International Journal of Food Science最新文献

Blending wheat flour with anchote starch offers a valuable approach to reducing the antinutritional factors present in anchote. However, the use of anchote starch as a blending ingredient for wheat bread has not yet been investigated. This study addresses this gap by extracting and characterizing starch from anchote (Coccinia abyssinica) as a supplementary ingredient to wheat flour bread. Anchote samples were collected from the western Oromia Region in Ethiopia, and wheat samples were obtained from the Bishoftu research center. Wheat flour was combined with anchote starch at varying levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. The study analyzed proximate composition, mineral content, antinutritional factors, and functional properties for both anchote starch and the composite flour. Results, processed through one-way ANOVA at a 5% significance level, showed that moisture, ash, protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrate, and gross energy contents in the composite flour ranged, respectively, from 9.17% to 9.73%, 1.71% to 1.99%, 3.35% to 4.87%, 3.05% to 3.85%, 1.33% to 3.67%, 79.71% to 82.4%, and 370.49-374.71 kcal. As the proportion of anchote starch increased, mineral contents of calcium, sodium, iron, and zinc rose, while potassium, magnesium, and manganese levels declined. Functionally, increasing anchote starch led to higher bulk density and swelling power, while water and oil absorption capacities decreased. Antinutritional elements such as phytate, cyanide, and tannin were reduced with higher anchote starch levels. Sensory evaluations indicated that bread acceptability improved with increased anchote starch, reaching optimal levels at 20%. Overall, anchote starch shows promise for enhancing the nutritional profile of food products, adding beneficial minerals and fiber.

All over the world, wild edible plants are predominantly the sources of famine food. Ethiopia, with food-insecure populations, needs such food-supplementing plant groups. The current review article is aimed at presenting a compiled list of the species, showing the diversity of the species, and elaborating on their major threats and values. Scientific articles with an ethnobotanical approach that were published from 2004 to 2025 in Ethiopia were gathered. An inclusive review was performed by using a reputable database, Google Scholar. Several phases of screening were conducted. A total of 59 published articles were reviewed. From the published documents, important information was extracted. The gathered data was entered into Microsoft Excel 2010 and analyzed. A total of 665 species (114 families) were recorded. Cordia africana, Syzygium guineense, and Ximenia americana were the three highly mentioned species. Fabaceae was an outlayer family with 63 species. Rubiaceae (31 species) was the second, followed by Malvaceae (28 species). Trees were the dominant species, followed by shrubs, and the preferred edible part was the fruit. There was a record difference across one region to the other, and the southern region was the first in species record (113 species). They were the sources of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, fibers, vitamin C, and minerals. They were further recorded as nutraceuticals, antioxidants, and income-generating plants. Two major problems were observed: lack of utilising the species as a staple food and low marketability. Nowadays, the species are under several threats. Therefore, significant conservation strategies should be conducted and implemented throughout the country along with promoting their value to the local community.

Biobased organic nanoparticles possess nanoscale size, large surface area, tunable surface charge, and strong functionalization capacity, significantly enhancing their antimicrobial performance. Derived from renewable materials such as polysaccharides, proteins, and plant-based compounds, they provide a sustainable and ecofriendly alternative to synthetic antimicrobial agents. Their antimicrobial effects include disrupting microbial membranes, generating reactive oxygen species, and interfering with essential cellular processes, making them effective even against drug-resistant pathogens. Additionally, when used as drug delivery systems, they improve therapeutic outcomes by enhancing compound stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery while minimizing toxicity. This review comprehensively analyses their structural features, mechanisms of action, and dual roles in infection control and drug delivery. It also addresses key challenges, including nanoparticle stability, scalability, and biosafety. The review concludes with future directions, emphasizing the need to optimize nanoparticle design, understand their interactions with microbial cells, and develop safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly synthesis methods to support their broader application in sustainable healthcare.

