Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety最新文献

Low-cost, reliable, and efficient biosensors are crucial in detecting residual heavy metal ions (HMIs) in food products. At present, based on distance-induced localized surface plasmon resonance of noble metal nanoparticles, enzyme-mimetic reaction of nanozymes, and chelation reaction of metal chelators, the constructed optical sensors have attracted wide attention in HMIs detection. Besides, based on the enrichment and signal amplification strategy of nanomaterials on HMIs and the construction of electrochemical aptamer sensing platforms, the developed electrochemical biosensors have overcome the plague of low sensitivity, poor selectivity, and the inability of multiplexed detection in the optical strategy. Moreover, along with an in-depth discussion of these different types of biosensors, a detailed overview of the design and application of innovative devices based on these sensing principles was provided, including microfluidic systems, hydrogel-based platforms, and test strip technologies. Finally, the challenges that hinder commercial application have also been mentioned. Overall, this review aims to establish a theoretical foundation for developing accurate and reliable sensing technologies and devices for HMIs, thereby promoting the widespread application of biosensors in the detection of HMIs in food.

Fungal infections of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFVs) can lead to safety problems, including consumer poisoning by mycotoxins. Various strategies exist to control fungal infections of FFVs, but their effectiveness and sustainability are limited. Recently, new concepts based on the microbiome and pathobiome have emerged and offer a more holistic perspective for advancing postharvest pathogen control techniques. Understanding the role of the microbiome in FFV infections is essential for developing sustainable control strategies. This review examines current and emerging approaches to postharvest pathology. It reviews what is known about the initiation and development of infections in FFVs. As a promising concept, the pathobiome offers new insights into the basic mechanisms of microbial infections in FFVs. The underlying mechanisms uncovered by the pathobiome are being used to develop more relevant global antifungal strategies. This review will also focus on new technologies developed to target the microbiome and members of the pathobiome to control infections in FFVs and improve safety by limiting mycotoxin contamination. Specifically, this review stresses emerging technologies related to FFVs that are relevant for modifying the interaction between FFVs and the microbiome and include the use of microbial consortia, the use of genomic technology to manipulate host and microbial community genes, and the use of databases, deep learning, and artificial intelligence to identify pathobiome markers. Other approaches include programming the behavior of FFVs using synthetic biology, modifying the microbiome using sRNA technology, phages, quorum sensing, and quorum quenching strategies. Rapid adoption and commercialization of these technologies are recommended to further improve the overall safety of FFVs.

Food science encounters increasing complexity and challenges, necessitating more efficient, accurate, and sensitive analytical techniques. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) emerges as a revolutionary tool, offering more molecular-level insights. This review delves into MSI's applications and challenges in food science. It introduces MSI principles and instruments such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization, desorption electrospray ionization, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, highlighting their application in chemical composition analysis, variety identification, authenticity assessment, endogenous substance, exogenous contaminant and residue analysis, quality control, and process monitoring in food processing and food storage. Despite its potential, MSI faces hurdles such as the complexity and cost of instrumentation, complexity in sample preparation, limited analytical capabilities, and lack of standardization of MSI for food samples. While MSI has a wide range of applications in food analysis and can provide more comprehensive and accurate analytical results, challenges persist, demanding further research and solutions. The future development directions include miniaturization of imaging devices, high-resolution and high-speed MSI, multiomics and multimodal data fusion, as well as the application of data analysis and artificial intelligence. These findings and conclusions provide valuable references and insights for the field of food science and offer theoretical and methodological support for further research and practice in food science.

Lipopeptides are a class of lipid–peptide-conjugated compounds with differing structural features. This structural diversity is responsible for their diverse range of biological properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Lipopeptides have been attracting the attention of food scientists due to their potential as food additives and preservatives. This review provides a comprehensive overview of lipopeptides, their production, structural characteristics, and functional properties. First, the classes, chemical features, structure–activity relationships, and sources of lipopeptides are summarized. Then, the gene expression and biosynthesis of lipopeptides in microbial cell factories and strategies to optimize lipopeptide production are discussed. In addition, the main methods of purification and characterization of lipopeptides have been described. Finally, some biological activities of the lipopeptides, especially those relevant to food systems along with their mechanism of action, are critically examined.

Cold plasma treatment is an innovative technology in the food processing and preservation sectors. It is primarily employed to deactivate microorganisms and enzymes without heat and chemical additives; hence, it is often termed a “clean and green” technology. However, food quality and safety challenges may arise during cold plasma processing due to potential chemical interactions between the plasma reactive species and food components. This review aims to consolidate and discuss data on the impact of cold plasma on the chemical constituents and physical and functional properties of major food products, including dairy, meat, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and grains. We emphasize how cold plasma induces chemical modification of key food components, such as water, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, polyphenols, and volatile organic compounds. Additionally, we discuss changes in color, pH, and organoleptic properties induced by cold plasma treatment and their correlation with chemical modification. Current studies demonstrate that reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in cold plasma oxidize proteins, lipids, and bioactive compounds upon direct contact with the food matrix. Reductions in nutrients and bioactive compounds, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, sugars, polyphenols, and vitamins, have been observed in dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and beverages following cold plasma treatment. Furthermore, structural alterations and the generation of volatile and non-volatile oxidation products were observed, impacting the color, flavor, and texture of food products. However, the effects on dry foods, such as seeds and nuts, are comparatively less pronounced. Overall, this review highlights the drawbacks, challenges, and opportunities associated with cold plasma treatment in food processing.

