Sustainable Food Technology最新文献

Soft matter physics, encompassing materials such as polymers, colloids, emulsions, gels, and foams, provides a powerful framework for understanding the structural and functional complexity of food systems. This review explores the application of soft matter principles in food science, from molecular interactions to macroscopic structuring. The behavior of food materials under various stresses and environmental conditions is governed by key physical principles including thermodynamics, phase transitions, and molecular dynamics. These principles elucidate how protein-polysaccharide networks, colloidal assemblies, and emulsified systems determine food texture, stability, and sensory properties. Rheology, a central tool of soft matter science, enables quantitative analysis of viscoelastic properties, guiding product design, formulation, and processing optimization. Processing techniques such as extrusion, high-pressure processing, and 3D printing are examined through the lens of soft matter behavior, offering precise control over microstructure and texture. Furthermore, the review highlights the emerging integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in modeling and predicting the physicochemical properties of complex food matrices, accelerating innovation and quality control. By bridging molecular–scale interactions with macro-scale material behavior, soft matter physics enables the rational design of functional, sustainable, and consumer-appealing food products. This interdisciplinary perspective not only advances fundamental scientific understanding but also provides practical insights for improving food quality, safety, and personalization. Overall, the review underscores the transformative potential of soft matter physics in shaping the future of food science and engineering.

Virgin coconut meal (VCM), a major by-product from the coconut milk processing stream, contains 30–40% oil, which seldom gets repurposed for food applications. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of VCM for the extraction of oleosomes and its suitability for the formulation of emulsion-based food systems such as vegan mayonnaise. Oleosome extraction parameters (pH 6.43 and feed-to-solvent ratio 1 : 1.96) were optimised using the response surface methodology. The extracted oleosomes contain 93.24 ± 1.53% of fat and 5.34 ± 0.3% of proteins, along with residual carbohydrates and moisture. Particle and morphological analyses indicated that oleosomes are monodisperse spherical particles with a mean diameter of 1.35 μm, and they are highly stable in the pH range of 6–9. The functional and thermal properties of oleosomes were interpreted through FTIR and DSC analysis. The colour profile of oleosomes is neutral with excellent whiteness, making them suitable for the formulation of food products. Rheological analysis of oleosome incorporated mayonnaise exhibited a uniform structured biphasic food matrix with soft solid-like consistency on par with commercial mayonnaise. Sensory analysis using a nine-point hedonic scale revealed that oleosome-based mayonnaise is more appealing than egg-based mayonnaise. Results from the above studies suggest that VCM is a suitable by-product for the extraction of oleosomes, and the extracted oleosomes can act as an emulsion with the potential to replace oil and emulsifiers in emulsion-based food products. The above process can be effectively applied for the extraction of oleosomes from cold-pressed meals/seed cakes.

Nutraceuticals and dietary supplements have experienced a remarkable surge in demand over the past decade, driven by growing emphasis on preventive healthcare and heightened consumer preference for bioactive products. Nutraceuticals serve as an interface between pharmaceuticals and bioactives, offering therapeutic potential with minimal adverse effects. However, their clinical applications are often hindered by their inherent physicochemical characteristics, including low bioavailability, susceptibility to environmental degradation, poor aqueous solubility, instability, and post-delivery structural degradation. To address these challenges, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability of nutraceuticals. Nano-sized cargos such as liposomes, nanoparticles, nano-emulsions, and nanogels enable improved encapsulation, stability, bioavailability, cellular internalization, and targeted delivery of nutraceuticals. Furthermore, the sustainable manufacturing of nutraceuticals has undergone substantial technological advancements to enhance the bioavailability, therapeutic effect, and long-term stability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recently published literature addressing different nano-enabled approaches employed for nutraceuticals, highlighting their targeted applications in disease prevention and management. Additionally, it critically examines the regulatory challenges associated with their production scalability, safety concerns, and environmental impact, while offering insights into existing regulatory frameworks and future considerations for the pervasive use of nanotechnology in the nutraceutical industry.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) is the fourth state of matter produced by applying high energy to gas, and water treated with CAPP is known as plasma-activated water (PAW). CAPP and PAW have shown successful applications in food safety and functional modifications. These novel technologies are not commercially applied in the food industry yet as their sustainability benefits are not fully understood. This study assessed the carbon footprint of producing CAPP and PAW on a lab scale. CAPP produced 7.9 × 10⁻³ kg CO_2e per 1 min of plasma generation time, while PAW produced 7.9 × 10⁻² kg CO_2e per 10 min of plasma generation time, with the majority of greenhouse gases (GHGs) being generated by electricity sources. Adopting the wind or solar energy as a renewable electricity source could substantially reduce the carbon footprint of CAPP and PAW. This study provides valuable insights to guide the future commercialization of cold plasma as a sustainable food preservation technology.