Gluten-free products have gained increased attention due to the growing prevalence of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. This study is aimed at developing gluten-free biscuits by replacing corn flour (CF) with purple sweet potato flour (PSPF) at levels of 0%-50% and at investigating the effects on physical properties, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, nutritional composition, and sensory evaluation. The results showed that increasing PSPF significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) the levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. The PSPF50 sample exhibited the highest total phenolic content (302.58 μg GAE/g dw) and flavonoid content (974.86 μg QE/g dw), compared to the control sample, which contained only 5.34 μg GAE/g dw and 27.78 μg QE/g dw. The antioxidant inhibition activities of 84.08% (DPPH) and 93.39% (ABTS) at 0.5 mg/mL represented 3.7-fold and 3.8-fold increases over the control. PSPF50 also showed higher protein content (2.20%) and dietary fiber (4.43%) than the control sample (0.32% and 0.52%, respectively). Significant changes were also observed in the spread ratio (8.82-12.02) and the density (0.86-1.54 g/cm³). Sensory evaluation indicated that the PSPF30 sample received the highest scores for all attributes, with ratings in the excellent range. Both lower and higher substitution levels led to a significant decline in acceptance (p < 0.05). In conclusion, PSPF enhances both the nutritional and functional properties of gluten-free biscuits. Substituting 30% PSPF was found to provide the best balance of sensory quality and industrial applicability.

Growing health concerns regarding sucrose consumption have led to an increased use of alternative sugars, including sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, and natural sweeteners. This study investigated the impact of commercially available sugar substitutes on the viability of Bacillus probiotics and Lactobacillus strains during baking. Our findings revealed that Bacillus subtilis strains exhibited the highest log reduction with sucralose (average 0.99 log CFU/g) and the lowest with monk fruit (average 0.60 log CFU/g). In contrast, Lactobacillus acidophilus demonstrated a higher log reduction, with the highest reduction observed with monk fruit (4.18 log CFU/g) and the lowest with sucralose (3.47 log CFU/g). Notably, B. subtilis strains exhibited significantly greater viability during baking compared to L. acidophilus (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Bacillus probiotics maintained their viability even under high-temperature baking conditions, suggesting their potential for use in baked goods as a viable probiotic ingredient. Additionally, the use of sugar alternatives, such as monk fruit, sucralose, and stevia, was found to significantly increase the water activity in baked cookies, which may contribute to decreased stability and preservation of probiotic efficacy. This study underscores the superior stability of Bacillus probiotics in baked products and highlights the potential benefits of using sugar substitutes to enhance both product shelf life and health benefits.

Obesity, a global health burden, is marked by increased lipid levels and chronic inflammation. Sargassum aquifolium is a brown seaweed rich in bioactive compounds that may improve lipid profile and inflammation. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential of S. aquifolium juice in modulating lipid profiles and inflammatory responses in hypercholesterolemic rats. High-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) analysis identified bioactive compounds, including niacin, whose potential antihypercholesterolemic effect was supported by in silico PASS prediction. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: normal, hypercholesterolemic, and hypercholesterolemic rats fed S. aquifolium juice once, twice, and thrice daily for 120 days. The results showed that administration of S. aquifolium juice, especially twice daily, significantly reduced TG and total cholesterol, raised HDL, lowered AI and malondialdehyde (MDA), and modulated IL-4, TNF-α, and IL-1β expression by CD4⁺ cells. In hypercholesterolemic rats, IL-4 expression was lower, and TNF-α and IL-1β were higher than normal. However, S. aquifolium juice increased IL-4 and decreased TNF-α and IL-1β, suggesting an immunomodulatory effect. Niacin in S. aquifolium juice may improve lipid profiles and suppress inflammatory cytokines via NF-κB inhibition and NLRP3 inflammasome modulation. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of S. aquifolium juice as a natural antihypercholesterolemic agent for managing hypercholesterolemia and preventing atherosclerosis, though further larger scale investigations are needed.

This study investigated the environmental consciousness of 270 consumers, their behavior towards the purchase of packaged food, their willingness to pay more for products in environmentally friendly containers, and their attitude and knowledge towards recycling and pollution. The data collected were statistically analyzed using Chi-square, t-tests, and multinominal and logistic regression analyses. Results showed that consumers preferred glass when compared to other packaging material types. Females were more willing to pay more for products in environmentally friendly packaging. As the respondents' education level increased, the respondents were more knowledgeable about recycling symbols and believed that recycling helped reduce environmental pollution. The income level of the respondents was not conclusive on its effect on the attitude on environmental packaging. Younger respondents were more conscious of recycling symbols and preferred plastic more than the other age groups. Environmental consciousness thus effected the buying decision of the respondents.

