Foods最新文献

Vinegar is a traditional fermented food of increasing industrial interest due to its nutritional, sensory, and bioactive properties. This study aimed to develop and optimize a controlled biotechnological process for vinegar production from the Algerian date cultivar Degla Beida, an abundant yet underexploited local resource. Indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from date fruits and Acetobacter sp. strains isolated from traditional date vinegar were employed as starter cultures in a two-stage submerged fermentation process, comprising alcoholic fermentation followed by acetic fermentation. Process optimization was carried out using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Central Composite Design (CCD), evaluating the effects of initial alcoholic degree (4-10% v/v) and yeast extract supplementation (0.2-0.5 g/L). The statistical models showed excellent fitting and predictive reliability (p < 0.0001; R² = 94.1-99.1%). Under optimal conditions (7% v/v initial alcohol, 0.2 g/L yeast extract, 30 °C, pH 5), the process yielded a maximum acetic acid concentration of 72 g/L after 11 days, with 80% fermentation efficiency and complete ethanol depletion. The optimized vinegar exhibited enhanced bioactive properties, with a total phenolic content of 620 mg GAE/100 mL and a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 78%, significantly higher than those of the unfermented juice. These results demonstrate the suitability of Degla Beida dates for vinegar production and highlight the potential of indigenous microbial resources for the sustainable valorization of local raw materials through controlled fermentation processes.

Wheat and rice are major sources of human nutrition worldwide. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) with lignocellulolytic mushrooms can enhance their nutritional value and increase their functional properties. However, this technology is not yet widely applied. In this work, whole wheat and brown rice hydrated to 60% were used as substrates for the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus and the medicinal Ganoderma sessile, which were incubated for 14 days at 25 °C in the dark. The fermented substrate biomass was incorporated into standard sugar-snap cookie recipes, substituting 20% of the wheat flour. We evaluated the technological and nutritional properties of alternative fermented flours and cookies. Both the fermented flours and cookies exhibited increased soluble and total protein content, antioxidant power, and phenol content, indicating overall functional improvement. Fermented G. sessile flour also showed increased triterpenoid content. The physical quality of cookies remained within expected ranges, demonstrating the feasibility of the application. These results highlight the potential of SSF as a method for nutritional and functional enrichment of grains and extend the health benefits of mushrooms to populations relying on low-cost, grain-derived carbohydrates. Further studies on digestibility and in vivo activity of metabolites are needed to confirm the potential health benefits of fermented flours.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the material (plastic or glass) and color (green or colorless) of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and virgin olive oil (VOO) bottles on the acquisition of SORS spectra using portable equipment. Sixteen bottles of EVOO and three bottles of VOO were analyzed, including different volumes. A range of similarity indices was calculated between vial-reference (offline measurements) and bottles (online measurements), including R², COS θ, NEAR, and a new index called WSI (Weighted Similarity Index). WSI is calculated from the pondered linear combination of the previous three, and a threshold of >0.95 is established as high similarity. The results showed that plastic bottles, regardless of color and volume, and colorless glass bottles had WSI values > 0.95. In contrast, green glass bottles demonstrated a lower degree of similarity (WSI < 0.95), which impacted the reliability of their spectral fingerprints. A hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed by locating EVOO bottles according to their material in two clusters. A study of storage under optimal, non-optimal, and commercial conditions showed that both EVOO and VOO maintain highly similar spectral profiles for 10-18 days (WSI > 0.965), even in bottles purchased in supermarkets. These results demonstrate that the SORS technique is suitable for the direct analysis of olive oils in plastic and colorless glass containers, without the need to open the bottles. The SORS technique is a fast, reliable, non-invasive, and non-destructive tool for quality control of olive oil.

