Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101323
Yating Liu , Na Gan , Peiran Liu , Junjie Xu , Fang Geng , Di Wu
Unraveling the interaction mechanism between the food azo dye tartrazine (Tz) and β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) under varying pH conditions is crucial for understanding their safe application in food systems. Molecular docking indicated that Tz primarily bound to the β-hydrophobic barrel of β-LG. The protonation of lysine residues diminished with increasing pH, which reduced hydrogen bond formation. The binding energy decreased from 8.77 kcal/mol (pH 2.0) to 8.43 kcal/mol (pH 7.4). Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that Tz bound exerts the greatest structural influence on β-LG at pH 2.0. Fluorescence and thermodynamic analyses confirmed that Tz quenched β-LG fluorescence through a static mechanism, through their interaction was a spontaneous process driven mainly by hydrophobic forces. The protonation level of β-LG gradually decreased with increasing pH, and electrostatic repulsion between β-LG and Tz was observed at pH 7.4. As a result, the binding constant between Tz and β-LG decreased from 6.669 × 105 L/mol (pH 2.0) to 3.596 × 105 L/mol (pH 5.2) and 0.956 × 105 L/mol (pH 7.4), respectively. Furthermore, Tz induced changes in the secondary structure content of β-LG and reduced its surface hydrophobicity under all pH conditions.
揭示食品偶氮染料酒黄石（Tz）和β-乳球蛋白（β-LG）在不同pH条件下的相互作用机制，对于了解它们在食品系统中的安全应用至关重要。分子对接表明，Tz主要与β-LG的β-疏水桶结合。赖氨酸残基的质子化作用随着pH的增加而减弱，从而减少了氢键的形成。结合能从8.77 kcal/mol （pH 2.0）降低到8.43 kcal/mol （pH 7.4）。分子动力学模拟表明，pH为2.0时，Tz键对β-LG的结构影响最大。荧光和热力学分析证实，Tz猝灭β-LG荧光是通过静态机制实现的，它们的相互作用是一个主要由疏水力驱动的自发过程。随着pH的升高，β-LG的质子化水平逐渐降低，在pH为7.4时，β-LG与Tz之间存在静电斥力。结果,和Tz之间的结合常数βlg从6.669下降 ×105 L /摩尔(pH值2.0)3.596 ×105 L /摩尔(pH值5.2)和0.956×105 L /摩尔(pH值7.4),分别。此外，在所有pH条件下，Tz诱导β-LG的二级结构含量发生变化，并降低其表面疏水性。
{"title":"Characterization of the interaction between tartrazine and β-lactoglobulin under different pH conditions: multispectral analysis and computer simulation","authors":"Yating Liu , Na Gan , Peiran Liu , Junjie Xu , Fang Geng , Di Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101323","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101323","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unraveling the interaction mechanism between the food azo dye tartrazine (Tz) and <em>β</em>-lactoglobulin (<em>β</em>-LG) under varying pH conditions is crucial for understanding their safe application in food systems. Molecular docking indicated that Tz primarily bound to the <em>β</em>-hydrophobic barrel of <em>β</em>-LG. The protonation of lysine residues diminished with increasing pH, which reduced hydrogen bond formation. The binding energy decreased from 8.77 kcal/mol (pH 2.0) to 8.43 kcal/mol (pH 7.4). Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that Tz bound exerts the greatest structural influence on <em>β</em>-LG at pH 2.0. Fluorescence and thermodynamic analyses confirmed that Tz quenched <em>β</em>-LG fluorescence through a static mechanism, through their interaction was a spontaneous process driven mainly by hydrophobic forces. The protonation level of <em>β</em>-LG gradually decreased with increasing pH, and electrostatic repulsion between <em>β</em>-LG and Tz was observed at pH 7.4. As a result, the binding constant between Tz and <em>β</em>-LG decreased from 6.669 × 10<sup>5</sup> L/mol (pH 2.0) to 3.596 × 10<sup>5</sup> L/mol (pH 5.2) and 0.956 × 10<sup>5</sup> L/mol (pH 7.4), respectively. Furthermore, Tz induced changes in the secondary structure content of <em>β</em>-LG and reduced its surface hydrophobicity under all pH conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101323"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-03-11DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101373
Juliane Halm , Laura Nyhan , Emanuele Zannini , Elke K. Arendt
Rising demand for plant-based egg alternatives is caused by the need for sustainable, ethical and allergen-free solutions to conventional egg use in food systems. A systematic comparison was conducted on fourteen plant protein ingredients, including faba bean, lentil, chickpea and oat protein isolates, concentrates and flours, as egg replacements in pound cake formulations. Key properties assessed included foaming capacity and stability, protein solubility, emulsification, sulfhydryl content, water- and oil-holding capacity and minimum gelling concentration, alongside cake quality metrics such as batter rheology, bake loss, specific volume and crumb texture. Results revealed marked differences among protein sources, with faba bean (FPF) and lentil (LPF) flours demonstrating high