Current Research in Food Science最新文献

Full-spectrum cannabidiol oil (CFSO) has attracted growing attention across industries for its multiple health benefits, but its poor water solubility and low bioavailability remain unresolved challenges. In this study, porous starch (PS) was used as a wall material to encapsulate CFSO, and the physicochemical properties, water solubility, bioavailability, and antioxidant activity of the encapsulated product were evaluated. Results confirmed the successful preparation of PS-CFSO. Using Box-Behnken design response surface methodology, the maximum encapsulation efficiency (80.69 ± 0.71 %) was achieved under optimal parameters: CFSO concentration of 75 mg/mL, PS-to-CFSO mass ratio of 7.6:1 (g/g), and loading time of 41 min. CFSO was encapsulated in PS in an amorphous state, and PS increased CFSO's thermal decomposition temperature. Compared with free CFSO, PS-CFSO showed a 17.92-fold increase in water solubility, a 4.74-fold higher release rate in simulated gastric fluid, and a 4.13-fold higher release rate in simulated intestinal fluid. PS-CFSO release followed pseudo-Fickian diffusion and first-order kinetics. Additionally, its antioxidant activity was enhanced by over 20 %. Overall, This study expands the application of starch-based carriers and provides critical guidance for developing CFSO delivery systems with high encapsulation efficiency, stability, and bioavailability, thereby broadening CFSO's prospects in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Growing environmental awareness and interest in sustainable, nutritious diets fueled the rapid expansion of meat alternatives. However, consumer acceptance remains uneven, and responses to sustainability labels are ambiguous, particularly for novel protein sources. This study investigates how a sustainability label and product type influence consumers' perceptions of the environmental impact of meat alternatives and meat products. A 2 (label: sustainability label; no label) × 4 (product type: insect-based; cultured meat; plant-based; beef burgers) between-subjects experiment was conducted with 432 Romanian consumers. Perceived environmental impact was assessed across three dimensions - resource consumption, climate change, and animal welfare - using two-way MANOVA. The sustainability label had limited effects: only for insect-based burgers, and it unexpectedly increased perceived climate harm. For all other products, labels did not shift evaluations. Beef burgers were constantly perceived as the most damaging. An interaction effect between label and product type emerged only for perceptions of climate change. This research presents the first integrated analysis of label × product type effects across multiple environmental dimensions, comparing meat alternatives and meat products. It highlights that labels may not always enhance positive perceptions and can, for less familiar products, amplify negative judgments. Marketers of novel proteins should align sustainability messaging with product familiarity, while beef producers may benefit from highlighting verifiable environmental improvements. Policymakers may consider developing dimension-specific labeling standards and implementing consumer education initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of labels. Enhancing public understanding of sustainability claims can help align consumer perceptions with scientific evidence, supporting responsible marketing and sustainable dietary choices.

Tempeh, a traditional fermented soybean product, is widely consumed for its nutritional and health-promoting properties, but its impact on aging is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of tempeh on lifespan and healthspan using C. elegans as the study model. Soybean and tempeh extracts at concentrations between 50 and 200 μg/ml were tested. Both treatments significantly extended mean lifespan, with the greatest effect observed at 100 μg/ml. Tempeh required skn-1 and pmk-1 to extend the lifespan of C. elegans, suggesting PMK-1-SKN-1 pathway as the key signaling pathway, and independent to caloric restriction, insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling, AMP-activated protein kinase, or sirtuin signaling pathways. Tempeh treatment at both 50 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml significantly improved healthspan during midlife, and reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels compared to the control group in C. elegans. These findings indicate that tempeh may promote healthy aging by enhancing oxidative stress resistance through MAPK signaling pathway. This study highlights the potential of tempeh as a functional food source for healthy aging improvement.

Pea protein-high methoxyl pectin (PP-HMP) emulsion gels were used to replace 20 % cocoa butter substitute for plant-based cream. This study investigated the effects of oil type and volume fraction on the properties of pre-whipping cream emulsions and the characteristics of a plant-based cream based on PP-HMP emulsion gels. Compared with the control, no significant differences were observed in the properties of the pre-whipping cream emulsion with lower oil volume fractions (20-30 %) of the PP-HMP emulsion gels. Plant-based cream containing PP-HMP emulsion gels with 20-30 % soybean or peanut oil exhibited comparable overrun, optimal whipping time, adhesiveness, and foam collapse rate to the control. Additionally, the hardness, bubble size, and distribution of whipped cream containing PP-HMP emulsion gels with 20 % soybean oil were not significantly different from those of the control. The fatty acid composition, density and viscosity of the oils in the PP-HMP emulsion gels were closely associated with the properties of the pre-whipping cream emulsions and the characteristics of the plant-based cream. These findings suggest that PP-HMP emulsion gels with 20-30 % soybean oil are viable alternatives for replacing 20 % hydrogenated oil in plant-based creams, providing a theoretical basis for the application of protein-polysaccharide emulsion gels in plant-based cream alternatives.

