Sustainable Food Technology最新文献

With the continuous growth of the global population, obtaining new sources of protein is a priority to meet the nutritional needs of society. In this sense, the recovery of proteins from plant sources such as de-oiled oilseed pastes such as groundnut has gained relevance. In this study, a groundnut paste protein isolate (GPPI) was obtained via alkaline extraction followed by isoelectric precipitation. The GPPI was then treated with high-intensity ultrasound (HI-U) at 200, 400 and 600 W for 15 and 30 min to evaluate the effect on its physicochemical, nutritional, rheological, microstructural and techno-functional properties. Results showed that HI-U increased the GPPI's turbidity by up to 8.85%, antioxidant capacity by 163.71%, protein digestibility by 3.54%, apparent viscosity by 409%, emulsifying activity index by 147% and foaming capacity by 116.17%, while its water activity decreased by up to 18.48%, compared with the control treatment (GPPI without HI-U). The flow and cohesion properties of the GPPI measured as the Carr index and Hausner ratio, respectively, showed enhancements of up to 19.74% and 4.92%, respectively, because of HI-U. According to their fluid behavior, GPPI suspensions showed pseudoplastic characteristics. Furthermore, the apparent viscosity results of the GPPIs were adequately fitted to the power law model (r² = 0.929–0.966), showing low values in the consistency (0.024–0.085 Pa s) and fluidity (0.945–0.891) indices, confirming their behavior as a pseudoplastic fluid. Moreover, microphotographs revealed larger microstructures by the HI-U impact. The findings of this study can facilitate the use of GPPIs as an important protein ingredient for food production.

The growing demand for eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions has accelerated the development of biodegradable materials for fresh food preservation. In this study, bioactive films were developed using cationic starch (CT) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), functionalized with varying concentrations of vanillin (VN) via a solvent casting method. The resulting CT/PVA/VN (CPVN) films were systematically characterized to evaluate their functional properties. Notably, films with 3 wt% VN exhibited excellent UV-blocking ability and a remarkable enhancement in tensile strength (∼49.44%) compared to the pristine CT/PVA blend. The incorporation of VN also significantly improved the barrier properties of the films, reducing water vapor permeability (∼60.01%) and moisture adsorption (∼30.54%). Furthermore, the phenolic structure of VN contributed to a substantial increase in antioxidant activity (∼81.33%) and imparted potent antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The CPVN films also demonstrated promising environmental compatibility, achieving over 40% biodegradation in soil within 30 days. These findings highlight VN's multifunctional role in enhancing the structural, barrier, and bioactive properties of CT/PVA films, making CPVN films strong candidates for sustainable food packaging applications.

The impact of single-use and short-lived plastic food packaging is significant, contributing substantially to environmental waste that harms ecosystems. Microplastic pollution and chemical leaching from plastic packaging pose risks to humans, animals, and plants. Consequently, our environment is increasingly contaminated by plastic waste, microplastics, and nanoplastics, resulting in a pervasive pollutant. In this context, alternative biodegradable and sustainable packaging can help mitigate the harmful effects of plastic waste. Agricultural byproducts, which might otherwise be discarded, hold considerable potential for this purpose. This study demonstrates the use of grapevines as a source of cellulose to develop novel, transparent, and biodegradable films. Grapevine canes are major woody berry crops that generate substantial winter pruning waste. This waste contains a high level of cellulose, approximately 35%. Herein, the cellulose fraction was extracted using alkaline (10% KOH) and bleaching (10% NaClO₂) treatments. It was then solubilized in a ZnCl₂ solution, crosslinked with calcium ions, and plasticized with glycerol to develop films. These films exhibit a transparency of 83.70–84.30% mm⁻¹ and a tensile strength of 15.42–18.20 MPa. They biodegrade within 17 days in soil at 24% moisture content. These films demonstrate outstanding potential for food packaging applications. Our research approach of repurposing agricultural byproducts to create high-value products helps reduce plastic waste, conserve the environment, and provide economic benefits to farmers.