protein solubility (FPF: 83.46 ± 0.35; LPF: 79.56 ± 0.23%) and favourable specific volume (FPF: 2.13 ± 0.03; LPF: 2.18 ± 0.03 mL/g), chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) contributing desirable springiness (0.86 ± 0.03) and cohesiveness (0.60 ± 0.02) and oat flours (OPF, OPFF, OF) providing notable emulsification stability (OPF: 0.52 ± 0.07; OPFF: 0.53 ± 0.07; OF: 0.54 ± 0.05%/min) and gelling capability (OPF/OPFF/OF: 8%). While none of the plant protein ingredients fully matched the multifunctionality of eggs, several demonstrated encouraging textural properties within this pound cake model, highlighting promising potential for further optimisation. The findings emphasise the importance of ingredient selection, processing, and potential protein blending or modification to improve the performance of plant-based egg replacers, without yet achieving egg-like multifunctionality. Overall, this work refines practical understanding of how compositional and techno-functional differences among legume- and oat-based ingredients translate into pound cake quality, and outlines opportunities for future, more targeted formulation strategies.
{"title":"Plant-based proteins as functional egg replacers in pound cake: A comparative study of legume and oat ingredients","authors":"Juliane Halm , Laura Nyhan , Emanuele Zannini , Elke K. Arendt","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rising demand for plant-based egg alternatives is caused by the need for sustainable, ethical and allergen-free solutions to conventional egg use in food systems. A systematic comparison was conducted on fourteen plant protein ingredients, including faba bean, lentil, chickpea and oat protein isolates, concentrates and flours, as egg replacements in pound cake formulations. Key properties assessed included foaming capacity and stability, protein solubility, emulsification, sulfhydryl content, water- and oil-holding capacity and minimum gelling concentration, alongside cake quality metrics such as batter rheology, bake loss, specific volume and crumb texture. Results revealed marked differences among protein sources, with faba bean (FPF) and lentil (LPF) flours demonstrating high protein solubility (FPF: 83.46 ± 0.35; LPF: 79.56 ± 0.23%) and favourable specific volume (FPF: 2.13 ± 0.03; LPF: 2.18 ± 0.03 mL/g), chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) contributing desirable springiness (0.86 ± 0.03) and cohesiveness (0.60 ± 0.02) and oat flours (OPF, OPFF, OF) providing notable emulsification stability (OPF: 0.52 ± 0.07; OPFF: 0.53 ± 0.07; OF: 0.54 ± 0.05%/min) and gelling capability (OPF/OPFF/OF: 8%). While none of the plant protein ingredients fully matched the multifunctionality of eggs, several demonstrated encouraging textural properties within this pound cake model, highlighting promising potential for further optimisation. The findings emphasise the importance of ingredient selection, processing, and potential protein blending or modification to improve the performance of plant-based egg replacers, without yet achieving egg-like multifunctionality. Overall, this work refines practical understanding of how compositional and techno-functional differences among legume- and oat-based ingredients translate into pound cake quality, and outlines opportunities for future, more targeted formulation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101373"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-02-24DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101362
Muhammad Shoaib , Asim Munir , Muhammad Fazal Hameed , Shah Zeb , Zhichao Li , Kai Peng , Nishant Shah , Patrick Butaye , Zhiqiang Wang , Ruichao Li
The emergence and spread of resistance to last-resort antibiotics such as tigecycline is of great concern globally which can pose a potential threat to public health due to limited treatment options. In this study, we first identified and characterized the genomic features of a food-acquired Raoultella ornithinolytica strain co-harboring tet(X4) and tmexCD1-toprJ1 genes through antibiotic susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing, followed by global comparative analysis of Raoultella ornithinolytica genomes submitted in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Raoultella ornithinolytica LYG_6_1B exhibited high-level tigecycline resistance and multi-drug resistance. The genomic analysis revealed that LYG_6_1B harbored 32 antibiotic resistance genes (e.g., tetracycline, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolone, phenicol, β-lactam, macrolides, and rifampicin), 14 virulence genes (e.g., ecpA, ompA, entB, irp1, irp2, ybtAEPQSTUX, fyuA, entB), and