Foods最新文献

The preservation of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables through dehydration is undergoing a paradigm shift to overcome quality degradation and high energy intensity associated with conventional thermal drying. This review synthesizes advancements in innovative pretreatments, focusing on their mechanisms, synergistic effects, and industrial readiness. Non-thermal pretreatment (NTP) methods-including Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF), Ultrasound (US), Cold Plasma (CP), and High-Pressure Processing (HPP)-are evaluated alongside optimized Osmotic Dehydration (OD) and Freeze-Thaw (FT) cycles. Analysis reveals these technologies enhance drying kinetics, reducing processing time by 20-55%, while improving bioactive retention by 30-95%. A critical discussion of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) distinguishes commercially mature solutions like OD (TRL 9) and HPP (TRL 8-9) from emerging pilot-scale concepts like US and PEF (TRL 6-7). Cold Plasma remains at TRL 4-5 due to uniformity challenges. Furthermore, the higher capital expenditure of innovative systems is mitigated by operational energy savings (up to 50%) and "clean label" premiums. This paper provides a strategic framework to optimize pretreatment selection based on tissue matrices and economic viability.

The rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) is a major pest in stored wheat, and traditional detection methods face challenges in identifying its hidden life stages within kernels. This study develops a nondestructive method to detect S. oryzae (Sitophilus oryzae) infestation in wheat kernels using hyperspectral imaging, spectral preprocessing, feature extraction, and classification modeling. Hyperspectral data were collected from wheat kernels at different infestation stages (1, 11, 21, and 25 days (d)) and from healthy kernels. Spectral quality was optimized using SG smoothing, multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), and standard normal variate transformation (SNV). Feature extraction algorithms, including Competitive Adaptive Re-weighting Algorithm (CARS), Successive Projection Algorithm (SPA), and Iterative Retention of Information Variables (IRIV), were used to reduce data dimensionality, while classification models like Decision Tree (DT), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were applied. The results show that MSC preprocessing provides the best performance among the models. After feature band selection, the MSC-CARS-SVM model achieved the highest accuracy for the 1 day and 25 d samples (95.48% and 96.61%, respectively). For the 11 d and 21 d samples, the MSC-IRIV-SPA-SVM model achieved the best performance with accuracies of 94.35% and 94.92%, respectively. This study demonstrates that MSC effectively reduces spectral noise and improves classification performance. After feature selection, the model shows significant improvements in both accuracy and stability. The study confirms the feasibility of using hyperspectral technology to identify healthy and S. oryzae-infested wheat kernels, providing theoretical support for early, nondestructive pest detection.

This study assessed the fermentation performance of five lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Lb. helveticus, Lb. casei, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) in camel milk (CM) and bovine milk (BM) at 42 °C for 48 h. Fluorescence microscopy revealed lower bacterial viability in fermented CM compared to BM. Acidification kinetics varied significantly between CM and BM, and proteolysis was more pronounced in fermented CM (p < 0.001), with OPA concentrations ~1.3-1.5-fold greater in CM across all strains during fermentation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed more porous, loose protein matrices in fermented CM than in BM, in line with the rheological analyses showing weaker gel networks and lower rheological strength in fermented CM. Lb. casei demonstrated superior adaptability, enhanced viability, balanced acidification, and favorable rheological properties in both milks, highlighting its potential as a possible starter or adjunct culture in fermented dairy products.

This study examines the feasibility of incorporating cocoa bean hulls (CBH) into chocolate in order to improve the resource efficiency of the cocoa value chain. The substitution of cocoa nibs with pre-milled cocoa bean hulls without adjustment of fat content was investigated in dark chocolate. The reference R100.0 (dark chocolate, 0% CBH) was compared with V75.25 (25% of cocoa nibs replaced; 16.25% CBH total) and V50.50 (50% replacement; 32% CBH total). Increasing CBH significantly elevated viscosity and yield stress, and firmness rose correspondingly. Both effects align with the literature attributing such increases to higher solids loading and reduced fat content. Colour analysis (ΔE) showed distinct differences between R100.0 and V50.50. Environmental impact was reduced by 16% for V75.25 and 32% for V50.50. According to the EU Novel-Food-Status-Catalogue, CBH is not classified as novel food. While CBH is typically regarded as an underutilized by-product, this study demonstrates its potential as a functional, cost-reducing ingredient in dark chocolate formulations when applied at optimized inclusion levels.

