Sustainable Food Technology最新文献

In response to growing environmental concerns and the demand for sustainable, functional food packaging, this study adopts a green nanotechnology approach by utilising phytochemically rich neem leaves to produce fluorescent and bioactive carbon dots (NLCDs). The NLCDs, prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal route, formed quasi-spherical nanostructures (∼8 nm) with abundant oxygen- and nitrogen-containing surface functional groups. These confer a strong electron-donating capacity, enabling the efficient scavenging of reactive oxygen species, while their quantum confinement and surface defect states underpin an excitation-dependent blue fluorescence (450 nm) and UV-vis absorption at 220 and 270 nm. When incorporated into a chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CP) matrix via solvent casting, the small size and uniform dispersion of NLCDs promoted strong hydrogen bonding and interfacial compatibility, as confirmed by FTIR, XRD, and SEM analyses. These reduced the polymer chain mobility, increasing the tensile strength by 66% (43.7 MPa) and enhancing the UV-blocking performance (93% attenuation at 280 nm). Antioxidant activity reached 82% (DPPH) and 77% (H₂O₂), attributable to the synergistic effects of NLCDs and the CP matrix. The films demonstrated potent antibacterial activity, with CPCD-3 inhibiting E. coli and S. aureus (15 mm and 12 mm zones) via membrane disruption and oxidative stress modulation, respectively. Biodegradation reached 94% in 100 days, and release studies showed sustained diffusion of NLCDs in food simulants. In prawn packaging trials, CPCD-3 preserved the pH (6.8–7.0), reduced the TVBN (28 mg/100 g), and maintained the microbial load (5 log CFU g⁻¹) for over 15 days at 4 °C. These findings position NLCD-embedded CP films as next-generation, multifunctional active packaging materials with a clear mechanistic basis for their performance.

Selenium deficiency leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory damage, while peptide–selenium chelation effectively alleviates this insufficiency. To develop novel selenium supplements from marine by-product resources, sturgeon head peptides (SHPs) were hydrolyzed with pepsin and a sturgeon head peptide–selenium (SHP-Se) chelate was also prepared. The protective effects of the SHP-Se chelate against oxidative stress and liver injury were investigated in a Se-deficient mouse model, which was successfully established by feeding adult Kunming mice a selenium-deficient diet (0.15 mg Se per kg diet) for 18 days. Concurrently, control mice (Se-sufficient, n = 10) were fed a standard diet. Forty Se-deficient mice were randomly divided into the model group, Na₂SeO₃ group, low-dose SHP-Se chelate group (SHP-Se-L), and high-dose SHP-Se chelate group (SHP-Se-H). After 20 days of treatment, liver selenium content in the Na₂SeO₃, SHP-Se-L, and SHP-Se-H groups significantly increased compared to the model group. Compared to the Na₂SeO₃ group, the SHP-Se-H group exhibited increases in serum catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase levels by 41.42%, 26.09%, 140.54%, and 41.49%, respectively, while malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels decreased by 62.14%, 65.1%, and 28.6%, respectively. H&E histopathological staining further demonstrated that SHP-Se was more effective than inorganic selenium in restoring tissue damage. Therefore, as a novel selenium supplement, the SHP-Se chelate can effectively prevent oxidative stress-induced liver injury and shows great potential for application in the development of functional foods for dietary selenium supplementation.

Retraction of ‘Protein complexations and amyloid fibrilization as novel approaches to improve techno-functionality of plant-based proteins’ by Zakir Showkat Khan et al., Sustainable Food Technol., 2024, Accepted Manuscript, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4FB00193A.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), which has been extensively used in medicine, cosmetics and food, possesses numerous bioactivities varying with its molecular weight. In the present study, a photoelectric-Fenton depolymerization method was established to prepare low-molecular-weight HA whose antioxidant activity was evaluated in Caco-2 cells through metabonomics analysis. The depolymerization products were monitored by high-performance gel permeation chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, infrared spectra, and nuclear magnetic resonance, and the results suggest 8 mM Fe²⁺ and 0.5% H₂O₂ as the optimal conditions with which 2 low-molecular-weight HA samples, DHA1 and DHA2 with relative molecular weights of 6.7 kDa and 1.6 kDa were obtained after 10 min and 25 min, respectively, in the photoelectric-Fenton system. Moreover, a comparison of HA and its depolymerization products showed minimal disruption of HA's structural units by photoelectric-Fenton reaction. In addition, metabolite analysis by LC-MS/MS revealed that both HA and DHA2 could alleviate cellular oxidative damage through modulating the arginine and proline metabolic pathways by upregulating the content of hydroxyproline and downregulating the levels of L-proline, creatinine, spermidine, L-glutamic acid, and acetyl-CoA. Notably, DHA2 exhibited superior effects compared to original HA. The study indicate that the photoelectric-Fenton degradation process holds great potential to prepare low-molecular-weight HA which possessed better protective capability against oxidative damage.

