Foods最新文献

Packaging is essential for protecting, distributing, and trading fresh fruit. Antimicrobial packaging, which incorporates natural or synthetic bioactive compounds, can inhibit microbial growth, extend shelf life, and reduce reliance on synthetic fungicides. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), released from black mustard seeds, on the quality and fungal development of 'Burlat' sweet cherries during postharvest storage under modified atmosphere. The in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of AITC, released from different amounts of mustard seeds in an 'Inbox' system, was compared with fludioxonil, a synthetic fungicide authorised for postharvest use on stone fruits in the European Union. The impact of these treatments on weight loss, headspace gas composition, fruit decay, physicochemical and microbiological quality was also analysed. Results showed that AITC inhibited the in vitro growth of Cladosporium cladosporioides, Monilinia laxa and Penicilium expansum, and significantly reduced Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, and Geotrichum candidum after 96 h at 25 °C and 99% RH. Treatment with 100 mg of mustard seeds achieved rot control comparable to fludioxonil, while maintaining higher firmness and delaying skin darkening after 28 days. Overall, natural AITC from mustard seeds appears to be a promising alternative for preserving sweet cherry quality.

Environmentally friendly packaging has become a widely adopted food retail strategy, yet its impacts on consumer food perceptions (e.g., healthiness, taste, ethical concerns) remain fragmented. Notably, how it shapes healthiness perceptions is understudied. Across three studies, this study demonstrates that consumers often associate eco-friendly packaging with healthiness perception, driven by the heuristic associations of its original-ecology sensory cues, sustainable connotations, and morality signals, which further contribute to purchase intention. In addition, the effect of packaging eco-friendliness on purchase intention is moderated by environmental consciousness and food type. Specifically, the above positive effect of eco-friendly packaging is more prominent for consumers with higher environmental consciousness, and for hedonic (vs. utilitarian) food. The findings advance understanding of how eco-friendly packaging shapes food perceptions, and offer strategic insights for customized packaging design in food marketing.

Food color can greatly impact consumer perception. It can shape flavor expectations and influence emotions. This research evaluated how visual color cues affect perceived saltiness, sensory liking, and emotional responses to soy sauce. The study used four samples with the same salt concentrations (12% NaCl w/v). The color was varied in intensities, including light (LS), control (CS), moderate (MS), and high (HS). There was a total of 100 consumers to evaluate the samples. The results showed that MS received the highest liking scores for color (6.17) and saltiness (6.30). LS achieved the lowest scores at 3.98 for color and 5.78 for saltiness. Color intensity had a significant correlation with the expectation of saltiness. Correspondence analysis revealed that MS was most frequently associated with positive emotions such as "interested" (36%), whereas LS evoked negative emotions, including "disgusted," "bored," and "worried." These findings confirm that darker colors enhance perceived taste intensity and positive affect. The use of color cues may therefore be a simple strategy to design low-sodium soy sauce formulations without reducing consumer acceptance while potentially supporting sodium reduction initiatives aimed at improving public health outcomes.

Fruit peels, a primary fruit processing by-product, are rich in biodegradable polymers (e.g., dietary fibers and proteins) and bioactive substances (e.g., polyphenols, essential oils, and pigments) that are suitable for producing active and intelligent packaging films. In recent years, there is a new trend to utilize fruit peels in the form of powders for film production, which aligns with circular economy principles. In general, fruit peel powders (FPPs) can function as rigid fillers and the polymer matrix in packaging films, forming FPP-filled and FPP-based films, respectively. These two film types exhibit distinct characteristics: FPP-filled films typically have a compact structure with strong molecular interactions, leading to superior mechanical and barrier properties. Conversely, FPP-based films often display a cracked structure with weaker molecular interactions, resulting in inferior mechanical and barrier properties. Despite these differences, both film types demonstrate excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, pH sensitivity, and biodegradability, as well as considerable promise for active and intelligent packaging. This review comprehensively summarizes the preparation methods, structural characteristics, physical and functional properties, and active and intelligent packaging potential of both film types. It also features a multi-dimensional comparison of FPP-filled and FPP-based films' performance and a discussion of their current challenges and future directions.

Aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁), a hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), is a potent hepatotoxic and carcinogenic compound frequently detected in milk and dairy products. Its thermal stability and resistance to processing make it a persistent public health concern, especially in regions prone to fungal contamination of animal feed. This review integrates bibliometric mapping (2015-2025) with toxicological and mitigation perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of AFM₁. The bibliometric analysis reveals a sharp global rise in research output over the last decade, with Iran, China, and Brazil emerging as leading contributors and Food Control identified as the most prolific journal. Five research clusters were distinguished: feed contamination pathways, analytical detection, toxicological risk, regulatory frameworks, and mitigation strategies. Toxicological evidence highlights AFM₁'s mutagenic and hepatocarcinogenic effects, intensified by co-exposure to other mycotoxins or hepatitis B infection. Although regulatory limits range from 0.025 µg/kg in infant formula (EU) to 0.5 µg/kg in milk (FDA), non-compliance remains prevalent in developing regions. Current mitigation approaches-adsorbents (bentonite, zeolite), oxidation (ozone, hydrogen peroxide), and biological detoxification via lactic acid bacteria and yeasts-show promise but require optimization for industrial application. Persistent challenges include climatic variability, inadequate feed monitoring, and heterogeneous regulations. This review emphasizes the need for harmonized surveillance, improved analytical capacity, and sustainable intervention strategies to ensure dairy safety and protect consumer health.

The flavor and aroma of kiwifruit are largely influenced by the concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). To analyze the volatile profiles and identify characteristic aroma compounds, this study utilized Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) to analyze the aromatic compounds sourced from seven major production regions in China and New Zealand, covering red-, green-, and yellow-fleshed varieties. A total of 77 VOCs were identified, with esters, aldehydes, and ketones as the dominant classes. Significant regional and varietal differences were observed: red-fleshed kiwifruits from Yunnan exhibited high levels of 2-Vinyl-5-methylfuran, Ethyl formate, and 1-Penten-3-one; green-fleshed fruits from Shaanxi were rich in Limonene and Methyl hexanoate, and those from Yunnan were rich in 1-Propanol and 1-Hexanol; and yellow-fleshed fruits from Henan were characterized by Methyl salicylate and 3-Hydroxy-2-butanone. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) successfully classified kiwifruits by origin and variety, confirming the stability and predictive power of the model (Q2Y > 0.97). This study also elucidated the key metabolic pathways-including lipid oxidation, amino acid degradation, and terpenoid metabolism-underlying the formation of these characteristic VOCs. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the biochemical regulation of kiwifruit flavor and support the development of origin-tracing and quality-assessment tools based on VOC fingerprints.

This study prepared oregano essential oil-loaded liposomes (OEO-Lip) and systematically evaluated their physicochemical properties, stability, and antioxidant/antibacterial activities, along with the underlying mechanisms. Characterization revealed OEO-Lip exhibited a unilamellar vesicle structure with a particle size of approximately 190 nm, uniform dispersion (PDI = 0.183), a high zeta potential (-39.8 mV), and an encapsulation efficiency of 77.52%. Analyses by FT-IR, XRD, and DSC confirmed the successful encapsulation of OEO within the liposomes. Hydrogen bonding interactions with phospholipid components promoted the formation of a more ordered crystalline structure, thereby enhancing thermal stability. Storage stability tests demonstrated that OEO-Lip stored at 4 °C for 30 days exhibited significantly superior physicochemical properties compared to samples stored at 25 °C. Furthermore, liposomal encapsulation effectively preserved the antioxidant activity of OEO. Antimicrobial studies revealed that OEO-Lip exerted stronger and more sustained inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus than free OEO, primarily by disrupting bacterial membrane integrity and inducing the leakage of ions and intracellular contents. Transcriptomic analysis further indicated that OEO-Lip exerts synergistic antibacterial effects by downregulating genes associated with phospholipid synthesis and nutrient transport while concurrently interfering with multiple pathways, including quorum sensing and energy metabolism. Release experiments indicated that OEO-Lip displays both burst and sustained release characteristics. In summary, OEO-Lip serves as an efficient delivery system that significantly enhances the stability and antibacterial efficacy of OEO, demonstrating considerable potential for application in food preservation.

