaking, consists of two stages, a hot side and a cold side. The hot side occurs in the brewhouse and consists of steeping malted grain in hot water to extract sugars, separating the steeping liquid (wort) from the solids, and boiling the wort with an addition of...
The clean label movement is a persistent, consumer-driven trend that has shifted consumer preferences in favor of foods considered to be more natural. Although lacking legal definitions in food labeling, the terms “natural” and “clean label” are generally used to characterize foods that have short, minimal ingredient lists containing simple...
In short, the brewing process uses hot water to extract fermentable sugars from malt to make a wort that is bittered by hops and finally fermented by yeast to produce beer. The four key ingredients in brewing are malt, water, hops, and yeast. Malt is perhaps the key ingredient, as...
The overall goal of this study was to investigate the gaps in edible packaging research in the areas of both edible coatings and edible films. This was accomplished across two distinct studies, in the pursuit of extending shelf life of fresh fruit for decreasing food loss, and heightening the consumer...
The production of Cheddar cheese is a complex process with multiple potential sources of undesirable bacteria, including those that have negative impacts on product quality (spoilage organisms) and those that are used to evaluate sanitary conditions in the production environment (indicator organisms). The dairy industry commonly uses coliform bacteria as...
The budding yeast Brettanomyces bruxellensis has the potential to spoil fermented beverages and cause financial losses, but also contribute positively to certain products such as Lambic beer. It is most notorious for causing “Brett” spoilage of wine, which is characterized by undesirable aromas such as “bandaid” and “barnyard”, therefore most...
Kappa-casein glycomacropeptide (CMP), a 64-amino-acid peptide, is released from kappa-casein after rennet treatment and is one of the major peptides in whey protein isolate (WPI). CMP has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. CMP has two major amino acid sequences with different modifications including glycosylation, phosphorylation and oxidation. However, no previous work...
Kilning, which is the drying operation in hop cultivation, is a processing step that can have a tremendous impact on hop quality. Historically, hops have been dried at temperatures ranging from 140-155°F. In the last decade, growers have moved toward kilning hops at lower temperatures averaging between 125-140°F in the...
Cheese is a fermented dairy product that is made from animal milk and is considered to be healthy food due to its available nutrients and potential probiotic characteristics. Since the microbes in the cheese matrix directly contribute to the quality and physicochemical properties of cheese, it is important to understand...
Objective: Red raspberries are rich in polyphenols and fiber, relatively low in sugar compared with other fruits, and have been demonstrated to have favorable effects on energy homeostasis in mice. However, it has been unclear precisely which compounds within red raspberries possess the greatest bioactivity, and their mechanism of action....
Tree nuts have been implicated in a number of foodborne outbreaks and recalls in recent years linked to enteric pathogens, particularly Salmonella. Therefore, prior to distribution and marketing, it is necessary to understand the biological risks associated with the consumption of tree nuts and to find effective methods to inactivate...
Butter has long been the premium choice for producing pastries such as Danish and croissants. Its inclusion has consistently delivered characteristically light and airy crumbs with beautifully flaky crust. Once considered a delicacy, pastries have now become innocuous in our everyday lives. Once requiring a skillful hand to sculpt and...
Research efforts were focused on testing various inbred combinations for hybrid production and adaptation to Oregon growing conditions. Trials at the Vegetable Re-search Farm included a yield trial of OSU derived hybrids, and observation trials of OSU inbreds and hybrids. Breeding funds were used for a major portion of the...
Processors need broccoli with better quality traits than what is available in cultivars developed for California and Mexico fresh markets. Farmers need to reduce labor costs of broccoli production but mechanizing harvest. Most contemporary commercially available cultivars are not suitable for either mechanical harvest or processing. The objective of the...
Overview of Project and Varietal Development: Funding for 2013-14 was reduced substantially which resulted in a scaling back of the objectives. We conducted two yield and quality evaluation trials. However, the evaluation of commercial entries was funded entirely by fees from industry. We also grew out approximately 1300 breeding lines...
Oregon is the second largest producer of processed green beans, and cultivars are needed that are adapted to western Oregon. The types that have traditionally been used are the bush blue lake (BBL) green beans with high yields, excellent processing quality. On the other hand, then need improvement in plant...
