One of the most popular issues in electrostatic biology is the effects of a high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) on the thawing of chicken thigh meat. In this study, chicken thigh meat was treated with HVEF (E-group), and compared to samples stored in a common refrigerator (R-group), to investigate how HVEF affects chicken thigh meat quality after thawing at low temperature storage (-3 and 4 degrees C). The results showed that there were no significant differences in biochemical and microorganism indices at -3 degrees C. However, the HVEF can significantly shorten thawing time for frozen chicken thigh meat at -3 degrees C. After thawing chicken thigh meat and storing at 4 degrees C, the total viable counts reached the Intl. Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods limit of 10(7) CFU/g on the 6 and 8 d for the R- and E-group, respectively. On the 8th d, the volatile basic nitrogen had increased from 11.24 mg/100 g to 21.9 mg/100 g for the E-group and 39.9 mg/100 g for the R-group, respectively. The biochemical and microorganism indices also indicated that the E-group treatment yielded better results on thawing than the R-group treatment. The application of this model has the potential to keep products fresh.

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The removal effect on excessive fusel alcohols from rice spirits were investigated using nanofiltration (NF) and ultrafiltration (UF). Compared to UF (GE and GH membranes), NF (DK and DL membranes) showed 10 times greater effect for fusel alcohols rejection due to molecular weight cut-off. On operating pressures, 488.95 kPa was suitable with a rejection rate attaining 44.2% for DK membrane. Only slight changes in physicochemical indices including ethanol concentration, flavor, total acidity, pH value, and soluble solid content were observed for rice-spirits after NF treatment. Moreover, rice spirits treated with the DK membrane achieved a higher score in sensory evaluation. We anticipated a practical application of the nonheat processes in rice spirits production.

Fresh fish is typically brought to market refrigerated at approximately 4 °C, R-storage. A storage method has been devised that combines refrigeration with a high-voltage electrostatic field (100 kV/m; E-storage). It was developed to improve the quality and prolong the shelf life of foods. This study investigated changes in the freshness of tilapia meat under E-storage conditions. The total viable count of tilapia reached 10⁷ CFU/g on the 7th d of refrigeration in R-storage. By the 6th d, K-value had increased from 20% to 61.7% for E-storage and to 94.7% for R-storage. Volatile basic nitrogen had increased from 12.54 mg/100 g to about 24.34 and 25.03 mg/100 g for R- and E-storage (on the 7th and 10th d), respectively. The sensory assessment also indicated that E-storage yielded an improvement in quality over that of R-storage. Practical application of the study model has the potential to prolong the freshness of fish.

Traditional Taiwanese rice spirits were made from rice, which is their only ingredient and ethanol source. Site-specific natural isotopic fractionation by nuclear magnetic resonance (SNIF-NMR) methods were used to investigate molasses spirits usually mixed in rice spirits. The mean ratios for the parameters in five rice spirits labeled as Taikeng 8, Taikeng 9, Taichungsen 10, Tainan 11, and Tainung 71 were (D/H) I , 99.0–100.3 ppm; (D/H) II , 121.3–123.0 ppm; whereas for molasses spirits labeled as MS, the mean ratios were 108.7 ppm and 126.8 ppm, respectively. A close and reproducible correlation was found for (D/H) I values of the mixtures in which MS was mixed with authentic rice spirit samples. The 3.62% MS mixed in Tainung 71 was detected through calculation, whereas the detectable limit for MS mixed in other rice spirits ranged from 8.20% to 11.73%. The SNIF-NMR analysis provides a powerful method for the detection of rice spirits adulteration and can determine the extent to which the rice spirit product is mixed with MS.

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