In order to reduce fungal contamination in grapes and increase the dehydration rate for producing raisins, the development of alternative technologies that do not compromise product safety and quality is required. This study examined the impact of innovative pre-drying methods using aqueous ozone (10 min-4.1 mg O₃ L^-1) and UV-C light (30.3 kJ m^-2 UV-C) on the incidence of Aspergillus carbonarius, as well as on air-drying kinetics and ultrastructure of epicuticular waxes in Sultanina grapes, when applied either individually or sequentially. The effect of the pre-treatments on the colour of the dehydrated grapes was also assessed. Grapes pre-treated with 30.3 kJ m^-2 UV-C and 10 min-4.1 mg O₃ L^-1 + 30.3 kJ m^-2 UV-C showed a lower incidence of A. carbonarius in storage at 20 ± 1 °C than those exposed to aqueous ozone (30 and 8% lower infection compared to the non-pretreated fruit at 15-day storage, respectively). Although the combined pre-treatment did not significantly improve the fungus inhibition with respect to the individual UV-C application, it allowed a higher dehydration rate during the drying process at 60 ± 1 °C. The drying time was reduced by ~31% compared to non-pretreated fruit, a result slightly lower than that achieved with the traditional chemical pre-treatment of ethyl oleate-K₂CO₃ (~39%). This enhancement in drying rate was partly attributed to marked alterations in the grape's epicuticular wax layer. UV-C and the combined pre-treatment helped in reducing the browning of raisins. Therefore, the combined application of ozone and UV-C light could be an environmentally friendly alternative for both improving the microbiological quality of grapes and accelerating the drying process.

Edible films are increasingly recognized as promising sustainable packaging alternatives, but often face challenges such as poor mechanical strength, limited barrier properties, and low oxidative stability. This study aimed to enhance the physicochemical performance of collagen fiber-starch composite films by incorporating polyphenols (including tannic acid (TA), caffeic acid (CA), and their oxidized forms, OTA and OCA) as natural cross-linkers and antioxidants. Results showed that the addition of 0.1% TA increased the tensile strength by approximately 45% compared to the control, while simultaneously reducing the water vapor permeability from 1.32 to 1.26 g·mm/kPa·h·m², with TA outperforming CA due to its higher molecular weight and stronger intermolecular interactions. Oxidized polyphenols further improved the mechanical and water vapor barrier properties via quinone-induced covalent cross-linking, thereby forming a denser film network. The films also exhibited enhanced UV-visible light shielding, with nearly complete ultraviolet blockage (transmittance is close to zero in the 200-280 nm range). Non-oxidized polyphenols showed higher antioxidant activity in the ABTS and reducing power assays, while release kinetics analysis revealed the highest release rate in 50% ethanol, indicating a pronounced solvent-dependent behavior. Specifically, films with 0.1% TA exhibited an ABTS radical scavenging activity of over 80%, significantly higher than the control. Overall, polyphenols effectively improve film performance through cross-linking and structural modification, offering a theoretical foundation for designing active packaging for targeted food systems.

Recently, co-fermentation of functional medicinal plants with fungi has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the overall quality of fermented foods. Monascus fermentation products have long been confronted with bottlenecks in both functionality and palatability, such as low monacolin K (MK) yield and poor flavor. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of co-fermenting Monascus purpureus with honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) on the bioactive metabolites and volatile flavor compounds of the fermented product. Through single-factor optimization, the addition of 0.8 g/L honeysuckle powder was identified as optimal, resulting in a 1.54-fold increase in MK yield compared to the control. Additionally, nine key genes were upregulated in the MK biosynthetic cluster (mokA-mokI). Co-fermentation also significantly increased the total flavonoid and polyphenol contents by 3.93-and 2.01-fold, respectively, and enhanced in vitro antioxidant activity. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that ketones, esters, and alcohols were the dominant volatile compounds. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis identified 11 differential volatile compounds (variable importance in projection > 1), indicating a substantial shift in the flavor profile toward more desirable notes, with a reduction in undesirable aldehydes. These findings demonstrate that honeysuckle co-fermentation enhances the biofunctional properties of M. purpureus fermentation products and improves their sensory appeal, providing a viable bioprocessing strategy for developing high-value Monascus-based functional foods or ingredients.

