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Agriculture constitutes a foundational pillar of the Indian economy, contributing nearly 18% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and ranking second globally in horticultural output. Beyond its economic significance, the sector underpins rural employment, food security, and a wide range of agro-based downstream industries. Despite these strengths, Indian agriculture continues to encounter critical bottlenecks—most notably, post-harvest losses in fruits, which are estimated to range between 6.02% and 15.05%. These losses are predominantly attributed to the lack of accessible and decentralized cold storage infrastructure. Maintaining optimal temperature and humidity levels throughout the cold chain is essential to curtail physicochemical degradation and suppress microbial growth, both of which substantially diminish the quality and shelf life of perishable produce. This study introduces a solar photovoltaic (PV)-driven micro cold storage (MCS) system, specifically engineered for seamless integration with electric vehicles (EVs) to effectively mitigate post-harvest losses in perishable agricultural commodities. The research undertakes a comprehensive performance evaluation of the proposed system, which employs a thermoelectric cooling mechanism powered entirely by solar energy. Emphasis is placed on assessing the system’s thermal, electrical, and microbial preservation capabilities under both static and dynamic operational conditions, highlighting its potential for sustainable and mobile cold chain applications in rural agricultural contexts. The system comprises a 100 Wp polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) module, which supplies power to a 12 V/6A shunt-configured thermoelectric cooler with a 12 L storage capacity via a 12 V/8A solar charge controller. Functioning as an off-grid refrigeration unit, the system is supported by a 12 V/40Ah battery energy storage system. The experimental analysis focuses on assessing the shelf life of Vitis vinifera (grapes) over a one-week storage period by measuring physiological loss in weight (PLW) as the key parameter for evaluating storage efficiency. The refrigeration chamber maintains a controlled temperature range of + 2 °C to + 8 °C. Findings indicate a controlled weight reduction of up to 87.6% in refrigerated grapes compared to those stored under ambient conditions. Also, the system’s performance to maintain proper storage conditions during short-distance transportation (six hours) is evaluated to demonstrate effective farm-to-market connectivity through electric vehicle utilization. The study evaluates the electrical and thermal performance of a system for renewable energy-integrated electric vehicle applications. It also investigates the effectiveness of a solar-powered modified controlled storage (MCS) system in preventing microbial growth and maintaining agro-produce quality during storage and transport. The microbial load, including bacterial, fungal, and yeast populations, was quantified using colony-forming unit (CFU) counts per millilitre to evaluate the system’s efficacy in ensuring food safety. The findings underscore the environmental sustainability and practical applicability of the MCS system in the preservation of perishable agricultural produce. By enabling access to affordable, reliable, and renewable energy sources, the system directly contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, while simultaneously addressing food waste reduction and improving the efficiency and resilience of agro-supply chains.

One of the challenges for the commercialization of PCM-based cold storage systems is their ability to absorb load fluctuations, the ability for quick charge and discharge, as well as the potential for energy saving by reducing the compressor running time. The present work describes the possibilities for energy conservation through the experimental integration of latent thermal energy storage in an electricity-driven cold storage unit. A portable cold storage unit with a net volume of 1 m 3 (35 l) was retrofitted with a PCM-based heat exchanger unit. The unit was designed to maintain the temperature inside the storage space at 9–10 °C for 1 h using an organic phase change material. The PCM-based heat exchange surface embedding was created to consider the maximum surface exposure area and minimum thickness to reduce the charging (freezing) and discharging (melting) periods. Experiments were carried out with and without PCM to observe the backup time given by the PCM unit, the frequency of on–off compressor cycles, and the potential for energy and economic savings. Based on a six-hr trial at a set temperature of 9 °C, it was found that the designed heat exchanger unit provided a stable temperature for 55 min on compressor shut down at an average ambient temperature of 35° C, thus validating the design. The compressor on–off cycles are reduced from 6 to 1 per hour, compressor on time is reduced by 31%, and an energy saving of about 40% is obtained with PCM integration. The energy savings per kg of PCM is about 5.5% which is the highest reported for cold storage in the literature to date.

Preservation of perishable food produce is a major concern in the cold chain supply system. Development of an energy-efficient on-farm cold storage facility, hence, becomes essential. Integration of thermal storage into a vapor compression refrigeration (VCR)-driven cold room is a promising technology that can reduce power consumption and act as a thermal backup. However, designing a latent heat energy storage heat exchanger encounters challenges, such as low thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs) and poor heat exchanger efficiencies, leading to ineffective charging–discharging cycles. The current study investigates the effect of the integration of a Phase Change Material (PCM) in terms of the selection of the PCM, the optimal positioning of the PCM heat exchanger, and the selection of heat exchanger encapsulation material. Numerical analysis was undertaken using 3D Experience software (version: 2024x.D31.R426rel.202403212040) by creating a 3D model of a 3.4 m3 micro-cold storage unit to understand the inner temperature distribution profile. Further, the experimental setup was developed, and tests were conducted, during which the energy consumption of 1.1 kWh was recorded for the total compressor run time of 1 h. Results indicated that an improved cooling effect was achieved by positioning the PCM trays on the wall opposite the evaporator. It is seen that a temperature difference in the range of 5 to 7 °C exists between the phase change temperature of PCM and the optimal storage temperature depending on the encapsulation material. Hence, PCM selection for thermal storage applications would have an important bearing on the material and configuration of the PCM encapsulation.