three plasmids. The tet(X4) was found to be located on 79 Kb IncFII(pCRY) plasmid and tmexCD1-toprJ1 on 290 Kb hybrid plasmid [IncFIB(pNDM-Mar) + IncHI1B(pNDM-Mar)]. Both of the genes, tet(X4) and tmexCD1-toprJ1 were found to be located on separate conjugative plasmids via the conjugation assay. This indicates the expanding host range and independent horizontal transfer potential of these critical resistance genes across bacterial species or genera in One Health settings. Therefore, the current study recommends the continuous genomic surveillance of bacterial strains in food supply chain and other One Health settings to monitor and prevent their further dissemination. Moreover, the emergence of critical resistance genes in food-origin bacteria can pose a direct threat to human health.
{"title":"First co-emergence of plasmid-borne tigecycline resistance genes tet(X4) and tmexCD1-toprJ1 in Raoultella ornithinolytica isolated from retail pork: insights from global genomic analysis","authors":"Muhammad Shoaib , Asim Munir , Muhammad Fazal Hameed , Shah Zeb , Zhichao Li , Kai Peng , Nishant Shah , Patrick Butaye , Zhiqiang Wang , Ruichao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101362","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The emergence and spread of resistance to last-resort antibiotics such as tigecycline is of great concern globally which can pose a potential threat to public health due to limited treatment options. In this study, we first identified and characterized the genomic features of a food-acquired <em>Raoultella ornithinolytica</em> strain co-harboring <em>tet</em>(X4) and <em>tmexCD1-toprJ1</em> genes through antibiotic susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing, followed by global comparative analysis of <em>Raoultella ornithinolytica</em> genomes submitted in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. <em>Raoultella ornithinolytica</em> LYG_6_1B exhibited high-level tigecycline resistance and multi-drug resistance. The genomic analysis revealed that LYG_6_1B harbored 32 antibiotic resistance genes (e.g., tetracycline, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolone, phenicol, β-lactam, macrolides, and rifampicin), 14 virulence genes (e.g., <em>ecpA</em>, <em>ompA</em>, <em>entB</em>, <em>irp1</em>, <em>irp2</em>, <em>ybtAEPQSTUX</em>, <em>fyuA</em>, <em>entB</em>), and three plasmids. The <em>tet</em>(X4) was found to be located on 79 Kb IncFII(pCRY) plasmid and <em>tmexCD1-toprJ1</em> on 290 Kb hybrid plasmid [IncFIB(pNDM-Mar) + IncHI1B(pNDM-Mar)]. Both of the genes, <em>tet</em>(X4) and <em>tmexCD1-toprJ1</em> were found to be located on separate conjugative plasmids via the conjugation assay. This indicates the expanding host range and independent horizontal transfer potential of these critical resistance genes across bacterial species or genera in One Health settings. Therefore, the current study recommends the continuous genomic surveillance of bacterial strains in food supply chain and other One Health settings to monitor and prevent their further dissemination. Moreover, the emergence of critical resistance genes in food-origin bacteria can pose a direct threat to human health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101362"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101281
Hengli Xie , Xinyue Hu , Shangmin Wang , Hehe Liu , Zongliang He , Hongjie Ji , Kunpeng Lv , Ting Zhu , Jiwen Wang
Consumers increasingly demand high-quality duck meat flavor, with reports showing notable flavor variations among different duck breeds. This study aims to clarify the flavor differences between Jinling white duck (JL), Cherry Valley duck (CV), and Liancheng white duck (LC), as well as to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms. Electronic-nose results revealed distinct flavor differences among LC, CV, and JL. The analysis showed that the JL vs. CV group contains 330 differential VOCs and 119 differential water-soluble compounds, while the JL vs. LC group has 112 differential VOCs and 74 differential water-soluble compounds. Metabolomic analysis of the pectoral muscle revealed 74 differential precursors compounds in the JL vs. CV comparison, and 147 in JL vs. LC comparison. Multi-omics analysis suggested that Anaerotruncus and Lautropia may negatively regulate the deposition of flavor precursor LPE O-14:1 in pectoral muscle, influencing 3-methyl-pentadecane and cholic acid levels, thereby affecting the duck meat flavor. These findings demonstrate that JL exhibits distinct flavor characteristics compared to LC and CV, providing valuable insights for meat quality improvement in the poultry industry.
