Foods最新文献

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs), obtained through the hydrolysis of chitosan, exhibit remarkable antibacterial properties. In pursuit of COSs with enhanced antibacterial activity, the enzymatic characteristics of the chitosanase from Bacillus velezensis YB1534 (BvChi) were investigated. The purified BvChi displayed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 50 °C and showed the highest hydrolytic activity using colloidal chitosan as a substrate, with the presence of Mn²⁺. The COSs produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of BvChi exhibited a minimum degree of polymerization (DP) of 2, and their antimicrobial activities against certain pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi 50071, and Aeromonas hydrophila) were evaluated. Among them, the 20 min hydrolysate showed the strongest growth inhibition against all these pathogens, demonstrated by the inhibition zone diameters, and its MIC and MBC values toward A. hydrophila were 0.625 and 1.25 mg/mL, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis showed that the hydrolyzed products after 20 min contains more COSs with DP > 5. These findings highlighted the potential of BvChi as a biocatalyst for producing antimicrobial COSs, applicable in food preservation and biomedical fields.

Microbial fermentation is an effective strategy to enhance the functional value of plant-derived ingredients. In this study, Stevia rebaudiana leaves were subjected to microbial fermentation to improve their antioxidant potential and functional properties. A composite fermentation system composed of Bacillus subtilis and Candida utilis was established through strain screening, and fermentation conditions were optimized using single-factor and orthogonal experiments, with chlorogenic acid (CA) content and antioxidant activity as evaluation indices. The optimal conditions were determined to be a fermentation temperature of 34 °C, a duration of 36 h, a microbial ratio (Bs:Cu) of 2:1, a moisture content of 55%, and an inoculum level of 3%. Under these optimal conditions, fermentation significantly increased CA content, total phenolic and flavonoid levels, and antioxidant capacity compared with unfermented material. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed extensive fermentation-induced remodeling of secondary metabolites, particularly phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, including the generation of multiple newly formed bioactive compounds. Functional validation using a laying hen model demonstrated that fermented S. rebaudiana exhibited enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory status and favorable modulation of physiological indicators compared with unfermented samples. Overall, this study demonstrates that microbial consortium fermentation effectively transforms S. rebaudiana from a sweetener-oriented plant into a multifunctional, fermentation-derived functional ingredient. This research is significant as it provides a dual-purpose strategy for developing antioxidant-enriched functional foods for humans and health-promoting natural feed additives for the livestock industry.

This study investigated Brazilian consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions regarding traditional and reformulated chicken meat products (fresh sausage and burger) enriched with natural antioxidants obtained from avocado by-product extracts. A mixed-methods approach was applied, using a word association task, a Likert-scale attitudinal questionnaire, and purchase intention scales (n = 422). Word association revealed predominantly negative perceptions toward products containing synthetic antioxidants, while natural antioxidant formulations elicited positive associations related to health, naturalness, and sustainability. Attitudinal data indicated strong alignment between health consciousness, environmental concern, and openness to food innovation. Pearson correlations (p < 0.05) showed moderate-to-strong relationships (r ≥ 0.40) among beliefs about healthy eating, perceived benefits of natural antioxidants, and support for sustainable production. Contingency analyses demonstrated that belief in the health benefits of natural antioxidants significantly increased purchase intention for reformulated products, whereas consumers less engaged with healthy eating were more accepting of synthetic formulations. Noting sample limitations primarily comprising young, educated females, who correspond to the group of consumers who tend to be more sensitive to health and environmental responsibility claims, the findings highlight consumer interest in natural, functional, and sustainable meat products. These results reinforce the potential of using agro-industrial by-product extracts as natural antioxidants in meat formulations and underscore the importance of communication strategies emphasizing health, naturalness, and sustainability to improve consumer acceptance.