Fusarium oxysporum-induced soft rot severely threatens postharvest pitaya quality and storage life, and while vanillin shows promise in the disease management, its mechanisms for controlling pitaya decay remain incompletely understood. In this study, we systematically investigated the molecular mechanism by which vanillin inhibits soft rot in postharvest pitaya, employing physiological and biochemical characterization, bioinformatics analysis, and molecular biology techniques. Compared with control fruit on 10 d, vanillin treatment significantly reduced disease index and lesion area by 27.12% and 67.43%, respectively. Meanwhile, vanillin treatment delayed the degradation of total soluble solids (TSSs) and titratable acidity (TA) and promoted the accumulation of total phenolics and flavonoids. Additionally, vanillin enhanced the activities of defense-related enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), chitinase (CHI), peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and increased antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by increased DPPH radical scavenging capacity and ascorbic acid content. This resulted in reduced oxidative damage, as indicated by decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), H₂O₂ and O₂^•-. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) and subcellular localization revealed that HuTGA1, a nuclear-localized transcriptional activator, specifically bound to the as-1 cis-acting element and activated expression of HuNPR1 and HuNPR5-1. Transient overexpression of HuTGA1 reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and upregulated related genes. These findings suggest that vanillin treatment might enhance pitaya resistance by activating the HuTGA1-HuNPR signaling module, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying vanillin-induced resistance.

A bacterial cellulose (BC) producing bacterial species was isolated from spontaneous wine fermentations and identified as Acetobacter pasteurianus and assigned the strain designation ABBA. The strain had the ability to synthesize BC in orange juice, achieving a yield of 5.0 g/L. Further production optimization was studied using a non-fortified natural substrate composed of substandard raisin extracts, orange juice, and green tea extract. The Response Surface Methodology for the production design and optimization was applied, resulting in a significantly higher yield of up to 15.5 g/L. The porosity, crystallinity, and antioxidant activity of the produced BC films were affected by both the BC drying method and the substrate used. In the FT-IR spectra, characteristic peaks corresponding to citric acid, gallic acid, ascorbic acid and thiamine were observed, indicating their adsorption onto the BC matrix and explaining the increased antioxidant activity. A. pasteurianus ABBA is a promising new strain that can be used in the production of BC from agrifood sidestreams (substandard raisins; discarded oranges), contributing to their utilization and the production of value-added materials within a circular-economy framework.

Increasing competition in the olive oil market and labor shortages have accelerated the use of mechanical harvesting, raising concerns about potential fruit damage and its impact on oil quality. This study examined how three harvesting methods: manual using hand-held combs (B-HH) and two mechanical, hand-held shaker rake (B-MH-1) and self-propelled trunk shaker (B-MH-2), affect the quality and composition of Buža variety virgin olive oil. The greatest damage to the fruits occurred in B-MH-1, whereas the least was observed in B-HH. Olives were processed within 24 h, and oils were analyzed for basic quality parameters, fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), waxes content, fatty acid composition, volatile and phenolic profiles, and sensory attributes. Harvesting method did not significantly affect acidity, peroxide value, UV indices, FAEE, waxes, and fatty acids. Analyses of volatile and phenolic compounds revealed only slight differences. Nevertheless, sensory assessment detected no defects, with only minor reductions in positive odor attributes in B-MH-1. Taste attributes remained unchanged, consistent with similar total phenolic content. Overall, when olives are promptly processed, all investigated harvesting methods result in high-quality Buža olive oil.