Maged Mohammed

By Maged E.A. Mohamed and Ayman H. Amer Eissa

Part of the book: Structure and Function of Food Engineering

By Maged E.A. Mohammed and Mohammed R. Alhajhoj

Nutritional value and quality of food products are very important for a healthy life of human beings. Various modern thermal and nonthermal application technologies such as pulsed light, pulsed electric field, high and low hydrostatic pressure, microwave, and ohmic heating have been used to improve food products characteristics. In recent years, ultrasonic applications have been used for food processing. The ultrasonic is defined as sound waves with a frequency exceeding the human hearing limit. Based on the frequency range of ultrasonic waves, it can be used in many industrial applications including the processing of food. Applications of high-power ultrasonic with low frequency aim to improve the quality of food products. Low-power ultrasonic with high-frequency applications are used for nondestructive quality evaluation of physicochemical properties of food. The most important advantages of ultrasonic technologies are the low cost of food processing, low power consumption, simplicity compared to other technologies, suitability for the treatment of solid and liquid food, and environmental safeness and friendliness, thus becoming a promising technology for monitoring and improving quality of food products. The main objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the principal and recent applications of ultrasonic waves to improve food product quality.

Part of the book: Food Processing

By Maged E.A. Mohammed, Hamadttu A.F. El-Shafie and Mohammed R. Alhajhoj

Red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), is one of the most invasive pest species that poses a serious threat to date palm and coconut palm cultivation as well as the ornamental Canary Island palm. RPW causes massive economic losses in the date palm production sector worldwide. The most important challenge of RPW detection in the early stages of an infestation is the presence of a few externally visible signs. Infested palm shows visible signs when the infestation is more advanced; in this case, the rescuing of infested palms is more complicated. Early detection is a useful tool to eradicate and control RPW successfully. Until now, the early detection techniques of RPW rely mainly on visual inspection and pheromone trapping. Several methods to detect RPW infestation have recently emerged. These include remote sensing, highly sensitive microphones, thermal sensors, drones, acoustic sensors, and sniffer dogs. The main objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the modern methods for early detection of the RPW and discuss the most important RPW detection technologies that are field applicable.

Part of the book: Invasive Species

By Maged Mohammed, Nashi K. Alqahtani, Muhammad Munir and Mohamed A. Eltawil

Date palm cultivation is an essential part of Saudi Arabia’s economy. However, it faces several challenges: water scarcity, improper farm management, pests and diseases, inadequate farming practices, processing and marketing, and labor shortages. Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) can help enrich crop management, enable predictive analytics, increase efficiency, and promote sustainability in date palm cultivation. Recently, interest in this sector has begun by applying the latest precision engineering technologies integrated with AI and IoT techniques to address these challenges. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the applications of AI and IoT-based technologies, such as sensors, ML algorithms, and data analytics, and their potential benefits and challenges in supporting date palm cultivation in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, the applications of AI and IoT in smart precision irrigation, smart systems, cold storage management, pest infestation prediction, and date fruit quality optimization. In addition, the potential economic and environmental benefits of using AI and IoT in date palm cultivation in Saudi Arabia and the challenges that need to be addressed to realize these benefits fully. The chapter provides insight into the latest developments and future directions for AI and IoT in date palm cultivation, providing valuable information for researchers and policymakers.

Part of the book: Internet of Things

By Maged Mohammed, Nashi K. Alqahtani and Muhammad Munir

Date palm fruits have essential importance due to their high economic value, nutritional benefits, and contribution to food security in arid and semi-arid regions. The unfavorable climatic conditions, drought or water scarcity, inconsistent pollination, genetic factors, and nutrient deficiencies cause date fruits to remain unripe for a long time. Artificial ripening is hastening fruit ripening using various techniques and chemicals. Artificial ripening techniques are employed to ripen date palm fruits to reduce their spoilage and waste, enhance their quality, and extend their shelf life. Therefore, artificial ripening has an economic benefit by supplying high-quality fruit, potentially increasing farmers’ profits. However, using safe and approved techniques for artificial ripening is essential, as some processes can have negative health influences if misused. This chapter aims to discuss the concept of artificial ripening for date palm fruits and its benefits, explore various chemical and physical methods, analyze their effects on fruit quality, and examine the regulatory and safety considerations associated with artificial ripening. Additionally, the chapter examines the advantages and disadvantages of different ripening methods and their corresponding effects on the dates’ nutritional value and sensory quality. The chapter highlights the need for sustainable and safe artificial ripening practices to meet consumer demand and ensure the high quality and availability of date palm fruits.

Part of the book: New Discoveries in the Ripening Processes