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16 pages, 3623 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Study on the Applicability of Thermodynamic Sensors in Fermentation Processes in Selected Foods

by Martin Adamek, Jiri Matyas, Anna Adamkova, Jiri Mlcek, Martin Buran, Martina Cernekova, Veronika Sevcikova, Magdalena Zvonkova, Petr Slobodian and Robert Olejnik

Sensors 2022, 22(5), 1997; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22051997 - 3 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2860

Abstract

This study focuses on the use of thermodynamic sensors (TDS) in baking, brewing, and yogurt production at home. Using thermodynamic sensors, a change in the temperature flow between the two sensor elements during fermentation was observed for the final mixture (complete recipe for [...] Read more.

This study focuses on the use of thermodynamic sensors (TDS) in baking, brewing, and yogurt production at home. Using thermodynamic sensors, a change in the temperature flow between the two sensor elements during fermentation was observed for the final mixture (complete recipe for pizza dough production), showing the possibility of distinguishing some phases of the fermentation process. Even during the fermentation process in the preparation of wort and yogurt with non-traditional additives, the sensors were able to indicate significant parts of the process, including the end of the process. The research article also mentions as a new idea the use of trivial regulation at home in food production to determine the course of the fermentation process. The results presented in this article show the possibility of using TDS for more accurate characterization and adjustment of the production process of selected foods in the basic phase, which will be further applicable in the food industry, with the potential to reduce the cost of food production processes that involve a fermentation process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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29 pages, 10741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Smart Multi-Sensor System for Remote Air Quality Monitoring Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and LoRaWAN

by Rosa Camarillo-Escobedo, Jorge L. Flores, Pedro Marin-Montoya, Guillermo García-Torales and Juana M. Camarillo-Escobedo

Sensors 2022, 22(5), 1706; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22051706 - 22 Feb 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4475

Abstract

Deaths caused by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases have increased by 10%. Every year, exposure to high levels of air pollution is the cause of 7 million premature deaths and the loss of healthy years of life. Air pollution is generally caused by the [...] Read more.

Deaths caused by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases have increased by 10%. Every year, exposure to high levels of air pollution is the cause of 7 million premature deaths and the loss of healthy years of life. Air pollution is generally caused by the presence of CO, NO₂, NH₃, SO₂, particulate matter PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, mainly emitted by economic activities in large metropolitan areas. The problem increases considerably in the absence of national regulations and the design, installation, and maintenance of an expensive air quality monitoring network. A smart multi-sensor system to monitor air quality is proposed in this work. The system uses an unmanned aerial vehicle and LoRa communication as an alternative for remote and in-situ atmospheric measurements. The instrumentation was integrated modularly as a node sensor to measure the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ammonia (NH₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and suspended particulate mass PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. The optimal design of the multi-sensor system has been developed under the following constraints: A low weight, compact design, and low power consumption. The integration of the multi-sensor device, UAV, and LoRa communications as a single system adds aeeded flexibility to currently fixed monitoring stations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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16 pages, 2806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Discrimination Using a Macromolecular Sensor in Water at Neutral pH

by Yifei Xu and Marco Bonizzoni

Sensors 2021, 21(19), 6384; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21196384 - 24 Sep 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2687

Abstract

Penicillins and cephalosporins belong to the β-lactam antibiotic family, which accounts for more than half of the world market for antibiotics. Misuse of antibiotics harms human health and the environment. Here, we describe an easy, fast, and sensitive optical method for the sensing [...] Read more.

Penicillins and cephalosporins belong to the β-lactam antibiotic family, which accounts for more than half of the world market for antibiotics. Misuse of antibiotics harms human health and the environment. Here, we describe an easy, fast, and sensitive optical method for the sensing and discrimination of two penicillin and five cephalosporin antibiotics in buffered water at pH 7.4, using fifth-generation poly (amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and calcein, a commercially available macromolecular polyelectrolyte and a fluorescent dye, respectively. In aqueous solution at pH 7.4, the dendrimer and dye self-assemble to form a sensor that interacts with carboxylate-containing antibiotics through electrostatic interaction, monitored through changes in the dye’s spectroscopic properties. This response was captured through absorbance, fluorescence emission, and fluorescence anisotropy. The resulting data set was processed through linear discriminant analysis (LDA), a common pattern-base recognition method, for the differentiation of cephalosporins and penicillins. By pre-hydrolysis of the β-lactam rings under basic conditions, we were able to increase the charge density of the analytes, allowing us to discriminate the seven analytes at a concentration of 5 mM, with a limit of discrimination of 1 mM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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15 pages, 1503 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analytical Parameters of a Novel Glucose Biosensor Based on Grafted PFM as a Covalent Immobilization Technique

