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The Türkiye–Syria earthquake struck eleven provinces directly in Türkiye on 6 February 2023. Emergency nutrition care is indispensable for sustaining the lives of victims and rescue personnel. To optimally support their well-being, emergency food must be both healthy (i.e. aligned with dietary guidelines) and safe. However, globally, there is a dearth of research on the emergency nutrition conditions in shelters in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters. This lack of scientific evidence could limit the extent to which nutritional gaps can be identified and remedied for future relief efforts. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the nutrition environment and nutritional quality of emergency meals distributed to survivors in Malatya, a heavily affected province in Türkiye. The rapid assessment was conducted in thirteen locations by using an embedded case–study design to evaluate the nutrition environment both quantitatively and qualitatively. Meals served to earthquake victims and volunteers were found to be insufficient in protein, fat, fibre, vitamin C, Ca and Fe, but Na levels were higher than the maximum threshold in many of the centres. The qualitative analysis illustrated insufficiency in three domains of the emergency food and nutrition environment: foods and beverages offered, cooking/food preparation and food safety and dining areas and other facilities. Given the major nutritional gaps identified in this study, future disaster preparations should implement emergency nutrition plans that ensure healthy, nutritious and safe food for survivors. Better coordination and use of technology are necessary for interventions to prevent malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Food technology neophobia refers to the unwillingness/avoidance and neophobia to foods produced using new food technologies. Identifying this neophobia in a society is significant as it affects the demand for these products in the food industry. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Food Technology Neophobia Scale in a Turkish sample. We conducted this study in two stages. In the first stage, which we conducted with 182 participants, we determined that the scale had high reliability and was suitable for validity testing. In the second stage, which we conducted with 610 participants, we performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results of these analyses did not confirm the thirteen‐item and four‐factor structure, unlike the original scale; however, they pointed to a twelve‐item and three‐factor structure: 'New Food Technologies Are Unnecessary', 'Perception of Risks', and 'Healthy Choice and Information/Media'. This structure has an acceptable fit and is a valid and useful scale for use in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Non-thermal food processing technologies are becoming more important in the organic food sector because, beyond preserving the organic feature, they could offer organic products with additional benefits in terms of enhanced nutritional content and healthiness as well as better sensory properties that could satisfy the more complex demands of organic consumers. Berries have a well-known health benefits and show increasing market shares in European markets while dehydration can increase the food convenience in terms of extended shelf-life. This study investigates for the first time organic consumers' stated preferences, attitudes and individual differences for a non-thermal organic processing technology. Specifically, we investigated consumers' preferences for organic dried strawberries varying in drying technology used, such as the most conventional (i.e. thermal) air drying and the most innovative (i.e. non-thermal) microwave drying, origin, price levels, and nutrient contents in three European countries: Norway, Romania and Turkey. Data from a total of 614 consumers were collected through an online choice experiment. Results show that on average consumers prefer organic dried strawberries produced with air drying technology that have national origin, with natural nutrient content and at low price, but country and individual differences are identified. Consumers who showed least rejection for microwave dried products are young, mostly from Norway and have higher positive attitudes towards new food technologies. Consumers who showed most rejection for microwave dried products are older, mostly from Turkey and have higher positive attitudes for organic, natural and ecological products. Organic producers who adopt microwave drying might better inform consumers about the characteristics, the process and highlight the nutritional benefits of such technology. Finally, this research informs policy makers about the need to define and regulate more clearly microwave drying as an organic technology, as well as to regulate labelling to ensure that consumers are not misled and correctly informed about the new technology. Unlabelled Image • First study to look at consumers' preferences for non-thermal processed (i.e. microwave drying) organic foods. • Preferences for organic dried strawberries are investigated in three European countries. • On average consumers reject microwave drying and prefer air drying. • Producers should better inform consumers of the nutritional benefits of microwave drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral profiles of wines and soil