Foods最新文献

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) monitors the presence and concentration of contaminants in food to mitigate health risks. EU legislation sets maximum levels of heavy metals in foods, including cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and total Hg (THg) in seafood, due to their toxicity. In the framework of official control, between 2014 and 2023, 5854 seafood samples were collected and 4300 analyses for THg, 3338 for Cd, and 2171 for Pb were performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The aim was to assess the proportion of contaminated foods in the dataset, the concentration of contaminants, and the potential health risks associated with their intake. Of the total samples analyzed, 142 (2.43%) were found to be non-compliant (n.c.). Concentrations exceeding the limits for Cd were primarily detected in cephalopods (n = 17), mainly squids. In contrast, Hg levels exceeded the limits in marine fish (n = 118), notably in swordfish (11.30% of n.c. samples among those analyzed for this species), sharks (6.48%), and tuna species (3.11%). Regarding Pb, only a single bivalve sample was found to exceed the maximum limits. A preliminary assessment of weekly exposure to Hg through swordfish consumption raised concerns about the frequent intake of marine top predators, particularly for vulnerable people.

Spent coffee grounds constitute a waste product that has attracted potential interest as a rich source of secondary metabolites such as polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. In this work, aqueous extracts from samples of different spent coffee grounds from Costa Rica were prepared and analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry using a quadrupole time-of-flight analyzer (UPLC-QTOF-ESI MS). This allowed for the identification of twenty-one compounds, including fourteen phenolic acids, three caffeoylquinic lactones, and four atractyligenin diterpenes. In addition, using UPLC coupled with a diode array detector (UPLC-DAD), we quantified the levels of caffeine (0.55-3.42 mg/g dry weight [DW]) and six caffeoylquinic and feruloylquinic acids (0.47-5.34 mg/g DW). The highest value was found for the fine-grind sample (EXP), both for phenolic acids and for total polyphenols (9.59 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/g DW), compared to 2.13 and 1.70 mg GAE/g DW for the medium-grind (GR) and coarse-grind samples (PCR), respectively. The results obtained from the antioxidant evaluations using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (IC₅₀ 0.0964-6.005 g DW/L), the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (PFRAP) analysis (0.0215-0.1385 mmol FeSO₄/g DW), the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assessment (45.7-309.7 μmol Trolox/g DW), and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay (3.94-23.47 mg Trolox/g DW) also showed the best values for the fine-grind sample, with results similar to or higher than those reported in the literature. Statistical Pearson correlation analysis (p < 0.05) indicated a high correlation (R ≥ 0.842) between all antioxidant analyses, the total polyphenols, and the phenolic acid quantification using UPLC-DAD. These results show the potential for further studies aiming to exploit this waste product's bioactive properties, constituting the first detailed study of spent coffee grounds from Costa Rica.

This study aimed to perform an in-depth investigation of olive oil mill wastewater (OOMW). Two OOMW samples (OOMW-A and OOMW-B) from conventionally farmed olives were collected from two different olive oil mills in Palermo province (Italy). Multiresidual analysis indicated that both OOMW samples were unsuitable for food production due to pesticide residues. Specifically, OOMW-A contained 4 active compounds totaling 5.7 μg/L, while OOMW-B had 16 analytes with a total content of 65.8 μg/L. However, polyphenol analysis in the OOMW revealed 23 compounds with high concentrations of hydroxytyrosol, secoiridoid derivatives, phenolic acids, flavones, and total polyphenol content ranging from 377.5 μg/mL (for OOMW-B) to 391.8 μg/mL (for OOMW-A). The microbiological analysis of OOMW samples revealed only detectable viable bacteria (10² CFU/mL) of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) group. Two distinct LAB strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum OMW1 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides OMW23, were identified. These strains demonstrated notable acidification capabilities and produced antibacterial compounds. In conclusion, despite the high polyphenolic content and microbiological suitability of OOMW, the presence of micro-contaminants hinders their use in food production. Thus, further studies are underway to investigate OOMW from organically farmed olives for bakery product functionalization, employing the two selected LAB strains resistant to olive polyphenols as leavening agents.