Selecting analytical methods for pesticide residues in food increasingly requires balancing regulatory compliance, analytical performance, and environmental sustainability. This study presents a decision-support tool that evaluates the fitness-for-purpose of pesticide analytical methods by integrating SANTE/11312/2021 v2 validation criteria with Analytical GREEnness (AGREE)-based environmental metrics. Implemented in Excel with VBA macros, the tool guides users through the input of method parameters for both quantitative and screening approaches, scoring each against acceptance criteria. Based on the results, methods are classified as suitable for risk assessment, official control, or self-monitoring. The tool also calculates greenness scores to assess environmental impact. Glyphosate analysis in cereals was selected as a case study, and three approaches were compared: liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), flow-injection coupled to MS/MS (FI-MS/MS), and lateral flow assay (LFA). LC-MS/MS was identified as the only method suitable for official control, while FI-MS/MS and LFA met requirements for self-monitoring. The greenness assessment highlighted substantial differences, with LFA showing the lowest environmental footprint (AGREE scores of 0.63 and 0.68 for manual and automated LFAs). Overall, the tool provides a practical, user-friendly framework for selecting analytical methods that optimize both analytical performance and environmental sustainability, supporting informed decision-making in food testing.

In this study, we investigated the encapsulation of β-carotene (β-CE) within sunflower oil body (SFOB) emulsions and examined the role of xanthan gum (XG) in enhancing stability and digestion behavior. The optimal conditions were heating at 45 °C for 15 min, ultrasonic treatment at 270 W for 20 min, and homogenization at 80 MPa, achieving encapsulation efficiency (EE) up to 92%. Furthermore, XG was incorporated to improve structural, oxidative, thermal, and digestive stability. More than 1.5% XG enhanced absolute value of zeta potential (21.3 mV to 23.7 mV), reduced particle size (6.52 μm), and prevented phase separation. XG-coated emulsions exhibited improved stability under heating and oxidative conditions. Additionally, XG enhanced protein digestibility and lipid hydrolysis, as well as the bioaccessibility of β-CE during gastrointestinal digestion. The XG coating also improved photostability under sunlight and UV exposure, with 2% XG emulsions showing the least degradation of β-CE. Moreover, the 2% XG emulsion demonstrated the highest release of free fatty acids (85.75%) and β-CE utilization (80%). These results highlight the potential of SFOB-XG emulsions for the effective delivery of lipophilic bioactives.

This study aimed to identify oligosaccharide quality markers in wine-processed Polygonati Rhizoma (WPR) and to examine how sugar components change during its repeated steaming and drying, correlating these changes with the color of the processed slices. Seven oligosaccharides were extracted from WPR using water extraction, ethanol precipitation, and preparative liquid chromatography. Identified by NMR with purities above 93%, they were DFA III (1), DFA VII (2), DFA II (3), β-D-Fructofuranose-1,2':2,1'-β-D-Fructofuranose (4), DFA I (5), sucrose (6), and 1-kestose (7). Compounds 1-5 were newly isolated from WPR, and their contents increased post-processing. Measurements of color values, total reducing sugars, and the abundant DFA III and DFA I at different processing stages revealed a progressive darkening of the slices with more steaming cycles, showing a strong correlation between total color difference (Eab*) and sugar component changes. Additionally, DFA III and DFA I levels were much higher in commercial WPR than in raw material, suggesting these difructose anhydrides as potential markers for WPR.

This study evaluated the effects of two euthanasia methods (blanching, blast freezing) and two drying methods (oven drying, freeze drying) on protein extractability, oil recovery, lipid oxidation, and nutritional composition of mealworm-derived full-fat flours, defatted flours, and protein concentrates. Protein extraction yields differed significantly among treatments (ANOVA, p < 0.001), except between blanched + freeze-dried and blast-frozen + oven-dried samples. Blast freezing resulted in higher protein extraction yields than blanching. Blast freezing markedly increased acid values (>40 mg KOH/g oil) relative to blanching (<5 mg KOH/g), while freeze drying increased peroxide values more than tenfold compared with oven drying. Ash contents ranged from 4 to 8% without a treatment effect. Defatting significantly reduced oil content and increased protein and chitin contents. Chitin was nearly absent in protein concentrates. In blast-frozen + oven-dried protein concentrates, the oil content was significantly up-concentrated compared with defatted samples. P, Mg, and K significantly increased in defatted samples, while protein extraction reduced Mg, K, and Ca but increased Na due to alkaline solubilization. Micromineral profiles were most affected in protein concentrates, with increases in Cu and Fe and minor decreases in Mn. Overall, euthanasia and drying methods influence yield and quality, highlighting the need for tailored, scalable processing strategies for mealworm-based food and feed applications.