Globally, vaccination plays a vital role in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the cold supply chain is essential for vaccine storage and logistics services. In a country like India, the last-mile logistics of vaccines is a challenging task. The cold chain is indispensable for the Covid-19 vaccine drive to the rural areas. The demand for cold storage increases rapidly due to the rapid Covid-19 vaccine drive. The conventional cold storage facility has a more significant threat to the grid power quality and environmental impacts. The energy demand and greenhouse gas emission of traditional cold storage lead to global warming. The micro cold storage facility has to be developed rapidly to accelerate the vaccine drive to the last mile of the county with reliable and affordable energy sources. In addition, climate change mitigation is ensured by the renewable energy utilization in the Covid-19 vaccine drive. The proposed novel micro cold storage aims to be silent, clean, mobile, without moving parts, and reliable for the last-mile vaccine logistics as a vaccine carrier to the remote rural areas. This paper deals with the novel design, development, and experimental investigation of solar photovoltaic powered thermoelectric-based micro cold storage as a Covid-19 vaccine carrier for rural areas. The design consideration of Covid-19 vaccine storage has been reported. The experimental results ensure the World Health Organization recommended vaccine storage (i.e., vaccine carrier) temperature range of +2 to +8 °C. Therefore, green energy and refrigeration system provide environmental sustainability by mitigating 700kg of annual carbon emission.

Abstract First insights on the human gut microbiome have been gained from medium-sized, cross-sectional studies. However, given the modest portion of explained variance of currently identified covariates and the small effect size of gut microbiota modulation strategies, upscaling seems essential for further discovery and characterisation of the multiple influencing factors and their relative contribution. In order to guide future research projects and standardisation efforts, we here review currently applied collection and preservation methods for gut microbiome research. We discuss aspects such as sample quality, applicable omics techniques, user experience and time and cost efficiency. In addition, we evaluate the protocols of a large-scale microbiome cohort initiative, the Flemish Gut Flora Project, to give an idea of perspectives, and pitfalls of large-scale faecal sampling studies. Although cryopreservation can be regarded as the gold standard, freezing protocols generally require more resources due to cold chain management. However, here we show that much can be gained from an optimised transport chain and sample aliquoting before freezing. Other protocols can be useful as long as they preserve the microbial signature of a sample such that relevant conclusions can be drawn regarding the research question, and the obtained data are stable and reproducible over time. The authors review currently applied collection and preservation methods for gut microbiome research, discussing aspects such as sample quality, applicable omics techniques, user experience and time and cost-efficiency, and evaluate the protocols of the Flemish Gut Flora Project, a large-scale gut microbiome sampling effort in Belgium, to give an idea of perspectives, and pitfalls of population-wide studies implementing faecal sampling for gut microbiome research.

The aim of the present study is to develop a pH-sensing biopolymer film based on the immobilization of red cabbage extract (RCE) within bacterial cellulose (BC) to detect contamination and gamma radiation exposure in cucumbers. The results obtained show a sensitivity to pH changes for RCE in its aqueous form and that incorporated within BC films (RCE-BC), both showed color change correlated to bacterial growth (R 2  = 0.91), this was supported with increase in pH values from 2 to 12 (R 2  = 0.98). RCE and RCE-BC exposure to gamma radiation (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 kGy) resulted in gradual decrease in color that was more evident in RCE aqueous samples. To sense bacterial contamination of cucumbers, the total count was followed at 0, 5, 10 and 15 days in cold storage conditions and was found to reach 9.13 and 5.47 log cfu/mL for non-irradiated and 2 kGy irradiated samples, respectively. The main isolates detected throughout this storage period were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens , Erwinia sp. Pantoea agglomerans using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight-ms (MALDI–TOF–MS). Bacterial growth in stored irradiated cucumbers was detected by color change within 5 and 10 days of storage, after which there was no evident change. This is very useful since contamination within the early days of storage cannot be sensed with the naked eye. This study is the first to highlight utilizing RCE and RCE-BC as eco-friendly pH-sensing indicator films for intelligent food packaging to detect both food contamination and gamma preservation for refrigerator stored cucumbers.

Levels of psychrotrophic bacteria in raw milk are affected by to habitats and farm hygiene. Biofilms formed by psychrotrophic bacteria are persistent sources of contamination. Heat-stable enzymes produced by psychrotrophic bacteria compromise product quality. Various strategies are available for controlling dairy spoilage caused by psychrotrophic bacteria.

