Researchers have found that morphology of muscle structure (original or after processing) is closely related to meat tenderness, which is very important attribute for consumer. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in microstructure of poultry meat during the chilled storage. In the study, the cross-cut microstructure of parents stock hen and broiler muscles were analyzed during the storage at + 1 +- 0.5 °C temperature. The changes were determined for the following muscles: musculus pectoralis and pars praeacetabularis musculus iliotibialis lateralis in seven hours after slaughter and on the 7th day of storage. Parents’ stock (PS) hens were slaughtered on 61st week, but broilers at the age of 42 days (on the 6th week). The decrease in area of muscle fibres of hens and broilers' musculus pectoralis was found in both types of meat when comparing the sample on 7th hour and 7th day, but the smaller decrease was observed in broilers meat. Comparing muscle fibre area of broiler and hen pars praeacetabularis musculus iliotibialis lateralis [musculus biceps femoris] in hen meat it was reduced in higher proportion, but the distance between the fibres was increased reaching similar values for both sample types.

Cereal and whole grain products are an important source of dietary fiber in the human diet. Since the milling process highly influences the proportions of the different cell types in the bran, it is expected that brans originating from different genetic/agricultural backgrounds and produced by different processes have different chemical composition. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) bran has not been studied in Latvia, therefore the aim of the present study was to analyze physical – chemical characteristics of wheat bran from Latvia’s industrial mills. Four bran samples were collected from two industrial mills: Stock Company ‘Dobeles dzirnavnieks’ and SC ‘Rigas dzirnavnieks’. All experiments were performed at the Food Technology of Latvia University of Agriculture in May 2011-February 2012. The particle size distribution of the bran samples was determined by sieving. The content of titratable acidity (TA) was detected by titration with 0.1 M NaOH till pH 8.5 was stable for 1 minute. Wheat bran colour was analysed by Hunter Lab colour measurement instrument using ColorTec colorimeter PCM/PSM in CIE L * a * b* system. Moisture content was analyzed using standard ICC 110/1 method by sample drying for 2 h at 150 °C. Results showed that there were significant differences between varieties (p0.05) for titratable acidity and for particle size, but no significant differences (p0.05) were found between the varieties in moisture, pH and colour. TA varied from 6.40±0.71 to 12.05±0.21°, moisture content- from 10.01±0.51% to 11.61±0.47%, pH–from 6.31±0.61 to 6.80±0.05, but colour of bran between the samples did not significantly differ.

Kvass is an aromatic soft drink which in a form of powder could be used in dairy or bakery products, or sugar confectionary to expand the diversity of flavours. Spray drying is one of the techniques used for producing powders; however, liquids with high sugar content become sticky during drying process and need additional drying aids to increase glass transition temperature and improve powder stability. The aim of this research was to evaluate the characteristics of dry naturally fermented kvass. Maltodextrin was used in 50, 40 and 25% quantity to kvass dry matter in order to aid the spray drying of naturally fermented non-pasteurised, non-filtered bread kvass. Spray drying of 8 l naturally fermented kvass returned approximately 500 g dry naturally fermented kvass powder with a light brown colour, a pronounced aroma of rye bread and moisture content of 7 ± 0.1%. Microstructure analysis of the spray dried naturally fermented kvass showed irregularly spherical shaped particles, having many shrinkages, breakages and dents on the surface in general. Total viable microorganism count in dry naturally fermented kvass powder was within the recommended levels, traces of lactic acid bacteria were found in all samples. The presence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was established in dry naturally fermented kvass powders, with possible contamination from spray dryer.