An innovative method of production of the herbal propolis extract (PE) with a masked scent of propolis suitable for food applications was proposed. The obtained extracts based on propolis and selected dried herbs were compared in terms of antioxidant activity, the polyphenolic profile (HPLC), and the volatile fraction (GC × GC-MS, olfactometry), as well as antibacterial activity against Streptococcus spp. using serial microdilution method. Based on the highest content of polyphenols and richer volatile fraction, pure PE and Herbes de Provance propolis extract (HPPE) were fractionated by vacuum concentration, obtaining two fractions: hydrophilic and hydrophobic which showed differing antimicrobial effects. Full extracts and fractions were powdered by spray-drying. The positive effect of herbs additive on the powder morphology was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Good retention of phenolic and volatile components in the obtained powders was demonstrated; however, the composition of powdered fraction was different. Although the antimicrobial activity of powders was not observed in vitro, the first effective attempts were made to use full extracts both in liquid and powdered forms to extend the shelf life of chicken breasts and apple juice. HPPE compared to PE extract turned to be more effective as a preservative, so the proposed method can increase the use of propolis in food preservation.

This study examines global research trends in edible insects using a bibliometric approach to evaluate country contributions, which are essential for understanding the geographic distribution of research capacity, funding availability, and regional priorities. Country-specific insights highlight disparities in research output and infrastructure, providing a foundation for exploring how different nations adopt edible insects in food systems and feed applications. Based on 2291 articles indexed in the Scopus database from 2005 to 2024, the analysis utilized Bibliometrix in R software and VOSviewer for bibliometric visualization. To enhance data processing and presentation, Scimago Graphica, Tableau, and MS Excel were employed for advanced visualizations. The findings reveal the rapid growth in edible insect research, with Europe leading in output, particularly from Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Asia shows strong contributions, with South Korea and China emerging as key players supported by robust funding frameworks. The United States, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands host the largest number of journals, facilitating widespread knowledge dissemination. Collaborative networks, led by Germany, Italy, and Kenya, drive advancements, while the Netherlands ranks highest in citations, underscoring the impact of its research. Emerging themes include bioactive compounds, functional foods, circular economy practices, and sustainable feed for livestock and aquaculture, aligning with global sustainability goals. Insects like black soldier fly larvae, crickets, and mealworms are being explored as efficient protein sources for animal feed. Addressing food safety, allergenicity, and cultural barriers remains critical. Future research should focus on scalable farming, innovative food processing, and underutilized species, with global collaboration and sustainability alignment being pivotal.

Rice, a staple for over half the global population, undergoes milling that removes bran and germ, impacting its nutrient content, physical properties, and glycemic response. The study was conducted to estimate the effects of the degree of milling (DOM) on the physicochemical, nutritional quality, blood glucose response (GR) and glycemic index (GI) of the BRRI dhan78. Rice samples collected from BRRI were milled at 0% (brown rice), 5% (partial milled), and 10% (full milled). Brown rice had the highest ash (1.3%), crude fiber (1.4%), protein (9.4%), and fat content (1.3%), while full milled rice had the highest moisture (11.1%) and carbohydrate content (79.7%). Thiamin content was affected by DOM in a linear fashion, declining from 0.15 mg/100 g to 0.13 mg/100 g as DOM increased. Significant reductions in Fe and Zn were observed as the DOM increased, from 8.6 mg/kg to 3.7 mg/kg and 22.0 mg/kg to 14.2 mg/kg, respectively. The length and breadth ratio increased along with the increase in DOM from 2.3 to 2.8. The L∗ and h values of different milled rice increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 61.8 to 72.7 and 79.1 to 88.9, respectively, with increasing DOM, while a∗, b∗, and c∗ values significantly (p < 0.05) decreased from 4.5 to 0.3, 23.4 to 14.0, and 23.8 to 13.6, respectively. Springiness and cohesiveness and of cooked rice significantly (p < 0.05) increased from 0.2 to 0.5 and from 0.2 to 0.3, while hardness and chewiness decreased from 3.3 × 10⁴ to 2.2 × 10⁴ N/m² and from 8.1 × 10² to 2.7 × 10² N/m², respectively, with an increase in DOM. Full milled rice caused the highest glucose increase at different time intervals while brown rice caused the lowest. Brown rice had the lowest GI (54.4), while full milled rice had the highest GI (75.9). Brown rice was slightly liked, while partial milled rice was moderately liked. Both offer healthier benefits than full milled rice based on the DOM.