Milk, regardless of its end use, is required by law to be pasteurized to kill spoilage microorganisms and deactivate enzymes. Conventional methods of pasteurization use fossil fuels, which have a harmful effect on the environment. This study presents the design, optimization, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a solar-powered milk pasteurization system using a parabolic trough collector (PTC) integrated with a single-axis solar tracking mechanism. The design parameters of the PTC including length (3 m), width (1 m), and rim angle (90°) were optimized using a combination of SolidWorks flow simulations and SolTrace, respectively. A single-axis solar tracking device was also developed to increase the efficiency of PTC, and this allowed the PTC to align with the direction of the Sun. The developed PTC was tested to determine whether it could achieve the temperature normally used for milk pasteurization. Milk and water temperature increased from an initial value of 33.03 ± 2.73 °C to 76.03 ± 1.35 °C, and 29.67 ± 2.86 °C to 80.85 ± 2.06 °C in 1 hour, respectively. Temperature increases of 12.43 ± 1.59 °C and 17.90 ± 2.42 °C were found for milk and water at a flow rate of 30 L h⁻¹ in a single pass, respectively. This temperature increase suggests that the developed system has the potential to be used for the pasteurization of milk and similar liquid products utilizing solar energy.

Apple and grape pomace, byproducts of juice, cider, and wine production, are typically sent to landfills or used as animal feed. At landfills, they release greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide during anaerobic digestion. These pomaces are rich in fiber (31.79–61.71%) and polyphenols, which are lacking in the western diet, particularly in widely consumed meat-based food products. This review aims to explore the current literature that discusses the effects of incorporating apple and grape pomace into meat, focusing on fiber enrichment, prevention of lipid oxidation, and sensory characteristics like color, flavor, and texture. This narrative review consolidates findings from research databases to provide a structured synthesis of current knowledge on the topic. The polyphenols in pomace are as effective as synthetic antioxidants in reducing lipid oxidation. However, high pomace levels can increase meat hardness. Including pomace in meat products could reduce waste, minimize landfill contributions, and enhance meat's nutritional and functional properties.

Tropical fruit peels, frequently discarded during agricultural and food processing, represent an underutilized source of natural antioxidants and bioactive compounds. This study aimed to valorize tropical fruit peels, namely mango, banana, dragon fruit, pineapple, and papaya, by transforming them into functional food ingredients. Ethanol-based ultrasound-assisted extraction was applied to enhance the bioactive compounds and their antioxidant potentials. The variation in physicochemical characteristics, bioactive components, and antioxidant capacity of various fruit peel powders was investigated. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activities. The qualitative method was used for the phytochemical screening. Additionally, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis reveals their phenolic compositions. Then, the selected high-potential components were incorporated into biscuits. The digestion method was conducted following the INFOGEST protocol. Comparing all tested powders, the mango peel powder (MPP) had the highest total phenolic content (TPC) with 69.81 mg GAE per g and the highest antioxidant activity, which corresponded with the presence of gallic acid (13.95 mg g⁻¹), chlorogenic acid (9.62 mg g⁻¹), and quercetin (11.59 mg g⁻¹). The incorporation of MPP (5–15%) into biscuits improved nutritional composition and antioxidant potential while maintaining acceptable sensory characteristics at lower inclusion levels. Simulated in vitro digestion confirmed the retention and bioaccessibility of phenolics and flavonoids, indicating their functional relevance. This study addresses a gap in bioaccessibility and sensory acceptability of tropical fruit peel-fortified functional foods. This valorization framework also adopts circular economy principles, using residual biomass for composting. The findings demonstrate a green, scalable approach to transform fruit peel waste into health-promoting, functional ingredients aligned with sustainable food production.

The current status of the global food supply chain offers several challenges, particularly those related to traceability, transparency, and sustainability. Blockchain technology is recognized as a revolutionary tool that can revolutionize a wide range of sectors, and its implementation in food supply chains shows immense potential for improving circular economy practices and ensuring sustainability. The implementation of blockchain technology in the food supply chain and its tremendous influence on building a more sustainable and circular economy are examined in this review paper. Blockchain, with its decentralized and transparent characteristics, provides a unique approach for improving traceability and decreasing fraud in the food supply chain. This article investigates the many ways in which blockchain, including smart contracts, might increase efficiency and encourage sustainable behavior, eventually decreasing waste. Furthermore, the paper discusses the intriguing prospects of combining blockchain with cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform the food supply chain. Furthermore, using examples, we examine real-world applications, advantages, and constraints of blockchain adoption in the food business. The report finishes with insights into blockchain technology's possible future as an amplifier for increasing transparency, traceability, waste reduction, and improved sustainability in the worldwide food industry.