To promote the development and high-value application of the millet bran protein from Huangjingu, the Osborne sequential extraction procedure was used to extract protein fractions (albumin, globulin, prolamin and glutelin) from defatted millet bran, and the physicochemical and functional properties of the extracted protein fractions were investigated. The results showed that the yield of albumin, globulin, prolamin and glutelin was 1.22%, 0.98%, 3.25%, and 0.49%, respectively, and their purity was 84.87%, 76.02%, 80.80%, and 56.76%, respectively. Albumin and globulin had lower molecular weights than prolamin and glutelin. The amino acid compositions of the four protein fractions were different. FTIR spectra displayed that β-turns and β-sheets were the principal structures in the four protein fractions; ultraviolet absorption spectra showed that the tertiary structures of the four protein fractions were different, with prolamin having the highest absorbance. The denaturation temperature of the four protein fractions was within the range of 85–95 °C. Prolamin and glutelin showed smaller particle sizes than globulin and albumin. Prolamin exhibited the strongest surface hydrophobicity. pH and temperature could affect the functional characteristics of protein fractions. Albumin exhibited the highest water holding capacity and solubility, while prolamin had the highest oil holding capacity and emulsifying capacity, and globulin displayed the best foaming capacity. These results showed that millet bran protein fractions from Huangjingu have the potential to be applied in the food industry as a functional additive.

Our previous study revealed the relationship between the droplet-to-particle transition process and the functionality of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) particles encapsulated with Eudragit® L100 (L100)–trehalose (Tre). The main focus was on exploring the effects of convective drying conditions on the targeted delivery of viable bacteria to the intestine, by using a single droplet drying technique to mimic realistic spray drying conditions. In the current study, spray-dried L100–Tre–LGG microcapsules combined with polysaccharides (maltodextrin, inulin, and soluble soy polysaccharides) were fabricated, to investigate the physicochemical properties of powders and the adhesion ability of spray-dried LGG cells. The results showed that L100–Tre powder exhibited better moisture content (4.84%) and hygroscopicity (17.94%) than the other three powders produced with L100–Tre and polysaccharides. Moreover, the LGG in the powders retained a high viability of 9 log CFU g⁻¹ after spray drying and maintained 7 log CFU g⁻¹ after 8 weeks of storage. Notably, all powders exhibited desirable survival rates of 87.4–93% for LGG after in vitro digestion. In addition, spray drying had minimal impact on the cell adhesion ability of LGG, maintaining an adhesion rate of 80% to Caco-2 cells. The L100–Tre–LGG probiotic spray-dried powders exhibit long shelf stability and strong adhesion capacity, providing strong support for the industrial production of probiotic products.

Correction for ‘Duckweed: exploring its farm-to-fork potential for food production and biorefineries’ by Anim Ujong et al., Sustainable Food Technol., 2025, 3, 54–80, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4FB00288A.