This study aimed to develop natural, safe, and effective antimicrobial packaging materials for extending the shelf life of chilled pork during refrigeration. Emodin-chitosan (Em-Cs) composite films with varied concentrations were developed by combining the casting method with photodynamic inactivation technology, utilizing chitosan as the matrix and emodin as the functional photosensitizer for active packaging. The optical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the composite films were examined. The inhibitory effects of the samples on Escherichia coli, Salmonella Derby, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas fragi under 450 nm blue light irradiation were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the Em-Cs composite film exhibited excellent transparency, mechanical strength, and water barrier properties, with good compatibility between emodin and chitosan. Under light irradiation, the composite film generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), whose bactericidal efficacy depends on the concentration of emodin and the duration of light exposure. When applied to chilled pork packaging, this composite film inhibited bacterial growth within the meat for 10 days, effectively retarding pH increase, lipid oxidation, and volatile basic nitrogen accumulation. The present study proposes a novel methodology for the application of photodynamic technology in the context of food preservation, and it presents a new type of natural antimicrobial packaging material for the preservation of chilled pork.

Tunicate (marine invertebrates)-derived cellulose nanocrystals (T-CNC) possess unique structural and physicochemical properties compared to other wood-based CNCs. This study aimed to characterize and utilize T-CNC as a stabilizer in Pickering emulsion (PE), highlighting a sustainable alternative to conventional surfactant-based emulsifiers. Characterization of T-CNC revealed a rod-shaped morphology with dimensions of 1694 ± 925 nm in length and 13 ± 3 nm in width, resulting in an aspect ratio of 122 ± 45, and high crystallinity (87.6%). Its zeta potential ranged from -4.4 to -45.5 mV across pH 2-10 and contact angles <50° indicate strong water wettability. T-CNC at 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4% (w/w) at pH 3 and 5 was used to prepare 20 wt% oil-in-water PE using a high-shear homogenizer followed by ultrasonication. Ultrasonication significantly improved the emulsion stability compared to only high-shear homogenization, decreasing droplet size by 31.4-50.8% and 55.7-89.3% for pH 3 and pH 5, respectively. PEs developed at pH 3 demonstrated smaller droplet sizes, better stability with minimal coalescence after 7 days, and enhanced gel-like rheological behaviour compared to PEs at pH 5, which displayed flocculation and coalescence. The gel strength of the pH 3 PEs increased with T-CNC concentration, as evidenced by progressively denser droplet packing, consistent with stronger interfacial anchoring (higher detachment energy) and reduced coalescence. This study underscores T-CNC's superior efficiency in stabilizing PEs at low concentrations, offering a green, high-performance solution for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications.

Conventional alkaline extraction of plant proteins typically requires highly alkaline conditions (pH ≥ 11) and extended extraction times (~1 h). Although protease addition can lower extraction pH and improve functionality, it often requires prolonged hydrolysis. In this study, enzymatic reactive extrusion (eREX) using Alcalase, followed by a short duration alkaline extraction (5 min, pH 9), was evaluated as an alternative approach for producing protein-rich extracts from canola meal. The eREX process increased protein recovery by 48% and 42% compared with alkaline extraction conducted without and with Alcalase, respectively. The resulting powdered extracts reached a protein content of up to 49% and consisted primarily of partially hydrolyzed proteins (10-23 kDa) with increased surface hydrophobicity. Amino acid analysis showed substantial enrichment of essential amino acids, particularly histidine and sulfur-containing amino acids. Functional properties were improved, including enhanced solubility across pH 2-10, high foaming stability (88%), and increased oil-binding capacity (~5.5 g g^-1), while in vitro digestibility remained comparable (~85%). Techno-economic analysis indicated reductions in water use (~11%), energy consumption (~48%), and production cost (16-25%). Overall, eREX provides a rapid, higher-throughput, and cost-effective strategy for producing premium canola protein ingredients.