The fruits of Phyllanthus acidus, rich in various secondary metabolites and possessing significant antioxidant activity, have been consumed widely by many Southeast Asian people, including the Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Laotians, and Cambodians. An extensive investigation of the secondary metabolites of the fruits resulted in our obtaining 17 compounds, including four new compounds (1-4). The absolute configurations of 1, 3, and 4 were determined by comparing their experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra with both reference data and computed ECD profiles. At a concentration of 40μM, terpenoids (1 and 5-9) showed no cytotoxic activity against five strains of human tumor cells and one of normal cells. Notably, the known lignan 13 and phenylpropanoid 15 showed obvious ABTS⁺ radical scavenging activities with IC₅₀ values of 203.7 and 232.9 μM, which have a comparable impact to the positive control, Trolox (IC₅₀ = 176.5 ± 2.0 μM). The results indicated that P. acidus fruits could be a promising sources of antioxidant food supplement.

Bacillus cereus is a widespread foodborne pathogen that can cause food poisoning when present in food at certain levels. Ingesting contaminated food may lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, life-threatening conditions. In this study, a simple and super-fast method for detecting B. cereus was developed, which combines cellulose filter paper-based DNA extraction, multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA), and lateral flow dipstick (LFD) technology. Initially, PCR was adopted to evaluate the DNA extraction efficiency of the filter paper, followed by the optimization of the lysis formula and extraction conditions. With the above optimization, DNA that can be used for subsequent nucleic acid amplification can be obtained within 3 min. Then, the isothermal amplification of MIRA-LFD was established and optimized to evaluate the detection specificity and sensitivity. Finally, the developed method was applied to detect B. cereus in cooked rice samples. The results indicated that the entire amplification procedure of MIRA-LFD only takes 15 min at 39 °C. The whole super-fast detection system could be completed in less than 20 min, from DNA extraction to result interpretation, which achieved a detection limit of 12 fg/μL of DNA concentration, corresponding to approximately 115 CFU/mL in actual samples.

The application of smart packaging technology in fruit and vegetable preservation has shown significant potential with the ongoing advancement of science and technology. Smart packaging leverages advanced sensors, smart materials, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to monitor and regulate the storage environment of fruits and vegetables in real time. This approach effectively extends shelf life, enhances food safety, and reduces food waste. The principle behind smart packaging involves real-time monitoring of environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations, with precise adjustments based on data analysis to ensure optimal storage conditions for fruits and vegetables. Smart packaging technologies encompass various functions, including antibacterial action, humidity regulation, and gas control. These functions enable the packaging to automatically adjust its internal environment according to the specific requirements of different fruits and vegetables, thereby slowing the growth of bacteria and mold, prolonging freshness, and retaining nutritional content. Despite its advantages, the widespread adoption of smart packaging technology faces several challenges, including high costs, limited material diversity and reliability, lack of standardization, and consumer acceptance. However, as technology matures, costs decrease, and degradable smart packaging materials are developed, smart packaging is expected to play a more prominent role in fruit and vegetable preservation. Future developments are likely to focus on material innovation, deeper integration of IoT and big data, and the promotion of environmentally sustainable packaging solutions, all of which will drive the fruit and vegetable preservation industry toward greater efficiency, intelligence, and sustainability.

Objectives: To evaluate the offer of children's menus offered in fast food restaurants present in the Uber Eats delivery application through the Kids Menu Healthy Score 'KIMEHS' in Greater Santiago.

Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional. Research in fast food restaurants present in the Uber Eats delivery app. A total of 858 restaurants were selected. The KIMEHS was used to assess menu quality. KIMEHS index and descriptive statistics were calculated.

Results: 558 restaurants were evaluated through the app; 57 offered children's menus, yielding 114 children's menu options from 18 different municipalities. The common offer was based on fried and/or processed lean meat accompanied by French fries in 71%. Moreover, 99% of the menus assessed obtained the minimum score in the KIMEHS placing them in the 'not healthy at all' category. When associations were made between foods and the lowest KIMEHS score quartile, the presence of chips had the strongest association (OR; 40.36: CI95% 11.43-201.08).

