This study involves information about the concentrations of nutrients (proteins, phenolic compounds, free amino acids, minerals (Ca, P, and Iron), hardness) in milled rice processed with enzymes; xylanase and cellulase produced by Aspergillus awamori, MTCC 9166 and Trichoderma reese, MTCC164. Brown rice was processed with 60–100% enzyme (40 mL buffer -undiluted) for 30 to 150 min at 30 °C to 50 °C followed by polishing for 20–100 s at a safe moisture level. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were used for process optimization of enzymes. The MLR correlation coefficient (R²) varied between 0.87–0.90, and the sum of square (SSE) was placed within 0.008–8.25. While the ANN R² (correlation coefficient) varied between 0.97 and 0.9999(1), MSE changed from 0.005 to 6.13 representing that the ANN method has better execution across MLR. The optimized cellulase process parameters (87.2% concentration, 80.1 min process time, 33.95 °C temperature and 21.8 s milling time) and xylanase process parameters (85.7% enzyme crude, 77.1 min process time, 35 °C temperature and 20 s) facilitated the increase of Ca (70%), P (64%), Iron (17%), free amino acids (34%), phenolic compounds (78%) and protein (84%) and decreased hardness (20%) in milled rice. Scanning electron micrographs showed an increased rupture attributing to enzymes action on milled rice.

The rising demand for using raw meat diets (RMBDs) for feeding companion animals requires improvement in their food safety. Organic acids could be a promising anti-microbial ingredient for mitigating pathogen contamination. This study investigated the effects of encapsulated (E) and raw (R) acids (citric—CE and CR; lactic—LE and LR) on Salmonella survival in RMBDs during refrigerated storage. The acidulants (1.0% LE, 1.0% CE, 0.5% LE + 0.5% CE, 0.5% CE + 0.5% LR, 0.5% LE + 0.5% CR, and 0.5% LR + 0.5% CR) were incorporated in RMBD patties inoculated with Salmonella (ATCC 8326, ATCC 14802, and ATCC 13076) at 6 and 9 log CFU/patty levels. Inoculated (PC) and non-inoculated (NC) patties made without acidulants were used as controls. Patties were stored at 4 °C and Salmonella enumeration was done at days 0, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, and 22. Salmonella reduction was higher (p < 0.05) in stored patties with both encapsulated and raw acids (3.10–4.10 logs) added relative to using individual encapsulated acids (2.40–3.70 logs) and control (0.70–0.90 logs). Higher inoculation levels resulted in greater (p < 0.05) Salmonella reductions in the patties after storage. The reductions were influenced (p < 0.05) by the treatment × time interaction with longer storage time resulting in higher reductions. The Salmonella inactivation under all acid treatments followed the Weibull model (R²—0.86 to 0.98; RMSE—0.19 to 0.34; β—1.23 to 2.08). The results show that encapsulated organic acids can inhibit Salmonella growth and survival in RMBDs under refrigerated conditions. The results from this study could be used as basis for improving the food safety of RMBDs.