extracts were analysed in the five most popular international wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cot, and Tannat) and national Boğazkere, which is one of the highest-quality grapevine varieties grown in Turkey. We carried out study to establish the mineral and metal concentrations in wines from Southeast Anatolia of Turkey. The ICP-OES method was used for accurate determination of concentrations of 12 elements including Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The high levels of iron, potassium, sodium, and calcium were observed in the wine samples analysed. Major elements were also abundantly found in the soil samples. Minor element contents of wine samples were compatible with results other researches. The amount of metal content in wine is an important issue. A remarkable finding of the study was that heavy metals like Pb (found below acceptable limits only in three samples), Co, and Cd were not detected. The results obtained did not exceed the maximum acceptable limits established by the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin. Our results showed that the mineral compositions of wine and soils were interrelated. The analysis of the soil samples taken from the vineyard locations showed similar results for highest composition of major minerals. The characteristics of the wines produced in the Southeast Region of Turkey were analysed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bibliometric analysis in ohmic heating and food processing. • 163 articles were found, with Turkey, Brazil, and Iran representing 32% of all publications. • Most studies have targeted the best combinations of parameters for application in processed foods. • The tendency of using ohmic heating as a pasteurization method is increasing. • Non-thermal effect of ohmic heating on microorganisms is a gap. The trends related to ohmic heating technology in food processing were evaluated using bibliometric analysis based on the scientific literature published in the last decade. Publications from Turkey, Brazil, and Iran represent 32% of all publications. Most studies have targeted the definition of the best combinations of operational parameters for application in different food matrices and their possible effects on the food properties. In addition, a tendency to use ohmic heating as an alternative technology for pasteurization was observed. Future studies should develop mathematical models that evaluate process parameters and food characteristics in the inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes and maintenance of bioactive compounds, the study of the non-thermal effect of electromagnetic waves on the food quality, the evaluation of the processing conditions and food physicochemical properties in the electrode corrosion and migration of metal ions to the treated food, and improvements of homogeneity during processing. This study was the first to perform a bibliometric analysis based on scientific literature concerning ohmic heating in food processing and presented the challenges, future trends, and evolution of scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tarhana is a traditional fermented cereal food consumed in nearly all regions of Turkey as a soup having a delicious and desired taste. There are some other products similar to tarhana in Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Hungary, Finland, Greece, and Scotland. Fifteen homemade and 5 commercially produced tarhana samples were analyzed for the first time to determine biogenic amine contents. Tyramine was the prevailing biogenic amine. Average tyramine concentrations of homemade and commercially produced tarhana samples were 92.8 and 55.0 mg/kg of tarhana, respectively. Concentrations of biogenic amines were below the permissible limits except for two homemade samples. The pH values of tarhana samples were in the range from 3.43 to 5.03; acidities were from 0.60 to 3.89 g/100 g tarhana (as lactic acid); total dry matters were from 86.42 to 92.32 g/100 g tarhana; and total free amino acid contents were from 0.035 to 1.427 g/100 g tarhana (as leucine). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that can be found in several food commodities including cereals, wine, coffee, cacao, spices or dried fruits, resulting in chronic human exposure. The aim of our study was to investigate the presence of OTA in widely consumed cereal-derived products commercialized in Turkey. A total of 142 samples were collected from different supermarkets and traditional bazaars in Istanbul during 2008–2010 years. The analytical methods used in our study involved the liquid/liquid extraction of OTA, immunoaffinity clean-up and high performance liquid chromatography determination with fluorescence detection. The frequencies of OTA contamination were 21.62%, 19.05% and 55.95% and the mean concentrations of positive samples were 0.32 μg/kg, 0.14 μg/kg, 0.41 μg/kg for breakfast cereals, cereal-based baby foods and tarhana samples, respectively. Our findings show that contamination levels of OTA in all cereal-derived products were lower than the permitted level by European Commission Regulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological and physicochemical quality of the hamburger (six different companies) and chicken burger patties (five different companies) available in Tekirdağ, Turkey. In the samples studied, physicochemical properties (moisture, ash, fat, salt, protein and starch contents, pH, nitrite, Na, K, P, Ca