消费者越来越需要高品质的鸭肉香精，有报告显示，不同品种的鸭肉香精存在显著差异。本研究旨在阐明金陵白鸭（JL）、樱桃谷白鸭（CV）和连城白鸭（LC）的风味差异，并阐明其调控机制。电子鼻结果显示，LC、CV和JL之间存在明显的风味差异。分析表明，JL vs CV组含有330种差异VOCs和119种差异水溶性化合物，而JL vs LC组含有112种差异VOCs和74种差异水溶性化合物。胸肌代谢组学分析显示，JL与CV比较有74种不同的前体化合物，JL与LC比较有147种不同的前体化合物。多组学分析表明，Anaerotruncus和Lautropia可能负向调节风味前体LPE O-14:1在胸肌中的沉积，影响3-甲基戊烷和胆酸水平，从而影响鸭肉风味。这些发现表明，与LC和CV相比，JL具有明显的风味特征，为家禽业的肉质改善提供了有价值的见解。
{"title":"Unraveling the differences in meat flavor of duck and its regulatory mechanisms based on microbiomics, metabolomics, and flavoromics sequencing","authors":"Hengli Xie , Xinyue Hu , Shangmin Wang , Hehe Liu , Zongliang He , Hongjie Ji , Kunpeng Lv , Ting Zhu , Jiwen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Consumers increasingly demand high-quality duck meat flavor, with reports showing notable flavor variations among different duck breeds. This study aims to clarify the flavor differences between Jinling white duck (JL), Cherry Valley duck (CV), and Liancheng white duck (LC), as well as to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms. Electronic-nose results revealed distinct flavor differences among LC, CV, and JL. The analysis showed that the JL vs. CV group contains 330 differential VOCs and 119 differential water-soluble compounds, while the JL vs. LC group has 112 differential VOCs and 74 differential water-soluble compounds. Metabolomic analysis of the pectoral muscle revealed 74 differential precursors compounds in the JL vs. CV comparison, and 147 in JL vs. LC comparison. Multi-omics analysis suggested that <em>Anaerotruncus</em> and <em>Lautropia</em> may negatively regulate the deposition of flavor precursor LPE O-14:1 in pectoral muscle, influencing 3-methyl-pentadecane and cholic acid levels, thereby affecting the duck meat flavor. These findings demonstrate that JL exhibits distinct flavor characteristics compared to LC and CV, providing valuable insights for meat quality improvement in the poultry industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101281"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101284
Harsh Kumar , Shivani Guleria , Pooja Jha , Daljeet Singh Dhanjal , Eugenie Nepovimova , Shaikh Sumayya Sana , Ayaz Mukarram Shaikh , Béla Kovács , Endre Harsányi
Several studies have documented the essentiality of breakfast as the most important meal and its significance for the overall wellbeing of human health. However, to accomplish receiving a healthy breakfast daily in reality is a dream for people residing in underprivileged countries along with those belonging to weaker sections, who find it challenging to get a single meal a day. The current review emphasizes on the utilization of fruit waste for enrichment of cereal-derived breakfast food. Various types of fruit waste, such as peels, seeds, and pomaces, are abundant source of phytochemicals, playing a critical role in human health. Enriching different types of cereal-based food products with fruit waste not only diminishes the likelihood of malnutrition but also enhances the affordability of food products in low-income countries. The findings from the review show that the inclusion of fruit pomaces, seeds, and peels improves the organoleptic properties and overall quality of the items served as breakfast. It is pertinent to mention that at certain instances, enrichment with fruit waste at higher concentrations could create some color differences. Numerous pre-clinical as well as clinical studies have shown that fortified cereal-derived breakfast food products help in diabetes management and enhance the antioxidant activities. Lastly, the review also summarizes the safety characteristics of these fruit waste while using them in various food products.