Ethyl oleate (EO) is a versatile compound with several industrial applications, such as a vaccine adjuvant, an emollient in cosmetics, and a key component in food products as an additive used for pretreatment in preservation processes such as drying, while preserving valuable nutrients. Ethyl oleate is primarily synthesised from edible oils, which raises concerns regarding competition with food production. This study proposes the use of a high oleic acid waste (HOW) obtained from industrial pipelines as a raw material for EO production, by transesterification with ethanol and using sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. The effects of the HOW :  ethanol ratio and recirculated EO addition on both yield and purity levels were investigated. An HOW : ethanol ratio of 6 : 1 (w/w) and a 10% (w/w) of EO recirculated addition resulted in the highest purity (86.16 ± 0.04%) and yield (96.35 ± 0.01%). The resultant EO samples were characterized towards its composition and physicochemical properties. The study highlights the sustainable valorisation of industrial waste. This approach avoids competition with the food chain and offers an eco-friendly method to produce EO for various industrial applications, particularly in food science.

Cold plasma-induced reactions are anticipated to yield structural changes in plant proteins to desirably modify their gelation properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of atmospheric pin-to-plate cold plasma treatment on the gelation and thermal properties of oat protein. Oat protein was subjected to cold plasma at different input voltages (170 V and 230 V) and exposure times (15 min and 30 min) and was studied for its rheological and thermal characteristics. Protein gels were made using the thermal gelation method at the lowest gelation concentration (20% w/v) and were studied for their rheological and textural properties. While all the plasma-treated protein dispersions showed increased rheological properties due to the induced aggregation, the gels formed from the 230 V-15 min treated sample exhibited higher viscosity (∼7981 cP), visco-elastic moduli (G′ – 3682.4 Pa; G′′ – 1170.50 Pa) and stability (γ_c – 2.11%) compared to all other samples owing to the medium-sized aggregates and the positive zeta potential. This might also be attributed to a decreased denaturation temperature (∼93.29 °C) of the sample. Additionally, plasma-treated oat protein-incorporated patties demonstrated improved functional properties, including reduced syneresis loss (∼74% reduction) and increased compression juice loss (∼36% rise) due to enhanced moisture retention and water holding capacity. Textural analysis revealed that patties containing oat protein treated at 230 V for 15 min exhibited superior softness after cooking. These findings suggest that cold plasma treatment enhances the gelation properties of oat protein under specific treatment conditions, improving the textural attributes of the plant-based patties.

This study presents the first systematic investigation of spent coffee grounds (SCG) particle size effects in polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) biocomposites, evaluating their potential as sustainable fillers in biodegradable polymers. Composites containing 30–60 wt% SCG were produced using unfractionated (SCG_m), coarse (SCG_L), and fine (SCG_S) particle size fractions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that both PBS and PBAT composites retained thermal stability up to processing temperatures of 220 °C, with onset degradation temperatures ranging from 266 °C to 294 °C for PBS and from 267 °C to 294 °C for PBAT. DSC analysis for PBS revealed an increase in glass transition temperature from −29.83 °C (neat) to −13.48 °C (60% SCG_m), while crystallinity remained stable (26.38–28.64%). Mechanical testing showed that SCG_m increased stiffness in both matrices. Young's modulus rose from 675 MPa (PBS) and 52 MPa (PBAT) up to 1016 MPa and 210 MPa, respectively. However, tensile strength declined from 34.5 MPa to 9.0 MPa (PBS) and from 18.8 MPa to 4.3 MPa (PBAT), and elongation at break dropped sharply, particularly in PBS (148% to 2.7%) and to a lesser extent in PBAT (446% to 12.4%). Finer SCG particles (SCG_S) enhanced ductility and water uptake (up to 3.40% for PBS and 4.42% for PBAT), while coarser particles (SCG_L) provided higher stiffness. Water contact angle and colour changes were minor across all samples. These results demonstrate that SCG can partially replace virgin biopolymer content in PBS and PBAT, enabling property tuning through particle size and promoting material circularity.