Blueberry leaves (BBL), the primary byproduct of blueberry processing industry, are rich in polyphenolic compounds with significant nutritional and medicinal potential. This study established and optimized analytical methods to determine the major components and bioactivities in 110 BBL samples. The results indicated that chlorogenic acid (7.40-102.26 mg/g) was the predominant monomeric component in BBL, with TPC (245.22 ± 67.47 mg/g) generally exceeding TFC (19.61 ± 13.92 mg/g). In terms of cultivar varieties, rabbiteye BBL demonstrated the highest values in neochlorogenic acid (3.60 ± 1.28 mg/g), isoquercitrin (5.06 ± 2.88 mg/g), total phenolics (315.19 ± 52.74 mg/g), antioxidant activities (DPPH: 627.07 ± 150.25 μmol/g; ABTS: 654.90 ± 98.79 μmol/g), as well as α-glucosidase (90.33 % ± 8.64 %) and pancreatic lipase (53.77 % ± 8.64 %) inhibitory capacities. Southern highbush BBL exhibited higher hyperoside content (3.47 ± 3.10 mg/g) and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity (62.01 % ± 8.97 %), while northern highbush BBL were characterized by elevated levels of chlorogenic acid (52.89 ± 19.24 mg/g), rutin (2.22 ± 1.01 mg/g), and TFC (20.31 ± 12.54 mg/g). The statistical analysis results revealed significant positive correlations between antioxidant activity and the contents of neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, total phenolics, and total flavonoids. Specifically, a positive correlation was observed between α-glucosidase inhibition and the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids, while a negative correlation existed between pancreatic lipase inhibition and hyperoside content. The entropy weight method confirmed rabbiteye BBL exhibited superior quality compared to highbush types, and open-field BBL significantly surpassed greenhouse-grown samples. This study investigated the characteristic chemical components and metabolism-related bioactivities of BBL across different cultivars and growing environments. By integrating chemometric analysis for correlation assessment, it provides a scientific basis for the resource utilization and high-value exploitation of BBL.

The strong hydrophilicity of corn starch nanoparticles (CSNPs) limits their application as a Pickering emulsion gel stabilizer. In this study, CSNPs were modified with purple corn cob anthocyanins (PCCAs), a type of anthocyanin derived from processing waste. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed that PCCAs were embedded in CSNPs via both hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The three-phase contact angle increased from 51.77 ± 3.18° to 67.43 ± 1.08° after loading, suggesting the PCCA-modified CSNPs (PCCA-CSNPs) were more suitable than the CSNPs for stabilizing oil/water emulsion. The Pickering emulsion gel stabilized by PCCA-CSNPs (PCSPEGs) exhibited better storage stability than the Pickering emulsion gel stabilized by CSNPs (CSPEGs). A comparison of the rheological properties, creep-recovery properties, and interfacial properties between CSPEGs and PCSPEGs revealed that the combined effects of the more stable interfacial layer and the increased viscosity of the continuous phase of the emulsion gel contributed to the improved stability of PCSPEGs. Thus, PCCA-CSNPs represent a green, rapid, and economical hydrophobic modification method for CSNPs, and the stabilization mechanism of PCSPEGs was elucidated in this work.

Cell cultured meat (CCM) is regarded as a viable alternative in the future meat market due to its traceable origins and environmental friendliness. The production of CCM relies primarily on the efficient in vitro expansion of pure muscle stem cells (MuSCs). However, conventional methodologies for isolating MuSCs are often associated with technical complexities, high costs, low cellular purity, and poor stemness of the seed cells. Therefore, this study aimed to use the ice-cold treatment (ICT) method to isolate and purify porcine MuSCs and further characterize their expansion characteristics in vitro. The results indicated that cells harvested from unpurified muscle-derived cells treated at around 0 °C for different durations could be cultured in vitro for an extended period, while maintaining their differentiation potential. Among them, cells harvested after 30 min of ICT exhibited a high proliferation rate and excellent activity. Furthermore, the MuSCs obtained through this method can be harvested in large quantities through three-dimensional large-scale cultivation in a bioreactor. The harvested cells can subsequently be used to produce meatballs with a texture resembling that of real meat. This method can reduce the cost of obtaining seed cells and accelerate the research on CCM production, thereby providing further inspiration for the industrialized production of CCM.

The closed solid-state fermenter was applied in vinegar factory production to improve controllability and reduce labor. However, microbial roles and key flavor formation mechanisms remain unclear in this controlled fermentation system. In the present study, the microbial metabolic network related to substrate degradation and key flavor formation was reconstructed in the industrial solid-state fermenter. Acetobacter, Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, and Acetilactobacillus were proven key functional microorganisms. Limosilactobacillus and Acetilactobacillus were key microorganisms for substrate degradation in the early stages, while Lactobacillus predominantly facilitates substrate degradation in the late stages. Acetobacter, Lactobacillus, and Limosilactobacillus play a vital role in flavor formation in the whole stages. Furthermore, the metabolic activity of key microorganisms could be regulated by temperature and aeration rate, further affecting substrate degradation and flavor formation. This study contributed to understanding the relationship between active microorganisms and flavor formation, and these results provide a basis for the targeted regulation of flavor profiles through the regulation of temperature and aeration rate of the industrial closed solid-state fermenter in the future.