by Margalida Artigues, Joan Gilabert-Porres, Robert Texidó, Salvador Borrós, Jordi Abellà and Sergi Colominas

Sensors 2021, 21(12), 4185; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21124185 - 18 Jun 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3735

Abstract

Bioanalytical methods, in particular electrochemical biosensors, are increasingly used in different industrial sectors due to their simplicity, low cost, and fast response. However, to be able to reliably use this type of device, it is necessary to undertake in-depth evaluation of their fundamental [...] Read more.

Bioanalytical methods, in particular electrochemical biosensors, are increasingly used in different industrial sectors due to their simplicity, low cost, and fast response. However, to be able to reliably use this type of device, it is necessary to undertake in-depth evaluation of their fundamental analytical parameters. In this work, analytical parameters of an amperometric biosensor based on covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) were evaluated. GOx was immobilized using plasma-grafted pentafluorophenyl methacrylate (pgPFM) as an anchor onto a tailored HEMA-co-EGDA hydrogel that coats a titanium dioxide nanotubes array (TiO₂NTAs). Finally, chitosan was used to protect the enzyme molecules. The biosensor offered outstanding analytical parameters: repeatability (RSD = 1.7%), reproducibility (RSD = 1.3%), accuracy (deviation = 4.8%), and robustness (RSD = 2.4%). In addition, the Ti/TiO₂NTAs/ppHEMA-co-EGDA/pgPFM/GOx/Chitosan biosensor showed good long-term stability; after 20 days, it retained 89% of its initial sensitivity. Finally, glucose concentrations of different food samples were measured and compared using an official standard method (HPLC). Deviation was lower than 10% in all measured samples. Therefore, the developed biosensor can be considered to be a reliable analytical tool for quantification measurements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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11 pages, 1218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility of Using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy for Assessing Biological Cell Damage during Freezing and Thawing

by Sisay Mebre Abie, Ørjan Grøttem Martinsen, Bjørg Egelandsdal, Jie Hou, Frøydis Bjerke, Alex Mason and Daniel Münch

Sensors 2021, 21(12), 4129; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21124129 - 16 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2930

Abstract

This study was performed to test bioimpedance as a tool to detect the effect of different thawing methods on meat quality to aid in the eventual creation of an electric impedance-based food quality monitoring system. The electric impedance was measured for fresh pork, [...] Read more.

This study was performed to test bioimpedance as a tool to detect the effect of different thawing methods on meat quality to aid in the eventual creation of an electric impedance-based food quality monitoring system. The electric impedance was measured for fresh pork, thawed pork, and during quick and slow thawing. A clear difference was observed between fresh and thawed samples for both impedance parameters. Impedance was different between the fresh and the frozen-thawed samples, but there were no impedance differences between frozen-thawed samples and the ones that were frozen-thawed and then stored at +3 °C for an additional 16 h after thawing. The phase angle was also different between fresh and the frozen-thawed samples. At high frequency, there were small, but clear phase angle differences between frozen-thawed samples and the samples that were frozen-thawed and subsequently stored for more than 16 h at +3 °C. Furthermore, the deep learning model LSTM-RNN (long short-term memory recurrent neural network) was found to be a promising way to classify the different methods of thawing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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18 pages, 3316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Discrimination and Quantitation of Biologically Relevant Carboxylate Anions Using A [Dye•PAMAM] Complex

by Yifei Xu and Marco Bonizzoni

Sensors 2021, 21(11), 3637; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113637 - 24 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2631

Abstract

Carboxylate anions are analytical targets with environmental and biological relevance, whose detection is often challenging in aqueous solutions. We describe a method for discrimination and quantitation of carboxylates in water buffered to pH 7.4 based on their differential interaction with a supramolecular fluorescent [...] Read more.