Dates and honey are known for their high nutritional values and associated benefits. Wine production with dates and honey will help in value addition to dates and also reduce post-harvest losses. This study aims to produce and evaluate wine produced from dates and honey using yeasts isolated from palm wine. Yeasts were isolated from various samples of palm wine, selected, and identified using molecular techniques. The best-performing yeasts, namely, isolate 065 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and isolate 047 (Candida tropicalis), were used to produce date fruit and honey wines combined in the ratios of: date100%, D/H 50%/50%, D/H 40%/60% and D/H 30%/70% for 7 days. The performance results of the yeasts indicated that isolate BFC 065 recorded the highest invertase activity (40.95 μmol min⁻¹), followed by PPE 047 (36.84 μmol min⁻¹), while IPA 151 showed the least invertase activity (4.3 μmol min⁻¹). The alcohol dehydrogenase activity results indicated that PPE 047 had the highest activity (13.67 unit per mL), followed by BFC 065 (11.42 unit per mL), while IPA 151 had the least activity (2.4 unit per mL). The yeast isolate's sugar tolerance properties showed that isolates 065 and 047 had the highest sugar tolerance level at 20% sugar concentration with optical densities (OD) of 1.098 and 0.947, respectively, after 72 h of incubation. In contrast, the isolate BFC 168 showed the least sugar tolerance level (OD = 0.674). The ethanol tolerance potentials of the yeasts showed that the highest ethanol tolerance was observed for BFC 065 (17.5 ± 0.18% v/v), followed by PPE 047 (14.00 ± 0.81% v/v), while IPA 142 showed the least tolerance (4.5 ± 0.47% v/v). The total titratable acidity (TTA) producing potential of the yeasts showed that the highest acid-producing potential was observed for BFC 065 (3.21% ± 0.144%), followed by PPE 047 (2.16% ± 0.35%), while IPA 131 had the least potential (0.27% ± 0.00%). The highest pH tolerance of the yeasts was observed at pH 2. The isolate BFC 168 tolerated the lowest pH (pH 2), while IPA 110 (OD = 0.115) showed the least tolerance. The composite value of the date syrup and honey showed that the energy level of dates was 303.36 kJ, while that of honey was 335.69 kJ; the protein contents were 2.37% and 1.09%, respectively, while the carbohydrate contents were 72.21% and 82.09%, respectively. The essential element composition of dates and honey showed that they contained calcium levels of 468.90 mg and 3.67 mg, respectively, magnesium levels of 117.8 mg and 2.98 mg, respectively, and iron levels of 29.50 mg and 1.34 mg, respectively, while copper and zinc were not detected in honey. There was a gradual decrease in soluble sugar (⁰Brix), pH, and specific gravity of various wines, while TTA increased with the fermentation time. The alcohol contents of the wines fermented with the isolate 047 were higher th

The incorporation of microalgal protein into dairy products presents a sustainable and innovative approach to address rising global protein demands. This study developed model hybrid milk formulations (HMFs) by combining Spirulina protein concentrate (SPC) and milk protein concentrate (MPC), in which SPC replaced 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the total protein content (w/w). A formulation with 100% MPC was used as the control. The fat and mineral contents of the HMFs were standardized using ghee and simulated milk ultrafiltrate (SMUF) respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed a uniform distribution of fat globules in all formulations, characterized by small initial globule sizes; however, their size increased significantly after 15 days of storage. Increasing SPC levels led to a significant shift toward a greenish-brown hue. HMFs containing 25–75% SPC exhibited significantly higher creaming than those with either 100% MPC or 100% SPC. Increasing SPC levels led to higher viscosity and reduced thermal stability, with gelation occurring at lower temperatures. This reduction in thermal stability was supported by lower protein denaturation temperatures observed for SPC compared to MPC. Corresponding structural analysis showed a progressive loss of ordered conformation, with decreased β-sheet and increased random coil content, which contributed to the altered gelation behaviour. Among the formulations, the 25% SPC (75% MPC) blend most closely resembled the 100% MPC in terms of color, creaming, viscosity, thermal stability, and structural integrity, making it the optimal HMF developed using SPC and MPC.

Active biodegradable films are in great demand as green packaging materials for extending the shelf life of food. In this study, methylcellulose (MC)/chitosan (CS) active films (AMC) were fabricated by incorporating different weight percentages of L-arginine. The fabricated active films were investigated for their physicochemical, mechanical and functional properties. FTIR, SEM and XRD results confirmed the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction and compatibility of L-arginine with the MC/CS film matrix, improving the mechanical properties, UV light blocking ability, water vapor barrier and oxygen barrier properties of the AMC active films. The inclusion of L-arginine improved the antimicrobial, antioxidant and packaging efficiency of the films. Compared with the L-arginine-free MC/CS film (control), the AMC active film containing 7.5% of L-arginine exhibited strong DPPH radical scavenging activity (72.28% ± 0.28) and displayed potent antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis and C. albicans. Grapes packed with the AMC active film containing 7.5% L-arginine showed a limited weight loss percentage of 13.35% ± 1.07 and a restricted browning degree of 0.87 ± 0.01 over 17 days of storage. These findings suggest that the fabricated active films meet the essential prerequisites of green food packaging materials.