Ice cream is a popular frozen food consumed worldwide throughout the year. However, as a thermally unstable product, it requires proper cold chain management. Thermal fluctuations alter the physicochemical properties of ice cream and reduce its quality. This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of ice cream containing different amounts (0.5; 0.8; 1.0%) of a multimineral preparation from Atlantic red algae. The effect of thermal shock on the quality of ice cream after preparation and 90 days of frozen storage was studied. The addition of a multimineral component slightly increased the freezing and glass transition temperatures of the ice cream. The overrun of the ice cream ranged from 48.55 to 52.78% and decreased with the frozen storage time, but the samples with 0.8 and 1.0% mineral content had the most stable overrun in terms of storage time and thermal fluctuations. Ice cream stored for both 7 and 90 days showed a similar melting behavior, although a shift in the melting curves was observed after long frozen storage. The samples exposed to the thermal treatment had lower melting rates by 39.2–59.9% and 55.2–65.4% for 7-day and 90-day stored ice cream, respectively. The hardness parameters of the ice cream did not change significantly under the conditions applied, so the fragility of the ice cream and its fluffiness did not seem to be affected. The organoleptic evaluation showed that ice cream with a mineral content of 0.8% was the most acceptable in terms of taste, texture, and overall acceptability. The applied mineral and sucrose content ratios did not alter the main physicochemical and organoleptic parameters, but significantly affected the nutrient density of the ice cream.

The present research focuses on using plant waste from agricultural production chains (vegetable outgrades) as ingredient sources for innovative food strategy developments. The quality of multi-vegetable products made from frozen vegetable outgrades (broccoli, cauliflower, green and yellow cut beans) for serving in gastronomy was evaluated. Vegetable outgrades were found to be low-cost sources of nutritional components. The dietary fiber content varied from 2.35 (cauliflower Giewont cultivar) to 4.40 g/100 g (green bean Rimember cultivar). The protein content varied from 1.41 (green bean Opportune cultivar) to 2.58 g/100 g (broccoli Porthenon cultivar). Bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and vitamin C, varied significantly depending on the vegetable. The content of carotenoids (β-carotene and zeaxanthin) in vegetables, in particular broccoli (Larson cultivar) and green beans (Rimember and Opportune cultivars), was lower than in outgrades. Due to the high nutrient quality of outgrades, the preparation of mechanically-formed vegetable patties and paste proceeded. According to recommendations of NRF, NAS, NDS nutrient density indices, both patties and pastes were classified as products with rich nutritional value and full-valuable components of the human diet. Moreover, food production technology utilizing vegetable outgrades can be potential solutions for food loss and waste management in gastronomy and in the food production industry.

The aim of the research was to develop a laboratory test stand for forming vegeburgers and to determine the carbon footprint of vegeburger production technology with the addition of frozen vegetable outgrades. This vegetable material is waste from frozen food production. During the research, unique recipes for vegeburgers fabricated of vegetable outgrades, potatoes, fiber, potato flour, salt and spices were also developed. The physicochemical properties, texture and color of vegeburgers were determined. The CO₂ to kWh conversion factor, with a value of 0.765 kg CO₂∙kWh⁻¹ was used to calculate the carbon footprint. Vegeburgers obtained during the study were characterized by protein content ranging from 2.05 to 2.29 g 100 g⁻¹, carbohydrate content from 7.27 to 10.36 g 100 g⁻¹, fiber content ranging from 3.97 to 4.92 g 100 g⁻¹ and fat content was at the level of 0.20–0.24 g 100 g⁻¹. The amount of sodium did not exceed 1 g 100 g⁻¹. The amount of disqualifying nutrients (fat, trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol) was significantly lower compared to similar products on the market. The conducted analyses showed that the highest CO₂ emission occurred during the blanching process. The proportion of this process for small productions (2.0 kg) ranged from 62% to 68%. The process of vegeburger formation had the second largest percentage in emissions and accounts for 22% to 24% for small productions (2.0 kg). The total carbon footprint was 1.09–1.13 kg CO₂/kg of product, respectively, i.e., about 0.10–0.12 kg CO₂ per one vegeburger. The research demonstrated that the process of producing vegeburgers from vegetable outgrades is a low-emission process compared with other agri-food technologies. Considering the above, this study allows for improvement of the management of waste from frozen food production, and is also the basis for the development of low-emission agri-food technologies.

Yoghurts are the most popular fermented dairy products. Consumer attention is directed towards products containing inputs that enrich the product with bioactive substances. The growing interest in the Cannabis sativa L. plant has resulted in the development of a market for hemp products. The main aim of this research work was to determine the effect of the lactic fermentation process on the stability of cannabinoids in fermented milk beverages containing hemp inputs (hemp oil, dried hemp, ethanolic hemp extract) at 0.5, 1 and 2% (w/v). The effect of the type of hemp input on the technological process (i.e., pH value, viability of LAB during 28 days of storage) was also checked and the sensory quality of the prepared samples was evaluated. It was shown that the choice of type/form and amount of hemp addition influenced the final cannabinoid content of the product after fermentation and post-fermentation, but no effect on the survival of yoghurt bacteria or pH changes during storage was confirmed. Fermented milk drinks containing hemp oil had the highest cannabinoid content. The QDA results of the sensory evaluation of the yoghurts show that the most acceptable product in terms of overall quality is the yoghurt containing 0.5% hemp extract and 2% hemp oil.

Frozen vegetables are increasingly valued for their nutritional stability and year-round availability. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of twenty commercially available frozen vegetable blends obtained from retail markets in Poland. Analyses included physicochemical parameters, instrumental measurements of texture, color (CIEL*a*b*), and evaluation of technological quality. The pH values ranged from 4.40 to 7.46, total acidity from 0.034 to 0.322 g/100 g, and dry matter content from 5.02 to 42.97%. The observed variability was mainly attributable to vegetable type and remained consistent with values reported for fresh produce, indicating that industrial freezing largely preserves chemical characteristics. Texture differed markedly between vegetable types, with hardness values ranging from 6 to nearly 100 N, while color parameters remained within typical ranges for blanched and frozen vegetables, suggesting effective pigment stability and enzyme inactivation. In contrast, substantial variability was observed in technological quality. Mechanical fragmentation exceeded acceptable limits in 30% of samples, and complete clumping of vegetable pieces (100%) was observed. Additional defects included frostbite and color deviations, and health-condition defects were observed. These results highlight considerable heterogeneity in frozen vegetable blends and emphasize the need for stricter control of raw materials, processing conditions, and cold-chain management to ensure consistent quality and consumer safety.