Processors need broccoli with better quality traits than what is available in cultivars developed for California and Mexico fresh markets. Farmers need to reduce labor costs of broccoli production by mechanizing harvest. Most contemporary commercially available cultivars are not suitable for either mechanical harvest or processing. The objective of the...
Phenolic compounds are key quality components of wine affecting sensory characteristics, wine color, and wine stability. Phenolics are responsible for much of the mouth flavor of wines affecting astringency, bitterness, and the "length" of the flavor impression on the palate. The color in both red and white wine is due...
Pinot noir is Oregon's most important wine grape variety, representing 38% of the state's total wine production. Oregon State University began importing Pinot noir clones from California and France in the 1970's to insure that Oregon growers had access to the full range of clonal types. Almost all of the...
We harvested the first significant crop from the Woodhall clonal trials in 1993. Early results from clonal trials can be misleading but there are differences between clones that are already quite apparent in some cases. Many of the clone types could be readily identified this season by plant growth habit...
The Chardonnay clonal trial was harvested on September 29th this year at the end of a week of unusually hot and dry weather. Most of the vines had been pruned to 20 nodes per vine but crop load was light due to small clusters. Yields ranged from less than 0.5...
The Oregon wine industry is based on a relatively narrow genetic base of grape varieties -and clones. Diversifying varieties that are currently in commercial production by introducing and testing new clones will broaden the scope of those varieties and provide added complexity to the wines. New varieties will expand the...
The new varietal trial at the Southern Oregon Experiment Station was monitored during the growing season and during ripening by David Sugar and Porter Lombard. Most of the varieties in the trial ripened well this vintage compared to 1993 where not all of the varieties developed adequate maturity. Unusually warm...
The Oregon wine industry has grown rapidly in recent years to over 100 wineries. There is a strong need for enology Extension, technical assistance, and technology transfer of relevant research for commercial application. Enology Extension at OSU provides technical assistance to winery personnel including wine analysis, consultation on prodution problems,...
The Oregon wine industry has gown in recent years to over 100 wineries. There is a strong need for enology Extension, technical assistance, and technology transfer of relevant research for commercial application. Enology Extension at OSU provides technical assistance to winery personnel including wine analysis, consultation on production problem, training...
The Oregon wine industry has grown rapidly in recent years to 100 wineries. There is a strong and increasing need for enology Extension, technical assistance, and technology transfer of relevant research for commercial application. Enology Extension at OSU provides technical assistance to wineries with an emphasis on troubleshooting production problems...
Enology Extension at OSU with support from the Oregon Wine Advisory Board provides technical assistance to winery personnel including wine analysis, consultation on production problems, and training through workshops and winery site visits. The Oregon wine industry has grown rapidly in recent years to over 100 wineries. There is a...
Sensory evaluation is a scientific discipline involved in evoking, measuring, analyzing, and interpreting responses to properties of foods and materials as perceived by sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. Historically, sensory evaluation test methods have been divided into two basic types, affective and discriminative. Affective tests involve acceptance tests, usually...
The major objective of the Sensory Science Laboratory is to support the ongoing enology and viticulture research by providing a means of evaluating juices and wines. For example, if a new viticultural practice is being tested, it is important to document how this practice changes the character of the wine....
Recently there has been publicity concerning the finding of Methiocarb residues in some wines, including wines from Oregon, Washington and New Zealand. This article reviews the current (and potential future?) "status" of the use of Mesurol as a bird repellent on grapes in light of recent Federal legislation and of...
Correct identification of grapevines is of extreme importance to the expanding U.S. viticulture and wine industries. Several recent cases of misidentifications have occurred because the tools for accurate typing of plants are either inadequate or lacking. We have been applying one type of DNA-based procedure that has shown great promise...
Training descriptive analysis panels can be very costly, taking months to select and train panelists, develop descriptors and standards, and finally collect and analyze the data. Recently, the Oregon State University wine program has utilized industry winemakers to gather descriptive data on experimental wines. From 10-20 winemakers visit the university...
An industry panel tasting of wine from the 1987 Pinot noir maturity trials (see previous article by Watson et al this issue) was conducted at OSU in April, 1988. Thirteen winemakers participated in the half-day tasting which involved both the description of the aroma and flavor of the wines and...