This study assessed consumer perceptions of high-fat, low-carbohydrate (HFLC) protein bars containing varying levels of beef tallow fat. A consumer acceptability test was conducted (n = 102) with four prepared and one commercially available HFLC bar samples. Hedonic, diagnostic (intensity), and just-about-right (JAR) questions on overall liking, texture, flavor, and purchase intent were included in the sample evaluation ballot, followed by general demographic, consumption behavior, and ingredient preference questions about the product category. Although none of the samples, including the commercial bar, were liked, the sample with the highest protein content and lowest fat content was preferred over the others. Overall flavor and aroma liking were rated significantly higher for all prepared samples compared with the commercial bar (p ≤ 0.05). The sample evaluation revealed potential pathways for improving HFLC bars by leveraging "fat-synergizing" attributes such as sweetness, saltiness, and spiciness, with texture improvements possible through higher lean-protein incorporation. The ingredient factors most important to the participants were high protein content, high satiety, minimal ingredients, natural ingredients, and no added sugar. This study's results demonstrate a widespread desire for fewer ingredients overall, more natural ingredients, and high satiation in snack products.

Fresh wet tuber-based vermicelli is prized for its soft and elastic texture, which relies on high moisture content. However, this leads to water exudation and texture hardening during storage, limiting industrial application. This study employed immersion as a moisture regulation strategy, analyzing changes in water distribution, hardness, microstructure, and reheating quality during immersion and storage. Results indicated that moisture content increased rapidly within the first 20 min and stabilized after 40 min, accompanied by a significant reduction in hardness and gelatinization enthalpy. Microstructural analysis revealed that an immersion time of 30-40 min (62-63% moisture) was optimal, preserving suitable hardness and structural integrity. During storage, these samples achieved stable water distribution by day 35. In contrast, samples immersed for 50-60 min (64-65% moisture) showed markedly increased free water and notable structural damage. Reheating tests further confirmed that immersion for 30-40 min helped maintain moderate hardness post-storage. Therefore, controlling immersion to 30-40 min effectively balances texture, storage stability, and reheating quality.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a globally prevalent chronic metabolic disorder that poses severe public health risks. Synthetic hypoglycemic agents are susceptible to inducing adverse reactions, thus driving the development of natural, safe and highly effective plant-derived hypoglycemic active compounds as a research hotspot. Inhibiting the activity of α-glucosidase and α-amylase represents an effective strategy to regulate postprandial blood glucose levels. This study investigated the synergistic hypoglycemic activity of a composite (PS-PP) formed by polysaccharide (PS) and polyphenols (PP) from Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Muzao and elucidated the structural basis underlying this synergistic effect. First, MPS and MPP were isolated and purified, followed by the in vitro assembly to prepare PS-PP. The hypoglycemic activities of MPS, MPP and MPS-PP were evaluated via in vitro enzyme inhibition assays, while structural characterization was conducted using GPC-MALLS, FT-IR and SEM techniques. Results demonstrated that PS-PP exerted the strongest activity under optimal conditions (0.75 mg/mL concentration, pH 4.0, 1:2 mass ratio), with IC₅₀ values of 1.14 μg/mL and 0.82 μg/mL against the two enzymes, which were superior to those of polysaccharides (15.10 and 36.06 μg/mL) and polyphenols (1.18 and 46.24 μg/mL). Structural analysis revealed that the interaction between PS and PP was primarily mediated by hydrogen bonds. PS-PP exhibited significant differences from single-component compounds in molecular weight distribution, functional group binding and surface morphology. These structural alterations were identified as the key factors contributing to its enhanced hypoglycemic efficacy. This study clarifies the synergistic hypoglycemic mechanism of MPP-PS and lays a scientific foundation for the development of natural hypoglycemic preparations and functional foods.