The application of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) for decontamination of sliced ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products (in this case, rolled fillets of ham), inoculated with Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium and Listeria (L.) monocytogenes was investigated. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is an ionised gas that includes highly reactive species and ozone, interacting with cell membranes and DNA of bacteria. The mode of action of CAPs includes penetration and disruption of the outer cell membrane or intracellular destruction of DNA located in the cytoplasm. Inoculated ham was treated for 10 and 20 min with CAP generated by a surface-micro-discharge-plasma source using cost-effective ambient air as working gas with different humidity levels of 45-50 and 90%. The chosen plasma modes had a peak-to-peak voltage of 6.4 or 10 kV and a frequency of 2 and 10 kHz. Under the tested conditions, the direct effectiveness of CAP on microbial inactivation was limited. Although all treated samples showed significant reductions in the microbial load subsequent to plasma treatment, the maximum inactivation of S. Typhimurium was 1.14 lg steps after 20 min of CAP-treatment (p<0.05), and L. monocytogenes was reduced by 1.02 lg steps (p<0.05) using high peak-to-peak voltage of 10 kV and a frequency of 2 kHz regardless of moisture content. However, effective inactivation was achieved by a combination of CAP-treatment and cold storage at 8°C ± 0.5°C for 7 and 14 days after packaging under sealed high nitrogen gas flush (70% N2, 30% CO2). Synergistic effects of CAP and cold storage for 14 days led to a clearer decrease in the microbial load of 1.84 lg steps for S. Typhimurium (p<0.05) and 2.55 lg steps for L. monocytogenes (p<0.05). In the case of L. monocytogenes, subsequent to CAP-treatment (10 kV, 2 kHz) and cold storage, microbial counts were predominantly below the detection limit. Measurement showed that after CAP-treatment, surface temperature of ham did not exceed the room temperature of 22°C ± 2°C. With the application of humidity levels of 45-50%, the colour distance ΔE increased in CAP treated samples due to a decrease in L* values. In conclusion, effectiveness of CAP-treatment was limited. However, the combination of CAP-treatment and cold storage of samples under modified-atmospheric-conditions up to 14 days could significantly reduce microorganisms on RTE ham. Further investigations are required to improve effectiveness of CAP-treatment.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the probiotic properties of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus fermentum strains, as well as to select novel and safe strains for future development of functional fermented products. The in vitro auto-aggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity, β-galactosidase production, survival to gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and antibiotic susceptibility were evaluated. The selected strains were additionally tested by the presence of genes encoding adhesion, aggregation and colonization, virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and biogenic amine production, followed by the evaluation of acidifying kinetic parameters in milk, and survival of the strains under simulated GIT conditions during refrigerated storage of fermented milk. Most strains of both species showed high auto-aggregation; some strains showed co-aggregation ability with other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and/or pathogens, and both species showed low hydrophobicity values. Seven L. casei and six L. fermentum strains produced β-galactosidase enzymes, and ten strains survived well the simulation of the GIT stressful conditions evaluated in vitro. All strains were resistant to vancomycin, and almost all the strains were resistant to kanamycin. L. casei SJRP38 and L. fermentum SJRP43 were distinguished among the other LAB strains by their higher probiotic potential. L. fermentum SJRP43 presented fewer genes related to virulence factors and antibiotic resistance and needed more time to reach the maximum acidification rate (V max ). The other kinetic parameters were similar. Both strains survived well (> 8 log 10 CFU/mL) to the GIT-simulated conditions when incorporated in fermented milk. Therefore, these strains presented promising properties for further applications in fermented functional products.

The viability and functional activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lactobacillus acidophilus in a fermented milk product is important. One of the functional activities of the LAB in fermented milk is the ability of the LAB to positively impact the human health. This study aimed to determine the effect of frozen storage on the fermented milk, namely acidophilus milk, based on the nutritional milk quality, the viability of L. acidophilus , and its potential to lower cholesterol levels in Wistar rats. The parameters measured was including milk quality (mainly pH, protein content, lactic acid levels, and syneresis), L. acidophilus bacterial viability in frozen storage (for 1, 2, and 3 months), and some biological assays to evaluate the potential of milk in lowering blood cholesterol levels in Wistar rats. The result of this study suggests that acidophilus milk quality can be maintained in frozen storage for two months, and it had lactic acid levels of 1.07%, pH of 4.08, and protein levels of 3.33%. Giving acidophilus milk to Wistar rats for 15 days could reduce the cholesterol level continuously until 30 days of treatment. Therefore, this study proves that acidophilus milk quality can be maintained very well in frozen storage, and its functional properties to lower the cholesterol level of Wistar rats can be achieved after two weeks of consumption.