Magnetic fields (MF) are increasingly being applied in food processing to preserve food quality. They can be static (SMF), oscillating (OMF) or pulsed (PMF) depending on the type of equipment. The food characteristics can be influenced by several configurations of the applied magnetic field as its flux density, frequency, polarity and exposure time. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the effects of magnetic fields on foods. Some of them propose interactions at the subatomic particle level that show quantum behavior, such as the radical pair and cyclotron resonance mechanisms. Other proposals are at the level of DNA, compounds, subcellular organelles and cells. The interactions between food and magnetic fields are addressed in a general way in this work, highlighting the applications and action models involved and their effects on the physicochemical, enzymatic and microbiological characteristics of food.

Pineapple shell, considered a waste in the juice industry, was used as a reinforcement material to produce biodegradable foam trays (FTs) based on cassava starch by a compression molding process. These foams were prepared with different starch/fiber ratios and then were characterized according to their microstructure and physical and mechanical properties. The starch/fiber ratio of 95/5 showed the lowest values of thickness and density (2.58 mm and 367 kg m⁻³, respectively). There was a good distribution of the pineapple shell fiber throughout the polymeric matrix. All FTs showed a semicrystalline structure and 95/5 ratio showed the highest crystallinity index (CI) value (39%). In addition, this ratio improved the tensile strength of the FTs, obtaining similar values to expanded polystyrene (EPS) samples, used as the reference material. Nevertheless, all FTs reinforced with pineapple shell fiber showed high water absorption capacity (WAC); therefore, future studies should focus on to improve the physicochemical and structural properties of the cassava starch-based foams, considering the promising potential of this novel biodegradable material for dry food packaging, such as a viable alternative to reduce the use of petroleum-based materials such as commercial EPS trays.

The physical-chemical, thermal and rheological properties of starches isolated from four commercial potato cultivars (Colparina, Huayro, Canchan and Yungay) were evaluated and characterized. The starches presented ovoid and spherical shapes, with average size from 20.08 ± 2.48 to 25.33 ± 6.54 μm and B-type granules, with amylose content from 15.49 ± 2.02 to 32.10 ± 0.14% and relative crystallinity, between 34.6 and 37.3%. The rheological properties measured using a dynamic rheometer, showed predominance storage module (G’) on the loss module (G’’) during the frequency range (0.01 - 3.20 Hz) studied, which would classify them as weak gels. The starches presented low syneresis, high clarity, pasting temperature from 65.70 ± 0.31 °C to 67.70 ± 0.23 °C, gelatinization start temperature (To); peak temperature (Tp); gelatinization final temperature (Tf) and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) values between 57.90 ± 0.24 and 62.23 ± 0.17 °C; 61.18 ± 0.01 and 64.85 ± 0.01 °C; 65.5 ± 0.31 and 68.34 ± 0.29 °C; 11.49 ± 0.8 and 15.43 ± 0.51 J/g, respectively. The starches evaluated had suitable properties to be used as ingredients in specific foods to improve their textural characteristics.

Meat products are known for their lipid profile rich in saturated fats and cholesterol, and also for the formation of oxidation compounds; therefore, a reduction in animal fat may result in a product less harmful to health. Pijuayo is an Amazon fruit known for its nutritional properties, such as its fiber and lipid content. For these reasons, it is an attractive fruit to replace animal fat in meat products. The present work used pijuayo pulp and peel flours to partially replace animal fat in beef-based burgers at 25% and 50% levels, considering sensory and physicochemical outcomes evaluated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Correspondence Analysis (CA) and Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Pijuayo flour affected the physicochemical characteristics evaluated by PCA, where the samples with greater fat replacement were characterized by a high carbohydrate content and instrumental yellowness. The minimal fat replacement did not abruptly affect the PCA’s instrumental texture and color, proximal composition, yield properties, and lipid oxidation. The overall liking was greater in the 25% fat reduction treatments, even greater than the control, in which positive sensory attributes for liking were highlighted for those treatments. A small segment of consumers (11% of total consumers) preferred the treatment with greater replacement of fat with pijuayo peel flour, which these consumers tended to characterize as seasoned. However, this treatment had the lowest liking. The MFA showed that the sensory characteristics tender and tasty were strongly correlated with overall liking and were highlighted in the samples of 25% fat reduction, suggesting that the pijuayo improves the tenderness and flavor of reduced-fat burgers. Other inclusion levels between 25% and 50% of fat replacement could be explored, and optimization studies are needed. In addition, the sensory characteristics and flavor-enhancing compounds of the fruit, as well as the nutritional aspects of the inclusion of pijuayo, should be studied, such as the fatty acid profile. These characteristics will be informative to explore pijuayo as a fat replacer at a pilot scale and industrial scale.