{"title":"Sustainable utilization of fruit waste in cereal-based breakfast foods: Pre-clinical and clinical perspectives on safety and nutritional benefits","authors":"Harsh Kumar , Shivani Guleria , Pooja Jha , Daljeet Singh Dhanjal , Eugenie Nepovimova , Shaikh Sumayya Sana , Ayaz Mukarram Shaikh , Béla Kovács , Endre Harsányi","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several studies have documented the essentiality of breakfast as the most important meal and its significance for the overall wellbeing of human health. However, to accomplish receiving a healthy breakfast daily in reality is a dream for people residing in underprivileged countries along with those belonging to weaker sections, who find it challenging to get a single meal a day. The current review emphasizes on the utilization of fruit waste for enrichment of cereal-derived breakfast food. Various types of fruit waste, such as peels, seeds, and pomaces, are abundant source of phytochemicals, playing a critical role in human health. Enriching different types of cereal-based food products with fruit waste not only diminishes the likelihood of malnutrition but also enhances the affordability of food products in low-income countries. The findings from the review show that the inclusion of fruit pomaces, seeds, and peels improves the organoleptic properties and overall quality of the items served as breakfast. It is pertinent to mention that at certain instances, enrichment with fruit waste at higher concentrations could create some color differences. Numerous pre-clinical as well as clinical studies have shown that fortified cereal-derived breakfast food products help in diabetes management and enhance the antioxidant activities. Lastly, the review also summarizes the safety characteristics of these fruit waste while using them in various food products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101284"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101260
Tao Yang , Luís Marangoni Júnior , Roniérik Pioli Vieira , P. Ananthi , Shanshan Li , Aswathi Raj K V , Swarup Roy , Guanghua Xia
Electrospun nanofibrous films incorporating plant essential oils (EOs) offer a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging by enhancing food preservation while mitigating environmental burdens. These films leverage the tunable colloidal properties of food-grade biopolymers (e.g., chitosan, gelatin, zein, PLA, PVA) to encapsulate EOs, enabling controlled release via high surface area, adjustable porosity, and bioactive stabilization. This review examines advanced electrospinning strategies—including emulsification, coaxial processing, and particle encapsulation—alongside polymer matrix design and colloidal carriers (e.g., cyclodextrins, MOFs, SiO2 nanoparticles) to optimize release kinetics, mechanical integrity, and barrier functionality. Innovations in stimuli-responsive systems (humidity, pH, temperature) further enhance precision in antimicrobial and antioxidant delivery. Core-shell architectures, crosslinked networks, and multilayer hydrocolloid matrices prolong EO activity, while biodegradable polymers align with circular economy goals. Challenges remain in balancing controlled release with scalability and regulatory compliance. The integration of smart colloidal nanomaterials and multifunctional designs holds promise for next-generation packaging, reducing food waste through targeted bioactive delivery. Future efforts should prioritize scalable production, food matrix validation, and safety frameworks to realize the potential of hydrocolloid-derived nanofibers in global food systems.