Carboxylate anions are analytical targets with environmental and biological relevance, whose detection is often challenging in aqueous solutions. We describe a method for discrimination and quantitation of carboxylates in water buffered to pH 7.4 based on their differential interaction with a supramolecular fluorescent sensor, self-assembled from readily available building blocks. A fifth-generation poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM G5), bound to organic fluorophores (calcein or pyranine) through noncovalent interactions, forms a [dye•PAMAM] complex responsive to interaction with carboxylates. The observed changes in absorbance, and in fluorescence emission and anisotropy, were interpreted through linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and principal component analysis (PCA) to differentiate 10 structurally similar carboxylates with a limit of discrimination around 100 μM. The relationship between the analytes’ chemical structures and the system’s response was also elucidated. This insight allowed us to extend the system’s capabilities to the simultaneous identification of the nature and concentration of unknown analytes, with excellent structural identification results and good concentration recovery, an uncommon feat for a pattern-based sensing system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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13 pages, 2209 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Real-Time Detection of Fouling-Layer with a Non-Intrusive Continuous Sensor (NICS) during Thermal Processing in Food Manufacturing

by Fernando José Cantarero Rivera, Dharmendra K Mishra, Ferhan Ozadali and Patnarin Benyathiar

Sensors 2021, 21(4), 1271; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21041271 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3107

Abstract

The fouling of indirect shell and coil heat exchanger by heavy whipping cream (HWC) and non-fat dry milk (NFDM) was studied at aseptic Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing conditions (140 °C) using a novel non-intrusive sensor. The sensor emitted a heat pulse intermittently throughout [...] Read more.

The fouling of indirect shell and coil heat exchanger by heavy whipping cream (HWC) and non-fat dry milk (NFDM) was studied at aseptic Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing conditions (140 °C) using a novel non-intrusive sensor. The sensor emitted a heat pulse intermittently throughout the duration of the process causing an incremental increase in temperature at the tube external surface. The temperature response of the sensor varied due to the radial growth of the fouling layer formed by certain components of the products. Each heating pulse and the temperature response was studied to estimate the thermal conductivity of the fouling layer using inverse problems and parameter estimation. The changes in thermal conductivity were used as an indication of the fouling layer development during food processing at UHT temperatures. The estimated parameters from experimental results showed a decreasing trend in the thermal conductivity of HWC and NFDM from 0.35 to 0.10 and 0.63 to 0.37, respectively. An image analysis tool was developed and used to measure the fouling layer thickness at the end of each trial. The measured thickness was found to be 0.58 ± 0.15 for HWC and 0.56 ± 0.07 mm for NFDM. The fouling layer resistance for HWC and NFDM was 5.95 × 10⁻³ ± 1.53 × 10⁻³ and 1.53 × 10⁻³ ± 2.0 × 10⁻⁴ (m²K)/W, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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Review

Jump to: Research

27 pages, 2497 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Biosensing Applications Using Nanostructure-Based Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors

by Dong Min Kim, Jong Seong Park, Seung-Woon Jung, Jinho Yeom and Seung Min Yoo

Sensors 2021, 21(9), 3191; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21093191 - 4 May 2021

Cited by 62 | Viewed by 7054

Abstract

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based biosensors have recently garnered increasing attention due to their potential to allow label-free, portable, low-cost, and real-time monitoring of diverse analytes. Recent developments in this technology have focused on biochemical markers in clinical and environmental settings coupled with [...] Read more.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based biosensors have recently garnered increasing attention due to their potential to allow label-free, portable, low-cost, and real-time monitoring of diverse analytes. Recent developments in this technology have focused on biochemical markers in clinical and environmental settings coupled with advances in nanostructure technology. Therefore, this review focuses on the recent advances in LSPR-based biosensor technology for the detection of diverse chemicals and biomolecules. Moreover, we also provide recent examples of sensing strategies based on diverse nanostructure platforms, in addition to their advantages and limitations. Finally, this review discusses potential strategies for the development of biosensors with enhanced sensing performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors and Applications in Diagnostics, Food and Environmental Analysis)

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