concentrations) and microbiological properties (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeast and mold, coliform, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were determined. While the average moisture, salt, protein, fat contents of hamburger and chicken burger patties were in good conformance to the Turkish Standard 10580, the average starch content was found higher than 5% specified in the Turkish Standard 10580. The results of microbiological analyses of chicken burgers were in good conformance to the Legal Notice for the Raw Poultry Meat and Prepared Poultry Meat Mixtures in Turkish Food Codex while the average yeast and mold counts in hamburger patties were higher than the value specified in the Legal Notice for the Raw Red Meat and Prepared Red Meat Mixtures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 100 moldy cheese samples were obtained from 5 different cities (Konya, Erzurum, Mersin, Isparta, Kayseri) in Turkey. Moldy cheese-making process was presented, and quality characteristics of moldy cheeses were determined. The contents of dry matter, salt, fat, salt and fat in dry matter, acidity and pH values of cheeses were 53.28, 4.97, 16.26, 9.06, 27.64 and 0.91% and 5.31, respectively. Standard deviations in the fat contents were found noticeable high in moldy cheeses. Traditionally produced moldy cheeses contribute to the household income in rural areas but sensory properties of cheeses produced within the same region may be noticeably different. Small scale production presents an important limitation for manufacturing a standard product. The methods of moldy cheese production vary with the production region. For a scale up production of moldy cheeses, specific sensory properties of cheeses should be determined and manufacturing methods should be standardized, which should also enable the traditional production of moldy cheese for the larger scale industrial production [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative typing analysis of 25 Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp . bulgaricus strains, isolated from traditional yoghurts in Turkey, was performed by RAPD-PCR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR) and MLST (multilocus sequence typing). RAPD-PCR analyses were performed using two primers; M13 and 1254. Primer 1254 produced better results than primer M13. The bands produced by primer 1254 were brighter and easier to interpret, and a higher number of bands were produced. In addition, clusters produced by primer 1254 were grouped according to the source of isolation. MLST analysis was performed using three genes, β- gal, pheS and rpoA, and isolates were successfully characterized at strain level. To our knowledge, MLST analyses were used for the first time for strain level discrimination in L. delbrueckii subsp . bulgaricus. It enabled a detailed understanding of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains by using allele and sequence types' analysis. Both MLST and RAPD allowed for the typing of clusters according to the isolation source, while RAPD provided an increased differentiation. However, by increasing the number of genes analyzed, the discriminatory power of MLST could be increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the bacterial compositions of kefir grains and kefir beverages collected from different regions of Turkey by using culture-independent and culture-dependent methods. In the culture-independent detection, 10 different species of bacteria were detected in total by using the polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene V3 region. Among these species, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens was the most dominant one in the kefir grains, while Lactococcus lactis was found to be significantly prevalent in the kefir beverages. In the culture-dependent detection, the primary differentiation and grouping of the isolates from kefir beverages and kefir grains were performed using repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting, and the results were validated by 16S rDNA full-length sequencing. According to the results of culture-dependent methods, the most frequently isolated species were L. lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Lactobacillus kefiri, respectively. Only 3 species, which are L. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Streptococcus thermophilus, were detected with both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. This study showed that the combination of both methods is necessary for a detailed and reliable investigation of microbial communities in kefir grains and kefir beverages. Due to their artisan- and region-dependent microflora, kefir products can be a source of interesting lactic acid bacteria, either new taxa or strains with specific functional properties, which might be used for the development of new starter cultures and innovative food products. Therefore, an increasing demand exists for new strains that show desirable effects on the product characteristics Artisan dairy products are a candidate source of such microorganisms. For this reason, in this study, the bacterial compositions of kefir grains and kefir beverages obtained from different regions of Turkey were studied using culture-dependent and culture-independent molecular methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ochratoxin A (OTA) in 55 home-made, 20 commercial and 7 organic grape