Collagen-derived peptides are widely studied for their potential roles in skin health and anti-aging. This study applied response surface methodology to optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis of porcine skin-derived collagen oligopeptides (PCOPs) and investigate the associations between peptide characteristics and their cellular effects. The optimized hydrolysis conditions were a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:2, 52.3 °C, 0.9% enzyme dosage, and pH 7.0. The resulting PCOPs contained 85.77% peptides with molecular weight < 1000 daltons (Da) and 9.68% hydroxyproline. In vitro, 5 mg/mL PCOPs reduced hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced fibroblast senescence by 39.66% and significantly (p < 0.05) reduced tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in melanoma cells (B16). Peptidomic profiling identified 52 peptides mainly derived from type I collagen, enriched in Pro-Gly motifs. Circular dichroism analysis indicated that PCOPs primarily consisted of β-sheets (35.3%) and random coils (38.9%). These results suggest that low molecular weight, high hydroxyproline content, Pro-Gly-enriched peptides, and the predominance of β-sheet/random coil structures are associated with the observed cellular effects on fibroblast function and melanogenesis.

Interest in seafood diet and health warrants a biomarker for seafood consumption. Nitrogen isotope ratio (¹⁵N/¹⁴N, expressed as δ¹⁵N (‱)) has been regarded as a biomarker for such a purpose. This study aims to elucidate the applicability of levels of arsenobetaine (AB), a non-toxic organic arsenic compound, in the diet as a marker of seafood abundance because of its known distribution in marine animals. The concentrations of AB and other arsenic species and δ¹⁵N in duplicate diet samples collected from 150 Japanese adults were analyzed for a possible relationship with the inclusion of seafood and seaweed in the diet samples. Information was collected from the menu reported from the duplicate diet donners, and a possible correlation between the levels of AB and δ¹⁵N was tested. As expected, median levels of AB and δ¹⁵N were more elevated in the duplicate diet that contained seafood (54.6 ng/g dry and 3.60‱) than that without seafood (<7 ng/g dry and 3.01‱). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between the two components (Spearman's ρ = 0.384, p < 0.001). The distinct difference between the seafood-containing and non-containing diet suggested that the AB content of the diet is a more sensitive marker of seafood abundance than δ¹⁵N.

Detection of hazardous substances in feed is important for ensuring human health. A method based on liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was developed and validated for the screening and confirmation of 420 hazardous substances, including pesticides, veterinary drugs, and mycotoxins commonly found in feed. The screening phase employed less stringent criteria to minimize false negatives caused by matrix effects. Subsequently, stricter identification criteria were applied for confirmation to avoid false positives from interfering compounds. The performance of the proposed method was verified by limit of detection (LOD, 5~500 μg/L), screening detection limits (SDL, 50~500 μg/L), matrix effect (ME, 36.12~121.16%), precision (0.02~14.98%), stability, and accuracy. The method was successfully applied to real feed samples, demonstrating its capability to detect the presence of the 420 target hazardous substances. We believe our method provides strong technical support for ensuring the quality and safety of feed.

Highland barley (HB), a nutrient-rich grain, is limited in bread applications due to its weak gluten network and high content of non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) such as β-glucan and arabinoxylan. This study aimed to improve the dough properties and bread quality of a composite flour containing 40% whole-grain highland barley through synergistic use of xylanase and β-glucanase. Rheological analysis revealed that dual-enzyme treatment significantly reduced dough rigidity (G' decreased by ~40%) and increased extensibility (tan δ raised by ~25%), shifting the network from a brittle NSP-dominated gel toward an elastic gluten-based structure. Low-field NMR showed that enzymes promoted redistribution of water from tightly bound states with NSPs to protein phases, enhancing gluten hydration. Microstructural observations confirmed a more continuous and uniform gluten network with finely embedded starch granules. Consequently, enzyme-treated bread exhibited a 35% higher specific volume, reduced hardness (~50% lower), improved springiness and cohesiveness, and superior sensory scores in texture, taste, and overall acceptability compared to the untreated composite. Single-enzyme treatments yielded partial improvements, highlighting the necessity of synergistic action. These results demonstrate that combined xylanase and β-glucanase treatment effectively mitigates the negative impact of NSPs, enabling the production of high-quality, sensorially appealing HB-enriched bread with optimized structural and textural properties.