Introduction: Potato losses caused by germination and changes in the biochemical balance of tubers during the storage reach 14 % of the whole harvest volume around the Russian Federation. The application of the ionizing radiation is known as an effective method of germination inhibiting but its effect on the enzymatic activity and protein precipitation profile of potato tubers has not been sufficiently studied.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of bremsstrahlung at doses of 50–150 Gy recommended by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) on mechanical firmness, protein structure as well as enzyme activity of the potato antioxidant system and metabolism.

Materials and methods: Red Scarlett variety of potatoes is the subject of the given study. The research aims to apply bremsstrahlung (10 MeV) at doses of 0, 50, 100 and 150 Gy and as a result to measure mechanical firmness by a penetrometer, to carry out salting out of protein with ammonium sulfate, to determine the total protein content by Lowry's method as well as to define the activity of acid phosphatase and catalase (spectrophotometrically and titrimetrically).

Results: The research has shown that firmness of potato tubers at a dose of 150 Gy increases by 34 % as compared with the controlled one. Mass of protein precipitation at a dose of 100 Gy reaches its maximum exceeding the control by 8.81 times. The total protein content exceeds the control by 6.60 times at a dose of 150 Gy. The activity of acid phosphatase increases up to 2.8 times at a dose of 100 Gy leading to its further decrease. According to the given research, the activity of catalase increases with an increasing dose and reaches a maximum at a dose of 150 Gy (2.14 times higher than the control).

Conclusions: The obtained results confirm the sensitivity of the metabolic and structural parameters of potatoes to ionizing radiation doses and demonstrate the greatest potential of the ionizing radiation application for the storage technology.

Introduction. General-purpose MES systems are not adapted to bakery production: they do not provide flexible adjustment of baking parameters and do not account for the influence of process conditions on product quality. Their integration is time-consuming and requires extensive configuration or refinement, which highlights the need for applied, industry-specific solutions.

Aim. To develop and test an optimal control information system for the baking process of bakery products while maintaining required quality standards.

Methods. The study presents an information system for optimal control of the baking process based on an optimization model constructed through correlation-regression analysis and gradient descent. The empirical basis was formed from expert surveys of technologists and technological documentation. Testing was carried out in a model-based emulation environment.

Results. The study offers an information system for optimal control of the baking process implemented as a software module suitable for integration into a MES environment. The scientific contribution lies in the formulation of the optimization problem and the mathematical model of baking process control. Unlike existing research focused on line-loading planning or quality assessment without integration into automated control loops, the proposed model provides simultaneous optimization of formulation and baking parameters. Testing in an emulated environment showed a reduction in average quality deviations by fifteen percent and a decrease in raw-material consumption by up to seven percent (R² from 0.48 to 0.79; MSE from 0.0009 to 7.89 for the regression models).

Conclusions. The developed system can be integrated into a MES environment as a specialized module for optimal baking-process control. The presented approach formalizes control and optimization procedures in bakery production and can be scaled to other sectors of the food industry.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Lactose crystallization is a key stage in milk sugar production, determining both yield and product quality. It takes place during cooling of the crystallizate and is associated with substantial lactose losses (70–75% of total process losses). In industrial practice, cooling regimes are mainly selected empirically and are not based on quantitative relationships describing crystallization kinetics and changes in supersaturation, which leads to increased losses and non-uniform crystal size.

Purpose: To develop a theoretically justified cooling regime for the crystallizate based on a mathematical model of the cooling rate that accounts for lactose crystallization kinetics and the temperature dependence of lactose solubility, and to experimentally verify the proposed regime under pilot-scale conditions.

Materials and Methods: The object of the study was lactose crystallization in concentrated ultrafiltrate of cheese whey with a total solids content of 55–60%. The crystallizate, crystals, and intercrystalline solution (mother liquor) obtained after centrifugation were analysed. Total solids in the syrup and mother liquor were determined using an RL-3 refractometer; lactose content was measured polarimetrically according to GOST R 54667. The mean crystal size and particle size distribution were assessed microscopically according to GOST 33567 using an OLYMPUS CX31 microscope and ToupView software; all experiments were performed in triplicate. The theoretical part included the analytical derivation of a cooling rate equation based on lactose crystallization kinetics and mathematical modelling.

Results: It was shown that the technological parameters of the crystallizate during cooling must be aligned with crystal growth conditions and prevent the formation of new nuclei, which is achieved when the cooling rate matches the crystallization rate of the supersaturated solution. An equation for the cooling rate was obtained that incorporates lactose crystallization rate, mass fractions of total solids and crystals, and saturation and supersaturation coefficients, and on this basis a stepwise cooling regime (in terms of both rate and temperature) was developed. Its application increased the mean crystal size to 275.5 µm (39% above the control), the uniformity coefficient to 0.79 (11.3% above the control), reduced lactose losses in the mother liquor by 7.5%, and increased crystal yield to 41.3% (8% above the control). The regime was tested in the experimental plant of JSC “Training and Experimental Dairy Plant of Vologda State Dairy Farming Academy”.

Conclusions: The results provide a basis for a scientifically grounded choice of time–temperature parameters of lactose crystallization when scaling the process up to industrial conditions.

Introduction: Modern trends in the food industry are focused on the search for functional ingredients to enhance the nutritional value of products. In this regard, flaxseed meal, rich in protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and dietary fiber, is of significant interest. However, its impact on the rheological properties of dough and bread quality remains insufficiently studied. Analyzing the effect of flaxseed meal on starch gelatinization, dough mixing, and fermentation is of scientific interest. It remains unclear how different concentrations of this additive influence dough preparation processes and interact with flour components. The lack of such data makes it difficult to scientifically justify the optimal concentration of flaxseed meal for improving bread quality.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of flaxseed meal on starch gelatinization kinetics and flour water absorption capacity, the rheological properties of wheat dough during kneading, gas formation dynamics, changes in the structural-mechanical properties of dough during fermentation, and bread quality characteristics. The goal is to optimize the formulation, develop scientifically based recommendations for the use of flaxseed meal in the baking industry, and create functional food products.

Materials and Methods: The study used premium wheat flour and flaxseed meal as research materials. Flaxseed meal was incorporated into the formulation by replacing premium-grade wheat flour at levels of 3, 8, and 13%. Starch gelatinization kinetics were analyzed using an Amylograph-E, while flour water absorption capacity and dough rheological properties were determined using a Farinograph-AT. Gas formation dynamics and changes in the structural-mechanical properties of dough during fermentation were assessed using a Rheo F4. Bread products were prepared using a straight-dough method and analyzed according to standard methodologies.

Results: The incorporation of flaxseed meal within the concentration range of 6.92–8.57% increased the water absorption capacity of the flour by 7.5–9.9% and the dough stability by 86.5–91.6%, while reducing the time to reach the maximum dough rise by 30.4–37.5%. Samples with an 8% dosage of the studied recipe component demonstrated the best organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics: crumb porosity increased by 13.5%, and the total quality score increased by 7.5% compared to the control.

Conclusion: The study findings recommend incorporating 8% flaxseed meal into wheat bread formulations to enhance its nutritional value and improve consumer characteristics. The obtained data are of practical relevance for bakery enterprises. A limitation of the study is the use of flaxseed meal from a single fraction and laboratory-scale experiments, which may affect the reproducibility of results in industrial-scale production.