Seaweed polysaccharides are natural biomacromolecules with unique physicochemical properties (e.g., good gelling, emulsifying, and film-forming properties) and diverse biological activities (e.g., anticoagulant, antioxidant, immunoregulatory, and antitumor effects). Furthermore, they are nontoxic, biocompatible and biodegradable, and abundant in resources. Therefore, they have been widely utilized in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, their properties and bioactivities sometimes are not satisfactory for some purposes. Modification of polysaccharides can impart the amphiphilicity and new functions to the biopolymers and change the structure and conformation, thus effectively improving their functional properties and biological activities so as to meet the requirement for targeted applications. This review outlined the modification methods of representative red algae polysaccharides (carrageenan and agar), brown algae polysaccharides (fucoidan, alginate, and laminaran), and green algae polysaccharides (ulvan) that have potential food applications, including etherification, esterification, degradation, sulfation, phosphorylation, selenylation, and so on. The improved functional properties and bioactivities of the modified seaweed polysaccharides and their potential food applications are also summarized.

Rising consumer awareness, coupled with advances in sensor technology, is propelling the food manufacturing industry to innovate and employ tools that ensure the production of safe, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable products. Amidst a plethora of nondestructive techniques available for evaluating the quality attributes of both raw and processed foods, the challenge lies in determining the most fitting solution for diverse products, given that each method possesses its unique strengths and limitations. This comprehensive review focuses on baked goods, wherein we delve into recently published literature on cutting-edge nondestructive methods to assess their feasibility for Industry 4.0 implementation. Emphasizing the need for quality control modalities that align with consumer expectations regarding sensory traits such as texture, flavor, appearance, and nutritional content, the review explores an array of advanced methodologies, including hyperspectral imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, terahertz, acoustics, ultrasound, X-ray systems, and infrared spectroscopy. By elucidating the principles, applications, and impacts of these techniques on the quality of baked goods, the review provides a thorough synthesis of the most current published studies and industry practices. It highlights how these methodologies enable defect detection, nutritional content prediction, texture evaluation, shelf-life forecasting, and real-time monitoring of baking processes. Additionally, the review addresses the inherent challenges these nondestructive techniques face, ranging from cost considerations to calibration, standardization, and the industry's overreliance on big data.

Naturally sourced pH-sensitive indicator films are of interest for real-time monitoring of food freshness through color changes because of their safety. Therefore, natural pigments for indicator films are required. However, pigment stability is affected by environmental factors, which can in turn affect the sensitivity and color stability of the pH-sensitive indicator film. First, natural pigments (anthocyanin, betalain, curcumin, alizarin, and shikonin) commonly used in pH-sensitive indicator films are presented. Subsequently, the mechanisms behind the change in pigment color under different pH environments and their applications in monitoring food freshness are also described. Third, influence factors, such as the sources, types, and pH sensitivity of pigments, as well as environmental parameters (light, temperature, humidity, and oxygen) of sensitivity and color stability, are analyzed. Finally, methods for improving the pH-sensitive indicator film are explored, encapsulation of natural pigments, incorporation of a hydrophobic film-forming matrix or function material, and protective layer have been shown to enhance the color stability of indicator films, the addition of copigments or mental ions, blending of different natural pigments, and the utilization of electrospinning have been proved to increase the color sensitivity of indicator films. This review could provide theoretical support for the development of naturally sourced pH-sensitive indicator films with high stability and sensitivity and facilitate the development in the field of monitoring food freshness.

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) significantly influence food flavor and garner considerable attention in flavor research due to their low sensory thresholds, diverse odor attributes, and high reactivity. Extensive research studies have explored VSC formation through thermal processes such as the Maillard reaction, thermal pyrolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic reactions. However, understanding of the specific reaction mechanisms and processes remains limited. This is due to the dispersed nature of existing studies, the undefined intermediates involved, and the complexity of the matrices and processing conditions. Given these limitations, the authors have shifted their focus from foods to sulfides. The structure, source, and chemical characteristics of common precursors (sulfur-containing amino acids and derivatives, thiamine, thioglucoside, and lentinic acid) and their corresponding reactive intermediates (hydrogen sulfide, thiol, alkyl sulfide, alkyl sulfenic acid, and thial) are provided, and the degradation mechanisms, reaction rules, and matrix conditions are summarized based on their chemical characteristics. Additionally, the VSC formation processes in several typical foods during processing are elucidated, adhering to these identified rules. This article provides a comprehensive overview of VSCs, from precursors and intermediates to end products, and is crucial for understanding the mechanisms behind VSC formation and managing the flavor qualities of processed foods.

The development of future food is devoted not only to obtaining a sustainable food supply but also to providing high-quality foods for humans. Plant-derived non-starch polysaccharides (PNPs) are widely available, biocompatible, and nontoxic and have been largely applied to the food industry owing to their mechanical properties and biological activities. PNPs are considered excellent biomaterials and food ingredients contributing to future food development. However, a comprehensive review of the potential applications of PNPs in future food has not been reported. This review summarized the physicochemical and biological activities of PNPs and then discussed the structure–activity relationships of PNPs. Latest studies of PNPs on future foods including cell-cultured meat, food for special medical purposes (FSMPs), and three-dimensional-printed foods were reviewed. The challenges and prospects of PNPs applied to future food were critically proposed. PNPs with strong thermal stability are considered good thickeners, emulsifiers, and gelatinizers that greatly improve the processing adaptability of foods. The mechanical properties of PNPs and decellularized plant-based PNPs make them desirable scaffolds for cultured meat manufacturing. In addition, the biological activities of PNPs exhibit multiple health-promoting effects; therefore, PNPs can act as food ingredients producing FSMP to promote human health. Three-dimensional printing technology enhances food structures and biological activities of functional foods, which is in favor of expanding the application scopes of PNPs in future food. PNPs are promising in future food manufacturing, and more efforts need to be made to realize their commercial applications.