Conclusions: Most restaurants offer a children's menu of low nutritional quality and poor balance, where their dishes are commonly based on fried and processed products, pointing to the urgent need for legislation on guidelines to be applied on the different actors influencing the food offered to children.

Acrylamide formation in bread products poses health concerns, necessitating strategies to reduce its presence while maintaining nutritional value. This study investigated how different concentrations of pumpkin flour (Cucurbita maxima Plomo) and prolonged proofing times affect acrylamide content and bread characteristics. Composite bread samples were prepared with varying pumpkin flour shares (0-20%) to soft wheat flour using two proofing times (60 and 120 min). The study analyzed quality features, crust and crumb color, antioxidant activity, total polyphenolic content, reducing sugars, and acrylamide content of the resulting breads. Extended proofing (120 min) reduced acrylamide levels in the crust from 220 to 150 units in 20% pumpkin flour bread compared to 60 min proofing. Control bread showed the highest specific volume (2.40 ± 0.01 cm³/g) after 2 h of proofing, while 20% pumpkin flour addition decreased it to 1.69 ± 0.02 cm³/g. Initial hardness increased from 6.8 ± 1.5 N in the control to 14.3 ± 1.5 N in 20% pumpkin flour bread after 1-h of proofing. Water activity decreased from 0.966 ± 0.002 in the control to 0.945 ± 0.004 in 20% pumpkin flour samples with 2 h proofing. Optimal results were achieved with 5-10% pumpkin flour substitution combined with two-hour proofing, balancing improved nutritional properties and reduced acrylamide formation while maintaining acceptable bread quality parameters.

The present research work was based on evaluating the effects of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract (EULE) on the technological quality and protein oxidation of cooked pork sausage during refrigerated storage. Sausages were manufactured with different levels of EULE (0, 0.15, and 0.3 g/kg) and stored at 4 °C for 3, 20, and 40 d, respectively. Quality attributes including cooking loss, texture, and color were evaluated, and the total carbonyl and total sulfhydryl as well as the specific markers α-aminoadipic acid semialdehyde (AAS) and lysinonorleucine (LNL) were analyzed for protein oxidation. The results revealed that the inclusion of EULE exhibited effectiveness in reducing the formation of protein carbonyls, particularly AAS and LNL, while inhibiting the loss of total sulfhydryl. Nevertheless, EULE increased the cooking loss, hardness, and chewiness of the sausages compared to the control group. These findings demonstrated that EULE could be considered a potential natural antioxidant for use in sausage production.

In this study, Cu²⁺-chelated magnetic silicon dioxide nanoparticles were synthesized as carriers for laccase immobilization. The prepared magnetic immobilized laccase was applied in the clarification of sugarcane juice. The optimal conditions for the clarification of sugarcane juice with magnetic immobilized laccase in a shake flask were determined to be as follows: a temperature of 35 °C, pH of 5.5, rotation speed of 150 r/min, and immobilized laccase dosage of 1.0 mg/mL. The sucrose in the sugarcane juice inhibited both free and immobilized laccase. The inhibitory effect was characterized as mixed inhibition, wherein competitive inhibition played a dominant role. An alternating magnetic field was introduced into the catalysis process using magnetic immobilized laccase, and the catechin degradation rate was improved to 77.2% under a magnetic field intensity of 80 Gs and magnetic field frequency of 400 Hz. Under the optimal alternating magnetic field conditions, the treatment time of sugarcane juice was reduced to 20 min when catalyzed by the magnetic immobilized laccase, wherein a decolorization rate of 54.4%, reduction in turbidity of 89.7%, and total phenol degradation rate of 43.4% were achieved. Compared with the shaking condition, the assistance of alternating magnetic fields can shorten the clarifying time, increase the clarifying effect, and enhance the catalyst reusability. These results reveal useful information about the enzymatic treatment of high-sugar juice and provide a potential strategy for juice clarification with magnetic immobilized enzymes.