Since the classification of processed meat as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015, an increase in consumption of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) has been observed worldwide. This occurs in a context characterized by concern for health, animal welfare, and sustainability; however, evidence of their nutritional quality is still limited. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the nutritional profile and processing degree of PBMAs available in Spain. In 2020, products from seven Spanish supermarkets were analyzed for their nutritional content and ingredients. Of the 148 products, the majority were low in sugars but moderate in carbohydrates, total and saturated fat, and high in salt. The main vegetable protein sources were soy (91/148) and wheat gluten (42/148). Comparatively, 43/148 contained animal protein, the most common being egg. Overall, PBMAs had a long list of ingredients and additives, and they were classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs) according to the NOVA system. This study shows that the PBMAs available in Spanish supermarkets have a variable nutritional composition within and between categories. Further research is needed to determine if replacing meat with these UPFs could be a good alternative towards healthier and more sustainable dietary patterns.

A traditional thermal inactivation kinetic model (D- and z-value) was modified to account for the effect of process humidity on thermal inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 on the surface of almonds subjected to moist-air heating. Raw almonds were surface inoculated to ∼108 CFU/g and subjected to moist-air heating in a computer-controlled laboratory-scale convection oven. Time-temperature data were collected for 125 conditions (five dry bulb temperatures, 121 to 232°C; five process humidity levels, 5 to 90% moisture by volume; and five process durations). Moisture status at the surface of the almond, rather than the humidity of the bulk air, was a primary factor controlling the rate of inactivation; therefore, the D-value could not be a simple function of process temperature. Instead, the traditional D- and z-value model was modified to account for the dynamic water status at the surface of the product under humid heating conditions. The modified model needs only the dew point temperature of the pr...

Traditional models for predicting the thermal inactivation rate of bacteria are state dependent, considering only the current state of the product. In this study, the potential for previous subleth...

Irradiated, whole muscle turkey breasts were cut into blocks measuring 10 by 10 by 6 cm and exposed on one side to a marinade inoculated to contain a cocktail of eight Salmonella serovars at 108 CF...

The internal muscle environment may enhance thermal resistance of bacterial pathogens. Based on the migration of pathogens into whole muscle products during marination, the validity of current ther...