{"title":"Hydrocolloid-based stimuli-responsive nanofiber films: Precision-controlled release of essential oils for sustainable food packaging","authors":"Tao Yang , Luís Marangoni Júnior , Roniérik Pioli Vieira , P. Ananthi , Shanshan Li , Aswathi Raj K V , Swarup Roy , Guanghua Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrospun nanofibrous films incorporating plant essential oils (EOs) offer a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging by enhancing food preservation while mitigating environmental burdens. These films leverage the tunable colloidal properties of food-grade biopolymers (e.g., chitosan, gelatin, zein, PLA, PVA) to encapsulate EOs, enabling controlled release via high surface area, adjustable porosity, and bioactive stabilization. This review examines advanced electrospinning strategies—including emulsification, coaxial processing, and particle encapsulation—alongside polymer matrix design and colloidal carriers (e.g., cyclodextrins, MOFs, SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles) to optimize release kinetics, mechanical integrity, and barrier functionality. Innovations in stimuli-responsive systems (humidity, pH, temperature) further enhance precision in antimicrobial and antioxidant delivery. Core-shell architectures, crosslinked networks, and multilayer hydrocolloid matrices prolong EO activity, while biodegradable polymers align with circular economy goals. Challenges remain in balancing controlled release with scalability and regulatory compliance. The integration of smart colloidal nanomaterials and multifunctional designs holds promise for next-generation packaging, reducing food waste through targeted bioactive delivery. Future efforts should prioritize scalable production, food matrix validation, and safety frameworks to realize the potential of hydrocolloid-derived nanofibers in global food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101260"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Microplastics (MPs) are now widespread contaminants in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, leading to increasing worries about food safety and public health. This review offers an in-depth evaluation of the prevalence, pathways, and risks associated with MPs in meat and dairy products, which are significant global sources of animal-based nutrition. Data from different countries shows a persistent presence of MP contamination in livestock tissues, poultry organs, processed meat products, raw milk, and commercial dairy items, with identified polymer types such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, PET, and regenerated cellulose. MPs are primarily found in the form of fibers, fragments, films, and irregular particles, with sizes varying from less than 10 μm to several millimeters. Their concentrations can range from a few particles per gram in raw meat to over 30,000 MP/kg in processed products, and from several MPs per liter in raw milk to more than 1800 MP/kg in cheese. Contamination occurs at various points along the farm-to-fork continuum, encompassing ingestion via tainted feed and water, interaction with agricultural plastics, transfer from milking and processing apparatus, wear during cutting and grinding, and leaching from packaging materials. Recent toxicological findings indicate that MPs and their related chemical additives could lead to gastrointestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, immunomodulation, and microbiome dysbiosis, although the long-term health effects are still not fully comprehended. Inconsistencies in methodology related to sampling, particle extraction, and spectroscopic identification impede precise comparisons of exposure and assessments of risk. The review points out significant gaps in current studies and emphasizes the necessity for uniform analytical techniques, enhanced waste and plastic management, as well as sustainable processing and packaging approaches to reduce the entry of MPs into animal-derived foods.
{"title":"From farm to fork: Microplastic contamination in the meat and dairy supply chain","authors":"Saydur Rahman , Promit Sarker , Tonni Rani Datta , Tasnim Iqbal Maysha , Samiha Rahman , Writam Saha , Aniruddha Sarker , Md. Anisur Rahman Mazumder","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) are now widespread contaminants in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, leading to increasing worries about food safety and public health. This review offers an in-depth evaluation of the prevalence, pathways, and risks associated with MPs in meat and dairy products, which are significant global sources of animal-based nutrition. Data from different countries shows a persistent presence of MP contamination in livestock tissues, poultry organs, processed meat products, raw milk, and commercial dairy items, with identified polymer types such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, PET, and regenerated cellulose. MPs are primarily found in the form of fibers, fragments, films, and irregular particles, with sizes varying from less than 10 μm to several millimeters. Their concentrations can range from a few particles per gram in raw meat to over 30,000 MP/kg in processed products, and from several MPs per liter in raw milk to more than 1800 MP/kg in cheese. Contamination occurs at various points along the farm-to-fork continuum, encompassing ingestion via tainted feed and water, interaction with agricultural plastics, transfer from milking and processing apparatus, wear during cutting and grinding, and leaching from packaging materials. Recent toxicological findings indicate that MPs and their related chemical additives could lead to gastrointestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, immunomodulation, and microbiome dysbiosis, although the long-term health effects are still not fully comprehended. Inconsistencies in methodology related to sampling, particle extraction, and spectroscopic identification impede precise comparisons of exposure and assessments of risk. The review points out significant gaps in current studies and emphasizes the necessity for uniform analytical techniques, enhanced waste and plastic management, as well as sustainable processing and packaging approaches to reduce the entry of MPs into animal-derived foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101334"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146178270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2026-02-01DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101335
Jiao-jiao Yin , Yuan Zou , Kai Yao , Pan Gao , Wu Zhong , Xing-he Zhang , Li Wang
Rice bran protein (RBP) is a high-quality plant protein with balanced amino acids and low allergenicity, but its industrial application is hindered by poor solubility and limited functionality. This review provides a critical analysis of modification strategies designed to overcome these challenges, categorizing them into physical, chemical, and biological approaches. Physical methods (e.g., ultrasound, high-pressure processing, extrusion) disrupt non-covalent interactions to improve solubility and interfacial properties. Chemical techniques, such as glycosylation and phosphorylation, enhance functionality through covalent conjugation, markedly improving emulsifying stability and solubility. Biological methods, including enzymatic hydrolysis and cross-linking, enable precise structural tailoring under mild conditions. A key contribution of this work is the introduction of a comparative, application-driven framework that systematically evaluates the efficacy, technological trade-offs, and optimal food applications of each method. The analysis highlights that the choice of modification must balance functional performance with considerations of scalability, cost, and clean-label requirements. Finally, future research priorities are identified, emphasizing the need for synergistic hybrid processes, performance validation in complex food matrices, and scalable process engineering. This comprehensive synthesis aims to guide the rational development of RBP as a sustainable, high-value functional ingredient for the food industry.