Pomegranate leaves, once valued in traditional medicine for their health benefits, are now often seen as waste in pomegranate cultivation. Renewed interest in their medicinal properties could support more sustainable agriculture. This study aims to explore the bioactive properties of leaves from four pomegranate cultivars and formulate a herbal tea blend. Samples were collected from authenticated plants cultivated under comparable soil and climatic conditions to ensure consistency and reliability in the study. Leaf samples were screened for phytochemicals and antioxidants to select a superior variety for herbal tea formulation. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity, mineral composition, and caffeine content determination and sensory evaluation were conducted using established methodologies. The data were analyzed utilizing ANOVA and the Friedman test using R and SPSS software. The results indicated that pomegranate leaves from all four varieties contained significant levels of TPC, TFC, and antioxidants (DPPH and ORAC) and favourable low caffeine content, demonstrating their suitability as raw materials for herbal tea production. Among the tested blends, a 60 : 40 ratio of pomegranate leaf to black tea received the highest scores across all sensory attributes. Additionally, this blend exhibited a lower caffeine content (0.82% w/w) than commercial black tea (2.23% w/w), establishing it as a healthier, low-caffeine option rich in antioxidants. The findings prove that pomegranate leaf waste can be effectively utilized in the innovative herbal tea industry.

Growing consumer demand for natural compounds in various industries has driven the search for alternatives to synthetic ingredients and materials. This study evaluated a Pickering emulsion, stabilized by chitosan–Yucca baccata extract nanoparticles, for protecting β-carotene, a highly sensitive lipophilic compound. The emulsion was prepared by incorporating β-carotene into the oil phase (BC-PE), and then subjected to environmental stressors, including UV radiation, oxidative stress, high temperature, and prolonged storage. A simple emulsion stabilized with Tween 20 was used as a control to compare β-carotene retention. The BC-PE was incorporated into an amaranth-based plant beverage to evaluate β-carotene stability after heat treatment and storage to simulate industrial processing conditions. The results showed that the BC-PE significantly improved β-carotene retention under all tested stress conditions, with retention exceeding 85% after heat exposure and over 90% under oxidative stress and UV radiation, respectively. By contrast, the simple emulsion exhibited substantial losses, with retention dropping below 60%. The incorporation of BC-PE into amaranth milk contributed to the protection of β-carotene during pasteurization and storage, preserving its content effectively, thereby enhancing the nutritional value of the beverage. Additionally, the BC-PE provided colloidal stability by preventing phase separation. These results highlight the dual functionality of PE as both protective systems and colloidal stabilizers, offering a promising approach for enriching functional foods with bioactive compounds that are sensitive to environmental factors.

The purpose of this study was to develop a plant-based frozen dessert fortified with chickpea protein isolate (CPI) and then assess its physicochemical, functional, and sensory qualities. CPI was selected for its high protein content (84.69%) and positive functional properties, including solubility (60.2%), foaming capacity (62.37%), and emulsion capacity (69.54%). The formulations S1, S2, and S3 represented 5%, 10%, and 15% CPI, respectively. As the CPI concentration increased, the pH rose from 6.68 to 6.98, while the titratable acidity decreased from 0.18% to 0.15%. The protein content ranged from 3.89% to 4.03%, and the fat content slightly decreased from 4.07% to 3.97%. Viscosity increased from 2317 to 2709 cP, but the overrun reduced from 31.56% to 28.78% as the CPI increased. The melting resistance improved, and the melting time increased from 47.78 to 51.05 minutes. The enhanced melting resistance was attributed to the emulsifying and foaming properties of CPI, which stabilized the fat globules and air cells and slowed the ice crystal growth during melting. Sensory evaluation revealed that the formulation containing 10% CPI (S2) was the most similar to the control in terms of overall acceptability. These findings demonstrate the potential of CPI as a functional protein source in non-dairy frozen desserts, providing an enhanced texture and stability while maintaining an acceptable sensory quality.