pekmez (grape molasses) produced in Turkey was investigated. OTA was detected in 73% of home-made pekmez samples, in 35% of commercial pekmez samples and in 71% of organic pekmez samples. Eleven per cent of the samples had OTA levels higher than 10 µg/l. The highest OTA level (31 µg/l) was detected in organic pekmez. The maximum OTA levels were 15 µg/l and 12 µg/l in home-made and commercial pekmez samples, respectively. Mean OTA levels were 3.5 µg/l, 1.4 µg/l and 9.2 µg/l in home-made, commercial and organic pekmez samples, respectively. Organic pekmez samples and home-made pekmez samples had higher OTA contamination than commercial pekmez samples. Results confirm OTA contamination in grape pekmez samples, indicating that the OTA level in grape pekmez could be a potential risk for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Map the milk supply chains to explore information flow among different members for higher traceability. • Investigate the societal impacts of blockchain technology to build social sustainability. • The systems theory in integration with system dynamics underpins this work. • Collect data from an agricultural development cooperative in Turkey. • Help achieve the SGDs of providing safe food, promoting good health and better well-being. The integration of blockchain technologies in the food sector has significant social impacts. The objectives of this research are firstly, to map the milk supply chains to explore information flow among different members for higher traceability; secondly, to investigate the societal impacts of blockchain technology in a milk supply chain to build social sustainability. The systems theory in integration with system dynamics (SD) provides the necessary theoretical underpinning to this research. We collect data from an agricultural development cooperative founded to support dairy farmers in Turkey. This work evaluates the societal impacts of blockchain technology on farmers, the community and animals using parameters such as local embedding, rural development, decreasing food fraud, animal health and welfare, proximity to food markets, food security, educating and promoting people towards healthy eating, assisting food access and social acceptability for transparency. In the last 18 years, the cooperative has encouraged dairy farmers in the district to become partners with a resultant increase in milk production from 30 thousand tons in 2002 to 330 thousand tons in 2019. According to our findings, population growth of the country and adult population increases in the district, it is expected that by 2025 the number of partners will rise to approximately 2800. The increase in number of partners proves the network expansion. Furthermore, blockchain technology can be incorporated into the existing system so that transparent and end-to-end accurate tracking of the supply chain is made possible, while creating decentralized recording of transactions. Moreover, the critical traceability points of a milk supply chain are evaluated with the blockchain adoption. This will help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of providing safe food, promoting good health and better well-being for everyone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels were determined in 600 cheese samples (200 white, 200 kashar and 200 processed cheeses). The samples were collected from some provinces of Turkey and analysed between January 2001 and February 2002 in Bursa, Turkey. AFM1 levels were determined by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The highest AFM1 concentration was 800ng/kg in kashar cheese. AFM1 was detected in 30 (5%) samples consisting of 10 white, 12 kashar and 8 processed cheese. Altogether, the AFM1 levels in 6 of 600 (1%) exceeded the legal limits of 250ng/kg established by the Turkish Food Codex. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the articles that they have published in the forth issue of volume 39 of 2014 and offers information on the 2nd International Congress on Food Technology to be held on November 5-7, 2014 at the Pine Bay Hotel in Kusadasi, Turkey.

We have studied by means of High Resolution Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (HR-MAS NMR) the metabolic profile of the famous Sicilian lemon known as 'Interdonato Lemon of Messina PGI'. The PGI Interdonato Lemon of Messina possesses high organoleptic and healthy properties and is recognised as one of the most nutrient fruits. In particular, some of its constituents are actively studied for their chemo-preventive and therapeutic properties. In this paper, we have determined by means of HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy the molar concentration of the main metabolites constituent the juice of PGI Interdonato Lemon of Messina in comparison with that of the not-PGI Interdonato Lemon of Turkey. Our aim is to develop an analytical technique, in order to determine a metabolic fingerprint able to reveal commercial frauds in national and international markets.

The article offers the author's insights on the 11th National Food Congress held at the Taylur Sökmen Campus of the Convention Center of Mustafa Kemal University in Hatay, Turkey on October 10-12, 2012. He relates that there are no disruptions from the event other transportation from the city to the convention center. He adds that the event also featured the selection for the new chairmen of the Congress sessions, oral sessions, and Food Engineering Training Workshop.