{"title":"Unlocking the potential of rice bran protein: modification strategies and functional enhancements","authors":"Jiao-jiao Yin , Yuan Zou , Kai Yao , Pan Gao , Wu Zhong , Xing-he Zhang , Li Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice bran protein (RBP) is a high-quality plant protein with balanced amino acids and low allergenicity, but its industrial application is hindered by poor solubility and limited functionality. This review provides a critical analysis of modification strategies designed to overcome these challenges, categorizing them into physical, chemical, and biological approaches. Physical methods (e.g., ultrasound, high-pressure processing, extrusion) disrupt non-covalent interactions to improve solubility and interfacial properties. Chemical techniques, such as glycosylation and phosphorylation, enhance functionality through covalent conjugation, markedly improving emulsifying stability and solubility. Biological methods, including enzymatic hydrolysis and cross-linking, enable precise structural tailoring under mild conditions. A key contribution of this work is the introduction of a comparative, application-driven framework that systematically evaluates the efficacy, technological trade-offs, and optimal food applications of each method. The analysis highlights that the choice of modification must balance functional performance with considerations of scalability, cost, and clean-label requirements. Finally, future research priorities are identified, emphasizing the need for synergistic hybrid processes, performance validation in complex food matrices, and scalable process engineering. This comprehensive synthesis aims to guide the rational development of RBP as a sustainable, high-value functional ingredient for the food industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101335"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146178264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A systematic analysis of temporal changes in coconut water quality is essential for coconut industry development. This study elucidated deterioration-related metabolic pathways by integrating targeted lipidomics with amino acids and their derivatives. The content of malondialdehyde gradually increases with prolonged storage time, indicating that lipid oxidation occurs during the storage of coconut water. The results showed that the lipid levels increasing especially phosphatidylserine and free amino acids decreasing over time. A total of 75 differential lipids and 41 differential amino acids and their derivatives were identified during the storage of coconut water, with glycerophospholipid metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis significantly enriched as the metabolic pathways. Glycerophospholipid metabolism primarily yields sn-glycerol-3-phosphate and 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol, which are ultimately broken down through glycolytic pathway and TCA cycle. Succinic acid reached the highest level of 1856.81 ± 113.50 μg/mL in coconut water at 24 h of storage. As a TCA cycle–derived metabolite, its accumulation was associated with pH reduction and oxidative rancidity of coconut water, which suggests that trace lipids and amino acids and their derivatives markedly influence coconut water quality during storage. Correlation results indicate that there are significant correlations among differential lipids and differential amino acids and their derivatives, with negative correlations predominating. The findings indicate that the quality deterioration of coconut water is associated with lipid oxidation and the accumulation of succinic acid.