Mucuna pruriens, a leguminous plant known for the rich bioactive content of its seeds, also exhibits significant antioxidant potential in its pods, an underutilized agricultural by-product. This study aimed to optimize ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) conditions to maximize the recovery of phenolic compounds with antioxidant capacity (AOC) from M. pruriens pods. Optimization was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM), evaluating the effects of extraction time (10–20 min), ethanol concentration (0–100%), and ultrasound amplitude (0–80%). Ethanol concentration was identified as the most influential variable affecting both total phenolic content (TPC) and AOC. Optimal UAE conditions (10 min, 30% ethanol, 80% amplitude) yielded significantly higher TPC (274.21 ± 1.43 mg GAE per g) and AOC (DPPH: 2.41 ± 0.11, ABTS: 1.87 ± 0.09 and FRAP: 3.67 ± 0.08 mmol TEAC per g) compared to the traditional decoction method. HPLC-MS-based metabolite profiling tentatively identified 22 bioactive compounds in the pod and seed extracts. Furthermore, a notable L-Dopa content (5.8%) was quantified in the optimized pod extract, highlighting its potential as a valuable bioresource. These findings demonstrate the efficiency and sustainability of UAE in valorizing M. pruriens pods and support their potential application in food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical formulations.

Cold-pressed oil production generates high-quality oil and a nutrient-rich press cake as a by-product. Cucurbita pepo seeds (var. styrica) are typically used for this purpose. This work aims to add value to the press cake by-product by characterizing the techno-functional, physicochemical, nutritional, and microstructural properties of pumpkin seed flour (PSF), and evaluating the impact of PSF on the pasting and rheological behaviour of gluten-free model premixes (rice flour based). Nutritionally, PSF contained 41% protein. Although lipids accounted for one-third of its composition (predominantly unsaturated fatty acids), PSF showed high oxidative stability. Regarding its techno-functional properties, PSF showed good emulsion activity (55%), high thermal emulsion stability (51%) and good water, oil, and organic molecule retaining capacities. Characterization of PSF and rice flour (RF) showed that the two flours complement each other when forming composite mixtures. In addition, the suitability of PSF for breadmaking was determined by evaluating its effect on the rheology of premixes. The premixes were prepared by substituting RF with PSF at 10%, 20% and 30%. The viscoamylograph showed that regardless of the substitution level, PSF formed premixes that were less susceptible to retrogradation and had the potential to enhance oven spring during baking. At 20% and 30% substitution, PSF also improved the rheological quality of the gluten-free dough models, acting similarly to xanthan gum. This effect could be related to the ability of PSF to retain water and to form emulsions. These results showed the aptitude of PSF to be included in formulations intended for gluten-free bakery products.

This study investigated the impact of boiling and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the nutritional properties of seven commercially available mushroom species: Volvariella volvacea, Lentinus polychrous, Lentinus squarrosulus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Astraeus odoratus, Lentinula edodes, and Auricularia auricula-judae. Boiling altered the mushroom microstructure, enhancing the release of nutrients and bioactive compounds. It increased crude protein (5–35%), amino acids (3–75%), minerals (3–30%), and phenolic compounds (1–2-fold), though the effects varied by species. A. odoratus showed the highest crude protein content (37.30%), while A. auricula-judae demonstrated the highest nutrient bioaccessibility during digestion. V. volvacea exhibited the greatest amino acid content (74.50 mg g⁻¹). Simulated digestion further improved amino acid and phenolic availability. L. edodes and A. auricula-judae exhibited the highest phenolic bioaccessibility, likely due to lower dietary fiber. Boiling increased the total phenolic and flavonoid content in A. odoratus, suggesting the presence of heat-resistant polyphenols, but led to reductions in other species due to leaching. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH and FRAP assays, increased after digestion across all species. Boiling enhanced antioxidant activity in A. odoratus and A. auricula-judae, likely due to stable compounds such as β-glucans and ergothioneine. Correlation analysis identified total phenolic content as the primary contributor to antioxidant potential, while flavonoid effects varied. These findings underscore the role of mushrooms as sustainable, nutrient-rich foods. Their efficient growth on low-input substrates and improved functionality through processing support their use in plant-based diets, meat analogues, and nutritional supplements for sustainable food system innovation.