The formulation of a research hypothesis constitutes the conceptual foundation of scientific inquiry and plays a pivotal role in shaping its logical and methodological structure. This article explores the significance of a clearly articulated, testable hypothesis as a prerequisite for ensuring internal coherence, reproducibility, and methodological rigor in research design. Particular attention is given to the classification of hypothesis types (null, alternative, directional, non-directional, descriptive, and explanatory) with examples of their application in the context of applied research in food technology. Additionally, the article examines the strengths and weaknesses of hypothesis formulation, outlines common errors encountered in this process, and presents an algorithm for constructing methodologically sound hypotheses aimed at empirical verification.

Introduction: Enzymatic processes occurring in dairy products during storage can lead to changes in protein composition, affecting products’ quality. Key players in these changes include endogenous enzymes, such as plasmin, and bacterial proteases like the heat stable protease from Pseudomonas LBSA1. The application of bioinformatic methods enables the modeling of protein hydrolysis and prediction of peptide formation with specific properties (e.g., organoleptic characteristics, bioactivity, molecular weight, amino acid sequence).

Purpose: To evaluate changes in the peptide profiles of β-CN, αs1-CN, αs2-CN, and κ-CN caseins during simulated hydrolysis by plasmin and the heat stable bacterial protease Pseudomonas LBSA1.

Materials and Methods: Casein sequences were analyzed using the UniProt database. Hydrolysis was modeled using BIOPEP-UWM (for plasmin) and regular expressions in RStudio (for Pseudomonas LBSA1). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) was calculated as the ratio of cleaved peptide bonds to the total possible bonds in the protein. Peptide sequences were analyzed using the “stringr” library in RStudio. Bitter and antioxidant peptides were identified using the BIOPEP-UWM database. Molecular weight and isoelectric point data were obtained via the “Peptides” library in RStudio.

Results: 2D diagrams revealed distinct distributions of peptides based on molecular weight and isoelectric point, dependent on enzyme specificity. In the combined hydrolysis model, 4 bitter peptides, 3 types of bitter amino acids, and 6 antioxidant peptides were identified.

Conclusion: Bioinformatic modeling enables the prediction of enzymatic changes in milk proteins during storage, their impact on quality, and enhances the efficiency of related experiments. These findings may support the development of approaches for assessing dairy product storage conditions and identifying quality markers.

Introduction: The deterioration of the environmental situation, especially in industrial regions and large cities, has led to growing interest in functional nutrition as a means of preventing chronic diseases. In this context, natural carotenoids (biologically active compounds with pronounced antioxidant properties) have become particularly valuable. Among them, lycopene, found in tomatoes, stands out for its high biological activity, oxidative stability, and ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and oncological diseases. However, for broad industrial application, efficient extraction technologies are needed to ensure a stable yield of the compound while preserving its activity.

Purpose: To substantiate an effective technological regime for the extraction of lycopene from tomato raw materials.

Materials and Methods: The research object was the regional tomato variety "Samaladay." Dried tomato powder and the lycopene-containing extract obtained from it were used. The content of extractive substances was determined according to pharmacopoeial standards. β-carotene content was quantified by spectrophotometric method (λ = 452 nm), and lycopene content by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) according to GOST 33277. The influence of solvent type, raw material to solvent ratio, temperature, extraction time, and number of extractions on the yield of active components was analyzed.

Results: Ethyl acetate was identified as the most effective solvent. The optimal extraction conditions were: temperature 50 °C, extraction time 30 minutes, raw material to solvent ratio 1:2.5, with double extraction. The resulting extract contained 22.4 ± 1.29 mg/100 g of lycopene and 21.59 ± 1.2 mg/100 g of β-carotene. Through vacuum evaporation, a dry concentrate was obtained (1.26 ± 0.12 g from 1 kg of powder) with a lycopene content of 17–20 %. The novelty of the study lies in the experimental development and substantiation of the optimal technological regime for obtaining a lycopene-containing concentrate based on local tomato raw materials, contributing to the expansion of the raw material base and the introduction of functional components into Kazakhstan's food industry.

Conclusion: The developed lycopene extraction technology can be effectively applied in the creation of food additives aimed at enhancing the biological and preventive value of everyday food products.

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, capable of causing food spoilage, has multifactorial resistance to various antimicrobial agents and disinfectants, which leads to food safety problems. In this regard, it is necessary to search for and develop new effective methods to control P. aeruginosa contamination in food processing enterprises. Preparations based on lactic acid bacteria synthesizing various antimicrobial compounds can be considered as an alternative to chemical disinfectants and preservatives.

Purpose is a comparative evaluation of antimicrobial activity of different strains of lactic acid bacteria in relation to representatives of P. aeruginosa isolated from different sources.

Materials and methods: the objects of the study were strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Lactobacillus helveticus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei from the collection of FGANU VNIMI. The antimicrobial activity of the strains under study was evaluated against the type test strain P. aeruginosa ATCC 25668. Antimicrobial activity was investigated by co-culture method in accordance with MU 2.3.2.2789-10. For the lactic acid bacteria strains that showed the highest antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa ATCC 25668, the antimicrobial activity against wild strains of P. aeruginosa 42, P. aeruginosa М1 and P. aeruginosa 47 was additionally investigated.

Results: Differences in the degree of antagonistic activity of lactic acid bacteria representatives in relation to the collection strain of P. aeruginosa and wild-type isolates were shown. The high efficiency of lactobacilli representatives belonging to the species L. helveticus, in particular strain L. helveticus Bbn4, as an antimicrobial agent against strains of P. aeruginosa of both collection and wild type was confirmed.

Conclusion: The results of the study showed that representatives of lactobacilli, in particular L. helveticus, had high inhibitory activity against strains of collection and wild type P. aeruginosa, isolated from different sources, and can be considered as promising antimicrobial agents against such a complex pathogen as P. aeruginosa. In particular, the strain with the highest inhibitory activity, L. helveticus Bbn4, may be a potential antagonist strain with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. However, further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms of antimicrobial action of this culture.

Introduction: Sweetened condensed whole milk (SCM) is a highly demanded product among consumers and processing plants. The study of temperature profiles is essential for optimizing its logistics under extreme temperature conditions to prevent quality defects and minimize costs associated with specialized transport when delivering to regions with hot climates and the Far North, considering the absolute temperature range in Russia, which is approximately 90°C. Previously, this aspect of transportation had not been studied. The maximum allowable storage temperature for the product was set at 25°C, while the minimum temperature was not regulated.

Purpose: To investigate the temperature profiles of SCM in transport packaging under various ambient conditions.

Materials and Methods: A simulation of the heating and cooling processes of SCM in transport packaging, modeled as a one-dimensional multilayer system, was conducted. To describe heat transfer within the temperature ranges of 5°C to 35°C and 5°C to -35°C, a system of differential equations was formulated, with specified initial and boundary conditions.

Results: According to the proposed model, the duration of heating SCM from 5°C to 35°C is 36.7 hours, while cooling from 5°C to -35°C takes 41.1 hours. Based on the study results, software was developed to calculate the duration of SCM temperature changes depending on the initial and final ambient temperatures.

Conclusion: A new approach has been developed for theoretically predicting the duration of temperature changes in SCM within transport packaging during storage and transportation. This approach can be utilized in specialized business software solutions for logistics route planning, transportation cost estimation, and consideration of ambient conditions during shipping. Additionally, the proposed solution can be adapted for other food products.