Agri-food industries generate substantial quantities of side streams such as peels, pods, seeds, and leaves. Traditionally regarded as waste, these by-products are now recognized as rich sources of bioactive compounds-often at higher concentrations than those found in edible plant parts. Their recovery reduces environmental impact and enables the development of sustainable ingredients for food and health-related applications, in line with circular economy principles. This study presents the design and metabolomic characterization of a novel lyophilized powder derived from Mediterranean and locally cultivated plant-based by-products (named BIOMEDER), including orange, lemon, olive leaves, carob pods, shiitake mushroom, and salicornia. A multiplatform metabolomics approach was applied, combining high-resolution UPLC-QTOF-MS, UHPLC-QTRAP-MS, SPME-GC-MS, and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy to comprehensively profile phytochemicals, nutrients, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The powder was found to be rich in flavonoids (e.g., luteolin-7-O-glucoside, hesperidin, eriocitrin), phenolic acids, amino acids (e.g., proline, GABA), organic acids (e.g., malic and citric acid), and over 40 VOCs associated with antioxidant and sensory functions. Notably, high concentrations of these compounds suggest potential health-promoting properties. These findings might support the formulation of a potential functional plant-based supplement and reinforce the value of integrating diverse agro-industrial by-products into sustainable, health-oriented food solutions.

The reduction or elimination of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) in winemaking represents a major technological and sustainability challenge due to the central antimicrobial and antioxidant roles of this additive. This study evaluated the technological feasibility and chemical stability of a no-added-SO₂ vinification protocol applied under controlled winery conditions over four consecutive vintages, compared with a conventional sulphite-based protocol. The no-added-SO₂ protocol integrated closed-circuit operations, controlled inert gas management, temperature-regulated fermentation, strict hygiene practices, the addition of grape seed extracts as alternative antioxidant agents, and real-time monitoring of CO₂ production and O₂ availability via a smart tank. Across all vintages, wines produced using the no-added-SO₂ protocol showed regular alcoholic and malolactic fermentations and volatile acidity values consistently below the sensory perception threshold (1.2 g/L). Total SO₂ levels ranged between 0.3 and 86 mg/L and free SO₂ ranged between 0.4 and 16 mg/L, attributable exclusively to endogenous yeast production. Multivariate analysis confirmed that vintage was the dominant factor affecting most compositional parameters, particularly phenolic and anthocyanin profiles, whereas sulphur dioxide management represented a secondary but clearly identifiable source of variability. These findings indicate that sulphur dioxide-free vinification is technically feasible when supported by precise process control and continuous real-time monitoring. Rather than a universal replacement for conventional sulphite management, the no-added-SO₂ protocol should be regarded as a complementary and technologically contingent tool for sustainable SO₂ reduction within a precision oenology framework.

The study explored the impact of Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) on the physicochemical, structural, functional, and antioxidant properties of protein concentrates from white pea (Lathyrus sativus), red gram (Cajanus cajan), and black gram (Vigna mungo). The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of MAE as a sustainable green extraction technique compared to the conventional method. Total amino acid content increased in MAE protein from 69.23 to 72.78 g/100 g powder in white pea protein (WPP), 69.41 to 72.39 g/100 g powder in red gram protein (RGP), and 65.56 to 70.30 g/100 g powder in black gram protein (BGP). Functionally, MAE significantly improved solubility and emulsifying capacity and water- and oil-holding capacities. Bioactive evaluation showed a significant increase in total phenolic and flavonoid contents, followed by improved DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP activities. A reduction in tannins and phytic acid correlated with enhanced in vitro protein digestibility. These enhanced MAE-derived proteins further demonstrated superior performance when incorporated into wheat flour, improving its nutritional and functional properties. Overall, MAE protein demonstrated improved structural integrity, antioxidant potential, and digestibility, highlighting white pea protein as the most responsive legume to MAE, followed by red and black gram.