{"title":"Lipidomics combined with amino acids and their derivatives: Targeted metabolomics analysis for the quality deterioration of coconut water","authors":"Tao Wang, Mengyang Zhang, Wenxue Chen, Lipin Chen, Meizhen Xie, Yong-Huan Yun","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101350","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101350","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A systematic analysis of temporal changes in coconut water quality is essential for coconut industry development. This study elucidated deterioration-related metabolic pathways by integrating targeted lipidomics with amino acids and their derivatives. The content of malondialdehyde gradually increases with prolonged storage time, indicating that lipid oxidation occurs during the storage of coconut water. The results showed that the lipid levels increasing especially phosphatidylserine and free amino acids decreasing over time. A total of 75 differential lipids and 41 differential amino acids and their derivatives were identified during the storage of coconut water, with glycerophospholipid metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis significantly enriched as the metabolic pathways. Glycerophospholipid metabolism primarily yields sn-glycerol-3-phosphate and 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol, which are ultimately broken down through glycolytic pathway and TCA cycle. Succinic acid reached the highest level of 1856.81 ± 113.50 μg/mL in coconut water at 24 h of storage. As a TCA cycle–derived metabolite, its accumulation was associated with pH reduction and oxidative rancidity of coconut water, which suggests that trace lipids and amino acids and their derivatives markedly influence coconut water quality during storage. Correlation results indicate that there are significant correlations among differential lipids and differential amino acids and their derivatives, with negative correlations predominating. The findings indicate that the quality deterioration of coconut water is associated with lipid oxidation and the accumulation of succinic acid.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101350"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147282643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The rational selection of stabilizers for selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) is hindered by a lack of mechanistic understanding. Accordingly, this study investigated the deeper polysaccharide-based stabilization mechanism by comparing the effects of linear pullulan polysaccharide (PP), branched amylopectin starch (AS), and network-soluble β-cyclodextrin polymer (SP) on the growth of SeNPs. Growth kinetics showed that bare-SeNPs and SP-SeNPs followed a reaction-limited growth pathway, yielding larger particles due to weak diffusion restriction. In contrast, PP and AS induced a diffusion-limited growth regime, effectively inhibiting Se nucleus diffusion and collision, thus forming small, uniform SeNPs. FT-IR, XPS, TGA and ITC confirmed the interaction strength between the three polysaccharides and SeNPs was AS > PP > SP, correlating with their stabilization capability. AS-SeNPs displayed the smallest size and the highest stability, maintaining high stability even under low-pH and alcohol conditions, likely due to steric hindrance. It is predicted that the shelf life of selenium-enriched Huangjiu supplemented with AS-SeNPs could reach two years. In summary, polysaccharides govern SeNPs growth primarily by restricting nucleus diffusion, supported by interfacial interactions. Steric-hindrance-based stabilizers, such as AS, are particularly suitable for complex food systems, providing a theoretical basis for rational stabilizer selection in selenium-enriched foods.
{"title":"Development of highly robust selenium nanoparticles in food matrix based on polysaccharide stabilization mechanism","authors":"Jianwei Dong, Jiayue Ma, Yuchen Li, Huan Wang, Jiaxing Huang, Hao He, Gege Zhang, Jingzhang Geng","doi":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rational selection of stabilizers for selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) is hindered by a lack of mechanistic understanding. Accordingly, this study investigated the deeper polysaccharide-based stabilization mechanism by comparing the effects of linear pullulan polysaccharide (PP), branched amylopectin starch (AS), and network-soluble β-cyclodextrin polymer (SP) on the growth of SeNPs. Growth kinetics showed that bare-SeNPs and SP-SeNPs followed a reaction-limited growth pathway, yielding larger particles due to weak diffusion restriction. In contrast, PP and AS induced a diffusion-limited growth regime, effectively inhibiting Se nucleus diffusion and collision, thus forming small, uniform SeNPs. FT-IR, XPS, TGA and ITC confirmed the interaction strength between the three polysaccharides and SeNPs was AS > PP > SP, correlating with their stabilization capability. AS-SeNPs displayed the smallest size and the highest stability, maintaining high stability even under low-pH and alcohol conditions, likely due to steric hindrance. It is predicted that the shelf life of selenium-enriched Huangjiu supplemented with AS-SeNPs could reach two years. In summary, polysaccharides govern SeNPs growth primarily by restricting nucleus diffusion, supported by interfacial interactions. Steric-hindrance-based stabilizers, such as AS, are particularly suitable for complex food systems, providing a theoretical basis for rational stabilizer selection in selenium-enriched foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10939,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Food Science","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 101363"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147376220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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